Why weight?

Growing up I took part in numerous activities including ballet, gymnastics, and swimming. I was pretty active all through to high school and managed to stay in a healthy weight range for my age and height. Then in university when most people usually gained the "freshman 15", I did the exact opposite. I lost a huge amount of weight in a rapid amount of time. So much so that my own mother didn't recognise me when she picked me up at the airport when I went home for Christmas holiday! At my lightest, I was down to 118 pounds at 5'7" -- that's a BMI of 18.5, which according to the charts is borderline "underweight". I can't remember how or why I'd lost that much weight so fast but I do remember being sick of the unhealthy, greasy canteen food at the dorms so I began eating less but still went to the gym for 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Sure, I was skinny but I wasn't strong skinny because I made up the caloric deficit in alcohol and pizza on the weekends!

  

Circa 2004-2007

After graduating and moving on to the working world, it became easy to slip into a sedentary lifestyle. With my job and commuting taking up most of my day and weekends spent partying and nursing a hangover, there wasn't much time to join an activity or a sport. But heck, YOLO! I had fun all those years! However, as I entered my 30s I felt like I was burning out. So here I am in my 31st year and in the next stage of my life where I've decided to make a conscious effort in treating my body better and, thus, feeling better overall!

What I Do
I work out 5-6 days a week for at least 30 minutes a day. I do a combination of running/jogging, swimming, and strengthening exercises. I usually run using my C25K app 2-3 times a week for my 5K training, resulting in approximately 6-10km a week. Once or twice a week I swim at least a mile (I'd like to swim for longer but the pool opens at 8am and I have to be at work by 10:30am). The rest of the time, I focus on strengthening workouts such as core exercises. I like to change it up so not every week is the same. This way my body doesn't get used to the repetition and it saves me from getting bored. I listen to my body and do what it feels like that day.

I usually work out in the morning -- this gets it out of the way and if anything pops up after work, then that's me done for the day! It's tough getting up early but I know that I'll feel better once I've exercised and I find that I'm in a much better mood the rest of the day too. There are days though when I can't find it in myself to wake up early so I make it a point to work out when I get home in the evening. Sometimes, when I have energy to spare, I'll even workout twice a day.

I've become more aware of what I put in my body. At the moment I am counting calories (with MyFitnessPal) and simultaneously consciously making an effort in choosing healthier meal options. I like having porridge with fruit for breakfast, a salad with protein for lunch, and maybe a sandwich or soup for dinner. I also like to squeeze in a filling snack in the middle of the day so I'm not starving by dinnertime. I try to drink at least 2L of water a day; it's important to stay hydrated especially after a workout and living in the tropics (30C average daily weather!).

What I Don't Do
I don't follow a strict schedule nor an eating plan. I'm sure if I did, I'd probably lose more weight quicker. So far I'm happy with the results so I'll stick to what I'm doing for now.

Although I've read that weight training helps burn fat and is good for strengthening muscles that I need for running/swimming, I have not yet touched any weights. I've done it before but once I stopped, I gained a lot of weight very quickly as compared to when I just focused on cardio. So, I think I'll stick to cardio for now and maybe add weights later on.

When it comes to food, I listen to my body. Not every day is the same, even if I try to eat as healthy as possible. I do get cravings and if I can't take my mind off that chocolate chip cookie, I'll indulge in one instead of three. I'm scared that I'll end up bingeing if I don't give in to that tiny craving! I try to stay away from fried, oily, and fatty foods and have not had McDonald's in two months (this is an achievement for me!). I love pasta too and it's something I cannot give up, but I've put a limit on my carb intake. I've also cut out sugary drinks like Coca-Cola, Nestea, etc., and alcohol has been brought down to a minimum. I'll go weeks without a drop of alcohol and since I've been off it for a while, I've become a cheap drunk! ;)

It's been 7 weeks since I began this new journey of a more active and healthier lifestyle. I feel better about myself and my body, I'm happier and less moody, I'm more alert, my skin is clearer, I feel strong, and best of all I'm gaining my confidence back. To top it off, I've lost 6 pounds too. Here's to more positive results in the upcoming weeks!

A new journey

It’s been 3 months since my last blog post and between that and the post before it there was a one-month break. I started this blog without any real direction and even mentioned it in my very first entry but I had topics and ideas that I wanted to write about, which I did and published. Then I started writing things that were quite personal and had second thoughts about clicking the “Publish” button and it got to the point where I was unsatisfied because of the pointless direction I was taking. Then the New Year came and I realised where I want to go with this blog. As 2016 ushered in and I turned 31, I wanted to make a lifestyle change and decided that I want to take you along this journey with me. This tiny space on the World Wide Web will be a place for me to record this major change to become a healthier and happier person, physically and mentally.

Photo from Takbo.ph's Instagram @takboph

Growing up I was never really great at sports, but the one thing I was relatively good at and good enough to be confident in was swimming. I was on my school’s swim team from 6^th grade and joined the varsity team my freshman year of high school. We competed against local schools as well as traveled around the Asia Pacific region to race against other international schools. I have always loved the water and the smell of chlorine brings me comfort. Yes, it’s true! Haha :-) Training and racing was fun all throughout school, but unfortunately I didn’t go on to swim during my years in university. It had been years since I’d stepped into an actual racing pool to do serious laps and I’m proud to say that I finally jumped back in the water a few days before my 31^st birthday. It was not easy but I swam my little heart out and finished 1KM. (Note: I was a long distance swimmer back in the day so a 1KM back then was nothing!) That day I realised how much I missed the water and the solace it gave me. I finally found my “thing”. Ross always talks about the peace he gets when he’s outdoors and running and I often wondered “how can your mind just go blank?” and it did just that as I was doing those laps. Some people do yoga and meditate, others run… but I swim! I love the comfort and peace-of-mind it brings me.

I’m sure many can attest that after leaving school it takes a little more effort to lead an active lifestyle… Unless, of course, you’re a naturally active person. I’ve gone through “health” phases but never managed to keep consistent. I had a lot of fun going out and partying for many years but as time has passed, it’s taking me longer to recover from a hangover and I hate the time I waste moaning in bed about never drinking again when I could have been up and about doing something productive. Plus, in the past year/year-and-a-half I stopped going out as much basically because I wasn’t enjoying it anymore. I also tend to experience phases of depression, which the alcohol didn’t help at all. I like that fresh feeling when you wake up sober and starting the day early so you can tick off a lot of things from your agenda. There’s a feeling of satisfaction waking up and accomplishing so much before the clock strikes 12 (noon!). There’s also the fact that I’m not getting any younger and although I’m not “ashamed” of my age, I want to prolong the ageing process and keep this body as healthy as I possibly can!

Photo from Instagram @thegoodquote

My number 1 cheerleader on this journey!

Three weeks ago I started swimming again and I also started training for a 5K run. Running is something I’ve never been good at but I wanted to add on another challenge for myself. So 2016 is the year I make a change for a happy, healthy me… the year I will RUN a 5K (3.1miles) race… the year I will lose 14kg (31lbs) to get my “bikini body” back ;-) A “31” theme for my 31^st year!

Circa 2006

Thank you and I hope you enjoy this journey to a better life with me! :-)