These days my time has been filled with work, home and gym. Of course I try to make time for friends as well and was glad that I got to do that last weekend.
I'm still in the process of reorganizing my room and it has been taking longer than I'd planned. I've bought the new pieces except for one big piece and am just excited to start putting everything together and be done with it. Haha. Hopefully I'll get everything done by month's end.
Work has been draining me still and no longer fun for me as it used to be. I believe that you should love your job. When you no longer do, it's time to move on and take on other challenges. I really wish that my mum was here for me to talk to her about my concerns. I could definitely use her wisdom and advise right about now.
OK. I'm kinda getting off track here. Anyways, I've started another blog that follows my thoughts and experiences while losing weight, being healthier and improving my fitness. I'll also be talking about other related topics there based on my own experience, observation and literary research. If you'd like to read more, you can check it out here. I've also put a link up top so you can easily click on the image to head over to that blog.
Need to get me some food now. So, til next post!
Showing posts with label Shed The Pounds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shed The Pounds. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
hoping 2010 will be a happier year... no resolutions....
okay so this is pretty long overdue considering the new year was ushered in almost 2 weeks ago. haha. sorry peeps.
anyways, for the most part, for my family and i, 2009 was prolly one of the worst years to date. april last year, my mum was diagnosed with lung cancer. when she was diagnosed with stage 2/3 breast cancer back in 2006, it caught us by surprise and she spent the most part of 2007 undergoing chemo and radiotherapy after getting a mastectomy. 2008 was a beautiful year. it was a happy year for all of us. active travelling, shopping and a lot of fun overall. last year however, was difficult for all of us. in 2007, my mum only had to undergo outpatient chemo. her cycle was the regular 1 day outpatient chemo and a 2-3 weeks break. this time round it was a bit different. her chemo cycle consisted of 2 nights in-patient treatment (i.e. day 1 and day 2) and 1 half day treatment (day 8) followed by a 2 weeks break.
there were a lot more complications with her second diagnosis compared to the first time. the first time we only had to deal with the side effects of chemo and she could pretty much still care for herself fully. while undergoing radiotherapy, she began developing increasing pain in her right shoulder and arm causing her to clam up and had difficulty breathing. an x-ray scan showed there was a massive amount of fluid accumulating in her right lung which had to be tapped out for several days. before she left, her doctor recommended starting her 1st chemo cycle. although her tumour had cleared up by august last year (albeit not completely), after her 6th chemo cycle, she began having trouble walking and it was just excrutiating for her. a couple of admissions to the hospital later, we found out there was a boil under her muscles and an infection near the hip joint. seeing that she wasn't responding as quickly to the antibiotics, she had to undergo surgery. as if that wasn't bad enough, puss began collecting under her skin in the ankle region. another operation had to be done. last year, smc had become like a second home for me. sleeping on the couch is nowhere near comfortable but on the bright side, at least there was a couch to sleep on.
now my mum can't even lift her right hand up. it's as if there is no more strength left in her right arm. when she goes out, people ask if she had a stroke because her right arm could not be used. my mum is the strongest person i know and she is my rock. for me, it's very heartbreaking to see her suddenly having to depend on other people. she is a very independent woman. strong willed, wise and supports us in every way she can. when i look at her when she's in pain, i feel utterly helpless and useless. my mum is a jack of all trades so to speak. to me, she knew what to do in any given situation. i wish i am more like her skill-wise.
so yes. 2009 was a difficult year and my mum's battles are not yet over. we're all still helping her fight it.
then there's work in the office. a lot of high expectations are imposed when you work for a big company. and sometimes you can only multitask so much and still stay sane. tasks that used to be split between myself and my ex-colleague are now under my responsibility. in a field where everything needs to be done now, the demand for urgency is always there. i'm not saying i don't like my job. it has it's perks. *smiles* but there was just way too much for me to take in in such a short period of time and i was having problems juggling and balancing all that was happening in my life throughout the year.
during the influenza a scare, all of us went to get our flu jabs. luck would have it, one of my brothers had a seizure and collapsed bumping his head on the floor of the clinic soon after. we're not really sure what caused it or why it happened but it did. an mri of his brain showed he might have a lesion which was either a tumour or an infection. the doctor advised him not to drive for 3 months (but he only refrained himself for a month and is still driving now). more chores headed my way since there wasn't much alternatives as we were lacking manpower at home as well.
i felt sad that i was unable to attend a couple of my good friend's weddings last year as well. i mean, ideally you only marry once. i tried to find a way for me to attend but those that were too far had to be foregone. the saddest part was i missed my bestfriend's engagement. coincidently the maid had to go back and attend a wedding. my mum told me to go to the engagement but i couldn't leave her at home. i'd been looking forward to attend for weeks and no one had bothered to tell me i won't be able to go. of course she understood why i couldn't make it. *hugs* but nonetheless, i'd promised to be there.
why am i pouring my soul out in this post? i'm not really sure why but i just had to get it off my chest.
on a more cheerful note, last year brought me my beloved iphone. *beams* i know there is an iphone vs blackberry debate out there but personally, i think it's up to the person using the devices. the important thing is what do you need to use it for and which interface you prefer. the iphone has loads of wonderful apps and it suits me well. *smiles* the battery life sux big time though especially if you don't realize you've got push notifications on. haha. thinking of doing a best apps post next. hurm...
then there was my trove by elixelle project which was basically me clearing up my closet (which by the way has filled up again). it was a fun experience participating in bazaars and selling stuff. i met new people and gained some experience. i've managed to get rid of a good deal of my stuff and delighted a lot of people with the bargains (branded t-shirts at RM5 - *winks*). trove will still be around but there won't be as much stuff on it until my next batch of clearance. i pretty much sold off all the super good stuff. there are still a good amount left but i've decided to give them away and dedicate my time to other projects that's coming up this year. i can't wait to share it with everyone!! the first is coming up soon (i hope!).
