Aunty Nimu’s guide to good living

A healthy and wholesome lifestyle requires the Eve woman to be intentional about her fitness, eating habits and general well-being.

Body image has everything to do with what is internal in addition to what is often referred to as external physical beauty.

Aunty Nimu, a Kenyan digital content and solicitor who is passionate about health, fitness and wellness, delves into the importance of curating a balanced lifestyle and shares tips on how to live a more holistic lifestyle.

Nimu shares her travel escapades, favourite recipes, regular workout videos on her Instagram to more than 50,000 followers who continue to be influenced by her beauty and dedication towards curating a beautiful and fulfilling lifestyle.

I would say that health and wellness is a relatively niche area when it comes to the influencer market, particularly in Kenya. What prompted you to focus on it?

Being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle is something that I grew up with. However, I started reading about health more when I went to university.

Student life pushes you to eat in an unhealthy way simply because it is cheaper. But I was still athletic; playing hockey, running, and going to the gym so, fast food was not going to work for me.

I started a small blog during my first year that focused on how to live a healthy lifestyle on a student budget. I went to the market on Wednesdays instead of supermarkets.

I found places and websites that sold whole grains, nuts, and dry foods at wholesale prices. This made my food budget cheaper and a lot healthier.

What does a regular day in your life look like?

No day is really the same for me. Some days I will have photoshoots early in the morning. Or start off the day with physical or zoom meetings.

Other days I am out of town, starting my morning on calls in the wild or by the sea working for a client on travel content, or I have been given a project to research based on my degree.

An overview of your Instagram would make one conclude that you have it all. What keeps you grounded?

I keep a small circle of friends whom I love dearly. We give each other advice when we are drifting away from the goal and applaud each other when we are succeeding.

You have amassed quite a following on your social media handles within a short period of time. What would you say has contributed to your fast growth?

I paid a lot of attention to my insights, by regularly checking what content did well so that I created more around that area. I often checked my gender insights to see when was a good time to post more women-centred content based on an increase of female followers. And I tried as much as possible not to make my page an ad page, by maintaining a balance between paid content and non-paid content.

You have become one of the most sought-after lifestyle and luxury influencers if the impressive brands that you continue to partner with are anything to go by. Was this the goal from the beginning?

No, not at all. It started off as a Covid-19 project when I did not have much to do in the house. I would cook and create videos of things I enjoyed doing. I went to the farmers’ market in London when I could.

Aside from being an influencer, what else holds your interest?

I am a solicitor, having just finished training a few months ago.

Fitness seems to be an integral part of your brand and personal lifestyle. How has your fitness journey transformed your life?

It makes me happier. I feel mentally and physically confident when I am working out regularly. The fitness community that I am part of is also supportive.

We check up on each other's health goals when we can. I look at my body differently now that I am more consistent with working out.

I accept my body when I am bloated, and I never look at a weighing scale. I have come to understand what my body needs and wants; this has helped me love it no matter what stage it is going through.

You have published an array of delicious recipes on your blog that is aimed at helping women eat delicious and healthy food. Do you love cooking?

Yes, I do love cooking, always have.

How has cooking transformed your relationship with food and ultimately your relationship with your body?

I was strictly vegetarian for a good part of my life. This forced me to discover different flavours and foods that were not centred around meat.

Knowing exactly what is going into my body gave me a sense of satisfaction that I had not found in many things. I learned that a lot of the foods that are demonised like oils and starches are not bad at all.

Cooking has helped me understand that I can eat in the healthiest way and have incredible food at the same time.

What does wellness mean for you?

Wellness is all about balance. I do not take part in any diets or food programmes; I listen to my body and prioritise rest.

I advocate for guilt-free health, which simply means eating what your body needs and what it wants. I do this without guilt, knowing that I have nourished and taken care of my body.

It can be difficult for the average Eve woman to balance their demanding schedules while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Any practical tips on how to get started?

Cooking your own food rather than eating out regularly is a start. Not complex meals: a simple salad that you can turn into a wrap or a sandwich.

Packing your lunches, starting your day off with something healthy sets the right tone for your day. If you can get your heart rate up for 30 minutes in a day, you have done a good job. This includes home workouts from YouTube, morning or evening walks or scheduling gym to suit you.

What advice would you give to our readers who are looking to have a healthier and more holistic life?

Stop all the diets and cleanses first. Add more fruits and vegetables into your meals, add more spices instead of salt and oil to flavour your food and accept that our body goes through changes on a regular basis. Listen to your body and feed it what it needs and what it wants.