專訪品牌顧問Hugo：40歲後追求的理想不一樣了
=★Hugo 周子元★=
這個月的人物訪談，佳格邀請到富澤想像的共同創辦人Hugo，他的工作很特別，公司名稱令人好奇，真的只要「負責想像」就好了嗎？Hugo說，他在做的事，跟佳格食品正在做的事情很像！究竟是怎麼一回事？
工作忙碌的他，曾經爆肥20公斤後，靠調整飲食減了15公斤；這個過程讓他理解健康的重要性，參與這次佳格健康計畫，他又有哪些發現呢？
「找一個教練」遠遠不夠！
陪伴歷程、共同創造故事，是最想做的事
Q：聽說您在近年有個新的人生體悟，能跟我們分享一下？
Hugo：我深信每個人都喜歡聽故事，所以我以此當作我的志業，這正是我最擅長且最喜歡的工作，我的工作每一天都很有趣，聽故事、想故事、講故事，一直喜歡與大家分享，我們公司是品牌故事的陪練者，尤其喜愛發掘每個商業品牌和個人品牌背後最迷人的故事。
我們公司叫做富澤想像，沒錯，我們負責的就是「想像」的工作，每一天就是在找出每一個人的不一樣，我們的價值主張叫做：「你的不一樣，我們一起想！」。有些公司認為需要找一個品牌教練，然後找上我們，但我們可能不這樣定義我們自己，主要的原因是我們希望這個故事是他(品牌)自己的，不是我們幫他創造的，只是他(品牌)沒有發現自己很吸引人的地方，所以要陪伴他(品牌)找到這個不一樣，而這才是真正的關鍵。
就像有些人健身或減重，通常會喊說：「喔，我需要找一個教練！」但通常真正需要的不只是給予指導的教練，而是給予指導同時在旁共同陪伴的「陪練」，所以我很喜歡佳格「陪練你的健康」的概念，跟我自己在品牌訓練的過程，其實幾乎是一模一樣的概念。
「健康自由」才是人生終極的追求
盡早開始，因為它比財富自由更難實現
Hugo：我們每一個人在20歲、30歲的時候，都兢兢業業追求一件事情，就是所謂「財富自由」四個字，但很少人想過，或積極準備過，在40歲或45歲以後，會發生一個情境：身邊所有朋友出來吃飯的時候，第一件事情都要先拿藥出來吃，沒有一個例外，就像我個人要拿血壓藥出來吃一樣。我的過去20年一直在努力實現財富自由，而當財富自由似乎接近實現的時候，卻突然領悟到，真正需要追求的是「健康自由」。可是實現健康自由比財富自由難太多，因為一個是可以逐漸累積，一個是逐漸消耗，健康很難累積得上去，但財富可以。
這也是為什麼我最近都會一直講這個概念，就是我自身有一些體會，很想讓更年輕的朋友們知道，不希望他們到那個年紀才發現：追求財富自由，它只是一個過程，追求健康自由，才是人生最重要的一件事情。
忽視健康的代價
爆肥 20 公斤後，真的怕了
Hugo：在過去的20年中，我的飲食習慣非常糟糕。所有那些不健康的食物，包括含糖量高的飲料、油炸食物、燒烤類，以及高熱量的洋芋片和各種巧克力，都是我最喜歡的。我常常在一天的某個時段進行大量進食，有時一餐的量可能等同於一個人三餐的量，而這樣的習慣，造就了我很不健康的狀態，我用「造就」兩個字，就是它是「漸漸地」，讓我變得很不健康。
我因此爆肥了20公斤，在這段期間，面臨到血壓、血脂、血糖這三個指數都出現問題，迫使我不得不花時間去應對。三高問題的出現對我來說是一個重大的提醒，也對生活造成影響，可以說不得不重視。
我首先想到改變的事情是回歸重訓，我找了一位教練，他陪伴我一起訓練了6年。然而，這6年的過程中，我重量越做越重，肌肉可能越來越大，但這些症狀並沒有得到改善，因此我開始意識到，我還必須得靠飲食去調整。
我認為飲食習慣的改變和運動習慣的改變同樣重要。不僅要吃對時間、吃對食物，還要吃對份量。
對我來說，當我感到肚子餓或在下午想要補充能量和熱量時，我不再像過去那樣選擇洋芋片、巧克力或手搖飲料。相反，我選擇更健康的食物，譬如說我現在很習慣喝燕麥飲，將瓶裝燕麥飲直接冰在冰箱，肚子餓時候，隨時拿來喝，這樣的飲食選擇不僅能快速補充能量，而且不會給身體帶來太大的負擔，因為越大的負擔就代表需要越大的運動量去消耗，可是如果運動量只能維持在一個程度的時候，你就必須要靠調整飲食的邏輯來調整身體狀態。
減重後形象改變，朋友都不認得了
突破瓶頸的關鍵是吃得更健康
Hugo：真的以前同事、朋友們都不認得我了，哈哈，我也懷疑說我的外表有這麼大的變化嗎？
減掉15公斤對很多人來說，可能是一個很大的數字，但對我來說，增加那15公斤，其實是在很短的時間裡發生的，的確要減掉它會花很大的力氣。
第一個階段其實算比較順利，只要開始少吃，體重就會掉得很快，吃得越少掉得越快，但基礎代謝會跟著掉下去，所以到了一個程度以後，突然之間就減不了，在此刻就發現必須要正常飲食，但如果吃跟過去一樣的食物，體重就會恢復很快，也許不會再變胖，但也不會再瘦下去。
所以對我來說，減重的過程就像是一個爬坡的狀態，爬上一個坡，要稍微有一個緩坡，讓你繼續再往上，所以要告訴自己，不斷地再上去。當突破那個檻的時候，就會突然發現，哦，可以往下一個減重或減脂的過程移動了，並且這段時間沒有吃得比較少，吃得健康，這才是真正的關鍵，並不是少吃，是必須吃得健康。
營養師建議飲食方案＆使用心得
=★佳格營養師介紹★=
- 由於Hugo一直以來有在執行低碳水飲食，除非工作需要，澱粉主食幾乎不碰。不過營養師建議仍要適量攝取碳水化合物，有助於節省蛋白質消耗，更有利於重訓鍛鍊。
- Hugo平時有自己下廚的習慣，建議依據發煙點不同的油品來因應不同烹調方式，冷壓初榨橄欖油建議涼拌等中低溫烹調為主，煎烤油炸建議挑選發煙點高且取得健康食品認證的高品質油品。
- Hugo喜歡的運動皆是強度較高的運動：如重訓、泰拳、單車、瑜伽等，強度較高其熱量需求也相對較高，建議在運動前攝取好消化好吸收的碳水化合物，運動後建議補充優質蛋白質，這樣對消化道也較沒有負擔。
- 可以透過補充礦物質鉻和鎂，有助維持醣類正常代謝。
以下是營養師推薦：
有11種超級穀物-燕麥、糙米、鷹嘴豆、大麥、蕎麥、紫米、紅扁豆、亞麻仁籽、黑芝麻、紅藜麥、發芽米；獨家蒸煮技術，保留穀麥原型與多元營養、更不需要額外花時間提前將榖豆飯浸泡處理，提供優質穀物的碳水和微量營養素外，也同時補充榖豆蛋白和膳食纖維。
以五種植物油調和：葵花油、芥花油、頂級橄欖油、葡萄籽油、玉米油，發煙點達220度以上，並且取得健康食品認證，有助調節血脂功能，可作為高溫烹調料理的烹調用油。
每瓶碳水化合物含16.1公克，僅相當於1/4白飯或半碗麵的碳水份量，此外含beta-聚葡萄糖水溶性膳食纖維，幫助消化，全天然無添加香料、膠、色素、甜味劑等人工添加物，運動前補給一瓶營養無負擔。
市售唯一調節血糖認證的燕麥片，經實驗證實：有助於降低飯前(空腹)血糖值，對禁食血糖值偏高者，具有輔助調節作用，添加鉻、鎂有助於維持醣類正常代謝。
Q：在日常飲食中採用營養師建議後，使用佳格產品的心得，跟我們分享一下？
Hugo：對我來說，每天喝燕麥飲，或者在需要長時間補充能量時選擇一碗燕麥都非常簡單方便。它甚至比我吃那種能量棒更讓我感到開心，因為它的熱量比較低。只需要查看熱量和成分，你會發現它實際上相當簡單，喝完一瓶後，會突然發現自己感到不那麼疲倦了，同時某種程度上愉悅感也會增加。對我來說，像燕麥這樣的產品實際上勝過很多我吃的其他東西。
現在在進行重訓之前，我通常會選擇喝燕麥飲，這是我的首選。其次，我可能會選擇吃一些比較簡單的食物，像是法棍麵包，讓我在進行重訓時有足夠的能量。這也是為什麼儘管我體重下降，但我的重訓力量並沒有急劇下降的原因。起初，力量下降得很快，但在過去的幾個月中，我的運動表現實際上迅速回升。這也顯示補充足夠的基礎熱量可以改善自己的重訓或運動表現。我後來學到不能太固執，而是要試著思考如何補充基礎熱量以提升表現。這是一個必要的過程，特別是在進行減脂和增肌時。營養師的分享也讓我意識到碳水化合物是一個不可或缺的元素。
這是一個很大的改變，因為過去我在重訓時有一個有趣的習慣，就是我不太習慣在訓練前進食，我習慣保持空腹狀態進行練習。然而這帶來一個重大的問題，當我完成訓練後，我會產生一種補償心態，開始想吃更多高熱量的食物，例如一桶炸雞，或者在吃牛排時再加一個雞排。對我而言，過去的習慣是在重訓後迅速大量補充能量，導致飲食習慣變得不健康。這也是我一直無法成功減脂，僅能不斷增肌的原因。
Hugo：對於穀類的米飯，這是我第一次嘗試。起初，我以為穀類米飯的口感會很差，因此在烹飪時，我從來都不會考慮它。尤其是像糙米飯這樣的東西，更是不在我的選擇範圍內。但當我嘗試了一次後，我發現它實際上與我的想像有很大的不同，口感不差，甚至帶有更多風味。搭配特定的調味邏輯，它變得非常獨特。所以我認為穀類產品對我來說也是一個有趣的學習過程。
這次的經驗讓我認識到，油有很多不同種類的天然成分，雖然不能宣稱有療效，但天然成分對身體有一些正向的幫助。這讓我對油品的選擇更有學習的動力。總的來說，我仍然認為像燕麥、穀類，以及選用優質的油品，這三項是健康飲食的核心要素。
自律飲食控制是「健康自由」的入門鑰匙
從日常簡單的飲食替換開始
Hugo：除非真的要一直控制體重，否則通常我會先選擇比較簡單、隨時可以取得的東西。我傾向於從日常習慣開始改變，而不是大幅調整飲食和熱量攝取。因為單單放下手搖飲料、巧克力、洋芋片，轉而飲食更健康，已經是相當具挑戰性的事情。因此，我認為只要現代人能夠做到這一點，不管是血脂、血糖、血壓還是體重控制，都會變得相對容易。
