Merry Christmas :) :) :)

Enjoy and have a wonderful time with loved ones.

See you soon :)

Fitness Christmas Gift Guide

I recorded this video a few weeks ago on some Christmas gift ideas:



I apologise for it being such a rush job then but thanks to my friends over at Fitter London just releasing their first book (which is a great Christmas present idea), I’m making up for it with two blog posts ☺ 

I’ll start off with the more affordable options: 

1. Fitness/Health Magazine Subscription
   I’m reading the latest issue of Red magazine and saw a subscription flyer for Red and a few other magazines including Women’s Health and/or Women’s Fitness. As it’s Christmas season, they’re offering a year’s subscription at heavily discounted rates – perfect time to get yourself and a friend one ;)
   Why this gift? Fitness/Nutrition news & articles, workout ideas, fitness deals & offers, workout gear, exercise class reviews, weight loss stories and more!
   - Women’s Health
   - Women’s Fitness
   - Zest
2. Gift Vouchers
   If you’re not sure exactly what to get – shoes, tops, leggings, sports bras, accessories, the list goes on – this is the gift for you. Take advantage of the Christmas sales, a £20 voucher will go much further than it usually would. I personally go for stores that sell various brands as I like to mix and match my gym wear. I like c9 by Champion tops, Nike or Idealogy (and when I can finally afford them – Lulu Lemon) leggings, Asics shoes… you get the idea.
   Why this gift? It's easy! The only thought you have to put into this is how much you’re ready to spend ;)
   - Sports Direct/Lillywhites (UK)
   - Nike (UK & USA)
   - Target *for the c9 by Champion range* (USA)
   - Sweaty Betty (UK)
   - Lulu Lemon (UK & USA)
   - Macys (USA)
   - Dick’s Sporting Goods (USA)
   - Modells (USA)
3. Exercise Classes
   Someone recently bought his friend a block of 10 Fitter London classes as a birthday gift. I think this is such a good gift idea. So many people need that motivation to get back in shape in the New Year and most companies have offers at this time of year to make them more appealing.
   I love classes as the atmosphere always keeps me motivated and I don't have to think about my workout plan, someone else does the work. All I have to do is wake up, show up and sweat!
   
   Look out for offers on flash deal sites eg Groupon, Living Social, etc but before that check out the Fitter London options: £60 for a month of unlimited classes, £85 for 10 classes.
   I’ll let you know if there’s a Fitter London offer in January ☺
   - Fitter London
   - Yoga eg Bikram, Hot, Vinyasa,, etc
   - Dance classes eg Zumba
4. Workout DVD
   This is a great idea for someone you know WILL use this. I remember buying myself a Tae Bo DVD and using it for a couple of months before giving up. The poor DVD gathered dust until a few years later when I used it again for more than a couple of months.
   This is a great gift idea for:
   a. someone who is dedicated and motivated enough to workout on their own.
   b. Or someone you plan to do this with so you can motivate each other.
   c. And also someone who cannot afford the money or the time to train at a gym or exercise class.
   
   With this, you need to put some thought into what DVD you get. How fit is your friend? Does he/she exercise often? Have any injuries? Health conditions that they need medical go-ahead?
   - Jillian Michaels (Read more for the options available)
    
   - Cardio Kickboxing (Jeanette Jenkins)
   More Advanced
   - P90x
   - Insanity Workout
5. Recipe Book
   There are quite a few healthy recipe books out there which show that healthy eating can be easy and tasty. Some of them are a bit pricy but very worth it. This is a good gift for someone who wants to make healthy eating more interesting and also enjoys, or is interested in, cooking.
   
   Everyday Paleo
   I got this as a birthday gift last year and I love it. Not only did it give me a whole new set of meals to try out, it also gave me some ideas on how to tweak Nigerian meals to make them healthier.
   
   
   Fitter Food (A Lifelong Recipe for Health & Fat Loss)
   After months of hard work, Keris and Matt of Fitter London are now done with their book and it's available for pre-order (click on the image below). I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. I highly recommend it :)
   

The next post will be on the more pricy options so stay tuned.
I'll also share any other gift ideas I come across leading up to Christmas day.

Shock Absorbers on SALE!

Have you watched this video on my favourite brand of sports bras?


Shock Absorber bras are amazing and I highly recommend them, especially the B4490 which runs in large cup sizes!

I just got an email from Less Bounce titled, "Shock Absorbers from just £10 at LessBounce.com" so I had to share it with you of course --> http://www.lessbounce.com/shock-absorber/prodlist_apbd194.htm

Happy Shopping :)

How To Stay Healthy Over The Festive Period (Pt II)

Happy New Week!

Two weeks to Christmas, whoop!

So, I did well enough at the Fitter London Christmas party on Saturday. Like I mentioned in the previous post, I ordered the yummiest cake ever from Vickii. Well, I had a couple of generous slices. What saved me wasn't my self control, it was the yumminess of the cake! Almost everyone came back for seconds so it was gone with in 2 hours.

I didn't get the chance to eat before the party so I ate more cake than I should have (because I hadn't eaten before leaving home, so I was hungry). Which leads me to today's tip that should help you eat responsibly at one of the many parties you're going to attend this month:

Tip #3 Eat In Advance.

I've found that when I eat a big, healthy meal before going out, I do so much better at sticking to my healthy goals. Imagine going out on an empty stomach, and having to wait a while before your food is served (if it's one where food will be served). You'll most likely keep picking at anything that's available, healthy or not. And by the time your meal arrives, eating everything on your plate and having a second helping would be the natural thing to do.

Even if it's a party that serves 'nibbles', that's more of a reason to eat a meal beforehand so you don't end up picking at the usual unhealthy sweets and treats that would be lying around.

