Eat Well with Esther

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18/09/2026

YOU DON'T NEED TO FEEL HUNGRY TO BE LOSING WEIGHT.
One common belief about weight loss is:
“If I'm not hungry, my diet isn't working. ”Not true.
Hunger is a biological signal, not a measurement of how much body fat you are losing.
Weight loss occurs when, over time, your body uses more energy than it receives from food. You can achieve an appropriate energy deficit without constantly feeling hungry.
In fact, a diet that leaves you extremely hungry all the time may be difficult to sustain and can make overeating more likely.
The goal isn't to starve yourself.
Instead, build meals that provide enough nutrition and help you stay satisfied using adequate protein, fibre rich foods, appropriate portions and foods you genuinely enjoy.
And remember: the scale can change because of water, glycogen, bowel contents and other factors, so hunger isn't proof that you're losing fat either.
A successful weight loss approach should not be measured by how much you suffer. You don't have to be starving to make progress. Eat adequately. Create a sustainable deficit. Be consistent.











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16/09/2026

YOUR BODY CAN TURN PROTEIN INTO GLUCOSE.
Think eating little or no sugar means your body cannot make glucose?
Think again.
Your body needs a steady supply of glucose for certain tissues. When dietary carbohydrate or stored glycogen isn't enough, the body can make glucose from non carbohydrate substances through a process called gluconeogenesis.
One important source is amino acids from protein.
The liver can convert certain amino acids into compounds that enter the gluconeogenesis pathway and ultimately produce glucose. Lactate and glycerol can also contribute.
So, “I don't eat sugar” does not mean “I don't have glucose in my body.”
Your body is remarkably good at maintaining blood glucose even during fasting.
And here is the interesting part, Glucose is not the enemy. Your body needs it. The important question is how your overall diet, insulin sensitivity, activity level and metabolic health affect glucose regulation. Nutrition is not just about avoiding sugar. It's about understanding metabolism.









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11/09/2026

YOU CAN BE EATING LESS AND STILL NOT LOSE WEIGHT . HERE’S WHY.
“I’m eating less, but the scale isn’t moving!” Weight loss is influenced by energy balance over time, but the scale doesn’t measure body fat alone.
You may be eating less than before but not consistently enough to create an energy deficit. Cooking oils, drinks, snacks, larger portions and weekend eating can easily add calories.
Also, water retention, glycogen, bowel contents and hormonal changes especially around menstruation,can temporarily hide fat loss on the scale.
As you lose weight, your body also needs fewer calories, and daily movement may decrease, making your previous calorie deficit smaller.

So, don’t judge your progress by one or two weigh-ins. Look at the trend over several weeks.

Weight loss should not mean starving yourself. Focus on a sustainable eating pattern, adequate nutrition and an appropriate calorie deficit.









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07/09/2026

FULL PLATE Vs VARIED DIET.
You can eat a very large plate of food, feel completely full, and still have a diet lacking in variety.
Think about meals like:
🍚 Rice + stew
🍜 Noodles + egg
🍞 Bread + tea
🥣 Garri + soup
These aren't “bad” meals. The question is what else are you eating throughout the day and week.
A diet built around only a few foods may provide enough calories but not enough variety of vitamins, minerals, fibre and other essential nutrients.
That's why nutrition isn't just about eating enough, it's also about eating a variety of foods.
Don't just fill your stomach. Nourish your body.








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06/09/2026

YOU DON'T HAVE TO EAT SUGAR TO HAVE HIGH BLOOD SUGAR!
“But I don't take sugar, so why is my blood sugar high?”
Here's the part many people don't know, Your body can turn carbohydrates from foods like rice, bread, garri, yam, potatoes and beans into glucose.
But that doesn't mean all carbohydrates are bad.
The type, portion, fibre content and overall meal matter.
And having high blood sugar isn't simply about eating sweets. Problems with insulin production or insulin resistance can also cause blood glucose to remain too high.
So instead of asking:
❌ “Does this food contain sugar?”
Ask:
✅ “What type of carbohydrate is it, how much am I eating, and how does it fit into my overall diet?”
Nutrition is more than avoiding sugar. Learn how your food actually works.









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BEANS: PROTEIN OR CARBOHYDRATE?Let's settle this argument with nutrition science.There is a common statement we hear:“Be...
02/09/2026

BEANS: PROTEIN OR CARBOHYDRATE?
Let's settle this argument with nutrition science.
There is a common statement we hear:
“Beans is protein.”
Then someone else says:
“No, beans is carbohydrate.”
So… who is correct?
Interestingly, both are partly correct.
Beans are legumes, and nutritionally they contain carbohydrate, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Their carbohydrate content is significant, while their protein content is also substantial.
So why do we call beans a “protein food”? 🤔
Because compared with most plant foods, beans provide a considerable amount of protein.
But that doesn't mean the carbohydrate disappears.
In fact, the carbohydrate in beans is an important part of their nutritional profile.
And here's where things get interesting...
🫘 The carbohydrate in beans behaves differently from many refined carbohydrates.
Beans contain slowly digested carbohydrate and plenty of dietary fibre, which generally results in a lower glycaemic response than many refined carbohydrate foods.
This is why saying, “Beans is carbohydrate, therefore people with diabetes should avoid it” is an oversimplification.
Research on legumes has found that including beans and other legumes can support glycaemic control, although the strength of evidence varies across studies and populations.
But does this mean beans doesn't count as carbohydrate?
No. It absolutely counts.
If you're calculating carbohydrate intake, for example, when planning meals for someone with diabetes the carbohydrate from beans still matters.
Beans aren't a “free food” simply because they contain protein and fibre.
🍛 And this is where portion and meal composition matter.
Think about:
Beans + a large portion of rice + fried plantain + sugary drink
versus
Beans + a moderate portion of rice + vegetables + fish
Both meals contain beans.
But the total carbohydrate, energy, fibre, fat and protein of the entire meal are very different.



