WOMEN WE LOVE: BUNMI GEORGE
Bunmi George is the founder of ShredderGang – a health and wellness consultancy. Between 2010 an 2011, she lost a total of 55kg, and in her quest to help other people achieve their weight goals, she started ShredderGang, one of Nigeria’s largest weight loss communities.
In this interview for TW’s Women We Love, she takes us through her journey from her personal weight loss to her current collaboration with TW to help selected women achieve their weight goals.
- Tell us a little about Bunmi George and the Shredder Gang Weight loss movement?
My name is Bunmi George. I’m a wife and a mom of 2. I have degrees in both Clinical Psychology and Dietetics and I graduated in 2011 from the University of Toronto. I lost a total of 55kg in a 14-month period (2010-2011). I got sick and tired of carrying so much weight around, it also started to affect my self-esteem. I remember walking to my registrar’s office in university, and I was out of breath. That was the turning point in my life to be honest. From that day, I made a conscious effort to lose the weight. But being a true Naija girl I just couldn’t let go of Nigerian food so I found ways to make them guilt free.
Before
After
2. What were you doing before you became one of Nigeria’s favourite weight loss coaches?
Before I started Shredder Gang, I had just graduated from school, and I had published my first book called “Wholesome” which was launched December 2012. The book centres around the love of God and a woman’s journey from brokenness to wholeness. So I was mostly working on promoting that while doing ministry.
3. You push people to their fullest potential, who pushed you?
To be very honest, I pushed myself, I didn’t have any coach or personal trainer during my journey, I just wanted to be healthy and fit at all cost. I signed up for different fitness activities so that I never got bored. From swimming to kickboxing to cross fit you mean it I did it. This was my own way of pushing myself. Also, the truth is I cannot leave the God factor out of my journey, when I felt overwhelmed and discouraged I would go to the word of God and pick myself up again.
4. You are a woman who solved a personal challenge, and then decided to carve a niche by helping others do the same, can you share a little about the journey so far, on both the personal and business side?
I like to say that ShredderGang happened to me, it wasn’t something I had set out to do. I struggled with my weight for many years, after losing so much weight the healthy way, friends and family with weight issues just wouldn’t stop calling, then a light bulb went on in my head. I started to charge a fee for consulting and out of that was the metamorphosis of ShredderGang.
5. Weight loss isn’t a one size fits all journey; many overweight people are said to have one underlining issue or the other, how do you handle the personal side of dealing with weight loss issues?
This is one of the things that makes ShredderGang, we do not believe in the one size fit all approach, from the
beginning of a client’s journey we identify what the issues are, then deal with them head on. Weight loss is also very emotional, but the great thing about it is, by the end of the client’s journey a friendship between us has formed.
6. Fitness and eating healthy has become another get rich quick scheme, with people falling for quick fixes and crash course diets, considering how expensive personal trainers and coaches are. What advice would you offer to someone who doesn’t have much, yet would love to lose weight without endangering themselves in the process?
My advice is simple, think long term sustainability-watch what you put in your mouth and exercise. cut down on processed foods, eat more whole organic foods. 35 – 40 minutes 4-5 times a week would make a big difference.
7. Shredder Gang helps people lose weight with a combination of diets and intense work our regime’s, is it possible to kick off weight loss and achieve them without the exercise part?
Yes, it is, but for optimal health you need exercise in your everyday life. this is why we push exercise so much. Just dieting is not necessarily the right way to go.
8. What are your thoughts/ mantra about confidence, weight loss and body image?
“Love where you are on the way to where you’re going.” We can sometimes focus so much on the destination that
we forget to live during the journey. A lot of people stop living until they achieve their ideal body. This shouldn’t be the case.
9. Do you ever feel pressured to be a certain way, in order to continue to attract clients?
Thankfully i’m very confident in my own skin, I’m not a size 6, but the goal for me is never ‘look’ a certain way. I’m more interested in my health and fitness. I have come a very long way, i believe it is my authentic story and our expertise that continues to attract clients.
10. What inspires and motivates you?
I’m inspired and motivated by my purpose. A big part of what I’m called to do is help women physically and spiritually. I’m thankful for every opportunity I get with each and every woman I come in contact with.
11. Do you have any final words about your upcoming weight loss challenge with TW Magazine?
I’m super excited to kick this challenge, 10 women from different works of life have been carefully selected to partake in this challenge. It is going to be a total transformation for each lady in this 12 week period. They are going to push past their limits and earn the body they have always dreamed of. I simply can not wait to share their triumphs.
