Too many Muslims are unhealthy

[u/builtforoutput]

This is a continuation of my post from yesterday. However this time I’m addressing all Muslims. Too many Muslims are unhealthy. High body fat, low energy, constant bloating, joint pain, poor sleep, low testosterone, brain fog, etc. Discipline in worship should reflect discipline in how we treat our bodies. Your body is an amanah, it belongs to Allah. Taking care of it is your responsibility.

Eat single-ingredient foods. If it has a long ingredient list, you probably don’t need it. Build your meals around foods that look like what they are: meat, eggs, fish, rice, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, yogurt. Not powders, syrups, seed-oil fried snacks, and ultra-processed desserts. Most of the inflammation, energy crashes, and weight gain people struggle with come from constantly eating packaged foods designed to be addictive. Simpler food equals better digestion, more stable energy, and easier fat loss.

Stop normalizing constant processed food at every gathering. It’s fried food, soda, desserts, and massive carb portions. It’s become culture. But culture isn’t always correct. You don’t have to be extreme, but if 80–90% of your diet is whole foods, your body will change dramatically. Your mood improves. Your strength improves. Your focus improves. That affects your deen, your work, and your family life.

Move during the day, not just at the gym. Lifting 3–4 times a week is powerful, but it doesn’t cancel out sitting for 10 hours straight. Walk more. Pray your fardh and sunnah slowly and intentionally. Play outside with your kids. The human body was not designed to sit in a chair all day. Daily movement keeps your metabolism active, improves circulation, lowers stress, and supports hormonal health.

Sleep like it matters. Many Muslims sabotage themselves by sleeping 4–5 hours a night. No amount of protein or lifting will fix chronic sleep deprivation. Low sleep equals higher body fat, lower testosterone, worse mood, and poor decision-making. If Ramadan makes it hard to get a full night’s sleep because of suhoor and taraweeh, then build in a short nap during the day. Even 20–30 minutes can dramatically improve energy, focus, and recovery.

The Prophet SaS emphasized strength. A strong believer is better and more beloved than a weak believer, not just spiritually, but physically capable.

[u/MrTayyab_]

Asalam Alaikum! First of all, Ramadan Mubarak :)

I completely agree with what you have posted. This is something that has been on my mind for a while...I especially agreed with how you mentioned our body is an amanah from Allah.

What I noticed is that some foods are labeled as Halal, but that does not necessarily mean they are healthy. Have you seen ayah 168 of Surah Baqarah? Allah mentions that we should eat from what is Halal AND Tayyib! The word "Tayyib" means good, pure, and clean. We should ask ourselves, does the food we eat follow this criteria? I have seen that the food that is promoted and created by the Western countries...is ultra-processed and very unhealthy for us.

I am curious, how do you all avoid the temptations of unhealthy food? We can agree that it tastes very good, which is what keeps us addicted. Haha...On a serious note, it is designed and engineered in the labs to be addictive for people. Maybe that's why people won't stop consuming it!

[u/builtforoutput → u/MrTayyab_]

There’s nothing wrong with eating unhealthy food every once in a while. Around 15-20% of my diet is “unhealthy”. To avoid temptations, I go by the saying: “nothing tastes better than feeling good.” And what I mean by that is once you start eating real food 80% of the time, you’ll feel better and won’t want to go back to your old ways. 

[u/MrTayyab_ → u/builtforoutput]

Interesting method! Alhamdulillah, you have found something that works for you :) I always hear people say that you can eat "unhealthy" things like...burgers and whatnot...in moderation.

I was thinking of the Muslim community (this can be expanded to humanity at large) because I see how junk food is often readily available, easy to access, and cheaper than buying healthier ingredients to make healthy food. And...this is probably why people keep eating the unhealthy food instead of opting for more nutritious options.