THIS IS WHY I RUN...

My story of running is one I have told countless times and will continue to tell. It's a story of effort and determination. It's been an inspiration to many and I hope to inspire more.

Anytime someone asks me why I run, I'm tempted to show them this picture.  And yes,  this is why I run.This picture here was my awakening call that I needed to do something.This photo was taken in May 2019 during a friend's birthday. I remember crying myself to sleep the night it was sent to me. I just couldn't take it! I remember crossing my fingers my friend doesn't post it on Facebook, and fortunate enough, she didn't. Whoooaa..

I was mad at myself! I still remember it was on 22nd May, (60 days to my 30th birthday) when I talked to a friend and told her how I planned losing 12 kgs in 8 weeks.  I was 76, and I wanted to weigh 64 by my birthday. Crazy, right!

Well, how did I get there in the first place. I actually don't remember but I began getting body conscious in 2015. Towards the end of that year, most of my clothes could not fit and I was forced to shop anew. It was an easy thing to do, but then I realized I didn't want to adjust to a new body size, I wanted to stay the lean girl I had always been growing up.

First thing I did was jump into fad diets, just like many people do while beginning their weight loss journey. The diets restrict you to certain foods while completely eliminating others, and limiting on the time of the day you can partake particular foods. In my case, I adopted the no wheat (elimination) and no carbs after 3 pm. It worked and  would lose weight in a few months but the weight would all come back after I resumed 'normal' feeding. It took me almost three years back and forth with the diets till I gave up at some point. I was ready to adjust to a new body size. After all, tutapewa mwili mpya mbinguni 😃 ( will get a new body in heaven)

It's 2018 December and I happen to travel for vacation . I'm away for a little over two weeks and during that period I let myself loose and indulge without a care in this world. Traveling is fun , and it gets better when you get to sample foreign cuisines, 😋 that is if you love food like I do.

I returned home around Christmas time. Fatigued and jet lagged and would only spend most of the days in bed. I was getting these funny faces from my family . Then upon returning to work I was greeted with " Congratulations" Everyone was convinced I was pregnant. My solution was to get back to dieting. 

December 2018 during my vacation. I weighed 79 kg

It was until the moment of the first photo herein attached that I knew I had to do something different. I had to find a sustainable solution to weight loss and management. I had joined a certain group that advocated for intermittent fasting for weight loss. 

Intermittent fasting is basically alternating between periods of fasting and feasting. You confine intake of food and calorie containing drinks to a set window of hours and abstain from food for the rest remaining hours of the day. (24 hours) However, you're allowed to drink water and no calorie beverages like plain black coffee and tea. Common methods are OMAD ( one meal a day) and 16/8 

I gave intermittent fasting a try and it worked for me. I lost 5 kg in four weeks.Still felt I was lagging behind on my target and that is when I began running. I would run three days a week and fast for one (24 hrs) I never managed my target of losing 12 kg in 2 months ,but came pretty close. I was at 67 kg when I turned thirty. It was a big deal for me. It was the greatest gift I accorded myself stepping into thirties

stepping into thirty, glad and proud of the progress I had made 😍

I wasn't going to stop at that  and I happened to have some friends who were already into recreational running. They encouraged me to run more and shortly I found myself registering for races and medal hunting 😉  Fasting was no longer in my schedule and I was feeding without any restrictions and continued to run till date. Contrary to what is often said; you cant outrun a bad diet, I have somehow been able to beat that, lost and maintained weight without much thought into what I eat. It's the abs that draw the line 😅 As much as I could say I got a flat tummy, the "ripped effect" has not manifested which makes me agree on the adage ;abs are made in the kitchen.

28 years old vs 33 years 

Same dress three and half years later. I have moved from a size 16/14 to now 10/8 

 

Running comes with other benefits other than weight loss : overall mental health (its cheaper than therapy), physical strength , strong immune system among others. It also has some drawbacks, the main one being risk on injury ,especially to the weight bearing joints. 

It is therefore advisable for anyone to check with a doctor before you begin on any exercise. 

As the title goes, this is why I run , it's a story of how running helped me lose weight and maintain and  continued to do it for several other reasons. It is good to note that what works for me could not work for everyone else. It does no harm to explore other methods of weight management and if need be, consult a professional (nutritionist/dietitian/fitness coach) 

In addition to running, I have since incorporated strength training to tone up the body.

Progress, not perfection.

Here I am,58 kg, still running, staying hydrated, living healthy, with a glow 😎

Have you struggled with weight management? What are the things that worked/are working for you?