Viral Ball: The Souqpinoy Slimdown Challenge Press Launch

I admit I’m not a fit or athletic person. I don’t go to the gym and the only exercise I do is walking and jogging around the neighborhood park. And although I’ve been trying to watch what I eat lately, I’m far from what you would describe as health conscious. So imagine my surprise when I received an invitation to the press launch of The Souqpinoy Slimdown Challenge. I was sure I wouldn’t fit in (pun intended ☺), but since I honestly wanted to know more about it, my family and I headed to The Coach Academy in Al Muneera Gym last Friday.

Hosted by JuanDubai’s Mariz and Anthony, the launch kicked off with the fun games everyone enthusiastically participated in. After we formed our teams, Maricel of Souqpinoy explained that we had to do a fitness relay: jumping jacks, push-ups, butt-kicks, and toe reaches. Yikes! Fortunately, the guys on my team were very fit and fast so we managed to win the game. As we rested from that grueling challenge, we sat down for the next activity: a word search of nutritious foods. Now that was easy, and we managed to find all 30 words before the other teams. Woohoo!

Then we finally settled down to listen to The Team and find out more about the real reason we were there. From The Coach Academy were Coach Adam, Coach Tashia, and fitness inspiration Darbie Estrebilla (he lost 25kg in less than 4 months!). Also filling the panel were Operations Manager for Souqpinoy.com Mr. Boyet Batarra, and The Medical Team Clinic Manager Nick Maranan.

Here’s what we learned that afternoon:
• The Souqpinoy Slimdown Challenge is a reality fitness challenge and health awareness that aims to help overweight Filipinos in Dubai to lose weight and be fit.
• The Challenge will run for 6 weeks, from February 25 to April 6 2018.
• Pre-registration is ongoing (it started last January 10) through the Souqpinoy website.
• The fitness training will consist of 30 to 45 minutes of workout daily for 4 to 5 days every week.
• Each challenger will be given a diet plan/meal schedule by The Coach Academy and The Medical City.
• Elimination rounds will be held every week and a challenger who sheds the least weight will be voted out.
• The official event venue will be The Coach Academy, Al Muneera Gym in Bur Dubai.

We also raised questions (viewers did so as well via Facebook live), and being a graduate of Psychology, I was relieved that the Team answered my query on the effective ways they would deal with the self-esteem and psychological impacts the challenge would bring, especially to those who would be voted out.

True to its mission to empower every Filipino individual overseas with an online platform that enables them to interact with fellow Filipinos abroad, souqpinoy.com initiated the Slimdown Challenge to encourage the Filipino expats to not forget about their health. It aims to give the long-term effect of consistently doing exercise and being more aware about one’s health. The Slimdown Challenge is not about the grand prize but the encouragement and support the whole team behind it is dedicated into giving every challenger. Although there will be elimination rounds, every challenger is already a winner because they have found a support group they need to stay fit.

So to those whose annual New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and become healthier, visit SouqPinoy.com now and join. You just might become the first ever winner of The Souqpinoy Slimdown Challenge and take home the grand prize worth Dhs10,000!

"If you lose, you win!"