我很常分享一句話，叫做：「絕對的自律，才能換來絕對的自由。」
我認為在飲食方面，最絕對的自律就是飲食控制。持續的飲食控制終究可以實現「健康自由」。
<同場加映>：詳細訪談請看影片
Exclusive interview with Brand Consultant Hugo: Your Aspirations Shift After Turning 40
In this month's featured interview, Standard Foods invited Hugo, a co-founder of The Partner. Hugo reveals that his work is closely aligned with what Standard Foods is currently engaged in! Keep reading to find out about what exactly the connection is.
Despite his busy schedule, Hugo managed to shed 15 kilograms through dietary adjustments and exercise. This transformative journey deepened his understanding of the importance of health. As he participates in Standard Foods' health initiative, what new discoveries does he have to share?
=★Hugo Chou★=
Having a Coach" Is Far from Enough!
Being a Companion on the Journey, Creating Stories Together – That's What I Love to Do
Q: We heard that you've had a new life realization in recent years. Can you share it with us?
Hugo: I firmly believe that everyone enjoys hearing stories. So, I've made it my career, doing what I'm best at and doing what I love the most. My everyday work is fascinating – listening to stories, imagining stories, and telling stories. Our company becomes your brand’s companion in brand storytelling, ands we’re particularly fond of discovering the most captivating stories behind every business and personal brand.
Our company is called The Partner. We are responsible for the work of the "imagination" or "imagining" work. Every day is about finding what makes each person different. Our company’s core value is: "let's imagine your unique nature together!" Some companies approach us because they think they need a branding coach but we don’t define ourselves that way. We want the brand’s story to be theirs, not something we create for them. It's just that their brand hasn't yet discovered what makes them appealing, so we want to accompany them in finding this uniqueness, and that's the real key.
