Wednesday: Gym & Dentist Visit

Have you ever have that feeling like some forces of nature is doing everything it can to make you late for school or appointments?
I got up early today so I wont have to rush...even prepared stuff last night so I have less to think about....and yet we were still 5 mins late!!
What made us late??? Well, not 2 but 3 cars had to make a turn on a single lane street and so we had to wait for them to make their turns....then I got stuck behind a huge trailer truck which was going 20 on a 45 mph road.But that was ok coz we still have 2 mins...but then on the very last turn we had to make , light turned red so fast only 1 car was able to go!!! WTF!!!! ...grrrr...so instead of just pulling over at the curve at the school parking lot so teacher's could get the students....I had to find a parking spot , get Shinjo from the back seat , walk to the office , sign in coz now we were late , walk to the hall way , and avoid eye contact with the teacher coz we were , yes , LATE.
O.K. Goddess of Let's-Ruin-People's-Day , you win.

Now I'm 15 mins behind schedule so while driving to the gym I was trying to make mental math on how I'm gonna fit in my work out routine and still have enough time to pick up Shinjo ( 2 & 1/2 hours Kindergarten class).
So here is my work out log for today, Wednesday Sept. 30th.
Elliptical : Level 7-9 Incline-12 / 20 mins
Treadmill : Level 5 / 15 mins
Level 4.5-3.5 5 mins
Elliptical : Level 6 Incline -12 / 15 ins ( total of 55 mins cardio )

Weight Training:
Bicep Curls : 20lbs 12 reps/4Sets
Triceps Kickback : 15lbs 12 Reps/4 Sets On each arms
Cable Seated Low Row : 60lbs 15 reps/4 Sets

Floor Exercise: Check Workout images HERE

Push Ups: 10x
Reverse Crunch:40x
Pulse Up : 40x
Crunch Twist : 40x
Superman: 40x

All in all it was a great work out.I was excited to find out that I could still run 20 mins at level 5 :).
Breakfast was the same as yesterday.
After work out snack : Banana & Protein shake ( 1 scoop)
Lots of ice water.

--------------------------------------

Me & Princess went to the dentist for routine cleaning.
I was still thinking of the cosmic force that's trying to make me late so I left early....too early...in fact I was an hour early ( ugh!)
I dunno anybody who's that excited to see their dentist.
Anyway...I think I like the calmness of being an hour early than being 5 mins late. Dentist says everythings good. I could hear Princess chatting with her hygenist on the other cube. Thank goodness they put a cover over those scary instruments.They look like murder weapons :).

I hope tomorrow, the Goddess of Lateness will find somebody else to annoy.

Work Out Log

I decided that it is more fun to log in my work out here instead of just scribbling it down to some boring notebook.Yesterday was not a good day to work out for several reasons.

•  I was stressed out about the flooding in my hometown and the condition of my parents. I am so glad that they are ok and I have never been so happy to hear their voices over the phone. They are unhurt, just thoroughly drenched and now they have to deal with clean up and putting their house & lives back together.
•  Kids weren't feeling well. Princess was complaining about her throat and she has two mollars popping out so she had to stay home.
• Husband was also exhausted from running around the other night trying to find phone cards for me so I could call my family.

So, today I went to the gym and felt really good about my work out. I even had extra time to shower in the gym ( first time) and it felt great driving away fresh & clean .

Breakfast : Cup of tea
1/2 cup oatmeal (cooked)
1 scoop protein powder ( mixed in with oatmeal)

Cardio:
Elliptical ~ level 6-8/ 20 mins
Stairmaster~ 68 steps/minute / 20 mins
Elliptical ~ Level 6 / 20 mins

Weight training :
Chest Fly : 15lbs each / 15 reps / 3 sets
Lat Pulldown : 60lbs / 10 reps/3 sets
Over Head Press : 15lbs each / 15 reps/3 sets

Floor Exercise: See images of routines Here
Push Ups: 10x
Reverse Crunch:40x
Pulse Up : 40x
Crunch Twist : 40x
Superman: 40x

Don't forget to stretch and breath!!!

