Name:
Vuyiseka Misani.
Age:
31.
Location:
Cape Town.
How much weight have you lost on your journey so far?
34 kgs.
What do you do? [Job]
I am in the food manufacturing industry as a Research and Food Product Developer.
What else do you do? [Hobbies, non-work stuff, etc.]
I run, enjoy hiking, love cooking and singing.
YOU AND SLEEKGEEK
How long have you been a member of Sleekgeek?
4 Years intentionally – but was a member longer than that because my colleagues used to talk about the 8-Week Challenge, but it didn’t appeal to me, but I joined the Sleekgeek Health Revolution Facebook Group and was inactive.
How did you find Sleekgeek?
A colleague was talking about the 8-Week Challenge, as she needed to take pics etc. Since we worked with food and tasted food products a lot, we were always looking for ways to manage our lifestyle – so I joined the Facebook Group but not the challenge at that stage.
What is your favourite part of the Sleekgeek Community?
Respect, sharing of information and uplifting each other. 8-Week challenges and the awesome teams I always join.
YOUR TRANSFORMATION
Describe the “old you” before you made your transformation. How did you get there and what were you like?
As a foodie and product developer, tasting or eating is part of the fun ha ha ha! So I was eating all the yummy foods and not gaining weight – which was great! At school I was never a sporty person, preferred singing to sweating on the field.
What ignited your initial motivation to change?
I majored in nutrition however I only started to use the learnings to my own life, 4 years ago. The healthy lifestyle only started to matter in my mid 20’s. I started going for hikes for fun and enjoyed it and went to races. I liked the spirit and vibes. 2020 Covid happened and as an extrovert, I struggled to be indoors all the time and I ran in my complex etc. Grief happened at the end of 2020 when I lost my sister, and I was 8 weeks pregnant. I realised stuffing my face with food and gaining weight weekly was not working. My mental health was not great, and I made a choice that I needed to look after myself, practicing what I learnt in university. I also liked how I felt after exercise.
What are some of the things that the new you do differently now?
Self -control, knowing I can say no to food. Exercise is part of my daily routine except on Sunday when its church and family time. I do not keep lots of unhealthy snacks in the house. I enjoy walking to the shops and parking the car far away at the malls. I enjoy stairs instead of elevators and do not see stairs as punishment anymore.
What are some of the things that the new you still struggles with?
Not to give in to emotional eating when going things gets tough.
Not to finish the treats when they are nice. 😊
If you could give yourself one piece of advice to help with that struggle, what would it be?
It is okay to occasionally have treats, but do not finish a family serving size/portion.
Did you plateau, get stuck, or get disillusioned, or even slide backwards a bit on your journey?
Yes, I do get bored with routines after a long period of time, making food looks nice and doing new exercises keep me excited for my journey.
What is better since you got healthy?
I have a 5-year-old and an almost 2-year-old. I can now keep up with them during playtimes and running in the park. My moods. If am moody my family asks if I went for a run or if I went to the gym lol. My fashion sense. I do not dress for my body anymore I wear what I know I will look good in.
TRAINING
What’s your favourite form of exercise? [Running, yoga, weightlifting, etc]
Running, especially alone (I discovered I love spending time with myself and thoughts).
How long have you been training and how did you get started?
4 Years (started casually with friends for fun, until it made sense to me as far as nutrition and physical activity is concerned). Started with solo 5km walks and park-runs.
What does your typical workout look like?
10 Km run in the morning and HIIT workout in the afternoon or HIIT class in the morning with 5km treadmill). Saturdays I do long runs, i.e., 15km or 21km.
Favourite Exercise?
15 Km runs as I finish before I am tired, I am a cardio girl, anything skipping and using legs is my strength.
Least favourite exercise? [Distance / pose / movement / etc]
I am on my fit and stronger journey so strength training challenges me a lot, so push-ups, lifting bars and core exercises.
How does exercise make you feel?
Alive, in control, life is not too bad after all. Types of feeling: Victorious, a warrior, doer of hard things and conqueror.
Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why?
