“I took the back of my toothbrush and threw up the pizza in one swooping puke,” said the 5’2”, 120-pound Korean American, who wears a size 2. “It was difficult to silence the gagging noise, but my parents and my brother were at home so I must have been desperate to get it out of my body.”

Grace is not alone. She is one of millions of young women across America who struggle with eating disorders—an estimated one in five women have disordered eating, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, with 90 percent of those between the ages of 12 and 25. Yet even with these numbers, Asian American women in particular may often feel ignored in the national discussion.

Not just a “white woman’s issue”

by Mandy Yeh for MochiMag.com

From Kelly Taylor’s diet pill abuse on “ Beverly Hills, 90210 ” to DJ’s excessive workouts on “ Full House ” to Blair’s bulimia on “ Gossip Girl ,” eating disorders have traditionally been portrayed on network TV as a problem that only affects young, middle- to upper-class, Caucasian women.

“It’s meaningful that a white woman can turn on a TV and find a broad range of characters, but Asian Americans are portrayed the same way over and over again,” said Dr. Teresa Mok, a clinical psychologist who treats a lot of college students. “For someone struggling with self-esteem issues, this reinforces the feeling of invisibility.”

Eating disorders are often seen as a “white woman’s issue,” she says, a stereotype reflected in the lack of research on this topic among women of color. And interestingly, race not only ties in to how eating disorders are portrayed, but also how they develop. From the Asian American clients she sees at her private practice in Urbana, Ill.,Mok discerns a common theme that lies at the root of many eating disorders, albeit subconsciously.

“It’s not just about weight. There’s always a racial component to it,” she said. “There’s a general body dissatisfaction with eye shape, hair color, breast size, nose,” but, she added, “No client [overtly] says, ‘I want to be white.’”

The pursuit of Western beauty ideals often plays a large role in the development of disordered eating habits, with the media subliminally urging women to want all of the aforementioned physical features – the image on most magazine covers at the checkout aisle.

Dr. Sand Chang, a clinical psychologist who teaches intercultural awareness development at the California School of Professional Psychology, said people who don’t seem themselves “reflected in what is seen as ‘normal’ ” are propelled to work even harder to fit into that mold.

And that mold can be a tight fit even by Asian beauty standards, in which women stereotypically are seen as being naturally “petite,” with porcelain skin and angular features. Grace, a second-generation Asian American, said she wasn’t as affected by American media as much as she was by images of Korean pop groups with 90-pound girls. “I would be thinking, ‘Wow, I’m 30 pounds overweight,’ when I was a healthy 120 pounds,” Grace recalls.

Stuck between cultures – and classification

While mainstream American media tends to gloss over the issue of body image in minority communities, so do mainstream research methods. “Most psychological research [to date] has been done on affluent white populations, usually college populations, and a lot of the research has only looked at the two major syndromes – anorexia or bulimia,” said Chang. “A lot of clinics won’t even look at you if you don’t meet the criteria.”

Although the common perception is that eating disorders only fall into two categories, the majority of people dealing with disordered eating actually fall into a third category called ED-NOS, or Eating Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, according to the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This category would include someone who binge eats without purging or starves herself without losing her period, i.e. someone who has all the symptoms of an eating disorder minus the extreme effects.

Grace may have begun purging the summer she was 19, but she had started exercising rigorously months before that, sometimes going to the gym up to three times a day, and keeping a strict watch on her calorie intake.

“I had always been self conscious about my body and had low self-esteem,” she said. “Rather than concentrate on consuming food like I’d done the first 19 years of my life, I concentrated on not consuming it, and when I felt like I had lost control, I concentrated on un-consuming it.” The step between not consuming and un-consuming is a small leap, but one that distinguishes between not having an eating disorder and actually qualifying for a diagnosis.

Grace said she knew she had to get help when she was “bingeing and purging four to five times a day.” What she didn’t know was that her behavior leading up to “full-blown” bulimia is also considered as disordered eating. As Dr. Mok asserted, “Part of the problem is that the [current] definition excludes culture, the preoccupation with food, weight, binge eating.”

And food is such an integral part of Asian and Asian American culture. Particularly in immigrant communities, food is culture, a way to connect with unique pasts and histories. Curry, kimchi, char siu bao – these words break down the umbrella term “Asian American” into its distinct roots using nothing more than lunch dishes.

