How to consume less calories at your meals

This advice is really simple and works! To ensure you don’t over consume calories that your body really doesn’t need follow these rules. This is how you’ll be able to better manage your weight for life:
1. Eat slowly
2. Put your utensils down between mouthfuls
3. Don’t begin loading your next mouthful of [...]

The Biggest Loser Asia: Episode 3

I’m going to have another whinge about last nights episode. (Maybe I should give up watching) This time I’m going to have a whinge about the weigh in and scales. There were a number of contestants that had much smaller weight loss on the scales from the previous week and one person unfortunately didn’t lose anything. You can see it on their faces and I can completely empathise with how they feel considering they’ve worked their butts off all week for little to no results. WHICH IS WHY – WEIGHT MANAGEMENT IS ABOUT MORE THAN WHAT YOU WEIGH ON A SET OF SCALES, it’s about your body shape, composition and function.

Outrigger Racing at Sentosa

Took part in my 1st outrigger race at Sentosa. The first race was a 12 km race the length of the island, up and around a few buoys. We got off to a bad start as we got sandwiched inbetween the other Aussie boat and the rookies. The rookies should have moved over to give us some more room – but with currents & waves & rookie drivers – it ended up in a little bit of a crash. Later in the afternoon we then did Mixed team race. I guess the best way to describe it was like a relay.

THE BIGGEST LOSER ASIA: EPISODE 2

I have mixed emotions about episode 2. As an exercise physiologist I saw a few negatives in the show that highlight what not to do if you’re trying to lose weight. I’m sure they have a strong team of medics available to attend to the contestants and of course they have to dramatise things so the show is watchable – but here are some negative things that stuck out for me:

Nutrition Info: Calories in Hainanese Chicken Rice

There is no doubt that Singapore has a diverse and delicious range of food and for Singaporeans, eating is a way of life. A typical greeting is “Have you taken your lunch yet?” or “Lets go makan”. For newbies to the country it can be quite overwhelming and it’s expected that you sample your way [...]

Rum Balls & Apricot Balls – Merry Christmas!!

Well it’s nearly that time of year again…….. and I’m not necessarily referring to Santa Claus arriving – I’m referring to the pain staking task of making Rum Balls & Apricot Balls. All too fast I forget about gummy apricots, how long it takes to chop them, hours of rolling them into little balls, sticky [...]

Singaporean Chilli Crab

The number one thing you must eat in Singapore is Chilli Crab. Uniquely Singaporean, there are many variations of preparation including Steamed, Black Pepper, Butter and Breaded but in my humble opinion Chilli is the best. Look in any cookbook at the recipe and you’ll find that the tangy gravy base is made simply from a bottle of tomato sauce and sweet chilli sauce. Considering one tablespoon of these sugar laden sauces contain about 50 calories, this is yet another calorie loaded Singapore meal.

Read more to find out The Health Guru’s advice how to stop weight gain when eating Chilli Crab.

How Food IS Killing You: Sugar (Sucrose)

I’m about to tell you something a little controversial. I believe that sugar is the most crippling ‘drug problem’ that the world is currently facing. Yes – I did say drug. Why? Because as the world is now flooded with pre-packaged / manufactured foods and drinks containing mountains of sugar – the harmful effects are [...]

The Biggest Loser Asia: Episode 1

Well I’m sorry to say that I only caught the last 20 minutes of the first episode of The Biggest Loser Asia (already set my alarm for next week) – but my friend ‘K’ has filled me in.

She mentioned that the trainers placed a ‘healthy, portion controlled meal’ in front of the contestants and one [...]

How Food IS Killing You: Fast Food

4 Year Old McDonalds Cheeseburger

Click on this link to see a short video of what has happened to a 4 Year Old McDonalds Cheeseburger. It’s completely amazing. If anyone eats fast food thinking it’s ‘real’ and nutritious for them – can you imagine what is happening inside their body?

Super Size Me Clip

Click on this link [...]

How Food IS Killing you: Trans fat

What are trans fats?

Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acid(s)

Where are they found?

Trans fats can be natural or artificial. Small amounts of trans fat occur naturally in beef and dairy foods.

Artificial trans fats are made when hydrogen gas reacts with oil. They can be found in cookies, cakes, biscuits, [...]

Eating Out Tips: Part 2

More helpful tips to win the fight against fat and eating out healthily.

Eating Out Tips: Part 1

Eating out for most people is a way of life and something we often can’t avoid. However, when it comes to managing your weight, there is no need to lock yourself up in your house or change jobs when it comes to avoid eating out – it’s just about making smart decisions and at all times never, never, never give up the fight against fat. Here is a combined list of recommendations to my fellow weight warriors:

Durian – The King Of Fruit

Smell aside, Durian is not known as the king of fruit for nothing. It is a weight-watchers nightmare. The creamy flesh inside this spiky hard covered fruit is loaded with calories. 1 medium size fruit contains about 650 calories (equivalent to a whole plate of chicken rice). It’s also one of the only fruits that contains a substantial amount of fat.

The Party Walk

Since moving to Singapore and initially having no friends, I used to escape my boredom in the evenings by walking around the happening night spots around town. This became really fun because you can see everything that’s going on, walk past all the restaurants, clubs, bars, cafes, and events – so it actually feels like you’re right there enjoying the fun and shenanigans. But really, you’re just out enjoying an evening stroll and burning off calories. Honestly, you are completely distracted by the people, music, noise, lights, buskers in the tunnels, laughter, conversations, trying not to bump in to the super slow walkers, dodging drunk people, avoiding stumbling on a paver then before you know it you’ve walked for over an hour. It’s honestly too easy. One hour of walking for me burns off about 300 calories! THE PARTY WALK!

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Guest_4235 : HI, I started to have Starbucks breakfast recently. the sandwiches and wraps looks much healthier than other fast food joints'. I did research on their official website, where I can only find US breakfast items. SG's food items are slightly different, and their local website did not capture any.Could you please help to get some info on that? I love their egg white redpepper mushroom wrap.

Guest_1550 : i hope you post more articles on the calories! probably the kind of noodles or rice calories, along with the fruit juices!

