How to build and imbibe healthy habits in 2022

Healthy Living

Our mission at Slimfitu – a health, fitness and lifestyle brand is helping and providing today’s woman with solutions  and ranges of services including weightloss solutions to attain her optimal health through tailored lifestyle modifications and behavioral changes such as eating the right meals and engaging in active regular exercise.

 

Here are few tips to help you build healthy habits this year.

 

1. Eat right and well: Lack of time is a common obstacle to healthy eating, however planning ahead helps you stay on track with healthy food choices. You should stash healthy frozen meals in the freezer for nights you arrive home too late to cook.

Being prepared and having a plan means you’ll be less likely to succumb to poor food choices. A tip to eat right and well is having a meal plan to work with. Click the link HERE to get a meal plan.

 

2. Drink Up:

One of the very best things you can do to help you feel great is to ensure you drink plenty of water. This makes a big difference. I encourage you to start your day with a glass of water, carry a water bottle when you’re out and drink a glass of water with each meal.

Click the link HERE to order water bottles of various sizes.

 

3. Get Active Everyday: It doesn’t matter what you do, just find ways to get active daily, it could be doing an activity as simple as Walking. A challenge I put together – 30 Days 100km walk with Coach Hafsah is currently ongoing, and I am putting together another one for 14 days starts in February, I am sure you don’t want to miss out on this, click the link HERE for more details.

 

4. Get plenty of sleep:

Sleep is so important for being your best self. You must have noticed that when you’re tired, you are more likely to overeat and not get active.

 

Most importantly, make some notes about healthy habits you want to build. After reading this blog post, take a few minutes to make some notes about how you plan to add these daily healthy habits.

It might be making sure you eat fruits and vegetables daily, drink a glass of water as soon as you get up, drinking minimum 2litres of water every day, scheduling a 15-minute daily walk or going to bed 30 minutes earlier than you currently do.

Which would it be for you?

I love to hear from you, send me an email – hafsah@slimfitu.com or you could send me a whatsapp message on +2348094258226

Share on:

Keys to Long-term Weight-loss Maintenance

Keys to Long Term Weightloss Maintenance

Many people struggle to maintain weight loss long-term. While fad-diets and four-week bikini-body boot camps might help you drop pounds, keeping weight off is challenging. Research shows that 95% of dieters regain lost weight within one to five years, with up to two-thirds of dieters gaining more weight than they lost dieting

While a large number struggle to maintain weight loss long-term, quite a number actually maintain theirs, and some of the traits and strategies that can help increase your chances of successfully maintaining a healthy weight are highlighted below.
These and other long-term strategies discussed below can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

 

1. Ditch Diets for Lifestyle Change
Diets don’t work and can even be harmful in long-term weight loss maintenance.
For sustainable weight loss, focus on healthier alternatives, lifestyle changes and metabolism jumpstarts. Diets often represent a black-and-white, all-or-nothing approach. Lifestyle changes are more broad, generalizable and adaptable to your situations and needs. Some examples of long-term lifestyle changes you might adopt include eating vegetables with every meal and snack, or pairing carbohydrates with protein or fat to manage blood sugar levels.

2. Self-monitor
You can’t change a behavior unless you know what, when and why it’s happening. Monitoring how much you eat and exercise helps raise your awareness about your body.
This is quite important, and this is why on my 21 Days Metabolism Jumpstart, one of the results is that participants are able to determine any hidden food sensitivities that are causing you to hold onto weight and they get to learn which foods fuel their body, so they can feel energized, clear and confident.

A sample food log might include the following:
• What you ate
• How much you ate
• What you were thinking or feeling before you ate
• How much time it took you to eat
• What you were doing while you ate (e.g., watching television, answering emails)
• What you were thinking or feeling after you ate (physically and emotionally)
• Level of fullness or satiation after eating

3. Seek Support
Social support is critical for long-term behavior change. With supportive friends and family, healthy eating and exercise become fun group activities that foster adherence and enjoyment. If your inner circle finds carrots distasteful and exercise a bore, maintaining your healthy habits will be more challenging. Find a group of health-minded individuals (in person or online) with whom you can identify problems, brainstorm solutions, and offer and receive support. Long-term guidance from a health and fitness professional also improves weight-related outcomes. Maintaining contact with a qualified health coach can help you plan and prepare for success and overcome obstacles that may arise.

4. Don’t let Lapses become Relapses
Setbacks are normal. Planning for them can help you overcome setbacks when they occur. Consider possible barriers that may hinder your ability to be active or eat well (e.g., busy schedule, stress, financial issues) and brainstorm solutions to these barriers in advance.
Rather than berating yourself for “falling off the wagon,” view setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth. “Ugh, I ate so much ice cream last night. I knew I couldn’t do this!” instead becomes, “I wonder why I ate so much ice cream last night? Was I bored? Lonely? Stressed? Did I get enough to eat during the day?” With this, nothing is a failure and every “setback” is an opportunity to learn more about yourself and your needs.

5. Remember your Why
Weight loss is never truly about the weight — it’s about reducing some physical or emotional discomfort you feel. Once you’ve lost weight and feel better, it’s easy to fall back into old habits. Whether it’s to reduce your risk for heart disease, or feel more comfortable and confident in a swimsuit, figure out the “why” behind your weight loss and write it down. Place this note in plain view where you’ll see it frequently. This constant reminder can help you stick with healthy behaviors when the going gets tough.

