Dubai Fitness Challenge: Former Wimbledon ball girl pledges to shed 6kg

Dubai - Kennedy has already joined several of the free public events on offer to residents and tourists in Dubai.

Although 27-year-old Daisy Kennedy didn't get involved in the Dubai Fitness Challenge in 2017, this year she's made a pact to dive in feet first.
As an official ball girl for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships back in 2006, fitness has always been a priority for her.
"I was in school at the time but managed to make it through the training stages for Wimbledon. It was actually cut throat, but I was very sporty. If you were bad, they dropped you. I ended up being a ball girl on Centre Court Number 1 and I did the Men's Final. It was Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal; Federer won."
Just four days into the 2018 Dubai Fitness Challenge, Kennedy has already joined several of the free public events on offer to residents and tourists.
"I did the Project DXB Bootcamp on the beach on Saturday. It was super tough but amazing. To pay for that would have been pricey, so that free element puts such a spring in peoples step to get up and active."
Currently enrolled in the 'Six in Four Challenge', hosted by the Best Body Co. (which is taking part in the Dubai Fitness Challenge), Kennedy is on a mission to lose 6kg in four weeks.
Undergoing five training sessions a week, she said as a self-confessed party girl, her whole outlook on "treating" herself has changed.
"I'm in the final week of my first 'Six in Four Challenge' and I'm signing up for another four weeks again on Sunday. Seeing as it's the Dubai Fitness Challenge, I thought, why not! I'm quite a social person so I would tend to go a little crazy on the weekends, but just seeing and feeling the difference in my body while training has changed my outlook. Instead of getting a calorific takeaway after a night out, I now eat a decent meal before I head out."
Like most, Kennedy said since moving to Dubai she has managed to amass an extra 1.5 stone in weight. So the 30x30 challenge is her way to shed the weight once and for all.
"Having so many classes and sessions on offer for free is such a bonus, especially when things are so expensive in Dubai. What I love about the Dubai Fitness Challenge is that it gives people the chance to try things out first, before committing to some pricey membership."
Since making that pledge to get fit ahead of the month-long DFC, less than one week in she has already taken a boxing class; something she has never tried before.
"I absolutely loved it and actually, I'll probably sign up for regular classes now. It gives people that inspiration to get involved."
And what gives her that extra push are the number of people taking to social media to log their progress.
"I'm seeing so much about the Dubai Fitness Challenge on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I think that brings with it a kind of friendly competition. If you see someone you know smashing it in terms of fitness, it gives you that impetus to go the extra mile too. My head really wasn't in it last year but nothing is stopping me this year."
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Dubai