How to Get Your Body Back

Get Fit to Live

By Audrey Muhammad

What will it take to get our body back?  This is often a question many ask after they realize they have gone off the path a little.  Today is a wonderful time to get focused, get disciplined and make the presence of God stronger in your life.   In Study Guide #13, entitled “The Price of Redemption” it states:  “to ‘redeem’ means to ‘buy back.’  This suggests that the item being bought back was once owned by the buyer and for some reason he had temporarily lost possession of it.  Thus, a price has to be paid for the object to be returned.” 

We are children of God and soldiers for peace.  Do you know of any army that doesn’t have its soldiers exercise?  No.  Exercise is the first thing they do in the morning.   What does exercise do besides help you lose weight?  Exercise strengthens the immune system.  Our immune system is our first line of defense against illness and disease.   Secondly, if we are not careful, the food we put in our mouth can send us to our grave.  However, we were given a great gift in books I and II of How to Eat to Live on how to live a longer and healthier life with the best of foods.

Some of us may have lost the young, strong, and lean body of our youth and desire it back.  Well, there is a price that we have to pay.  What is the cost?  Hard work (exercise) and sacrifice (giving up certain foods and our time) will be part of the price to pay.  Can we afford this?  Yes!  But are we willing to spend the “money”?  Let’s review the instructions given to Believers in “The Price of Redemption.” (All quotes are from Study Guide #13 unless noted otherwise).

 These instructions, if followed and also applied to health, will help us get fit to live.  The instructions are:

1. Prayer.  “It takes 21 days, according to scholars, to break old habits and make new ones.  Let the Nation of Islam get into the habit of prayer, 5 times a day at the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner…Prayer is the re-affirmation of desire.  We endure by re-affirming and re-identifying our desire until we reach the goal.” (Study Guide #13). (According to the Random House Dictionary, “exercise” is “bodily or mental exertion, esp. for the sake of training or improvement of health…forms of practice or exertion designed to train, develop, condition or the like.”  Prayer is an action that takes mental effort.  It is the first “exercise” we should do in the morning.   Even some of the positions of prayer are similar to the positions in the yoga.)

2. Fasting.  Another “exercise” we are encouraged to practice is “fasting.” 

“In Islam, fasting is an institution of the improvement of the moral and spiritual condition of human begins.  Fasting, abstention from food in obedience to Allah (God), helps us build the will to resist the impediments to self-development.”  (We should all try to participate in the monthly three-day fast.  You should not fast if you are pregnant or nursing).

3. One meal a day.  “Eat one mal a day…it will prolong your life.”   (However, we need to make sure that the one meal is nutritious and balanced with protein, carbohydrates and fat.  Make sure you make bean soup part of your meal).
4. Charity and sacrifice.  “Charity is a principle of action which is necessary for the spiritual advancement of man.  The advancement we make through charity is towards Allah(God).”  (We should “sacrifice” or give up that cake or soda pop.  Giving up a can of soda alone will reduce 150-200 calories in a day.   Give up the sweets and that is another reduction of about 300 calories.  Only one slice of bean pie per person—[smile]. By exercising and reducing our caloric intake by 300-500 calories a day, we can lose 1-2 pounds a week!  Now that sacrifice is worth it!)
5. Work.  “What is ‘work’?  It is Force x Distance; the exertion of energy on an object that is not moving on its own, resulting in the movement of that object.” 

Exercise is work!  Unfortunately, exercise is a type of work we make excuses not to do.  In this day and time, we can no longer afford to make excuses for work we should perform. Fat will not move unless we cause it to move.  It takes “work” to get rid of fat.  “Workouts” are good for the body and the mind.)

  As I mentioned earlier, these instructions, if followed and also applied to our health, will help us get fit to live.  May Allah (God) bless us all with peace, health, wealth, love and happiness.

(Audrey Muhammad is the author of the book, Get Fit to Live:  Be your best you!, available at www.getfit2live.org.  To order the Book and get a FREE copy of the audiobook CD, send a $12 money order(plus $3 shipping) to Get Fit To Live, P.O. Box 61402, Raleigh, NC , 27661.  Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program. To inquire about a Get Fit to Live workshop in your city, email audreymuhammad@hotmail.com)

Take Responsibility for Your Health...One Step At A Time

By Audrey Muhammad

Some people can quit things “cold,” and for others it takes time.  The concept of gradualism which refers to “proceeding or changing by steps or degrees, is also mentioned in the book, How to Eat to Live, Book I.  In regards to eating one meal a day, The Honorable Elijah Muhammad writes, “First drop to two meals a day, then one meal a day, and then one meal every other day.  It is better to do it this way so that you will not make yourself sick” (p. 60).

