Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
FITNESS and wellness enthusiasts have a chance to win a share of US$10 000 in a three-month weight-loss challenge to be launched by Colonel Dr Miniyothabo Baloyi-Chiwenga at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centreir (ZIEC) in Bulawayo today.
The Wellness Plus Movement, an initiative spearheaded by Col Dr Baloyi-Chiwenga, is targeting overweight and obese participants and will combine physical training and healthy dieting as part of a broader campaign to promote fitness and wellness.
The winner will receive US$5 000, with the runner-up getting US$3 000 and the third-placed participant US$2 000.
The challenge will run until December 20, with organisers saying additional prizes from partners would be announced later.
In a statement, Col Dr Baloyi-Chiwenga said the challenge was open to overweight or obese girls, boys, women and men, with participants to be assessed using the internationally accepted Body Mass Index (BMI) standards.
“To kick-start the movement, I’m introducing a three-month weight loss challenge where the overweight participants will have to lose at least 10 kilogrammes before Christmas. I will personally give three winners at least US$10 000,” she said.
“We are engaging more partners for other prizes which will be announced soon. The challenge ends on 20th of December 2026.”
Col Dr Baloyi-Chiwenga said she was motivated to launch the initiative as part of her plans to promote greater awareness of fitness and healthy lifestyles.
“As I turned 50 years old a few days ago, I asked myself ‘what will I do differently?’ to thank the Lord for the gift of half-a-century of my life. So I decided to do several initiatives to assist myself, people and society. Therefore, I’m launching a Wellness Plus Movement,” she said.
Col Dr Baloyi-Chiwenga said the movement would take a holistic approach to wellness, covering physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
She said wellness practices had evolved over the years, with ancient traditions incorporating practices such as yoga, meditation and herbal care.
Col Dr Baloyi-Chiwenga said the modern wellness movement had increasingly focused on proactive and holistic approaches to health and wellbeing.
“In the 20th century, it was popularised by Dr Halbert L Dunn to cover a global cultural and economic shift focused on proactive, holistic health and optimal well-being rather than just the absence of disease,” she said.
“Later on, scholars such as Dr Bill Hettler created formal models like the Six Dimensions of Wellness to structure physical, emotional, and spiritual health, which is the scope that my movement will cover.”
Participants in the challenge will be required to lose weight through physical exercise and dieting, with organisers ruling out what they describe as “unnatural means.”
Participants will also be required to post at least one workout session on their social media platforms each week.
“They must be willing to be weighed or checked by independent assessors upon registration to avoid cheating,” said Col Dr Baloyi-Chiwenga.
Participants found to have used “unnatural means” to lose weight during the challenge will be disqualified.
Col Dr Baloyi-Chiwenga said the judging would go beyond weight loss, with the panel also considering participants’ positive influence and advocacy for healthy lifestyles.
“The judges will consider the positive influence and healthy lifestyle advocacy by the participant.
The panel of judges will be healthy lifestyle experts and enthusiasts, while the participants must be willing to advocate for a healthy lifestyle in our society,” she said.
Participants will also be required to consent to the use of their media material and personal details for educational and motivational purposes.
The organisers are inviting volunteers, fitness professionals, health and diet experts and sponsors to partner the initiative.
