6 Months Later

So back in January, I had signed up for the gym with no expectations.
I also started cooking school at the same time and having a schedule that fluctuated throughout the week meant that I was able to squeeze in some gym time and also some gym classes in the evenings - especially when the V-Man was at overnight/respite care.

For me, the gym was an escape.

I got that "in the zone" high whenever I went - which for me - meant that I focused on what I was doing.  I didn't think about the various things that had to be done like cleaning, grocery shopping, paperwork for the kids, picking up which kid and cooking supper when I got home.

It was a nice "mom-cation" without going anywhere and for pennies a day, if I went minimum five times a week!

I can't tell you how much weight I have lost because shockingly, there isn't a scale at the gym and I also don't own one!
I think for me, this was the most important thing - not having to stress about every single pound/kilogram and to just trust myself and push myself every week a little more.

Well, I can tell you that 6 months later, I'm still loving going to the gym! I have girlfriends that I go with regularly and also seek motivation through Pinterest, friends who have been into the gym routine for years and just seeking the peace and quiet the gym provides me that I don't get at home. :P
I'm more conscious about what I am eating - that's not to say I don't cheat (and I mean more than once a week!) but I cheat with better consideration.

At home, I've purchased some smaller plates and one long rectangle plate from IKEA.  They're all cheap but colourful and the main purpose was for my Instagram photos honestly! :)
The other point of buying smaller plates was to help decrease the portion size I was eating!
I was eating excessively and that had nothing to do with going to the gym - but just sticking to my old habits of eating until I was sure I would burst!

Within a week of eating off smaller plates and decreasing portion sizes - like 2 slices of pizza compared to 4... - my pants are fitting better!
I feel better!

I haven't juiced in ages - which would probably help with the slimming down faster - but when I was in cooking school (currently on summer vacation), I was constantly around food.

Do you know how hard it is to resist freshly cooked food and fresh out of the oven bread?!

I also had to constantly taste this and taste that - which added up with again, large portions at school.
My button to my cooking pants didn't close ever.  Not until the last week of school.
At school, I was provided oatmeal and leftover dessert (if any) for breakfast and lunch was usually quite hearty as well.
So I started loading more salad on my plate - ensuring it took up half the plate, meat a smaller portion and rice or potatoes - only occasionally.
I skipped dessert unless it was something new or fancy.  Or I would split dessert with a friend - half the guilt and half the calories - right? :P

So back to the gym... I've found out that I absolutely love spinning.
I know, if you've been following my blog for awhile - I hated spinning the first day.
I'm glad to say that I have been back every week since and this past week - I went twice.
Yeah - my husband was shocked too but I really enjoy it!  My legs feel like jelly afterward but it's still a successful accomplished feeling for me!
My legs are becoming more muscular and my thighs aren't so jiggly!  Each week I try and push my tension up so I feel the burn.

I also try to go to Body Jam, a dance class that's an hour-long and it's the same dance moves every week and it makes me sweat like a pig.

"I hate sweating!" I used to tell friends and found that I wasn't producing the best results I could with my body until I started sweating.
I'm getting over my disgust of sweating - still can't stand the stench of others - but that's just me.

I am pushing my limit every week in terms of weights being used.

On the tippy toes - it hurts.
Trust me.

I don't know all the names of the machines that I'm using, but I can give you a rough idea of what I am doing (and I can upload this with photos next time I go to the gym):

• I leg press starting from 40 kg up to 80 kg - doing 10 presses, 2 rounds.  Sometimes more if I am chatting with a friend on my phone - or am blogging! :P
• I do a lower back press starting at 30 kg up to 55 kg.  This was especially important for me after I had a minor accident on my 30th birthday back in February and I fell on ice twice - and the following morning, twisted and cramped my lower back muscles!!
• I do a variety of dips in groups of ten.
• I take two 8kg kettle bells and walk 15 long steps across the gym, but dipping my body down as far as I can go.  It's not a race and I don't walk fast.  I do this really slowly and when I forward lunge/dip - I put all my weight down. I then walk back the same distance.
• I use the row machine and go from 15kg to 40kg.  This is excellent for me because I do walk two large dogs and with Milo being a very strong dog and a puller - this has helped me with walking him by strengthening those muscles needed to hold a dog bag when needed!  Loki is 36kg and really responsive and often goes off leash with me because he's motivated by treats and rubs.
  Milo isn't there yet and is only 25kg but is still quite strong for such a slim dog.
• I do something like rowing - where you lean back a bit to pull and lift the weights (again, this is why photos are necessary! :P) and can go from 20kg to 40kg so far.
• I jump on the soft blocks they have a few rounds.
• I do some more arm exercises with machines and it ranges from 15-35kg.
• I do quads - meaning sitting against a wall and squatting down while my thighs burn.  I was also advised by another gym nut friend of mine to do quads while on my tippy toes - yeah - that burns a lot more.
• I hate the treadmill - but will speed walk (I do this naturally anyway) and jog a bit on it.
• I despise the stair master - but will do one round on the machine, which is equivalent to 10 floors.
• Sometimes I'll use the exercise bike.  