i've gained a lot of weight the past few years. i feel the more i try to shrink, the more i expand if you know what i mean. haha. i'd lose 3kg and gain 6kg. my weight loss was going nowhere. i had high hopes by end of the year i'd be lighter than i was at the beginning of the year and set reasonable goals/targets but i instead became heavier. i'd put on 20kg in the past 3+ years and rising. if you've been skinny all your life, you'll never understand what i'm talking about. losing weight is even harder when you have to be careful not to trigger any gastric attacks and have hormone imbalances (hormones control your metabolism). coming from a family that loves food doesn't help either. haha. it doesn't help either when friends and family have nothing else to say then comment on how much weight i've gained and why i wasn't skinny. i get a lot of 'advice' to cut down on my rice intake. i prolly only eat a quarter to half a bowl of rice (i don't eat much rice) when other people are eating a whole bowl or more. i prefer fish and veggies to chicken or beef. although i must admit, i have insane cravings for fast food and soft drinks. even when i cut down on those foods i wasn't losing. it was very discouraging. yes, i did try exercising as much i could. i haven't gotten back in the rhythm of exercising since fasting month ended though. haha.
i think i'll do a post on good places to get clothes for bigger sized people here. it's quite unfair that most clothes in the market cater to smaller sizes. Some don't even carry XL sizes. How sad is that? What about people who are a size 3XL or UK18? Specialized plus size brands are generally a bit pricey. It's like it isn't bad enough it's hard to get sizes, it has to hurt the wallet too?!? so that's gonna be in my upcoming post.
then there's my reignited love for makeup (2008 reignited my love for sewing). i personally don't wear a lot of makeup ironically. haha. but i've loved makeup since i was a kid. i loved playing with my mum's makeup and was always excited to put makeup on myself and my friends if we had a performance on stage and what not. i loved the opportunity to doll up and just mess around with makeup. youtube has brought me closer to all things makeup. and from that love came blissful belle which is my beauty blog where i post my makeup experiments, reviews and hauls. i've linked it to my youtube channel *blush* where i play around with video recording and itty bitty editing. hehe. i've been building up my makeup collection and practicing my makeup application and trying out different looks and stuff. it's my escape and it helps keep me sane. i'm waiting for some new brush sets coming out this year to add to my growing collection. which reminds me, i'll post a review of my recent purchases on either blissful belle or my youtube channel (or both) along with my 2 cents. haha.
i've decided to not make any resolutions for 2010. i fail to see the point of making the same resolutions every year so i felt it best to not go through that madness again this year. i have personal goals but i don't have resolutions.
my latest fashion item obsession? haha. leggings and long cardigans with gorgeous heels. lol!! leggings are extremely comfortable because it follows the contour of your figure and is far more flexible than regular jeans and pants. given the right size, the waist doesn't bite into your flesh. haha. if you're a bigger size, long cardis are totally the way to go. it's a lot more flattering. don't get me wrong, it works well with people of smaller sizes as well. *smiles*
i think this is a pretty long post as it is. time to shut up and save more stuff for my next posts. haha!
anyways, for the most part, for my family and i, 2009 was prolly one of the worst years to date. april last year, my mum was diagnosed with lung cancer. when she was diagnosed with stage 2/3 breast cancer back in 2006, it caught us by surprise and she spent the most part of 2007 undergoing chemo and radiotherapy after getting a mastectomy. 2008 was a beautiful year. it was a happy year for all of us. active travelling, shopping and a lot of fun overall. last year however, was difficult for all of us. in 2007, my mum only had to undergo outpatient chemo. her cycle was the regular 1 day outpatient chemo and a 2-3 weeks break. this time round it was a bit different. her chemo cycle consisted of 2 nights in-patient treatment (i.e. day 1 and day 2) and 1 half day treatment (day 8) followed by a 2 weeks break.
there were a lot more complications with her second diagnosis compared to the first time. the first time we only had to deal with the side effects of chemo and she could pretty much still care for herself fully. while undergoing radiotherapy, she began developing increasing pain in her right shoulder and arm causing her to clam up and had difficulty breathing. an x-ray scan showed there was a massive amount of fluid accumulating in her right lung which had to be tapped out for several days. before she left, her doctor recommended starting her 1st chemo cycle. although her tumour had cleared up by august last year (albeit not completely), after her 6th chemo cycle, she began having trouble walking and it was just excrutiating for her. a couple of admissions to the hospital later, we found out there was a boil under her muscles and an infection near the hip joint. seeing that she wasn't responding as quickly to the antibiotics, she had to undergo surgery. as if that wasn't bad enough, puss began collecting under her skin in the ankle region. another operation had to be done. last year, smc had become like a second home for me. sleeping on the couch is nowhere near comfortable but on the bright side, at least there was a couch to sleep on.
now my mum can't even lift her right hand up. it's as if there is no more strength left in her right arm. when she goes out, people ask if she had a stroke because her right arm could not be used. my mum is the strongest person i know and she is my rock. for me, it's very heartbreaking to see her suddenly having to depend on other people. she is a very independent woman. strong willed, wise and supports us in every way she can. when i look at her when she's in pain, i feel utterly helpless and useless. my mum is a jack of all trades so to speak. to me, she knew what to do in any given situation. i wish i am more like her skill-wise.
so yes. 2009 was a difficult year and my mum's battles are not yet over. we're all still helping her fight it.
then there's work in the office. a lot of high expectations are imposed when you work for a big company. and sometimes you can only multitask so much and still stay sane. tasks that used to be split between myself and my ex-colleague are now under my responsibility. in a field where everything needs to be done now, the demand for urgency is always there. i'm not saying i don't like my job. it has it's perks. *smiles* but there was just way too much for me to take in in such a short period of time and i was having problems juggling and balancing all that was happening in my life throughout the year.
during the influenza a scare, all of us went to get our flu jabs. luck would have it, one of my brothers had a seizure and collapsed bumping his head on the floor of the clinic soon after. we're not really sure what caused it or why it happened but it did. an mri of his brain showed he might have a lesion which was either a tumour or an infection. the doctor advised him not to drive for 3 months (but he only refrained himself for a month and is still driving now). more chores headed my way since there wasn't much alternatives as we were lacking manpower at home as well.
