Norkem Park mom shakes off 100kg (Video)
The Norkem Park resident was a secret-eater and used to eat four loaves of bread a day.
Norkem Park resident Janja Wills (34) needs excess skin removal surgery and needs the community’s help as the surgery costs R150 000.
It is said commitment, determination and consistency are among the things you need in order to reach your goals.
These are some of the qualities that drove Janja Wills (34) when she started her weight loss journey five years ago.
Janja, from Norkem Park, used to weigh 190kg and lost about 100kg after she decided to change her life for the better.
“I took one bite of a bacon and cheese sandwich in October 2015 and I felt like I was going to have a heart attack.
That’s where my fitness and healthy-living journey began,” said Janja.
Janja struggled with her weight from the age of seven.
“I played sports in school, which helped me control some of my weight gain, but when I completed high school I started gaining excessive weight because I was not active anymore,” said Janja.
The Norkem Park resident was a secret-eater and used to eat four loaves of bread a day.
“For breakfast, I used to eat four slices of bread and a pack of bacon every day,” said Janja.
“Being a secret-eater, I never ate too much in front of people, not even my parents. I would only eat a lot if I was alone with no
one watching.”
According to Janja, the excessive eating was more of a coping mechanism with life’s challenges than it was about her being hungry.
Realising she was not feeling well, Janja consulted a doctor who informed her she had to change her lifestyle.
“It dawned on me that my daughter (7) could lose me if I didn’t change my habits, which was when I contacted my personal trainer, Marek Zadlo, to help me lose weight,” explained Janja.
Determined to change, she ran, walked, did high-intensity training and changed her diet drastically.
Janja told Express her daughter was and still is her biggest inspiration to lose weight and keep healthy.
Another source of motivation for Janja is Zadlo, who helped her free of charge.
“My trainer was my backbone and when I felt I couldn’t go on, he was there to support me and get me back on my
feet to continue,” said Janja.
“I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for him, he really is amazing.
“I kept pushing and was also encouraged when I saw the results as the kilos kept going down. I remember how much I screamed
for joy the first time I fit into a bathtub. My parents came running thinking something was wrong only to find me in tears.”
Janja knew she would need surgery to remove excess skin and after consulting a surgeon, her goal was to weigh at least 100kg.
“I am now on 90kg and qualify for the excess skin removal surgery,” explained Janja, as she beamed with excitement.
“I qualified for surgery about two years ago when I was 103kg, but I pushed to lose more as the doctor explained the lower the weight the better the outcome, so I continued going.
“The weight of the excess skin is about 20kg and that is what the surgeon will cut off, if not more. After the surgery, I will weigh approximately 65kg.”
It will cost Janja about R150 000 for the surgery and she appealed to the community to assist.
“I have already raised R40 000 and still need more money to ensure I can do the operation,” she said.
“I have initiated various fund-raising programmes to help me raise the funds and won’t stop until I have enough. One of the ways I am raising funds is through the combo I have decided put together, which includes curry and rice and doughnuts.”
Although exercising and keeping healthy has become her life, it has proven to be more difficult with the excess skin.
“It is heavy and burns because it is just hanging lose,” explained Janja.
“It also burns when I walk, but it is more excruciating when I exercise. I appeal to my community to support me in any way to help me reach my goal of going for surgery.”
Janja also said her fitness journey will not end after surgery.
“My dream is to enter and win the SA Fitness Model of the Year competition one day,” said a confident Janja.
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“I want to make my daughter, trainer, parents, family, friends and Kempton Park proud when I go on the stage and get crowned as SA’s number one.
“I want my daughter to know you never back down from what you want, you push until you get it, no matter how long it takes or how hard it is.”
For more information or to help Janja contact her on 082 971 7615.
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