We have almost made it through the holiday season. Has the extra treats you have allowed yourself started sneaking up on you and are starting to show?
I am a firm believer that some extra treats (pie, chocolate, cookies, etc) during the holidays is acceptable. They do only come around once a year, however remember to fit in at least a few extra minutes of activity to even out the extra calories.
Happy New Year!
December 29, 2011
June 30, 2011
Exercising in the heat
If you are not accustomed to working out in hot and humid weather, you may not realize the toll that it takes on your body, even if you are a conditioned athlete. Your times are a little slower, you may seem to sweat more, it may take a lot more out of you...everyone adapts a little differently, but your body has to adapt.
One of the important nutritional elements that you may not realize is hydration. One way the body adapts is by sweating more to try to cool your body. Part of this is due to the increase in humidity, sweat does not evaporate off your skin as readily, thus it falls off your body at a higher rate than in drier climates. This is part of the reason why you may require significantly more fluids than in other climates and it is important to know your sweat rate.
I recently wrote an article for the Singapore American Newsletter on hydration. Please check it out at:
http://www.aasingapore.com/attachments/wysiwyg/15216/Pages%20from%20SAN%20JuneJuly%202011%2022-25.pdf It is the last page in this section.
One of the important nutritional elements that you may not realize is hydration. One way the body adapts is by sweating more to try to cool your body. Part of this is due to the increase in humidity, sweat does not evaporate off your skin as readily, thus it falls off your body at a higher rate than in drier climates. This is part of the reason why you may require significantly more fluids than in other climates and it is important to know your sweat rate.
I recently wrote an article for the Singapore American Newsletter on hydration. Please check it out at:
http://www.aasingapore.com/attachments/wysiwyg/15216/Pages%20from%20SAN%20JuneJuly%202011%2022-25.pdf It is the last page in this section.
June 3, 2011
Overcoming bordeom in the gym
Are you bored going to the gym with the same old classes and equipment? This may be something interesting for you to try.
I admit, I am awful at going to the gym now. After years of training for sports teams, if I can avoid the gym and especially weight equipment, I do. There is also the cost element. Paying $100+ per month for a gym membership for a place I really do not enjoy going to, just doesn't make logical sense to me, so I have resorted to other methods of getting in shape. This year I have started running regularly. I realize this may not be for everyone as the weather here in Singapore plays a huge roll in your motivation. Running in a sauna, is difficult for me too, but so far I am making due.
A friend recently asked me about TRX, and there was a place giving free trial classes, so we decided to go. Walking into the room, it did look a little strange with ropes hanging from the ceiling, but with a little explanation, we started the work out. TRX is a full workout system using the priciples of suspension developed by U.S. Navy Seals. It is portable, light, and can be set up virtually anywhere for a workout. Basically, it is a cord that is slipped through a loop in the ceiling that has handles on each end. For the exercises, you use your own body weight for the workout. The great thing about this system is, anyone can do it. The difficulty level is dependent on your body positioning, you can make the exercises harder or easier, depending on how it feels for you. I often find with clients and patients it is difficult to recommend exercises for them to try, especially older individuals who have not done any exercise in years. This is a possible solution for them as it can be made for beginners who cannot hold much of their body weight or it can be made really difficult for those who have been weight lifting for years.
Many of the exercises reminded me of the exercises you do on a stability ball, so it is not anything extremely new, just a new apparatus to use. Often I find I get bored doing the same exercises - I've tried BodyPump, bosu workouts and stability ball classes. I know the secret is using all of these methods interchangeably, but often I am limited to the gym's class schedule I am going to at that time. Yes, TRX seems to be the new fad, it is being implemented into gyms all over Singapore, and I'm sure its becoming big in other parts of the world too. I guess I am not the only one constantly looking for something new to spice up my workout routine.
P.S. I know I keep promising pictures. I forgot my camera on this outing. (It just isn't a standard thing in my gym bag.) If you are interested in this, you can check out their website at http://trxtraining.com.
