THE FIT & FAB LORNA

My name is Lorna B. Nyatome. I am 49, and am a mother to 3 lovely boys. I started my fitness journey in 2013 when I was 42. I had my children considerably late; my first born at 36, second at 38 and my last born at 41.

I have been working out actively for the past 7 years, which is pretty recent and goes to prove that it’s never too late to start.  I enjoy running, hiking and walking. Running has been my go to work out for years and in the last couple of years, I started working out with weights.   

My fitness and wellness journey are rooted in having a 360 approach of not only being physically active, but also seriously incorporating nutrition and mindfulness.

Getting Started

What inspired me to get started is that working out was something I chose, to keep me moving.  Plus those times I carve to work out are my “me-time” away from the daily grind. I am in the retail and fitness space and recently graduated as a Counseling Psychologist. I plan to pursue a Master’s degree in psychology.  I Guess I will be well over 50 when I graduate.

I am also a trained Nutritionist. Since time immemorial, I have always cared about what I eat. Thankfully, I have not had any weight issues because of the healthy food choices that I have consciously made over the years. So my body has given back by keeping me youthful and remained strong for as long as I can remember. I don’t own a weighing scale. My metabolic age is that of a 34 year old.

As a practicing nutritionist, people ask me for advice all the time …

This is what I know works

So many people start out on a health or weight loss journey then they become overwhelmed within a few weeks and go back to old familiar patterns. It is a fact that most New Year’s resolutions are broken within just 3 weeks and many studies show that up to 95% of people who try to change their diet and lose weight, regain it all, and more. Take dieting for example, I find that it is generally not sustainable, it’s not fun and it is mentally exhausting!

Here is an alternative approach

• For the majority of your food choices, try and eat whole food plant based which are nutrient dense.
• Eat real food. Food that can rot, foods that you can recognize the ingredients and foods that will benefit your health.
• It’s important to start to listen to what your body is telling you – when you feel full or are still hungry.
• It is not a good idea to end a meal if you are still hungry in the name of portion control because then what happens after is you are constantly thinking about food – it’s on your mind and then you will reach out for comfort food.
• Eat mindfully, put away your phone or any distractions- we tend to eat mindlessly, eat too fast, don’t pay attention to how we are feeling as we eat, we don’t chew our food well and the end result is gas, bloating, hunger and cravings.

When you leave behind the ‘diet’ mentality, it is so empowering and understanding that you already know what’s good for your OWN unique body and are able to manage your OWN food choices without following someone else’s rules. This is freedom. Too many women are counting Calories and not enough women are counting Nutrients.

Mental Health is also super important…
Fitness is about wholesome health not only physically but also mental.

In June 2020 I was introduced to Rishi Khubchandani of TrueMana. For 3 weeks I took part in the “Being Limitless” workshop and had an awakening. I began unlearning certain traits that I had memorized and started learning new states. It was about breaking the habits of my old self and becoming my new self.

So what does this mean? That I can’t wait for success to feel empowered, I can’t wait for wealth to feel abundant and I can’t wait for a new relationship to feel love or healing to feel whole. The moment I started feeling abundant and worthy, I began generating wealth. The moment I start feeling whole, my healing began.

When you love yourself and love all your life, you’ll create an equal. You become the creator of your reality. Your thinking and feeling is changing the outcome of your life. It is often said that the best way to predict the future is to create it. Meditation and mindfulness have transformed my life and now I don’t live in the memories of my past but in the vision of my future

Soul-food …

These are some of the nuggets of wisdom that I use to stay grounded from which you can borrow a thing or two. I tell myself –

▪ All I have is now, I choose to be present
▪ My body is a miracle and I must honour it
▪ Self-love is not selfish
▪ Confidence is not boastful
▪ There are no absolutes
▪ My worth is not my appearance
▪ Perspective changes everything
▪ Kindness is powerful

My parting shot is “Take care of not only your body – but also your mind and soul”.

First, take care of your soul; it’s the only part of you that will go with you at the end of time. Take care of your mind, because your thoughts create your reality. Have gratitude always. Not only for the times you are successful but all the time. Be a giver and see your life transform. You are where you are supposed to be, you are not behind.

🌱Live your truth
🌱Work hard
🌱Be kind
Finally, truly purpose to take care of your body, because your soul lives in it and it serves you daily.
Overall, comparison is the thief of joy, and you are only one of you; cherish, love and respect that.

Nobody changes until they change their energy, AND WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR ENERGY YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE.