Seagull_smash

Hi Guys,

Serious question here!

I'm in process of considering a couple of job offers in the region. My question is, do you lead a more active life in the Middle East or is it more sedatary when compared to say Europe? I suppose what I am trying to get at is will I add inches to my waistline or will I become a bronzed adonis?

I lead a pretty active life at the moment in the UK, I go to the Gym 3-4 times a week plus the odd game of football. All the properties I have seen have access to a gym of some sort (although some appear to be little more than an excercise bike stuck in a cupboard under the stairs!). However due to the excessive heat in the summer is it easier to sit indoors with the A/C on munching food and drinking beer?

I suppose there is no easy answer, but in general do people tend to lead an active, healthy lifestyle?

Many thanks

Seagull_Smash

Desert Shaikh

In Saudi you initially put on weight, as fast food and dining is a National passtime.

Once you realise that there is not much to do socially you find the gym is the best place to meet new people and kill time and then you find you have an aim in life when you take on health regime.

This was the case with me.

khitan004

I'm in Saudi and as such don't have the ever presence of alcohol. There is a gym on compound and I get fed at work. Hence I tend to lose lots of weight over here. When it gets hot you can dip in the pool. Plus the added bonus of a gym gets you in shape.

Trouble is I put it all back on when I go back to UK, especially over Christmas.

lullabelle

I drink more here than I ever did in the UK. Fact.

Despite access to a pool and gym (prior to December 15th... Thanks Nakheel) I exercise less. That's cos if I want to go anywhere I have to drive. Shopping? Drive. Work? Drive. Friends? Drive. eat out? Drive. Concert? Drive.

At home my car would sit in the driveway for days. Plus I cycled to the gym, walked 15 mins to the station every morning and half an hour the other end, and very rarely shopped with a car as I love wandering about a town with real shops. I'd also walk along the Thames at lunch time - I worked on the south bank and it was awesome.

Result - not as healthy.

Seagull_smash

I was wondering about the lack of pavements and the fact everyone drives or uses taxis. I know what you mean about drinking too! On Holidays to Dubai I would say I drank more than I do when I holiday in the likes of France, Spain etc. Bizarre but true!!

commander

Fittest I have ever been, and that includes my time in the UK armed forces, where unlike the scrotum playstation generation of nowadays we were all pretty fit.

I find the ME an absolute utopia for being healthy. I swim in an outdoor pool and the sea all year round, bike all year round (even in summer) and running....well just put one foot in front of eachother and repeat.

Too many people get fat and lazy and blame it on ME life..bullshit..they are fat and lazy because they are fat and lazy and fall into the UAE pub/brunch/dinner dahlink lifestyle...been there, seen it, done it about 5 years ago.

Last year I was working on average a 80hr week with a young family and still managed to push out 15-20hrs a week of training.

If you want to get fit in the ME, then its there for you.

Desert Shaikh

Lol. Talk about being blunt.

commander

Harsh but fair I thought. In hindsight, maybe motivation is an issue due to temperature/climate and feeling isolated in a new environment, thus seeking solstice with a pie and a pint instead of a jog.

Na, the middle east doesn't make anyone fat or thin. The person makes him/her self fat or thin..some people are happily fat, some people are painfully happily skinny..as long as they are happy.

co durham boy

I find the The Gulf a fantastic for keeping fit as the facilities and choice are better than most places.

Dubai was fantastic but even here in Qatar i play football , squash and also do gym and distance work all in top class facilities 10mins from my villa. Most expats have the access to a pool and gym facilities as well.

I do find it strange that there's so many unhealthy people in this part of the world when there's so much choice in sporting activities , clubs and gyms . There's actually something for everyone , from the beginner to the athlete.

It's just about making the right choices because we all know that you can just pick the phone up and have any type of food delivered to your door within 40mins .

lanarkwitch

I put on a lot of weight here, mainly because at home it was so freaking cold all the time I had to keep moving, that, combined with working full time as well as having my own business, a house, dog and husband to look after meant I never actually sat down unless I was in bed asleep.... so a major change in my lifestyle when I came here as well as too much fast food and drinking meant I had a real battle to get it off. As someone who was once over 23 stones and lost more than half of than in an 8 month period I know well how hard it can be to manage your weight, unfortunately I didn't pay it enough attention when I got here as my weight was very stable for more than 5 years. Got it off now though but it did take a major effort.

UKCityGent

Hit the nail on the head !!

mentalist

Fat, definitely...unless you can afford the time and money to frequent a gym every day and stay off the fast foods, rice and breads.

Norm_uk

It's easier to get fat in the ME if you live somewhere that offers boozy brunches and every meal is cheap, free-delivery food.

But it's also very easy to keep it moderated and under control. The same old rules of eating in moderation (stop at 2/3 full), trying to get out for a walk or a run now and then and keeping positive go a long way. A lot of places have access to a pool or gym and there are plenty of sports clubs to try. Even a lazy bugger like me who loves the sauce has managed to keep the same weight for five years.

N.

Ronnie Biggs

I would say it's an unhealthy place, principally due to the climate being too severe to go for a walk for 6 months and the fact that quite often there is little else to do but eat/drink/gorge. It's all set up to gorge all day if you're so inclined.

If you knuckle down to change your lifestyle you can do it here like anywhere else but it always amazes me how many people live with a gym on their doorstep but never see the inside of it. I live on a compound with 70 houses yet it's rare for me to have anyone in the gym at the same time as me, even when I go in the evenings. I put on 1.5 stones but now I've lost it and I'm as fit as I've ever been. My advice would be to join a team if you can still play and get some regularity in your life as soon as possible before brunches/desserts and all that crap get the better of you and you simply can't be arsed to do anything. Check out the supermarkets in Abu Dhabi for ladies that parked the bus years ago and now look more like a dinner lady than a lady who lunches.

co durham boy

In the winter just train in Safa Park or on the open beach and in the summer just use a resistance band and a basic core workout in your apartment / villa , you can supplement that with a bench and dumbell set from Lulu for a few hundred chips .

Buy wisely for fruit and veg and take advantage of the abundance of fresh fish that we have in the region .

Time and money are usually just a get out for being inactive