I've moved!

Happy Monday :)

I made the move to WordPress and I'm now at www.adura-o.com (yes, same domain name but different platform).

If you were following this blog, you're going to have to follow me there again... pretty please :)

See you there.

Get Trimmer With Adura: Re-Branded, Revised and Better Than Ever!

From 'Get Trimmer Naija Style' to 'Get Trimmer Challenge' and now 'Get Trimmer With Adura'.

It has developed as what started as a blog challenge in 2010 and it has been a huge learning curve. Over the last few weeks, I have spent time working on the format, the quality and the branding.

Look & Feel Great With Real Food, Effective Exercise & Expert Coaching.
                         

Wondering what the program is all about? Here are a few features:

• Make Small Changes & See Big Results! 
• Weekly Total Body Workouts & Meal Guidance 
• Regular Fat Loss Tips To Help With Your Progress 
• Live Group Catch-Up & Update Sessions 
• Before and After Assessments 
• Private Group For Support, Motivation & Accountability 
• Results Guaranteed!

The catch up sessions (video/chat) are a very important addition as this will boost morale, focus and keep you on your toes ;) There will also be more structure to the workouts, including weekly workout videos.

Want to find out more? Visit --> www.gettrimmerwithadura.com for more details. Once you register your interest, I will send you sign up information.

Plantain Recipe: Boiled Plantain.

I sent this recipe to my mailing list a couple of weeks ago. Feeling left out? Then Join My Mailing List Now.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 plantain 
• 1.5 cups prawns/shrimp 
• 2 cups peas 
• 1 red bell pepper 
• 1 400g can chopped tomatoes 
• 1/2 red onion 
• salt to taste 
• mixed herbs and spices

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Cut the plantain, without peeling the skin off, into three equal pieces (chop off and discard both ends.). 
2. Add 1.5 cups of water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the plantains, and cover with a lid. 
3. Prep all the ingredients for the stir-fry - chop the onions and peppers, wash the peas and prawns. Season the prawns with a teaspoon of herbs and spices, and some salt to taste. 
4. Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a wok, add the onions and fry them until they start to brown. Now, add the prawns and stir fry until they start to turn pink. 
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and peppers, leave to simmer for 5-8 minutes. 
6. Finally add the peas, taste and if any more seasoning is needed, add at this point. Leave to simmer. 
7. After 12-15 minutes of boiling the plantains, take the pan off the hob, drain the water and leave to cool down a little. Check the sides to see how the insides have cooked, the plantains should be an even yellow colour all through. Slice the skin with a knife, and peel. 
8. At this point, the stir fry should be ready. Serve the plantain with a generous serving of the stir fry. If you're cooking for two, boil two plantains, the stir fry is enough for two. 

Serve the plantain with a generous serving of the stir fry. If you're cooking for two, boil two plantains, the stir fry is enough for two.

You can have this for lunch or dinner, I love it post-workout as this is one of the best times to have 'good' carbs (e.g. plantain and sweet potato).

Serving size - ideally 2 pieces (2/3 of a plantain) but post-workout, a whole plantain is fine.

Wanna see more healthy recipes? Comment below.  And, don't forget to Join My Mailing List.

100 Rep Workout

So, if you follow me on Facebook (Hint: 'Like' My Facebook Page), you'll know about the 10,000 rep challenge.

Okay, I'm going to have to convince you like I did everyone on Facebook, before you run away! It's 100 reps of exercises for the 100 days leading to Christmas. Day 1 was last week Tuesday, the 17th of September, I decided on a whim to take part and it's been great so far - I post daily workouts on Facebook and people are participating! Join Us Now.

You have nothing to lose, except loads of calories and sweat ;)

Today is Day #9 and I chose 2 exercises for the day.

• The first one is pictured above. The exercise is called knee-to-elbow (also called plank knee-to elbow) and is a great core exercise.
  Your arms do some work but it's primarily your core (abs) this exercise targets. Starting in high plank position, reach your right knee towards your right elbow, and aim to TAP your elbow with your knee. Repeat with the left. Make sure your hips don't sag, this will ensure your abs do the work and not your back!
• The second is jump (or low impact version - quick/tempo) squats.

So, it's 30 knees-to-elbows and 20 jump/tempo squats = 50 x 2 sets = 100. Simples! :)

Try this and let me know what you think. And don't forget to head to my Facebook page for tomorrow's workout.

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Subscribe For Free Tips, Recipes & Workouts

4 Tips On Speeding Up The Realisation Process: How To Start Living A Healthy Lifestyle:

It's #TransformationTuesday on social media, I think it all originated on Instagram, but I may be wrong.

It's a time when people post their before and after pictures to show their weight loss progress, well most of the time ;)

I find it very motivating because some people can relate to others' before pictures, and knowing where they started from and where they are now just might give them that extra push to finally start working to wards their healthy goals.