“The significance of eating or not eating has complicated meaning,” said Chang. “Food is used as love. Take the image of the Asian mother saying, ‘Eat, eat, eat.’ Meal times are frequently the only times to connect [with family].” For someone with an eating disorder, the battle between control and culture can be as stressful as the disorder itself.

“We have to start asking what’s wrong here”

Grace, now 23, has been dealing with bulimia now for “four years and counting,” but had a hard time initially revealing her struggle to her strict Korean parents.

“For me, my identity as the eldest child of immigrants has everything to do with my eating disorder,” she said. “Bulimia is about control. I control the amount of food I consume. I control the amount of food I purge. I abused [my eating habits] to cope with feelings I couldn’t express because of cultural differences in my family.”

These differences often make it difficult to talk about sensitive topics like mental health, especially in cultures that see such issues as bringing shame to the family.

“[Being] a second generation Asian American brought about enormous amounts of pressure and an unfulfilled desire for independence,” Grace said. “I wanted to make my own life decisions, but [I somehow believed] that going against my parents was a slap in their faces, as if I was turning my back on the hardships they experienced. I internalized guilt through self-destruction.”

Grace finally told her parents about her bulimia – two years after her first purge – and eventually went to see a therapist. But she said the first step long before that was telling a friend, and she has since gotten a handle on her eating disorder by slowly tearing down the “wall of lies and deception that [she] had built up.”

“I stopped sneaking around for my next fix of food and throwing up,” she said. “I was open and honest. I wasn’t ashamed to speak about my self-esteem and my relationship with food.”

A psychologist can be a useful resource in preventing problems from erupting. Because Asian Americans under-utilize mental health resources available to them, researchers and health administrators may be led to believe that the community doesn’t need them at all, which is far from the case.

“Asian Americans tend to underreport mental health issues,” said Dr. Szu-Hui Lee, a clinical psychologist and director of training at the McLean Hospital at Harvard Medical School. “There’s a big stigma with seeing a psychologist. [Asian American] parents are more likely to send their kids to an academic counselor than a psychologist.”

“Asian American women have one of the highest suicide rates,” said Lee. “People really have to start scratching their heads and asking what’s wrong here.”

The key to prevention is talking about it. To those who still struggle in secret, Grace advised, “Talk to someone. It sounds easier than it is. Eating disorders make you secretive and distrustful of everyone. But choose one person that you can confide in, and at least hear someone else other than your brain that’s tearing you down enough to punish your body.”

* Names have been changed.

by Mandy Yeh for MochiMag.com

If you were to ask me five years ago whether I would ever consider cosmetic surgery, my answer would have been something along the lines of “Hell, no.” Ask me now and I say, “Not now, but who knows?”

My change in attitude has nothing to do with a heightened insecurity toward my looks—rather, it has to do with my newfound exposure to the cultural phenomenon of cosmetic surgery in East Asia, especially in the countries of South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan.

The prevalence of cosmetic surgery in Asia has reached a point where getting double eyelid (blepharoplasty) and nose (rhinoplasty) surgeries has become akin to getting braces. While cosmetic enhancement is common in the U.S., the social stigma surrounding the issue is much greater than that of Asia. Young Asian American women are in a unique position, as they’re influenced by both Asian and American cultural aesthetics. While many are against getting cosmetic surgery, others have jumped on the bandwagon.

Dr. Haowen Liu, M.D., a plastic surgeon in Taiwan, says that most of his Asian American patients are college girls or high school teenagers who come in with their moms or other family members during summer or winter vacation. Twenty percent of his patients ask for combined eyelid and nose surgeries, and the female to male ratio is about 5 to 1.

Despite rising acceptance of cosmetic surgery in the U.S., reactions still vary widely. After interviewing several Asian American young women and men, mainly between the ages of 18 to 25, I observed that while some girls simply accepted the nature of cosmetic surgery as a popular trend, others strongly repelled the entire culture of cosmetic surgery.

Hazel, a 16-year-old Korean American from California, falls under the former. “It would be an exaggeration to say that I completely support the practice, but I’m not against it either. It’s just a part of modern life,” she said. Jinee, a 22-year-old Korean American from New York, has also come in terms with the prevalence of this procedure. “I used to be very against it, but now that so many people seem to get plastic surgery, I think I’ve made myself think that it’s okay or acceptable.”

