I’ve been told too often, that my healthy habits and lifestyle change recommendations are… ‘extreme’.
Yes, I get that quite often from friends, people I meet at corporate health talks, and the occasional gym-goer I spend time talking to. Sometimes, I’m quite convinced that even my family members think so too (but they’d just rather not say anything). At times, my dog gives me weird looks through the kitchen window – I wonder what’s running through his mind.
24/7, I’m ‘accused’ of being on a ‘diet’. I’ve been told to ‘live a little’. What is it that makes them say I am extreme? It’s possibly because of the following:
1. I eat plenty of veggies – sometimes more in a day than most people would get in a week. Heck, I even have them for breakfast (see pic below).
2. I don’t drink sugared drinks. Water works fine for me all the time, otherwise, it’s usually black coffee or green tea, and the occasional diet soda. If I’m feeling fancy, I’d reach for a Perrier (and don’t argue with me about the price when you’re spending way more on a beer/whiskey at the clubs). I’d rather eat my calories, not drink them.
3. I’ll leave rice behind on my plate. Some people consider this ‘the ultimate sin’ – especially when you come from an Indian family. You know, the whole ‘Children dying in Africa’ thingy’, but you know what, I’d rather stay lean, and not get obese. (I only do this when they serve you too much, otherwise I only take what I need).
4. I take fish-oil and a multivitamin religiously. I do this because I strongly believe that we simply can’t get enough from our diets. The quality of the veggies and meat we eat today are nothing compared to what our grandparents ate 40 – 50 years ago. Plus, studies have shown that fish oil can dramatically change the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. ;-)
5. My gym membership is over 8 years old – and going strong. In fact.. I’ve lost count how long. I’ve been going to the gym for … like forever. So much so that I honestly believe that my health club should give me a lifetime membership – really!
6. I sometimes blend my veggies (sometimes with fruit) into a shake and drink them. With the right combination and ingredients, this isn’t disgusting at all (no matter how green it looks!). I’ve got most of my clients hooked to this already – and they all have no regrets.
7. I’ll spend a lot of money just for good quality food. I believe you get what you pay for. Although ‘cheaper food’ may seem like great value and save you money, in the long run, all those RM1.20 roti canai, RM3.50 fried rice, and RM4.95 fast food ‘value’ lunch meals will get you medical bills and reports that you won’t quite …. value.
8. I’ll refuse so called ‘healthy stuff’ like soya bean milk, flavoured yogurt, buns & pastries from the bakery, etc. Items like ‘Peel fresh’ orange juice, Skippy peanut butter, and 25% reduced sugar Chipsmore cookies is still junk to me – think wolf in sheep’s clothing. Yes they may be healthier than something fried and oozing with saturated fat, but still, there’s always more room for improvement. If your idea of healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle is loading up on buns and pastries and switching to reduced-sugar cookies, you’ve got plenty of room for improvement.
9. I sometimes chalk-up heavy grocery bills because of the items I buy. Again, this goes along the lines of ‘you get what you pay for’. I’m not talking about going organic 100% – (FYI, I hardly buy Organic). But don’t be afraid to spend a little more for a better product – remember, you’re fueling your body with your food. If that jar of Peanut Butter X only costs RM3.90 – ask yourself… what the heck is in it? Why does Peanut Butter Y cost RM15.90?. It’s funny how some of us will pour only Shell’s V-Power into our cars… but when it comes to fueling our bodies – any junk would do. I take good nutrition very seriously – even my handsome rottweiler eats the best (cos I know skimping on his food = more visits to the vet! And FYI, the only time he ever visits the vet is for his yearly vaccination):
10. I eat home-cooked/cook meals myself/bring my own meals whenever possible. This is how I cut down on the cost of eating healthy – It is sad that a really good salad/veggie meal prepared healthily can cost you RM29, but a plate of Nasi Lemak can be as cheap as RM1. It’s tough to blame people who make poor food choices when this is the situation. Want a smoked salmon sandwich? A steak? An awesome burger? Try making it yourself. All you need is some time to prepare and plan. Plus, you get to sharpen a skill that will come in handy (maybe even impress your date!).
