Diary of The Plus-Size Naturalista

Dear Plus-size Divas, I hope we are all doing great.  The past two weeks have been very crazy ones for me (in the roller coaster kind way!). I couldn't post new articles because I was busy trying to save the world! Today's post is a quick one to show us how far I've gone in my weightloss journey. The flabs have gradually disappeared except for some problematic areas like my upper arms ( the bicep and tricep muscles) and love handle. These areas are pretty tough to deal with, but I won't give up until they become non-existent. For my dress size, I'm in between UK sizes 16 and 14 (yayyyyyy!!!). My target is a size 12 like I said at the beginning and I'm going to take it slowly in order to achieve that because it's a lifestyle and not yoyo dieting. Gaining weight is one of the easiest things to do, but losing them is war! I'm not there yet, but I will eventually. Here are some pictures to encourage you: So, no mat...

Hey guys! I'll be doing a detailed post of my February Fitness Challenge titled "Lovers Edition" soon. So stay tuned and keep on refreshing. xoxo :-)

THE MARATHON STORY OF A BIG, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN QUEEN “When you run the marathon, you run against the distance, not against the other runners and not against the time.” Haile Gebrselassie  It was 7am on Saturday February 6, 2016. I stood at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, at the starting line of the Lagos Marathon, in the midst of the crowd of over 20,000 people from around the world. While the world was eager to see who would “run Lagos” and claim the 50,000 dollar prize, it was clear to me who the competition was. The competition was not any of the famous long distance runners from the East African hills of Kenya and Ethiopia who, it appears, nature and nurture had shaped for endurance racing; the competition was not any of the professional marathoners who had “been there, done that” and for whom the  49.125km race was probably going to be just another pleasurable couple of hours; the competition was not any of the athletically built me...

Haben Girma was born deaf-blind but she had access to opportunities afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Girma is Harvard Law School’s first deaf-blind graduate!

Dear Naturalistas! I finally took out my six weeks old braids. Phew! I've been wanting to spoil my hair a little with some much needed TLC (tender loving care) and yesterday was just that day ;). I tried some of my DIY remedies and my hair has never felt better! I started the entire process by 10:00pm, though exhausted, but that was the only time I had. Feel asleep at some point ;)...hehehe (don't blame me jare!) First thing after I took out my braids was to detangle (worst job ever!). Each strand seemed to have a mind of its own and at that moment, decided to "love their neighbour as themselves" (no be small fight!). I parted the hair into six sections, tackling each mound till every tiny knot was untangled. In order to help my hair growth, I chopped off about 3.5 inches from my tips (yup, you heard right! Big decision but am loving it ;-) ). Untangling  TLC - THE  PROCESS  Step 1: Pre Poo (Hot Oil Treatment) Ingredients: Coconut Oil ...

Hey guys! Guess what I tried today? One of the many benefits of Coconut oil and Honey. I decided to do a bit of facials this morning (the natural way, of course! No artificial products and the like). End result: My face is glowing and am feeling like a zillion bucks! :-) The entire process shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes. Ingredients for the facial scrub: 1 teaspoon of honey 1 teaspoon of organic coconut oil (homemade by me) 1 cube of sugar Ingredients for the steaming : 1 teaspoon of dried thyme 2 litres of water (hot) I mixed the ingredients(facials) together to form a paste and then went ahead to scrub my face with it. Not only my face, but my palms, wrists up to my forearm. Afterwards, I put the kettle to boil in preparation for a light face steaming I allowed the mixture to sit on my face and hand for 10 minutes and rinsed it off with warm water. I wiped my face with a clean napkin. Before steaming,  I applied honey on my clean face, added a teasp...

Aging brings on many undesired changes on the body and sagging boobs are just one of them. What happens to female breasts is that they lose their natural firmness with age, which makes them sag over time. On the plus side, you can do a lot to prevent your breast from sagging by doing these highly effective exercises that target both your back and boobs. Have in mind that keeping your back strong and straight is crucial for a perky chest. 1# Superman The Superman move is about lying face down with arms and legs fully stretched. To do this move effectively, lift your arms and legs upwards the highest you can reach. Hold like this a couple of seconds before you return to initial position. Do a set of 10 reps. 2# Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension Bend your knees while lying face up and holding a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand. Stretch your arms upwards, your palms facing in. Hinge your arms at the elbows then lower the dumbbells backwards toward your ears. Stretch your ...

