I'm back

Hi Friends,

It's been a while i posted. I'm so sorry. I've been busy with life, work, famly, business. In short, in the last few weeks i've not  been following the 'rules of eating healthy' strictly. There have been days i had spaghetti and fried stew for dinner, eaten white rice, fried meat etc.

My daughter's birthday and Sallah celebration even made matters worse. I literally ate any and everything. What even made matters worse was my house help that i had taken time to teach how to make these healthy foods left and my new one hardly knows how to cook.

Yes, i'm not perfect. It happens to the best of us.

The amazing thing however is the fact that i didn't gain any weight. In actually lost 1kg since the last time i posted on this blog. So i decided to look back to see what happened

1. Even though i was eating what i wasn't supposed to eat, i wasn't taking soft drinks, juices etc either, Wasn't eating pizza, sharwama etc, though i had a meat pie and doughnut once. No canned foods.

2. I was taking lots of water

3. Though i wasn't going out to exercise but my bedroom is on the second floor in my house while my sitting room and kitchen are on the ground floor. So i climb four flights of stairs like 10-20 times a day

4. Lastly and most importantly. I don't let any day go by without me giving my body all the spectrum of nutrients it needs for normal body function by taking a nutritionally dense product called Trevo

What is Trevo?

Trévo is a masterful blend of 174 of the finest vegetarian nutritional ingredients from around the globe.  It contains garden fruits, exotic fruits, vegetables, Sea vegetables, marine grade coral calcium, etc. And supplies all the essential Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, trace elements etc necessary for normal bodily function.

The formulation is micronized so the cells of the body can absorb and utilize it effectively.  It also contains Fulvic acid, which helps in the transport of nutrients to the cells and help effectively remove waste from the cells.

Another exciting thing about the Trévo drink is its high ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity)  score of 373,000 units per 32ounce bottle. Making it very effective in absorbing free radicals, which have been linked to many chronic diseases. It supports every system in the body by supplying the cells with essential nutrients for proper functioning.

Never before has there been such a result driven formulation that fills the nutritional gaps of people the way nature intended

To learn more about Trevo, please visit http://funmialao.trevobuilder.com/   and    http://funmialao.trevostory.com/

This is not an excuse to eat junk. It just shows how important drinking water, some exercise and getting the right nutrient into your body is. Trevo gets you the right nutrients in a simple delicious way. What are you waiting for? click the link and order yours today

Have a blessed week

ADVICE OF THE DAY: Take 2 ounces of Trevo everyday

If you wanna talk more, get my phone no and email address from the link above

Journey back to self

Before my wedding in 2010,  I was a size 12. I really cannot remember my weight back then, but I  guess it was somewhere around 76kg . My height  is 1.7m.  so even though I was slim by some people’s opinion I was still overweight.  However, I was able to shed a lot of weight due to preparations for the wedding as I remember that my size 12 wedding gown which was fitted four weeks before the wedding was loose on my wedding day..

October 2010

I got pregnant  three months after my wedding and I just blew up out of proportion. I gained so much weight during the pregnancy that on the day I went into labour in October 2011, I weighed 100kg. I was so bothered by my weight gain during pregnancy that I tried a few times to watch what I ate so as not to add more weight. At some point during that pregnancy, I had an episode of glycosuria (sugar in my urine) which is a pointer to diabetes in pregnancy. That episode got me really scared, and from them on, I avoided sugary stuff for that period. But out of ignorance, I was still eating white rice, white bread etc. luckily I didn’t have another episode of glycosuria and it didn’t progress to diabetes in pregnancy.

After my first child, I maintained 95kg for a while. During this period, I was working at a clinic where I worked Mondays to Saturdays. I tried a number of starvation and fad diets during that period to shed weight and take me away from the 90 range. I would lose like 3kg, get tired and stop, then add the weight back. And then I go back to where I was coming from. The process became a swing for me

.

