Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola: Recent Episodes

Coach Ola

Your host, Coach Ola Khalidi Alghazzouli is an ACE certified personal trainer and a functional fitness specialist. She graduated from George Mason University with a B.S in Biology and a health promotion minor. BeFit4Akhirah was founded in 2014 and officially launched in 2018 with a Ramadan Prep Package and ebook for Ramadan. We will explore health and fitness topics that will help you stay active, fit, and healthy with a purpose.

Introduction

In today’s episode, from the #swim4akhirah campaign, Coach Ola, Jeri, and Khadijah will discuss the reality and struggles of triathlon racing and swimming for the Muslim woman and athlete. The perspectives shared are quite interesting and unique so please enjoy this podcast with us.

Summary and Key Takeaways

Overall, there are many potential struggles a Muslim athlete may have to face but there is definitely hope. Their stories can help motivate and inspire you to become an athlete and participate in a triathlon. They have overcome these hurdles and it is truly exceptional and exciting to learn how. With focus and determination, so much good is possible.

Here are some key takeaways:

~Struggles as a Muslim athlete are shared as well as stories of success and overcoming them.

~Racism as an athlete is touched upon as well as what we can do to help remedy it and protect ourselves from its many negative effects.

~How they prepared/trained for their triathlon journey.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us for this interesting presentation! We hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. Wishing you confidence, happiness, and success on your journey ahead!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

Questions?

Email befit4akhirah@gmail.com

Be sure to join the Purposeful Fitness Facebook group for support, chances to win prizes, workout calendars, and more!

Introduction

In today’s episode, from the #swim4akhirah campaign, Coach Ola, Naadhirah, and Nipal will discuss the struggle of swimming for the muslim woman living in Africa.

Summary and Key Takeaways

Overall, this discussion delves into detail regarding what it's like to be a Muslim female swimmer in Africa. Please join us for this interesting discussion.

Here are some key takeaways:

~How did Fr3kls Aquatic begin?

~What problems and struggles might women in Africa experience as a Muslim swimmer?

~How can we support Muslim women in the middle east to become swimmers?

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us for this interesting presentation! We hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. Wishing you confidence, happiness, and success on your journey ahead!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

Questions?

Email befit4akhirah@gmail.com

Be sure to join the Purposeful Fitness Facebook group for support, chances to win prizes, workout calendars, and more!

Introduction

In today’s episode, from the #swim4akhirah campaign, Coach Ola and Abbie Fish will discuss how swimsuits can impact our mental health. This is an important topic for the modern day athlete as well as everyone else so be sure to tune in for the details!

Summary and Key Takeaways

Overall, this discussion delves into detail regarding swimsuits' impact on our individual mental health.

Here are some key takeaways:

~Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, and Allison Schmitt were discussed as well as swimmings' impact on their mental health.

~Sleep is critical for mental health! Coach Ola and Abbie Fish discuss the importance of a sometimes neglected habit.

~Stress management is another important factor that is delved into and we cannot afford to overlook it.

~Swimsuits can have a negative effect on many people and this may lead to them feeling insecure about their own bodies and comparing themselves to others. This subject is also investigated.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us for this interesting presentation! We hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. Wishing you confidence, happiness, and success on your journey ahead!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

Questions?

Email befit4akhirah@gmail.com

Be sure to join the Purposeful Fitness Facebook group for support, chances to win prizes, workout calendars, and more!

Introduction

In today’s episode, from the #swim4akhirah campaign, Coach Ola and Nura will discuss the importance of Muslim communities speaking up about swimming for future generations. Please join us on this interesting talk and learn why swimming should be a topic of discussion for Muslims.

Summary and Key Takeaways

Overall, this discussion delves into detail regarding the importance of swimming and why it should be discussed with Muslims. Also, the appropriate ages to begin speaking to children regarding swimming.

Here are some key takeaways:

~At what age should children first be introduced to and spoken with about swimming? The Red Cross had mentioned that babies as early as 6 months could be taught. Muslims are also recommended to learn swimming due to the fact that it may be considered a sunnah.

~The hazards of leaving children alone in the water are immense. The parents should have knowledge of swimming because children can drown in the time it takes to respond to a text. Children should always be taught to ask permission before entering the water.

~Aquaphobia was also mentioned as well as some strategies to deal with this fear.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us for this interesting presentation! We hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. Swimming is important and should definitely be discussed within the Muslim communities!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

Questions?

Email befit4akhirah@gmail.com

Be sure to join the Purposeful Fitness Facebook group for support, chances to win prizes, workout calendars, and more!

Introduction

In today’s episode, from the #swim4akhirah campaign, Coach Ola and Shereen will discuss the history of the burkini. Please join us on this interesting talk and learn about the origins of the burkini and where it actually came from.

Summary and Key Takeaways

Overall, this discussion delves into detail regarding modest swimwear, where burkini originally came from, and the limitations that can come with modest fashion choices. It is important we recognize these key issues so we can make efforts to change how the world views modest swimmers.

Here are some key takeaways:

~The Christian/Jewish/Mormon groups actually were the first at popularizing modest swimwear.

~Burkini is actually a trademark term from a company and not just a style of bathing suit.

~Muslim teens may have felt limited fashion-wise due to the prior limited styles of modest swimwear.

~The design and fabrication of a swimsuit is also discussed.

~How did Splashgear come to be?

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us for this interesting presentation! We hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. Modest swimwear can be both stylish and comfortable and waves are being made to improve on that front.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

Questions?

Email befit4akhirah@gmail.com

Be sure to join the Purposeful Fitness Facebook group for support, chances to win prizes, workout calendars, and more!

Introduction

In today’s episode, from the #swim4akhirah campaign, Coach Ola, Carly, and Shanay will dive deep into water safety. They will also discuss how muslim mothers can incorporate swimming into their lives. Tune in for this interesting talk, with your favorite drink, and enjoy!

Summary and Key Takeaways

Overall, there are many hurdles to being a muslim woman especially living in the Western world. With our knowledge and efforts we want to make it easier for muslim ladies to swim and feel comfortable and happy doing so. Mothers are also included in this goal! Water safety is of critical importance for everyone as well.

Here are some key takeaways:

~Community centers could consider giving muslim ladies exclusive pool time.

~The CDC reports that ages 1-4 are the highest risk so water safety should be prioritized.

~Learning how to swim is a recommended sunnah!

~Even if lifeguards are present you should always be near your children.

~Children should always be taught to ask permission to go to the pool/water.

~Life-vests should be strongly considered for all youth and adults unable to swim.

~Always swim with a buddy!

~Four-sided fencing should be placed around all bodies of water near your home especially if you have children. (ex: pools/hot tubs/koi fish ponds etc.)

~Get proper swim classes/education from instructors like Coach Ola! You could also take Coach Ola’s swimming course by clicking here.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us! Remember to stay safe while swimming. The fact that swimming is a sunnah should prove to be motivational to us all. Overall, consider getting swimming classes or taking a swimming course to stay as safe as possible. Have a lovely week ahead!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

Questions?

Email befit4akhirah@gmail.com

Be sure to join the Purposeful Fitness Facebook group for support, chances to win prizes, workout calendars, and more!

Fabio Comana is the director of continuing education for NASM®, and a faculty member at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. He was the original developer of ACE’s Integrated Fitness Training™ (IFT™) model and led development on their personal trainer educational workshops. Fabio has a wealth of experience from working as a collegiate head coach, strength and conditioning coach, and club manager for Club One. Certifications: ACE, ACSM, NASM, NSCA.

In our interview, we dived in-depth around these topics:

The three pillars of training.
The importance of myofascial tissue for dryland training programs.
The lower extremities movement mechanics

And of course so much more.

We also would love to invite you to our social media campaign: #Swim4Akhirah and join us in our virtual webinars. To learn more about them, please visit www.linktree.com/befit4akhirah and make sure to follow along on social media @befit4akhirah

Come and join our private FB community: Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola.

Click here to join us!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4akhirah!

Today we meet with a special guest and personal friend, Yaz! We discuss favorite workouts and the importance of recovery. We also discuss how to make the most out of the COVID-19 situation and how to handle the quarantine. Optimism is imperative at this time and focusing on your mental health is critical.

Reading is also discussed as well as how you can get your family members involved with your fitness at this time.

Please enjoy this fun interview and stay safe and healthy!

Make sure to follow us along on social media and tag us along:

Yaz @Yazfitpt and Ola @befit4akhirah

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

In today's episode, we discuss how you can take care of your immune system during Ramadan and also during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Noor Salem discusses the importance of organic foods and to prioritize eating as healthy as possible. The transition from processed foods to natural is an important one. Please join us as we learn how we can strengthen our immunity, in sha Allah.