It’s important to know that there’s no magic pill when it comes to weight-loss maintenance; rather, multiple lifestyle factors work together to preserve your weight and health. Focusing on sustainable eating changes, regular activity, social support and self-compassion in the face of setbacks is your best bet for achieving a healthy weight that lasts a lifetime.

Do you feel like you eat healthy and have tried lots of diets out there but still struggle to lose weight & actually keep it off? Or do you feel like you’re having trouble getting the weight loss started? And maybe you feel like the only way to lose weight is to follow a restrictive diet that leaves you feeling deprived? Which leaves you believing that you either have to live with the extra weight or you have to feel deprived all the time, there’s an easy way out for you and I have put it together for you in a program I named the Metabolism Jumpstart.

Just as it sounds, we’re literally going on a metabolism Jumpstart to help you revolutionize the way you think about food, and reshape your body from the inside out!

I want to show you how to throw out the fad diets that plague our society and teach you a simple system that really WORKS.

The 21 Days Metabolism Jumpstart starts November 20th and Registration ends soon.
Investment: #15,000

After payment of #15,000, you get the following;
• Complimentary 1hour free onboarding call with Coach Hafsah, currently worth #10,000.
• Daily protocol and guideline.
• Weekly meal plan.
• Weekly detox plan.
• Daily workout plan.
• Participant activity Journal.
• Daily toxin elimination bath.

 

What are you waiting for, click the link here to get started.

Share on:

Covid 19 – What you need to know

covid19

COVID -19 is no longer a strange name like it was a few months ago. It is a respiratory disease that affects all age group. The old and those with underlying medical condition have it worse than others; they are more likely to die from it. With symptoms as common as tiredness, fever, sore throat, dry cough to shortness of breath aches and pains. Report has it that very few reported diarrhea and runny nose

WHO has helped to simplify and made available accessible information about COVID-19. Here are some of the basic protective measures you should know

  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water or rub with alcohol-based sanitizer
  • Maintain at least a metre (3 feet) distance from anyone coughing or sneezing
  • Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes
  • When you sneeze, cover your mouth with tissue and discard or sneeze into your bent elbow
  • If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early

Debunking COVID-19 MYTHS: 

Amidst the panic and fear of not getting infected, it is important you get your facts right and practice safe precautions. Here are some of the myths of COVID-19 or Coronavirus as you choose to call it.

  • 5G mobile networks DO NOT spread COVID-19
  • Exposing yourself to the sun or to temperatures higher than 25C degrees DOES NOT prevent the coronavirus disease
  • You can recover from the coronavirus disease. Catching coronavirus DOES NOT mean you will have it for life.
  • Being able to hold your breath for 10 seconds or more without coughing or feeling discomfort DOES NOT mean you are free from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or any other lung disease.
  • Drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous
  • Taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease
  • The new coronavirus CANNOT be transmitted through mosquito bites.
  • Garlic may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.

To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Stay SAFE, FIT and HEALTHY

Meanwhile RAMADAN is just few days from now.

In the spirit of giving, our FREE RAMADAN MEAL PLAN is ready and up for download on our website. Click the link www.slimfitu.com to download.

 

Share on:

SlimFitU’s Health Seminar 2017 – Obesity and Depression

obesity and depression

Without mincing words, I need to let you know that obesity causes depression and depression causes obesity.

When you are depressed, you tend to binge eat, and you might even exhibit some other eating disorders due to your psychological state.

Likewise if you are obese, you might become depressed due to several issues, examples of which are:

  1. Being a victim of body shaming
  2. Not getting results on time when you try to burn fat
  3. Lack of self confidence
  4. Having to battle with the health consequences of being obese, etc

I know you have multiple questions running through your mind right now such as:

  1. Am I obese?
  2. Will I become obese?
  3. I am obese, will I suffer depression?
  4. How do I know if I am depressed?
  5. I am depressed, will my depression lead to obesity?
  6. How do I overcome my depression?
  7. I want to be fit, how do I start my fitness journey?
  8. How do I grow self confidence?
  9. I want to achieve optimal health, who do I talk to?
  10. And so much more….

Slow down friend, all of your questions and needs have science backed and workable answers, which is why I am inviting you to join me and certified practitioners to discuss DEPRESSION and OBESITY. See details below:

Date: Saturday 18th November, 2017

Time: 9am – 3pm

Venue: Pinnacle Training Hub, 14 Muritala Eletu Street behind Suburf Plaza beside Shoprite by Osapa London Jakande Lekki .

Admission is absolutely free, come with your loved ones

Will you join us?

With love,

Hafsah Agbabiaka
Clinical Pharmacist & Certified Health Coach

Share on:

How to lose weight while breastfeeding

How to lose weight while breast feeding

Most women find it difficult to breastfeed and also embark on a weightloss journey. This explains why some wait till their babies have out grown the breastfeeding period to properly lose the fat accumulated from during and after the pregnancy.

We all know the importance of breastfeeding for the baby, but for some set of women, it also has the benefit of helping them burn some extra calories, which can help to shed extra pounds gained during pregnancy. Care and caution should be taken when trying to lose weight while breast feeding.

However, by eating the right types of foods, exercising, and taking good care of yourself, you can shed weight. Breastfeeding and taking care of a baby is very time-consuming, and losing weight might feel like an impossible task.

Weightloss while breastfeeding can be a slow process and it can take a long time for you and a short time for the next person because our bodies are different. Therefore, don’t feel sad about it but try to be consistent.