Once that's all done - it takes upwards of 1-1½ hours, I spend a minimum of 20 minutes stretching.

I use whatever is available.

I change my music list (I use Spotify on my phone for free - but right now they have this 99 cents sale for 3 months for the summer!) - from my "GYM" list to my "Yoga & Stretching" list.

• There's a broomstick handle and I do side lunges with those while wrapping my arms upward and holding on to the handle. I also twist my body side to side and forwards/backwards while holding onto the handle too.
• I do yoga - just some basic moves - whatever feels good and makes my body relax in the end.
• I bend backwards while "climbing" down the wall behind me and also I walk up the wall behind me while my hands are on the floor.  If a friend goes with me some time - I'll get them to take a photo! Mostly because I'm curious how ridiculous I look! :P

And that's it!  It can take a total of 1.5-2 hours for me to do all of this.

When I first started, I was done within an hour.  I'm slowly extending my time at the gym - depending on scheduling with Hubster and the kids - and increasing the weights each week and the reps as well.

Anyways, until next time!

BIMU

My 1st Spinning Class: A Breakdown

I have no experience with spinning classes other than the one time I went to learn how to spin wool. My aunt had laughed at me thinking I meant spinning at a gym.
Hint: I'm not very good at spinning wool...

Well fast forward 12 years and I finally went to one. A proper gym-related spinning class.
I had originally signed up for a sh'bam class today (something to do with dancing) but due to time constraints- knew I wasn't going to make it on time.
A couple of my girlfriends who go to the same gym as I - we'll call them the "Gym Gurus" (it's our group chat name online)- suggested I sign up for spinning.
I was worried because:

1. I'm not good at riding a bike. Seriously- I suck at it and can't stand and cycle. 
1. I more or less learned how to bike when I was in my late 20's.
2. I'm out of shape in the cardio department. 
3. I don't think spinning is my thing but for the sake of trying- I signed up.

It was a 55-minutes long class.  The only other option in our gym is 45-minutes.

Here's some tips to survive if you're not super fit, not a biking pro and it's your first time too:

I should probably get better sneakers.

• Wear comfortable clothes that'll be caked in sweat, not too tight but not saggy either - you don't want to be making adjustments all the time!
• Bring your water bottle full. Maybe bring 2. My bike had 2 places - I know that for next time (if there is one!).
• Bring a hand towel to dry your face, neck and hands -they're going to sweat. (If you hate under boob sweat- spinning might not be for you.  If you can tolerate it - I envy you.)
• Bring ear plugs - a guy in the front did- I found the music too loud most of the time and had a headache to begin with. Thankfully the instructor saw me plugging my ears at one point and dude's neon ear plugs and dropped the volume.
• Don't go if you have a headache. 
• Comfy sneakers because the pedals have these straps for your feet and I had horrible foot cramps throughout. (See photo).
• Try to get a bike in the back. I was in the middle row but ahead of my friends and ever so jealous. 
• Getting a bike in the back row allows for you to:
•  Hide from the instructor and loud music if you're the type to need a break here and there to drink water or adjust your equipment. 
• Being in the back also allows your wedgie to ride along freely without fear of your sweaty colleagues seeing (and possibly putting bets on how long before) you pick it...thongs included. 
• And of course if you ate something disagreeable and making your gas gods throw a fiesta- that's usually (almost) hide-able from the back of the room (aka fart).  Good luck. 
• Adjust the bike properly to your height and comfort. I found the saddles to be hard as a rock and I found myself waddling after class. Actually I gracefully (as possible) fell off my bike when we were done. Also you need to be able to stand and spin- so get your instructor to give you a hand or your nearest  pre-sweaty neighbour (which was my case). 
• Go at your speed and at your tension.
• You won't fall off the bike.  Unless you fly forward and don't have your feet strapped in properly...so if you're a newbie to cycling (and I'm 30) - have faith and just go with the flow and follow your instructor and you'll be excited at being able to stand and cycle! I know I felt a wee bit giddy at not falling over and standing while cycling and shockingly - didn't bang my girly bits into the tip of the saddle seat! HA!
• Time might go slow and time might fly - try not to stare at the clock too much.
• **

