Where I am with my body and the food I love

As with many young ladies I know, in the course of growing up I have gone through many mini battles with myself, journeying through puberty and changes in metabolism to eventually learn how to love and feel best in my body. Most of the issues I would have with myself start off with trying to have the “perfect body”, comparing with the stereotype – tall, slim, long legs; and never fully being satisfied with what I possessed. Of course, it never helped that the media constantly ingrained in me the ideal image of beauty – the stick-thin model type.
I was not the sporty type but maintained a decent active lifestyle through Chinese dance at University, and then discovered my love for yoga when I started work. These activities helped to keep my weight a constant and I would feel more alert on days I was active. Because I am not a huge cardio person, my diet has been essential in keeping my weight consistent. I am not one for fad diets and believe in the simple rule of keeping my palate colourful and balanced as per the food pyramid I was taught in primary school. The problem is that with the long work hours, I find myself eating late – after 8pm, and in the interest of time, constantly going for instant foods and fast meals which barely provide any real nutrition. On top of this, finally earning my own money meant that the occasional social drink became a weekly thing and meals out with friends were always an indulgence. There was always something new to try at the many fancy restaurants/brunch places that pop up around town and I would be eating good food all through to the weekends.
I find now with a higher intensity of yoga I actually eat smaller meals, and tend to shy away more from carbs especially at dinner time. My favourite comfort food is hotpot, and I am lucky I have a good group of like-minded foodie friends. We frequent different hotpot places and are careful to pick more vegetables and light soups.
At work I am fortunate enough to have a generous variety of fresh, quality food provided for by the company; I opt for light bites at breakfast and lunch, and aim to keep my meals small and have them 5-6 times a day. Most days, I substitute my cravings for sugar with fruits – of course I do have weekly cheat treat as I believe in balance! Eating is still one of my favourite hobbies but I find that a bit of discipline goes a long way and it definitely influences my mood and energy, playing a big part of whether I have a good day or a bad day.
Lucia