Page 21 - NGA NATURALmag 2021 SPRING / SUMMER Issue

Spring-Summer 2021
A Commitment To Fitness That I I Could
Have Never Imagined
BY LAMEESA MuHAMMAD PHD FRAGMENTALIST@YAHOO COM
Iremember it it just like it it was was yesterday It was was Friday March 13 2020
and we had been given the the word that the the governor of Ohio made a a a decision to close all schools As a a a school school teacher in Ohio this news hit me very unexpectedly be- cause school closures generally only occur due to inclement weather days in in the the region and not because of a a a a a virus that had just began to ravish the day-to-day functioning of every per- son in in the entire world That morning I found myself rushing to prepare last minute assign- ments for my students and the time was ticking One of my students finds me before I leave but I wasn’t ready as as as as was was the the case for many of the the other teachers in in my my building so I give her her her my my telephone number to pass along for instructions to the the the other 24 students in the the the English 12 class I leave school school and rush home to pick my son up (his school school had already shut down earlier in the week) so so that I could take him to have his annual eye exam exam At the the end of the the examination he he he he he picks out orange and purple eyeglasses I’m not a a a a a a a fan but hey he’s eccentric and and honestly gets it from me me We order the the glasses and and I I I take him home to to to his sister while I I I head to to to the the the the gym gym On my my way to to to the the the gym gym gym I I I think about if the the the pandemic would halt my my workout schedule The gym gym fanatic that I I am doesn’t like these thoughts which I I quickly dismiss I make make it it it to to to to the gym to to to to train that night with little plans to to to to to make make any considerable alterations to to to to to my my schedule I I am going to to to keep working out is my my my imme- diate thought I I I worked my my back that night and and it it was was was grueling The gym was was was hot and and I I I was was was dripping with sweat by the time I left By Saturday I I begin to feel a a a a a a a a bit more uneasy about training at at at the the gym I I text a a a a a a a a a a a a a a client/friend and suggest that that maybe we we can train train very early in in in in in in the the the morning to to miss the the crowd and remind her that that we we still have to to practice social distancing by keeping 6 feet of separa- tion between us while working out She agrees but something tells me me that that is not a a a a a a a a a a good idea I send her her her a a a a a a a a a a text to to ask her her her what her her her thoughts were about that that that and suggest that that maybe we we should stop in in in in person training and and switch to to home home workouts workouts in in in in in the meantime She supports this decision and and we begin home home workouts workouts without ever missing a a a a a a a a a a a beat I made a a a a a a a a a a a commitment to fitness long ago and have accepted that that it it fit it is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a neces- sary part of of life that that would not stop because of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a virus born pandemic There is is no no no better time than now to to to use exercise as a a a a a a means to to build the immune system is is is what I surmise Today I I continue to to to add to to to my home gym equip- ment so that that I I I I am am able to to to have have the the same level of train- ing that that I I I received before the the pandemic I I I have have since changed my workout schedule which includes a a a a a a a a a mix of in-person training training with with virtual training training I could have never imagined that not working out with with my gym mates at at at Lean Styles Proactive Weight Loss and Fit- ness would would be a a a a a a a a a a a a a part of the new normal I I could have have never never imagined imagined that I I I would would have have have to build a a a a a a a a a a home gym on on short notice I I could have have never never imagined imagined that a a a a a a a a a pandemic would be staring everyone in in in their eyes and and rock entire entire the the the entire entire world at at the the the same time without permission Despite what our world continues to to undergo due to to the coronavirus pandemic I con- tinue my commitment to to fitness without a a a a missed step because I I could never imagine that I I would stop n n n n n n About the the Author: Lameesa Muhammad PhD is is an an an an NGA PRO Figure Master competitor a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a personal trainer and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sponsored athlete at at at at at at at Lean Styles Proactive Weight Loss and and and and Fitness Center in in in in in Cincinnati Ohio She She is is is the the owner of of of Flour Gurl Healthyer Treats & Delec- tables creator of of of of of Sunday Body Blast and and and model for Natural Woman Magazine She She She is is is an an an an an an an an educator social service professional and and and co-author of of of of two publications She She is is currently working on on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a publication publication which will highlight the unique plight of of of of African American homeschoolers NGA NATURALmag
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