I was on the ‘gram the other day and found my feed flooded with delicious looking individuals and it made me realize something 🤔Social media can give your insecurities an unhealthy boost if you’re not careful. I thought I should encourage body positivity today particularly for the women folk and suggest a few things that might help boost your confidence. Men tend to take pride in their big bellies but hey, if you like how it all jiggles then bounce that belly and do you bro😊

Cosmetic changes (hair trouble, stretch marks, cellulite, acne)
Hair trouble
Your Hair Goals Zambia got you covered. Everything from consultation to hair products. It’s a one stop shop for all things hair related, with packages extending to the balding lads 👨‍🦲 among us. A pala (bald head) doesn’t have to be your portion.

Stretch marks
Cocoa butter, Shea butter and almond oil can help fade stretch marks if applied on a daily basis for a number of weeks. Stretch marks for the most part are permanent but you can make them less noticeable and get them to fade slightly. Worth a shot if you’re bothered by them.

Cellulite
Cellulite is fat deposits beneath the skin. You can rid of the fat by cleaning up your nutrition and tone up by getting active 🏃🏿‍♂️ 🏃🏾‍♀️. Better nutrition can be simplified by including a piece of fruit, 2 servings of vegetables and a glass of water at each meal sitting. You don’t need a trendy diet or nutrition protocol overhaul. It’s the little adjustments that make a difference over time.

Acne

• Nutrition: Avoid dairy🥛 products and limit your sugar intake
• Hygiene: Stop touching your face, WASH YOUR FACE MASKS (reusable) and avoid repeatedly using disposal face masks
• State of mind: Endeavor to manage your stress levels as overthinking manifests itself into the little volcanoes 🌋you see on your face.

If the simple things don’t work then escalate your concerns to Debbie at the skincare hub and get your confidence back.

Comparison
‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’ 💯 Everybody’s different, embrace who you are and appreciate the unique aspects of your body. Consider restructuring your social media feeds and unfollowing pages if they generate negative energy and trigger you.

Confidence
Nobody’s perfect and when it comes to your body and your appearance you have to make due with what you’ve got. Accept yourself and then love yourself whether you’re big, small, short or tall.

Take control
If the mental hacks suggested above don’t help then change your ways. Eat better and get active. You might not get the body that you admire and desire but you can certainly improve on the body that you have right now through diet and exercise if it’s important enough to you. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for walks, jogs, bicycle rides. Swim, do yoga, aerobics every couple of days. Play a sport or join a social group that incorporates exercise. The possibilities are endless, and they can be fun. You’ll feel better and look better.

*****Supplementary reading:
The belly must go
Women’s health
Sugar bombs💣
Nutrition Labels
HIIT Training

I was happily going about my business at the work the other day when someone stopped me and asked "What kind of watch ⌚ is that? Interesting accessory to have on with a suit, don't you think?" 😄 I was amused by the shade and decided to satisfy my co-worker's curiosity. "It's a polar fitness watch. I use it to track my daily activity and keep me on track with fitness targets i.e. 10, 000 steps and give me insights on my stress and recovery levels using my heart rate and sleep scores. All this and more." At this point in time the method to my madness and unorthodox fashion sense seemed reasonable and I was then asked to shed more light and give recommendations. What I shared in that conversation is what I want to share with others here today.

Benefits of Fitness Trackers
The benefits of fitness trackers and wearable tech are great for keeping you on track and staying true to your goals. These include:

• Motivation: Keep you on track with your heart rate, steps counted, mileage run, and calorie burn so you stay motivated to continue your journey. Waking up with a daily target helps motivate you to keep your body moving. Tip: A general guideline for maintaining healthy behavior is 10, 000 steps per day. Hit this target every day to stay motivated by knowing that you're on the right track.
• Goals: Fitness trackers allow you to set goals so you stay on track with everything you want and need. It could be anything from the number of steps taken per day to the number of hours slept to the number of calories burnt. Set daily goals and go after them. Over time it accumulates into the body that you want.
• Sleep: Tracking your sleep is very beneficial for your recovery and overall daily functioning including hormone balance and moods. Sleep deprived zombies usually have a foul mood the next day, and chronically sleep deprived among us are a health problem waiting to happen💣. Don't let this be your story. Fitness trackers help you track both your sleep quantity and quality.

Best buy for those balling on a budget: Polar M430, Garmin 245, Coros Pace 2
Key shared highlights:

• 7 - 30 days battery life
• GPS recording, accelerometer, daily activity tracking
• Fitness testing
• Heart rate monitoring
• Monitors blood oxygenation levels (Garmin 245 only)
• Sweat and water resistant
• Sleep tracking

Ideal for any recreational athlete and active individual involved any activity. Suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced level athletes.

Best buy for those that just throw it in the bag: Garmin 945, Coros Apex Pro, Polar Vantage V2
Key highlights:

• 7 - 30+ days battery life (or up to thirty-five hours when in continuous GPS mode)
• GPS tracking, barometer, accelerometer, cadence sensor
• Heart rate monitoring
• Monitors blood oxygenation levels
• Sweat and water resistant

Ideal for marathon runners, ultra marathon runners, triathletes that are interested in a data driven approach to training. Suitable for anyone at an intermediate or advanced level. If you're a beginner with an advanced pocket then please by all means go ahead and purchase.

Best buy for overall fitness tracking (female): fitbit charge 4
Key highlights

• Up to seven days battery life (or up to five hours when in continuous GPS mode)
• Sleep tracking
• Heart rate monitoring
• Period tracking
• Water resistant

Ideal for recreational female athletes interested in core fitness metrics.

Wearable fitness isn't cheap, and the tech that is usually doesn't last long or offer very much. Other more expensive tech looks fancy but offers little in return. Don't be swayed by the half eaten fruit or pretty logo. The fitness trackers outlined above are ones that I have either had direct experience with or know someone that has and has been satisfied with the product. If you're tight on the pocket but would like one of these products then consider waiting until the Black Friday sales later this year. You can knock off a few coins from the selling price on the majority of these watches.