Personally, I went from a 4 meal a day meat-eater to a one meal a day vegetarian.  I gradually stopped eating a heavy pancake breakfast to only eating fruit in the morning.    I also stopped my midnight pizza deliveries from my college days.  Gradually, my 4 meals went down to one meal.  Granted, I may have a flashback to my “Food, Eat it!” days, but I always feel best when I get up in the morning to pray, exercise and later eat my one meal.

There is no mystery God,” where “poof” –things happen.  There is a process for everything.  Every action is preceded by a thought, sometimes it is a quick thought, but “if you dwell on it long enough, you may act on it.”  How many of us have found ourselves at midnight thinking about a piece of pie left in the refrigerator.  We continue thinking about the pie until we finally get up and go eat the rest of it.  This is why we must continually guard our thoughts and feed and strengthen them with positive “life-giving” information.  As I was “feeding” my thoughts the other day with the book, Closing the Gap, I found myself rereading the wonderful points in the introduction of the book.  One point that really resonated with me was, “In order to become anything, you have to “be” the thing desired (p. xvii).  How do you “become” something?  Aren’t there steps?  Yes.  Is there a process?  Absolutely.  Anyone who has obtained greatness as an athlete, minister, teacher, inventor etc, went through a process of “becoming” while holding the “vision” of what he or she wanted to “be.”  You have to start walking the walk and talking the talk beforehand.  It is called “practice, “ (smile).

Another quote that stood out was, “Magnetism is not generated; it is displayed.  Health, wealth, beauty and genius are not created; they are only manifested by the arrangement of your mind—that is your concept of yourself” (p. xix, Closing the Gap).  What is your “self-concept” or “idea or thought of self.”  Your self-concept affects how you treat yourself and others.  If you have a poor self-concept or hold the idea that you are not very valuable, you will not take the necessary steps to safeguard yourself.  We all need to take the time and go through a thorough self- examination, self-analysis and self-correction. 

Not to long ago, I got the opportunity to speak to Dr. Nkenge Muhammad, an OB/GYN from Savannah, Georgia, who was giving participants feedback for improving their health.  She said that I would be surprised at how many people haven’t even tried the basics of improving their health by simply starting an exercising program.  She said, “If you decide you don’t want to take medication, you should be working with your physician and discuss what lifestyle changes you can make so that you are less likely to become dependent on medication later.  The first two steps are eating healthy and exercising.  

What are some gradual steps we can take?  First, ask for guidance from God.  (We have to remember that God is the “All Knowing” God and can give us solutions to our problems.)  Ask for dedication, resources and strength.   Second, write down your goals, long and short term, large goals and small goals. Also, list “steps” to achieve your goals.  For instance, are you going to eliminate white sugar sweets from your diet and have fruit instead?   Third, write out for 3 days, a food diary.  Document what you eat and when for at least three days.  (This will be a part of the self-examination and self-analysis.  Make the necessary changes in your diet.  A simple place to start is to change your drinks between meals to all water, no juice, soda or high calorie coffee drinks.  (You would be surprised that we can drink almost 700 calories a day if we have one iced coffee smoothie and two bottles of juice.)  Lastly, take time to plan and schedule exercise.  Our leader does it, why don’t we?

It is time that we take responsibility to improve our health and build a community of healthy men, women and children.   Remember, "God has not forsaken you"...his promises are true!

May Allah(God) bless us all with peace, love, health, wealth and happiness.

(Audrey Muhammad is aerobics instructor and the author of Get Fit to Live:  Be your best You! Available at www.getfit2live.org or send a $12(plus $3 shipping) money order to Get Fit to Live, P.O. Box 61402, Raleigh, NC 27661-1402). Please consult a physician before beginning any new workout or dietary plan.)  Order the book and receive a Free “Get Fit to Live” CD.  To schedule Sis. Audrey for a Get Fit to Live Workshop in your city, send an email to audreymuhammad@hotmail.com.)