Noor Salem is the author of Sunnah Superfoods and can be found on www.noortrition.com

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

In today's episode, we discuss how mothers can manage their fitness journeys during the COVID-19 pandemic and during Ramadan.

Hanan Fadel discusses her personal training and how she specifically trains moms. She also discusses some of the difficulties moms may experience. This can bring up some potential hurdles especially at a time like now when someone may be fasting and may also be self-isolating.

Hanan also discusses the importance of self-care and not pushing yourself too hard. She mentions how to make use of micro-workouts and still feel successful during these types of times.

She also gets into how to use exercise itself as a form of self-care and the difficulties of fasting while nursing.

QUE -> ROUTINE -> REWARD chain for habits is also discussed.

Let's explore how we can deal with some of these issues in today's episode. Join us. Whether you're a mom or not you may benefit from these ideas. #noexcuses #momlife

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Have you ever thought of swimming while fasting or ever tried to?

Welcome to my interview with Fares Ksebati, CEO of MySwimPro and founder of World Swim Day.

Our guest today, Fares Ksebati is the CEO of MySwimPro, a global technology, and media company that creates mobile and wearable applications (MySwimPro and MyTriPro) that help people improve their performance and health. World Swim Day, a global initiative that empowers people around the world to be more active through swimming and promote water safety. He competed on Wayne State University's Varsity swimming program and graduated summa cum laude from the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Fares continues to compete internationally and is a 3x U.S. Masters swimming individual national champion, certified USA Triathlon Coach and American Swim Coaches Association Fellow.

In this episode, the following topics were discussed:

How did MySwimPro get started and what is it all about?
How can someone get started with swimming and what are the best drills to do?
How can athletes keep up with swimming during Ramadan?
What is World Swim Day and how can we participate with it?

And of course much more!

To check the blog the post that got published on MySwimPro, please click below:

Advice for Swimmers During Ramadan

To sign up for the course in how to get started with swimming, please click below:

Introduction to swimming

Don't forget to tag us on your social media stories with the biggest takeaway and show us your favorite workout during Ramadan!

Coach Ola @BeFit4Akhirah

Coach Fares @FaresKsebati & @MySwimPro

Remember to:

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Ramadan Mubarak to everyone who celebrates Ramadan!

I wanted to put this quick and short episode together because I want to bring light on to how being active is an act of worship, and why we need it for Ramadan.

Make sure to tune into the previous episodes with the following guests and topics:

How to regain mobility during Ramadan with Dr. Jen?

How to maintain muscle gains during Ramadan with Belal Hafeez?

How to keep momentum during Ramadan with Omar Adam?

How to finish Ramadan strong with Maarten van Elst?

Remember to:

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Has the pandemic of COVID-19 put you down under lots of pressure and stress while you're trying to manage your emotions?

Join our guest for today, Amber Romaniuk who is an Emotional Eating, Digestive and Hormone Expert who helps professional women achieve optimal health through mindful eating, self-care and overcoming self-sabotage with food. Her podcast “The No Sugarcoating Podcast” has over half a million downloads, over 200 episodes and is listened to in over 82 countries. She was featured on TV Personality Whitney Port’s podcast. Amber has also appeared on local TV 50 times in the last three years alone.

Amber overcame her own emotional eating after gaining and losing more than 1000 lbs and spending over $50,000 on binge foods and spending 5 years balancing her hormones and digestion. Now she helps others achieve Body Freedom™ so they have the confidence and health to create amazing lives.

In today's episode, we covered the following topics:

How to manage our emotions in times like now.
How to understand if we're actually hungry or if we're emotionally hungry.
The importance of support groups for emotional freedom.

And of course much more.

You can find Amber on social media at: Amber Romaniuk on IG and check her podcast out as well at: The No SugarCoating Podcast

Remember to tag us on IG story with one thing you'll do today in managing your emotions!

Coach Ola @BeFit4Akhirah and Amber @Amberromaniuk

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

Today's episode is an important topic for the swimming industry to come out and bring light on mental health for the swimmers in the house. As a swimmer and as a swim instructor, it really is challenging for the mindset to be outside the water.

Our guest for today is Abbie Fish who founded Swim Like A. Fish in 2019 after 25+ years of success in competitive swimming. From qualifying for the Olympic Trials to working at USA Swimming’s headquarters, and coaching at The Race Club, Abbie has been on all sides of the sport. She is a University of Georgia “Double Dawg” – where she swam and graduated with her M.S. and B.S. degrees. Abbie continues to further her knowledge on stroke mechanics by studying, researching, and staying on top of the newest trends on technique. Abbie has worked with clients as young as 5 and up to 90 years old. She believes that anyone with the heart to train CAN and WILL benefit from technical advice!

Today's topics are the following:

Abbie's journey into swimming.
How we are adapting to land training.
How mental health is a really important topic to be mentioned within the swimming industry.

Make sure to tag us along on social media with the biggest takeaways of this episode:

Abbie on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theafish1/ and Coach Ola @BeFit4Akhirah.

Remember to:

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

Have you ever tried to go on plant-based or didn't know the benefits of it?

Join me today with my guest, Sara Zayed who is an advocate on the plant-based diet lifestyle.

Sara Zayed is the founder of Posifitivy, a health, fitness, and lifestyle medicine blog geared towards young women. She graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Rutgers University in 2016 but was always drawn to health and fitness, taking a variety of science classes, exercising regularly, and exploring nutrition. She started Posifitivy on Instagram in 2015, and while working full-time as a software engineer after graduating, she acquired the Plant-Based Nutrition certificate from Cornell University and became an ACSM certified personal trainer. She has written for Healthline and was featured in Women's Health Magazine in 2019. Currently, she works at Ethos Health (the first farm-based medical practice in the country) as a medical assistant and will be starting medical school in summer 2020.

In today's episode, we talked about the following main points:

What made Sara choose the plant-based lifestyle?
How to keep up with the plant-based lifestyle during the COVID-19 epidemic and how it's actually helpful too?
The obstacles that both Sara and Ola faced within the Arab and Muslim communities promoting their work and ideas into the world.

And much more!

Make sure to screenshot this episode and tag both Sara and Coach Ola on social media (IG):

Sara Zayed IG: https://www.instagram.com/sarajzayed/

Coach Ola IG: www.instagram.com/befit4akhirah

Sara's current blog can be found at https://www.posifitivy.com/

Also, to learn more and to sign up for the Ramadan program: https://bit.ly/2UGWzk5

Ramadan 2020 happens to be on April 24th this year, in shaa Allah.

Because we have one month to go, this is the best time to take whatever we were working on this year to put all the effort to welcome the blessed month.

In this episode, I talked about the following topics:

How to stay grounded and hopeful when the masjids are closing down all around us.
How to build the right mindset for Ramadan.
Why being active is very important right now for your body to be ready for Ramadan.
How to spiritually uplift yourself for the blessed month when life can seem so depressing right now.
How to be purposeful in everything you do in life!

And much more!

To sign up for the program, click here: https://befit4akhirah1.teachable.com/p/purposeful-ramadan-program

Remember to tag this episode and use the hashtag #PurposefulRamadan to spread the word on being purposeful with our fitness journeys!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

We're in tough times during the COVID-19 epidemic, and we're living in times of uncertainty.

Finding hope and staying grounded can be so hard now, and it's really important for us to come together and stay focused.

In this episode, I talked about the following objectives and points

What is an abundant mindset and what is a scarcity mindset?
How to get an abundant mindset during times like now?
What is faith? What is spirituality?
Why being active is important to hold on to an abundant mindset and hold onto faith?

In here, I've used these blog posts as points of references:

~ Mastering the abundance mindset (and changing your money blueprint)

~ 10 Steps to Develop an Abundance Mindset

I highly recommend you take the personality test to get to know yourself: Free Personality Test

Remember to join the Facebook community at: Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola group!

What is total body conditioning you may be wondering and how is that needed for your swimming journey?

Tune in to this episode with me as I dived deeper into this topic and how it can help you with your swimming journey.

In this episode, I discussed the following:

What is TBC all about?
Why it's important?
How to incorporate it into your workouts?

If you have always wanted to get started with your swimming journey but you don't know where to get started, sign up for my free course to guide you through it:

Introduction to swimming for beginners mini-course!

Previous episodes mentioned are:

Knee pain? How to go about it with Dr. Evan Osar
How to be functional in your workouts with Adam Jongsma
The importance of self defense, corrective exercise, & functional training with Pete Holman
How to regain mobility during Ramadan with Dr. Jen

Remember to leave a review on iTunes for your review and feedback as it's very appreciated!

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

Have you ever wanted to try something challenging for your fitness journey?

