2nd Week – of Challenge

The Journey of Good Diet and Stay Healthy

Preparing a trip is always a hectic moment.
Last Monday until Wednesday I went to Singapore with my husband and daughter to have a business trip while travelling with the family. Whether the trip is for family or business, one of the fun parts of travelling actually is to taste the local’s delicious foods. Especially during business trip, dinner with clients and evening events aren’t always the things that I can skip out of. Like what chef Geoffrey Zakarian said, “You need to be more discipline on the road than at home, because there’s so much temptation!”.

This week’s challenge is about burning more calories and better diet. Balancing exercise and diet are the tools to maintain a healthy body. On my business trip in Singapore, I had to stick to the 60 minutes or more cardio exercise, on treadmill and light workouts. I was lucky enough, to have had the opportunity to do some outdoor run.
There are some good places that we can use to have an outdoor run in Singapore, such as,

• Keppel Bay. This place is ideal for all types of runners. The route is beautiful and simple. Start from Harbor front MRT station and head towards the Keppel offshore island. The best route to have to enjoy the sunset view.
• Changi Beach Park. Start from Changi Beach Park and head towards Changi Coast Road and then it loops back. The ambience and the sound of the planes will take your mind off things.
• Singapore River. This route is breezy and has a gorgeous view. We can see Marina Bay and the Merlion.

During business trip, I have to obey the strict diet schedule. Can’t imagine about the local tasty food, I have to stick only healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
On this week business trip for breakfast I ate fruits, wheat bread, egg whites and vegetables and but for lunch I still cheated. For dinner, important thing was no carbs on my menu.

Travelling and diet do not go hand in hand, but I can make them just the opposite. By implementing some tips :

1. Pack your own meal.Bring protein and nutrient dense dry food, for example like nuts, protein bars, apples.
2. Stock the hotel room with healthy snacks and mineral waterThis avoid unhealthy snacks from the mini bar’s room.
3.  Drink plenty of fluids during the trip.Choose water over other beverages. Milk and juices are adequate, always avoid soda and an excess amount of alcoholic beverages.
4. Avoid fast food.This kind of food often high in fat and calories. Wherever you decide to eat, focus on meals that incorporate healthy components, like fresh veggies and lean protein.
5. Don’t forget to eat breakfast.Breakfast helps you prime your system and prepares you for a full day of activities or business meetings. Choose a high fiber and protein meal, such as whole grain toast with peanut butter, to reduce the temptation to snack in a few hours’ time.
6. Last but not least, entertaining clients or being entertained during business trips.I try to share with the clients about the health goals that I want to achieve and make them understand that being healthy makes me happy, and being happy is everybody’s achievement. That way I can still have my healthy diet while maintaining good situation with my client.

Next week, I’m going to have a holiday with my husband and kids to UK. I have to prepare some meals to have in the plane and look for some greats venues to go to for an outdoor jogging. Some information that I got, UK has some healthy restaurants where I could visit with the family. According to the metro.co.uk/, there are

1. Pure TasteIt’s the best for meat lovers. It’s located in Notting Hill, offering a delicious sounding menu based on the ‘caveman’ diet lots of meat and veg and no processed on high sugar foods.
2. The Good Life EateryIt’s one stop health food restaurant in Chelsea. It’s the best for yummy brunches. Yummy and healthy – what’s not to love?
3. Tanya’s CaféIt’s raw food specialist. Everything on the menu is organic, handpicked, raw and free from refined sugar or gluten. It’s also located in Chelsea.

Two weeks there, with tight schedule, I have to maximize everything, include the jogging route. Information from telegraph.co.uk, there are some good venues for outdoor run, among others :

1. Two BridgesRun north to either of the Golden Jubilee Bridges (they sit either side of the Hungerford Rail Bridge). Cross over to the South Bank and continue running east till you reach the Tate Modern. Take the Millennium Bridge back over to the north bank and follow the Thames Path back to your starting point.
2. Westminster to Battersea LoopThis run is a simple matter of following the Thames Path on the river’s south bank all the way southwest to Battersea Park.
3. Top of the TownThis takes on some of the busiest streets on the planet, but if you can get there early in the morning, you’ll be rewarded with a great run through the heart and soul of the city, up to one of it’s best viewing spots. Enjoy the panoramic view and jog back down through the western side of Regent’s Park. Follow Portland Place then Regent Street back to Trafalgar Square and home to Westminster Palace.

I am looking forward for this holiday trip with my family. For sure It will be a challenge to keep my healthy diet and allocate time for exercise, but for me it’s more than just commitment. If you think of exercise as a 60-minute commitment 3 times a week at the gym, you’re missing the point completely. If you think that going on a diet has something to do with nutrition, you don’t see the forest through the trees. It is a lifestyle.  A lifestyle that I am trying to build for me, for my family and others.