When FTJ introduced a liberalised economy in Zambia little did we know the impact it would have on our waiste lines. I left Zambia for two years and the first thing I noticed as I walked down Cairo road one morning was how fat people had become in a very short time frame. There was a thin guy I was with at secondary school more than a decade ago, he was so thin we thought he should be studied in a lab because not even malnutrition could make someone that thin! We always teased him how that his ribs would make the same sound as a guitar string if he ran his fingers down his chest. Well, after not seeing this friend for only two years, I found him almost obese. He had probably moved from a size 28 to 40. This phenomenon I found was repeated by a majority of my peers.
The mushrooming of fast food take aways in Lusaka has really gotten people fat. They joke that “balelila” but should we really embrace the western lifestyle with caution thrown to the wind?
People in the west are now realising how bad and unhealthy their lifestyles are. Its the cause of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks and some cancers.
I would urge middle class Zambians to stick to the natural foods our grandparents and parents raised us on. Once in a while leave your second hand japanese car and walk. Go to the gymn or just exercise for at least 20 minutes three times a week.
Ya if we look thin you will start accusing us of suffering from AIDS/HIV and running away from us. I don’t think I admire being thin. VIVA pot belly, VIVA T-Bone steak, VIVA Mosi Lager
There’s a WIDE handsome range between stick-thin and uglily obese (re-distribute the fat disproportionately collected at the belly up to the shoulders and down to thighs!).
Nama ARV can make you fat.
I think #1 sums it up, in the current context, this story is a non-issue, despite all the merits for avoiding obesity; Mind you, in another related issue, Marasmus is misconceived by some parents to be good health becoz their kid looks “fat!!” If anything, they both represent one thing – MALNUTRITION, indeed, obesity is as much, as are Kwashiorkor & Marasmus – just different ends of the spectrum!!
People might think being fat is a sign of wealth but its a sign of poor lifestyle choices.Guys those chicken and chips you like buying for us on dates are not healthy. Then again we can’t invite you to our flats for nshima because you will misinterpret the invitation.
This is a very interesting topic. We and others have done a number of studies on this issue. Current evidence suggest that being overweight and being obese is a risk factor to High blood pressure and related heart diseases. Mortality and morbidity tend to increase in people who are overweight. so ukwina is not a sign of living well. But Zambians need to change their attitudes, when someone is slim as # 1 said they say alilwala. This should change viva Traditional foods!!!
#5,I think you need deliverance,you mean if you invite a man for nshima they would misinterpret the gesture?Or is it you who look for the obvious by misinterpreting the invitation?Open up and let us know the correct meaning of comment #5.Easy will soon be there to provide direction according to RUFQUA facts on invitation for nshima at a lady’s house especially after 18hrs.
Come on kuku, if a testosterone filled gentleman is invited to a ladys flat,he will want more to the menu than just nshima. He will be looking forward to dessert and i’m not talking about chocolate pudding!
#8 yangu uyu mukashana atushikula, Easy mwaice wandi this is your area can you tune in to Inonge .com.
Ala wasosa mukashana, ifwe te area yesu, we are Main masala/Kulima Tower boys,bakadobi wont allow us to do that.A meal must not have strings,loose or tight, it should just be a meal , mawa indagambwa
alright kuku let me try to be abit insipid.I wanted to highlight the social dilemas young people face.Most dates are centred around food or drink.Its more convenient to go order an unhealthy menu of fatty chips,chicken or that juicy hungarian sausage dripping with fat, than it is to to sit down to a natural wholesome meal at someones place.That comes with the complications I mentioned. so after consumption of the fatty foods the evening is crowned with say a movie.Such inactivity doesn’t help burn the calories consumed.You will hardly ever find someone who invites a woman to a game of tennis,or say an invitation to go jogging.So in a nutshell we need to find creative healthy ways of interacting because I aint inviting a testosterone filled dude to my place for a healthy meal.I hope thats toned down enough for main masala/kulima tower boys to comment on!
# Inonge may I start by saying its takes two hands to clap. I would be wise to inform your guest in advance that the invitation is not going beyond the belt level. There is no way a man would want to have sex with a woman unless she shows interesting anything out of this line is rape. By the way I find it very strange how a good friend can easily turn into a wanting sexual partner after a meal. Wisely I would go joking with a female friend at 15 hrs on a Saturday so that there after each of us have enough time to go to their respective homes. Recreation is the only cost free resource for our health. Do some streching, muscle pulling everyday you then have less problems in life
#11. Well done Easy! Inonge does that give the peace and rest about recommended healthy ways not the testosterone way or is it the progesterone way? Iam sure Inonge will take your advice seriously even us at Main Masala /Kulima Tower have learnt something ba Scorpion Kadobi has never told us? Do you think its deliberate? Hold on , I dont think so, last week we had an exam to do about “why are our Mini Bus Drivers and ngwangwazi dying at a productive age from Aids? Last year alone we burried 50, and this year alone work in progress is 30,75 are on ARV’s, this is devastating going by Inonge.com assertions.The mind has tremendous power,thoughts have tremendous power,prayers and praises have tremendous power, all these things make you what you are, so think positively.
# 4 Bauze, Children with marasmus do not look “fat!†They look wasted. It is those with kwashiorkor that look “fat.†Marasmus is lack of food, therefore you look wasted where as kwashiorkor is lack of specific type of nutrient, protein therefore you look puffy.
Sorry, above posted by CK!!
well Easy if we look at kukus “stats” many young energetic men are either on arvs or have succumbed to the virus.I don’t think they would have found your advise/statement practical. Ofcourse men have one main thing on their minds whether you are a good friend or not.But since they are (sometimes)not dogs they control their impulses. So I’m not going to put sugar on your tongue and say don’t swallow or in other words a proverb in the bible says something like can a man put fire in his bossom and not get burned?
I’m not going to be pulling muscles and stretching alone, I still want some nice gentleman to accompany me to game of tennis.
15# Inonge we should not discriminate Big Malaria as it now know in Zambia it doesnt choose whether you are woman or male. What is important is taking care and protect yourself. The virus is intendly I believe is a few individuals who understood the bible differently caused this harmful killer of mankind especially a black person. To be vigilant and informed is the only chance of survivor. Remember Big Malaria has no colour you cannot see it. The fact is if you are not infected you are affected so it time to be coinstence. Stick to one partner as the bible says where ever you remember this commendament. Dont be lonely because you are Gods child.
He eats your nshima and now he wants you? Yangu.
please solve this equation easy = easyE?
Inonge, men are different just like women. I have several close women friends and I do not think of going to bed with them. I remember one time fying with a female friend and reconnecting flight was cancelled. Checked in one hotel and they had only one room with two single beds. The friend was concerned at first but I assured her nothing will happen. We slept in one room for the whole night and nothing hapenned. This friend has a lot of respect for me and after a couple of years, she approached me and asked whether I could marry her. I refused as I had already someone in mind. Inonge just choose good associates and you will feel safe all the time.
Nope. Easy ≠EasyE
ah I thought so ie the two easys are different.You mean its that difficult to come up with fake names? mulenga I have some very good male friends but I still have reservations let me tell you of an incident that happened in april. My ex boyfriends friend invited me for lunch at his place.He was trying to console me I thought for having my heart broken. After a good meal he asked if I wanted to have a bath.Thats crazy I thought,why would I bath someones place at 13hrs.I just politely said no and continued talking about my ex.A few minutes later he said he was more confortable in shorts and wanted to take off his trousers in my presence.That was my cue…I said I donno whats going on but I’m out of here.He insulted me and accused me of misreading him. This was someone i respected and I realized he was just a dog like the rest of his breed. So I have my reservations.
Inonge my sister Easy and EasyE can be same man but different persons. I sorry to learn about your ordeal with your boyfriends friend. He is an opportunist he wanted to use the chance but took a wrong approach. If he was a man strong enough he would have approach in a different way to know your likings and what you wish in your life. I mean if you have desire for some what is wrong to come in the open and express yourself and you get your answer. We cannot deny that sex is part of our lives and we are a product of time but this should be something being agreed between two popi. Mulenga has is right not all men are the same breed as you put it, no respecting your own body is more viable than anything else. The bible us this too but remember not to miss something in life. Ask your innermost why real your ex man left you or why you left then you will find a solution.
Inonge you have proberbly just attracted guys who are like you in your life or attracted what you do not want and coz you keep your THOUGHTS focused on what you do not want you get exactly that.It sounds ironic doesn’t it? Try to always focus on what you want in your life and visulize it/them and keep your mind to what makes you feel good and you will see miracles my sis. Every thing we have or happends in our lives we attract them to ourselfs.Some say call it’s God, some it’s fate and I call it ENERGY and it neither be created nor destroyed.”All men are not created equal”.
