As I have often written, fitness began for me as a way to escape my thoughts and strengthen my mental health.

Lifting weights lifted the burden of my mental battles. It then became a passion as I saw what it did for my body. How it made me strong, confident, and excited about life, one rep at a time.

For the past few weeks, however, I have been struggling with my mental health, and the change in season and gloomy weather has not made working out easier.

I have also fallen into the trap of giving in to cravings while hitting a plateau in my fitness journey, which affects one’s motivation.

Although the change in weather means more clothes, so one can get away with this, like many I am under the pressure of how “summer bodies are made in winter”. How does one take advantage of this and start one’s fitness journey or, like me, get back in the game and revamp in time for summer?

“Summer bodies are made all year long. You have to make this a lifestyle rather than trying to achieve a certain goal and think it stops there,” advises bodybuilder and fitness trainer Luthando Kaka.

“Consistency is the number one thing before even thinking of going on a diet. Get in the gym or work out at least 3-4 times a week and start building that discipline, then follow with changing how you eat.”

This made me realise that one of my current mistakes is waiting for motivation, rather than relying on discipline in order to be consistent — so, working out and eating intuitively even on days when I do not feel like it.  

“The biggest mistake people still make is cutting carbs — your body needs carbs for energy,” Kaka cautions. “Instead, drop your consumption and try consuming high carbs early in the morning and decrease the amount throughout the day, stopping them completely at 4pm and having just protein and veggies for the remainder of the day.”

Remember, for weight loss it is about using more energy than you consume.

What if, like me, you are a carb lover? Try substituting simple carbs such as white bread with sweet potato, which is dense in nutrients.

“It is about the colour of your plate, portion, and size. Go for a colourful plate that has carbs, protein, and fats. It is possible to lose weight or transform your body while eating pap, but what matters is the colour of your pap — choose brown pap that is high in fibre,” says dietician Sharon Mphahlele.

 “Sometimes someone is not craving sugar, they’re just thirsty and dehydrated or lacking certain nutrients on their plate.”

Although abs are made in the kitchen and it is impossible to outrun a bad diet, when on a transformation journey we often think of food as the enemy instead of a tool to help us, which is why we fall into restrictions  and begin cutting certain food groups.

Health and wellness mogul Lisa Raleigh, who is also the founder of bounti (a rebounding programme — exercising while jumping on a trampoline), founded the Elimin8 programme. Here, individuals eliminate sugar, processed foods, dairy, animal products, and stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol for 10 days, then reintroduce one group at a time while journaling how each one makes them feel, noting factors such as bloating, gas, or inflammation.

“It is important to understand your body and how food makes you feel,” says Raleigh. “You could be cutting fats when you do really well on them. All food has a place — eat small portions and quality food, and move.” She emphasises that understanding one’s body and what makes it feel good is the first step in being able to celebrate food on the journey instead of fighting it.

It is easy to say you want to transform your body for the summer, but you need to set your intentions before going on a diet and working out, in order to stay consistent.

“You need to know your ‘why’ and it needs to be strong enough. Why do you want to lose weight or transform? That is what will keep you consistent, even in the cold,” says Kaka. I am reminded of how my ‘why’ for working out and eating food that benefits my body is for my sanity and mental health, while for Kaka it’s because his body is his business card as a personal trainer and he trains people because he wants to play his part in fighting obesity in the country. What is yours?

Tips and Tricks

“If you were unkind to your body the night before and had a few drinks, make better decisions the following day” — Raleigh

“Give yourself at least six months, as changing your mindset plays a part” — Kaka

“Do compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and snatch and presses for optimum results” — Kaka

“Take baby steps to avoid withdrawal symptoms” — Mphahlele

“Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in a routine, because your body adjusts and you will plateau. Embrace change” 

“Rebounding gets your heart rate up and is great for balance coordination, core strength, and creating muscle tone without weights” — Raleigh