This brought back memories... and the point of the post below is: You're not ready until YOU are ready.

Stay with me, don't roll your eyes! I can't count how many times I heard, "You need to lose weight", "You've burgered up" <-- Yes burgered! To some, especially one Nigerian pastor, the word burger is a verb, etc 

No matter how much hearing those kind of statements, hurt me. No matter how many times I decided to starve myself the day after... I didn't make any real efforts until the day I saw the picture on the left:

Not only had I finally realised I had to do something, I was READY. A few months later, I was 40+ lbs lighter.

I'm sure a lot of you have had similar experiences and have probably even tried to diet (or starve yourself) for a short while, before going back to your usual habits. You're not alone!

Knowing what I know now, I could have sped up that realisation process and I hope I can do that for you today:

1. Educate yourself. Find out the risks of eating what you feel you can't do without. When you start to learn about the harmful effects of being overweight, eating processed foods and other habits you can't seem to shake off, you'll start to think twice before you do anything.
2. Subscribe to healthy resources, follow them on Twitter, 'Like' on  Facebook, join mailing lists
   (--> Join Mine Here <--), etc.
3. Join a group. There's a group I'm a member of on Facebook, two in fact! And the groups have a few thousand women, who have similar goals - to get in shape, and to stay in shape. Nothing better than spending time with like minded people. Seeing how well others are doing, motivating each other when you're having "off" days, and inspiring each other along the journey.
4. Join a program that has the group element stated above but with the added benefit of a professional to help you with your goals, exercise and nutrition.
   
   This is why I started the Get Trimmer program. Half of the battle is you deciding to dedicate time to sharing your meals, workouts, highs and lows. The other half includes the plans and guidelines I send weekly, my availability to answer questions in the group as soon as I can, and the support provided by others on the program.
   
   Registration isn't open for the next round yet but it will start on Monday October 14th, details will be up soon.

Register Your Interest 

Wouldn't it be great if YOU sent in your transformation pictures for me to share on here? Start implementing the steps above and it really could be you!

Strengthen Your Core With This Quick & Effective Workout [VIDEO]

Happy Friday!

Add this to your current workout routine, 2-3 times a week.

You asked, and I'm listening :) I got a few requests for workout videos and blog posts so here's my Friday treat for you :)

I had a class this morning and I ended the class with this combination of exercises - do this with correct form (all explained in the video) for a total of 2-3 times a week. Tell me how you get on, I'd like to know!

What You Should Expect: A stronger core, which will lead to performing other exercises with better form (= more effective), better posture and a positive change in the appearance of your abs*

*You must be eating healthy and clean too, and also doing other exercise. This is just a 10 minute add on to your regular routine.

You might find this challenging but remember, you have to push yourself (not crazy hard) to see progress - in anything from work to exercise!

 
Will you try it? Have you tried it? Leave a comment below.  

Workouts, Recipes, Q&A, Beauty.... Talk To Me!

Tell me! I'll be recording videos once a week from now on, today is day one!

Quick Workout - Arm & Abs InstaVideo

Hi! How are you? Let me know :)

Now to today's workout - another Instagram video, I'm gearing myself up to recording workout videos, I'm actually recording a few tomorrow!

I'm going to add it to my session today. What's my workout today going to be?

A combination of Friday's post, yesterday's post (see picture further down) and today's. That's the point of these mini workouts I'm posting as often as I can - mix & match workouts, yes I'm that clever, ha!

For a demonstration of all three exercises, click HERE on the image below to watch the video.

10 Spiderman pushups (beginner: knee to elbow, no pushup)

30 second v-sit 

and 

10 plank up & downs (focus on keeping your hips still to target your core muscles). 

Repeat 4 times.

Try this, and comment below to let me know how it goes.

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If the above leaves you wanting more, add some burpees to finish you ;) Start with a minimum of 3 sets of 10 burpees. Rest for 30-45s between sets. 

Someone who follows my Instagram page did 5 sets yesterday (50), and aims to do 7 today :)

One Burpee:
1. Start in a crouching position with your hands on the floor.
2. Kick back into high plank position, make sure you engage your core (start by holding your tummy in) and make sure your hips/butt don't sag towards the floor.
3. (OPTIONAL) Pushup
4. Up from the pushup and jump back to a crouch.
5. Jump up (Low impact - stand up). Land softly from the jump, keeping your knees soft.

10 Minute Friday Quickie

I have something for you today, a quick workout that you can do once you're done reading this. Yes you can, and you will!

Watch the Instagram Video HERE (http://instagram.com/p/d6S-PqgDS1/) for how to do all three exercises.

• Warm up for at least 2 minutes
• 30s jump rope (speed)
  30s box jumps*
  30s knee-to-elbow
  30s rest
• 45s jump rope (speed)
  45s box jumps
  45s knee-to-elbow
  45s rest
• 1min jump rope (speed)
  1min box jumps
  1min knee-to-elbow
• Cool down and Stretch

* If you don't have a box, go for squat jumps instead. If you are unable to jump (injury or otherwise), quick squats are fine.
** Your feet can be elevated on a chair. But if yo find this challenging, do these with your feet on the floor.

