"Verily, Allah (God) never changes the condition of a people until they change themselves."*

I finally made it to my apartment door, gasping for air. I could barely stand up straight, and instead, was propping myself up against the door handle, looking for my room key. If you’d seen me, you would have thought that I had run a 10K while being chased by full-sized Siberian huskies...you know, those really big, scary looking dogs with razor-sharp teeth.

So, what really happened...?

I stupidly opted to live on the third floor while signing my lease, and now have to suffer the consequences of climbing three flights of stairs daily, while being pathetically out of shape.

It wasn’t always like this, you know. For the most part, I thought I was pretty “fit”. I used to go to the gym five times a week.  I even ate all the main food groups. Climbing stairs used to be no big ordeal...I actually used to see elevators as one of the reasons America’s obesity percentage is steadily rising.

As I fumbled in my bag for my keycard, I noticed a disturbing pattern in my train of thought...the phrase “used to”.

‘Uh oh’, I frantically thought to myself. ‘I’m becoming a bum!’

It had been almost a month and half since I moved out of my parents house and decided to embark on the road of getting a higher education solo. Part of the reason was the fact the Journalism program in this new town is ranked higher than the one I previously attended. The other part was that I needed to prove to myself that I could make it in the real world strictly on my own. And that last bit, well, is a lot more challenging than it sounds.

It also meant no more of my mom’s healthy-without-you-knowing-it-so-it-still-tastes-amazing cooking. Now THAT was probably one of the biggest blows.

The first few days after moving in to my new place were fine. I still kept up the healthy routine. Jogged to the gym daily. Raced up the stairs. I felt amazing.

But after the first two weeks of school and the work started to pile up...that’s when it all went down hill.

The evidence

Maybe I’ll go the gym tomorrow instead...I’m too tired today....Ah, ran out of groceries...Is McDonalds really that bad? Come on now.....

The vicious cycle officially began....that one day became two....two became three...and so on. Gym time became rare. Racing up the stairs was slowly starting to become more difficult. Soon, I began dreading it.

As I finally made it inside and sat on the couch panting, I realized that I was treading down a very treacherous path.

Fast food is like a drug...once you get hooked, it becomes very difficult, and for some, almost impossible, to stop. Part of you knows that this garbage is killing you, slowly clogging up the arteries that feed the very organ that keeps you alive...your heart. But the attraction of the laziness and convenience involved force you not to care. As your health worsens, physical activity starts to become less and less attractive, until you eventually stop exercising at all. And that garbage starts to build in your system, with no means of escape.

I thought about what my life would be like in thirty years (if I'm blessed to live that long). If I had kids inshaAllah, would I be able to get through a game of tag without collapsing midway? No, probably not. I thought about all the time I’d be spending in a doctor’s office being treated for God knows what...heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol.....the list of possibilities is endless. As someone who tries to live every minute to its fullest potential, did I really want to waste valuable time in hospitals and clinics? And whenever I wasn’t in one, did I want to be hindered by the symptoms of these various diseases and the side-effects caused by being medicated to treat them? Especially when many of these diseases are preventable if the right measures are taken early?

One of the greatest blessings Allah (swt) bestowed on us after our belief is our health. The Prophet (saw) said, “Ask Allah (swt) for forgiveness and health, for after being granted certainty, one is given nothing better than health.” (Tirmidhi)

We often take our health for granted. However, Allah (swt) has entrusted us with our bodies for a predestined period of time and will hold us to account on how we utilized them, which is a reflection of our health. With this in mind, we have a duty to make sure we undertake all necessary actions to protect this blessing.

I looked down at those spicy mystery-meat Mc Nuggets in my lap and wondered if they were really worth it.

‘Nah’, I sighed. 

That was three months ago, and alhamdulilah, putting down those mini-heart attacks was one of the best decisions I ever made. I wish words could adequately describe the difference in how you feel while being fit and healthy versus the attractive, yet completely poisonous alternative. No, poisonous is not an exaggeration...It seriously is poison, or at least, near poison!

All this is why we at MAS Tampa Media have decided to start the New Year with practical tips on how to improve both your nutritional intake and fitness routine, hopefully leading to a more holistic and wholesome lifestyle. We’ll also discuss the importance of going “green” and how it relates to our daily lives. You might think this “green” thing is just a fad, but it goes much more beyond that. 

It’s 2011 people. There’s a whole year ahead of you to send your bad habits packing and invite new, better ones to stay. Seriously, give it a shot. Trust me, you won’t be sorry that you did :)

Sarah Kassem

University of Florida

Muslim Youth For Truth Co-Founder


* Quranic Verse, (13:11)