For girls who strongly view cosmetic surgery in a negative light, their main issue is with the fixation Asians have with one particular look as their standard for beauty: big eyes, oval face, pointy nose, pale, white skin and stick-skinny body.

Sandra, a 20-year-old Korean American from New Jersey, finds the obsession with this standard, especially in South Korea, absurd. “I think the biggest gripe I have is that all Korean women don’t just want to look beautiful by enhancing their own natural-born beauty, but they want to look like the Korean standard of beauty…for some reason, all Korean women think they must get their eyes and nose done,” she said. “God or nature or fate no longer produces Korean beauty. Dr. Lee in Apgujeong does, for $10,000.”

When thinking about the psychology behind the Asian standard of beauty, a frequent argument that comes up is whether Asians are getting double eyelid and nose surgeries in order to look more like Westerners. Some of the girls I spoke with admit that there’s logic in this assertion. “Euro-centricism has always played an important role in our modern cultural society, and I think plastic surgery is an inevitable result of our world’s history, given that Caucasians have been the world’s most powerful racial group for centuries,” said Hazel.

Others, however, believe that it’s a poor assumption to make. “Of course bigger eyes and pointier noses are more associated with Caucasian attributes because facial features are prevalent with the race. However, I don’t think Asians are trying to look Caucasian by getting these surgical procedures done.”

Though it’s easy to make quick judgments and generalizations about standards of beauty, cosmetic surgery is very much a complicated, personal topic, as there are varying opinions about exactly which plastic surgery procedures are more acceptable than others.

For some girls, such as Tammy, a 24-year-old Chinese American who underwent jaw surgery for a serious under bite, getting plastic surgery was a decision made mainly for functional purposes. Then there’s Korean American Stephanie, who underwent double eyelid surgery because her ophthalmologist noticed her eyelashes were scratching her cornea and could cause problems later on. “If I didn’t have a medical reason for the surgery, I don’t think I would have gone through with the procedure,” she said.

Debates about the necessity of cosmetic surgery is therefore one of the biggest differences between Asian and American culture.

In America, cosmetic surgery is mostly associated with the culture of Beverly Hills and Hollywood, rather than the average middle class American family. In Asia, the cost for getting cosmetic surgery is seen as an acceptable amount for middle class families, not just for high-income households or celebrities. According to Dr. Liu, a rhinoplasty costs around $1000-2000 USD, while double eyelid surgery costs around $800 – $1200 USD. Just as Americans are willing to dish out a couple thousand dollars for braces, middle class families in Asia also see cosmetic surgery as a necessary investment, where some mothers even pay for the surgery costs as a “graduation gift” for their daughters.

Stephanie’s parents offered to pay for the surgery twice. “Double eyelid surgery is something I’ve heard about my whole life,” she said. “I can even recall being four years old and my parents compared me to my brother who had double eyelids.” (Stephanie’s mom has natural double eyelids, and though her dad did not, he ended up getting the double eyelid surgery when he went back to Korea as well).

Though pressures from parents and pop culture play a large role in influencing girls into thinking they need cosmetic surgery, the overall consensus I got from speaking with these Asian American girls is that in the end, personality counts the most. It sounds cliché, but a major part of American culture is that yes, you have the choice to do whatever you’d like to your body, while it’s equally stressed that confidence and self-contentment comes from within.

As Dr. Liu blatantly puts it, “Plastic surgery can improve one’s appearance or image, but is poor in saving a marriage or getting a promotion. Lists of operations can help you look younger or prettier, but none can promise you a better life.”

After speaking to a few Asian American guys to get their take, it seems they’re on the same boat about stressing the importance of personality over looks.

“I think plastic surgery in itself is perfectly fine—it’s the motive that taint[s] it,” said Korean American Minnow. “I think the prettiest women are those who don’t need make up on or a flattering dress.  But more than what’s appealing to my eyes, the deeper reasons that make up their personality and character [make] them more or less attractive to me.”

When asked if plastic surgery would affect his decision to date a girl, Corey, a Chinese American from New York, says, “It doesn’t bother me, but it shows no originality and I feel these women have insecurity issues…I’d rather have her personality traits change for the better than her nose, eyelids and boobs going for surgery. Have some confidence in yourself, woman! A woman that is confident is a plus.”

