Weight Loss Tips #1

Clean Eating
Its amazing that majority of people trying to lose weight believe that exercise is the most important aspect. How wrong they are. You have been working out very hard, walking, jogging, attacking walls and rocks etc, but you keep gaining weight.

The most important thing you should know in your weight loss journey, is that Weight loss is 80% diet and only 20% exercise. Now you know why you have stagnated at one point despite exercising frequently. If you are not eating clean, its no use exercising. You would be better off seated on a couch somewhere watching Tv.

What is Clean eating?

Clean eating entails ensuring that your plate is filled with healthy food. Its all about eliminating food, drinks and snacks that cause your body more harm than good. The point is to reduce processed foods to the best of your ability and the more natural the food, the "cleaner" it is.

What to eat

*The most important point is to ensure that you always eat a balanced diet, three times a day. always ensure that your meals include proteins, carbohydrates and Fat

*Its recommended that a healthy adult takes 4 fruits and 5 veggies DAILY. yes it is, check the CDC website.

*Instead of refined foods, choose unrefined foods. increase your intake of whole grains e.g brown rice, millet, amaranth etc. Also add beans and legumes.

What to avoid

*Junk food are your number one enemy! Avoid junk food at all costs. Try to settle for healthier food. Pizza, Chips, Burgers, Kebabs, Chocolate, Crips, Sausages, Samosas, etc

*Eliminate soft drinks 100%. Sodas, sodas, soda! The next time you buy that soda kindly check the label. First look at the ingredients (read chemicals) then check out the calories listed. I need not explain further. Coffees and sodas will add approximately 500 calories to your daily count. Calories are my next post.

* White flour is a stumbling block in your weight loss journey. Whit bread is one of the worst culprits. The same goes for Chapati and Mandazi.  Cookies and biscuits are a no-no. the same goes for cakes, pastries and muffins.Refined wheat is a very big demon most of us have to conquer before the Scale posts attractive figures.

* Sugar and sweets. Other than placing you in high risk of developing diabetes and other "lifestyle diseases", sugar intake is one of the reasons you will continue growing fat. I know it is a task for most of us to edrasticlly reduce our sugar intake. If you usually take 4 teaspoons per cup, reduce it to 3.5. One week later you can reduce it to 3. Then 2.5, then 2 etc. Right now i am comfortably taking sugarless tea. *sips some tea.

* Reduce your intake of red meat. Have you ever noticed people who love nyama choma are usually the fattest in the crowd. Your body doesnt need a lot of animal proteins. If you really love your meat, try white meat.

*Alcohol, yes believe it or not. Combine alcohol + Nyama choma= we all know the results.

*Processed foods. The next time you are in the supermarket pick any processed food and read the ingredients. If you cannot properly pronounce them what makes you think they are good for your general health? Yaye!

*Avoid excess salt. It is said that the best salt is the one that was cooked with your food. Avoid adding salt from the shaker at all costs.

Instead of snacking on junk food, have an apple, some nuts, a banana, a glass of fresh juice etc

I will add more items to this list as we proceed. But am sure you now know what to do and what to avoid.

Have a lovely evening 

Adhis♥

Weight Loss Tips

Its amazing how people in this century still believe that fad diets and magic pills will work wonders and they will lose weight. They wont. Effective weight loss is all about a healthy lifestyle. Its about adopting changes that you can maintain ten years from now, not fad diets that last a week long and after that you are back to where you started.

My Experience
By now you know that am trying to lose around 12 kgs. I want to get back to the 60's mark that i was in. Since January this year, I have adopted a lifestyle change and i am more than happy with the results so far. Clothes that were figure hugging are now all loose and at this point a wardrobe makeover is not an option.

Over the next one week i will be posting tips that have worked for me so far. Remember i am not weighing my self before August, but from what i can see my guess would be that i have lost not less than 5 Kilos so far. oh they joy!

