How to Be Healthy and Fit

I AM AFRICAN & I CAN is a women’s empowerment blog highlighting stories of Black women’s struggles and successes.

By Hadiatou Wann | 01/26/2024

Mubarakah Ibrahim captured the world’s attention when she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006 as a proud Muslimah discussing her faith. Thereafter, she won over more hearts when she decided to use her late mother’s life-long health battle as motivation to coach others through their health and fitness journey. 

Internationally known as “Fit Muslimah,” Mubarakah has coached thousands to break their sugar addiction, balance hormones, and lose weight. Where did that drive come from? For 25 years, Mubarakah witnessed her mother go through health scares. Her mother’s gestational diabetes quickly turned to type 2 diabetes, which led to her foot eventually being amputated and then finally dying of dementia.

Her mother’s insufficient knowledge about how to manage her diabetes at the time made Mubarakah realize how much people don’t know about nutrition and are neglectful of their health. But instead of spending the rest of her life concentrating on the “what ifs,” Mubarakah focused her energy on educating herself so she could make smarter choices, live healthier, and help others along the way. 

With over 20 years of experience in the health and fitness field, Mubarakah holds a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, Public Health, and Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University, and 13 fitness and nutrition certifications. Aside from appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show, she’s been featured in the Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Prevention, Azizah, and Experience Life Magazines. With an ever-growing list of accomplishments, Mubarakah voiced: “I believe that everything in life should be done with intention.”

Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Mubarakah’s friend of 37 years expressed, “Mubarakah is a wonderful person. She uses her experiences to motivate and educate people. She is thoughtful and reflective. I love how she is so courageous and able to take chances doing new things, particularly around, building her physical strength and conditioning and encouraging others to do the same.”

Heart disease, Mubarakah says, is the number one killer of women in America. If two people who are 60 years old are brought forward, the one who has a sedentary lifestyle has a greater probability of being prone to heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Which is why Mubarakah insists people should move daily.

Now in her late 40s, Coach Mubarakah calls herself “an accidental competitive powerlifter.”  After being told that she was strong enough, she was encouraged to compete. Since she wanted to remain modest while delving into other fitness pursuits, she got a religious waver to wear modest fitness gear during competitions. In 2022, she earned a record squat of 351 lbs (159.2 kg), a deadlift of 358 lbs (162.3 kg), bench press record in the Master's category, lifting 159lbs. Mubarakah stood out again in 2023, when she competed at United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) National competition and won the Masters Gold. And then was one of six selected to be invited compete in the 2023 International Powerlifting League Meet in Coventry, England.

“Allah loves consistency, even if it is small,” she reminded. The seasoned health and fitness coach advised that one of the best ways to reach health and fitness goals is by choosing one or two areas of focus, and then maintaining consistency. This also prevents the individual from feeling overwhelmed. Adding to that, the three ways anyone can develop healthy habits are to stop eating sugar, drink water, and get at least 7 hours of sleep. “I don’t care if it’s tap water. Just drink water,” she added. 

Sleep, Mubarakah mentioned, is just as important as drinking water, and avoiding high sugar intake, because when we’re asleep, “that’s when our body repairs and detoxifies itself.” The Muslim-American health and fitness expert added, “Build a pyramid of good habits. Build one layer at a time. The weakness of one weakens them all, and the strength of one strengthens them all.”

Mubarakah also mentioned that since people have become more health conscious over the years, marketers have figured out ways to make added sugar less noticeable on nutrition facts labels. She advises people to be cautious when shopping, as there are now over 200 alias names for added sugar. 

In 2023, after pondering over how she plans or reaching more people to lead healthy lives, she launched her podcast “Fit Muslimah.” Within the first 30 days of launching her podcast, it ranked number fitness podcast in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, and number six in the United States. But that’s not all. A few years from now, Mubarakah hopes to start a YouTube show to empower even more people to be health conscious.

As Mubarakah continues to influence people to lead healthier lives, she has come up with ways to give back. One way she has done that is by helping women work out a sweat while investing in their minds. Last year, Mubarakah provided 20K USD in scholarships to her 30/90 Shift Coaching Program. Sixteen women were recipients of a partial scholarship, and one woman received a full scholarship. The scholarship was open to women in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. 

A published author, podcaster, health and fitness coach, Mubarakah has changed lives on a global scale while staying true to her Islamic identity. Her success story teaches us to take our health seriously. When we learn from where others have faltered, we can make wiser choices. And success comes once we realize our strength and use it to build ourselves and others.   


Inside the Life of a Health and Fitness Coach

“Often time, people get stuck in their past, or present and not have the motivation or action step to move forward. A strong woman is someone with resilience. Someone who has vision.”
— Mubarakah Ibrahim
“I believe that everything in life should be done with intention.”
— Mubarakah Ibrahim

Mubarakah has been married to the same man since she was 16 years old. They met through a mutual friend. She attended a wedding and was told that there’s a brother she’d get along great with. At first, she was hesitant, but when they did meet and followed the Islamic guidelines for courtship, they felt they were a great fit for each other. Mubarakah asked herself, ‘What do I want to do that you cannot do married?’ When she realized that being married wouldn’t hold her back from having a fulfilling life, she went for it. Within a few months, they were married. They had to go to court given she was underage.

“The first day we met he took the train to meet me and my family and spent the entire day with us. He arrived early at 11 AM, and my brother picked him up from the train station. It turned out to be an eventful day because, quite unexpectedly, all my relatives – aunts, cousins, both young and old, Muslim and non-Muslim – “happen” to drop by.

He fit right in our big crazy family, sharing stories and enjoying the day with us. And then, as he was about to leave at 11 PM, he asked me to marry him. (Yes, the same day he met me) I asked for time to think and pray Istikara. After I prayed Istikhara and noticed I felt very calm when I thought about saying yes. I took that as a sign and told him yes three days later.

Six months later, we were married. Now, 31 and a half years have passed, filled with life’s joys and challenges, including raising four children and enjoying three (and a half) grandchildren.”-Mubarakah Ibrahim

Watch Mubarakah Ibrahim “Fit Muslimah” converse with Oprah in 2006 on the Oprah Winfrey Show (10:30-20:31)

“Success is not a thing or a destination, or number in the bank account. Success is feeling wholeness in mind, body, and spirit.”
— Mubarakah Ibrahim

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Hadiatou WannHealth and fitness coach, health and wellness, Fit Muslimah, Muslim woman on the Oprah Winfrey Show, wellness author, nutrition, Black love, Muslimah podcastComment