Its true alot of pipo pa Zed have become fat or thin, either which way but loose.Fat is called INACTIVE WEIGHT lets get some active weight pipo Gentlemen get to the local gym and hit that benchpress ladies treadmill please and when you get that look Guys you know how good you will be looking in that tight t-shirt and jeans on a friday nite.Fat or thin without excersice you are unhealthy. Eat Zambian not junk.
#3,25, You are right. Most of those lads who look obessy is as a result of ARVs. Devouring of selenium. Otherwise it is not as a result of fake Mac-Donald restaurants being run by those fake Lebanese.
Here is one way to telling if you are in a “developed” or “developing ” country. Find 10 people randomly and Ask the question (get the person to tell the truth): ‘Would you like to gain or loose wight?’
Developed: More than 5 will choose “loose”
Developing: More than 5 will choose “gain”
Until we are developed, the majority of zambians will always want to gain weight. Yet we all know that medically, this is unfortunate!
Some problems with your illustration Hey:
1) You certainly need much much more than 10 sample size even if its random to get any meaningful results and distinguish by sex, age, residence, etc.
2) What if exactly 5 say loose(or gain)? In otehr words whats the qualitative significance of your cut-off at 5?
3) Is there really no difference between 2 countries one in which 0 person said lose and another where 4 said lose
Just some thought….
The article doesn’t have much substance… no facts! True, we have seen a swelling of Zambia’s middle classes in recent years, true their standard of living might have significantly improved over the same period. Indeed, people are putting on weight! But then again, when does a fat person become obese? To be honest, I’ve seen very few clinically obese people in Zambia. Fat people, yes, because fat is subjeective. There is actually a lower limit for obesity taking into account factors such as age, height and weight.
nkandu I don’t get your point.obviously one moves from malnutrition to thin to medium( or ‘size’ as we say pa zed)to fat to obese to morbidly obese. So people in zambia have progressed to fat.wayikita line nomba?
Abene inonge and ba Kuku are bringing up issues that generate debate. Fatness and sex is there a relationship ? Marrying a foreigner and not being misunderstood – are they related?
We are the middle class put on weight because we rarely exercise and we appear not to take care of the foods we eat. Pa zed eating from nandos and hungry lion appears to be cosy, without taking note of the consequences. If you wanted stats – how many zambians go for regular check ups compared to stats for immoral shagging on fridays and saturdays week in week out.
Living in Russia,being fat is not very attractive(applies to both men and women),Having abakuchipata,stop thinking that being fat is a sign of wealth!! It’s not healthy,in Europe nobobdy will go for a girl with a giant Ass,so girls,change ur thinking!!!
That’s why by the age of 45 pipo in zed have high blood pressure,pipo shud exercise,men pipo here live longer coz they exercise n eat the proper food,not that they eat better food,just that they eat the correct food! Even girls,they shud change their attitudes,trying to embrace the western culture n all,that’s stupid! What abt tradition and culture?Think of the consequences and how they will affect ur health.Keeping the right amount of fat and exercising makes u healthier,prevents certain diseases.
Let me share my experience with u guys. I was one of the lucky guys who got a better paying job after graduating in Lusaka.4 years down the line I had put on extra 45Kg. Iam 1.6 metres tall and at one point I hit 115Kg.This is what contributed to my obesity.
– I use to drive from home to work and spend the whole day sitting in front of the computer.
– Spend most weekends drinking Mosi and braaing
– Eating pap/rice/pasta with beef almost everyday.
Then I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I was told t reduce my weight from 112Kg to about 70Kg.Change my eating habits and exercise regularly. Even after moving to SA, I have changed my lifestyle. I now weigh 80 Kg and I even stopped taking medicine to control the sugar levels in my blood. So I appeal to those guys in Zed to start going to the gym, eat healthy food(esp vegies) trim those tummies and will definately live longer. VIVA UKONDA!!!
thats a very nice testimony from a truly zambian man! Keep it up.You fat bellied men take heed.indeed viva ukonda!
Ukonda or slim
Imwe i did not know that we even have middle class in Zambia I thought we all belong to one class CLUELESS CLASS,just look at national companies sold to outsiders foe peanuts well YOU PAY WITH PEANUTS YOU GET MONKEYS