If you want to get your pre-pregnancy body back, the healthiest way to lose weight is through a gradual process and you need to start by eating healthy foods with a low-fat content. The good news is that you can go on the weight loss journey and still breast feed by following the tips below.

Five tips on how to lose weight while breastfeeding

1. Eat smaller but frequent meals

When you eat in small portions at frequent intervals, it helps to reduce your level of appetite which will prevent you from going for unhealthy choices when hungry.

In addition, waiting for a long time before you eat affects your hormone which affects the supply of milk.

2. Cut down your calories

It is also safe to go on diet while breastfeeding. But, your calorie intake should not be below 1,800 calories in a day and make sure you eat nutritious food because of the baby.

3. Look for healthy and nutritious alternative for snack

Most times, we feel that snacking is unhealthy for the body. This is actually not true, snacking is healthy and it keeps hunger away. Snacking should not be discouraged, just make sure youould take healthy snack like fruits and nuts.

4. Drink enough water

Drinking water is recommended to help with weightloss. Water helps to flush out harmful toxin from your body that can hinder the breakdown of the food you have eaten. Staying hydrated is important for successful breastfeeding, and it’s essential for healthy weightloss.

5. Start with exercise

Take up light exercise that won’t affect your breastfeeding. Pay more attention to aerobics and cardio workouts. You can start by taking 30-minute workout sessions three to five times a week. Take a stroll because it can also help and you can use this time to take your child out for some fresh air. However, don’t try to overwork yourself; take one step at a time.

Share on:

Highlights from Health Lunch with Hafsah – August Edition

Health Lunch with Hafsah

It is true that when women gather great things happen. The activities at Health Lunch With Hafsah which held yesterday 27th August, 2017 saw this statement come to life. This edition was the 3rd part of FIT AUGUST 2017.

The program held at G’s Place, 8, Aderibigbe Shitta Street, Maryland in Lagos State of Nigeria between the hours of 12pm to 4pm which was the official duration, however, we all had an extra time because the attendees all wanted the fun to continue; yes, it was a fun-filled gathering of sisterhood.

The purpose of the program — Health Lunch with Hafsah — is to bring together women who have the same goal of achieving optimal health under one roof to discuss nutrition, fitness and healthyliving, and also network and connect with each other.

Below is a brief summary of how it went.

1. ARRIVAL

The attendees arrived early, even though some of them came from far distances. Some of the attendees are participants in the SlimFitU FITMAX Bootcamp, so, instead of returning home after the exercises, they stayed back, refreshed themselves and prepared for the program. And oh yeah, what better way there is to relax after an early morning workout. Isn’t life just beautiful? Join the fun.

2. INTRODUCTIONS

Each attendee introduced herself and everybody was given the opportunity to pitch their businesses to all present, talk of networking.

3. SNACK TIME

A fruit mixture of cucumber and water melon was served.

4. DISCUSSIONS

We had 4 guest speakers namely:

  1. Nyma Akashat-Zibiri, On Air personality and co-presenter of Your Views at TV Continental, an international television with Nigerian base.
  2. Dr. Naimah Balogun, a public health communicator
  3. Saidah Shonoiki, organic farmer at Elaxar Farms, Greenskills Centre, Abuja
  4. Fawziyyah Emiabata, international author and founder of Cradle 2 Grave Literacy Foundation.

Each speaker engaged the audience with thought provoking discussions in their individual area of expertise.

Dr. Nimah enjoined us all to take good care of our health as good health, both internally and externally is the basis of personal branding.

Saidah Shonoiki explained the importance of organic foods and even went further to enjoin us all to have at least one plant in our homes, by so doing, we are adding to the oxygen in the environment and also contributing our quota to waste reduction.

Fawziyyah Emiabata who is on a mission to produce as many school libraries as she could, shed light on the importance of well equipped libraries in our schools. She also enjoined us to take time to volunteer or give donations to causes on human development.

Nyma Akashat-Zibiri told us about her journey of courage, selflessness and determination in correcting misconceptions about Muslim women and Islam at large by co-hosting a television program where presenters have the opportunity to bare their minds on societal issues.

5. LUNCH TIME

Lunch was prepared by Spice Edge Foods and it includes steamed basmati rice, halogen grilled chicken, carrot sauce and steamed vegetables. Each food item in the lunch was prepared under the most hygienic condition. There was no addition of artificial flavors and the veggies were sourced from an organic farm. We also had tigernut drink and oat chocolate cookies which are also free of artificial additives.

6. BUYING AND SELLING

This session properly covered the networking aspect of the program. There was exchange of business cards with some business owners already closing deals. Those that brought their goods for sale had a nice display area and trust us ladies, we bought some fashion items, fitness equipment and organic products that caught our fancy.

7. CLOSING

I gave the closing speech by recapping what SlimFitU is all about. I also welcomed the new members to the most loving and supportive female community and expressed my gratitude to them for making out time to lunch with me. The program ended on a satisfactory note with the attendees already looking forward to the next edition.

8. NEXT EDITION

If you missed this edition, watch out for the next one. Do subscribe below to receive updates from us.

ABOUT ME

My name is Hafsah Agbabiaka. I am the lead coach at Slim Fit U Solutions. I am a Clinical Pharmacist and Certified Health Coach. Thank you for lunching with me yesterday, I look forward to hosting you again. If you haven’t done so, do join our online forum to get support, encouragement and love on your journey to healthyliving. Health Lunch With Hafsah wraps up the First Edition of Fit August. Thank you again for allowing me be with you as you journey to optimal health.

