Trying to lose weight or tone up? Whatever fitness goals you have, a healthy diet – low carb, high protein – is key in keeping you in tip-top shape. In a bid to undo the guilt from a busy month of restaurant and bar tastings, we test-drive a newly launched meal preparation service by fitness experts, Ultimate Performance (UP) Singapore.
I’ll admit it: sticking to a healthy diet requires time and discipline, both of which I don’t have. Whether it can be blamed on work stress, countless tastings or the new snacks constantly appearing in the office, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that maybe, just maybe, choosing healthier options over highly-processed junk food isn’t my forte.
Still, there’s always room for one final attempt to reboot my system! EatUP is UP Singapore’s weekday meal service, which aims to help individuals eat healthily through a selection of high-protein, low-carb dishes that don’t skimp on taste.
Looking at the scrumptious-sounding items on the menu – from Cajun chicken to beef fried rice and ginger soy salmon – I was already excited for the week ahead. I opted for my three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) to be delivered to the office every morning (delivery is island-wide), but you can instead collect them at the gym if you prefer. Then, all there is to do is heat up each box in the microwave for two to three minutes and – voila! – out comes a hearty, high-protein meal that promises to satisfy and satiate.
According to UP, a high-protein diet is key in promoting fat loss or muscle growth – whichever goal you’re working towards. Over the course of the week, the average daily calorie intake is approximately 1,400 calories, with the macronutrients (otherwise known as “macros” in the fitness community) being 140 grams of protein, 78 grams of fat and 35 grams of carbs.
Honestly, I was expecting bland, boring salads that would neither keep me full nor please my tastebuds. On the contrary, all the dishes came in generous portions and were extremely flavourful. My personal favourites? The beef fried rice, which swaps actual rice with fragrant grain sized pieces of cauliflower, and the tuna Niçoise salad, which includes a massive heap of perfectly seared tuna slices on top of fresh greens.
Despite the significant cut in carbs from my usual diet, I saw myself snacking less, as I was constantly full from the amount of protein in my diet. I felt more awake throughout the day, and my performance during my cardio-heavy Muay Thai sessions wasn’t affected either. Not to forget, having your meals planned out and ready-to-go means that you’re spared any post cooking clean-up!
Find out more at upfitness.com.sg.
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This article first appeared in the July 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
Anthia Chng
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