Employees in Dubai win airline tickets, cash prizes for losing weight

Dubai - A pedometer was provided for each participant to monitor their activity. Healthy diet plan was also given to maintain their new weight.

A total of 13 employees from two government entities were rewarded for shedding some pounds as part of 'Lose Weight, Win Years' campaign.
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In its sixth edition, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHP) campaign offers a 10-week long program that encourages several of its employees to beat obesity and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
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But this year, the ministry cooperated with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), shortlisting seven employees from each entity, among which 13 participants aged between 26-56 years old continued and were rewarded for their efforts.
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Through five follow-up sessions that customized diet and exercise plans each employee, the campaign resulted in a weight loss that ranged from 17.7kg to 1.6kg.
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The campaign recorded a total loss of 70kg of fat, which translates to about 540,000 of calories burned for all participants.
Winners walked away with airline tickets, a laptop, gym membership and cash coupons worth Dh500 and Dh1,000.
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"This year, we saw a 100 per cent success rate. All the participants lost weight," said Dr. Ashraf Nazmi, nutritionist specialist from MoHP.
Nazmi added that participants were shortlisted depending on their motivation level, BMI rate, previous medical condition, and need of losing weight.
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"We measured BMI as we prioritized those with more fats. Sometimes you have high BMI, but that is due to muscles," said Nazmi.
A pedometer was provided for each participant to monitor their activity. Healthy diet plan was also given to maintain their new weight.
Fatima Al Naqbi, an employee from the MoHP who won first place for losing 17.7kg, said the campaign changed her lifestyle and inspired her family to follow a healthy diet.
Moving from 82kg to 64.3kg, Al Naqbi said having strong will was the key.
"Due to my long working hours, I used to eat only two meals a day and snack in between. But eating healthy snacks and regulating an exercise plan really made a difference."
She added that her activity, mental power and health "improved to a high extent" after following a healthy diet.
She added that the program concentrated on the preferred food for every participant and introduced them to the right ways to prepare their meals and exercise.
"I made time to walk up to 10km per day (30,000 steps as recorded on the pedometer) to achieve the results," she said.
Now exercising and changing her cooking style are her future plans to maintain the new weight.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com