Have you ever seen people who have attended the gym year after year, but don’t appear to be making any progress or weight loss? Yet, they may have lowered their blood pressure or increased their endurance, which are wonderful byproducts of maintaining a regimen. But when is the real building going to begin? It is almost like going to meeting after meeting, just doing busy work, but no productive work.
Maintenance is good, but we can become comfortable with maintenance because it does not push us toward any significant goal if we are not focused. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said in his “Inspirational Tape” recorded several years ago that we are not productive because we do not have a “worthy goal.”
I could easily say I want to lose 10 pounds or get 100 people to attend a mosque meeting, but then what? What do I do when I get to the gym? Do I have a workout plan along with my goals? Once people arrive at the mosque, what do they do when they get there? Do we go to the gym just to get more people to go to the gym and they bring more people? Or do we go to the gym to improve our health and encourage others to improve their health? Before you know it, we have a gym full of healthy people.
That healthy lifestyle will, be it the Will of God, trickle over into our everyday life. We will eat to live and get fit for life, but we also will create businesses and jobs that promote a healthy lifestyle. There are some cities that have stores that not only sell organic or chemically free food, but also clothing made from organic cotton. As we become free of the toxins of a poor diet, our mind is clearer and we also become more productive mentally, physically, spiritually and economically.
In Study Guide No. 19 entitled “The Knowledge of God,” Minister Farrakhan wrote: “One way we can measure our progress in life is by calculating how long it takes to complete our various goals and objectives on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly basis. A spiritually and intellectually developed person is effective in dealing with people and getting things done.”
No one is stopping us from losing weight, getting healthy or protecting our community, especially our women and children. We keep putting the blame on others because we do not want to accept responsibility. Let’s get out of the “protest” stage and get into the “protect” and “be productive” stage. Let’s get “fit” in the area of business, science and community building, along with getting our bodies “fit.” We must master self.
Echoing the Honorable Marcus Garvey and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, we must say: “Up you mighty nation, you can accomplish what you will!” When it comes to exercise, we should say, “Up you mighty body, you can accomplish what you will!”
(Audrey Muhammad is a certified personal trainer and aerobic instructor. Please consult a physician before beginning any new workout or dietary plan. Questions and comments may be sent via email to [email protected]. Visit her website at Getfittolive.com.)