Often, people in fitness or weight loss say, " I need a coach!" But they don’t need a coach giving guidance, they need a "companion" who accompanies them along the way. I really appreciate Standard Foods’ concept of "Your Companion in Health" as it matches my work model quite closely.
The Pursuit of 'Health Freedom' is Life's Ultimate Goal
Start Early, as It's Harder to Achieve Than Financial Freedom
Hugo: in our 20s and 30s, we're all about chasing that "financial freedom" dream, right? But here's the kicker: not many of us think ahead to when we hit 40 or 45. Picture this: you’re dining out with friends, and before the food arrives, everyone takes out their medication. Just like my routine with blood pressure pills.
I've spent the past 20 years striving for financial freedom. As soon as it came into reach, I suddenly realized that what we truly need to pursue is 'health freedom.' Achieving health freedom is much more challenging than financial freedom because wealth can be gradually accumulated while the health is gradually consumed. Health is hard to accumulate.
This is why I’m constantly emphasizing this concept. I now have some insights, and I want my younger friends to know that pursuing financial freedom is just a process; but pursuing health freedom is the most important thing in life.
The Cost of Ignoring Health
Afraid after Gaining 20 Kilograms
Hugo: In the past 20 years, my eating habits were terrible. My favorite foods were all the unhealthy foods, high-sugar drinks, fried foods, grilled fatty foods, and high-calorie potato chips and chocolates. I also used to overeat at every meal, sometimes consuming the equivalent of three meals in one go. This habit quickly led to a very unhealthy state.
As a result, I gained around 20 kilograms in 4-5 years. During this period, I faced high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high blood sugar. I was forced to deal with this. The emergence of these three highs had a significant impact on my life. I couldn't ignore it.
The first thing I did was return to weight training. I found a coach, and he accompanied me in training for 6 years. However, during these 6 years, my weight still increased while my muscles grew. Since my weight gain was brought health complications, I began to realize that I also needed to adjust my diet, not just my exercise habits.
I believe changes in diet are as important as changes in exercise habits. Not only should you eat at the right time and eat the right foods, but you should also eat the right amount. For me, when I feel hungry or want to replenish energy and calories in the afternoon, I no longer choose potato chips, chocolates, or bubble tea like I used to. Instead, I opt for healthier options. For example, I've developed a habit of drinking oatmeal drinks. I put bottled oatmeal drinks in the refrigerator and drink them whenever I'm hungry. This dietary choice not only quickly replenishes my energy but is also light on the body and easily digested.
After Weight Loss, Unrecognizable Transformation Amazes Friends
The Key to Breaking Through Plateaus is Eating Healthier
Hugo: Really, my former colleagues and friends didn't recognize me, haha. I didn’t believe my appearance had changed that much. Losing 15 kilograms might be a significant number for many people, but for me, gaining that weight actually happened so quickly. I knew that losing it would take a lot of effort. At first, it was relatively smooth; the fortunate part is that if you start eating less, your weight will drop quickly. The less you eat, the faster it drops. However, your basal metabolism will also drop. So, after a point, suddenly you can't lose weight anymore. But if you continue to eat the same foods as before, your weight will quickly bounce back. You might not gain weight again, but you won't get thinner either. So, for me, the process of losing weight is like climbing a slope every time. You climb up one slope, then take a little walk, similar to riding a bike. After climbing one slope, you need a slight slope to continue going up. You have to tell yourself to keep going. When you break through that threshold, you suddenly realize, 'Oh, you have to move on to the next weight loss or fat loss process.' During this time, you didn't eat less, but there's always a key: you eat healthier. That's the real key, not eating less, but eating healthier.
Nutritionist Recommended Diet Plan & User Experience
=★ Introducing Our Nutritionist ★=
As Hugo has been following a low-carb diet, he rarely touches starchy foods. However, the nutritionist recommends he consume an appropriate amount of carbohydrates to support his protein consumption and facilitate strength training.
Hugo has a habit of cooking for himself. According to the nutritionist, it is advisable to use different oils based on their smoke points for different cooking methods. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is recommended for cold mixing and low to medium-temperature cooking, while oils with a high smoke point and health food certification are suggested for frying and deep-frying.
