Women's Health February 23, 2026 0 Comments

How My Nguyen’s Shocking Prediabetes Diagnosis Became the Ultimate Confidence Booster at 45—Here’s What She Wishes You Knew

Ever wonder what it’s like to turn your scroll-stopping recipes from screen to supper? My Nguyen, the culinary wizard behind @MyHealthyDish, who’s been gracefully serving up deliciousness online for 14 years, is doing exactly that. With a massive following across TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram—collectively in the tens of millions—My is now partnering with Tempo to bring “meals that come straight from my feed” right to your table. But here’s the twist: after discovering she was prediabetic last year, My shifted gears, focusing on high-fiber, high-protein dishes that genuinely nourish the body and fit into busy lives. Her new ready-to-eat meal lineup, featuring flavorful delights like Sesame Ginger Salmon and Korean BBQ Pulled Pork, isn’t just about convenience—it’s about embracing a fresh, seasonal approach to food.

What’s truly inspiring is how My’s personal journey—from 20-something calorie counting to a more mindful, nourishing way of eating in her 40s—reflects a broader story many of us can relate to. Oh, and did I mention? Her Vietnamese heritage isn’t just a backdrop; it’s the soulful heart of her cooking, infusing each meal with comfort and connection. So whether you’re juggling work, family, or just trying to eat healthier without the fuss, My Nguyen’s story and new meals might be just what you need to spice up your routine and nourish your soul—without compromising flavor or your schedule.

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My Nguyen, the chef and cookbook author behind @MyHealthyDish, a hugely popular social media account that boasts 4.7 million followers on TikTok, 3.2 million followers on Facebook and 2.5 million followers on Instagram, has been sharing her recipes online for 14 years. For her latest project, a collaboration with the ready-to-eat meal company Tempo, the influencer is finally offering her many followers a chance to try “meals that come straight from my feed.”

“This partnership feels like my baby,” Nguyen says. “I’ve been focusing on really high-fiber, high-protein meals, because I discovered last year that I was prediabetic and I’ve had to change my diet,” she adds, noting that her Tempo meals, including Sesame Ginger Salmon, Korean BBQ Pulled Pork and Five-Spice Glazed Chicken Thighs, are well-balanced and easily fit into busy schedules.

With her meals available to order now through March 20, My Nguyen sat down with Woman’s World to discuss healthy eating habits, incorporating her Vietnamese heritage in her cooking and more.

How My Nguyen’s approach to healthy eating has evolved

At 45, Nguyen acknowledges, “My approach to healthy eating has changed as I’ve grown older.” “In my 20s, healthy eating was different from how it is now that I’m in my 40s. It used to be all about low calories, and I was having protein shakes and bars and going to the gym, and my body could take three-mile runs followed by a 45-minute workout,” she says. “Now, my body doesn’t respond to that anymore. I’ve become more gentle with my body, and I have to really nourish it, so I focus on fresh ingredients. I like fresh, easy, lean proteins, and I like to cook seasonally.”

Nguyen says that prioritizing seasonal ingredients doesn’t just help her feel healthier, it also saves money, and she always makes sure to go grocery shopping with a specific meal plan in mind. “The key to saving money is coming in with a grocery list so you don’t impulse buy. If you don’t shop with a plan and you just go in and buy stuff, you’re going to have so much excess food, in addition to overspending, but when I plan my meals for the week, I know exactly which ingredients are going where.”

My Nguyen poses with a box of her Tempo mealsCourtesy of Tempo

Vietnamese cooking as comfort and connection

My Nguyen’s Tempo meals are largely Asian-inspired, as the chef is of Vietnamese descent and has long shared recipes from her culture with her followers. It’s such a natural part of her family’s life that they don’t think of it as anything special. ‘When I was growing up, Vietnamese food was all I knew,” she says. “My husband is Puerto Rican, and sometimes he’ll say he’s tired of eating Asian food, but to my family, it’s just food—we don’t even call it Vietnamese food!”

Vietnamese food is deeply personal to Nguyen. “When I started cooking, I would always ask my parents for their recipes,” she says. “There’s a Vietnamese soup made with opo squash, and I asked them for the recipe, because when I was pregnant, that was all I craved. You take a long green squash, and remove the skin and cut it up and make a soup out of it with chopped-up shrimp and onions. It’s a very mild taste, and it was so comforting when I was pregnant. That was the start of my Vietnamese cooking journey.”

Once Nguyen’s twin daughters were born, she knew she wanted to cook Vietnamese recipes for them. “It’s naturally something that we all love,” she says. “Chicken Pho always feels so good for you. It’s noodles with a lot of herbs, vegetables and chicken, in a bone broth. There are so many good things in one bowl of soup. I also love Vietnamese stir-fries, fish dishes and spring rolls. The ingredients are always so fresh, and there’s always a good mix of vegetables and proteins.”

A selection of My Nguyen's Tempo meals — A selection of My Nguyen’s Tempo mealsCourtesy of Tempo

Celebrating Tết: Vietnamese New Year traditions

Nguyen and her family recently celebrated the Vietnamese New Year, known as Tết, on February 17, and it’s a holiday full of meaningful (and delicious!) traditions. “We only eat Bánh Tét during the new year, and it’s supposed to bring good luck. It’s a steamed sticky rice that’s wrapped in banana leaves with a thin slice of pork and bean paste inside—it’s hard to make, so we order it and my mom will make fried fish,” she says. “We also place food in front of an altar. I’m Buddhist, and we do this in tribute to Buddha and to our ancestors who’ve passed away. Then we pray and eat and give red envelopes of money to the kids in the family as symbols of fortune and blessing.”

Building confidence through social media and self-acceptance

Instagram has always been a valuable personal outlet for My Nguyen. “I started when Instagram was just photos,” she says with a laugh. “There wasn’t an influencer economy 14 years ago, but I thought it was a great platform to share recipes, and I started by sharing what I was cooking for my kids. At the time, they were little and just starting to eat home-cooked food, so I had to learn how to cook family meals, because I wasn’t eating a lot of kid-friendly food back then. It’s been an evolution.”

Nguyen acknowledges that the increasingly fast-moving, image-based world of social media can take a toll on one’s self-confidence. “It’s tough, because we’re always comparing ourselves to beautiful women who are filtered and only show the best photos of themselves, but it’s important to realize that those people have their own insecurities. We’re a little too hard on ourselves with the comparisons.”

“Confidence has come with age,” Nguyen proudly says. “In my 20s, I thought I was overweight. I didn’t like how I looked at the time, but in retrospect, I looked great. I tell myself that right now you’re always the best you’ll ever look at that moment in time, so you should embrace it and take that picture, because in 10 or 20 years, you’ll look back and think, ‘Wow, that was me!’”

This positive approach to aging has resonated with millions of women. “I think I’ve been able to last so long on social media because my followers relate to seeing my growth and how I’m in this stage of life where I’m perimenopausal and prediabetic, and they’re all following along,” Nguyen explains. “It’s not just about food, it’s about this journey of us as women who are growing older and being kinder to ourselves and taking care of ourselves.”