Instead, I’ve been focusing on eating well. My appetite reduced, so smoothies became my go-to. A few weeks back, I bought beetroot without any plan for it, and it was just sitting in the fridge drying up. Now, it’s the main star of my smoothies mixed with fruits, veggies, and homemade soya bean milk I recently started making again (after such a long time of not taking it). It feels good to replace dairy with something lighter and healthier. These smoothies have been giving me energy while also helping me avoid overeating on the days I skip workouts.

On the brighter side, I’ve seen some progress with my workouts. I’ve lost noticeable weight, and I’m proud of myself, especially because it hasn’t been easy. Rope jumping almost had me quitting in the beginning. I didn’t see results as fast as I wanted, but I stayed consistent, and now I can see changes, especially around my tummy. I notice the changes myself, but I really confirmed it when someone asked me, "How is the baby?" And I realized that she thought I was pregnant and probably gave birth, since I'm slimmer. This isn't the first time this has happened. Some time ago, when I drastically lost weight after a period of practising intermittent fasting, I got this same question from another person. 

Related: Dressing After Baby: Rediscovering Confidence and Style as I Lose Weight

              Life Update | Losing more weight & self-grooming

Speaking of my tummy, I also recently discovered I have diastasis recti—something I had never really thought about before. It’s a condition that happens after pregnancy when the belly muscles separate because of the stretch. For a long time, I wondered why my belly wasn’t reducing the way I expected. Now I understand better, and I’ve added the right exercises to target it. I’ll share more about this in a separate post, because I know many women may be struggling with their postpartum belly without even knowing what’s going on.

Outside of fitness and food, something else has been on my mind lately. Last week, I came across a post by Tunde Onakoya, the founder of Chess in Slums. He shared that he was taking a break from Twitter (or X) because, as an empath, it feels too dark and heavy. That post really touched me. It reflected exactly how I’ve been feeling about the app too. Yes, there are interesting conversations and perspectives, but there’s also a lot of negativity, and people are being mean for no reason.

I remember a lighter post he made after Genevieve Nnaji shared her birthday picture. He was playful about it, but even then, people managed to throw negative comments. I get it. As an empath, sometimes you just can’t take in too much negativity, even when you’re trying to focus on the good.

So that’s what life has been like lately: slowing down on work and workouts to recover from fatigue, living on beetroot smoothies (with my homemade soya milk twist), celebrating little wins with my weight loss, and learning more about my body and health. And in the middle of all that, I was still navigating school routines and figuring out how to stay sane online. 

Wishing you a great rest of the week and weekend. 

Happy new month, everyone! 

Can you believe it’s already September? Honestly, this year has been running fast, but here we are. And today marked back to school — officially day one of the school year.

I have to say, it went surprisingly well. No rush, no stress, no pressure like in previous years. I actually woke up before my alarm this morning, and the first thing I noticed was the rain. Now tell me, why is it that on the very day school starts, the rain decides to fall both in the morning when you’re supposed to drop the kids off and in the afternoon when you’re supposed to pick them up? 😂 For the past weeks, it’s been mostly just dull weather with little to no rain, but as soon as school resumes, here comes the heavy showers. Only God knows why it happens this way every year.

Looking back at last month, it was all about preparation and anticipation for school. And I have to admit, this time around I felt different. Rested. Ready. Even excited. Last September, I wasn’t prepared at all for the early mornings and daily back-and-forths. But this year, I feel more balanced, with a little more energy to handle it all.

So today was a good start. The school runs went smoothly, and I got to enjoy some quiet time in the morning. That silence felt new again — the house without the kids has its own kind of peace. I actually sat there and thought, yes, I’m going to like this.

Of course, it wouldn’t be me without a little kitchen story. I decided this morning to cook Khoki before I start work for the day. I wanted to at least put it on the fire and work while it cooks since it takes at least two hours to get ready. The last time I made it, I messed up with too much oil. This time, I told myself I’d do better. Well, guess what? I ended up putting too much salt instead. 😂 So now, my Khoki has become my personal little back-to-school disaster. Hopefully, next time I’ll get it right.

All in all, day one went well. The rain was annoying, and the Khoki didn’t come out well, but the peace, the fresh start, and the feeling of being ready this September made me smile.

Happy back-to-school to all the parents reading this. Hope your first day of school went well too. 

Here’s to a smooth school year ahead, early mornings we can handle, and finding little joys (and lessons) in each day.

This Morning’s Little Self-Care Moments

Breakfast

I did a lighter pink on my fingernails and a bright orange on my toes.

This morning, I felt like treating myself to something a little special. Breakfast in bed. Nothing too fancy, just something that would make me feel good. I made myself an avocado salad, added some boiled eggs, and had it with a slice of bread. Interestingly, I didn’t even finish one slice—and that made me happy because it means I’m staying on track with my weight loss goals. Small wins, right?

With school resumption stress in full swing, I needed this. Just a quiet moment to remind myself that it’s okay to relax and breathe. Sometimes I forget, and I pile on too much, but being intentional about self-care is really helping me.

Related: Mini Breakfast Haul + Breakfast Idea (What I Ate) | Life In Cameroon

Speaking of self-care, I finally did my cornrows! By myself! The lines are not the neatest, but honestly, it turned out so fine, and I was so proud of myself. There’s just something about doing your own hair that makes you feel accomplished. Another big thing I’ve been paying attention to is sleep. I’ve realized I need to rest more, and I’m slowly teaching myself that rest is not a luxury—it’s part of taking care of me.

