Overweight in Qatar
When me and my wife arrived here in Qatar last year our body is lean and light. But now i noticed we are getting heavier as days passed by.. And my friend who has been here for the last 6 years b4 is thin but now is fat and having maintenance meds for high blood...so i happened to read this from wikipedia:
"By 2015, it is predicted that 73% of women and 69% of men will be obese. According to the International Association for the Study of Obesity, Qatar has the 6th highest rate of obesity among boys in the Middle East and North Africa region. It is also ranked 5th for having the highest percentage of people between 20 and 79 with diabetes.Currently 16% of the population suffers from diabetes.
One reason for the obesity trend is the lack of exercise and poorly designed pedestrian friendly cities. "Like other oil-rich nations, Qatar has leaped across decades of development in a short time, leaving behind the physically demanding life of the desert for air-conditioned comfort, servants, and fast food". Although the type of food eaten has changed, the cultural traditions surrounding food have not. Food is often consumed communally, making it nearly impossible to ensure proper portions. A person who does not eat when food is offered is seen as offensive and shameful. It is also normal within Qatari society to be obese."
But it is not just Qataris now who are getting overweight also expats. Is it really bcoz of the food we eat? I also think that it is very hard to be a vegetarian here bcoz the prices of the veggies are expensive.
look up the clean eating plan. I stick to that where it contains NO processed foods at all. This means going back to old fashioned cooking. type it into google and take a look at the results. Steak and chicken seem to be ok price wise and if your not buying all the other junk just what your going to prepare and cook its not that expensive . And you get your waistline back !
agree the local veggies taste better and are grown more organic than the imported ones..
Yeah LP my wife's a teacher here & their vision is realistic and achievable.
Every school here, robherr, has a "vision". It is required from the SEC to get a license. Have you ever read one of them? And then compared it to reality?
LP it's certainly a great vision..And i cant blame u if u r not a fan of vision and dont have a complete vision judging by ur picture..Lol
Nomerci hell yeah! they can even make the whole Qatar an air conditioned country... Lol
Correctamondo
Actually, they could build an airconditioned indoor park...with bicycle and jogging tracks...flowers, trees etc. I mean they build so much crazy stuff over here,,,why not this?
It's only a vision, robherr, don't worry.
Qatar is visioning themselves in the future as the sports center of the world. That is how they will attract tourist to come and see what are to offer here. Having said that they should build easy access sports center, gym, or covered park with a bit of air condition during summer so that people can jog and walk. Visioning urself as a sports center and yet obesity is a culture is absolutely ironic and does not make sense.
Dark knight your right neither have i. "you dont owe these people anymore, you've given everything" "Not everything...Not yet"
It is impossible to get a healthy life in a total desert country, move out ASAP if you want to be healthy, or don’t move in
Don't blame the supermarkets. Change your habits and lifestyle.
Qatar can be a foodie's paradise and a dieter's hell really! Healthier food are often more expensive and not as widely available( try finding a low fat yogurt as compared to the full fat option), and with fast food and sodas available at every nook and cranny, and that too for so cheap. Add to that the weather not always being favorable for the cheapest workout aka walking.
But then that's where moderation and determination is required. Our health is a blessing and it's upon us to either take care of it or abuse it till it gives way to sickness and obesity. One must think of being unhealthy and unfit as akin to committing suicide really, or worse! And when you thus think of it in this way, you will do all you can to amend the situation.
Palmer I haven't seen any supermarket or fast food chain ever shoving their food down people's throats, have you?
Supermarkets here stock unhealthy food lots of salt and sugar in them, the pastry section is unreal. There are veg and fruit markets which are great. Go to any mall and its lots snd lots of american fast food places with people gorging on them. Lack of pedestrian walk ways is apparent, as nearly Everyone drives. You have to get a car as the heat is intense. Only places iv seen anyone walking are corniche and the malls. If you cant stand shopping and malls then its the corniche which is very nice. Yes so obesity is very in your face here and you cam see why. Oh and people say prefer wealth than health thats the message here.
They also taste better.
If you buy vegetables from the area, i.e. Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Saudi, they are not expensive. Just stay away from US or European vegetables.
Vegito it is expensive for me bcoz i am comparing it to my country where veggies are so cheap..That is why i am always amaze whenever i am buying vegies here. I just thought if these vegies are cheap here maybe just maybe people will eat less chicken or carbs or other meats. Bcoz i for one loves to eat vegies but due to its price sometimes it stopped me from buying. My salary is not really high so it has a big impact on me.
Pirate ur suggestion is truly a PIRATE-LIKE habits haha..though i think i like it man..lol.
best thing to do is to control your intake of calories by counting them. compare your daily intake to your daily activities. It's a simple method which proved very efficient to me during my diet. I have managed to lose 12kgs and now I'm maintaining it by exercising at least 2 times a week, avoiding excess of bread and rice consumption while increasing the amounts of protein and vegetable intake. Use the stairs whenever u get the chance to, try to maintain your current clothing size or set a goal to reach a desired size by buying tight clothing and fitting into it after few weeks!
guys come on nothing impossible is my comment for this, what i mean same thing happen to me really i put weight day by day after the arrival to doha, i worried and i just checked which part is hit for this disaster, i got it finally 'Food' and 'Daily Lazy Rotation' like we don't walk much or most probably our jobs are same sitting always through out during our working hours and air conditioned life, so i just wanted to control, now days i losing my weight like to my old days, i didn't go to gym 'i just control my food' i turned my food to healthy food like veg n fruits etc, and i did exercise on out side i mean not inside the building out side to feel the natural air whatever it is, all we have to do 'control' everything by our self, just do it guys!
check Gulf Times today
Qatar has started its first survey of whale sharks. So we are on the right path of fighting over weight!
The country doesn't make you fat, does it?
Your eating habits & lifestyle choices do. Tough to stay active though as outdoor activities are severely restricted for most of the year due to heat and people lack the discipline to hit the gym everyday.
This is very sad to read. I myself am little overweight, but living in country (possibly relocating to Qaatr) where natural foods are abundant and cheap and through healthier choices managed to lose 30kg. now reading this I'm scared about the move to Qatar. no way I want to stop my progress or go back to where i was before. So there are real only junk food there? I think I've 80% of food in qatar is imported. How expensive are these vegetables? What about fish/seafood from the sea? What about homecooking? What type of foods are avalible there? Aren't there gyms and possiblities to do sport? Maybe it's all about the person's attitude and how much freetime they have, no?
Vegetables are inexpensive here, try purchasing them in USA, EU...
Smoke, drink coffee, and make love. You WILL stay slim and healthy.
Healthy food is expensive, work hours are long, and its expensive and difficult to be active.