Nigerian Lady Deborah Olawoyin Who Lost 200lbs+ shares Amazing Before and After Photos of her weight Lost Journey

Nigerian Lady Deborah Olawoyin Who Lost 200lbs+ shares Amazing Before and After Photos of her weight Lost Journey 

Why You Should Never Throw away Your Onion Peels Again

Most of us simply throw away skins of fruits and vegetables. But perhaps the most tossed aside skins are the ones from onions. According to a survey by the European Union, there are more than 500,000 tons of wastes coming from onions. What most of us don’t know is that these peelings are actually nutrient-dense. Plus, they have many uses. Next time you peel an onion, save the skin for later use.

Onion Peel Uses

Before you throw away onion peel, know that they are actually not as useless as you think. Here are their top uses:

1. For slow cookers and soups

The skin is nutritious and is actually rich in phenolic compounds and fiber. Together, they can help combat coronary disease. Simply add the peel to your dishes and you can enjoy these benefits.

2. Dye for wool and hair

You can use onion skin as natural dye. The peelings are also useful in making hair dye, which can turn your hair into golden brown. Plus, onions are beneficial to hair, since they can fight hair loss.

3. Cure leg cramps

Onion skins are actually effective in combatting leg cramps. All you need to do is to put the skins in water and let them boil for 10 to 20 minutes. After that, you can take the skin off of the liquid and drink the concoction as if it’s tea. This is best to consume before you go to bed. Expect great results after about a week.

Onion peel can improve your health because it has some health benefits. It has been confirmed by recent research that the skin of the onion have flavonoids, which are plant compounds that have powerful antioxidant qualities. Just like onions, the peel also contains quercetin, which is an anti-inflammatory compound that can help get rid of cancer-causing free radicals.

Quercetin has been studied for quite some time now, especially its uses in our health. This compound may provide the following benefits:

• Reduce LDL or bad cholesterol levels
• Reduce blood pressure levels
• Decrease instances of inflammation
• Enhance muscle development and function
• Fight allergies
• Treat depression
• Fight some forms of cancer as well as other diseases

To take advantage of the quercetin compound in onions, along with the other plant compounds found in the bulb, don’t take the skin off. Simply toss one or two whole onions (including the scales) into your pot the next time you have soup, rice, or put a stew in the crockpot. To make sure you’re getting these benefits, choose organic onion only; otherwise, you will end up ingesting the pesticides sprayed on the peel.

The Recommended Vegetables for Pain-Free Joints Are These Ones

Achy and stiff joints making your day seem gloomy? Then what you need to do is make your plate as colorful as possible! There are plenty of vegetables that are scientifically-known to combat inflammation, thanks to the antioxidants and other nutrients they have. In other words, they are fantastic for your joints!

So instead of reaching for that bottle of anti-inflammatory drugs that are notorious for causing all sorts of side effects, hit the fresh produce section of your favorite supermarket and get your hands on some vegetables. The following are some of those that are proven effective in keeping your joints free of pain and swelling:

Brussels Sprouts

A member of the cruciferous vegetable family, Brussels sprouts are packed with antioxidants that fight off inflammation. They are also admired for their impressive ability to neutralize toxins that have accumulated in the body.

Cabbage

Because it’s just like Brussels sprouts as they are related, consuming cabbage on a regular basis can help in making your joints free of achiness and swelling. Cabbage is also rich in vitamin C which helps heal damaged joint tissues.

Spinach

This popular dark leafy green vegetable is loaded with iron. Because of this, more much-needed oxygen is delivered to your joints as iron is responsible for the production of those oxygen-carrying red blood cells or RBCs.

Onions

According to scientists, the fact that onions are members of the allium family makes them rich in quercetin. A type of antioxidant, quercetin is one of the most impressive fighters of aging as well as inflammation.

Ginger

Ensure that you add plenty of ginger in your diet. That’s because this herb is known to possess amazing anti-inflammatory properties. You may also replace your favorite java each time with a cup of freshly brewed ginger instead. 

Turmeric

One of the most popular all-natural anti-inflammatories on the planet is turmeric. Other than consuming it internally, you may also attain relief from joint pain and swelling by employing it topically.

Red Bell Peppers

What makes red bell peppers very good for the joints is the fact that they contain beta-cryptoxanthin, a plant pigment that possesses superb anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also the one that give red bell peppers their lovely color.

Carrots

There is also beta-cryptoxanthin present in every serving of carrot. According to scientists, the said antioxidant not only helps ease painful and swollen joints, but also lowers a person’s risk of having arthritis.

Sweet Potatoes

Make sure that you regularly eat sweet potatoes as they are powerful enough to control inflammation, including in your joints. They also give you the energy you need to give your joints the mild to moderate exercising they need.

Sources: toriavey.com

Wonderful Reasons Why Apple Juice is very Good for Your health fitness

Apples are considered among the healthiest fruits in the world with many benefits, along with the leaves that are useful for diabetics. There are many varieties of the fruit, including red delicious, golden delicious, honeycrisp, and granny smith. But no matter the type, they are all equally beneficial to our health. You can consume apples in different ways, such as eating them raw, adding them to your salads, or as juice.

Drinking apple juice daily can give you the following health benefits:

1. Heart Health

The fruit is an excellent source of antioxidants, namely flavonoids and polyphenols – which are beneficial for the heart. A serving of apple juice daily can help the heart function properly.

2. Very Nutritious

Both apples and their juice contain crucial nutrients, including phytochemicals that can help improve immunity and anti-inflammatory response of the body. Phytochemicals are plant compounds that help the fruit protect themselves. When consumed by humans, they provide protection as well, particularly against chronic diseases.

3. Liver Health

Aside from the heart, apple juice is also useful in protecting the liver. The juice is alkaline and is useful in removing waste and toxins in the body.

4. Anti-Alzheimer’s

For those who are at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, apple juice is a great drink to indulge in. According to a study by the University of Massachusetts, they discovered that mice that drank two glasses of the juice daily for 30 days showed a decreased signal of developing the brain disease.

5. Anti-Cancer

Apples and apple juice can help reduce the risk of skin cancer, as well as breast and colon cancers, according to a research by the German Cancer Research Center.

6. Reduced Asthma Symptoms

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute discovered that drinking apple juice daily can help decrease frequency of wheezing in children.

Instead of drinking soda, apple juice is a much better alternative, especially if you’re craving for something sweet. The juice is rich in vitamin C and many other antioxidants that promote good health. Grabbing a fresh apple and juicing it at home is definitely more recommended by health experts and enthusiasts over buying store bought juice.

The pulp is rich in fiber and antioxidants; plus, it’s better if you keep the peel intact. According to the Medical University of Warsaw researchers as well as the researchers from the Agricultural University of Wroclaw, cloudy apple juice is better than the clear version. Cloudy juice has more polyphenols, which mean better disease fighting capability.

Kourtney Kardashian Is Weighing 98 Lbs. Here’s Why I Think It Is Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

In a deleted scene from Sunday’s episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, we learned that a short woman weighs a small amount. When you put it that way, it doesn't sound so shocking, right?

Here's how it actually unfolded:

Khloé tells friend Simon Gebrelul, “You know she’s 97 lbs.?” about her older sis Kourtney.

“Guess what? I gained a pound,” Kourtney chimes in. “I’m 98.”

Perhaps forgetting that Kourtney stands a mere 5 feet tall, reactions on Twitter ranged from “OMG I want to be her” to “OMG that can’t be healthy,” with a sprinkle or two of “OMG why is this news?”

In a way, everyone's kinda right.

“People aren’t used to seeing weights under 100 pounds, and I think that’s triggering for a lot of people,” says dietitian and educator Claudia T. Felty, PhD, RD. In general, she says, we all need to take a deep breath and a big step back from being so quick to judge others by the numbers on their scales.



Aside from it simply not being a friendly thing to do, “the number on the scale tells us very little about the overall health and wellness of a person,” says certified eating disorder registered dietitian Marjorie Nolan Cohn, RDN. “Bodyweight is just one (relatively small) variable we use to determine someone’s overall health and disease risk. It doesn’t tell us anything about one’s genetic risk factors, cardiovascular health, immune health, bone health, or hormonal balance.”

The number on the scale also varies greatly with our own individual packaging, so to speak—which in Kourtney's case is small. She revealed in a 2015 Instagram post (which also garnered lots of commentary about her weight) that she is only 5 feet tall. While 98 pounds may be unimaginable for most of us non-Kardashians, it’s not outrageous for someone of this size. “Depending on bone structure, muscle mass, and genetics, a range for healthy women of 5 feet could be anywhere from the low 90s to the 120s,” Cohn says.

Reshmi Srinath, MD, director of the weight and metabolism management program at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says she typically looks at a person’s BMI or body mass index rather than just the number on the scale—and even those don't provide a perfect measure. “BMI is a standardized measure of height compared to weight, and using that, I can characterize someone as normal weight, underweight, or reaching obesity,” she explains.

Current guidelines suggest that someone with a BMI over 25 is considered overweight. Over 30 and you're considered obese, while you'd fall into the underweight category if you clock in under 18.5. At her height and weight, Kourtney comes in at a low but still healthy 19 or so, Dr. Srinath says. But someone who has a lot of muscle mass—which weighs more than fat and would therefore raise BMI score—could be easily miscategorized as obese, Cohn says. Meanwhile, someone with very little protective muscle mass could be classified as meeting a healthy weight, despite a greater risk for certain conditions.

Emerging research suggests that measuring a person’s waist circumference and comparing it to the size of her hips—the waist-to-hip ratio—may be even more telling. “We know that people who have greater waist circumferences have greater risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome,” says Dr. Srinath, also an associate professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and bone disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. That’s because it’s the so-called visceral abdominal fat (otherwise known as belly fat) that seems to pose the biggest risk to our health.

Felty recommends ditching the scale entirely. “I focus on intuitive eating, becoming more in touch with your own body,” she says. “I look at energy levels, food and exercise behaviors, and use that intuitive process to learn what your body needs, which often helps stabilize weight naturally.”

For everyone who was quick to judge Kourtney’s weight—or anyone’s, for that matter—remember that every person is unique. “We all have different curves,” Dr. Srinath says, and a fair amount of curviness comes from genetic factors, meaning it’s out of your control. Whatever your weight is, don’t spend another second comparing it to Kourtney's.

“Look at our furry friends,” Felty suggests. “We would never expect a Chihuahua to look like a St. Bernard. We have different genetics, different builds—we’re all individuals.”

At 47 I was an Overweight Mother When I Decided To Be An Olympic Weightlifter—This is How Sport Changed My Life

Lisa Fisco says she was a regular "overweight mom" when life as she knew it started crumbling. Thanks to O-lifting, she's now physically and mentally stronger than ever.

For many years I had what was truly an enviable life: I was married to a successful dentist and had a large, hilltop home in Calabasas, California, where we lived with our three beautiful sons who were—and are—the lights of my life. And then, 10 years ago, when I was 47, everything changed.

My relationship with my husband began to deteriorate, and I discovered he had a girlfriend. We filed for divorce, and I ended up losing my marriage and our home. It was the darkest time of my life. Every day, I went through the motions: I went to work as an executive, made dinner, and went to bed. But I felt like an empty shell of a person.

This went on for a while, until I woke up one day, tired of who I was. I looked in the mirror and saw someone who was overweight and frumpy. I didn't even recognize myself. It was at that moment that I realized I had to make a change.

New adventures

Eager for a fresh start, I decided to enroll in an entrepreneurship class at UCLA. I had always liked the idea of becoming my own boss and creating a personal brand that would empower women, but I wasn't sure what that meant or how to make it happen. I thought this course might help.

The professor turned out to be the best teacher I’d ever had. During one of our first classes, he encouraged the group to think about what we loved most as children and try to find a way to tie that to our lives as adults. I immediately thought about how happy I was when I lifted weights with my dad. It was just simple weights in our basement, but it made me feel strong and like I could do anything. Back then, I had even dreamed of going to the Olympics and winning a gold medal for weight-lifting, but my life took a different path. 

Decades had passed since I'd even set foot in a gym. And I was the heaviest I'd ever been—more than 100 pounds overweight. But I realized that maybe it wasn't too late for me to get into Olympic lifting, aka O-lifting. I decided to abandon my plans to open a business and started figuring out how to reach all of the Olympic coaches in the state.

Reclaiming my power

O-lifting, by definition, doesn't necessarily involve going to the Olympics, although some people do compete at that level and I hoped that one day I would be one of them. Unlike power lifting, which focuses on weight alone (the heavier, the better), O-lifting entails only two moves: the "snatch," which involves squatting over the barbell, grabbing it and with one smooth motion, bringing it above your head with arms fully extended as you move to a straight, standing position, and the “clean and jerk,” which involves leaning over the barbell to grab it and swing it to the shoulders with your arms bent, then bringing it up over your head with your arms straight. The goal is to be able to make those moves safely, but with precision and speed.

When I connected with Coach Mike Burgener, who trained the Olympic team in San Diego, I was ecstatic. I emailed him and was very honest: I told him I was a 40-something, overweight mom, but that I loved athletics and that I wanted to train in Olympic lifting. He wrote back within 5 minutes saying he loved my letter and my motivation and asked when I wanted to get started.

That very weekend, I schlepped my three kids all the way to San Diego. I was worried that Coach Burgener would change his mind when he saw me, but his word was good. I said, “Here I am, coach,” and he replied, “Well, let’s get on with it!”

Coach Burgener agreed to train me in the sport and help me compete, starting at the local level. If I qualified, I'd advance to the national and then world level. And if I managed to qualify at the world level, I might then have a shot of competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

Training was extremely intense, but I fully committed. Three or four times a week, I'd leave my day job in Van Nuys and drive about three hours to Long Beach, where I'd train for 3-4 hours before driving another three hours to my home in Camarillo. I was absolutely exhausted, yet I felt better than ever: Very quickly I lost the 100+ pounds of fat that I'd been carrying around, and my stress and crippling depression melted away. For the first time since my marriage started crumbling, I felt like I had something to look forward to.

I got stronger and stronger, and my technique improved. By 2010, three years into training, I had qualified at the local and national level, and my dream of reaching the Olympics seemed to be within grasp. I began training with Olympic team members in California and also spent some time at an Olympic training facility in Colorado. And then, one day while I was running, I felt something pop in my knee.

Setback and recovery

The knee injury was serious, and I was devastated. I needed surgery and began a long and painful recovery. I thought that my O-lifting career was over, along with any hopes of ever competing in the Olympics. I was crushed. 

I tried to distract myself with work, but over the next few years life only became more stressful: My custody arrangement with my ex-husband shifted, and a judge ordered me to start paying child support. In order to pay it—along with the rest of my bills—I rented out a few rooms in my home. I deliberately chose female tenants, thinking that I'd be more comfortable with other women in the house, but they turned out to be terrible housemates.

I was miserable, and I needed a release. I decided to go back to the gym, and I instantly felt better than ever, emotionally, mentally, and physically. By 2016 I had gotten strong enough to start O-lifting again, and it's made all the difference.

Although I still can't train as intensely as I had before my injury, I feel like my dreams are once again within grasp. My big goal now is to get to the world stage, go to the world championship, and win a world title. Some people might be skeptical, since most O-lifters get into the sport in their teens or 20s, and I'm 57. But I don't see any reason to give up, especially since I can go into a gym and blow away men half my age with what I can lift. I'm determined to take this as far as my body will let me.

I Was Taking Turmeric Shots Daily For 1 Week, and this is How My Body Reacted to it

If you've spent any time online in the last year, you've heard about the wonders of turmeric. Derived from a plant called curcuma longa, turmeric is a yellow spice commonly used in Asian or Indian foods, and it's said to have many health benefits when taken regularly. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, and it's said to improve digestion, relieve joint pain, and prevent heart disease.

There are all sorts of ways to get turmeric into your body, but I kept hearing that the best way is to make a tonic or take a shot of it. To be honest, juicing the turmeric root for the tonic sounded like a pain in the ass, so I decided to try homemade turmeric shots. After reading around online and asking various people who have had success with turmeric in the past, I decided my turmeric shots would include the following:

• 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
• Freshly cracked black pepper (which is meant to help with absorption)
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice from half a lemon
• Coconut water

I also took a small spoonful of extra virgin coconut oil after the shot, because I heard this is also meant to help with absorption. I don't know how true that is, but I figured it couldn't hurt. This is what happened when I took my homemade shot every day for one week.

I Was a Pooping Machine

I didn't really feel much in the first couple of days, but about halfway into the week, I noticed a change in my digestion. I was suddenly running to the bathroom two or three times a day. I'm pretty regular as it is and I never have trouble relieving myself, so to see myself poop this much on the daily was a little alarming. The strange part was that my business was - sh*t's about to get real here - much runnier and more watery than usual. It felt like I was in the middle of a detox.

Nothing else in my lifestyle changed over this week, so I'm sure it was the turmeric working its magic. I'm still waiting for my bowel movements to return to normal again, and I'm wondering if my digestion will improve as my body gets used to the shots. Time will only tell.

I Could Barely Handle the Taste

I love cooking with turmeric, but this whole week may have turned me off of it for a while. Downing that shot was torture for me. Turmeric has a pretty potent taste, and I didn't like how it tasted with the pepper and coconut water together. Those flavors just do not mix if you ask me. I had to have something at arm's length to chew on right after I took the shot, like a spoonful of coconut yogurt or peanut butter toast. Just the taste alone is almost enough for me to never take those shots again.

I Definitely Had More Energy Than Usual

During the second half of the week, I woke up with a pep in my step every morning. I don't know if it was because I felt lighter from all the bathroom trips, but whatever it was, I had a lot of energy in the a.m. Turmeric is said to boost serotonin and dopamine in your brain, so this may have been why I had more energy and was in a better mood every morning.

The Soreness From My Workouts Went Away Faster

This was certainly the best part of my turmeric experiment. The anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric helped me recover from my workouts even faster. I had a particularly difficult lower-body session at one point during the week, which left me pretty sore the next morning. But I noticed that this soreness faded away much quicker than usual. Rather than walking around for two whole days sore I only really noticed the soreness for one full day. It was like my muscles were building and getting stronger at a faster rate. How sci-fi!

My Stomach Hurt If I Didn't Take It With Food

I practice intermittent fasting, so I stop eating after 4 p.m. Two out of the seven days, I took my turmeric shot at night before bed (only because my lazy self forgot to in the morning), and I soon realized this was a mistake. I woke up with a tummy ache. It felt slightly like I was gassy, but it wasn't exactly the same sensation as having to fart. The feeling went away once I had a full meal. I can almost definitively say this was because I took it without food, though, because the mornings when I took my turmeric shots with breakfast, I didn't have that issue at all.

I'm not sure I'll continue taking these shots every single day. However, because I did see some good results, I would certainly consider another kind of tonic or drink that tasted better than this one. I'd like to see what happens to my body if I continue to take turmeric supplements every day. I have a feeling it would do wonders for my recovery time outside of the gym in the long run.

I Stop Taking Soda For a Year and here is how it Changed My Life

Have you ever wondered just how bad soda is for your body? I didn't either for almost 27 years of my life. I was addicted to the sugary goodness. I would drink it without thought - with lunch, as a snack, with dinner, during movies. I'd consume so many sodas in a day that my doctor warned me it was getting to be hazardous to my health. I had tried to quit soda before, but always came back to it after a week off. But as I was about to turn 28, my body was giving me warning signs of its own that I needed to change my habits. I was always tired - unless fueled with caffeine. Food wouldn't taste good if I didn't have it with a soda. And I was always bloated and gassy, which doesn't help when you're trying to go out on dates. So two days before my 28th birthday, I decided to give up the drink for a year. Yep, 365 days without soda - would I be able to do it? I wasn't confident with myself, but I wanted to try. Here are the things that I learned.

It's not easy, but it is possible.

Giving up soda would not be something that would come easy for me. I was dependent on soda. I would drink at least two to three cans a day, sometimes more. The first few weeks were the worst. I would get really bad cravings and had to figure out ways to keep from drinking it. We have a fridge at work that is full of free soda - this was the worst because it was so readily available. It's like it was staring at me, tempting me to drink it every time I would need to go past the kitchen. So I stopped going past the kitchen. If I wasn't near it, I didn't have to fight as hard not to drink it. I would stock up on multiple bottles of water in the morning and avoid the kitchen at all costs.

The longer you go without it, the easier it gets.

One of my greatest accomplishments was making it one month without soda. It felt good because I knew I didn't NEED the drink in my life. When I started, I knew I had to find an alternative. You can't just cut it out cold turkey when you're used to having that much caffeine every day. I began to try different drinks; I switched to teas - iced tea, lemonade, green tea, and hot tea - any type of tea worked. It was how I still got flavor in my life. But after a while, I began to enjoy the tea. Unsweetened tea began to have a flavor, and I actually wanted to drink it. This led to me also wanting to drink more water.

It's not about a number on a scale, but your clothes will fit better.

It's not about a number on a scale, but your clothes will fit better. They may even get so big that you have to go down a size or two. I went from a size 12/14 to a size 10/12. I had to invest in a belt, which, as time went on, I had to go from two holes to three to four. I now can buy medium shirts again instead of large and XL, and overall, I feel better and more confident.

Stress dreams are real, and they will happen.

I would often wake up in the middle of the night in a panic. I had such vivid dreams that I drank soda and I would wake up feeling like I had failed only to realize I was asleep. The dreams only lasted about six months, but they were intense. I'm not sure what caused these dreams, but I like to think it was because my brain was trying to acclimate to life without such high amounts of sugar and caffeine.

You will have urges to work out.

I can't begin to tell you how much I hate working out. It seems like a chore, I get bored very easily, and I honestly have no idea if I'm even doing the exercises correctly. But when I stopped drinking soda, I had to get my energy elsewhere because the sugar rushes were no longer there. I felt really sluggish and like my body wasn't being used, and I began to want to go on runs and move around and be active. I started taking classes because they seemed fun. The classes turned into a routine, and now I've even stepped up my game and started taking Muay Thai.

You will notice food begins to have more flavor and taste better, and you'll crave healthy food.

The amount of sugar I was consuming in soda would make everything taste bland unless it was coated in sugar. As time went on, I started to develop my sense of taste again. This has also given me cravings for healthier foods. I am not one to preach about a healthy lifestyle. I love pizza - it's my favorite food group - but I also found myself not wanting to eat it once a week along with burgers and fries. I started to crave salads and vegetables (my mom would be thrilled for this to have happened as a child). I popped open a cookbook and began experimenting with recipes and wanted to take more chances and reward my body for the great job it was doing.

You have to make the conscious decision every day to not drink it until it becomes a habit.

That's right. YOU have to actively think about not drinking soda and force yourself not to do it. If you aren't in it 100 percent, you will lapse and go back to it. I have now been soda-free for a little over two years and, honestly, don't even register it as an option anymore. I drink mostly water now, and if I need a little flavor in my life, I have an iced tea or lemonade. I even have milkshakes every now and then. You don't have to deprive yourself of things you love to be healthy; you just have to be aware of what is in certain things and how they are adversely affecting your body and health. Your body will thank you if you take care of it.

Mom of three Reveals That flight attendant fat shamed her over airplane intercom which led to her weight loss program

A New Zealand woman who claims she was publicly fat shamed on a plane by the flight attendant used the hurtful comments to make a big change in her life.

Kayla Martin, a 25-year-old mother of three, shared her story on Instagram earlier this month. She explains that she was at the Auckland Airport in New Zealand on her way to Australia for a vacation. When she boarded the plane, already feeling self-conscious and wearing a baggy jacket to cover her body, Martin describes the humiliating moment she was called out over the loudspeaker because the seatbelt didn’t fit.

“The airline hostess found it appropriate to announce in the middle of a quiet plane that due to my size, I would need to use the seat belt extension that mums travelling w babies needed and maybe next time I should consider booking 2 seats to accommodate for my size to ensure a more [comfortable] flight for myself and other passengers,” she wrote on Instagram.

Martin explains how the moment of “pure embarrassment and shame stuck with her.

“I loved myself so little back then that I let that airline hostess treat me that way,” she wrote. “I [believed] I wasn't deserving of the same respect that she was showing the rest of the passengers because in my head, I was worth less than every skinny person on that plane.”

However, she decided to use the uncomfortable moment on the airplane as her motivation to get fit and transform her health. Martin has lost 71 pounds, but more importantly, she learned to start loving and taking care of herself.

“The day I started LOVING myself enough to start taking care of ME and nourishing my body was the day I turned a new page. Both my physical and mental health have transformed so much since then and I am so PROUD,” she wrote.

Alongside her post, Martin shared side-by-side transformation photos showing her dramatic weight loss. “The girl on the right side is a lot healthier, a whole lot happier and has so much confidence now (maybe a lil too much 😂). More importantly she LOVES HERSELF!” she wrote. “No matter your size or shape, colour or culture, you are worth just as much as everyone else. Love yourself enough to take a stand for yourself and doing things for YOU. The rest will start to fall into place from there. I am a walking testament to that.”

What actually did Kim Kardashian do To Get Her natural 24-Inch Waist

Lots of early morning workouts were involved.

Kim Kardashian has become a pretty polarizing figure throughout her decade in the spotlight, but one thing about her that's really not up for debate is how ridiculously in shape she is. The reality star and mom of three recently shared a video on her app in which she revealed during her book club meeting that her waist is now 24 inches - and if you're wondering how she was able to make that happen after giving birth twice, a recent interview with PEOPLE suggests that she has former bodybuilder and trainer Melissa Alcantara to thank for that.

If you're an avid watcher of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, then you probably remember the Season 14 episode in which Kim talks about the moment she found Alcantara on Instagram.

"I was looking on Instagram and this bodybuilder popped up on my page," she explained to Kris Jenner during the episode. "She gained 70 pounds in her pregnancy. Her kid's like six now, but she is like ripped."

Kim continued in her confessional, "Melissa is a trainer I found. She's super inspiring to me and I really want to meet up with her and see if she could train me. She could help direct my food and really get me on an amazing path."

That's when she started working with Alcantara - who goes by the name @fitgurlmel on Instagram - for the better part of the next year to lose her baby weight. Kim met with her during the episode to discuss her fitness goals before the two finally started getting down to business.

"They were like, 'Are you available to train Kim on Monday?'" the celebrity trainer told PEOPLE. "I was like, 'Of course I'm available!' And it went from there."

According to Alcantara, she and Kim get together six days a week at 6 a.m. (talk about dedication) to focus on different areas of the body like legs, biceps/triceps, and chest/back. Kim apparently approached her with a request to get some help gaining muscle, but the pair also does cardio together - and, as you can probably tell from Kim's Instagram pics, it's all been paying off.

"Kim has been getting some really nice results, like with her triceps," she said. "She can't believe how much has changed over the last few months. And when you're in this deep, it's hard to go back. She just keeps it up. She's focused and she has a goal in mind."

When it comes to her training regimen, Kim is a bit of a "workhorse," as Alcantara puts it, though she's also attributed some of her weight loss to the Atkins Diet. She aims to eat 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day while also avoiding alcohol and carbs. Tbh, it sounds like a pretty difficult thing to commit to but no one said a body like that comes easily.

Causes, Symptoms and Remedies For Shin Splint

Shin splints, also called tibial stress syndrome, refers to the pain along the shin bone or tibia, the large bone in the front of the lower leg. It is common in runners who do so much too soon and pain is usually felt by the person along the inner edge of the shin bone. Since the condition involves pain as one of its symptoms, it may affect a person’s movement and activities of daily living. The following are the causes, signs and symptoms, and home remedies for shin splints.

Causes

The causes of shin splints are not yet fully understood, as per Medical News Today; however, it involves various issues. While this remains the status on the condition’s causes, shin splints is associated with repetitive activities that place stress on the shin bone, along with the connective tissues that connect the muscles to the bone. Some theories also claim that such stress lead to tibial connective tissue inflammation; the condition is termed periostitis. Tibial injuries are also common associations and these include tendinopathy, a tendon disease; periosteal remodeling, bone growth and regeneration; and muscle dysfunction, which may involve the tibialis posterior (inside of the ankle), tibialis anterior (running long the foot and big toe), and the soleus or the lower calf.

Signs and Symptoms

Shin splints presents several signs and symptoms. According to Health Line, these include a dull pain in the front part of the lower leg, pain the progresses during exercise, pain felt on either side of the shin bone, muscle pain, pain along the inner part of the lower leg, tenderness or soreness along the inner part of the lower leg, mild swelling in the lower leg, and numbness and weakness in the feet. As per the publication, it is important to see the doctor if severe pain in the shin after a fall or accident is felt, the shin feels hot and is visibly inflamed, the swelling in the area worsens, and pain is still felt even when at rest.

Home Remedies

Shin splints may be prescribed with pain relievers, such as over-the-counter agents like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium. Nonetheless, remedies can still be done at home to help manage the condition.

Rest

One remedy for shin splints is rest, for this helps the affected area recover and regain strength. According to Mayo Clinic, activities that lead to discomfort, pain, and swelling should be avoided; however, the person should not stop from doing physical activities. As per the publication, low-impact exercises like cycling, water running, and swimming are allowed.

Cold Application

Another remedy for shin splints is cold therapy, since it helps reduce pain and swelling. According to Style Craze, ice always works for the condition and they can be placed on top of the shins for 15 to 20 minutes for four to eight times a day. Ice cubes can also be put in a towel and held against the shin until pain is relieved. This remedy will also help enable the person to walk comfortably again.

Physical Therapy

A person with shin splints may undergo physical therapy, even at home. According to Web MD, this helps identify and treat back and leg concerns that serve as roots of the condition. As per the publication, the physical therapist may also help reduce pain and guide the person recover and regain the strength of the affected area.

Shin splints refers to the pain of the inner edge of the large bone in front of the lower leg and it causes movement restriction and disruption of a person’s daily activities. With this, it is vital to seek medical consult from a doctor to assess the condition, set goals, implement strategies, reinforce health education, and evaluate potential outcomes.

Prevent Sagging Breasts Naturally using THESE Tips

Our breasts will naturally sag with time. This is mostly due to how the female body is created. The breast are not muscles and the skin covering it contain the protein elastin that allows it to expand. Weight gain, puberty and pregnancy can all cause the breast to change in size dramatically. Sudden weight loss can cause sagging breast and some habits cause the elastin in our breast to lose elasticity. So, what can you do to help keep your breast firm as long as possible? Below are a few easy tips to try.

Hydration

Hydration plays a huge factor when it comes to keeping the skin smooth and firm. You may hear it over and over again, but drinking a good amount of water is great for your health and skin. This can also help with reducing sagginess. It can help the skin, prevent premature aging that can lead to loose skin.

Maintaining Your Weight

Sagging skin can be caused by fluctuating weight. This is especially important when it comes to sagging breasts. Some people experience their breast size grow when they lose weight and lose a few cup sizes when they lose weight. By simply maintaining your weight, you can help keep the skin around your breast area firm

Exercise

Exercising can help keep your breast firm. This is an important thing to keep in mind if you want to lose weight and prevent sagging breasts. Eating a healthy diet and exercising can help keep your skin smoother and firmer than dieting alone. Avoiding foods that are high in fat can affect your skin regeneration.

Get the Right Bra

Finding the right bra for you everyday and exercising is incredibly important. When we walk, run, exercise and do day to day activities, our breast will tend to move. This can cause strain on your skin, causing it to stretch and lose elasticity over time. It is important to make sure that you use breast that can help keep the breast firmly in place and prevent it from bouncing.  Your bra should not be too tight that you feel that you can’t breathe. Under wire is a great option since it helps keep the breast in place. Your breast should not be spilling from your cup and be securely intact.

Protect the Skin

The skin around your breast tend to be thin and sensitive. It needs a lot more TLC than the rest. You need to apply moisturizer, sunscreen and anti-aging serums to prevent it from losing elasticity. Straying away from nicotine can also help with your skin health. Avoid chemicals that affect the collagen in your skin.

Sunscreen and Tanning

Frequent exposure to UV rays can cause the skin to lose elasticity and make you more prone to wrinkles. If you are going outside, make sure to always use sunscreen even in your chest area.

A big misconception that people have about sagging breast is “breast feeding will cause sagging”. Do no be afraid to breastfeed your baby. Not breast feeding will not prevent it from sagging, it can even make it worse. The breast can become larger and heavier and can cause further staffing. It will happen regardless. You can reduce them by maintaining the skin around it with a bit of moisturizer and tightening serums.

Source: orangecountybreast.com