Breaking the Code of Silence

     What would you do if you had a secret that could help save someone’s life if revealed? Would you have the courage to come forward? Or would you stay silent for fear of what people would think?
Actress and Desperate Housewives star, Teri Hatcher, came forward about a secret she kept for approximately 35 years. Her secret? Her uncle sexually abused her when she was 5 years old and was accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl who committed suicide. In the Vanity Fair article, Ms. Hatcher revealed how her uncle would manipulate situations to get him and Hatcher alone in his car so he could take advantage of her. Ms. Hatcher testified as a witness and her uncle received 14 years in prison. Her story had a "happy" ending, but often times in the Black community, the code of silence reigns.

     However, Black woman are learning to speak up for the sake of their own healing and hopefully to protect others. In the book Memories, by Claudette Marie Muhammad, she speaks of being sexually assaulted by her grandfather. In the book, Sadjah, the author reveals experiencing sexually abuse by her father at the age of 3, but she never told anyone. The relatives or fathers that are abusers often don’t go to jail due to a child not telling or being considered too young to testify. If there is no damaging physical evidence, just knowledge of a father touching or kissing a child inappropriately, the father may get a "slap" on the wrist and agree to undergo therapy. The court will at least try to protect the child from the father, but children in the society at large are still in danger because a molester doesn’t just molest one child and say, "Oh, gee, I made a mistake, I didn’t mean to have sex with that 4 year old." Why are sex offenders, the ones who get caught, required to register? Why are there websites where you can see if a sex offender lives near you? Why aren’t sex offenders allowed to live near schools and daycare centers? They can’t control themselves and there is no cure or treatment for sex offenders that have been successful.

     "I do not know of any research that has suggested that psychological treatment (of any type) for adult male sexual offenders of children which has been effective," said Dr. Paul Guillory, a Child psychologist with over 20 years experience in Oakland, California.
Sex offenders appear to belong to the group that are the "least likely to be rehabilitated."
So how do we protect our children to break the cycle of abuse? What does a child molester look like?
Some of these questions are answered in an interview with Yvette Muhammad, which appeared in the 2007 issue of Virtue Today. Sister Yvette is a social worker with over 14 years of experience in dealing with perpetrators and victims of abuse.

***

Virtue Today (VT) As a social worker, for the past 14 years, you have seen a lot of child abuse cases. What type of abuse is the most difficult to identify and why?

Yvette Muhammad (YM) Emotional and psychological abuses are often difficult to identify. Often a perpetrator can present (themselves) as very intelligent and able to achieve a lot in the society, but are very manipulative privately. Examples are psychological cruelties like blending cold meat and potatoes for a child to eat. Also a common form of psychological abuse is the constant putting down of a child, comparing them to another person who is poorly regarded, projecting even more doom for them in the future. Sexual abuse in small children (age 0-4) might be difficult to detect if they aren't physically hurt and they may not tell. They often aren't clear about personal boundaries to know that the boundaries are been crossed. They are often groomed (prepared for the abuse) by having been given special attention or privileges. Or the sexual abuse can be made a game. Their reactive behavior (playing with their private parts) may be confused with self-exploration or innocent curiosity, but has really exceeded this if it includes indiscriminate masturbation or oral/genital contact with other children.

VT: What does a typical child molester look like?
YM: Child molesters have no particular kind of face. They come from all walks of life. Also, most people are molested by someone who they know. According to, "The Stop Child Molestation Book" by Dr. Gene Abel, MD, 77% of molesters are married, 46% are college educated, 69% work full-time, and 93% are religious. The typical child molester looks like many people we know in the community, which is one of the reasons why they are able to get away with the crime. No one would suspect the soccer coach, firefighter, elementary school teacher or the priest or even family members.

VT: What are some things mothers can do to stop the physical and sexual abuse of children?

YM: Our home lives should be guarded. We should be careful not to allow any and everybody to care for our children, provide personal care (bathing etc.) for our children. We should not have our children routinely engaging in sleepovers with just anyone. Many women don't consider the risks they expose their children to by having boyfriends move into their homes, hardly knowing them. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad even warned women not to leave their girl children alone with their own fathers because of the influence of the world's perversion that we've been exposed to. Nevertheless, it should be clear that sexual molesters develop a compulsion that can't be fathomed by the average person. This is a sickness that is executed by a person that can find the slightest opportunity to act on their thoughts. They can do this at night while their wife sleeps or is doing laundry or taking a shower. Again in this day and time, since it is difficult to be with your child 24 hours a day, other precautions we should take is teaching our children about boundaries and their private parts being "private" at an early age and encouraging them to talk to you. Be watchful of changes in their behavior such as crying when a particular person is around or sexual acting out or casual sexual references they may make like, "Daddy likes to touch my private and it tickles." Always consult a professional and don't be afraid to take a sign seriously.

