Winter can be one of the most difficult seasons in which to try and lose weight but with a little bit of determination can be the most rewarding time of the year to get into shape.
For Hollywood stars there is always the pressure to look your best and weight loss is no exception. In recent times, celebrities have been quite vocal about being body-shamed by fans and peers but at the same time many celebs continue to work hard to stay fit and healthy.
Actress Raven-Symoné from That’s So Raven fame is the latest Hollywood celeb to share her weight loss journey with the world. She shared her incredible weight loss news after losing over 17kg. She posted her success in a video posted on Instagram.
While on a road trip with her wife Miranda Pearman-Maday, she told fans: "Pounds (kgs) down, pounds down. Check out the chin. The 35-year-old star said: “Right now I’m doing a 48-hour fast, so we’re on that journey right now."
A 48-hour fast is an extended form of intermittent fasting. It involves not consuming any calories for a full 2 days.
While the fast involves eliminating foods that contain calories, it is still important to drink plenty of non-caloric fluids, such as water, herbal tea, and black coffee throughout the fasting period to keep your body hydrated.
Some people may use a 48-hour fast to reduce their calorie intake and help them lose weight. Others may use the fast to support digestive health.
A review article in behavioural sciences reported that intermittent fasting produces similar short-term weight loss results as traditional continuous calorie restriction in people with overweight and obesity. Therefore, cutting excess calories from the diet may be just as effective as fasting for weight loss.
Fasting may also affect people with underlying conditions differently. People with diabetes who take insulin or are on blood sugar-lowering medications will need to check with their doctor before engaging in any type of fasting, as fasting can drastically change how some medicines and insulin work.
Another famous face, Jonah Hill has been open and honest about his weight gains and losses since landing his first leading role in 2007's Superbad.
Hill lost weight by correcting his unhealthy diet, he told ABC News at the time: "I wish there was some crazy thing that I did, like a pill or a genie or something, but I went to see a nutritionist, and he told me what to eat to change my habits and stuff."
In a sit-down interview with Ellen DeGeneres, the 34-year-old actor said growing up in the spotlight left him vulnerable to criticisms about his body.
“I think everybody has a version of themselves ― I call it a snapshot – at some point in life … trying to hide from the world. Even if you get success or grow up or become good-looking or whatever ... you kind of carry some part of that with you," he told DeGeneres.
“For me, it’s definitely being like this 14-year-old kid, being overweight, wanting to fit in with these skaters and hip-hop kids, and just feeling lonely and maybe not understanding my own worth.”
Locally, rapper and TV personality Proverb shared an impressive weight loss journey once. The Idols presenter, whose real name is Tebogo Thekisho, in the past told Soweto Live that at a weight of 100kg, which was his heaviest, he couldn’t play with his kids as much as he wanted to.
"I do not want to get all these weight-related illnesses like high blood pressure and want to live long enough to raise my kids," he said.
"I got to a point where I was uncomfortable in my own skin, I was lazy all the time and too tired to get involved in anything. I saw myself as a mess, especially on my TV shows. I decided in January to take action and challenge myself to lose weight to avoid health scares." he said.
Last year, the Mo and Mome star, Mome Mhlangu revealed she achieved her weight loss by eating clean and exercising. When she started off her weight loss journey, she was a busy mom to three kids and weighed 110 kg. At that time, she wrote: “From 110kg at 27 to 64kg at 36 with three kids … it's your journey and your patience is required to reach your goal.
She has now established her own health and fitness products with Moringa being the main ingredient. The powder can be added to any meal and there is also a tonic alongside others.
She now maintains a healthy lifestyle and is dedicated to cooking healthy meals for her husband and children.
Most celebrities lose weight because they want to fit in. For some it's part of their job and it's how they make money. Whatever reason you want to lose weight, get some motivation from these stars and kick-start your health journey