I love food. The word diet doesn't necessarily have to be negative. Many people around me see me eating a salad for lunch and ask me "Are you on a diet?" And I'm like.. "Yeah this IS my diet." Everyone has a diet. Diet simply means what you eat.
In recent months I've been making an attempt to make my diet healthier, by making some really small changes.
1. Cut out sugary sodas. COMPLETELY.
I mean, these don't do anything for you. At all. Do they quench your thirst? Not really. They may taste good on a sweltering day but a glass of iced tea or iced water with lemons can taste equally good, sans the calories. Check out my previous post for some recipes of fruit infused water if you find drinking plain water too bland.
2. Incorporate vegetables into your diet
There are certain vegetables which I've been adding to my diet of late simply because they are really easy to eat, don't require much preparation or cooking and are chock full of vitamins. Baby spinach, how I love thee. They look like leaves and can be eaten raw or cooked. I usually just wash a handful and crunch on them without any dressing when my main meal is lacking in the vegetable department.
Cherry tomatoes, another great snacking option which has lots of antioxidants and can give you a nice complexion. Yellow capsicum, a superfood which tastes great when grilled or baked. I usually season with ground black pepper. It's delicious. Please try grilling it. (My friends think I'm a crazy capsicum lady when I implore them to try grilling capsicums).
Cucumber helps reduce inflammation in your body and provides hydration as it is mostly made up of water. Not to mention, it's delicious in sandwiches and salads.
3. Cut down on processed foods
Instead of using something processed like mayonnaise in your sandwiches, use avocados instead. They're rich and creamy too but contain lots of vitamins and good fats which help regulate your insulin levels. In a similar fashion, instead of using salad creams or thousand island dressing (super fattening), use a bit of olive oil or whole grain mustard as your dressing. Better yet, don't use dressing at all.
A good substitute for potato chips is to bake sweet potato slices or wedges in the oven. Just be sure to coat the sweet potatoes in olive oil before baking to prevent them from drying out. Try to eat fresh foods. Anything that comes in a box or packet usually has lots of chemicals which you can't pronounce added to them... And I don't think these chemicals do you much good.
4. Substitute desserts with fruits
I fully understand the impulse of opening your fridge at night for that tub of chocolate ice cream. I'm guilty of it too! But recently I've been eating fruits when I get a sugar craving. Fruits contain lots of vitamins and have complex sugars which are better for you than refined sugars. My personal favorites are navel oranges and strawberries. Oh and having a banana before your workout does WONDERS. And the brown spotty ones are so sweet!
5. Don't deprive yourself, everything in moderation
Back to that tub of chocolate ice cream... I still indulge in it when I feel like rewarding myself after a hard day's work or after a really intensive workout. Don't deprive yourself of anything, just don't go overboard. Always evaluate whether the food you are putting into your mouth is yummy or good for you. If you don't absolutely have to have it, replace it with something else! Always think before you eat. A moment on your lips, forever on your hips! Unless you burn it off by working out. Which brings me to another point. If you wanna indulge in something, do it earlier in the day so you have time to burn it off throughout the day.
I hope the above 5 simple tips can help you make smarter choices and improve your diet! :)
Tuesday 13 May 2014
Monday 14 April 2014
New obsession: Fruit infused water
Recently I've started to get into the craze of fruit infused water. It's not a craze in Singapore yet (cuz damn I can't find any fruit infusion water bottles anywhere) but it's a craze in the US among the beauty/fitness youtubers I'm following.
Ok so.. why put fruits in your water instead of eating it? Firstly, fruit in water makes regular water taste sweeter and yummier so it can encourage you to drink more water. We need at least 1.5 litres of water to stay hydrated each day, and I know some people who really hate drinking just plain water. As a result, they drink lots of bottled drinks which have lots of sugar inside. Those are empty calories which you shouldn't be consuming at all!
Secondly, that brings me to the point that fruit infused water can suppress your urge to drink sodas and sweet beverages. It can be a substitute for all those unhealthy drinks!
Lastly, let's face it. Fruit infused water is just so pretty............. Can we just take a moment to admire how pretty these drinks look? Well the mason jars and stripey straws play a part but they are simply lovely. They make such a nice addition to any party or picnic.
Recipes for yummy fruit infusion water:
1. Belly fat blaster
You will need: 3 slices of lemon, 3 slices of navel orange, 4 slices of japanese cucumber, a few mint leaves. Lemon helps with detox (trust me on this), navel oranges are really yummy and provide vitamin C, cucumber helps with reducing inflammation in your body and mint which not only makes your water taste more refreshing, helps with digestion as well!