As an extrovert I enjoyed anything with people when I trained for fun. I used to want to do everything with people, now that I understand my objectives I have fallen in love with training and running by myself, as a mom with family etc. I am enjoying “me time.”
Most embarrassing training moment?
Realised in a 05h30 am morning class that my tights were torn in the front, and we were doing leg raises, but I continued I was like I won’t wake up for nothing.
Top 3 things you must have at the gym or in your gym bag?
- Water.
- My energy.
- Music (or listen to the gym music).
Your next training goal?
Running my first full marathon if not by end 2023, early 2024.
Top 5 songs on your training playlist?
- Sy Bloed.
- Phakama Nkosi.
- Gratitude.
- We are not afraid.
- Winning season.
How has exercise/training/Sport Changed your life? [Made it better, etc – please be specific]
I am now in line with my job, nutrition in food products, low sodium, low fat etc. not only for the job, but I also now take this personally and passionately that we must try our utmost in the food industry to develop food products good for the consumers.
NUTRITION
What’s your favourite meal?
Pasta, Pasta, Pasta.
OK, now what’s your favourite healthy meal?
Roasted pumpkin, cabbage and beef.
Favourite protein?
Any animal protein.
Favourite fat?
Cheese.
Favourite carbohydrate?
You didn’t say healthy carbohydrates, so pasta is coming back here again.
How many meals a day do you eat?
2.
What’s your nutrition philosophy / approach? [If you have one]:
I created one for myself: Design a way of eating that suits your pocket, your schedule and the one you enjoy because that will be sustainable.
Do you have a cheat meal / treat strategy?
Yes, Sunday is a family day, and I eat whatever my family is eating on a Sunday, i.e. refined carbohydrates or not, so Sunday it is a meal sharing day.
Most memorable personal achievement to date. Something you maybe could never have imagined.
Running a half marathon in 2h30 by myself just after the New year Sleekgeek 2022 challenge. I struggled to move past 2h50 mins in half marathons for the rest of 2022.
MINDSET
Favourite quote?
Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually] 3: John 1-2.
Favourite book?
Daring greatly.
What inspires and motivates you?
The assignment that we all have to inspire and motivate just 1 person to a better life. The responsibilities I have need me to be healthy and well physically and mentally. I get motivated when friends, family or colleagues send me pictures or info of when they exercised or went for a parkrun for the first time because they know I will cheer for them. It makes me not tire in my journey as there’s more people looking for motivation to turn their lives around.
For what are you most grateful?
Ability to move my body, to love my body and to nourish it (not everyone can do that, so I am grateful). Family that supports my goals even if they are busy, they grant me at least a quick 5km when I need it.
What do you want to say to other community members who might be nervous or hesitant to make a start?
Start where you are with what you have. 80% of my weight-loss occurred without a gym membership, I had a willing heart, skipping rope and decided nutritionally which approach I would take, and I made time for my goals. Exercise is free, you need to make time and you need to have a willing body and a ready mind. Again affordable nutrition can be achieved, most things we can do without, they are just good to have, so start simple.
What are your top 5 tips for anyone starting on a healthy journey?
- Surround yourself with like-minded people.
- Simplify your journey, you do not need a smart watch to start exercising, same as nutrition, portion size reduction and better choices most of the time will do the trick. Stop looking for expensive sugar replacers, bread replacers etc. Those are costly, and you will say eating healthy is expensive, you can eat healthily on a budget.
- Remember why you started and your progress, your goals will change as you reach some, some goals might take long, and you get weary along the way but remembering why you are starting will give you perseverance when things do not go your way, in actual fact things will not always go your way and your pace.
- Water is free hydrate, hydrate.
- Different cultures do not embrace the journey of weight-loss and adjusting your lifestyle (I know that firsthand😊) share the knowledge, do not take offense, use their concerns as an opportunity to educate. Questions might arise like: Why do you not want to eat pap daily anymore? Your answer must look like” I love pap and I can eat it every day, but for my goals I cannot eat it every day and I choose to keep it for Saturday due to it being highly processed, but I can eat mealies often😊
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