So there you go. At the end of the day, the main issue comes down to the motives behind getting cosmetic surgery, not the actual procedure itself. If you’re impelled to get cosmetic surgery, the best advice is to have realistic goals about the outcome.

For more, check out our plastic surgery Q & A with Dr. Liu.

Courtesy of King Perez de Tagle of Kimatherapy.com

Anna began her entertainment career at age 12, singing and placing as a junior finalist in Star Search, a TV talent competition. After the show, she landed miscellaneous acting and modeling jobs, including starring as Ashley Dewitt in the popular Disney series “Hannah Montana,” Ella in the Jonas Brothers’ “Camp Rock” and most recently Joy in the remake of “Fame.” Throughout it all, she maintained an easygoing and optimistic attitude despite the obstacles of stardom.

She might be one of the brightest rising stars today, but Anna admits that her life isn’t as easy as it looks. Since rejection is one of the many difficulties she faces as an actress, a thick skin and strong morale are required for the job. Despite opposition from her mom early on in her career, Anna knew that acting was the path for her. Now, her mom is her biggest supporter.

On the other hand, she has seen people forced into the business. “You have to really love [acting],” Anna said. “It takes a lot of sacrifices.” Instead of hanging out at the movies with friends, dressing up for prom or stressing over whether the cute guy in Chemistry likes her, she’s preparing for auditions, getting ready for industry events and setting up even bigger goals for herself. It looks like Anna’s hard work is paying off, since her mystifying stage presence is undeniable whether you’re watching her in a movie theater, in your living room or on YouTube.

One of the common pressures on young stars is the constant scrutiny of their bodies. However, the Disney Channel provides an encouraging work environment that allowed Anna to feel comfortable in her own skin. It wasn’t until after she landed her role in “Fame” that she started to work out more. Since Anna, who is naturally skinny, yearned to be a little curvier, she worked with experts to tone her body. Instead of simply eating more to gain weight, she “fattened up in a healthy way.” Her personal trainer provided her with a nutritious diet plan and a workout of lunges, weight-lifting and crunches. Since starting this new active lifestyle, she has noticed herself being more energized and active. Performing and acting no longer tire her out.

The “Fame” star may have a lot under her belt, but she shows no signs of stopping. The self-proclaimed “easy-go-lucky girl” is currently in the studio recording songs with Disney. Her next project is a remix of the classic “Part of Your World” song from “The Little Mermaid,” which will be featured on the next Disney Mania CD. Anna may not be a typical 18-year-old, but her attitude is one that we can all aspire to. “There’s nothing to be negative about if I’m still alive and happy,” she said. “I just tell myself to live life to the fullest.”

Courtesy of Fox©

Though still young, Karla has both an impressive reputation and a large YouTube fan base. Most recently seen as a contestant on the hit Fox dance show, Karla has an extensive background ranging from traditional Filipino cultural dance to jazz to hip hop. She was a member of the Broadway touring company of Wicked and is a member of the famous hip hop crew Boogie Bots. She has also performed and taught at dance studios, showcases and venues across the nation.

When performing, Karla captivates the audience with a unique magnetism that one may call the “it” factor. With beautiful technique and honesty in her movement, she creates an experience that the audience begs to enter. From her bird personification in her famous Blackbird solo to her hip hop whacking solos for the Boogie Bots, she always stands out, and according to the unanimous opinion from the panel of judges on “So You Think You Can Dance,” judge Mary Murphy declared her “one of the strongest female dancers” of the season.

While success seems to come easily after the attention from the show, Karla admits that the road she’s traveled hasn’t been smooth. With a career that consistently puts her in the public eye, Karla doesn’t hesitate in sharing that she did battle with weight issues during middle and high school. As a dancer, she says, “You’re thinking, ‘What if I’m not thin enough?’ and it doesn’t even have anything to do with my dancing.”

But as she got older, she became more confident and was able to stop over-thinking her weight. She started seeing a difference in her eating habits. “I would eat when I was hungry and stop when I was full,” she explains, instead of restricting herself, which led to stressful overeating.

Like other artists, she had to reconcile academic pursuits with her passion for dance. With a constantly jam-packed schedule of tough classes and performances and high academic expectations from her parents and herself, the balancing act was stressful. “But I proved that I could get good grades and get into a good college, and they saw how much I wanted to dance, so now they are very supportive because they see what I can accomplish and that I can make a living out of it.”

