8_Days__June_1_2017

STORY
JOCELYN LEE
to order this sweet pineapple drink which cost only
10 cents from my school canteen. It’s pure fructose
syrup but I didn’t know better. I simply ate what I
wanted and I got fat. I want to share my experience
of being an overweight child with everyone, and show
that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Many overweight
kids feel inferior and sensitive about their bodies
but they don’t have to be. If I, an average Joe who’s
particularly lazy, can do it, then so can anyone!
Were you bullied in school ’cos of your weight?
No, [my classmates] didn’t dare tease me ’cos I
was bigger than them! Besides, I’m someone who
doesn’t take teasing lying down.
So how did you eventually shed all the weight?
The realisation that I was fat came when I wanted
to play basketball. Even though I was taller, I was
very clumsy so I was always the last person to be
picked when everyone was choosing teammates.
That made me realise that I should improve myself.
I started playing basketball daily on my own and I
gradually lost the weight. I became more agile and
became one of the first few to be chosen for games
after that. In one year, I lost almost 10kg and my
waist size shrank to 28 inches.
Is your pudgy past why the Food Revolution Day
campaign means a lot to you?
I believe in this cause and I think it’s a good initiative
— getting schools and children to understand that
healthy nutritious food doesn’t have to taste bad.
It’s important for children to understand where the
food they eat come from, and what they are eating.
Hopefully with that knowledge, kids can bring the
information home and educate their parents as well.
Together, we can embark on this journey of healthy
eating.
How do you keep in shape these days? It must
be harder to keep your weight down now with
age.
Yes, we definitely have to work harder as we age,
and the key to losing or maintaining my weight is to
keep my metabolism up. I try to go to the gym more
regularly. I do calisthenics, push-ups, sit-ups and
play basketball. If I don’t have time to exercise, I’d
watch my diet more. I cut down on sugar as I think
it’s the number one killer as opposed to fats. I still
love cakes and ice-cream but I don’t eat it all the
time now. If I do indulge in chocolate cake, I’ll only
eat one slice. In the past, I’d probably go for two or
three slices!
They say people who grow up fat will always see
themselves as fat kids even if they’ve lost all
the weight. Are you guilty of that?
Nope, I don’t look back (laughs).
So can we see a photo of you as a fat kid?
That’s unlikely... I probably burnt them all! (Guffaws)
A hidden gem
in the
Heartlands
By Felicia Tan
For those who have
been perplexed with
the lack of cafés and
nice chillout places in the
North, you do not have to
venture too far. Here’s a
hidden gem located right in
the middle of Woodlands.
Take a 10-minute walk from
Woodlands MRT station and
you will arrive at Citrus By
The Pool, a Halal-certified
café restaurant nestled
at Woodlands Swimming
Complex, surrounded by
HDB flats and tranquil
greenery. I stepped in and
was greeted by a retrothemed
interior with cosy
lights hanging from exposed
wooden beams.
Known for its delicious
Western and Asian fusion
dishes at affordable prices,
I was excited to give their
signature eats and new
dishes a try. I started with the
Homemade Pumpkin Soup –
warm, hearty and redolent of
home. Its Sweet Potato Fries
comes with two homemade
dips of your choice – Curry
Mayo, Wasabi Mayo, Spicy
Mayo or Salted Egg. The first
two are my favourites.
The café restaurant's signature
Tom Yum Seafood Pasta
offers a distinct and robust
mix of spicy and sour flavours,
topped with fresh clams, squid
and prawns. I am not a huge
fan of seafood but I could not
help polishing off the Seafood
Risotto, a new dish on the
menu. The delicious cream
sauce paired wonderfully with
the generous serving of squid,
scallops, mussels and prawns.
The meal ended on a sweet
note with the immensely
satisfying Molten Chocolate
Lava Cake, served with a
scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
For night owls looking
for a place to go, the café
restaurant opens till 11pm.
Where
3 Woodlands Street 13
Woodlands Swimming Complex
Singapore 738600
Nearest MRT Station
Woodlands
Telephone
6366 6581
Opening hours
11am – 11pm (Mondays - Fridays)
9am – 11pm (Weekends and Public
Holidays)
For more information, visit
www.facebook.com/CitrusByThePool
meclub.sg/feast