YNOT fitness developer Yanga Ngcayisa on beating bad body image and finding his niche
Growing up, Yanga Ngcayisa found himself bullied and ridiculed for his weight. ‘I was a prop and playing rugby, so it was normal for me to be the way I was for my position in rugby,’ he says. It wasn’t until Yanga left the rugby scene that he started to notice the toll his weight had taken on him. ‘I started overeating, drinking and smoking a lot, which is of course harmful when done excessively,’ he shares. ‘On top of being the big guy I already was, I picked up a lot more weight by mid-2019.’ Yanga has since lost an impressive 35 kg and adjusted his entire outlook and career. He has also developed YNOT, a fitness brand dedicated to bringing innovation and fun to the fitness scene in South Africa.
What Was That Defining Moment For You?
Before 9 July 2019 (the day that I started my transformation) I had been contemplating going back to gym, but I dreaded how difficult it was going to be to get back into shape. That morning I decided to just go for a walk. I walked for an hour that day and it felt so great to just move my body. The next day I decided to cycle for 30 minutes. It wasn’t easy, but from that moment I never looked back. This is where the change began; it was the mere decision I took to simply try. After that first week I set my goals and wrote out some programmes for myself to follow.
That’s Incredible! How Has Your Fitness Journey Evolved Since?
I currently incorporate a variety of different styles of training as it not only shocks the body, but it helps in keeping the consistency as well. This includes weight training, cardio, bodyweight training and power. Doing the same type of training for an extended period can not only get boring but your body also adjusts and then you reach a plateau with your training. One of my go-to workouts that really gets my heart rate going is the YNOT Workout Deck, which is a deck of 52 cards that boasts illustrations of various exercises on them. How it works is that you simply draw a card, the number represents how many repetitions, and the illustration is the exercise that must be performed. It’s honestly such a fun way to stay fit and active, which is why I love and recommend it to anybody starting their journey or looking to add a different element to their training.
And Where Do You Stand With Your Nutrition?
The elements of fitness have undoubtedly been the key aspect of my entire transformation. If you think about it, you spend about one to two hours at the gym and the rest of the time is spent outside of it. This means that the real battle is won outside of the gym by the decisions you make when it comes to nutrition. My journey started with a low-carb diet first, so I was eating high-protein and high-fat meals – lots of meats and veggies. I saw some incredible results doing this. I then went plant-based for a year and a half: my meals were filled with vegetables and sprouts to get in some essential nutrients. I have now found a balance of incorporating both to ensure I am getting in all the vitamins and minerals that my body requires. It must also be noted that I LOVE a good cheat meal (chocolate mousse or cheesecake) every now and then too; it is all part of the journey and learning as I go.
Where Do You Draw Your Motivation From?
There is a version of myself that I see in my head and I’m not going to stop until I create it. I also get inspiration from motivational videos and quotes, and draw strength from previous challenges that I’ve overcome.
Words by Taryn Wilson
Photography: Courtesy Images