I admit, I am awful at going to the gym now. After years of training for sports teams, if I can avoid the gym and especially weight equipment, I do. There is also the cost element. Paying $100+ per month for a gym membership for a place I really do not enjoy going to, just doesn't make logical sense to me, so I have resorted to other methods of getting in shape. This year I have started running regularly. I realize this may not be for everyone as the weather here in Singapore plays a huge roll in your motivation. Running in a sauna, is difficult for me too, but so far I am making due.
A friend recently asked me about TRX, and there was a place giving free trial classes, so we decided to go. Walking into the room, it did look a little strange with ropes hanging from the ceiling, but with a little explanation, we started the work out. TRX is a full workout system using the priciples of suspension developed by U.S. Navy Seals. It is portable, light, and can be set up virtually anywhere for a workout. Basically, it is a cord that is slipped through a loop in the ceiling that has handles on each end. For the exercises, you use your own body weight for the workout. The great thing about this system is, anyone can do it. The difficulty level is dependent on your body positioning, you can make the exercises harder or easier, depending on how it feels for you. I often find with clients and patients it is difficult to recommend exercises for them to try, especially older individuals who have not done any exercise in years. This is a possible solution for them as it can be made for beginners who cannot hold much of their body weight or it can be made really difficult for those who have been weight lifting for years.
Many of the exercises reminded me of the exercises you do on a stability ball, so it is not anything extremely new, just a new apparatus to use. Often I find I get bored doing the same exercises - I've tried BodyPump, bosu workouts and stability ball classes. I know the secret is using all of these methods interchangeably, but often I am limited to the gym's class schedule I am going to at that time. Yes, TRX seems to be the new fad, it is being implemented into gyms all over Singapore, and I'm sure its becoming big in other parts of the world too. I guess I am not the only one constantly looking for something new to spice up my workout routine.
P.S. I know I keep promising pictures. I forgot my camera on this outing. (It just isn't a standard thing in my gym bag.) If you are interested in this, you can check out their website at http://trxtraining.com.
May 11, 2011
Value: portion size vs. taste
Growing up in North America, it has become ingrained in the culture that getting the "bang for your buck" is important. Getting this value is almost as important as the taste of the food, to some, it may be more important. Over the past 20-30 years, the portion sizes have continued to grow which has played a role in the obesity problems today. The growing porition sizes also has ingrained the belief of value in the North American culture. Getting a good deal is so much more important to people - How many people really savor their food and enjoy their meals? Who has time to sit and relax and enjoy their food anymore?
Recently we went to a celebrity chef restaurant, a chef whose restaurants we have throughly enjoyed in the past in New York City, and were not disappointed in the taste, however the portion size could potentially be a deal breaker. For example, the caprese salad was on a dish the size of a bread plate, had a decent portion of mozzerella with four cherry tomatoes, that's right, four. The pricing was consistent with high end restaurants (close to $20 for the dish), however the size did not meet expectations. The taste was however out of this world. Each tomato was savored and cheese was obviously imported as it was tasty (not the rubbery kind you find in the supermarket) and high quality with the perfect texture.
So, which is more important - taste or size. It is understandable if you pay a lot of a meal, you expect to be full when you are done with the meal. I have always been a strong believer that consuming a meal that consists of many small dishes potentially is more satisfying than a meal of a lot of one food. I also believe you tend to eat less food overall if you have different textures and tastes in a meal than you would if you ate a huge bowl of say pasta. I am not sure which I would be more satisfied with, if the price was the same (say $60 per person): a three or four course meal of smaller portions or a two course meal with a large entree. There are too many variables that play into this: food quality, type of food, ambience, company, etc.
This is one of the challenges with nutrition is there are so many variables that play into the psychological aspects of eating that it is very difficult to pinpoint for sure the outcome in any situation. I would definitely say, there is a higher chance that I would overeat if I had the larger entree, but satisfaction is a tough one. What are your thoughts?
