Two Moroccan sisters from the Netherlands use social media to help people live a healthy life. Najima and Rachida will soon release their first book Healthy Sisters, a guideline for all those who are struggling with weight loss. For Rachida and Najima, the Moroccan healthy sisters living in the Netherlands, being healthy is not always related to dieting. The sisters are vloging and blogging about their eating habits pushing people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. With 21,698 followers on Instagram and 18,527 subscribers on YouTube, the two veiled women have become a role model for Moroccans living in the Netherlands and for Dutch women too. Speaking to MySalam, Rachida and Najima, respectively 30 and 36 years old, started promoting their way of life on social media in 2014. They had decided before that in 2012 to put an end to the unhealthy lifestyle they were both living by. «In May 2012, Rachida started training with a running group. Then Najima followed. Once we began exercising, we automatically started living in a more health-conscious way», explained the sisters to the online newspaper. Motivated, the Moroccan sisters began eating healthy, exercising and mostly running. They managed in a few months to lose both 50 kilos and get in shape. Asked about their weight loss journey, they have created a Facebook page, a vlog and later a Youtube channel to share their experience. A role model for a healthier life Along with running Marathons and participating in competitive runs, Rachida and Najima made videos about their favorite recipes and nutritious yet healthy plates. Through their YouTube channel, they have been able to adjust some of the most delicious Moroccan dishes and turn them into healthy alternatives. «We swapped the 'unhealthy' ingredients for healthier choices such as spelt flour instead of refined wheat flour, pure honey instead of sugar … as far as possible, we leave out the sugar. For example, in our Moroccan tea», they stated in an interview conducted by MySalam. On their blog Healthy Sisters, the young women provide a set of tips and tricks for their audience. «The best advice is not to follow any diets. The most important factor for adopting a healthy and active lifestyle is to eat clean. So fresh vegetables and fruit, not ready-to-eat meals. Get your daily exercise, even if it is just a short walk. Find a sport that you enjoy, because it increases your chances of sticking to it.» Rachida told the same source. Alongside their social media platforms, the two sisters announced the launch of their first book. Healthy Sisters the book will be released on the 23rd of May 2017. It is a guide that contains tips and pieces of advice about food and training. The book will tell the story of their journey and will answer questions of people who are struggling with food during Ramadan.
