Prime
Nasasira’s eight-month weight loss journey
Doreen Nasasira sticks to a strict diet of boiled foods with loads of vegetables and fruits. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa.
What you need to know:
- Nasasira insists on eating boiled food with a large chunk of either greens or vegetables.
- Today, Nasasira weighs 60 kilogrammes but she does not intend to go below 58 kilogrammes. Her maximum will also not go beyond 60 kilogrammes again.
In 2014 and 2015, Doreen Nasasira developed a crazy obsession for food. She ate almost anything. If it was not fried chicken and chips, she was eating a rolex or indulging in pizza, doughnuts and chocolate. She would drink soda, milk, yoghurt and alcohol with relish.
With time, the binge eating extended to night hours. “I would carry a piece of cake or biscuits to bed,” she recounts.
Within a short time, Nasasira had gained a considerable amount of weight, forcing her mother to speak out. “She said I had become fat and looked older than I was,” says the 29-year-old.
It did not help that her friends were making fun of her. They would tell her that the weight gain had distorted her body shape, making her bum and hips ‘look like a trailer’.
Eventually, Nasasira started hating her body and in the process, lost self confidence. Weighing 76 kilogrammes, she embarked on a weight loss programme in November 2016 and determined to stick with it until she achieved desired results.
November in the gym
First, Nasasira paid for gym membership and attended on a daily basis.
“At the gym, I would do a full workout for at least two hours. For example, I would run for a minimum of 30 minutes on a treadmill and skip until I began sweating,” she says.
At the end of November, she had dropped three kilogrammes. “I realised my weight loss was slow because I had not changed my diet. So, in December, I started reducing my food intake.”
December
The month of December is synonymous with festivities, meaning there is an endless supply of food and drinks. Nasasira took a drastic measure and turned down invitations to parties as a way of running away from “food” temptation.
“I refused to attend any events because I feared I would end up eating a lot of food, hence making my weight loss journey meaningless. So I stayed home,” she says.
At home, she was eating smaller food portions and made sure it was boiled.
By the end of December, Nasasira had dropped another three Kilogrammes to 70kgs, an indication that her efforts were slowly paying off.
January 2017
At the beginning of this year, Nasasira started following a particular diet. In the morning, she would wake up and start the day with a cup of warm water. Sometimes, she would add some lemon to it. Then for breakfast, she would eat a fruit, say an apple or slice of watermelon.
She also made an arrangement with a cook to always prepare her lunch meals.
“I requested her to boil the food and always prepare small portions. I insisted on handful rations whether it was rice, posho or matooke. One exception I made was with the greens. I always asked for more,” she says.
Nasasira stopped eating fried foods, including chips and chicken, taking alcohol except red wine on a few occasions. She scrapped carbonated drinks, ice cream, cake and yoghurt from her diet. All she took was plain yoghurt.
During evening hours, she ensured to take a lot of water or simply munch on raw groundnuts. Sometimes she ate fruits such as bananas, pineapples or watermelon. She also made sure not to eat anything past 8pm no matter how tempting it was. If a craving persisted, she would drink water.
Staying fit
Nasasira goes to the gym three days a week now; Monday, Wednesdays and Friday. She works out for three hours, doing different kinds of exercise including running on the treadmill, dancing and jumping.
She also maximises the opportunity to walk.
“Most times, I walk from town to Namuwongo where I work. Even when I am in a building that has a provision for a lift, I take the stairs instead.”
Today, Nasasira weighs 60 kilogrammes but she does not intend to go below 58 kilogrammes. Her maximum will also not go beyond 60 kilogrammes again.
On how she feels now, Nasasira says: “I feel good about myself and love the positive compliments I receive from people. Many people say I look great and commend my efforts,” she says.
She, however, admits that it has been a tough journey. “It was not easy, but because I was tired of people’s insults, I persevered,” she says. Nasasira emphasises that it is possible to lose weight all one needs is master the discipline to refrain from eating particular foods and persevere.
Before starting a weight loss programme, Dr Vincent Karuhanga, a general practitioner at Friends Polyclinic, says:-
“It is important to visit a doctor before one embarks on a weight loss programme. The doctor may perform particular tests and then point out particular reasons one needs to lose the weight. Obesity and high blood pressure are some of the common motives that push individuals to lose weight. After receiving consent from a medical personnel, consult a nutritionist who will recommend an appropriate diet. My advice to people losing weight is to take things slow. Exercising too much or strict dieting may strain your body organs and result in complications. Do not be too hard on yourself. Let the process be gradual.”
Maintaining her new weight
In February 2017, Nasasira started sticking to a particular diet, which she has remained loyal to to date.
For breakfast, she takes warm water without sugar. Sometimes, she takes green tea and fruits.
On the days she decides to prepare her own breakfast, she boils matooke and mixes it with silver fish (mukene). On some occasions, she prepares irish potatoes mixed with greens such as nakati.
As the day progresses, she will either drink juice or water to keep rehydrated. She has stuck to her routine of eating sizeable portions of food. “Sometimes as a trick, I will drink a lot of water before lunchtime so that by the time I start eating, I do not have to crave for a lot of food,” she says. Nasasira insists on eating boiled food with a large chunk of either greens or vegetables.
Usually at about 4pm, she will munch on raw groundnuts or drink either a glass of juice or water. Then at 6pm, she eats steamed vegetables or a set of different fruits. She does not eat anything after 8pm.
