From Chocolate to Kettlebells

I have had good intentions about exercising regularly and not gone through with it…
Had issues with my weight…
And I have had trouble starting and sticking with living a healthier lifestyle.

One thing I am 100% sure of is – I have never been alone.

In 2002, I was in my 2nd year of University, surrounded by people who loved me – my Mummy, my family and my friends. I was happy…

Only problem was I was overweight. I didn’t get to that point overnight, fast food restaurants had a lot to do with it. As did pastries, biscuits and chocolate.

Mmmmm….. chocolate covered biscuits….

Sorry, I got a little distracted there 😉
I knew I was overweight and that I had to do something about it like – lose some weight.

• I remember going for a few step classes which were run at my University – were they hard work or what?!?!? I struggled through the classes and always had a sense of achievement when they were over. A big dinner afterwards was well deserved, right? I thought it was.
  On the days I missed the classes because of another commitment, I tried going to the campus gym – A few minutes on the treadmill to warm up, 5 minutes on the stepper, by which time I was sweating profusely and had burned a few calories. A few bicep curls and … I went home.
• I also recall trying to go on a diet a few times. I didn’t eat breakfast, had some fruit to tide me over till lunch and then I had a big lunch (I was hungry! Don’t blame me!)

These attempts always ended the same way – I discarded them after a few days and got on with my life.

Being overweight wasn’t so bad all the time. It felt good when my friend Jenny*, who didn’t know me when I’d been slim a couple of years before, always said, “I can’t imagine you slim Adura, you’re meant to be big. If you lose weight, your head will look huge”. Please DO NOT say that to someone who needs to lose weight just to make them feel better. That will be their excuse not to bother – as was mine.

I eventually made the firm decision to grab my weight issue by the horns. This was mainly because of the much needed assistance provided by Weight Watchers – weekly weigh ins, weekly leaflets on meal suggestions and meeting people who had similar goals to mine. But I’ll admit that my determination to succeed played a huge part too (read more on my story HERE) and I’m pleased to say I successfully lost weight.

Now…
I am more educated on healthy eating and exercise through qualifications but most importantly from experience. I’ve come to learn that it is important to exercise often but it is MORE important to eat healthy in order to lose weight, stay in shape and be healthier.

Yes, I have successfully lost weight but I have had struggles keeping it off. It’s been a learning experience but I think I’m on the right path toward understanding the right balance between exercise and healthy eating. My aim is to share my experiences with you and also answer questions you may have, to the best of my knowledge.

Try these small but significant steps towards living a healthier lifestyle:
Cut down on oil: My favourite example – ‘dodo’ (fried plantain) should sometimes be replaced by ‘boli’ (roasted plantain) or boiled plantain.
Always eat breakfast: This is the most important meal as it sets you up for the day. I don’t mean noodles and eggs (someone told me she had that for breakfast!) or fried yam(!)
Try a bowl of cereal or even better, oats.
Snack often: This is one valuable piece of knowledge I learned while on Weight Watchers and still stick to. Snack on fruits, nuts, etc.

A little goes a long way… 🙂

Photo Credit: EEtomi Photography
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Adura is a Fitness/Kettlebell Instructor and Trainer, she currently works with Fitter London.
Her website/blog: www.adura-odesanya.co.uk. Follow her on Twitter (@adura_odesanya) for daily tips on healthy eating, fitness and her other love – haircare.