i felt sad that i was unable to attend a couple of my good friend's weddings last year as well. i mean, ideally you only marry once. i tried to find a way for me to attend but those that were too far had to be foregone. the saddest part was i missed my bestfriend's engagement. coincidently the maid had to go back and attend a wedding. my mum told me to go to the engagement but i couldn't leave her at home. i'd been looking forward to attend for weeks and no one had bothered to tell me i won't be able to go. of course she understood why i couldn't make it. *hugs* but nonetheless, i'd promised to be there.
why am i pouring my soul out in this post? i'm not really sure why but i just had to get it off my chest.
on a more cheerful note, last year brought me my beloved iphone. *beams* i know there is an iphone vs blackberry debate out there but personally, i think it's up to the person using the devices. the important thing is what do you need to use it for and which interface you prefer. the iphone has loads of wonderful apps and it suits me well. *smiles* the battery life sux big time though especially if you don't realize you've got push notifications on. haha. thinking of doing a best apps post next. hurm...
then there was my trove by elixelle project which was basically me clearing up my closet (which by the way has filled up again). it was a fun experience participating in bazaars and selling stuff. i met new people and gained some experience. i've managed to get rid of a good deal of my stuff and delighted a lot of people with the bargains (branded t-shirts at RM5 - *winks*). trove will still be around but there won't be as much stuff on it until my next batch of clearance. i pretty much sold off all the super good stuff. there are still a good amount left but i've decided to give them away and dedicate my time to other projects that's coming up this year. i can't wait to share it with everyone!! the first is coming up soon (i hope!).
i've gained a lot of weight the past few years. i feel the more i try to shrink, the more i expand if you know what i mean. haha. i'd lose 3kg and gain 6kg. my weight loss was going nowhere. i had high hopes by end of the year i'd be lighter than i was at the beginning of the year and set reasonable goals/targets but i instead became heavier. i'd put on 20kg in the past 3+ years and rising. if you've been skinny all your life, you'll never understand what i'm talking about. losing weight is even harder when you have to be careful not to trigger any gastric attacks and have hormone imbalances (hormones control your metabolism). coming from a family that loves food doesn't help either. haha. it doesn't help either when friends and family have nothing else to say then comment on how much weight i've gained and why i wasn't skinny. i get a lot of 'advice' to cut down on my rice intake. i prolly only eat a quarter to half a bowl of rice (i don't eat much rice) when other people are eating a whole bowl or more. i prefer fish and veggies to chicken or beef. although i must admit, i have insane cravings for fast food and soft drinks. even when i cut down on those foods i wasn't losing. it was very discouraging. yes, i did try exercising as much i could. i haven't gotten back in the rhythm of exercising since fasting month ended though. haha.
i think i'll do a post on good places to get clothes for bigger sized people here. it's quite unfair that most clothes in the market cater to smaller sizes. Some don't even carry XL sizes. How sad is that? What about people who are a size 3XL or UK18? Specialized plus size brands are generally a bit pricey. It's like it isn't bad enough it's hard to get sizes, it has to hurt the wallet too?!? so that's gonna be in my upcoming post.
then there's my reignited love for makeup (2008 reignited my love for sewing). i personally don't wear a lot of makeup ironically. haha. but i've loved makeup since i was a kid. i loved playing with my mum's makeup and was always excited to put makeup on myself and my friends if we had a performance on stage and what not. i loved the opportunity to doll up and just mess around with makeup. youtube has brought me closer to all things makeup. and from that love came blissful belle which is my beauty blog where i post my makeup experiments, reviews and hauls. i've linked it to my youtube channel *blush* where i play around with video recording and itty bitty editing. hehe. i've been building up my makeup collection and practicing my makeup application and trying out different looks and stuff. it's my escape and it helps keep me sane. i'm waiting for some new brush sets coming out this year to add to my growing collection. which reminds me, i'll post a review of my recent purchases on either blissful belle or my youtube channel (or both) along with my 2 cents. haha.
i've decided to not make any resolutions for 2010. i fail to see the point of making the same resolutions every year so i felt it best to not go through that madness again this year. i have personal goals but i don't have resolutions.
my latest fashion item obsession? haha. leggings and long cardigans with gorgeous heels. lol!! leggings are extremely comfortable because it follows the contour of your figure and is far more flexible than regular jeans and pants. given the right size, the waist doesn't bite into your flesh. haha. if you're a bigger size, long cardis are totally the way to go. it's a lot more flattering. don't get me wrong, it works well with people of smaller sizes as well. *smiles*
i think this is a pretty long post as it is. time to shut up and save more stuff for my next posts. haha!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
happy mother's day...
this year mother's day falls on may 10th (2nd sunday of the month) which i'm pretty sure is celebrated in many ways everywhere in the world. there'll be special home cook meals or commemorative buffet dinners or simply that special time spent with mothers and grandmothers.
