15 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM BESIDES EXERCISE

Hello Friends,

I am a stickler for good or healthy metabolism. I embrace foods and/or habits/exercises that keep my system free and my stomach flat. Yeah. So when I stumbled  on this post on BuzzFeed today, I thought, "Hey, why not share with your readers?". Please, read and try these tips which I think are really great........

NOTE: Exercise is crucial to a healthy metabolism. You should still exercise. However, there are some additional methods that can help keep that engine revved up.

1. Eat foods with omega-3s.

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Foods like avocados have omega-3 fatty acids that contain a myriad of benefits. Don’t get turned off by the word fatty. These acids help regulate blood sugar and inflammation, which can help keep your metabolism steady. For easy recipes that include avocado click here.

2. Don’t forget to eat breakfast.

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It’s the most important meal of the day for a reason. Eating breakfast is crucial in maintaining optimal energy levels throughout the day. Skipping breakfast sends your body in to starvation mode, which conserves energy by slowing down your metabolism. That’s what you don’t want.

3. Snack when you are hungry.

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Snacking during the day not only keeps hunger at bay, but it keeps your energy level consistent. This will keep your metabolism revved up by maintaining normal blood sugar levels. The key is to eat healthy snacks. For several snack ideas clickhere.

4. Spice up your life.

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Add some hot sauce or chile peppers to your meal. Spicy condiments contain capsaicin, which has been shown to increase resting metabolic rates by spiking hormone levels. A number of delicious spicy recipes exist. Don’t be afraid of the hurt.

5. Engage in some heavy breathing.

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Yes, it’s a natural function but taking a little time daily to focus on your breathing can be beneficial. Breathing brings oxygen into your body and more oxygen = more energy burned = higher metabolism. Take a few minutes out of your day to do some deep breathing exercises. A little bit goes a long way over time.

6. Drink some green tea.

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Green tea contains phenols. Phenols are chemical compounds that increase your body’s internal furnace. Drinking green tea throughout the day can keep that furnace and those calories burning.

7. Eat dark chocolate.

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No, this is not a joke. Dark chocolate (70% cacao and up) contains caffeine and the antioxidant catechin which, are both know to be metabolism boosters. Just don’t over do it.

8. Eat yogurt.

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Not froyo with a pound of Oreos, sprinkles, and gummy bears, but regular yogurt. Yogurt contains many nutrients which can raise your bodies resting metabolic rate. Try to stick to healthier yogurt offerings.

9. Include more lean protein in your diet.

Christina Holmes / foodandwine.com

Foods containing lean protein require a lot more of your body’s energy to burn, which increases your metabolism. They also keep you full and satisfied longer then other food choices. For a great recipe click here.

10. Don’t ever skip meals.

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This is easy advice to follow. Skipping meals will not get you a smaller waist line. Missing meals actually convinces the body that it’s starving so it slows down your metabolism. If you’re hungry you should eat.

11. Drink plenty of cold water.

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Water is good for you to begin with, and research indicates that drinking six cups of cold water daily can boost your metabolism by burning an extra 50 calories a day. That adds up a loss of five pounds over the course of a year.

12. Go nuts!

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Nuts like walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, and pistachios contain many vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids that aid in boosting metabolism. Just don’t get too crazy. A handful is more than enough.

13. Take some time to de-stress.

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Stress causes the production of cortisol which among other things can slow down your metabolism. Read a book, get a massage, or just relax. Making time to alleviate stress will benefit your life in more ways than one.

14. Have a light snack right before bed.

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Having a light snack before bed can actually increase your nocturnal metabolism. Several healthy options exist.

15. Get some shut eye.

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A good night’s rest is essential for a healthy metabolism. Sleeping eight hoursnightly increases energy levels throughout the day, and helps to keep stress hormones and blood sugar levels stable.

What do you think??

Well, remember that if it's not mathematics, then no particular formula works for it. Know what works for you and do it. But please, don't sit and do nothing at all and expect to be healthy. 

Keep being healthy and happy friends!!

Smooches...

HERE COMES THE BRIDE - HAPPY MARRIED LIFE PHOEBE

Another amazing blog reader celebrates!! Yay!! She got engaged/married to her heartthrob in a traditional African ceremony last week. Sweet, sweet love..

