If you have been following me on instagram, you would have read how I whinged and whined the whole way through several weeks back about my house undergoing renovations and how I had no kitchen to cook in or do anything whatsoever.
Ending 2013 with my house renovated and undergoing the renovation has got to be, singlehandedly, the most gratitude inducing activity of the year for me. I never realised how privileged I was to have a place to call home that was neat and clean and liveable.
My beautiful home was suddenly transformed into a jungle of plastic wrapping and newspapers strewn everywhere. The workers came to hack away an entire roomful of built in shelving (my precious books!) whilst I stayed hidden in the only room that wasn’t scheduled to be renovated.
But the renovation isn’t the point of this post- the point of this post is to share what happened during the long weeks that the common areas of the house were under renovation. Because I had no access to the kitchen, I had no choice but to sustain myself on non- homecooked food. And to be honest, I was REALLY GLEEFUL- No need to cook! No need to wash up! I love Singaporean food! Hokkien Mee, Char Kway Teow, come to momma! š
So for a week, I ate out. It started innocently enough.. I think for my first meal I had kaya toast and milo (standard kopitiam breakfast food, aye?), lunch.. yong tau foo and dinner perhaps a soup or caifan. And so it went on the next day, and the next and the next for a week.
At the end of the week I was feeling the worst I had felt in a long long time. I was constantly thirsty and lethargic. My skin was dry and unsupple and the usual glow and redness (My boyfriend likes to call me the hale and hearty farmer’s wife -.-) I had in my cheeks had faded. My stomach felt funny and I was constantly craving for something sweet or salty or stronger tasting food. By the end of the week, the yong tau foo no longer satisfied me and I had turned to choosing dishes that were heavily seasoned or fried to satisfy my tastebuds.
** I really have to emphasize how addictive salt and sugar and processed foods are. I’m generally a very clean eater with not much of a sweet tooth- save for an occasional bite here and there- and I pack most of my food or cook meals at home using a variety of spices rather than salt and sugar so my tastebuds tend to favour blander tastes. But one day into eating hawker food and I was constantly craving for heavier tastes. I think I started the day eating my usual yong tau foo (mostly veg and beancurd) but by nightfall, I was sloshing my veg in a ton of chilli sauce and eyeing the duck rice for lunch the next day.
But what really shocked me on my one week hawker centre diet was the way my stomach looked and felt. Please note that I never thought I would ever be the kind of person to show a picture of my tummy flab to the whole wide world but the sight shocked me so much that I felt that I just had to share it.
THIS- the flab bulging over my waistline, was the result of a paltry 7 days of eating hawker centre food for every meal. And I didn’t even eat chicken rice or anything like that in the 7 days. In fact, I probably ate yong tau foo quite a number of times! I don’t think it is really a sudden explosion of fat cells in my belly but it certainly is A LOT OF stomach bloating and water retention and whatnot from all the salt and oil found in hawker centre food. I was horrified because I didn’t think that eating outside food would be so detrimental for me (or you). Truth be told, I don’t actually eat out very often as eversince embarking on a healthier eating regime, I mostly pack my own lunchbox to work but I never imagined that just one week on such food would have such damaging effects both psychologically and physiologically. A large expanding waistline indicates a higher propensity for heart disease and other preventable illnesses and I certainly had a rapidly expanding waistline after just one week of hawker centre food!
How is everyone surviving?! I am sure that there are hundreds and thousands of people who eat out everyday in Singapore and who possibly eat out all 3 meals as well. AM I the lone Singaporean who hasn’t adapted to the highly salted and oily food in Singapore?!
You know how as men and women age their limbs are still quite slim but their tummy rounds out? The ahpeh at the hawker centre might rub his belly meaningfully and say rather endearingly that that is his fortune ball with a wide grin on his face but there is nothing prosperous about that. I am almost certain that more than half of the Singaporean population are carrying around with them little salt babies.
Are you one of them?
Do you eat at a hawker centre for lunch and feel really sleepy and lethargic after? Do you need a sweet ‘pick me up’ and coffee in the morning or in the late afternoon? Are you generally quite slim with an acceptable BMI but you have a flabby belly that no amount of exercise seems to shift?
It’s not the exercise you should be worried about, it’s the stuff you are eating for lunch at the hawker centre.
I am telling you, point blank, that there is NOTHING HEALTHY to be found in a Singapore Hawker Centre. It is virtually impossible to eat clean in there. EVERYTHING is super high in salt and/or oil and seriously, other than the yong tau foo stall and the caifan stall, where are the vegetables (that are not dripping in oil?!)? I guess it’s okay if you eat at the hawker centre once a day but if you are eating almost all your meals out, I really implore you to start modifying your hawker food choices or bringing your own lunch to work.
The people I’m most concerned about aren’t the people who will be reading this. I am most concerned about my (and your!) parents first of all, and all their peers. Especially with their kids growing up and no one returning home for dinner, many middle aged parents would rather save the time and effort and eat at the hawker centre for dinner instead. Take my dad for example, he has lunch, teabreak and dinner all outside. Naturally, he wouldn’t be eating at KFC or Macdonalds or anything like that but that wouldn’t matter because somehow, I am guessing that some food at the hawker centre can rival fast food offerings in terms of salt and calorie count. We think that hypertension and high cholesterol are part and parcel of growing up but it isn’t! It’s even worse now that many parents have no time to cook for their young children and more young children are being diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol!
If you need more convincing, here is an infograph on hawker food in general:
Check out the salt and fat content in ‘healthier’ hawker food!
It was only during this week that I realised the best way to eat Yong Tau Foo and to make it TRULY the healthiest thing you can eat at a hawker centre is to pick the veg options and the egg and mushrooms and everything as unprocessed as possible, and ask the store owner to cook your food in plain boiling water. Ask for your yong tau foo dry with NO SOUP and eat your yong tau foo as a ‘salad’. You would find that even by doing so, the salt used to marinate the yong tau foo items would leech out by the end of the meal and still make whatever plain water you had in your bowl super salty.
(However, eating like this everyday is super sad. So I highly recommend just bringing your own super nutritious, dangerous- visceral- fat- busting lunch to work instead)
I was so down with the blahs after all the hawker food that I resolved to get right back on track. I just went back to eating like I usually do- no diets or detoxes! Healthy for LIFE, not for 1 week! You simply can’t live life to the fullest without a healthy body. Kitchen or no kitchen, I was determined to make (most of) my meals at home even if I had to wash my quinoa with water sprouting out of a spout in the wall because I had no tap. Good news though! The body is highly adaptable and 4 days is enough to have you feeling much better again!
Just cutting out sugar, reducing the hawker meals to special outings with family and friends and MAKING YOUR OWN FOOD will help you get rid of the lethargy and have your skin glowing like it should once again!
Here is me just 4 days off 100% hawker food. I still had chocolate and hawker meals with my family but I also packed most of my lunches or when I couldn’t, I invested in my health and chose to pay more to eat at cedele or any other healthier eating place I could find. It really is expensive though so I really encourage you to cook at home instead.
/EDIT: I’ve had some comments asking me if it’s true that this photo was taken just 4 days after the first one. Yes it was! But I have to emphasize that I looked roughly the same as the ‘after’ photo BEFORE the one week on hawker food. The bloated photo above was to show just how much bloating can occur FOR ME due to the high salt and oil diet I’m totally not used to. If youa re used to such levels in your diet, you probably would not be so affected. And if you have not really paid much attention to what you’ve been eating generally, then 4 days certainly would not be enough time for you to get rid of true BELLY FAT. However, 4 days certainly is enough time to get rid of any water retention or bloating caused by high sodium intake! š I am also not asking you to restrict yourself from hawker food ever again but to champion homecooking instead. Eat out if you must of course, but there is much to benefit from simple homecooking! š Hope this clears up any doubts! Comment or email me if anything else occurs to you! š
*(I’m sorry I totally sold myself out and put a before and after picture here to get your attention. While I do want you to know how great a real food, low salt, low oil diet can be for you, I want you to choose healthier options for health’s sake and not to just obsessively focus on trimming the body. I do promise however, that this will be the last before and after photo you’ll ever find on this website because I want this to be a place you can focus on what’s really important rather than only on what can be seen)
I think this one week has really cemented what I want to do for 2014. I
really really want to encourage the people around me to start bringing
their own lunch to work or choosing healthier options. If it’s possible,
I would really like to campaign for hawker centres to cut down on all
the salt and oil that they use as well but everything would be for
naught of course, if the general population isn’t keen on healthier
living. If I can’t, then at least I can encourage those around me to be a little more mindful about their health! I also want to build up this place as a resource for quick and easy lunchbox ideas. There are other things I would like to do as well but I guess I’ll think about them and share them with you guys at the end of the year maybe? š What would you guys like to do or see here in the coming new year? š
Anyhow, since 2014 is just 2 days away, why don’t you make the decision to better nourish and cherish the body you have? Join the giveaway I’m hosting ($50 world of sports vouchers to motivate you to lead a healthier lifestyle!) or just resolve to make 2014 a year you love yourself and those around you a little more! š
With much love,
grace š
Good read. Thanks for posting this =).
