I’ve Heard You Aunty

The exact words above are quoted from one of my aunties who pulled me in close to whisper into my ear in a gathering. It wasn’t really a whisper as one of my other aunties heard but sure we’ll consider it a jotted note. 

My weight has always fluctuated for one reason or the other – it could be from stress, hormones, or simply emotional eating like eating when simply bored. Being that my weight ranges from 175 to 195 easily in one year, I can always tell which side of the scale I am on. And surely thanks to my darling aunties who never shy away from pointing out one’s flaws. 

One really has to have tough skin in the Nigerian culture because nothing is filtered. 

With the wedding being postponed, I am using this time to take care of myself physically and mentally – to really get to know my body and also keeping in mind that what works for someone may not particularly work for me. The goal here is to find a healthy balance that works with my lifestyle. 

I’m not doing crash diets, stimulant pills, or any other extreme fast diet plans. I am focusing on what goes in and what comes out. 

C.I.C.O. = Calories In Calories Out

By incorporating a low-carb diet (which helps me ward off hunger quicker) and being more active (even while on quarantine), I plan to lose some of this excess weight.

Yes, it is hard when there are so many delicious food options around me, but here is where WILLPOWER comes into play. 

I literally have to learn to say no to food offered to me. I have to learn to put the fork down when my stomach is full – not just because I want to clear the plate. I also have to learn to drink more water instead of snacking when I get bored and want to start dancing to the refrigerator. Trust me, it’s a struggle at times. But I’ve got this. 

I’m counting Week 1 today. The plan is to eat only low-carb meals, keeping my daily goal at 20 grams of carbs per day. Increasing my protein, fiber, and fat intake will help curb the hunger-cravings carbohydrates usually bring on throughout the day. My husband and I went grocery shopping over the weekend and bought a bunch of veggies and protein (my favorite being fish) to sustain us throughout the week. I am actually really excited about this. Truly looking forward to my progress.