He was always teased by other children for being bigger than them. He spent most of his life being body-shamed and called ‘fat’.
At the time, he was so used to it that it didn't bother him.
Until a visit to a doctor changed his life. He was diagnosed with high blood pressure and told he had to make some lifestyle changes. But it wasn't an instant 'aha' moment and it took him years to get the courage to start his weight loss journey.
Four years and 45kg later, he couldn't be happier.
Lawrence Ramano (37) ditched his bad eating habits, adopted a healthier lifestyle and hit the gym - hard.
He works out twice a day for an hour and 15 minutes.
The theology lecturer at the Southern Africa bible college – where he also obtained his theology degree – tells us that his journey to living healthy and staying fit has been one that was challenging.
He tells us more about his weight loss journey.
“Growing up was very challenging because I was made fun of for being fat and for some reason I ended up getting comfortable with that. After I matriculated, I was fat but I wasn’t determined to lose weight. It was after tertiary that I saw the need to change,” he tells us.
After graduating Lawrence realised that he was ‘big’ and in 2010 he was diagnosed with high blood pressure and he was told by the doctor that things could take a turn for the worst if he didn’t change his lifestyle.
“I was told to do something about my body but I didn’t care. Instead, I was getting bigger and bigger. It was in 2017 when I was determined to make a lifestyle change. I started by buying myself shorts and a top and went to the grounds of Benoni and I started walking. That’s when I started my journey.”
He says that he would walk every day after work for an hour. He was 135 kg when he started his journey.
“When I decided to join Planet Fitness I was 114kg’s and I had lost 21kg through walking but because of my bad eating habits, I knew that I am going to struggle with disciplining myself and because I hated exercising, I decided to make it a part of my lifestyle until it was in my veins. And right now, I don’t care what the weather is, you will find me at the gym.”
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Like most people, Lawrence enjoyed having fast foods, a fizzy drink here and there and amagwinya (fat cakes) now and then, but he changed all of that when he saw that no matter how much time he spent at the gym, his weight remained at 114kg.
“Even though I worked out there was no improvement but there was a time where I even gained weight and I weighed 120kg. I knew why, I got there because I didn’t work on my eating habits. A friend suggested I try Sam’s Twitter #90dayswithoutsugarchallange, and he was talking about cutting sugar and carbs, it worked because I could see that I was losing weight. And finally, I broke through the 114kg. As we speak, I burn an average of 2200 calories per day at the gym, I go there twice per day.”
He focuses strictly on cardio because he wants to reach an ideal weight of 80 or 70kg first before focusing on other areas. He currently weighs 90kg.
“I am really proud of myself because I was consistent, it’s been a hard journey. I used to wear size 44 on my pants and today I wear size 34. My t-shirts used to be size 48 and now I am a 41. Honestly, things have changed. My confidence and self-esteem have been boosted. As I go to work and stand in front of my students, they see a different person than I was years ago.”
Finding clothes as a big man was difficult for Lawrence and sometimes, he would see something he liked but couldn't find his size.
“I know the pain of going to the shops and seeing something you want but it can't fit, it is so painful but now as we speak I can buy and wear clothes that look great on me. The older Lawrence used to look older but right now people tell me I look young.”
Started my healthy lifestyle journey 2017. This is my birthday's weight progress. It has been a rise and fall. Do not give up and stay consistent. Stay focus.#FetchYourBody2021#RunningWithTumiSole #90dayswithoutsugar pic.twitter.com/sc0RaAb79m
— Lawrence (@LawrenceRamano) June 13, 2021
Lawrence is a father to two girls aged between 4 and 10 and he says whenever he shows his younger daughter his old pictures, she doesn’t believe that it is him.
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“She always says ‘daddy this is not you’. My older daughter knows that’s it's me. It has been a rewarding journey because when you feel good, you do good. One thing I can say is that I had to love myself and put myself first.”
He is proud of all his efforts, and he wants everyone struggling with weight and obesity to know that they can be better versions of themselves by just taking the first step.
“Get up and do it, it is a matter of getting up. You will not get your results overnight; it’s a journey and this journey requires patience because you will be building good habits. Tell yourself that you can do it, the starting point is all that matters and the rest will follow.”
