Hot or Cold Foods - Which Type of Foods are Weight Loss Friendly?

I am sparking on weight loss fire. No, I am actually burning, literally!

Don't judge a book by its cover: Green unripe chillies don't mean they are less hot.

Have you ever tried eating spicy food to lose weight? Remember that spicy foods, the one that are so spicy and makes your lips go numb. Kylie Jenner's lip effect, kind of feeling. Happening to me now. But worst! And I feel terrible.

I love spicy food. So. Much. Not because I'm told that spicy food can help you lose weight and speed metabolism. It's simply my favorite food. I thought that I have a high tolerant of spicy food than anyone else. Haha well, that's overrated. I remember last Monday I had this egg drop instant noodle soup for lunch. "Egg drop" meaning I dropped an egg into my noodle soup. Haha-

My food always taste less complete without something spicy, so I added bird's eye chillie. It's called bird's eye chillies because of its size, two to four centimetres in length. Chilli is a must-have ingredient for South-East Asian dishes like sambal and Thai salads. I love chillies, especially the unripe green chillies because it taste not so spicy - bitter spicy taste and crunchy. I had like 10 nos of green chillies chopped and scattered over my noodle soup. My soup didn't taste spicy at first, at least for my level. Soup is so comforting and I can bite the chillies. *crunchy-spicy-crunchy* Then here's the real situation.

The next day, my stomach started to feel like burning. You know the feeling when your lips tingle when you eat chillies? Or when your fingers throbbing after cutting and prepping chillies? It's that feeling but from the inside. The burning sensation sometimes rise up into my chest and throat, I thought I may have a heart attack omg! Worst thing, it has been 3 days in a row now. The burning sensation won't go away. I tried everything like drink hot chocolate (I don't have milk at home), I had charcoal pills. But nothing work. Uh-oh, maybe I should try drink alcohol. 

Rare purple chillies

Hot Diet or Cold Diet?

Chilli is obviously "hot" food. In our culture, foods are categorized into hot or cold category. The concept of hot and cold here is refering to its nature - not the temperature. Postnatal mothers are always advised to avoid "cold" foods, like coconut water, cucumber, cabbage, watermelon, tofu, eggplant, bean sprouts, kiwi, banana, mandarin, strawberry, pineapple, pear, lemon. We believed that cold diet after giving birth can complicate your recovery and prolonged discharge. Cold diet can also trigger trapped gas or trapped wind. I tell you, trapped wind could be extremely painful.

To avoid cold and flu, eat warm/hot food, like ginger, garlic, carrot, pumpkin, potato, papaya, grape, orange, apple, lychee, mango, cherry, rockmelon and grapefruit. Hot/warm food also helps to warm up the stomach, strengthen the body, prevent bloating after eating, sore joints, oedema and fluid retention.

Cold Food or Hot Food to Lose Weight?

Nothing in particular, to be honest. But in my personal opinion, it is best to avoid cold food as cold food like cabbage can cause flatulence, annoying excessive gas, and poor digestion. We know the fact: poor digestion is preventing you from losing weight.

I'm feeling a bit tipsy now. I drink a little. Hope my stomach gets better when I wake up tomorrow.

Let's chat a bit, drop your comments below: 
- What foods that control your appetite?
- What foods you think are healthy, but making you gain weight?

Good night for now.

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5 Powerful Resiliency Mental Tools to Kickstart Weight Loss

Today is 4th May 2017. Already?

123 days totally wasted! I feel like laughing when I read my old post at the same month from 4 years ago.🙈🙈🙈😅A lot has happened over the past few months - from our relocation to my son fell sick. I mentioned about our moving in and out in my previous post. 2 months after moving back into our old place, I am still not fully done with unpacking and organising the whole house. Yes, it's clutter! I'm a little messed up here. I cannot keep up with an exercise routine and I can't stay motivated to lose weight. *sigh

But I can't afford to waste another 123 days. Thank God I didn't have any serious health condition but I knew that my lifestyle is killing me. I can't climb a flight of stairs without panting for breath. Walking and standing feeling uncomfortable, my foot hurts! I am 4-foot-10 and 82kg.

