Chaka Khan, the musical legend best known for songs like “I Feel For You,” “Angel,” and “Through The Fire,” has had a transformative journey with her health. Over the past five years, she’s lost an incredible 75 pounds and has been able to maintain her weight, all while tackling serious health issues.
Chaka Khan’s Health Awakening
Chaka Khan’s health journey was motivated by a combination of personal and health factors. She had type two diabetes and high blood pressure. Her 10-year-old granddaughter, whom she adopted, also played a pivotal role in her decision to transform her health. Realizing she needed to be there for her granddaughter, Khan decided to take drastic steps to improve her health.
The Path to Weight Loss
Her weight loss strategy was unorthodox but effective. She started by fasting for a month, followed by a transition to a vegan diet. Khan said she went off meats and all dairy and anything with eyes. If she had a craving for a little baked fish or something, she might eat it, but that was about it. She focused on high-protein foods and a lot of vegetables, and although she is not a fan of exercising, she admitted that walking was her activity of choice.
Chaka Khan at 70: A Testament to Change
At 70, Chaka Khan is living proof that it’s never too late to make a change. She credits her weight loss to a strict liquid diet initially, then a vegan diet, and a radical change in her lifestyle. Despite the challenges, Khan’s weight loss journey has opened new doors for her. Not only has she improved her health, she’s also found new business opportunities, including a perfume line, a line of candles, and Chaka Lips for the holidays.
Overall, Chaka Khan’s weight loss journey is an inspiring story of resilience and commitment. Her transformation serves as a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to make a change and prioritize our health.
While fictitious, below find what we think what Chaka Khan would recommend to stay healthy and fit at any age.
Chaka Khan’s Strategy to Avoid Weight-Loss Sagging
Starting strength training now and continuing throughout your weight-loss program and beyond as you maintain your new size can help avoid sagging skin. As a result, your skin will shrink along with the rest of you. When you reach your ideal size, new acquaintances will be unaware that you were ever overweight. This is because your skin will fit your body perfectly, just like it does for Chaka Khan. This is achievable through strength training.
Chaka Khan’s Stamina, Energy, and Strength Training
You aim for quick results in losing weight, and strength training can make this a reality. Within only three months of strength training sessions twice a week, your body will become smaller. Your waist, upper arms will be smaller, and your stomach will be flatter, similar to Chaka Khan’s transformation.
Two strength training sessions a week are sufficient. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could do three, but not more than that. This is because strength training causes small tears in the muscle fibers. This is beneficial, as during your “off” days the muscles repair, becoming stronger and tighter. Daily strength training won’t allow your muscles to rebuild between sessions.
Strength Training Approaches Inspired by Chaka Khan
There are several approaches to strength training. Free weights are very popular, easy to use, and widely available. You can start with 2- to 3-pound weights and add weight as your body adapts. Stretch tubing, a stretchy thin tube with handles on each end, resembles a jump rope and can be purchased in several resistance levels. Flex bands, ankle and wrist weights, and body bars are also excellent tools for resistance training.
Chaka Khan’s Advice on Muscle and Fat
It’s essential to understand that muscle weighs more than fat. Because of this, a person with higher muscle mass could weigh more, and yet wear a smaller size, just like Chaka Khan. In addition to using your weight as a measure of attaining your ideal size, take into account your body fat percentage.
Body Fat Percentage: A Page from Chaka Khan’s Book
Higher body fat percentages pose significant health risks, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and autoimmune disorders. When your body fat is tested at a health club or a health practitioner’s, you’ll receive a reading of body fat, water, and muscle percentages. All three add up to 100 percent. Assuming that the amount of water weight remains almost constant for each individual, the variables are body fat and muscle. The more muscle you have, the less body fat you have, and vice versa.
Understanding Body Fat Like Chaka Khan
When it comes to body fat measurements, lower is usually best. However, it’s crucial not to fall below the recommended guidelines. A person must have at least some body fat to be healthy. Fat pads internal organs such as the kidneys, and it also offers protection against cold weather. For women, the minimum recommended fat percentage is 12 percent. If a woman has less, her menstrual cycles could cease. Men must have a minimum of 5 percent to stay healthy.
Improving Your Muscles: The Chaka Khan Way
By doing strength-training exercises for two to three hours a week, you can reduce your body fat percentage by as much as 10 percentage points within six months. Having less body fat and more muscle gives you more energy, higher stamina, more muscle definition, and a higher metabolism. This means you’ll burn through calories faster and can eat more food without gaining weight, a strategy that has clearly worked for Chaka Khan.
