When Zehra Allibhai first started sharing fitness videos and nutrition tips on Instagram back in 2013, there were very few visible hijabi women in the Instagram health and wellness space. Self-doubt was her biggest barrier and knowing she was “good enough to belong there” too. But as a kinesiologist and fitness trainer with 12 years experience, Allibhai quickly pushed that inner critic aside to pursue her passion.
“When I look back, I almost forget the fear I had in starting to share my love for health and fitness online,” she tells Create & Cultivate. “I just felt that if I shared my passion and showed women how fitness and living a healthy lifestyle was accessible for everyone, I could really help people. I knew that it would take many women to see someone that they identified with to help them feel comfortable and open to make healthy choices.”
Now, along with her 164,000-strong community, she’s proving that she does belong, and she does have a voice—and we’re so glad she did. Read on to learn more about how Allibhai created a space where everyone belongs and how she’s continuing to push the industry forward.
How have you pushed that inner critic aside to pursue your passion and prove to people, and yourself, that you do belong and you do have a voice?
At the root of all I do is to help and give women the tools they need to live a healthy lifestyle and be active at any stage of their life. I have had many days where I doubt what I’m doing or get questioned by others. But all it takes is a positive session with a client or a comment or message from someone that they finally tried a workout or a healthy recipe of mine and they enjoyed it.
I’ve also realized that the idea of not belonging comes mostly from me. I am making a path that works for me. Being able to create a career and community out of something I love and am truly passionate about is a blessing and a privilege. I have to keep pushing though so that others realize that it can be a path for them as well.
How has your platform helped to change the fitness space since then and continued to push the industry forward?
I think my platform has created a space for women who are looking for something a little different. A place where being fit and healthy goes far beyond how you look. It’s about how you feel, having energy, wearing what you’re comfortable with and fitting activity and healthy eating into your lifestyle and family values.
We have to be able to see people that look like us, and I think women connected with me on that level and felt comfortable and familiar with my page and what I shared.
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
2020 has definitely been a year. I am so grateful to have my family healthy and adjusting to this new normal. As many fitness centres and gyms were shutting down, I had to put more focus on my online training and the digital part of my business. I think at this time being connected to your community and listening to what they're looking for is so crucial. So, I’ve been working on building a platform that will allow them to access more workouts. I always make sure I have a variety for everyone. I am also looking for ways to help them get the basic equipment they need to challenge themselves at home and get great effective workouts.
Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
It’s funny, growing up my parents always encouraged me to go after my dreams and really made me believe that I could do anything I put my mind to. But that also came with a side of making sure I was being humble and not too aggressive. So it took me a while to find my confidence and how to go after what I wanted. One thing that I’m really proud of is the community I’ve built and the fact that I’ve stayed true to my values.
As I work with brands and build out my fitness programs and products, the confidence comes from knowing that I’ve built something of value and that it has a solid foundation. I’ve followed what is important to me and my clients and partners see value in that. So now, as I look forward to growing and building more, I have that confidence that I’ve made good decisions along the way to have reached where I am and as I keep moving forward.
What has been the biggest learning curve throughout your career?
Simple. Not to overthink things. Progress over perfection. Sometimes you just have to start before you feel completely ready.
How have you remained true and authentic to who you are and what advice can you share for women who are struggling with that?
It is very easy to get distracted and look around at what everyone else is doing. But knowing that my kids (especially my daughter) are watching me and how I’m sharing and interacting with my community helps keep me grounded. I’ve also always been so lucky to have so many clients and women that I personally interact with in my classes and community that I get to have those personal connections with my clients and community offline which really helps.
It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?
Get frustrated, get angry, see how I can learn from it and move on. I’ve realized you can’t dwell on failure for too long. Definitely learn from it and realize that it is a stepping stone to success.
With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
I have immense gratitude that I get to do what I do. I am so blessed that these opportunities are here for me. Yes, I’ve worked hard for them and some days get overwhelming, but being able to connect with my community and hear the stories of the ladies that have done my programs or have been motivated or inspired by me gives me all the inspiration and motivation I need to keep going.
What's the one productivity tip or work hack that truly changed your life?
Waking up early.
What is the #1 book you always recommend and why?
Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s a great book that breaks down in simple ways how your habits and what you do daily really is what affects your long term success.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now—what advice would you give yourself?
I should have started earlier. I thought about sharing my workouts and healthy tips online years before I actually did it.
Fill in the blanks:
When I feel fear, I…
Take a deep breath, think of all the challenging things I’ve done and take it one step at a time. And have faith.
The best career advice I always give is…
Don’t wait until it’s perfect, focus on your strengths and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
To be successful, you need to be…
Willing to try new things, willing to fail, and learn from those lessons and come back with a better plan.
I turn bad days around by…
Getting fresh air, focusing on gratitude and moving my body.
Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
Kindness, staying true to my vision and values, and showing up everyday.