Tune in to this amazing interview with Khadijah who is breaking the barriers for the Muslim women who choose to cover up in the hijab in the triathlon world!

Khadijah is Mother, Project Manager, and a Triathlete. Her mission is to Promote a Positive Image of Muslim Women and Islam in General through Sport.

In our interview, we covered the following topics:

How she got into triathlon and how her first experience went.
The reality of managing it all together.
The struggles that can come up in her way during the race because of her hijab (aka: headscarf)
How to become an ambassador to any brand.

And of course, much more!

To visit her sponsorship discount codes, please visit her website at: https://www.khadijahtriathlete.com/sponsors

And to grab your FREE Purposeful Ramadan Prep Guide, please click here to get started today!

(https://mailchi.mp/9cfd296c349d/ramadan)

Remember to tag us on your IG stories at:

Coach Ola @BeFit4Akhirah and Khadijah @khadijahtriathlete

Thank you for tuning in, and remember to:

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

This episode is a bonus episode because on March 2nd, 2014, my grandmother passed away, and it was the day BeFit4Akhirah was born inside of my heart.

I wrote this poem as a way of expressing myself and being able to inspire anyone who is looking for an inspirational episode to find hope again in life. To find that spiritual connection and to be empowered in moving forward in life.

It is a very short episode for the person on the go and who is looking for something uplifting!

Thank you for tuning in!

Have you ever wanted to learn how to swim but didn't know how to about it?

Then this episode is for you!

In this episode, I cover the following topics:

-How to practice swimming on land -The swim clothing situation -The right mindset -The importance of total body conditioning/flexibility/mobility -Exercises to work on that are land-based -How water aerobics can help benefit arthritis

To sign up for the course and get started with the basic strokes on land, click on the link:

Swimming Course - Click here

Remember to:

Be strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah!

Have you ever wanted to swim but felt intimated because of what you choose to wear?

This episode is personal because I share with you what I went through in 2018 and 2019 that have shaped me for who I am and why I am speaking up about this topic to represent swimmers who choose modesty in the pool!

Here is what I discuss in this episode:

Why I am talking up about this topic of modesty in the pool environment.
My truth and the struggles behind becoming a certified swim instructor.
The truth about swimming and the journey it takes to get started with it.

And of course so much more! :)

The link to the blog I have mentioned is Swimming Struggles

and the link for the free course to help you jumpstart your swimming journey can be found here as well: Introduction to swimming

Remember to...

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

It's finally here! The special 2020 podcast has arrived!

Join us as we highlight some of 2019's most exciting conversations. This past year had so many amazing guests and there was so much interesting knowledge shared. This podcast is a celebration of Be Fit 4 Akhirah's 1 year podcasting anniversary as well! If you want to get a host of knowledge from this past year then don't miss this very special podcast!

We touch on:

*The importance of strength training

*How to get energy to workout

*Prioritizing categories for your goals

*Flexibility and mobility

And so much more!

Remember to:

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

New year! New you! Right?

Welcome to this episode as I talked on why I took an 8-week purposeful weight loss journey briefly and what is the body of Jannah course for.

In this episode I touched base on the following topics:

Why having a purpose behind the weight loss journey is important.
Why our emotions play a role in our weight-loss journey in the long run.
Motivational reminders why loving yourself is a very important and key factor for long term success.

To view the blog post mentioned, please click here: https://www.befit4akhirah.com/post/purposeful-weight-loss-journey-let-s-bring-a-new-discussion-to-the-weightloss-culture

And the course to the body of jannah can be found here: https://befit4akhirah1.teachable.com/p/body-of-jannah

Remember to:

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

This is the week where both Jewish and Christians celebrate their holidays, both Hanukkah and Christmas. And I am all about faith and fitness here on my show and on all the work that I've been doing with BeFit4Akhirah. So having Sara come on the show to talk about faith and fitness from the Jewish perspective was super inspirational.

The mission of Fit Jewess is the following:

Fit Jewess has a two-fold mission:

To provide women and gals across the world with tips, guidance, and inspiration to help cross the divide between our fitness goals and current lifestyles from a body positive, weight-neutral perspective.

In other words, to prove to matzah balls and potato latkes that we can and will be fit despite our culture-specific idiosyncrasies.

To serve as a community of like-minded Fit Jewesses that supports, encourages and cheers on one another.

After all, only we truly know what it’s like to be fit, female and Jewish.

On today's episode, we talked about the following:

The traditions of Hanukkah.
How faith played a role in our lifestyle and in getting active even more.
The body image movement that Sara is on and how it's related to what I am going to be launching in 2020.

And of course, so much more!

Check Sara's work at https://fitjewess.com/

Make sure to tag us along on social media at FitJewess and BeFit4Akhirah

We would love to hear from you on your favorite part of this episode

Remember to:

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

Are you ready to finish 2019 off strong and be ready to start 2020 on a positive note?

IF YES, then this the episode you must listen to!

In today's episode, I have answered questions from my audience on IG & FB on what is the most they struggle with when it comes to goal setting and having a vision.

I also talked about what I have learned and how important it is to keep it simple to not overcomplicate our goals.

I am a huge fan of Productive Muslim when it comes to goal setting. Check their newest blog about this topic too:

How To Set Goals Like a Gardener?

The blog that I had published will be reshared as I am currently working on my website's blog section.

Here's what you will learn from the episode:

How to manage your goals to keep them realistic
How to get back into your fitness lifestyle realistically
Why it is important to get an accountability partner

And much more!

Don't forget to subscribe to the show and share with family/friends!

The holidays are here and the end of the year is approaching! This can only mean more stress for a lot of people and the start of a burnout phase.

In this episode, I discussed how to know if you're actually going through a burnout phase vs what is stress.

I shared how I overcome my own burnout phase as well as tools to help you manage stress!

Don't forget to listen to this episode, take one takeaway tool that you will try to manage your stress, and tag me with this episode on social media @BeFit4Akhirah

Now get out there and stay focused on your goals!

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

Thanksgiving season is at last here, and the holiday season is kicking in!

With this time of the year, I reflected and remembered to be thankful for myself, yes, myself!

In this episode, I talked about:

why it is important to be thankful for ourselves.
how to be thankful for ourselves.
tips on how to stay healthy during Thanksgiving dinner.

And so much more motivation!

You definitely do not want to miss this episode out!

Don't forget to subscribe to the show and share it with friends and family this holiday season! :D

The YouTube video I mentioned in this episode can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg89tinkq2M&t=10s

And the blog post I was referring to can be found here as well: https://befit4akhira.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/concept-of-thankfulness-in-islam/

Don't forget to leave a 5-star review on iTunes and let me know what you want to hear more of, how you're finding this podcast so far, and anything you want to share!

Thank you for your support!

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah~

Do you ever feel like your emotions get the best of you?

Listen to this podcast episode as Yasmin and I dive deeper into understanding our emotions and how that is very important for our fitness journeys.

Our guest for today is Yasmin Essa who is a Board-Certified Health Coach who helps individuals and families introduce and sustain healthy habits for the sake of Allah SWT. She draws inspiration from psychology, nutrition, fitness, Islam personal development, and neuroscience. She holds an undergraduate Business degree in Marketing and Management from Montclair State University and a Holistic Health Coaching certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is board certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

She left a successful career in healthcare marketing in 2012 to pursue this work full-time. Through her private practice Wellness with Yasmin, she works globally with various clients one on one and teaches classes online through her academy, Glow Academy. She primarily works with women but also regularly works with families, including men and teenagers.

She has helped guide clients reach results such as improving blood work results, improving their emotional health, reaching goals, developing consistent habits, losing weight, fat loss, managing and healing eating disorders, managing and healing anxiety and depression holistically, establishing personalized fitness regimens, improving thyroid levels, managing food allergies and sensitivities, building and improving business practices, having more energized Ramadans, reducing inflammation, improve family communication, reducing muscular and joint pain, to name a few.

Today's topics are:

The importance of investing in our time and money for our health and well being.
What is emotional intelligence and how to know ours?
How can being optimal vs. perfectionist help us with our health journey?

And so much more!

The tests that Yasmin mentioned are the following:

1. Meyers Briggs-16 personality test
2. Gretchen Rubin’s 4 tendencies-
3. Tom Ferry’s 4 addictions
4. HSP test

The video she talked about the reference to Brene Brown is the following https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

You can get connected with Yasmin over on her website at https://wellnesswithyasmin.com/

Remember to tag us along on social media when you listen to this podcast!

Coach Ola @BeFit4Akhirah on social media.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Are you in a community that supports your fitness and health goals?

If not, what are you waiting for?

