“Gyms aren’t necessarily welcoming for Muslim women who wear the hijab or who just wish to workout in a female-only environment,” Zahra explains. “The weights section especially can be intimidating for Muslim women, and if you don’t ‘fit’ the image, you can feel out of place.” Even with her years of professional expertise, Zahra admits that even she can sometimes still feel intimidated by men at the gym or “feel ‘lesser’ wearing my loose-fitting tops”.

Clearly, Muslim women are struggling to get fit for a number of reasons but given how important it is for women to move, lift and exercise, this isn’t an issue that society can afford to ignore. So, what can we do to make gyms more accessible for this hither-to invisible sector of society?

Firstly, encouraging more diversity within the fitness industry would go a long way towards making gyms more accessible. Zahra says that in her culture, “personal training is still not an industry that is as respected as it should be,” and that as physical fitness is almost “taboo” in the Muslim community (according to the Women Sport and Fitness Foundation), it’s an industry in which women are necessarily under-represented. A bigger effort to recruit more diverse trainers that Muslim women can identify with would help, she says, as would more female-only classes.

If your gym is big enough, why not suggest that the management create a separate women’s section – one that has the necessary equipment to lift heavy as well as increase cardiovascular fitness? It’s not just Muslim women who benefit from these spaces; many women feel more comfortable in their own spaces for a host of different reasons. Obviously, a number are cool with working out alongside men which is great, but having that option of a safe space is never a bad thing. If that’s just not possible, even small changes in gym floor layouts can help: spreading the free weights along a wall rather than having them grouped in one corner, for example, makes them so much more accessible. “Some simple adaptations, like women-only sessions and clarity about the type of clothing that women can wear such – as burkinis – would help,” Kate adds.

As for us gym-goers, it really is as simple as giving everyone a smile or acknowledging their presence. A simple “hello” is enough to give a sign to women like me that we’re welcome – whether we’re wearing a hijab or hot pants.

Muslim women deserve better access to fitness – here's how we can all help