Share on:

3 overwhelming side effects of remaining overweight

side effects of remaining overweight

Have you ever come across people especially women who prefer to remain overweight?

Some of them argue that being big makes their outfits look better on them, while others claim that their spouse prefers them to be big and fleshy.

Well, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but you know what? The side effects of remaining overweight are real.

If you decide to remain overweight, it is my duty to let you know of the health risk you might be exposed to. Obesity happens gradually but awareness and prevention can keep you safe from health related issues. Some of these issues are:

  • Type 2 diabetes which is a result of high blood sugar level in your body system
  • Heart disease which can eventually cause stroke or even death
  • Cancer

Type 2 diabetes and overweight

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar is above the normal level. An individual may suffer type 2 diabetes due to hereditary factors. If you know of any diabetic case in your family history, and you weigh as much as to cross the BMI borderline, you will do yourself plenty good to be wary of diabetes. Always do the following:

  • Remove junks from your diet
  • Workout a lot; and
  • Avoid stress

It is not exactly clear why diabetes is related to overweight, however, having too much fat in the body can cause your cells to change and make them resistant to the hormone insulin. When you are resistant to insulin, your cells will no longer take up blood sugar.

Heart disease and overweight

An overweight person is more likely to develop coronary heart disease which is a condition where the coronary arteries become narrowed by a gradual build up of fatty material within their walls. Coronary heart disease can lead to heart issues such as angina and heart attack.

Heart disease does not represent a single disease, rather, it is used to describe several health problems that may affect your heart. Some of these problems include

  • Heart failure
  • Sudden cardiac death
  • Abnormal heart beat rate
  • Chest pain; and
  • Heart attack

Cancer and overweight

Based on several observational studies, people who have higher amount of body fat are usually at risk of cancer such as liver cancer, kidney cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer. Link to cancer.gov

The relationship between overweight and cancer can be traced to situations such as chronic low level inflammation – a common case with obese people – causes DNA damage​ where antioxidant levels in the body are lower than required. And DNA damage is the leasing cause of cancer.

There is a pretty thin line between overweight and obesity. Make sure to calculate your BMI at least once a year. BMI calculators are available online and at health centres. Below is a typical representation of BMI chart.

Underweight    below 18.5
Normal         18.5 – 24.9
Overweight     25.0 – 29.9
Obesity        30.0

The good news is that all of these health risks are preventable if you eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetable, have a consistent fitness routine and live a overall healthy lifestyle.

Share on:

What are the side effects of weightloss drugs?

Before you think of taking drugs to burn fat, first ask yourself what the side effects of weightloss drugs are.

You should be cautious of taking weightloss drugs because of possible side effect that may arise. The effects include high blood pressure, constipation, dry mouth, insomnia, stomach pain, loss of appetite and severe birth defect in pregnant women.

Weightloss drugs are not for everyone because of the possible risk outlined above and people who take such drugs should also watch for signs of liver malfunctions such as yellow skin or eyes, body itching, brown urine or yellowish stool.

The side effects caused by weightloss drugs depend on the type of drugs. There are generally stimulant-type drugs, fat absorption interfering drugs and neuroactive drugs.

Stimulant-type drugs are likely to generate side effects like:

  • Insomnia
  • Restlessness
  • Drug dependence; and
  • Withdrawal symptoms

An example is phentermine which is recommended for no longer than 12 weeks, because of the risk of dependence.

Fat absorption drugs like orlistat can lead to oily spotting, gas, and soft stools. These category of drugs can be used for much longer term, compared to stimulant-types. They are particularly useful for maintaining previously lost weight.

The common side effects of neuroactive weightloss drugs like lorcaserin include:

  • Dizziness
  • Dry mouth
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation

Diet and exercise are so far the best prescriptions for weightloss due to their zero side effect. While diet and exercise play very crucial role in shedding weight, they also help in proper functioning of the body.

Many people who use drugs for weightloss often gain back the weight they lost when they stop the drugs except they continue to maintain their weight with diet and exercise.

To use drugs for weightloss, you must consult a healthcare provider for professional guidance. Also, experts are of the opinion that weightloss drugs deliver best results if used along with doctor-approved diet plan and exercise routine.

It is health-wise to avoid self medication in any situation, either for weightloss or any health related issue. Being reckless with medication may cause you more harm than what you are trying to prevent or cure.

As regards weightloss, we opine that healthy lifestyle modification is always the best route to take. This includes changing your eating habit, taking your fitness routine more seriously, and most of all taking charge of your life and health. These steps can help you maintain a healthy and happy long life.

You can easily lose 5kg in 15 days in our monthly weightloss challenge. The next challenge starts in June. Subscribe now to be notified of the start date.

 

Reference link

Share on:

HighIights from the last Health Lunch with Hafsah — April Edition

The programme held on Sunday, 2nd April, 2017 at 8, Aderibigbe Shitta Street, Maryland in Lagos State of Nigeria between the hours of 12pm to 4pm.

The purpose of the programme — Health Lunch with Hafsah — is to bring together women who are on the same mission of a healthy lifestyle under one conducive environment to discuss food and fitness.

In case you missed this edition, here some of the activities:

Arrival

The attendees arrived early and I was impressed by their punctuality. early. Everyone got seated and we started on discussions​.

