Today we feature Stefanie van Eeden from Alexandria in the Eastern Cape. Even though her closest gym is 100km she managed to lose 60kgs in total over the year. She managed this by doing ALL 3 Sleekgeek 8-Week Challenges in 2018!
Name: Stefanie van Eeden
Age:27
Location: Alexandria (Eastern Cape) AKA the middle of nowhere
What do you do? I am a full time mom
What else do you do? I love sewing in my spare time.
YOU AND SLEEKGEEK
How long have you been a member of Sleekgeek?
I have been apart of SG since 2014/2015 so it has been +- 5 years.
How did you find Sleekgeek?
I searched for a platform on Facebook that could assist with weight loss . I initially thought SG was just another community that could help me with a quick fix weight loss program until I could find the next best diet solution on the market. Oh boy was I wrong!
What is your favourite part of the Sleekgeek Community?
Definitely the lifelong friends I have made as well as the amazing support the community offers.I love that there is always someone facing the same battles as me.

YOUR TRANSFORMATION
Describe the “old you” before you made your transformation. How did you get there and what were you like?
I have always been overweight since high school. I can remember being teased by friends and even family for being the “fat” kid.
The “old me” was very lazy with no drive. I never looked forward to the next day because each day felt like the last.
I was stuck thinking I can eat and drink what I want. WHY? because i’m already overweight so one more slab won’t make a difference.
What ignited your initial motivation to change?
My daughter that was only 3 at the time asked me to come play with her. I didn’t even walk 10 steps before telling her that I couldn’t play anymore because i was tired.
This was one major wake up call.
What are some of the things that the new you does differently now?
The new me gets up at 4am to exercise. The “old me” just complained about having no time for anything except watching TV, playing games and surfing the internet.
The new me prepares every meal in advance while the “old me” just grabbed the quickest option available.
The new me doesn’t make any excuses.
What are some of the things that the new you still struggles with?
I still can’t accept that I lost weight and sometimes still see myself as overweight.
If you could give yourself 1 piece of advice to help with that struggle, what would it be?
To stop being so hard on myself.
Did you plateau, get stuck, or get disillusioned, or even slide backwards a bit on your journey?
Yes . My journey has not been a straight line . I have lost some weight and also gained some. There were days i didn’t care for exercising and days I didn’t want to eat healthy and just stuffed my face. But I never gave up. I picked myself up after every bad meal and missed training session and just tried to be better.
What is better since you got healthy?
I am now able to play with all three of my kids at the same time and I can run for 5 kms before feeling that I want to faint on the spot. Best of all is I can now see my feet in the shower.

TRAINING
What’s your favourite form of exercise?
Cardio.
How long have you been training and how did you get started?
I have been training on and off for a few years but have only started training seriously this last year.
What does your typical workout look like?
In the mornings I will get up at 4am for a 7-10km run 6 times a week. And in the evening I will do either rebounding or weights for 90 minutes. I stay 100km from the nearest gym so all my training is done at home.
Favorite exercise?
Rebounding. Who doesn’t love jumping up and down on a trampoline.
Least favorite exercise?
Squats.
How does exercise make you feel?
Exercise makes me feel more confident. When i finish a 2 hour run it makes me feel like I can do anything – like I can conquer the world.
Do you prefer to train alone or with others?
I prefer training alone it is the only “me” time that i get.
Most embarrassing training moment?
I tried to show a group of ladies how to do box jumps. I misjudged the height of the box and went tumbling over .
Top 3 things you must have at the gym or in you gym bag?
Water.
Towel.
Mp3 player.
Your next training goal?
I would love to do more intense training. My next goal is to be able to do 20 pull ups and also weight training.
Top 5 songs on your training playlist
Linkin Park – Breaking the habit
LP,Eminem & Alan Walker – Legends never die.
ACDC- Thunder struck.
Imagine Dragons- Thunder
Anything by Redfoo while doing rebounding this keeps me amped.
How has exercise/training/Sport Changed your life?
I was always lazy and unable to enjoy life. But exercising didn’t just change me physically but mentally as well. I love life now! I can’t wait to stand up and make the best of my entire day.
NUTRITION
What’s your favourite meal?
Pizza
OK, now what’s your favourite healthy meal?
Stir fry. Any kind I would eat it for weeks in a row.
How many meals a day do you eat?
Three.
Favourite protein?
Eggs
Favourite fats?
Avo
Favourite carbohydrate?
Potatoes
Do you have a cheat meal / treat strategy?
I have one treat a week. Anything more than that ends up in a non-stop binge.

MINDSET
Most memorable personal best achievement to date. Something you maybe never imagined you could do?
Losing half my bodyweight without using any supplements.
Favorite quote?
“Strength does not come from physical capacity.It comes from an indomitable will” – Ghandi
Favourite book?
Fallen by Lauren Kate
What inspires and motivates you?
I do! Over the years I have answered this question so many times and every time the answer changed. I use to look at people for motivation and inspiration. But over the last couple of months i have become my own inspiration and motivation.
For what are you most grateful?
Finding the Sleekgeek community. .
Sleekgeek has changed my life.
What do you want to say to other community members who might be nervous or hesitant to make a start?
There is no better time to start than now
What are your top 5 tips for anyone starting on a healthy journey?
- Do not compare your journey to anyone else’s. Nobody loses weight the same.
- Plan your meals in advance this way you will be less tempted to cheat.
- Keep a daily journal this way you will be able to see if you are eating too much or not enough.
- Make achievable weekly goals . unrealistic goals will only demotivate you.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. It doesn’t matter if you lose 500 grams or 5kg be proud of your achievements.

You must be logged in to post a comment.