He Weighed 95kg & Battled Hypertension—Now He’s Running Marathons & Living Healthier Than Ever

40-year-old W. Hasnul Hadi was able to transform his life with a clear starting point and steady guidance through AIA Vitality — AIA’s health and wellness program embedded within its life insurance and takaful solutions.

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Ok, be honest… How many times have you told yourself, “Okay lah, this Monday I’ll start eating healthy and be more active”?

It sounds like a convincing self-promise in the moment, right? You’ve made a clear plan for a fresh start, and the journey to a better version of you seems to be just around the corner.

But then the week starts, and suddenly the “plan” starts to wobble. Maybe work left you too burnt out to even think about exercising. Maybe a friend asks you out for some makan-makan therapy, and a diet feels like it can wait.

So you delay it. “I’ll do it tomorrow, lah.” Then tomorrow becomes next week. Next week becomes “I’ll start when I’m free.” And just like that, those good intentions you have get pushed further and further away without you even realising it.

For 40-year-old W. Hasnul Hadi, that struggle wasn’t new. In fact, it followed him for years, until life finally gave him a push strong enough to change.

A Wake-up Call That Didn’t Immediately Work

*_{Hadi shared that he led a grounded routine, dividing his time between professional responsibilities and family life at home.}*

For years, Hadi’s routine seemed ordinary. As a husband and father of three boys, he spent his days at work, followed by regular mamak sessions with friends and colleagues. Afterwards, he would head home to spend the evening with his family.

And as far as being active went, he would occasionally try to fit in a game of badminton on the weekends to work up a sweat.

Back then, I didn’t have any personal initiative to pursue a healthy lifestyle—I wasn’t really active, and I didn’t control what I ate. And my body cepat naik (weight just shot up), you know?
W. Hasnul Hadi.

He noted that although he worked in the Partnership Distribution Division for AIA Malaysia—whose mission is to empower Healthier, Longer, Better Lives—looking after his own well-being had never been a priority.

At 38, Hadi got word that he had been selected to go on Hajj, and while the news was thrilling, medical checks for his pilgrimage revealed that he had hypertension.

“My blood pressure was dangerously high at 180,” he recalled. “I almost lost my chance to go on Hajj.” Following the diagnosis, doctors put him on medication immediately and required him to come in for regular checkups.

Yet Hadi admitted that even such a serious health warning failed to inspire immediate change in him. “I was stable enough to go for Hajj,” he said with a smile, “but I still hadn’t received the hidayah (enlightenment) to change my lifestyle.”

When It Became Personal

Hadi’s real turning point came in early 2024. He needed to dress up for a company event, only to realise that all his old clothes were now too small. Around the same time, he became increasingly aware of his weight through well-meaning comments from those around him.

“What triggered me to change was my appearance. I was 95kg at the time. It was like a switch flipped in my head—I knew I had to change.”

Hadi explained that, over time, his declining self-esteem came from his own realisation that he was no longer comfortable with the person he saw in the mirror.

*Hadi started to realise he wasn’t comfortable with his size when he had to look for something to wear to a company department event.*

The Tough Start

But Hadi didn’t overhaul his life overnight. Like most of us, he knew the hardest part wasn’t knowing what to do, but finding the motivation and structure to actually begin.

What made the difference was having a clear starting point and steady guidance through AIA Vitality, AIA’s health and wellness program embedded within its life insurance and takaful solutions, and offered free to AIA employees.

Rather than demanding drastic change, AIA Vitality provided a practical framework to help Hadi take consistent, manageable steps towards better health.

The program allowed him to track his progress, access simple health tips and screenings, and stay motivated through weekly challenges and rewards by turning healthier choices into habits he could sustain over time.

And for Hadi, that was exactly the nudge he needed to finally take that first step.

*_{Hadi uploads pictures of his meals onto the AIA Vitality Food Tracker.}*

He started by making small, deliberate changes, guided by the clarity and structure offered through AIA Vitality. He paid closer attention to what he ate, cut back on oily and sugary foods and became more mindful of portion sizes.

The program made Hadi more intentional about being active, too. He followed workout videos online, made use of the gym at his office, and started going on short runs, logging each effort along the way.

At first, progress felt slow. But with AIA Vitality tracking every workout and rewarding consistency rather than intensity, his small actions began to add up.

Those first six months were really challenging. You just couldn’t see the changes happening. It was a struggle simply because it wasn’t my routine—but once I passed the six-month mark, it finally became a habit.
W. Hasnul Hadi.

