Diet Diva: Healthy Eating Made Easy

The hardest part in every fitness journey? Eating healthy. We're not in a country where healthy food choices abound and are readily available, and eating healthy stuff means impractically splurging on restaurants every single day. Okay, so local supermarkets nowadays are championing healthy food-it's easy to purchase, but who clearly has the time to prepare healthy dishes every waking day (which takes time, by the way) in a country where mega traffic is a daily challenge we face and work is definitely not waiting? While this is highly possible, it is not highly sustainable especially if you're a working person. (This is of course, different if you have a personal cook at home and your budget can allow it) I am coming from experience.

Food temptation is another thing. You can be an exercise- savvy person, but if you cannot control your cravings and you give in to treats easily, you're just sabotaging your success. This is one of the major fitness obstacles that I've been constantly trying to eliminate in my 4 years of living healthy. Oh, how can you resist a plate of mouthwatering molten choco lava when it's already right in front of you, whispering "Love me!" :D

In order to overcome temptations effortlessly, you have to have a strong foundation of resistance first. (It's just like religion, 'ya know) The best way to do it is to develop a love for healthy food, like making it your first choice always. A strategic battle plan to nurture this love? Don't just opt to eat healthy. Leave yourself with no choice but to eat healthy-this is a great start!

Here's my suggestion for your battle plan: Turn to diet food delivery services. If you're subscribed to them, you have no choice but to eat healthy. Before, such services are very pricey as they're quite rare, but now, the industry is slowly growing, companies are multiplying, and prices are becoming more and more competitive.

One of the new players in the industry is Diet Diva, a brainchild of Kakki Teodoro and Clark Dela Riva. Kakki is one of my dearest friends in the theatre and I met Clark through my UST Salinggawi friends. Kakki is a theatre actress and Clark is a registered nutritionist/dietitian and a born dancer, who earned his degree in BS Nutrition and Dietetics at UST. I don't know how the two have met, but I'm sure what lead them to each other and partner up for this business was their shared love and passion for living and eating healthy.

Diet Diva works like this: They deliver healthy set meals (breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner) to your doorstep from Monday to Friday. You contact them to reserve a slot, pay the fee of P1,900.00 (standard) or P2,000.00, (for BGC and Marcos Highway areas) email them a photo of the payment slip, provide your address, and you're done-just wait for the deliveries. The meals are based on the 1,200 diet program, all measured and guaranteed by Clark himself. 1,200 calories is the safest amount of calories to take on a daily basis. With Diet Diva and its program, customers have reportedly maintained their weight and figure, and lost 2- 6 lbs. per week for women and 8-10lbs. for men. (Although I think this will be the case if the customer is coming from a high calorie diet)

They gave me a trial last month. Click READ MORE and see what their weekly meal plan is like.

The delivery guy arrives around 5:00-6:00 A.M. The meals are freshly prepared everyday, and you can reheat them in their microwaveable containers. It's very easy and convenient-you can bring the food anywhere!

MONDAY

Breakfast- Ham Sandwich in whole wheat bread with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes

Lunch- Pork and Basil with Red Rice

Snack: Boiled sweet banana and tea

Dinner: Stir- fried beef with Red Rice and boiled julienned carrots

TUESDAY

Breakfast: Pork Adobo Flakes with Red Rice

Lunch: Fettucine with Sardine in Olive Oil

Snack: Fresh Banana and Tea

Dinner: Dory Fish with Tomato sauce and Red Rice

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast: Fresh Apple, Boiled Egg, a pack of crackers, and tea

Lunch: Beef with Green Peas and Carrots with Red Rice

Snack: Boiled sweet banana

Dinner: (not in photo) Curried Chicken with Red Rice

THURSDAY

Breakfast: Tuyo flakes with Fresh Tomato and Red Rice

Lunch: Beef ribs with boiled Potato, Carrot, and Red Rice

Snack: Fresh Banana and tea

Dinner: Fettucine Pasta in Tomato Sauce with breaded Dory Fish

FRIDAY

Breakfast: Ham Sandwich in Whole Wheat Bread with fresh cucumber slices

Lunch: Fish Curry with Red Rice

Snack: Boiled Sweet Banana with Swiss Miss hot cocoa

Dinner: Pork chunks with Veggies and Red Rice

The meals make you feel really full because if you've noticed, everything includes complex carbs such as wholesome bread, veggies, and rice-these are the types of carb that don't get burned easily and keep you full longer. The meals are flavorful enough and taste REALLY clean. On the other hand, I wish they could think of other options for the Snack portion because mine included bananas all throughout-but then again, maybe they have a reason for it.

I took the program a week after my birthday week, (where I ate so much) and I'm happy to report that I lost a pound, (I don't have a lot to lose anyway) the result I was gunning for to look good and decent in my recent photo shoot.

Lack of time, cooking skills and a big budget are impediments to a healthy eating routine, and Diet Diva deals with them for you. The program also lets you stick to the healthy eating habit, eliminating the need to go out and eat at restaurants, and be at risk of feasting on junk. As you tread the path to becoming a healthy food lover, Diet Diva will guide you all the way until you can do it on your own-or if you want, you can stick with them forever! Don't forget to incorporate an exercise routine for massive and rapid results!

Currently, Diet Diva only delivers around the major districts in Metro Manila, but they're working on a tie- up with City Delivery so that they can cater to the southernmost and northernmost parts of the city. Visit DIET DIVA on Facebook to inquire and for updates.