2. Antioxidant arsenal
You will need: a handful of blueberries, a handful of cranberries, half a pomegranate and 2 heaping tablespoons of goji berries.
Blueberries, cranberries and pomegranate are rich in antioxidants, chock full of flavour and did you know that pomegranate can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks due to the antioxidant tannins that it contains? Goji berries are also a great source of antioxidants and are relatively inexpensive when purchased from traditional Chinese medicinal shops.
3. Rainbow medley
You will need: 3 strawberries, 3 slices of navel orange, 2 slices of lemon, 2 wedges of lime, 6 blueberries, 3 black grapes
I have to admit, as much as the fruits here have lots of antioxidant benefits, I put together this combination purely for the aesthetics of it. Colours of the rainbow! ^__^ Red, orange, yellow, green, indigo and purple! I left out blue cause there really isn't any fruit that's blue in colour... Even blueberries are a very dark purple despite their name.
Try out these recipes and let me know what you think!
Ok so.. why put fruits in your water instead of eating it? Firstly, fruit in water makes regular water taste sweeter and yummier so it can encourage you to drink more water. We need at least 1.5 litres of water to stay hydrated each day, and I know some people who really hate drinking just plain water. As a result, they drink lots of bottled drinks which have lots of sugar inside. Those are empty calories which you shouldn't be consuming at all!
Secondly, that brings me to the point that fruit infused water can suppress your urge to drink sodas and sweet beverages. It can be a substitute for all those unhealthy drinks!
Lastly, let's face it. Fruit infused water is just so pretty............. Can we just take a moment to admire how pretty these drinks look? Well the mason jars and stripey straws play a part but they are simply lovely. They make such a nice addition to any party or picnic.
 | ||
| Photo credits to: toneandfit.net |
Recipes for yummy fruit infusion water:
1. Belly fat blaster
You will need: 3 slices of lemon, 3 slices of navel orange, 4 slices of japanese cucumber, a few mint leaves. Lemon helps with detox (trust me on this), navel oranges are really yummy and provide vitamin C, cucumber helps with reducing inflammation in your body and mint which not only makes your water taste more refreshing, helps with digestion as well!
2. Antioxidant arsenal
You will need: a handful of blueberries, a handful of cranberries, half a pomegranate and 2 heaping tablespoons of goji berries.
Blueberries, cranberries and pomegranate are rich in antioxidants, chock full of flavour and did you know that pomegranate can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks due to the antioxidant tannins that it contains? Goji berries are also a great source of antioxidants and are relatively inexpensive when purchased from traditional Chinese medicinal shops.
3. Rainbow medley
You will need: 3 strawberries, 3 slices of navel orange, 2 slices of lemon, 2 wedges of lime, 6 blueberries, 3 black grapes
I have to admit, as much as the fruits here have lots of antioxidant benefits, I put together this combination purely for the aesthetics of it. Colours of the rainbow! ^__^ Red, orange, yellow, green, indigo and purple! I left out blue cause there really isn't any fruit that's blue in colour... Even blueberries are a very dark purple despite their name.
Try out these recipes and let me know what you think!
Wednesday 5 March 2014
Fitness tips for people who hate running
R-U-N. A 3-letter word which causes me pain.
R-U-N-N-I-N-G. A 7-letter word which causes me continuous pain.
In essence, that's what I feel about running. Well before you judge, I'll say it myself. Yes I am lazy. But besides that, some people just can't run! They may have knee problems or asthma... Lots of health conditions discourage people from the most well-known and effective way to burn fat and lose weight - to run. Running on a treadmill is especially bad for your knees. Take it from someone who has an old knee injury. When you run on a treadmill, you are actually bouncing up and down on the treadmill which is made of... Well, metal! That results in great impact on your knees. That being said, running on cross country terrain is much better than running on treadmills.
But I digress. Let's just toss running out of the window cause I simply can't do it. Let's move on to the meat of this blog post. Want to lose weight, tone up and keep active without running? Here are some of my personal tips:
1. Find alternative forms of cardio
Cardio is really important especially if you have excess fat to shed. As much as I would like to just lift weights in the gym, I can't. I have fat I need to burn and therefore I have to do cardio. Working out using the elliptical or cross trainer is a really good form of cardio. Increase the resistance to tone your legs and butt as well.
Another great form of cardio is swimming which doesn't put much stress on your joints. It also works out your entire body. As long as you're in the deep end of the pool, you have no excuse to stop moving your limbs (or you'll drown)!