Tip #4 Water Down Your Alcoholic/Sugary Drinks

Alcoholic and sugary drinks contain empty calories - a high sugar content. And these are usually available in abundance at parties!

FYI
An 8oz glass of red wine, which is the least sugary alcohol option, contains 2-4g of sugar, depending on the type of red wine. (It helps to check the bottle.)
A 330ml can of coke contains ~40g (10 cubes) of sugar.

The best thing to do is to control your portions of alcohol and drink a lot of water too. This is important, not only to control your sugar intake, but to help keep you hydrated as high alcohol consumption can lead to dehydration.

Another thing you should take note of is - alcohol causes a sharp spike, then dip in blood sugar levels and you're more likely to want to snack with a high consumption of it. If you eat in advance, I expect you'd drink less and snack less too!

Christmas Parties in 2011 and 2012. I always seem to find myself hovering around the cake ;)

Yes, it's the festive season and it is okay to relax on your eating of course, I'm not going to pretend I don't! BUT try not to overdo it. You don't want to start the next year feeling like you've set your progress back by months just for a few weeks of celebration. 

How To Stay Healthy Over The Festive Period

... is HARD but possible. With a couple of smal treats here and there ;)

The problem is the long period over which we celebrate Christmas. It usually starts during the 2nd week of December and lasts all month!

Work parties, client parties, family parties, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. 

And most of these parties have the usual overkill of chocolate, desserts and anything else you'd want to have only on treat days. There's hardly any 'Healthy' section in these parties. So, what to do?!?

Over the next couple of weeks I'll share tips which usually help me out during these (very!) testing times.
(And, um, this will serve as motivation and a reminder for myself because the Fitter London Christmas party is only a few days away and I've just ordered a SINFUL and YUMMY cake from Vickii.)

Tip #1: Fill your plate up with protein.

There's usually a buffet at parties, with a variety of food. As tempting as it may be, avoid trying every single thing. I know that's going to be challenging but pick one (maximum two) small portions of the rice, potatoes, pasta, pastries, etc so you do not feel like you're depriving yourself.
Load up the rest of your plate with protein, there's usually a tasty selection of turkey, chicken, sausages, meat, etc. Avoid the deep fried, breaded options of course. Don't forget your veggies!

For set menus, you're usually provided the option to choose meals in advance - apply the tips mentioned above.

Tip #2: Avoid 'seconds' or 'thirds'.

Fortunately, you don't usually have this option with set meals.
With buffets, it's very easy to go back for a second, third or even fourth round. If you plan it well enough, you can pick the right foods and not go feel the need to go back for no more than a second helping.

*ahem* Although I did go for seconds a couple of weeks ago.
I was at a friend's dinner and what helped was adding chicken, fish and sausages (those were the protein options available) and a small serving of beans (Nigerian style) to my plate for my 1st serving. By the time I was done with it, I was satisfied enough but went ahead (because my middle name is 'Greedy') and had small samples of two of the high carb options (see Tip #1 above) and a little more protein. My greed aside, I could have stopped after the first plate because of all the very filling protein I had.
Then I had some dessert, let's just agree that I was good ;)

I'm going to follow these points above and will share more next week including alcohol intake, eating in advance, and more.

Christmas Gift Guide for Fitness

Happy Monday and New Month! :)

The countdown to Christmas has officially started :) I'm still amazed by how quick 2012 has gone by!

Apologies for the (obviously) rushed video below, I promise to post a more detailed health/fitness Christmas gift guide within a week.



--

Gym Classes

• Fitter London: www.fitterlondon.co.uk
• Bikram Yoga: www.sohotbikramyoga.co.uk, www.bikramyoga.co.uk OR google 'bikram yoga classes' in your area
• Zumba: Google 'zumba classes' in your area. In Nigeria: READ THIS

Gift Cards/Vouchers

• SportsDirect.com (UK - Multiple brands)
• Dick's Sporting Goods (USA - Multiple brands)
• Target (USA - c9 by Champion range)
• Sweaty Betty (UK - Pricey and worth it)
• Lulu Lemon (UK & USA - Pricey and worth it)
• Runner's World (UK - Running gear)

Exercise DVDs

• P90x
• Cardio Kickboxing (Jeannette Jenkins)
• Insanity workout: Note this is a high impact workout.

What's In My Seasoning?

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you should know I stopped cooking my food with Maggi cubes, read THIS, THIS and THIS.

After a lot of trial and error, I finally found the right combination of herbs, spices and salt to give me a similar taste to food cooked with Maggi. Not only is this a healthier alternative (read above posts for more information) but the herbs and spices have many benefits which I'll blog more about in future posts..

My simple combination is mixed herbs, mixed spices and sea salt. I also use parsley when I'm cooking fish and, sometimes, pork.

BUT there are times when I don't have access to these and I go back to my childhood favourite combo of curry, thyme and salt, then I throw in a spice I LOVE - ginger, especially for chicken. Ahhh, it seems like yesterday (and not over 2 decades ago), I remember waiting for my turn (we always had a cousin or the other over during the holidays) to fry my eggs, seasoned with - curry, thyme and salt :)

Mixed Herbs
I alternate between:
Schwartz* Mixed Herbs
Ingredients: Marjoram (40%), Basil, Thyme (20%), Oregano.
and
Sainsburys Mixed Herbs
Ingredients: Dried Sage (25%), Dried Thyme (25%), Dried Oregano (20%), Dried Marjoram (20%), Dried Parsley (10%)

Mixed Spice
I usually alternate between:
The Vital Ingredient Sweet Mixed Spices (Which I purchase from GNC here in the UK)
Ingredients: Coriander, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Fennel, Cloves, Cardamon
and
Schwartz Mixed Spices
Ingredients: Cassia (40%), Coriander Seed (38%), Caraway, Ginger, Cloves
(Although, sometimes I use the supermarket brand)

Salt
Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt
My go-to salt is Maldon sea salt which I buy from Sainsburys or Holland & Barrett.