I always try to convince my friends that losing that waistline or weight is primarily mostly diet and not just exercising alone. Most decide to turn a deaf ear on that advice. Well me myself is also guilty of indulging on unhealthy hawker foods =(. I gotta cut down on it.
Everything in moderation, I say! And yes, health is really largely the amount of nutrition you are getting!
eat but dun drink the soup. but you are right, using plain water to leech out the salt is a great idea. sometimes i just opt for healthier smaller meals like soy milk with less or no sugar, with a pancake. works well too.
Yes, i totally agree! Unsweetened food and beverages in the market is such a god-given! š I love soymilk with no sugar too but I'm sure many people don't! š
Hi, can I get some info on what you've been cooking at home and some recipes on eating healthy? What to avoid and stuff?
Hi there š I'll be doing up a starter series posts come jan 2014 so look out for them yeah? š and if you have any questions, feel free to email me at anytime! š
It's good to know that someone shares my sentiments on Singapore hawker food. Many of my friends, being girls, focus only on the calorie count but a simple calculation showed that we take in an average of 450mg of sodium more than we should everyday. But it's not entirely hopeless. Fish soup beehoon and likes can be taken as long as you don't drink the soup. Same goes for YongTauFoo as long as you take only the non-processed food (and don't drink the soup). Lots of sodium hidden in the fish paste. Your drive to eat clean is inspiring and I'm glad to have read your article.
Yeah. I guess it was just quite a shock to me coz I thought the soup was healthy too and I like to drink it š Now that I've discovered it, I want to just share with everyone my discoveries! I also want to inspire people to move away from calorie counting and focus on nutrition instead. Do drop by often and leave any nutritional advice please š We can certainly all learn from and inspire each other to make Singapore a healthier happier nation! š
I eat out more than 3 times a day, due to my own busy schedules and work. I will always try to go for the healthier options and work out/play sports more than 5 times a week after work. As far as I know, my body fat percentage is below 15%, and doctors have said that I have a very healthy body when I go for full body check up. It's honestly hard to believe how much your tummy has transformed from just this one week. Perhaps you should work on your metabolism rate too by getting some exercise in your regime š
While hawker food is definitely not healthy compared to home cooked food, its what many Singaporeans will have to live with. There are definitely more methods to maintain a healthy lifestyle instead of cutting hawker food out, which may not be feasible to many people.
Hi there!
Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts on my page š It's always great to get different points of view on a certain subject. It's brilliant that you upkeep such a healthy lifestyle despite the crazy work schedule I'm sure. We can all really learn from that- I for one am really trying to fit in some exercise in as well to increase my cardiovascular health and strength.
