What happens after reaching your goal weight?

Harare, Zimbabwe – I always wonder if people have a plan when they reach their goal weight. The journey to your weight loss or fat loss target is an exciting one, unfortunately the biggest problem is “Then what?”

From experience how you transform is very important in the maintenance of the body and what your next goal is.

My goal was to shred and get smaller…my next goal was to build muscle and stamina…current goal is to refine my muscle and build strength. Again that is my choice, so it has to be clear what you want and how you intend to maintain.

Back to the issue on how you gained the body, from previous experience people who used fast track methods, testosterone boosts, fat burners while achieve results fast and perfected with the high level of training, gain the weight back once off it. The truth is train your body to increase the hormones for burning fat, be patient and consistent. Get to your body weight if you had the bare minimum can be adjusted. Gym fees have hiked, and if your gym was already crazy expensive… can you stay fit without that gym? Do you have alternatives?

Stay hydrated and consistent, build a sustainable lifestyle, not terrible habits! Abeg!

Xoxo

Robin

MUST HAVES and needs in your gym kit

It is the NEW YEAR and for many people continuing or starting on body goals has commenced.

I took a break this festive from the fitness and had fatigued my body from the travel so I decided to start mid January.

Lawson Kopje Class for all….was unexpected and we were never ready

I had to learn some lessons along the way on what I need to carry in my gym kit and general rules when gyming to get the most of my 45min to 1 hour training session.

Whether you choose a local community running club, Zumba, a gym or a personal coach or trainer there are some non negotiable entitities you need to carry. As well what you MUST do as well.

MUST DO

1. A gym towel and water bottle are needed to be carried at all times. And also a tracksuit Jacket in case of weather changes.

2. Cellphone should always be untouched or on silent in a gym session. Do not get tempted to read messages or overshare your gym time by yourself. Get with it. Make sure it is safe from water or any damage.

3. Never ever carry junk food with you to the gym. People hate that ish.

MUST CARRY

1. Outdoor is a face cream and SPF sunscreen for the outdoors. A cap, visor helps stop sunburn.

2. Gym gloves, because weight training is better that way.

3. Deodrant. I choose mens deo because of the strong sweat smell. Fitness Planet gym insists one ato use their gym they need perfume and deodrant.

4. Your bathing equipment towels lotion and slippers to take a shower at the gym before you head out. Best to always wash off the grime and sweat. Carry easy change of clothes.

FINAL TIP

Arrange your items in easy order before you sleep or head out to make sure you do not forget to wear all items.

Wash gym clothes soon after usage so they do not pile into a stinky mess and leave your clothes with a sweaty stench.

Lazzie, Me and Verily (L to R)

Show up and Pump it up at the gym

Happy Exercise

xoxo

robz

Getting ready to wake up early!

Weight loss 365+ days later and the lessons

HARARE – The weightloss resolution is one people take but few can commit for 12 months straight.

In 2017 I was a full member of a gym for 12 months. In the last two months I joined a sports coaching fitness program outdoor for less money but more personalised approach.

Jan 2017 to Nov 2017

During my gym stint I did all forms of exercise. I did outdoor and loved it dearly running at the Kopje. I also enjoyed trying dance fit and dance exercise. I learnt how to use boxing gloves and still havent liked step class ever since.

My coach Lazarus Kalota is pretty cool as a trainer and frenemy in the gym. I recommend him in combination with good eating habits as a coach.

I lost a total of 17kgs in 2017.

Here is what I learnt about weight loss that I didnt know before:

• Exercise is therapeutic. – I went to the kopje when I had anger towards my grandma going through chemo and how the man I loved kept disrespecting me. I used my anger on the field a couple of times and deadlifted some major tyre. Turn negative energy to kinetic energy.
• Losing weight isnt equal to automatic happiness – I was sad to not be attractive for many guys at my age, but now the more shapely bodies means I cannot filter guys who are here for the body not the person. My heart was broken when I was chubby and when I was more shapely…Who knew I never could train my heart.
• Consistency and Discipline in all spheres – life is like training. Have a goal..feel discouraged… invest more…get a mentor…get advice… practice control and you will get results and eventually reach your goal.
• Supplements Crash diets are okay but only for athletes or celeb emergency – supplements aid digestion speeden up processes but not long term sustainable or affordable. Most non athletes off them gain weight as they start to eat normally. Eat foods you like that are healthy…in 6 months you will see a difference. Rather than getting on a diet not suitable for your medical conditions or body stick to long term lifestyle changes rather than a quick fix. Losing weight rapidly can cause saggy skin and is not sustainable.

Overally it wasnt easy and I felt like quitting often but knowing my goal was important. I wanted to feel energetic and attractive again. Also so the naysayers realise that I knew why I got overweight its not that I didnt know…I just never worked for it.

For all those planning to change their health status. Give it time patience consistency and hard work, it is a mental game.

xoxo

Happy new year from Robz

#FormerFatty Series: 21 Day rule never giving up hope

I will name this series, former fatty series, a few days ago I wanted to give up. My weight had started creeping up again and I was rather bored working out by myself. So I wanted to write to encourage the discouraged because I been there!

3 LESSONS from fatness to fitness: Harare Fitness Community

Either you get fit to look better or you get fit for survival. I have learnt how fitness teaches a lot on life. A special event happened as I ran up the hill at Kopje with police rookies.