Guest_124 : «link»
Rid : Like your blog, perhaps a compilation of top 10 hawker stall healthy food. For foreigners who don't completely understand the food, eating out on a diet is often difficult. =)
Guest_262 : YEA!! please advise more of the new year goodies nutriution facts!
Guest_2848 : HI, Nat, can you give some advise on CNY food? Yu Sheng, pork jerks and dumplings. Thanks!!!
Guest_2077 : I hope you can update more often
Guest_218 : Hello! could you do a post on nutritional content of local snacks - for example soon kueh, ang ku kueh, and malay kuehs. Thanks so much!
Fat belly : Hello! I'm confused. I've read protein helps in weight loss, but some articles mention it helps to gain weight! So which is the right one? I don't wan to end up gaining instead of losing. Please help! Thanks!=)
Ri here!!! : I love the article....
Guest_3919 : Hello
belmont : Thanks a lot. I really appreciate the nutrition info articles.
Guest_3506 : how much calories in white wheel shaped pellet snacks
s1190 : Hi there, I read a lot of your articles in one go. Great information, great work ! In a few articles you mention 400-500 calories a meal/dish is considered a lot / almost half of requirement. And the average female only need 1200 calories /day and men 1500 / day. I suppose that's basal metabolic rate right ? So If the person do some sedentary activities, the calories needed is more. It's hard to believe that 1200/1500 is the standard. Minus 500 Kcal to lose weight then all day long i could onl
Guest_2834 : Nat, totally agree with your post on bad PT. My previous PT always texting on his phone, ANNOYING~! and it was very awesome of you to post an artical supporting Pauline~!
Guest_2822 : Hello, I understand you did a post on Mr Bean nutritional content before! I recently visited their website and found out that they have a comprehensive listing of their product nutritional information. Simply go to their website and there is this nutritional information button (in a small balloon) for each of their product category under the "products tab"
Guest_3745 : Hi! Would love to know whether there is a significant difference if we ask for evaporated milk instead of coconut milk in certain desserts, e.g. Chendol, Or is it about the same calories since evaporated milk is fattening too? Thanks!
Sally : Hi Nat. I was wondering if you could do a segment on Pepper Lunch. I love that restaurant, but have heard that it is quite unhealthy. Thanks!
Cheryl : Hi Guru, I was wondering, would it be better to not snack at all, or snack on "healthy snacks that can aid weight loss" for example nuts, certain fruit (in moderation)... Because I have a tendency to snack a lot even when Im not hungry. Recently I did try to cut down on my snacking, but a part of me says that these snacks are healthy so I snack even more -.- so.... Any advice? Healthy snack or no snack at all?
Guest_160 : i love this cite so much!! thank you nat!
Guest_3627 : Update leh
Rachel : @Winnie: TaoKaeNoi's grilled seaweed is pretty low-cal and very yummy, only 15 cals for one whole big sheet! The classic flavour is nice. The other 2 are quite spicy.
Rachel : Hi healthguru, please do up another post on bubble tea! It'd be nice to know the actual calorie counts of at least the basic milk tea with pearls for each different brand (koi, gingcha, each a cup, sweet talk) etc as certain brands are notably less milky and creamy than others. Would really appreciate it xx
Winnie : Hi there! Thanks for your really informative and interesting articles! I wanted to ask you more about healthy snacks other than the ones you've mentioned from xndo. Do you have any tips for simple, cheap, low cal yet healthy snacks that we can get at most supermarkets? Would you recommend popcorn or nata de coco? Thanks!
Guest_120 : i eat pau too, thought its steamed n it shd be less sinful, but seems to gain weight by eating it every snack time in morning though.
Melanthe : Sorry, and all kinds of pau too! As I eat pau every morning and i am extremely curious.
Melanthe : Please do a calorie count for Jollibean pancakes- rounds, normal and crispy ones, with all the flavours: green tea, red bean, peanut butter and cheese!
tommy : Hello, I would like to know what's the daily intake requirements for male, age 34 - calories, fat, carbo, sodium or any important things that i should note in my daily meal plans.
Guest_1826 : Hey, could you do a review of the food in Cedele (especially the cakes and sandwiches)? A lot of Singaporeans tend to think that it's a place for healthy dining, but I am a bit skeptical. After all, cakes still do contain a lot of sugar don't they? How healthy can it be?
Guest_3475 : Hello health guru, I hope you can write a post on jollibean pancakes. Because they sell a variety of pancakes and I don't think they have the same amount of calorie as compared to mr bean. For example they sell peanut roll which is a lot bigger then mr bean's pancake.
Guest_2131 : Do u have a breakdown of all types if pau? (yan, redbean)
Guest_4047 : Hi! I had a bowl of Laksa the other day with fish, shrimp and noodles and it was amazing. However, I reckon there are quite a few calories in such a bowl from all the coconut milk added?
Guest_3664 : Hi, i love fillet o fish frm mcdonald. Always ordered one without tartar sauce, how many calories will that be?
Guest_60 : Hi Health Guru, does belgium waffles have more calorie then a 6 inch waffle?
Guest_682 : Hi, what's the breakdown for Lao Ban tau huay (aka beancurd)?
Guest_4220 : Hi Health guru, i'm curious about the nutritional facts for mc d soft serve ice-cream. how can it be so sweet and nice and only 150kcal? is the info reliable?
Guest_2835 : hey your blog is very informative! is it possible to do a write up for jollibean pancakes like you did for mr bean? thank you!
Guest_1872 : Thanks for answering my enquires regardign waffles.
Guest_1960 : Hi We are a group of NUS students doing a survey on Body Image Perceptions among Singaporeans. Pls take 2 min to fill in this short survey. «link» Thanks!
Guest_3774 : Does 60g of waffle equals to 7 inch of waffle?

The Health Guru

Facts, Hints, Tips, Advice and Inspiration on everything to do about health & weight loss.