Filipina went from fat to fab and Dh50,000 richer

Abu Dhabi: A Filipina sales manager in Abu Dhabi has won Dh50,000 after she shed 10kg in two months.

Jocelou Tubosa, 32, lost a little more than 10kg in 60 days, beating 1,488 contenders to clinch the UAE Fat to Fit challenge organised by Gold’s Gym.

“I want to tell everyone who is fighting fat that it is an amazing feeling to lose weight. I feel so good about myself,” Tubosa told XPRESS.

She was 74kg when the competition started on November 15. At the end of the competition after two months, she was 64kg.

For Tubosa, staying focused on her goal was easy with the prize money keeping her motivated.

“I really wanted to go for it. With this money, I will now complete the construction of my house in the Philippines,” said Tubosa, who came to the UAE nine years ago.

Her husband Elli Awad is a manager at a construction company here.

The Fat to Fit challenge was open to members at all 11 Gold’s Gym outlets in the UAE. From the 1,488 members who entered the competition, 30 contenders were selected for the final round. Within 60 days, these 30 finalists managed to reach BMI ranges between 19.8 to 33.3. All contestants were measured on the initial and final days and the difference in measurements contributed as the major factor in determining the top 30 contenders.

Tubosa said it was a combination of exercise and dieting that helped her shed weight.

“I would hit the gym after office without going home and spent nearly three hours daily. The exercise was a mix between cardio and weight lifting plus some group exercises like body combat and body attack.”

Her diet included protein-rich food like chicken breast, lean meat and fish, brown bread and lots of fruits and vegetables.

Tubosa, who has a membership at Gold’s Gym at Al Wahda mall, knows her real challenge is to keep up a healthy lifestyle.

“I am determined to keep fit and follow a regular exercise regime. As they say, the biggest wealth is health, and I want to live by that principle,” she said.

The Gold’s Gym management said The Fat to Fit challenge will return this year to encourage more people to maintain a healthy lifestyle.