Being a health food junkie known for fastidiousness and a hard-to-please demeanor when it comes to food criticism, it usually would take a lot for me to approve or recommend food marketed as ‘healthy’.

As long as it is not made with my bare hands or by the hands of a fellow fit food/health food enthusiast, I tend to raise an eyebrow when labels on pre-packaged foods and menus proclaim themselves to be ‘healthy’, ‘sugar-free’, ‘fat-free’, ‘low calorie’ and other drivel.

My initial skeptical face. Looking forward to unveil KLGCC’s new Healthy Menu regardless!

But when Malaysia’s premiere golf and country club invited me for a food tasting and review session of the newly-launched healthy menu of their Golfer’s Terrace, something tells me that this has gotta be the real deal. 

Arriving at the entrance.

Bestowed with prestigious awards over the years, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) is an exquisite clubhouse nestled on Bukit Kiara hilltop with a golf course to die for and exclusive VIP lifestyle facilities for its members.

Just a little background info (and to blow their trumpet a little!), here are some of their notable honours they’ve been recognized for:

• 2014 Best Golf Course in Malaysia by US Golf Digest
• Best Golf Experience in Malaysia by Expatriate Lifestyle
• Best Clubhouse in Asia Pacific and #1 Gold Course in Malaysia Asian Golf Monthly Awards 2013 and 2012
• The BrandLaureate Awards 2012-2013 Best Brand in Sport-Golf Course.
• Golf Course of the Year by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards Regional Series 2011-2013

Pulling up into the driveway of KLGCC.

Today’s fashion get-up. Jessicat wears:

Lace button-down blouse in white by H&M / Skater skirt in blue by Topshop /

Tessuto Vitello Daino tote bag by Prada /Jeffrey Campbell inspired boots by Forever 21

Accessories by DIVA.

More often than not, meals at golf clubs and terraces usually comprise selections of club sandwiches, sinful finger food (read chicken drummets, sausages, potato chips, nuggets) and all the other typical snacks that would appease an average golfer’s palate.

However, the exclusive Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC)’s culinary team took a step ahead of its competition to create an additional menu armed with one objective in mind, that is to take our tastebuds around the globe… but with a healthy twist! 

The new menu features a variety of entrees, salads, desserts and more.

Prepared and cooked with the freshest of ingredients by in-house culinary team, this menu is the brainchild of Executive Chef Arnold Kwok, who ingeniously crafted it with good health in mind.

Take a look at some of the masterpieces we were served with that evening. 

From long business lunches to express lunches on-the-go, patrons can savour the light Chicken Romaine Salad from the Western palate to Thailand’s famous and exotic, Green Curry Chicken.

I had the pleasure of indulging in the latter – which you will see in a bit!

Other around-the-world choices are Salmon with Warm Tomato relish, Steamed Sea Bass with baby Bok Choy and Slow Cooked Beef Brisket.

As all healthy main meals would not seem quite complete without an equally healthy drink, diners can opt between 4 of their healthy fruit & vegetable smoothies.

Check out the refreshing (and rather unique, I might add!) blend of smoothies and juices that will tantalize any health junkie.

Clearly I chugged it all down with glee!

To introduce this menu to the public, Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club hosted a group of media, lifestyle bloggers and health food enthusiasts to savour and review the new line-up.

Can anyone say, first dibs on all the food? 

I  too, had the good fortune of receiving an invitation to tonight’s dining.

Thanks, KLGCC!

 Executive Chef Arnold Kwok welcoming us and introducing his healthy menu.

With society becoming more health conscious, we also want to serve healthy meals of a good variety that will appeal to all age groups.

We want to encourage patrons to make healthier choices when it comes to food

– Arnold Kwok

In this menu, a variety of healthier alternatives are used to substitute regular ingredients.

For instance, coconut oil replaces the usual cooking oil (high  in cholesterol and saturated fats by the way!), coconut flour replaces white flour and strictly no preservatives or processed food are used.

Instead, Chef Kwok uses ingredients such as  lean chicken, sea salt, unsalted butter and Omega 3 eggs, to name a few.

Fairly convincing, right?
Let’s enter the dining area of the KLGCC’s Golf Terrace now. 

A sneak peak of the interior.

 Tables were reserved for us that evening.

Let’s begin with the first meal of the day!

 What’s the first thing you do when you wake up fresh in the morning? A big, hearty breakfast is what gets me fueled up for the day.

No breakfast, and all you’ll get is a grumpy Jessicat with depleted energy levels throughout the day. Approach with caution. 

