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First, he challenged the community to beat him by losing 4kg. Now they are in play for a 10kg target.
Finding one in three people gaining weight amid the pandemic, one Emirati has challenged the UAE community to get rid of belly fat. And a few months later, it has impacted the lives of hundreds of overweight people.
Hamad Al Mehyas, CEO of the National Health Insurance Company (Daman), kicked off the personal initiative, urging people to lose a certain amount of weight over a period of time and share their progress using the hashtag #hmehyas_challenge on Instagram . He even offered several prizes, like an iPhone and an Apple Watch, to those who showed remarkable results.
“The pandemic has disrupted many health habits. With working from home, people end up leading more sedentary lives, snacking, and having a low intake of high-quality, nutritious foods. Among many, I also gained weight, â€Al Mehyas said in a virtual interview.
The UAE has chronic diabetes and obesity issues, he explained.
“Research and studies have indicated that 31% of UAE residents gained weight during the pandemic; 39 percent did not participate in physical activity; more than 50 percent did not consume fruit on a daily basis; and over 37% consume salty snacks – crisps, crackers and nuts – daily.
And it was during Eid Al Fitr that Al Mehyas came up with a unique concept of challenging the community to beat him by losing 4kg by the end of May.
“I was surprised to see the huge response. Many registered, while others participated anonymously, which I learned later. The challenge has become a topic of discussion in the community. While most quickly hit the 4kg goal, I pushed it to 5kg.
Al Mehyas conducted a survey and obtained responses from over 400 participants.
“I thought about making it more difficult. At the end of June, the challenge was to lose 4 kg in a month, then an additional 3 kg were added thanks to the enthusiasm of the participants, for a total of 7 kg. To keep the momentum going, I introduced awards like Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad Pro for those who have lost a lot of weight. Later, a “fitness†category was added for those who wanted to maintain their normal weight. “
To help the community succeed in the challenge, Al Mehyas posted health tips, diet plans, the importance of eating on time and in the right amount, exercise, short walks, sleep, jogging, etc.
“It was all done through gamification. The idea was to lose weight through fun activities on social media. I gave them a comparison between eating a burger and eating a nutritious meal. My idea was to watch what you eat, be more active, and follow healthy advice. The incentive system also helped. Participants were invited to post their photos and videos to inspire others.
There was a big increase in participation as people were able to lose 8-9 kg.
“Even senior executives, CEOs and government officials approached me to participate. Croatian footballer and former Barcelona player Ivan Rakitic lent his support on social media which encouraged many football fans to participate.
From children to retirees, people from all walks of life have joined the challenge, which is now set to become an even bigger movement.
“With this level of public participation and enthusiasm for my challenge, we are now thinking about ways to continue to build momentum. Stay tuned for more surprises in the near future.
Its recent poll asking whether to extend the goal to 10kg and beyond saw the thumbs up of over 75% of respondents, showing that the #hmehyas_challenge has been successful in encouraging people to take care of themselves. themselves.
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