Eating is such a national obsession that dieting just doesn’t seem realistic. And avoiding our favourite dishes isn’t much fun. But most fitness goals will not be achieved without an appropriate diet in place. Also, our very health is directly related to what we eat. So what to do?
This week we look at the nutrition, the trendy meal plan and ask whether you can chop and still drop! Don’t go anywhere!
Much of our food is actually extremely healthy and calorie friendly. If we paid just a bit more attention to what we ate we could still have our cake and eat it. But first a lesson on nutrition from Sherese. From her vegetable garden, she recommends three natural ingredients which can make a big difference to your weight loss plans and health generally.
- Organic Mango Ginger resolves inflammation and stomach issues. Put it in stews and smoothies. It helps weight loss by speeding up the metabolism.
- Aloe Vera is very good for the skin. Simply open, scoop and take as a spoonful to cleanse and
detox the body and excellent for moving the bowels, “It is a natural laxative.” - Okra – if you currently have tummy troubles, it can be digested very easily, makes you feel full and you can eat it raw as a salad. “It doesn’t become slimy until you add heat,” Sherese says. “It can be eaten with your stew. It’s high in Vitamin E and antioxidants, minerals and micronutrients, like zinc, Selenium, Manganese etc.”
MEAL PLANS
Meal plans are sizzling hot right now. Women all over the country are finding success in the #beyourownwcw goals via carefully put together recipes that will help them lose weight but not the flavour. Nor will they have to go hungry. Providers such as @9jafoodie, @fitmrsfats, @askdamz and @cornerstone_group have managed to gain 100K+ followers on Instagram by offering healthy Nigerian meal plans, recipes, food information and consulting. The plans are not cheap but for many women, it is worth it. As they say, health is wealth.
Celebrity Coach Damz gives us the skinny on how meal plans can help. Damilola Ladejobi made her own inspirational weight loss journey (35kg) and on the back of her success built a successful global coaching business.
“Meal plans give an overview of what you should be eating in order to achieve your goals,” she says. “I continually swear by my plan, by following it you will be able to achieve your desired body goals without cutting out any major food group.”
So there you have it. Make nutrition a major part of your fitness/wellness routine and a little exercise will go a long way. The move of the week is my tried and tested exercise to trim waistlines. It’s particularly good after childbirth as it tones the uterus and helps restore stomach muscles. The March will strengthen your core and firm up those lower abdominals as well as tone your hips. You can do it quite comfortably lying down reading a book or checking Instagram. Don’t forget to visit @vbwelllife for all your fitspo.
Let’s go!