Healthy Living with Lilian

20/04/2026

If I were asked to recommend only ONE habit for weight loss…

It wouldn’t be a diet.
It wouldn’t be a workout plan.

It would be this:

👉 Get 7–9 hours of sleep every night.

Because when you don’t sleep enough, your body works against you.

Your hunger hormones go up.
Your cravings for sugar increase.
Your stress hormone (cortisol) rises.
And your body holds on to fat… especially around your belly.

So even when you’re eating “healthy” …
Even when you’re trying to exercise…

Progress feels slow. Or worse… non-existent.

But when you sleep well?

Your body regulates hunger better.
You have more energy to move.
And fat loss becomes easier—not forced.

So before you cut more calories…
Or start another workout plan…

Start here:
🛌 Fix your sleep.

Because weight loss isn’t just about what you do during the day…

It’s also about what your body does at night.

06/04/2026

I started eating healthy almost by accident.

It all began 7 years ago.

One day, my boss came into the office and announced that he had decided to start eating only fruits and vegetables for breakfast.

But there was one small problem:
he needed help preparing it every morning.

That task was given to me and his cousin.

So every day, we made his breakfast.

And because he did not like eating alone, he often invited me to eat with him.

To my surprise, I actually liked it.

I liked the taste.
I liked how I felt afterward.
And little by little, I became more intentional about what I was eating.

That was the beginning of a 7-year healthy eating journey.

Now, many people ask me:

**“How do I start eating healthy?”**

On the surface, it sounds like an easy question.

Just eat this.
Stop eating that.

But when I think about my own journey, I know it would never have lasted if I had tried to change everything from day one.

I still remember when I started with simple sweet fruit salads:
pawpaw, watermelon, mangoes, pineapple.

Some of my colleagues laughed at me.

They said,
“If you really want to eat healthy, then eat vegetable salad with salad cream.”

Thank God I did not listen.

Because the truth is:
if I had started with foods I hated, I would have given up very quickly.

Instead, I started with changes that felt realistic.
Changes my taste buds could handle.
Changes I could actually stick to.

And that is exactly why I created my **FREE 7-day email course**.

It is for anyone who wants to start eating healthier but feels overwhelmed by all the advice out there.

For 7 days, I will send you one simple tip each day that you can actually apply — without drastic changes, without food punishment, and without giving up everything you love.

If that sounds like something you need, send me the word **INTERESTED** by DM and I will send you the first lesson.

22/09/2025

19/09/2025

Drinking 2 liters of water a day is a myth 💧

Most days, your body doesn’t need that much water to function well.

Take me for example: what I eat changes how much water I need.

When I fast, my system is like an empty pipe — more water just means more trips to the restroom. A liter or less is enough.

When I eat watermelon for breakfast, it’s different. Watermelon is 92% water and a natural diuretic, so I visit the restroom often and only drink when I’m thirsty.

But when I eat fiber-rich foods, like a vegetable salad, I drink more. Fiber absorbs water, and fluids help it move through my system, preventing bloating and constipation.

The point: the amount of water you need isn’t fixed. It depends on what you eat and your body’s needs that day.

So if you’ve struggled to drink 2 liters a day… stop stressing. Drink water to stay hydrated and help your body function — that’s enough. ✅

05/08/2025

If I had to choose one topic to write about for the rest of my life, it would be health and wellness.

Knowledge about how the body heals itself is the reason I’m strong and healthy today.

I grew up suffering from chronic allergies — and not the kind most people are familiar with.

To this day, I’ve never met anyone who lived through what I endured as a child.

I was allergic to both cold and heat.
Allergic to strong smells — sometimes, even my own body lotion irritated me.

If I went an entire month without sneezing, it was a reason for celebration in our house.

When we finally decided to seek medical help, the doctor told us my condition couldn’t be cured.

He offered medication that I’d need to take for the rest of my life.
I gave it a try but abandoned it after a few months.

So, sneezing for days on end, waking up with a heavy head and body pain — that just became part of my life.

Untilllll…

One day, for reasons unknown to me, my boss told us he was changing his diet.

He’d be eating fruits and vegetables for breakfast.
Being the kind of person who gives himself fully to anything he commits to, he read every book he could find on healthy living.

Fortunately — or unfortunately — my boss is a natural teacher, so we all automatically became his students.

Every day, he would share the fruits of his research with us.
After weeks of listening to his daily health rants, I decided to give his eating style a try.

To my surprise, I went months without sneezing.

I could sit under an AC without a runny nose.
I could be around someone wearing strong Hausa perfume — and not be irritated.

I loved the results, so I decided to go all in.

I cleaned up my diet, added more fruits and vegetables, and reduced processed foods like bread and carbonated drinks.

But what really switched off the allergies was when I added breathwork.
It was like the icing on the cake.

Today, I’m healthier than I’ve ever been in my entire life — and it’s all thanks to learning what my body needed to heal and giving it just that.

