From Fat To Fab!

Here's an inspiration to the team - our very own Fai was on Men's Health. CHEERS TO HEALTHY LIVING!

In primary school, Faisal Mohamed was the fat boy. “I wanted a lean and toned body,” he says, “like the athletic boys in school.” But thanks to what mum cooked at home; rich Malay food that’s usually fried and drenched in coconut cream, leanness was just not an option. Furthermore, his heavyset family provided no inspiration. His two older siblings are also overweight. “For years, my schoolmates teased me about my weight. They also avoided me during projects because they assumed that since I was fat, I must also be lazy.”

Four months before his National Service (NS) enlistment in 2004, he got a letter to go for his medical exam. “I was 140kg, my BMI was 37 and I suffered from high-blood pressure (a family trait) and Type-2 diabetes,” he says. “Furthermore, if I didn’t get my BMI to 35 or lower, I’d have to endure six months of Basic Military Training (BMT) instead of three. No thanks.”

The Plan
Faisal understood that there were no shortcuts for him to lose weight. “I was unfit and I had health problems,” he says. “I had to build up my fitness and adjust my diet gradually.” He held on to the vision of the lean and athletic guy he wanted to be, which helped kept him on track.

The Food
Aside from mum’s indulgent cooking, Faisal admits to eating excessively. “I can usually finish a second helping of rice at every meal,” he says. He began by cutting down the amount of food that he ate. “I got myself used to eating less at every meal,” he says. “But I’d never let myself go hungry.” Faisal eats six meals a day. “It’s easy to eat smaller portions when you know that your next meal is just two hours away,” he says.

The Fitness Regime
While waiting to enlist, Faisal began nightly walks at Bedok Reservoir Park. “I walked slowly in the beginning and I covered about 4km a day,” he says. “I also stopped taking the lift and started using the stairs to get to and from my flat.” Faisal lives on the 13th storey. This helped him reduce his BMI to 34, which qualified him for the three-month BMT programme. After NS, Faisal maintains his fitness with regular cardio training. He’s also worked with a personal trainer almost two years ago to develop his muscles.

The Reward
Faisal’s efforts have shut up the teasing masses but more importantly his health has improved. “The high-blood pressure and diabetes are gone,” he says. “I also feel more energetic and fit, which lets me pursue physical hobbies.” Faisal got in silat while he was in university and is now looking to join a dragon-boat team. (Note: Interview was done in Oct '09. Fai is now happily with PLK! =)

For full story and other weight-loss articles, visit Men's Health