Obesity brings with is a lot of mental, social, and health complications. However, with treatment, together with the right mental attitude and hard work, the condition can be reversed. H.H. Sayyid Muadh Al Said is the perfect example of its success and he shared his story with us.
According to the WHO, Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with at least 2.8 million people dying each year because of being overweight or obese. It is a complex issue resulting from a combination of causes and individual factors including behaviour and genetics, among others. Unfortunately, obesity brings with it poor mental health outcomes, significant health risks, and just as importantly, a drastically reduced quality of life. Moreover, overweight people are, in many cases, looked down upon, bullied, or looked at, with pity. This is especially true for children, with many overweight kids being teased relentlessly by their peers. However, with treatment, a change of attitude, and some determination and effort, obesity, in most cases, can be reversed, and when done correctly can drastically reduce the chances of developing any of the related medical conditions.
Right from the age of ten, Sayyid Muadh Al Said was relentlessly bullied about his weight; bullying that carried over all the way till the age of 36 and was further exasperated when he became more active on social media. “People don’t realise how painful things they say can be and how it affects the person. I really hated it. When they constantly bully you throughout your life, it starts to get to you. It sends you to a very dark place,” he said.
By the age of 32, after enduring 22 years of bullying, he had had enough, and in 2014 he made the decision to lose weight. For four years he tried everything from exercising to various diets, but nothing seemed to work and by 2018 his weight had increased to 166kg. “It got to a point where I couldn’t take the teasing and bullying anymore, I had almost given up and was just about ready to call it quits right then and there. But thankfully for me, my friends and family had not given up on me. One friend in particular, Yahya Al Harrasi, who is pretty much a brother to me, together with my actual brother, Sultan, approached me with a somewhat radical solution – Gastric Bypass Surgery, an operation that effectively reduces the size of your stomach so that you feel full with less food. This in turn would help me lose weight,” added Sayyid Muadh.
I went with them to the hospital, together with my Mother, my other brothers, and my sister, to discuss it further. Initially I was hesitant to do it because I was worried that my mother and brothers would not approve of the procedure. But to my surprise, not only did they agree, but they were also happy that I had found a solution and even supported me in the decision,” said Sayyid Muadh.
“I underwent the operation near the end of October in 2018 and my entire family was present together with my friends. I was literally crying seeing them all there. It reinforced my confidence, and I went into the operation with new resolve and acceptance that this was a “new me” and that I could do whatever I wanted; it was truly empowering.”
His operation was a success, but all the operation does is reduces once’s appetite. The actual weight loss and maintaining the weight totally depended on Sayyid Muadh himself. He understood the journey to recovery was just beginning and the operation was only the first step. “This is why I began working out and eating healthy every single day. It wasn’t easy at first, but I knew I had to keep at it if I wanted to see results.”
And boy did he get results, after just a year of hard work his weight had come down from 166kg to just 79kg! “When I first started at the gym two years ago, the workout was incredibly difficult for me. After coming back from the gym in a car, I used to just sit on the bed, and I was done. I just had no energy left. Now however, the difference is night and day. Now I simply just cannot get enough of the gym. I go to the Horizons gym every morning at 9am. I also do not drive to the gym anymore; I walk there and back. I have great coach and engine rooming is my absolute favourite. I usually get back around 12 noon, have a coffee, and then head to the beach by my house for a walk. I get back in time for lunch and then spend time playing with my niece and nephew, chasing, and running after them; something I could never even dream of doing before.”
Check out the creative side of Sayyid Muadh
But the most amazing thing about succeeding in your weight loss goals are the small changes that most other people take for granted and what other people do not even consider as part of their weight-loss journey. Things like horse riding, swimming, running, and more. I even did motorcycling in the desert for the first time, something I could never have done before. “It is also great to not see people looking and staring at me, instead giving me complements about how great I look. I can even fit into all fashionable exercise clothes while at the gym. It is these changes that mean the most to me and I have hopes of doing many more activities such as these in the future,” added Sayyid Muadh.
If anyone I meet is in a similar situation or asks me, I tell them that they should just go ahead and do it. Lead a healthier life, exercise, and if you have to undergo the surgery, do it, but make sure you have the mental resolve to follow through and you will most definitely lose weight. Once I lost weight, it was an incredibly happy moment for me. It changed my life forever and it will no doubt be the same for you. Anybody in the world, wherever you are, just follow your desires and your goals. Never give up. Work hard, exercise, and eat less food and you will be all the happier for it.”