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Saudi Affairs
The program entitled “No Way Except to Lose Weight” on an Arab television channel made many Saudi women angry. It was presented so as to emphasize the physical beauty of the women who presented it; needless to say, it attracted large numbers of Saudi male viewers. Nonetheless, it encouraged many Saudi women to take exercise and visit health clubs; not only do they want to lose weight and look attractive, but they also want to keep their husbands from thinking of a second wife. A number of women-only health clubs have appeared all over the Kingdom in response to a growing demand. Arab News visited some health clubs in Riyadh and met the Saudi women who are their customers.
Umm Razan, a doctor in a government hospital, said that she joined the club to lose weight which she had gained during pregnancy. She selected swimming as way to shed the extra weight. Many women at the clubs are university students. According to Umm Razan, they look on the place as a way to show off their social status, “but women like me come here in an effort to retain their looks and the hearts of their husbands — who are sometimes thinking of other women because their wives are not taking care of themselves.” Many women, she pointed out, wake up to the truth only after learning that their husbands have another woman in their life.
Bashaer Abdullah is thankful to Arabic satellite channels for encouraging her to visit health clubs. “My husband always sits in front of the TV and talks shamelessly about the beauty of the female Lebanese television newsreaders. He also often looks at the exercise program presented by a woman who is deliberately sexually provocative. When I reproached him for watching such programs, he advised me to watch it, lose weight and save my looks. His reply really angered me but it made me think about joining the club,” she admitted.
Hanan, the beautiful mother of three, comes to the club just to stay in shape. She said her husband used to watch the singer Shakira and her performances. “From that day, I tried to imitate Shakira, applying the same dye to my hair and buying the clothes like she wears. I also joined the health club,” she said. “The club has totally changed my body shape and now I criticize my husband for his flabbiness,” she added.
At one club I found a 48-year-old woman named Jauhara. She is well-known and seems to be the oldest member. She comes with her two teenage daughters. She has visited a number of clubs in the city over the years and she said social customs had played a big role in contributing to obesity among Saudi women. “Physical exercise is not meant for women in a particular age group. It is essential for every woman. Because of our social meetings which often end up in lavish lunches or dinners, we have to exercise in order to lose weight. At home, we leave housework to maids. The climate here does not allow us to walk outside. Men often do not have time to get out with their families for a walk. Here at the club, I use the exercise equipment and my daughters do aerobics.”
Noura Al-Saad joined the club because of her conviction that obesity is linked to many diseases. “I became diabetic and the doctor advised me to diet and lose 15 kilograms. He told me that exercise will help reduce blood sugar without having to take medicine.” Noura said the fees were comparatively high and attributed them to the quality of service. “The membership system is excellent and user-friendly as it offers a number of different choices. Members can also freeze memberships for a time because of travel, pregnancy, disease, etc.”
At the clubs, there is a shortage of qualified Saudi women trainers. Muneera Al-Shenaify, a Saudi trainer who studied in the United States, says satellite channels have played a big role in encouraging women to visit health clubs. “Obesity, caused by lack of movement and the spread of fast food, is the main reason for women going to health clubs and gyms,” she observed. She also admitted that prices at many clubs were probably too high. She said most clubs had not appointed Saudis who understand the nature of the country, its people and the language. “A successful trainer must study each woman’s condition before suggesting an exercise program for her. The trainer should also conduct tests about once a month.”
Another trainer blamed Saudi colleges and universities for the lack of female trainers as they do not offer courses in the field. “After returning from the US, I decided to open an institute to train Saudi women under the auspices of the Youth Welfare Presidency. Unfortunately I could get no support from the presidency or my family,” she said.
She emphasized the importance of introducing physical education in girls schools. “It will not only create self-confidence among girls, contribute to their physical strength and health but it will also protect them from certain psychological problems.”
Canadian trainer Laila says, “Some women go to gyms just to boast to their friends or to impress others, and not for reasons of health. Many fat girls go to gyms but they do not properly exercise.” She says clubs in the Kingdom are affordable only to a certain group of women as their charges are four times as much as at similar clubs in the US and Europe. She believes that prices will come down over time as more clubs open and competition becomes keener.
“It’s an unhealthy practice to allocate places for smokers in a health club,” said Laila, who has been providing training for eight years and works as a dietitian at a hospital. For the last three years, she has worked as a part-time trainee at three clubs. She says, “A model club should have three things: Cleanliness, quality service and qualified staff.”
© Copyright 2003 by
ArtArabia.com
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