For sufficient calories to begin your day, KLGCC’s breakfast is available from 7.30-10.30am. Golfers, start your tee off with these! 😉

Tuna Guacamole Salad

Calorie Counter: 661 Calories

Departing from the standard fare of the usual garden salad or caesar salad,

this meal certainly stands out.

The Tuna Guacamole Salad consists of tuna chunks, guacamole, Omega-3 eggs, tomato, black olives, onion and seasonal salad, topped with creamy pine nut dressing.

The tuna chunks are mashed with guacamole and wrapped up with seaweed lining – just like how sushi rolls would look like! 

This well-seasoned and colourful dish was sprinkled with balsamic vinegar while the slight hint of spiciness from the black pepper in the creamy pine nut dressing is sure to perk you up!

 Moving on…

If salad isn’t up your alley, why don’t you take a look at this oven-baked dish and pastry combination instead? 

Chicken Broccoli Frittata
Calorie Counter: 411 Calories

Care to have a bite?

The frittata really got my nod of approval. 

Bursting with flavours from its fresh vegetable ingredients like broccoli, capsicums, eggplants, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions, as well as Omega-3 eggs and herbs, this well-balanced dish had just the perfect light, fluffiness from the baked eggs.

This contrasts well with that crunch you would least expect from the veggies.

Accompanying the frittata, the side dishes of soft and moist zucchini bread and banana nut muffin made this meal a really wholesome and filling one!

Almond Zucchini Bread  & Banana Nut Muffin
Calorie Counter: 109 Calories  & 155 Calories respectively

Baked with almond flour, the Almond Zucchini Bread felt like a perfect breakfast bread in comparison to other breads and pastries laden with butter, bleached white flour and whatnot.

Good to bite into an infused bread which isn’t overly moist and mushy – such is the case for most banana breads, I must point out.

Similarly, the Banana Nut Muffin is baked with coconut flour and no refined sugar. Thus, it did not contain that cloyingly sweet taste like regular muffins (which is kinda the reason I never fancy muffins). 

Loved that hint of banana and mild nut taste in these fluffy and well-risen muffins.

Vegetarians would be delighted to know that the three dishes above – the frittata, bread and muffin – are suitable for them too!

Now that breakfast is over, what would be your healthy accompaniment? I’d usually whirl up a breakfast shake or smoothie.

KLGCC’s  healthy blended juices available are the:

(L-R) Citrus Kiwi, Tumeric Veggie Blend, Mango Berries & Apple Spinach

I’ve always been a fruit smoothie drinker instead of a fruit juice drinker as the former retains the fruits’ pulp and fibre instead of only allowing the consumption of water and fructose (fruit) sugar. Yup, I prefer my drink 100% pure, with every nutrient intact.

Only then the true benefits of the fruit are maximized!

Let’s put them to test!

Citrus Kiwi

The is a zesty, tangy one with natural mild sweetness. Yum!

Tumeric Veggie Blend

 Definitely an acquired taste. This contains tumeric root, carrots, romaine lettuce, cucumber and lemon. Pretty odd concoction but magically works!

Mango Berries

This combo was a tad too sour for me but if you’re a massive berry fan then this would be your cup of tea.

Apple Spinach

Considering the fact that I drink my smoothies with spinach almost every morning, this one was a familiar taste for me.

All in all, I would go for another shot of Apple Spinach and the Citrus Kiwi.

Now… moving on to the mains!

Salmon with Warm Tomato Relish

Calorie Counter: 275 Calories

The buttery pan-seared Norwegian salmon rests atop a sea of interesting Mediterranean styled gravy and bites, namely tomato, black olives, onions, vinegar, capers and basil.

I’m a strong believer of that crispy golden crust with a pinkish surprise centre for every salmon dish I cut open.

And guess what? This one by KLGCC nailed it right down the middle.

With its tasty, soft tender flakes bursting into a symphony of flavours onto my tastebuds, each bite can only attest to its freshness and divine perfection.

 Jessicat loves her fish. Always my first choice in any menu!

Moving onto something from the exotic east…Well actually, not so exotic for us Malaysians, as Thailand practically is our next-door brethren towards the north.

But for my expat or non-local readers, this one’s an exotic gem from the land of smiles.

 Thai Green Curry Chicken

Calorie Counter: 562 Calories

This was mild and led to a rare occasion where my tastebuds and stomach were both nodding in agreement to finally accommodate my love for spicy food. Yay for me! 

