All about Lina Lifestyle

Stubborn tummy fat can be very hard to shift. And it can also increase your risk of developing serious Covid by as much as 75 per cent, according to a new study that has resulted in scientists calling for Covid patients with abdominal fat to be closely monitored.

The Italian researchers found that carrying extra fat around the stomach puts Covid patients at greater risk of developing serious complications, compared to overall body fat, which didn’t appear to worsen the severity of the virus. And, it’s not just a Covid issue: fat deposits around the middle have previously been linked to serious health issues, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

However, due to our often sedentary lifestyles and stressful jobs, medicated with alcohol and biscuits, belly fat can easily build up.

Lowena Waters, May 11 2021 https://news.yahoo.com/belly-fat-increases-risk-serious-112509679.html

One of the 10 ways of losing belly fat is “Eating a high protein diet“

I choose to eat a high protein breakfast daily with my F1 formula shake.

According to http://www.herbalife.com, this is what F1 formula shake consists of:

With a dense mix of protein, carbs, fiber and essential vitamins and minerals, Formula 1 is everything you need in a glass, is suitable for diabetics* and, with over 10 flavors to choose from, it’s easy to customize for your taste and nutritional needs.

Protein is vital to a healthy diet, as it’s one of the essential building blocks for many cellular components in your body. Protein helps satisfy hunger, build muscle tissue, maintain lean muscle mass and give you energy. And when you consume 25 g of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, you may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of Formula 1 provides 9 g of soy protein. Clinical studies on U.S. Formula 1 (one study) and on similar products show that Formula 1 shakes taken twice a day as part of a reduced-calorie diet along with moderate exercise help people lose weight.

I have been interested in mental health as a subject and completed my diploma in mental health last November 2020. I decided to attend a mental health webinar as I was invited by Bernard, founder of Cara Unmask.

Alison online course

According to Alison’s website, the course in mental health will “help you gain a better understanding of a range of mental health issues. Raising public awareness of mental health issues has become an important subject for international healthcare in the last several decades, and a basic understanding of the causes, symptoms, and treatments of various forms of mental illnesses is important knowledge to have for your wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around you.”

Having mere basic knowledge about mental health after my studies is good but may not be sufficient to understand the “experiential” aspect of mental health. I decided to learn more from the lived experiences from people who want to share their personal struggles and therapy work.

January 2021

I was invited to the webinar by Bernard, founder of CARA Unmask. The topic was ” How to build mental resilience”. I attended the online Zoom meeting and was glad to hear from speakers Kevin as his personal stories on how he walked the journey when he started struggling with Singapore’s high stakes examination at the A levels. He recounted how he managed to built resilience giving me a real life account of the importance of taking care of one’s mental state. The other speaker, Aloysius shared about his experience as a hypnotherapist and I managed to glean some insights from a mental health practitioner on this relatively mysterious field of hypnotherapy.

Overview of Cara Unmask

You can visit Cara Unmask by going to this website.

Objective of Cara Unmask

“CARA is a Community based mobile app platform that empowers users to take control and improve their mental wellness by connecting anonymously and securely with trained volunteers and professional counsellors, anytime, anywhere. At CARA, we focus on preserving anonymity to serve as a spark plug for a first conversation in a safe, secure and controlled environment. We believe a conversation is a good starting point to discovery, recovery and maintenance of mental wellness. We seek to be an impactful enabler by providing quick access, affordability and human connection through new digital self-help channels by placing technology in the hands of users for better mental wellness. The CARA Community relies on CARA Friends – trained volunteers with lived experience and mental wellness professionals who want to help. CARA is live in the app stores, give it a try.”

Throughout 2020, I have been working from home and often use video conferencing for work with the bulk of my time online. I read an article on how one can become “video fatigue” and stress can build up during this period. Being home all the time, it is very easy to get into a downward spiral.

I have been thinking about the long term implications of lockdown for both physical and mental health during the circuit breaker and the implication on health for all.

According to the article, many people are “falling into the rut of unhealthy lifestyle habits, including a poor diet and little physical exercise, which may have serious implications on their well-being in the long run.”

In summary, here are 5 ways to a healthier lifestyle

1. Start your day with a healthier breakfast
2. Create a daily routine
3. Incorporate physical activities into your day
4. Set aside time to relax
5. Plan for balanced and nutritious meals

The Glycamic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates with a low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose and, therefore usually, insulin levels.

