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How many of us have been spending most of our time during the past year at a desk, with the only part of the body we exercise being the mind? Perhaps we succeeded at our year of hard work, but there is always a price tag on success, and so often in such cases, our bodies pay the price. (See Are You Fit and Healthy?)
Many young people are not as fit and healthy as they could be. This could be because of bad eating habits or lack of exercise or both. Sometimes young people allow themselves to get unfit because they don't realize how important it is to have a strong body. Having a healthy body means you will also have a feeling of well-being and your mind will be more alert.
Part of being unfit is feeling like you have no energy, no get-up-and -go! You feel sluggish, and this can also make you feel depressed. When you think about all the wonderful opportunities life offers, it is very sad to think that young people are sitting in front of a television munching on junk food and simply wasting their lives and their great potential. Yes, I'm talking about you! Every one of us has potential to do great and meaningful things. But how will you ever begin to discover this great potential if you couldn't be bothered getting off the chair?
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So here is where summer comes in. Now you have a few months of free time looming ahead, and it is important to make a good plan to make use of that time wisely. Why not use some of this time to get into shape? You could start by doing the weekly fasts. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. When you fast you give your body a “spring cleaning,” and I guarantee you that if you fast regularly you will feel better, in sha’ Allah.
So after you start fasting two days a week, take care of how you eat. First, try to steer clear of all junk food. But if you find that's impossible, then give yourself one day a week to enjoy some and the rest of the week eat nutritious healthy food—and don't overeat! Next comes exercise. It doesn't take much effort to start a light exercise program in your own home. Why is exercise important?
When you exercise you are using up calories that would have otherwise been turned to fat. When you eat more calories than your body needs to function and do all the things you have to do, then the body stores those extra calories and turns them into fat. Having extra fat on your body means all the internal organs are working harder, including the heart, so overweight people are prone to illness. That doesn't mean you have to panic and dash out and run for ten kilometers! Try to make exercise a normal part of each day. You can do light gentle exercise like walking or some simple exercises to strengthen your body.
Also when you exercise you are strengthening the heart muscle and balancing many functions of the body that are vital to feeling well and strong. Regular exercise can also affect your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Exercise makes you feel good! Exercising can help you manage depression and help cut down your stress level. So what about it—do you want to start an exercise program?
All you need is about 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. If you have been neglecting your poor body for some time, then you'd better start off slowly and build up. Begin by walking or swimming and don't overexert yourself. If you feel stressed by exercising, you'll make excuses to yourself to stop and we don't want that!
Once you feel better and stronger, you will naturally want to try more. Did you ever think of doing housework or gardening as a way of exercising? Give it a try and if you intend to do these things to obtain the pleasure of Allah, the Creator of all, you'll get blessings for it as well!
Take care not to make physical activity an unwelcome chore. Why not walk to the shop instead of taking the car? Play with your younger brothers and sisters. You know how active kids are and you'll get puffed out long before they do. You could also take the stairs instead of the elevator, and then when you get really ambitious you could start at an aerobics class or play some kind of sports like tennis, skipping, jogging, skiing, or using an exercise machine in your home.
It's always better to build up slowly and not to make yourself overtired. Exercise at a pace that is comfortable for you and slowly increase. And remember that everyone is different. Some people are more active in the morning and if that suits you, do your exercise in the mornings when you feel fresh. Other people are more active in the evenings so that's the best time for them to exercise. Also some people like team sports while others prefer to do things alone. So find some kind of activity that suits you. The main thing is to be consistent; do a bit every day.
Make a challenge for yourself. For example, this week you could walk to such-and-such a place and then the following week you could make the distance a bit farther. Don't let yourself get bored.
Allah the Almighty gave us our bodies as a trust and it is up to us to take good care of ourselves. Our bodies are quick to repair the damage we do to them through our bad habits, so don't put it off any longer. Start an exercise program today and clean up your eating habits!.
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