Weighty Issues

Believe you me, I’ve always had a weight issue. I’m serious.

I started dieting when I was 14.

It was Chinese New Year and one of my aunties, those you see only once a year (and for good reason cuz of their toxic tongues), said to me, “Aiyoh, girl! Why you so fat?”

Mind you, I weighed only 50kg at that time. But those words weighed a ton on my mind.

Self-consciousness took over and I was never the same.

Coke was the rage at that time but I didn’t give two hoots about how I wouldn’t fit in the crowd. I was on a mission. So, I first began by cutting out all sugary drinks in all their forms – sodas, fruit-flavoured juices, water chestnut, soya bean milk, chin chow, bandung, etc.

And after keeping this up for about two weeks, I actually lost 2kg! Just like that!

I haven’t drunk sugary drinks since.

Then, I stuck to only three meals a day and cut out all snacks – potato chips (Jack&Jill, remember?), corn chips, including my all time fav – tapioca chips with chilli, mamee, along with biscuits, cakes, nonya kueh kueh etc. And I remember bringing my weight down to a healthy 45kg (I’m petite, so that’s quite ideal for me).

Over the years, I’ve tried many other diets – Atkins, Paleo or Caveman, Blood-type,  Macrobiotic, Liquid or Juice Cleanse, Okinawa, the all-carbs Starch Solution, Daniel’s Plan and I was even a hard-core vegetarian for three years!

My weight would always hover between 45-48kg so I took it for granted that it’ll always stay that way. But as age caught up, I started getting lazy. I stopped exercising, watching my weight, plus I ate to my heart’s content!

I was just so fulfilled, everything was going great in my life and I was rewarding myself with good food, fine dining, great gourmet cuisine. I didn’t realise that I had put on so much weight until I found a lump in my right breast – don’t worry, it’s benign, I got it removed and I’ve been given a clean bill of health!

But THAT, was my wake-up call to relook at what I’m eating and how I’m living my life!

At that time, I weighed 56kg! I totally filled up my jeans. I felt clumsy – always kicking over things or tripping over myself cuz my reflexes were somewhat slower, I felt I had little or no energy, my clothes were getting tighter, I was getting sick all the time and overall I felt really lousy about myself.

So how on earth did I get back in shape?

I’ll tell you exactly how in my next few posts so stick with me! Winks!

Love,
Lynette Tan