Should opt out of eating rice or on a low-carb diet, select from the 3 tasty alternatives above.

Cauliflower Rice, Mashed Sweet Potato and Brown Rice.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat regular rice at all. Not for health purposes – but I just absolutely do not fancy it.

So you bet I loved these 3 alternatives! I often make the first two at home as well.

Moving on to a dish meat-lovin’ fanatics would kill for! 

Seared Beef Strip Loin
Calorie Counter: 488 Calories

This well-done beef steak comes served with steamed vegetables and sits atop a bed of mashed sweet potato.  

Yes, the sides are nothing of those nasty deep fried potato chips/wedges/fries and typical ketchup aka pub food (Some might call it comfort food but all I see is junk) 🙁

The mushrooms were large and juicy too!

I always prefer my steaks medium well, but to each their own. You can always tell the waiter how cooked/uncooked you want it to be.

This dish is very fragrant as I could smell it the moment it arrived my table. The Chimichurri sauce was a refreshing note to the otherwise heavy flavour of this delicious, grilled Australian Grain-fed slab of meat.

Alright… now that the mains are over and done with, still have space for dessert?

You’d better. 😛 😛

Here’s a mixture of seasonal fruits, sweet potato pie, warm mixed berries and coconut ice cream to induce the first drops of salivation. Heehee.

I was served a mini platter of all the desserts available. 

Take your pick!

Warm Mixed Berries served with a dollop of hand-churned coconut ice-cream

This dessert was a sautee  of a variety of berries like strawberries, raspberries and more, with honey and mint.

For the berry sauce, maple syrup and honey are used in replacement of sugar.

The coconut ice cream that came in accompaniment was unlike any other! 

It was smooth with an apparent hints of true coconut taste, yet light and mild – sorbet style! Made with pure coconut milk, this complemented the sourness and sharp taste of the berries so well. 

When served together, the pair was a match made in heaven.

Sweet Potato Pie with a dollop of hand-churned coconut ice-cream

The sweet potato pie had a firm yet soft-to-the-bite crust and made without wheat flour.

It wasn’t the crumbly kind which annoyingly disintegrates with a mere prod of a fork.

The filling was smooth and an excellent combination of almond milk, spices and whipped coconut cream. 

Bravo to KLGCC’s culinary team and masterminds, Executive Arnold Kwok and his sous chef.

Bear in mind that all dishes in KLGCC’s new healthy menu are cooked without processed foods/ingredients.

So if you’re thinking of indulging in some mouth-watering. exquisite food while watching your waistline, you can finally do so!

 I would fully recommend this for any weight-watchers, fitness freaks, fellow health-junkies or any discerning health food enthusiast to relish. Who says healthy food are bland, boring and aesthetically displeasing? Not in a million years.

Being a self-taught clean eating & Paleo chef-at-home myself, I can totally vouch for that.

Always remember, healthy eating is NOT  a fad diet. It’s an active choice, a kind of lifestyle which you choose (or choose not!) to lead.

You are what you eat! It definitely shows.

 So what’s my final verdict on the menu, you ask?

Tried, tested and approved with my seal of healthiness.

GIVE ME MORE OF THAT!  

————————————————————————————————————

For more information on Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, get in touch with them!

Log on to their official website at: www.klgcc.com

Call them at this contact number: +603-2093 1111 ext. 3622/3619

Drop by their clubhouse at: 10 Jalan 1/70D Off Jalan Bukit Kiara, 6000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In all my 6 years of consistant fitness routines, working out & busting it out at the gym, I'm glad (and very touched!) that many of you readers and Twitter followers have thanked me for influencing yall do the same as well. 

So proud of you guys!!

If you're on Twitter with me, you would know how often I hit the gym and how much I try to keep to my healthy diet. Well, of course I admit that I do indulge once in a while, but the key is always moderation.

My bowl of salad for breakfast

What should I cook today?

Steamed veggies for lunch!

Popping in my baked fish & pumpkins into the oven for dinner!

Last week, I was asked to share a brilliant article on my blog and without hesitation, I willingly agreed 🙂

Why? Good things – and useful information! – ought to be shared, especially with all of you!

Today, I'm going to be talking about losing fat & feeling better.

Imma share with you some important facts & how-tos which has become part of my daily life.

Then you're doing it wrong, sweetheart 🙂

Before waging a never-ending war on losing weight & cutting the fat, there are several things you need to understand:

Weight gain occurs when :

the amount of calories we consume IS MORE

than the amount of calories we burn. 