*Schwartz is available in most supermarkets. Large tubs (and amazing value for money) are sold in Costco.

I suggest playing around with the ratios to find out what works for you although, I have mentioned how much I use in some recipe videos. 

My Weekend...

I *really* treated myself this weekend, unfortunately BUT I'm back on track ;)

Here are a couple of pictures from the last 2 days:

On Saturday, I went to my friend's Thanksgiving dinner, yes we're in London (!!!), and had an amazing time with an amazing assortment of food... YUMM!

I didn't have enough time so I co-washed my hair, applied my leave in conditioner and blow dried my hair. Did two flat twists in front and held the rest of my hair up with a banana clip. Finished with a big flat twist at the back.

I'll put up a tutorial video soon

On Sunday, I went to visit my big-sis-from-another-Mama and this was my dinner, yum!

Look our for some requested posts in the next few weeks.

Have a great week ahead!

Thanksgiving Recipes (REQUESTED)

On Sunday, Omozele (on Twitter) asked me to post some healthy Thanksgiving meal ideas.

She asked and I delivered ;)

Although these recipes are Thanksgiving inspired, they're great for any occasion so try one or both of them out :)

I found out about ground almonds through Katt of Fitter London and it's now always in my pancakes as a flour replacement.

Ground almonds are a great flour alternative because: 100g of flour contains ~ 7 times the amount of carbs as ground almonds.

I'm happy about the way the dough turned out and will soon be trying a much healthier version of our beloved Nigerian meatpie... watch this space.

To all those who celebrate Thanksgiving:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy New Week :)

Hope you had a relaxing weekend like I did :) I think I spent all of my Sunday in bed or on the sofa, of course I got up to eat ;)

Thanks for voting for me in the Nigerian Blog Awards, unfortunately I didn't win but congratulations to ALL winners... next year will be better :)

I've been asked to post a video on healthy Thanksgiving meal ideas. Here's a sneak peek, the video will be up tomorrow:

I think this Pumpkin 'Asaro' Recipe could be one of a few Thanksgiving dishes, so if you haven't tried it, now's the time :)

Friday Workouts is a new series (--> Last Week's Video <--) but last Friday, just when I finally got the drive to workout, I found out my camera battery was dead so I didn't record the first (main) part of my workout while the battery was charging.

Here's what I did:

Of course, I won't make the same mistake this Friday! I'll make sure my battery's charged.

Have a fantastic and productive week ahead. Make sure you stick to your healthy goals, I'm on a mission as I had a couple (MORE) stressful weeks and things are finally looking up :)

Don't forget to send in your video/blog requests here or:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/AduraOO
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/Adura_O

See ya!

Healthy Plantain Recipe: 'Dodo' (Pan) Fried Plantain and Tomato Scrambled Eggs

A couple of weekends ago, I was about to prepare this meal and thought I might as well record it. That's my cooking life now - before I cook anything, I look for my camera and tripod!

Then, sometimes, I have grand plans to cook and record... and NOTHING happens. I bought all ingredients for two simple and healthy meals on Monday, today is Wednesday and I still haven't cooked either. *sigh*

Anyway, on to this recipe. If you're Nigerian, you know we love to deep fry our plantain for 'dodo', and any random vegetable oil is often used. A long while back, I thought I'd try out pan frying plantain to see if it would work out. I remember burning it the first time and this was because I'd left the heat on high and forgotten it needed more time to cook because of the little oil used.

After that mishap, I figured it out and this is how I fry my 'dodo' now.

In the video below, I fried the eggs in chopped tomatoes using the leftover oil from the 'dodo'.

My Suggestion: Eat half a plantain with a lot of eggs, especially if you're cutting down on your carbs. The eggs are a great source of protein and will definitely fill you up quick.

I have a few posts lined up including a requested one on seasonings I use. 

Friday Night Workout!

I have a little more time free on Fridays and thought I'd use the time wisely by working out and also recording it.

I usually attend the Fitter London 'Kettlebells for Strength, Size and a Sixpack' class on Saturdays so there was no way I was going to kill myself doing anything super intense. Well, it's Sunday morning and I can barely walk thanks to the combo of the jump squats in the video below and the horrendous legs workouts in Matt's Fitter London class the next day.

Watch and if you like this possible weekly installation, please let me know by clicking on the thumbs up button on the video page.

See you soon for another Healthy Nigerian Recipe... I will be uploading one later today (another plantain recipe that I randomly recorded last weekend).

Next week's (actual) video will be up on Wednesday or Thursday.

Have a GREAT week ahead!

Plantain Recipe: 'Boli' with Goat Meat and 'Ata'

I've gotten a few requests for more Nigerian recipe videos so this month, as suggested by my friend Cucina Ceri, all recipe videos will be healthy Nigerian meal ideas.

For more Nigerian and Nigerian inspired recipes, check H E R E.

I use little to no oil when cooking my stews, this started when I was on Weight Watchers years ago and wanted to stick to my points requirement BUT still enjoy Nigerian food. I cut down on the oil and used the oil/fat from the chicken/meat and still got the expected flavour.

I've also applied this to the recipe below as usually the blended tomatoes, onions and pepper mixture is usually fried in a lot of oil to get the 'ata'.

Watch and let me know if you try this out.



I recorded another plantain video, and as it was straight forward, I might post it this week as well.

As always, please contact me on Twitter (@Adura_O), Facebook (AduraOO) or via email (info'at'adura-o'dot'com) with any blog or video requests you have.

