WOMEN'S DAY SPECIAL: Dear women, never be ashamed about your body weight

The author, Anne Kizza Rønningsbakk formed a group on Facebook to encourage women that they should never be ashamed about their body weight. She narrates the challenges different ladies come across so often in life.

Lydia closes her eyes in thought as she recalls the words. “My step-mother told me that when I overgrew fat, now I think I am very smart and wise”. Harriet joins in the conversation and tells us that every time she is In the bank line waiting for the ATM. They let her go ahead of the line while whispering “oyo ye muzito” The women are making these comments on a WhatsApp group for fitness, health, and weight loss.

The group was formed 2 weeks ago as an extension of a Facebook group dealing with the same issue: women, weight loss, and healthy living. Many ladies face hardships with their physical health after giving birth. And since physical health highly influences mental health, some end up with mental health issues. Besides the body changing shape, the weight can pile on. For many, it becomes a big challenge as they experience body shaming every day but I emphasize that Dear women, never be ashamed about your body weight

One lady told us that her husband had stopped making love to her, saying she was fat and disgusting. Another one was called a pig by her man. The body-shaming doesn’t stop with spouses. It extends to the bigger family and society. Aisha’s sister called her Pastor Mondo, comparing her new weight with that of the self-styled pastor. When they visit downtown malls, they hear comments like: “banange abanene mutume abaana don’t you see the corridors are small?” The boda men often refer to them as hajati or nalongo. Pamela is usually asked by boda men: “hajati ogenda kufumba ku lumbe?”

The insults are endless. I didn’t know how bad it was until I started the Facebook group and within 3 days 2000 women had run to me for help to lose weight. To encourage them to put in the tedious work it requires, we announced a 400.000 gift voucher for the woman who loses the most weight within the 3 months of the weight loss challenge.

Every day these ladies tell beautiful stories of how their lives are getting better as they eat healthily and exercise, in accordance with the new guidelines that ‘maamabyronnin’ is giving them. I have been on this journey myself as I struggled to lose the baby weight after my 3 children were born. And the greatest gift we could give these hard-working and beautiful mums in the women’s month of March was to help them take back their self-confidence through a healthier lifestyle.

My inspiration

I started this group and this challenge in order to meet women with great and inspiring stories. My mother, the late Zeulia Nalongo Mangeni, was a woman who inspired not just her children, but people everywhere she lived. A single mum of 13, she brewed ‘kwete’ and worked as a shamba girl until all her children had gone through school.

The seed she planted led me into the work of digging up the experiences of exceptional women and helping those struggling, through endeavors such as this weight loss challenge. Because I am convinced that when you fix a woman, you fix a nation. Some have said that when you give a woman a house, she gives you a home, give her a sperm, she gives you a child. We multiply whatever we are given. This women’s day, may we help our women become more productive. Happy women’s day.

If you are looking for help to live healthier and lose weight and to join the weight loss challenge, find us on Facebook at Maama by Ronnin

The author, Anne Kizza Rønningsbak is a mother passionate about the role mothers play in shaping society. She is a journalist and teacher by profession and seeks to draw on experience from both professions to help other mothers.

She is also a singer and recently released a song for the mothers;