#JomFit — PART 2
By Dr. Amarjeet Singh @ AJ
We often say:
“You are what you eat.”
But I believe that statement is only half complete.
You are what you eat.
You are how you move.
You are how you sleep.
You are how you think.
You are how you manage stress.
You are what you repeatedly do.
In other words:
HOW YOU LIVE WILL EVENTUALLY SHOW IN HOW YOU FEEL.
We sometimes think health suddenly disappears.
But many health problems develop quietly over years.
One extra plate.
One more sugary drink.
Another night with too little sleep.
Another week without exercise.
Another month sitting too much.
Another year saying:
“I will start soon.”
Individually, these decisions may appear small.
Repeated thousands of times, they become a lifestyle.
And our lifestyle matters.
⸻
YOUR BODY REMEMBERS YOUR HABITS
Your body doesn’t understand New Year’s resolutions.
It understands what you repeatedly do.
If you exercise once and remain inactive for the next three weeks, that one workout cannot compensate for everything else.
If you eat one salad but regularly consume excessive calories, sugar or highly processed foods, the salad isn’t magic.
Likewise, one unhealthy meal doesn’t destroy your health.
The pattern matters more than the occasional exception.
That is why #JomFit isn’t about punishment.
It is about building a better pattern.
⸻
FOOD IS FUEL — BUT ALSO CULTURE
Malaysians love food.
And we should!
Our food represents our history, culture and diversity.
Nasi lemak.
Roti canai.
Char kuey teow.
Nasi kandar.
Rendang.
Mee goreng.
Kuih.
Teh tarik.
We don’t have to declare war on our culture to become healthier.
Instead, we need to understand something very simple:
ENJOYMENT AND DISCIPLINE CAN EXIST TOGETHER.
Enjoy your favourite foods.
But understand portions.
Understand frequency.
Eat more whole and minimally processed foods where practical.
Include vegetables and fruit.
Get adequate protein according to your needs.
Drink enough water.
Be conscious of excessive sugar, salt and saturated fat.
And learn the difference between eating because you are hungry and eating simply because food is available.
#JomFit is not about starving.
It is about awareness.
⸻
HOW YOU LIVE MATTERS TOO
Someone can eat reasonably well but still have an unhealthy lifestyle.
Why?
Because health is bigger than food.
You may sit for ten hours every day.
Sleep five hours every night.
Carry enormous stress.
Never exercise.
Never disconnect from work.
Never give your mind time to recover.
That is why #JomFit is about the whole person.
Physical health.
Mental health.
Nutrition.
Movement.
Sleep.
Recovery.
Relationships.
Purpose.
Lifestyle.
They interact with one another.
⸻
YOUR MIND ALSO CONSUMES
We carefully discuss what enters our stomach.
But what about what enters our mind?
Every day we consume information.
Social media.
Arguments.
News.
Gossip.
Negativity.
Comparison.
Anger.
Fear.
Just as we should be selective about what we eat, we should also become more conscious about what we continuously feed our minds.
Spend time with people who encourage growth.
Read.
Learn.
Laugh.
Have conversations.
Put the phone down occasionally.
Go outside.
See people.
Experience life.
A FIT lifestyle isn’t simply about living longer.
IT IS ABOUT LIVING BETTER.
⸻
DON’T WAIT FOR THE WARNING
Unfortunately, many people change only after something frightens them.
A medical report.
High blood pressure.
High blood sugar.
High cholesterol.
Breathlessness.
Constant exhaustion.
Or someone close to them suddenly becoming seriously ill.
Then we say:
“I should have looked after myself earlier.”
Why wait?
Prevention and early detection matter.
Follow appropriate medical screening advice.
Know your numbers.
Understand your family history.
Listen when your body repeatedly tells you something isn’t right.
And seek qualified medical advice rather than diagnosing yourself through social media.
⸻
YOUR FUTURE SELF IS BEING BUILT TODAY
Imagine yourself five years from now.
Ten years from now.
Twenty years from now.
The person standing there will partly be the result of thousands of decisions you are making today.
What you eat.
How much you move.
How well you sleep.
How you manage pressure.
Whether you smoke.
How much alcohol you consume.
Whether you attend appropriate health screenings.
Whether you keep learning.
Whether you maintain meaningful relationships.
Whether you give your body and mind opportunities to recover.
You cannot control everything about your future health.
Genetics, ageing, environment, infections and circumstances also matter.
But there are many things you can influence.
And that is where #JomFit begins.
⸻
CHANGE THE QUESTION
Don’t ask:
“How quickly can I lose weight?”
Ask:
“How can I build a lifestyle I can maintain?”
Don’t ask:
“How do I get fit in 30 days?”
Ask:
“What can I continue doing for the next 10 years?”
Don’t ask:
“Am I too old to start?”
Ask:
“What can I safely start doing today?”
Because #JomFit isn’t a temporary programme.
IT IS A WAY OF LIVING.
Eat better.
Move more.
Sleep better.
Think healthier.
Manage your stress.
Stay connected.
Get your health checked appropriately.
And most importantly:
BE CONSISTENT.
You don’t have to become somebody else.
Become a healthier version of yourself.
Because ultimately:
WHAT YOU EAT MATTERS.
WHAT YOU THINK MATTERS.
WHAT YOU DO MATTERS.
HOW YOU LIVE MATTERS.
And over time…
HOW YOU LIVE BECOMES PART OF WHO YOU ARE.
Jom makan dengan lebih bijak.
Jom bergerak.
Jom jaga minda.
Jom jaga kesihatan.
Jom hidup lebih baik.
#JomFit
Dr. Amarjeet Singh @ AJ
Body FIT • Mind FIT • Eating FIT • Healthy FIT • Lifestyle FIT
#JomFit #JomSihat #BodyFit #MindFit #EatingFit #LifestyleFit #HealthyLiving #HealthIsWealth #Discipline #Consistency #MalaysiaSihat #StartToday
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Amarjeet Singh Sran (amarjeetsinghsran5@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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