‘I had to learn to put money aside’

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‘I was obese until I was eighteen. I was 1.64 m. and weighed over 80 kilos. When I got home from school I would have a bag of popcorn and ice tea – I would eat and drink my sorrows away.

“That summer I had gained six kilos in three months. That touched me. I studied MBO automotive engineering, had no money and asked my brother to register me at the gym – in four months I lost 25 kilograms. Suddenly I could wear an S again. That felt good.

“I also wanted to help others with a healthier lifestyle. In 2021 I founded an active lifestyle club here in Etten-Leur together with three friends. We converted an old garage in two months. It was Ramadan: every day after prayer I worked late into the night. We did everything ourselves, friends and fathers helped. That was half the money.

“We split the costs with the four of us, but you have to arrange the customers yourself. Everyone works hard, but we support each other and when someone is on vacation, someone else takes over their customers. I have 12 to 15 clients that I see on a weekly basis. We talk, sometimes I do exercises with them downstairs in the gym.

“I also work eight hours a week at Albert Heijn. Then I go to our fitness club to receive clients into the evening – sometimes those are long days.”

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‘As long as I can, I live with my parents. That is a conscious choice, I now want to focus on my own company, but everything I can afford myself, I pay out of my own pocket. I do my own shopping, cook and do the laundry.

“I set aside at least ten percent of my net income every month. I had to learn that. In the past I sometimes saw minus 300 euros in my account – then I would have spent too much on going out to eat, for example. I really had to learn to say ‘no’. Now I only go on average once a month.

“If I do the shopping for a week, I am already between 60 and 80 euros. Healthy food is more expensive and my body is important to me.

“I exercise almost twice a day and have to recover. There I use shakes and additives with minerals and vitamins. I also eat organic and a lot of fish.

“My last major expense was a holiday to Morocco with my mother and brother. I paid one half, my brother the other. That gives a good feeling.

“My goal is to have such a big company that both my parents don’t have to work anymore. Then I transfer them a monthly amount. They have always taken good care of me and I want to give that back.”