Guest Post: Blackberry, Strawberry & Banana Smoothie

I always mean to get into the smoothie habit, maybe one or two a week but I forget! A few weeks back I was ill and someone suggested an orange, lemon, lime and ginger smoothie packed with vitamins and antioxidants. It tasted great and I had 2 servings in one day! :)

I haven't tried the smoothie below yet but I will soon, I'll probably add a couple of handfuls of spinach because I love my greens ;)

Now to Aloted's post...
Growing up and till now I am not able to eat fruits in their natural state, they make me puke. I have no idea why. Banana seems to be the only fruit I can eat without feeling like puking. However it is my desire to be healthy, I want to have my five-a-day, or at least close to it so I decided to go the smoothie way!

The first time I had a smoothie was when my sister made some for me. It was yummy and I totally loved the concept! Especially since I could get my nutrients from fruits and veggies this way.

I haven’t really been faithful with making and drinking smoothies but recently I decided to change my ways.

Today I would like to share with you one of my very simple smoothie recipes: Blackberry, Strawberry and Banana Smoothie.

On a good day you would never catch me eating strawberries. They taste sour to me but the good thing about having strawberries in a smoothie is you won’t notice the sourness.

What you’ll need:

1. Frozen Blackberries & Strawberries ½ pack (I think frozen works best for smoothie, though some people add in ice cubes. They are also cheaper and still have similar nutritional value to fresh ones) 
2. 1 banana 
3. 3-4 heaped table spoons of Greek Yoghurt (you could use natural yoghurt as well)
4. Apple Juice or Water 

Put the above in a blender or a liquidizer. Add just a little water or apple juice so your smoothie can have a creamy texture. Adding juice will give it a sweeter taste.

I used water, as I didn’t have apple juice. Next time if I use water I’ll add in a little honey to make it sweeter. Good thing with smoothies is you can add whatever you like!

Please ignore the messy look of my blender ☺

Blend for a minute or so and viola your smoothie is ready! Serve immediately and drink.

TIP: Make your smoothie in small batches so that it doesn’t go off. If you have left overs you can keep in a cup or bottle with a lid and drink the following day. My sister says smoothies go off after two days. Hmm, freezing left overs might actually work. I would have to try that one-day.

A few benefits of the above ingredients are:

Blackberries (no not the phone!) are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are highly nutritious and full of antioxidants. They are also low in calories, carbohydrates, and fat making them one of the best fruits for a balanced diet. They have loads of other healthy benefits.

Strawberries are a nutritional powerhouse, low in calories, full of antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C. Strawberries boost your immunity, promote eye health and help fight cancer.

Bananas are full of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and are one of the best sources for potassium, which is an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function.

Greek Yoghurt is very healthy and contains protein, reduced sugar, healthy bacteria and calcium. It can help you curb cravings and can serve as a mid day snack.

So with those benefits I listed and I haven’t even scratched the surface yet, tell me you don’t want to try out this simple yet nutritious smoothie. In fact, it takes less than 10 minutes to make.

It is very easy to come up with your own smoothie recipe. Make it fun by experimenting with different fruits you like.

I think what I like most about smoothies are you get to ingest more than 1 fruit or veg at a time. Totally cool don’t you think?

Another lovely smoothie I absolutely love is a mix of green grapes, apples and spinach. Sounds odd right? But it's totally yummy and so full of nutrients. You can find my recipe here.

Do try out either of these recipes. I would love to know what you think.

Aloted Omoba (pseudonmyn) is passionate about empowering women. She is the founder of the Super Working Mum website where she writes practical tips for the working mum who desires to optimize her relationships, resources and time. She has recently written her first e-book- Boosting Your Confidence, 15 Steps To Success In The Workplace. For your FREE copy of her ebook, please vist www.superworkingmum.com. You can find her on twitter as @superworkingmum and/or @aloted

Easy Twisted Updo

This took little to no time.

I will definitely record a tutorial soon, I was running late so I couldn't today.



Here's a video of a go to hairstyle of mine:

Healthy Pumpkin Recipes Inspired By Nigerian Dishes... Happy Halloween!

Hi!

So today is Halloween (31st October), exciting stuff *dripping with sarcasm*

A good thing about this is - it's Pumpkin season. Loads and loads in the supermarkets to be carved... Speaking of carving, I saw this ugly, uncreative, disgusting looking carving at the gym yesterday.

If you're too lazy to carve, don't bother!

Anyway enough of my usual Wednesday grumpiness, I finally bought a Pumpkin and tried out a few recipes. I would have done more but I just didn't have the time!

1. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Suya Pepper
   Well, this was the initial idea but my suya pepper stash is running LOW. I used chilli flakes which were spicy enough.
2. Boiled Pumpkin and EggsBoiled yam and eggs <-- regular breakfast when I was growing up.  Pumpkins contain much less carbs than yam so I decided to try boiling it. I'll be honest, its obvious it's much lower in carbs as it barely has a taste. If you want to try this, I'd suggest boiling in homemade stock. I would have done this but I had none available.



3. Pumpkin 'Asaro'
   'Asaro' is a Nigerian dish, made with yam. As you can tell, I used pumpkin as a low carb substitute.This was my favourite of the three because leaving the pumpkin to cook in the tomatoes added so much flavour to it! Definitely try this if you can!

Let me know if you try any of the above. Do you have any favourite pumpkin recipes?

****
Don't forget to VOTE for my blog in the Best Health/Fitness Blog category. Please click on the image below to vote, thanks in advance :)

Braids Are Out! Haircare Videos Soon :)

I finally took my braids out after 8 weeks.

I will record haircare videos in the next few weeks. Let me know if you have any video requests.

Vote! Vote!! Vote!!!

