Healthier Alternatives. CHAPTER 1

The first thing I would be focusing on is Rice 🌾
I don't know if a lot of people have been as confused as I was on what kind of rice to eat. There are soooo many options out there. It's confusing.
I grew up knowing just one kind of rice. As I moved to my dorm in the university,  I had to be more independent. Part of which included  buying food for myself. The first time I went food shopping,  the one thing that confused me the most was RICE. There were so many types. And, at that time I did not know the kind my mum always bought in the house.
I saw Jasmine rice, Wild rice, parboiled rice, Basmati rice, bomba,  brown rice etc to name a few. Boy, was I confused. I had to make a second trip to the store with someone with a little more experience just to buy rice.
This is why I decided to start these series with the almighty rice.

1. Brown rice- OK. I know y'all are gonna be like, "hey, how is this a healthier alternative to rice". It has a mild, crunchy taste and is more nutritious than white rice. Actually, the reason I am starting with brown rice is for those that just want their rice. They do not need any alternatives.  I am talking to people like me.

It has a mild, crunchy taste and is more nutritious than white rice. Brown rice still contains its hulls and bran.

The side hulls and brans provide “natural wholeness” to the grain and are rich in proteins, thiamine, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium. For those trying to lose weight or those suffering from diabetes, brown rice can prove a healthful staple given its low glycemic rating which helps reduce insulin spikes.
Brown rice can be eaten the same way you eat white rice. The only difference is that it is tastier and healthier.

Hi y'all

I know its been a while i posted on here.

i have been busy with finals and all. I had to create a little time for this post.

This is just a short write up about something i was dicussing with my friend today. We were talking about someone that is apparently into the fitness biz. She was like the babe is not even skinny despite all the exercises she has been posting about. THIS, got me thinking. Do we exercise to be skinny? To lose weight? Because it's the 'in' thing? or because we want to  be fit?. 

Personally, i exercise because i want to be fit.I hate seeing lose skin. I believe the results you would get are tailored to your desires. 

Did you exercise today?

Have you tried some healthier alternatives this week?

Healthier alternatives

I have noticed the recent craze for healthier alternatives to food. Even I, am guilty of this new lifestyle.
As most of us know, being fit and healthy is not about spending 6 hrs 7 times a week in the gym, it's not about missing meals and counting calories, it's not about that waist trainer. It is however about what goes into your body. I believe most of us know the famous computer abbreviation GIGO. Garbage In Garbage Out. If you do not put the right foods in your body. You could as well go to bed and forget that gym workout you had planned today. If all you do is eat less than a thousand calories a day in the name of dieting, I promise you, you are going to gain all that body fat once the diet is over.
I'll give an illustration... it's a blazing hot summer day, no rain for weeks. Finally, it drizzles today. What do you think will happen, the ground will try to hold all the water it can in so much that you may not see a sign of rain. Instead it gets hotter.
So, basically, our body is the ground in this illustration. Food is the rain. If we do not eat enough calories to sustain us for a period of time, when we finally eat the food, our body takes it all in and stores as fats. And guess what, we are still hungry.
Do not be deceived by the diets that claim you can lose weight in 3 weeks cause, trust me on this- It will take you less time to gain all that weight back.

Being healthy and fit should be a life style not something done for a while. You have to make up your mind to commit to eating healthy and exercising for a long time. For life.
To help with this I am going to be doing a series on healthier alternatives based on my personal experiences.

...still on love

how do people love their neighbor as themselves when they haven't learnt to love themselves.
It should be observed that all the commandments are summarized into one word -LOVE.

The first step to loving your God is loving your neighbor. The first step to loving your neighbor is loving yourself.
That is the whole reason for this journey i started.
It may seem a bit trivial just looking at it but if you scratch the surface, there is great treasure within.
Today, i took time to access myself and pick one thing to love about myself for the week. I intend to do that weekly.

meals prepping

Meal prepping is a sure way to keep fit as i have learned. For instance, i only order pizza when i have nothing to eat and i need a quick fix.

Basic meal prep items include
1. Fruits
2. Chicken
3. Snacks i.e oatmeal cookies or cakes
4. vegetables
5. eggs
6. Stew
7. Soup
8. Sauces

plus ensure you always have raw food in house like rice, custard, flakes, oats etc.
you have to have enough bowls too to pack the food in advance.

the journey to a healthier life and a banging body begins here.

Exercises

Ouch! Ouch! It aches all over. Let me just adjust a little. That is so not helping. Prolly lying down will do the trick. Its no use either. Its as a result of accumulation of lactic acid in my muscles. Guess what, its all my fault.