Try the above and let me know how you go.

Would you like to see more of these? Let me know!

Have a great weekend!

Make More Progress This Month!

Happy Monday & Happy New Month!!!  Where did August go? That was QUICK!

My goal for this month: *TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS* and I think you should join me!

Instead of trying to set brand new goals every month, why not continue from the previous month's goals?
- Goals you're close to achieving
- The ones you got lazy with
- Those that scared you

Make more progress with them this month! If you're happy to, please share one of your goals that you're carrying over from last month :)

Why set a brand new set of goals, when you have uncompleted, and important, ones?
I've found I've had the best results when I write down my goals. Have you tried that yet? Does that work for you too?

Have a great month of making more progress and exceeding your expectations!

Fat-Burning & Fab Music Tomorrow Morning @ 9am!

Today's class was fun as always, watch an #instavideo of it:  http://instagram.com/p/doUCDLgDcM/

I asked a few members for some feedback/reviews of my classes to share with those of you who are thinking of coming to one of my classes, and still haven't!

Here's Ceri's in full:
"I used to hate spin before I started attending Adura's classes - monotonous thumping dance music, accompanied by the uninspiring drones of a bored instructor. Adura's classes couldn't be more different. A lively, fun team spirit atmosphere is encouraged by Adura's fantastic instructing - she takes special care to choose music we all love - and no class is ever the same. Brilliant." 

Before you think this class is 100% on the spin bike, think again! Yes there will be sprints, hill climbs, and other spin drills but there will also be bodyweight and core challenges.
Fun, right? :p

Don't tell me you need anymore convincing! Sign up for tomorrow's classes now, send me an email --> info'AT'adura-o.com (replace the 'AT' with @, this is to reduce the spam emails I get).

Time: Saturdays @ 9am
Location: Fitness First Oxford Circus
Fee: £10 per class or £40 for 5 classes.

Quick and Easy Low Carb Meal: Cauliflower Fried Rice With Peppers & Prawns

I can't get over how quickly it is to make this meal, I just posted this on Instagram (@Adura_O), and had to share the recipe here with you. So before you you say healthy eating is time consuming and expensive, just read on!

I went for a 1.5 hour walk on Sunday, yes ME, the-one-who-hates-walking went for a long walk. 

Things are happening! :p 

Huge thanks to my friends at Fitter London for organising a bank holiday walk on Saturday, it was so much fun and inspired me to download 'Striiv', a pedometer type app. 

There's a a competitive edge to it thanks to the 'Leaderboard' feature, love it! Some of my friends walk over 20,000 daily, not me ...YET! 

My aim is 10,000 steps daily and as you can see -->

I have a lot of walking left to do today. 

Oops I'm getting carried away as always!

Back to the reason for this post! While on my Sunday walk, I found a farmers market in Alexandra Palace, woohoo! I had some money on me (in case of emergency) and bought some fresh, locally grown produce including cauliflower and bell peppers, which inspired this very simple meal.

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower (1/2 a head)

Red Bell Pepper (1)

Prawns (1 cup)

Onion (1/4)
Coconut Oil (1 tbsp)

Curry powder (1 tsp)

Parsley

Cinnamon
Salt (to taste)

Serves: 1-2 (I ate it all on my own!)

1. Wash and grate the cauliflower (for more info on this, read: http://www.adura-o.com/2013/04/nigerian-twist-on-cauliflower-rice-from.html).
2. Wash and chop up the red pepper and onion.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a pan, and brown the onions. Season the prawns with the curry, parsley, cinnamon and salt.
4. Add the prawns and pan fry for a few minutes until they start to turn pink. Add the peppers and stir fry until prawns are completely pink. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. Add the grated cauliflower, add a pinch of salt and stir for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add the prawns and peppers, stir for a short time, turn heat down to low and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Eat!

Healthy, Natural & Refreshing Watermelon Juice Recipe

I made this last week and LOVED it! So I had to share the recipe for this refreshing, all natural juice with just three ingredients. I promise you'll love it!

Did you know watermelons have many health benefits including being rich in lycopene, an antioxidant found to be helpful in reducing the risk of many types of cancer including breast and prostate cancers! They're also good for the heart and highly alkaline? Well, now you know!

Watermelon (1.5 - 2 cups)
Cucumber (1 whole)
Lemon Juice (from 1/2 a lemon)

1. Add all ingredients (chopped watermelon & cucumber, with lemon juice added ) to a blender
2. Blend!

Add some ginger for a nice kick to it. I plan to add some mint (leaves) next time to make it extra refreshing :)

Do you have any watermelon juice recipes? Please share. Try this and let me know what you think.

