UBUNTU WOMEN

What is healthy?

Johlet Dalais

What is healthy? Is it really that number that’s written on the tag on the inside of what you’re wearing or that number on that square thing you climb on every morning? Or is it what you feel in your heart and mind when you stand in front of the mirror NAKED? I’d say the naked in front of then mirror part.

What is Healthy really?


And how many times have you heard one of the following phrases: “Abs are made in the kitchen”,

“Bounce back after having your baby”, “Get your pre baby body back”, “It’s 70% diet and 30%

exercise” or my favourite “You are what you eat”. Because good golly if I am what I eat I’m one

delicious sweet piece of chocolate or lemon meringue!


I hate these phrases, hate being a bit harsh, but I really don’t like it. I believe in balance! Order that

burger but swop the fries for a salad, or skip the bun and have the fries!


I’ve tried it all! Keto, Paleo, High Protein, 70/30 rule, fasting, or the one cheat meal a week option,

and the list goes on, and it all worked while I was doing it, but the moment I stopped my weight just

came back knocking twice as hard and I was left feeling miserable and depressed.

I was lucky enough to be the girl in school that never really had to worry about her weight, then I

graduated and that lucky weight streak graduated itself right out of my life. I had to put in the hard

work and eat those salads to keep my school days’ body. It got exhausting! And mentally I couldn’t

do it anymore. So my weight went up and down faster than me bouncing on a Rebounder. I only

STARTED feeling confident and comfortable in my own skin AFTER giving birth to Leo. Key word in

that last sentence being STARTED. I picked up a whopping 30kg’s with Leo, and my goal was max

15kg’s. I picked up double what I wanted, and that weight gain just made me eat and hate pregnancy

even more.


Now add the pressure of society and seeing all these women on social media slipping into their pre

pregnancy clothes a week after giving birth. My hatred, self-doubt and insecurities just came

flooding over me, and all this mixed with 4 th trimester hormones was a recipe for disaster. So I

started pushing that unfollow button. And finding more relatable and understanding pages. I started

realising how important body positivity is and how unimportant your pre baby body is. YOU GREW A

HUMAN! Your body went through changes! Physical, traumatic changes! I’m convinced my hips are

wider after giving birth and I had a caesarean!


It took me a year to lose the pregnancy weight, but I also didn’t make any drastic changes, because

who needs all that added stress while trying to figure out being a new parent, working, loving your

partner and loving yourself! So I started exercising for 30min 3 to 5 days a week after my 8-week

check-up, and I ate balanced meals with TREATS almost daily. I’m tired of women having so much

pressure on them for looking a certain way, I know if I eat clean and exercise regularly that I can

have a 6 pack and biceps to squash a tree, BUT I wasn’t happy within myself when I did that!

Don’t get me wrong, for some people it’s their way of staying sane and happy, but it’s not for me,

and that’s ok. I might have a little bit more jiggle when I wave or rolls when I sit, but my heart is at

peace. To me it’s all about 50/50, it might take me a little longer to get there but I noticed that doing

it my way I can commit and stick to it which means no more yoyo weight loss/gain. My weight stays

consistent and so does my clothing sizes. I will probably be screamed at by so many health

practitioners out there now, but I found a way that works for ME!!! If you don’t like my way, then

that’s absolutely fine. I’m not here to please YOU! Take a step back ladies, and breathe! Throw out

those clothes that don’t fit you anymore and start buying what you feel confident and beautiful in!


Find a lifestyle that you can maintain and that brings you inner peace and joy! Confidence is so much

more beautiful than a 6 pack, I promise!


Those before and after pics I posted of myself a few months back, I got those results from being

comfortable in my own skin, eating food that feeds my soul and exercising 30min a day 3 to 5 days a

week. Life is very short and I always say I don’t want to stand in front of those pearly white gates

with regret in my heart for not having that slice of cake or glass of wine. And there’s a difference

between eating anything and everything (don’t go killing yourself earlier by living off fast foods and

junk) and not moving your body OR eating what feels good to you combined with healthy movement

of the body. The food keeps your insides healthy and happy, while the exercising keeps your heart

and mind healthy and happy. You have to combine those 2! That’s why it’s so important to find

movement that you and your body enjoys! I’ve seen how my weight loss and muscle toning literally

STOPS for months when I’m stressed, not happy or down. So do what makes both body and mind

happy! It’s a win(e) win(e) (see what I did there? Pass the vino!) situation.


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