Recipe Alert: Meat Balls [with Couscous]

Christmas is the best part of the year for me, I actually start planning for Christmas (cards, food, presents, more food, decorations, and even more food) as early as September...yes! September! This year I have put together a notebook full of [healthy] recipes to try over the holidays. And being a sharing soul (LOL) I have decided to share some of them with y'all. So when you see 'Recipe Alert' know that you are getting an early Christmas present from me. Please give the recipes a try and let me know. (It will actually be really nice if you send pictures of your efforts)

So today it's meatballs...[I usually take mine with couscous, but you can experiment with other sides of your choice]

YOU WILL NEED

• I egg (beaten) (to bind your meat balls)
• I medium onion (finely chopped)
• 4 cloves of garlic (peeled and crushed)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• I handful of parsley (optional)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder (if you have it)
• A dash of turmeric (optional)
• ½ a slice of bread (to keep your meat balls together)
• 200g minced beef
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil [my prefered oil]
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper (optional)
• 230g chopped tomatoes (I medium sized tin will do)
• 1 medium sized fresh tomato (finely chopped)
• 90ml of water
• Couscous (to serve)

Fix It

1. In a large bowl, put in the egg, onion and half the total quantity of garlic, turmeric, ketchup, parsley, paprika, black pepper, hot pepper and cumin powder
2. Soak the bread in water, then press to drain. Break the soggy bread into small pieces and add to your bowl
3. Mix in minced beef until well combined. Season with salt to taste
4. Wet your hands and form small balls (no larger than table tennis balls) from the mixture
5. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over high heat, then carefully add the meatballs
6. Fry the meatballs for three minutes on each size, then remove from pan
7. Place the tinned and fresh tomatoes, water and the remaining garlic in a saucepan
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste
9. Gently place the prepared meatballs inside the saucepan and bring to boil
10. Simmer over medium heat for 15minutes. Meanwhile prepare couscous according to packet instructions (usually just hot water and half a teaspoon of real butter with a pinch of salt)
11. Serve, kick back and chomp!! J

Here's hoping that you make it rain meatballs this Christmas! (remember the movie?)

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2014 Resolutions

 

Resolutions anyone?

I'm already in 2014...people who have spoken with me recently know that I am all agush, and excited about the goodness 2014 holds for people who have worked hard [for their money...LOL]. But we are not talking money here...rather we are talking healthy.

Anyways, in 2014 I want to take my healthy living a notch higher (an I hope you will join me) by introducing some new foods to my diet. I want to make these a regular part of my weekly eating. Will it cost more (some of these are quite dear in Nigeria)? Yes...but I am willing to forgo some things for them. And the savings from forgoing some of my usual pantry staples will go towards buying my new fav foods. Desperate times call for desperate measures... and all that, right? Some of the things I want to forgo are palm oil, garri, irish potatos (I'm swapping these for the sweet ones)...etc. So let me tell you about the foods that will be my new best friends come 2014...I'll also tell you why:

 

Asparagus: This skinny veg is a mega detoxifier and contains high levels of amino acids which act as a diuretic flushing excess fluids out of our system. PLUS it helps ramp up (speed) metabolism of toxins (including alcohol). Finally, it's high in Vitamins A, C, E, K, B6, Iron, Copper etc.

Broccoli: A genuine SUPERFOOD! It has great antioxidant properties which could help fight breast and colon cancer. It's high in fibres, vitamins and minerals (not sprite or coca-cola)

Brussel Sprouts: Check this out....this veg is super low in calories (so it makes a good filler when you want to nibble on something - I think I have shared a recipe for brussel sprout chips in the past...try it  - it does not hurt to try). Also it's loaded with cancer preventing phytonutrients and fibre- this alone should tell you these little veggies go a long way in keep us healthy.

Cabbage: First off one cup of steamed cabbage has a paltry 22 calories, isn't that good news? And your cabbage packs loads of vitamins, minerals and fibers plus the oh so amazinng phytonutrients. Researchers also say that cabbage contain glucosinolate - a metabolix detoxifier aka it will do good things to your metbolism!

Lettuce: This one is 5 calories per cup and is high in vitamin B, folic acid and manganese - which will help regulate you blood suger levels. PLUS when taken consistently will help our immune system function well. What's not to love?