Now here's the thing about the day after - that nobody tells you about in regards to spinning - other than, "You might hurt a bit".

YOU'RE GOING TO HURT A F*CK TON!

My feet are still aching, down-south area - specifically under my bottom feels bruised.  I haven't felt like this since delivering V-Man.  This is probably more to do with the seat being harder than a rock. For me it got to the point that standing was more of a relief than sitting!!

I got home and laid down with the kids - I couldn't sit - so lying down was it for me and I promptly puked.

But of course I didn't want to get it on their beds - so I swallowed that chuck back.

I felt nauseous the rest of the night and was so sure I wouldn't make it to class today - but it seemed to subside and the only issue was sitting.

Thankfully I'm in cooking school - so sitting only exists during lunch, coffee break and theory class - which was horrifically painful.

**You might want to add "pain killers" to the list above.**

A comment from a fan of my Facebook page warned me of "soreness and blisters in places I shouldn't" get them.

Lovely - I read that when I was already on a bus and on my way to the gym.  Mild panic - but my Gym Guru girlfriends were waiting and they had done it before and agreed that yes - "no pain no gain" is adequately suitable for losing my tummy flub and wanting to be more fit.

My friend's spouse does this twice a week.  How?!
I'm debating on going again next Monday (providing no headache or period - because that would be uncomfortable too) and seeing if I really like it.  Like honestly do I like it and will the pain lessen as I go more often.

I'm also considering (heavily) to buy a gel pad bike seat cover and just slap that on - because I really don't think I should feel like I gave birth to the world's biggest baby a day or two after spinning.
Never mind the vomit part - which Hubster started worrying!  Mostly because I have a pretty strong stomach for things, I didn't eat a massive portion of food before hand and I didn't have the tension too hard in my opinion.  But I also wasn't drenched in sweat like others - and I guess I can credit the leg work outs that I do manage to squeeze in...?

So - is spinning for me?  Maybe!  I can't say I hate it - although my first words to the girls were, "NEVER AGAIN" as I gracefully semi-fell off my bike to do cool-down stretches...

I definitely found I had a clear head because I just kept staring at the clock and with the blaring music and cheerful instructor - I couldn't think about anything else.

Is spinning for you?  Maybe!  I would try a shorter time frame than 55-minutes for a first time.  I thought my gym had a 30-minutes spinning class but apparently not.

Here are some "Benefits of Spinning" I found via Google.

Good luck you spinning warrior!
BIMU

New Year's Resolution Recipe #3: Chocolate Avocado Pudding (Crap in a glass)

I tried 3 new recipes today as a spur of the moment but I'll try to spread them out (in case I don't make new things in the next couple of weeks! :) ).

Today I'm going to talk about a failure.

I had made egg-drop soup today and it was okay - there was something missing and I think now, I realize it was some sort of red Chinese vinegar that I normally ate with it and it should've been a tad thicker.  I'm letting it sit overnight with the hopes it thickens on its own some more.
But that wasn't the failure.  that was the could've been better.

I felt like dessert and I was trying to avoid devouring cookies and chips and whatever else - oh yes, chocolates from Christmas - as I'm actually trying to lose my chub buddy.

So I went on Pinterest.  I wanted something:

• Quick
• Quiet to make
• Healthy 
• But yes, also some sort of dessert-classified thing.

I came across this: Chocolate Avocado Pudding on Pinterest.
Perfect!! I actually had some leftover avocados I wanted to use up and they were still ripe and lovely.
I didn't use a blender because I didn't want to wake the kids up so I just used my hand mixer and it didn't do it for me in the end.  It was a bit chunky - despite me mashing it a bit more with a spatula and mixing it again with a mixer.

