How To Get Fit Fast- The Path to Health And Wellness

Are you unfit? If you know it, you know it. If you don’t know it, then you need to know it. Indeed, denial is the first block or barrier to change. Conversely, acknowledgement is the first breakthrough for change. Be a person of today, not tomorrow. It’s worth mentioning that everyone has their own journey, some of us are genetically blessed with athleticism, and others of us, not quite so much. Of us, there are slender ones, average built and those slightly on the heavier side. You may be a couch potato, a retired athlete or a fitness fanatic. Indeed, even if you possess peak fitness, it is necessary to maintain your regimen, or else you risk losing fitness. Additionally, with age comes degeneration. As we age, our bodies slow down, as do our functions and systems, we start to lose muscle mass and bone mass, our weight increases as metabolism declines, our sight deteriorates as does hearing, we start to lose our memory and sharpness and our energy and hunger depreciate. Along with all this, the natural biological process of aging results in declining fitness levels. However, we can counter this to a degree. So the question is, how to get fit fast?

The Path To Health And Wellness- Get Fit Fast

Getting fit is not just about looking good, it’s about feeling good. If you want to feel more energy, to be in better shape, to have better fitness, better productivity, virility and fertility, emotional stability, longevity, to have a better relationship, to attract a mate in the first place, you name it, it all starts with your mindset. You need to want change. We could all do with a few reminders (looking at the self first…) so let’s dive in to this together.

What’s your motivation?

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don’t say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your” if” opens the (gate) for the Satan.

Sahih Muslim 2664

Indeed it is essential that we tie our motivations to our greater purpose.

Let’s get fit for The One.

Identify Your Obstacles

Consider these pressing questions. Are you self-driven or do you prefer an authority and accountability partner? Perhaps you are the parent, or are you the progeny? Maybe you are in a position of caregiving or are you receiving care? What are your responsibilities? What are your time constraints? What resources and finances can you utilise to your benefit? Is this an individual journey or a familial one? Following an assessment of your current situation, think about the leadership within the household. Who is the head or the authority of the house? If the leader sets the rules, after consulting with its dependents, and the latter respect the former’s authority, then mutual benefit and co-operation will ensue.

A successful household needs discipline, organisation, structure and routine. Of course, there should be flexibility and allowance for spontaniety. However, a generic timetable, around which the day functions, is often necessary to maintain discipline and regulate daily activities. As Muslims, the five daily prayers is our benchline on structuring the day. Consider this structure: waking at Fajr prayer, to start the day, followed by breakfast and daily work, the Zuhr prayer, followed by lunch, the Asr prayer followed by some exercise, then Maghrib prayer followed by dinner, followed by family time, then washing up and finishing the day with Isha prayer. The five prayers form the skeleton of your day, around which all other activities can be fashioned. With this in mind, it is important to tailor such obligations to your own life patterns, remembering that we have varied life paths, diverse habits and different occupations and positions. Sometimes, we’re tested with those who pull us down rather than up. In this case, you have to lead, take a step forward and show the way. Others will follow suit, by the permission of Allah. If you sleep in the night and work in the day, if you are a shift worker or a busy mother, try to get a few days every week where you can sleep in the night and wake in the day. It’s all about assessing your current habits and creating new ones. It’s all possible. Where there is a will, there is a way. Soon enough, you’ll be on the path to health and wellness.

Changing Brain Pathways

In extension to the above, discipline within the household must imply rules: dos and don’ts. Moreover, in order to break bad habits, we need to identify the triggers and eliminate them or minimise them. You know what they say, it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. So take it one step at a time! It’s about rewiring your brain. The reward centre and it’s reaction to dopamine inducing items needs to be reset, in effect you need to teach yourself that the bad stuff is not rewarding but poisonous, and the good stuff may be difficult but satisfying. Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you look at a pack of chocolates and think, “I don’t want to eat this, I must find something else to eat instead, something wholesome, good for my body and mind in the long run.” (Sure it may be easier said than done, but it is doable, if you are sincere.) Continue rewiring your brain, breaking bad habits and creating new ones and stick to it, for about a month to begin with. Consistency is key. As a result, you will be able to say bye-bye to your addictions, whether it’s binging on junk food, TV marathons, unlimited social media browsing or pocket-drying shoppings sprees, whatever. You have to wean yourself off the addictions. It might be painful, but it sure is worth it. It is worth the blood, sweat and tears when you see the results and envisage a healthier future. Cry at first, laugh later. Remember, no pain, no gain!

Diet and Exercise- Get Fit Fast

In order to get fit, consider your current diet and exercise levels. The two go hand in hand, if you focus on one without the other you’ll likely see poor results. Therefore, aim for a balance, depending on your goals. If your goal is to lose excessive weight, focus on lowering caloric intake and increasing exercise and caloric expenditure. Conversely, if your goal is to gain healthy weight and muscle, focus on increasing caloric intake and strength training excercise. If you’re health is good, consider intermittent fasting. Along with the spiritual benefits of fasting, the physical benefits are immense. Fasting can be a form of natural detoxification. When you can control what you put into your body and build the discipline to work out regularly, you’ll be fit in no time.

Keep On At It

Endurance. The long run. The long haul. The only way is forward now. Once you’ve started the journey, keep it steady but consistent. If you fail or falter, get back up again. Commitment takes effort, so fight the fear. Think: it’s the conservative, long-term investment that will bring a good return. When you start to see the results, you’ll realise it’s all worth it. A happier, healthier, stronger, fitter, productive, energetic you, will bolster the motivation necessary to keep going.

Because the race isn’t over. It only just started.

Only For The One.

How to get fit fast- The Path To Health and Wellness

Only For The One.