Beets: This is my go to when I want a nice red color to my smoothies - but it's benefits extend well beyond it's cool red color (although they get their color from betamin a potent antioxidant). 1/2 a cup of beets contain about 37 calories so don't overdo it with them BUT they are also rich in cancer fighting antioxidants, iron, fibre, folate and potassium.

Cauliflower: In my bid to give up rice I actually came across a cauliflower rice (using cauliflower as a substitute for rice) recipe. So this veg is really more versitle than we give it credit for. Nutritionally though, cauliflower is neck deep in phytonutrients as well and a great source of Vit C and folate. ps it's also a SUPERFOOD like broccoli.  

Garlic: I know you don't like the pungent smell, but read on and see if I can change your mind. Do you know garlic helps fight the common cold? It even has been said to help with urinary tract infections. The secret is that pungent smell you try to avoid. TIP: if you can find it, take fresh lemon grass tea after eating garlic- it should help with the garlicky smell. 

Onions: I add onions (red onions to be exact) to almost everything I cook. I think it's a veritable gift from God. One major component (allyl sulfides) has been touted to protect against endometrial cancer. Plus onions are like the go to for common home ailments like a cold etc

Celery: Anothe big one - it's packed with fbires, vitamine A, C and folate (did I mention that folate is crucial for healthy pregnancy?...well it is). And you get 16calories per cup of celery. Celery is excellent in soups and smoothies. Did you see my receipe for my detoxing smoothie a couple of weeks ago?

Other foods that made my list are peppers, carrots, tea, pumkin, tomatos...but I've talked about them at one time or the other over the last few months, so I won't bore you here.

The trick I think is eating a balanced meal - a meal that does not sabotage you efforts to regain your health, and maintain your health. We all need food that works with us to ensure that we are healthy from the top of our beautiful air to the soles of our pedicured heels. Why not be a key player in your health? Why not co-operate with nature and use what God has provided to keep us healthy. Why not change your eating habits in 2014? Don't know what you can do with these veggies? I'll put up recipes everyonce in a while, but you need to sit in your pilots sit, go out and get a recipe book, check the internet (google is a good place to start), and experiment. You will be glad you did....

I've shared my healthy eating resolution with you, isn't it fair that you share some of yours with me? Drop a comment!

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Recipe Alert (Broccoli Salad)

I was sitting with a couple of my girl friends the other day and they confessed that other than garnishing boiled rice they were not quite sure what to do with broccoli. To tell the truth I was quite like them until a short time ago - when I started taking my healthy lifestyle seriously and I found out some amazing facts about this superfood.
 
Do you know that broccoli is a SUPERFOOD that promotes wellness and weight management, it's also not too shabby in the disease fighting arena either. WebMD lists broccoli as one of its top ten Superfoods -along with eggs, sweet potatoes, nuts, kiwis (not the people! the fruit ...lol) and so on. [If you want to read more visit the WebMD site http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/10-everyday-super-foods?page=2]. Anyway the short version is that broccoli has strong antioxidant properties which 'could' improve the odds of breast cancer survival (please note the 'could'). It's high in fibre and which 'could' help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Plus at 31 calories per cup it's high in major vitamines and minerals required for a healthy life.
 
Have I sold you on broccoli yet? I hope so...and I hope knowing about it's magnificent benefits will nudge you into your kitchen to try this broccoli salad recipe I found a while ago.

You’ll need

1 bunch floret of broccoli

3 cloves of garlic mashed into paste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 pinch of red pepper flakes

1 pinch of black pepper

1/3 cup of olive oil

Red onions (optional) chopped to little bits

Nuts to garnish

Salt to taste

 

What to do

• Prepare your broccoli (trimming and cutting into quarters crosswise)
• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil, put in the broccoli and boil until slightly firm (test with a fork) – this should take about 5-7 minutes.
• While your broccoli is boiling, skin your garlic. Chop them up and set aside for 5 minutes (this releases its healthy cancer fighting power).
• Take your broccoli out of the boiling water, and plunge into another bowl of cold water (to stop the cooking process) then drain.
• Transfer the broccoli to a colander and allow the veggies drip (florets facing down) for about 30 minutes. While this is going on, prepare your dressing using the next step (don’t forget to mash your garlic bits)
• Whisk your lemon, garlic, vinegar, onions, mustard, and peppers together in a serving bowl. The drizzle your olive oil over this and whisk some more until everything is thick and creamy. Taste for salt – adjust other condiments to your peculiar taste. This is your dressing
• Toss the broccoli with the dressing and allow to stand for 8-10minutes. Then toss again (just to make sure you reached everywhere). Garnish with your nuts (optional)
• Refrigerate (if that is your preference) before you serve. Although I like mine at room temp.
• Let the guilt free chomping commence!!!

