October Classes in Lagos

I will be running classes in October and have a quick question, I would really appreciate your feedback.

Would you attend a Sunday PM class?

Thank you in advance and see you soon :)

Workout/Spin Track of The Week

WEEK #16 

One (Your Name) - Swedish House Mafia Feat. Pharrell



Love this! Happy Friday :)

Chicken in Tomato Puree on a bed of Steamed Broccoli

LOL, I'm laughing at "on a bed of", I'm trying to get fancy with the names of my meals ;)

I had just gotten back from bikram yoga and was s-t-a-r-v-i-n-g. I wanted to eat dinner asap, I felt like eating stewed chicken but didn't have the patience to chop and blend tomatoes, then cook them so I opted for tomato puree instead and this was very tasty :)

Quick Recipe

1. Marinade chicken thighs in ginger and mixed herbs.  
2. Pan Fry (maximum of 2 tablespoons of oil) chicken and chopped 1/4 onion. Until chicken is cooked. 
3. Steam the broccoli for 8-10 minutes (I usually add some seasoning, I used some all purpose seasoning). Add to a plate when ready. 
4. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato puree to the chicken in the pan and cook for a few (not more than 5 minutes) 
5. Add the chicken to the plate and serve.

Modifications

If you have more time than I did:

• Boil the chicken instead of pan frying (eliminates the oil)
• Chop, blend and cook tomatoes and onions. And pan-fry for up to 10 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible = paste. Add  chicken thighs to the paste and cook for no more than 5 minutes.
• Use any vegetables of your choice, I used broccoli because that's what I had in the fridge :)

Serving Suggestion: Eat with sweet potatoes, potatoes, brown rice, etc.

Workout/Spin Track of The Week

WEEK # 15

'Where Them Girls At' - David Guetta feat. Flo-Rida & Nicki Minaj

Yep, another David Guetta track ;) Honestly, his beats are perfectly designed for spin classes ;)

I have the extended version of this track and I'm loving it right now.

Exercise Class Review: Fitter London's Vinyasa Yoga

Fitter London have now added yoga classes to their timetable which now makes it well-rounded.  Everything needed is now covered - from strength to cardio to conditioning to YOGA :)

If you're wondering, why you should add yoga to your current workout routine, check out this link: "WHY DO YOGA?"

If you follow me on twitter (@Adura_O), you'll know I've been attending Bikram yoga classes for the last month and a half. My friend Keris invited me to a class and although I was a little extra-dramatic (it's me, that's not unexpected!), I could already feel the positive effects by the end of the day.

After attending a few more classes, I finally FINALLY appreciated yoga classes and told anyone willing to listen that they should give yoga another try. 

I'll be honest - I've never been a fan of yoga. My excuse - it was too boring but the more I thought about it, the more I realised it frustrated me so much because I couldn't do anything. I was so inflexible and just couldn't hold any postures but I never gave it time and always gave up after a couple of classes. I remember going for a yoga class 3 years ago and while I was struggling with a shoulder stand, a few show-offs people effortlessly got into headstands!

Fitter London's yoga instructor - Katie already stands out. Why? Because she's been the most supportive and helpful yoga instructor I've seen in a while (my experience with some yoga instructors can be another blog post!). I had never ever tried a headstand (ever!) and this happened on Sunday:

I wasn't even going to attempt it but Katie said I should give it a go and lo and behold - I did it!

There were a couple of beginners in the class and they were advised to take things in their stride. Most yoga postures have a few levels, you always benefit from them if you're a novice or a veteran. If at any point, you feel tired or unable to do some postures - you're advised to stay in child's pose <--- I like!

These classes slowly build up from a warm up - quite a few downward/upward dogs and these help mobilise the joints and warm up the muscles - to some basic postures. We slowly built up to the last few  that were quite challenging but as always, there were options for the less experienced.

