The reason most diets fail is that people focus on too much, too soon. That means eliminating an entire food group (the casualty is usually carbs) in an effort to lose weight quickly. Or it can also be exercising too much at once, said Timothy Ting, circuit coach and registered nutritionist dietician.
Ting was among the guest speakers when the online grocery and food delivery service Honestbee launched its Organic, Fresh and Healthy category last week, including the announcement of a new and exclusive category to the Philippine market, Diet Delivery.
He said many people fall into the “health halo” trap when deciding to make a major lifestyle change. Burgers, a popular junk food, for instance, when deconstructed, become a balanced meal since it contains carbs, some vegetables and protein.
“That’s the health halo effect,” Ting said, even though the burger is basically junk food—low-quality beef, sandwiched between two buns made of poor-quality carbs, with a sorry piece of lettuce passing off as a vegetable.
Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows that diet is 80 percent of the effort, and exercise only 20 percent. “Do people really need to go to the gym to be healthy? That’s not true,” he said. However, once people start out the day good, like exercising, they usually follow it up with something good as well, like eating healthier.
“If you can walk, then walk. If you don’t like water, then add some flavoring to it, like a squeezed lemon,” Ting said. Do some small, purposeful exercise to start the day, he added, and be active throughout the day.
For weight loss to become successful, Ting said to follow the 80-20 rule. Eighty percent is all the healthy stuff—whole food, home-cooked meals, meal delivery, etc.—while 20 percent is set aside for all the “yummy junk food.”
Less deprived
“Make room for junk,” he said. “That way, in one meal, you are allowed a treat.” You’re less deprived, more satisfied, and most likely to stick to your diet.
Honestbee knows that health and wellness are an emerging trend worldwide. Its Organic, Fresh and Healthy category is a careful selection of the best merchants offering nutritious and organic products, giving consumers fast and easy access to healthy products.
“One of the things we pride ourselves in is the food handling,” said Cat Avelino, Honestbee brand and communications director. “We really work with the supplier for specially designed insulated bags so that we’re able to ensure that the food we carry is kept fresh.”
If you have no time to prep your meals, Honestbee has you covered under its Diet Delivery category. Partners include Ketos of Manila, Muscle Kitchen Manila and Fit Fuel.
A five-day subscription ranges from P2,000 to P4,400. A P350 delivery fee covers the entire five-day subscription.
Honestbee services Diet Delivery meals to Bonifacio Global City, Makati and Ortigas, with plans to expand to other locations.
Honestbee also partnered with dozens of restaurant and grocery merchants under the Organic, Fresh and Healthy classification, including Manuka Health New Zealand, Basilur Tea, Pinkie’s Farm, Hearty Bread, Rizal Dairy Farms, Take Root (a junk-free snack company), Oh So Healthy snacks, Down to Earth and many more.
“The only way to lose weight and lead a healthier life is to make more conscious choices of what you eat. Food is our medicine and when we upgrade our diet, we upgrade our life,” said Marga Banaga, a YouTube vlogger who has lost almost 60 pounds so far by maintaining a holistic, healthy lifestyle through meal prepping and exercising.
Download the Honestbee app for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign up for an account now. Visit www.honestbee.ph for more information.