I tried drowning it in honey and extra coconut/almond milk and a bit more powder to make it darker and I was gagging as I scooped it down and into my throat as fast as I could.
Of course because it contained avocado I couldn't feed it to my dogs.  Nor would my Hubster even look at t his...and the kids were asleep - so I couldn't trick them into thinking/eating this chocolate pudding...
(A-Man would call my bluff anyway.)

If I were to do this again I would:

• Use chocolate milk instead of a nut milk to liquidize it.  (Chocolate oat drink or something chocolate-y and vegan - dairy milk's been making me sick lately - even lactose-free!)
• Whipped cream on top - it honestly looks like crap in a glass.
• Add peanut butter or Nutella for more flavour.

Not all recipes will be winners and that's okay.
I think also, I'm so used to avocados as a savoury item like in guacamole, in sushi or a salad or on a pizza or with cheesy garlic bread (it was some sort of vegetarian recipe I found years ago) - that the concept of it going into something sweet baffled my brain.

If I try it again - I'll let you know when I'm despserate enough.
BIMU

PS Originally posted on my other blog, 2 Hookers 2 Kitchens

My Juicing Journal: Day 1

So I just finished this other blog post and figured I'd keep on trucking since I'm not in class now.

Warning: My experiences may contain "too much info (tmi)" - however...I'll keep writing and you can keep reading if you wish!  
(PS Everyone poops...there's your hint.)
I had lent my juicing machine to a friend and just got it back recently and while I love the idea of losing weight easily and I know a lot of people do this the juicing route - it's not what I had in mind.

For me, I love food - a lot.
But what I loved even more was not having to lug home 4 liters of juice (no car) at a time because my boys are juice slurping monsters and I found most of it too sweet sometimes.
I just love the idea of making my own juice when I want it and knowing what it's really made of and that's that.  Also, it's a lot cheaper for me to make it myself and not that time consuming and the kids love turning the knob or choosing the fruit or veggies to put in the juicer (with supervision of course).

So I lucked out at the second hand store and got a copy of Jason Vale's "The Juice Master" (Book Depository link - not sponsored) at my local second-hand shop and thought this could be handy, not because my first goal is to lose weight but then so I can have a guide or a recipe book handy, instead of having to scour the internet.

My first goal?  Well, I'm back to sitting in a classroom for about 5 hours a day plus lunch break and a coffee break and because my school is located downtown (awesome location for the bus routes and all that) - I'm in a danger zone.  I'm not working out as much as I should be and...
The yarn store is down the hill and with the ice quickly melting...it's becoming easier to access.
I've used most of my gift card to purchase yarn for a dyeing course I'm taking soon - but otherwise have gone 2 months without purchasing yarn!!  (Part of my New Year's Resolution...)
Also there are several restaurants nearby and already this week - I had a kebab roll twice for lunch.
Pretty much pizza dough wrapped hot and snug around a lot of kebab meat and some salad, mayo and some sauce.
Last night I was so sick and just felt like a bloated brick wall (I realize they can't bloat but pretend with me...because that's what I felt like!).  I couldn't move, I was stuffed up (bowel speaking here) and felt miserable.
I still have two kids to play with and entertain (Mr. V-Man is away for overnight care currently) and still had to cook supper somehow.
I remembered my juicing machine waiting to be used and couldn't find that book I JUST bought...so I scoured the internet quickly and came across this "30-days juicing challenge".
It's free and the grocery lists are included and guess what?  It turns out I had everything available for the first day!
(I tried uploading a photo via USB cable and my phone and it's not detecting anything.  Will try another time or just follow me on Instagram!) So last night I had nearly a liter of juice for supper (not sure of exact amount but almost a liter) and I had a child's sized portion of Singapore vermicelli (as opposed to nearly 2 adult-sized portions and water for my drink).

I'M SO F-ING GLAD I JUICED AT NIGHT.

Have you seen "Bridesmaids" and they all (except one) get food poisoning and are vomiting their guts up?!
Well, I wasn't vomiting but I went to bed alert and happy and very full (without the pain of having eaten too much or having had junk food like Mister Kebab Rolls above) around midnight.
Here's where the TMI part comes in.
Practically right away, I was tooting away and my toots were reeking.  Moreso than normally.
So I figure that, "Great - my juice is busting down Mister Kebab Roll and his twin brother and I'll finally be able to crap and sleep well."
No.  Didn't happen right off the bat.  But there was a lot of gas passing and that was surely a good sign - although my husband did nothing but complain.

