When Patience Masara left for university, a demanding schedule led to her neglecting her health – and so began a cycle of bad eating habits and poor self-image. Realising she needed to make a change, Patience adjusted her eating habits and returned to her active roots. Here’s how she did it…
Patience Masara
City: Harare, currently living in Pretoria
Age: 23
Occupation: Social work graduate intern
Weight before: 54kg
Weight after: 62kg
Time required to reach goal: Two years
Secret fitness weapons: Consistency and discipline
READ MORE: “Fitness Helped Me Better My Mental Health”
How she got started
Patience had always been active growing up, but at university her health took a back seat. “I began to neglect my health and [lost] a significant amount of weight. I’d developed bad eating habits – I hardly ate and [didn’t realise] the importance of healthy, balanced meals. This eventually resulted in a poor body image,” she explains.
Nutrition and training
Not happy with where things were heading, Patience made several changes – most notably in her relationship with food. “I wasn’t worried about what I was putting into my body… I hadn’t fully grasped what I needed to eat – and how much – to gain muscle mass. I now have a deeper understanding of the importance of carbs, protein and fats, among other micronutrients, and how these fuel my body and help me achieve results.”
READ MORE: “I Went From Underweight And Malnourished To Healthy And Strong”
Patience attributes a large part of achieving her fitness goals to meal prep. “Not only does meal prepping save me time; it’s helped me with staying on track and ensuring I don’t fall off the wagon.”
Patience also practices isolation training, focusing on one muscle group per session. “I train four to five times a week and each day is dedicated to training a specific muscle group. For instance, Monday I [focus on my] legs, and I usually finish off the session with a 20-minute cardio circuit,” she explains.
Keeping it going
Patience has mixed feelings about motivation. “Some days you can wake up feeling really motivated to go and smash your workout; on other days that motivation is just not there.” Instead, she relies on discipline: “I’ve trained myself to be more disciplined because if you rely on discipline, you’ll always get things done.”
Patience worked hard for her current physique – and it was worth it. “My mental health is in a good state. Despite the physical changes, I think the intangible benefits are much more rewarding,” she says. Keen for other women to experience these benefits, Patience runs group boot camps for young women, where she not only helps them to reach their body goals, she also encourages self-love, confidence and body positivity.
READ MORE: “I Lost 15 Kilos And Now I Feel Healthier Than Ever”
Patience’s tips
Consistency is key: “Stay consistent with your meal plan and workouts and you will see results.”
Progress, not perfection: “Slow progress is still progress. Don’t feel defeated when you don’t see results as soon as you’d like to.”
It’s your journey: “Your fitness journey is unique to you, so enjoy it, embrace it and only be in competition with yourself.”
