On March 20th 2020, Gbemi turned 30. Instead of joy and celebration, she buried herself in self-criticism and tears. She had intended to improve her health status and shed at least 10KG before she turned 30, but here she was weighing even more than she did before she made the resolve as well as with a doctor’s diagnosis stating that her weight has increased her risk of getting high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
She wallowed in her gloom for the entire day, and when dawn came the following day, she decided to do something about her situation for good. She had relegated her fitness to the background with the excuse of work and ‘no time’. Luckily for her, the Federal Government had just announced the lockdown meaning she didn’t have to battle the annoying Lagos traffic to work anymore.
Here’s what she did:
Drew up a workout plan and downloaded fitness apps
A goal without a plan is merely a wish. Gbemi knew this and so she downloaded fitness apps and drew up a workout plan with her desired goal in mind with the target of exercising at least thrice weekly.
Ordered new pairs of gym wears
Exercising in cute gym wears always boosts motivation for every gender. The excitement of working out looking glam brought a rush of energy to Gbemi.
Called up her bestie to buddy up
Gbemi had failed in the past because there was no one to keep her accountable, but this time would be different. She called up Rita her best friend to buddy up via WhatsApp video every week and she was more than happy to oblige.
Cleared out the junk
Food was not the enemy – its just the choice of food and the quantity consumed that brings about extra and unnecessary calories. Gbemi decided to help herself and made changes to her snack and food choices. She didn’t go crazy with dieting – instead she chose more natural foods, fruits and vegetables instead of the processed or juiced alternatives.
Set weekly workout alarms/reminders
Working from home, it was easy for Gbemi to forget the aspect of self-care, so like everything she considered a priority, Gbemi set weekly reminders in her phone and laptop to avoid forgetting her workouts.
Switched to a positive mindset
She ditched every negative self-talk or mindset and believed that she could lose the excess weight even if it meant 1KG every month.
The Result
Through April to July 2020, Gbemi stayed true to her fitness journey and commitment and here’s what happened.
- She lost a total of 8.9KG in four months
- Her health status improved.
- She gained a ton of confidence and self-worth.
- Her sense of discipline spiraled.
- She discovered a mental strength she didn’t know she had.
Bottom line: No matter where you currently are, you’re only one decision away from becoming healthier, fitter and better.