The 10 Most Influential People In SA Running
Some are winners, some make winners… but all have had a profound effect on the state of SA running in 2016.
7. Weight-Loss Wonder Woman – Tshidi Laka Ran off 40kg, 37
Tshidi Laka (Run It Off Club, RW September 2016) is living proof that running, combined with a healthy diet, is one of the most effective ways to burn kilojoules and get fit.
At 128kg, Laka didn’t like the way she looked or felt. Her weight-loss journey began with a simple desire to change her life. But that’s a decision that no-one can make for you – you must do it yourself, and it’s in that process that heroes are made.
Laka started running – alone, and slowly at first – around a nearby soccer field. A dietician helped her to control her eating habits, by becoming mindful of what she was eating and when she was eating it.
Her new diet includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, fibre and three litres of water a day. Each day, she runs after work for 30 to 40 minutes.
Laka’s reward? She has completed six 10-kilometre races, and she is able to walk distances she couldn’t before.
“Words cannot describe how wonderful I feel right now,” she told us, proudly.
Laka’s ability to turn away from a sedentary existence and shed unwanted kilograms is motivating her to reach her goal weight of 70kg – and her success has inspired others to embark on their own weight-loss journey.
READ MORE ON: cape-town-marathon Caroline Wöstmann inspiring people motivation wayde van niekerk