Over time, those weekly sessions, logged meals, and completed challenges on the AIA Vitality app stacked up. With every healthy choice, Hadi earned AIA Vitality Points, progressing through the programme’s tiers from Bronze to Silver, Gold and eventually Platinum.

Each tier unlocked greater rewards and partner benefits, reinforcing his efforts and giving tangible recognition to the habits he was building.

You get points you can actually use. I redeem mine for movie tickets, hotel stays, ZUS Coffee, Touch ‘n Go credit, and groceries. I even scored a smartwatch on discount through the app—it helps track my workouts and Vitality status for me.
W. Hasnul Hadi.

Hadi said that chasing that next status tier became the dangling carrot that pulled him along his path towards a healthier life. “At that time, I was hovering between Silver and Gold,” he recalled with a grin. “But, I wanted that Platinum status badly.”

*_{Hadi says that he tries to spend a few hours every day being active to reach Platinum status on the AIA Vitality program.}*

Hadi also found support at work and at home, making it easier to stay consistent and motivated.

I realised some of my friends, and even my boss, were kaki running (active runners). We’d head out for runs after work—and since my wife is also on the AIA Vitality program, we’d go running together with the kids. We’re basically climbing the ranks together as a team.
W. Hasnul Hadi.

When Progress Finally Shows

*Hadi and his colleagues crossed the finish line together during the AIA One Billion Trail 2025 run in Thailand.*

After nearly a year of grinding it out, Hadi and those close to him began to see the difference.

“Once I got fitter, I could run every single day. Now I’m down to 71kg—I’m now Platinum status on the AIA Vitality program. I felt better, my clothes fit looser, and I was sleeping more soundly,” said Hadi.

“People started coming up to me saying, ‘Eh, you dah nampak kurus‘ (You look slimmer now). Just simple words like that—but man, you enjoy hearing them. I felt proud that people were actually noticing all my hard work,” he explained.

*Hadi shared that, following his weight loss, he still wears his old clothes as pyjamas as a reminder of how far he’s come.*

Today, Hadi’s lifestyle looks completely different.

You need discipline. Motivation alone doesn’t last. The start is always the hardest part. But once you push through and it becomes a habit, that’s it. Now I cannot stop.
W. Hasnul Hadi.

Since starting his journey, Hadi has checked off several major milestones he set for himself, from competing in a full marathon to recently tackling a trail run in Khao Yai, Thailand, alongside his colleagues.

And he’s not easing up anytime soon. This year, Hadi has his eyes on the upcoming SCORE Marathon and the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon. He’s even kicking around the idea of doing a 100km trail run.

*_{Hadi said that he has now become a fellow “kaki running” enthusiast like his friends and plans to keep it going.}*

Through sheer grit and with steady guidance from AIA Vitality, Hadi didn’t just rediscover a fitter, healthier version of himself but found more energy for family, a deeper connection with friends, and a sense of belonging within a supportive community that kept him going.

And what began as a personal health reset became a lifestyle he could sustain.

So the next time you catch yourself saying, “Okay lah, I’ll start soon,” ask yourself what you are really waiting for. Because as Hadi’s story shows, all it takes is one small step to begin, and today is as good a day as any.

AIA Vitality: Empowering Healthier, Longer, Better Lives

Launched in 2016, AIA Vitality is a science-backed health and wellness program that equips members with the knowledge, tools, and gentle motivation to live better.

It’s built on a simple, all-encompassing approach to a healthier lifestyle. Members are encouraged to build sustainable habits by staying active, eating well, keeping up with regular check-ups, and getting rewarded with perks and discounts for their consistency along the way.

Now celebrating its 10th year, the program supports almost 400,000 members nationwide.

In 2025 alone, members collectively logged 230 billion steps (the equivalent of circling the Earth more than 4,500 times) and earned over RM18 million in rewards.

That same year, the program’s participants saw measurable improvements across key health indicators, where 49% improved their blood pressure, 61% improved their cholesterol, 79% improved their glucose levels, and 43% improved their BMI.

Every member’s journey with AIA Vitality begins with an AIA Health Review that reveals their personal AIA Vitality Age. This is followed by a checklist of customised goals, tailored weekly activity targets, and ongoing feedback supported by intuitive tools like the built-in food tracker and more.

Moving forward, AIA Vitality is intensifying its focus on personalisation and accessibility through initiatives such as the AIA Vitality Carnival and the 2026 SCORE Marathon, making preventive health more engaging for everyone to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.

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