however, 2009 brought a different mothers day experience for my family and i. there was no preparing breakfast in bed or my occassion-only chicken fajitas and cheesy chicken bake pasta. regardless the situation, the family's personal card making and giving session is a must. it's kinda a tradition created by me and my lil bros have followed suit in recent years *their older now. haha* i'm really proud of them both. they're really getting the hang of this card making thing. *beams*
this time around, we couldn't celebrate mothers day like we used to because the situation is different than previous years. what with all the hectic rush of having my mum admitted to smc on monday due to the excessive fluid in her left lung *which had to be drained out* which was intefering with her breathing and was causing pain in her left shoulder and lower back, and i'd been assisting and accompanying her for the first 4 nights til i caught a bit of a fever and am now resuming my hospital duties tonight, several errands had to be put on hold. today some of those errands can be scrapped off the to do list: 1. buy new school bag for lil bro, 2. buy contact lenses for mum, 3. collect lil bro's kumon homework. still a few more things to get done: 1. collect mum's clothes from the tailor, 2. finish up my grandma's skirt, and the list goes on and on. *haha*
on another note, sitting in a hospital does kinda give you a different perspective on life. even at the age i'm at, there's always a risk of falling ill and there are just so many diseases out there. seems like there's no better time than the present to start reflecting on the stuff we put into our mouths and living a more active lifestyle. how do i weasel my way out of my mostly sedentary lifestyle and eating habits that still requires fine tuning and improvement. with that in mind, i'm launching a blog to keep me motivated for that sole purpose separate from this blog. it should be up soon and hopefully the online journal of my journey would serve as both a form to hold me accountable for my health goals as well as for me to share related info on diet, health, fitness and related thoughts. *smiles*
however, 2009 brought a different mothers day experience for my family and i. there was no preparing breakfast in bed or my occassion-only chicken fajitas and cheesy chicken bake pasta. regardless the situation, the family's personal card making and giving session is a must. it's kinda a tradition created by me and my lil bros have followed suit in recent years *their older now. haha* i'm really proud of them both. they're really getting the hang of this card making thing. *beams*
this time around, we couldn't celebrate mothers day like we used to because the situation is different than previous years. what with all the hectic rush of having my mum admitted to smc on monday due to the excessive fluid in her left lung *which had to be drained out* which was intefering with her breathing and was causing pain in her left shoulder and lower back, and i'd been assisting and accompanying her for the first 4 nights til i caught a bit of a fever and am now resuming my hospital duties tonight, several errands had to be put on hold. today some of those errands can be scrapped off the to do list: 1. buy new school bag for lil bro, 2. buy contact lenses for mum, 3. collect lil bro's kumon homework. still a few more things to get done: 1. collect mum's clothes from the tailor, 2. finish up my grandma's skirt, and the list goes on and on. *haha*
on another note, sitting in a hospital does kinda give you a different perspective on life. even at the age i'm at, there's always a risk of falling ill and there are just so many diseases out there. seems like there's no better time than the present to start reflecting on the stuff we put into our mouths and living a more active lifestyle. how do i weasel my way out of my mostly sedentary lifestyle and eating habits that still requires fine tuning and improvement. with that in mind, i'm launching a blog to keep me motivated for that sole purpose separate from this blog. it should be up soon and hopefully the online journal of my journey would serve as both a form to hold me accountable for my health goals as well as for me to share related info on diet, health, fitness and related thoughts. *smiles*
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
biggest loser aftermath..
my mum and i have been glued to the tv every 6.30-8pm weekdays just to watch the biggest loser. prolly at this point the only show we watch almost diligently apart from the rtm drama dari mata arisa at 11am-12pm. *fortunately the drama is available on both rtm's website and youtube. haha!*
having been inspired by the fruits of proper diet and exercise from the biggest loser show, it got me thinking about all the things that actually contribute to weight gain for most of the population. made me hunger *excuse the pun* for more info on leading a healthier lifestyle. having my track record, weight has always been a problem for me. when i was little and at another point in my life, i could eat fast food and fizzy drinks almost everyday and not gain weight. but for the majority of my adult life, i've been struggling with squeezing in those essential work outs on a regular basis. i do get food cravings every now and again but for the most part, i eat more healthier home cooked meals these days.
anyways, i've had a listen to one of jillian michaels radio shows and while promoting interesting facts from her new book "master your metabolism", something rather interesting hit me. how even products we use like facial cleansers, toners, moisturisers, lotions, bodywash, etc contain a whole bunch of toxins that pollute our bodies and mess up our hormones. so our hormones aren't functioning properly and it contributes to the dreaded weight gain despite all our efforts. one of the things she highlighted was to stay away from products containing parabens (propyl-, methyl-, butyl-, etc) because parabens that get absorbed into our bodies apparently have estrogen-like effects and too much estrogen in the body has been said to lead to certain types of cancer especially breast cancer. *gasp!*
it seems that organic is the new rage these days. and there's probably good reason for it too. should we all jump on the organic band wagon as well? price-wise organic & earth-friendly food and household products can be a bit pricey in comparison to regular stuff. but i suppose maybe we should take those baby steps and think about our long term health as well as of those who are dear to us.
while checking e-mail online just now, i stumbled on an ad that obviously caught my attention. i haven't quite gone through the link much yet but thought i'd share it with everyone. click here to check out smallstep for tips and ideas to a healthier lifestyle. *smile*
having been inspired by the fruits of proper diet and exercise from the biggest loser show, it got me thinking about all the things that actually contribute to weight gain for most of the population. made me hunger *excuse the pun* for more info on leading a healthier lifestyle. having my track record, weight has always been a problem for me. when i was little and at another point in my life, i could eat fast food and fizzy drinks almost everyday and not gain weight. but for the majority of my adult life, i've been struggling with squeezing in those essential work outs on a regular basis. i do get food cravings every now and again but for the most part, i eat more healthier home cooked meals these days.
anyways, i've had a listen to one of jillian michaels radio shows and while promoting interesting facts from her new book "master your metabolism", something rather interesting hit me. how even products we use like facial cleansers, toners, moisturisers, lotions, bodywash, etc contain a whole bunch of toxins that pollute our bodies and mess up our hormones. so our hormones aren't functioning properly and it contributes to the dreaded weight gain despite all our efforts. one of the things she highlighted was to stay away from products containing parabens (propyl-, methyl-, butyl-, etc) because parabens that get absorbed into our bodies apparently have estrogen-like effects and too much estrogen in the body has been said to lead to certain types of cancer especially breast cancer. *gasp!*
it seems that organic is the new rage these days. and there's probably good reason for it too. should we all jump on the organic band wagon as well? price-wise organic & earth-friendly food and household products can be a bit pricey in comparison to regular stuff. but i suppose maybe we should take those baby steps and think about our long term health as well as of those who are dear to us.
while checking e-mail online just now, i stumbled on an ad that obviously caught my attention. i haven't quite gone through the link much yet but thought i'd share it with everyone. click here to check out smallstep for tips and ideas to a healthier lifestyle. *smile*
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
are you the biggest loser?!?