Very happy to share that this blog's a nominee for Best Fitness or Health Blog in the Nigerian Blog Awards, whoop!

What do you do now? Click on the image below and -->VOTE<-- for this blog :)

If this is your first time voting, look out for a confirmation email in which you'll have to click a link.
Oh and while you're here, make sure you:

For videos like:

And:

Thanks for visiting, reading and commenting.

And don't forget to VOTE :)

Food Haul: What I Bought (And Cooked) This Week

Hi!

Hope you had a nice weekend. Here's this week's video showing you what I bought this week, and also the meals I prepared for the week.

• I shopped on a budget this week. I bought healthy, fresh food and didn't break the bank :)
• I took a break from the usual supermarkets and went to the local market. I've lived in this area for 6 years and didn't know about the massive market minutes away from my house!!!
• As I had a small budget and also wanted to stick to healthy food, I planned my meals as I shopped.

If you like this video and would like to see more like it, please let me know.

★SUBSCRIBE FOR VIDEO UPDATES HERE★

How To Resist The Temptation of Unhealthy Food (#3)

Hi! Hope you're well and are having a great week so far.

I started a mini video series a few weeks ago inspired by some blog posts here. I'll be sharing tips that show that healthy eating is achievable no matter how many temptations are out there... Lol, yes I'm still talking about food ;)

Here's the third installment in this series.

From the beginning...

Video #1




Video #2



Don't forget to send in video/blog requests.

And to stay updated when I upload videos, ★SUBSCRIBE HERE★ 

Yummy Food, Yummy Masks!

Fatima sent this picture of her 'Jollof Quinoa' and in her exact words "Jollof Quinoa with chicken frankfurters and bacon! It's YUM":

Looks yummier than mine, I want some!

So, if you try any recipes from my Blog or YouTube Channel, please send me pictures :)

What's that, you ask? Watch the video below for a quick reminder:



And now that my skin is finaly back to normal mainly because I'm eating much better than I did for a while... I decided to treat myself to a yummy face mask :) I have to admit - I tasted this... a few times ;)

My skin feels deeply cleansed and moisturised :)

1. Fullers Earth face mask (for 15 minutes) for a deep cleanse
   Steps in this video (minus the honey):



2. Mash 1/4 of an Avocado & mix with 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1tbsp honey. 
3. Apply to face and leave on (for 15 minutes) for a moisturising treatment 
4. Rinse off with warm water. Soak a face towel in warm - hot water, squeeze excess water out. Towel on face for thirty seconds, wipe. Repeat. 
5. Final rinse with cold water. 
6. Lightly moisturise.
   
    DONE :)

Ceri's Weight Loss Story and a Recipe!

Hello :)

Here's a video with Ceri of www.cucinaceri.com. Her story's similar to mine, and many others', so watch it before you think you can't reach your weight loss goals.

We really hope it motivates someone, ok honestly many people, out there.

Watch it, Rate it, Subscribe and of course check out Ceri's blog.

And check out her Paleo Bread recipe, it is very good, I had some of course!

How To Make Jollof Rice... with QUINOA

Happy Monday!

Yep another Quinoa recipe! See, when a reader/viewer asks, I deliver - I wasn't going to stop at one recipe, she asked for recipes!
So if you have any blog/video requests, just ask. It might take me a few weeks to deliver but I will. I'm currently working on some strength training post that Natural Nigerian requested.

This recipe was of course, inspired by a favourite in Nigeria - Jollof Rice :)

Please watch the video and rate, comment and subscribe. Also if you like the videos, please share with friends :)

(Subscribe here --> http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=HealthyDury)



Just to clarify something re: quinoa. Yes it's a superfood, it's high in protein, it's gluten and what free, high in fibre, rich in vitamins/minerals but it also contains carbs (I'm not saying you should run away from it as it's a good source of carbs unlike eg processed rice and pasta!).

Suggested serving size is 1/2 - 3/4 cup.

1/2 cup of cooked quinoa contains less carbs than the same quantity of white rice and also brown rice (better than white rice)
1/2 cup of cooked quinoa contains a similar amount of carbs as wild rice, which I can confidently say we hardly, if ever, include in a Nigerian diet.

Of course it's not just about the carb content as it has other great properties over rice as mentioned above. And remember not all carbs are bad!

I think it's worth a try, I like it! :)

How To Stay Motivated... How I Get Back on Track

Thank God It's Friday!!

I just got back from my Friday morning Fitter London class and I LOVE teaching that class. I leave most of my classes with a smile on my face but this one, I leave with a HUGE grin :D

This post/video was inspired by a question I've been asked and I've come across many times. I recently had a bit of a rough patch where I lacked motivation or the drive to stay on track. The steps detailed in this video really helped (and have helped in the past). I have highlighted these three because, in my opinion and personal experience, they played a huge role.

The steps are:

1. Remember and Re-visit your Goals
   What made you decide on your current goal? Why is it important to you that you achieve your goals?
2. Go back to your Inspirations
   Who inspires you? Someone who has gone through exactly what you are experiencing now? A friend? A stranger? Success stories online?
3. Having a Support System
   Supportive friends, family and strangers (online community) play a huge role in helping you stay on track or if you've fallen off, will help you get back on track. This is a very important thing.

Watch for more:

If you have any questions or want to share other things that have kept you motivated, please comment below.
Have a nice weekend!

How To Cut Down On Carbs

I was on a Health & Fitness forum last week and someone started a thread titled, "Has anyone been able to cure their carb addiction?". I clicked on it to share my experience but not before reading through people's responses. A few of them stood out because I could relate!

Why cut down on carbs? Because excess carbohydrates consumed are converted into fat. And a lot of carbohydrates consumed (most of the time) are refined, processed, high in sugar and/or just done so in excess.

