No wealth without health say organisers of Dubai's golden weight loss contest

First of municipality’s three open days brings free check-ups and advice on how to trim down and earn that gold without causing yourself any harm.

The Dubai Municipality arranged free health checks and consultations on the first of three open sports days to make sure participants of its weight loss campaign were losing weight in a safe and healtShow more

DUBAI // Dozens of people took advantage of free health checks and consultations yesterday on the first of three open sports days, as part of the municipality’s gold for weight-loss campaign.

The municipal body arranged the events to make sure participants slim down in a safe, healthy way.

The open days take place between 5pm and 9pm at three public parks. Fitness experts, nutritionists and doctors were on hand to talk to people about their concerns and to conduct tests.

Madhan Kumar, 32, started his diet at the start of Ramadan.

“I had already planned to make a change in my lifestyle,” Madhan said. “Then when I heard that the municipality is offering gold,

I thought that this was the perfect motivation.

“My family are not participating but they are helping me stick to it. I set the alarm in the morning to wake up and exercise, but I don’t always wake up so my wife kicks me out of bed.”

Madhan’s trainer set the diet for the purchasing officer, who feels it is the toughest part of the programme.

“I used to hate the exercise but after a few weeks I started to enjoy it,” he said. “This is a great initiative, it has motivated everyone to get healthier.

“We get more life, maybe another two or three years, and more money thanks to the municipality.”

Ahmed Selim, 20, has already achieved much. Ahmed lost 65kg in 11 months. He is living proof that if you set your mind to it, you can lose that weight.

“You have to want it badly. You have to want it like you want to breathe, that’s how you can do it,” said the University of Sharjah student.

“For me really it was as bad as it gets. I was 156kg and everyone, I mean everyone, used to insult me and tease me because of my weight.

“I play basketball. Can you imagine 10,000 people all yelling insulting phrases at you for 40 minutes? That was me.”

Ahmed said he was depressed as a child and took his aggression out on other children.

“I lost my childhood due to being obese,” he said. “I had no friends, couldn’t participate in any activities, couldn’t buy clothes at normal stores. I would get my dad’s old clothes to wear.”

He was determined to make a change and began researching ways of losing weight properly.

“I cut out all the junk food and began exercising an hour or two a day,” Ahmed said. “The key was to face myself.

“I had to stop lying to myself. I know how it feels, that inner voice that can help or hinder you. Talk to yourself and make sure you are strong mentally so you can be strong physically.”

The first thing he did was throw away the scales. “I hate the word diet. It is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle. If you know you can’t keep it up, don’t do it, find something you can continue to do.”

Ahmed, now a healthy 83kg, has become a motivational speaker who has conducted 82 seminars talking to children around the UAE.

“In two days I will be going to speak at west Virginia State University, and I might get a chance to meet President Obama and Michelle Obama at the event.”

His US trip will take him to various schools over 10 days.

“It makes me sad to see an overweight kid smile, because I know that behind those smiles is a rain of tears,” Ahmed said. “I know that they hide their feelings because that’s what I used to do.

“I’m not someone who is coming out of nowhere telling this or that. I was one of you, I know how tough it is, I know how you feel. I’ve been there, I’ve faced it all.”

He has been offered a basketball scholarship at US universities.

As the sun set yesterday, Fitness First instructors encouraged people to do aerobic exercises.

The next open day is tomorrow at Zabeel Park and the third on Friday at Al Mamzar beach jogging track.

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