#caretoshare: How I lost 20kg and regain my health with diet change and exercise

Friends who have not seen me for some time are often shocked at how I look like a totally different person from a year ago. I lost 20kg in around 6 months from January to June 2016. This was done with a diet change and a simple exercise routine. I have been monitoring my weight since then and so far, I have not piled back the pounds.

Why did I embark on this lifestyle change?

When you hit middle age, all the health problems like high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol will start to strike. I was in a pretty bad shape back in December 2015 and made a resolution to change that in 2016.

Do you know that 1 in 2 Singaporeans have borderline high to high blood cholesterol? With no symptoms to warn us, it can easily go undetected. Many of us have never gotten our cholesterol levels tested, and those who have detected it may be struggling to fight it alone.

Hence, it is important to share in the form of reminding your loved ones to go for regular cholesterol checks and tips on making healthier life choices to fend off high blood cholesterol.

Since I had some success in regaining back my health, here’s my story to share which I hope will be able to help others with the same issues:

If you find this video I did for Marigold HL Milk to be useful, do share it forward with your friends and loved ones. For each share, Marigold will be contributing S$0.10 to the Singapore Heart Foundation. More details are available on the official website on how you can do more to help raise awareness for high blood cholesterol. You can also choose to complete the various missions on the site to help raise more donations.

Marigold HL Milk conducted a free blood cholesterol check for the public at AMK Hub, NTUC Fairprice supermarket earlier in May. I went to get my blood cholesterol checked and was happy to register a reading of just 3.4 (below 5 is healthy, 5 to 6 is borderline 6 while 6 and above is high).

1 in 2 Singaporean adults has borderline high to high blood cholesterol and plant sterols have been proven to lower blood cholesterol. Introducing the #marigoldhl with plant sterols in green packaging. Just two glasses of this milk each day will help fulfill your daily ideal plant sterols intake. Details coming soon on Alvinology.com. #hlmilk #shareyourhearttruths #caretoshare #yourhearttruths

A post shared by Alvinology.com (@alvinology) on May 27, 2017 at 7:23am PDT

If you have blood cholesterol issues, consuming more vegetables will help. Alternatively, you can supplement your diet with food and drink containing plant sterols which have been proven to lower blood cholesterol. High blood cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart.

Have you tried the green-coloured packaging Marigold HL Milk with Plant Sterols? Consumption of at least 2g/day of plant sterols has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Drink 2 glasses of Marigold HL Milk with Plant Sterols daily as part of your balanced diet.

My dinner tonight. I can eat like this for 3 meals a day. That’s how I lost 20kg in less than a year and regain my health. My diet usually consists of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and milk. I eat regularly when dining with friends or in social settings, but when I am eating alone, I will usually go for something like this. The Marigold HL milk with plant sterols help to supplement my daily intake for good cholesterol. They are running a #caretoshare #yourhearttruths campaign now. Visit the link on my IG profile and complete any of the missions there. Each completed mission will gain one point which translate to $0.10 donated to the Singapore Heart Foundation. #marigoldhl #sp

A post shared by Alvinology.com (@alvinology) on Jun 27, 2017 at 8:32am PDT

To reiterate, how I managed to get to where I am now was by following these three simple action plans.

1.

Change of diet

I switched from a very unhealthy diet to a low carb, no sugar diet, eating most raw food like fruits, nuts, vegetables and milk. I cut out sugared drinks totally, opting for plain water or sparkling water. I don’t eat like this for all meals, but for most meals when I am eating alone. There must be some cheat days or the diet will not be sustainable in the long run.

2.

At least 30 minutes of exercise daily

I been on a low carb diet and exercising at least 3 times a week for over a year to keep my health in check. Even when I am overseas, I will go for a jog in the morning. Initially it seems like a hassle, but I have grown to enjoy it, taking it as an opportunity to get to know a foreign place better on foot, and as a form of site recce for attractions to visit later in the day. Picture here was taken in Alaska. 1 in 2 Singaporean adults has borderline high to high blood cholesterol. Maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise can help combat this. Sign up as a Share Your Heart Truths ambassador with MARIGOLD HL milk to find out how you can help: http://bit.ly/CTSAlvin (click my profile link) The brand will match up every ambassador recruited with a S$0.10 donation to Singapore Heart Foundation. Five winners stand to win a set of limited edition Heart Truths tote bags. #caretoshare #hearttruths #hlmarigold #marigoldhl

A post shared by Alvinology.com (@alvinology) on Jun 22, 2017 at 7:54am PDT

In the beginning, I forced myself to exercise for at least 30 minutes daily. This range from a slow jog to cycling to swimming. As I got fitter, I have cut back to around 3 times a week now, but with higher intensity. It was really tough at the start, but once you get into the momentum, it sticks. Now, I actually feel uncomfortable if I do not exercise for too long (even when I am traveling)!

3.

Make sure your lifestyle change is sustainable

The worse thing to do is to go on a crash diet plus exercise like crazy, lose a lot of weight in a short time, and then gain it all back again when you stop what you are doing abruptly upon reaching your weight lost goal.  Make sure whatever you are doing is sustainable in the long run or it will be pointless. That’s why I still monitor my weight and health to date, to make sure I do not get lazy and fall back to my old lifestyle.

I hope the tips I shared have been useful. Feel free to contact me if you need more detailed advices. Happy to share more. 🙂

This post is brought to you by Marigold HL Milk, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.