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Bhakti Mathur

In April 2025, Singapore resident Attan bin Talib stood at a crossroads. At 65, the oil and gas refinery technician carried not just the weight of decades of shift work, but also the burden of 90kg (198lbs) on his frame.
The number on the scale had crept upwards slowly over the years, yet it was not the digits that finally jolted him awake, but his body’s warning signs that something had to change.
Climbing the ladders at the Aster Chemicals and Energy refinery left him breathless. Kneeling in prayer became painful. Chasing his grandchildren felt less like play and more like labour.
“Working night shifts is against the body’s natural rhythms,” Attan, now 66, says.
More than 40 years of shifts had left his sleep unsettled and his body clock in disarray. “Days flipped into nights, my sleep became erratic and my body never found a rhythm. I was constantly fatigued.”
Shift work did not promote healthy eating habits either. “I ate anything in a packet that I could lay my hands on – chips, nuts, sweets. They became my ‘3am companions’. I no longer ate for nourishment; food was a tool to stay awake.” Little wonder he had packed on 15kg over the past decade.

One morning, while walking his granddaughter – one of seven grandchildren – to school, Attan realised how much he had aged.
“The school was only 100 metres [328 feet] away from home, and yet I was tired,” he says, admitting he also found it difficult to lift a year-old granddaughter onto his lap.
“That was it” – the trigger he needed to seek a way back to health.
Getting into a gym routine
“I walked past gyms and saw younger, fitter people train and wondered if I belonged there. I was apprehensive and doubtful. I thought, ‘Will I be able to do it?’” he says.
He reached out to a few gyms to learn more. He signed up with Ultimate Performance and began working out with trainer Amanda Chew. At first, he found the exercises intimidating.
“Amanda asked me to do a split squat. I could not lunge down. When I did get down, I could not bring myself up. Then came the pendulum squat machine, which was so tough. By the end of the first session, I wanted to quit.”
He says he felt shocked, fearful and sad. “Shocked, because all the movements looked simple and yet I could not do them,” he says. “Scared, because I realised how unfit I was, and sad, because I wondered if it was too late to pick up the pieces.”
His trainer vividly recalls his early days.
“Attan came in with zero knowledge and background in strength training, including understanding his nutrition. He was unable to do a single body weight split squat or a single repetition on the pendulum squat,” Chew says.

She took a full-body approach in each session – a balance of upper and lower-body strength training, focusing on his form, technique and execution.
“For seniors, it’s vital to build strength and confidence first, within their range of motion, before progressing,” she says.
Studies back this up: progressive resistance training in adults over 60 is essential for combating age-related muscle loss known as sarcopenia, as well as for improving body fat mass and maintaining joint mobility.
Injuries and focusing on food
Attan’s journey was not without setbacks. In October 2025, when an accident left him with sprained fingers on his right hand, he was resilient and understood the importance of consistency.
Chew says: “We adjusted his training so that he could still progress despite this setback – using straps to help with his grip, and focusing more on his lower body exercises.”
What began as intimidation slowly transformed into determination. “I learned that strength training was not about perfection,” Attan says. “It was about having the courage to keep showing up, even when the body faltered.”
He adds he could not have done this without his trainer. “She helped me stay positive, reminding me that small progress is still progress. I learned to trust the process and work hard.”

He now split squats with 8kg dumbbells and no longer fears the pendulum squat.
He began clocking 10,000 steps a day and upped it to 13,000 steps after eight weeks – usually on a treadmill in the gym or at home.
Training was half the battle; food was the other.
“Attan lacked awareness of his food intake,” says Chew, who introduced him to the basics of macronutrients. With her guidance, he began logging meals, water and steps on an app – a simple act that created profound awareness.
“For the first time I had knowledge about what to eat,” Attan says. “I now look at food and think before I decide to eat it or not. That pause, between impulse and action, has been transformative. I learned that eating more does not automatically mean gaining weight, and that macronutrients matter.”
His meals used to be carb-heavy – 80 per cent rice and noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the rest meat. Now, breakfast is likely to be oats, eggs and fruit, lunch might be chicken with steamed vegetables, and dinner is something light, like toast. He does not eat after 6pm; if he feels hungry, he has a protein shake or protein cookie.
‘My grandkids copy my squats and stretches’
In October 2025, Attan took part in a showcase for gym members to display their strength through deadlifts, barbell bench presses and weighted pull-ups.
“I never thought that I would be able to bench press, let alone in front of a group of people. I think, for the audience, seeing a 66-year-old working out was inspiring,” he says.
Attan lost 10kg over 44 weeks to February 2026, his weight dropping to 80kg while his body fat fell from 31.4 per cent to 19.9 per cent.
“Climbing stairs and ladders with my tool bag does not feel difficult any more,” he says, adding that retirement is two years away, but no longer feels like an “ending”.
“Even if I’m no longer working, I will still train. The benefits … are worth it. Playing with my grandchildren is now joyful, not draining. Seeing my transformation, my children have begun to rethink their own routines. My grandkids copy my squats and stretches,” he says.
“One of the delightful things I can do now is sit on the floor on my calves for namaz [Muslim daily prayers]. For years, this simple posture [kneeling back so the calves support the body] was almost impossible.”

The gym, once so intimidating, has become his happy place. “To see people training, become fitter, is uplifting.”
Attan encourages other older people who want to get fit but who are nervous about strength training to take the first step.
“It doesn’t have to be a big step, just a step. Do your research, find a good gym and then commit to a plan. Find a place that looks out for you. Supervision is essential.”
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Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Attan bin Talib’s shift work and eating habits saw him hit 90kg and feel constantly fatigued. He realised he needed to transform his life


Attan bin Talib’s shift work and eating habits saw him hit 90kg and feel constantly fatigued. He realised he needed to transform his life.


How a 66-year-old Singaporean lost 10kg in 10 months – his inspiring fitness journey

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Attan bin Talib’s shift work and eating habits saw him hit 90kg and feel constantly fatigued. He realised he needed to transform his life

Attan bin Talib’s shift work and eating habits saw him hit 90kg and feel constantly fatigued. He realised he needed to transform his life