Living Better: A New Beginning

Your journey begins on an inquest into two things: what you're eating (surprise surprise) and how you're exercising.

Before we begin, first and foremost, we need to be realistic about our expectations. I'm going to be honest with you - you probably aren't going to look like a Calvin Klein underwear model in 3 months from now. But, you definitely will look like the Calvin Klein underwear model version of yourself once we're through - if you have the desire and discipline to stick by these very simple guidelines.

What you're eating

Most people hear the word "diet" and automatically think of "minimal food consumption". That's called a crash diet. A diet where you damn near stop eating and limit your food intake to sad things like watercress leaves and Jacob's plain crackers.

But the most fundamental thing about the right diet isn't about eating less. It's about eating right.

A very simple example is the Mediterranean diet - a diet rich in unsaturated fat, fruits, vegetables, fish and limited amounts of dairy foods and wine.

The Malaysian diet is, in my opinion, one of the worst diets in the history of mankind. It is rich in saturated fat, refined carbohydrates and bursting with sugar and salt. To make things worse, the Malaysian diet is also lacking in many vital nutrients, protein and fibre.

To want to make a positive change in your life is to desire to say no to food that is simply put, bad for you. Many of you will recoil in horror when I say no to char kway teow, no to laksa, no to pisang goreng (all Malaysian favorites).

But, it isn't as bad as it sounds. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Many will rant, "It's impossible to live in Malaysia and not enjoy Malaysian food!" Wait, wait, wait. Let me finish. Your tongue will still have the opportunity to grace such delicacies as I'm not advocating complete avoidance. For the weak-hearted, I'm advocating moderation. Bona-fide moderation.

Start by making better dietary decisions. Here's an example. Picture this: you're at the kopitiam and you're craving for some good ol' chicken rice.

Instead of the drumstick, opt for the breast (chicken breast is the lowest in fat content and the highest in protein). And please skip the oil and sauce.

Instead of chicken oil-flavored rice, ask the seller to give you white rice (brown rice is a far superior choice but almost impossible to obtain when you're eating out in Malaysia).

Ask the uncle to load you up on cucumber slices, or better, with a side dish of bak choy (green vegetables).

The same applies to almost any other food option out there. Making a change can simply start with asking for your food to be done with less oil, salt or sugar. Opting for something steamed/boiled instead of deep fried. Choosing a Japanese bento box over a Chinese takeout meal. Snacking on mouth-watering cut fruit instead of potato chips. Doing something is better than doing nothing.

In any case, always be on the lookout for options that contain a balanced proportion of protein, carbohydrates, good fat and fibre. And when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, you have permission to go absolutely berserk (ie. eat them at every opportunity!)

There is light at the end of the tunnel if you're still far from convinced - once the 3 months have expired and you've set your new lifestyle in stone, you can always make the occasional exception. But trust me on this - once you're through the twelfth week and enjoying the first-fruits of your labor, let it not come as a surprise if your cravings for unhealthy foods (once the cornerstone of your eating habits) remarkably diminishes...

To be continued: How you're exercising