Hello Naturalistas! How many of you have heard about the hair wonder butter called 'Mashanu'? Ever wondered why the hausa and fulani women have long and silky hair, it's Mashanu all the way. I'm going to do a post about it soon and also gist you about my experience with it. I'll henna and deep condition with mashanu (plus other natutal ingredients)  this weekend hopefully. Stay tuned!

Joint pain along with pain in the back, knees, legs and ankles is a common health issue affecting both old and young people. In seniors, the common cause is age-related loss of bone cartilage, whereas in younger population, this condition is normally due to inactivity and sedentary lifestyle. Joint pain can be inflicted by a number of diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, gout, strains, sprains as well as injuries. Even though the majority of these ailments heal in about two weeks to three months, some of them turn chronic and become so debilitating that a person usually finds it difficult to sit, lie down or even stand. Leg pain is normally triggered by wear and tear, i.e. muscle exhaustion or joint injuries caused by tearing of bone, the muscle, ligament, tendon and other soft tissues. Another risk factor of leg pain is poor circulation. You can easily alleviate joint pain with this anti-inflammatory smoothie made of several extremely beneficial in...

Cucumber slices added in fresh water make a nutritious cooling beverage which has turned out to be quite successful in fighting excessive weight. Adequate amount of liquids, particularly water, is essential for overall well-being. But to tell the truth, plain water can often taste bland, so in order to avoid this dull taste, you often crave for something flavourful. Cucumber water is an excellent substitution, healthy and aromatic, for everything you drink throughout the day. Plus, it’s highly beneficial for weight loss. If you are headed for losing weight, the most efficient way is to cut down on calorie intake and consume large amounts of cucumber water instead of your favourite soft drinks. Water contains zero calories, whereas one cucumber less than 50, which implies that cucumber slices in a glass of fresh water is less calories than a glass of sparkling water (150cal) or a glass of apple juice (115cal). You will also balance your appetite by consuming this self-made b...

This amazing drink will help you lower the blood pressure, burn the extra fat, fight diabetes and boost your metabolism. The detox combination is made to lower blood pressure, blast the fat in your entire body and fight diabetes through doing that. Prepare it and see for yourself! Here is the recipe: Ingredients: 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tablespoon of Raw Honey 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 glass of water (12-16 oz.) Directions: Put all of the ingredients in a blender and mix them together.Consume the drink every morning on an empty stomach. Make a fresh supply every morning once you wake up,since it is very easy to prepare, and drink it before you do anything else. The results will be amazing! Lemon juice has an alkaline effect on your body helping to regulate ph and will help you balance the blood sugar levels. The most importantly it contains, Vitamin C. Apple Cider Vinegar is full of good bacteria and enzymes. It contains ace...

Palm kernel oil is an edible oil derived from the kernel/nut of the oil palm. Palm kernel oil is mostly produced in the eastern part of Nigeria. It is commonly used in commercial cooking because it's cheaper than other cooking oils and also because it can be stored longer. Unlike other cooking oils, Palm kernel oil is cholesterol free and can be used by weight watchers and old people. Palm kernel oil can serve the same purpose as coconut oil but it isn't popular outside west Africa.  Palm kernel oil has lots of health benefits, it's high in Lauric acid which helps raise blood cholesterol level. It's also rich in vitamin K which is important for bone health and coagulation factor in blood. Palm kernel oil is rich in antioxidants and can also be used to cure convulsion in children.    BENEFITS OF PALM KERNEL OIL FOR NATURAL HAIR  ⁃ soothes the scalp  ⁃ Moisturises and conditions the hair  ⁃ Reduces shedding and balding  ⁃ Fights dandruff  ⁃...