How this woman lost an incredible 35,2kg!

After years of battling to lose weight, Legc Bokwandini (31), an account manager who lives with her husband Praneel (37) and 19-month-old daughter in Germiston, changed her lifestyle and lost an incredible 35,2 kilograms! Find out how she did it...

Always the fat kid

“I had been overweight for as long as I could remember. As a child I was always the ‘fat kid’ in class who was constantly teased by other children,” says Bokwandini.

“When I moved to Johannesburg for work, I lost complete control over my lifestyle. Living without any parental supervision, sports or after-school activities, my weight spiralled out of control. It got worse after I moved in with Praneel, my then fiancé, as our social life became focused around food - we ate out a lot, and enjoyed braais with family and friends on most weekends.”

Walking down the aisle

Ten years later the wedding plans began and for Bokwandini, the reality of walking down the aisle weighing more than 90kg was both depressing and scary.

“All I could see when I looked at myself was an image of a ‘huge’ unattractive soon-to-be bride

who was going to be crammed inside a wedding dress. I hated myself for what I had done to myself and my body, but not enough to make a change.”

Getting married only caused her to gain even more weight as the couple’s bad habits continued to spiral out of control. “By the time I fell pregnant I was already weighing more than 100kg. Completing the simplest daily tasks would often leave me feeling tired and even short of breath.”

Feeling worthless

Bokwandini says she gave into her weaknesses and eventually became resentful, depressed and felt worthless.

“Each time people noticed or glanced at me, I felt like they were secretively judging and labelling me, and as a result, I avoided going to public events,” says Bokwandini, “Soon, people started avoiding me as well - my colleagues would never invite me to any parties and functions outside work. At work my capabilities, opinions and decisions remained undermined and were never taken seriously. The only time I felt ‘safe’ and un-judged was with my close family and friends.”

Desperate measures

“The list of the methods I used in attempt to lose my extra weight were endless, from shakes, pills, drops, ‘magic soaps’, gym, a number of home-made, ‘scientifically proven diets’, and I even tried starving myself!” says Bokwandini.

While they would cause her to lose weight quickly, within two weeks she would regain the weight or wind-up feeling ill.

“After each diet fail, I would be back to my unhealthy habits that would leave me feeling guilty and depressed. Suddenly, food had taken over my life and I felt powerless and out of control.”

What changed?

Bokwandini says one day she got tired of feeling like she merely existed, instead of enjoying life. “I made a decision to lose weight and become healthy, not to please other people, but to improve myself and my health in the process.”

“One of my close friends introduced me to Weigh-Less, she told me how well it had worked for her, and the results were clearly evident. After that, I felt inspired and was ready to do the same.”

She joined the Waltons Corporate Group with group leader, Elize Du Preez, and says she was determined to change her life.

“My first week was tough as I had to adjust from my bad eating habits into a new healthy eating plan. I had developed a terrible habit of climbing on the scale every time I walked past the bathroom but when I started Weigh-Less I put it away and decided not to de-motivate myself with the daily fluctuations and rather wait for the weekly weigh-ins.”

She lost 3,4 kg in the first week and couldn’t believe it! “I was so overjoyed by the loss that I was even reduced to tears. The amount of help and support I received from family, friends and from my Group Leader kept me strong and grounded during these first few weeks.”

To further motivate herself, she set small goals that would be easy to reach, since reaching her goal weight seemed far away.

A healthy new lifestyle

“My social life had always been surrounded by food and festivities,” says Bokwandini , “Now we enjoy days at the zoo, fishing and camping and one of my most unforgettable experiences to date was sky diving! I progressed from being scared of just leaving the house to jumping 8 500 feet (2 590 metres) from a plane!”

She says that going out to restaurants is no longer a frequent occasion, “We only go out for special occasions and celebrations and when we do, I always ensure that I choose the healthiest options on the menu.”

Bokwandini also packs healthy snacks in her handbag and a little cooler bag with a lunch and yoghurt to ensure she always has a healthy food option.

She says exercise is also a big part of her life now. “I exercise for 20 minutes each day both at home and at work.”

Newly found confidence

The way she felt about herself began to change. “I soon gained confidence and was no longer embarrassed to speak to people. I became far more involved at work, and even took part in training sessions and in presentations, as opposed to before when all I would do was sit quietly in a corner and remain unnoticed.”

Bokwandini says a highlight of her journey was when one of her long-time friends, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, walked passed without recognising her. “She was truly amazed by my transformation, and this was proof that I had made the right decision.”

In the beginning she had to try and fit Weigh-Less into her lifestyle but now Bokwandini says it’s simply a way of living. “In the beginning I used to cook separate meals for my husband, but after witnessing my drastic weight loss he soon enjoyed the tasty Weigh-Less meals. In four months he lost a whopping 16kg!”

“Weigh-Less has completely transformed my life, and given me the chance to appreciate and value myself more while cherishing and embracing every moment.”

Legé’s top weight loss tips

• Patience is the key

Weight-loss is not a process. Make health and leading a healthy life your goal and the weight-loss will be a bonus.

• Keep moving

Exercise at least three times a week. Start having more active and fun-filled activities on weekends, even if it’s on your own.

• Remove temptation

Throw away any tempting, unhealthy snacks in your kitchen

• Surround yourself with positive and supportive people

These people will help keep you strong and motivated, and will even believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself.

Recommended reading: 4 Weight loss habits that skinny people swear by

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