Katie plays mellow but funky music throughout the class which I loved. I found myself humming to some of the tracks but not in a distracting manner of course ;)

I've been to three of her classes so far and I love them because every class is different, there were a few new poses (to me) last weekend and I got the chance to improve on some other poses from previous classes.

I love strength training and I teach a lot of spin classes, I do mobility drills pre-workout and stretch post-workout but honestly, they're not enough. I found I was feeling tighter all over especially in my hamstring (back of my thighs), calves and back. I can confidently say that after ~20 yoga sessions so far, I have increased flexibility in my problem areas, I always leave classes with a clear head/mind and I feel better and calmer for it. I used to be anti-yoga now I'm PRO-YOGA :) I'm looking forward to where I'll be after the next 20 classes!

Fitter London's yoga classes will officially begin on Sunday 25th September (11.30am every Sunday in Fitness First Covent Garden), if you're interested in the classes send me an email: Adura'at'fitterlondon.co.uk. Your first class is absolutely free (no small print!) ;)

The Fitter London class timetable and prices can be found HERE

Hi!

How are you?

Hope you enjoyed your weekend and your week's going well so far :)

I'll update my blog tomorrow - I've been attending yoga classes: both Bikram Yoga and Fitter London's Vinyasa Yoga. And I feel great for it, I feel more flexible, less stiff and just more alive! I know that sounds crazy but it's very true.

Tomorrow's post will be a review of Fitter London's yoga classes so come back tomorrow :)

Re: Lagos... I'm definitely running classes (and nutrition talks) , I've received a few emails (yay!) so please email me to register your interest.

Have a nice week!

Workout/Spin Track of The Week

WEEK #14

'Little Bad Girl' by David Guetta feat. Taio Cruz and Ludacris

I heard this last week and I really like it... to be honest, it's a typical David Guetta track like 'Sweat' feat. Snoop Dogg. I keep saying I'm bored of new music but David Guetta's beats are usually very catchy



Maybe I'll listen to his new album:



This is a weekly series, previous posts can be seen HERE.

Tips for Transitioning to Natural Hair

Hi :)

I had relaxed hair for years and I shared some tips for maintaining healthy relaxed hair HERE.

I've been asked about haircare for natural hair and also for the transition to natural hair.

I wasn't brave enough to do a big chop because, wait for it.... I HAVE A BIG HEAD (seriously, my Mummy mentioned it to me once and it's stuck with me since then), haha!
Other reasons were:

• I was already used to waiting up to 6 months between relaxers so I didn't think it would be that much of a challenge 
• I wanted to have a lot of style options - I didn't want to do a big chop, see my massive head in the mirror and hide my hair under extensions. 

I haven't done extensions in over 5 years (I'll be honest - the main reason for this is my hairline has never been full so any rough handling results in me looking bald! There was a time my Aunt (in 1999!) relaxed my hair for me and my hair fell out along my hairline and in the middle, I'll never forget that experience.. EVER. O_O

If you're interested in transitioning, here are a few tips which helped me through my 18 month transition:

1. Understand Your Hair
   Transitioning was easy enough for me because I was used to taking care of my hair myself. I knew what my hair liked and what it didn't. I also knew how to deal with my natural new growth because I used to stretch the time between my relaxers. If you're used to relaxing your hair every 6-8 weeks, your 1st time should maybe stretch the time till your next relaxer to 4 months and slowly work from that. Find out what products work for your hair and those that don't.
   
   
2. Always Remind Yourself Why You Are Transitioning
   I don't have a dramatic story, my hair was in a very healthy state and wasn't falling out, I decided to stop relaxing my hair mainly for health reasons. It was one of the steps I took towards using less chemicals in/on my body.
   