Join Kelly and me as we talked about the importance of having a supportive community to stay physically active and to live a healthy lifestyle.

Kelly Young offers a variety of fitness classes in her community. she has been offering outdoor fitness classes for the past ten years and two years ago, she opened a training studio to enhance and compliment the outdoor Bootcamp style classes.

Her passion is coaching people to find ways to enjoy a healthy lifestyle while still having fun and not having to good up things that they truly enjoy. She likes seeing real-life connections made between our clients and the team. She believes that a support system is a secret sauce for long term results and that people need people.

She is extremely passionate about helping people incorporate fitness into their lives, and she is incredibly proud of the number of people that have made life-changing transformations. She encourages her participants to appreciate where they are right now and make small changes that will move them in the direction that they want to go. She truly believes that small changes over time equal big changes, and she sees first hand on a daily basis what that can actually equate to.

In this episode, we talked about the following topics:

How she got into outdoor Bootcamp business and classes.
How she fits exercise into her busy schedule as a fitness instructor and entrepreneur.
How can the community be helpful in staying active and healthy?
How to start a community.

And of course, so much more!

You can join Kelly's FB community by staying connected with her on social media at https://www.facebook.com/Kellysbootcamp/

And on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kellys_bootcamp/

Don't forget to tag us on social media as you tune into this episode and share with us your favorite part!

Coach Ola @BeFit4Akhirah and Coach Kelly @Kellys_bootcamp on Instagram!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Fall season, as well as Spring, are the greatest times of the year to go on a hike! And hiking should be fun experience for all.

In my interview with Faizan, we discussed how hiking can be helpful for our health as well as can be added to our fitness journeys.

Faizan is an outdoors enthusiast who has been creating opportunities for people to explore nature and learn outdoor skills. He is an outings leader with the Sierra Club, national environmental advocacy and outdoors organization and recently founded Outdoor Muslims, a local organization in the DC area with the goal of creating a community of Muslims and allies who enjoy exploring the outdoors together.

In this interview, we covered the following topics:

How nature therapy is important for our health.
How Outdoor Muslims got started and why.
How Islam and sunnah promote nature therapy.
What to know and prepare in advance before going on a hike or camping trip.
The best times/seasons of the year for a hike

And much more!

To learn more about Outdoor Muslims, visit www.outdoormuslims.org

Don't forget to tag us along on your social media with the beautiful nature pictures that you take on your hikes ;)

Coach Ola on social media @BeFit4Akhirah and Faizan on Instagram @https://www.instagram.com/thehikersjournal/ (The Hikers Journal)

Being purposeful in life is very important! Especially when it comes to our fitness journey!

But how can you be purposeful in your workouts and your weight loss journey...? Have you ever asked yourself that question?

Well, my friends, join me in this episode as I share with you:

Exactly why I signed up for the VA Beach Half-Marathon.
How my training went.
What happened during the race and afterward.
How to build a purpose in your fitness journey

This podcast episode is also in a blog post, which you can find here:

The reason why I signed up for the VA Beach half marathon & lessons that I learned

Here is the YouTube video on why I canceled my retreat: Was it a failure?

The song at the beginning is from https://soundcloud.com/datweekaz/da-tweekaz-moana-how-far-ill-go-free-track

The nasheed at the end is Allah knows by https://soundcloud.com/rocky-balboa-8181/allah-knows-1

Do not forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Music Play, and podcast app player.

You can screenshot this episode and share it on social media and tag me along ;) @BeFit4Akhirah on Instagram/Facebook.

Are you a Muslim woman looking to feel energized and want to be active?

Join Coach Ola and Coach Carin as they talk on how to be energized Muslimah!

Carin Timskog is an online trainer, with her own business Energized Muslimah, that offers both in-person- and online training. Carin is a stay-at-home mum living in Tanger, Morocco with her husband and 3 years old girl. Carin started in the fitness industry already in 1998, and is a Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach, to mention a few of her certifications. She loves fitness, sunshine, traveling, going to the Spa and being out in nature.

In this episode, the following topics were discussed:

How Carin converted to Islam
How she found her way into the fitness industry!
Tips for Muslim women to be energetic and active.
How stay-at-home mom while homeschooling can stay active

And so much more!

Carin did mention one brand where she got her swimwear from. It's Ranuna

To stay connected with Carin, you can find her on social media as Energized Muslimah and/or visit her website at https://energizedmuslimah.com/

Don't forget to screenshot this episode and tag us along on your Instagram/Facebook stories @BeFit4Akhirah and @EnergizedMuslimah

~Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.~

We often hear about mindful eating, mindful this and mindful that! Yet, what about being mindful in our fitness journey too?

This week's guest Micah Anderson!

Born in Connecticut, Micah Anderson spent several of his teen years in and out of placements due to struggles with drugs, crime, and anger. Around this time, he was introduced to 12-step fellowship, and after extensive travel overseas, began a personal meditation practice in the early 1990s and converted to Islam soon after.

He began working with the Mind Body Awareness Project in 2011. Since then, he taught retreats and led training on mindfulness, emotional literacy, and mental wellness in five countries, and leads a weekly meditation group in the Bay Area. He is also the Wellness Director at Ta’leef Collective, a Fremont, CA. an organization that provides an alternative social and sacred space for Muslim converts and seekers. He is currently an MFT trainee with a humanistic-existential lens, focusing on both trauma-informed approaches and mindfulness-based interventions. Micah draws from a wide variety of personal experiences, including over 20 years meditation practice, a deep understanding, and passion for youth counter-culture movements, and an experiential understanding of the world’s wisdom traditions, which he loves to translate to incarcerated and at-risk populations.

Micah lives in Oakland, CA. with his wife and two children, and received his Masters in Psychology from Sofia University in Palo Alto, CA. He is currently undergoing supervision for his MFT license.

In this episode, we talked about the following topics:

The differences between mindfulness and meditation.
What is meditation really all about, and what is mindfulness really all about?
The benefits of meditation and mindfulness to our fitness journey and our daily lifestyles.

And so much more great points!

This episode is MUST listen to and it can be tied back to my interview with Jonathan on why men's mental health matters as well as how to overcome addictions!

Also, to sign up for the list for the Fall faith and fitness retreat, please sign up at www.befit4akhirah.com on the mailing list!

To email Micah or ask him any questions, you can reach him via wellness@taleefcollective.org

Do not forget to subscribe to the show and to share the show with family and friends!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Knee pain and discomfort is a common issue among many people! There are various factors to look into!

This episode is NOT to diagnose the pain, but instead, it's to educate you about knee pain and how to go about it!

Our guest today is Dr. Evan Osar, an internationally recognized speaker, author, and expert on assessment, corrective exercise, and functional exercise. He has authored Corrective Exercise Solutions to Common Hip and Shoulder Dysfunction, Functional Anatomy of the Pilates Core, and Amazon #1 Best Sellers The Psoas Solution and The Pain-free Exercise Blueprint. Additionally, Dr. Osar trains health and fitness professionals around the world to in his method: The Integrative Movement System™ Approach to Posture and Movement. With his wife Jenice Mattek, he founded Chicago Integrative Movement Specialists to empower individuals to be proactive about their health care. Dr. Osar’s approach incorporates exercise, positive mindset, and nutrition to help individuals create optimal health and wellness.

To follow up with Dr. Osar on social media or to learn more about his work, please visit:

https://iihfe.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Fitness.Education.Seminars/

https://www.instagram.com/iihfe/

For any questions, feel free to email me or connect with me on social media @ BeFit4Akhirah or www.befit4akhirah.com

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

As we get closer towards Hajj, this episode is a great time to listen to because we talked about functional workouts which will help improve your mobility during hajj!

In this episode, we have a special guest who I had the honor to learn from in person at my previous IDEA East Conference in March 2019.

Adam Jongsma (Yongsma) is the Founder/CEO of Kinetic Performance Movement Education. Working as a clinical Kinesiologist and Strength and Conditioning Coach, Adam has worked with professional athletes from the NHL, NFL, CFL, SPL, and various amateur athletes and teams from the NCAA, CIS, and local grassroots organizations. His education and experience have allowed him to become a highly regarded leader in the movement education and personal trainer development field, having presented courses and conference sessions across North America. Adam believes training and rehabilitation should be evidence-based and experience-led, so his mission is to empower other fitness and allied health professionals to optimize movement and longevity by bridging the gap between research and practical application.

In this episode, we discussed the following topics:

The differences between mobility, stability, and stiffness? How is it related to our spinal stability?
What three areas should one focus on to improve spine instability?
How & why is important for us to add asymmetrical loading to our workouts?

And of course much more!

