Nairobi, Sept. 5 -- The difference between Frieda Kimanga's physique last year and the one she carries today is striking. At 40, Ms Kimanga has managed to reshape her body in a way that takes more than simply spending hours in the gym. It is the result of consistency, discipline, and, perhaps most importantly, patience.

This is not to suggest that she was out of shape last year when she spent much of her time weightlifting and strength training. Even an eight-month battle to rehabilitate a nasty knee injury, which forced her to significantly scale back her physical activity, didn't hamstring her from staying true to the cause, making her latest transformation all the more remarkable.

Today, she looks leaner and more agile, with noticeab...