Don’t worry, a healthy relationship with food isn’t another diet. It’s actually going against diet culture by developing a positive attitude towards eating. As Malaysians, how can we not love food? We have a variety of mouth-watering cuisines to indulge in, but does it still count as enjoyment if we feel bad afterwards?
Unfortunately, we all have beaten ourselves up for eating in a way that society says is ‘too much’ or unhealthy. As drool-worthy as our dishes may be, most of us look at our food with fear (even when we’re snapping a pic of it). It’s this fear of judgement, and the guilt that follows after, that’s unhealthy.
A healthy relationship with food allows you to listen to your own feelings, cravings and needs, instead of external (and totally unfair) ‘rules’. Developing this relationship does take conscious effort. We’ve asked Nutrivin, a platform run by soon-to-be dietitian, Jane Chong, for some advice on how to feel at peace with food:
What does it mean to have a healthy relationship with food?
“It’s not about the types of food you eat or the quality of your diet, but rather why you choose the foods you eat. Besides getting nourishment from food, you’re also connecting to different cultures and people, exploring new food and finding joy in them.”
Why is it important?
“It’s so common for us to comment on the food we or others eat, that it’s considered ‘normal’ or socially acceptable. This is actually a vicious cycle that can be damaging to a person’s physical and mental wellbeing. When we have a healthy relationship with food, it relieves this stress and anxiety around eating.”
What is considered a bad relationship with food?
“Not giving yourself permission to eat. For example, you follow strict diets or feel the need to ‘make up’ for eating unhealthy food. When you restrict yourself from eating, you end up ignoring your body’s hunger cues. You may do this because you’re afraid of being judged.”
How can we improve our eating habits?
“By improving your eating experience. Find out what would satisfy your body and mind. Practice mindful eating to truly enjoy your food – you can do this by engaging all your senses and eating without any distractions. This will help you appreciate food better and develop a more positive attitude towards eating.”
Please do not blame yourself for your eating behaviors – diet culture has dictated how we should eat for far too long. Start by being kinder to yourself and paying attention to your body’s wants and needs. You’ll soon begin to feel what it really means to enjoy food and eating!
Follow Nutrivin on Instagram for more advice on nutrition, health, body image and wellbeing.
During the last lockdown, did you experience cooking burnout? Even those who once enjoyed creating in the kitchen found themselves stressed and burned out from having to solely rely on their own efforts. We used to be able to grab coffee and lunch, which conveniently fit into our busy schedules. Now we have to squeeze in the time for grocery shopping, preparation, cooking, and cleaning up.
Having said that, eating healthy at home does not have to be difficult and time-consuming when there are prepared meal deliveries you can simply store in your freezer. All you have to do is heat them up! Not only will it save you time and money, but you’ll also get to plan and control your portions – developing a healthier relationship with food. Here are 8 local meal prep delivery services to help you eat with ease:
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DietMonsta offers a wide range of protein options, as well as no carb, muscle gain and performance meal plans. Their ‘Blackbox’ meals also come with a variety of delicious sides and flavours for their proteins. Reheating these meals only take about 6 minutes, and they can be stored in the freezer for a month.
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Meals In Minutes provides halal ready-to-cook meals that can be customised. They use all-natural ingredients, are precisely portioned, and can be cooked Sous Vide style – perfect for those who don’t own a microwave! There are several mouth-watering proteins to choose from, including butter parsley prawns, burgers, and Thai lime fish.
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CauliHealthyFood offers halal frozen meal preps that are catered for different diets. Their menus change every week, and their packages come in both weekly and monthly options. Reheating takes less than 2 minutes, and their meals can be kept in the freezer for about 2 months.
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Value-for-money fitness meals can be found at Medofu! Talapia, Dory fish, and salmon – these are just some of the tasty protein packs available. They also offer a wide array of carbohydrates and sauces to be paired with the proteins.
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FitBox Meals offers healthy meal plans that help you reach your fitness goals! Customise your meal packages according to your preferences, and enjoy dishes such as pasta with salmon fillet, Dory curry with brown rice, oats with berries, and more.
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Keto-friendly, low-carb, and halal meal preps can be found at Chunky Monkeys. Be spoiled for choice with their wide variety of healthy meals, like shrimp and caulimash, nasi lemak sambal udang made with caulirice, and loaded caulimash with cheese and bacon bits.