I did manage to fall asleep only to wake up at night to realize I need the bathroom - like yesterday.
I ran to the bathroom just in time because:
 

Yeah that's what I meant by TMI.  (Don't ask me about that huge gap...technology isn't my friend today!)
So I decided I'm not going to school in the morning in case this happens again and low and behold - I've been counting tiles in my bathroom at least three times today.

I had planned to go buy myself some new jeans (second hand stores weren't so helpful the last few times I checked!) and look at a winter coat for next winter, hoping one would be on sale - but I'm staying at home...and blogging.

I checked with a friend who is a juicing fanatic and she said it sounded familiar for her too but to keep trucking and what my body is doing is "de-toxing".  I just had a case of Norovirus two weeks ago and am still exhausted from my trips to the bathroom...
I think I'll just keep juicing at night.  And perhaps not a full liter.
It was just so tasty - day 1 was celery, apples and carrots - and I drank it out of a huge plastic cup from the movie theater with a straw and next thing I knew - Breaking Bad was over and so was my beverage.
I felt pleasantly full and full of energy (and gas) and managed to do my homework and then y'know...I became a key player in the Game of Thrones (Juicing Edition).

Happy juicing if you dare.
BIMU

PS Sorry if my text is massive - it shrunk on "normal" size and I think Blogger hates me today.

Good-Bye Grease!

Tonight my husband (SH: super hubby) and I celebrated 8 years of wedded bliss.

I'm just kidding - that was a few days ago and we more or less clink wine glasses and congratulate each other on surviving another year without killing each other or pulling our hair out.

We went to see "Kingsman: A Secret Service" - since a friend offered to babysit and V-Man was at overnight care - and I highly recommend it!  Bit weird but at the same time - it was funny and I went to see it without having seen a trailer or knowing what the movie was about.

Anyways, an hour prior to the movie starting - we wanted to go for dinner and ended up at the fine dining level of McDonald's...every restaurant was packed or had a long wait time for food - so McDonald's it was.
It was after that Chicken Bacon Onion meal (I skipped the fries) that I decided I need to pretend like it's January 1st again and NOT eat greasy junk anymore or chug pop!
I feel like crap, my teeth feel funny (I haven't brushed them yet but anyway) and I'm looking like I'm about 4 months pregnant (totally am not so please don't start celebrating for me!).

It's icy as f*ck outside right now - so my dream of jogging daily with V-Man or my dogs is on hold (as I am going on nearly 30 years without breaking a single bone in my body) until that ice is gone.

I stepped on the scale and assuming it didn't add 2kg (with nothing on it - it's messed up) - I currently weigh 64.4kg.  For those that don't go by kg - that's about 142 pounds.
Now, please don't crap on me because you'd "love to be my size".  Please also don't advise me "you should be happy with what you're blessed with".

Currently, my pants don't fit unless they're made stretchy (I tossed on a pair of too small jeans and a long shirt and had my fly open the WHOLE night) and I simply don't have the budget or the time - to go out and shop.
Yep - not even second hand.
I'm also finding it increasingly difficult to chase my kids down or do heavy lifting - so I need to make some changes (and stick with them).

I am not blaming anyone - as I have a brain and am the one making the decisions to order the Big Mac meal or the pizza or to make sweet and sour chicken balls (aka coat chicken in heavy batter and fry/bathe in oil until golden brown) two days in a row... and not pairing that up with enough exercise, water or sleep.

I'm one of those people that if I gain weight - it goes to my face and my belly immediately.  It's like my love handles scream, "Hey Biggy (Mac) - come down here and fill up this hole!  Ice-cream sundae - you get on the right hand side!"

What I'm going to do - is try and get my ass back on track with exercising again.
I finally understand how to use the Xbox One and will try to dedicate 30 minutes a night to yoga or some other more tortuous exercising video game.  Remember - I don't see any point in registering for a gym.
I bought a kettle bell recently (4kg) and need to remember to use that too and I'm one of those weirdos that likes to plank...I can do a minute straight without crying at least.
And if I can find my iPod shuffle somewhere here - I need to learn how to download music onto the thing and start dancing in the kitchen again (blinds down and closed so I don't terrify the neighbourhood).