Other than those tips i will post, here is some useful information:
* You did not gain all that weight in one month, it will not disappear in a month.
* Fad diets and weird pills will not work, once you stop taking them you will be back to square one.
* Have a clear target e.g I want to lose X kilos in Y months time.
* Persistence is very important.
* I would highly recommend you keep a journal for purposes of tracking your journey's progress
* weight loss is a personal journey, once you put your mind to it nothing can stop you.

And did i mention that last week  i wore my favourite dress which i stopped wearing early last year due to my size? And the best part is i didn't need assistance from my sister to fit in, actually the dress was flowing freely, nothing could wipe the smile off my face that day :) :) :)

Have a healthy weekend

Adhis♥

Single ladies, UPDATE

Ladies to be honest, above all other qualities you seek in a guy, who doesn't want a 'well-heeled-man'?
Updating is all about dating a man out of your league. Just because you are born and bred in Kayole Masimba doesn't mean you cant sweep that swanky dude from Karen off his feet!
Yea so turns out you are a very choosy woman (like most women) and it seems no man fits your preference, well I got news for you.

Now before you all start calling people gold diggers, please note that the same way guys are attracted to pretty ladies, Ladies are attracted to men who can provide. Show me a woman who doesn't want to go on vacation in Bahamas and have her Kids attend GEMs Cambridge International School,  and i will show you a liar! Every single woman wants a man who gives her a sense of security, that her kids will not sleep hungry, that she will not walk around in shoes that have seen their better days.

So despite all you have tried, all you attract are men who take you to Sonford yet you dprefer dining in La Sumeria? Your guy insists on taking you to some dimly lit club down River road yet you prefer chilling at "The Champagne Bar" in Sankara? Have a seat.

1. Dress the Part. Yea i know leggings and those coloured jeans trousers are in, but if you are to get the attention of that above average guy, you need to stop wearing clothes that half of Nairobi women own. Sometimes you walk in town and 3 out of 5 women are wearing the same, and you are left wondering whether there was some church choir competition somewhere. Tumbo cuts, spaghetti tops, and some other clothing that leave you looking like a Luthuli Avenue evening worker are a no-no.

Now you don't have to rob a bank, some vintage clothes are quite stylish. Instead of shopping at the exhibition mall and end up looking like everyone else, check out some places that offer Stylish Vintage clothes, be unique.

2. Make up Matters. Dear lady less is more. Don't be one of those ladies who plaster their faces with all sorts of cake and their faces end up looking like Fanta orange, and the rest of their body looks like Coca-Cola. Again please don't shave your eyebrow and replace it with an inverted NIKE symbol drawn using eye pencil. Please for your own sake ditch that eyeshadow that leaves you looking like you work with Peter Marangi. In most cases lip gloss is always enough....until at least you master the art of makeup. There are so many on line lessons on applying makeup. Keep away from those nail polishes that make you look like you just arrived from Alego.

3. Body Language. Remember this guy you are aiming to attract is an achieved person. Probably has travelled the world, has seen everything. What am saying is that your confidence level should be at 100%. Don't be intimidated, always walk with your chin parallel to the ground, but look out for them potholes hehe.

Look people in the eye when talking to them. Don't cross you arms you look like Hitler's cousin. When seated don't cross your legs at your knees, ladies cross them at the ankles, some etiquette lessons here. Whatever you do, ensure you don't send the wrong body message.

4. The right neighbourhood. Okay so after your date he decides to drop you home. After manoeuvring his way round dimly lit alleys and streets filled with waste everywhere, you request him to park his sleek Range Rover Evoque some 200 metres from your house so that he can walk you home as the path is too narrow. Hunny that will be the last time you hear from him. Get a servants quarter or a bedsitter in a middle class neighbourhood if you are seriously searching for Mr Ching-Ching!

5. Speech as Art. Turns out ghetto radio is your thing and you cant do without your daily dose of Mbusi-Deh. No problem. But please note that if you intent to keep a conversation with an upper Class Citizen, you will need to furnish your speech. Sheng' is a no go zone. No need to tweng' like you just landed from NYC, no need for that fake British accent (by the way how come when they sing, Britons drop their accent?). Basic English is good enough. Drop unnecessary words like Fundamentals( hehe yea i said that!), quintessential and other big words Luos misuse after a night of Rhumba and too much Guinness.