   
3. Set Yourself A Goal And Work Towards It
   Avoid saying, "I'll try to transition", you will most likely cave in and relax.
   Neither should you say, "I'll see how it goes"
   Try -
   "I will transition for at least 1 year!
   "I will transition until my natural hair is shoulder length"
   Short term goals also work - My goal was to transition for 1 year, I got to one year and realised I could go longer so my next goal was 18 months (in time for my 29th birthday)
   
   
4. Find Hairstyles That Work For You
   You don't want your transition to natural hair to mean you'll have more 'ugly days' than normal. What hairstyles will be easy for you to manage? Are you one of those lucky people with full hairlines unlike mine on my big head? Then extensions might be the answer. Do you enjoy styling your hair yourself? Stick to your trusted styles and try to be adventurous, loads of ladies have instructional hair styling videos on youtube.
   Some of the styles that worked for me include those that helped me blend my two textures (straight & relaxed and coily & natural):
   

   

   Braidout

   
   

   

   This was almost a year into my transition

   
   

   

   Twistout

   
   

   

   French Braid

   
   

   

   Braids (no extensions)

   
   
5. Deep Condition
   This is very important. If your hair is dry, unhealthy and brittle, you will experience breakage. Even if you're not transitioning ie you're relaxed or natural, you need to deep condition. But as a transitioner, you need to get the right protein and moisture balance. Protein strengthens your hair which means you'll experience less breakage at the point where your relaxed hair meets your natural hair. And of course, you need moisture for your hair to keep it hydrated and soft.
   What worked for me, which might not necessarily work for you was Organic Roots Salon Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner - it was both a moisturising and protein deep conditioner.
   
   
6. Limit ManipulationBecause you're dealing with 2 textures, you can't be combing your hair casually like you would relaxed hair. You will find that the amount of pressure you use to detangle your natural new growth is more than twice that of your relaxed ends. What worked for me was to detangle my hair when it was damp after applying my leave in conditioner. a year into my transition, I had to start washing and detangling my hair in sections because my natural hair seemed to be overpowering my relaxed hair.
   
   
7. Moisturise
   Find a moisturiser that works for you and use it at least once a day. I used, and still use, shea butter mixed with coconut oil, castor oil and aloe vera gel.
   
   
8. Or Else...
   If all of the above are too stressful for you, just hide your hair in braids/twists/extensions. But make sure you still wash (diluted shampoo), deep condition and moisturise your hair (with a liquid, spray moisturiser).

If you have any questions, please ask :)

Happy Monday!

Hi :)

Hope you enjoyed your weekend...I did but it flew by so quickly! I taught spin classes and attended bikram yoga classes on Saturday AND Sunday - so unlike my usual weekends!

I'd really love your feedback, I'll post a poll later this week (re: my blog content) and I hope you take part in it :)

I was going through my archives and saw some posts from last year that I wanted to share with you again, so please check them out:

• Wanna Run?
• Wanna Run? (Part II)
• "I Want To But I Can't"
• I Love Strength Training

Have a nice week :)

PS. I'll be in Lagos next month - if you're interested in Nutrition Consultations and/or Personal/Group Training sessions, please EMAIL ME.

Chicken Wings & Efo

Recipe very similar to THIS, I used chicken wings instead.

Strawberry & Spinach Salad

I know, I know - I seem to use Spinach in every other dish. My excuse is - it's good for you *and* I prefer it over other green leafy vegetables :)

I saw a recipe on-line which I modified slightly. I used:
- lemon instead of vinegar
- olive oil instead of vegetable oil
- and no sugar (No need for extra sweetness)

Ingredients

1 Pack of Baby Spinach
1 Pack of Strawberries
3 tablespoons of sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Half a Lemon

Strawberry & Spinach Salad

• Wash the spinach, Wash & Chop the strawberries. 
• Add to a mixing/salad bowl and toss.
• Mix the sunflower seeds and olive oil seperately, then add to the the salad bowl. Toss
• Squeeze the lemon and do a final toss.
• Done :)

I was expecting it to taste a little odd but I was wrong, maybe the lemon just brought it all together nicely. Love it. 

Workout/Spin Track of The Week

WEEK #13

' Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ' by Michael Jackson

It's MJ, really I don't need to say anything else. Absolutely love this track!



His tracks never ever get old :)