So, other than ganishing your boiled rice and this simple salad there ARE many other fantastic uses for broccoli, you just have to find them... Think soups, smoothies (try broccoli, kiwi, carrot and mint with a dash of black pepper and salt), more salads, cassaroles...your body will thank you for it.

 

 

Did you try this recipe or any of the other posted so far? What do you think? I would really love to hear from you. Do you have a recipie to share? Drop a comment and let's encourage eachother.

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Recipe Alert [Tsimmes Salad]

I found this on the Allrecipes app the other day. I hear that it is of Jewish origin and very yum!

To confess, I have not tried it (yet), but it does look promising doesn’t it? I will give it a try over Christmas… after a few test runs – don’t want to fog it up now, do I?

 

What you’ll need:
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
4 plums, cut into small pieces
1 scallion, chopped

What to do:
In a bowl, stir together carrots, plums, and scallion.

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Recipe Alert [Fancy Chicken Salad]

I'm always on the look out for simple and easy to make recipies, and I think we have a winner here. Seriously - who can go wrong with chicken salad? Excellent for your light lunch or dinner, plus it's always easy on the waistline (in moderation).

I got this recipie from All Recipies (I actually have their app on my phone - give it a go)
 
So here goes...your fancy chicken salad (don't ask me why it's fancy)
 

You Will Need

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 cloves crushed garlic

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (it’s no big deal if you don’t have this)

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

 

 

What To Do

1. Blend mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic and dill. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
2. Stir together chicken, peppers and cheese and blend with the chilled dressing.
3. Serve
4. Chomp

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90 Percenters

I went into work last week with a bowl of sliced cucumbers for lunch. To tell the truth the bowl as a tad large and the cucumbers were…plenty! Anyway, as is my custom (wink) I offered my colleagues some slices of cucumbers to nibble on and to my surprise of the six people in our little office a whopping FIVE said they did not like cucumbers! Can you believe that? Who does not like the coolest veg in town? SO this is a subtle message to them (you know yourselves) to get them to the cu-side of town.

Here’s 10 reasons to LOVE cucumbers… (I got this off a newspaper article!)

Rehydrate your body. Cucumbers are 90% water, so they can help you rehydrate in a pinch.

Cooley. Get some relief from heartburn and sunburn by nibbling on some slices of cucumber. With the 35˚C days we are currently experiencing in Abuja, a cucumber snack may just be what the doctor ordered to help you get your second wind each day!

Plus I can attest to the heartburn bit – I have an elixir of blended chunks cucumber and low fat yoghurt that works wonders (I call it my C-Smoothie; find the recipe following).  

Toxin Buster: The 90% water content works as an internal broom which sweeps waste products out of your body. Then you can give your kidneys a makeover by eating cucumbers daily – they not only flush out excess uric acid but may also dissolve kidney stones. (I can almost see someone reaching for a dish of cucumber salad…LOL)

Miracle Hangover Cure: Forget your hair of dog mixture; cucumber is it I hear for those ‘infrequent’ days when you overindulge. Simply eat a few slices before going to sleep. The mega quantities of Vitamin B, sugar and electrolytes will replenish essential nutrients lost which could reduce the severity of both hangover and headaches.

Manage the BIG Three: By Big Three I mean some of the major killers today Diabetes, High cholesterol and Blood Pressure. Incidentally, if you are overweight you are up to 3 times more likely to develop any two or all three of these- a good reason to DROP IT! J

Apparently, cucumber juice contains some hormone which aids your body produce insulin (that’s your help with Diabetes). Also sterols (found in cucumbers) can help you reduce your cholesterol levels. The third whammy is the combination of fiber, magnesium and potassium in cucumber which will contribute to regulating your blood pressure (both high & low).

