If you live in the UK, you would probably know about Katie Hopkins. In a survey, she was voted as the second most loathed person in the world, right after Vladmir Putin. Ouch!!!!! But you know what, she probably doesn’t care. The woman has no filter. Like zero. She thinks it, she says it. End of. So, she undertook a project where she put on 3 stone (19kg) in 3 months and then lose it in 3 months to prove that if you eat less and move more, anyone can lose weight. No truer words. The documentary looked at her life before she put on the weight, while she was putting on the weight and her weight loss strategy. I picked up quite a number of things, and it inspired me to share my own story, if I can call it a story.
Hands up, I know genes are involved, hands up I know my metabolism is fast, hands up, I am not one of those skinny judgemental people. As someone who has recently put on a bit of weight, yes friends of Dunni, roll your eyes, but I know and feel different. Looking back to how it happened, I can tell you exactly why it happened, and I know I will drop it back down in a short period of time. Even with the genes and metabolism, if I can still pack on the pounds, it means I am not totally immune from weight gain.
The popular phrase, “whatever works for you”, I will tell you what works for me. Eating Nigerian food. Back track and read it again. Nigerian food, and that comes with the golden tip, cooking your own food. I look back at 3 and a half years ago when a friend was getting married. My weight ballooned to 69kg. The heaviest I have ever weighed in my entire life. You know how that happened? Let me tell you. While I was a student, money was very very tight, and eating out or treats were not on the budget, so I always cooked my own food and my weight stayed the same 58kg. Fast forward to getting my dream job and suddenly having all this money, I started “flexing muscle”, and eating out at restaurants, grabbing snacks outside of work, feeling lazy and picking up a takeaway on the way home from work and the weight just piled on. When I got back from Lagos after the wedding, I joined a gym and only lost 3kg in 3 months. WTH!!!!! So, I quit the gym and went back to what my body understands. Nigerian food and eating my own cooking. Nothing not cooked in my kitchen, entered my mouth, and within that same 3 months, I went down from 66kg to 59/60kg, without my gym membership. I basically just went about my every day life but ate only my own food, and my metabolism kicked back into gear, at optimum capacity and the weight fell off. 6kg worth of weight. I didn’t even realise it was happening until a shop assistant inadvertently gave me a size 6 dress in the changing room.
When I think back again to a brief time in 2012 when I had to save every penny I had towards a project, I found that during those months and the months after that, my body was a lean slim machine. What did I do? Not eat anything I didn’t cook. I couldn’t afford not to. Lol. Nigerian food gets a lot of flack for being fatty, unhealthy, oh it has all those carbs, oh, the oil, I can continue but what we don’t necessarily see is the fact that it is organic, very very nutritious, plus the best part, you are cooking your own food, you are in control. You can modify the contents to your taste. Best of all, you are eating what your body has been designed to metabolise since you were born. When I lived in Nigeria, I was averaging between 56 – 58kg. My hair was long, full and thick. Never reached 60kg in my life before until I moved to the UK. Now, I am at 63/64 and I am pissed. The goal is to go back to my 58, and be healthier too, because even at 58, I was out of breath after going up two floors.
So, this January, in fact yesterday, I threw out everything in my freezer I didn’t cook myself, or can’t cook myself. So, while Katie Hopkins kinda inspired this post, I am not on a “I am going to prove” so so so, but I am going back to strictly Nigerian food and home cooking, and a re-weigh at the end of the month, and subsequently every month end from then. You know I promised on Jan 1st, more Nigerian food on the blog, well I am moving in line with that ministry. Nigerian food is not as evil as you think it is. You see that health bar you just picked up, or that low fat, low carb, low all that jazz you bought at the store, your efo riro would probably do your metabolism more good. All you put into your Efo, your metabolism already recognises. Big Oladunni has been on my case to eat more fruit and veg, so the only extra I will be doing is consuming more of them through smoothies. I am not a breakfast kind of person, but I will use the smoothies to substitute. Yes, I will be eating my Eba, my semo, my pounded yam, my buka stew and all the soups I cook, even the Nigerian snacks too. Sharp intake of breath, yeah, yeah, yeah. Look back and your skinniest, and critically try to remember what you were eating during those periods, now fast forward to your heaviest current state and also examine what you have been eating. So, this is my #fitfam plan. Unconventional I know, some of you may read this and turn your nose up, but you are welcome to join me.
