Manini started to think her weighty disposition was just part of her genes. She was wrong.
Being overweight is nothing new to Manini. “I’ve been overweight since childhood – both my parents are overweight,” she says. Here, she shares how she dropped 20 kilos like it’s hot!
Manini Mofokeng
Age: 24
Occupation: Health Moderator
Weight before: 85 Kg
Weight after: 65 Kg
Height: 1.67m
Time required to reach current weight: 3 years
Secret weapon: Less SOS: Sugar, Oil and Salt
The Gain
Due to the fact that Manini was an overweight child she didn’t partake in any sporting activities at school. “I was never active. I had the desire to get out there, but my body and health wouldn’t allow me. I would get tired and give up easily,” says Manini. At the age of 16, she was at her heaviest. “I mostly ate bad food,” she admits. “Typically, for breakfast I’d have vetkoek with atchar and cheese or bread with fried eggs with a cup of coffee with at least five spoons of sugar. I’d snack on junk and juice, then lunch on a kota (bunny chow) and wrap it off with pap, meat and salads with tons of mayonnaise,” she says.
The Change
“People thought I was mother’s sister,” says Manini. It was a compliment to her mom, but a massive reality check for her. “I wore a size 40 in my teens; I had to wear clothes for older women. I felt that it needed to stop before it got worse,” she says. It was after that realisation when Manini decided to take a stand and change her ways. “I joined the gym and educated myself more about good eating habits,” she adds. From there on, Manini changed the game for herself – completely.
The Lifestyle
Consistency and discipline are key to a success story like Manini’s. “At 5am, I’m at the gym for spinning classes, running and abs exercises, for at least three or four days a week,” she says. She also started making her own food – the healthier way. “I didn’t deprive myself from the things I enjoyed eating – instead of deep fried chicken, I grilled it, instead of white rice for I opted for brown rice and I had vegetables for protein,” she adds. Manini is all about eating in moderation and being loyal to the commitments she made to herself. She even started a community project called K1’s fitness, a project that helps other women achieve their health and fitness goals.
The Reward
Impacting other people’s lives for the better was reward enough for Manini. But besides that – she feels better about herself. “I feel healthier and lighter. I’ve achieved so much: I’ve dropped four dress sizes, I run 10 and 21km races with ease. I run the 21km in less the 2 and a half hours,” she says. It’s the little things that matter the most.
Manini’s Tips
Wake up knowing what you want daily.
“Work towards that feeling of satisfaction throughout the day.”
Be better than yesterday.
“Keep getting better, even if it’s the smallest steps.”
Challenges are part of the journey.
“It will be worthwhile – don’t give up.”
Looking for more inspirational weight-loss stories? Check out how Sizakele got hooked on being healthy and lost an amazing 50 kilos and how Amukelani‘s failing heart was the wake up call she needed to lose weight. Want to kickstart your own weight-loss journey for summer and beyond? Get our Lean Body Blitz 12-week meal and fitness plan to turbo-charge your slim-down.