Discussions

The attendees talked about how they have been coping with their new lifestyle viz a viz, exercising and eating right, and how it has affected their lives positively. They all had one thing in common, exercising is not easy! I reassured them that nobody ever said exercising was easy, it is work. For any activity to count as exercise, it has to elevate your heart rate. I went further to say that exercising gets easier with time. However, when it gets too easy, it is time to intensify.

Health talk

Below is the summary of the health talk we had:

  • Exercising must be done consciously and it must raise the heart beat rate. Also, that we exercise for 30 — 60 minutes does not mean we should become a couch potato the remaining 23 hours in the day. You should be active all day.
  • I also explained that exercising alone cannot effect weightloss. We have to cut the calories they consume, every time we eat.
  • They were advised to change their exercise routine. So that the muscles do not get used to the same exercise, to prevent plateau and boredom.
  • I commended all the attendees on their efforts to eat healthy, avoid junks and exercise daily. I also reiterated the fact that eating healthy meals requires planning just as we plan every other aspects of our lives. Avoiding junks, fizzy drinks is achievable once we are determined to change.

Fitness session

A short fitness session followed where we worked out by performing different exercises for various body parts.

Lunch

We had a sumptuous lunch of porridge with vegetable sauce and grilled chicken which we washed down with a bottle of chilled tiger nut drink.

Closing

A brief chit chat session followed and the attendees got to know themselves better. The programme ended on a satisfactory note.

Next edition

If you missed this edition, watch out for the next one.

Share on:

Simple ways to stay healthy while you enjoy the holidays

The holiday period is a time of merriment, visitations, and lazy indulgence. You might get carried away easily and forget some of your daily routines in staying healthy. Also, due to being at home all day, you may be tempted to eat outside of your diet or even eat beyond your daily moderation if you were to be at work.

Follow these simple tips to help you stay healthy while you enjoy the holidays.

Drink plenty of water

Drinking plenty of water is very important to your health. As you eat varieties during the holidays, be it desserts, snacks, beverages, you should also drink plenty of water to cleanse your system and expel excesses.

Start losing weight free of charge

Water increases the rate of metabolism; the process by which your body converts the food you consume into energy. Drinking plenty of water will also keep you hydrated giving you a glowing skin and increased mental alertness.

Drinking enough water will also keep you and help you avoid eating g too much. Water is always a good substitute for soda and not too healthy beverages.

Workout

During the workdays, you perform some exercises involuntarily – from moving from one section of the office to another, to going up and down the stairs, among several activities that amount to exercise. You should also remember to workout during the holidays too, so that you don’t gain weight and become lazy.

You don’t have to do anything rigorous; strolling, jogging, cycling, or running around your neighbourhood for ten minutes a day can help you stay fit and healthy during the holidays.

Indulge in moderation

You don’t have to give up some foods for you to stay healthy. You only need to eat the amount of food that your body really needs. Also, consider eating in small portions by following up a main meal with fruits or vegetables in case you are not satisfied. As the saying goes, too much of everything is bad.

Happy holidays!!

Share on:

Health seminar on the link between diabetes and obesity

The link between diabetes and obesity

Did you know?

That about one third of all people with diabetes do not know they have the disease.

That diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.

On a brighter side, good control of diabetes significantly reduces the risk of developing complications and prevents complications from getting worse.

Join us as we bring renowned and experienced health care practitioners at SlimFitU’s Health Seminar tagged :
“Diabetes and Obesity: The Link.”

We will discuss indepth on how you can prevent diabetes and some lifestyle modifications that can help you live healthy.

Date: Saturday, 19th November, 2016
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Venue: Central Medical Library Hall, Murtala Muhammad Way, Yaba

Register to attend here http://www.slimfitu.com/health-seminar-registration-form/

Attendance is absolutely free!!

Please share

RSVP
Hafsah Agbabiaka
08094258226

Share on:

Six simple ways to live a healthy and happy life

“Life of man in the state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”-Thomas Hobbes

Now, state of nature refers to life when there is no law and order. Take a moment, and think about the choices you make regarding your health and life. You cannot afford to live without rules. Longevity and good health has attendant rules without which there is no deal. To live healthy and better, you should consider the following:

Keep appointments with your doctor and dentist

You should never underestimate the wisdom of routine screening; it can be a life saver. Make appointments with your doctor and dentist for routine medical check-up. This could be a quarterly visit and should be consistent even when you feel very healthy.

You should also check-in for the scaling and polishing of your teeth at least twice a year; it improves your oral health. During visits to your doctor and dentist, you should not hold back, if you have questions.

Keep tabs on your girth

Obesity is a huge health risk. So, you should keep records of your weight and height. Estimate your Body Mass Index (BMI) and ensure it falls within what is considered safe.

If you have big bones and muscles, you will probably tip the BMI scale, so your best bet will be to check if your muscles are lean or contains fat. Your waist circumference is also a good measure of your fitness. You should keep the record too.

Keep record of your physical activity

Follow a physical activity regime that works for you. Usually a minimum of 2 ½ hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or a minimum of 1 ½ hours of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity is recommended per week.

You should augment this with strength building programs and keep track of your compliance with your chosen program.

Keep a food diary

Beyond having a diet plan, keep a diary to measure your compliance. Your food diary also reveals which diet works for you and which do not. Applications such as Lose It!, Evernote, and My Food Diary are some of the numerous mobile apps that you can use for your food journaling purpose.

Check your mood and energy level

Every now and then, live like a child with no care in the world. Decide to be happy, kick off depression. Your emotional wellness is as important your physical wellbeing. Eat foods such as banana, nuts, ginger tea and eggs to literally boost your energy levels.

