“You don’t have any muscles in your body,” said the former Egyptian olympian as she gave me a massage. This was a huge blow for me, as I had grown up very fit and athletic. But the years of child-bearing and medical training had taken its toll on me. There I lay, weak and vulnerable on the massage table, just wanting to curl up and cry. Those years were hard, and although I accomplished a lot of important things, it had come at the cost of my physical well-being.
I wanted to find a solution! So I searched for a women’s only gym, but the nearest one was over 20 minutes away. I knew that 40+ minutes driving time was not realistic at that stage of life, with my job and three little kids. I was reluctant to join the nearby gym because I didn’t feel comfortable working out in front of men and back then, modest workout clothes weren’t readily available. So I did nothing.
The years passed, until one day I had severe back pain. I laid out on the floor and couldn’t move. I had my first herniated disc! It was awful. Part of my recovery involved physical therapy, and the therapist reiterated what I’d heard years before: I needed more muscular strength. She suggested yoga or pilates.
I didn’t look into yoga because, at the time, I was worried about its religious association to Hinduism. So I started searching for pilates, and by Allah’s Grace, I found a private pilates trainer five minutes from home! She was a highly certified pilates instructor, former professional ballerina, who offered private sessions out of her home. Although it was expensive, it felt like a dream come true because it solved my modesty issues and gave me targeted, customized strength training. Because she was very experienced, she knew how to train me for injury recovery, manage my bulging disc, and gradually rehabilitate my body.
After working with her for a while, I became more confident in my body and wanted to do more exercise. When looking into ideas, I wanted something without a lot of expense or time commitment. So I threw on a pair of sneakers and walked out the door for a 15 minute jog. That’s when I started running, not one of my favorite activities, but a good fit for that season of my life. To keep up my momentum, I signed up for my first ever 5K and that gave me a goal. I began to really enjoy running 5K races and then set my sights on a Half Marathon – a big change from 3 miles to 13 miles!
To train for the half marathon, I knew I would need to slowly build up my mileage and pace. Going too quickly would likely result in an injury which would derail and depress me. So I did all the research about shoes, training, hydration, etc. and, using a couple different training methods, made a spreadsheet for a personalized 6 month training program. The program I designed had me running shorter distances 5 days a week and one longer run weekly with one rest day. I started with walk-run intervals that gradually increased the running part until I could run the whole distance. I used an Interval Timer app on my phone that allowed me to set any intervals I wanted. The runs were an opportunity to listen to whatever I wanted, and I usually liked podcasts or audiobooks. I wish I had a running buddy or group because the long runs got really boring alone, especially near the end where I was running over 10 miles which took over 90 minutes. Race day was very fun and exciting, and I ran the whole 13+ miles (almost 2 hours straight running!), a very proud moment for me Alhamdulillah.
After that, I kept running off and on, but didn’t really enjoy the long distances. Gradually, I shifted my sights towards strength training and barre classes. Barre was really nice because the place I went to was one of those small boutique gyms in a shopping plaza. It was run by women, and once the class started, they would lock all the doors. So I knew that no men would be entering and could relax in whatever I was wearing and enjoy the class. My years of barre classes were when my core was the strongest, and I had no back pain. Barre is really great for women’s bodies because it targets all the muscle groups, without too much impact or heavy weights.
Once I was stronger, I complemented that with a weekly strength training class that incorporated more weight and more intense cardio intervals. I also started playing tennis again, a favorite sport throughout my pre-medical school life. Those years were my peak fitness years, and then the pandemic hit. That definitely derailed and shifted things for me.
Thereafter, I joined a gym that offered group fitness classes. One thing I know about myself is that I don’t do well working out alone and push myself much harder in classes. I also picked up pickleball at the insistence of my mom, a former tennis player who had become addicted. I hadn’t been playing tennis due to a back injury which had healed by then. And also caught the pickleball bug and have been enjoying it ever since. Now I focus on strength training in classes and pickleball for fun cardio. I also engage in other sports for fun, like softball, biking, kayaking, hiking, etc. Pain and injuries come and go, but I do my best to incorporate stretching and recovery.
10 lessons from my fitness journey:
1- Yes we have certain limitations as Muslim women who value modesty or don’t want to exercise with men, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. You can exercise at home with or without YouTube videos, find women’s fitness classes, walk/jog, or get a group of friends together for sports.
2- Honor the different seasons of your life and know that fitness might not be a top priority in every season, but should be something you can always come back to.
3- If you have young kids, run around with them and play! Don’t let them be the excuse for your exhaustion when they could be the cause of your conditioning!
4- Exercise is a gift to your body, not a punishment. Don’t exercise for weight loss, do it for your physical and mental health.
5- Fitness and sports can be great mood boosters.
6- When in doubt, go outside for a walk! Put on your headphones, listen to something inspiring, soak up the sun, and look at the sky.
7- Can’t walk outdoors due to bad weather? Hop on a treadmill and watch your favorite show while moving your body.
8- Find like-minded friends who want to move! Join leagues, sports teams, walking groups, or anything you can find that will encourage you.
9- Take conference calls while walking, when possible.
10- Choose vacations that involve physical activity. Get your family involved too.