African Bride

This beautifully adorned African bride is Phoebe Nneoma Onyema now Mrs Vincent Umeh. Wow!!

The couple that dances

Happy Married Life Mr and Mrs Vincent Umeh.

May God rain His perfect peace and love on you and may He bless your Union. Amen

Bride and friends

Congratulations Phoebe and Vincent!!

See more photos below....

The beautiful bride and her maids

Sitting pretty.. looking pretty

Bride like no other..

Save the last dance ...

The bride and her family

The Bride

The couple in love

Sisters

The bride gives her man a drink 

Beautiful Couple

This is just the Traditional or Engagement; the White wedding will be here soon. I hope to share the photos when the time comes.

Once again, congratulations Phoebe....

Please friends, let us send our prayers, wishes and shout outs to this beautiful couple.

BUTT PADS: DETAILS

Photo Credit: Google

I have been meaning to do a post on butt pads but somehow, I just kept postponing it. But after the experience I had last week, I decided we should talk about it.

I am sure we all know what butt pads are. Okay, for those who don't know, they are butt enhancers simply put. Or you could call them the new kind of panties which ladies wear with the aim of giving their backsides more confidence in a world of butt craziness. LOL

Now, my experience....
I had just stepped out of my apartment to get some groceries when a beautiful lady walked past my entrance in a graceful manner. The perfume she wore and her beautifully made hair drew my attention to her.
Well, since I was going towards her direction, I decided to walk slowly behind her while basking in the ambience of her cheap expensive perfume and accessing her closely. I was still doing my thing when some girls passed and were like, "ki le leyi ko si idi?", interpreted to mean, "what did this lady stuff in her butt:". At that moment, my eyes did a fast race to her butt area, lo and behold, there was a huge back side that was looking cony in a funny way and pointing downwards.

I tried so hard to understand what went wrong but I just could not get it. There and then, I decided to pen this down.

For me, it is compulsory for everyone, especially women to know how to look good even if you have to enhance your parts with pads. This means it is okay to wear butt pads, hip pads, boobs pads, penis pads etc as long as they make you feel good, confident and if they give you better fitting. But when you pad up your butt, you have to consider the following....

Your Butt Shape

                                                                Photo Credit: Google

From the image above, you will see that there are basically four shapes of butts. The different shapes require different shapes and types of butt pads.
While ladies with the round and heart shaped butts may easily fit into any shape of pad, the ones with the "V" and square butts may not easily get away with just any shape they choose.
So I advertise, you speak to someone, maybe, an expert or read about these enhancers before trying them on.

Your Thighs
Ladies, if you don't have full thighs, you will have to be careful when you choose butt pads. In fact, I will suggest you go for slightly padded panties or slimmer ones so that the contrast between the thighs and the butt is not too obvious. You don't want everyone on the block to know your behind is fake. LOL

Your Size
Size should be considered when getting a butt pad. This will save you the embarrassment of having to adjust your pad every now and then.

Your Partner
Do not be like some ladies who break the excitement of fore play and run to the ladies' to quickly remove the pads so as not to get caught. So I think you should tell your partner about the fact that the "huge' a** is actually fake, LOL.  I mean, that way, you don't have to always run off on him when your kissing is getting hot.

Your Outfits
Some kind of clothes should not be worn when the butt is padded. Jeans and clothes made from other thick materials work better than light see-through fabrics which could easily show the lines and give you away.

Let me stop here but if you know more, kindly share with us.  Looking good is serious business!! Yeah??

But hey, you are beautiful as you are, so you do not necessarily have to pad up but if you must, then do it right.

Stay beautiful friends,

Smooches....

BEAUTY AND THE GIGOLO

Photo Credit: Google

It was a beautiful Saturday evening. My girlfriends and I had just returned from a shopping spree from which we all were half broke. Girls and shopping, huh. Yeah, it is kind of one of my best activities.

Well, the evening was going so fast and so were we. After our newly acquired properties were neatly hung in and arranged, we decided to do an “all girl” hangout. In minutes, we were cruising off in my Toyota Avalon and in just half an hour, we were in this cool hangout spot we had randomly entered with hot dance hall songs blasting off. “Oooh la lacious!!”, I said to myself.

“Cool place”, all three of us chorused like it was a song, as we took our seats with satisfactory smiles.

