Thando had been trying to create a svelte “model” figure since she was a girl. Here’s how she lost her post-baby weight and ended up as a Mrs SA finalist!
Thando Sibotshiwe had been trying to create a svelte “model” figure since she was a girl. “I was always at least 10kg overweight – and I had low self-esteem issues.” It took her years to realise that she didn’t have to let low confidence control what she could do. Now, she’s shed the kilos and fulfilled her lifelong dream!
BEFORE: 105kg
AFTER: 68kg
Height: 1.68m
Time taken to lose weight: 25 months
Secret weapon: Fat Loss Laboratory
Lesson learnt: You can’t half-ass it!

The Gain

It started in high school, where Thando would feast on midnight snacks with her brother. “We’d munch on cheese and chicken-and-mayo toasties,” she recalls. The bad eating carried on through varsity. “Our dining hall food consisted of burgers and chips almost every day. I gained 15kg in the first term.” Fast-forward a few years: Thando had just given birth to her second child. Her post-baby weight: 105kg.

The Change

Thando had always wanted to enter a pageant, but she felt her weight was holding her back. “I wanted to meet the skinny me – to see if I would be a happier wife and mother,” she says. But rather than just getting thinner, Thando chose to get healthier.

The Lifestyle

Thando revved up her on-again, off-again fitness routine by spending five days a week in the gym, running for 30 minutes twice a week and doing 45-minute strength-training sessions on the other days. She also spring-cleaned her diet, choosing protein and greens for breakfast, lunch and supper. “I ate like this for five months straight – the only break I’d get was having a packet of dried mango and biltong at the movies every Saturday,” she says. To stay motivated, Thando chose a celebrity role model with her height, so her weight-loss goal would be in line with her BMI. Beyoncé became her inspiration. “Whenever I thought I couldn’t handle something, I’d ask myself, ‘What would Beyoncé do?’”

The Reward

Her new figure is rewarding enough for Thando – plus she’s passionate about working out. “I run a 10-kay every week,” she says. The icing on top? She’s a Mrs SA 2015 finalist. “The grand finale will be in October, where I hope to be crowned the new Mrs SA,” she says optimistically.

Thando’s Tips

Stick to your decision. “It’s all in the mind – and knowing why you want to lose the weight is important.”
Set a date. “Want to lose 10kg? Cool – by when? The date will come whether or not you achieve your goal.”
Find inspiration. “Find a celeb your height to keep your goals in check – but make sure it’s not a supermodel, because that’s not true to life.”
Feeling inspired and motivated by Thando’s story, but want more? Check out how Engela dropped a major dress size just by eating healthy.