- The Stunnababez Smoothie with my twists
- Keep to my cooking methods. All that use cooking spray, measure 2 tablespoons of oil pledges have never lasted long. When I force the plan, I fall off the wagon
- Nigerian food all the way. Cut out everything processed, except if I have to make things like puff puff where I need flour and sugar
- Eat as I normally would. I have found that when I deliberately portion control, I feel even hungrier. So, I am keeping my portions the same
- Because I have taken to be following Supermodels on Instagram, bad idea, I know, or maybe a good thing. I am going to try to build muscle in my abdomen and thighs using Sean T’s Hip Hop Abs for 25 – 30minutes every day. I aint mad enough to do Insanity. Like Never. I have also joined a local running group and they have a Couch to 5K program for 9 weeks. I will know by next week if I have been accepted, as spaces are limited. If I don’t get in, I will just do a 1 hour run 3 times a week.
- Drink lots of water, something I don’t do as much and finally……
- Sleep. When I sleep less hours, I find that my metabolism is sluggish, so my 2am/3am bedtime to be awake by 7/7.30am will stop. I wrote this post at 2.40am on Sunday. Bad idea. Midnight will be my cut off point, and then it is laptop closed, phone kept in the living room and bed time.
My pledge, I aint eating any salads or diet food and all that jazz for anything. I will fall off that wagon veeeeeery fast. Funmi will probably laugh when she reads that sentence. I have tried it before. I am going to try to keep a visual food diary. I may not remember to do it every day, but I will try.
Katie’s motto was Eat Less, Move More. My #fitfam motto is Eat Nigerian Food and Move more. We shall see!!!!!!! Anyone want to join in?????? Don’t be scared. You’ve tried so many things and they haven’t worked, why not try this one.
Bemigho says
January 5, 2015 at 12:48 pmYay!!! Am so in! I so tired of people condemning Nigerian food. Wetin I wan con chop? Mscheeeeeew. So annoying! Am so in, eat my Nigerian food and move more
olaye says
January 5, 2015 at 1:16 pmI’m so in! 1hour run 3 days a week wont work for me though, I’ll jump rope instead. I read somewhere that you should lose the weight first before building muscles so I want to lose 10kg first. Looking forward to the healthy Nigerian meal recipes. Hope this works. Fingers crossed.
Busola says
January 5, 2015 at 2:05 pmOmg…………..just what I need, am so on board, #eatnaijifoodandmovemore
Jay says
January 5, 2015 at 5:07 pmDunni, I am not gay but I honestly wish I could reach out for u right now and lick ur hands for writing these things, this is the first time i am reading anything on weight loss that makes sense and that has made me smile. I don’t know why we condemn what is ours soooooooo much,I once had to see a dietician who isn’t nigerian who told me of how lucky I am to be nigerian and have all those nigerian foods to eat. God bless u real good Dunni
Prisca says
January 5, 2015 at 6:47 pmCount me in!!!!! Since I had my baby, it has been a battle to go back to post-baby size. I cry most times because nothing in my wardrobe fits me :-(. Dunni, let’s go!
ella says
January 6, 2015 at 9:26 amHi dunni, constant visitor 1st time commenter, uve given me so many reasons to look forward to cooking wen I saw dis post which is smetin I knw so well I had to chip in
From my personal experience with shaun t, I wud say go for his t25 dvd’s alpha&beta for weight loss and gamma for muscle building also 25-30mins.
Nigerian food is absolutely d way to go but my few cents wud be portion control fill half ur plate up with veggies.
If u r not a breakfasts person pls don’t force urself it’s actually a good tin to skip breakfast and fast to lunch daily.
Pls read intermittent fasting and perfect health diet (yes still nigerian food)
Much love dunni
dooneyrooney says
January 6, 2015 at 12:50 pmMy dear, thanks for the advice. That t25 looks even worse than insanity. I am doing the Hip Hop Abs videos, and hope it works. if it doesn’t then i will try t25. Thanks for the advice
Seungirl. says
January 6, 2015 at 10:36 pmHi!
First time on your blog (though I follow on IG). I’m sooo in with this eating Nigerian challenge. I have stopped all takeouts and started making all my meals, though I must confess I now take my salad to work everyday. I am based in the UK and I call it my Nigerian salad, the way my mother used to make it at Xmas, complete with sliced boiled egg, chicken/ duck and wholegrain pasta.
