Halima Aden is the first woman to wear a hijab in the Miss Minnesota USA Pageant, doing so in 2016. She then began her modeling career. In February, ahead of Fashion Week, Aden shared how she prepared for it in an Instagram reel. In the video, she did a lot of different exercises. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Halima Aden stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.
In her Instagram reel, Aden is seen using kettlebells. Strength training has a lot of health benefits. The Mayo Clinic reports, “Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression and diabetes.”
In her Instagram reel, Aden is seen doing squats. According to Allina Health, squats are a great workout. “The squat is one of the all-around best exercises to do for your lower body. It strengthens and tones muscles in your thighs, butt and calves and improves posture, balance, flexibility and inner core strength. Squatting also improves bone mineral density to keep your bones strong.”
Aden began her workout by running on the treadmill. According to Healthy Talbot, using the treadmill has a lot of benefits. “Treadmill working is an aerobic/ cardio exercise. Studies demonstrate that aerobic exercise can minimize the risk of heart diseases. Moreover, they can strengthen your heart muscles. This helps to lower blood pressure and allows the heart to pump blood more efficiently. Most doctors recommend aerobic exercise to people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular exercises control cholesterol levels in the blood, preventing artery blockage. They increase high-density lipoprotein and reduce low-density lipoprotein in the blood.”
In her reel, Aden is seen using a stairclimber. This has a lot of benefits. Duke University states, “Stair climbing requires about 8 – 11kcal of energy per minute, which is high compared to other moderate level physical activities. Active stair climbers are more fit and have a higher aerobic capacity. Even two flights of stairs climbed per day can lead to 6 lbs of weight loss over one year.”
Aden tells Grazia that she is working on centering and grounding herself. “The advice I would give to anyone is that it’s OK to slow down. Sit down. Take a breather. Meditate. Recentre. I think being grounded is the greatest gift you could give yourself. I’m so grateful that I gave myself that time to step back from the industry and focus on what really drives my heart, which is wanting to represent my refugee community and wanting to be a good role model to young Muslim girls looking up to me.”