EDITED BY VICTORIA OKON
You know how they say, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life?” It is true… Well, kind of. Today, makes it three months since I resumed at Genesis X, and yes – it has been AMAZING!!! The way I feel about strategy sessions, presentations, networking even late-night meetings are tell-tale signs that I was born for this. I honestly cannot relate when I hear people complain resentfully, about work.
But lately, I’ve been having feelings of weakness and disorientation and my doctor believed fatigue to be the reason. I’m yet to surmount the dreadful distance between the office and my home, well that and the fact that my doctor warned me about my blood sugar levels.
The stress was telling on my health and I’d fallen ill twice already since I resumed. Last week, I saw Nkechi eat a bowl of fruit salad and decided to talk to her about my intentions to boost my immunity by eating healthier and exercising more.
“You want to join the fit-fam struggle?” She said, laughing as she threw the last bit of pineapple in her mouth. “Better leave it for people like me who are trying to lose weight.”
“I’m serious jo,” I responded with a half-serious pout.
That day, she gave me the phone numbers of healthy food vendors she patronized. When I arrived home that night, I felt tempted to eat Aunty Nimi’s special pasta and fried sausages but strengthened my resolve for this new life changing experience. More so, it was 10 o’clock already, so I had Greek Yoghurt with fruits and went to bed.
The following day, I dialed the number of one of Nkechi’s vendors and ordered seafood salad, chicken breasts and freshly squeezed orange juice. Soon afterwards, I received a call from someone informing me that my meal had arrived. I rushed downstairs, and collected my food. I had already made Eazy Payment with *966#. The food experimenting continued for the rest of the week, and I was pleased with the way I was living …well until Saturday morning when my little bubble popped.
I almost had a heart attack collating my expenditure for the week – I had spent N27,500 on food. Food?!!! I must have screamed because I saw Aunty Nimi standing outside my room, staring at me in surprise.
I pretended to be fine, but the worry in my eyes and the beads of sweat that formed on my face must have given me away. I removed my wig and stared at the litter of receipts on my bed, scratching my head and breathing heavily.
I came to the conclusion that healthy living was more expensive than I thought. So, right there on my bed, I created a budget and decided to make my own fruit salad every weekend. I won’t even be wrong to tip Monsurat, my uncle’s maid to do my market runs for me.
In as much as fit-fam is essential, I also needed to be more prudent, so I can save for other important things, like getting my own apartment.
