Maintaining a healthy diet has always been a struggle for me. Growing up, my love for food, especially junk food, led to me becoming overweight. In my efforts to shed the extra pounds, I focused on limiting my food intake rather than making healthier dietary choices. Once I lost the weight, I didn’t think much about it until about ten years later, when a routine checkup revealed a sudden health scare. I was in my twenties and never expected to come across this so early in life!
Since then, I have became more health-conscious and pay greater attention to what I put into my body. Throughout this journey, I have been forming my views on why it is so challenging to maintain a healthy diet:
- Lack of transparency in the food industry, coupled with potentially misleading advertisements that convey unhealthy options as nutritious - Fruit juice is an apparent culprit in this case. Despite that it may contain 100% fruits, the process of grinding the fruits into juice means that most of the insoluble fibre is removed and we are left with sugars, calories and micronutrients
- A generalised perception of what constitutes as healthy food, although this can vary based on the preparation method and added ingredients - Yogurt is a great example. Depending on your selection, it can be loaded with added sugar (even worst than a chocolate bar) instead of being a nutritious dessert or snack
- Individual variation in dietary needs, which vary by our body size, gender, activity level, life goals, etc. - Questions that come to mind include:
- To maintain a healthy diet, how much salt / sugar / fats / protein / fibre should I have a day?
- To maintain a healthy diet, what chemicals should I avoid (e.g., food colouring, preservatives)?
- To build muscle, how much more protein / fats should I have a day?
- To lose weight, how much less calories should I have a day?
- Impact of busy lifestyles, leading to a preference for convenience foods over home-cooked meals - We prioritise convenience over nutrition, thus our long-term wellbeing, to conform to a fast-paced society where being busy is the norm
- Prevailing culture of treating ourselves, in which we indulge in unhealthy foods as a form of comfort - We are encouraged to indulge in calories-dense, high-sugar foods during celebrations, festive seasons, after exercise or as a pick-me-up on bad days. While these treats aren't necessarily bad, but when they become regular occurrences, they can impact our diet adversely without us even realising it
- Allure of unhealthy food, which often seems far more appetising than healthier options - Like all aspects of life, we face the challenge of choosing the right (healthy) options over the more tempting (less healthy) ones. Unfortunately we often pursue immediate gratification instead of focusing on our future wellbeing
My Approach to Healthy Eating
Calories is Not Everything
This was a big misconception that I had. I was focusing on calorie intake to lose weight, and somehow believe that I am eating healthy if I keep my BMI within the normal range. As such, I was having McDees, crisps, chocolate and other junk food as long as I kept my meals below a certain calorie limit.
I overlooked the fact that some food packs a better nutritional profile than others. For example, nuts are high in calories - ~180 - 225kcal for a 30g serving - which rivals a similar serving of a packet of crisps as noted by the British Heart Foundation. However, there is limited nutritional value in crisps but plenty in nuts, including protein, fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Even the fats found in nuts are the healthy type that can help reduce our risk of heart and circulatory diseases. In addition, the protein in nuts keeps us feeling fuller for longer, thus reducing the likelihood of us overeating during the day.
Keep Healthy Food Within Reach
We are programmed to be drawn to junk food, captivated by its visual appeal and the promise of immediate gratification from the high-calorie, sugar and fat content. When faced with two food options - one healthy and the other unhealthy - my monkey brain would use all of its power to steer me towards the unhealthy option. Maybe my rational brain would prevail once or twice, but more often than not, it struggles to win the battle.
As such, I do my best to stock healthy food in my home and avoid buying unhealthy food as much as I can. This generally includes unsalted nuts, nut butter, yoghurts, chicken breasts, natto, oats, dark chocolate, spices and all kinds of fruits and vegetables.
Study the Food Labels
When I started paying attention to food labels, I was taken aback by the number of additional ingredients found in processed food, many of which I am not familiar with. Examples include preservatives, colourings, flavour enhancers, canola oils, sugars and other unknown chemicals. Moreover, the labels themselves can be confusing: you really need to scrutinise them to fully grasp the amount of sugar, fats and salt present in a typical serving.
This realisation prompts me to select raw foods such as fruits and vegetables more often, as they typically contain fewer additives and offer greater health benefits. For all the other food, I would compare the labels of similar products - such as different brands of yogurt - and opt for the one that offers higher nutritional value.
Remind Myself of Why We Eat
The primary purpose of eating is to provide fuel to our bodies. However, we often connect eating with other motivations, such as indulging in sensory pleasures, spending time with family and friends, or even escaping from reality.
Ultimately, we eat to satisfy our hunger, with the other motivations being just an added bonus. I keep this in mind whenever I have to choose between healthy and unhealthy food. I recognise that the enjoyment from unhealthy options is temporary, which strengthens my resolve to choose healthier foods that provide better nourishment for my body.
Set Eating Guidelines
I try to follow the guidelines below to eat healthier:
- Avoid animal skin
- Avoid deep-fried and stir-fried food, choose raw and steamed options
- Limit sugar intake, especially sugary drinks, desserts, cakes and pastries
- Reduce consumption of high-fat or high-sugar sauces like mayonnaise, ketchup, cheese and cream
- Eat more raw food, i.e., food in their natural state and not turned into unrecognisable forms
- Eat more greens than carbs and meats
- Eat slightly more protein while reducing carbs, but maintain a balanced diet overall
Treat Myself Occasionally
Let's be honest, life would be pretty dull if there is zero junk food. If we constantly restrain ourselves, it might backfire and induce us to overeat. The key is not to normalise junk food consumption, as society often encourages; instead, it should be an exception ideally reserved for special occasions.
I have a cheat meal about once a week, but I try not to go overboard. I might allow myself one treat, such as a creamy pasta as my main dish or a sweet desert to finish off, but not both. This helps me to manage my cravings while providing a little reward to keep me motivated.