Anyway, I figure today's March the 1st (officially it's almost 1am!) and now is a good time to try.
I don't expect to be buffer than Arnold anytime soon (nor do I want to be THAT big) - but making my clothes fit nicer, better and just being able to breathe without huffing and puffing up the stairs would be ideal.

And I leave you with this:

"Grease is the word
Grease is the word, is the word that you heard
It's got groove it's got meaning
Grease is the time, is the place is the motion
Grease is the way we are feeling" 

:D
BIMU

PS On the flip side - it's officially 2 months into my "don't buy yarn for a year" resolution.  10 more to go!

My Body - My Way

I'm not fit.  I don't exercise.  I don't put any effort.
"How typical - another whiny post about how she'll change her eating and exercise habits because it's a new year..."

Nope.  Slightly different.

I openly admit that I hate how my body looks about 90% of the time and am finding myself sucking in and leaning back to push that metal button into that hole to do up my snow pants...and several pairs of jeans too.
However, my winter coat is long enough that nobody will SEE my snow pants aren't done up as we walk with our dogs and play with our kids at the park!

I'll never have an 8-pack...or a 6-pack...I have this massive scar the length of my torso almost - so yeah...that's another story for another time...but my "abs" may end up looking like zig-zagged dinner rolls anyway.
I have a bad back - so the idea of sit-ups, crunches or push-ups is probably not a good idea - seeing as 20-minutes of wrestling with kids and swinging them around - puts me out for the night.  And I don't mean my 5-year old.  I mean an almost 2-year old E-girl (A-Man's main squeeze) who is fairly petite and A-Man himself (3-years old).
Call me weird but I do love planking - thanks to the Wii Fit! (Which I need to connect somehow...that jerk motivates me somehow...I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see me after 3 years.)

But here's what I'm going to do (as I sip a kid's sized cup of Pepsi):

• Eat healthier
• I actually hate the word "diet".  Unless referring to a special diet because of allergies or foodie lifestyle (i.e. vegetarian).  So I'm not thinking of this "eat healthier" section as a "diet" but as "Eat lots of variety and healthier choices.  Downsize those damn portions!"
• Sweets once a week when with the knitting group I frequent.  And special occasions like birthday parties etc.
• Opt for a salad or a wrap if actually hungry and having to eat at a fast-food location (i.e with the V-Man during our "Mommy and me" lunch dates).  I did that today actually and skipped the fries.
• Be mindful that what I ate during the day and try to pack in healthier stuff later.  To both help smooth over my guilt and to make me more energetic. (I made a chicken and veggies stir-fry this evening and ate mostly veggies...)
• Cut back on portion size.  I'm not "anti-white rice, anti- pasta and anti-this and that" - but I just need to stop feeling so full I could burst.  I need to get back to the "Oh I feel full - let's top it off with water to seal in the cracks in my belly and snack on fruit later if hungry again."
• Stop buying pop & junk food - because if the temptation is in the house - it's in my tummy!
• Go back to using my fruit-infuser water bottle.  The thing is bloody brilliant and I have a freezer with a tonne of frozen strawberries screaming to be used!  And it's easy to pick up a lemon or lime...and some fresh mint too. (I'm done with that cup of Pepsi now - thanks for asking!)
• Use my new-to-me salad spinner and whip out kale chips like it's nobody's business!
• Relax more.
• I'm not buying anymore yarn this year - so far I'm onto day 2 and didn't even THINK of using my gift card in my wallet! Ha.  So that means I have a lot of yarn to use up - and knitting/crocheting is going to help me relax.
• I'm going to be starting Finnish lessons intensively- and that's a 10-minutes bus ride...20-minutes a day total.  That's extra time to just clear my head, be child-free and just chill mentally.  (And knit on the bus.)
• Isolate myself from the internet a couple hours of the day to just knit, menu plan, take care of my body (had a sauna session and feel fantastic!) and read.
• Exercise when I can - and NOT stress about it. 
• I walk the dogs.  I hike in the woods -not for hours on end...but better than sitting on my arse blogging right? (Yes I realize the irony in this.)
• I need to:  walk more, try planking more, try doing some yoga or set up the exercising games for the Xbox thingy or the Wii (can't find 1 stupid cord to get it set up!).
• I see NO point in getting a gym membership because I don't know what my school schedule will be like and I don't want to waste money.  I've done the gym membership before and I didn't use it a lot.  And that was life BEFORE kids.
• Keep bringing my backpack and reusable grocery bags to the store and fill it as much as I can handle and that'll be my weight lifting.  (Or push the baby in the stroller filled with stuff.)
• Or push stroller with 15kg of dog food and groceries and carry nearly 1-year old M-Girl. :)
• Ditch the stress.
• I get a lot of weird inquiries on Facebook that I spend far too much time trying to sort out.  Again - I'm probably being too nice.  Again - I need to not waste so much time on it.  (I'll blog about it later...)
• Money is a big stresser for me - so I'm trying to cut back on spending on un-necessary things.
• Clean as I go.
• Organize better (I am constantly losing my wallet!).
• Take better care of me.
• If you cut a chunk of wood off a tree and handed it to me - my heels could probably smooth it to a polished shine.  THAT'S how cracked and disgusting my feet are.  Yep - I'm admitting it.  It's nasty and I need to work on them.
• Let's not even discuss the state of my nails, cuticles etc. 
• I don't actually care about the state of my hands - but with the winter here - the dry air is cracking my hands up.  And not in a funny manner! ;)
• Mentally.  I'm a bottle-it-all-up then have a massive melt-down type of person.  This typically happens around my period and sometimes I bottle things up for months.  Whenever the SH is out of town on conference or at meetings - I'm usually on the brink of a melt-down...my kids don't know who I am and it's overall quite messy.  I cry like I'm at a massive funeral (and probably shed a pound or two in doing so) and have a swollen face the next day.  I need to stop letting myself get to THAT point.
• I so rarely wear make-up.  I'm terrible at it.  I don't do the cat-eye, the smoke-eye, the smudged eyes...the sunset eyelids...nothing bold or over the top.  I honestly feel like I'm wearing a lot when I use a bit of dark brown eyeliner and remember to moisturize my face before heading out the door.  Which is 1% of the time and typically for "special occasions".
  (I'm terrified of wearing red lipstick...something to add to the bucket list I suppose.)