Bouncing back from diet's disaster that stops you from losing weight can be a bit tricky. Maybe because circumstances beyond our control can bring with it debilitating stress and the idea of starting over can feel overwhelming at times.

I think if I get myself in the right place mentally—I can kick start weight loss. But how?

1. Let it Go

When you feel stuck, kickstart a proactive attitude by removing some things that no longer work for you like old clothes and old shoes. Optimize your nest by cleaning up your clutter. Check your house what to keep, toss, or donate. If your living space is cluttered, your mind is cluttered. O yes, The exact thing I want to do next. I believe when you get rid of things that 'drag you down', you'll feel free from the emotional burden. Life will be more creative. An organized environment can help you to make your healthiest choices. You’ll also likewise be making room for new better people and experiences to enter your life.

2. Weight Loss Perspective

Change your perspective about weight loss. Your ultimate goal to lose weight not just because you want to look good, but more important is that you want to lose weight to set a good and healthy example for your children. You need to lose weight for the sake of your health. We have learned that being obese can increase your risk of developing many potentially serious health conditions, like type 2 diabetes. Think about your future. What does it feel like to be able to wear a flattering body hugging dress, again after so many years? And do remember that the number on the scale does not define you or your weight loss success.
Read: Letter To Myself When I'm Feeling Guilty About Food

3. Set realistic deadlines 

When it comes to starting over, it’s helpful to set deadlines for yourself. Setting deadline can create a sense of urgency, thus will help you to motivate you to reach your weight loss goals. But give yourself ample time to accomplish them. For example, lose 5kg in 30 days sound more realistic than to lose 22kg in 22 days.
Read: Weight Loss Deadline -Yes or No?

4. Take consistent baby steps 

You will make more and easier progress if you focus on accomplishing small weight loss tasks rather than large ones now and then. For example, if your errands are less than 1 mile away, park where you can run several errands within a mile instead of moving your car each time. Walk every day and you'll be 13 to 17 pounds lighter next year.

5. Create a support team 

Working on weight loss can be lonely or bored. Team up with a close friend or family member and see who can lose the most weight in six weeks. Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family members for help, or attend support groups. And know when to seek help from professionals.

Blend with nature: I look like a beached whale soaking up the sun. Haha

Ok now, time to tidying up. Someone, gets me the broom!

Let's chat for a bit: 

• Have you ever go through a very difficult time or major change in life? Like natural disaster. Divorce. Marriage. Birth. A death of a loved one. Job loss. Career change. 
• How do you keep going when the going gets tough? 
• Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Top 5 Emotional Hurdles That Seem to Disturb Your Weight Loss Goal

Happy New Year 2017! Haha, totally too late to wish you readers, but may you have a joyful, bright, healthy, double prosperity and happiness throughout the year.

I have been on a long hiatus, life is really like a roller coaster! Last two years, Mr husband's workplace had a major restructuring that he chooses to left the company and started a job hunt. We ended up moving to three different cities in less than two years. Moving to a new place, new city, new home stress me out. Honestly, it took a real hard time for me to cope with packing, handling the children's new school, adjusting to new environment and stuff like that. When I just about to settle my feeling, get comfortable at the new place, Mr husband 'announce' that we need to get ready to pack our things and move and I was like, AGAIN??? How I wish we can stay a bit longer in one place, maybe at least for 3 years but you know sh*t happened sometimes and life must go on.

Speaking of my weight loss journey, I can't focus at all. This may sound like a lame excuse, but really...this moving in and out process makes it difficult to maintain healthy eating habit or in another word my eat right, eat clean goals. I am mentally exhausted. I have no idea how much I weigh now but I know I've gained a lot of weight. As long as I remember, I weighed 82kg last Christmas, 35kg heavier than my goal weight. Some more, when you get too occupied with life, or feel messed up, grabbing something fast like instant noodle really give you comfort. I do still prepare healthy foods for my family, but I don't enjoy my own meals. I always lose my appetite in a hot kitchen. Anybody can relate?