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Healthy meals can be heavenly too with HeavenEat! The chickens used contain no antibiotics or hormones, and no MSG or preservatives are used in any of their meals either. Their chicken breast comes in four different flavours – classic, pesto, spicy mala, and hot paprika. You also have the option to pan-fry or grill the chicken.
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This is for those who need a truly on-the-go meal! Tear N Eat offers chicken breast protein packs that can be conveniently eaten anywhere. Like their name suggests, just tear and eat your chicken from the packet after reheating it. It comes in so many fun flavours like Sichuan Ma La, Chinese herbs, BBQ, and more.
With these healthy deliveries, you don’t have to sweat about meal prep when you’re stuck at home anymore!
The new year is around the corner and new year’s resolutions are on their way. Following through with your new year’s resolution of having a healthier lifestyle may seem like a daunting task – it doesn’t help that being healthy is associated with spending a ton of money. But what if we told you it doesn’t have to be that troublesome or expensive?
Try these 6 easy and small swaps to make big changes to your life!
- Swap carbonated drinks for coconut water from Movlah
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In need of a refreshing post-workout drink? Replace energy drinks with Movlah’s 100% natural coconut water made from freeze dried coconuts! It comes in travel-friendly sachets and you only need room temperature water to make them. Coconut water makes a great post-workout recovery drink as it reduces body heat and quenches your thirst.
- Try granola from Naked Super Food instead of packaged cereal
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Ditch the packaged, sugar-filled cereals and replace it with granola from Naked Super Food! Their granolas come in several mouth-watering flavours, contain low sugar and sodium, are a good source of fibre and protein, and have no artificial colouring or flavouring!
- Ditch antiperspirant for natural deodorant from Salt Of The Earth
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Natural deodorants are great for limiting skin issues – they won’t block your pores and promote less irritation! Salt Of The Earth’s natural deodorants come in a variety of refreshing scents, leave no white marks, are vegan society approved, and are not tested on animals. It’s also made free from alcohol, parabens, perfumes, and more so you can have peace of mind.
- Replace pads and tampons with menstrual cups
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Certain pad and tampon brands have harmful ingredients that we should never have near our bodies. Menstrual cups are a great alternative for that because it’s made of silicone or rubber that is safe for the body. It’s also better for the environment because not as much waste is created and some menstrual cups can be recycled!
- Opt for oat milk instead of dairy milk
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Looking for an alternative to dairy milk? Try oat milk! This plant-based milk has a mild and creamy flavour that pairs well with coffee, cereals, and more. It provides more vitamin B-2 than cow’s milk and contains beneficial nutrients, such as protein and fibre, to help keep you full for longer.
- Replace junk food with fruit & vegetable chips
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Say goodbye to junk food and hello to this delicious and healthy alternative – fruit and vegetable chips! You can find plenty of options at the grocery store, kiosks, online, and even make them yourself with an oven or air fryer. Now you don’t have to feel unhealthy when you have the munchies!
Have a healthier new year with these small, easy, and affordable lifestyle switches!
This weekend, pop over to Aitch Coffee Roasters in Mutiara Damansara for the very first edition of Ngegeh & Co – a new platform created to support female entrepreneurs through monthly curated events. Featuring Instagram’s fave homemade food and treats from founders Chiq Supply (Chiq Ruslan), Baked With Butter (Naddy Rahman) and Ephrodite (Ellysha Elkany), the pop-up spreads across both days from 12pm to 6pm.
With community support being more important than ever, Ngegeh & Co is building a network of women during this tough time to help their businesses survive and grow. The other vendors include female-owned startups Klean Supply, who sell naturally-fragranced hand sanitisers, and Nood Cosmetics, a vegan makeup brand.
But what does “ngegeh” mean? The Sarawakian term is commonly used to describe women as attention-seeking – a negative stereotype that continues to accuse and even dismiss females for “seeking attention”. Co-founder, Chiq Ruslan, stands up against this blatant sexism, sharing, “We aim to reclaim the world ‘ngegeh’ and change the narrative. We believe all women, including the ‘ngegeh’ ones, can build a name, business and even an empire for herself!”
Show these female entrepreneurs (and your tummy) some love at the sustainable event. If you bring your own tupperwares, bottles and bags – you’ll receive a RM2 discount from all vendors for helping to reduce waste and protect the environment.
Ngegeh & Co Pop-Up Weekend
Date: Saturday, 26 – Sunday, 27 September, 2020
Venue: Aitch Coffee Roasters, Mutiara Damansara
Time: 12pm – 6pm
Follow them on Instagram to stay updated on future events and vendor opportunities!