Whenever I (rarely) whine to my spouse about feeling fat and flabby, he chooses wisely to not say anything.
He has a medical condition (Crohn's) that has him looking fit and athletic.

"If I say you look fine - you say I'm lying to you.  If I say 'Yeah - you're fat ' - I'm an asshole.  It's just easier to say nothing at all." - SH
Yes opposites attract!

So where the heck this post come from?
I was just heating up in the sauna (can't really say I was chillin'...), looked down at my flubby belly and realized I want it gone.  It's obviously not going to go away immediately by lotion or magic chants...so if I want to look better by the time I'm 30 - I better start now.  And seeing as I do all the cooking - I'm the one that has to make sure what I put in my body is something the kids should be eating too - and because food is addicting to me as my yarn, fabric & second-hand shopping is- the only one responsible is me.

So who am I doing it for if the SH doesn't seem to care?
Me.  My kids.  (Because nobody likes being seen panting and drenched in sweat while chasing their kids in the playground as they run in 3 separate directions...I'm sort of predicting next summer...)
But mostly me.  I'd like to be fitter, fit in my clothes better without shopping for new-to-me stuff in increasingly larger sizes and in general - just feel happier about my appearance overall.
Time to take a bit of selfishness up to the next level!  And not feel bad about it.

So - that's that.
BIMU

Wonton Chips/Mini Egg-Rolls

Yesterday I had bought some ground pork and thawed some wonton skins and I wasn't sure how many I had (less than a full package) and since I recently bought a small deep fryer, thought I'd try some wonton chips.

If you haven't made wonton chips before - I swear it's easy.
I learned while working at a Chinese take-out restaurant a kajillion years ago how to whip these up and really do love these crispy, greasy treats....
And no, this is not "real Chinese food".

What you need:

• 1 package of wonton skins thawed (purchase from your local Asian grocery store)- usually has 50 sheets
• 1 egg mixed with a bit of water
• 400 grams of ground pork (or turkey, chicken, beef)
• Spices of your choice
• I used:
• Chinese 5 spice
• Pepper mix
• Black pepper

I would've used more spices but was worried they were going to explode and I'd waste spice...that did NOT happen - but next time I know to add more and maybe some fresh chopped green onion and/or ginger! (Since the deep-frying kills a lot of the spice.)

