“Build a good relationship with food”
You learn a few things when you embark on a weight loss journey. Little things you might have neglected before. “I learnt how to fuel and nourish my body instead of eating to feed my emotions,” said the 24-year-old Carol Chigumira.
Nyarai Carol Chigumira
Age: 24
Occupation: Law Student
Weight before: 90 Kg
Weight after: 60 Kg
Height: 1.72m
Time required to reach current weight: 3 years
Secret weapon: Discipline, dedication, self-motivation and patience
The Gain
Carol was never a big child, she was fit, energetic and an avid tennis player in primary. The weight gain only started in high school. “My dad worked at a chocolate, sweets and crisps company – and would bring home boxes of junk of which I snacked on a daily basis,” she confessesIf it wasn’t her very unhealthy snacks, she was having other unhealthy fast foods, “I loved anything greasy, cheesy and full of sugar.” The weight piled on her body till her heaviest; hence she had also stopped playing tennis and wasn’t active at all. “I needed to lose weight.”
READ MORE: These Stuffed Potatoes Seem Like Junk Food – But Are Healthy AF
The Change
April 2013, I started varsity. “Besides the fact that I come from a bloodline of diabetes and high blood pressure members, which I was probably at risk of, I was also unhappy with my weight,” she says. So she decided to use that time to change her state of being. “I joined a gym first time in my life – and I instantly fell in-love with it. She also jogged, did strength training, group training and toned up her body. “With that I made small daily diet changes too, for example instead of having corn flakes and full cream milk, I’d have bran flakes with skim milk,” she adds. Baby steps.
READ MORE: “I Lost 47 Kilos And I Feel Amazing, Confident And Smaller”
The Lifestyle
“In the beginning my diet was eating what I used to eat but replaced with healthier options,” she says. Her food portions also decreased but ate more frequently throughout the day. “Now that my body has adjusted to the dietary changes I have completely cut out high carb foods from my diet and have replaced it with healthier carbs such as wholewheat bread/ sweet potatoes, oats,” she adds. That coupled with more jogs and gym time.
READ MORE: 15-Minute Total Tone-up Workout You Can Do Anywhere
The Reward
“I feel so much healthier and happier. I managed to come down from a size 42 to 34 in jeans and coming down from size XL dresses to size small dresses which was a huge accomplishment for me,” admits Carol. She now has new appreciation for food and how it can either nourish your body or kill your body and how it is up to you to decide what you want to do to your body. Wisdom!
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Carol’s Tips
Love where you’re at. “While you work towards where you want to be”
Getting fit is not a punishment. “It’s a celebration of what your body can do”
Don’t grow old before you witness your body’s beauty and strength. “You’d be amazed at what your body can do”
Looking for more weight-loss advice? Here are five things you should NEVER do when starting a new diet.