Perhaps my article was not clear about my intention as well. I wrote this article because I was surprised that my stomach could look so vastly different after just one week of eating out and I wanted to share with my readers about a possible effect of constantly eating out and emphasize that homemade is certainly much better than eating outside all the time. I also mentioned that I am not used to eating outside food all the time so perhaps my body was not used to it at all? And you are totally right- it's really my fault for not being clearer on this issue here- there is no way a person who has TRUE belly fat be able to shed all his belly fat in 4 days off hawker food. It needs to be a total lifestyle change instead of a 4 day crash diet. I'll need to post up a note in my next post to point out that I looked like that already BEFORE the one week of hawker food and the bulging I experienced was pure water retention and bloating I'm sure (from the high sodium levels I'm unused to). people starting out to on a healthy lifestyle would certainly not get such a quick result as I did. I also don't believe in cutting out anything (except maybe carbonated sweet drinks) and hope that more people would be aware of the hidden salt content in hawker food if they are struggling with bloating and like you, choose healthier options if they have to eat out everyday.
I certainly wouldn't want people to entirely cut hawker food out! (What would my beloved Singapore be without them?) It'll be great if the hawkers could cut down on the salt and oil used though!
P.s perhaps you could share what you normally choose to eat at the hawker centre? š
Very informative! š Thanks for the post. Good effort!
Thanks Celine š
you look good with a belly!
HAHA. Thank you! YEP, belly aside, I wanted to regain my healthy glow š
Hey thank you for the post!
It's really informative!
However, would you mind sharing what kind of food should we consume more on during home cooking? ( You know.. things like noodle and such) and how about snacks!
Once again, thank you very much for the post!
I will do that soon in a next post! But generally I try to cut down on processed food! So
Lots of veggies and fruits- basically if it can swim in the sea, grow on land etc, I'll eat it! So hardly packaged items and less sauce etc for flavorings. I use a lot of spices instead! I find that at the end of the day bread, noodles etc are all processed as well so I eat more of the unprocessed stuff and try to eat less of the processed ones š hope this helps!
Hi š Thanks for this post. I am going to JC soon, so i will be eating breakfast and dinner at home, but the lunch would have to be in school. I'm suspecting that the school lunches will be as unhealthy as the hawker food? What should I do? Bring a homemade sandwich?
Hey š I happened to see your comment so I thought I'd share with you what I did. I just graduated from JC you see, and I packed food to school nearly everyday. I usually pack a sandwich, or sometimes leftovers from the night before in a hot thermos (pasta, rice, quinoa, stew…whatever works) You could always make your sandwich more substantial as a meal by buying fruit juice/fruits alongside.
Don't worry too much. It's fine to eat in school once in a while too š You can just opt for the relatively healthier options like Yong Tau Foo, Porridge, Sandwiches, Pau…
Have fun in JC!
Hello! Yup! You can always bring your own food to school like sandwiches or left over homemade dinner from the previous night like rice and dishes etc. I also like smoothies or fruit that I bring around in a cooler bag. Will post more ideas next time when I'm free. But don't worry about food in JC. SInce you eat at home twice a day, it should really be not much of a problem š OMG. talking about JC, I used to LOVE fried food tuesdays. Do they still have that? when they used to only sell fried food on one day? I would wait the whole week to get the nuggets and the fried fish from the malay stall. HAHA. I was really junky back then. :/ No such thing as moderation for me :/ Anyway, enjoy your time in JC! <3
pack on your own food. know what you are eating. there is simply no incentive for hawkers to cook you a healthy meal when the patrons are demanding delicious food which means more flavouring, cheaper ingredients and what not. Bottomline: you should have autonomy over your own diet intake and not give in to convenience. Simple test: take a look at the ingredients of your food. If you see too many unknown chemicals, then yup…
I agree š
This is not entirely true. I have ate hawker food all my life. Just that i choose to eat vegan most of the time.
Rdgs,
Davis
Hi Davis, I really admire people who have such self control at the hawker centres. I really cannot! Eating homemade food most days a week is an absolute must for me because when you let me loose at a hawker centre I will feel like eating all the stuff like char kway teow and everything but will feel horrible after. Doesn't hawker food get boring after awhile though? Do share with me your thoughts š
Thanks for the insight! What do you normally pack? š
I mealprep once a week and freeze then in the morning I thaw and reheat for 15min and pack everything. will do a post soon on how I bring my food out! I work really long hours so I break out 3 meals + 2 snacks everyday! š If i were to eat out all my meals i ill most certainly go broke! Haha
A lop-sided article if you consider a diet is one of the few facets of healthy living. The others being exercising, rest and proper nutrition.