I later got another job where I was not obliged to be at work every day. I had more time on my hands to sleep most of the days. During this period, I ate a lot of junk and at a point; I reached 100kg (thanks to my husband). My waist circumference was 40 inches and I couldn't dare to go out of my house without my body magic.

November 2012

When I was pregnant for my second child, I was ill, vomiting and couldn't eat for like the first 4 months. I l lost quite a lot of weight and as at 4 months,  I was 91kg. On the day that I checked into the hospital for my delivery, I was 108kg.  wow, you would say. That was my highest ever. Few months after delivery I had maintained my weight at 101kg and waist circumference 42.

October 2013

Then came January 7, 2014, the day I decided to take charge of my weight. I didn't want to be referred to as the fat doctor anymore. I didn't want people older than me almost kneel down to greet me cos i looked 

like 7 years older than I really was.

And then I started studying food and with the help of my cousin Peju, and a few online courses on nutrition, the journey back to self and beyond began. I understood carbohydrates and their place in the body system. I was educated about the food type that is suitable for the body. I understood the devastating effect of sugar in all forms particularly High Fructose Corn Syrup on my health and waist line. The place of proteins and fats was well understood. I appreciated the importance of fruits, vegetables, nuts etc. and the importance of nutritional supplements and which was best for me. The essence of physical activities and water was emphasized. Then the effortless weight shedding process began.

Every month I stepped on the scale, I would smile .

The first day I saw 8 in front of the values on the weighing scale, it was like I just won a million bucks. When I go out and people commented on my weight loss, I felt like a star.

April 2014

When the 70s on the scale came, everyone wanted to know how I did it. Thereafter, I started coaching people, helping them change the way they see food. I’ll like to tell you there was no time during this period that I was starving myself. Particularly, when I got the right nutrition supplement. It just got easier from then on.

There were temptations along the way (with me living with the King of Junk, wink), but I learnt how to deal with them and I gave myself occasional treats. And I learned to make those treats myself using healthier alternatives.

Right now I weigh 71kg and a size 10 or 8 (if it’s for tall people) and my waist circumference is 30.5 inches.

August 2014

I am not there yet as after reaching ‘self’, there is still the ‘after self’ which is at most 65 kg.

Now you've heard my story. What's yours?

 You can do it, if I could.

ADVICE OF THE DAY: Listen to your body

Back to the kitchen

Good Morning Friends,

Do you know if you wanna eat healthy, one thing you must be ready to do is COOK. If you can't, there's almost no point trying to eat healthy. 

When you cook your food, you can regulate what you put in it. The kind and amount of oil you use,how you prepare and cook your vegetables etc.

Most restaurants are more concerned about their profit than your health. They want you to come back for more so they cook with ingredients that are cheap and enhance flavor, most of which are detrimental to your health.

Here are some tips to make cooking more fun

1. Keep it simple: Don't try to be a chef if you're not one. use 2-3 ingredients, max 4-5

 2. Cook once, eat many times: You can cook a large batch over the weekend and divide into portions to keep in the refrigerator. So you just bring out to heat when you're ready

3. Use different spices to enhance flavour: Cinnamon, ginger, garlic, curry powder, thyme, tumeric etc

4. Try new reciepes

5. Eat what you love (that is healthy o): If you can't eat Celery, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts etc that you've read about their benefits to the body. Then don't torture yourself by forcing them down your throat. Eat the Ugwu, water leaf, shoko, tete etc that you know and love (but prepare in a way to preserve the nutrients). You can get your broccolli and all those other super foods you've read about  by taking Trevo   www.trevocorporate.com/coach/Funmialao

6. Mistakes are ok: You can burn the food the first few times. Practice makes perfection

7. Ask others for help

8. Understand the ways you enjoy eating: Alone, with others, fancy plates and cutlery etc... Do it your way

9. Avoid self criticism: Don't point out flaws in the food. You bring people's attention to what they may not have noticed in the first play

10. Commercial produce is ok, but organic is better. If you can't afford or find organic, don't let that stop you from trying to eat healthy