Just as we were settling in, a handsome young man came closer and took our orders. ‘So fast??, What a good service?!’ I thought.

Shortly after we were sipping on our drinks as we watched the live band perform and entertain us with their beautiful voices and dance steps. My girlfriends joined the dancers as they did the azonto, etighi and all the rest. I preferred to watch them ‘whine am well’ and wiggle my own waist on the chair and those, I did. #winking#

A few minutes later, my concentration was interrupted by the presence of someone standing beside me. I looked up with the intention of telling the waiter that we did not need any more drink, but saw a different person entirely. I felt a mixture of shock and fear seeing the different face and figure standing and staring at me. My eyes were fixed on him like there was some form of glue binding them to him. Suddenly the fear in my heart became love as my heart beat so hard and fast. “Careful, not so fast!”, my inner self warned. Well, a warning I could hardly hear much less heed.

OMG, this creature beside me was like a Greek god. He was tall, dark and beautiful in a very unique way. And his eyes? They could shoot down a plane.

His scent was to die for. I breathed him in several times and just wanted to drown in him. I swallowed hard as I waited for him to say something. ‘SAY SOMETHING’, my heart screamed in capital letters.

As I managed to take my eyes away to stop him from reading me, he finally spoke, “Good evening, please, may I have a little of your time?”. “YES”, “YES”, my already annoying heart screamed again. But I managed to stabilize myself and pretentiously said a bland “OK, No Problem”.

I mean, who wouldn't give such a perfect gentleman attention?? 

He carefully sat, introduced himself and asked for my name. We got along so fast. Maybe because of his approach or because I was already in love with him? Well, I can't really say now. We had just spoken for like five minutes when my friends returned. They too were dazed at how a man can be that clean and beautiful. 

That meeting sparked up something beautiful and sweet. We soon became lovebirds, going places together, having all the fun. Life was so beautiful with Jade.

Some months into the relationship, I was woken up by a call from an unknown number.  “Who on God’s earth is this?, I said, almost inaudibly.

As I took the call, I was welcomed by barbaric insults and abuses. Of course, my sleepy eyes got cleared by the harshness from the other end as confusion overwhelmed me. “Hello, I think you called the wrong number”, I managed to explain to the apparently vicious creature at the other end.

“Shut the h**l up Barbie”, she attacked. “Ok, she knows me; this is not a mistaken call after all”, I told myself as I tried to find the best words to use.  “Hello, don’t you have anything to say, whore?”, she questioned angrily.

At this point, I was already saturated with anger. “ Firstly, I am not a whore and that is no way to address anyone, secondly, who on God’s earth are you and why are you being so nasty to me?” I demanded in anger and in a rather loud voice.

“Ok, let me explain”, her voice came calmly this time. “You have my property, his name is Jade!, she added.  My heart skipped on hearing 'Jade' “I pay his every bill, I cleaned him up, in fact, all the trips he has been taking you on have all happened on my hard earned money. So I beg you, stay away from him;  I have bought him, he is my sugar boy, MY GIGOLO”, She explained further, hissed and hung up.

I sat on my bed in awe and amazement as the harsh voice from the other end replayed again and again.

“I told ya, he was too good to be real”, my heart accused me. I shut it up and cried rivers…

HERE COMES THE BRIDE.. HAPPY MARRIED LIFE TOBI

Something awesome happened last weekend. Yay!! An amazing and beautiful blog reader, lover etc got married to her heartthrob. Awww, love in the air.

 This beautiful bride is Oluwatobi Oke now Mrs Oluwatobi Ologs. They look so sweet together. I love weddings. Happy Married life Mr and Mrs Ologs.

The Happy Groom and his Bride

May God shower His love and peace on this beautiful couple. May He bless this Union. Amen

Couple and friends

 Congratulations Mr and Mrs Ologs!!

If you missed the wedding, check out more photos below..

The Beautiful Bride

The Couple that dances together

The New Mrs 

Happy Couple

African Couple

Still more photos.......

The Veiled Beauty

Wow!! Once again, Congratulations Tobi and Tope

Friends, let's send our prayers, wishes and shout outs to Tobi and her husband. #Godblesstheirunion#

Stay happy!!