TIP: It tastes even better chilled :)

Last Week On Instagram

Hello & Happy Monday! 

I hope you had a relaxing weekend, I wish I could say I did but everything I did was worth the time spent :) 

Apart from last week's recipe post - Lettuce Wraps (Minced Turkey,Tomatoes and Peppers, I didn't update this blog last week. For that, I really apologise! To make up for it, I will post at least twice this week, and today's post is one of them.

I'm very active on Instagram and posting a 'Week On Instagram' summary is a way to share tips, info or just random pictures with you my blog readers who aren't on IG :)

I started last week feeling unwell, I'd been fighting some kind of bug all weekend and my body lost the battle on Sunday. Monday morning, I woke up feeling fatigued and weak, the thought of doing any work made me want to curl up in bed and sleep... and I did just that. Not before, I posted this picture on Instagram:

On Tuesday, after spending an entire day in bed, I had a lie in and got out of bed at 10am. I felt better but nowhere near 100%. One of the things that was nursing me back to good health was green tea with with lemon and ginger. 

FYI: Ginger helps relieve congestion, lemon is high in vitamin c and is great for fighting colds and green tea is rich in antioxidants and also has antiviral and antibacterial properties.

On Wednesday, I decided the best way (to a wider audience) to answer a Get Trimmer Challenge participant's question was by posting this picture to show a couple of ways I eat sweet potatoes while sticking to my two MUSTS - yumminess and healthiness.

Still on Wednesday, I shared a tip I learned from my big Sis. I still wasn't 100% yet but I was getting there :) I made a green smoothie, straight from the freezer (I had bulk prepped and froze 5-6 smoothies' ingredients - spinach, cucumber, avocado and bananas. Serious timesaver, it took 5 minutes from my freezer to cup!) and added lemon and chia seeds before blending. To also help with my cold/cough, I grated some fresh ginger and mixed it after I'd blended the smoothie. That explains the lumpy bits in the picture:

Two posts on Thursday, I was on a roll! First one was to promote my new Spin class. Londoners, I expect to see you in this class soon! Oxford Street is so quiet at this time - start your weekend right by working out at 9am and avoid the crazy Saturday crowds by shopping early ;) It's a Win-Win situation, isn't it?!

I was itching for a new *daily* challenge and May's challenge inspired me (Who's joining me here? You know you want to!):

                                     

Friday started great, as always thanks to the members in my 7am class, I posted this video of the awesome, hardworking members:

http://instagram.com/p/dEPFakgDY8/

I was also clever and added 2 minutes of plank to the class, so I could do my 1st day of plank. Go me! Ha! 

Saturday was great - I woke up feeling like myself and ready to workout! I had a good crowd at my 9am Oxford Circus class (be there next week!) and I also taught the Fitter London strength class and hour later. Again, I included planks in my class so I could it with them ;)

Sunday started with a Yoga session and a (brownish) green smoothie, again from my frozen stash. This time I added berries to the mix, hence the colour. Trust me it was yummy! I also did 2 minutes of plank before my Yoga session but I didn't post a picture on Instagram, I had another busy day.

And that brings an end to last week, did you like this post? Tell me!

Lettuce Wraps (Minced Turkey,Tomatoes and Peppers): Inspired By Daisy!

While promoting The Get Trimmer Challenge last week, I posted this picture on Instagram:

Not up to 10 minutes after posting it, I got one recipe request and a few questions on what was in it. So I thought, "Yay! A recipe blog post, my blog needs one!". Lettuce wraps are a great way of totally eliminating bread (wraps) from a meal. This is a low carb and high protein meal and can be breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I was feeling creative and decided to do an InstaVideo of the recipe. Why did Instagram CRASH on me??? Thankfully, a copy of the video was saved on my phone and because I didn't want to throw away my hard work, I uploaded it on YouTube:

Ha! It's not the usual quality of my videos but it does the job, right?

Ingredients
500g Turkey Mince
400g chopped tomatoes (Better option - Fresh tomatoes, chopped)
Lettuce (I used romaine, but any should do)
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1/2 Red Onion
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Salt
Mixed Herbs and Spices

1. Wash and chop up onions and peppers.
2. Heat coconut oil in a pan (preferably a wok).
3. Fry onions until they're lightly browned.
4. Add turkey mince, cook until the meat isn't pink. keep turning in the pan to cook evenly. Season with (1/2 tsp) salt. This should take no more than 5 minutes.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with mixed herbs and spices, and two pinches of salt.
6. Immediately add the peppers. Stir contents for 30 seconds, cover and leave to simmer for a minimum of ten minutes.
7. Wash the romaine lettuce and remove the leaves (for the wraps). A tip here is too use the bigger (outer) leaves. I made 4 wraps, so I used 8 leaves.
   
   
8. Add 2-3 heaped tablespoons of mince to each wrap and enjoy :)

Shout out to Daisy for the inspiration! I usually make my lettuce wraps with eggs, sliced meat (chicken, beef) or fish.