I have been interested in mental health as it is an area that had been increasingly in the spotlight due to the pandemic related stresses like lockdown. I read an interesting article on how two twin sisters in the UK started to create a business helping people to keep active and positive.

“Our community page has proved popular so we can bring our positive energy and zest for life into people’s homes.”

(Rebecca Creed, 28th November) https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/18894341.twin-sisters-supporting-mental-health-exercise-classes/

Singapore Story Teller Miracle

This reminds me of my experience in Singapore with my new community of people interested in helping others stay positive. I am now in the next season of the 10 Day Challenge. I have counted taking part in 30 days of 7 minutes of daily exercise and never missed a day. This motivation stems from a group that was so excited to start a new season with their motivational story tellers. I feel connected to a group of likeminded story tellers at heart who continued to share inspirational stories of an 84 year old man who defied all odds and not place limitations on what he could do to keep active.

Headstart

To my present surprise, I started my 7 minutes challenge before the official day of the new season that begins today. And I am glad to have a headstart on day zero to prepare for the new season. According to the twin sisters, this is their belief about the effects of exercise.

“We think exercise helps people’s mental health because it gets their hearts pumping which release all the feel good hormones.”

It is good to have a headstart by having both the physical and mental aspect well taken care of in the comforts of my home with my home workout video. I am often looking forward to hearing, “happy hormones are activated in your brains”. In addition to that, I am glad that stories shared from the heart by other members to inspire others to take simple small steps during a pandemic is one that will go a long way in improving the mental health of a community. I think it is the twin effect of feel good stories that spark joy to the soul and activation of happy hormones that created a transformed me.

Hope to inspire more to follow in my footsteps to keep active!

Some Guidelines

In guidelines for people of all ages released Wednesday, the WHO emphasized that “every type of movement counts” as people combat sedentary lifestyles, exacerbated by social distancing and the amount of time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Ryan Miller, November 27 2020) https://news.yahoo.com/heres-much-exercise-week-even-163958319.html

Key Words

According to the Cambridge dictionary, the meaning of sedentary means involving little exercise or physical activity. Next, the meaning of exacerbated is to make something that is already bad even worse.

Home Exercise

I find that it is indeed timely that I started getting 7 minutes of home workout that can be done at the comforts of my room. Feeling motivated, I am already in the third season of my 10 day Challenge. The 7 minutes workout video can be conveniently accessed from Youtube anytime of the day that we want to exercise.

It consists of visual and spoken information with clear step by step instruction so anyone with a device from the handphone to the desktop can follow. This enables us to stay safe while understanding how to do lunges, crunches and star jumps within the 7 minutes without going out.

Technology

Through the use of technology, we can overcome the bad effects of the pandemic. Firstly, with the increased time spent at home, a good home workout can combat our sedentary lifestyles involving little exercise or physical activity. Secondly, through the use of social media we can prevent the bad effects exacerbated by social distancing. This is where the common perception is that our exercise and physical activity has to come to a standstill with the limits placed by social distancing.

Even though groups of more than 5 are not allowed to gather, we can stay connected online because technology places no limit on the number of people we can get in contact with. By having our fellow Herbalife members post daily pictures, we exchange health tips and information on our nutrition where the group gets even more social than usual.

Every Movement Counts

I see the use of technology reversing the situation of exacerbating our sedentary lifestyles and am glad to start the week right because “every movement counts” in my home exercise, daily nutritional shakes to supplement the workout and best of all a social group who are likeminded in getting off the couch and away from a sedentary lifestyle.

The World Health Organization

I just read a news article on how the World Health Organization warned that even before the crisis many were getting too little physical activity. In an update of its physical activity guidelines, the UN health agency stressed that exercise was vital to physical and mental health, while sedentary behaviour can have serious repercussions.

What is is worrying considering that even before the crisis, data shows the vast majority of young people and many adults were not active enough, with dire repercussions for global health. The WHO estimates that pushing more people to get off the sofa or office chair to move about more could avert up to five million deaths each year.

“Every move counts.”https://sg.news.yahoo.com/pandemic-not-people-must-stay-225909955.html (Nina Larson, 26 November 2020)

My Reflection on Health

I thought it is timely that I read this article as it confirmed my decision to take active steps to increase my physical activity. For a start, I don’t want to wait till serious repercussions happen .

In the Cambridge dictionary, the definition of repercussion is the effect that an action, event, or decision has on something, especially a bad effect.