And indeed, her recent experience on “So You Think You Can Dance” isn’t one the average dancer enjoys. After auditioning multiple times before earning a spot in the top 20 of season 5, Karla participated in one of the most memorable performances the program has ever shown, a touching contemporary piece choreographed by Stacey Tookey and performed with partner Jonathan Platero, as well as a sizzling group piece to the track of I Know You Want Me Calle Ocho by Pit Bull. Many were disappointed with what was felt to be a premature departure for her from the show, which became a lesson to her: “When you’re on a reality show like that, where you have no control over what choreography you get or what camera time you have… all I really wanted to do was dance.” Nonetheless, she is grateful for the exposure it provided her as well as the opportunity to work with many talented people.

Karla’s hopes are high for her future, and she expresses an avid interest in expanding the reaches her creativity. “I’d like to choreograph for a Broadway show or an Oscars someday, and, maybe someday much later, be [an] artistic director of my own dance studio so I can give back to those who are just like me when I started out.”

To aspiring dancers, Karla speaks with a voice of experience and assured maturity. “Don’t change anything about you. If you get critiqued, because it is a harsh industry, don’t be bitter and brush it away. Learn from it because there is some truth at the heart of it, and that’s the only way to improve.”

by Jeffrey Zhang for MochiMag.com

Name: Chris P.

Age: 22

Hometown: Burlingame, CA

Ethnicity: Half Chinese, half Korean

Current City: New York, NY

College: Harvard University

What are your hobbies?

I enjoy cooking, photography, breakdancing, and collecting sneakers.

What is your dream job?

I’d love to be an entrepreneur/inventor who makes the world a better place.

What is your favorite part of your body?

My height. I take it for granted sometimes, but it’s definitely my favorite thing about my body and incredibly useful at concerts.

Since this is our body issue, how do you stay in shape?

I work out as often as I can, usually three to four times per week.  I find that swimming is the best way for me to stay fit, but I don’t do it nearly as often as I should.

What is your favorite song to sing in the shower?

I don’t have a favorite shower song. It’s usually just what has been stuck in my head at the time. Currently, it’s “Party in the U.S.A”… Yes, I know.

What is on the top of your Christmas wish list this year?

The heading: “My Christmas Wishlist.”

What qualities do you look for in a girl?

All the standard things: intelligence, a sense of humor, beauty. But beyond that, she has to be unique, and really passionate about something.

What is the corniest pick-up line you’ve used

by Jeffrey Zhang for MochiMag.com

When I was really young, maybe four or five years old, I was at a playground and there was this girl my age nearby. Our exchange went like this:

Me: What’s your name?

Her: Stephanie

Me: That’s a really pretty name, Stephanie.

Not until I was much older did I realize how precociously corny I was.

Did it work?

I never got her number or anything, so no. But then again, I don’t think I knew what a phone was at the time.

Courtesy of Diana Mao

On a recent trip to Cambodia, Diana Mao and Alissa Moore met a mentally handicapped girl. At the age of eight, she was a sex trafficking victim who had escaped to a rehabilitation home. According to the director of the home, her mental disability was likely a result of the abuse she had suffered at the various brothels for which she’d been forced to work. Mao, 27, and Moore, 24, who had been working to start a nonprofit to fight sex trafficking, decided to name their project after her: Nomi Network. To keep her anonymous, they changed the spelling of the name, making it a play on the phrase “know me.” “We want people to know her, know her story, know her success,” said Mao.

The network, which started in 2007, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “bridging the private, public and nonprofit sectors through enterprise and education to end human trafficking.” They employ former Cambodian sex workers to design goods that are then sold in the United States. The women are paid, and the women develop profitable skills for themselves. One such product is a tote bag that is inscribed with the words, “Buy her bag, not her body.” “We really care about the women and their development,” said Mao. “We don’t want it to end at just a job. We want them to have a career and go back to their families if they want to.” The goal is to provide these women with a living wage, health benefits, childcare and insurance.

The two founders were brought together based on their shared passion for public service and human rights. Mao studied economics at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service, and her active membership in a Christian fellowship led her to an interest in “what was going on globally in terms of social justice and poverty.” A trip to Egypt led her to reevaluate how lucky she had been her whole life. One notable memory was a village where “children danced around with open syringes, piles of trash, no shoes, and flies everywhere. I saw how good I really had it,” she said.

