Abu Dhabi grocer gets super fit after piling on pounds


Haneen Dajani
  • English
  • Arabic

Famish Musthafa found that running a grocery store left him with little time to stay in shape.

In his first six months working as a shopkeeper at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, he put on five kilograms.

Serving customers from morning until night did not seem a recipe to stay fit and healthy.

“My weight went up from 65kg to 70,” said the 28-year-old from Kerala, India.

“I barely have a day off once a month, and I work from 9am to 9pm, so I don’t really have time and energy to train after work.”

But he soon found the answer to his problems – at his workplace.

“I would like to go to a gym and train properly, but I don’t have the time or means to do that," he said.

But an opportunity to “combine work with exercise” soon presented itself.

“I noticed members of the gym upstairs going down to run loops around the blue chairs in front of my shop. They do many loops between their exercises," Mr Musthafa said.

“So I thought I could do the same, it is a 100 metres distance and right in front of my shop, I do as many rounds as I can when the shop is not busy.”

After seeing the results of the past four weeks, he said he was motivated to run more.

Getting back on track

In his jeans, work-shirt and old running shoes, Mr Musthafa started making an appearance on the terminal’s improvised running track about a month ago.

His hard work was noticed by Noura Al Dhaheri, managing director of the terminal.

“Then Ms Noura noticed what I was doing and she started motivating me, every time she saw me running she clapped and gave me a thumbs-up.”

Ms Al Dhaheri said she was happy to see people use the space at the terminal to keep fit.

“I have been keen on making the terminal a fitness hub for the community, and not just a place for passengers to pass through.”

Famish Musthafa, 28, gets some running tips from coach Mohammed Ibrahim from Desert Shield Fitness Gym. Victor Besa / The National
Famish Musthafa, 28, gets some running tips from coach Mohammed Ibrahim from Desert Shield Fitness Gym. Victor Besa / The National

A few years ago, Ms Al Dhaheri invited a fitness community group to hold their boot camp sessions at the terminal, free of charge.

The group trained there for months before Covid-19 hit and people were asked to stay at home.

That same group was offered the chance to rent the space on the terminal’s upper floor for their own gym, which opened last September.

This gym would later inspire Mr Musthafa to take up running.

For the past four weeks, Mr Musthafa has made it a habit to run every afternoon between eight and 10 laps around the blue chairs, twice.

“It was perfect for me because if any customer comes I can just run back into the shop,” he said.

When The National met Mr Musthafa this week, he got on the scales for the first time since he started running, and weighed in at 66.9kg.

"I am saving for new running shoes, and I just want to be fitter and stronger."

He said he noticed the difference exercise has made in his life not just on the scale, but also at work.

“I feel happier and I interact better with the customers.”

Strides towards a healthy future

Determined to help him move a step further, Ms Al Dhaheri spoke to the owners of the gym at the terminal to offer the aspiring new athlete complimentary training.

“The gym gave me a one-month free pass and new running shoes, so I don’t have to save for that any more,” he said after the gesture.

Mr Musthafa now arrives at work an hour early to hit the gym for functional training and proper running drills.

“I also asked my older brother, who works in Mussaffah, to buy me a bike so I can cycle to work,” he said.

“I used to cycle in Kerala as a means of transportation so I am used to it.

“I want to combine work with workout whenever possible.”

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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Updated: July 10, 2021, 9:22 AM`