Yousra Samir is the author of the fashion blog Under Your Abaya and contributes to Fitness in Qatar’s lifestyle and fitness blog. Her journey towards better health unfolded in two stages; first, losing the weight (but not always the right way) and transitioning to becoming physically stronger and eating clean. The second stage began after she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and didn’t want to be put on medication. She fundamentally believes to have cured herself by eating clean and exercising. The result: she lost over 30kgs and has completely changed her lifestyle.
Our Fitness Guru Dannielle Blaker speaks to the fashion and fitness blogger about her compelling weight loss transformation—read on to learn what worked for Samir and how she keeps the weight off and her bad eating habits at bay.
DANNIELLE BLAKER: What motivated you to change your lifestyle and eating habits?
YOUSRA SAMIR: My weight had been slowly creeping up for years due to a combination of medication, binge eating, and inactivity. I was in denial for a long time until I went to a wedding, and a lady told me to be careful while dancing because of the baby. I laughed it off, telling her, “It’s a fat belly not a baby,” but it made me finally realize how overweight I had become, and that I had to take action.
What did you struggle with the most?
Late-night snacking and eating out of boredom. I spent two years after graduation looking for a job, and would sleep all day and stay up all night watching TV shows and eating mountains of pot noodles, mashed potatoes, and king-sized chocolate bars.
How did you overcome it?
I got myself into a proper routine and became productive, spending my free time writing articles and working on my fashion blog. My mind was too preoccupied to mindlessly eat. However, it must be said that one never stops struggling; even after the weight loss, I still struggle with eating at social events like birthdays, and it’s something that I am working on overcoming.
Who was inspirational to you during this transition?
I have to be honest; I did not look to anyone else for inspiration. I used visualization to help motivate myself—and pictured myself as a slimmer, fitter, stronger, and healthier.
What was the ultimate exercise that worked the best for you?
The most effective workout has been high-intensity interval training. It’s a real fat burner. Strength and conditioning workouts have also played an important role. I lost the majority of my weight purely through steady cardio, which was a mistake. I had high cardiovascular endurance, but physically I was very weak. Since I started weightlifting, I have become stronger and can also carry out everyday activities, like carrying heavy shopping bags or moving heavy furniture easily. Weightlifting has also allowed me to eat more food and burn more fat.
What worked in terms of diet?
In terms of food, I dieted the wrong way and even starved myself. I finally figured out that eating simple, whole, and unprocessed foods, and cooking my meals myself from scratch was the answer to getting rid of fat, a bloated tummy, and the key to becoming healthier overall. I follow a Paleo diet, which means that I don’t eat gluten, dairy, and soy. I avoid sugar as much as I can; I also avoid salt, processed foods, and the only fluid I drink is water. I do have one cheat meal a week because you can never eat clean 100% of the time without treats—otherwise you would go nuts.
How do you avoid falling back into old habits?
At this point, there is no turning back. When you work so hard at the gym, psychologically, you know that eating junk will wipe out all that hard work. The fact that I am wheat sensitive, and have IBS and PCOS are health factors that stop me from reverting to my old ways. I believe in prevention and because I have these health conditions, it puts me at a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, and gut problems. I would rather eat healthy and exercise now and avoid taking medication every day for the rest of my life later on.
How many times did you try to lose weight before you succeeded?
During the past four years, I dieted the wrong way and the right way. All along, In November 2011, I weighed 90kgs and in November 2013, I weighed 54kgs. In November 2015, I weighed 59kgs but gained the 5kgs in muscle. Can you believe that when I was 54kgs, my body fat percentile was still 35%? I was skinny fat. Now my body fat percentile is 22%.
What’s the best advice for anyone wanting to get fit and live a healthier lifestyle?
You have to understand that it’s a gradual journey and a long-term solution—not a quick fix. It’s a lifestyle change. I have people telling me that they want to lose 30kgs in a month, which is humanly impossible. You have to be patient. You also have to realize one thing: starving yourself is the wrong way to lose weight. You will initially lose weight, but then your body will go into starvation mode and will try and save any fat you have left. If you are working out regularly, you need to consume 500 calories less than what your body burns over the day to lose some weight. Invest in a heart rate monitor watch that can show you how many calories you burn in a day and figure out from that how many calories you need to eat to lose weight. I do not agree with these 1,200-calorie or 1,400-calorie diets at all. Eating healthy and exercising regularly are key.