11. Canned and frozen is ok, but fresh is better. (look out for what is used in preserving the canned produce. Avoid those in sugar, syrup, oil etc)

12 Eat everything you feel like, but prepare using natural healthy ingredients e.g Stevia vs refined sugar, coconut oil vs heavily processed vegetable oil, coconut/almond flour vs white flour etc

13. Avoid processed foods the way you avoid Ebola

Have a lovely week

Call Dr Funmi Alao 08023180205, 08095480379, bb pin 75DFCE1F to speak to and life and health coach

ADVICE OF THE DAY: Make a habit of nurturing your body

Let's measure

We've talked about the risks of being overweight and obese. Now we want to know where we fall, Underweight, Normal, overweight or obese.

Body mass index (BMI) is the most common way of assessing obesity. It is a measure of weight that adjusts for height and correlates highly with body fatness. 

BMI = weight/height²

Now take a few minutes to calculate your BMI, where do you fall?

Waist circumference (WC) on the other hand is a measure for abdominal fat and is suggested to be a better predictor for certain chronic diseases.

It is particularly useful in those with normal BMI.  A high waist circumference or a greater level of abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease.  

Now take a tape measure to measure your waist circumference.

What is it about abdominal fat that makes it strong marker of disease risk? The fat surrounding the liver and other abdominal organs, so-called visceral fat, is very metabolically active. The fat releases fatty acids, inflammatory agents, and hormones that ultimately lead to higher LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, and blood pressure.

Another measurement to consider is the waist-hip ratio. It is the waist circumference divided by the hip circumference.

Now you've measured your BMI, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio. If all three fall within the normal limits, congrats. It means you are healthy, and you need to keep eating right to stay that way.

 If not, don’t worry, I’m here to help you achieve the ideal result.

To speak to a life and health coach, call Dr Funmi Alao on 08023180205, 08095480379, bb pin 75DFCE1F to walk you through the process

ADVICE OF THE DAY: Breathe!!!!!!!!

why run? (the concluding part)

1.      1.      Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is when tissue that protects the joints wears away.  Common areas are the knees, hips, and lower back. Extra weight can put more pressure and wear on joints, causing pain.

2.       Sleep Apnea

A person who has sleep apnea may have more fat stored around the neck. This can narrow the airway, making it hard to breathe.

3.       Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is a breathing disorder that affects some obese people.

OHS can lead to serious health problems and may even cause death.

4.       Reproductive Problems

Obesity can cause menstrual issues and infertility in some women.

5.       Gallstones

Gallstones are hard pieces of stone-like material that form in the gallbladder. They're mostly made of cholesterol. Gallstones can cause stomach or back pain.

6.       Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

The BMI correlates with the degree of liver damage, that is, the greater the BMI the greater the liver damage.

The idea of this post is not to scare people, but to make us realise that we need to take action. It’s not just about fitting into a size 8 or 10 dress, it’s about staying healthy. I hope you’re all ready to take on the challenge

Talk to you soon… Have a great week

ADVICE OF THE DAY:  Avoid/Limit fast food junk

Why run?

Being overweight or obese isn't just a cosmetic problem. These conditions greatly raise the risk for other health problems.

That is why we must run as fast as we can with all the strength we've got from anything that can make us overweight or obese

Some of the health problems are:

1.       Heart Disease

As body mass index rises, so does the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart.

Plaque can narrow or block the coronary arteries and reduce blood flow to the heart muscle. This can cause angina (chest pain or discomfort) or a heart attack.

Obesity also can lead to heart failure. This is a serious condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. Leading to the enlargement and weakening of the heart.

2.       High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many ways. The chances of having high blood pressure are greater in overweight or obese individuals.

3.       Stroke

Being overweight or obese can lead to a build-up of plaque in your arteries. Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form. If the clot is close to the brain, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and cause a stroke. The risk of having a stroke rises as BMI increases.