You can stay connected with Adam and to learn more about his work, visit his website at https://www.kineticperformance.ca/ which also has his social media handles all @KineticPRFM

Don't forget to join the private FB group Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola FB group where the discussion of episodes and full support is at!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Have you fallen off the track with your fitness journey? Are you feeling guilty for eating that bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup? Do you find it frustrating to keep losing your way on staying consistent?

If so, then this the episode you want to listen to! In today's episode, I talked about the following topics:

Why I took time off from releasing any new episode and my reasons behind it.
How I got back on track with my fitness journey.
Why giving up is not an option.
How to find purpose in your fitness journey.
Tips on how to get back on track with your fitness journey.
The reality of being a fitness professional and entrepreneur.

and of course, much more!

The links I've mentioned in this episode are the following here:

St. Jude fundraiser for kids with cancer

www.befit4akhirah.com

Don't forget to subscribe, share, and reach out to me if you have any questions.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

It's finally summer, the kids are out from school, and it's finally vacation time! This can be the most exciting time to get outside to get active, to try something new, and to enjoy the moment! But it can also be a time where a lot of people fall in the traps of eating whatever they desire when they're on vacation or because they're more active, they think it's okay to indulge on more ice cream. Trust me, I've been there too! So you're not alone!

Come join my Facebook group where there's more discussion follow up's post the episodes and a community of like-minded people supporting each other on staying healthy throughout the year.

Click on this link to join the Facebook group: Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola FB group!

Today's guest is Nazima Qureshi who is a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist dedicated to helping Muslim women live healthier and happier lives. She helps transform lifestyles into healthier ones without restrictive diets through 1 on 1 counseling and programs offered to women around the world. Nazima is the leading Nutrition Expert for Muslim women and has featured in SELF Magazine, CBC, and CNN to name a few. Nazima loves creating new recipes with her own South Asian flair and healthy twist as well as spending time outdoors with her husband and two daughters.

Her husband was also one of the previous guests on the show, Belal Hafeez. To listen to his interview, click here: How to maintain muscle gains during Ramadan with Belal Hafeez?

Today's episode covered the following topics:

How to eat healthy while on vacation.
Ways to overcome the obstacles of overeating during summer.
how to manage a healthy lifestyle as a mom and as a wife during the summer.

And much more!

Join our discussion today, and make sure to join the Facebook group where the follow-ups is at ;)

You can find Nazima's recipes and information on her website at https://www.nutritionbynazima.com/

She is on Instagram and Facebook as Nutrition by Naz.

Make sure to tag us along your social media to share with us your biggest takeaways from this episode :)

As always, I'm here for you if you have any questions! You can reach me at www.befit4akhirah.com !

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Are you tired of the fitness and nutrition industries telling you what you should look like or what you should eat?

Isn't it true that we're constantly bombarded with billboard images, Google images, and messages all around us showing us how a fit woman look like?

Does it really have to be all about that aesthetic looks or is there more to it than outside looks?

Join my guest today, Steph Gaudreau who is a Nutritional Therapy Consultant, author of The Core 4, blogger, coach, podcaster, and the creator of the former Stupid Easy Paleo.

Steph Gaudreau’s mission is to help women create bigger, bolder, fiercer lives — by building health from the inside out.

In today's episode, we discussed the following topics: * how to appreciate and love your body. * what does it mean with mind your own plate? * ways to enjoy eating outside without the guilt and shame feelings around weight. * The Core 4 Program

and much more!

To learn more about Steph's programs and stay connected with her, please visit her at https://www.stephgaudreau.com/ and to pre-order her book, you can visit https://www.stephgaudreau.com/core-4-preorder

If you have any questions about your fitness journey or goals, you can also reach Coach Ola at www.befit4akhirah.com or stay connected on social media @BeFit4Akhirah

Don't forget to screenshot this episode and tag Steph and Coach Ola on your social media sharing one biggest takeaway from this episode.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

If you are a parent or a coach who works with kids, this episode is for you! In today's episode, we have with us Nura from _ichallenger on Instagram who is a PE teacher and a swim instructor. She works with young children and has great experience in getting them active and staying healthy. And since we're getting into summer next week, this will be the perfect time to get kids active! And if you're into swimming, this episode will also leave you inspired to get into the pool this summer with your kids! :)

Today's episode discussed the following topics:

The importance of keeping kids active throughout life.
The importance of being a role model for our kids.
Ways to get kids active.

And much more!

You can find Nura on Instagram at _ichallenger. Her YouTube channel is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUsbESlS1mUp-2veiEc1iew

As a friendly note:

I would love from you to leave us a review on iTunes letting us know how the show has been so far for you, and what future episodes would you like to see or topics to bring on!

Thank you so much for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe to the show and share with family and friends.

You can connect with Coach Ola on social media at BeFit4Akhirah.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

This is National Men's health week, and I am super excited to have with us today in this episode Jonathan to speak up about men's health and emotional well being!

Jonathan is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, & Performance Enhancement Specialist. He is also the founder & Coach of The Recover U Coaching Program for Men in Recovery.

We spoke about important topics that many communities struggle to speak up such as alcohol and drug addictions. We also discussed the importance of men emotional wellbeing because it is something not discussed very often.

I brought up about my faith into this conversation because as a Muslim female personal trainer, I am aware this alcohol and drug addiction problem exists in so many Muslim communities as it has impacted so many families and individuals. But I realized how hard it is for us to accept this reality and how hard it is for us to speak up about it. There should be no shame because drug and alcohol addictions are a real problem in ALL communities, and it is something that we must address on how to help our Muslim brothers and sisters and everyone from all faiths!

Today's episode discusses the following topics:

Jonathan's story on how he got into alcohol and drugs and how he got out of it.
The challenges of being a man and expressing emotions.
Why most men won't stay sober?
Jonathan's experience with 12-step program through AA (Alcohol Anonymous)
Why being sober is not enough?
The importance of connection!

And much more!

You can find Jonathan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/recoverucoaching and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/recover.u

To sign up with Jonathan's program, visit www.recoverU.net

If you are someone struggling with this problem or know someone, please do not feel ashamed about yourself. Get out there and seek help! I am here for you and so is Jonathan.

Let's continue on speaking up about these taboo-topics because if we keep hiding them under the rug, we're making the problem worse and worse. We need to confront reality and help others who are struggling in silence!

Do not forget, you can find me on social media at BeFit4Akhirah. (www.facebook.com/befit4akhirah) & (www.instagram.com/befit4akhirah)

Thank you for tuning in today, and please share this episode with family and friends!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Welcome to today's episode. I would like to wish to all Muslims around Eid Mubarak as today as this episode is being released is the second day of Eid Al Fitr, a holiday that is celebrated after Ramadan.

Today's guest is Pete Holman who I had the honor to meet in person at 2019 IDEA East Conference!

Pete is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Physical Therapist specializing in biomechanics, sports performance and outpatient orthopedic Physical Therapy. He has worked with NFL champion Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis and Hall of Fame blind side tackle from the New Orleans Saints Willie Roaf, world champion ski racer Chris Davenport, X-Games Gold medalist Mike Schultz, and MMA fighters Brendan Schaub, Shane Carwin, and Elliot Marshal.

His company, Aspen Core Fitness, and product RIPCORE-FX, was acquired by industry-leading functional fitness training company TRX. I developed and launched RipTraining education and programming worldwide with the help of some brilliant minds at TRX. Although he is no longer at TRX, he continues to travel the world presenting on core performance, foundational movement training, and sports medicine. He also, consults on startup products beginning their launch into the fitness industry.

Competitively, he was a US National TaeKwon-Do champion and team captain for the US National TaeKwon-Do Team. He holds an I.S.K.A. super cruiserweight freestyle kickboxing title from Colorado and was a two time Bas Rutten "tough-man" champion. He grew up in Colorado Skiing, Snowboarding, Biking, and trail running but owe most of my athleticism to my first love: Soccer. His focus as a professional educator is on improving human movement and motivating others to bring out the best in themselves.

In today's episode, we discussed the following topics:

The different types of martial arts techniques and the importance of self-defense.
What is the difference between corrective exercise and functional training. How they're both overlapped and important for our training.
How to organize our spine during our workouts, and what it actually means.

And much more!

To follow Pete on social media, you can find him on Instagram at Peteholman1 and Facebook at Pete Holman.

You can check his TRX Rip factor at TRX website and his newest product at Nautilus Glute Drive

Thank you for tuning in with us. Do not forget to subscribe to the show and share with loved ones.

You can find Coach Ola on social media at BeFit4Akhirah. You can always screenshot this episode and tag both Coach Ola and Pete on your posts and stories!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

We are in the last 10 days of Ramadan and almost into Eid! We may be feeling tired, exhausted, and excited for Eid at the same time!

