“EH EH EH THAT STALL THE BAK CHOR MEE GOT QUEUE LEH! CONFIRM NICE ONE LA! DON’T BUY FROM HERE, GO QUEUE THERE! GO QUEUE THERE!”
“EH OTHER PEOPLE ORDER ONE NO CHILLI, DON’T ORDER THE CHILLI ONE, YOU TRY AND LISTEN WHAT THEY ORDER THEN YOU FOLLOW THEM ORDER!”
Welcome to Singapore.
A “美食天堂” or a food haven. Singaporeans in general, live to eat. We can travel half the island to satisfy a craving or to get a taste of the latest “must try Wanton Mee”, ‘Best Bak Chor Mee’ or ‘One and Only Kong Bak Pau’.
From all my other TSL reviews, Instagram, and WordPress, you can tell that I love trying out new food. I enjoy checking out new cafes and recreating popular foods like Tiong Bahru Bakery’s Kouign Amann at home. All this sinful eating really does get to me sometimes but rather than squirm on the couch worrying you’ll turn into this:
why not strive to eat healthily for the next few days and hit the gym?
I don’t have a sky high metabolism nor am I one of those ‘eat so much won’t get fat’ people as we call it, but apart from the occasional splurges, I do make an effort to incorporate healthy eating and a regular exercise regime into my lifestyle.
The crux of this topic is NOT to get skinny through crash dieting or over-exercising. What we SHOULD aim for is to be healthy, lean and fit.
Therefore, here are some of my tips to EAT HEALTHY and GET MOVING.
I know many of us who are brought up by typical Chinese parents. I am one of those. We were taught by our parents not to waste food.
How many of you would always over-order when you’re dining outside?
It is difficult to always, accurately determine how much you intend to eat or how much your stomach can take in. And yes, we are frequently met with the dilemma on whether to stuff ourselves or to waste the crazy amount of leftovers on the table.
Some may advise you to WASTE it for you don’t want to WAIST it.
Some may advise you to WAIST it for you don’t want to WASTE it.
(Pulls in obligatory topic of starving individuals in third-world countries and how you’re so damn lucky to have such a spread on the table)
Here’s a simple solution. PACK IT.
This solves both problems. You don’t waste your food which is a cardinal sin mind you, you don’t want to incur the wrath of the elders. Norr do you save the food in the form of extra tummy blubber. You can then enjoy the food with your friends and family on another day.
Most eating places in Singapore do allow you to takeaway your food at no extra charge.
Even if they charge you for an extra takeaway container – would you rather spend that 20c or spend 100 times of the amount you spend on takeaway containers in future trying to shed that extra weight and treat unnecessary health complications? (Touch wood ya)
My mum always tells me “Moderation is the key”. It actually applies to many facets of our lives, but for now let’s just talk about health and food aye.
What I’m saying here is:
I’m not asking you to eat salads for the rest of your life. oh c’mon life’s too short for that.
I’m not asking you to hit the gym everyday, for 5 hours at a time. (unless you’re a gym junkie, but for those who would rather lay in bed than to slog tirelessly at the gym, hi-five you’re in my camp)
BUT. What I’m asking you is to have a little of both.
That is to know when to start and when to stop. If it’s the festive period – say during Christmas (coming in 15 days oh yea oh yea I can’t wait for my turkey with cranberry sauce with stuffing with…), then go on, indulge in your favorite minced meat pie, strawberry shortcake, meat roasts and all.
However, you ought to pull the reins in after the festive season! Start a healthy diet with less junk food, less processed food and less sugary drinks after the parties are over. Do try to maintain an exercise regime throughout the holidays too. It’s always important to keep active.
I know there are SO MANY of these ‘Lose 10 pounds in a week’, ‘How you can blast fat in 7 days’, ‘Get a bikini body in 3 days’ flashing on the internet, some popping out onto your window screen showing pictures of hot as hell models promising you that you can look like them just by consuming their products.
Hey look here is one of those. And that’s the closet you’ll get to a 6 pack in 6 days.
There is no short cut solution to being healthy, lean and fit. Don’t expect one good meal to make you lean, neither must you worry that one bad meal is gonna make you fat. Unless you’re eating them everyday.
Being healthy is a life long thing – crash dieting, consuming diet pills is NOT going to get you anywhere. It must be a life change, eating less for 3 days isn’t going to help you lose weight forever, one will probably gain it back, even more than before.
Okay fine, maybe you crash dieted and you got this slim figure and all, but how long can you last with that mind-blowing figure of yours? Can you maintain that for life?
We’re talking about sustenance. Furthermore, our point here is being healthy and crash dieting does shit to your health.
To be lean, healthy and fit > working out + eating clean (plus the occasional splurges)
That should be the equation.
NEXT!
I know many of us would be like:
“AIYA PLEASE, you think you will become like Victoria Secrets model tomorrow if you climb this stairs meh?!”
“OI YOU SIAO AH, you eat this extra chicken won’t make you a hippo la!”
Yes, I know this is an elephant. The other hippo images weren’t cute enough for me, but yes you get my point.
I’m not saying you would be Kate Upton if you swap that Krispy Kreme for a healthier bagel. (Not indicating bagels are healthy mind you)
I’m not saying that doing that extra 10 crunches would give you washboard abs like
our fellow actor Zheng Ge Ping.
Hell, you should see the effort he put in to get such a toned bod like his.
What I’m saying is that every bit of effort you do to shape up and eat healthier chips in to become a healthier you over time. Little changes make big results over time.
If we learn how to eat healthier and cut down on the fried, high sugar, fat and salty food that way, we can then maintain a healthy weight and body throughout our lifetime.
THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY OUT THERE, YOUNG OLD SKINNY or BIG.
Health should be what we are aiming for.
Don’t have the mindset that:
‘Oh I’m skinny, I should be eating more fatty foods to gain weight and not exercise.’
‘I’m old, I only have a few years left, why not just enjoy while I’m still alive?’
‘I’ll start eating healthy/ exercise tomorrow.’
‘I’m too fat to do anything, I’ll just resign to fate.’
‘I’m born big, there’s nothing I can do.’
#1 – If you’re skinny and looking to gain weight, it doesn’t mean you gain weight by eating shit and junk food. You don’t want all those MSG or trans fat clogging up your arteries and haunting you in future. Instead, eat more healthy foods which are rich in healthy fats and vitamins and nutrients (avocados, extra virgin olive oil, dates etc) and exercise to gain muscle mass.
#2 – If you’re getting on in years, the MORE you should be aware of leading a healthy lifestyle. Trust me, you don’t want to let a sudden heart attack separate you from your loved ones forever. That unfortunately happened to my aunty )’:. Incorporate a healthier diet with less salt, sugar and fat in your diet and take part in light exercises to get your limbs moving. Yoga, line dancing, group exercises are all great to join for the elderly.
#3- This one is simple. Why wait for tomorrow? Are you sure you won’t repeat this sentence tomorrow?
#4 & #5 – There is no such thing as ‘there is nothing I can do’. How would you know if you’ve never tried? Well, maybe you have tried, but don’t give up! Success is for those who don’t give up. Healthy changes in your lifestyle would definitely show. Every day that you start earlier is one day earlier that you will see results.
The crux of this topic is NOT to get skinny through crash dieting or over-exercising. What we SHOULD aim for is to be healthy, lean and fit and that takes time and dedication. There is no magic pill. Start a routine, do that routine regularly and soon it turns into a healthy lifestyle habit.
I’m not asking you to eat salads for the rest of your life. Oh c’mon life’s too short for that.
I’m not asking you to hit the gym everyday, for 5 hours at a time. Unless you’re a gym junkie, but for those who would rather lay in bed than to slog tirelessly at the gym, hi-five you’re in my camp!
A healthy lifestyle is an everyday thing. Hope you all have enjoyed reading this list that I have came out with and absorbed what I had to share with you guys!
Also wishing you guys a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a happy, healthy 2014 ahead!
Love,
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