lately i've been really inspired by the reality show the biggest loser on hallmark (7pm weekdays). they're only just showing season 2 at the moment despite it progressing into it's 7 season in the US. it's amazing to watch the show and see how these individuals who'd gone on the show weighing 200lbs (~90kg) up to more than 400lbs (~>180kg) and come out of it 50% lighter!!!
now that really got me thinking. losing weight really is hard. the amount of effort they had to put into it and the joy of losing those double digit pounds each week. on the show, they are taught about nutrition, how to prepare healthier meals for themselves, calorie counting and budgeting, resisting temptation, and most importantly exercising and working to build up strength, endurance and stamina as well as facilitate weight loss.
every time a person is eliminated, they'll show the family reactions when that person goes home and also show the audience how that person looks like now. they may not have the perfect body if in a relative sense, it's amazing how much they'd lost and that they were able to maintain (if not lose more) after leaving the show.
in fact, if you look at season 5 and season 6 winners, ali and michelle, they've completely trimmed down and are so well toned you won't believe that they were over 200lbs before!!
while watching the show, i just couldn't shake the words of one of the trainers out of my head:
those words really stuck with me. one, for the witty humour i see in it. and two, for how much it embodied the effort you need to put into effective weight loss. there are no shortcuts for sustainable weight loss it seems. and it has to be a balance of good nutrition and diet with at least a moderate level of activity.
jillian michaels has been dubbed tv's toughest trainer and by the looks of it, she delivers. having trained 5 out of 6 winners on the biggest loser, it's hard to doubt her credibility as a trainer. with that in mind, i went out to get myself one of her home videos, 30 day shred, (after some online research) which contained 3 levels with increasing difficulty and intensity. i'd had a look at the videos on youtube prior to purchasing and it seemed fairly simple and basic exercises. her 3-2-1 method (i.e. 3-mins strength, 2-mins cardio and 1-min abs) is said to be one of the most effective ways to get your body to change.
so here i am super excited to get started, mat and weights all set up in the living room. switched on the tv and pop in the dvd, feeling all set and ready to go. acknowledging my lack of fitness, i started with level 1 and paid attention to the modified version of each workout for beginners (lower impact). after 2-mins warm up, the 1st circuit begins. each session consists of 2-mins warm up, 3 sets of 6-mins workout (3-2-1 method) and a 2-mins cool down. as simple as the movements looked on youtube, i was already struggling by the end of circuit 1. *haha* i knew and expected it wasn't going to be easy but believe it or not, only 6-mins of the modified workout non-stop and i felt woozy, nauseaous, and felt like passing out right then and there.
then my mum told me that she needs me to send her to work cos my stepdad got a bit injured accidentally falling into a drain last night. *gasp!!* not one to disappoint and understanding my duties, i mustered whatever energy i had left in me and tried to make breakfast for myself before sending my mum off. my arms felt heavy and i had to make an extra effort to reach into the pantry to grab some food. lol! while sitting at the dining table, i was still feeling super woozy and felt like i'd pass out if i'd close my eyes. i'd even felt like throwing up, so i rushed (sorta) to the bathroom but nothing came out. took a little breather and lay down on my bed taking it easy and concentrated on my breathing. it helped. so i went to finish my shake, but just didn't feel that i could *i did managed to guzzle up 90% of it though*, took a few more breaths, grabbed my keys, phone and wallet and plopped myself in the drivers' seat.
like i said, i acknowledge my lack of fitness, so this really wasn't much of a surprise for me. i was kinda shocked at how intense the workout must've been to have that effect on me so fast. haha. the push ups and weights really got to me. so looks like it's gonna just be a session on the treadmill tomorrow morning if any. lol! the last time i almost passed out from working out/exercising was when i did a physical evaluation at a centre in lintas plaza. after exerting myself, i practically just curled up (or was it lay down) on the floor even before the evaluation was done. i was lying there for about an hour or so before i was positive i could drive home.
the moral of the story is, if i have to exercise rigorously outside, i better have someone drive me there and back. haha!
now that really got me thinking. losing weight really is hard. the amount of effort they had to put into it and the joy of losing those double digit pounds each week. on the show, they are taught about nutrition, how to prepare healthier meals for themselves, calorie counting and budgeting, resisting temptation, and most importantly exercising and working to build up strength, endurance and stamina as well as facilitate weight loss.
every time a person is eliminated, they'll show the family reactions when that person goes home and also show the audience how that person looks like now. they may not have the perfect body if in a relative sense, it's amazing how much they'd lost and that they were able to maintain (if not lose more) after leaving the show.
in fact, if you look at season 5 and season 6 winners, ali and michelle, they've completely trimmed down and are so well toned you won't believe that they were over 200lbs before!!
while watching the show, i just couldn't shake the words of one of the trainers out of my head:
"i don't care if you die on that floor, you better die looking good!" - jillian
michaels
those words really stuck with me. one, for the witty humour i see in it. and two, for how much it embodied the effort you need to put into effective weight loss. there are no shortcuts for sustainable weight loss it seems. and it has to be a balance of good nutrition and diet with at least a moderate level of activity.
jillian michaels has been dubbed tv's toughest trainer and by the looks of it, she delivers. having trained 5 out of 6 winners on the biggest loser, it's hard to doubt her credibility as a trainer. with that in mind, i went out to get myself one of her home videos, 30 day shred, (after some online research) which contained 3 levels with increasing difficulty and intensity. i'd had a look at the videos on youtube prior to purchasing and it seemed fairly simple and basic exercises. her 3-2-1 method (i.e. 3-mins strength, 2-mins cardio and 1-min abs) is said to be one of the most effective ways to get your body to change.so here i am super excited to get started, mat and weights all set up in the living room. switched on the tv and pop in the dvd, feeling all set and ready to go. acknowledging my lack of fitness, i started with level 1 and paid attention to the modified version of each workout for beginners (lower impact). after 2-mins warm up, the 1st circuit begins. each session consists of 2-mins warm up, 3 sets of 6-mins workout (3-2-1 method) and a 2-mins cool down. as simple as the movements looked on youtube, i was already struggling by the end of circuit 1. *haha* i knew and expected it wasn't going to be easy but believe it or not, only 6-mins of the modified workout non-stop and i felt woozy, nauseaous, and felt like passing out right then and there.