Last Week In Pictures

Happy Monday!

I think I'll start doing this once in a while, - I'm quite active on Instagram and sometimes duplicate the pictures and posts here.

Other times, I don't think they're good enough to be stand-alone blog posts so grouping a week's worth of post should work better.

MONDAY

I posted this on Monday, full of positivity for the week... if you know me personally, you should know I'm a cynic *sigh* but that's a story for another day (or never). But last week, I woke up inspired and ready to make changes that I'd been procrastinating about. We keep saying we'll make changes but "life gets in the way"(my most common excuse)... I didn't want to do the same last week so starting the week by declaring to the world (okay people who follow me on IG, Twitter and Facebook) it was going to be GREAT, helped me believe it more.

TUESDAY

On Tuesday, I took part in the 7am Fitter London class (I actually did a blog post on this HERE) and I haven't done any kind of running in AGES. We started off with a 5-10 minute jog, then did many sets of sprints, before jogging back to the gym. We finished off with heavy kettlebell drills. I wasn't very excited about jogging or sprinting before we started but after the class, I was so glad I did. It's so funny (bearing in mind my cynic status) but this inspired me to post the above, and also be a little more daring and a few hours later, I had the idea for my new class (see below).

Re: your healthy goals, both exercise and diet, if you've been doing the same thing for a while and are either bored or not seeing as much progress as you used to, it's time to make a change. Try cutting down (or out) something that you've been advised to but just don't want to. Or do exercise that's way out of your comfort zone eg sprints because there's nothing like HIIT (high intensity interval training) to help burn fat! Strength training, a spin class, *wink*

WEDNESDAY

Yep! Inspired by how my week started, I decided to put this out there no matter how nervous I was. I'm glad I did! This class officially starts on Saturday (although I did a test run over the weekend!) 10th August, and if you haven't registered, do that NOW.

THURSDAY

August 1st! Inspired by the week's progress and my challenge in May (-->READ HERE<--), I decided to set myself a few challenges which I'll start posting this week :) It's going to be a GREAT month!

On FRIDAY, I posted an InstaVideo from my Fitter London 7am class, watch it HERE.

SUNDAY

Saturday was a very long day so I forgot to post! Sunday's post was actually Saturday's, the test run of my new class went well and I had a green smoothie (chia seeds, spinach, cucumber, banana, lemon and a slice of lemon, with the skin) post workout.

I didn't post this on IG but I did on my Facebook page, and had to share it with here too... still on the positive and inspired train:

One more thing, the Get Trimmer Challenge starts in exactly one week.

It is an online program, so it's available anywhere. If you're having difficulty paying via Paypal, send me an email :)

Have a great week and if you're on Instagram, follow me: @Adura_O.

New CLASS By Yours Truly!

This is a quick promo for a class I'm starting on Saturdays!

If you're in London and need a great workout (yes I said great, I know it, ha!), look no further! Adura's here ;)

For more information, including prices, or to sign up, send me an email.

TIME/LOCATION
9am at Fitness First Oxford Circus

PRICES
First Class is Free
£10 drop-in
£40 for 5 classes
£70 for 10 classes

I Was Forced Out Of My Comfort Zone Today... I Think I Loved It!

HELLO!!!!!!

I'm not even sure why I'm so energetic considering that I SPRINTED in today's workout! I'm sure you've noticed I hardly ever talk about running on here. I have shared tips on starting a running routine (Read Part I and Part II) but I don't run anymore.
I used to run years ago but mainly for exercise and to keep challenging myself. I stopped about 3 year ago when I discovered other things I actually enjoyed.

Today's Fitter London workout started with 30+mins of running. We jogged for 5 minutes then did what felt like a million sets of 20s and 10s sprints, with rest in between each set. We finished off with a relay, which brought out my very competitive side... LMAO, I might have cheated while overtaking someone

I'll be honest I do love a good sprint but for just one set of 10 seconds, or something! Today's session took me WAY OUT OF my comfort zone, and after the sprints we jogged back to the gym and finished with 4 sets each of 6 reps of heavy kettlebell shoulder presses, dead cleans and rows. Heavy lifting, LOVE IT!

And guess who's teaching a spin class in less than 2 hours.... ME! (I'm going to sleep so well tonight!).

Nothing gets you fitter like constantly challenging & shocking your body! Why don't you try something different (and challenging, of course!) today? And when you do, tell me about it :)

Have a great day!

Healthy Eating On An Extra Tight Budget.

It all started with a picture I posted on Instagram a few days ago (view HERE). I can't count how many times I've heard the excuse of how it's hard to eat healthy on a budget!

I love this quote, "If something is important to you, you'll find a way"!

I woke up this morning very inspired - I had withdrawn £20 from the ATM yesterday and had no immediate use for it, in addition, I had some loose change (£5.22) in my wallet. I initially intended to set a budget of £25 but decided to make it more exciting ;) I love a challenge!