Fluency is the key here, i mean what will happen  when he introduces you to his Diplomatic friends and you cannot construct a grammatically correct sentence?

6. Be Well Informed. Its high time you got informed on Global events. I know village/estate/plot gossip is your favourite, but if you want to nab and keep that well heeled guy you need to always be on your toes. I mean you are not going to start conversations on how mama Katanga stole Njoki's favourite bra from the hanging line! It would be better if you started your conversation with the economy of Greece, or the Situation between Russia and Ukraine. Time to stop buying those Gossip magazines that go for 10 bob. Time to invest in some Financial Times if you are to keep the conversation going with that Investment Banker. Of course you are not going to cram it, hehe its not an exam, but knowing one or two things never hurt a damsel.

7. Dine and Wine in Style. If your aim is to get the attention of that top Financial Analyst, i can assure you you will not find him in Egesa or "Ha Mwaura's". Anything past Moi avenue is a no-no. Avoid those crowded dimly lit Clubs along Tom Mboya street. Rest assured you will not find him there. Try Upmarket areas, where he likely hangs out with his buddies. For starters, you can try Village market, Yaya centre, and other upmarket malls. Hata kama unaenda kununua Kahawa kikombe moja, tunaenelwa mfuko imetoboka. Later on you can advance to those restaurants on Lenana Road, Gitanga Road, General Mathenge Drive etc. I cannot over emphasise the fact that you will not meet that top World Bank official in Egesa hehehe.
Learn basic table etiquette. What fork to use, what wine glass for which type of wine, pronounce the wines and Food properly etc. Ugali na Mrenda utakula kwako but for now familiarise your self with them right type of forks, Knives and Wine Glasses.

8. Pamper His Ego. Ladies, once you nab your guy please note that there is a thin line between pampering his ego and being plain desperate. I leave it at that.

9. Acquired taste. If Prezzo is your favourite artist well and good, but remember on your date it would be better if you mentioned Zahara or Suzzane Owiyo. Or talk about Isaiah Katumwa's jazz music. I know you get my drift. Of course Octopizzo and Vybz Kartel are out of discussion during your date.

10. Sieve your friends. We all have that loud friend who doesn't understand how to whisper.The one who always starts those club fights. The one who has no problem getting in physical fights with men. The one who will jump off a moving Matatu, never mind in her 6 inch mitumba high heels. I don't mean you cut off links with them, but when you are going for movies with your new guy, it would help if you kept her out of the picture. Then maybe later on you can buy her some Blue Moon huko River rodi at her favourite joint. hehehe na Mutura ya 150.

11.Last take off' Do not boot lick, do not play too hard to get.

And if anyone calls you a Gold Digger, remember to Invite them to your 10-Million-Shilling-Invite-Only wedding. Be sure to show her your diamond ring too. I can assure you she will congratulate you and confess how she is trully "happy for you". Hehehehe.

Please take this post with the Lightness it was intended.

Have a Ching-Ching Easter
Adhis ♥

Above All Else, You Remain God

Today during those Gospel shows that are aired on Sunday mornings, i heard this song for the first time. And the whole day it didn't stop ringing in my head. I think i have replayed it like 20 times.

I was in the supermarket when i heard a gospel show announce that Peter Kaberere had passed on. He was one gospel musician i really loved to listen to. Especially his song with Eunice Njeri "Natamani". This announcement got me thinking how we don't know when and where our time will come. I just kept hearing this song in my head.

Anyway, above all else He remains God, Alpha and Omega.

Have a Blessed Week

Adhis♥

Woman, Know your Worth

It pains me to see so many women hurting inside, having lost their self worth. What happened to the young girl who had so many dreams and ambitions. What happened to the super achiever who believed in her self, What happened to all the goals you had set and asked God to help you achieve?

So many women are stuck in straining marriages. Chances are you have lost your identity trying to please your spouse and he ends up taking advantage of that. He knows that you derive your happiness from him and no matter what he does to you he knows you will stick around. He abuses you physically and emotionally, you have lost count of how many times he has cheated, he disrespects you even in the presence of your children and relatives. And you have accepted the situation and learnt to live with it?