Now that the year is coming to an end, I felt that it was vital to make good decisions in response to the serious repercussions brought on by the pandemic. This was by making a decision to have a plan for the next ten days to get off the sofa or bed myself. It was good to join a group who had been accountable to the success of my ten day plan to complete at least 7 minutes of exercise each day.

10 day challenge

By joining the 10 day challenge with my fellow Herbalife Nutrition members, it really got me intrinsically motivated to reverse the bad effect of little physical activity during the pandemic. It got me out of my comfort zone to take the uncomfortable step of beginning the first physical activity. I am one who definitely liked the habitual comforts of the couch more than doing the daily workout.

To take the beginner step, I am glad that all we have to do is post daily pictures of our nutritional shake and another photo of our exercise. These shakes serve to build up the energy level to sustain our exercise. As I took the beginner step, 1 day turned into 10 days forming a season of moving. A season turned into two seasons where every move counts.

Every Move Counts

I believe every move counts. I find that after 20 days I started to experience the good effects my earlier action or decision had in creating an event where I am rewarded with a total of 10 stars for completing a season. Best of all, I get extrinsically motivated to get out of the couch to create good consequences for a community of members who now know I achieved my health goals! The beneficial effects of reaching my health goals became inspirational to the members.

Young people and many adults

Before starting on my health plan and reaching my goals, I belong to the category from the World Health Organization where the “vast majority of young people and many adults were not active enough”. I am glad I was pushed to get off the sofa to avert a possible “dire repercussions for global health”.

Now, I hope to inspire more young people and many adults with my inspirational story with a blog that can have a global audience. I believe with my small action, I can have beneficial consequence for my exercise group which form a community that consist of members from Singapore to Australia.

Global Audience

In conclusion, my dream is to to have global reach for my blog to inspire more people around the world to prevent the dire consequence of lack of activity as stated in the World Health Organization.

Join me on an amazing health journey. You can read a recount of how I personally experienced the outcome of getting active from my November 28 2020 post.

Introduction

I am private tutor who needed to be constantly on the move. I needed all the energy I can get to function well shuttling from place to place on a hectic schedule. For many years I was tired and lethargic and often fall sick. After the coronavirus started to get serious in 2020, I decided to take charge of my health to build my immunity. I constantly go to the park for walks to build my stamina. However, I felt that exercise only helps to a certain extent and seek out a way to eat better.

Virtual Nutrition Club

With the help of a health coach, I understood that health is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. I was interested in his virtual nutrition club as it is a virtual session to address certain health questions we have. By attending a short half hour Zoom meeting, I managed to glean more information on proteins, sugar and fat to better understand human nutrition. I was thinking of ways to improve my immunity to ward against the common cold and flu that I often get in the colder season of the year.

As I have a sweet tooth I often consume sweet, sugary food. Thus, I have this condition called skinny fat, where it is ironical that I am underweight but my body still consists of fats from all the sweet snacks that I took. I decided that I needed to cut down on food that contribute to these fats.

I started taking Herbalife shakes at the end of October and am pleasantly surprised they are tasty and satisfy my desire for sweet food. Not only are they low in glycemic index, they help build up my energy level as they contain essential proteins and vital micronutrients that are important building blocks for the body.

10 Day Challenge

In the month of November, I took part in 2 seasons of 10 day challenge where we do fitness workouts for at least 7 minutes each day to work out a sweat. On top of that I drank the tasty nutritious shake daily to supplement my exercise routine. I enjoyed their variety of flavors from cookies and cream, French vanilla and mint chocolate. By taking part in the challenge with other participants who posted their exercise goals and health tips, I experience constant positive and encouraging messages everyday. With positivity being a main feature of the challenge which cares for the growth for fellow members, it really inspired me to complete my exercise for all 20 days in total and I never missed a day of workout.

Good Professional Outcome

My energy level increased with a myriad of factors from good nutrition and an excellent community that improve my mood, emotions and mental fortitude. Hence, I stopped procrastinating in achieving my professional goal which is to upskill myself. As a result, I was able to complete my online courses anytime of the day as I felt mentally alert and energized. I managed to do something which I could not do for many years due to my low energy level. I eventually achieve my goals and received four diplomas during the period that I was on the Herbalife programme. I am happier too as I felt confident to have achieved good results ranging from 84 to 93% for my 4 diplomas in a short period of time.

Excellent Health Benefits

All in all , I am glad that I don’t have to visit the clinic again for the common cough and cold like I do every year end season and glad to stay in the pink of health with Herbalife Nutritional programme.