I posted this on Instagram and got some encouragement and interest:

I decided to post (on Instagram) as I shopped.

My first stop was my local halal butchers/food shop. 2 bunches of spinach for £1 and 3 plantains for £1 (they also sell more riper plantains at 4 for £1 but I want them to last as long as possible. Plus it's better for me to have less food at home, ha!), it started very well.
I also bought 2 whole 'boiler' chickens at £1.99 each, apparently boiler chicken is older (elderly!) chicken so it's tougher meat and ideal for stews. I like it because it reminds me of home (Nigeria) and I just like it.
I bought one (white flesh) sweet potato for 71p, bargain! Total: £7.19

On to the supermarket, I prefer shopping in Sainsburys but Morrisons is right beside the butchers and I couldn't be bothered to walk five minutes to Sainsburys <-- Don't be lazy like me, haha!

4 limes & lemons for £1, 5 bananas for just over 30p, things were looking good :)

Today was my lucky day, fresh mackerel (from £4.99 to £3.99 per kg) was on offer and I bought 4 whole ones for £3.77. I also bought the rest of the ingredients for my green smoothies, 2 tins of sardines in olive oil and frozen peas. I bought onions, although they were not on my list. I spent £10.21 in Morrisons.
There were no organic eggs in Morrisons, so I went to the 'Sainsburys Local' across the road and bought some (£2.25).

Everything came to a grand total of £19.65, do I didn't even have to break into my emergency fund! I had 35p to spare too, amazing!

SOME HEALTHY-SHOPPING-ON-A-BUDGET TIPS
1. To avoid impulse purchases, write a shopping list, plan what you'll cook/eat for the week/month before leaving home. The only thing I bought today, that wasn't on my list were onions!
2. Go to local small businesses because some things they sell are cheaper than supermarkets, and are actually better quality!
3. Buy frozen. Sometimes I buy frozen fish, especially when it's on offer. Of course fresh fish is better but if you're on a tight budget, buying frozen helps. Vegetables - I buy mixed vegetables, peas, broccoli, and a few others. Sometimes I buy frozen spinach, if I want to use it in okra soup.
4. Keep your eyes peeled for offers!

Do you think healthy eating is too expensive? Why don't you give my tips above a try, and let me know how you go?

Have a great week!

New Week, New Video... Of A Workout For Change!

Hello!

I hope you had a great weekend - it was SUNNY here in London. At one point, I literally RAN away from the sun and into the comfort of my home... like a vampire, ha!

I know I'm Nigerian, I know I grew up in the sun but it doesn't mean I love it 24/7. I like the warmth from the sun but not the heat on my skin, which always results in me being multi-toned - darker face, dark arms, less dark torso and slightly dark legs, no thanks! If you've been reading this blog for long enough, I'm sure you can tell no weather in the UK ever makes me happy :p

Do you know I'm a kettlebell instructor? Yep! I teach kettlebell classes for Fitter London, and after having over a month away from them - thanks to my holiday and 'Insanity: The Asylum', I almost hugged them when I got back!

Two Saturdays ago, I taught both classes so I didn't get to workout so I decided to play with some kettlebells and decided to share with you so you can give it a try soon :)

As always, you need to warm up and mobilise your joints before doing this, or any workout.

Five repititions of these four exercises, back-to-back:

1. Kettlebells swings - I used two bells here but one bell is just as effective (single arm swings)
2. Kettlebell swing-cleans - Again, one bell for single bell cleans works just fine
3. Ketllbells military (shoulder) presses
4. Kettlebell racked (front) squats

Rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat at least 3 times.

What does this work, I hear you ask? Everything!

It's a great strength AND endurance workout - going heavy and not resting between exercises will give maximum results. The swings work your hamstrings, glutes (butt) and core. The cleans do the same PLUS the back and shoulders. The shoulder presses work the... shoulders, of course! And the squats mainly target the glutes, quads (thighs) and core, also your shoulders as you have to keep the bells up.

So yes, it's a total body workout :) Why don't you give it a try? Watch this video a few times before trying the exercises, and as safety is important - start light. If you try it, please comment below or on the video (YouTube).

Someone's commented on the video already:
"Thank you, I just did that with 10kg weights why am I burning in my shoulders and glutes lol. :) thanks for a "rest day" workout" 

Quick & Healthy Breakfast: Eggs & A Green Smoothie

I can't count how many times I've been asked, "Could you please suggest a healthy, quick breakfast?". Most of us are busy and don't have time to spend over ten minutes preparing breakfast, then another 5-10 eating it. This is where most people end up eating one of those snack bars that claim to be healthy but are packed with sugar... let me know if you want me to name names ;)

ENTER - *planning your meals* <-- This is a key step in sticking to your healthy goals. The days I've had no food in my fridge have been the hardest for me to eat clean and healthy. And my best days have been those where I've planned in advance so I don't find my self starving and nowhere near healthy enough options.