2. Don't be afraid to lift weights
Don't blame your parents for your "poor metabolism". You can actually improve your metabolism by building more muscle. Your muscles actually burn calories even when you are at rest. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning. Women usually have the misconception that they will grow big unsightly muscles if they start doing weights. That why you see lots of girls I like to call cardio bunnies at the gym. They're like energizer bunnies who just can't stop running on the treadmill. We'll they are slim but they just don't have the muscle tone which is oh so sexy. Weights can help you achieve that and increase your basal metabolism rate which is a win-win in my book.
3. Develop a routine
It takes 21 days to form a new habit. No matter how lazy you are, just force yourself to go to the gym on specific days in a week for 3 weeks, and your body will naturally tell you when it's time to hit the gym or do something active. It actually becomes quite addictive, the ache that you feel after a great workout.
4. Cut back on unhealthy food and reduce your portions
If you hate running and you want to lose weight fast, stop eating those greasy chili cheese fries and chocolate cake! Replace the bad carbohydrates (processed carbs like white bread, white rice, pasta, chips) with good ones like brown rice, whole grain pasta and cereals, oats... The list goes on. As I am typing this entry, I am munching on reduced sugar dried cranberries which are a good source of fiber! 40 grams of dried cranberries gives you 10 grams of fiber!
Eat with a smaller plate. It will seem like you are eating a lot when your plate is filled, but you are actually eating less than usual. Also, eating slowly will also make you feel full without putting too much food into your belly. The stomach takes around 15-20 minutes to tell your brain that you are full (it's a slow communication system, I know), so eating slower is actually better for you! Try holding a meaningful conversation with someone during lunch instead of just wolfing your meal down. Chewing your food for longer also makes it easier for your stomach to digest the food you ingest.
5. Drink LOTS of water and green tea
Drinking water, especially before meals, helps you eat less. Drinking water also helps to flush out toxins from your body. Well, not to mention that water helps in maintaining good skin, hair and nails.
Green tea has got to be one of my favourite drinks. I can drink three or four mugs of green tea a day. It helps to burn fat (due to the tea polyphenols which activate an enzyme which burns fat) and increase your metabolism (not by a lot, but it helps).
In any case, green tea as a beverage is just really awesome. Just remember to drink freshly brewed green tea. If you have no time to brew tea, get bottled green tea but make sure there's no added sugar. Pokka's Green Tea (No sugar) or Heaven & Earth's Ayataka are great choices. However, I noticed that Pokka's variation has tea polyphenols stated in the ingredients list while Heaven & Earth's doesn't. So nowadays I try to buy the Pokka one even though Ayataka tastes much better.
Eat with a smaller plate. It will seem like you are eating a lot when your plate is filled, but you are actually eating less than usual. Also, eating slowly will also make you feel full without putting too much food into your belly. The stomach takes around 15-20 minutes to tell your brain that you are full (it's a slow communication system, I know), so eating slower is actually better for you! Try holding a meaningful conversation with someone during lunch instead of just wolfing your meal down. Chewing your food for longer also makes it easier for your stomach to digest the food you ingest.
5. Drink LOTS of water and green tea
Drinking water, especially before meals, helps you eat less. Drinking water also helps to flush out toxins from your body. Well, not to mention that water helps in maintaining good skin, hair and nails.
Green tea has got to be one of my favourite drinks. I can drink three or four mugs of green tea a day. It helps to burn fat (due to the tea polyphenols which activate an enzyme which burns fat) and increase your metabolism (not by a lot, but it helps).
In any case, green tea as a beverage is just really awesome. Just remember to drink freshly brewed green tea. If you have no time to brew tea, get bottled green tea but make sure there's no added sugar. Pokka's Green Tea (No sugar) or Heaven & Earth's Ayataka are great choices. However, I noticed that Pokka's variation has tea polyphenols stated in the ingredients list while Heaven & Earth's doesn't. So nowadays I try to buy the Pokka one even though Ayataka tastes much better.
Hope you found the tips above helpful! Remember, you don't have to run just to lose weight and keep fit. Just find other exercises which work for you and most importantly, are enjoyable. Keeping fit should be fun!
Sunday 2 March 2014
About me!
Hello world! Finally mustered up the courage to start this blog because I've recently gotten some inspiration on what the theme of this blog should be. Hopefully this blog will provide some fresh content and inject some happiness and motivation into your life. Oh and most importantly, this blog is for fitness beginners who may not have enough motivation or the ultimate fitness goal of running a marathon.
