People barely believed me when I made a decision almost exactly a year ago to be more mindful of my health. I guess they’re so used to seeing me brandishing a beer bottle inside a bar that the idea of putting “Pepe” and “healthy” together in the same sentence just didn’t seem right—but after a while, I knew that I proved them wrong.
The big turning point was my 30th birthday bash—a really crazy celebration (filled with booze, of course) that propelled me into an unexpected conversation with myself, with which I realized how badly I’ve been mistreating my body. Days later, I was training in the gym and getting into new eating—and drinking—habits.
From whisky to muesli real quick. I'm not saying I have completely stopped drinking; I am saying that I have lessened it and I have incorporated healthy food into my eating habits.
I wouldn’t say I’m now the healthiest and fittest person around, but it’s different when you’re consciously avoiding alcohol; when you’re consciously picking what to order in a restaurant; when you’re conscious with the number of teaspoons of sugar you put in your coffee; when you’re consciously setting time for workouts. The root word here is “conscious”. When your fitness journey—if I may use the term, please, without people bashing me—is based on whether you have free time or whether the circumstances allow you to make good choices, then I think the road will stretch for all eternity, and you will never get to where you want to be.
From stocks of beer (I once wiped out Robinsons’ shelf of Brew Kettle), chips to accompany my beer, and soft drinks to accompany my whisky, my grocery list suddenly became filled with chicken, milk, eggs, peanut butter, granola, and yogurt instead. My family was surprised. Heck, even I was surprised.
Among these “staple items”, I always make sure I have yogurt because it’s one of the easiest yet healthiest meals. I used to hate it, to be honest. The taste is sour, the texture is weird … and it’s healthy. You know how some people automatically associate anything healthy with “tastes bad”? I WAS that person. But I grew to love it—partly because of my conscious decision towards this lifestyle, yes—and now I continuously keep several cups in the fridge.
Why do I love it?
1 | It’s light.
I’ve been working night shifts for several months now and I typically grab a snack before I go to bed. I do it because I tend to eat less when I’m working nights (weird, I know) so I make up for it by getting a healthy but light meal at the end of the day. Obviously I don’t want to eat a heavy meat dish a few hours before sleeping because it would require me to stay awake for a few extra hours, so I mostly opt for yogurt!
2 | It doesn’t require cooking.
If you follow me on social media, you would’ve gathered that I have a newfound interest in cooking (read the story here). However, since I’m always busy and don’t have much time to regularly prepare my own meals, I just make sure I have yogurt stock in the fridge. I can eat it straight from the cup, with a fruit, in a smoothie, or with some granola (my favorite)—I’m sharing two quick recipes below.
3 | It’s very nutritious.
Yes, it is—but you have to be careful which ones you buy.
It can be quite easy to be lured with all those fruit-laden versions, but the best way to ensure you’re getting a high-quality yogurt is to look for the Real California Milk seal on the packaging. This label confirms that your yogurt is made with 100% milk from California—America’s leading producer of milk and other dairy products. To learn more about Real California Milk, click here.
Remember this simple rule: the simpler, the better. If the ingredient list extends all the way to infinity, stay away. Make sure it reads the basics—milk, cream, probiotic cultures—and only a few add-ons. Especially avoid those with lots of sugar and artificial sweeteners. Where can you buy these California dairy products? Check out S&R Membership Shopping, Landers Superstore, Robinsons Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, Merkado Supermarket, and Unimart!
Now you see why I love yogurt and why it’s always in my grocery list. It’s such a convenient snack choice that I usually take it as a quick breakfast or as post-workout meal—it’s good for muscle recovery and for hydration. For busy people like me, this is a better choice than eating junk food or desserts. For extremely loaded days, I even take it as a snack while working (although please, I advise everyone to set some a separate time for eating—a life of eating while slaving away in front of a laptop is not a good life).
Below I have an incredibly easy, 5-minute recipe for people who are always on-the-go. You only need a spoon, and a bowl or a glass—zero cooking required! You can even serve it as a quick (and healthy) dessert if you’re expecting visitors at home. My aunt, who hates yogurt because it’s sour, ate my creations because (1) they’re beautiful and (2) they’re chilled—what a difference this makes because the granola softens, and the entire thing feels somewhat like a Graham chilled cake. Try it and let me know what you think!
Yogurt & Fruit Parfait
Ingredients:
2 cups of Blue Isle Greek Yogurt (I prefer the Honey variant)
peanut butter
granola
your fruits of choice (suggestions: mango, banana, apple, kiwi, berries)
Procedure:
For the mango variant:
1. Scoop half of 1 cup of Blue Isle Greek yogurt into a glass, mason jar, or bowl.
2. Add two tablespoons of granola.
3. Top with the remaining half of the yogurt.
4. Top with cubed ripe mangoes.
5. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or serve immediately.
For the banana variant:
1. Scoop half of 1 cup of Blue Isle Greek yogurt into a glass, mason jar, or bowl.
2. Add two tablespoons of granola.
3. Top with the remaining half of the yogurt.
4. Add one tablespoon of peanut butter.
5. Top with sliced bananas.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or serve immediately.
For the version with banana, I prefer eating it immediately because the fruit changes color. For the yogurt, I prefer the Honey variant of Blue Isle because it gives a slight sweetness without taking away the tartness that I absolutely love.
I can’t tell you enough how addicted I am to these things! People are surprised when they see me eating this because they’re used to seeing me only with a beer in hand, hahaha!
Any other ideas for yogurt? Let me know in the comments section and I would really like to try them!
Have fun in your journey towards better eating and healthier living!
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Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Real California Milk Philippines.
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