Nina Ndubuisi was morbidly obese for a very long time, but out of this came the success story of starting something of her own which encourages a healthy eating lifestyle. Connect Nigeria had a chat with her about her brand, Slim with Ease and here is what she had to say about her life, her passion and her vision.
CN: Tell us about your educational and professional background.NN: I started my primary education in the UK then came to Nigeria to finish it off at Shell Camp Primary School, Owerri. My secondary school education was at the Federal Government Girls College Owerri, Imo state. I decided to follow the footsteps of my late mother so I went to Holy Rosary Hospital, Emekuku and studied General Nursing which followed closely by a one year course in Midwifery at the Okezie Memorial Hospital Abiriba.
I returned to the UK and completed a degree in Health Administration, Policy and Promotion. I have since completed other short courses in psychology, health and social care, mental health, autism and challenging behaviour.
CN: What is the story behind starting Slim with Ease?NN: For as long as I can remember, I was morbidly obese and despite a couple of health scares from my medical personnel, sarcastic comments from “friends” and being excluded by people socially, I refused to do anything about it. This continued until 2012. I had been complaining of serious knee problems to the extent that I could barely stand for more than five minutes without looking for something to lean on – something that would actually take off the weight from my upper body which was crippling my knees. I had to summon the courage to visit my doctor who referred me to a surgical orthopedic consultant, Mr. Thilagarajah who became “my life saver”.
My first consultation with Mr. Thilagarajah was in June 2012. He took one look at me and without asking me what the problem was or looking at the results of the x-ray done on me, asked; “What are you doing about your weight?” I was confused as I had come to see him about my knees and not about my weight. He looked at my x-ray and told me that my knees looked like the knees of an 82 year old woman and that I would be a candidate for knee replacement surgery in the next 5-10 years. Then he concluded, “I doubt you will live that long” after which he requested to see me in a year’s time.
As I left the consultation room I was downcast because I knew it was time for me to take my weight issues seriously but I had no idea of where to start from. The mention of the word “diet” petrified me while the thought of exercise scared me. I knew I had various weight loss options to choose from, but I loved my food too much to live on milk shakes, soups and cereal bars knowing that although they work in the interim, they do not yield sustainable results.
A few days later, I went to a shop and was looking at some healthy/diet magazines when I found one that I could relate to. Reading it inspired me so I signed up with them and surprisingly, the weight started to fall off me.
My first weigh in was over 160kg, and I have since lost over 52kg. The weight is still falling off as I am still following the plan. Thankfully the plan is not just a diet, but rather a permanent healthy lifestyle change.
I have since been back to see the consultant and he was shocked when he saw me. Unfortunately, I will still have to have the knee replacement surgery but the more weight I lose; the longer I can delay the process which is one of my motives for starting Slim with Ease. I want to help others fight obesity so that they don’t have to be candidates for knee replacement surgery.
CN: What inspired the business name – Slim with Ease?NN: We submitted four names to the CAC for registration in this order:
Slim-Easy
Slim with Ease
Slim 4 Life
Slim 4 Health
The CAC replied by approving the name Slim with Ease, which was accepted unanimously. I knew that the brand and the plan I was trying to promote and sell was a plan that would work with anyone easily as long as they followed the guidelines and principles.
CN: What exactly are the services you offer at Slim with Ease?NN: We offer one to one consultations which involve the recording of weight and measurement of the chest/bust, waist, hips, thighs and arms. We ask for these measurements as sometimes people’s weight losses are not reflected on the scales but they are actually losing inches from their body through the weight loss program. We ask also for a 3-day or weekly menu so that we can have an idea of the clients’ eating habits. This will help us suggest to them what they need to add to their menu or take away.
We teach them how to cook their meals in a healthier way. We also expect them to submit a weekly log showing everything they have eaten and drank over the week, and a weekly log showing how much (if any) exercise they have done. The food log will be reviewed and feedback will be given if necessary.
We also have a package designed for those who are not quite familiar with using the internet, or those who don’t have access to it. This package involves more direct involvement from me with the client. It requires regular phone calls/BBM consultations to ensure that they stay on track. In exceptional cases, I will be willing to visit them in their homes for a more direct one to one approach.
We also work with kids at home to monitor their weight loss daily. Adults at home are to support and agree to register them as they cannot effect the weight loss they need on their own.