After workout snack : Banana

Good start for the day !!!

 

 

 

Why The Long Absence?

Almost 8 months that I didn't touch my blog when I spent countless hours
tweeking html codes till I was happy with the layout and not to mention editing pics and researching topics to post..coz you know I don't like just yapping away without any interesting topic to write about. A lot of stuff happened and many are really worth posting..( ahh..it will be some great reading for me too )

I decided to take a break to find my balance. I needed to regroup and re-focus my mind . Re-set my priorities and set new goals. I felt like I was going into a very dull monotonous routines and it's not making me happy.

The top of my list are my children of course. They are my backbone. They've allways been my top priorities and I know they know that mommy will always have time for them no matter what.
Second is my husband...well..he's right there almost side-by-side with my kids on my prority list.

So what else....hhmmm...myself....yes myself..
I have been neglecting myself. My health , my weight , my hobbies ...just not interested in doing all that. I needed motivation..I needed extra push.

First , I joined a band. It's called The Modulators . It's more like a hobby band and we get to practice or jam once a week. We played a few gigs too. It was very exciting for me to find that I could still sing.
I'll post more details about "The Mods" later.

Second, I started going to the gym & eating healthy.
The wake-up moment for me was when I saw a picture of me in a very unflattering angle that made me realize..." do I really wanna look like that or should I do something about it"? My husband found a fitness trainer to give me advice and support and it made a lot of difference. Kristi is a proffesional body builder & fitness/health trainer and I was so amazed by her physique I wanted to be like her ( or close..just a tiny bit).
Now I am even more determined to loss weight and get in shape.

Everything that Kristi taught me and stuff that I read about weight loss totally changed my life. But don't get me wrong...It is freakin' hard!!
I changed my eating habbit , I gave up coffee ,diet coke or any sugary drinks, and I go to bed much early. The result of all of this changes is very positive for me and my family. I am more organized and relaxed, I feel so much better about myself. I got more time to get things done at home and and everyday I look forward to going to the gym and see if I could do cardio much lomger, do more sets or more sit ups. These are what I look forward to now everyday.
Did I lose weight? Of course I did :D I can now fit into my old jeans.
But I am not there yet. I have a few more pounds to lose before I could say " Yes , I Did  It!!"..

 
                 Before                                                            After

Note: Pics might not show significant change but do felt like my face has become smaller  two months since I started with the weightloss program. When I am truly skinny ( that would be a great xmas gift for myself) I will bravely post a whole body shot ...with clothes on of course.



So why go back to blogging? Because I always enjoy writing and reading other blogs. There's so much to learn & share. But now I have my balance so I know I'm not gonna sit in front of the computer for hours & hours and not accoplishing anything . I have my priorities and goals I have to meet but time is managed right there's  always  time to spare to blog away.

I'm Back..sorta:)

Geesh it's been 3 weeks since my last post.

March and April have not been good to me...I mean I have been getting off and on this misserable allergy and when you two kids relying on you every single day you just can't afford to get sick. I just keep telling my mind that everything's gonna be okay ( pat myself in the back).

Warning to all mothers out there who uses different house hold cleaners because they can be toxic. My biggest suspision was I got expose to a very strong carpet spray cleaner and I forgot to use rubber gloves. The same night I started having hives all over my body and my hands just itch like hell!!!! Then my immune system crashed and I started sniffing and caughing......uughhhhhh!!! You get the picture...not very pretty , yah..it was quite a sorry state of me.

I got over it but the itch in my hands remained...grrrrrr!!
Now I'm so paranoid with everything I touch.
But I can help using spray or any kind of cleaner like in the bathroom or the kitchen...
So I got sick again and back to the doc for the 2nd time.....took some blood samples ( Yikes I just hate that coz everytime I go to a lab to get my blood drawn my veins retrieve into hiding ). Thank god we have good insurance plan. Grabeh ang mahal magkasakit dito sa tate..sa totoong gulay lang :(

I can't wait to get healthy again.....ayaw ko na mag take ng benadril for my hives coz it just makes me so drowsy.

