Campaign encourages women to pick up a healthy lifestyle

By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: Saudi women are being urged to lead a healthy life as part of a campaign that started on Wednesday.

“Change Your Lifestyle,” which encourages women to exercise, will be held at shopping centers in Jeddah, Yanbu, Riyadh and Madinah.

Seminars on health and fitness, which will also offer medical advice, will be held as part of the campaign. Nutritionists, doctors and physicians are expected to be involved.

Saudi women generally face a struggle if they attempt to lead a healthy life. They tend to face obstacles such as a lack of freedom if they want to exercise in public.

Only well-off individuals can afford health clubs, not the middle-class

“I pay money each month for a gym membership which gives me access to exercise machines and classes. Most women have no other choice but to use street sidewalks for their daily exercise,” said one concerned housewife.

“There should be a government-funded enclosed area in every neighborhood for women to be able to exercise for an affordable fee,” said Saudi businesswoman Nadia.

Women who have no choice but to exercise on sidewalks also face harassment.

“My friends and I used to jog on a popular walking area. And we were constantly bothered and harassed by drivers who would shout and throw papers with phone numbers at us and try to pick us up. Even though we ignored them, they wouldn’t stop. This forced us to stop exercising. And since then I have gained five kilos,” said one woman, who did not want to be named.

When women are not being harassed by drivers, they are followed by members of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, who yell at them.

“I used to walk on special public sidewalks daily. One day, a religious policeman screamed at me for not having a mahram (a male relative) with me. He threatened to take me away in his car if I did it again. I never went to that place again,” said college student Sara Mohammed.

Other reasons why Saudi women are obese include they do not give much attention to sports and a healthy diet.

“Women need to go the extra mile, control their diet and support it with daily exercise. A healthy body does not come on its own,” said gym instructor Sara.

“Change Your Lifestyle” runs until the end of the month.

Comments

SUMAYA

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I strongly disagree with the recommendations in the article. I am living in South Africa where we have many ladies only gyms, aerobics classes, we have the freedom to chose what we want to wear & where we can walk or not walk. I still chose to exercise at home. We have exercise weights, skipping rope, a treadmill, an elliptical/cross trainer, a crazy fit massager & many exercise books that demonstrate how to exercise at home. The skipping rope is definately an affordable option. Then there's the Wii Fit - very fun but also lots of serious exercise. My husband does not like it when women walk in the street & I will not go against his wishes - where there is a will, there is a way.
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