- A dynamic new programme unites top chefs and popular eateries to demonstrate that nutritious food can be simple, tasty, and achievable for everyone.
- Throughout November, participants can enjoy 30-minute healthy recipes curated to fuel their 30×30 fitness routines.
As the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) celebrates its ninth year, it continues to redefine the city’s approach to health with Fuel Your Challenge – an inspiring new initiative that proves great movement starts with great nutrition.
Running from 1 to 30 November 2025, this programme reaffirms that exercise and diet form two sides of the same wellbeing equation.
In collaboration with Dubai’s best-loved dining destinations and renowned chefs, DFC will unveil a collection of easy, nourishing recipes over the month – each crafted to be cooked in 30 minutes or less, showing how effortless healthy eating can be.
Since it began in 2017 under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, DFC has motivated millions to move every day.
This year’s slogan, Find Your Challenge, encourages participants to explore the full spectrum of wellbeing, including how nutrition fuels fitness, stamina, and progress.
Reflecting Dubai’s rich food culture, Fuel Your Challenge brings together restaurants and chefs from across the city’s vibrant culinary community. Partners include Vietnamese Foodies, Gastro Kitchen, Three by Eva, It’s a Family Affair, Accents Restaurants and Terrace, Kanpai, Skafos, LOWE, The Noodle House, and Hillhouse Brasserie.
The initiative underscores the message that lasting results stem from balanced living. Proper nutrition underpins endurance, recovery, and vitality – a vital part of Dubai’s commitment to becoming one of the planet’s most active cities.
Designed with the modern lifestyle in mind, Fuel Your Challenge helps participants make wholesome food choices even with busy schedules. Every dish has been carefully developed for optimal nutrition and taste within minimal time, proving that eating well can be both easy and enjoyable.
New recipes, ranging from energising breakfasts to post-workout meals, will be published each week during November. Whether participants are winding down after the Dubai Run presented by Mai Dubai or simply seeking everyday healthy options, these creations are crafted to fit smoothly into daily routines.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: “Dubai Fitness Challenge has always been about more than just exercise – it’s about inspiring lasting lifestyle change. With ‘Fuel Your Challenge’, we’re addressing a crucial part of that journey: nutrition. By partnering with the city’s culinary talent to create quick, healthy recipes, we’re making it easier for everyone to nourish their bodies while staying active. In the UAE’s ‘Year of Community’, this initiative brings people together not just through movement, but through the shared experience of preparing and enjoying wholesome meals. It’s another way we’re helping Dubai become one of the most active and healthiest cities in the world.”
With 2.7 million participants joining DFC in 2024 alone, the momentum for healthier living has never been stronger. “Fuel Your Challenge” ensures that nutrition is no longer an afterthought but a celebrated, essential part of the DFC experience.
All recipes will be available free of charge throughout November. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a complete beginner, there’s a recipe for everyone to discover, enjoy, and make their own.