So, about me... I am a 25 year-old working adult living in Singapore. My working hours are kind of long so it's rather hard for me to devote too much time into eating healthy and fitness.
I'm also a beauty junkie. A huge one. I mean, which girl can have enough lipsticks?!?!?!! There are just so so so many different shades and formulas to choose from! There was a point in time when I had 50 lipsticks. Excessive, I know. I have since tossed many foul-smelling lipsticks into the bin and downsized my makeup stash tremendously. Nevertheless, I'm always on the hunt for my holy grail products. Recommendations are hugely welcomed.
Fitness journey
I've never been obese before, but I've never been ultra fit either. I was diagnosed with heart murmur when I was a child, so I was always exempted from strenuous physical activities such as running 1.6km during our annual fitness tests in Primary school. (Yay)
In Secondary school and Junior College I played table tennis weekly and I played for the school team. So that kept my weight in check. I ate whatever I wanted to eat and I did not watch my diet at all. However my weight was constant at 46kg in JC.
After I entered University, I stopped playing sports and late night suppers in hostel caused my weight to balloon to 52kg. I took up hip hop dance though, and it was a great way to tone up. However, I stopped when I moved out of hostel in my second year.
And now, I'm a working adult who just doesn't have too much spare time to exercise. Quite frankly, when I first started work in 2012, I didn't exercise at all!
It was until I got together with my current boyfriend that I started working out. He's a gym fanatic so we signed up for the gym together in 2013.
Fitness problems / problem areas
My fitness problems:
1. I HATE RUNNING. And I can't run too much either because of my knee injury.
2. I love chips. It's my no.1 snack. I used to have cravings for chips every week.
3. Problem areas: Tummy, saddlebacks, thighs, HUGE HIPS (I have huge bones :( )
Health and Fitness Goals
My health and fitness goals are simple:
1. Look moderately good in a bikini (flat tummy, toned thighs)
2. Increase muscle mass and decrease fat mass
3. Incorporate more healthy food into my diet and slowly cut out the foods that are not so good for me (e.g. fried food)
Current Fitness Routine
Fitness journey
I've never been obese before, but I've never been ultra fit either. I was diagnosed with heart murmur when I was a child, so I was always exempted from strenuous physical activities such as running 1.6km during our annual fitness tests in Primary school. (Yay)
In Secondary school and Junior College I played table tennis weekly and I played for the school team. So that kept my weight in check. I ate whatever I wanted to eat and I did not watch my diet at all. However my weight was constant at 46kg in JC.
After I entered University, I stopped playing sports and late night suppers in hostel caused my weight to balloon to 52kg. I took up hip hop dance though, and it was a great way to tone up. However, I stopped when I moved out of hostel in my second year.
And now, I'm a working adult who just doesn't have too much spare time to exercise. Quite frankly, when I first started work in 2012, I didn't exercise at all!
It was until I got together with my current boyfriend that I started working out. He's a gym fanatic so we signed up for the gym together in 2013.
Fitness problems / problem areas
My fitness problems:
1. I HATE RUNNING. And I can't run too much either because of my knee injury.
2. I love chips. It's my no.1 snack. I used to have cravings for chips every week.
3. Problem areas: Tummy, saddlebacks, thighs, HUGE HIPS (I have huge bones :( )
Health and Fitness Goals
My health and fitness goals are simple:
1. Look moderately good in a bikini (flat tummy, toned thighs)
2. Increase muscle mass and decrease fat mass
3. Incorporate more healthy food into my diet and slowly cut out the foods that are not so good for me (e.g. fried food)
Current Fitness Routine
My boyfriend and I try to go to the gym thrice or twice a week and also swim once a week if our schedules allow for it.
At the gym, I use the elliptical / cross trainer / stepper (whatever you call it) at a moderately high resistance to get my cardio checked and also tone my legs. Following that, I usually do some shoulder and chest presses using free weights. For my triceps, I do 2 sets of 15 dips and 3 sets on the tricep machine.
I'm also really into this channel on YouTube called xHitdaily which teaches you easy at-home high intensity interval training routines you can follow. I especially like the Candice Swanepoel (she's my favorite VS Angel!!!!) workout which works your abs, thighs and butt. So I do those exercises on a mat for about 15 minutes.
Lastly, I try to work my butt and thighs using machines or just doing squats.
That's about it! For now. This has got to be the longest "About Me" entry you've ever seen so I shall go scoot along and brainstorm my next entry.
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