Cancer Fighter: If you are reading this and you have never had a pap smear, boob or prostate exam – please go get it done immediately. Especially if someone(s) in your family has had cancer. Cancer is no respecter of persons! That said – I hear that cucumbers contain some tongue twisting compounds (secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol and pinoresinol -I even had a tough time typing these) which researchers believe could help reduce the risk of several cancer types including ovarian, breast, prostate and uterine cancer. Every little helps, right?

Hair & Nails: If you are like me and have flaking nails this will be good news for you! Cucumber contains silica which makes your hair and nails shinier and stronger over time. It could also help stimulate hair growth. Good news for those of African-decent suffering from receding hairlines (women) from tight braids.

Have you noticed that cucumbers are a staple at Spas? It’s because of its high silicon, vitamin C and vitamin(s) B content – excellent for the skin and whole body.

Daily 5: If advertisers are to be believed, we all need 5 portions of fruit/veg daily to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Now our beloved cucumber is tooted to have most of the vitamins our bodies need in a single day to boost your immune system, give you energy etc. So make cucumber on of your 5 when picking your fruit/veg portions. 

Eyes Bright: I think every woman knows that placing a thin slice of cucumber over your [closed] eyes for a few minutes can help reduce under eye puffiness and bags because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Digestion & Weight loss: Truth be told this is the real reason I started chomping on cucumbers. Cucumbers are 90% water (I’ve mentioned that twice already, but it begs mentioning again) and low caloric content so it’s an ideal meal/snack for people like me/us looking to DROP IT. And I can testify that the fiber in cucumbers contribute to your regularity, and help with constipation.

Not sure how to introduce cucumbers to your diet? Give some of these ideas a try:

C-Smoothie

I cucumber (cut into chunks)

1 cup of low fat yoghurt

1 teaspoon candrel/stavia to sweeten [or honey] (optional)

4 ice cubes

  

How to: Throw everything (except ice) into your smoothie maker (or blender) pulse for 10seconds or until smooth; then add the ice.

 

Pulse again for 15 seconds at 5 sec intervals to break up the ice. Serve!

 

Cucumber Salad

1 large cucumber (thinly sliced)

1 medium sized red onion

½ cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard

½ spoon of brown sugar (I personally prefer brown to white)

1 teaspoons of salt  

How to: Slice your cucumbers thinly and salt them. (Salt by coating the slices with salt then leaving them in a colander to drain for 30minutes – the salt draws out the sweetness of the veg)   When the 30mins are up, rinse the salt off your cucumber slices, dry them off by placing them in a clean dish towel the wring dry (careful if you want to keep your cucumber shapes). Empty dried off cucumbers into a bowl, toss in your vinegar, your mustard and sugar and …toss. Refrigerate for no less than 30minutes (you don’t have to….I just like my cucumber salad cold) then serve.

There are so many exciting and innovative ways to eat cucumbers and you only have to give it a trial to get hooked. PLUS, I am sure some of you have really good cucumber recipes – please share them with us, I promise to publish and give you the credit (cross my heart…). So share…how do you use your cu’?

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"Too Fat To Fly"...a sad story!

 

Can I get on my soap box and rant a bit? As someone who has had to ask for extensions for my seatbelt on an aircraft and lived with peoples insensitivity to big people all my life, I think I have a right to RANT. I read an article online over the previous week and was totally outraged! Before I go into what happened, let me allow you read the article for yourselves and you tell us what you think...
If you want to read the article on the site for yourself please click on http://news.yahoo.com/too-fat-fly-french-family-stranded-us-195147803.html alternatively, I have reproduced the entire article below:

A French Family who came to the US for medical treatment for their son said they were stranded in Chicago after British Airways determined their son was too fat to fly. Kevin Chenais, 22 spent a year and a half at the Mayo Clinic for treatment of a hormone disorder which led him to weigh 550pounds. His mother was near tears as she described the family’s problems to the local CBS affiliate (TV Station).

“We blame British Airways because now they just leave us, and they brought us here,” Christina Chenais told the station. “If they could bring him here with that problem in economy, there was a way to take him back by economy but just get him back home for his medical treatments to continue.”

The family spent a week in an airport hotel trying to resolve the matter and, running out of money, has decided their only option is to take a train to New York and cross the Atlantic on the Queen Mary cruise ship.

Kevin Chenais requires round-the-clock oxygen and medical attention. “I’m sure a lot of big people like me or bigger cannot travel because they have the same problem,” he told the station, head hanging down as he sat up in bed. "This time before leaving I knew something would go wrong.”

