If you are interested in fitness, workouts and living a healthier life then you probably already know Rawia Alateeqi. And for those of you who don’t, meet the fitness lifestyle enthusiast who shares her daily workouts, routine and fitness journey on Instagram and TikTok to help motivate everyone to start their own journey and stay on track.
Rawia is not new to the fit life, as a child her favorite activity was playing soccer with the neighborhood boys. She enjoyed all kinds of active play and sports, at school P.E. was her favorite class, “I enjoyed the challenges it brought. I also joined school sports competitions. My family was super supportive of me doing all kinds of activities,” she explained. It wasn’t until her senior year at high school when she started living a more sedentary life. It didn’t get better in college or after graduation and entering the workforce.
“I noticed my body feeling exhausted all the time, a lack of energy, zero strength to continue through the day and most importantly lack of motivation to do anything else but work from 8 am to 5 pm in the private sector,” Rawia added.
Deep down she understood that she needed to make changes. She wanted to get in shape, get toned, and gain muscle. So she changed jobs to one that required fewer hours, so she could have enough time to join a gym. She started educating herself through research and reading, and relied on friends who helped her grow her knowledge in fitness. Her journey began in 2013, and she hasn’t looked back since then.
Change is a huge theme in Rawia’s work and she constantly talks about it on social media. She keeps reminding people that change doesn’t happen at once and is not a coincidence. It is a product of hard work over a period of time and working against your bad norms and habits.
She rightfully points out that we get compliments, appreciation trophies and certificates in school and work for things we do that are visible to everyone but no one knows the struggles we go through internally, fighting every day and competing to achieve a better version of ourselves. The small wins are invisible to the world. Instead, Rawia believes that people should value the smallest positive change they achieve every day and be proud of it.
“Change is a product of hard work. Hard work is achieved by setting goals and here is where most of us go wrong. We are accustomed to setting large goals, end points, that we want to get to. We neglect the small steps taking us there. When it comes to adopting a new healthier lifestyle, a new healthier version of you let’s say, people want results quickly, they want them now, in a month or three. They want to lose weight, they want to look good, better, and stronger. They forget what comes in between,” Rawia said.
We rarely question when and how our questionable habits started, they never have a clear start date and just happen gradually over time. Equally, changing a bad habit requires awareness of it then patience.
Rawia suggests starting with small goals, “If we want to lose weight, we need to start gradually changing our lifestyle. Start with a daily 15-minute walk for a week and start your healthy diet by drinking more water daily. Do things gradually until they become habits. Only after you are comfortable with your new habits, start making new ones. With time, you will notice a big change in your life,” Rawia advises.
When the pandemic started Rawia started her website which offers home fitness programs because there was a large demand for it. Online training offers flexibility for the client and is also cost-effective. Rawia offers her clients more than just a routine, she educates and guides through the techniques.
“I believe that people can really achieve any fitness goal they want. The key is commitment, consistency and patience. RIght now, I am targeting beginners and intermediates wanting to become firmer, tighter and stronger. I also target those who do not know how to start. Most of us feel lost at the beginning of our journeys. We do not know where to start from. We need guidance. We also do not feel very encouraged to start at a gym because the gym can be scary in the beginning if we do not know what to do with all those equipment and class offerings,” she told us.
Rawia encourages people to start at home. Her program is a full body weight program that can be adjusted by adding weights depending on your strength and level. She is a huge believer in gradual progress, once you get some of the workouts done at home and get the hang of the weekly schedule, then it will be smoother moving into a gym and adding weight to your training.
And she definitely walks the talk, and her social media accounts are proof. She wants to share her journey with people. She doesn’t just want to show people how to do the moves, she encourages a healthier and happier life. Helping women out there to start taking care of themselves naturally without self-hate or judgement motivates her.
“Social media offers opportunities to learn and educate yourself however on your own judgement. That is the tricky part. You can easily fall for false advertising and inaccurate information. As for me, I always recommend that people take advice from experts in the field. When needed, I redirect people to experts in nutrition, physical therapy, etc. I only give advice that I am sure of and is supported by the science and research in the field,” Rawia explained.
She also provides a lot of information in Arabic. Even though most of her followers and audience speak English, she told us that engagement is higher when the text is in Arabic. We appreciate her inclusivity and making her content more accessible to a larger audience and we agree that there is definitely a need for trusted and fact-based Arabic Fitness and health instruction on Social Media.
“Like so many people, I made mistakes and I learned. I went through different times of commitment and discouragement. There were moments I felt so strong and others I felt so weak. It is a continuous journey of learning,” Rawia reminds us. We just need to keep going even when we think that the going is tough.
TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE
How would your mother describe you in one word?
Kind.
How would you describe your mother in one word?
Caring.
What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked?
How old are you?
What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
Befriended a stranger.
What is your theme song?
Yellow – Coldplay.
What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
Fairness
Where would you like to live?
On a white sandy beach with blue waters and a sunny sky.
What is your dream retirement location?
Florida Keys.
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
It’s not what you say it is how you say it.
Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?
Wolf.
Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it?
Playing soccer in sand pits with the boys.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Lily.
How would you describe your handshake, in one word?
Confident.
What is the toughest part of your character?
Mood swings.
Who is your favorite historical figure?
Dalai Lama.
What in the world do you least desire?
Night life.
What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?
Acceptance and understanding.
Why do you think most people who do, like you?
I am supportive.
Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…”
… contentment.
Follow Rawia on Instagram for great fitness advice and information @spacebyrawia or visit spacebyrawia.com to book your fitness plan.