Consider your social network

We are social beings, so you should ensure you build strong and lasting relationships with friends. You can also join spiritual and social groups that enrich the quality of your life. Find a way to keep centered, you need this for a happy and quality life.

For every record you keep, you should transform them into action plan to improve the quality of your life. To live a healthy and long life, you need to follow the rules.

In what ways are you ensuring that you are healthy and happy? Tell us in the comment box below.

Share on:

Understanding the relationship of diabetes and obesity

Diabetes and obesity are deadly disorders of the human body.

The symptoms of the first is chronic high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) which is caused by the failure of the human body to produce any or enough insulin to regulate its glucose levels.

The other is shown by excess weight gain and is caused by the inability of leptin hormones to send signals to the brain or the blocking of leptin signals in the brain by insulin hormones.

Avoid obesity, start losing weight now

Insulin hormone in the body controls diabetes by regulating the level of glucose in the blood, but it also causes obesity by blocking leptin hormone signals from the brain.

Leptin is secreted by fat cells. It is responsible for telling the brain that we have enough energy stored and that we do not need to eat. Because of this, extremely high levels of insulin may be one of the reasons that people become leptin resistant and grow obese.

Excess insulin may be created in the body when the body cells do not see the insulin signals and the pancreas thinks it needs to produce more. This is known as insulin resistance.

According to Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist and an expert on child obesity, ‘excess dietary fructose from added sugars’ is one of the main drivers of insulin resistance. And, insulin resistance leads to critically high insulin levels.

Classification of diabetes

Diabetes is classified ‘type 1’ or ‘type 2’. Type 1 is about the body’s inability to make insulin and type 2 is about the body’s inability to react properly to insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common though. It makes roughly 90% of all diabetes cases reported.

Obesity Society, in the post ‘Your weight and diabetes’, explains that, ‘the single best predictor of type 2 diabetes is overweight or obesity.’ It says, ‘Almost 90% of people living with type 2 diabetes are overweight or have obesity.’

The body of overweight or obese people have added difficulty using insulin properly to control blood sugar levels, so overweight and obese people are more likely to get diabetes.

Insulin also sends signals to the fat cells, telling them to store fat and to hold on to the fat that they are carrying.

The link between diabetes and obesity

There are many other factors linked to type 2 diabetes. These include age, race, genetics, pregnancy, stress, family history, high cholestrol and some kinds of medications.

It is good news that type 2 diabetes is preventable. Diet, physical activity and weight management are among ways to prevent the development of diabetes.

A study that lasted three to six years found that lifestyle changes and small amounts of weightloss in the range of 5-10% can prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes among high-risk adults, according to Obesity Society.

More good news

You do not have to get confused on how to modify your lifestyle or lose weight in order to avoid obesity, and diabetes altogether. Attend SlimFitU’s Health Seminar themed:

Diabetes and Obesity: The Link

Join certified health practitioners and weightloss coaches on Saturday November 19, 2016 at our health seminar where we will discuss the link between diabetes and obesity, debunk weightloss myths, simplify healthy living jargon and share workable tips on avoiding obesity.

Register to attend for free here.

Share on:

The rationale of physical fitness for women

Women have always been put in second place by the society in almost all facets of life, except in areas where they have to perform domestic chores such as homemaking.

However, the reverse is rapidly becoming the case as we now have women making names and flexing muscles in all aspects of everyday living. One of such areas is physical fitness activities.

Growing up, I had this notion that vigorous physical exercises were for men only as I was used to seeing only men lifting weights, or doing some push-ups.

All I used to do for physical activity along with my female friends were skipping, running, walking, and the likes.

Nowadays, more women are becoming renowned personal trainers and gym instructors.

What is the rationale behind having almost the same number of women as men hitting the gym or sidewalks on a daily basis for some vigorous physical exercises?

Below are the three major reasons behind this trend.

1. To keep up with their new lifestyle

As more women enter into the corporate industry and work in offices, their routine become disorganized and stress becomes the order of the day.

Normal routine such as meal time, sleep time, nap time, all became scanty activities that are carried out without order.

This has led to lack of adequate sleep, unhealthy eating, reduction in creativity, and weight gain among several other health issues.

The normal routine exercises such as walking and jogging may not be enough to combat situations such as weight gain.

A busy woman would like to shed her fat fast in order to remain active. As such she looks up to more rigorous exercises such as weightlifting, or playing football.

She hits the gym or uses the services of a personal trainer in order to maintain her fitness activity schedule.

2. To maintain good health

Another reason that women indulge in vigorous physical activity is to improve the state of their health.

Based on this table by CDC, vigorous paced exercises burn more than 7 calories per minute, while moderate paced exercise burns between 3.5 to 7 calories per minute.

When they need to keep fit or prevent health conditions such as osteoporosis or heart related diseases, women tilt towards vigorous exercises.

They incorporate it into their moderate activities by intensifying the speed at which they run, jog, or walk without increasing the amount of time they spend on it.

3. To boost self confidence

Women also indulge in vigorous fitness activities to boost their confidence.

There is an increased need to exert self confidence in order to face the daily challenges that come with their new status as career women or business owners.

Being in a high position requires that we make serious decisions and take actions that affect a lot of people.

If the situation arises to be a lead decision maker, some women tend to engage in physical activities while they think through and weight the pros and cons of their own contributions.

