How Unathi Nkayi became a perfect 10
It took her seven years to lose 30kg and she stays trim by eating healthy and exercising
WE should be giving Unathi Nkayi’s fitness regime a 10 out of 10. It’s taken her seven years to reach her body-weight goals and losing over 30kg. The star, who is turning 40 next month, says she has reached her fitness goals and she looks better than ever. The judge has made no secret about her weightloss struggles.
She regularly shares pictures of her transformation on her Instagram page. In an interview with Anele Mdoda, Nkayi spoke about some of the things that keep her motivated. “When I first started going to the gym, I bought myself clothes that I wanted to fit into… The ‘when I am thin clothes’.
In 2011 when I just gave birth, I went to New York on a huge shopping spree of underwear and clothes and then I said, these are my ‘when I am thin clothes’ and after that, it started going slowly,” she adds.
We caught up with her to talk all things fitness and health.
Give us an update of where you are in your life right now, your career, spiritually and at home…
I’m having the time of my life right now. I truly enjoy being on the panel of our talk show
and we’re thrilled with our new time slot at 6pm, which starts this week. has been very exciting this season, and I look forward to the rest of it. I have just finished a very successful tour
My very first tour, which was sold out in most of the venues. It was so successful, we have committed to a second leg in March and April and a third leg in August and September 2019. God is good.
What inspired your fitness?
I have always been an active person and conscious of my health. I just know more now and do better, so the results are more visible.
What are your fitness goals?
I think I have reached them and just want to maintain them. I wanted to get back to the body I had before I started child bearing. I feel strong and confident now.
How hard is it to maintain your fitness goals?
I knew I wanted to take my time, because I wanted the results to be permanent. I knew I had to be patient. This made it easier for me and less challenging. I always prioritised on enjoying the journey, as opposed to putting myself under pressure to get to a certain place. This has made my healthy lifestyle easy to maintain.
What is your greatest fitness achievement by far?
Building a strong and healthy mind. It has always been about how I feel and treat other people. Being fit has helped in all aspects of my life. My mind is stronger because of the meditative time I spend alone. I’m a better performer who can dance and sing in heels for more than two hours straight, because I have stamina.
Is there a specific diet you are following, please explain?
I eat as clean as possible. I mean that I avoid dairy, wheat and sugar and focus on a lot of vegetables and protein. Water is amazing too for the process. I stopped eating bread in June and my pot belly disappeared.
Take us through your daily exercise routine?
I don’t have a daily routine but try to train a minimum of three times a week. I focus on cardio, which keeps the heart racing and the muscles lean.
How has exercise helped your mental well-being?
It has helped me tremendously. Endorphins put me in a good mood every day. This is why I prefer to exercise in the morning, so that it can fuel my day. The repetitive motion of exercising is meditative and has allowed me to think about things in a more in-depth way.
What can fans expect?
I’m going on tour early next year in South Africa and southern Africa.