Many women have lost their identity and especially those in abusive marriages. You have suffered such physical and emotional abuse and blackmail you now believe you are worthless. Everyone tells you to pray and fast about it, well i have news for you.

 Praying and fasting is very important, but remember, the good book states that faith without action is dead. So no matter how much you pray about it, nothing much will happen unless you do something. Now i am not an expert but here are my two cents on actions you should try.

Do not break your marriage, however learn how some things can improve your feeling of self worth and earn respect and love from your spouse.

1. Seek inner peace. People have wronged you, family friends relatives, strangers etc. Forgive them Peace comes from within. Do not carry any heavy weights that always bring you down. How will you fly and soar with all this baggage that keeps weighing you down? Seek peace from within, not without. Find time to meditate, read the word, find some quiet time by yourself. Forgive your husband. This will come to him as a shock and he will not understand why you are this peaceful despite everything he is doing.

2. Participate in Fun activities. Join a dancing class, never mind if you have 2 left feet like most of us :) You can do this once per week or however frequently your schedule allows. There is no way you will come out of a dancing session and have bad moods. You will get home in such high spirits your husband will continue being confused. At this point it may hit him that he is not your only source of happiness. Remember its all from within, not without. You can also try hiking or join a Zumba class. Just get something that you enjoy.

3. Go back to school. Nothing beats empowerment like an informed woman. Go to school not just to get educated but to get informed. It doesn't matter whether you are enrolling for a Certificate, Diploma, Undergraduate, Masters or Doctorate. The act of enrolling itself will boost your self worth and confidence. At this point you will have your time occupied doing meaningful  things. Your husband will start to notice that you are no longer quarrelling him over tiny matters as you have more important issues to attend to.

4. Start a new business venture. Many of the times women who are mistreated are those who do not have a source of income. They depend on their husbands provision for every single thing. Now i don't mean you look for a job, you can create a job(s). You do not have to start with a chain of supermarkets, or a fleet of boutiques. start small. You can buy second hand cloths and sell them. Invest the money you earn back to the business and before you know it, your fleet of boutiques will be earning you your income. That way you may end up finding yourself flying to Dubai every now and then to restock your business. Have you ever seen an achieved Entrepreneurial woman mourning everyday about how her husband disrespects her? You dont have to follow this line of business. You can start baking cakes, making clothes, braiding hair from your house etc. The list is endless.

5. Take good care of physical yourself. Lets admit it, before you were married you used to really look good. You couldn't allow your weight to go past a certain limit, your hair was also well kept, your skin was well taken care of. But what happened after you said "i do"? I know some factors such as family planning, being occupied with the kids etc also play a huge role. Always remember this: Men are visual creatures. He wants to show you off to his buddy's. He wants them to constantly comment on how his wife is a well kept woman. he wants to confidently walk with you, sio ati you are walking together then suddenly he is 100 metres ahead!
The point here is not to look good for your husband, Look good for yourself! This will boost your confidence and it will also rub on him.
You do not have to go to expensive salons and spas for your skin care. You can do your own facials at home (learn how). Join a gym or buy some workout DVDs. You can also jog. Whatever you do lose the excess weight, not only for beauty but for health purposes. You never know maybe your weight is also limiting you on the number of aerobics you can do at night? and your bedminton sessions have become routine? hehehe. Also remember, weight gain starts from your kitchen. Healthy body weight is 80% Diet and 20% exercise. Choose your foods wisely.

6. List 5 of your hobbies: What are the Five things that you love doing most? Swimming, reading novels, camping, cooking listening to music... etc. Every week make sure you do at least two of your hobbies. Things that you enjoy and make you happy. That way you will discover long forgotten interests. many women do not create some "me" time. You are human, you need to replenish. have sometime for yourself. Again remember this puts you in a great mood and you forget about the trifling things that make you and your spouse quarrel. You need to get a life. Remember not to lose your identity in your marriage. You and your husband will form a great partnership, but you will never be your husband. You are your own self, always remember that.