So how can we maintain our energy during the last days and pick up our routine afterward?

Today's guest is Maarten who is a vitality coach who focuses on creating mentally, spiritually, socially and physically stronger and resilient Muslims with his company Muslim Fit. With his background as a nurse anesthetist, he sees the importance of a scientific and evidence-based approach and he wants to bring balance in a health industry filled with gurus and pseudoscientific work.

In today's episode, we discussed the following topics:

What motivated Maarten to create Muslim Fit.
How his conversion to Islam motivated him to dress modestly, and why he thinks it's also as important for men as it's for women in Islam!
How to get active during Ramadan and pick up the momentum afterward.
Why eating healthy matters during the last 10 days is crucial!
How to sleep right during the last days.

And much more!

You can follow up with Maarten on social media @MuslimFit

www.instagram.com/muslimfit

https://www.facebook.com/MuslimFit/

Remember, you can stay updated with Coach Ola also on social media @BeFit4Akhirah

Don't forget to screenshot this episode and tag Maarten and Ola on social media sharing with us your biggest takeaway.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

We are just half way till the end of the blessed month, Ramadan, and it is important to keep up with our momentum to finish off strong.

Join my guest today, Omar Adam, who is a certified personal trainer on how we can keep up with our momentum during this month.

Most people know Omar as Akhi Omar. He is a Personal Trainer, located in Leicester, England as well as studied BA Sport Development at the University of Northampton and graduated in 2017. He was working as a PT under his friends business which was quite successful but last year JULY 2018, he started running his own business. So InshaAllah we are approaching a year. He was interested in the scientific/evidence-based approach to exercise, health, and fitness. His passion for fitness has grown since then, and he loves staying active, going to the gym, eating well and focusing on becoming strong and healthy.

Today's topics are:

How to keep up with our workout schedules during Ramadan.
How to wake up early for suhoor.
How to stay focused for the last 10 nights.
Why it is important to take care of our health during Ramadan.
Why it is important to not give up during the last 10 nights.

And much more!

Do not forget to subscribe to the show and share with family and friends.

You can find Omar on Instagram at AkiOmarpt and visit his website at http://akhiomar.com/

Make sure to screenshot this episode and tag Coach Ola @BeFit4Akhirah and Omar at AkiOmarpt on Instagram sharing with us one of your favorite takeaway from this episode!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

We all know that intermittent fasting is becoming popular day by day, and there is definitely a reason for that! It is because it's beneficial for the body, the mind, and the soul. In today's episode, we have our special guest, Idil Farah.

Idil is a Registered Nutritionist and Health Educator, with a BASc in Food and Nutrition. She has over 10 years of experience working with clients in both a clinical and community setting. She is currently running her own multi-faceted nutrition practice, Nutrition@idilsworld. Alongside her practice, she also works in a community healthcare setting where she teaches both preventive health and prenatal health classes. Fundamental to Idil’s practice is an integrative approach to health, that is a unique blend of science, experience, both professional and personal.

In today's episode, we discussed the following topics:

Idil's background story that led her to have more passionate about creating farmacy in our kitchen!
What is fodmap diet and how it helped Idil overcome her IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Benefits of fasting during Ramadan.
How to have an energized and healthy suhoor
How to overcome overeating during Ramadan at iftar time!
What are the recommendations for someone who struggles to wake up early for suhoor
Tips on how to stop constipation during Ramadan

and much more!

You can connect with Idil over on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest @ Idilworld!

Facebook: Idils World Eats
Instagram: IdilsWorld
Twitter: IdilsWorld
Pinterest: Idilsworld

You can grab her Ramadan guide at https://ramadanforus.com/ramadanpresale/

And visit her website for details at https://www.idilsworld.com/

Thank you for tuning in with us! Make sure to screenshot this episode and share with us one tip you will apply this Ramadan!

Tag Coach Ola on Instagram and Facebook @Befit4akhirah

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Ramadan Mubarak everyone! Today's episode is special because Belal and I talked about how to stay physically active during Ramadan and why it's important for our bodies.

Belal Hafeez is a Personal Trainer and a Ramadan Fitness Expert. He focuses on helping Muslim men become stronger, lose weight and feel young again. Belal's goal is to redefine the Muslim dad-bod. He offers online training to men anywhere in the world as well in person in the Toronto area. He has been personal training for over 5 years and has been involved in fitness for over 10 years now. Belal is a husband, father, entrepreneur and enjoys spending his free time playing hockey and working out.

In this episode we discussed the following topics:

The type of exercises and workouts we should aim for during Ramadan.
How to keep up with exercise after Ramadan and throughout the year.
How to manage time during Ramadan while being a father, husband, and entrepreneur.
Tips to stay hydrated during Ramadan and healthy while fasting.
The differences and similarities between women and men fitness training.
Why it's important to train smart and not just hard.
How to know you have the right trainer...

And much more!

To learn more about Belal and follow his journey, you can find him on Instagram and on Facebook at StrongerWithBelal

Instagram: www.instagram.com/strongerwithbelal

Facebook: www.facebook.com/strongerwithbelal

Also, you can access his Ramadan fitness guide at www.strongerwithbelal.com/ramadanfitnessguide

Do not forget to subscribe to the show and share with family and friends.

Make sure to tag @BeFit4Akhirah and @Strongerwithbelal on Instagram/Facebook sharing with us your favorite from the episode!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Ramadan is in just a few days, and this is one of the best months during the Islamic calendar and year where we can really regain productivity as well as get back into track with it.

Today's guest is Mohammed Faris, and I must say that his work is something I have always looked up to as well as have benefited from for years. It was an honor to have him on the show to share with us amazing tips on how we can live a more productive and purposeful lifestyle!

Mohammed Faris is a productivity coach, author, and speaker who helps executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs achieve their personal and professional goals whilst maintaining peak performance and balance across their roles.

He’s the founder of ProductiveMuslim.com and author of the new book “The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity”.

He has delivered seminars and workshops at numerous events in over 15 countries including UK, US, Malaysia, Singapore, Switzerland, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia as well as featured on international media and on the TEDx stage. Over 20,000 people have attended his workshops and he continues to inspire millions of followers online.

In today's episode, we discussed the following topics:

How did Productive Muslim get started
How can Ramadan help us regain productivity into our life, and how can this month be a great time to pick up the momentum
How physical exercise and being active can help us become more productive in our life.
The barakah effects vs. the hustle effects.

And of course much more!

To learn more about Productive Muslim, visit www.productivemuslim.com and you can also find on social media on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn under Productive Muslim.

You can also receive your copy of Br. Mohammed's book on Amazon at Productive Muslim Where Faith-Productivity

Thank you for tuning in with us today! We pray that you have the most productive Ramadan this year!

Do not forget to subscribe to the show and share with family and friends. You can also screenshot this episode and share on your social media! Don't forget to tag BeFit4Akhirah and Productive Muslim to tell us what is one tip you'll apply this Ramadan, in shaa Allah!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity

Catherine Zaben is a fitness nutrition expert, a holistic health nutritionist coach, and a mom of 3 daughters. In this episode today, Catherine shared amazing tips on how to meal plan and prepare for Ramadan.

She kept it really simple, and she shared helpful ideas on how we can have the healthiest Ramadan, in shaa Allah.

The topics we discussed were:

The best tools for meal preparations.
Meal preparation strategies for beginners and advanced people.
The importance of meal plan before meal prep
Juice and smoothie ideas that are healthy during Ramadan

And much more!

To stay connected with Catherine, you can find her on Instagram at CatherineZaben [Instagram link]

Do not forget to subscribe to the show and share it with family and friends.

It would really help us to also screenshot this episode and share it on your social media tagging Coach Ola @BeFit4akhirah and Catherine @Catherinezaben on Instagram to tell us what was your favorite or what recipe you'll try this Ramadan!

Let's get ready for Ramadan and stay strong.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Dr. Jen joins us to talk more about how to regain our mobility during Ramadan. She is a physical therapist and an influencer, as well as helps millions of people around the world regain their mobility through her The Optimal Body and The Mobility Method programs.

In this episode, we discussed the following topics:

The difference between mobility and flexibility.
How the 5 daily prayers in Islam help us stay mobile throughout life.
The best core exercises to do.
The importance of foam rolling.

Dr. Jen recommends the following foam rollers:

Interlli Roll
Tune up fitness balls

These links are non-sponsored by Dr. Jen or Coach Ola.

You can keep up with Dr. Jen on Instagram and Facebook at DocJen.