then my mum told me that she needs me to send her to work cos my stepdad got a bit injured accidentally falling into a drain last night. *gasp!!* not one to disappoint and understanding my duties, i mustered whatever energy i had left in me and tried to make breakfast for myself before sending my mum off. my arms felt heavy and i had to make an extra effort to reach into the pantry to grab some food. lol! while sitting at the dining table, i was still feeling super woozy and felt like i'd pass out if i'd close my eyes. i'd even felt like throwing up, so i rushed (sorta) to the bathroom but nothing came out. took a little breather and lay down on my bed taking it easy and concentrated on my breathing. it helped. so i went to finish my shake, but just didn't feel that i could *i did managed to guzzle up 90% of it though*, took a few more breaths, grabbed my keys, phone and wallet and plopped myself in the drivers' seat.
like i said, i acknowledge my lack of fitness, so this really wasn't much of a surprise for me. i was kinda shocked at how intense the workout must've been to have that effect on me so fast. haha. the push ups and weights really got to me. so looks like it's gonna just be a session on the treadmill tomorrow morning if any. lol! the last time i almost passed out from working out/exercising was when i did a physical evaluation at a centre in lintas plaza. after exerting myself, i practically just curled up (or was it lay down) on the floor even before the evaluation was done. i was lying there for about an hour or so before i was positive i could drive home.
the moral of the story is, if i have to exercise rigorously outside, i better have someone drive me there and back. haha!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
the journey has begun...
in my previous post i've shared some of my opinion on the various weight loss aids and slimming products that i've tried personally prior through out my struggle with my own weight. obviously not all the products were taken simultaneously. some had even been taken several years back bearing no significant improvement.
now in the few years, i've come across a bunch of people suggesting i try out herbalife. i've heard through these sources that they personally know people who've successfully lost the excess weight (i.e. fat) through herbalife. but at the time i was still reluctant. uninterested if you may.
so anyways, recently i met up with a friend - whom i got to know through work - who has just resigned and joined the herbalife family as a staff. although there was no visible reduction in her size, but i suppose i was already in the "ready" state of mind to finally give it a shot. mind you, my stepdad had already tried the products a couple of years back but did not achieve the desired results (mainly because he wasn't properly briefed on the appropriate intake). he offered the balance product for me to try but like i said, i was just not interested at the time.
anyhoo... i set up an appointment to meet up with my friend at her office and she introduced me to one of the available sponsors/coaches there to give me an insight and consultation. initially i thought of reviving my mum's membership (the one my stepdad had set up before) but seeing how complicated it would've been considering the membership had been deleted due to inactivity (plus her sponsors were deleted as well), i ended up joining myself. the upside of things is i have my sponsor to guide me and keep me on track.
my sponsor, sonia, is really nice. she explained what the product does and how my recommended intake in a way so simple that i didn't have that much to ask. she showed me pictures of herself and how much she'd lost through the programme. of course she was diligent and disciplined in her regime. it was motivating. first off, she did an overall assessment of my current body condition (via the tanita weighing device) and took note of my bmr (base metabolic rate), fat %, muscle mass, body water %, built, body age, etc. then she went through each item one by one and explained what it meant and at what level i should target for. most of which of course i'd already had a general idea of. after recording all that, she asked several questions about my general health and took my body measurements. of course there's the before pictures as well.
i've come to realize that regardless of age, we should always pay attention to our health. there's a common misconception that when you're young you can eat just about everything and only when you're old you have to put restraints on your eating habits. in actuality, we need to look after ourselves every single day irrespective of how old we are.
although my sponsor did not suggest an exercise plan to complement the herbalife programme she had recommended for me, one of my doctors suggested i simply wake up early every other morning to do a 20 mins brisk walk before work. there goes my "i don't have time" excuse out the window. *lol* i'm still recovering from my fever-flu-cough-vertigo at the moment so i haven't utilized the treadmill at home. haha...
anyways, wish me luck in my herbalife journey!! i'll be sure to put up before and after shots if everything goes as planned. :)
now in the few years, i've come across a bunch of people suggesting i try out herbalife. i've heard through these sources that they personally know people who've successfully lost the excess weight (i.e. fat) through herbalife. but at the time i was still reluctant. uninterested if you may.
so anyways, recently i met up with a friend - whom i got to know through work - who has just resigned and joined the herbalife family as a staff. although there was no visible reduction in her size, but i suppose i was already in the "ready" state of mind to finally give it a shot. mind you, my stepdad had already tried the products a couple of years back but did not achieve the desired results (mainly because he wasn't properly briefed on the appropriate intake). he offered the balance product for me to try but like i said, i was just not interested at the time.
anyhoo... i set up an appointment to meet up with my friend at her office and she introduced me to one of the available sponsors/coaches there to give me an insight and consultation. initially i thought of reviving my mum's membership (the one my stepdad had set up before) but seeing how complicated it would've been considering the membership had been deleted due to inactivity (plus her sponsors were deleted as well), i ended up joining myself. the upside of things is i have my sponsor to guide me and keep me on track.
my sponsor, sonia, is really nice. she explained what the product does and how my recommended intake in a way so simple that i didn't have that much to ask. she showed me pictures of herself and how much she'd lost through the programme. of course she was diligent and disciplined in her regime. it was motivating. first off, she did an overall assessment of my current body condition (via the tanita weighing device) and took note of my bmr (base metabolic rate), fat %, muscle mass, body water %, built, body age, etc. then she went through each item one by one and explained what it meant and at what level i should target for. most of which of course i'd already had a general idea of. after recording all that, she asked several questions about my general health and took my body measurements. of course there's the before pictures as well.