The Kopje Hill

The latter is the community of people who use fitness and sport to earn a living. Sensei Mugove Muhambi is a martial arts guru who also trains, he has managed to earn respect in body building and martial arts sport as well as where he grew up, Epworth.

Mona, is a top boxer a female one who I met in February this year and again in June training. She lost a lot of baby weight in 6 months when she took a break from her sport. She has taught me a lot about my form when boxing, which is good and has room for perfection.

LESSON: What these sports champions have taught me is working hard WILL change your life, and nothing worth having comes easy.

My trainer Lazzie always fought with my attitude of quitting at what I hated, like running…I couldn’t run because I hated it. He let me do it alone and learn how to face my fears alone, I went on break and ran my first 5 kilometres run in Maputo. I went on another break in Malawi and did Cross fit while away. My abs remain to make a high-definition appearance and while I have to strength to do it, I am more determined to prove to him that I am QUEEN.

Lazzie, Me and Verily (L to R)

LESSON: In life your challenges are yours to face, a coach or mentor believes in you but the decision is yours

Another fitness king is Lawson, my first and last fitness battle was for his birthday. I was unfit but determined to exercise before I went to Zanzibar in February. I had only been fit for a month and a half. As honest as he is, a Pastor, he confessed his truth about how hideous my body was before Lazzie helped me reach a good level of fitness. See when you are starting a new challenge, people see your potential and hard work before you are good. I was at the front row and I was bigger but very focused. When I trained with him, he admitted that indeed my mental strength was insane and strong.

Lawson Kopje Class for all….was unexpected and we were never ready

LESSON: It is never about what others think of your challenge, your brain has to be in the game and the rest of people will sit and learn.

My final lesson is improvement is important, from aerobics step class to outdoor to boxing to crossfit to hill running my next task is tire exercises at home. My abs and glutes remain  to be perfected like my sisters who have amazing below 60kg runner bodies.

Home tyre center

I have upped my home exercise game and I am ready for my tire exercises at home. Bring it! 13 kg down already and I am ready!

x.o.x.o

rob

The Freedom Project. . . What really motivated me to lose weight!

A month since my last blog post but more than a year since I have been completely open and blogger like on this platform. So here I am, Concrete Jungle Fashionista back to do what I began years ago, which is share too much information.

For the past three years I was defined by my employer so in May I quit my job to pursue a project I call freedom. The freedom project was when I decided it was time to turn my life around.

A complete change started when I was miserable in my job for over 12 months of absolute misery, then I started gaining weight. It crept up slowly over several months of eating crap and not moving an inch.

I went to the Doctor and my body was in bad shape from all the misery at work. See people say that work things should not affect you, but it does get to be a stress at a certain point. It stemmed from actual harassment from people abusing power to make my experience hell. The sad thing is the level of presence of these individuals when they greet me as if they care how I am. (Bish Please).

I got prescribed mild anti depressants, instead of medicating myself while under misery I decided to fight off the negative energy through exercise.

In two weeks I realized how exercise is like fighting for a dream, putting in the work discipline and mental resilience taught me this was more about my need to start my venture as hamba now and have FREEDOM.

Back with a bang!

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So here I am free to express myself and mostly live my dream and running away from negative feeling. Exercise has given me a level of achievement I cannot imagine to explain.

In 6 months I have lost 13 kilograms and have learnt a lot about hard work and myself in the process.

So far the leap of faith has resulted in events in my life I will be sharing weekly, more than once that include the following,

Travelling around Africa for festivals

Debut Fashion Collection in Lilongwe

The truth about travel tips and sheer comedy when traveling

Here is to a new chapter in my life, it feels good to be back and stronger than ever before😍!

x.o.x.o

robz

My first facial, an honest experience

Curtley’s Zimbabwe HARARE – In all my years, I have never found the need to have a facial. My skin has no acne problem, in fact it changes its needs every season. Winter is my best time for my skin, it behaves well. In high school I subjected it to a lot of sunburn because of a bad habit in winter.

I revived it with water SPF and brightening cosmetics, but the best for me was Tea Tree Cream and Vitamin E cream.

Fast forward, as I did the #FESOChallenge, Kuda from Curtley’s Salon and Spa gave me a surprise facial after having learnt about FESO hair cosmetic range. 

How I ate #BaobabPowder to get toned

BAOBAB is the TRUTH, but there is a background to this post. . .

I probably only watch Television during the weekend, Sunday/Saturday afternoon. Mostly Saturdays and I was interested in another cheesy show by Kourtney Kardashian. Where in all the makeup and surgery, she helps people lose weight in 12 weeks to revenge those that doubted the people.

While in 12 weeks they do daily exercises, diet monitored and controlled and celebrity trainers…this is not affordable post show for some.

The Concrete Jungle Workout Plan 2017

HARARE – I always knew that my choices in foods was the problem. Diet is 80 percent of weight loss, by diet I mean what you eat and drink will have an impact the most on your body. People have misunderstood the word diet to mean a program that is insane, e.g A liquids only eating plan for a week or two to lose 8 kilograms.

Why I do not join #90DayChallenge weightloss programs

I am not a fan of 90 Day Challenges, or similar detoxes that require someone to eat a cucumber at night or drink green kale juice instead of cooking the kale and chewing it like a normal human being.

In the tabloid paper, I saw an overweight socialite start a 90-Day Challenge, last year Radio DJs too from ZiFM also did a 90 Day Challenge. Always at the beginning of each year, some celeb has decided to shed the Christmas calories. However I do have my reservations and here it is..