My food bill grew in size but my weight reduced.

Not too long ago, I blogged about being on a new diet. So, have I noticed any changes since starting on this diet?

The thing to hit me quite quickly is the increase in expenses when it comes to food!


Salad is very expensive and it takes more to fill me up too. $4 for a bowl of salad in the food court compared to $2.30 for economic rice, for example. 

Salad is cheaper in the supermarket but it is still rather pricey. Animal protein also costs more than carbohydrate.

Got this at a food court. $4.00.

I think that my food bill must have at least tripled or, maybe, even quadrupled in size. I don't know exactly how much because I no longer keep track of my expenses. Has been the case for a few years. So, this is just a feeling.

$5.00 from NTUC Fairprice.

Pan fried in butter. Powdered with black pepper.
Romaine lettuce on the side drenched in salsa sauce.
The tangy salsa sauce goes well with the salmon too.

When I talked to a friend who is a doctor, he said that the diet does make sense. Cut down on carbohydrates and sugar and we will probably be healthier.

Many overweight people are overweight because they take too much carbohydrates and sugar which are what comfort food is packed with.

Roasted chicken on lettuce. About $4.00.

Pan fried Batang and ginger. About $4.00 too.

Being on this diet, I do miss ice cream which is one of my two biggest weaknesses in the world of food. As for chocolate, the other weakness, I am allowed dark chocolate but not too much.

I also miss fish ball mee pok dry, char kway teow and chye tow kway. I also miss eating sandwiches which I used to make frequently and, definitely, my daily bowl of oatmeal.

Greek yogurt, banana slices and lettuce.

Pan fried Batang steak in garlic salt and turmeric powder.

Well, I do look a bit trimmer without having increased my level of physical activity. In case you are wondering, I do plan on doing something about this.






In fact, I lost more than 3 kgs in almost 4 weeks. I also seem to have less gas (if you know what I mean).

I will continue with this diet and see if I manage to gradually lose more weight over the next month or so. I would be quite happy to be another 3 kgs lighter by then.

Added (6 Jan 17):

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Related post:
Something AK wants to lose.

Extra 1% interest for CPF savings and MSTU.

The following is contributed by a reader:

 

The CPF Board's response is appended below. I've edited the questions and part of the response to mask personal information hence, the flow of CPFB's reply may not make sense but I trust that the key points of interest are in there. Feel free to reproduce it:
 

Question: How would the extra 1% interest earned on OA + SMRA be earned? 

 

The extra 1% interest per year is currently paid on the first $60,000 of a member’s combined CPF balances.

 

The priority of the accounts that make up the $60,000 is as follows: 

 

1. Retirement Account (RA), including balances used to pay for the annuity premium under CPF LIFE

2. Ordinary Account (OA), up to $20,000

3. Special Account (SA)

4. Medisave Account (MA)

 

In general, CPF interest is computed monthly, and will be credited and compounded to your respective accounts yearly.

 

Any excess of the FRS will remain in the OA/SA which the member can apply to withdraw.  

 

There are no restrictions on when a member, age 55 and above, can make the withdrawals throughout the year. Now, they can apply for withdrawal at any time as long as they have the withdrawable monies and the Board will assess their applications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question: Assuming FRS of $X and MSTU of $(X + Y) including interests. At age 55, can $Y be withdrawn? 

 

No, the top-up monies of $Y cannot be withdrawn as these are meant for recipient’s retirement needs. Hence, the member cannot apply to withdraw the top-up monies:

(a) for payment of education, investments, insurance, housing, etc;

(b) by pledging his property in lieu of the Full FRS; and

(c) via exemption from the Retirement Sum Scheme.

 

Related posts:

1. Retire with a bond and an annuity.

2. CPF MS Top Up and interest computation.

Investing or gardening, be ready to go to war!

Several years ago, I tried to grow cherry tomatoes on my balcony. 

I had three pots and they were all growing well. 

They flowered and eventually I had some fresh cherry tomatoes. 




Unfortunately, the good times didn't last very long because the plants were infested by white flies and eventually died. 

White flies are nasty insects and usually cling to the undersides of leaves in large numbers. 

Once infested by white flies, the fruits from the plants are not safe to eat either. 

Well, the important thing is that I had a lesson in gardening which I remember. 




So, when I decided to renew my efforts at gardening in the last one year, I decided not to grow cherry tomatoes despite suggestions by some people to do so. 

Instead, I decided to grow plants that would ward off all sorts of nasty insects. 

I have a pot of Basil, a pot of Rosemary, a pot of Lemon Balm and two troughs of Catnip. 

These ward off mosquitoes, house flies and other nasties. 

Rosemary.

Basil.

Lemon Balm.

Catnip.

I am also trying to grow Rosemary from seeds. 