Update On Our House:

Ang tagal din pala ng procedures dito when you want to build a house.
We started in January and nothing got done till all the permits and financial stuff were all in place. So far the picture below is what it looks like now. I don't know when its going to be finish but I am quite excited...di ko lang pinapahalata :)

Some trees and bushes were cleared and the ground was leveled so that they can start building the foundation. We will come back next week and check in on the progress

That's all I have for now.
I hope I'll get back on my feet again and will have more interesting topic to post.

Ciao!

Weighing In ~ 4th Week

Pound Lost This Week: 0 lbs :(
Total Pound Lost: 5 lbs

Target Weight : 110-115 lbs


The scale didn't change this week even when I've increased my work out from 3x a week to 5x a week and calorie intake is still very much under control.
The positive side of me says " Atleast you didn't gain weight!". But I make no excuse anymore and I'm not settling for less.
I'd keep doing what I'm doing and probably increase my cardio work out and I definitely need a new scale. I didn't break my old one ( that would be embarrassing) its just that it’s the analog kind and it’s not consistent. I’ll get a digital scale later today so I can see the slightest change on my weight.

The good news is since I’ve been doing more intense work outs , I feel that my muscles are firmer, my butt is tighter and higher and my arms are less flabby. If I’d only rely on the scale I would be really discouraged but when I put on my jeans , it fits better and looks better so that’s my reward for the hard work that I’ve been doing for the past 4 weeks now.

On Sunday during the Superbowl, I was working out while the game was being recorded. I was so pumped up so I decided to do more .While I was on the floor doing planks I felt as sharp pain on the right side of my buns . I was hurting so bad I rolled a few times but the pain just got worse. I called my husband ( he was at a superbowl party w/ friends) coz I thought I’m gonna have to go to the ER. He advised that I lay still and try to relax my legs. It hurt so much I was in tears but after a couple more minutes the pain slowly went away ( whew!). As much as I wanted to keep going with the work out , I had to just lay low because I didn’t want to aggravate if I pulled a muscle . The next day I could still feel a little tingle on the right side of my butt but it didn’t hurt any more so I was able to finish my routine.

The Plank.One Of the best work outs for the Abs

My goal this week is to increase my cardio to 10-15 more minutes. Valentines Day is coming and it would be nice to be able to wear nice outfit if my DH decides to take me out for a special dinner.



Eating Healthy:



Ginger-Carrot Vinaigrette

<

Note: This is my home made salad dressing. I got this idea from our favorite Japanese restaurant and added some more twist to it. The ginger might to be too strong for some but you can balance the falvor with vinegar or salt & sugar. The carrot is the surpirse ingredients for this recipe and I love the freshness of its flavor and work perfectly well with the salad greens and other fresh veggies.

Ingredients:

• Carrots cut into chunks


• Ginger ,about an inch


• Clove of garlic


• 1 Tbp Chopped Onion (optional)


• 1 Cup Olive Oil


• 1/2 Cup Cider Vinigar


• Salt And Pepper to taste


• 2 tbp Sugar

Put all ingredients together on a blender and mix for about a min.
Store left over in the fridge and it will last up to 2 weeks

What's In Your Kitchen

This is a thread that lovely Rhebs started to give us a glimpse of the food choices that we have in connection with our goal to healthy lifesyle and staying fit.
I was adamant to show photos of our fridge but what the heck. I wish I have a SubZero refrigerator but its not the point of this thread so I guess its ok .
We are renting an apartment and the appliances are already set up plus there are limited space so I try to only buy food that will fit in our storage. The good thing about our location is we are very close to the mall and grocery store so I can always get fresh produce whenever I need it.

This fridge does not contain 100% healthy food ( see the ice cream?).My kids are allowed to have some treats every now and then.

Morning:
My morning typically start with a hot cup of coffee with lots of cream but I have healthier substitute for sugar & fatty cream.I love toast with some butter (the butter substitute is godsend) and also whole grain cereals.

