I don’t know what you’re going through right now, but whatever it is, no matter how impossible it may seem … it’s probably not as impossible as you think. Trust me. I conquered my ‘impossible’ mountain after an accident put me in ICU and left me fighting for my life.

The Road cycling accident I had in 2014 left me broken. I suffered three brain contusions, a smashed collarbone, nine broken ribs on the right-hand side of my body (some of those ribs were smashed into fragments), a torn rotator cuff in my right arm, a punctured lung, torn ligaments in my left leg, and a massive deep tissue hematoma on my right leg.  I had and still have no memory of the accident but I had tubes coming out and needles going in and for a while.  A long while afterwards I questioned why; why had it happened?

I fought for my life in ICU for eight days. I spent another nine days in the ward, and another ten months in rehabilitation and physiotherapy before I regained the full use of my body. I also suffered chronic dizziness for eight consecutive weeks, which was finally rectified by neurological physiotherapy.

And although I had survived the most challenging periods and had physically recovered, I found myself spiraling into a deep, deep depression. I was eventually diagnosed with depression as a result of the head injuries, the trauma of the accident, and the trauma of my eight-year-old business falling apart.

I had so many physical obstacles to get over as a result of the accident, I was unable to train, to work or work out and I gained more weight than I ever had in my life. My metabolism was shot, my body wasn’t functioning properly and the anti-depressants did nothing to help me keep my weight down and I just ballooned.

Another ‘impossible’ mountain for me to climb. They say a strong mind needs a strong body and vice versa … so I decided to take my life back.

On the directive from my mentor, I mentally prepared myself for a balanced weight-loss programme and launched into it, following it exactly as prescribed without negotiation.

It took me three full cycles of 45 days each to reach my goal weight. But I did it. I was strict about how I ate, about my snacks, my meal combinations, my food preparation, my hydration, my daily 10,000+ steps. I lost 27kg & 118cm.

I now have more energy, more mental focus, and more confidence than I had since before the accident that broke my body and nearly took my life.

No matter how impossible it seemed at times, I took my life back. I am now a healthy, fully functional chef and entrepreneur again – and an athlete who competes at every given opportunity, even under the most testing of conditions.   I’ve achieved even more than I believed possible since then and so can you.  I Got Back Up & so can you. 

#getbackup