11. I avoid fast food like the plague, or any other food that I cannot be sure of what is inside and how it will help my body.
12. I workout 5-6 days each week and I absolutely love it.
13. I challenge my body – my TRX has come in handy at times.
14. I spend a large sum of my money on fitness education/improving myself in this career (books, exams, courses, hiring my own world-class coach, fitness conventions, etc). Next month, I’m headed to Bangkok for Asia Fitness Convention 2010.
15. I don’t smoke tobacco. I’d rather die of natural causes.
16. I don’t do drugs. I don’t need to explain this one – do I?
To most people in my world, I’m that ‘health freak’ person that they know. The one they look at or pass some comment on when we’re sitting at the same table over dinner. No they don’t dislike me, or make fun of me… but I’m just that ‘guy’. You get what I mean? Which is a good thing actually.
But tell me this, are my habits really that extreme?
My nutrition coach and mentor, Ryan D. Andrews (MS, MA, RD, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, ACSM-HFS, CISSN), made me realise and value the above about my own lifestyle, that I’m not on the losing end. So what is EXTREME then, you ask?
1. Having to rely on drugs/medication each day to treat a PREVENTABLE disease.
2. Choosing to watch a favourite TV show over eating healthy and exercising – how tragic.
3. Not challenging that incredible God-given body physically, and by choosing to sleep more than one needs and be lazy.
4. Getting your chest cut open to fix vessels clogged by eating junk.
5. Having to check your blood sugar each day so you don’t go into diabetic shock and die (except for those type 1 diabetics).
6. Having to fork out money every day to buy cigarettes only to eventually succumb to lung cancer. This is practically self-inflicted slow suicide.
7. Making foolish decisions that will impact the well-being of others due to alcohol intoxication.
8. A world with the same amount of obese people as there are hungry people.
It is my desire too, that some of my habits rub-off on my Transformation Camp campers – that they too would one day have all the skills they would ever need to live a great life, as it was intended to be. So far, so good, as all the campers have been given weekly lessons, and assignments to work towards the Ultimate lifestyle.
Now would you call my habits extreme? I’d love to hear your thoughts – just leave your comments below.
In health,
The DailyMuscle Blogger, ACE-LWMC, ACE-CPT
Head Coach & Program Director – Body Transformation Camp
P.S. – Feel free to disagree with me. :-)
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This post was written by...
Noel Chelliah, ACE-CPT, ACE-LWMC, has been recognized as one of the Top Transformation Experts in Malaysia. No stranger to being overweight himself, Noel has gone through a life-changing transformation himself, from fat, to fit. In 2010, Noel founded the DailyMuscle Body Transformation Camp, which today helps hundreds of individuals exercise and practice healthier habits. In his spare time, Noel serves the community with various programs that promote a healthier lifestyle, and enjoys playing with his dogs.
My name is Noel Chelliah, and I’m a Transformation Specialist and founder of the 
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Nope, I don’t find your habits weird. In fact they’re pretty much ideal. I wish I could be as disciplined as you when it comes to my diet but being someone with a high metabolic rate has always given me the (mistaken, I know.. but still..) notion that I can eat whatever I want and get away with it.
And yes, like you mentioned… healthy food is expensive. I try to make a compromise if I can though.
I once told my junior in uni that being open minded doesn’t mean that you have to do what other people around you do, but just accept what others do and don’t find it weird or offensive.
The people you’re referring to are probably not the most open minded people in the world. They think that just because THEY won’t be happy doing what you do and find it a routine, that means that YOU are not happy and forcing yourself to diet and train.
So really, to the people who find DM’s habits extreme, that’s just because he/she’s very dedicated to keeping his body fit and if you’re not, fine, don’t follow him. But be open minded to his habits because everyone is different and even YOUR habits might seem weird to some other people in the community.
