Saw him in the Straits Times? Read more about how Kenny Lee is getting his Healthier SG on. (TLDR: It’s a long-term team effort. Also, health coaching service Ripple® was involved here.)
KENNY LEE had seen and done it all. The 45-year-old, diagnosed as diabetic from his late 30s, had tried different diets and exercises, and had been to see nutritionists while on medication.
But nothing quite ‘stuck’ until he met Bobby Lim, a health coach with Ripple®, introduced by Kenny’s GP Dr Alvin Neo of Northeast Medical Group (NEMG). Working with Dr Alvin, Kenny and Bobby figured out a plan to manage his diabetes and weight.
Since then, Kenny has lost weight (“Not enough yet!” he laughs), is in control of his blood sugar and blood pressure levels, and has changed his lifestyle habits for the better. But it continues to be quite the journey.
A small ripple, a big impact
“It wasn’t hard to start,” says Kenny. “Bobby and I met once a week at the beginning, then once in two weeks. I learnt about how, if I eat things in a certain order, my sugar is not so high – for example, when eating cai fan (mixed rice), I ask for less rice, don’t have too much gravy, have more protein, and eat the vegetables first so the spike doesn’t happen.”
A continuous glucose monitor, used together with Bobby’s advice, helped Kenny to understand that what he ate, when he ate it, and what he did after eating, made a difference in his blood sugar levels. “I know how to control my eating and activity to avoid sugar spikes and food comas!” Kenny quips. This he credits with his increased energy levels. Kenny used to only be able to swim two or three laps of a pool, he says, but feels he can now do about 10 laps without tiring.
Having a coach he trusted and who made the time for him was the difference. “I couldn’t have done this just by going to the doctor,” he explains. “Because how much can a doctor tell you with his consultation time? And even if you make an appointment with a hospital dietician or nutritionist, you have a 45-minute consult – most of the time you’re looking back at the last month in 30 minutes, and then maybe you have 15 minutes to talk about future plans.”
“It was easy to just talk to Bobby now and then, make some small goals and adjust my habits a little bit.”
Kenny also regularly consults with Dr Alvin for medication management and blood monitoring, to ensure optimal control. And as a Healthier SG scheme enrolee at NEMG, he receives regular screenings and preventive services, including vaccinations and diabetic foot and eye checks.
Family benefits
Kenny’s journey has changed his family’s lifestyle habits as well. His 10-year-old son is struggling with his weight, but is benefiting from Kenny’s knowledge about diet and habits.
“People tell me, no need to worry about (my son) because he’s young. ‘长大了自己会瘦’ or ‘after NS he’ll be skinny’. Not true. I’ve been that age and that weight and I can tell you -- it didn’t happen for me, it’s not going to happen for him!” Kenny’s solution is to have healthier family meals on most days (“If we eat healthy the whole week, we can ‘reward’ ourselves with ‘cheat’ food on the weekend”), and his wife walks with his son after school before doing her own exercises afterwards.
Get there, better
The challenge these days, now that his blood sugar and pressure levels are under control, is for Kenny to lose more weight safely. For his height, the general idea is that his weight should be lower than it is right now. That will take exercise – and time – and Kenny has been busy at work. But the awareness and self-discipline is kicking in.
He wants you to know - “I really like durian. But now, when there’s durian available, I only eat one or two pieces.” “Not one *packet* of durian okay? Just one *piece*!” The coaching is paying off.
Kenny’s journey to better health may not be the same as yours. Please seek professional medical advice, or start the conversation with Healthier SG clinics such as Bridgepoint Health or NEMG. Participation in the Ripple health coaching programme is currently by invitation, on the recommendation of Bridgepoint Health or NEMG doctors. Follow Bridgepoint Health on LinkedIn, and NEMG on Facebook.