A British Airways spokesperson told AFP (the French news agency) that its customer service team “worked diligently to find a solution.” “We will always try to accommodate someone if it’s possible and safe to do so,” Caroline Titmuss wrote in an email. “Unfortunately, it is not possible to safely accommodate the customer on any of our aircraft and the family has been offered a full refund.” The airline said it provided hotel accommodation for the family along with “guidance and support” to help explore other travel options.

A spokeswoman for the French consulate told AFP it “attempted a mediation with British Airways, but the position of the airline is firm on the security issue.” It provided the family with the names of two lawyers who may be able to help.

The Chenais family did not immediately return requests for comment.

 

Okay, so what do you think? Are you as outraged as I am? Are you asking how come BA could fly them to America in the first place but refused to fly them home? Talk about inconsistency in service standards - unless there is something else going on that no one is saying. Should we have civil rights marches for people who are bigger than your average barbie? When will big people (especially those who are that way through no fault of theirs) get some respect, some rights, some slack?

I am NOT saying that being overweight is right - far from it. Everyone who reads this blog knows how I fight to DROP IT. What I am saying is that irrespective of how a person looks, everyone deserves some respect and dignity. We all have stuff we are struggling with - some more obvious than others - but we are all works in progress. No one should crush me because of my personal struggle - and I should nay MUST never rush anyone because of their struggles however apparent. Remember the African proverb which says to be carefull not to throw stones into the market place cos you could hit your friend. Who knows, the shoe could be on the other foot tomorrow...

I really want to know what you think...please comment!

ps: Thanks for listening [reading my rant]

Our Healthy Lifestyle Tips

I am an avid reader (I can hear the guffaws from the people who know me personally, maybe because saying that I am an avid reader is kind of an understatement). Anyway most of the information I post I find in magazines and online resources like www.prevention.com and www.ivillage.com -feel free to check out these sites for tips and recipes, don’t forget to let me know what you think of the sites.

So, I’ve been reading and I came across some notable tips to help me DROP IT 4 LIFE, and being this being advent (pre-Christmas) and all, I decided to share…

Blue Plates

One way McDonalds attracts you to their shops and gets you to eat their ‘McEvers’ is their yellow and red color scheme. This is because the human eye is naturally drawn to these colors and they seem to stimulate us to want to eat. We all seem to gravitate to the brightly colored salads at the salad bar, right? See what I mean:

 

You see how you were drawn to the delicious colors in the pepper salad? And you were like ‘what – the…&&^^%%’ when you clapped eyes on the other meal? That’s the trick colors play on us and make us eat. We all can’t live on pepper salads every day all year round, so I hear the trick to try is to change the color of your plate! You read me…your plate! And BLUE is the recommended color. Researchers say that the blue colored plate has a way of stalling your appetite (it’s all in the brain), and you end up eating less (all things being equal).

Size Matters

NO! I don’t mean that! This is not that type of blog! I am talking about plates. The size of the plates you eat off of matters. We tend to eat less when we eat off a smaller plate – provided you don’t end up going for seconds, thirds and fourths… The smaller plate helps you control your portion size and what quantity you end up eating. In addition, it helps you know what you are fuelling up on in real terms.

 

Down Up Size ‘em

Your friendly neighborhood researchers say that using a larger fork could help you eat less – up to 10% less than you would eat when eating with a regular sized fork or another utensil. The same researchers say that the rationale for this is that when using regular sized forks we subconsciously feel that we aren’t eating much (relative to the utensil) so we tend to  take more forkfuls to ‘satisfy’ our ‘hunger’.  

 

Attention!

First off you need to give kudos to the cat...he's giving a good impression of a soldier at attention, isn't he? :)

 

Do you know that we are estimated to eat 40% more when we eat and do another engaging task (like watching TV, or using a computer) at the same time. This about this… that’s 40% more chow, 40% more food than our body needs. My mom always told me that you don’t live to eat, but eat to live. So I’m guessing if I’m eating 40% more eat seating then I am living to eat. What about you?

