admin
Mirirai Nsingo
With the growing burden of lifestyle diseases in the country, physical inactivity, diet being some of the top leading risk factors, more people in Zimbabwe are joining the movement of fighting physical inactivity and unhealthy diets.
Fitness studios are the in thing, with zumba and banting also coming into play as more people realise the need for physical activity and healthy diets to reduce the burden of lifestyle diseases.
Often referred to as lifestyle diseases, non-communicable diseases are largely linked to the way people live their lives and surrounding environmental factors.
The Saturday Herald Lifestyle this week profiled two people who shared their journey of how they have joined the fight against lifestyle diseases through fitness training and eating healthy.
Nicki Griffiths Elliot at 60 decided that she won’t sit back and ignore the rising burden of non-communicable diseases.
She says her initial weight when she started working out and dieting was 90kg compounded with a huge belly. She faced a mammoth task of reducing her blood pressure and reducing chances of her getting diabetes.
“I yearned to get fit, reduce the impact of being unhealthy as well as reducing my blood pressure,” she said looking back.
“I started working out and doing runs on my own but I needed a challenge hence I joined a fitness studio.”
Nicki is driven by her dream to live long while leading a healthy life hence she is determined to keep on the lifestyle.
“To date I have lost the belly fat and as you see I now look younger.”
“Just to mention though, that in inches I have lost over 28 inches (more than 71cm). This is very important on a weight loss or fitness journey, more than the weight loss.”
Nicki says she wants to ensure that she is free of pain and fit in order to enjoy life to the fullest.
“I guess you could say my love for life is my motivation. I love what Zig Ziglar says that motivation is like bathing, you have to do it everyday.
“Without, motivation, you will never have the drive to take action. And without action, you can never reach your goals and live your dreams.
“Please be aware that this is your own personal health and fitness journey. No one can do it for you. Do not compare yourself to anyone else. What you achieve each and everyday is a milestone in your journey. Do not just look at the weight loss, look at the journey as a whole: the medical benefits, the inches and the weight,” she adds.
Charity Nyabereka, another Harare resident shared almost a similar story of how she grappled with obesity and was fighting to get rid of her huge belly. At 50, Charity who once clocked 90kg says she is targeting to get to 60kg.
“I was 90kg and my weight loss journey began in January 2018. It was never easy as sometimes I felt like giving up but then I had put on so much weight over the years and I had serious health problems.
“My blood pressure was out of control, I had arthritis, breathing problems, I was snoring, I had gone for tests for my kidneys, heart, nervous system and all sorts, you name it.”
She was a medical wreck.
“My tummy was so big and people used to ask me when I was due to deliver. My health was compromised because of the weight gain.”
The mother-of-three recounts how all this made her realise the need to increase her physical activity while eating healthy.
“I started fitness training in January 2018 and I was determined to keep going.
“The year went by and for the first time in my entire life, I had only missed gym a few times when I wasn’t feeling well or I had travelled.
“Between January and October I lost almost 16kg and even won the Biggest Loser Award for the hard work. It felt really good.
“I had finally achieved something that I had always wanted to achieve. I am not done yet. I am on a journey to total wellness. I still need to get to at least 60kg and I am working on it.”
Charity encouraged the nation to take on physical activity and healthy eating seriously to reduce the burden of lifestyle diseases.
“We owe it to ourselves to fight this burden. If we do nothing, we perish.”
This comes at a time when lifestyle diseases are now the leading cause of death in most regions of the world, accounting for up to 70 percent of all deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In 2012, for example, the diseases killed 38 million people, of whom 80 percent were from developing countries, including those in Africa. About half of these people died prematurely — before the age of 70.
Deputy Director for NCDs in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Justice Mudavanhu says lifestyle diseases have largely contributed to the rise of most of the lifestyle diseases.
Dr Mudavanhu believes the cost of not doing anything as a country will affect the productivity of this country in a serious way than any other diseases has ever done adding that physical activity and healthy diets could go a long way in reducing the burden.
He argues that Zimbabwe can only ignore this rising burden at her own peril.
Online Reporter