Weight Issues

Did anyone read the articles on Straits Times regarding skinny models? In the same edition, they feature other models who are supposingly "curvy"- yeah right. The "curvy" models' BMI ranged from 16.5-16.9. Given that they "healthy" BMI ranges from 18.5-23.5 by Singapore standards, NO way can they be considered as "normal size". Or perhaps "normal size" in Singapore means a BMI of 16-17?

Close friends around me know that I have been working hard over the past 4-5 years or so to reduce my BMI from a scary 30 to 19. Regardless, whenever it turns October, I begin to fear the impending visit back in Singapore in Dec when the ever gosspy aunties and relatives start harping about how a girl should look like. I lost weight due to health reasons and because my enrolment of Hons, Masters and current degree means that evitably, weight will be lost (serious, I should write a book on this shouldnt I? "key to losing weight-enrol in a postgraduate degree").

I recall that a few years ago, someone from church started teasing my best friend about her weight and I scolded him big time. He was very very unhappy with me (and probably still is) but can one see how teasing drive girls to take drastic measures to lose weight? Working in the mental health arena means I see girls who DO take those measures and ended up in hospital and the numbers aint small. A small survey around will reveal that most girls are trying to lose weight regardless if they are in the 'normal' weight range or not.

And so am I. I'm no means perfect and sometimes wonder why irrational thoughts on the fears of gaining weight still bothers me. I'm supposed to be fantastic at challenging thoughts, disputing beliefs and using behavioral tasks to change the way I feel about myself right? No, I can be a victim to how the "ideal girl" should look like as well. Not to mention the fear of going back to my old ways.

Am I in the high risk zone to have an eating disorder? Perhaps. Am I going to resort to measuring my food and make myself guilty just because I ate some pancakes? No.

so am i going to be upset since I will probably still fit into a size "L" when I go shopping in Singapore? Probably. Even if I lose another 5 kg more, I will never be the typical small asian size female (WHY dont I get your genes mum? why dads'??). I'm starting to like myself abit more each day, reminding myself that the Lord put me here for greater reasons than to worry about weight issues.

Oh ya, and the strawberries pancake stack....
So easy to make. Everyone should whip up a batch without using those instant mix.

Makes 4-5 pancakes
a) 1 cup flour
b) 1 tablespoon of caster sugar.
c) 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
d) 1 1/2 cup of low fat milk.
e) 2 eggs
f) 30 grm of low fat margarine-melted and cooled.
sliced strawberries
tablespoon of honey
sprinkle of caster sugar.
1) Mix a-c well. Whisk c-f together.
2) Pour wet mixture to dry mixture. Stir with wooden spoon till it comes together.
3) Heat non-stick pan. Spray oil. Spoon 2 tablespoon of mixture to pan. When bubbles come to surface, flip pancake over.
4) Place sliced strawberries onto each layer and sprinkle some sugar on it. Stack and repeat. Top with a tablespoon of Jarah honey (or anykind of honey).

Another healthy treat? Muesli biscuits...


I combined a oats, muesli, cornflakes with some melted margarine and sugar..and tadah. Muesli biscuits.











Oh! The Lasagna recipe...
500grams of lean beef mince
1 chopped red onion
1 can of chopped tomatoes
couple of table spoons tomato paste
BIG splash of sherry
fresh herbs (I used rosemary), you can use Italian dried herbs too.
Lasagna sheets
3 tablespoons of flour
1/2-1 cup milk.
3 tablespoons of margarine.
250grams of Chedder
sprinkle of parmesan

1) To make Bechemel sauce. Melt margarine. Add flour. Stir till golden. Add milk, stirring constantly till it becomes a nice white sauce.
2) Beef mixture- Heat pan. Add onions. Cook beef till almost done and add can of tomatoes, tomato paste, sherry, salt, pepper, sherry and herbs. Stir till done.
3) Place first layer of lasagna sheet in a oven proof pan. Spoon 1/3 beef mixture onto it. Top with bechemel sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 chedder cheese. Layer with lasagna sheet. Repeat till you get 3 layers of beef mixture with the lasagna sheet on top. Sprinkle remaining chedder and parmesna. Baked in 200 degrees C oven for 30 mins or till golden.


I think I might go for a run now....