 

Anyway, I hear that to control how much goes in AND to know when to STOP eating (because eating on autopilot short circuits the message from the brain that you are full) we all need to stop multi-tasking when eating and give 100% attention to the meal in front of us…

 

24/7 Call Girl

Some serial dieters [like I was] would attest to the fact that we tend to ‘be good’ all week long then take the weekend off. But then our setbacks would usually occur over these weekend breaks. Right? I’m thinking that the thing to do is NOT take those weekends off your healthy living/eating regime. In essence, be on call 24/7! I don’t mean that you should not treat yourself every once in a while, I for one have regular treats! But I am permanently ON my healthy living routine. I am conscious of the amount of carbs & proteins I eat, the amount of exercise I get, supplementing calories with fruits and veg and all of that. This has become my lifestyle! Should I ask what your lifestyle is? Do you have more ‘off days’ than ‘on days’ on your healthy living lifestyle?

 

Chomp on It

The average person chews his/her food 8-12 times before swallowing – and we all end up eating really fast and consuming more than those not so average people who really chop down on their food (chewing until the food is almost liquidized in their mouths before swallowing). Chewing up to 20-40times can possibly help you eat 12% less daily in the long run.

 

On a personal note, my dad is one of those who really chews on his morsels of food for a whhhiiilllee – he is a really slow eater. But everyone at home has come to attribute this to the fact that he hardly puts on an ounce of fat. So I am trying to emulate him – but counting while eating is kind of strange, right? To avoid strange looks I sing quietly to myself (I sing the birthday song a few times) – pick a song and let me know how that works for you. I have found that it takes longer to finish a meal and most times I end up getting tired of eating at all and just push my plate away.

Make sure you don’t miss any new posts (published every Friday without fail) - FOLLOW "DROP IT" via email by inputting your email address on the field to the right side of the blog post, then click submit. Don’t forget to recommend DROP IT to a friend! Thank you for following! J

Intimates (Out of the Closet Bonus)

I promised last Friday in ‘Out of the Closet’ to share with you what I have learned about getting your accurate bra fit - but forgot to do so (sorry). But a promise is a promise…here goes:

GETTING THE RIGHT SIZED BRA

To check your bra size, you need only take two measurements in inches.

1. Underbust

Measure under your bust (to get your bra size) – then note:

a.   Add 4 inches to that if the measurement obtained is an even number (in inches) eg if your under bust measurement is 38inches, add  4inches to  get 42inches in total

b.   Add 5 inches to that if the measurement obtained is an off number (in inches) eg if your under bust measurement is 37inches, add  4inches to  get 42inches in total

2. Overburst

Measure round the fullest part of your bust to determine your cup size – then note:

If this measurement is the same as your under bust measurement, your cup size is A, also:

o   If 1 inch more, your cup size is B

o   If 2inches more, your cup size is C

o   If 3inches more, your cup size is D

o   If 4inches more, your cup size is DD

o   If 5inches more, your cup size is E

o   If 6inches more, your cup size is F

o   If 7inches more, your cup size is FF

o   If 8inches more, your cup size is G

And so on…

An example: Demi has an underbust measurement of 39inches (odd number) +5inches =Bra Size of 44inches

Her overbust measurement is 48inches (4 inches more than the bra size) = DD cup

Thus Demi’s correct bra size is 44DD.

Give it a try, what is YOUR correct bra size. A word of advice, don’t get bogged down with the size values ie 44F, or 46DD, not everyone in this world was made to wear a 32A! It the final fit of your intimates that counts, and the fact that you have the required coverage and confidence you need!

 

Rules for getting the right fit (coverage)

ü  If your bra rides up at the back  - simply adjust the hook and eye closure to tighten, then loosen your straps or try a smaller band size (eg go for 40 instead of 42)

ü  If your band digs in – order one band size larger (44 instead of 40) or opt for a bra with a wider band

ü  If your sides bulge (ie under your arms)– order one band size larger (42 rather than 40) or choose a style of bra that provides more cup coverage

ü  If cups overflow (ie your cups runneth over) – go one cup size larger (D to DD) or one band size larger (40 to 42)

ü  If your shoulders are sore – loosen your bra or opt for a bra with wider or padded straps

ü  If your bustline sags – shorted your bra straps, avoid stretchy fabrics or choose a firmer support style with rigid straps.

ü  If underwires pinch or poke – order one cup size larger (DD to E) or try a non-underwire soft cup style

ü  If your straps slip – tighten straps or opts for a bra with wider straps

 

So cheers to every full figured lady as we come out of the closet with confidence and poise!