Philicity Reekan’s weight loss journey may have started with a health wake-up call, but it turned into a journey of seeing and loving herself in a new light.
Johannesburg, South Africa (27 March 2026) – Sometimes the biggest transformations happen beneath the surface. Philicity Reeken, the radiant co-host of Jacaranda FM’s award-winning breakfast show ‘Breakfast With Martin Bester’, has revealed her incredible physical and mental transformation, having lost 35 kilograms over the past year.
While the physical change is evident, Philicity is now sharing the deeper, more personal story behind her journey, one defined by a shift from survival to vulnerability.
Motivated initially by severe health concerns, including damaged knees and chronic inflammation, Philicity realised that her weight was hindering her mobility and long-term quality of life. However, as the kilograms dropped, she discovered that the journey was as much about the mind as it was about the body.
“I didn’t realise that I was holding on to my weight as a protective measure,” Philicity reveals.
“I’ve worked through that now and truly embrace vulnerability. It wasn’t just about physical changes; it was about the mental and emotional process of saying goodbye to that weight and seeing myself in a different body.”
As she opens up about her weight loss journey, Philicity shares that it was all motivated by her health and mobility.
“I have very damaged knees, and my weight was hindering my ability to live the life I wanted to. I was also really inflamed and was concerned about things like high blood pressure and other lifestyle-related issues.”
The Biggest Challenges Faced Along the Way
The biggest challenges on her weight loss journey were both physical, mental and emotional.
“Physically, it was relearning and reacquainting myself with whole foods and portion sizes. Mentally, it was actually seeing myself in a different body and what that means, and emotionally, it was saying goodbye to the weight.”
But intentionally shifting her mindset and entrenching the good habits made all the difference.
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Support is Everything
“Having access to doctors, my own assigned nurse that I could reach out to at any time, biokineticists, nutritionists, and even a psychologist is invaluable,” Philicity says, crediting Dr Smook and Partners.
She explains that the hardest part of making such a significant change is trying to do it alone.
“Support and encouragement from family and friends is vital. They are also great for a little accountability.”
There Are No Shortcuts to a Healthy Lifestyle
One of the misconceptions Philicity has found is that people tend to think that getting medical assistance means that you don’t have to put in any work.
“It is absolutely not the case. This is not a quick fix but a lifestyle overhaul. You need to commit and focus. Realising you are worthy of a healthy life.”
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Know Your ‘Why’, Celebrate Your Wins
She advises anyone starting their health journey to realise their ‘why’ – ‘Why are you doing this?’ – That way, the small changes all add up to big changes.
“Celebrate the wins (the scale isn’t always your friend, but you’ll feel changes in your clothes). Move, if that means walking, swimming, dancing, just move! If you mess up, it’s okay, just don’t keep messing up! If you need help, there are people out there who want to and can get you on the right path,” Philicity encourages.
As Philicity continues to embrace her new lifestyle, her story serves as a powerful reminder that health is not a destination, but a continuous commitment to oneself. By stripping away the physical and emotional weight of the past, she has paved the way for a more active, vibrant, and vulnerable future.
Sources: Supplied
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