If you sniff hard enough, even in Nigeria, you will smell the excitement of ‘summer’. In fact, these days, my clients often approach me saying:
‘Coach, I am travelling ooo, I must have my summer body…’
‘Eziaha, I have a wedding this summer, and I must slay ooo…’
‘E’, there is this family event in July, and it is literally a reunion. I can’t be the one looking off. Please, what can we do in 10weeks?’
One of them even jokingly said we would have to exchange bodies if she doesn’t hit her target by a specific time. Lol! If it were possible, I am sure she would have done it, even if she had to tie me up somewhere for that to happen.
Beyond Summer
What is it about summer that makes people decide to lose weight. In fact, what is it about any occasion that makes people want to lose weight? Beyond summer, there’s Christmas and New Year with people scrambling to stay in shape. Then there are the milestone birthdays, especially for those about to clock the big 4.0!
Regardless of your reason to lose weight, I am here for all of it.
My Story
I remember my epic weight loss journey and how I lost about 30kg in four months. I achieved this strictly from exercising and following a clean, healthy and balanced diet.
Back then, my reason for weight loss was purely aesthetic. I had childhood fantasies of birthing twin girls and constantly being asked if I was their older sister. Since I ended up with two very energetic boys, I decided that at least I would control the part of the narrative that I could control – my weight.
So, once I was done feeling sorry for myself and comparing my life with everyone on social media, I decided to lose all the weight that resulted from pregnancy and nursing.
I won!!
I achieved my weight loss goals, even though they were fueled by aesthetic reasons. However, I later realised that while aesthetics is good enough, I had found a deeper reason. A healthy lifestyle was something I gifted myself. I wanted to empower my body well enough to do everything I wanted to do on earth.
I discovered the benefits of this choice from little, seemingly mundane things. For instance, when I weighed over 100kg, I would carry my then 3-month old a short distance and be breathless. My energy level was so low. After I lost weight to my ideal 75kg, it seemed like strength hit me from above. My baby was bigger, but I found him easier to carry and even play with. It then dawned on me that I just may have also given myself an overall quality of life that allowed me really live.
Other Benefits
Losing weight the right way, that is through exercising and maintaining a balanced and portion controlled diet comes with enormous benefits. It empowered me to make healthy decisions on behalf of my family. Especially my kids.
And then, there were all the other benefits to my health. The first thing that left me was menstrual pain. I suffered from the worst, but once I cleaned up my diet and adopted a healthier lifestyle, I would get my period without even knowing. The simple truth, ladies, is that FAT is unhealthy. This is not about body-shaming anymore, this is about health.
Wow. The aesthetic got me in on the ride, the more fundamental reason has helped me stay on track longer than the aesthetic would have. And I truly think our reasons should be a combination of the deep and the seemingly shallow.
Conclusion
So, you want to lose weight to achieve your summer body? Great! Grandma’s 70th? Absolutely. #EmmaDee2019 wedding of the year? Here for it. Find a great reason and motivation to lose weight, but along the ride, also find your deeper reason and then rock out your weight loss journey.