Thousands upon thousands of people throng the hawker centres for their meals. I'm no different. Yet, it is the choice AND variety of food that you choose which affects in the long run.
Hi there š I do believe in all the facets of healthy living as well- most importantly the mind š Being positive and happy and loving š I really admire people who can survive on a hawker centre diet day after day. I do feel that it's lacking in a variety and nutrition. I really should resolve to be a bit more active though haha- that's for the reminder that healthy living is not just about diet! š
Thank you for this insight, i and my friend always get bloating and water retention from eating hawker food.I always denied it,but guess our bodies are more sensitive to the ingredients in the food,which i take as a good sign.It also goes to show how unhealthy it really is.One of my friend who used to work at coffee shop used to tell me that after cooking the meat,the leftover oil they will pour over the vegetables to make it look shiny and taste wonderful.take note however that the oil is high in trans fat.My friend got a stroke as a result of eating too much of this.
AHMAGADDDD. I never knew they would pour the leftover oil over the vegetables! I would eat the veg and wonder HOW COME it is soaking in oil š I always specify to the stall owner to give me the veg at the top of the pile and shake off the excess oil but it's still so oily! Really negates any nutritional benefits from the veg man! Oh dear, is your friend better now? :/
Thank goodness I've read your post! I always feel odd not to eat w my colleagues during lunch which made me anti social. But after reading this I know I've made the right choice! How do you even pack your own lunch and eat alone without the rest setting you asanti social?
Haha! I just eat together with my friends! I realised that the only one worrying about you is yourself. Actually no one else really gives much thought about what you are eating for lunch. Most itmes, they are also curious what's in your lunchbox š Unless my friends go to a fancy restaurant, I will normally have my own lunchbox since it's just an everyday meal. It's more of what you do 80% of the time that matters. The other 20% just go out and enjoy the company of your friends and family! It's always healthy to have balance š
Hello, may i know how did u slim down? Any special diets or?
Slim down from this water retention or slim down from my previous +10kg weight? Both the same way. I've never done a detox or a diet in my life. I just cut out soda, cut down (not totally restrict!) on processed food and ate an abundance of real food- as many colours as possible! As long as it was real, I just ate it. I also listened to my body more and learnt how to reset my tastebuds and stop when I'm full (I used to be unable to do that) I also like to drink water so it's no problem for me. I drink about 2-4 litres of water a day! š
This is such a great read babe! Very informative and a good wake up call for a lot of us who are deluded by the 'healthier choice' label. Awesome post! š
Thank you Shar! š I know right- the 'healthier' symbol just means 'healthier' not 'healthy'! If the cai fan stall has one less rop of oil than the other stalls also considered 'healthier'!
its about balance and exercise
I agree! Everything in moderation and getting more nutrition rather than counting calories and being afraid of food! š
Hey Grace, I've been reading your blog for awhile now, and I love every single one of your posts. This post really shocked me as I never knew bloating could occur to such a large amount! I've been eating out the past month as well because I've been busy moving house, but luckily I never experienced such a bad case of bloating. What you said about feeling lethargic, and losing your healthy glow is definitely true though! I felt the same way. I'm so glad to finally get back to my normal healthy lifestyle. This post has motivated me to continue packing my own lunches even when I go on to university, continuing the tradition I've been following since primary school.
Thank you for showing Singapore that everything should be enjoyed in moderation…both hawker fare and fast food alike!
Hi! Ugh, tell me about moving house. HAHA! hope it's gg well babe. YES! if you have a habit of packing your own lunches, please keep doing it and encourage all your friends to do it too! Tag me on insta @gracehenghm if you have so we can share lunchbox ideas! Haha. Keep it up! š
omg!
i have this exact same problem as you do!! when i eat at home (healthy food that momma makes) everything's good. but once i go to work mon-fri, extreme bloating occurs for no reason at all. have to put up with looking 3 months preggers all the time!!
could you share what your "daily diet" consists of? i'm so keen to get back into shape in 2014!!!
thanks for this super enlightening post!