Recently we went to a celebrity chef restaurant, a chef whose restaurants we have throughly enjoyed in the past in New York City, and were not disappointed in the taste, however the portion size could potentially be a deal breaker. For example, the caprese salad was on a dish the size of a bread plate, had a decent portion of mozzerella with four cherry tomatoes, that's right, four. The pricing was consistent with high end restaurants (close to $20 for the dish), however the size did not meet expectations. The taste was however out of this world. Each tomato was savored and cheese was obviously imported as it was tasty (not the rubbery kind you find in the supermarket) and high quality with the perfect texture.
So, which is more important - taste or size. It is understandable if you pay a lot of a meal, you expect to be full when you are done with the meal. I have always been a strong believer that consuming a meal that consists of many small dishes potentially is more satisfying than a meal of a lot of one food. I also believe you tend to eat less food overall if you have different textures and tastes in a meal than you would if you ate a huge bowl of say pasta. I am not sure which I would be more satisfied with, if the price was the same (say $60 per person): a three or four course meal of smaller portions or a two course meal with a large entree. There are too many variables that play into this: food quality, type of food, ambience, company, etc.
This is one of the challenges with nutrition is there are so many variables that play into the psychological aspects of eating that it is very difficult to pinpoint for sure the outcome in any situation. I would definitely say, there is a higher chance that I would overeat if I had the larger entree, but satisfaction is a tough one. What are your thoughts?
April 15, 2011
Emergency Preparedness
Growing up in California, it was engrained in me that you had to have emergency supplies on hand in event of a natural disaster, mainly earthquakes. We did have a few wind storms that knocked out our power for days at a time growing up, but that was primarily due to power lines being down. Somewhere in all of my moving, I have lost my need to stock up in event of emergency. Seeing the events after the recent Japan earthquake and the rush to the store to get whatever was left, made me rethink the need to have at least some emergency supplies on hand.
Singapore is a relatively safe country with regards to natural disasters. We were told that there are no typhoons, no earthquakes (although some people have felt them when they hit Indonesia), no tornados, the only thing that occurs with any real threat tends to be flooding due to the thunderstorms. Because it is relatively free from natural disasters, living quarters are small, risk of bugs and vermin are high, many people do not store a large amount of food at home in case of emergencies.
There are always the essentials: flashlight/candles, batteries, radio, first aid kit, copies of important documents, etc that you need to have put in a safe place, but the food items may be a challenge for you to think about. Here are some ideas of items to keep in your pantry for emergencies:
- Water - probably the most important edible item on the list, due to the climate here in Singapore. Most recommendations that I found are 1 gallon (3.8 L) per person per day for at least 3 days, however taking the climate into consideration, I would recommend keeping 1.5-2 gallons/person/day, which may seem like a lot of water to keep in a corner somewhere, especially if you have a large family. Remember, odds are if there is a disaster, there is a high chance we will not have electricity, which means no air conditioning = lots of sweating, especially if you are accustomed to sitting in a cool place.
- Food - things that have a long shelf life and require little to no cooking are important to keep for emergencies, however try to avoid foods with a lot of salt. Good foods can be: canned fruits and vegetables, canned fish (tuna or salmon, healthwise, packed in water is always better for you), and canned beans. Also packaged products like crackers, however remember to rotate these out on a regular basis as they can go bad in this weather. Nuts and dried fruit are also good snacks, but they also need to be rotated out on a regular basis.
Food items are similar to what you may have had at home, however remember to rotate the food out on a regular basis as the humidity and heat will cause them to go bad. Also, check the cans on a regular basis and make sure there are no dents in the cans - if there are dents, use the food up as quickly to the time that the dent occurred as possible as this may have compromised the integrity of the can seal which increases the chance of the food spoiling.
Remember these foods should be able to be consumed without cooking, however limited cooking will still probably be available in most households as most have a gas tank hooked up to the stove.
With the adjustments in the weather patterns, it is hard to tell what may come our way. Hopefully we will never need our emergency supplies, but being prepared never hurts.
Singapore is a relatively safe country with regards to natural disasters. We were told that there are no typhoons, no earthquakes (although some people have felt them when they hit Indonesia), no tornados, the only thing that occurs with any real threat tends to be flooding due to the thunderstorms. Because it is relatively free from natural disasters, living quarters are small, risk of bugs and vermin are high, many people do not store a large amount of food at home in case of emergencies.