Here is a photo taken today:

The one on the right is ahead in the race.

I am also pleased to share that my Alliums have flowered today:

Waiting for them to bloom fully.

Alliums (the onion family) repel many insects, apparently.

I also recently tried to grow some Nasturtiums which are originally from South America. 

The whole plant including the flowers are edible, apparently. 

Peppery in taste or so I read. 

Got the seeds from NTUC Fairprice Xtra.

The main reason for planting Nasturtiums is not for eating although I could try. 

What I really want is their ability to ward off those cherry tomato plant murderers, those white flies!

Today, I see the first Nasturtium seedling emerging from the soil:

Hope the rest of the seedlings follow soon.




Once the Nasturtiums are fully grown, if I should try my hand at growing some cherry tomatoes again, I wouldn't have to fear those nasty white flies!

Whether investors or gardeners, our chances of success would be higher if we are ready for war!

Related posts:
1. Be prepared for war!
2. Life is about many things.

Healthy yogurt costs less than Yami, Yoguru & llaollao.

I have been trying to cut down on sugar but one of the things I like to eat is yogurt which apparently has lots of sugar. You know the type with bits of fruit? I particularly like those with bits of mango.

Although I have been told that natural yogurt is sour, I have not tried it before, well, until today.

On my first attempt a few days ago to get natural yogurt in the neighbourhood supermarket, I could not find any. 

All the yogurt I found had more than 10 grams of sugar per 100g. Most had between 12 grams to 15 grams of sugar. 

If you cannot imagine what that means, Vitagen Less Sugar has about 9 grams of sugar per 100g. Jia Jia Liang Teh Less Sugar has about 5.5 grams of sugar per 100g. 

So, most of the yummy yogurt on the shelves in the supermarkets have relatively more sugar.

Anyway, today, I found this:

4 grams of sugar per 100g. Great!

So, what does it taste like?

OMG! 

It is sour! Sour! SOUR!

Anyway, if you want to try this, I got this from NTUC Fairprice Xtra. It was on special offer. 

Two servings for $2.95 instead of $3.95.

Yup. It costs more than the usual Low Fat or Non Fat yogurt with bits of fruit which I like so much.

Well, I guess this is healthy yogurt and it still isn't as pricey as those frozen yogurt from brands like Yami Yogurt, Yoguru or llaollao which probably have tons of sugar.

(Confession: 
I used to enjoy Yami Yogurt and Yoguru from time to time. I never did try llaollao because it is so expensive.)

My food bill is growing in size! 

That will be another blog post.


Related post:
Life is about many things.

Life is about many things and my time is in short supply (Some of the things I do in retirement).

I have been spending less time blogging and it will probably stay like this for a while more.

The primary reason is that I have become more introspective lately. I have been spending more time meditating, gardening and going back to doing some yoga. I have also been eating differently, following a diet which is very different from what I was used to.

Gardening is a good and inexpensive hobby. Growing plants also means that I am doing my bit for the environment. I fancy myself to be a bit of an environmentalist and recycle whatever I can. 

As with all new hobbies, learning about gardening takes up quite a bit of my time. I am learning new things all the time about plants.
I enjoy spending time in my little outdoor space with my plants. 

In the evening, it is rather calming, especially this time of the year. There is always a cool breeze and with soft lighting, it is a perfect spot for meditation. Before I knew it, I had lost an hour just sitting there. 

Rosemary seedlings.

My planter must be enchanted.

Catnip grows really well from seeds.
Seen here with a solar powered LED light from IKEA.
See: Saving $384 on solar powered LED lights.

As for my new diet, it demands much more attention from me. It is not as convenient as what I was used to. 

So, I end up having to spend more time preparing my own meals, more than before. The selection process is really a learning experience. 

It is hard to have no carbohydrate and no sugar in my diet. The best I can do is to try to have as little carbohydrate and as little sugar as possible. It is about being more careful. 

The results have been encouraging so far and I will probably blog about the initial success of my diet a bit more in a separate blog post.

Tuna, eggs and lettuce.

Oh, I should mention that I have been spending more time visiting doctors, doing check ups and stuff. It is only prudent since I am past 40. 

Frankly, there are certain health issues which probably should have been addressed years ago but I had swept them under the carpet as they were not life threatening (and I didn't want to spend the money, ahem).

For exercise, I continue to take long walks which I do usually in the evenings. I like taking in the sights on such walks. 

Today, I decided to go for a morning walk instead and there were reminders everywhere that Christmas is just round the corner.

As we count our blessings, let us not forget to bring some cheer to the less fortunate. 

Be charitable and remember that true charity does not discriminate amongst the needy.

Related posts:
1. Consider making a donation.
2. Grow a money tree.
3. Something I want to lose.