#Journeyto135: The big drop

While many of us are steadily gaining weight while we wait for COVID-19 to blow over and gyms to reopen fully, one bold woman is on a mission to lose 23 pounds in a month. TV presenter and communications specialist Tamara McKayle is taking All Woman on her journey to 135 pounds, which she hopes to accomplish in an intense exercise and diet programme with our in-house nutritionist Donovan Grant — in four weeks.

McKayle has shed more than nine pounds since we checked in with her last week. Talk about a big drop! If she can keep this energy going into next week, then she will definitely hit — and exceed — her goal of 135 pounds in four weeks.

“With one week left in the challenge, I’m both excited and nervous,” McKayle shared with All Woman at her weekly weigh-in. “I’m nervous because I want to see if I will achieve my goal in the timeline, and excited because I actually miss eating meat, since I decided to be meatless from week two.”

But McKayle will have to curb her carnivorous cravings another week yet, as her winning formula seems to be a meatless one.

“Week three was great nutritionally,” she said. “I was actually aiming to just drink vegetable and natural juices this week, but I ended up incorporating some fruits, since I was placed on antibiotics by my dermatologist.”

McKayle had experienced an acne flare-up, which her doctor attributed to hormones as her body tried to adjust to the new, clean diet.

“I’m happy that I was able to stick to my diet, and I especially love how my tummy is looking even flatter having moved from 33 inches in week one to now 29 inches!” she said proudly.

It was a tough week for her, as the processed foods in her house literally started talking to her.

“It was hard seeing a tin of Vienna sausage in my pantry, which had the words ‘Try me’ written on it. I had to just laugh out loud and say, ‘No, I’m not trying you’,” she shared good-naturedly. “Fortunately, I never gave in to the cravings as my mind was made up that I need to see this through properly.”

Her exercise routine was dampened by the rains last week, but McKayle still managed to get her outdoor climb in once, and got busy with some indoor exercises, mainly cardio.

“I’m still losing weight from some areas I’d prefer not to, such as my butt, so Mr Grant has advised that once I get close to the goal weight I begin sculpting exercises to build muscles there,” she explained.

Looking forward to the final week of the challenge, McKayle is more motivated than ever, as she is beginning to see and feel the results. She is fitting better into her clothes, and she is becoming more disciplined and confident that she will be able to maintain the lifestyle changes.

“Many people have reached out to say they are motivated too, as they had been complacent, so again I encourage everyone to just start. Remember ‘the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step’,” she encouraged.

You can also track Tamara’s #Journeyto135 in video format on YouTube at ‘The Trailblazers with Tamara McKayle’ and follow the #Journeyto135 on Instagram for updates.