Sāmoan Tiktok star ‘Uce Gang’ has set a challenge that could see him lose 157kg in 100 weeks.
Papakura local Simeon Fiapule started the challenge at 257kg 22 weeks ago, all beginning with a chat with a friend that began his journey.
The 22-year-old has admitted the struggle began with him isolating himself and in turn losing control of his life.
“I was wasting my life just sitting at home, sitting on a couch doing nothing. Ever since that conversation, the next day we did something about it. We just started [with] small steps. by going for a walk.
“Right now, I can walk around. The first day I started trying to lose weight, I could barely walk. I’d just be huffing and puffing,” Fiapule says.
‘I couldn’t drive. My stomach would beep the horn’
Other than the change in clothes size, Fiapule’s day-to-day life has also improved, not only physically but mentally also.
“I can drive now. When it was day one I couldn’t drive. My stomach would literally beep the horn, and I couldn’t turn the steering wheel, and now I can just open a car and drive anywhere I want,” he says.
Known on social media as Uce Gang, he regularly features on funny videos with his mates. The majority of videos make light-hearted fun of situations or issues faced by young Pacific Islanders or Samoans growing up in New Zealand or South Auckland, in particular.
Among his friends who make a regular appearance is fellow social media star Torrell Tafa, who started his online comedy career with the group known as Cougar Boys.
Fiapule began his journey 22 weeks ago to losing weight and in that time has lost 54kg.
Supported by his friends and family as well as his many social media followers, the changes he has made so far are plain to see.
“I’ve seen big changes in this guy since I met him, the way he moves, the way he talks, the way he acts,” Alvin Kanehailua says.
Some 71 per cent of Pasifika and 51 per cent of Māori suffer from obesity.
Although Fiapule is completing this journey with the help of his friends, medical professionals say it is a journey that should generally be taken with their help.
However, the proud Samoan says losing weight is a journey people have to give their all to.
“It’s more of making it a lifestyle and changing old habits to new habits. I reckon I can live like this for the rest of my life, live a better and healthier life.”
His short-term goal is 100kg; as well as dropping down even further. Sparking change within others is his long-term ambition, he says.