Related: Self-Care Morning | Spaghetti, Pedicure and A Nollywood Throwback

I used it often in my twenties, and it worked well for my skin, but somewhere along the way, I stopped using it. I think it was during pregnancy—I became sensitive to strong smells and perfumes, so I switched to things like olive oil, which felt safer and gentler at the time.

Later, when I had my babies and slowly started going back to using body creams and lotions, I still didn’t think to return to glycerine. I was using good lotions, but something was still off. My skin would feel soft after applying, but a few hours later, it would go back to looking or feeling dry—especially on my arms and legs.

Hydrating body creams helped a bit, but I had to use a good amount of product to stay moisturised. That’s when glycerine came back into my life.

How Glycerine Found Its Way Back Into My Skincare Routine

It Started With a Small Bottle

One day I went to the supermarket and saw a small bottle of glycerine and just picked it up — more out of curiosity than anything else. I mixed a small quantity into my body lotion and started using it again.

And let me tell you, the difference was clear.

My skin felt hydrated and softer, and it didn’t have that dry, stretchy look I sometimes get after a few hours. So when that first bottle finished, I bought another one—this time a bigger size—and I mixed it more generously into my lotion. Right now, my mix is almost 80% glycerine, and I’m honestly loving the results.

What Glycerine Does for My Skin

• Hydration: My skin stays moisturized for longer, even when I don’t apply a lot of cream.

• Softness: My skin feels smooth to the touch—especially on my legs and arms.

• Gentle exfoliation: Glycerine somehow helps dead skin cells come off easily. For example, when I use blended tomato as a body mask (yes, tomato—I’ll talk more about that in another post), I notice that my skin peels gently and glows afterwards.

• Fades dark spots faster: When skin is dry, it's harder to treat or fade spots. But when it’s well moisturized, the healing is faster and the spots clear out better.

The Sticky Truth (LOL)

Let me not lie—sometimes my skin feels a bit sticky after applying it, especially if I use a lot. It actually reminded me of how it used to feel back in the day when I first started using it. But it’s not a bad kind of sticky—more like that feeling you get after applying something rich and nourishing.

Why I Think I Stopped Using It

At one point, I heard someone say glycerine wasn’t good for your skin as you age. I don’t even remember who said it or where I read it, but I took it seriously and just stopped using it. And you know how sometimes skincare “gurus” don’t mention it much? That kind of made me feel like maybe it wasn’t a good idea to go back to it.

Instead, you see them recommending hydrating lotions, which are great but not always affordable. And honestly? Glycerine does the job. It’s simple, available, and effective. It's okay to have a hydrating lotion, but glycerin is also a very hydrating product.

How I Use Glycerine Now

• I mix it into my body lotion—generously.

• I apply it on my face before and after using drying products like Sivoderm pommade or Kojie San soap. This helps keep my skin hydrated while the product works.

• After washing off those products, I hydrate again with glycerine before applying any creams or oils.

These products (especially Kojie San and Sivoderm) are effective, but they dry out the skin, so glycerine helps balance it all out and protect my moisture barrier.

I feel like I’ve returned to something that always worked for me—and honestly, I’m glad.
Not everything that works has to be trendy. Sometimes, it’s the simple products that have stood the test of time that your skin loves the most.

If you have dry skin or you’re using products that dry you out, try adding a little glycerine into your routine. You don’t need much, but your skin will thank you.

And if it feels a little sticky? Just smile—that’s how you know you've applied enough. 😊

Sometimes the most unexpected hauls give the best meals. 🥑🍞💜

Related: Self-Care Morning | Spaghetti, Pedicure and A Nollywood Throwback

White rice with tomato stew. Jellof rice with the little vegetables we had left in the fridge. Rice with eggs. And these have been repeated. Honestly, it’s been fun until it got boring lol—almost like a mini food challenge without even planning it.

Of course, there were days we switched things up. The day I made Khoki was a highlight—no rice in sight. Just that beautiful pudding that we ate with cassava. Another day, I paired cabbage with fufu and meat sauce with baton de manioc, and it felt like a proper break from the rice streak.

The Budget Tip That’s Helping Me Stretch My Money During Tight Financial Periods

What this does for me:

• Saves money—I’m not spending on things we don’t urgently need.

• Reduces waste—I’m actually eating what I’ve already bought.

• Boosts creativity—I end up trying new combinations I wouldn’t have thought of.

No-Tomato Meat Sauce | Cameroon Recipe

Ingredients 

Preparing the ingredients 

Cooking

Note to Self—You’re Not Stuck, You’re Shifting

You didn’t even notice it, but you’ve been moving.
Not loudly. Not quickly. But steadily.
You’re not stuck—you’re just in a soft transition.

It’s that in-between space where nothing feels fully clear, but everything is quietly realigning.

You’ve been:

• Reaching for small routines that make you feel good

• Editing your thoughts without even realizing it

• Letting go of the things that don’t fit anymore

• Following gentle nudges back to yourself

This season might feel foggy sometimes. But you’re not lost.
You’re repotting.
You’re making space.
You’re reconnecting.

You’re learning that clarity doesn’t always shout — sometimes it whispers.
And when it does, all you need to do is listen.

So keep showing up, even if it’s slow.
Keep trusting your rhythm.
And remember —
Even misty mornings still move you forward.