Sifiso loses 27kg in a year
What better motivation do you need other than that of a fallen soldier who rises like the phoenix from the ashes. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIll
M- Sifiso Hlatjwako is reclaiming his glory as he has shed off 27 kilogrammes within two years from a heavy weight of 135 kilogrammes.
Jaw-dropping you may say but this is the journey of a young man on a mission. About 12 months ago, he shared a testament of how bad eating habits and not exercising saw him balloon up his weight from a sculptured masculine warrior of 85 kilogrammes muscle mass, to a burdening 135 kilogrammes of life-threatening body weight.
He came to share how he had lost about 15kg last year only a year into reclaiming his former fit and energetic self. Well, he is back again and this time around, he has lost 11kg in less than 12 months. What better motivation do you need other than that of a fallen soldier who rises like the phoenix from the ashes and rebuilds from the core for a better tomorrow.
His mission is crystal clear – to be at 82kg by December. Join us as we celebrate his progress and hope that his story motivates you to work on creating a better version of yourself. This is what he had to say .....
Sifiso
33 years old from
Mfabantfu.
Name: What drove training?
Hlatjwako, Ngonini in
you to start
“I started training in November 2021. The motivation
BEFORE: In 2020 when he stopped exercising he weighed 135kg. AFTER: He has lost a further 11kg and is now down to 108kg. Weight goal is 82kg by December.
came after I did Gladiators CrossFit games held at Brookside Lodge in Malkerns.”
What was the main cause of your weight gain and fitness loss?
“The lack of competition, races and bad eating habits like stress eating.”
What was your heaviest weight and how much have you lost so far?
“My heaviest was 135kg and now I am down to 108kg which means I have lost 27kg so far.”
What changes have you done in terms of training for your weight loss programme?
“I started training twice a day. Since its winter, I start training from 9am to 11am then from 2pm to 4pm. I do less mills, body combat aerobics class then weight training. In the afternoon, I do road running and CrossFit like the tyre flips which burn more calories.”
Do you follow a specific diet or eating programme?
“I watch what I eat but now I use fistful size meal and eat two slices in the morning then use only one teaspoon of sugar. I also bought a personal bathroom scale which helps to motivate me to see progress each day as after each weigh-in I can see the results I want. This has helped me as I look forward to the Friday weighins. Yes, I focus mostly on home cooked meals and I stay away from junk food as well as fizzy drinks but I do cheat on some days just to spoil myself.”
Can you highlight the challenges that you deal with frequently? 2016 when he joined Swazi Warrior Challenge at Malkerns Sports and Country Club.
“I spend most of my time in the gym so I have to balance between home chores and my side hustle which is video shooting and editing. On other days, I have to cut fire wood for my mom, sometimes I have to do shopping, so I skip one workout which is a slight setback as I have a target weight to reach. I try to handle these challenges by squeezing my time and do most chores on weekends and I try to enjoy time with family on weekends.”
How has your life improved since losing the extra weight?
“My life has improved a lot as before I was doing 5km race but lately I am back to doing 10km and 21km with ease. Physical and health problems that I have eliminated include back pain as when I started, my back used to hurt especially when I ran and I used to miss long races because I knew I was not in shape for longer running but now, running is my new normal. I love it so much and I no longer have back pains. I used to struggle falling asleep but ever since I started training I sleep like a baby.”
What are your fitness and weight goals given a specific time frame?
“My weight goal is to be back at 82kg and compete in next year’s Comrades Marathon as it’s the ultimate human race and the medal for me is a must. I will be doing karate tournaments soon too.”
What advice can you share with people who have has similar experience as yourself and those who have certain weight and body goals in mind?
“My advice for people who want to regain their fitness is that find what you are passionate about especially sports wise. For instance, if you love martial arts but dojos (clubs) are far, try body combat aerobics class and if you love dancing try Zumba class and enjoy your new norm. Lastly, do your research, our bodies are different and what may work for me, may not work for you.”