Lose It Nigerian is a weight-loss program centred around traditional Nigerian dishes like eba and others. Shocking, right? The brand is the brainchild of Ronke Edoho, a  Certified Nutrition and Clinical Weight Loss specialist, who in addition to sharing recipes also spreads the gospel on food misconceptions on social media.

According to her website, every dietary formulation is tested and scientifically backed to encourage weight loss on a Nigerian diet, and this fact made me feel a bit more confident to try this plan.

I have been on a mission for a smaller tummy for a while now, and I chose the Rapid Cleanse Diet plan because it runs for just four days and I didn’t want something too challenging, abeg.

The menu is simple and consists of:

1. Egg bowl (recipe included) or boiled egg

2. Oatmeal (unflavoured) with banana and yoghurt (add-ons are specified)

1. Chicken stir-fry (recipe included)

2. Spicy turkey wrap (recipe included)

1. Afang soup with ⅓ cup oatmeal swallow, or 100g boiled yam or plantain

30g tiger nuts

1. Rapid cleanse juice (a special blend of juice)

2. Water

3. Black-and-green-tea mix

I started the diet on a Tuesday and boy was I ready! I had my rapid cleanse juice made (two bottles chilling in the fridge), a week’s supply of eggs, and veggies in my fridge. At last check, I weighed 56.4 kg and it was time to shed some of that Detty December weight.

I started off my day with some black and green tea (I resolved to change the combo up because  I like to switch things up with my tea), did some work and around noon, I made myself some oatmeal as advised by the plan and didn’t even feel the urge to snack!

Around 2 pm, I had my pre-lunch glass of rapid cleanse juice and a bottle of water while cooking some chicken stir-fry for lunch. The cooking time was so short that it took me less than an hour to prepare and cook the vegetables.

As the evening wore on, I had my second glass of Rapid Cleanse juice which I found surprisingly refreshing. I was wary of this at first because my tummy can be testy at times, but I didn't feel funny. I did go to the loo but at my normal times.

Dinner was oil-less okra soup and oatmeal swallow. I don’t particularly like afang, so I went off-brand (sorry, Ronke).

Okay, the second day was weird because I woke up seriously hungry! All the same, I did a quick 10-minute skipping session, which honestly made me feel better and more alert.

For breakfast, I had one boiled one egg and a cup of black and lemon tea but I couldn’t resist eating two slices of leftover bread in my fridge. Don’t judge me, dears!

At the time of preparing for this challenge, I resolved that any excess meals I consume during the 4-day cleanse would have to make up for all the lunch I would miss due to my schedule. To satisfy my cravings throughout this day, I packed of cream crackers and some pineapples while running my errands.

After a long-ass day, I got home and had half a glass of the rapid cleanse juice about an hour before dinner. Dinner was half of one wrap of fufu and some oilless okra soup. I’m sure it was probably heavier than the afang soup I should have had, but since I skipped lunch, I didn’t beat myself up about it.

Phew, I survived the cravings of Day 2 because I basically woke up feeling light. I drank some water as soon as I got up and felt better.

Breakfast was compliant today but I had a little milk with my tea because I was trying to live a little, abeg. For lunch, I packed a sensible (but not recommended) portion of rice, undressed coleslaw, with beef stew and one piece of fried fish.

Unfortunately for me, I had to skip lunch, so I basically warmed up my packed lunch and ate before the 9 pm deadline, and finished it off with a glass of rapid cleanse juice.

AT this point, my tummy looked significantly flatter and my little FUPA was also less visible in jeans.

It was a busy Friday, so I had a boiled egg and a cup of tea before leaving the house around past 9 am. I figured since I’d be active all day, eating breakfast before 11 am wouldn’t matter as much.

By noon, I had to quickly arrange a snack of popcorn because I started feeling super hungry. I didn’t feel any guilt at all, because popcorn has basically zero calories, right? Right?

I got home late (no thanks to Sanwo-Olu) at almost 9 pm, so I knew my rule-breaking streak would definitely continue. Thankfully, I found some leftover water yam pottage in my fridge and that was dinner for Day 4 with the cleanse juice, per usual. Since I basically didn’t have any lunch, I figured I could have something ‘off-diet’ and still get away with it.

I actually felt so much lighter by day 4, and when I woke up on the 5th day, I didn’t feel heavy or bloated at all! I also noticed that I didn’t have sugar cravings, and it was such an easy transition into my normal diet.

I’ve already modified my diet to include the breakfast options and the cleanse juice! The juice might be the real innovation of this plan for me. I did notice that I was sweating quite a lot, but that might have been because of the Lagos heat.

This diet proved something I already know: portion control and eating at a calorific deficit will have you shedding the weight. Also, that cleanse juice has become my go-to for days when I feel bloated, I’m going to have a batch in my fridge from now on.

Have you ever tried a weight-loss programme? Did it work?