HAHAHA. I totally get the 3 months preggers thing. I don't know if it's just me but salt affects me so badly! I get really thirsty and after i eat my stomach just bloats like crazy. Somebody told me it's coz I have no abs so there is no 'hard wall' to block my bloating tummy -.- But after strength training and all, it still bloats madly! Oh well, I think it's easier for me to cook at home or choose healthier options.
Haha, I'll do a post on what I eat daily (it's never the same) when I have the time. Basically I just eat an abundance of real food- I don't care about the fat, protein or carb calories. As long as it's real and it's colourful I'll eat till I'm full and satisfied. I used to restrict last time (after deciding to stop binge eating- haha one disorder to another) and it just totally screwed up my metabolism. I would try to eat about 1000 calories a day. I did lose weight but I looked pale and sallow and I never got skinny anyway. Now I'm still not (blog shop model) skinny but I've learnt to love my body. It's nice and strong and well nourished š I eat about 1500- 2000 calories nowadays and try to walk instead of driving š The best part about eating real food is the skin!! I love the glow!!! You can do it too babe š Leave me a comment or drop me a mail anytime if you need support! š
Anyone here ever heard that wheat/gluten is one of the main cause of obesity and many other related diseases? If you think that whole wheat products are heart-healthy or part of a healthy diet, read up "Wheat Belly" by Dr. William Davis, and you will be proven wrong. You will be shocked that the food many people usually thought to be "healthy" are not healthy at all. I am now gluten-free and see changes in many people that cuts out gluten from their diet. Cutting out gluten is not painful, because there's lots of meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts and etc to choose from. Just to share this information and it's up to you to believe it or not:)
Haha yes, I do include wheat in my diet but because they are processed I don't get my main bulk of energy from them. Too many wheat products are things like cookies and cakes and what not. I have read the wheat belly diet and agree that some people may be susceptible. Glad that you've found a diet you can maintain and sustain and it works for you š
Haha that's good:)
My biggest problem with outside food really, is MSG. It's a killer. I do hope something is done about it, at least start from the schools. Our children may not be as health conscious and there they are, having loads of MSG served in their canteen food. Not as if they have many choices as well.
EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. This is the biggest topic and the closest to my heart. I teach so I see many students each day and what they eat just horrifies me. I know they are young but really, what is being taught about nutrition in school these days just appalls me. I have students as young as 11 being diagnosed as prediabetic and have high cholesterol etc. It makes me really sad and hopefully through several posts I can get the adults to take notice and maybe as a nation we can do sthg about it. After all, hawkers whether outside or in school need to make a living as well. They will sway according to what we support with our dollar.
Nice read and I am amaze with the result from your 4 days of healthy eating. I really have to reflect on my diet. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you š Do note of course, that my 'belly' was really all water retention and bloating so it was easy to lose in 4 days. But if you are just starting to eat better you will need more time to see results. The psychological effects are pretty fast though! š You'll be feeling healthier and happier and more glowy in no time! š Keep going!
This is what I've been hoping most people knew… I know stores that are honest and don't put too much of additives in the food, and that's basically what I eat when I eat out. I don't really trust other stalls in terms of both taste and nutritional content. Luckily for me, my mom cooks almost everyday so I don't have to eat outside. I was shocked when I saw the first pic.. although I've always known that Singapore food have too much salt, sugar, fats, and most importantly, mono sodium glutamate. It's good that you could get rid of that fat in 4 days (clapclapclap). Hopefully more people will acknowledge this fact.
Hahah, thank you š It really wasn't 'fat' that I lost. Just water retention and bloating which is easy to lose on a more cnscious diet š You are so lucky to have homecooked food almost everyday! Must go give your mother a big hug now for the gift of health haha
can eat no problem.. just remember to put some hard workout for your own routine. u will be able to maintain your figure.
Haha, to me it's not about my figure- it's about what's inside! š But yes, I really should try to work out more- new year resolution! š
there is something healthy though..fruits! i usuallly go hawker centre fruit stall buy fruits only…other stallls noooo.so my diet just fruits;] or if u like,pure juices?
