Diary Entry 2:What’s the Skinny Makoti Cooking?The Shadre Method: Eating for My O Positive Blood Type

Hey Skinnies, how is everyone doing?

For those who know me, you already know that something is always cooking in the Skinny Makoti’s kitchen… but we’ll leave that story for another blog.

I know what you’re all thinking  her partner is the Skinny Chef, so she must have nothing to worry about when it comes to whipping up magic in the kitchen. But technically, that’s not true. I’m here to share my journey with food, with the kitchen, and with what I now call the Skinny Makoti Method.

So grab your dumbbells… and let’s get started.

“Skinny” is what people see.But strength, discipline, and energy that’s what I live.

Graff-Reinet pictured above

I was born in the Klein Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet  a place known for its beauty, simplicity, and deep cultural roots. Growing up, our meals were built on staples: bread, maize, and heavy starch-based dishes. It was what we knew. It was what we were fed.

Fast forward to today, and I find myself in the concrete jungle of Johannesburg  chasing dreams, pushing limits, and building a life rooted in intention.

And somewhere along the way, I realised something powerful:what fills you is not always what fuels you.

Unlearning to Relearn

As I grew, I began to understand that everyone responds differently to food. For me, managing hunger became essential, especially with a consistent gym routine. I needed food that worked with my body not against it.

That’s when I discovered eating for my blood type: O positive.

Best selling Author Peter J. D'Adamo pictured above

According to Peter J. D’Adamo, early humans were predominantly blood type O hunter-gatherers who thrived on high-protein diets and fewer carbohydrates. Something about that clicked for me. Maybe it was my roots, maybe it was intuition… but it felt right.

The Shadre Method

The Shadre method was moulded and inspired by the resilient wisdom imparted by my Khoisan Heritage

This is where my lifestyle took shape.

I call it The Shadre Method  a way of eating that is clean, energising, and intentional. Being of Khoisan descent, this way of living feels like a return to who I am. It’s not just about health it’s about identity.

And the results? They’ve spoken for themselves.

I’ve experienced lower inflammation, clearer skin, higher energy levels, and a body that feels both lean and strong. But more than that, I feel aligned  inside ad out.

Consistency: My Real Secret

My Fitness Inspo Chloe Ting pictured above

Let me be honest with you food alone didn’t create this energy.

Consistency did.

Movement became my lifestyle. Every single day, I walk 8km home  that’s about 26,000 steps. I push myself through spinning sessions three times a week, each one lasting 60 minutes and testing me mentally just as much as physically.

I also mix in weight training and high-intensity workouts yes, think Chloe Ting, Pamela Reif the kind of sessions that leave you questioning everything… but thanking yourself afterwards.

Spinning, especially, has changed my mindset. It teaches me to stay strong even when everything in me wants to stop.

And the results show not just physically, but holistically. Better posture, glowing skin, and energy that carries me through every day.

Energy is My Lifestyle

People who know me will tell you  I’ve always had high energy.

But the truth is, it didn’t just happen. It was built.

For four years now, I’ve made the decision to show up for myself  through food, movement, and discipline. Because success, in anything, always comes back to one thing:Consistency.

What the Skinny Makoti is Cooking 🔥

My kitchen is all about clean, fresh, pick-up-and-go meals inspired by my O+ lifestyle. Think salmon, hake, lean beef, lamb, spinach, broccoli, fruits, and olive oil.

Simple. Clean. Powerful.

Healthy Hong Kong Chow Mein

One of my absolute favourites has to be my Healthy Hong Kong Chicken & Chow Mein  my Skinny Makoti version, of course.

It starts with sautéing garlic, ginger, and chilli in sesame oil that base alone sets the tone. Then come the chicken strips, cooked until golden, followed by crisp, colourful veggies that still hold their crunch.

A light mix of low-sodium soy sauce and just a touch of honey brings everything together, before tossing it all with noodles  or zucchini noodles if you’re keeping it strictly O+ friendly.

And here’s my tip: skip the heavy sauces. Real flavour lives in fresh ingredients.

Healthy South African Comfort — The Makoti Way 🇿🇦

I still honour the food I grew up with — I’ve just learned to reinvent it.

Take my Clean Bobotie Bowl, for example. It’s everything you love about traditional bobotie the spices, the richness — but made lighter with lean beef and served on cauliflower rice instead of white rice. All the flavour, none of the heaviness.

Or my Skinny Braai Plate grilled lean steak or lamb chops, paired with roasted butternut and a fresh spinach salad dressed in olive oil and lemon.

My rule? No heavy sides. Keep it simple: protein, greens, and good fats.

Makoti Hacks: Cooking Clean Without the Stress

Over time, I’ve learned that keeping things simple is the real secret.

I prep proteins in bulk so I can cook once and eat twice. I season smart garlic, lemon, herbs  letting natural flavours shine. I never serve a “naked plate”; there’s always balance between protein, greens, and healthy fats.

And instead of suffering through diets, I swap  lettuce wraps instead of bread, for example. I stay hydrated, and I remind myself daily that simplicity wins every time.

Weekly Prep for the Busy Makoti

Life gets busy, but preparation keeps me grounded.

Batch cooking proteins, roasting trays of vegetables, prepping breakfasts ahead of time it all makes a difference. I keep snack boxes ready, assemble salad jars, and give myself a full Sunday reset.

Because consistency doesn’t mean perfection it means preparation.

This is More Than Food

This journey has never just been about what’s on my plate.

It’s about discipline.It’s about identity.It’s about self-respect.

You don’t have to stay tied to the way you were raised eating. You can evolve. You can choose differently.

Final Word to My Skinny Readers

If there’s one thing I want you to take from this, it’s this:

There is no secret. There is no shortcut.

The life you want  the body, the energy, the confidence is built through consistent daily habits.

From Graaff-Reinet to Johannesburg, my journey has taught me that you don’t need to be perfect… you just need to show up. Every single day.

And if you’re still wondering what the Skinny Makoti is cooking…

It’s not just food.

It’s discipline.It’s energy.It’s a lifestyle that works.

Till next time  stay skinny, always. ✨