i've come to realize that regardless of age, we should always pay attention to our health. there's a common misconception that when you're young you can eat just about everything and only when you're old you have to put restraints on your eating habits. in actuality, we need to look after ourselves every single day irrespective of how old we are.
although my sponsor did not suggest an exercise plan to complement the herbalife programme she had recommended for me, one of my doctors suggested i simply wake up early every other morning to do a 20 mins brisk walk before work. there goes my "i don't have time" excuse out the window. *lol* i'm still recovering from my fever-flu-cough-vertigo at the moment so i haven't utilized the treadmill at home. haha...
anyways, wish me luck in my herbalife journey!! i'll be sure to put up before and after shots if everything goes as planned. :)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
weight loss and supplements...
i've been dealing with weight problems for the longest time. i used to be this scrawny girl who could eat practically as much as i like and not gain weight. those were the days. once i hit puberty my weight began it's glorious increase up til form 5. fortunately by mid-form 5 i was beginning to lose weight somehow (i took dance classes for 2 months) and returned to my slimmer sillouhette by year end. it stayed that way for about 3 years - well, kinda. i did gain during my uni semester breaks - until that unfortunate gastric attack during the end of my 2nd year's 2nd semester. who knows whatever meds the doctors injected into me while i was laying in the university's health centre emergency ward (thanks to the help of my buddies, muax babes!). all i kno is from then on weight loss was no longer a breeze. my weight escalated and all efforts to slim down was somewhat hampered. *sigh*
here i sit now at my highest weight to date still trying almost everything under the sun to reach the ideal and healthy weight for my height and frame. days gone by and my target still eludes me. i enlisted in the then new gym in town - y fitness - which recently went "kaput"! i did manage to squeeze some good out of the membership so not much regrets there for not going as regularly as i'd hoped. anyways, the reason for this blog entry is this. sharing my experiences with slimming products currently in the market. *smile*
this is a product i absolutely love at the moment. oriyen's corn fibre plus chewables. it contains corn fibre (duh!!) to bind and flush oil out of the body, green tea to prevent digestion and absorption of oil and fat and garcinia fruit which prevents fat synthesis and increases metabolism. you can take it before, during or at most 30 mins after taking a heavy or highly fatty/oily meal. gotta love that flexibility. seriously, you can literally see the oil in your stools!!! i kid you not. it's yummy too (orange flavour). there's absolutely no discomfort for me or frequent motion passing. it really helps alleviate the guilt of eating your fave foods!!
nn's apple juice drink with l-carnitine is delish! since l-carnitine is highly found in red meat (which you shouldn't be taking a lot of), this is a great alternative. i drink 15ml mixed with 1/2 glass of water twice a day. what it does is converts your fat deposits into energy which is great cos it helps make me feel less fatigued hehe. as far as weight loss results, i can't vouch for its efficacy yet.
omg! yes, i do have a cellulite problem and i'm not proud of it. anyhow, since it's already there, i might as well find some way of improving its appearances right? enter nn celluease caps. that's 1 cap twice a day (as recommended on the box). i've ony just started on this so i can't really say it's working because i'm also doing some kneading with l'oreal's pro-massager (i'll talk about it in a bit). this is gonna sound so cliche but because cellulite is a result of poor circulation, it's recommended to consume at least 2 litres of plain water (about 8 8oz glasses that is). but mind you, this really varies on the individual though. some people might need more than 2 litres daily depending on your own body water composition. you can check with a nutritionist on this.
i was watching dr. mehmet oz on oprah last night and he mentioned the importance of fibre in our diet. so here's what i've started taking recently: nn fibre plus (main component: psyllium husks). it's sugar-free and absolutely yummy (orange flavoured again). of course we all know fibre helps for those who experience constipation and anyone with high cholesterol problems. this product is said to have a higher fibre potency than oats. so if you're not really into the whole oatmeal thing, here's a nice alternative to look into. just 1 heaped scoop (scoop included in can) with 1/2 or 1 glass of water. if you take this in between meals, it helps to fill you up to curb cravings too! but i take it for it's fibre benefits. *wink* no, you won't be rushing to the bathroom with this one.
as a breakfast meal replacement (on most days), i take nn thermo trim drink either in vanilla or choc flavours. the easiest way to prepare this drink is mixing 1 glass of water (i use room temp water) with 1 tbsp nestle nesvita non-fat milk powder and 1 sachet of thermo trim - all in a shaker. i like it simply because it doesn't taste like a meal replacement. it's like having milo or milk for breakfast. anyways, i'm pretty filled up in the morning after a glass of this, the apple juice and fibre drink. i don't recommend drinking the choc version sans milk though. i personally didn't quite like the taste. if you don't have nesvita non-fat, use any low-fat or skim milks instead. plus, you can get creative with the preps - make smoothies and fruity shakes. alternatively, you can take this between meals or replace breakfast and dinner. *smile*
i may be a bit biased (i love l'oreal) but this is a wonderful product. unlike any other slimming or firming lotions out there, this one has it's own massage head. and it only takes 1 to 2 strokes on the intended areas! first massage, then use the post-massage lotion on the other end. simple and not messy. no intense massage sessions required. i definitely saw improvement with my gigantic thighs. the cellulite is less visible and skin texture is smoother. i actually tried this before buying the celluease. hehe. and to think i'm only on my first bottle!
now here's a product i'm still waiting to try but am still waiting for my iou's to arrive. oriyen's mixed vinegar tabs i said to contain the beneficial acetic acid content of a whole lemon. contrary to popular belief that lemons are bad for you if you have gastric problems (like me), it's actually recommended to stabilize the acidity in the stomach (as per my mum's doctor's advise). ok, so i'm not just interested to try this supplement because of it's neutralizing properties but also because of its many other benefits (read: apple cider vinegar) including promoting weight loss. did you know that if your body is acidic, it holds on to more fat to protect your internal organs?!?!?
ok. for what didn't quite cut it for me: nh detoxlim and nh detoxlim plus. i know the package says no side effects and all natural ingredients and all, but unfortunately these aren't the products for me. i had acute stomachaches and at times it became so bad i could barely walk about and end up resting on the bed. i tried both versions on two separate occasions but with the same results. in fact i got similar effects with putri binari's pijut perut xlim (previously known as susut perut).
