Dubai: Six months ago I made a decision to drastically change my lifestyle. I was dangerously obese and out of shape, and I wanted to change that.
I had already made a bet with my father where he would pay me Dh1,000 for every kilogram I lose and I would pay him Dh1,000 for every kilogram I put back on. After being Dh14,000 up, I decided to do something more productive.
Going public with my struggle with losing weight was something I wanted to do for two reasons.
One, the UAE and the GCC in general has a huge problem with obesity and diabetes, and I hoped that this campaign could put a spotlight on that and maybe make a difference to even one person out there.
The second reason is a bit more selfish; I had to put myself in a position where there was no turning back. I had to make sure that no matter what happened, for the next six months, I could not quit.
The weeks leading up to the start of the campaign I was trying to prepare myself mentally to withstand all the cravings. It never crossed my mind that the cravings would be the least of my worries. I had to struggle with bouts of depression and insomnia. I had no defence against that.
Six months later most people can see that there has been a big change in my life. I didn't lose 50 kilos, but that was never something I thought I could reach, it was just something to aim for, a long-term target. But, I have lost a lot of weight. In fact, as one of my friends said: "You've lost more than what my son weighs." Yes, I have lost a four-year-old, but I'm still carrying an eight-year-old, and I do intend to get all these kids off my back.
Video: Cut the Fat Week 25
At the start of this campaign I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and told to take medication. Initially I was shocked and disturbed by the news, but then I managed to turn it around and use it as my short-term goal.
My battle against diabetes has been my number one concern through this whole campaign.
And though I've not managed to completely stop taking the pills, as of my last blood test, my dosage has been cut by more than half. My A1c is well into the non-diabetic range and my fasting blood glucose is down to 142.
Those of you who have followed me through these past 25 weeks have noticed the ups and downs, the frustrations and the jubilation.
I can never thank you enough for your support. From your tweets to your comments to the people I met around town, your words have really helped me through this. I just hope that my words have done something good for you, too.
This is not the end of Cut the Fat, this is only the beginning.
Start your journey today.
