Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse has opened up about her weight loss journey, revealing she has lost over two stone after ditching chocolate and adopting a healthier lifestyle. The 40-year-old dance star, who celebrated her milestone birthday last week, credits the WW programme (formerly Weight Watchers) for helping her achieve a total weight loss of 2 stone 3 pounds.
Motsi, who has been a judge on the BBC show since 2019, admitted that her perception of a healthy body has changed constantly during her career. She said: 'The competition world is not the best kind of space to be in for such a long time. It destroys the healthy way a body is supposed to be and then you get stuck with that mentality.'
The mother-of-two-year-old daughter said she has struggled with her weight since childhood, with comments from others leading to an unhealthy relationship with food. She recalled: 'When I was a child everyone would say “oh my God, you’re so thin”, so then I got a thing about being too thin. Then puberty happened and everyone told me to lose weight so I got super thin again.'
Since January, Motsi has lost 1 stone 4 pounds by exercising five days a week and making dietary changes, such as swapping chocolate for berries. She said she now focuses on finding a body that is right for her health and mind, adding: 'Now for me it’s just trying to find out who am I? I am a mum, a businesswoman, and all these other things. What is that supposed to look like?'
Motsi also addressed criticism on social media, including comments about her weight and racist remarks. She said: 'It’s not a question of whether it happens, it’s a fact. It always impacts on me, and I have to reflect and kind of get back to myself.' She emphasised the importance of not editing photos to create unrealistic images, worrying about the pressure on young girls from social media.