One of them went along the lines of, "Carbs are a huge staple in my home. I can't give them up". She mentioned bread and, I think, rice.

My plan is to post a video on my YouTube Channel (-->Click here to subscribe<--) but until then I decided on this write up.

Lol, an old picture from 3-4 years ago

I'm Nigerian. I grew up eating a plateful of rice with one piece of meat or chicken. I remember being told I had to finish my rice before being given my meat/chicken, which was the prize, haha! Rice, yam, eba, you name it. We love our carbs in Nigeria.

So I'm sure it's a surprise to many that I can go days without eating any of the above and not feel deprived. I won't say I don't care for carbs anymore, that would be a barefaced lie. What I can honestly say is, I don't depend on carbs and I still have the energy to work, work out and teach 4 spin classes per week (more work). FYI I eat "good" carbs during the week eg sweet potatoes, plantain (some might argue about plantain but it works for me), brown beans, etc. Watch my Food Diary series HERE for more of an idea of my eating habits. I do have days when I only crave carbs and not the good ones (which happened recently!) but now short lived, thankfully.

How Did I Get Here? 
1. Slowly Cut Down My Carb Portion and Replaced With Protein (chicken, meat, fish) And Vegetables
For example, when I made fried rice, I used less rice (half the usual portion) and more vegetables and prawns. I did the same for yam, potatoes, etc. If the meals didn't usually include veggies, I added them or had an extra piece of meat/chicken to fill the void ;) Quick Note: Protein fills you up!
I did this for close to a year before I moved on to the next step... I was very resistant to more changes but I'm glad I didn't stop here.

*I'm going to post a video on this topic where I'll share more on my experience*

2. Changed My Breakfast from High Carbs To High Protein
I used to have 5 oatcakes (oat biscuits) post workout, because "I deserved them after working so hard" (ha!) and then a huge bowl of porridge oats (!!!) for breakfast once I got to work!! And I wondered why I wasn't able to shift the little, but extra, weight around my middle!

My friend, Keris of Fitter London, challenged me to swap my oatcakes AND porridge for a protein bar. Imagine my alarm! But I rose up to the challenge ;)
I started off with having the protein bar and a banana post workout, I took out the banana after a week. I was surprised I didn't feel hungry after having the protein bar and I wasn't tired!

This wasn't the bar but it's close enough :)

The best bit was within 2 weeks, people started commenting on a difference in my physique. 2 weeks?! Now, remember I wasn't overweight at this point but there was a visible difference.
*I later changed to cooked breakfasts but again, I'll discuss more in a video.*

3. Cut Out Carbs Completely In Some MealsAt this point, I was used to eating protein rich foods so taking this step was easy. Eg I had salmon and eggs for breakfast. And sometimes, I'd have a large portion of fish or chicken for dinner, and add a little stew or soup.

Yesterday's dinner... I had one more piece of fish ;)

You must remember that I aim to eat very well on Monday through Friday. On Saturday & Sunday, I treat myself. This way I don't feel deprived and I'm able to treat myself reasonably. I've noticed that my treats have become healthier as the months and years have gone by. Once I mentioned to a friend I was treating myself and she laughed saying, "My healthy days are worse than your treat days".

So the moral of the story is: 

MAKE GRADUAL CHANGES, YOUR MIND & BODY WILL ADJUST TO THEM.

If I did it, you definitely can!

PS If you have any blog/video requests, send me an email: info @ adura-o.com or tweet me @Adura_O

Photo Credit: Skinny Chef

How To Make Fried Rice... With QUINOA!

Happy Monday!

This is the first in a few quinoa recipes. Someone requested quinoa recipes and I'm delivering :)

This recipe was inspired by fried rice and is very straight forward so try it!

This was my first time cooking with quinoa and it turned out great :)

Watch, rate, comment and SUBSCRIBE!

Send in your requests via:
Twitter @adura_o
Facebook /AduraOO
Email info @ adura-o . com

Next *Healthy* Recipe, 'Fried Quinoa', Will Be Up On Sunday

After getting a request to post some quinoa recipes on my YouTube Channel, I finally gave in and bought a pack of quinoa over the weekend. I'd never had the urge to cook it before the request, to be very honest.

I used a simple Fried Rice recipe and I think it came out really well :)

If you STILL haven't checked out (OR subscribed) my channel, click this link to subscribe and stay updated --> Subscribe to www.youtube.com/HealthyDury

'Fried Quinoa'

I have some workout videos planned, just need a kind-hearted friend (I hope they see this) to volunteer to be my camera man/woman.

Keep the requests coming, please :)

'Suya Chops' Video

Happy Monday!

How I wish I could be this cheerful every Monday :)

I just HAD to share this picture with you:

My friend, CY attended my Friday morning class and that was how she felt about me later that morning. I think I'm the opposite... I'm angelic ;)

And on to the actual reason for this post, I've uploaded another recipe on my YouTube channel, your feedback would be appreciated so please - Rate, --> Subscribe <--and if you have the time, leave a Comment.

More recipes are lined up :) Have a GREAT week ahead!!!

My Favourite Sports Bras

I recorded this video a few weeks ago but didn't find the right time to upload it, especially as I had the Food Diary Series up last week.

Then last week, my friend asked me to suggest a sports bra brand as she needed to try something new.  Her last bra kept popping open while she was at one of my classes ;)

For a great range of sports bras, including my favourites, click here ---> Less Bounce. Thank me later ;)

So here's a video on my favourite brand and model of sports bras:

Also check out this video I uploaded quite a few months ago on the importance of sports bras, SUPPORT THOSE BOOBIES!