Lunch:
Usually I would just have some salad and some fresh fruits. For dressing, I like to make my own vinaigrette or if I don't have time I'd have my favorite pomegranate raspberry vinaigrette.Gotta have cheese with my salad and feta is always the high light of my salad.

Photo on the left shows my homemade dressing.I'll post its ingredients later on.The next photo is the only other dressing that I like

I love cheese!!

Late Afternoon:
This is the time when I usually do my work out and 30 mins before that I like having a glass of protien shake.This two are my favorite. It helps build lean muscles and curbs appetite.

I like the rich chocolate flavor of Slimfast.I use 1% milk coz I like to have some flavor in it.I alternate with whey protein w/c is also great if your are working out

Dinner:
This is the meal that I spend lots of time and is kinda tricky for me because my kids and husband have different food preference and nutritional needs .It try to make the dishes that I make as healthy as possible.

Skinless boneless chicken breast a favorite in our household

Tofu is a great source of protein with very little fat.I also like roasting chicken and some meat for stir fry veggies

Other Healthier alternatives Of My Favorite Food

There's Always Fresh Veggies In My Fridge

And Some Frozen Too

I buy fruits that are in season coz they are fresher , tastier and cheaper

Seasonings For Tasty Meals

Snacks:
I prefer fresh fruit for snack or maybe some cut veggies.I love nuts too but what I do is I buy them in bulk coz its cheaper then I roast them.this way I can control the salt and oil. Sometimes I like having some chilled jello too.

Guilt Free Desert

Raw Peanuts

And don't forget multivatimins and supplements which are also vital in keeping our mind and body in tip top shape.

As We Get Older Our Body Gets Extra Help From Multivitanmins,Minerals and Supplements

So there you have it.
I hope I have offered healthy ideas to those who are also trying to lose weight and stay healthy.

Weighing In ~ Week 3

Pound Lost This Week: 2 lbs
Total Pound Lost: 5 lbs

Target Weight : 110-115 lbs

More to go…….

My energy level has dramatically increased. I can finish my work out routine and not feel winded. The push ups and squats are becoming less painful and I could see visible definition on my muscles and abs.
The physical results of healthy eating ( don’t want to call it dieting any more) and regular work out are very important to me . Other than the decline on my weight , I need to see that my body is also going through desirable transformation. Specially as we age , our muscles loses firmness and our skin has less and less elasticity thus you see sagging arm or flat butt. If I could not see any results from my work out then it would be very hard for me to get motivated to keep eating healthy and do any physical activities.

Its too soon to post pictures but when I get to where I wanna be I would definitely show it off but not just to brag but perhaps to inspire others that if I can do it so can you.

Eating Healthy:

My quick and easy version of Chicken Teriyaki.
This recipe doesn’t need too long of prep time like my other version where the chicken or meat had to be marinate for period of time before you can grill or bbq it. This one is when you don’t have much time but still get similar flavor and still is very healthy

Quick And Easy Chicken Teriyaki

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless chicken breast. Cut into thin strips/pieces,


• 1" thick ginger . Cut into big chucks so you can just fish it out if u don’t like biting into the spicy ginger.


• 3 cloves of garlic , smashed and chopped finely


• half of a medium size onion , chopped finely


• ½ cup Kikkoman teriyaki sauce


• ¾ cup apple juice


• olive oil for sautéing


• salt and pepper to taste


• 2 tbs brown sugar ( optional )


• 1 tbs Corn starch dissolved in some water

Heat skillet . Medium to high heat
Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
Sauté garlic, onion and ginger till transparent
Add chicken, salt and pepper
let cook for about 2 mins or till the chicken is slightly cooked.
Add teriyaki sauce, apple juice and sugar.
Use spatula to move/mix the chicken around the pan then
let cook for another 4-6 minutes or till it boils.
Slowly add corn starch solution while mixing.
Cook for another 2 mins.

Serve with steamed rice

Weighing In

Week 2 : 1.5 lost
Total Weight Lost : 3 lbs.