another -xlim family is beauxlim. i know the ads are very inviting. it enticed me. lol! but i really didn't see any results whatsoever with this product. i bought the 2+1 value pack (2 in fact) for a 2 month programme. no stomach pain with this one though (thank goodness!!). nothing extraordinary with this experience. it's pretty much as described on the box except maybe the part where they say at one stage your body no longer absorbs fat or something like that.
here's a product that has garnered rave reviews but i'm thinking it's probably only meant for those not so big peeps out there. maybe for someone who needs to lose the extra buldge (a small buldge i presume). plus the massaging part is such a chore!! but then again, if you're really interested in this, there's always the watson lotion massager unit to the rescue. just fill up the cylinder with the wonder shaper and squirt squirt, you can start the battery-operated massager. *smile*
all this talk about products and meal replacements and what not, don't lose sight of making sure your body gets the proper nutrients. the best and easiest way to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals is an all-in-one (pretty much) tablet. after scouting around for the best brand to provide this need for me, i've settled with gnc's women's ultra mega multivitamins. if you're a member (i think it's rm30 - don't quote me on this cos i'm not too sure) you could get it at a discounted price. but if you're lucky, and you tell the salesgirl you'd like to try out the product first before considering membership, she might be able to give you the member's discount as well. *wink* for better value, get the bigger bottle (90 tabs) which should last you about 3 months. the best thing about this particular multivit is you only have to take it once a day (i.e. at breakfast) and the vits are time-released so you don't have to break it in half (as recommended by dr. oz on oprah) to make sure you don't waste the benefits. for a detailed look at the vits and minerals list click here. so far after much comparison, i have yet to find a rival to the list of goodies packed in this one.
hhmm. calcium is also important. we don't want to have to go through osteoperosis in our golden years now do we? my one-a-day tab only provides half the recommended dosage (but our bodies can take up more) which is why i've added the nesvita non-fat milk powder to my thermo trim (apart from improving the taste of the choc flavoured version). according to the nestle website, 2 glasses of the milk product accounts for 100% of the recommended dose. so there you go. there's also magnesium and d3 vitamin in the multivit and those are important for calcium absorption as well as making sure your stools aren't too loose/hard.
if you're lactose intolerant or you just plain don't like milk, try citrex cal-mag-d3 then. these are choc flavoured chewables and best part is unlike most other brands, it contains not only calcium but both magnesium and d3!! and because these are chewables, it's just so convenient.
i wasn't at all interested in taking supplements before this. especially not on a daily basis. but end of the day i came to a realization that it isn't easy to fulfill our recommended dietary dosage of vits and minerals. and more often than not, in this day and age, there's just way too much processed foods and food lacking in nutrient which makes it even harder to stay healthy proper. i'm also taking bio-life's 1000mg epo 1 vege cap a day. epo helps balance out hormones and if you experience pms (i.e. cramps, mood swings, etc) this is a great help.
Monday, October 6, 2008
packing the pounds is easier than trimming down...
after a month of fasting, syawal has arrived bringing the ever-anticipated aidilfitri celebrations. of course we went back to my grandmother's house for the annual family get together to mark the end of ramadhan. hari raya is i think more of a celebration of feasting than anything else. of course there are the sad sentiments woven into the picture. reminiscence of those who've passed and are not able to share the joy and laughter of today. the young collecting green packets filled with cash.
ooo.. the food!!! apart from the scrumptious selection of cakes and delicious food (i.e. mutton & chicken curry, beef rendang, mixed vege, soto, etc.), then there's the indian twist (mostly because my stepdad's indian blood) with chapati and dhal. yum yum... delicioso!!
you would expect one to actually lose weight or slim down a bit during fasting month. well, i failed miserably in that area despite having lesser food intake. my body's not working as it should.
well, all of a sudden i'm on this health spree or something. i've acknowledged that i need supplements (finally!) am currently trying out gnc women's ultra mega multivits and am taking it with epo. then i've just started on cellu-ease tablets to reduce cellulite appearance. to aid my weight loss efforts, i'm also taking nn l-carnitine apple juice (delish!!) twice daily and oriyen corn fibre whenever i'm consuming oily or fat-rich foods. soon i'll have to start on my yoga poses. the last time i did yoga it helped increase my body muscle mass. the difference is this time i'm taking it slow. i've been trying to lose weight too fast for my own good and it backfired. i ended up becoming even lazier (and bigger) than before i started. call me crazy but i'm taking meal replacements for breakfast. at the moment i'm trying out nn thermo drink (vanilla & choc). hehe. i'm obssessed with cosway products now and can't wait for next month's promos.
ooo.. the food!!! apart from the scrumptious selection of cakes and delicious food (i.e. mutton & chicken curry, beef rendang, mixed vege, soto, etc.), then there's the indian twist (mostly because my stepdad's indian blood) with chapati and dhal. yum yum... delicioso!!
you would expect one to actually lose weight or slim down a bit during fasting month. well, i failed miserably in that area despite having lesser food intake. my body's not working as it should.
well, all of a sudden i'm on this health spree or something. i've acknowledged that i need supplements (finally!) am currently trying out gnc women's ultra mega multivits and am taking it with epo. then i've just started on cellu-ease tablets to reduce cellulite appearance. to aid my weight loss efforts, i'm also taking nn l-carnitine apple juice (delish!!) twice daily and oriyen corn fibre whenever i'm consuming oily or fat-rich foods. soon i'll have to start on my yoga poses. the last time i did yoga it helped increase my body muscle mass. the difference is this time i'm taking it slow. i've been trying to lose weight too fast for my own good and it backfired. i ended up becoming even lazier (and bigger) than before i started. call me crazy but i'm taking meal replacements for breakfast. at the moment i'm trying out nn thermo drink (vanilla & choc). hehe. i'm obssessed with cosway products now and can't wait for next month's promos.
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