Moore, who studied at Skidmore, had attempted to begin an outreach chapter in college to fight sex trafficking in Southeast Asia. “I had the early experience of being interested in the topic but I didn’t really know how to address the need,” she said. When she heard Mao was working with her church to fight sex trafficking, Moore jumped onboard. “My degree was in theater and American studies,” she said. “So this was very appealing to me. I got a chance to stretch certain muscles that I didn’t really use before.”

Numbers like these sadly suggest there’s no end in sight for the endless victims of this underground trade. “There are times I am discouraged because I feel that 27 million slaves is overwhelming,” said Mao, “However, I am always reminded of Nomi, the reason we started Nomi Network. If we could help even one girl, then it is worth it.”

by Mandy Yeh for MochiMag.com

Q: How can I flatter my petite frame?

A: If you’re on the shorter side, it can be difficult to find clothes that fit, let alone look stylish—but it can be done! The most important recommendation is to avoid baggy clothes that don’t flatter anyone. That being said, the judicious use of volume can give you a more substantial profile. Try belting a blousy top over skinny jeans. You should also keep your hemlines proportional to your height. For skirts and dresses, hems should hit slightly above the knee. Tall shoes are always a lengthening option as well. Ankle booties are a trendy way to add inches in the winter. Avoid chunky platforms, which will visually weigh you down.

Q: How do I camouflage a small chest?

A: Adding visual interest is a great way to highlight your best features—and to enhance those you may not like as much. Look for tops with embellishment over the chest area. A well-placed ruffle can do wonders (and ruffles are trendy and easy to find this season)! You can achieve a similar effect with statement necklaces that highlight your décolletage. This will draw the eye upward. You can also emphasize—or create—curves with structured jackets and other tops that highlight your waist.

Q: My parents (or school dress code) are kind of conservative. How can I satisfy them while still looking good?

A: Layering is key. You can wear a camisole underneath a low-cut top or throw a jacket or cardigan on top. Layering also works on the bottom. For example, tights and leggings can be worn under shorter dresses. This is a great way to extend the life of your summer wardrobe! A general rule: Try to focus on one feature at a time. If you’re wearing a short skirt, cover up on top.

Q: Which colors will complement my skin tone?

A: Dark hair and skin with yellow undertones are common Asian characteristics. The high contrast between our skin and hair means that we generally look good in bold colors. Try bright, rich colors and jewel tones, like teal, purple and cobalt blue. Pastels and nudes, on the other hand, can make you look washed out. Luckily, neutrals like black, navy and white will pop against your complexion. We’ve all been warned to stay away from yellow, but even bright yellow can be flattering–especially on tanned skin. As with everything, the overall look will vary depending on the individual, so try different colors and establish your personal color scheme!

SOURCES

http://www.omiru.com/index.php/2008/04/24/qa-the-best-colors-for-asian-skin/

Japanese – Soba Noodles with Tofu

This low-cal dish, served either hot or cold, is made of buckwheat noodles containing complex carbs that digest slowly, which will keep you fuller for longer and prevents your body from producing many fat-storing hormones and enzymes. For those with food allergies, buckwheat is also gluten-free. Served cold, the dish often comes with a dipping sauce of sweetened soy sauce, rice wine and stock. Enjoy with tofu for protein, vitamin B and iron.

Thai – Tom Yum Soup

This zesty soup is known for its healthy blend of immune-boosting herbs, and often consumed to fight off colds and the flu. Sour and spicy to the palate, chicken broth is flavored with lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime leaves that detoxify and calm the body, help break down fats and proteins and bring lots of antioxidants to your diet. Shrimp, the low-calorie protein in tom yum soup, is also plentiful in omega-3 fatty acids and provides minerals like zinc and iron that a strong body needs. Beware, however, that this dish traditionally contains cilantro. If you are not a fan, ask the chef to leave it out.

Indian-Idli

Traditionally eaten for breakfast and snacks, idli are steamed rice cakes made with plenty of black lentil, a kind of bean that is full of antioxidants that help protect the body against cancer and coronary heart disease. Also full of low-calorie fiber, black lentil aids the digestive process and also helps stabilize sugar levels. Idli can be paired with different spices and chutneys containing ingredients like chili pepper, coriander, ginger or garlic, all of which are beneficial to the immune system.

