Once the fitness bug gets you, you’re pretty much set for life. That’s what happened for Engela Fourie, who lost 27.6kg last year. And she’s just kept going, shaving another five kilos off her svelte figure. This is how she did it.
Height: 1.65m
Time-frame: 9 months
Secret weapon: Dumbbells
THE INCENTIVE
Engela was enjoying her new slim body – and the steady stream of compliments that came with it. “People didn’t even recognise me,” she says. “It felt good!” However, her new lifestyle meant she was starting to lose a radical amount of weight. “I jogged a lot – and far. I lost about three kilos a month!” she says. Eventually, Engela hit 50kg on the scale. “I looked skeletal and old,” she admits.
THE CHANGE
It was time for something different. Engela’s weight was too low for her height and age, she explains. “I wanted to stop looking like a plank and get some curves!” Engela got to work – she wanted to be a toned, lean 55kg. And the idea of picking up five kilos of muscle didn’t phase her. “The joy of being in shape kept me motivated,” she says.
THE LIFESTYLE
Engela chose to stick to her diet of lean meals every two hours, but upped the protein intake. “Luckily I love chicken, so I eat it a lot, with vegetables,” she says. Stepping up her workouts was a must. “I started mixing jogging with light weight training to build lean muscle.” The colder months didn’t feel like a barrier to her exercise routine; instead, she saw it as a way to mix things up. “Winter was the ideal time to whip out the weights and stay fit inside!” she remarks.
THE REWARD
Not only did Engela build enviable muscle, but a sizeable following of health converts, too. “People could sense the change in me – it motivated them to start a healthy lifestyle,” she says. And being super-fit comes with a new set of goals. “Now, I want a stomach like Gwyneth Paltrow on your July 2015 cover!” Engela says. “There’s nothing I can’t do – there are only things I still want to achieve.”
ENGELA’S TIPS
Up your game. “Do five extra lunges. Walk a little faster. Sprint those last 500m.”
Play with your food. “Your diet must be tasty, otherwise you won’t enjoy it and you’ll feel deprived.”
Talk a tough game. “If you believe you can do it, you’re already one step further.”
