GOSEGO MOTSUMI
This year’s installment of the Yarona FM Fat Boy Challenge will see a total of 30 participants from corporate companies who have been put in 6 teams of 5.
According to director of Ultimate Fitness, Agatha Atlholang this year’s edition was meant to promote health and encourage healthy lifestyles in the corporate world. Participants in this year’s challenge include Horizon Olgivy, Yarona FM, Collins & Newman, Botswana Life and Pain Clinic who weighed in last week, with the training set to kick off on 5th June 2017 and end 31st August 2017.
Atlholang says the challenge was more than just entertainment as it will also help to create awareness on non communicable diseases. “According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from a projected total of 58 million deaths from all causes in 2005, it is estimated that chronic diseases will account for 35 million,” she said adding that corporate companies always put money into wellness programs that seem not to work- informing them that they were ready to help them.
For his part, Yarona FM board director, Dumi Lopang said they launched the Fat Boy Challenge in 2007 with the view to give back to the community. He explained that the challenge was a three-month fat loss programme where participants are taken through a rigorous weight loss exercise routine and are expected to share their experiences with listeners as a way of educating the audience about the importance of taking care of one’s health.
The first installment of the Fat Boy Challenge was run in a “pledge to lose” set-up where pledges were made per kilogram lost by participants with monies collected after the challenge donated to underprivileged communities. The challenge in addition shifted focus and became a lifestyle event in making people understand the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. “It started off with a celebrity version featuring myself, Bonni, Robin and Owen. Over the years the challenge evolved and looked at other important aspects that will encourage participants to adopt healthy lifestyles past the challenge,” Lopang said.
Yarona FM Station Manager, Kelly Ramputswa said, “At Yarona FM, we understand CSR as a concept where we voluntarily play a role in addressing social concerns by interacting with our stakeholders and in this case the issue of living healthier and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. With this year’s installment, we engaged some of our corporates on air and encouraged them to join the challenge.”
She added that challenge support, guidance and weight loss tips would be on hand throughout the three-month period of the challenge- from a pool of exceptional trainers and fitness experts who will provide the tools and education to translate healthy thoughts into action which participants can take home and make permanent lifestyle changes. “The participants can look forward to a fun, energetic, inspiring experience and team camaraderie with humour,” Ramputswa said.