7. Reconnect with your friends. you remember those good friends you lost contact with just because you got married? look for them. Your husband is a man and there are some things you can not talk to him about, and even if you told him he wouldn't understand. Losing your close friends also means that you lose people you identify with. The same way your hubby needs time with the "boys" you also need time with your "girls". hangout go for movies, do your hair, tell silly stories. Just be girls and do girlie things. Avoid destructive friends, but surround yourself with women who build each other up, and challenge you positively. You can join a chama that has godly goals, wachana na hizo kamweretho wanaendanga kutafuta tu vijanaa for out of town escapades. Those are sinful women.

8. Respect and Love yourself: A singer once said "Respect comes when you respect yourself". How do you expect your husband to respect you when you have let him have his way in everything even if it means demeaning you. Teach him to respect you by first loving and respecting yourself. Jesus said that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves. That means our good Lord expects us to first love ourselves before we can love any other person.If you truly love your husband, first show that love to yourself, in accordance to what Jesus taught us. If your hubby does some things you don't stand for, stand your ground respectfully. Let him know you don't agree with his actions. You don't have to shout or argue but be firm in what you say.

9. Build up on your talents: What is it that God has really blessed you with? Do you have that golden voice iliyo mtoa nyoka pangoni? or is it that you are an excellent cook? Can you make really beautiful clothes everyone admires, are you a great actress, poet writer, comedian?
Do not sit on your talent. Go Record that Music CD, Start that Fashion house, Open a bakery or Hotel, Write and publish that book you have always wanted, Go and give speeches if you are good in public speaking, write that poem. Your husband will notice that you are excelling at something God gifted you with. At this point he will have nothing but respect for you. Don't be surprised if he becomes your number one fan. He has now noticed that you know your strengths and you are capitalising on them, and truthfully speaking, there nothing much he can do about them hehehehe............how beautiful is that?!

10. Career woman, Look for new challenges. You are used to being in your position and you are in your comfort zone. Life begins at the end of our comfort zones so get out of your comfort zone. Is there a new position at your workplace that you qualify for? apply for that position. Are there new tasks?Go for them, are there trainings and seminars that will promote your effectiveness and efficiency at work? attend them faithfully. Does a promotion requires higher education qualifications? go back to school girl. Whatever you do make sure you are moving from one glory to another. Remember this will not come when you are just seated in the office doing routines you have done for the past five years, and you have mastered the art you can even do the routines with your eyes closed! Get moving!

11. Read Books. Yes lady, there is power in an informed woman. always make sure you have a book that you are reading at any said time. Join a book club where you can read and swap books with other people. It can be motivational books, educative books, different genres, but whatever you do never stop reading your books. There are many great writers out there. One of my favourite is Paulo Coelho. Read girl, read read read!

 12. Pray. Always remember to commit yourself, hubby, children, country, church, friends, relatives etc in prayer. am family that prays together, stays together.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God" Philippians 4:6

There you have it. reclaim your life. Your husband may start noticing a difference in you. He will see that you are now  happy most of the time, you are at peace, You no longer nag over tiny issues, you are developing your skills and talents. He will now understand that he is a blessing to you but he is not the main source of your happiness as you derive your joy from within yourself. He may even think you are cheating on him, i mean how come all over sudden you are this happy and content? hehehe

Dont to assure him that you love him, and this has nothing to do with another man in your life. Let him  fall in love afresh with your new self. Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured!

Have an Empowered Day
Adhis ♥

My New Hair Regimen

By now am sure you all know how serious i have become about my hair routine. Its so serious i find myself staring at peoples' hair and mentally analysing what they are doing right and what they are probably doing wrong. hehehe Adhiambo, its never that serious.

So for the past 2 months or so since the great mishap, i have tried to be loving to my hair (at least what was left), and am happy to report that i can feel some serious growth every time i try to massage my hair. I have really learnt a lot about hair, and my only regret is that i didn't know about all this stuff sooner. Had i, i would be rocking a serious mane, but am grateful to have started this #TeamNatural journey.