Hugo's favorite sports involve higher intensity, such as weight training, Muay Thai, cycling, and yoga. Higher intensity sports require higher calorie demand. It is recommended to consume easily digestible and absorbable carbohydrates before exercise and supplement with high-quality protein after exercise. This way, the digestive system is less burdened.
Supplementing with chromium and magnesium can help maintain normal carbohydrate metabolism.
Here are the nutritionist's recommendations:
Contains 11 super grains: oats, brown rice, chickpeas, barley, buckwheat, purple rice, red lentils, flaxseeds, black sesame seeds, red quinoa, and sprouted rice. Exclusive steaming-cooking technology preserves the original form and diverse nutrients of grains. No need for pre-soaking, providing high-quality carbohydrate and trace nutrient supplements along with legume protein and dietary fiber.
Five Treasures Health Blending Oil –
A blend of five plant oils: sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, premium olive oil, grape seed oil, and corn oil. With a smoke point above 220 degrees Celsius and health food certification, it helps regulate blood lipid function, and is suitable for high-temperature cooking.
Each bottle contains 16.1 grams of carbohydrates, equivalent to only 1/4 cup of white rice or half a bowl of noodles. Additionally, it contains beta-glucan water-soluble dietary fiber, aiding digestion. It's all-natural with no added artificial flavors, thickeners, colors, or sweeteners – a nutritious and guilt-free pre-workout supplement.
The only commercially available oatmeal certified for blood sugar regulation. Experimentally proven to help lower pre-meal (fasting) blood sugar levels, oats is especially beneficial for those with high blood sugar levels when fasting. Added chromium and magnesium help maintain normal carbohydrate metabolism.
Q: After incorporating the nutritionist's recommendations into your daily diet and using Standard Foods’ products, can you share your experience with us?
Hugo: For me, it’s incredibly simple and convenient to choose an oat drink or a bowl of oats when I need a prolonged energy boost. It even brings me more joy than consuming energy bars because of its lower calorie count. Check the ingredients, you'll find it's quite straightforward. After finishing a bottle, I suddenly feel less fatigued, and there's a certain level of pleasure I feel. For me, products like oats actually surpass many other things I used to eat.
Before weight training, my new go-to choice is a Quaker oat drink to ensure I have enough energy during weight training. This is why, despite my weight decreasing, my strength hasn't dramatically dropped. Initially, my strength declined rapidly, but over the past few months, my athletic performance has actually improved. This also demonstrates how supplementing enough basic calories can enhance weight training or athletic performance. I later learned not to be too rigid and to think about how to supplement basic calories to improve performance. It's a necessary process, especially during fat loss and muscle building. The nutritionist's advice also made me realize that carbohydrates are indispensable.
This is a significant change because, in the past, I wasn't accustomed to eating before training; I preferred exercising on an empty stomach. However, this brought a major problem. After training, I would crave more high-calorie foods, like a bucket of fried chicken or I’d add a chicken cutlet to a steak. This was also why I struggled to lose fat, and was only able to build muscle.
Hugo: As for grain-based rice, this was my first time trying it. Initially, I thought the texture of grain-based rice would be unsatisfying, so I never considered it. I never selected foods like purple rice. But after I tried it, I found that it was actually quite different to how I had imagined it. The texture was not bad; and it had a lot of flavor. With specific seasoning, it is now a taste I crave. Learning about these grain-based products has been an interesting process for me.
This experience also made me realize that oils have many different natural components. Although they cannot claim to have therapeutic effects, natural ingredients positively impact the body. This has motivated me to learn more about choosing oils. Overall, I still believe that products like oats, grains, and high-quality oils are the core elements of a healthy diet.
Disciplined Dietary Control is the Key to "Health Freedom"
Start with Simple Dietary Replacements in Everyday Life
Hugo: Unless you really need to constantly control your weight, I would choose to make a change in something simple and easily accessible. I tend to start my changes with my daily habits rather than making significant adjustments to diet and calorie intake. Because just giving up bubble tea, chocolate, and potato chips in favor of healthier eating is already quite challenging. Therefore, I believe that if modern people can achieve this, whether it's controlling blood lipids, blood sugars, blood pressure, or weight, it becomes relatively easy.
I often share the phrase: "Absolute discipline brings absolute freedom."
I believe that in terms of diet, the most absolute form of discipline is dietary control. Persistent dietary control can help you achieve "health freedom."