… yes, I can feel that I need to do something about my expanding waistline.  As my age increases and so does my waist and hips.   What to do about it?  Self discipline!  But I can’t seem to get into the right track.   Lazy me.  I’ve been planning to start even a simple work out but  dismissed the idea when work in the office tires me during the day and I can feel that my energy are all drained up.

I am already getting worried and panicky because the big day… the wedding of an officemate is in October- a month away.  Of course, need I say I want to look my best!  It will be a photo op to post in my Facebook.   Just kidding!  Primary reason is that I am not getting any younger, my clothes does not  seem to fit right,  I feel so heavy, etc.

Let me think… Detox might help.   They said that it will help cleanse specific common toxins and habits off our lives.  Toxins creates harmful effects in our body so we need to get rid of it.   How?  A home remedy was given to me long time ago but I did not try it so I believe that it’s timely while I have this nagging urge to start my self proclaimed ‘detox program.  I hope once I started this, I will continue on because for sure there will be times that I will feel like quitting.   Determination.. ah do I have it?  The mind and body should be prepared for the experience ahead.

Drink each day drink 6-12 glasses of the following mix combined in a glass or jar and to drink continuously for 10 days.

• 2 tablespoons lemon (or lime) juice (approx. 1/2 lemon)
• 2 tablespoons of genuine “grade B” maple syrup
• 1/10 Teaspoon or more cayenne pepper
• 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of water, room temperature

I guess the mix is not so appealing but maybe this will work.  I hope you will  join me in this program.  Let us be detox buddies.  Let’s give it a try!

I will report to you the results , just give me 3 months max.

Excitedly, I was sweet -talking my husband to buy me a new pair of shoes because I told him I am ready to play badminton.   It’s been a year since we stopped and I missed playing.   We were regularly in the court before and we invested in branded and pro racquets.  However, it came to a halt when we got so busy. 

I know it is never to late to indulge again in one of  my favorite sports!

Our badminton racquets  were laid to rest for almost a year now.  Yes, laid to rest because our enthusiasm to play badminton died down.   But now, I have this yearning to belong to a sports club who played once a week.   I’ve been eyeing to join a badminton club and get back to action again. I know that we will find it hard to start all over again after we had been inactive playing for a year.   Muscle sores and panting will be one of them but I am open to that.  As long as we take the initial step and practice and play regularly, we will be able to slowly but surely get the feel of the game.   Before we hanged up our badminton raquets, we were already participating and actively playing in tournaments.   However, there were conflicts in schedules so we gave up playing in favor of other commitments. 

Now, that our schedules will allow us to play once more, I encouraged my husband to sign up in a badminton club for a game or two once a week.   We might as well do it soon because I can feel that my husband and  I are both slowing down.  Sports for all I know will make us active, fit, alert and young.  Winning more friends is a bonus.

I then have to take our racquets out  from it’s hiding place to see the light of day!

I am like thousands of women out there who is a see saw dieter who commit to diet as New Years’s resolution and gain back all the pounds once I lose focus.   I had successfully dropped almost 6 kilos in the last 5 months of starving and pushing mysel to exercise because I am drooling over a  dress I saw while malling and definitely I will look good on it if I will really lose weight.  My motivating factor is the forthcoming wedding of an officemate, and the school reunion this December.   Does this make sense?   Of course, I wanted to do look my best all the time  but  once I successfully achieved my goal, and once the event is over, I will again say hello to those pounds I’ve lost.    Yes, see -saw dieting is not new to me. 

A friend told me that seeting goals can help you lose weight and keep it off  for good.  Start it slow.Don’t crash diet.  There should be a set weekly and monthly goals.  Maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 I’ve heard that it is okey to indulge once a month. . Treat each day like a new day to eat right. What you ate yesterday doesn’t matter, it is what you eat today does.

Whatever it is, I believe that the key is to find what mativates me and use that to reward myself.  Okey, now I can have a scoop of ice cream.. Remember it is almost the end of the month.  Yummy!

Long prayers (salah) in the mosque nearby signalled that indeed the 1st day of Ramadan has started.  I was chatting with my daughter and some friends on the net till the wee hours because I know that I will be reporting an hour late to office as per arrangements.  The usual 9 hours work was reduced to 6 hours for Muslims.   They are on fast the whole day from sunrise to sunset of the entire month.   Only  physically abled Muslims are required to fast.  Exceptions are those who are sick, pregnant, lactating, travelling, etc.

The highway was almost car less and we had a swift travel to office because Muslims will be reporting to work 2 hours later.   In the office, we can feel the tension because we have this habit of drinking and  munching while busy on the computer.  However, if we can’t resist the urge to do it, we simply had to hide it  from public view and we are safe.

It is really self sacrifce for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.  In support to the observance of Ramadan, we too have to do our own self sacrifice.  This morning, we started our weigh in and biggest loser contest.  A weekly winner is  determined on who lost the most pounds.

Today, I went home famished and the table was ready with my favorite chicken adobo.  You bet, I did my share of self restraint.  Whew!