What about you? What is the rationale behind your choice of physical fitness activity?

Share on:

Four tips to optimise your night sleep

Sleep

Do you wake up in the morning still having the jet-lag sensation? You feel groggy and would have just preferred to remain tucked beneath the quilt forever. Maybe you only need to optimize your sleep.

It is very possible for you to get out of bed feeling energized and ready to tackle the tasks for the day in full throttle. It all depends on the quality of your night sleep, not necessarily on how long you sleep.

You will find the following life hackers helpful to optimize your night sleep:

Align with your biological clock

Life has a rhythm and you must align your schedule to this rhythm in order to get the best from it. We all have an internal clock that keeps the time of our activities. The process becomes more efficient when you align your schedule with this biological rhythm.

You should keep a regular bed time and wake up time. This means that even on weekends, you do not get to sleep in. If you plan this properly, you will not need an alarm to wake up. Your system will adjust to the sleep and wake up time and you will wake up feeling energized.

Keeping a regular bed time can also mean that you will need to cut down on late afternoon nap. This could affect your night sleep.

Turn off the light

When it is dark, you will fall asleep faster and the quality will be better. The body secretes melatonin; hormone to aid sleep. More melatonin is secreted when the light is down. It sort of aligns with your circadian cycle.

So keeping the light on at your bed time actually affects the quality of your sleep. Next time you go to bed, turn off the light, keep the blinds down, turn off all blinking appliances, or you had better put on your sleep mask.

Regulate your night diet

Say no to late night meals. Whatever you eat should digest before your bed time. That means you want to limit every meal to latest 4 hours before bed time.

Your organs are supposed to be resting when you sleep; do not get them on overdrive. The more reason why you should also avoid big meals before bed.

You do not need any shot of caffeine in your blood stream at night; reserve that for the mornings. Your overall liquid intake before bed time should be regulated to avoid several trips to the bathroom at night.

Exercise regularly

The more intense your exercise, the better your sleep. But even light exercises, such as stretching and walking can have tremendous effect on you. Focus on building a habit of physical training; this will go a long way in improving your overall fitness and health.

However, you should always check with your doctor before embarking on any exercise regime. They will advise you on how safe it is for your health and how vigorous you could go.

When you sleep well at night, you will wake up alert and be more productive during the day. If you are finding it difficult to align a healthy diet with your lifestyle, contact us now for expert guide and advice.

Share on:

Five food habits you should form at age 30

Habits

With age comes change. Not just in your career, or finance, or relationships, but also in your body. And when the rules of a game change, successful players know to change their strategy.

The same is true for your body. At 30, your body is changing and you probably should not expect it to go at full steam as it was wont to. Sadly, this is one of the realities of life.

So at age 30, what nutritional habits should you form in order to age gracefully?

Cut down on the sodas

Yes, it could be difficult, but quitting sodas, or soft drinks, should be priority. At 30, you should be working on reducing your sugar intake as sodas are loaded with tonnes of sugar. You also get some dose of caffeine too from them.

Endeavor to replace soda with homemade fresh fruit juice. Keep it chilled and you won’t miss soda a bit.

Be sober

Sometimes, and if possible most times, say no to that tempting bottle of alcohol. Celebrate your soberness. Studies have linked alcohol with a higher risk of kidney or liver failure, or both. Some other studies also named alcohol as a risk factor to some types of cancer. You cannot be too cautious when it comes to maintaining your good health.

Limit the tasty fries

Even the less tasty ones, all fries should be consumed with measure. They contain loads of calories and your schedule at 30 might not afford you the level of physical activity needed to burn them. So, why gain the weight in the first place. Your bones are not getting any stronger, you should therefore limit the weight you are putting on them.

Bid chocolates and confectioneries farewell

Wake up! This is thirty, not thirteen. Chocolates, though yummy, are not your friends. Beyond adding to your baggage of calories and blood sugar, they are also damaging you oral health. If you would rid your diet of chocolates and sweets, you teeth can actually last you a life time.

What about pancakes, doughnuts, and other junks? They all add up to give you an overload of calories. You should focus on eating food with plenty fibres, and that does not include refined products.

Reduce you consumption of canned foods

Canned foods may contain unhealthy measure of preservatives. Instead of canned foods, look for fresh alternatives. You should also form a habit of eating homemade meals a with balanced diet. A meal planner could help you through this.

At 30, you should make healthier choices with respect to your health.

How are you maintaining your youthfulness in order to age gracefully? Share your tips with us in the comment box. Cheers!

Share on:

Keeping fit in Ramadan

Ramadan

Welcome to Ramadan, a month to lose sins, and that extra pounds of fat. But remember; SlimFitU is not only about losing extra pounds, but about your overall fitness. With the fast comes a natural tendency to lose the fat, but you will need to keep an eye on your fitness level during this period.

You are what you eat. And this is also true for this fasting period. Before we talk about what and what nots, you should know that beyond weight loss, a higher level of alertness comes with fasting, as the body secretes more endorphin. You should channel this advantage towards productive ventures.

If you will fight the initial lethargy, you could actually get more done during this period.

Your body will use up your supply of glucose and even consume the reserve stored in the liver and other body tissues. There is no cause for alarm, because the fat is burnt after the reserve of glucose is exhausted, but you do not want to go past this level.

In the absence of glucose and fat, muscles are wasted. So, you have to replenish your supply of energy by feeding on carbohydrates and healthy fats.