Anyway, back to the reason for this post! A healthy serving of protein, healthy fats and carbs & vitamins from green vegetables makes for a well rounded breakfast. My ideal breakfast is an omelette with veggies and fish, yum! But I don't have time to make an omelette, especially during the week when I have a 7am start at the gym. I make my green smoothies in 2 (sometimes 3) day batches, |

e.g. I made some on Monday night, I had one serving on Tuesday morning, another on Wednesday morning and a half serving on Wednesday afternoon.

• Tuesday's breakfast was: green smoothie and eggs, 
• Wednesday's was green smoothie and baked mackerel.

As seen in this video below, it takes very little time to make eggs, if you're REALLY pressed for time, you could go one better and boil 2 eggs the night before, cutting your preparation time right down.

Have you tried this combination for breakfast? Or green smoothies with something else? What did/do you think?

Try Something NEW This Week!

Hope you had a good weekend, I know - it flew by right?? The weather here in the UK has been amazingly warm and I'm sorry I have to complain BUT it's a bit too warm because we don't have ACs readily in our homes. This country wasn't built for summer because we have about a total of 1 month of warm weather!

After my 30 days of Asylum (which I'm almost done writing the review), I was reminded about how important, and effective, it is to switch up your routine sometimes. Your body gets used to your regular routine and you might find you hit a plateau.... to avoid that, keep switching things up.

My challenge for you this week is:

• Think of one kind of training you have never tried or haven't done in ages.
• Do it at least once this week.

I'm using my jump rope (I haven't incorporated it in my routine for a while), at least twice this week!

What will you do this week? Tell me!

Thank God It's Friday... ALREADY!

It's going to be Christmas before we know it... I can't wait for another holiday ;)

I have to apologise for not posting as often as I used to but I almost feel like screaming from the roof tops - My blogging/recording mojo is back! Woohoo!

As I hadn't recorded a recipe video in months, I decided to take baby steps and start with a simple recipe. I'm currently editing the video and it should be up on Saturday or Sunday :)

The TOP 3 things you will be seeing more of:

• Recipes (my favourites!)
• Workout blogs and videos
• Posts/Videos answering questions sent to me.
  and a close 4th is more on skincare/haircare because I've kinda slacked on that.

It's really hard balancing being self employed, promoting myself (I have to pay my bills!), blogging/recording and life. I'm still working on it but I think I'm slowly getting a hang of it.

Anyone have tips on how to balance everything?

Happy New Month & Second Half of 2013

I CANNOT believe it's July already! This year has flown by!

Hope you had a good, relaxing weekend, it was nice and sunny here in London - a rare occurrence so I made the most of it.

As it's the second half of the year, I decided to re-share my story both as a reminder for longtime readers and also to let new readers know.

I can't tell you how many people stare at my old pictures in disbelief because they assumed I'd always been in good shape... wrong! I worked hard to get here, and I'm still working hard to maintain it all. I love food, I always will, and this love for food is what caused my rapid weight gain when I moved to the UK in 1998.

Click on the image below to read my story up to 2010, I've learned a lot more since then and there'll be another post on that soon.

Losing the weight is half the battle, keeping it off is what really tests your willpower. Trust me, ANYBODY can lose weight - either from doing it the sustainable way through healthy, clean eating and exercise or starving themselves or even through surgery. When you get to your goal weight, you can't just sit back, relax and fall back into old habits. You have to resist the constant temptations of unhealthy (albeit yummy) foods and stick to your new healthy routine. 

Although I've never gone back to anywhere near my heaviest, I have had some setbacks - remember when I came back from a 6 week break in the US and looked a little rounder? It was a very busy time and a larger portion of rice here and a biscuit or two there all added up. Luckily, I got back on track after a while. Nobody's perfect - I know I'm not!

Funny thing is - I can't remember why I started this blog post now. But I hope someone finds it useful and motivating. As I like to say - IF I DID IT YOU CAN!

While we're on this topic, if you need help and guidance reaching your goals, you could sign up for the next round of The Get Trimmer Challenge (starts on Monday 5th August) or contact me for Personal Training (which includes Nutrition Advice) either online or 1 to 1.

I will be announcing an offer on Online Personal Training, to celebrate the second half of 2013... keep your eyes peeled. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram (both @Adura_O) as I'll be sharing it there.

Have a great week and I'll see you on here soon. I should be recording a recipe video this week, watch this space :)

What Did You Do On Your Birthday?

Insanity: The Asylum's "Gameday Overtime"!

Yes, that's exactly what I did on my birthday. I'm on Day 25 of the 30 day program, I didn't want to break my consistent streak just because it was my birthday!

