During the month of March, 2016, the Golden Key International Society, James Cook University Singapore Chapter, invited Mr. Nimrod Delante to share about the powerful effects of lifestyle modifications. 

This Agora session stood out from the previous others as it was one that involved real, personal struggles, and the wisdom that came with it.

The session begun with Mr. Delante introducing the old saying “We are what we eat”, whereby our body is made up by the food that we eat. However, he notes that people do not fully understand the impact their diet has on their health. He observes others complaining about the ill effects of unhealthy foods such as pains and mood disruptions, but do nothing to alleviate the problem. This raises the question of why, and what can be done to spark action towards healthier eating.

To provide us a better understanding of the effects of eating on our health, Mr. Delante shared a little on his history and a personal life struggle he went through. Being from the Philippines, he grew up having been exposed to a diet that is oily, fatty, sweet and salty for 30 years. Unfortunately, these took a toll on his health, and in 2006, he developed cellulitis which is a bacterial infection of the inner layers of the skin. He was also evaluated to have a high blood sugar level at the young age of only 24. Despite these warning signs, however, he did not do anything to address his health issues.

In 2015, Mr. Delante suffered another health crisis; this time involving a serious ear infection as well as being diagnosed as a hypertensive with high levels of cholesterol. Reporting a sense of fear of death and unfulfilled life goals such as being filial to his parents, starting a family, and pursuing his passion of photography and language, this was a pivoting moment in Mr. Delante’s life which prompted him to begin seriously considering making a change to his lifestyle.

To date, Mr. Delante engages in healthy practices and diets such as bringing home cooked food to work, increasing his fruit and vegetable intake, and portioning his meals. Mr. Delante especially highlights being aware of one’s diet, and to make conscious effort in portioning them. But apart from deciding to make this change as an individual, Mr. Delante emphasizes the importance of having support from a group of like-minded people. He finds a lot of strength from his colleagues, namely Mr. George Jacobs and Miss Toh Hwee Leng, also from Learning Support in JCU, Singapore, and they would exchange pointers and educate each other on best dietary practices.

But incorporating a healthy diet is not the only change Mr. Delante made. He has also begun exercising more; such as cycling to and from work, and during weekends around the South-eastern region of Singapore. This regime resulted in a weight loss from 84 to 76 kilograms, with Mr. Delante stating that he felt lighter, energetic, and with a longer lasting vitality. He reports being pleased with the results, and emphasizes that he now has more freedom to spend his time fruitfully, such as helping to take care of his nephews, or his sister with household chores, despite it being after a long day at work; meaningful activities which were once restrained from feelings of lethargy.

The experiences with illness and wellness taught Mr. Delante many things about life. One particular realization was about the importance of focusing on needs rather than wants, and how this contributes to happiness and satisfaction in life. He now goes by the saying that “Minimalism equals health in both mind and body”, or wellness in one’s life comes from making do with the least.

Currently, Mr. Delante desires to spread awareness and the beneficial effects of adopting a proper/healthy diet. However, he laments that there are many barriers that stop people from making a change to their diet or lifestyle, one of which is one’s mind-set. Reflecting on his own life, he notes that many people resist making healthy changes in their lifestyles until a health crisis hits. Even then, people would look for a quick fix, such as an injection or medications, but not address the root of the problem itself. This only results in an inevitable postponement of the health crisis to a later date.

Mr. Delante then discussed the occurrence of this phenomena with the host; with the latter offering explanations from psychological theories. For one, people are beings of habit, and it takes a huge amount of stress to disrupt that habit; much alike a health crisis. Another reason might be the delay discounting principle whereby future rewards are less valued than immediate rewards, and future threats are seen as less dangerous than immediate ones. Between having good health many years later versus having a good hearty meal now, the food is certainly a lot more rewarding or attractive an option.

Still, Mr. Delante offers us valuable insights from a person who has both suffered the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle, and have reaped the benefits of a healthy one. From his story, we are given the opportunity to peer into the future and make the correct choice on our own lifestyle modification.


On behalf of Golden Key Singapore, JCUS chapter, we would like to thank Mr. Delante for this sharing and for the account of his personal experiences.