Fatmah lost 22 pounds

Our Ugandan sista Fatmah lost 10kg (22 pounds). She was so sure of her size that she didn’t try on the clothing she bought while on holiday. When she got home and and nothing fit, that was the moment of truth. She says that making small, gradual changes to her eating habits and embracing weight training have really made a difference. Check out her story.

I was at my highest weight of 87 kgs (191 pounds) when I had my wake up call. I was shopping for clothes while on holiday in the UK and I didn’t bother to try anything on because I knew that I was a size 14. Even when my hubby suggested that I try some things on before I bought them I told him,”No need. I know my size”. When I returned home to Uganda nothing fit. The pants would not go past my knees and the dresses would not go over my shoulders! I knew it was time to wake up. Also, I couldn’t wear shorts anymore because my thighs rubbed together. I had to wear biker shorts under my dresses and my clothing choices were limited. I was so disapointed in myself.

I started slowly by making small changes, like having one sugar instead of 3. I used low fat milk instead of full cream and began grilling instead of frying my food. I ate healthier carbs, mostly sweet potatoes and pumpkin. I made sure half of my plate was veggies and salads with all meals. I only ate carbs after a good workout and no carbs at dinner time, only chicken and beef ( with steak once a week). I love pastries. Before, I would eat them in addition to my other meals of the day. Now, I have more balance. If I eat donuts for breakfast, for lunch I’ll have a light salad. On days that I know I’m having a 3 course meal for dinner, i have smoothies during the day to compansate en balance my calories for the day.

For exercise, I started by walking slowly, 3 times a week. Then, after a month, I did walking/running intervals 5 times a week. 4 months down the road, I weighed 80kgs and then I hit a plateau. I got demotivated until I heard about the benefits of weight training from a freind. I decided to join a gym and started lifting weights. The scale didn’t go down much, but my body was shrinking and I was getting more toned. Now, I lift weights 3 times a week combined with 30 minutes cardio that I do before I lift. I do 2 days a week of just cardio and running. 4 months after I started using weights, I lost 3 more kgs and I now weigh 77kgs (169 pounds). I realize that muscle is heavier, but I look way smaller than when I weighed 80kgs. This journey has taken 8 months and I’m still pushing on.

My advice to anyone wanting to lose weight is start with small changes and don’t be soo hard on yourself. Ditch the scales and pay attention to how your body is changing. Take it one day at a time. Dont do diets… think of it as a new lifestyle.