Just in case I haven't mentioned it here (I have on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), I started Insanity: The Asylum while I was on holiday for 3 weeks. I initially intended to do it for 21 days, instead of the recommended 30 days. But thanks to a group I'm a member of, I was motivated to complete the program.

I'll do a complete review when I'm done. As for Insanity, the original 60 day program, maybe if Beachbody need someone (me!) to review it... because I don't see myself doing that anytime soon. You never know, I could get a fantastic opportunity to work on an Island for a few months ;) That'd be the perfect time to do a 60 day program.

So here's a collage of a few things Insanity: The Asylum had to offer today:

I'm almost back to regular posting, I arrived in London on Monday and I'm still getting used to the timezone. Have a great weekend!

If you're interested in seeing all the pictures from my time on/in(??) 'The Asylum', they're all here --> http://pinterest.com/adura/get-ripped/

Yummy Post Workout Meal: Plantain & Eggs

Hello,

Anybody out there?!?!

I'm so sorry for the silence on my blog but I was on holiday. I just got back yesterday and I have a LOT of blog posts coming... so stay around!

I had some drama at the airport on my way back, my flight to my connecting airport was delayed by almost an hour. I had 30 minutes to make my next flight, I was so sure I'd missed it that I strolled to the gate. Only to find out that the staff were JUST about to send someone else in my place.

So - I made my flight but my luggage didn't! Lucky for me, there was a flight an hour after mine, I got my bags after an hour's wait at the airport. I wasn't too stressed out because it gave me time to finally update Week 2 of The Get Trimmer Challenge.

Anyway enough about me, I seem to talk about myself a lot, right? :p

Today was my first day back at work, I was at this morning's Fitter London class - only to help out! I couldn't have done a heavy strength session, I was exhausted. At lunchtime, I taught my first spin class in 4 weeks and I was really expecting it to be too hard for me, I loved every minute of it - it's good to be back teaching :)

After the class, I made some pan fried 'dodo' (Nigerian name for fried plantains) and scrambled eggs (seasoned with parsley, chives and a pinch of salt), which is a great combination of good carbohydrates and protein. It hit the spot and I was able to get some more work done before my evening class.

Why is plantain a good carb? It's a 'slow-release' carb, which means it releases sugar (energy) slowly into the system. I pan fried it in a tablespoon of coconut oil, which has many health benefits and my favourite thing to eat with plantain = eggs. They're a great source of protein and just work perfectly with plantain. 

I posted a video on how I pan fry plantains some time last year, check it out:

See ya!

It's That Time Again - THE GET TRIMMER CHALLENGE 5 (GT5)

What Is It All About?
The aim of this challenge is to help and support you to reach your healthy goals through forming lifelong healthy eating and exercise habits. To help you get on and STAY right on track!

This on-line program will take place over six weeks and there is an opportunity to make this a more regular occurrence.

*Available worldwide, as it's an on-line program*

For those who have difficulty paying via PayPal, send me an email and I'll give you alternative details. Usually applies to those in Nigeria.

The next round of The Get Trimmer Challenge starts on Monday June 17th.

Event registration for GT5 powered by Eventbrite

Some Fast Food Chains Offer Healthy (Enough) Options

I've been on holiday in the USA for a week and I'm enjoying the sunshine and time off work :)

Last week, I had the craziest idea - I asked my sister to drop me off at Target (I love to shop there for stationery, toiletries and the most random things). The distance from Target back home was 7 miles, and I told my sister I was going to walk back. How hard could it be? I'm a healthy and fitness professional, etc etc. Haha!

2 hours later, I was done at Target, and started my walk - the first road I crossed had malfunctioning lights, I felt like I was back in Lagos - I ran across when there were no cars. About 5 minutes in, I spoke to a friend who told me I was mad to be crossing American sized roads, and I should go back to Target and call a cab. Was I glad to hear that?!?! I sprinted across that road and headed back.

It was 12.30pm and I hadn't had a real breakfast or lunch! I don't do well on an empty stomach, seriously! My choices were limited but I made my way to Chick-Fil-A and expected to have chicken nuggets as the "healthiest" option. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find a small selection of summer salads (3 to be exact, Cobb, Asian and Grilled Market Salads). I had the 'Grilled Market Salad' with the dressing on the side (I didn't use it). Why? Because it was the only salad that had chicken which wasn't 'breaded'.

I had to pick out the blue cheese because I'm not a fan of cheese. It was really good, and kept me going - I went back to Target and found some more bargains. Then I finally called a cab and went home.

The point of this is: Although it can be hard sometimes, you can find healthy (but sometimes limited) options in unexpected places. If I hadn't found anything at Chick-Fil-A, I'd have looked for some fruit in Starbucks or a healthy bar or a pack of nuts from Target.

--

I really have to do a post on my experience on my last flight. I still CANNOT believe breakfast was pizza, or something like that, and ice cream. No fruit! I didn't have anything, and I had run out of my packed-at-home plane snacks. By the time I got home, I was ravenous!