A NEW BOOK by The Sexy Chef, one of Manila’s leading healthy food delivery services, teaches readers not only to lose weight through cooking, but to stick to a plan. The book is aptly named 21 Days to A Sexier You. Sexy Chef co-owner, singer Rachel Alejandro, said during a press conference in Quezon City earlier this month that the 21-day weightloss plan, which she helped draft, was formed under the belief that habits are formed after 21 days of sticking to them. The plan contains exercise tips, diet tips, and even clothing cues to get you started. The company’s first two cookbooks — The Sexy Chef Cookbooks and Eat, Clean, Love — emphasized healthy lifestyles, while 21 Days really pushes weight-loss measures, said Barni Alejandro, Ms. Alejandro’s sister and Sexy Chef co-owner, by focusing on four “fat-fighting” nutrients: calcium, omega 3, vitamin D, and fiber. The dishes were devised with the help of fitness nutritionist Nadine Tencgo. The four highlighted nutrients are supposed to kick in to coax the body even more to melt away fat when other diets hit a weight-loss plateau. The book has sections ranging from Breakfast, Grab and Go Mason Jars, Flat Belly Meals, Juicing, and the sisters’ personal favorite: the Meatless Mondays chapter. “We love plant-based food,” said Barni Alejandro. Most of these recipes contain Quorn, a meat substitute derived from a fungus, with Barni Alejandro saying that her favorite recipe is the Quorn tinola with lemongrass. Rachel Alejandro was quick to remind, however: “Being sexy, a lot of it is a mind-set, and being confident, and feeling good about your body.” — JLG

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