4.       Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body's blood glucose, or blood sugar, level is too high. Normally, the body breaks down food into glucose and then carries it to cells throughout the body. The cells use a hormone called insulin to turn the glucose into energy.

In type 2 diabetes, the body's cells don't use insulin properly. At first, the body reacts by making more insulin. Over time, however, the body can't make enough insulin to control its blood sugar level.

Diabetes is a leading cause of early death, CHD, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. Most people who have type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.

5.       Abnormal Blood Fats

Overweight or obese individuals are at increased risk of having abnormal levels of blood fats. These include high levels of triglycerides and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol.

 Abnormal levels of these blood fats are a risk factor for CHD.

6.       Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises the risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.

Any one of these risk factors can develop by itself, but they tend to occur together. A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is made if at least three of the following risk factors are present:

Ø  A large waistline. This is called abdominal obesity or "having an apple shape." Having extra fat in the waist area is a greater risk factor for CHD than having extra fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips.

Ø  A higher than normal triglyceride level (or on medication to treat high triglycerides).

Ø  A lower than normal HDL cholesterol level (or on medication to treat low HDL cholesterol).

Ø  Higher than normal blood pressure (or on medication to treat high blood pressure).

Ø  Higher than normal fasting blood sugar (or on medication to treat diabetes).

7.       Cancer

Being overweight or obese raises the risk for colon, breast, endometrial, and gallbladder cancers.

To be continued.........

Have a lovely weekend.

ADVICE OF THE DAY: Drink more water

The big picture

The global pandemic of obesity has been referred to as a “time bomb”, as its prevalence continues to increase. Obesity has been linked to a multitude of health conditions including diabetes, hypertension, ischaemic stroke and heart disease, different types of cancers, osteoarthritis, and reproductive conditions.

 As a result, obesity is now among the leading factors for global morbidity and mortality and causes more global deaths than underweight

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.

As our drinking and eating habits become fashionable throughout the world, so do our health concerns. Economic growth, urbanization, and subsequent changes in lifestyle are among the factors driving the global obesity epidemic. The increasing number of fast food joints, lack of space for recreational activities and with the arrival modern convenience devices are leading majority of people are leading a much more sedentary lifestyle compared to their parents and grandparents.

For thousands of years, obesity was rarely seen. It was not until the 20th century that it became common, so much so that in 1997 the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized obesity as a global epidemic. In 2014, a Lancet study estimated that the number of overweight adults in the world was 2.1 billion in 2013, compared with 857 million in 1980. Obesity and overweight was once thought to be diseases of high income countries, but even low income countries are witnessing a rise in its prevalence.

A systematic review of papers published on the prevalence of obesity among adults in Nigeria was carried out and the prevalence of overweight individuals ranged from 20.3%–35.1%, while the prevalence of obesity ranged from 8.1%–22.2%. We don’t even need to look at studies, just look around you and see how people are piling on fat.

As obesity prevalence is rising, so is that of other chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancers etc. People are becoming sicker and the cost of health care increasing. An exorbitant amount of money is spent on medications and operations while very little is spent on prevention, education and holistic health

According to the World Health Organization, about 100 million people a year are pushed into poverty by their medical bills.

Before, when you hear things like cancer, stroke, heart disease or diabetes, it usually sounds far of. But these days almost every family has at least one person, an aunt or an uncle or a cousin, with one or two of these chronic illnesses.

So to you my friends, let precaution and prevention be our watch word from today. And like my people would say, prevention is better than cure

In modern Western cultures, the obese shape is widely regarded as unattractive, but not all contemporary cultures disapprove of obesity. There are many African, Arabic, Indian, and Pacific Island cultures which are traditionally more approving of obesity as it is associated with physical attractiveness, strength, fertility, and prestige. I hope all of you reading this don’t view obesity this way.

In my subsequent posts, you’ll understand better why you should try your utmost best not to be overweight or obese.

Till then….  Good afternoon

ADVICE OF THE DAY: Move your body, don’t just sit at your desk all day.