So burn more calories to lose weight!

If you eat more than what your body needs (overeating) and don't exercise it away, be prepared for weight-gain!

But remember, crash diets & useless weight-loss techniques won't do you any good because they disrupt the body metabolism in burning away your fat. So technically, you're not helping.

Bottom line is: 

EAT LESS (calories) or EXERCISE!

If so, those cookies you stole from the cookie jar wont make you fat.

Yes, Cookie Monster, you heard me 🙂

Things you need to know about fat loss 

You cannot 'spot reduce'

Exercise routines such as sit-ups, leg-raises or dumbbell raising only target the muscle underneath your layers of fat. Although these exercises help you burn calories, strengthen your body and tone up, it does not magically make you lose fat at a specific part of your body.

You can't lose fat in specific areas, fat-loss happens overall in all areas of your body!

Unlike my male gym buddies, I aim to tone up and train my lean muscle, not to build muscular mass

So I carry lighter weights, about 4KG ones and do more reps instead

This is a really old picture LOL

I hardly take any photos of myself while gyming but I found a rare few

So always remember, lose the fat first before your weight training!

If not, you'll only end up looking bigger and bulkier. Unless that's what you want 🙂

Lighter is NOT better.

This is what I always tell newbie-gym members or whoever I train.

The weighing scale isn't everything. You can be 70-80kg but that doesn't mean you're fat.

Did you know that muscle weighs 4 times more than fat? So does bone structures & bone densities.

When I started my intense workout of strength training, circuit training, core muscle training & weight-lifts religiously, I gained weight. 

See? The weight I gained was all attributed to muscle and mass gain, not fat 🙂

Carbohydrates do not make you fat

Consuming carbs doesn't make you fat, excess calories in sugar & fat does.

In fact, eating healthy carbs helps you stay in shape by filling you up & keeping you full for longer.

However, if you indulge too much in unhealthy, unrefined flour (white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, white rice, potato chips, jelly) without exercising, then yes, it will not be burned off but instead stored as fat.

Pro-tip : Don't eat white bread or white rice. I swear by that!

My alternative is always wholemeal bread, brown rice & oatmeal

Start burning!

Increase your activity levels

If you're not a member at any gym, build your fitness with a 30minute walk or a jog everyday to burn calories & increase cardiovascular activity.

For me, I hit the gym every alternate day and part of my workout includes a 5KM run with a speed of 8km/h.

I go running/jogging often

Hiking & jungle trekking sessions!

For indoor activities, I DDR (dance dance revolution) a lot.

Helps you sweat it all out and it's an excellent cardio activity!

Reduce your calorie intake

Losing weight (fat) is all about losing the calories. Count calories if you may.

My targeted daily calorie intake is at 1200 calories, with exercise.

The recommended calorie intake for men is 2000 calories per day & 1500 calories per day for women

Take a look at this, to help you estimate :

And fellow Malaysians, you might wanna know this *giggles*

CRAZY AMOUNT OF CALORIES, EY? 😛

Avoid second helpings.

You're just greedy, not hungry. Your body doesn't need that extra junk 🙂

But if you insist, then double your vegetable intake and halve your meat intake.

Swap sweetened/carbonated/sugary drinks like cola, soda water, cordial and syrup to plain water

If you drink milk, like me, opt for low-fat milk.

Stop being sucha fatty dessert person. Cut the ice-cream, cakes, candies & sweets.

I'd love to have yummy desserts too, but I'd want a yummy body more 😉

Cut down on your alcohol intake.

You're not only doing your liver a favour but your body will thank you for not forcing down mad calories in it.

Haha! I love my alcohol, trust me. But then again, I love my body more so I try to ensure I drink no more than 3 glasses when I go to events or clubbing/partying.

Let me be the bad guy and show you how much calories you consume at a party:

Never skip meals

You might think it helps, but it doesn't. Your body goes into starvation mode & sugar levels drop.

Skipping meals disrupts your body's metabolism & you'll be tempted to snack/overeat later.

For me, I strictly eat every 4 hours. Don't ask me why, it's how I've trained my body calorie intake cycle.

All those I've said above are sure-ways to be healthier and trimmer.

Take my word. Give it a go (with determination & discipline!) and you can say hello to a healthier and fitter new you in no time! 

This article is brought to you by TheJessicat and Great Eastern life 🙂

For more information, visit Great Eastern Life's wellness 'Live Great' website here on how to live life healthier and better!