Who would have thought? Ok, first things first. Let me introduce myself. My name is Onalenna. I am a big girl- I step on the ground and it trembles, eh…well..that’s what I’ve been told. I didn’t have any problem with my weight. In fact, I subscribed to the BBW (Big Beautiful Women). You would too if your friends told you, “oh you are so beautiful and you know how to dress your body, you’d make one wish they were fat.”

And just to clear the air, I take no offense at the use of “fat”. I know there are more politically correct words like “thick”. At the end of the day, these terms all refer to a person of above-average weight. I felt beautiful in my weight. When I went shopping and couldn’t get my size I would be gutted at the discrimination. “Why don’t they cater for us?” I’d mutter or just remark jokingly to the shop assistants. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of designers. Most of my wardrobe is courtesy of private designers, although their services are more expensive. I don’t have to worry about this anymore because I have found a way out.

On the morning of 1st June 2019, I woke up at 0500 hours and searched for fitness videos online. I had been putting this off for a while but as luck would have it, my friend had shared Mel Gibson’s 5 second rule with us a few days earlier. Then I had an epiphany! This principle would work just fine for the exercises I had been putting off . That morning as the alarm clock went off, I counted 5 seconds and sprung out of bed. My YouTube search lead me to beginner-friendly walks by Leslie Sansone, to which I have since been hooked. My workout journey has been nothing but bliss- a whole school- and I want to share some of the lessons I’ve learnt in this beautiful journey.

1️⃣ You are the captain of your ship:

I know this sounds cliche but it is true. As long as I was comfortable in my big body I had cheerleaders. They told me I carried my body so well that they admired me. That’s all sweet but I felt fatigued most of the time, with joint aches here and there, and it was frustrating feeling out of breath from just taking a few stairs, just to mention a few cons. I also knew very well that I could change all that if I wanted but I wasn’t doing anything. When I decided to act, the same people were cheering me on. Confusing, right? People will cheer you on in your complacency, action, inaction, success, failure..steer the ship Captain!

2️⃣ Find joy in little achievements (milestones)

My initial objective was to get rid of constant fatigue but I gained more . The first few days were hard. Just moving my limbs was hard. I marveled at how I had allowed my body to reach that point. It’s easy for that to happen when you wake up in the morning, drive to work and drive back home. That was my old routine. Now I was doing a lot of house chores as a stay-at-home mom and I thought it was enough. Well, I was in for a rude awakening! I celebrate little milestones, the beautiful mornings I spend alone jumping and kicking, mobility, being active and the overall joy I have found. Once in a while, I notice small changes in my body and I celebrate hard because it’s a bonus. Give yourself a pat on the back for every single step on your journey of a thousand miles.

3️⃣ Action breeds more action

The more you learn the more you realize that you have limited knowledge and the more your appetite for knowledge grows. I didn’t know how much I was missing when I thought exercise was just for slay queens. I thought some of us were destined to be big mamas, we inherited it after all,but the moment I took action my perspective changed. I started off small, with easy exercises for just a few minutes then I kept increasing the time and the intensity. Don’t be afraid if you don’t have it all figured out, take the first step then your legs will take you there.

4️⃣ Consistency is rewarding

Most of us start something, drop it then go back again. Guilty as charged? Me too. On this my new found love, I am happy to say I have been consistent. I only managed because I was deliberate. There are days I’ve felt lazy but still did it and I’d spent the rest of that day feeling like I had won a lotto. The joy of being in control! You will be surprised to hear that only now, a year later, am I beginning to notice significant results. If you are looking to change your lifestyle, you are entering a war zone and consistency will help you win.

This is a journey and I am enjoying every bit of it. It is an empowering journey – a whole school – and a curious learner. Be part of my journey, will you?