There are always the essentials: flashlight/candles, batteries, radio, first aid kit, copies of important documents, etc that you need to have put in a safe place, but the food items may be a challenge for you to think about. Here are some ideas of items to keep in your pantry for emergencies:
- Water - probably the most important edible item on the list, due to the climate here in Singapore. Most recommendations that I found are 1 gallon (3.8 L) per person per day for at least 3 days, however taking the climate into consideration, I would recommend keeping 1.5-2 gallons/person/day, which may seem like a lot of water to keep in a corner somewhere, especially if you have a large family. Remember, odds are if there is a disaster, there is a high chance we will not have electricity, which means no air conditioning = lots of sweating, especially if you are accustomed to sitting in a cool place.
- Food - things that have a long shelf life and require little to no cooking are important to keep for emergencies, however try to avoid foods with a lot of salt. Good foods can be: canned fruits and vegetables, canned fish (tuna or salmon, healthwise, packed in water is always better for you), and canned beans. Also packaged products like crackers, however remember to rotate these out on a regular basis as they can go bad in this weather. Nuts and dried fruit are also good snacks, but they also need to be rotated out on a regular basis.
Food items are similar to what you may have had at home, however remember to rotate the food out on a regular basis as the humidity and heat will cause them to go bad. Also, check the cans on a regular basis and make sure there are no dents in the cans - if there are dents, use the food up as quickly to the time that the dent occurred as possible as this may have compromised the integrity of the can seal which increases the chance of the food spoiling.
Remember these foods should be able to be consumed without cooking, however limited cooking will still probably be available in most households as most have a gas tank hooked up to the stove.
With the adjustments in the weather patterns, it is hard to tell what may come our way. Hopefully we will never need our emergency supplies, but being prepared never hurts.
April 6, 2011
If everything were easy...
Expat living can be extremely exciting, and if you are an adventurous eater, it can be fun trying new foods, however every once in a while, you yearn for the foods that are familiar. Here in Singapore, we have it relatively easy for Asia as you can find most foods that you may want. It may take some searching and a few grocery stores or reviewing lots of menus, but it is probably available. First you have to swallow the price - many products from home are often at least 50% or more above the price you would find it in North America, but still, you can find it. Then there is the variety - you may be used to a certain brand or type of product, and here you may only have one option.
As a dietitian I try to follow my own advice and follow a healthy, balanced diet. This includes cooking at home as much as I can, which has been another adventure and challenge. I recently had the desire to make polenta. Yes, you can find it in some of the Italian restaurants in town, but with the new cookbook staring at me that I received for Valentine's Day, I wanted to see how it would be. (On top of it, it is a good whole grain alternative to bread, pasta and rice.) I have never made polenta as I had my favorite places to buy it in North America and it was easier to buy it in a tube or from my favorite grocery store than to make it. Ahhh, the conveniences of North American living. I did have a friend tell me once that it was easy to make, so I figured I would give it a try. I didn't want to wander around town to multiple stores, so when I saw it in the store I happened to be at, I bought it and figured it would work. Now the recipe did say "quick cooking" cornmeal, but I was happy to have found it in the store, so I bought the one brand that I found. I did not realize that there was such a difference between quick cooking and the normal stuff, so I happily started the cooking process. What was supposed to be 5 minutes of constant stirring, ended up being 45 minutes for the polenta to be cooked. The good news was that I got a 45 minute shoulder and arm workout in in the process, and luckily I had given myself plenty of time to get dinner done, or it would have ended up being a late one. (Another thing I learned - polenta "spits" when it is cooking which can burn you, if you are not careful. Luckily the time I got "spat" on, it wasn't that hot. Remember to use a long handled spoon or wisk when cooking it.) I had also decided to make my own tomato sauce - I figured if I was going to follow the recipe, might as well follow the whole recipe rather than just bits and pieces. Also, if I found a good tomato sauce that I made, rather than the highly salted and preserved pre-made sauces that are shipped around the world, it would be another bonus. Luckily, this did not take longer than expected.
