The Raya celebrations are not even over yet, and we are already feeling the bloat! All those open houses, all weekend long, with the lemang and rendang and ketupat and serunding and the various kuih-muih rich in santan and sugar and specialty nasi-s from all over Malaysia, it’s a wonder we can still move what more wake up for work every Monday.
But now that the month of Syawal is approaching an end and we are slowly regaining consciousness, the question at the top of mind is: how do we burn the weight gained over the course of a month of celebration?
Here are a few tips:
Detox
Start your detox routine now! Drink lots and lots of water, to help your body rehydrate and eliminate. People often mistake thirst for hunger, so the next time you feel like munching, reach for water first.
For extra oomph, add some detoxing ingredients into your water. Warm lemon water every morning is great for digestion, cleanses your system, helps you lose weight and gives you a vitamin boost.
Eat breakfast
Have a simple and healthy breakfast at home so you are not tempted by a mid morning nasi lemak or mee goreng. Fruits, oats, toast with peanut butter all give you the energy to start your day, minus the oiliness and extra calories. Prepare your breakfast the night before if you have to!
Snack mindfully
It’s easy to munch mindlessly especially when you’re bored at work, right? We’re not saying give up snacking altogether, but a few simple switches could make all the difference on the scale.
Replace your usual keropok with kacang, your sweets with fruits and your fizzy drinks with some green tea or lemon and mint infused water.
Get moving
We Malaysians are well known for our love of convenience aka laziness. Well, if you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll need to incorporate some form of physical activity into your daily routine. Try taking the LRT, more stations have opened up now and there may be a station near you.
Park your car further from the office if you’re driving, or take the stairs instead of the lift. Bring your baby out for a walk in the stroller every morning. Grab a group of buddies to try a new fitness class, like piloxing or hot yoga or Zumba.
Sleep well
Sleep at least seven to eight hours, nightly. Poor sleep may cause weight problems as when you’re low on energy you will feel less like exercising. Sleep deprivation also leads to comfort snacking to keep awake and going for convenient fast food as it would require less time and energy.