If there's anything you'd like me to talk about on my blog or in my videos, I'm all ears (or eyes, actually) :)

Photo Credit: Less Bounce

Patience is a Virtue... The Journey To My Healthy Mosa Recipe

Before you read this post, please click on THIS LINK to subscribe to my YouTube Channel, it'll take you less than 30 seconds, thanks in advance!
Happy Sunday :)

Remember that burnt mess (The frittery mosa thingies) in this video?:



Well, I took my time today.

• I made sure I wasn't hungry
• I used all the ingredients
• And I used medium heat

Here's a comparison picture:

Even the best of us make mistakes ;) :p

I'm very happy with the results and can't wait to try it again, I won't share the ingredients yet because I'm still working on it ;) One thing I'll say is, I replaced the flour with ground almonds.

Enjoy your Sunday and have a nice week ahead!

Recipe Credit: Avartsy Cooking

PS Watch all of last week's Food Diary videos:

And read all the blog posts here: Food Diary Blog Posts 

Friday's Food Diary

I've been posting these food diary videos at night, when I'm tired and lazy to do a write up.

Oh I BURNT my lunch, it still tasted good (I made it, ha!) and I more than made up for my lunch with my scrumptious dinner:

Almond Pancakes with Sausages... YUMMM

Recipe for the pancakes (Ground almonds instead of flour): www.adura-o.com/2011/06/pancakes.html

This was a Monday - Friday series so I'm happy to say I'm done, woohoo!!!

I hope you found it useful, have a nice weekend!

Thursday's Food Diary

Let me warn you before you watch this video, I was home all day - ILL! I spent the entire morning/early afternoon in bed and rest of the day on the sofa.

When I'm ill, I crave sweet things and I'm glad I didn't have too much temptation at home. The worst thing I had today was a pack of plantain chips! Now if I'd had a pack of biscuits, I'd have inhaled them using my state as an excuse.

I also drank a lot of water (+ 4 big mugs of lemon & ginger tea), I was thirsty all day. I had a pint of water almost every hour I was awake!

This week has made me realise how much time daily vloggers dedicate to recording, editing and uploading videos! And some of them record ten times more than I do, WEEK AFTER WEEK AFTER WEEK!

Wednesday's Food Diary

Here's today's Food Diary:

I had a cup of Innocent smoothie as seen in the video. That was my sugar fix ;) If I had a pack of biscuits at home, I'd have been tempted to have 2 or 4 or even 10. Seriously!

Looking back at this video, I now realise I was falling ill, why?
Because I didn't have much of an appetite in the afternoon and evening. I know myself so well, I love my food and I eat more on the days I exercise. For me to have had 2 pieces of chicken and some spinach in the afternoon, then forced myself to eat dinner (sweet potatoes and salmon) - not normal (for me!),

Although I started this series to provide an insight into my eating habits, it's also helped me get back into my routine. The routine I've been struggling to get back into since I got back from America in July!

It's easy - plan, prepare and cook in advance. Always have healthy food available and keep unhealthy (and usually unnecessary) food out of reach.

Fluid intake: about 2 litres.

Tuesday's Food Diary

Read THIS POST (I will be posting my food diary Monday to Friday this week).

Here's Tuesday's video:



As you can see from the video, I was up early. My Monday started at 10am, Tuesday at 5.50 am.

On Tuesday, I work out at 7am (Fitter London Kettlebells) and also teach a spin class (another workout as I teach on the bike) at 1.15pm. This usually means I have a larger appetite, also as it's still early in the week, I find that I stick to my healthy eating goals 100%.

I had dinner very early and this is a new thing I'm trying on days I get home after 8pm. After 8pm, I usually get home tired AND lazy so I do one of two things:

• Eat dinner very late, after 8.30pm --> Going to bed on a full stomach and just feeling uncomfortable
  or
• I don't eat at all --> Next morning I wake up ravenous and eat anything I can get my hands on. Even before a workout, which is not ideal.

My nutritionist friend, Keris of Fitter London, suggested I start eating dinner early on these days so I don't have to worry about eating so late. It's working!!! :)

As NaturalNigerian rightly brought up - what was my water intake for the day? I'd say about 2.5 litres. I drink a lot of water most days, especially when I work out. I also had 2 mugs of tea.

Feel free to ask questions :)

This Week - My Food Diary!

For some of my readers, this has come months (a year!) too late but better late than never, right? ;) As you can see in the above picture, I've prepared some food for the week to make life so much easier - no need to worry about what to eat.

Every evening, I will post a video of my food diary on my YouTube Channel --> www.youtube.com/HealthyDury so it's best if you --> SUBSCRIBE <-- to stay updated.

See ya!

First video:

On Mondays I'm home most of the day, I have a late start and I don't really exert myself physically like I do Tuesday to Saturday. My friend mentioned this was "too little" but wait till you see Tuesday's food diary ;)



----

The Nomination phase of the Nigerian Blog Awards is on until the 23rd of September. Please follow these steps to nominate my blog:

• Go to http://nigerianblogawards.com/register.php
• Enter your name and email address
• Enter my blog address (www.adura-o.com) beside 'Best Fitness or Health Blog'
• Submit
• Check your inbox for a confirmation email
• Click the link provided to verify your entry and ensure your nomination is submitted

Done!

Thanks in advance :)

How To Resist Temptation - Keep It Out Of Sight

The Nomination phase of the Nigerian Blog Awards is on until the 23rd of September. Please follow these steps to nominate my blog:

• Go to http://nigerianblogawards.com/register.php
• Enter your name and email address
• Enter my blog address (www.adura-o.com) beside 'Best Fitness or Health Blog'
• Submit
• Check your inbox for a confirmation email
• Click the link provided to verify your entry and ensure your nomination is submitted

Done!

Thanks in advance.

On to the main reason for this blog post...

I posted 'Healthy Tip #2 - Keep unhealthy food out of reach' last month.