Yes, learning to cook abroad can be a challenge, I am sure you will hear many of my challenges in the future, but do not let this deter you. Besides, introducing foods you used to eat when you were at "home" (wherever that may be for you) to your family will bring back memories, or if you have small kids, will introduce those foods to them so they won't seem foreign when you make a trip back to your home country. If the brand of product you found here just won't work for you, make sure you put that item on your "home" list, so you make sure you stock up when you make your next trip home. I will definitely be looking at different cornmeals when I am back in North America next time, but for the time being, the extra exercise was a welcome surprise, especially since it worked a part of my body I tend to neglect in my workouts.
P.S. Sorry there is no picture this time. I have found another hobby I need to work on as the pictures do not look very appetizing. I promise to post pictures in the future.
As a dietitian I try to follow my own advice and follow a healthy, balanced diet. This includes cooking at home as much as I can, which has been another adventure and challenge. I recently had the desire to make polenta. Yes, you can find it in some of the Italian restaurants in town, but with the new cookbook staring at me that I received for Valentine's Day, I wanted to see how it would be. (On top of it, it is a good whole grain alternative to bread, pasta and rice.) I have never made polenta as I had my favorite places to buy it in North America and it was easier to buy it in a tube or from my favorite grocery store than to make it. Ahhh, the conveniences of North American living. I did have a friend tell me once that it was easy to make, so I figured I would give it a try. I didn't want to wander around town to multiple stores, so when I saw it in the store I happened to be at, I bought it and figured it would work. Now the recipe did say "quick cooking" cornmeal, but I was happy to have found it in the store, so I bought the one brand that I found. I did not realize that there was such a difference between quick cooking and the normal stuff, so I happily started the cooking process. What was supposed to be 5 minutes of constant stirring, ended up being 45 minutes for the polenta to be cooked. The good news was that I got a 45 minute shoulder and arm workout in in the process, and luckily I had given myself plenty of time to get dinner done, or it would have ended up being a late one. (Another thing I learned - polenta "spits" when it is cooking which can burn you, if you are not careful. Luckily the time I got "spat" on, it wasn't that hot. Remember to use a long handled spoon or wisk when cooking it.) I had also decided to make my own tomato sauce - I figured if I was going to follow the recipe, might as well follow the whole recipe rather than just bits and pieces. Also, if I found a good tomato sauce that I made, rather than the highly salted and preserved pre-made sauces that are shipped around the world, it would be another bonus. Luckily, this did not take longer than expected.
Yes, learning to cook abroad can be a challenge, I am sure you will hear many of my challenges in the future, but do not let this deter you. Besides, introducing foods you used to eat when you were at "home" (wherever that may be for you) to your family will bring back memories, or if you have small kids, will introduce those foods to them so they won't seem foreign when you make a trip back to your home country. If the brand of product you found here just won't work for you, make sure you put that item on your "home" list, so you make sure you stock up when you make your next trip home. I will definitely be looking at different cornmeals when I am back in North America next time, but for the time being, the extra exercise was a welcome surprise, especially since it worked a part of my body I tend to neglect in my workouts.
P.S. Sorry there is no picture this time. I have found another hobby I need to work on as the pictures do not look very appetizing. I promise to post pictures in the future.
March 29, 2011
Challenges
Changing your eating habits, for a specific condition or to just be healthier is tough enough. Throw in living in a new country and/or culture and it can be enough to make you want to throw in the towel all together.
Singapore is considered the most westernized country in Asia to live in and it is true, you can get most items that you may want from home here, but there is still Asian influences. Food is one area that culture always comes out in and this is evident here in Singapore. Just take a stroll through the closest hawker centre near you and the local culture definitely comes out. Learning these new foods can be daunting, depending on how adventurous an eater you are. I am a firm believer all foods have a place in a diet, and the local foods will fit as well.
If you are looking for assistance to make changes in your eating habits or to help you settle in to your new environment, feel free to drop me a line. If you have specific questions, feel free to e-mail me as I am always looking for topics.
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