Her website can be found at https://www.docjenfit.com/

The following links will take you to her social media handles:

https://www.instagram.com/docjenfit/
https://www.facebook.com/docjenfit/

Now let's get up and stay active for a healthier and purposeful lifestyle!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

In less than a month, Muslims around the world will be celebrating Ramadan. Today's guest is a wife and a mother of two boys as well as fitness professional who understands how difficult it can be during Ramadan.

This is why in this episode, Coach Ola and Zahra discuss the importance of setting goals for Ramadan and taking time to evaluate our nutrition to see how we can improve for and during Ramadan.

The following topics are discussed in this episode:

How to set realistic goals for Ramadan.
How to manage to eat healthy during Ramadan
How to take time during Ramadan to be with the kids and why it's important.
How to be an example to your kids during Ramadan and show them what Ramadan is all about.

Zahra Govani is a former teacher. (English and Spanish). Her new passion and interest are in health, fitness and personal development.

To follow her on Instagram: @__healthywealthy__

https://www.instagram.com/__healthywealthy__/

Her website can be found here too:

https://www.healthywealthy.se/

The release date of this episode is the same date as Isra and Miraj in our Islamic calendar. This is a significant night and date into our tradition and faith. It was an honor to have Imam Omar Suleiman share with us how our fitness journey and working for our goals can be related to the journey Prophet Muhammad s.a.w took!

Imam Omar Suleiman is a world-renowned scholar and civil rights, activist. He is the Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and a professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University. He's also the resident scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center and Co-Chair of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square, faith leaders united for peace and justice. He's also the founder of MUHSEN, a non-profit umbrella organization serving the community to establish a more inclusive “Special Friendly" environment for our Brothers & Sisters of all Disabilities.

To learn more about Yaqeen Institute, please visit https://yaqeeninstitute.org/.

And to learn more about Muhsen please visit https://muhsen.org/

You can also follow Imam Omar on social media at Omar Suleiman on Facebook and ImamOmarSuleiman on Instagram as well as on Twitter!

Do not forget the Ramadan Prep Challenge starts on April 8th this year! To sign up, visit www.befit4akhirah.com before the doors close down.

Let's get active with a purpose and let's get ready for Ramadan!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

As we are getting ready for Ramadan, we can feel overwhelmed and stressed out with Ramadan preparations.

This is why it's important to take time to keep our spaces organized as much as possible because it will help us with having a clear mind that will help us stay focused during our acts of worship for Ramadan and for life.

In this episode, Crystal shared with us helpful tips on how to keep our house organized.

I am also happy to announce that the Ramadan Prep challenge has finally been launched and it's ready for people to sign up! It starts on April 8th and ends May 5th. To learn more about the challenge, please visit www.befit4akhirah.com today to see what will come with it and how to sign up.

Let's get active today with a purpose!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Ramadan is just around the corner, and it's important to start warming up for it just like we take time to warm up before our workouts.

Today's guest is Umm Sakeenah, known as Kate Hepburn, the founder of Healthy Muslimah platform, summit, and is the author of Then and Now book.

In this episode, we talked about:

Her journey into Islam
How Ramadan was for her at first when she became Muslim
The importance of decluttering before Ramadan
Her new book that just came out, "Then and Now."

And much more!

To stay up to date with Umm Sakeenah, visit her website at www.healthymuslimah.com where she has all her information there.

If you are interested in her book: Then and Now click on this link: https://www.launchgood.com/project/then_and_now_project#!/

This episode is sweet and short, and we hope it brings to you the joy of Ramadan preparations.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

As a personal trainer, functional fitness specialist, and a fitness professional, I believe it is important to work on our spiritual transformation as much as it is important to focus on our physical and mental transformation.

In this brief episode, I shared my own hijab journey and how I got to wear it. I shared the struggles I had at first and the struggles I went afterward.

I also announced special announcement in the beginning, so make sure to tune in to find out what it is about :)

For the blog post I mentioned, you can read it here: http://www.igotitcovered.org/2011/12/30/perfect-your-5/

Perfect your 5

Don't forget to visit my website www.befit4akhirah.com to stay up to date with the launch of the challenge! :)

It is Rajab after all, and we are less than 2 months away from Ramadan! So let's get ready to transform ourselves mentally, spiritually, and physically!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Ramadan is around the corner, and you may be wondering where to buy new hijab or even a new Eid gift for someone?

Look no further! Today's guest, Sana Mahmood is the CEO and founder of Veiled.Beaut, a hijab company that donates 10% of every purchase for a great cause!

Today's episode, we covered the following topics:

how Sana started her company
Inspirational tips for anyone who is looking to start their own business!
why it is important to shop with a purpose
our experience with Helping Hand for Relief and Development

And of course, much more!

To stay connected with Sana, please feel free to email her at sana@veiledbeaut.com and check her company's social media at veild.beaut on Instagram and Facebook!

Visit https://veiledbeaut.com/ to shop for new hijab today!

If you are looking for an easy to follow guide to help you be prepared for Ramadan mentally, spiritually, and physically, click on the link below to grab your FREE ebook today!

How to warm up for Ramadan

Stay updated with Coach Ola on Instagram and Facebook at BeFit4Akhirah on Instagram and Facebook!

Mental health matters! This episode, we have Zainab Jackson who is a state licensed Psychotherapist and a Nationally Certified Counselor. She is a published author on numerous peer-reviewed journals that address trauma and resilience. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park and her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the Johns Hopkins University. Zainab has extensive experience in providing therapeutic services for children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has worked at multiple outpatient mental health clinics in the Washington metropolitan area. Since then Zainab has co-founded her own private practice, Jackson Wellness Group, with the aim to provide mental health services to underserved communities. She uses a variety of evidence-based therapy techniques and specializes in mood disorders, behavioral disorders, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, trauma, and relationship problems. Her holistic approach to wellness focuses on improving overall mind, body, and spiritual health.

This episode, we covered the following topics:

Why and how it is important to assess our relationship with our mental state/mind?
how does Islam promote taking care of our mind?
What is the law of attraction, and how we can attract ourselves to positive things through 99 Names of Allah swt!

And of course much more helpful tips, tricks, and gems!

Do not forget to grab your FREE Ramadan 2019 Prep Guide that is put together by Coach Ola. Click on the link below to get started warming up mentally, spiritually, and physically!

How to Warm Up for Ramadan with Coach Ola at BeFit4Akhirah

To stay updated and follow Zainab Jackson, you can find her on Instagram at Jackson_wellness_group and on Facebook at Jackson Wellness Group

Her website can be found at https://www.jwgtherapy.com/

Remember, Coach Ola and Zainab are here for you if you ever need anyone to reach out to!

Mental health matters, and taking care of your mind, as well as mental wellbeing, is super crucial!

Take time to reach out to someone when needed and seek professional help!

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Lindsey Nicole Faraj is a mother of two and Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist with a passion in helping busy Moms transition themselves and their families into realistic healthy eating and lifestyle habits.

In this episode, we talked about the following topics:

how is our relationship with our nutrition?
which food is great for the gut and why is it important to take care of it.
how to help busy moms balance life out with their nutrition intake

And much more!

Surprise news is that Lindsey and Coach Ola are coming together in 2019 to bring a special project for Ramadan 2019, in shaa Allah!

Lindsey mentioned WHFoods.org as a great source for mothers, especially with picky eaters!

To check out the gut-friendly oat yogurt for breakfast that she mentioned, click here: Gut-friendly oat yogurt for breakfast!

To read about the article and topic that we talked about, click on the link here: Soak Those Oats: Fermented Oatmeal is Better Than Your Oatmeal

Are you ready to have the most energized Ramadan ever!?

Do not forget to grab FREE guide to prepare for Ramadan 2019!

To stay connected with Lindsey on social media, find her at: the.sensible.nutritionist on Instagram and Facebook!

Her website is at: https://tsnutritionist.com/

Do not forget to share this podcast with family and friends

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah

Since we are getting closer to Ramadan, and we are currently in February, the month of Valentine, Coach Ola wanted to focus on relationships from a holistic approach. Therefore, in this episode, we focused on our relationship with Allah swt and Quran because they are both important to have a spiritual healthy body and mind.

Our guest today is Dr. Yamina Bouguenaya. She is originally from Algeria, after completing her Ph.D. in Quantum Physics in England, Dr. Bouguenaya lived in Turkey for more than a decade before moving to the United States. By then, her interest had shifted from the world of physics to the vast and much more illuminating inner world of the self and Islamic spirituality. This interest led her to pursue intensive training in the Islamic sciences under various renowned Muslim scholars. She did doctoral work in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Indiana University and is fluent in Arabic, French, English and Turkish.

