If not now, when?
Get your diet and health back on track this year with the right habits
DON’T wait. Do it now. Procrastination is the biggest hurdle when it comes to changing our diet for the better. We dwell on it, talk about it but actually doing something always takes time.
Prince Court Medical Centre consultant dietitian Judy Ng Wei Chern says that to get started, one should first reflect on one’s diet.
Ask yourself: What was not right in 2019? What do I want to change in 2020? What did I do well in 2019 that I would like to continue doing in 2020?
“It is important to determine what triggered unhealthy patterns. It could be that 2019 was a very busy year at work or school. In addition, you may have been trying too hard to change your diet or lifestyle so that it became unsustainable — leaving you discouraged,” she says.
Take a few minutes for reflection. For example, if being busy at work led to an increase in takeaways and the consumption of fast food, then plan your meals a week beforehand now.
You can prepare wraps and sandwiches over the weekend or order from a variety of healthy food delivery services.
Ng says people have the perception that a diet means restricting yourself to tasteless soups and salads with no rice or carbohydrates.
This is not true, she says. Instead of depriving yourself of your favourite food, find ways to make them healthier.
For example, swap ice-cream for half a cup of low fat frozen yogurt.
In addition, try not to over-plan so as to avoid disappointment when you are unable to stick to it. Be reasonable when it comes to your diet and exercise.
More importantly, stop saying “my diet starts tomorrow”. Start today, even if it means 10 minutes of simple exercises or including more vegetables in your meals. You may also reach out to a dietitian for healthier diet modifications you can make.
MINDFUL EATING
Ng explains that it’s also important to practise mindful eating.
This means paying attention to what you are consuming — taking time to enjoy the taste, texture and scents of food. This will make you more conscious of what goes into your body.
One should also refer to the Healthy Eating Plate concept which includes all the necessary portion sizes for the different food groups such as carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, fats, fruits and dairy products.
This can be applied even when you eat out — making all your meals a little healthier.
It is important to determine what triggered unhealthy patterns. It could be that 2019 was a very busy year at work or school. Judy Ng Wei Chern