Aaron: Treat your fitness journey as an opportunity to unleash your body’s potential and explore new possibilities.
WHEN I weighed myself in May last year, I had a shock.
My weight was 84kg and my body mass index (BMI) was within the overweight range.
Around that time, I discovered a national fitness competition named “Sihat Rimba 2022”, which was supported by the Health Ministry and the Education Ministry.
As part of the five-month-long competition, participants were required to submit daily health journals, including their water, vegetable and fruit intake, and exercise duration. The winners were determined through the percentage of improvement in their BMI indexes.
I was initially hesitant about joining the competition because I was worried that it would disrupt my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) preparations. But I decided to go ahead with it to realise my goal of getting fit.
I started to regulate my nutrient intake in line with the quarter-quarter-half method. The first day was a struggle as I was tempted to eat fried chicken, which I knew was not good for me due to its oily texture.
Thankfully, I managed to quell the desire by reminding myself that it would be a worthwhile sacrifice when my body weight dipped.
During my participation in the competition, I also started doing more moderate-intensity exercises, such as speed runs, push-ups and sit-ups with my friends, as advised by my badminton coach.
I wasn’t as nimble as my friends, who could complete the exercises faster than me. Often, I was overwhelmed by the immense physical stress on my body, which made me want to give up on the effort.
Despite that, each time, I managed to coax myself into completing the exercises however slowly. During this time, I even took part in a rope jumping competition held in my home state, Johor.
Finally, after five months of continuous effort, my weight dropped to 72kg, and my BMI range fell within the normal range.
Although I did not win the fitness competition, I am proud to have embarked on the journey to keep fit.
I still exercise regularly, mainly by running and doing strength exercises.
To those of you struggling to keep fit, I strongly recommend recording the exercises done in health mobile applications so you can monitor your progress better.
To keep yourself motivated, seek advice from your friends who are fit, or have an exercise buddy.
Most importantly, treat your fitness journey as an opportunity to unleash your body’s potential and explore new possibilities.
Savour every second that you spend to keep fit, and be amazed by what benefits it will bring you.
Aaron, 18, a student in Johor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
