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