The Devil is in the Details

Before vs current pictures

Goodness in a final product is established in the details! This is an idiom that a learned and over-zealous albeit-younger-than-me colleague-leader used often, to describe the manner in which a task should be executed, and in many ways has shaped my life, holistically, beyond my working life. If he is reading this, I am sure he will have a wry grin on his lips, as he will recall “The devil is in the details Prava” that he often be-laboured. It is in this manner that I tackled my lifestyle change over the past 15 months and in the same way, currently,  manage my transformation from obesity and chronic illness, to a slimmer, healthier and trimmer and medication-free life. In a way it was also with a certain amount of military precision too, dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s,… and while I am grateful for being hard on myself, I realise that this was the only way it would work for me and I have also come to realise that any step towards making positive change in my life, is a step in a positive and an enlightened direction.

It is 15 months since that fated day that I ventured into taking my  health and my life back, and while the word journey is widely used by many in a lifestyle change, in my experience what started out as a project in taking my life back, it’s turning into the style by which I live my life…yes, a lifestyle. What people saw as my project develop, was exactly what it was, groans and moans, annoyances and irritations, trial and error, the entire lock, stock and slimming barrel!

My outreach towards the over 40s, the obese, those with chronic lifestyle illnesses and even the hopeless-stop-starter-dieter who, like me, needed a boost, has been encouraging. That I have inspired and motivated many through my changing form and mind has encouraged me to pursue me to the fullest of my potential.  A recent feature in South African magazines YOU and Your family, capturing the essence of my chronic illness reversal through weight loss, has had a positive impact on many, evidenced by the many, many curious enquiries over a wide fora.  I had never in my craziest or wildest dreams imagined that I would grace the front pages of a popular magazine, at literally half my size from a year ago, and share a magazine front cover with Beyonce!  The feature and photography for the YOU Best Diets was done in May 2014 for publication in September 2014 with me shedding 46kgs in weight at that stage. 11kgs more were shed subsequent to then. As I published, many blog entries ago, my aim was to impact on just ONE life positively – that there are many who follow my writings and recipes and methods, and are experiencing positive change, is indeed heart-warming.

Cover Pic shared with Beyonce! My weight loss and diabetes reversal is captured in the YOU BEST DIETS 2014 Summer Edition.

My constant and only competition throughout the recent past has been ME.  I have been steadfastly consistent and persistent in my endeavors to finding me, remaining true to myself and the process that unshackled me from a life of obesity and insulin dependent diabetes and  hypertension. I’ve said it time and time again, it’s all about me, by me for me, only me and by default, it has changed my relationship with my family, created leadership opportunities within many spheres of my life and has mentally and physically transformed me.  My quest for maintaining good health is being unraveled on a daily basis, my own Utopia is being created by me, in ways that motivates me to make this a life-time project and investment in me.

So it was from shaky beginnings, to confidence-building attempts and the ability to listen to my body and mind that I am emerging from the years of teen and adult obesity, having unshackled half of my body weight, liberated my mind from the negativities that have bound me forever and finding my niche in my quest for healthier living.

Throughout my transformation, I paid attention to the finer details of my lifestyle change, hungry to challenge that devil in the details, researching and by trial and error, finding the niche that worked for me in improving the conditions of my life to enable me to live a more “free” and a more healthy life, all at my own hand. It is not a “fait accompli” by any means and is constant learning, work in progress and continued unlearning of former bad eating habits.

Someone at a recent function, offering me potato crisps and marshmallows to snack on, which I politely declined as I didn’t need to eat it, said to me “Live a little Prava”.  My response was   “I live alot”…

15 months to the day I began to find me, I am still finding myself… a journey of discovery indeed!
Stay inspired and motivated, Dear Reader,  always!

Aluta Continua….