Previously i would've blamed it on studies, work, exams and so on, but not anymore. Its not laziness either its all me.

This is the result of not exercising and thinking talking a walk a few times a week was gonna cut it. Well,now i know better. It doesn't. It hurts. Feels like an open wound. Its sooo sore

So, i restarted my exercises and i feel numb all over. I can't even laugh so hard, its gonna hurt. Changing my sides in bed is even worse.

I didn't know the heel of the feet could hurt from exercises. Well, now i am seeing my body in a different light now.
The funny part of it all is despite the terrible aches i feel, i feel good.
My take home lesson is, the more i stop exercising, the worse i feel when i start again. I hope this is enough inspiration to ensure i never miss a day of exercising ever again

You berra try them

Started t25 on jan 17

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/20-best-healthy-protein-pancake-recipes.html

Yum on your body

I have heard a lot about putting the stuff that go in your GIT on your body. I was definitely skeptical at first but i finally decided to give it a go. You can trust i googled all the ingredients in the first mask i tried
So i decided to try the turmeric mask

Let me go briefly on the individual ingredients i put in my yummy mask.

1. TURMERIC as the name implies is the base of this mask. Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.

It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb.

Recently, science has started to back up what the Indians have known for a long time… it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties

These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.

Some people even apply turmeric to the skin for pain, ringworm, bruising, leech bites, eye infections, inflammatory skin conditions, soreness inside of the mouth, and infected wounds.

So.you can imagine the joy i.felt discovering this.

2. ALMOND MILK -

The almond is the most nourishing nut available in the market and contains a wide range of vital elements like soluble and insoluble fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acid, omega-6 fatty acid, vitamin E, potassium, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and so on.
Usually it is soaked overnight because If you want to improve your skin tone and get back your lost glow, soaked almonds can help you a lot. It repairs the damaged skin tissues internally and accelerates the formation of new cells. Hence, the tone and texture of your skin are enhanced considerably.
Soaked almond paste can also be used to treat skin inflammation. Be it rashes or chapped skin, the soothing property of the seeds give you relief from itching and irritation quickly.
They are also very effective in exfoliation of your skin and giving you a fresh, new look.

U can trust i made my milk fresh because i observed the store made ones had too many chemicals i didn't want on my body

3. Pure COCONUT OIL- Actually, this isn't a compulsory ingredient, but because of my dry skin and the dry weather, i added it right in. Coconut oil has many uses- topically on skin, it moisturizes and replenishes, on the hair, it promotes healthy, thick and long hair. It can even be used as a make-up remover, as an additive to bath water. It can even be used in cooking.

4. Extra virgin OLIVE OIL - Virgin, is usually referred to as pure. Of course, extra virgin is "purer".

Olive oil benefits for skin were well-known among ancient peoples. The Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used it as an anti-aging remedy.  They also used it to treat wounds and to moisturize dry skin.
The wars over Sicily, which led to the defeat of Carthage by Rome, were largely motivated by the olive plantations on the island which were coveted by both major powers.
Fortunately, we do not have to fight wars over olive oil anymore.  It is abundantly produced in many parts of the world, and it is readily available both in extract form and as an ingredient of many organic skin care products.
Olive oil contains four major antioxidants which allow it to work as a cleanser, moisturizer, and protector of skin.  Among these antioxidants are Vitamin A and Vitamin E.
So, obviously, the reason I included olive oil are already stated above

Oatmeal FLOUR: Basically, works as a thickener so its not just runny, instead it has the consistency of a mask. A lot of ppl use rice flour, chickpea flour and a lot of other flours. But, i chose oatmeal because of my dry skin. And you guys sure know the benefits of oatmeal on the skin.

Finally, the last and most important are the bowl and the stirrer.

Review: Before applying it on my body, i just wanted to eat it. It smelled so good and yum.
It took about 15mins for the mask to dry on my skin. Right after washing it off, my skin felt supple and soft.
You can trust i used vitamin E oil on my skin to simply complete the process.

This is my first try and i absolutely loved it.

A new year

Its a new year,a new start.
Cheers to new beginnings...
2015, the much awaited year for various reasons.
1. I become a doctor
2. I celebrate my silver jubilee
3. I return to Nigeria
4. I fall in love

...and so many other reasons

I stopped writing resolutions a while ago. Its because i realized how much easier it was to write than to keep to. I have, instead,learnt to be a better person as the days go by.