I can't drink pure juices because they upset my bloog sugar levels and I feel very crave- y and want to binge eat :/ and fruits as well so I must eat savoury things š But yes- thanks for reminding me! THe fruit stall is definitely a healthier option except there was once I asked for apple juice and they poured syrup and juice the apple into the syrup š I never ordered juice from there ever again. š
the water retention can actually be resolved by drinking plenty of water. recommended is 2 litres a day but i think with the kind of food available outside we need up to 4.
Haha- yes I agree š But it's hard to down 4 litres of water if you are not used to it so I wrote up this post to help people be more aware of the salt content in hawker food š
I noticed this about hawker food too! I did my exchange in Paris last time, and ate mostly salads/paninis/pasta salads and I could eat like 6 meals a day and not gain belly fats. But once I came back to Singapore and started on hawker food, i started putting on belly fat very quickly too! But the strange thing is that now I'm studying in Korea, and most of the food should be pretty high in sodium (since they are seasoned) and till now I still have to gulp down lots of barley tea or water after meals, I don't get belly fats I do notice that I put on weight/fats more during summer than in winter though, and I think that has a lot to do with the cravings for cold drinks (which are very high in sugar)
Haha maybe! I guess for me it wasn't fats- just water retention that I could lose quickly as wel. š But yes! Stay off the sugary drinks. They really offer no nutrition! I think korean food is still not too bad/ generally healthy? I think jap/ korean culture seem to prize well presented and balanced nutritious food quite highly so as long as everything is eaten in moderation should be no problem! š Hope you are enjoying life in korea you jet setter you š
Your so called distended fats look damn Photoshopped. Fake!
Thank you for your comment š
Hi Bunny
just in case you know…
everything in excess make you fat
universal law that never change-calories in vs out
there's something call IIFYM-if it fits your macros
there's a number of fitness model eating outside yet attain a very respectable physique and health look
check them out like kane sumabat
Thanks for your comment! I agree anything in excess even apples can make you fat. But I'm not just interested in how I look, I would like a life where I am free from numbers and restrictions or anything like that š I know lots of people who follow IIFYM though and I'm really glad it works for them š
Excelent job just continue to work
Agree that hawker food is usually unhealthy and oily. Probably the best choices to go for are the fish soup or porridge but they aren't always available. But hawker centre presents the cheapest food options for most Singaporeans eating out. There aren't many healthy choices available except at the restaurants and they are too expensive to eat on a daily basis. If there were hawker stalls selling healthier foods I would definitely enjoy it as well š
Hi Alex- yes I really hope one day we'll see hawker stalls in sg and even fast food restaurants sell healthier food! They are the ones with the big money and the marketshare/ presence to make a change. If they just start serving even a small bowl of broccoli alongside their usuals- that'd be good enough for me! š
Truly inspirational!! Indeed, I agree. Where is the proper food?? Recently being more health conscious and trying to eat a balanced diet, I find it so hard to do so outside! it's so hard to have a meal of protein, fibre, grains. Like there's always no veggies in the dishes!! And even when I opt for a more balanced choice, it's loaded with oil, salt like I had some vegetarian fare today and my stomach felt so uncomfortable n oily. It's time to revolutionize Singapore's eating scene!! And veggies are so expensive like $3 a plate?
I TOTALLY AGREE ! š the best is just to cook at home and bring out then indulge with friends and family over the weekends or something. Everything in moderation š
GAHHHH my parents don't allow me to cook at home. I can only eat hawker food or fast food. no money for restaurants…):
Hahaha! I certainly have no money to eat at restaurants either! You can check out my hawker post on how to eat healthier there š or just eat what your mom cooks at home. Homecooked food is always healthier coz you can control what goes in! š
Hi, I don't know how to cook so I can only rely on outside food if my mum doesn't cook.. so can I ask if there are other food that are okay to eat? like are cereals okay?
If most of your meals during the week are homecooked by your mom I don't think you have much to worry about! š Usually when I eat out, I order a plate of fruits, chicken rice, but ask the uncle for 1/2 rice and change the rice to normal white rice + veggies and sauce on the side. I feel that is the most balanced meal. Of course I'm not saying you can't eat chicken rice ever again but I prefer to save the real chicken rice for a special occasion. This is just what I eat on normal days š Other options will be yong tau foo with soup and sauce separated or wanton mee. Haha.