My boss shared this good news with me — and now, the copywriter in me can’t help but share it with others.

If you’d like to read my articles on health and wellness, let me know and I’ll send you the link to my Medium account.

21/07/2025

Tune 🎧 in to this week’s podcast episode to hear Dr. Jason Fung answer some questions from TFM Community members.
👉 https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

✅ T1D, T2D, LADA, and MODY explained
✅ The best fasting protocols and diet for autoimmune conditions
✅ How to be successful on a vegan/vegetarian diet (as the carbs are higher)
✅ Does each hour you fast have added benefits?
✅ Can fasting and diet delay menopause?

Book a complimentary 15-minute coaching intake assessment with one of the TFM coaches
👉 https://www.thefastingmethod.com/coaching/ -coaches

Explore the TFM Community with a 7-Day FREE TRIAL
👉 https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community

15/07/2025

We were just playing in the parlor.

My siblings and I, laughing and chasing each other around the house.

Then suddenly — something black slithered out from under the fridge.
It was a snake. 🐍

We didn’t think.
We RAN.

In seconds, all three of us were pounding on the back door, screaming for help.
Our neighbor came. The snake was killed.
We were safe again.

30 minutes later, we were back to our game — as if nothing had happened.

But now I know:
That moment triggered something powerful in our bodies — a survival hormone called cortisol.

Cortisol floods your system when your brain senses danger.
It pushes glucose into your blood so you have energy to flee.
Then — once the danger passes — cortisol drops, and your body calms.

BUT…

What happens when the danger never ends?

When it’s not a snake —
…but being a wife, a mom, a professional, a caregiver — ALL at once?

When your body never gets the signal that it’s safe again?

Here’s what happens:

➡️ Cortisol stays high
➡️ Blood sugar stays high
➡️ Insulin spikes
➡️ And your body STAYS in fat storage mode

Even if you're…

🥗 Eating clean
🏃‍♀️ Working out
📉 Counting every calorie

👉🏽 Because the truth is:

💥 You can’t out-diet stress.

If the weight isn’t moving, maybe it’s not your willpower that’s broken.
Maybe it’s your nervous system that’s overwhelmed.

So what can you do?

🌿 Start small:

✔️ Sleep
✔️ Walks
✔️ Deep breathing
✔️ Real food that stabilizes blood sugar
✔️ Carbs always paired with fiber, fat, or protein
✔️ COMMUNITY — people who remind you that you’re not alone 💬

Cortisol may have helped us run from snakes…

But it’s not meant to run our lives.

❤️ Tag a friend who needs this reminder today.

28/09/2024

06/09/2024

We all know someone who is always hungry.

They eat a bowl of fufu, and after two hours, they’re looking for something else to chew on.

It might feel like they have a big worm in their stomach that devours everything, but if someone can’t go more than 4 hours without food, it could be a sign that their metabolism isn’t functioning at its best.

But what exactly is metabolism?

Metabolism refers to the body’s ability to regulate things like blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol without the help of medications.

When you eat, your body gets glucose (sugar) from food, especially carbohydrates.

This glucose enters your bloodstream, causing a rise in blood sugar levels.

Some of this glucose is used right away to produce energy for your daily tasks, and the rest is stored in your energy reserves as glycogen and fat.

In a healthy metabolism, if you go long hours without food, your body can keep blood sugar stable by using its reserves, converting glycogen back into glucose, allowing you to go longer periods without needing to eat.

On the other hand, when your metabolism isn’t working right, your body often has trouble using stored energy.

This often happens when you eat a lot of carbohydrates (like white bread or sugary foods).

They are quickly broken down into glucose, causing a spike in your blood sugar.

They are also quickly digested and burned for energy, which can cause a rapid decline in blood sugar levels after the initial spike.

If your body isn’t efficiently switching to burning fat for energy to stabilize blood sugar levels, it signals that it needs more fuel, leading to hunger.

Even though you ate only a few hours ago.

To improve your metabolism and stabilize blood sugar levels, focus on eating a balanced diet rich in whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats like pear.

Include more protein, which helps keep you full for longer and supports steady energy.

Regular physical activity, like walking or light exercise, can also boost your metabolism.

And finally, try to reduce your intake of refined carbs and sugary foods to help your body manage blood sugar more efficiently.

Tag that person who is always hungry, they might need to read this.

27/08/2024

Did you know your body is like a near-perfect machine?

Inside, over 30 trillion cells are working together, just like a well-coordinated team, making sure you stay strong and healthy.

Each cell acts like a small factory, creating energy by burning fat, processing glucose, and even making antioxidants to protect your body. They know exactly when to give you energy for your daily tasks and when to help you rest and recover.

Every time you eat, your cells eagerly take in the nutrients you provide and use them to keep everything running smoothly.

But here’s the important part: these cells need your support. They rely on certain nutrients—like good fats, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals—to do their job well.

By feeding your body the right foods, you help these tiny factories keep you going, giving you the strength and energy you need every day.