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31/08/2026

Your Blood Sugar Can Look Normal While Your Body Is Working Hard to Keep It Normal.

Have you ever heard someone say:
“My blood sugar is normal, so I don't have to worry about diabetes.”
Your blood glucose can remain within the normal range even when your body is already becoming less sensitive to insulin.
Here's what happens:
After you eat, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose. Your blood glucose rises, and your pancreas releases insulin. Insulin helps move glucose from your bloodstream into your body's cells, where it can be used for energy. But when the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, what we call insulin resistance,the pancreas may compensate by producing more insulin.
For a while, this compensation can help keep blood glucose within the normal range.
So your blood sugar may look fine while your body is already having to work harder to maintain it.
Over time, if the pancreas can no longer compensate adequately, blood glucose can begin to rise, leading to prediabetes and eventually type 2 diabetes in some people.

And here's the important part: Insulin resistance doesn't always come with obvious symptoms.
That's why risk factors matter. Family history, excess body fat (particularly abdominal fat), physical inactivity, certain hormonal/metabolic conditions and other factors can increase risk. This is also why waiting until you feel sick isn't a good strategy for preventing type 2 diabetes.
A simple blood glucose test, and when appropriate, an HbA1c test, can help assess your blood sugar status.

- Don't wait for your body to give you a dramatic warning.
- Know your risk.
- Get appropriate health checks.
- Build sustainable habits early.
- Prevention starts before a diagnosis.
Did you know insulin resistance can develop before blood sugar becomes high?

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29/08/2026

CAN YOU BE OVERWEIGHT AND STILL BE MALNOURISHED?
This may sound contradictory, but yes, it is possible.
When most people hear the word malnutrition, they imagine someone who is very thin or not eating enough.
But malnutrition is much broader than that.
It can involve deficiencies, excesses or imbalances of energy and nutrients. That means a person can consume enough or even too many calories while still not getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals.
Think about someone whose everyday diet is mainly made up of highly processed, energy dense foods.
They may be getting plenty of calories from their food, but their diet could still be lacking important nutrients.
So you can have:
Excess body weight + micronutrient deficiency at the same time. This is part of what nutrition experts refer to as the “double burden of malnutrition.” WHO recognizes that overweight, obesity and diet related diseases can coexist with undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies even within the same person, household or community.
And this is why body size alone cannot tell us whether someone is well nourished.
A person can be slim and have nutrient deficiencies.
A person can be overweight and have nutrient deficiencies.
And a person can have a healthy body weight while still having an unhealthy dietary pattern.
Nutrition is much more than weight.
It's about whether your body is receiving the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients it needs to function properly.
So instead of asking only: “Am I overweight?”
also ask: "Is my diet actually nourishing me?”
Because looking well fed and being well nourished are not always the same thing.
Did you know this was possible?










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28/08/2026

WHAT YOUR BODY DOESN'T TELL YOU: HIGH CHOLESTEROL CAN BE SILENT.
You can feel completely fine.
You can look healthy.
You can even have a normal body weight.
And your cholesterol can still be high.
That's what makes high cholesterol tricky.
High cholesterol usually doesn't cause obvious symptoms. But over time, excess LDL cholesterol can contribute to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, increasing cardiovascular risk.
And here's where nutrition comes in.
Your diet doesn't determine your cholesterol level alone genetics, physical activity, body weight, certain medical conditions and medications can also play a role. But dietary pattern matters. Instead of focusing on one “cholesterol lowering food,” look at your overall eating pattern:
🥬 Eat more vegetables and fruits
🫘 Include beans and other legumes
🌾 Choose whole grains more often
🥜 Include nuts and seeds
🐟 Choose fish and other nutritious protein sources
🥑 Choose more unsaturated fats
🍟 Limit foods high in saturated and trans fats
🥓 Limit processed meats and highly processed foods.
WHO recommends a dietary pattern rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts, while limiting unhealthy fats, free sugars and excess sodium. Such dietary patterns are associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
And here's something I really want you to remember: You cannot always tell what's happening inside your body by how you feel outside.
That's why routine health checks matter.
Knowing your blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipid levels can reveal important information that your body may not be telling you through symptoms. These are recognised metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. So don't wait until you “feel sick” before you start paying attention to your health.
Prevention is also part of nutrition.
Have you checked your cholesterol recently?






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27/08/2026

THIN DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN HEALTHY.
Someone can be slim, have a flat stomach and look perfectly healthy and still have an unhealthy diet.
This is something we need to talk about. Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of several diseases, but body size is not the only measure of health.
Your diet also influences things happening inside your body such as blood pressure, blood glucose and blood cholesterol.
For example, someone may regularly consume:
🥤 Sugary drinks
🍟 Highly processed foods
🍰 Lots of foods high in free sugars
🧂 Excess sodium
🥓 Large amounts of processed meats and still remain relatively slim.
Meanwhile, their diet may be lacking in:
🥦 Vegetables
🍎 Fruits
🫘 Legumes
🌾 Whole grains
🥜 Nuts and seeds
🐟 Nutritious sources of protein
That doesn't mean every slim person has poor health. It simply means you cannot determine someone's nutritional health by looking at their body.
A healthy diet is about adequacy, balance, moderation and variety not simply being thin.
So don't eat well only because you want to lose weight.
Eat well because your heart, blood vessels, brain, bones, muscles and every cell in your body need nutrients to function properly.
What do you think! can someone be slim but still have poor nutrition?










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