Dr. Bouguenaya has published extensively in several of those languages on Islam, especially on Quranic Studies, Islamic theology, and the Islamic philosophy of science. She taught Arabic and Islamic studies in different universities in the US, her last university position being an Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at Carthage College before she dedicated herself to full-time non-profit work. She offers extensive spiritual counseling and coaching, workshops, classes, and retreats.

She is currently the director of a non-profit Quranic spirituality organization called Receiving Nur.

In this episode, we focused on the following topics:

Reflection-why it's important to focus on it.
Awareness-why it's important to be aware of our life internally and externally.
heedlessness-how we can relapse into it.
Breathing-how it helps to clear mind, body, and soul.

and much more!

To learn more about Receiving Nur, please click on the link here: https://www.receivingnur.org/

You can also find their YouTube channel at Receiving Nur on YouTube

Feel free to email with any questions to Receiving Nur team: info@receivingnur.org

*Note: The nasheed at the end of the episode is called: Allah Knows by Zain Bhikha, and it was downloaded FREE ROYALTY music found at soundclound.com . The background nasheed in the background for the intro and outro of each episode is from Merciful Servant which was also royalty-free found at soundcloud.com

Do not forget to subscribe and share our podcast with family and friends.

Team BeFit4Akhirah is working on putting our podcast episodes up on a blog. Right now we are currently doing our best to stay consistent with our show.

Thank you so much for your support.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.

Since we are in February, the first episode of this month will talk about the importance of focusing on our relationship with ourselves first foremost.

In this episode, Coach Naila and Coach Ola discuss why it is important to love ourselves first foremost before finding love from someone else.

Naila is a Health Coach, who mentors women to achieve their best body and empowered self. She helps her clients achieve huge mindset shifts with their relationship to food, exercise, and their body image. She helps women achieve clarity to clear the clutter of self-sabotage, binge-eating and feeling ugly at their mirror reflection - To instead learn to love and respect themselves, with incredible exercise and food coaching. Naila mentors her clients to not just look amazing, but feel amazing and develop themselves as an empowered woman.

The following topics were discussed:

how loving ourselves can help us move forward in taking care of our mind, body, and soul.
why it's important to work on self-development.
The law of attraction from Islamic perspective.
Allah swt loves us; therefore, we need to take care and love ourselves!

And much more.

To follow Coach Naila on Instagram, you can find her at coach.naila

Her YouTube channel: Naila's Health Mastery and on Facebook: Naila Ahmed

Thank you for tuning in with us today. Please don't forget to share this podcast with family and friends.

In this episode, we have a special guest with us, sister Noor H. Salem.

Noor Salem is an author, speaker, and a certified holistic health coach originally from North Carolina. After earning a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Michigan within two years, she successfully received her graduate certification as a holistic health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the world’s largest educational institution for nutrition. She is also a member of the International Association of Health Coaches.

Noor works as a holistic health coach as well as a columnist for several outlets, such as The Muslim Observer, and a freelance researcher and writer for numerous health institutes and academics. Her works include the sought-out book, "Sunnah Superfoods," a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni, the second edition of which launched in 2018.

In this episode, we spoke about the following topics:

Various diets that are out there and which one is the best to follow.
How and why a Muslim should live a healthy holistic lifestyle.
What is the sunnah super food and in details about her book?
How to start preparing for Ramadan from today!

And much more.

Noor H. Salem mentioned AMJA which is a Council-Fiqh by Experts. It can be found at the following website:

Amja Online

If you are interested to check out her book and order it, please click on this link: Sunnah Superfood by Noor H. Salem on Amazon!

You can follow her work and stay updated on the following platforms and link:

Facebook: Holistic Noortrition, LLC.
Instagram: nhsalem
Website: holisiticnoortrition

Thank you for tuning in. Do not forget to grab your FREE copy of ebook today on how to jumpstart your fitness journey with Coach Ola

Click on this link, and if this does not work, please visit us on Instagram @ BeFit4Akhirah !

Do not forget to share this podcast with a family or a friend, and let's get active today with a purpose!

*Note: We are working on putting all our episodes on our blog post on our website at www.befit4akhirah.com

Thank you for your support!

Sunnah Superfood: Miraculous remedies & recipes that will change your life forever!

Sara Mudallal is a parkour athlete, has a second-degree black belt, was the first hijabi to compete on American Ninja Warrior, and got featured on Women Health Magazine!

In this episode, we discussed the following topics:

When and how did she get into parkour sport?
Some of the early challenges she faced when she started the sport.
Her typical workout style and lifestyle
How she got into meal prepping
Future goals into parkour world.

And much more!

Sara and Coach Ola both agree that it is important to live an active fit lifestyle as well as enjoy what you do. Because as soon as you enjoy what you do, especially when it comes to fitness journey, you will want to do more of it without second thoughts.

To follow Sara on social media and her parkour journey, you can find her @Sara Mudallal on all social media platforms:

Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube: Sara Mudallal

My team and I are currently working on putting all of the show notes into our blog post on our website! Thank you for your patience with us as we are starting on our new podcast journey together!

Imam Wisam Sharieff is a Quran teacher and certified radiologist who has overcome his own health difficulties. And in the past 10 years, he has been taking care of his health.

In this episode, we discussed the following topics:

his thesis paper where he discussed Akhirah.
The concept of controlling our breath in how it can help with Quran recitation and with our endurance training.
How to be fit for akhirah while living this life.
The 10-week course of Whim Hoff breathing technique.
The body of Jannah.

And much more!

Imam Wisam Sharieff is the founder of AQL which brings in a Quranic lifestyle together in a holistic approach, which is what BeFit4Akhirah strives to do.

The Quran Revolution program opens again Jan 24th semester.

If you would like to invite Imam Wisam to your community, please email him at:

invite@wisamsharieff.com

To visit AQL website, please visit here: https://aqlu.org/

To learn more about Quran Revolution, please visit: https://quranrevolution.com/

Notes about this podcast will be up on the website soon. Thank you for your patience with us as we are working on putting together podcast episodes into our website: www.befit4akhirah.com

In this second episode, I dive in deeper with you on how BeFit4Akhirah all came about.

The topics I have discussed in this episode are:

How my grandmother's death woke up me from my depression and mental health struggles.
What lectures inspired me to name my business BeFit4Akhirah
The journey into creating BeFit4Akhirah.
How I was able to finish my college degree with a health promotion minor.

And much more!

To grab your free ebook on how to jumpstart your fitness journey, please visit the following link:

https://mailchi.mp/88c31c53bf17/befit4akhirah

If it doesn't work for whatever reasons as I am still learning about my podcast's hosting site, please visit my Instagram account or Facebook page @BeFit4Akhirah.

I will have a blog on this post in near future as I am still in the process of working with my interns on putting together blog posts for each episode.

We are so grateful for your support.

Please do not forget to share this episode with a family member or a friend who can benefit from this episode.

In this episode, I, Coach Ola dive in deeper into my personal life background story that is related to why I am so passionate about mental, spiritual, and physical health.

This episode was very hard to record because it was so hard to speak about my background story, but I feel it is important to speak up about my struggles because they are still a reality among so many communities and so many souls are struggling in silence.

I, Coach Ola, want to be the voice that shares the struggles to let others know that they are not alone, and they do not need to be alone either.

This is just part one of my background story which is related to how my business's name BeFit4Akhirah came all about.

The points I covered are:

Body image issues and at what age it started.
Joining sports teams in high school.
Getting rejected from a 4-year university and attending community college.
Finding joy in fitness and weight lifting.
Transferring to a 4-year university.
Anxiety attacks.
Suicidal thoughts.

And much more.

If you have benefited from this episode one way or other, I ask that you help me in spreading this message to other people by sharing with family or friends. Let's spread awareness about these misconceptions and stigma topics that are a lot of people are still struggling with and are afraid to speak up about it.

Also, do not forget to grab your free ebook on how to jump start your fitness journey to keep it for a lifetime.

How to jumpstart your fitness journey and keep it for life

Thank you so much for tunning in.

With love and respect,

Coach Ola at BeFit4Akhirah

*nasheed in the intro and outro are from soundcloud royalty-free music and artist's name is Servant of Allah.

Welcome to the Purposeful Fitness with Coach Ola podcast. In this episode, we will hear a trailer of what this podcast will be about, when is the launch date, and what will the first three episodes be all about.

Make sure to grab your FREE guide on how to jumpstart your fitness journey that you can keep for a lifetime. In the guide, I have made it easy to read and follow through with helpful tips and tricks to maintain your fitness journey for a lifetime.

Please click on the link below to grab your copy today:

How to Jumpstart Your Fitness Journey and Keep it for Lifetime

I am super excited to have you here on this show, and I promise that we will bring you awesome episodes and much more.

Be Strong. Be Fit. BeFit4Akhirah.