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A FAMILY holiday to the US which exposed the American dream as an obese nightmare has motivated a leading Bahraini nutritional therapist into organising a two-day course on healthy eating and weight loss, writes Stan Szecowka.
Alia Almoayed is determined to ensure that Bahrainis and expats living in the kingdom do not fall into a similar fat trap, as health officials continue to voice concerns over obesity issues across the Gulf states.
She said: “I was on holiday in the US this summer and I was shocked by the number of overweight and obese people. Although I lived in the US more than 10 years ago, I don’t remember it being this bad. It seems to be getting out of hand.
“Being a nutritionist, I couldn’t help but look at people’s food choices and I noticed that the overweight people I saw seemed to be making the worst food choices.
“The good news is that the pattern seems to be predictable: you make bad food choices, you gain weight. The bad news is that I noticed something else as well. I noticed that overweight people showed a high level of apathy. They didn’t seem to care that they were overweight. When did we stop caring about what our bodies looked like?
“Back in Bahrain, I started to notice the same attitude. But upon closer inspection, I learned that people were disappointed by repeated failures that resulted from fad diets and short-term solutions. They wanted a permanent solution but didn’t know where to find it. Their situation required a whole change in diet, lifestyle and even outlook.
“Maybe I can help, I thought? Maybe people are finally ready for a real solution. And, thus started the idea behind the two-day course that I will be running.”
The holiday made a similar impression on her husband Suhail Algosaibi, who runs the DreamBody Centre which will be moving from its Hamala base to Bahrain Mall in November.
In his latest newsletter to members, he wrote: “There are a lot of overweight people here in the Gulf – one of the highest obesity levels anywhere – but the US is without doubt the undisputed heavyweight king when it comes to obesity.”
The couple took their three children to visit the Disney theme park attractions and Suhail said he was ‘saddened’ by the number of overweight people using motorised scooters to get around.
“Had more of them tried to walk, surely this would have helped them get in better shape. As one American acquaintance told me ... the American people have lost their sense of shame!” he added.
It would appear that those living in Bahrain have not lost hope and are scrambling to sign up for Alia’s BD249 course which takes place on October 28-29 at the Mercure Grand Hotel Seef.
“With the right techniques, anyone can lose weight,” said Alia. “But the trick is to first have the right information. Once you acquire the knowledge, you can fly with the approach, and before you know it your health will be at its peak and your mind will finally be at peace.
“Using nutrition to your advantage does not have to be complicated. You’re not supposed to memorise the food pyramid or remember how many calories are in a cup of rice. What you need is more practical information, and once you have the right tools, you’ll awaken your natural instincts and health will come naturally to you.”
For more information visit www.aliaalmoayed.com/weightloss
