WE ALL HAVE A STORY, HERE IS MINE

Hi, Iu2019m Dina Sari Taji , and Iu2019ve been helping people get healthier and feel their best since I was 23. Honestly, itu2019s not something I plannedu2014it all started from my own journey and struggles with weight and health.n

I wasnu2019t always into fitness. In fact, there was a time when I felt completely lost. In just a year, I went from 125 to 189 pounds. Life hit me hardu2014stress, fast food, and feeling stuck with no idea what to do next in my career. I started getting lazy, and my body wasnu2019t bouncing back like it did when I was a teenager. One day, I looked in the mirror and said, u201cThatu2019s it.u201dn

I was way too intimidated to step foot in a gym back then. I felt out of place and out of shape. So, I started small. At night, Iu2019d walk around my neighborhood. I even tried running but couldnu2019t last more than 10 secondsu2014seriously! But I stuck to walking and slowly built it up. Then I started adding morning walks and cleaning up my eating habits. I also did a few simple exercises at home, and to my surprise, my body started to change.n

But the biggest changes werenu2019t physical. I started feeling more confident, more energetic, and just better about myself. That shift inspired me to take it further and finally join a gym. I didnu2019t have a clue what I was doing at firstu2014Iu2019d just watch other people and copy their exercises. Progress was slow until one day, I worked up the nerve to ask a trainer for help. She gave me a few tips and exercises that left me so sore I could barely walk. But I loved it.n

Thatu2019s when I realized there was so much to learn, and I wanted to know it all. Back then, there was no YouTube or Google, so I spent hours in the library reading everything I could about fitness and the human body. It shocked me because, in school, I hated reading. But when it came to health, I couldnu2019t get enough.n

As I started transforming, people around me noticed. Friends would ask how I did it, and I was so excited to share everything Iu2019d learned. Iu2019d help them with meal plans, take them to the gym, and share all the books I was reading. Seeing their energy levels go up, their confidence grow, and their lives improve lit something in me. Thatu2019s when I knew this was more than just a physical transformationu2014it was about helping people change their lives.n

My journey wasnu2019t perfect, though. Early on, I fell into the trap of overtraining and undereating, constantly worrying Iu2019d gain the weight back. It led to struggles with eating disordersu2014first anorexia and then bulimia. Thankfully, those phases were short-lived, but they taught me a lot about how mental health and hormones are so connected to fitness. Iu2019ve also dealt with injuries, like severe sciatica after overdoing it with heavy lifting. These challenges werenu2019t easy, but they made me stronger and, honestly, a better coach.n

Now, at 40, I feel more balanced, more in tune with my body, and more connected to the people I help. My approach to coaching is all about looking at the whole person. Itu2019s not just about workouts or eating rightu2014itu2019s about your lifestyle, stress, health history, and making sure any plan fits you. I want my clients to feel energized and excited, not overwhelmed.n

But thereu2019s another side to me that I want to shareu2014itu2019s something very close to my heart. Iu2019m also an animal rescuer, especially for cats. Living in the UAE, Iu2019ve seen so many cats abandoned, sick, or injured because of illegal breeders or just neglect. It started with me putting out food bowls for strays, but it quickly turned into rescuing, doing TNR (trap-neuter-return), and eventually creating a sanctuary with my best friend.n

This year alone, weu2019ve rescued over 1,000 cats and now care for 450+ in a seven-bedroom villa. Half of them are recovering from illnesses like ringworm or parvo, and the rest are ready for adoption. We even built a special catio for FeLV+ catsu2014ones most people would give up onu2014so they can live happy lives tooI wonu2019t lieu2014this journey is anything but easy. Caring for over 450 cats is incredibly expensive. Vet bills, food, litter, medicineu2014it all adds up quickly, and with no government support, weu2019ve had to take on cases that most would avoid because of the high costs. But this mission is bigger than just what weu2019re doing now.n

Weu2019ve learned so much from running our sanctuaryu2014how to care for sick and injured cats, prevent cross-contamination, and create systems that actually work. Our dream is to take everything weu2019ve built, everything weu2019ve learned, and create a large, state-of-the-art shelter that can serve as a model for others. We want to inspire and equip people across the UAE to create similar sanctuaries, using what weu2019ve learned as a template to make a real, lasting difference.

This isnu2019t just about sustaining the cats we already haveu2014itu2019s about solving the stray cat crisis in the UAE. We want to save them all and give every cat a chance at a better life. Every single bit of support we receive feeds directly into this vision. Every sign-up on my fitness app helps us get closer to building that future. Itu2019s not just about getting fitu2014itu2019s about being part of something bigger, part of a mission thatu2019s full of purpose and heart.n

Your support truly makes a difference. Together, we can create changeu2014not just for these animals but for the entire community. Thank you for being part of this journey. It means the world to us.

WE ALL HAVE A STORY, HERE IS MINE

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