By MARION MAINAMore by this Author

At only 22, my weight was oscillating between 100kg and 108 kg. How did I let it get that far? Why didnt anyone do or say something? Do something?

Ironically, I was underweight at birth. As a toddler, I was almost scrawny. My mother would get very cross with me for refusing to eat. When I agreed to eat, it would be ridiculous combos like boiled rice and black tea (strungi).

Evidently, I was not born with a weight problem. I acquired it, just like any other lifestyle disease. I had a frank conversation with my mother after I went public on my weight loss journey. She disclosed how happy she had been to notice a surge in my appetite for snacks after I joined kindergarten. I was placed on a feeding program that she and I now agree was not the healthiest option at the time. Thats when my obesity began.

October 4,2017 will mark exactly two years since I made the decision of my life. I decided to take charge of my health which was slowly going down the drain. Like the trickle of a punctured pipe, unnoticeably seeping out little droplets of water. Then one day the water bill arrives, rocking a digit that is triple your salary!

You see, until that fateful day on October 4,2015, life had been a breeze. Or so I let myself believe. Surrounded by very loving family and friends, I buried my head in the sand much like the proverbial ostrich, totally oblivious to the eminent danger that was staring back at me every time I looked into a mirror.

DIFFICULT WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY

The past two years have not been easy. Between sweat, tears, bitter-tasting smoothies and being constantly misunderstood, I have been able to bring my weight down to the range of 67kgs-70kgs.

The sweat was from rigorous exercises on YouTube, jogging and occasional gym sessions. Tears were plenty in the first year, I wanted to give up so badly! Both the sweat and tears have hence ceased considerably. I am doing less strenuous workouts and the tears are not for weight loss anymore.

Being misunderstood, however, is still ongoing and usually sounds like this:

So why are you not eating cake, si you slimmed?

Why are you so complicated? Sasa, what do you eat?

You are still eating your ma-things? That is slavery!

Over the past 11 months, I have learnt not to explain myself every single time. Im in pursuit for a healthy body as a way of life. Recently, I adopted the Low-Carb High Fat diet. In just two months, I have dropped a few inches off and attained an amazing skin glow. I'm a living proof that food is medicine. And bad food as is with medicine, is poisonous, fatal.

We will embark on the journey of weight loss together. My joys, my sorrows, my exercise hacks, my recipes may just lighten the journey for the next obesity conqueror.

Fit&Fab is a new blog series by Marion Maina where she shares her pursuit of a healthy body as a way of life. Do you have feedback on this story? E-mail: [emailprotected]

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FIT&FAB: I'm 30kg lighter but my healthy lifestyle pursuit just begun - Daily Nation