From Pudgy to Pageants

I know Nigerians are up to so much in the States and I was interested to see that the Ms. Nigeria in America Pageant took place on August 12 in Maryland. See more about it at http://www.missnigeriainamerica.org/v2/index.php. As an aside...why does Maryland seem to be the capital of all that is happening in Nigerian related events? Back to the point....one of the contestants this year is a young woman that attended my alma mater, Wesleyan College in Macon, GA. I was in my senior year when she started and she later transferred to Drexel University but we have kept in touch here and there. Chi-Chi is a very beautiful, and ambitious young woman and I was so pleased to learn that she was a fourth runner up this year. What makes it even more meaningful is the fact that Chi-Chi over the past couple of years has made a concerted effort to live a healthier lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, she was never overweight but this girl went home to Maryland one summer and came back a few pounds lighter, and with the dedication to continue eating healthy and working out. To watch Chi-Chi's transformation was unbelievable. I mean, we watch Oprah and see people that do it but until her I'd never known anyone personally who has lost weight and COMPLETELY changed their body into a lean, mean fit machine.....with the sculpted biceps and six pack tummy. Men, this girl is an inspiration o. I think I'll go back to the gym today and start working out again.

Who am I kidding? I'm all talk but men it's time to start thinking really seriously about incorporating healthy food and workouts into my daily lifestyle. I have an aunt who lives in the OC, land of beautiful people. She called me up the other day just to tell me to start working out NOW so that it becomes second nature cos even she (who is as non-conformist as it gets) is feeling the pressure to stay fit and fabulous because as she gets older it's harder to lose the pounds. It's funny how living in Naija we never worry about this kind of stuff. We don't eat processed foods, everything is fresh and additive free, you sweat so much in the damn heat you could lose a pound a day, and with all the wahala of running around chasing owo and business people start begging you to eat food because you're so skinny. But even with all these things, being skinny doesn't even necessarily mean you're healthy which is why it's important to work out or do some kind of daily activity in conjunction with eating healthily.

I've definitely done my share of temporary health kick then back to eating whatever the hell I like with no activity so this post is as much for myself as it is for others. Hearing that Chi-Chi had done so well in the pageant just made me think of how far she'd come and how great she looks and probably feels. I'm going to see if I can get a couple of pics of her so you can see what I'm talking about. It's just something to think about sha.

“The first wealth is health.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson