In the previous article Eating Healthy Food Singapore Way (Part 1), we look at the three reasons or excuses why many folks in Singapore are not eating healthy and provide some ideas to deal with them. Here are more reasons or excuses people give for not eating healthy and what to do about it.
Excuse #4 – Don’t have time to prepare healthy food Due to the hectic lifestyle in Singapore, it is understandable that people find it difficult to prepare their own healthy meals. However, like many things in life, planning is the key. With proper planning, it will be easier to achieve many tasks at hand and healthful eating and nutrition is no exception.
What to do about it? Plan ahead for the week. Use some free time you may have on weekends to prepare for the coming week. For example, you can chop or pre-cut vegetables or fruits, prepare salad and portion healthy snacks in small bags to freeze. These may help you save some time to prepare the food during your hectic weekdays. On days you really don’t have the time to cook, you may grab some prepared salad or chicken breast sandwich at the corner shop for lunch or takeaway.
Excuse #5 – My family prefers less healthy food When it comes to changing eating habits from an unhealthy to healthy one, it takes time. Therefore, your family will be no exception. The important thing is to start taking small steps. For example, start to introduce a vegetable dish for dinner whereas in the past your family may be eating mainly fried stuff for dinner.
The key is to start small and work slowly and progressively towards your family goal of better healthy eating and living. What to do about it? Get your family members involved in taking small steps and change to their eating habits for the better. Make it fun for everyone. If your family members find healthy food too bland, find new and fun ways to prepare healthy meals. You can find many informative healthy cooking tips and recipes available on the internet.
Excuse #6 – Unhealthy eating habits are hard to change Old habits are indeed hard to change. If habits are that easy to change, everyone will be working out and eating healthily with no worries. But that is not the case for many people. That is why you need to start with a clear goal and getting yourself motivated. Is it to be healthier, for weight loss, to look better or other reasons? It takes about a month to get used to a new habit. But it is totally up to you to start eating healthy food as a way of life or continue with your unhealthy eating habit. What to do about it?
Again, do it one step at a time. Do you have a craving for ice cream everyday? How about taking a low fat ice cream treat once every 2 days for a start? Do you take carbonated drinks everyday? How about replacing carbonated drinks with non-carbonated ones? Before you know it, you won’t even be craving for that can of Coke or Pepsi anymore.
Excuse #7 – Healthy food does not fill my appetite It is a myth to say healthy food does not make you full. In fact, eating foods with with lots of fiber and low glycemic index (GI) will make you feel full for a longer period. Conversely, processed and junk foods usually have high GI and will burn so quickly that you will feel hungry for another serving of poor nutrition food before you know it. What to do about it? Take food with high amount of fibers and lean proteins as they will fill your appetite easily and keeping you energized for hours.
Excuse #8 – I don’t know which foods are healthy That’s not an excuse at all! Actually you already know which foods are the culprits. The usual suspects of bad foods are fast food, fried food and highly processed food. What to do about it? Stay away from bad foods. Instead, shop for natural foods, vegetables, fruits and brightly colored foods.
If some of these reasons or excuses may be familiar to you, I hope the tips on what to do about it can help you embark on a journey towards a healthier life. Remember that every journey start with the first small step. You will not only need the know-how but also the strength to reverse your unhealthy eating habits. It’s not so much about eating healthfully ALL THE TIME, which may not be practical for most people in Singapore, but a matter of eating and enjoying all foods in moderation. What do you think and do you have other suggestions on eating healthy food Singapore way?