10 THINGS PEOPLE WHO ARE GREAT AT RELATIONSHIPS DO DIFFERENTLY

Photo Credit: Google Images

I saw this post by Alexis Meads on Huffington Post and  I thought I'd share with you my friends. Please, read to the end and tell me what you feel about her points....


Do you ever wonder why some relationships fail while others are totally rocking it?

I know that I have for a long time. And still do.

Now that I'm married, this quest seems more compelling than ever. Having been through the divorce of my parents and many of those around me, this question has burned in my mind.

So, I sought answers from the relationships of my friends and clients, extensive research and most importantly, my heart.

I've put together a list below of the 10 essential qualities of people who are great at relationships. Maybe you can add your own.

The good news is that these qualities don't need to come naturally, they are skills that can be learned.

1. They are able to release the past without allowing it to define their current relationship.

Breakups happen. And sometimes they suck. But the most important thing is to realize they don't have to define you and your relationships going forward. People who are great at relationships have been able to wish their past lover well and move on. When things come up in their new relationship, they are conscious that this person is not the same as their ex, and they treat the situation fairly without placing past blame onto it.

2. They understand the balance of give and take.

They know that any solid relationship has an equal balance of give and take. For a long time, I had trouble giving much of myself. I expected to receive from my partner, but thought that if I gave too much, I'd get exploited or hurt. My husband now, on the other hand, was the opposite. In his past relationships he did nothing but give, hoping to win over love and not feeling worthy of receiving. Maybe this is why we were drawn towards one another, but are conscious of this challenge and make an effort to have give and take.

3. They know when they need some space.

Some people disappear when they enter into their relationship. I'm sure you know a person like this or maybe you've been there yourself. They enter a relationship and stop hanging out with friends, family or doing things they love. I've been there. But here's the thing, a healthy relationship requires space between the togetherness. It's OK to do something by yourself to recharge your batteries. Just make sure you give your partner the same freedom.

4. They learn how to communicate authentically.

Authentic communication is a skill that needs to be practiced, over and over again. It may not come easily to people who never felt heard as a child or are afraid to speak up for themselves and say how they really feel. The key to authentic communication is creating a safe, loving environment within your relationship where you can both feel heard. Saying what you need to say can be scary, but not nearly as scary as bottling everything up.

5. They discover their partner's love language and use it regularly.

Have you read the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman? I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to improve their relationships. Basically, he argues that there are five primary love languages: Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Quality Time, Acts of Service and Gift Giving. When you understand your primary language and that of your partner, you can make sure you're both getting your needs met.

6. They make each other laugh.

Sometimes, it's best to just let your walls down and share a good laugh. Often, when my husband and I are in a fight and I'm being particularly pouty, he'll crack a joke until I find myself in fits of laughter. Suddenly, whatever seemed so serious just a minute ago has completely dissolved.

7. They release false expectations for their partner.

Our partners are only human, just like us. Anyone who has lived with someone for more than a few weeks will realize this. It's unfair to put false expectations on our partner because they have flaws, faults, insecurities and weaknesses just like the rest of us. That's what makes them, and your relationship, beautiful.

8. They stop projecting.

This in and of itself can cure 90 percent of relationship problems. We project our own insecurities or faults onto our partners without even realizing it, because our ego simply can't stand to accept them as our own. Often, we're attracted to others that have qualities that we'd like to develop within ourselves. But if we fail to develop these qualities, the infatuation can quickly turn to criticism and blame. Maybe when you first met your partner they seemed "fun and spontaneous," but now appear just plain flaky. Understand that relationships are a vehicle for your own growth.

9. They expect good things.

Self-fulfilling prophecies will come true if you expect them to. Period. If you expect for your relationship to fail, then chances are it probably will. Because when we believe something over a long enough period of time, we start to act in ways to prove it to ourselves. This goes for our relationships and for life. So therefore, why not expect only the best to happen? Believe me... it's just as possible.

10. Above all, they love.

They love themselves. They love their partners. They love others. They know that they are 100 percent complete and that their partner helps to compliment their already whole selves. They've learned to let those walls down around their heart, slowly but surely, and open up to great, wonderful love.

I totally agree with her points.  Though there is no particular formula to having an awesome relationship, as I always say, these can just do the magic.

Stay happy friends and stay in the right relationship...