Weight management tips for the holiday seasons

21 Jan 2012

The Lunar New Year is around the corner. Many people are looking forward to the new year celebration for various reasons.  It is a time to relax, re-connect with family members and friends.  Of course, some would take this opportunity to liberate themselves for more food, drinks and even gambling.

It’s inevitable that we tend to have more opportunities to have food in take. Staying slim and enjoy food at the same time seems impossible. Isn’t it true?  Is it?

If we choose to believe what had happened to us in the past, the above claim seems like a fact.  However, the good news is that there is a saying, “the past does not reflect the future”.

First of all, it is all about our choice.  It’s up to us whether we think staying slim is important for us in this season.  Many would have easily give up and crumple to their old thinking and beliefs – “festive season, I will sure gain weight”.    So, somehow it is a self full filling prophecy for themselves.

First we have to make a decision to stay slim without sacrificing the food we love.

Secondly, we need to know what it means to us if we achieve this.  If it doesn’t have any strong significance to us, chances are, we will fall back to our old habit of over-indulgent.

Thirdly, is to be really eat slowly and enjoy the food rather then just putting the food into our mouth unconsciously while we were chatting with our friends.  If you taste the flavor of the food or cookies, chances are you will enjoy the food more without over eating.  In fact, if you find something nice, praise your friends (or whoever made it) for their great cooking skills.  You will be more likable too.

A good test whether you really eat slowly and enjoy the food is to ask yourself, “what did I had for my previous meal, how does it taste? Which dishes I like most?”  If you can answer within a second or two, then it is highly that you are enjoying your food.

With this you will not be over-eating because you are more satisfied compared to just mere swallowing them without tasting them. This is one of the important techniques in the Ultimate Slimming Intensive Program (USP-i) too.

In USP-i, participants gets to learn many techniques to enjoy food without gaining weight, including meridian self-massage and easy steps to burn exta calorie.  At the end of the USP-i, participants will set their Autopilot Slimming Program so that they have sustainable weight lost.

Another good way that works for me when I am full (and don’t feeling like eating) but don’t want to offend the overwhelming gesture of relative is to hold a piece of cookies or goodies without eating it.  And when I am holding that piece, I put a “full” meaning to that piece of food.  So long as your hand is holding something, chances are you will not be stuffed with new food.

Of course, if you really eat too much than you can digest.  A good 10~15min walk about is away to make you feel better (not so bloated) at the same time  help you to burn some calories.

Last but not least, if you really gain weight during this holiday season, it is a good time to attend Ultimate Slimming Intensive Program (USPi) by Beacon LOHAS.

Wishing you have a good lunar new year celebration.  Huat-ah! 😀

*Huat-ah = is a local way of celebrating and anticipating good luck together*

LOHAS DIGEST 28 – One word that makes the difference

Dear friends of Beacon LOHAS,

I’ve just came back from Hong Kong trip together with my family members.

Frankly speaking, Hong Kong has not been in my list of top holiday destination.

However, my instinct just told me to go for it because my parents may need my help there.

It’s also a time together with family.

It was an interesting trip for me because I had the chance to experience “slowness” in Hong Kong, a word which is almost alien to a busy and fast pace Hong Kong.

For the most part of my eight days trip, I had to walk along with my dad who is overweight with high blood pressure and diabetes.

The first day upon arrival, he complained knee pain after some walking or after climbing one or two storey.  This was the least thing we expected including my brother who has been living together with him for years.

My father had to take a rest after a short distance walk – less than 200m.  When climbing stairs, his knee would hurt and give way after climbing the stairs.  Most of the time in our trip, my siblings, mother and nephews were walking far ahead of us while my father and I were “snail-ing” our way towards the destination.  His blood pressure shot up to 210/90 for the most of the trip.

He would belongs into “Blood Stagnation Group” in our Eat According To Your Body Type workshop

On the other hand, my mother was able to follow her two grandsons to roam around at interesting places, shopping, look for place to enjoy dim sum, carry her own luggage, taking photos, having fun at the ride in Disney Land with her two dearest grandsons, at her age of 71.

My father is 74 and my mother is 71.  Their age difference was not wide apart but their health status and mobility can be equate to heaven and earth.  If there is only one word that describes what sets them apart, I would put it the word “ownership”.

My father put the ownership of his health to the pharmacist, doctors and other people.  During his daily routine in Penang, he drives and rides motor cycle (no matter how short the distance).  He was regular drinkers when he was young.  Many times, he takes two portions of meals, no matter how late.

I still remember, there is one night in Hong Kong, he took one bowl of porridge and one bowl of wanton noodle around 11pm. His traditional way of thinking, having lunch or dinner means he has to stuff himself until he really full.  He believes taking pills is the only way to make him healthy.  He takes 7 pills every morning and night.  His medical bill is $200 – $300.  Throughout the whole Hong Kong trip, I reminded (nagged) him, “The best person to take care of your health is yourself, just be more active daily”.

My mother, after much influence from me over the past two years proudly show off her results to me.  She practices many of the techniques that taught in LOHAS Meridian Self-Therapyworkshop, Kaizen-Stepping concept and Four Golden Principles in Ultimate Slimming Intensive workshop.  She told me that she no longer takes glucosamine for very long but her knee is feeling much better and flexible.  She does self-massaging and Kaizen-Stepping anytime and anywhere. She even did it when she was queuing at immigration checkpoint.

She shares the same thinking with me, spending time waiting for queue number in clinic and hospital is a waste of time and money.  Relies on medication means less freedom to her.  Clearly, she takes “ownership” of her health and takes conscious simple effort.  Thus, she enjoyed very much of the Hong Kong trip together with the two energetic grandsons.

With the two different results happening under one roof, it is a good reminder for me about what kind of health status I want to have when I am 70~80 years old.  Clearly, I want to take “ownership” of my health.

Year 2012 is just around the corner, let us makes conscious effort and take ownership, let us be healthy and healthier for the future.   Let start simple – have an active lifestyle, walk more, step more, move around more, of course LOHAS meridian exercise more.

Have a happy and healthy year ahead

~~~~~~~ as written in 28 Dec 2011~~~~~~~~~~


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