I find this statement “It’s funny how some of us will pour only Shell’s V-Power into our cars… but when it comes to fueling our bodies – any junk would do” effing true and ashamed about how often we commit this ‘crime’, lol.
No.15!!! i’d like to die of natural causes too but day in day out, i get secondhand smoke from the public, company, restaurants-kopitiam toilets (i really hate this!), sometimes i feel like peeing in a cup or something behind my desk so that i wont have to smell a hint of tabacco in the toilet.
Extreme? A small price to pay when weighed against the 8 points you raised at the end.
Cheers!
Nice write-up. A lot of your points are very valid. I think the problem most people face is with putting in the effort to prepare healthy food and as you say, unfortunately healthy products are not really cheap to begin with. Those who have a very fast paced lifestyle may find it difficult to dedicate time for preparing food. If they wanna eat something healthy outside, a single healthy meal may cost as much as 3 unhealthy meals.
One question about peanut butter:
How do you identify “good” vs “bad” ones? I try to look out for trans-fatty acids and saturated fat contents and select the one with the lowest count. But the contents in the RM3.95 one vs the RM15.95 ones don’t differ much. What are the other indicators you suggest to look for?
Great article. Nothing extreme at all about it. It feels extreme to some because they feel its tough and thats not a way of life. But hey, you eat to live not live to eat! Also love this: “I avoid fast food like the plague” and “I’ll leave rice behind on my plate. Some people consider this ‘the ultimate sin’ – especially when you come from an Indian family”.
I, for one, am one who loathes wastages in any form. Though, the sad truth is that wastages aren’t avoidable in lots of situations.
I was able to avoid wasting food most times because I chose to do so. Like if it’s economical rice I’m taking, I’d make sure that I’m getting what I can/would want finish on my plate. If it’s orders the waiter is taking, say for example pork-chop rice, I’d tell him that I want a small portion of rice. No, they don’t charge me any cheaper for that, but at least I won’t create any left-overs which end up in the bin as food refuse.
@Wee Kiat
Well said Wee Kiat, well said (referring to comment No. 2).
@DM
I have a friend who told me something like “why you want to torture yourself like that?” By that he meant eating healthy food and watching my diet. To those people, you are consider extreme.
To me, you are only taking charge and responsibility of your own body and health and that’s all about it.
great article! I wish, as well, that I could be as disciplined as you are in some of the categories. My downfalls are smoking (yes, I’m planning to quit very soon), alcohol intake (yes, I know I have to reduce this one) and the occasional craving for junk/fast food that I don’t always succumb to.
I think 95% of what I put into my body is clean food. But I’m planning to make it 100%.
I like what you were saying about the cost of healthy food when eating out being too high compared to mamak junk. Not to sound like an advertisement, but I am opening a restaurant in a few months called RAW (real and wholesome) that will be a place where people can get cheap, healthy vegetarian / vegan food. Somewhere around RM10 for a meal in the Cafe section.
We’ll also be equipped for cooking classes and small intimate seminars, so if you, DM, are interested, we can work together on putting together a mini health seminar with your meal plans and demonstrations.
hi! I don’t think they are extreme at all! i am now in the habit of eating healthy and not “dieting” for over 2 years now. People think i am too conscious too, but I am just not in the habit of gorging on junk. Of course I do allow myself an occasional treat on chocolates…but the good news is even there we have a tempting slightly healthier option of dark chocolate!!!
Needs alot of discipline to adopt this habit. Working on it!
you got hardcore habits mate! keep it up. i’m not so sure about those blended veges though. hahah. sounds a little icky. good call on the fast food. it’s a blight.
try this though: switch all carbs to complex. brown rice. brown bread. oatmeal (unprocessed). and eat everything with zero salt. you’ll get more than enough electrolytes from all that. blended vege. haha. the no salt is hard. but since you cook at home, might wanna give it a shot.
You are definately right about ‘left over rice on the plate’ issue. Whenever possible, take moderate portion so that you wont have to waste. If people scoop too much rice for you, it’s ok to left it behind. Rather than you getting the consequences of obesity later in life. What you spend on managing chronic diseases follow that, can feed a malnutrition population in poor country.
