Johannesburg – Telavukosi Mabasa is not only a successful businesswoman as the founder and executive group director of Vuhosi Consulting Group, she is also an activist for single mothers and plus-sized women.
The 43-year-old Mabasa was so determined to reclaim her life and feel more confident about herself that she lost 60kg.
The mother of one, who lives in Joburg, said she has a passion for women and youth empowerment and is committed to transforming the lives of young people and women, especially single moms, so they can shape a better and more sustainable world for future generations.
Having battled with her weight all her life, she is a strong advocate against body shaming and decided to do something about it for a healthier lifestyle for herself.
You were a size 48 at your heaviest, how did your weight affect your life?
It affected every part of my life; work, the way I interacted with my daughter, my relationships with friends … I was a depressed person. I had self-esteem issues. I felt trapped. I also used my weight as a crutch for not achieving or doing certain things.
My bigger challenge was the voice in my head. The negative, self-damning, judging and negative preacher telling me I am not good enough nor pretty.
What was your light bulb moment that pushed you to lose weight?
One day I realised that I need to start loving myself with my current weight (before weight loss). I needed to embrace who I was at that moment because this would be the only life I had. I started working on the voice in my head, then the way I looked. I started pushing boundaries and my personal perception changed. It turned out that I needed to work on myself emotionally and mentally before changing physically.
What health problems did you have because of your weight?
I always thought that I was the healthiest plus-size woman I know. I had some gastric issues but nothing serious.
However, I later realised that my body was starting to resist insulin, which might have led to diabetes. I was unfit, the Cape Town airport was a problem for me because I could not walk long without running out of breath.
How did you do it?
My journey was a long one – 11 years. I had done everything, from buying thousands of rand of weight-reducing products, to getting wires in my teeth for a month at a time and gym subscriptions that I never used because I was ashamed and just didn’t have that type of dedication, to having a surgical balloon inserted in my stomach, which nearly killed me and left me with some permanent health issues.
Finally, I decided to make a lifetime commitment and sought help from a doctor.
What exactly did you do?
I did a procedure called skin bariatric. Bariatric surgery includes a variety of procedures performed on people who are obese, including gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries.
How much weight have you lost so far and how are you keeping it off?
I have lost 60kg, now a size 38 and watching my weight.
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What are the biggest misconceptions about weight?
You are overweight because you eat too much. Overweight people are ugly. There are many more societal stigmas that are attached to overweight women.
The fact that people think it’s okay to comment about your weight and be mean about it is also an issue.
What do you wish you had known before you started your journey?
Unfortunately for me I didn’t dive into a lot of research when I decided on my surgery, and I turned out to be the 2% that have complications after the surgery. But I also wish I knew how my body would embrace it year after year, and it’s not easy but worth every second.
How do you think we can all support people who are struggling with their weight?
We are individuals, we are not our weight. When you meet me, do not assume anything about me. Love me, embrace me and give me opportunities based on me as an individual, not my appearance. Be kind.
What has your journey taught you about yourself?
I have become calmer, not as defensive and combative as before. I will always identify myself as a plus-size woman. I need to be patient with myself and continue to love myself always. I am worth it and I can do anything and everything. Everyone has a purpose and it’s not based on my looks, but on what I am called to do.
What motivates you to still continue the journey?
I have an organisation that I call “The BeautifulMe Movement”, which is about teaching women that life is not just about losing weight; there is more to you than your beauty.
It is about living a holistic and healthy life.
Often one’s internal voice is fed by the external voices that are determined to remind you that your dress size is not ideal for the meal you’re eating, or that your body is not in the best of shape for the outfit you’re wearing.
BeautifulMe is here to shout a different message to you, that it’s time to take your power to live a holistic life.
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