This is an assurance to all that I am eating normally. For the record, I had 重庆 steamboat last evening and it's a first.
Today marks the 40th day of my bewildering diet! Rule of replacement -- I just need to take my focus away on why I shouldn't eat this and that, and be happy about the goodness I am putting in my mouth. That reminds me I should start applying the same rule in the other areas of my life.
It works pretty well so far except that I caught the bug a second time since and the cold weather must bear some responsibility. I mean I deal with a nose allergy occasionally but that's not flu nor cold. Wish spring can arrive sooner.
*sings This is the song that doesn't end...*
At the end of the day I actually popped a sample piece of Valrhona dark chocolate and I must consider that a reward for myself ;P And by the way, my face may look small but not exactly round because I do have a chin, you know?
40th Day
By His grace
Having two D-Days falling in the same week is... indescribably.
Thankfully, Doc & I are rather satisfied with progress through efforts from diet change and test results from the research. I am being referred to a dermatologist before we explore more scary possibilities of causes -- I squirmed while hearing about them and feel rather anxious after much assurance.
Exam's finally over and I've tried my best... I want to pass and move on. Grace, grace!
Detox continues because the 3 weeks makes a great deal of difference and because life goes on... 2010, here I come!
Cut to de-stress
Check out more salads I made here...
Additional ingredients explored: baby carrots, bananas, blueberries, hard-boiled egg, tofu, sweet corn, walnuts, chick peas, peppers, tuna... For the record, I slice lettuce like I would to fish... I'm amused by myself 'cos I'm supposed to chop!
No more baking as it does little benefit to people who gets to eat them, including myself. Perhaps only for special occasions.
Going into the kitchen to make stuff so healthful and colorful does start my days on a happy note!
It's gonna be alright!?!
Business. 3 weeks more to end of financial year.
Blood. I hate going through the tests and medical checkup, and everything has to happen this week... and I still volunteered to participate in a research programme. I guess that's the only way I can ever give back to my doctor.
Exam. I've not optimistic about this Sunday by my reading progress, but will try nevertheless.
Face. I need a new one. 3 weeks of no fast food, detox and being hungry half the time isn't helping. I guess a little goes a long way... Maybe I should see the famous Dr Georgia Lee and spend $400/month for that. No, not unless I'm out of my sanity. But I do need help.
-- Verbal vomit via iPhone, will update proper when time permits.
Go Green
My body protested after much deprivation of the usual intake of carbohydrates and fats, and caught a cold because of the erratic weather. I had to take cold baths at night because the heat's killing me!
Something odd about this year: I lost 4 kilos due to gastric in April and then put everything back on plus 2 in August, and I perpetually have pimples on my face. *sulks* Unfortunately I'm not going through puberty a second time but on the contrary, age is really catching up. I'm not happy, Doc's not happy, so something's gotta change.
Besides the usual fruits and veggies, I take more white meat and complex carbohydrates. I do find myself craving less.
I actually do enjoy shopping for ingredients and creating varieties. Here's my newly concocted colorful pasta salad... Awfully proud of myself!
While my insides (and my face) are turning green, the good news for me is 2 kilos are off the scales. After 10 days. Go green with me?
Salad Mania
Recently I'm a little crazy about vegs and fruits, greens and reds... Mix and match lettuce, capsicum, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, apples, strawberries, sunflower seeds, with Italian dressing or mustard. Yum. But oh, that makes me hungry half the time!
When time is short, I dig into Subway's Oven Baked Chicken Breast Salad (left) and otherwise, it's up to my liking (right) using the stuff I buy from the mart over the weekend. See how long I'll last!
In the waters
Back to swimming.
Love the gradual tan.
Happy to be rebuilding stamina, and hopefully toned muscles.
Happier to have my beau for a personal coach.
I don't have to think about a single thing in the blue, I just have to remember to move my limbs and come up for air.
Slightly underwater for some stuff but still surviving and looking forward to 2010.
Bumper
In the midst of losing my balance in one lucky moment, I accidentally knocked my head against an advertisement board in T Mall. Loud bang, real hard, mega ouch. Piece of sh*t. Immediately this huge bump rose on my right forehead next to my Harry Potter alike scar and slightly grazed.
I told my dad about it and he said he will have someone remove the board. Haha.
Thankfully the size of the bump is significantly reduced and I am not experiencing nausea, migraine or fainting spells... short of occasional dull headache, and so I guess I do not need to scan for concussion. Test my quotients, reflexes or memory, someone?
What goes in... and out
I realize after I hit the big three, some things have changed and they aren't really intentional.
Within my circle of influence, I am the so-called pharmacist for head, nose, throat, stomach-related symptoms because I self-medicate, and because I hate seeing doctors except for that sheet of paper they sign on when I badly need it.
After getting acquainted with my new gal friend V, I now pill pop even more. Seven is the numero.
For the lack of nutrients in my diet especially if I eat out more than I stay home for mom's cooking, supplements is the way to go for a maturing, aging, health freak, whatever you would like to call me. But little do I know that "heatiness" (Chinese calls it) created by the supplements in my body accounts for my easy irritability, higher body temperature for the past two months, and the erratic climate makes it worse!
Good and bad cholesterol run high in my system and so I have to reduce my intake of my typical favorites like prawns, chicken rice, cheesecake. Ugh! Having said that, I am also known to be the one taking "rabbit food" (raw carrots, celery, capsicum, lettuce) and being a water freak - I drink a minimal of two daily liters of H20 and I get cursed at when I nag at people to do the same. Oh, and I drink lotsa milk too.
Idea for breakfast: Mix raw rolled oats and Anlene milk powder together... That's probably a way I could get my mom to increase her intake of calcium, fiber with a whole load of goodness. How cool's that? For variety, you can keep the high sodium content cornflakes or opt for bran that is lower in Glycemic Index (GI).
Next step: I have to convince myself and decide what kind of exercise I should be regularly embark on. I am a yoga backslider but my love for it has never died. Short of attending regular classes, I still pull and stretch whenever my body is idle for strength and posture. Alright, I know yoga ain't really consider exercise... Hmmmm, maybe I should just start brisk walking for now?
Sun, sand and sea, and ouch!
It was simply exhilarating to plan a trip to the East Coast Park with LY today to get away from her work stress. Just by being there feels great and sending MMS to peeps who can't be there makes me the evil one! ;P
Over the years I have not been cycling and developed a phobia because of a bad accident I got into at the park. I have no idea how I summoned the confidence and energy sufficient for me to try it again... but it's now or never! Honestly, there were turns and slopes that were quite unnerving... but I must say cycling to Bedok Jetty and to the far end near the airport, and back to MacDonald's is quite a feat for me!
It's just a luxury to be lying on the ground under the shade and listening to the crashing waves... Close your eyes and be quiet... Walking on the sand, standing on the rocks and be so close to the sun... Don't you just envy my freedom.
As you know, Jan doesn't exercise and needless to say, muscles ache like crazy and I had to use some pain relieving analgesic. At least now I feel my limbs are still mine after some rest. And because I didn't apply sunblock well and enough, I'm somewhat burnt on my tanktop line, front and back!
Yet, I'm thankful for His grace... It's an awfully gorgeous day out and I regret not!