Life is like that. Sometimes up and sometimes you're down, sometimes you just go round and round. But that's what life is. Like an EKG machine, if there are no ups and downs in your life it means you are dead. But the very roller coaster of life can somehow affect your weight loss goal. Let's take a look at these 5 emotional hurdles that may keep you from losing weight.

1. Stress

Stress can cause loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. But stress can also cause weight gain, depending on the person. The body uses energy at a faster rate when stressed. During a stress day, your body releases heavy amounts of cortisol. Cortisol according to MedicineNet, is a critical hormone in our body, which stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy, and stimulates insulin release and maintenance of blood sugar level. When you get a surge of cortisol, your body told to replenish the energy used, even though you haven't used very many calories. It may result in increased appetite...you'll be very hungry.

What you can do to address stress? Try to look for the positives in life. Appreciate what you have instead of focusing so much on what we don't have. Chill out and try these 4 simple ways to relieve stress at home.

2. Anger

How can get angry prevent weight loss? You could be angry at your boss or at your frustratingly dumb slow colleague, or it might be the traffic jam or cancelled events. At some point, we also feel parental anger towards our children's constant fighting. Anger is a normal human emotion. This emotion can be a good thing, designed to protect you and help you read and respond to upsetting social situation. But when anger turns destructive and out of control, it can make you look crazy. Anger and stress seem related. The anger itself may be a cause of stress on its own. When we get angry, the body pumps a large quantity of cortisol, commonly known as fight or flight hormone. Anger and stress obesity can't simply be treated by diet alone because there's a combination of several hormones resisting weight loss.

How do you control anger? The goal is not to not angry at all. The goal is to calm yourself down. Count to 10 isn't just for kids. Take deep breaths, and count to 10, or to 100...whatever it takes! Identify what made you mad and work on possible solutions. If your anger issues seem out of control, consider seeking help from a counsellor or psychotherapist.

3. Lonely

Loneliness is a bad mood feeling and any bad mood can lead to emotional eating. Why loneliness causes us to eat the most? Because we feel that eating soothe negative emotion. But that's not all. A study shows that loneliness messes up your hunger hormones. Loneliness and lack of connections enhance ghrelin, the hunger hormone which increases food intake. This could be the body's way of telling them to seek out company as humans have evolved to look at eating as a social activity.

If you're feeling lonely, keep yourself busy. Join a group with similar interest. Don't sit around and be isolated. Turn to friends and family to talk about your situation. If you really don't have someone to talk to, you can shoot me an email anytime. I'd like you to know that someone is listening. :)

4. Boredom

When asked about their wrong food choices and their emotions before they eat, "I'm bored" is one of the top excuses people made. There's two type of boredom. First, lazy boredom, when you lose the sharpness of mind and it makes you restless or lazy and you just want to sleep. Secondly, active boredom is when you wants to be connected with something or engaged elsewhere but you feel bored because the environment you're in is kind of unmotivating. Scientist concludes that people eat when bored simply to break the monotony, not because they are hungry.

How not to be so boring? Set goals and continuously keep refreshing your motivation. More often than not, boredom is the result of lacking the right inspiration.

5. Happy

The first 4 emotional hurdle above are negative kind of emotions. You can't lose weight because negative emotional can triggers poor eating habits. But wait, even happy moments can influence weight gain? Yes, falling in love makes you gain weight. Most brides-to-be lost weight prior to getting married so that they look stunning in their wedding gown but they often tend to put on weight post marriage. Love weight doesn't just happen in a new relationship; married women are likely to fall prey to such a phenomenon. When two people are in a happy relationship, their lifestyle patterns, eating and exercise habits change, and not always for the better. After years in a relationship, many couples do settle into a comfort zone and that impressing their partner isn't always the first priority anymore.

How to prevent relationship weight gain? Don't get comfortable. Rather than snuggling on the couch which basically lead to mindless snacking, fill the rest of the time with hobbies instead. Communicate with your partner about your weight loss goals, your healthy goals. It's so much easier to achieve goals when you feel supported.

