Dubai gold-for-weight challenge: Five days left to shed the kilos

The municipality is finalising arrangements for the final weigh-ins, which will be conducted over four days, as more than 10,000 slimmers get ready for the big weigh-in.

One helper who has been inspirational is an Egyptian student, Ahmed Tarek Selim, 20, who lost 65 kilos himself in 11 months. Razan Alzayani / The National

DUBAI // With five days to go before the Your Weight in Gold challenge ends, more than 10,000 contestants are putting in last-gasp workouts this week.

The municipality is finalising arrangements for the final weigh-ins, which will be conducted over four days, but plans to hold an awards ceremony for all the successful contestants.

Exercise classes were held at three public parks last week to help the entrants along.

“The open days we organised to support participants of the campaign were a grand success,” said Yusuf Murad Salmeen, head of media section at the civic body.

“Hundreds of participants joined us to take outdoor exercise and receive medical advice for their mission.”

Mr Salmeen thanked businesses for getting involved by offering the services of expert trainers, nutritionists and medical counsellors,  who manned the advice counters in the parks. Among those helping was Ahmed Tarek Selim, 20, a student at the University of Sharjah.

Mr Selim, who lost 65 kilograms  in 11 months, said there was no great secret to weight loss.

“The key is the mental battle,” he said. “When I see an overweight kid smile, I know the feelings they are hiding because that’s what I used to do. I know how tough it is.”

This contest offers an incentive to shed excess weight by rewarding those who lose more than 2kg with a gram of gold. The more weight lost, the more gold won.

One of the biggest losers will win a gold coin worth Dh20,000.

Abdulla Mohammed, 38, said he would not stop his daily walks and healthy eating choices once the competition was over.

“They say it is the last week, but that means nothing to me,” he said. “I will keep going for as long as I can, until I feel fit and healthy again.”

The Government worker said he wanted to get back to the shape he was in his student days.

“I used to be very active and happy. I want to try and get some of that feeling back,” he said. “I don’t care about the gold – I’ll give that to my children.”