Here's a video to go with it:

And... this applies to anything, not just food ;)

I'll be posting more 'Healthy Tips' videos, so please make sure you subscribe to my channel ---> HERE :)

Recipe: Baked Plantain Chips

Hello! Hope you had a nice weekend, mine flew by as always!

I decided to bite the bullet and finally try to record a recipe video. I almost did about 4 months ago but gave up because my kitchen is quite small and I just couldn't get the right angles.

After a conversation with my friend on Saturday, I decided to start with a simple recipe and I think I got it right. What do you think?

Anyway, on to the video. I love plantain chips and I can easily finish 2 packs without taking a break. They're just so yummy, crunchy and moreish! It wasn't until after I baked them that I realised I probably eat 3-4 plantains when I inhale those 2 packs! 3-4 DEEP FRIED plantains! *sigh*

If you love plantain chips, you can still have them - just prepared in a healthier way. Yes, they are high in carbs but as a staple Nigerian food, you don't want to cut them out. Just prepare them in healthier ways and eat in moderation.

Cut out the random, nameless oil they're usually deep fried in and replace with a maximum of 2 tablespoons of coconut, olive or avocado oil.

Take a look at the easy recipe below and try it :)

Your feedback would really be appreciated, please 'like' the video (of course if you do like it!) and leave a comment. Also, I'd like to know what other recipe videos you'd like to see.



Have a nice week!

Homemade Moisturising Spritz

Yep, yet another YouTube video. I'm finding it much easier to talk than write at the moment, I'm guessing it's just a phase. It's actually been a fun experience recording and editing videos :)

I've had an interesting week, not that you asked ;) The most important thing I'm taking away from this week is: To Set Myself Weekly (or Bi-Weekly) Goals. Any goal that will better my life :)

All my classes went really well this week and after my Friday lunchtime spin class, my weekend started early as always :)

Anyway, on to the reason for this post, I've been using this moisturising spritz for YEARS. I love it.

Ingredients: (cheapie) Conditioner, Oil, Glycerin and Water. 

Prep Time: 5 mins (MAX)

Great For: Braids, Twists, any kind of extensions. Natural hair in twists or any style where you're not worried about reversion or shrinkage and relaxed hair in a wet style (eg wet bun to air dry).

Watch... and SUBSCRIBE ;)

PS This channel (different from the one in the previous post) is 2 subscribers away from 50 and I have a giveaway lined up for it. So hurry ;)

I've been asked what exactly is required to subscribe to a YouTube Channel... all you need is a gmail/googlemail account :) If you're viewing the video from this post, click on 'More Info' on the top right corner of the video, and you'll be given the option to subscribe. Or look out for the 'Click to Subscribe' annotation I've added to the video.

Thanks in Advance!

Giveaway (50 Subscribers) and a Rant

I decided to do an impromptu giveaway on my HealthyDury channel.

(I have one ready for when I reach 50 subscribers on my NaturallyDury channel *hint*).


My next milestone is 100 subscribers and there will be another giveaway, for sure :)

MINI-RANT

I'm so tired of how the media misleads members of the public, how can a headline read "Reduce the risks of a stroke by chomping on a choc bar"?!?!?

They went on to recommend a popular brand of chocolate that is less than 40% cocoa (which is what contains 'flavanoids' which help reduce this risk).

Its ingredients (in order of highest % first) include: Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Skimmed Milk Powder, Milk Fat, Vegetable Fat, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass.... (and more random stuff). And this is what they're recommending people eat to stave off strokes??? Aarggghhh!!!!

Why couldn't the recommend dark chocolate? Even 65-70% (cocoa) chocolate?

And right at the end of the article, the final paragraph, they finally remembered to state that "chocolate is high in sugar, saturated fat and calories and should be consumed in moderation". 

Most people won't read that last paragraph, they'd be so happy that they can eat a bar of chocolate a day to "prevent a stroke".

Nonsense!

Chocolate brands I like (and would happily recommend) include - Green & Blacks (most supermarkets sell them) and Montezuma (Whole Foods). I'll add more later.

/RANT OVER

Healthy Eating Tip #3

Freeze It!

My friend, Vickii, gave me 2 slices of banoffee pie and pavlova this morning! She offered, I said yes OF COURSE!

Thing is - it's Tuesday and I aim to eat healthy Monday - Friday. So what did I do? I didn't taste either of them, held back during the tube journey back home, wrapped them in cling film and put them straight into the freezer.

I'm going to have one of them on Friday night or Saturday afternoon/evening... I cannot wait!

So if you have something in your fridge that's really calling your name, something unhealthy, wrap it up and freeze it.

Try it, works for me most of the time :)

And while you're here, please subscribe to my YouTube channel:
--> http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=HealthyDury <--

The Other Side of Skincare

Earlier this year, I posted a video on my Skincare routine. I spent a lot of time talking about what I do to my skin from outside. And not much on some other factors.

Well, after almost 2 months of being away, then getting back to London with a lot of work which led to stress, I had to record this video and share a couple of other key factors that affect the health and appearance of my skin.

And.... I will be recording and uploading more videos. Please let me know if you have any requests...

*SUBSCRIBE* To my channel --> http://www.youtube.com/NaturallyDury

That 'Bad-Eating', 'Annoying' and 'Frustrating' Phase in your Healthy Journey? It's very common!

Hi :)

I went through a phase that I might have sometimes, arrogantly, thought was firmly behind me and I just wanted to share my experience.

It was just a reminder that I'm human (duhh!).

So if you have setbacks or just lack motivation on Day 1, Day 20, Day 100 or Year 3 of your healthy journey, you're not alone and it will pass :)

*SUBSCRIBE* to my channel ---> http://www.youtube.com/HealthDury