Vietnamese – Spring Rolls

This is a healthier alternative to the traditional crispy, golden spring rolls. Vietnamese spring rolls are not deep fried, but simply wrapped with thin, translucent sheets of rice paper, and usually contain lush amounts of veggies like lettuce, cucumber and bean sprouts. For an extra kick, add in some herbs like anti-inflammatory basil and cholesterol-lowering cilantro. These spring rolls are often dipped in hoisin or peanut sauces for flavor, but calorie-watchers should avoid the latter.

Filipino – Rellenong Kamatis

Like other sources of antioxidants, tomatoes help guard against cancers, heart disease, and high cholesterol.  Stuffing some with ground beef, onion, egg and a rice mixture to makes this dish is a great, non-greasy way to get a dose of vitamin C. Though some diets don’t recommend red meat, lean varieties can provide high levels of zinc and iron needed for healthy metabolism. The dish is seasoned with salt and pepper, and can be garnished with a bit of cheese.

Korean – Bibimbap

If you’re looking for a complete meal, bibimbap steps up to the plate—it’s a rice bowl featuring a variety of vegetables laced with chili pepper paste. This paste, called gochujang, contains soybeans and is rich in protein, vitamins B and C and carotene. High levels of water, potassium and iron in commonly used vegetables like cucumbers, mushrooms and spinach hydrates the skin, lowers blood pressure, and increases oxygen flow in the bloodstream. An egg or slices of meat—just think lean—are often added for additional protein. If you’re worried about carbs, just cut down on the rice.

All photos courtesy of Wikipedia

No matter your age, body type, or fitness level, all workouts should consist of two elements: cardio and strength training. Cardio work involves aerobic exercises that increase your heart rate, like walking, running, swimming, or biking. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to look a sweaty mess to consider your cardio workout successful. Since the amount you perspire varies by person, sweating a lot (or a little) isn’t necessarily an accurate measure of a good workout.

Mandy Yeh for MochiMag.com

Strength training involves anaerobic exercise that focuses on building and toning muscles. Try lifting free weights, using either body bands or weight machines. Personal trainer and nutritionist Frances Konstatilakis suggests doing cardio for a minimum of 20 minutes at least three days a week, and strength training at least two days a week.

“To get into shape, I recommend setting realistic goals that you can achieve, performing types of exercise that you enjoy, and working out with a buddy if possible,” said Konstatilakis, who works at Healthworks Fitness. “To maintain shape, I recommend variety in a fitness program. Once your body adapts to a workout, you’re not getting the full benefit anymore.”

But be careful not to overexert yourself. All those weeks and months of hard work can backfire with a single injury. Always remember to work out in moderation.

“Many girls, especially those trying to lose weight, think that the more they exercise, the more weight they will lose,” says Konstatilakis. “This is not true without proper nutrition and rest between workouts.” Rest is necessary to restore your glycogen stores – your energy reserve – so that you can train more efficiently next time. If you’ve depleted your glycogen stores during a rigorous workout, you can’t expect to exercise just as hard the next time without rest. Muscles also grow during periods of rest, not just during the workout itself. So, give yourself about one to three days of rest per week.

Any good fitness program must also include nutrients. Right before you exercise, try to eat carbohydrates like bread or rice. According to Konstatilakis, carbs are crucial to fueling your workout and will help you to get the most out of your exercises. Additionally, a combo of carbs and protein are important to restore energy after a workout. For the most part, eating in between exercising is unnecessary unless the workouts last longer than one hour — such as training for a marathon. Stick to healthy fats – polyunsaturated and monounsaturated – for a concentrated source of energy that will cushion internal organs, increase metabolism and fat burn, and transport fat-soluble vitamins throughout your body. These good fats can be found in a variety of foods, such as fish, nuts, avocados, and soybeans.

Girls who are still growing should stay as physically active as possible. Exercising during the teen years is critical to building stronger muscles and bones for the future, as well as staying in shape. Developing healthy exercise habits now will pave the way for effective workout routines as you grow older. Exercising at any age is important for staying healthy.

If you hate going to the gym, don’t worry. A few final tips to get active and stay active: opt for the stairs instead of elevators; walk or bike instead of drive; clean the house; and avoid being a couch potato!