Nigerian singer Teniola Apata, popularly known as Teni, has revealed that a severe bout of COVID-19 during the pandemic prompted her to take control of her health and begin a weight-loss journey that eventually saw her shed 75 pounds.
The Afrobeats singer disclosed this during an interview on Queen’s Mic, explaining that the illness left her struggling to breathe and frightened her family. She said the experience made her realise the importance of changing her lifestyle, with her mother playing a major role in helping her adopt healthier eating habits.
Teni explained that her mother moved into her home after the illness to support her recovery and guide her dietary choices. The singer said the intervention helped her establish a healthier routine and gave her the push she needed to begin losing weight.
“There was a year I had COVID. It was so bad. I couldn’t breathe. Yeah, it was really bad,” she recalled.
According to the singer, her mother’s support went beyond preparing meals, as she also monitored what she ate and discouraged her from consuming certain foods. The changes helped her build better eating habits and maintain consistency during the early stages of her transformation.
Teni said seeing the results of her efforts encouraged her to continue, even when she occasionally struggled to stick to her routine. She noted that noticing changes in her body and how she felt made it easier to remain committed to the process.
“When you start losing weight, you begin to see the progress and feel good about yourself. You tell yourself, ‘Okay, let’s keep going.’ Sometimes you fall off a little bit, but then you get back on track again and keep going,” she said.
