A popular school teacher and medal-winning athlete has spoken for the first time of her personal battle to beat the bulge in a bid to inspire youngsters to take up sport and make positive lifestyle choices ... and still enjoying playing online games and searching the net!
Roya Alsaati, a computer teacher at Al Noor International School, weighed in at 135kg, 60kg overweight, as a teenager due to her poor eating habits and lack of exercise.
“I used to eat a lot of junk food for lunch and dinner because I was young and didn’t care,” she said, although she admitted to wearing baggy clothing and losing confidence in herself and her appearance.
It took a word of encouragement and caring advice from her mother to make her start on a journey to good health and happiness.
“My mum’s words hurt my heart so I decided to take a big step and make some changes,” Ms Alsaati told the GDN.
She didn’t fall into the trap of unhealthy crash dieting but took steady steps in the right direction.
The Bahraini started her weight loss journey in 2012 aged 18 and within four years she had halved her weight (73kg) but expressed it has taken up until now, a further 10 years on, to achieve her dream physique.
Ms Alsaati, 31, competed for Bahrain at the GCC Olympic Games in Kuwait this year where she won a bronze medal in the team time-trial cycling event.
She has also competed in many national and international sporting events, including Bahrain’s Ironman and triathlon challenges and the UK Manchester and Dubai marathons.
Her endeavours could not come at a more opportune time as a health strategy has been launched focused on prevention that aims to help Bahrain achieve its vision of a community free from the burden of avoidable non-communicable diseases. In terms of diabetes, obesity leads to type 2 diabetes and the focus is now on controlling obesity factors.
She revealed the hardest part of her journey was cutting out fast food. “When I stopped with junk meals, and my siblings used to eat them in front of me, I had to go to my bedroom and lock the door so I could not smell it,” she admitted.
“It was hard at first but I got used to eating more healthily and enjoying the goodness.”
Ms Alsaati believes her biggest triumph to date was completing her first Ironman challenge and taking third place in her category.
“Of course, I am proud of myself for what I have achieved – for me nothing is impossible,” she added. “I don’t stop dreaming and I’m always seeking new challenges.”
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