Recently, I visited a former schoolmate who had just lost his mother. Death reminds us that life can be taken away at any moment. At the same time, we must ask ourselves: do we want to live into old age burdened by illness and a poor quality of life? Health must be safeguarded until the very end, because there are still many places in this world we have yet to visit, and many goals in life we have yet to achieve.
Yesterday, one of my staff members in his 50s underwent a stent procedure due to a collapsed artery. Just a few days earlier, I received my own medical check-up results. While my cholesterol levels have started to improve, my LDL remains moderately high, and my triglycerides are still elevated.
I immediately reached out to a close friend who is a doctor, seeking his advice and perspective. Entering 2026, I am filled with renewed determination—to change, to improve, and most importantly, to fight for life. This includes fighting to restore and protect my health.
This year, I set a personal goal: an average of 20,000 brisk-walking steps per day. Walking is one of the simplest and safest exercises for a body that is gradually aging and weakening. Through brisk walking, I discovered something interesting—reaching 20,000 steps means covering around 13–15 km daily. That realization pushed me to explore new environments to keep the routine engaging.
One of the most interesting ideas that emerged was campus exploration. Universities usually offer vast spaces with excellent facilities—lakes, parks, mini stadiums, landscaped gardens, and wide pedestrian paths. Last week, I began my journey at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, and completed 14,000 steps in one session.
Since relocating to Dumai, Indonesia, I have also developed a new habit in my daily life: preparing my own meals. Many outside foods don’t suit my taste, so I started bringing packed meals to work—something completely new for me. However, I noticed that many of my international colleagues in Malaysia had practiced this for years, especially those who follow vegetarian diets. Only now do I truly understand why.
I buy raw ingredients from local markets. Fresh produce here is significantly cheaper compared to Malaysia—likely due to currency exchange and fertile soil. The land here is predominantly peat soil, extremely suitable for crops like sweet potatoes, cassava, and vegetables. Ingredients such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, chicken eggs, quail eggs, tilapia, patin fish, corn, vegetables, bananas, pineapple, salak, carrots, onions, lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric are abundant and affordable.
At home, I cook in batches and freeze my meals for daily use. The menu is simple—mostly steamed food without oil, sugar, or excessive seasoning. When I want something sweet, I steam bananas, pumpkins, or carrots. My daily staples include steamed sweet potatoes, potatoes, chicken eggs, and quail eggs.
Recently, I fulfilled a long-held dream—learning to make bakso rambutan (bird’s nest meatballs). I’ve always wanted to learn how to make fish balls or meatballs from scratch, and now, after my second successful attempt, I freeze them and steam them for work meals the next day.
Oil, sugar, and salt are among the biggest silent contributors to modern health problems. Outside food is almost impossible to avoid without excessive amounts of these ingredients. Overconsumption leads to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. This is worsened by the widespread smoking culture here, especially among the younger generation. Indonesia remains one of the world’s major tobacco producers, with cigarette advertising still prevalent both in cities and rural areas.
I come from Kelantan, a state famous for sweet foods. However, after spending over 20 years in Sabah and Sarawak, my daily diet changed completely. Eating plain steamed food is no longer strange or difficult for me—especially when health demands full attention.
Due to a slipped disc, weight reduction has become a necessity, not a choice. Once again, nutrition and physical activity are the keys. Since adopting this new eating habit, my weight has already dropped by several kilograms.
We eat to gain energy—so why do we need excessive sugar, salt, and oil?
Did not Rasulullah SAW remind us not to be excessive? Eat, but do not overindulge. Take only what is sufficient. Even Tun Dr. Mahathir often reminds us to stop eating when the food still tastes good.
Discipline in eating is discipline in living.
This is my fight—to live better, healthier, and more consciously.
#FightForLife #HealthJourney #KembaraInsan #blog #blogger #LifestyleChange #WalkingForHealth #20kSteps #PreventiveHealth #MindfulEating #SimpleLiving #Discipline #SelfLeadership #HealthyHabits #PersonalTransformation
#2026Goals #LifeReflection
No comments:
Post a Comment