Your turn now:

• Have you ever caught in a cycle of emotional eating?
• What do you think about emotional eating? Is it because of lack of self-control? Or is it because of your hectic lifestyle that causes you to go through your days on "autopilot"?

Tell me what you think, leave your comment below.

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You Need to Lose Weight! 5 Classy Ways to Handle Fat Shaming

Last week's story.

My daughter returned home from school and looked a bit upset when I asked her about her art class. They had an art exam that day. Days before, they were given list of things they can choose to draw on the exam day. She choose a pineapple. But her friends, according to her, commented that her drawing is ugly and that's what made her sad. She cried. Trying to comfort her, I told her that everyone has their own opinion. It's okay. Two people can look at her drawing and see something totally different. We respect our friends' point of view. However their opinion is not necessarily true. Upon hearing that, she falls into peace again.

When I say that to my daughter, I have a feeling that it's like I'm telling this to my own self. People sometimes can be so mean or maybe too honest about your appearance. 'You've gained a lot lot lot of weight since I last saw you,'  'you shouldn't eat that burger', 'you need to lose weight', 'you look like a rugby player with fat legs'. Fat shaming doesn't motivate people to lose weight. From my own experience, criticizing someone's weight actually only makes them feel terrible about themselves and causes them to eat more and gain more weight. My dad and mom maybe thinks that they are just being real honest that every time I came home they will repeat the same fat-shaming advice in front of my husband. My dad even used to joke and laugh a lot about my weight. We can't shut people's mouth. People can say whatever they want about you but their approval doesn't matter. Not everyone will understand your weight loss journey or your struggle with gluttony. I never tried to correct people in my family because I don't think they will understand. Author of EatQ, psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD, said that to prevent judgy comments from weighing you down is by telling them about how their words make you feel since they may not be aware. But it takes a lot of courage to tell someone else how you feel without feeling silly or risk embarrassment.

What is the other best way to react fat shaming from your family, or colleague in the workplace?

1. Look on the bright side
The people who care about you may say harsh comments with no intention to hurt you. They feel like as a family and friends it's their job to tell you the truth about your weight and health. They might say some super-insensitive comments, but try to remind yourself that this could be an attempt to show how much they care for you.

2. Silence is the best answer
Try your best not to respond. "Behaviours we reinforce continue, and those we ignore should stop," says Albers. Divert the conversation in another direction. Don't add anything to a conversation to belittling yourself.

3. Take care of yourself
When someone knocks you down, don't buy into it. Criticism at the wrong time can kill momentum for successful weight loss. Use this chance instead to build your confidence. Remind yourself each day to not just talk about your weight loss goals and aspirations but go out and do something about it. No matter how many times people try to criticize you, the best revenge is to prove them wrong.

4. Mentally prepare for the situation
You are going to attend a family event where you might bump into Critical Cathy so plan a few emotional strategies in advance. Breath deeply and evenly to help you feel much more relax. Visualize a relaxing experience to control immediate emotional responses. Close your eyes and imagine your safe place. Create as many details as possible. What sounds do you hear? What do you see? What does it smell like? What textures do you touch? 

Learning to communicate assertively can also be very helpful in controlling your emotions. For example:
"Why are we focusing on what's bad about how we look? Let's focus on what we love about ourselves."
"The way you are talking about yourself (or someone else) is making me feel really bad about myself. 
"I'm/you're beautiful and lovable the way I am/you are."

5. Reaching out to your support system
I hit up my most empathetic friends when I have to deal with this kind of situation. I can say that they are my great kind of therapy. Sometimes, it is necessary to vent to a friend about rude comments to keep your sanity.

Talk It Over

• What strategy do you use to keep your cool when someone fat-shaming you? Share in the comments. 

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10 Day Weight Loss Mental Challenge

Are you familiar with this quote 'Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve'?

It’s Napoleon Hill's most famous inspirational quotes on the power of positive thinking. It means when you truly believe on something, your mind find ways to accomplish it. Same goes to negative thinking. The moment you have a negative thought, it’s already hindering you from achieving something that you want, less energy instead of more energy, less peace of mind instead of more peace of mind, less success instead of more success.