VT: What advice do you have for someone who has been physically abused or sexually abused as a child? 

YM: Issues of child abuse impact people differently. Some people can suppress the trauma, but find themselves being repeat victims even into their adulthood. Some people become very angry and might even become abusers. Others develop an inability to trust people, even those that can assist them through their difficulty and may become depressed or suicidal. Then issues of abuse aren't dealt with, they have a tendency to emerge, sometimes when it is least expected. I suggest if a person has difficulty managing the trauma of past abuse, they should seek professional help, utilize the spiritual support around them, talk to a trusted friend/or family member to help connect them to help.

(Sister Yvette Muhammad has worked for Children Welfare for 14 years and has over 900 hours of Training Child Protection. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowling Green State University. Also, special thanks to the staff of the Children’s Interview Center in Martinez, California for their support and contribution of Resources for this article. Part II of Breaking the Code of Silence will deal with domestic violence.)




Breaking the Code of Silence, Part I

Three Ways To Improve Your Life

By Audrey Muhammad

Have you seen people who have experienced a “horrible” childhood, but were removed from an environment, gained an education and became very successful? What helped to lead them to “get fit” to be successful? In most cases, SOMEONE had love or compassion that person. In one case, a young man may have been taken out of a bad home environment where he was abused and now was given an opportunity to get an education and better himself. He or she studies and becomes successful in spite of the pain of their past. How did he do it? Did he get help? In a sense, he went through “therapy,” but not in the traditional sense. Three things are needed for a thing to grow: the right conditions, the right environment and the right food. In order to accept the truth, our heart and mind must be in an “accepting” condition, we must be placed in a better/safe environment and we must me fed the proper food, mentally and spiritually. Too often we may ATTACK a person, instead of having compassion for them. Love heals and improves us in all aspects of our lives. The teachings, which is based out of love, provides us with three ways to improve our life.

One day I had a discussion with a believer about how the teachings of The Most Honorable Elijah is almost like a "therapy" or “treatment” for the condition of Black people in America that prepares us for success. A “treatment” is “a process or manner of behaving toward or dealing with a person or thing(Oxford Dictionary.) According to the book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, valid forms of therapy or treatment, along with “dianetics” include: Environmental change, education, and physical treatment(183). For instance, “Physical treatment resulting in improved physical condition will bring about hope or change a man’s reactions by shifting him on his time track. It may key-out engrams"(p. 184). These treatments can actually help “key-out” or DEACTIVATE engrams which are “recordings of painful events.”

What is considered “environmental change?” For example, a child being taken out of an abusive home and placed in a safe one and then beings to flourish. Or, think of how we were taken out of a "worldly environment" and placed in a "mosque" or more secure environment.

Another example would be to take a teen out of a violent neighborhood can help improve his mental well-being and “tone scale” or mood Being in a peaceful and prayer environment can help improve your health also. We should strive to turn our homes a beautiful and peaceful “environment.” Remove harmful cleansers with chemicals and keep your home clean and beautify it with plants, pictures and fresh air. These actions will help you get your home life “fit for success.”

Education or gaining of knowledge is also considered a type of “treatment.” When we gained knowledge about God and ourselves, we are EMPOWERED to change our lives and INFLUENCE or motivate others. One of the greatest feelings a person can have is a feeling of accomplishment. Seek knowledge…it empowers you. Minister Farrakhan mentioned in Closing the Gap that the “highest form of communication is to speak on, ask questions about, argue over what God has revealed to His servant (321). A couple of months ago I was motivated to pick up "Our Saviour has Arrived" when a believer quoted something interesting from the book. I couldn't go to sleep until I found the passage because I love getting insightful and spiritual knowledge. The “truth” energizes you. The Modern Science of Mental Health Book even states that you can be so "educated into a strong faith that it helps you to "rise above your engrams" ( 184). Hmm, hasn't Islam helped to improve the condition of many brothers and sisters? No matter the religion, the knowledge of the “truth” and FAITH in God helps enhance a person. An excellent book to read to gain “knowledge of yourself,” how to pray and how to develop a business blueprint is Message to the Blackman.

