IBRAHIM YUSUF BANGURA SHARES ON HIS ROMANCE WITH THE WEIGHT ROOM

Ibrahim Yusuf Bangura is known to many as ‘Beloz’. He is an outstanding young lawyer who wears many hats. Dabbling in politics when required or showcasing his artistic talents on the worldwide stage whether it is acting, comedy or MCing. Quite an odd combination for many, but you may be intrigued by the finesse with which he conveys his passions.

When he is not  traveling, swimming and making people laugh, Ibrahim dreams of being in a position to influence the lives of many and put Sierra Leone on the map in a very positive way. We have a feeling that it would either be through politics or entertainment.

When he is not chasing his dreams, he romances with the ‘idol of weight’. Our society is obsessed with our physical body size (Body Mass Index), there is either an issue with having too much of it or having none. Ibrahim like many others before him has a love- hate relationship with weight.

In this article, Beloz talks about his love affair with weight, what has worked for him and how society can help people live better lives.

Describe your relationship with your weight, the highlights and low moments?

I have struggled with my weight as far back as I can remember. At birth, I was a very chubby baby and that ‘baby fat’ has stuck with me for most of my life. I can count two instances when I have successfully lost weight and hit my target. There’s a certain feeling of pride and accomplishment that came with those successes that keeps motivating me to lose the weight all over again. Of course, there are also the health benefits. Interestingly, as I think about it now, I realise that both times I was in the first year of an academic sojourn. Who knows? Maybe studying contributes significantly to weight loss. Ironically however, losing weight in Sierra Leone has its downsides. I once heard that I had contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, hence my weight loss. Some others argued that I was on drugs, reason why I was not looking like my ‘usual’ self. Those were very frustrating times. Bittersweet moments.  In moments like those, you question whether it was all worth it. Of course, it was, but you certainly do not always feel that way.

DIET, What Diet?

Diets. Yuck!!!!! Nobody likes to ‘go on a diet’. I certainly do not. However, eating right (which is what we all refer to as going on a diet) is an integral part of losing weight, staying in shape and being healthy. I personally do not have a specific diet plan that I follow. I find that what is important is finding what works for you and understanding what is good for your body and what isn’t.

For starters, rice which is our staple food in Sierra Leone is quite unhealthy. That’s something to stay away from. Bread is also not good. More generally, carbohydrates should be consumed very minimally. What the body needs is a lot of proteins. I also try as best as possible to stay away from sugar. I use honey instead. I cannot emphasize how much sweets (cakes, ice cream, chocolate etc.) are not at all good for the body. They are nothing but processed sugars. Finally, I make a conscious effort now to stay away from foods that are fried. Grilled or steamed are my preferences.

What to eat then, right?? I get this question a lot and I always reply “So much”. The trick is to eat right. On this journey, I have seen all sorts of diets plans. The worse kind are the starvation diets. Those are not only unhealthy but they are also not sustainable. If you plan to go on a diet, just make sure you eat right and in small portions but please do not starve yourself.

Finally, avoid eating late. I think this is a major contributor to people gaining weight in Sierra Leone. We leave work at 5, probably get home between 6 and 7 depending on where you live and then we eat a bowl/plate of rice for dinner. That should be a no-no. Try having something grilled or steamed for dinner and try as best as possible to have dinner before 7. Easier said than done, I know. However, it makes a lot of difference.

What is Your Exercise Regime?

Like every normal human being, this is something I struggle with. It truly should be a lifestyle and not just something you should do every now and again or when you want to lose weight. I once read that every adult human being should endeavor to exercise for at least 30 to 45 minutes every single day. Walking, jogging, cycling and swimming are all great exercises for weight loss.

I have in recent times tried to make morning walking and/or jogging a habit. I have a bicycle but I do not cycle that much. I also go the gym every now and again and when I am at the gym; my machines of choice are the ellipticals and the stair climbers.

What are your thoughts on living a healthy lifestyle?

Living a healthy lifestyle is much more than just exercise. It is a combination of eating right, exercising and doing your best to live a stress-free life. We may not realise it but stress actually kills faster than unhealthy eating.

Have you ever heard the saying ‘stress kills’? People always ask me why I am always laughing and cracking jokes and I always respond “because laughter is good medicine”. To ensure a productive day and live a long healthy life, I would recommend everybody endeavors to exercise, eat fruits (which are good for the body), eat right (vegetables included), and keep stress levels to a minimum. It is easy to make excuses. It is easy to complain about not liking vegetables (I don’t either) but truth is they are organic and quite healthy. Examples abound of people who have followed these rules in life and are enjoying longevity in life. It isn’t magic or rocket science. If they can do it, everyone else can.

What are your thoughts on body stereotyping and issues around body shaming?

There are two angles to this. Men and women experience different things when it comes to how their bodies and body sizes are perceived. As a man, I don’t think we see much body shaming here in Sierra Leone compared to other countries in the West.

Interestingly, being on the heavy side is actually seen as a sign of prosperity and often associated with affluence and your standing in society. They’ll tell you things like “you get personality” or “da man get stature” or “e get financial pregnancy”.

Things are however radically different for women in Sierra Leone. They are held to a much higher standard. The minute a woman puts on weight, even almost random strangers would always comment ‘u don fat o’ or ‘usai u dae go with this body’. Such inappropriate behavior is very commonplace. I look forward to a time when Sierra Leoneans will understand that nobody makes a conscious effort to put on weight. It is something that happens because of certain lifestyle changes. As such, people need to be sensitive to people’s feelings when they comment on their weight and their body.

Empathy has to be the watch word. Most people struggle with weight issues. However, only few people will talk about it.

What’s your advice for someone learning to own their weight?

Make this your mantra: Eat right. Exercise. Be consistent. Set realistic targets. Do not give up.

The most frustrating thing about weight is that it can be gained quite easily but losing it is always a challenge. There will be periods when you feel like you are not making progress. That’s okay. Keep at it. Did I mention consistency? Be consistent. The kilos will peel off gradually but if you stay the course long enough, you will eventually hit your target. Once you hit your target, the challenge becomes keeping the kilos off. This challenge is one I am yet to conquer. Hopefully, third time’s a charm.

We’re telling true stories about weight journeys and tips on how we can all own our bodies better, while saying no to body stereotyping and shaming.#WellnessFreaks

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