I remember reading a story about a traveller who went to visit a beautiful waterfall. Scenic view was mesmerizing and the water was crystal clear, the surrounding area smells so earthy fresh. He took a sip from the waterfall, the water couldn't get any purer. Just as he had finished, he saw a signboard nearby that read "poison". He suddenly felt sick, his vision suddenly became blurry, he had trouble breathing, his heart race like crazy. He shouted for help and his tour guide sent him immediately to the hospital. The doctor asked, what happened? He told his story, but the doctor burst out laughing instead. The doctor in his teary laugh explained that the signboard that he just saw was actually written "poisson", double "S"- a French word that means fish. The man thought he was going to die because of the 'poisonous' water, and he became what he think. He started to feel the symptom of poisoning. Moral of the story is our mental attitude can either improve our health and increase our chances of success, or vice versa.

These final 10 days of September, I'm going to do a different weight loss challenge from the challenge I did before. It is called the 10 Day Weight Loss Mental Challenge inspired by Anthony Tony Robbins, the author of Awaken The Giant Within.

THE TEN-DAY WEIGHT LOSS MENTAL CHALLENGE
RULES OF THE GAME

Rule 1. In the next ten consecutive days, refuse to dwell on any unresourceful thoughts or feelings. Refuse to indulge in any disempowering questions or devitalizing vocabulary or metaphors.

Rule 2. When you catch yourself beginning to focus on the negative - and you certainly will - you are immediately use the problem solving question as your first line of attack, for example:

1. What is great about this problem?
2. What is not perfect yet?
3. What am I willing to do to make it the way I want it?
4. What am I willing to no longer do in order to make it the way I want it?
5. How can I enjoy the process while I do what is necessary to make it the way I want it?

Remember by asking question like, "what's not perfect yet?" you're presupposing that things will be perfect. This question can direct your focus toward a better emotional state, help you break a pattern of negative thinking, and actually come up with a solution to your problems. It doesn't ignore the problem, but it keeps you in the right state while you identify what needs to be changed.

In addition, set yourself up for success each morning for the next ten days by asking yourself the Morning Power Questions before you get out of the bed or while you're in the shower and use the Evening Power Questions, or any questions you believe will put you in a great state before you drop off to sleep.

Morning Power Questions

1. What am I happy about in my life now?
2. What am I excited about in my life now?
3. What am I proud about in my life now?
4. What am I grateful about in my life now?
5. What am I enjoying most in my life now?
6. What am I committed to in my life now?
7. Who do I love? Who loves me?

(substitute “could” for “am” if you get stuck.)

Evening Power Questions

1. What have I given today?
2. What did I learn today?
3. How has today added to the quality of my life or how can I use today as an investment in my future?

Rule 3. For the next ten consecutive days, make certain that your whole focus in life is on solutions and not on problems. The minute you see a possible challenge, immediately focus on what the solution could be.

Rule 4. If you backslide - that is, if you catch yourself indulging in or dwelling on an resourceful thought or feeling-don't beat yourself up. There's no problem with this as long as you change immediately. However, if you continue to dwell on unresouceful thoughts or feelings for any measureable length of time, you must wait until the following morning and start the ten days over. The goal of this program is ten consecutive days without holding or dwelling on a negative thought. The goal is to knock things out before you ever get in a negative emotional state in the first place. This starting-over process must happen no matter how many days in a row you've already accomplished the task.

Admit it, we all have our mental indulgences. We are habitually feel sorry for ourselves for many reasons. We bad mouthing ourselves when we are not able to workout, we sometimes feel like we're a bottomless pit because we want to lose weight so bad but can't stop eating unhealthy foods. Or it is our looks that makes us feel insecure. This weight loss mental challenge is really an opportunity for you and I to become "addicted" to a positive focus for the rest of our lives.

Today is my Day 1 of weight loss mental challenge. What about you, have you decided yet whether you're going to do this? Let me know in the comment.

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