Abdullah Abdulbasit Abba Fallatah, Sports for All Federation (SFA) Baytak Nadeek trainer, emphasizes the need for the business sector to launch active exercise campaigns.
One of Saudi Sports for All Federation’s (SFA) trainers, Abdullah Abdulbasit Abba Fallatah, recently stressed the importance not only of being active but for the private sector to encourage employees to be healthier by exercising regularly. With the onset of a global pandemic and the line between work and life completely blurred, more than ever, the onus seems to be falling to business leaders to motivate their teams to adopt healthier lifestyles, which in turn will contribute to increasing the country’s participation rate to 40% by 2030.
Abba Fallatah said it isn’t enough for companies simply to offer subsidized gym subscriptions because many of their staff members do not have the incentive to make the time to work out daily, and he suggested that companies launch corporate wellness campaigns similar to those under the Saudi Sports Federation for All (SFA), such as Baytak Nadeek, Step Together and Masheena Lah Idam, which are supported by the Ministry of Sport.
He added that along with developing and promoting their own campaigns, business leaders should consider creating departments to incorporate all aspects of healthy living into their employees’ culture. In the long-term, among a range of benefits, a corporate wellness policy could drastically cut down on medical insurance expenses.
When it comes to this strict schedule, Abba Fallatah is the first to admit that between his workouts and his career taking up a large part of his day, he is often exhausted. He noted the need for proper rest and he makes sure to schedule time for it to ensure complete muscle recovery and to avoid burnout.
For anyone about to embark on a workout regimen, he strongly advises that they wear the correct sport clothes and shoes and makes sure they do a proper warm up and cool down to avoid injury. He also could not stress enough the importance of eating properly, saying that not incorporating proper nutrition into your daily diet will waste all the effort in the gym.
Regardless of where your company stands on health and wellness, the SFA encourages you to try and find a way to incorporate sports into your daily routine so that you can reap the benefits from it, achieve your fitness goals, and develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
