Have you heard of the saying “You are what you eat”? Eating has such an amazing influence in our lives, yes? We are so blessed to have easy access to Halal food here in Singapore.

On average, most of us eat at least 3 meals in a day. Some of us eat snacks in between. Do you realize that with every single mouthful that we put in our mouths, there are only two consequences. It is either getting closer or further away from health. Think about that!

Imagine standing in front of the food stall, thinking what to do. Simple decisions, which may not seem significant individually, end up leading you to a completely different level of health.

Take for example, you are driving a car. Whenever you reach a T-junction, you choose left rather than right. You would end up at a completely different destination right? After 10 decisions to turn left instead of right, you will be kilometers away from the intended destination.

Now apply that to a lifetime of food choices. Years after years of decisions, decisions made based on impulse, lack of knowledge and at times misguidance.

If you were only given 2 choices at each meal, what’s your choice?

Photo from blog.friendseat.com

 

Processed, packaged foods VERSUS fruits and vegetables

Fake food VERSUS real food

No nutrition VERSUS real nutrition

The food choices you make will indirectly affect your life. You may not think of the significance now, but it is good to be aware now than later.

Are you ready to make informed food choices from now on? Below are 7 Power Tips on how you can start.

1) Make strong intentions

Intend to embark on a healthier lifestyle now for the right purpose. If you intend to lose weight for vanity sake, then you will get what you intend for. Make noble intentions to restore your health so that you can perform your religious obligations better to gain the pleasure of Allah.

2) Seek knowledge

Do you know what is in your burgers? What is the fuss about Genetically Modified food? Why do people get diabetes and high blood pressure? What is so unhealthy about fast food and instant noodles? You can simply Google for those answers. If you’re into documentaries, I highly recommend you to watch documentaries like Food Matters, Hungry for Change, Fast Food Nation, Food Inc etc.

3) Understand your body

What is your current weight? How far away are you from your ideal weight? Do you know much food you need in a day? Do you feel sluggish and easily tired? Are you happy with how you look and feel about your own body? Are you ready to make the change towards a healthier you?

4) Detoxify your body

Now that you have decided to embark on this journey towards better health, it is super important to remove unwanted toxins in your body first. Take this simple analogy. Imagine Eid is coming and you are doing your house spring cleaning. Would you throw away all the dirt or simply sweep them under the carpet? You definitely want to throw the dirt away, yes?

5) Eat more super foods

Now that your body is clear of toxins, it is time to put in all the good nutrients in the body. Superfoods are a special category of foods found in nature. By definition, they are calorie sparse and nutrients dense meaning they pack a lot of punch for their weight as far as goodness goes. There are superior sources of anti-oxidants and essential nutrients – nutrients we need but cannot make ourselves. Having more super foods in our diet makes perfect sense for optimal health.

6) Learn how to prepare delicious healthy foods

Knowing it is important to include super foods in your diet and actually doing it are two different things. You may wish to enroll for healthy cooking classes or Google for healthy recipes. For those who don’t cook, please learn how to choose your food wisely.

7) Get active

Join a community of health enthusiasts and get active together. Pick up a sport or a new hobby. Hit the gym, go for a swim or enrol in a dance class. The key thing is to choose something you love and do it with people who will motivate you.

The journey towards a healthier you need not be so complex, just take action.

[quote]“The first step is always the hardest, but it’s the only way to reach the second step.”[/quote]

 

[divider] Siti Teeya
Teeya was a fast food addict who is now a Wellness Coach. She aspires to spread nutrition knowledge to more people by conducting talks and offering one-to-one consultation on weight management and healthy eating. Get more healthy eating tips and motivation via her fan page ~ www.facebook.com/HowToEatToLoseWeight