A former take away addict who used to spend an eye watering £3k a year on fast food dropped a whopping eight stone after a stranger's hurtful comments motivated her to shed some pounds. Makeda Roberts, 27, finally took the plunge with her weight loss journey in January 2021 after a cruel man referred to her as a "fat b***h".
The brutal comment resulted in Makeda joining a Slimming World class and starting home workouts, the Manchester Evening News reports. Almost two years later and without ever stepping foot in a gym, the 27-year-old is nearly unrecognisable after she went from a size 22 to a size 10.
Makeda who used to splash out around £50 on her favourite takeaway three times a week had to make the decision to completely cut out fried chicken and chips to prioritise her health and commit to her goals. The customer service associate, from South London, says she is now grateful for the harsh comment, as it inspired her to turn her life around after she admits she struggled with her weight her entire life.
She shared: "Someone in the street on a bike stopped me and shouted - 'you're beautiful'. They then turned and said: 'I'm joking you're a fat b***h.' I just thought I have to sort myself out - I didn't want words to hurt me anymore.
"I was addicted to fried chicken - I would eat it three times a week from Morleys. I would have six wings and chips, from KFC a three piece chicken box meal and a burger."
Makeda, who dropped from 19 stone to 11 stone, now has new healthier interests as she attends Slimming World groups weekly where she checks her progress each Tuesday. She said: "I joined Slimming World and started doing Insanity workouts four times a week. Now I feel great, I'm fit and I can walk up the stairs without getting out of breath.
"When I left school and went to college and university, I had no self-control the pounds piled on over the years. Lockdown made it a lot worse. I would eat fried chicken and chips every day and a lot of fizzy drinks. I haven't eaten fried chicken, pizza and McDonalds for a year - I've forgotten what it tastes like. I have an addictive personality so I know if I had one bite of a burger that would be it."
Makeda made the decision to swap chicken and chips for salmon and broccoli and focuses on home cooked meals as she proudly reveals she hasn't 'touched junk food since I started my weight loss journey'. She added: "I have tunnel vision. I'll pick up a healthy cereal bar instead of biscuits. I still like to go out and party, but I see having a drink as my treat now.
"I won't end my night with chicken and chips anymore - I will genuinely get home at 5am and cook - eggs, tinned salmon. Before I didn't know how to cook."
Makeda reveals that she achieved her weight loss without using a gym and instead by doing four high intensity 'Insanity' workouts at home. She revealed: "People have accused me of taking pills but it is all diet and exercise - everyone is so shocked.
"I've stuck to it and pushed so hard. People think it's a quick fix solution but it's hard work and dedication - it doesn't drop off there and then. My target weight is 10 stone so I'm still not where I want to be, but I feel like my confidence is better.
"I wear things I would never wear before and I've lost weight everywhere, even on my hands and feet. Some of my shoes are too big now. I want to help others keep pushing on and inspire them to not ever give up."
Makeda's diet and exercise regime:
Before
Breakfast - A chocolate bar followed by a full English breakfast
Lunch - A meal deal - a BLT, a chocolate bar, crisps
or Chicken and dumplings from a Caribbean shop
Dinner - Oven food or fried rice with chicken swimming in oil. Spaghetti Bolognese and lasagne with shop bought sauce, smothered in ketchup. Chips with everything
Snacks - biscuits, crisps and Haribo
Drinks - Full fat fizzy drinks, coca cola and Irn Bru
After
Breakfast - Blueberries, blackberries, pineapples with a green tea
Lunch - A cereal bar or a chicken salad or
Dinner - Salmon, potatoes and broccoli. Sea bass and rice. Mediterranean pasta
Fibre one bars, Alpen bars, crackers with cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, 25g of tortilla crisps
Drinks - Diet lemonade, water, green tea
Exercise regime
Three insanity work outs a week- cardio, ab-attack and max-out cardio and cardio challenge.
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