8 LOSE IT! VOLUME 31
PHOTOGRAPHS: LIZA VAN DEVENTER, HERMAN VERWEY, SUPPLIED. FOOD STYLING: CARYN MCARTHYWhen they became more than
just friends, Heidi couldn’t help
but feel a bit insecure around
her new man. ‘He’s very healthy
and exercises a lot. I thought to
myself, “Let me just try to join
him”. That’s where it all started.’
But ‘joining him’ required more
effort than she anticipated.
‘I started off cutting out sugar
completely and then the carbs.
The first six months were the
most difficult because I had to
change my entire life,’ admits
Heidi. ‘I cried a lot during those
first six months. After the first
three, I wanted to quit. I couldn’t
see it, but Wayne had already
noticed the kilograms dropping
off of me, so why stop? I said,
“Okay, I made it this far, let’s try
some more!”’
She was losing weight, but to
feel better in herself she needed to
start moving her body. Although
Heidi believed it was impossible
to exercise because of her size,
Wayne encouraged her to start off
slowly. ‘We started out with just
a walk to the STOP sign, just 500
metres away. I almost passed out.’
From there, Heidi increased her
walking distance a little each day.
When her fitness level started
to increase, Wayne gave her a
gift that would change her life:
a bicycle. Heidi’s goal was to be
cycling alongside Wayne, but that
wasn’t going to come without a
few dips in the road. ‘The first
time I tried to get on a bike I
was very embarrassed because I
knew how heavy I still was. I felt
ridiculous. The first 2km I rode
I almost died,’ admits Heidi.
‘It wasn’t comfortable, that’s for
sure. But from day one I knew
I had to do this, for no one but
myself.’ Happily, once she started
cycling, the weight began falling
off and things started looking up.up to the top to begin with!
Heidi has grown closer to her
now-adult children because of her
change in lifestyle. ‘It’s spread
to the whole family! They’re all
eating low-carb and exercising
with me, whether it’s walking or
cycling.’ Wayne shares that there’s
a bit of a healthy competition
now, with Heidi’s daughters
constantly trying to nick her
clothes for themselves.
Back in 2017, when Heidi
started her journey, Wayne
was her biggest cheerleader.
‘If there’s a will there’s a way, and
if there’s someone to support you
every step of the way you most
certainly can do it,’ Heidi says.
‘Without a solid support system
I think I would’ve given up
within the first couple of months.’
At the moment the couple has
their sights set on doing the
Cape Town Cycle Tour 2020
together.
Today, even though he still
supports her, Wayne admits
Heidi doesn’t need his watchful
eye and motivation any more;
she has completely embraced
her new healthy lifestyle. ‘It was
never worth it letting myself
go,’ she admits.INSPIRATION
‘The weight kept dropping, the
food got tastier and eventually
I couldn’t handle any starch or
sugar – it wasn’t tasty to me any
more. It became a lifestyle, really.
And now I can’t stop getting on
the bicycle!’
Heidi is quickly catching up
with Wayne in terms of fitness.
Now just 68kg, she cycles three
to four times a week. ‘In the
beginning I was barely making it
to 2km. Now I cycle about 20km
at a time,’ she says. On weekends,
their version of relaxing is going
for a long cycle together.
The weight loss isn’t even the
most dramatic change in her life- Heidi’s mood is much lighter.
‘I’m a much more pleasant person
now,’ Heidi says. ‘I used to be a
lot grumpier. I used to feel like
not living any more. Now every
day is a new day; one I look
forward to enjoying.’
Her energy levels have also
sky-rocketed. ‘There’s not a
minute in the day that I feel
tired. I’m such a go-getter now!
Whatever opportunity comes up,
I take it.’ A standout moment
for Heidi was going zip-lining.
Before, she felt too ashamed
to even consider it, afraid she
wouldn’t even be able to make it
There’s not
a minute in the
day that I feel
tired. I’m such
a go-getter
now! Whatever
opportunity
comes up, I take it.’
‘