For Sahur, you should consider low digesting carbohydrates such as oats, wheat, millet etc., with little fat. With this your supply of energy throughout the day is ascertained. You should also include fibre-rich food such as vegetables, grains, potatoes etc., in the diet mix for proper bowel movement.

Fibres are not digestible, but helps the body in digesting and assimilating as much of the digestible nutrient as possible from the eaten food. You should also consider taking thirst regulating foods to stem down your thirst during the fasting periods.

Some of these foods such as banana, dates, pistachios etc., are rich in Sodium and could be bothersome to some kidneys, but you could replace them with, gelatin, fresh mint, lemon, caffeine-free soda etc.

Caffeine is not an option for you during this period; it increases the rate of urination and will increase your thirst beyond the bearable level. You do not want that temptation.

While you should drink a lot of water during Sahur and the entire ‘non-fasting’ period, limit your water intake during Iftar. Iftar should be light meal too; you will want to be very alert during Tarawih.

Above all, you should not forget your physical exercises during this period. You may reduce the intensity and duration. Listen to your body and do as much as you can handle, but do not neglect them. In fact, they will help your mood during and after the fast.

We all at SlimFitU are wishing you a Happy Ramadan, and may Allah answer our prayers.

Share on:

Snap out of depression with routine exercise

Exercise

Happiness is a choice; one that we do not all find easy to make. But depression is a monster with heinous claws that sink deep into the very essence of our being.

It is a demon that attacks in those low moments, when we wish for different lives. Devouring the soul, it makes the body weak and the spirit helpless.

Snap out of it! But we all know the only easy thing about that is in the saying. The real victory comes at no cheap cost.

The good news is; a recent research by Emily Bernstein, a graduate student at Harvard University Clinical Psychology, and her adviser, Psychologist Dr. Richard McNally, published in the Journal Cognition and Emotion, suggests that you can actually make an investment towards quick recovery from depression by participating in aerobic exercise.

Their research method involved 40 men and 40 women who were given a questionnaire, which gauged their emotional mood, to complete. Afterwards, they were subjected to a 30 minute jog or stretch. Following the period of exercise, these men and women were shown a sad clip from the 1979 movie ‘The Champ.’ Again, another questionnaire was administered to measure their emotional regulation.

In succession, these men and women were shown an amusing scene from the 1989 film ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ following which they completed the questionnaire again.

A comparison of the data from the questionnaires revealed that the exercises, stretching and jogging, did not instantly boost mood nor did it prevent people from reacting strongly to the sad clip.

However, the difference was observed in the rate at which the respondents bounced back after the sad clip. Those subjected to the 30 minutes of jogging were able to better regulate their emotions after the sad clip than those who participated in the 30 minutes of stretching.

The respondents who jogged and responded strongly to the sad clip, were more able to pull themselves together to enjoy the amusing clip than the men and women who merely stretched for 30 minutes.

This holds great promise in preventing depression. You do not have to give in. You can prevent depression by participating in aerobic exercises.

This, along with other benefits of exercise such as better coordination, better brain power, better muscle strength, longevity, better health, and lots more, should get you hitting the gym for regular hours of work out, or the road for a sweaty session of road walk, or the swimming pool for that body chiseling laps.

A quick way of fighting off depression with exercising is to get busy whenever you feel down, it can be a simple exercise or any positive movement that puts you in a good mood. Sadness be gone!

Share on:

Getting one more hour of sleep for a better life

‘If you spend six hours sleeping daily, on your 80th birthday, you would have spent 20 years of your life sleeping, and that amount to a quarter of your life.’

You might have heard this before, and probably felt guilty about enjoying a good night of sleep. But maybe it is not bad after all to sleep for that long.

There is a need to ponder what benefits sleep hold.

Just like an automobile, you cannot continue to drive the engine endlessly, without oiling, fueling, or servicing for optimum performance. If you do, you are set to see the end of your machine. So, sleep is your body refreshing, repairing and getting ready to refire.

Research has shown that sleeping enough will make you look more attractive and reduce your chance of getting ill.

Regular and adequate sleep also helps you to make better informed decisions, keep you in a good mood, enhance your sex life and helps you maintain a nice physique.

Here is what enjoying that one more hour of sleep means to your body:

More brain power

Just before that big day, when you need your brain to be alert, you should ensure to have adequate rest. This gives your brain the extra ‘gusto’ you desire. Nothing spoils your day and keeps your brain dull than the groggy feeling of poor sleep. For a clearer thinking, you need to throw in that one more hour of sleep.

Better Mood

She is a mother of two. Did I mention that they are twins and just 4 months old? She spent all her nights fulfilling her motherly duties to her babies. She is your boss, and you complained about her being cranky. That is what nights of poor sleep does. To keep your mood upbeat and affable, you should learn to get adequate sleep.

Better Productivity

This sums it all up. For optimum productivity, adequate sleep is very important. Driving the engine for that long hours does not necessarily yield the optimum result. Period of rest; when you check the oil level, refuel, grease moving parts, file blades and pamper your machine is what makes the whole difference. The same applies to your body.

The effects of adequate sleep cannot be overemphasized. When you do not sleep enough, it becomes difficult to take in new information.

When you learn during the day, it is very important that you give your body enough sleep, in order to retain and process all of the information that you have acquired.

Adequate sleep is part of the mechanisms that ensure your body performs its function under optimal conditions. And what do we say; ‘You cannot cheat Nature!’ Continuously depriving your body of sleep means no refreshing, and no repairing.

Share on: