3 things to do if you are new to working out

Hello Fitfam, it's Obinna on this beautiful Thursday morning reporting live from Lagos, Nigeria. Today I'll like to discuss something many of you have asked about in e-mails, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter messages.

Actual IG follower: Hello Obi, so I'd like to start taking working out seriously, but I am lost, do you have any recommendations for newbies like myself?

Here are my recommendations. *Remember to always consult your doctor before making changes to your fitness regime*.

1. Cardio:

Cardiovascular strength and endurance are keys aspects of physical fitness and this should be a key part of any complete training regime. I recommend you set a target, for example 30 minutes of continuous motion (you can start from 5 minutes and build your way up).

2. Strength Training:

Now it's time to talk about building muscular and skeletal strength. Strength training does not mean that you are working towards attaining the physique of a bodybuilder or bikini model. It simply means that you are carrying out repeated motions to ensure you have strong muscles and bones so you can carry out daily activities (and sometimes lift people, cars and small buildings) without difficulty. Again, do not be afraid that you will bulk up so quickly...if it were that simple, many of us would be pro-wrestlers by now. Lift your weights (body weights, free weights, cables etc) people!

3. Alternate and switch things up:

This tip has done wonders for me and many of my friends that take this health and fitness lifestyle seriously. Essentially, you should avoid giving your body the chance to get comfortable and used to exercises you repeat each time you visit the gym. SHOCK your muscles, challenge your body and you will see results quicker than if you did not. Besides, what fun is there in repeating the same thing over and over again anyways?

Looking for free workout guides? You'll find some HERE.

Random Lagos snaps (snapchat: ObiFN)

It's mango season in Nigeria! Mango seller in Lekki, Lagos (N100 for 3)

As always, be social and share this post. Check us out on social media and comment with your questions, concerns and maybe some recommendations of your own. Thank you for reading, till we meet again tomorrow, have a wonderful day! 

@fitnigeria | #fitnigeria

Welcome to FitNigeria

FitNigeria is an idea that was started by one of our co-founders, Obinna Udora. His aim was to create an exercise platform that would motivate and inspire Nigerians, where ever they are in the world, to workout and maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise and the right type of diet.

Obinna, myself (my name is Koro) and Rumi are the three founders behind FitNigeria. We are health conscious and fitness enthusiasts. We are very happy to come together and share our workout and diet tips, motivational posts, and proper exercise procedures with everyone that would be willing to listen or read.

We plan to share our ideas through instructional videos, pictures, posts, social media platforms, and eventually through planned workshops. We strongly believe our Nigerian culture and community have the resources to embrace a healthier lifestyle and we hope to assist our readers and followers to reach their utmost level of fitness. 

Welcome to FitNigeria and we hope we help you the best way we possibly can :-) - Koro 


Today's post will feature Two Abdominal (Abs) focused videos, A healthy recipe for your diet needs, and pictures and links to our social media websites. 

Building strong core muscles are very important. Core exercises are an important of an all round fitness program. Core exercises help you improve your flexibility, (very important) stability and balance (also very important). 

A very popular exercise to help build and strengthen your core muscles is The Plank. I'm posting a video of me below to show everyone the correct way to do the exercise. Ensure your back is straight and your body is rigid. No bending or sagging people! Try to hold this position for about 30 seconds, if you're more advanced, feel free to push yourself to about a minute or two. Your head should be relaxed, try not to tighten your neck because that will cause strain & tension. 

The next exercise are the Hanging Leg Raises. This exercise works on your midsection, laterals (you're using your arms), and upper body strength (which we all have, it just needs to be worked on). Using the correct form is absolutely important for this exercise. Now, if you do not have a pull up bar available to you, you are allowed to use your imagination. Working out can be creative :) You just need to find an elevated point that requires your body upwards, using you core muscles.Watch Obinna doing leg raises below. 
Keep your legs straight and your core tight. Don't forget to breathe! If you're just starting out, you can start out with 10 leg raises and then add 10 more each week. Break down them into sets i.e don't do 50 leg raises at one go. 

FOOD & DIET: Pan Seared Chicken Sandwich and Baked Potatoes

Food and Diet: A healthy diet goes hand in hand with your workouts. I use the phrase "eat clean, train dirty'. There are misconceptions that eating healthy requires you to starve yourself. That is not true. You can eat a nice, healthy meal and feel satisfied throughout the day. Rumi whipped up something yummy for us today. Check out the recipe (with pictures) and her directions below: 

I am really excited about this blog, yaaay for Fit Nigeria. :) So I decided to go with the pan seared chicken sandwich for this post, mainly because I posted a picture on instagram and i got a lot of positive feedback and people asking for the recipe. 

It's a healthy quick meal and I promise all the ingredients are easy to get and priced pretty decent. If you have any questions, hit me up and I'll be sure to reply.

Pan Seared Chicken Sandwich and Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

4 Russet Potatoes

3 Chicken Breasts

1 Tomato

6 Slices of Whole wheat Bread

1 Kiwi

Olive Oil

Coleslaw mix

Mayonnaise

Soy Sauce

Spices: Maggi, Salt, Pepper, Curry, Thyme and Parsley.

Process:

1. Cut and clean the chicken breast and spice, I went with the basic spices (Maggi, salt, curry and thyme) and a dash of soy sauce (I love the flavor it gives off). Put it in the fridge and marinate while you work on everything else.

2. Wash the potatoes and cut into cubes. Place in a clean pot with water, salt and a drop of oil. Put to boil for 15 minutes. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees

3. In a bowl mix the coleslaw with mayonnaise ( i went with the fresh express brand), this will serve as a filling for the sandwich. Cut the tomatoes into thin slices to add to the filling.

4. The potatoes should be boiled now, place in a greased pan and sprinkle salt, pepper, parsley and thyme and place in the oven.

5. In a non stick pan put a little olive oil and heat up.

6. Once heated put the marinated chicken to cook. I usually make little incisions on both sides, flipping continually till its cooked through.

7. Take the potatoes out of the oven once brown,

8. Put a slice of bread and add a layer of coleslaw, chicken breast, another layer of coleslaw, tomatoes and drizzle with thousand island dressing. Place the other bread and cut into two (triangle). Place in the oven for 5 minutes.

9. Serve with baked potatoes and fruits.

 If you have any questions, feel free to tweet at us @FitNigeria or email us at Obifitnessinfo@gmail.com. Our instagram is @FitNigeria (we will be posting pictures on there as well)
If you have more personal questions for me or my co founders, you can ask us on our personal twitter accounts:
Koro @Birkinbad 
Obinna @DJDutchSM
Rumie @RuemuIghofose 
Lanre @Bobo_Execs (He will be hosting Lanre Thursdays)

Thank you for reading, enjoy your day, and do not forget to stretch before and after you workout :-)