Times Of Swaziland: MORE STRONGER, SEXY AT 55

MORE STRONGER, SEXY AT 55
================================================================================
BY PHOLSILE HLOPHE on 05/12/2020 08:21:00


MBABANE – It is never too late to start chasing your dreams.
Instead of setting New Year’s resolutions and waiting for January to start
working on them, how about you start right now. It does not matter how long you
have delayed or hesitated to take the initiative, but what really count is the
effort and devotion you invest in pursuit of your goals.
Brace yourselves for this week’s inspiration as we celebrate 55-year-old
Prudence Shabangu’s fitness and health transformation journey.
Name: Prudence Shabangu (55 years old from Mpolonjeni, Mbabane).
When did you start training and what was the motivation behind?
I started training in February 2020. The motivation behind my training comes in
many folds. From having goals including good health, losing weight and having a
sense of belonging, to name but a few.
How much weight have you lost so far?
Taking into consideration the body mass index (BMI), my weight was on the red,
but now I am proud to say that I am on the green side after losing a good 10kg.
What sort of challenges did you face and how did you manage to overcome them?
I love food, but getting into training called for a lot of discipline, the
‘what you eat is what you are’ phrase has proven to be true.  Vegetables,
lean meat, fruits, water and exercise has been on the top of my list.
What is your training routine like?
It is an hour from Monday to Friday starting from 5:30am to 6:30am and workout
for two hours on weekends from 7am to 9am on Saturdays.
What are your fitness and weight goals?
My fitness and weight goals are consistent. I set myself new challenges from
time to time. I focus on strength and target of not less than 20 000 steps a
day.
What nutritional changes have you done since you started focusing on training?
Training has taught me that in order to make gains I needed to have the right
nutrients in my body to construct muscle. I had to be careful of what I eat, how
much is essential and when I need to eat certain kinds of food.
Which slogan gives you the drive to push through your limits?
The ‘turn fat into fit’ slogan keeps me going.
What advice can you share with people who want to lose weight and build muscles,
but lack the motivation?
I can say you have to put so much thought and planning as to why you want to
start a weight loss journey. What you want to do and how you want to do it. Your
plan is all based on your unique needs, schedule, tastes, strengths and
weaknesses, so stick to it and do it diligently.
How has your life changed now that you live an active healthy lifestyle?
My life has changed in all aspects of life be it social, economical, health and
otherwise.  My priorities have changed. The coach seem less appealing, my job
seems a lot easier, food tastes better, seasonal allergies are a thing of the
past. To sum it all up, listen to your trainer, hard as it may be.  Thank you
Mangena Simelane my trainer.