I actually lost a whopping 17kg when I moved to singapore and started eating hawker food. The first time in my life I hadnt dieted and ate when and what I wanted and I lost weight. The only othwr difference is not driving everywhere so perhaps more walking than I did back home however I gymmed three to five times week plus walked the dog everyday up the hill… I still think ot was hawker food that did it for me. We minly et chicken or char siu rice, hokkien mee, laksa or jiang chong tzu row fun or dim sum
Hi! Welcome to Singapore!!! Where did you move from! š Awesome news about the weight loss and I really hope it's made you feel happier and healthier. I don't doubt at all that hawker food can actually help in weight loss especially if your lifestyle used to be made up of heavily processed foods and no activity. Hawker food in general is quite healthy in the sense that it is minimally processed- natural ingredients like rice and meat and veg etc but for me in particular, hawker food is wayyyy too high in salt and oil for me to eat it everyday. Coming from a back ground of binge eating disorder, the one week of hawker food sent me right off tangent and straight back into unhealthy food habits once again š I think you would find that as you lose more weight and get even healthier, the tastes of hawker food would be a tad too strong for you and the salt content will cause you to retain water. But for now, do enjoy all the food here š singapore has some of the best food in the world (I always pine for it when I'm overseas! ) – just don't forget to get in your greens somehow! Hawker food has a major dearth of it! š
Just stumbled upon your post while surfing the net, and I am so glad I did.
I'm on my internship right now so I would have to have lunch outside. I will try to make healthier choices almost everyday, but my stomach still bloats. It is indeed depressing when you are making an effort to eat as healthily as possible but your belly still protrudes out like a ball. Maybe my body is also more sensitive to ingredients that they use. Guess I would have to learn how to pack my lunch now.
Thank you for this informative post. Will be keeping an eye out for your future updates.
Thank you so much for your support!
Here are some scary facts about Singaporeans: 1 in 4 has diabetes; 1 in 5 has high cholesterol; 1 in 4 has hypertension. These are caused by poor diet (hawker food and fast food), work pressure and sedentary lifestyle (lack of exercise). It is unfortunate that most working people have to lunch at food courts and hawker centres where the food are laden with trans fat oil, sodium and sugar in the form of carbohydrates such as kway teow, noodles etc. About ten years ago, I have the High Five – high blood pressure; high cholesterol; high uric acid; high blood sugar; and high triglyceride. I was then weighing 84 kg. I quit my job at the peak of my career to focus on improving my health. I embarked on a low carbo diet and abstained from hawker food for a long period and started exercising four to five days a week. I started to loose weight gradually over the period and eventually was able to bring my weight down to consistently around 72kg and my blood pressure, cholesterol, uric acid, triglyceride and blood sugar is now back to normal levels and I don't have to take any medications anymore. Nowadays, I tried to avoid hawker food as much as possible. My breakfast is usually comprised of three or four types of fruits, yogurt and museli. Lunch is the only meal that I may take a bit of carbo and lean meat. I would have a nice steak once in 6 to 8 weeks.
There have been too much talk of our Singaporean foods. There are always food reviews in the papers, on the websites and every where. It's interesting to hear that Singaporeans while eating are already discussing about the next meal. I believe Singaporeans are eating way too much and too much of unhealthy foods. I have seen young people in the late thirties/early forties stricken by stroke. It's so sad. Singaporean must make a conscious effort to improve their lifestyles (more exercise, going outdoors like the parks instead of going to the malls where they will invariably end up eating all the junk foods), cut down their food intake and start eating healthy food. Where possible, more home cooked meals where they are control the type of ingredients e.g. oil, sodium and lead a healthier like. It worked for me and I am sure it can work for you. I wish all fellow Singaporeans longevity and prosperity.
You are such an inspiration! I hope one day you can share your story here in a post! š Yes, let's work together to spread the message so that more people can be aware and take better care of themselves!
Thank you so much for your sharing. God bless.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. God bless you too! š