CN: What challenges did you face starting your outfit?NN: The only real challenge I face daily is freeing people’s minds of all preconceived notions regarding the role of food in weight loss and trying to change the eating habits of people as this plan is so different from what people perceive when it comes to dieting. Our food plan for weight loss is a healthy eating lifestyle anyone can sustain for healthy living.
CN: What role does the internet play in the running of your business?NN: Society has come a long way since the invention of the internet especially when it comes to social media. So far I have been able to get my message across to a lot of people using social media. I know that this is not enough as there are still a lot of people who do not have access to the internet, especially those in the rural areas. There are plans in the nearest future to make sure that reaching them will be possible.
CN: What would you consider to be the best career decision you have ever made?NN: For me, it is leaving the nursing profession to pursue my passion and working with people with learning disabilities and mental health challenges. Although I am still employed, once this business grows, I know I will have to resign from my job to manage the business. Once that time comes, my answer to this question most certainly will be different.
CN: Who is your target audience?NN:I target the following people – anyone:
who loves food and is keen on losing weight but wants to be assured that they can still eat their favourite foods and lose weight
who has an interest in promoting a healthy lifestyle with regards to foods within their family
who is interested in eradicating obesity from childhood
CN: What technology owned and deployed by banks is useful to your business?NN: The use of POS machines and internet banking are two very useful tools any business should have.
CN: What is your unique selling point and why should Nigerians choose Slim with Ease over competitors?NN: Our unique selling point is that you can “lose weight by eating as much as you like.” I hope this selling point will catch the eyes of all Nigerians as I know that Nigerians love their food and tend to shy away from any programme that restricts what they can or cannot eat.
Nigerians who would like to lose weight or are conscious over their own or their family’s health should choose the Slim with Ease plan as it is a family friendly plan that fits in with the family life. By this, I mean that normally when a person goes on a “diet” or what is perceived as a “healthy eating plan”, they start cooking their meals separately from the rest of the family. But on our Slim with Ease plan, all meals will be beneficial and served to every single member of the family, including children and even those who have underlying medical conditions.
CN: How would you rate your customers’ satisfaction level so far?NN: As the programme is yet to be launched in Nigeria, it is kind of difficult to answer this; however, I am presently running up to the launch of the programme here in Nigeria. I have advertised on Facebook for people who would be interested in taking part in its pilot scheme, as I wanted to test the plan on Nigerians based in Nigeria to see if it would work using the foods that can be found in Nigeria.
People expressed their interest and at the moment, I have narrowed it down to a choice of 100 women and men all over Nigeria. A few people dropped out but at the end of 6 weeks, however we had outstanding weight losses of a total of 220kg averaging 2-3kg per person.
You can read some of the testimonials from some of the people who have been on the trial at: www.slimwithease.guruCN: Who are your role models?NN: I admire anyone who has battled with weight issues and managed to successfully get rid of the weight and keep it off as it is not just about losing the weight but eventually keeping it off. I have people who have supported me all the way and have been there for me especially throughout the process of setting up Slim with Ease. These five people, I will always be grateful to for pushing me and supporting me; Mr. Uchechukwu Ndubuisi (my husband), Kelechi Umunna-Ubaha, Mrs. Jane Akwani, Ezinne Kufre-Ekanem and Chin Akwiwu.
CN: What books are responsible for the mindset you have now?NN: I don’t really do much reading now as I can hardly find the time, I must admit I have never read one self-help book in my life, but when I do read, I like to read any book that falls within the “misery literature” – these are memoirs by people who were abused as children/neglected by their families etc. I guess it is because I can relate to them, which is a story for another day.
Talking of books, I published a book that is currently on sale in Nigeria titled “New Year’s Day” – a salacious novel which is definitely not for the faint hearted as it is kind of “rotten”. The book is currently on the list of one of Nollywood’s movie producers to be made into a movie.
CN: What is your long term vision for Slim with Ease?NN: My long term vision for Slim with Ease is for it to become a household name which will help eradicate the problem of obesity in families starting from childhood. I also see Slim with Ease moving across other countries in Africa.
I also have other visions but for now, I just want to keep those close to my heart and wait for God’s direction. While waiting, I want to concentrate on making the programme, Slim with Ease, the best weight loss program Nigeria has to offer.
CN: What advice do you have for those who desire to start a business of their own in this industry?NN: My advice to anyone who wants to start a business of their own would be this – If you have set your mind to do it – just go for it, follow your mind, eliminate those who may dissuade you and be prepared to put a lot of time and effort into it. Finally, if the business is a product that involves selling, start by doing a sample exercise to see if it will work.