Haiya, Back to my regimen. So previously i used to weave my hair, and i would oil it fortnightly. I used to have my treatment done at the salon monthly and blow dry my hair before having it plaited. And that was it. Imagine that was all i did for my hair. Now that i know better, i even find my hair routine enjoyable instead of tedious. Also the fact that my hair is short and natural means its easier to maintain.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Hair Treatment, Aloe Vera Juice, Hair cream and coconut oil

Now that i have learnt this much, my hair care routine had had a 180 degree turn, for the better, I will hopefully post a video in August. (How i pray i will have a healthy mane by then)

Below is what i do to my hair on a weekly basis. Time is not an excuse as i don't take more than 20 minutes in the evenings. Plus if you have the time to watch a full series up to midnight, me thinks you can make time for your hair.

1. Washing Procedure: Previously i would have my hair washed at the salon, i didn't even know what products were being used. But now i am more informed. I had already bought my shampoo and conditioner when i learnt that most shampoos can be tough on hair, especially those that contain sulfate. Too bad the one i bought has sulfate listed as the first ingredient. So i have reduced my shampoo consumption, and i only use it after every four washes. Once i exhaust it, i will never buy shampoo again. i will only co-wash my hair (washing using conditioner only as opposed to shampoo + conditioner).   Pre-poo: Before washing my hair, i also apply coconut oil to avoid excessive drying of hair and stripping of nutrients during the washing procedure.  Before i wash my hair i rinse it with Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in water and massage my hair. This gets rid of dandruff and product build up. Then i rinse my hair and apply conditioner, rinse and then apply coconut oil. This serves as my sealing for that day since its done on wet hair. Then i rinse with Aloe Vera juice (Ngai after all this then ikatae kumea, hehehe kicheko nitacheka jamaneni!). Lastly i dry with an old T-shirt, no more wringing with towels. When out of the shower, i apply my hair cream.
2. Moisturising and sealing: I have started using the LOC method to trap and seal moisture in my hair. I tried to get Shea Butter from the supermarket but it wasn't available. I however got some cream, only problem is it has mineral oil in it. :(
3. Hot oil treatment: i use a bottle where i mix my oils. I use coconut, olive and castor oil in the ratio 2:1:1.   I mix the oils and let the bottle sit in hot water for around 5 minutes. I then wet my hair with a little water and apply the oil generously on my hair and scalp. 
4. Protein deep conditioning hair mask: So far i have done this twice and my hair has become so soft and manageable. I take a quarter of a medium avocado, mash and sieve it to make it pasty, mix with 1 tablespoon of heated honey (my honey crystallised), one tablespoon of olive oil and add one egg yolk (yes i also made that look the first time someone mentioned raw eggs). I try to use the yolk only as the first time i used the whole egg it was too runny and i had a lot left over that i ended up throwing away. I mix the ingredients and apply to my hair, leave for 30 minutes then wash it out.
5. Hair treatment cream: I bought this treatment that has Camomile and honey, it smells beautiful and i hope it has a similar effect on my hair's well being. i apply it to wet hair and leave it on for 30 minutes.
6. Apply oil and massage for 5 minutes. Do you know how long 5 minutes is? So i apply oil twice weekly, once using pure castor oil. It is quite heavy, however considering i started with the castor oil challenge, i try my best. I also apply my coconut+olive+castor oil mix once per week.
7. *whispering* I also tried the Onion+Garlic juice treatment, I know, i was also weirded at first but hey, a girl had to try. Grate an onion and a clove of garlic. Add a tablespoon of water. Then apply evenly on scalp. Apart from the smell i could really feel the juice get on my scalp. If you have ever applied sulphur 8, then my scalp felt exactly like that. Onion juice is a story for another day.

There you have it, my hair is not long so these routines are quite simple for me.
You can now imagine the difference in my hair care routine ever since i had the mishap, and compare to what i used to do before. Anyway, hopefully by August i will have a success story for y'all.

Whoever knew hair loss would be a blessing in disguise? well for me it has been, as i have learnt a lot.

Have a Beautiful Night
Adhis♥