People just thought they should practise what is ‘norm’, e.g. have nasi lemak / roti canai / fast food, etc. Is it very ‘girly’ for a guy to eat more fruits? Is it ‘xi xi’ to ask for low fat? Definately NO!
And you do not have to be ‘dieting’ to eat healthily!
unfortunately most people reading this article are already in agreement with you already… its preaching to the converted. i agree 100% with you but the general population has a different view sadly… i try talking to friends who lead generally unhealthy lifestyle but its like talking a a brick wall.. and i don’t want to jeopardise our frienship by being too hard.
The_Sandman: Great peanut butter has only one ingredient in it – Peanuts! And usually some salt too, for taste. The 3.95 ones have palm oil, emulsifiers, sugar, etc.
A really good post that shows a very achievable and realistic lifestyle – serves as a wake up call for peeps that has gone astray.
However said and done – there are a couple of things on that list that will haunt us.
1.) 2nd hand smoke
2.) It’s difficult to find nutritionally balanced food <RM 15 I would say which will put off a lot of ppl. Just put into context that only about 10% of working malaysians actually pay taxes, that accounts for 1.5 million of malaysians out of around 10 million working. Our country’s population is at about 26 million.
The only option is to prepare your own food which is true – but high costs still prevail.
3.) Most will complain about the lack of time for any form of workout. The truth is, workouts shouldnt last more than an hour IMHO – it’ll be counter productive. There is many ways to slot that 1 hour of workout (+- 30 mins for shower) for a minimum of 3 times a week. However said and done, I believe the employers in Malaysia should also take note of the sorry state of health that a majority of Malaysian’s are in. The working culture in Malaysia is different from what they are in US or Europe. Asian working culture tends to lean to the notion that the longer you stay in the office or working the better – the hell with your dinner and health LOL.
IMHO, there are loads of things we can take into our own hands when we are trying to pursue a healthier lifestyle and many are guilty at not even attempting it though there are other external factors that makes it fairly difficult for people to catch on. In short we ourselves have to do things differently and the government/nation should also drive these healthy lifestyle campaigns like they do with elections.
Jonz: Your point no. 3 reminds me of the days when I worked for this particular international bank. For the 2.5 years I’ve been there, I know at least 2 people who had stroke, several who have high blood pressure and at least 1 with a kidney infection caused by refraining to go to the loo to relief herself (because workload is so high we can’t even afford bloody toilet breaks!).
You’re right about companies over in Asia having this culture of working their employees to the bone. If only Malaysian corporations have the culture of instilling a healthy lifestyle amongst their employees, productivity would improve.
But hey, whatever brings in the money right?
p/s sorry lah off topic… but gotta vent :P
Jonz: Yes… it’s ironic isn’t it? We spend all our lives, with the latest technology to assist us, to make a comfortable living and earn money while neglecting our bodies – only to realise that technology which was meant to make life easier for us actually turned us into lazy people, and then spend all that money we earned to fix all the damage we inflicted upon ourselves. Sadly our government is too busy with their own agenda – health/lifestyle/fitness is the last thing on their mind. Perhaps if we had some project to build the largest barbell in the world, you might get their attention and have them allocate a million-dollar budget for it.
Aizan: I agree with you. It was happening to me… and when I realised that I couldn’t change the circumstances around me… I quit my job. Unfortunately, not everyone can have that luxury.
Life is more than working till you drop. If only we could ‘see’, or lived our lives with the END in mind (and not just our bank accounts)… we would all live life very VERY differently.
Ha ha, go through the same thing myself. And honestly bro, it is still a waste to leave rice like that. I usually tell the fella serving the rice to put a quarter of what he normally does (sure he gives me that stare.. but its okay, at least I’m not wasting :P)
And yea, I’m that ‘guy’ among my list of friends, colleagues too. But just as you mentioned in your article, I sometimes wonder myself who’s the one here living the extreme life?. Anyways, great article mate. Keep up the good work.