My trick is putting the vegetables I like and ignoring what I don’t. Eg, I absolutely hate broccoli so there’s no way it’s making its way into my salad! I make a big bowl on Sundays and Wednesday evenings and it lasts 2-3 days (I add the freshly cooked pasta and grilled chicken/duck/prawn daily) and serve with low fat salad cream or honey and mustard sauce. I have also managed to reduce the amount of pasta I add over time, so I’m down to about a handful of fusili/ penne. My lunch box is massive and I feel so full afterwards. While it looks like a huge lunch meal to my oyinbo colleagues, the alternative would have been chips and something at the café, so I’m doing something right.
Now to start with smoothies for breakfast and get a bit more active.
Anyway, I ABSOLUTELY love your blog and what you’re doing! I just ordered my mixer and will let you know how my amala goes.
Thank you and welldone! (Ouch really long post, sorry)
dooneyrooney says
January 7, 2015 at 1:49 pmNot too long to read at all, enjoyed every word and glad you agreed with me. I wish you all the weight loss goals you need. We will re-weigh at the end of the month. Thank you for your comment
jo says
January 6, 2015 at 10:49 pmLmbo your post is hilarious, I was literally laughing and crying at some of your statements. I love your free spiritedness, if that’s a word, lol..keep doing you jare
Bash B says
January 10, 2015 at 3:46 pmOladunni Olowo Sibi mi! It’s been a minute since I left words, no excuse – just life, he he. You know I’m just the biggest fan! Yet, you keep giving me reasons to keep the “Oladunni Love Account” topped up :-).
I absolutely agree, and you have given me the butt-kick needed to step up my game as well – thanks again!
dooneyrooney says
January 10, 2015 at 8:10 pmHappy new year Bash. It really has been a while. Good to read from you again.
Aisha Mustapha says
January 12, 2015 at 10:55 amHope my Happy New year didn’t arrived late Dunni
wunmi says
January 14, 2015 at 9:13 pmLove this post. Need to lose 20 pounds I added post pregnancy. So I am in too. Thanks dunni(my sis namesake).
Abi says
January 17, 2015 at 5:18 pmDunni,
Discovered your website when I was looking for a tip on how to cook with iru (locust beans) and eradicate the smell – from everywhere!
I loved your blog on making the efo and shocking the aunties, and had to share with my daughters. And not just for the humour but for your recipes too!
I popped back to see what healthy low fat Nigerian recipes you have as I need to plan my meals. I’m a little fed up with my ‘same same’ meals which were great when the kids were growing. I was delighted to see this.
I’ve seen that some of my friends and their daughters successfully tried out your pounded yam the other day so looks like you’ve got a huge following already. Looking forward to seeing the recipes.
In the meantime, I defo agree with reducing portion size. At my age (53+) you need to as the body needs less.
Still haven’t found how to readicte the iru smell. Any ideas welcome because I love it and it’s mega healthy!
dooneyrooney says
January 17, 2015 at 5:21 pmLovely to read from you Ma. Thank you for stopping by, i hope you will be a regular reader. This works for me to get rid of the lingering smell. Boil lemon peels and other citrus fruits in vinegar and water in a large pot until the water dries up. It works like a dream
Favour O. says
January 20, 2015 at 2:48 pmWow!!!! I’ve tried and failed and failed and failed to lose weight. At 70kg, i had a perfect figure 8 with flat stomach so I wasn’t bothered but now at 85kg, my stomach isn’t flat anymore, that figure 8 has converted to a figure 1 and I almost hate my body now but I’m soooo glad I found you.
I’m a first time reader and this makes so much sense. I’ll try your tips instead of gbogbo orisiirisii tins I had been doing and I’m positive I’ll see results because this is so basic.
I think you should start a support forum on Facebook or something… would be much more helpful.
Thanks so much Dunni
dooneyrooney says
January 21, 2015 at 1:04 pmAaaaaaaw, thank you so much. there is a support group on facebook. Search for So You Think You Can Cook. Fitness – 2015 Healthkick. Very wondeful and supporting people
Ngozi O. says
November 13, 2015 at 10:48 pm“What your body has been designed to metabolize since you were born”. That there was the revelation for me. After my baby boy’s doc and I kept wondering why my breastmilk was not being the elixir of immune health for him, my sis, also a doc, suggested that perhaps the reason was the antibodies in my milk had been developed by exposure to different pathogens than those here in the US. That’s why I can so believe that this weight loss struggle of mine – I eat so little yet still continue to gain weight – may most likely be because I started eating “strange” food that my 30+ years of metabolism development had not being trained to handle. Thanks for this eye opener!!