The last type of “treatment” mentioned is “physical treatment” or improvement. For example, we are taught how to “eat to live” and fast (abstaining from food or drink). Eating the proper foods can not only improve your health, it also can improve your mood. Exercising is also a part of physical treatment. It rejuvenates and strengthens our mind and body. We have been given a wealth of knowledge in the teachings. Master Fard Muhammad knew what he was doing when he came for us and gave The Honorable Elijah Muhammad the teachings; we just have to work on implementing it MORE into our lives and influence others. As we expressed our tormented past with the Slave-master and his children, it was almost like having a mass “auditing” session as we shared our experiences and open us to receive the truth and further develop ourselves. (Note: to “audit” means to listen and also “to compute” according to Dianetic terms). Please Check out the book, How to Eat to Live by The Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
My point? We have been given a wonderful foundation in terms of “treatment” and how to create a righteous environment, improve our bodies with physical treatment or exercise and improve our mind with proper mental and spiritual food. Remember, the Restrictive Law of Islam is our Success at any time. Obedience to it will help prevent the need for “therapy” in the future. One KEY healing component is LOVE. When we can have enough Love and compassionate in our life for a person’s condition, our perception changes, our energy changes. Compassion and love for ourselves will help us “get fit for success!”
May (God) bless us all with peace, love, health, wealth and happiness.

(The above article is an excerpt from the current issue of Virtue Today Magazine available at http://www.virtuemag.com/. Audrey Muhammad is a certified fitness instructor and the author of the terrific book, Get Fit to Live: Be your best you! available at http://www.getfit2live.org/ and the Respect for Life Bookstore. Her audio book, Get Fit to Live is also available. To order the Book and get a FREE copy of the audiobook CD, send a $12 money order(plus $3 shipping) to Get Fit To Live, P.O. Box 61402, Raleigh, NC , 27661. Please consult a physician before beginning any new workout or dietary program).

Real Locker Room Talk: The Keys to Keeping a Job and Your Sanity

In Today’s economic, many people are on “shaky” ground in regards to their jobs. However, have no fear, help is here! Virtue Today Magazine claims “Pink Slip Panic: Are You on the Chopping Block?” by Derek Vitatoe is the one of the “must have” books of the year. This unique reference guide to getting, keeping and advancing in a career gives you “insider” information on what employers want. If you are self-employed, it will give you insight into choosing the best candidates.

Derek Vitatoe, a skilled professional in employee engagement, leadership development, and talent management, brings objective insight into these key leadership areas. In his book, Pink Slip Panic, he states, “Don’t panic. Simply make yourself irreplaceable by learning how to dodge the pink slip.” After a life-turning meeting with his two bosses, which left him with the responsibility of identifying seven employees to fire, he personally insisted that they keep good employees simply because of their ability to grow, develop, and emerge as probable leaders. A good leader knows himself and how to utilize the skills of others. Mr. Vitatoe also devotes an entire chapter to “knowledge of self” in a chapter entitled, “Who Are You, Really?” He encourages people to “brand” themselves, know their talents and track their accomplishments.

One secret to success is “self-discipline.” And guess what? According to Mr. Vitatoe, this valuable skill can be “learned.” Do simple things like investing in a reliable alarm clock and prepare to always “be” on time, not just “try” to be on time. In chapter 3, entitled, “The Delta to Success,” Mr. Vitatoe says to eliminate the word” try” from your vocabulary because an action you “try” to perform is by definition ‘incomplete.’ High achievers (or, in management terms, leaders) don’t try; they do.

So don’t just close your eyes and hope it won’t happen. Instead, draw on Pink Slip Panic to gain crucial knowledge and learn how to utilize your competencies to achieve high performance.

Vitatoe, a former college football star, always knew he’d be an author as the organized sport prepared the groundwork for the discipline of his writing career. By day, Vitatoe works as a Human Resources Manager for a major Fortune 500 company in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. By night, he is the “HR Jock” for his new Blogtalk Radio show, “The Locker Room.”

For more insight on how to “avoid the chopping block, tune into “The Locker Room,” Mr. Vitatoe’s show which will give you the inside scoop on workplace policies. Listeners can call in with questions or comments related to work and receive professional credible suggestions and opinions on how to handle various types of workplace situations.

(Check out his other books and services at www.derekvitatoe.com. His show, “The Locker Room,” debuts Jan. 11, 2012. Call In Number: 858-357-9102. The Locker Room discussion will be: “The Winning Attitude : The Secret to Success”. To schedule Mr. Vitatoe for an employee "Empowerment Workshop" or a speaking engagement at your business or college, call (707)853-5763 or email dvitatoe@earthlink.net).