Lying a square flat, put a bit of meat near one corner and rub some egg mixture (it's the glue) around the nearest corner.  Take that corner and fold it diagonally downard and press down until the meat is sealed in and if you need to, add a bit more "glue" to seal the edge shut.  You don't want it soggy.

Continue to do this if you want wonton chips - deep-fry them at about 190*C (375*C) until golden brown and perhaps flip them so they're evenly cooked on both sides.

If you want egg rolls - rub egg glue along on edge (wrapper is a square usually - so even sides!  If using rectangle shaped ones - rub glue along longest side) and make a small log of meat mixture along opposite edge.
Roll closed, ensuring the glue side seals and encases the meat.
Rub a bit of egg glue inside both ends and press flat.
Deep-fry until golden brown.

Serve warm with: plum sauce, sweet & sour sauce - any sauce you prefer.
I'll write up a post later with a recipe for sweet and sour sauce...

I soak up extra grease by laying cooked food onto a paper-towel covered plate.

You can fold wontons into a variety of shapes - so it really depends on your preference.

Wonton chip on top
Mini eggroll on bottom

Oh, remember that scale I was talking about in yesterday's post?  I picked it up today and my initial guess of my current weight was about 67 kg (147lbs) but I surprised myself when I saw 64.2 kg (141 lbs).
I'm only weighing myself once a week and definitely not going to be making egg rolls or wonton chips very often!!

Before eating that greasy dinner...and in the evening - I know.  I'm a bad ass weighing myself before first thing in the morning!

Have a good night!

BIMU

Weigh It!

So I had this huge idea in my mind yesterday that I would start to juice here and there. Start slow and move up.
Why?
I've been feeling like a gross pig lately. I haven't worn jeans in ages because they don't fit. So I wear my stretchy short pants...the kind meant for working out...or for lounging...or the kind you wear when you plan to eat a lot. (Told you I love food!!)
I started off awesome this morning and had a banana and drank fruit infused water.
(I bought a bottle where I can stuff it with fresh fruits! Yum!)
I strapped M-Girl to my chest, grabbed V-Man and his stroller and decided a walk was in order. I did about forty minutes of walking before his meltdowns and screaming drove me over the edge.
After a visit with a friend, we took the kids to Burger King and I had a Whopper meal and I felt awful after!!
As of late, my stomach's hating grease and I need to cut back.
Not only is it putting a dent into our bank account with eating out so much but also putting a dent in my plans to lose the baby weight too!

I don't have a juicer machine and I don't have the space for one right now. So I did some more reading about upset stomach, lethargic feelings and regular headaches.

Obviously step 1 is to get with the program and cleanse my body of crap.
Something I've heard of but have yet to try is "oil pulling". You rinse your mouth with some nice oil (ie coconut) and swish it about for quite some time and it'll help whiten your teeth and collect the nasty toxins and bacteria that's partying in your mouth.
You're supposed to do this first thing in the morning before eating but I forgot to today, so hopefully the oil pulling Gods forgive me for trying it out tonight instead.
(Isn't 20-30 minutes a bit excessive?! I'll have to look into this some more...)

Anyways, the juicing wasn't so much about weight loss as it was about body cleansing and getting healthier and more energetic.
But by the end of today, I felt like a blob.
Everybody has one of those days, I know. But mine are happening a bit too frequently lately!
And with winter coming up...I'll have to fit into something warmer than stretchy shorts!
So beginning tomorrow, good-bye pop/soda/sugary drinks...good bye greasy stuff...good bye junk.
Ideally, I'd love to lose a good twenty pounds. I haven't weighed myself in awhile...but that'll change soon.
I'm buying a scale from a friend and plan to use it weekly.
I don't want to obsess over weight every single day and I know that owning a scale can easily do that to some people!

I'm also thinking of taking of evening jogs...and I'm not much of a jogger...so I'll have to rely on my dogs to get me out and about.

But one step at a time -so they say!!
BIMU

PS: I'll even put a label, "My Weight Loss Journal" on related posts and whenever I do something mega healthy (or not), you will be able to find it easier on the side bar!! (and so will I!)