Our everday work in the office is full of hassles because of the demands of our work.   There are deadlines to meet and sometimes physicians under our care don’t seem to understand and care.  Stress in our office has become a way of life.   We are taking it positively because in some ways, it can motivate us to perform under  pressure and will make us productive.  However,  if we will allow yourself to get really pressured and constantly on the go ,rushing and running, our mind and body will definitely take it’s toll.

We all suffer from stress at times.  I guess that we should learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and take steps to reduce its harmful effects. I have read an article about on how to relieve stress-inducing patterns and I know this is worth sharing.  Please read on:

1. Change your scenery. When stress sets in, place yourself in a different environment for five to ten minutes. If you’re reading at your desk, move to a bench outside. The new setting can arouse your senses and replace your stress with more pleasing stimuli.
2. Start exercising. Begin rhythmic exercises, such as jumping jacks or just roll your head in a relaxing circular motion. Physical activity can give you a feeling of control and work off your negative energy. Breathing slowly and deeply also helps prevent stress from overwhelming you.
3. Write it down. Start a journal where you can jot down some of your thoughts about what’s bothering you and help yourself put stress into perspective. The act of writing down your concerns helps you adopt an outlook of healthy detachment.
4. Keep a good sense of humor. Laugh at least once a day, preferably out loud, as often as you can. Studies show that chronic pain sufferers who belly laugh several times a day, complain less of their pain after a few weeks.
5. Stop everything. When you start feeling stressed, stop what you’re doing and spend just a few minutes breathing deeply.
6. Take a walk. Walking just five minutes with your mind focused on your stride and rhythmic breathing does wonders to clear your mind. Step outside, swing your arms back and forth and breathe deeply for an energy boost. Exercise is the number one preventative of stress.
7. Say no to what you don’t have time to do. Lowering the demands you put on yourself actually relieves stress. Sometimes saying no is necessary in taking care of yourself.
8. Take care of taxing tasks in the morning to get them out of the way. Usually in the morning when you are fresh and rested is the best time to take care of projects that require concentration. Look at large projects as a series of steps to complete one by one.
9. Devote three hours each week to you and you alone, and don’t let anyone steal that time away. Take up a hobby or pick up a book that you’ve always wanted to read.
10. Live for today. Don’t dwell in the past for worry about the future. Live in the moment.

 I trust that all these will work for me and you.

Before getting out of bed, I promised myself to do 50 plus sit ups or abdominal crunches hoping that it will work somehow.  I am already getting conscious of myslelf because the last big event that we had was the debut of my daughter October of last year and I think even my gown did not hide my body flaws.   Now, that another event is coming up, I have to make sure this time, I will look my best.   Yes, they were saying about exercising regularly and eating sensibly but the hardest part is when to start doing it.   We had a new electronic thread mill at home but it was only used for few days and now it is there on one corner with towels hanged on the hand rail. 

Now, it is time to clear the clouds of doubt that I will make it to the event with a new leaner me.   I have to use the thread mill, watched what I eat and move…move.. move.   That’s the spirit!  Fighting spirit!!!

Meeting my Elementary and High School friends thrilled me no end when I planned for my vacation.  Afterall, it was about  38 years after my Elementary and 34 years after High School graduation that I have not seen them.  I never had the chance to see most of them except for few classmates I bumped with on occassions that I was in town. 

One thing that I have noticed, most men wear caps (or hats) whenever they showed up to our get -together.  It is a consicous effort to conceal something underneath.   Yes, to be brutally frank, they are losing their hair and balding fast.  Well, we don’t mind actually but somehow, they wanted to hide it from us.  But that’s their choice, what can we do?  

The women classmates of mine  on the otherhand are always on guard of their big tummies and wide hips.  A throw pillow or their own bag is used to hide the unsightly bulge when seated.  I was no exception to that.   

At our age, signs of aging is inevitable.   Let us admit to ourselves and let’s drink to that!  Cheers!

Poor husband of mine!  He is running a fever.  He was up and about this morning… helped me with the laundry and cooked our meal.  That’s him- ever supportive and I guess I was spoiled.  Now, he slowed a bit in the afternoon.  And I was right, he is not feeling well.  I am very cautious in giving him medicine because he is allergic to aspirin and pennicilin.   His face will be swollen and red patches will appear on his skin with one false intake of medicine he is allergic to.   We should take note of the health history of our family members like food and drug allergy.  That is very important especially during emergencies. 

Poor papa or poor me?  Somebody need to hang the laundry.   Okey, I will do it this time.  Hope he will be better tomorrow.

My callous on my little toe is giving me a lot of discomfort now that I am back to wearing  leather shoes.   It is closed heeled used as everyday office wear.   I made  a mistake when I bought fancy shoes because it is cheaper but I developed a callous.   i bought it because the design is pretty but found out to be ill-fitting.  However, I continued using it  for quite sometime and only stopped when my toe aches. 

No amount of foot spa or good pedicure can relieve the ache because once my toe comes in contact with my shoes, I will be in pain the whole day.   Sometimes, I have to take off my shoes while working on the computer and while my feet are hidden underneath the table.   I believe, I have to wear sandals or open toed shoes to give my callous a break.  My little toe is already complaining!