I find it truly encouraging to put your progress in writing or better yet , in your blog.
I was afraid that I didn’t lose any weight because Shinjo got sick on the weekends and I just couldn't do my work out while worrying at the same time but I tried really hard to keep my portion control . I cheated a little bit after my kids requested chocolate cake for dessert :).

Monday Shinjo still has high fever and I just monitored his temperature in case it spikes up and we have to rush to the ER. Fortunately, his fever subsided in the evening .

I didn’t do my work out for 3 day L so today I was adamant to step on the scale but I was glad I did because it went down another one and a half pound. It was enough to give me the adrenaline to do my cardio routine and even went over a few extra minutes.


I am really inspired by Rhebs, Tony and Geri because they are consistent with their weight loss goal and they have the body to prove it. I’ve been seeing a lot of programs out there to help shed excess pounds but I’m too cheap to spend any dollars. I have a few work out DVD’s at home and a couple of work out machine so I think the thought of wasted money if I don’t use them would drive me to take advantage of stuff that I already have and later on if there’s negative result then I would definitely sign up on something even buy a gym membership coz I really don’t want the size of my clothes to go higher….lower….it should be lower…size 2-4 would be ideal.

Eating Healthy

Chicken Cutlet With Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese and Stir-fried Veggies

Note: This is my own version of famous chicken parma but w/ a little healthier twist

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast or tenders : cut into small strips and pounded till thin.


• parmesan and mozzarella cheese


• Mustrad


• Olive oil


• Salt and pepper

Heat your non-stick skillet and add oil. Avoid over heating because olive oil burns faster than regular cooking oil.
Mean time , season your chicken with salt and pepper.
With a turkey or basting brush , smother chicken cutlet with mustard
then roll them in the cheese mixture till covered.
Fry them in batches to brown evenly.
Don’t over crowed the skillet coz heat wont circulate and chicken will get soggy.

Set aside cooked cutlets over paper towels .

Stir-Fry Veggies

• Yellow and Red bell pepper cut into thin strips


• Broccoli florets


• Onion sliced thin


• Some garlic


• Some broth ( chicken or beef)


• Olive oil

Heat skillet then add olive oil
Saute garlic and onion till transparent , don’t let it get brown.
Add broccoli and let cook for 2 mins.
When broccoli is tender, add the yellow and red bell pepper.
Add broth ( just enough to steam the veggies )
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook for another 2 mins.

Serve with steamed rice or fresh baked rolls.

New Year New Look

I’ve always wanted a make over for my blog but I’m not an html savvy so it took quite some time ( about a month ) to gather up all the steps and techniques to get what I wanted ( or come close) and so here it is…my new 2008 layout. Can’t get me a brand new car but I’m just as excited to have a new look for my blog.


2007 breezed my life away just like a cold December weather in the Philippines.When you have kids , they take over your life , your world , your mind and I can’t seems to recall any significant event that happened to ME.. except for my weight gain .Hahahhaaa

There it goes again. Like an old broken record .The love-hate affair with dieting. All through this years of trying to fit in my skinny jeans , to no avail , I have learned that with the age factor , there is nothing that will work to keep in shape but to eat sensibly ,healthy and be physically active. In my case, I am having a hard time sticking with the later. But I know there is absolutely no excuse even wiht the unforgiving rainy season here in Oregon. I should be able to find time and don't make any more lazy excuses.



Like the 5 Stages Of Grief :
• Denial (this isn't happening to me!)
• Anger (why is this happening to me?)
• Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
• Depression (I don't care anymore)
• Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes)

Now , I'm at the last stage. I went through all of that and it took a while to get to the final point…Acceptance…I know now that if I don’t kick my big fat butt to do some work out CONSISTENTLY…I’m never gonna get to my weight goal. Another thing is I should stop feel bad for left over food. I hate throwing food away so instead of going to the trash , they ends up on my thighs..

I salute all those people who lost their excess weight and stick to their work out routine and healthy lifestyle because it's not easy.


This year , my new blog theme is a salute to a new lifestyle…..staying fit and eating right!!