Healthy Eating Programme

44-year-old Ron Wu felt “coerced” when his wife registered him for Lose To Win™ (LTW), a structured weight-loss programme by HPB that includes weight management workshops by nutritionists as well as group exercises by trained instructors.

His wife had heard about the LTW programme from her friends and decided to register for both of them. Reluctant as he was, the good husband tagged along to keep his wife company.

A Chinese-Eurasian, Mr Wu stood at a height of 1.85 metres and weighed 125kg when he first joined. Exercise was non-existent in his hectic life; food choices were based on his liking, with fast food ranking among the top.

The LTW programme turned out to be a great discovery and learning journey, especially since participants had to attend six workshops on various health and nutrition topics.

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“I [found them] especially beneficial. We learned so much,” said Mr Wu, who shared that they became more conscious of their calorie intake and food choices and resisted temptations in particular, during the feasting period of Christmas and Lunar New Year.

“Some of the physical exercises were challenging. Even though there was pressure to complete the exercises, the trainer allowed us to train at our own pace and guided us along,” he added.

Mr Wu completed the LTW programme seven kilograms lighter and with a heightened sense of health consciousness. “I’ve relied mostly on controlling through diet and I’m surprised and happy that it has proven to work for me,” he said.

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Healthy Eating Plan

Together with his wife, they have put what they learnt during Lose to Win™ to good use and to achieve healthier lifestyles for themselves and their children. They made significant changes to their diet and food options, substituting white rice with mixed rice grains, and eliminating ice cream and sugary carbonated drinks from their diet. Home cooked meals now comprise more fish, vegetables, and soup dishes, while fruits have become a must-have before meals. Even alcohol has become a rarity reserved for special occasions.

“We still get cravings for…char kway teow and laksa. However, instead of having a full portion, we make a conscious effort to reduce our intake, to eat only about 10 percent instead. We get a ‘sampler’ to get the taste and that way, you cherish it even more.”

Chuffed about his weight loss, Mr Wu says he will stick to his new lifestyle and dietary changes to “see how things go”. He’s also joined the LTW Reunion programme with his wife—this time, very much out of his own free will.

To those who are contemplating to take part in the LTW, he said: “You have nothing to lose. Go with an open mind and you can decide whether you want to make the right choice in life.”

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