Tuesday, June 28, 2011

I LOST WEIGHT (again!) ^^

For my dear followers, you know by now that I am on a self-declared weight battle.

Here's an update to the tale of the weighing scale:

Last month, I weighed 110 pounds.  About two weeks ago, surprisingly, I lost 3 pounds despite all the celebrating and eating out Vince and I did when we went to Toronto for a week.

Similarly when we got back here in Penn, we had several lunches and dinners out, and Vince's schedule in the ER unfortunately did not allow us to work out as frequent as we should and usually would.

Hence, late last night, Vince and I were both curious of our weight that we decided to pass by the GSH cardiac rehab centre on our way to a friend's house.  Not that we don't have a bathroom scale at home.  My husband just prefers to use the same weighing apparatus for consistency of measurement so he says ;)

The verdict??? (Drumroll please!)

I lost 1.5 pounds.  Yehey !

For the record, I don't shove my index finger down my throat after each meal.  I'm completely sane and losing weight in a healthy manner.

I say it's the greens and fruits, exercising, healthy choices, less carbs and sweets, food diary, and portion awareness.  It also helps that Vince is as weight watchful as I am.

Oh and by the way, I recently added lifting weights to my exercise regime.  So, that's a factor too!

There really is no shortcut in weight loss.  It takes a change in lifestyle and perspective coupled with discipline and temperance.  No pain no gain (or loss for that matter).   Don't get me wrong.  I still have the same passion for good food and eating - only now with moderation sans bingeing.  And to prove you that, I will momentarily enjoy a piece of treat without a guilt! ;)


PS:  Vince's weight pretty much remained the same ^^

Update: DREAM WEDDING GOWN CONTEST

If you haven't checked out the DREAM WEDDING GOWN CONTEST post here yet, please do now.  I will be announcing updates here in my blog every now and then regarding the contest until it ends in December 2011, just so to keep readers posted especially those who are following this in particular.

So, here's what's going on:  Twelve couples have now joined the contest - meaning 12 brides-to-be are vying to win her dream wedding gown.  Whoever gets the most number of Facebook likes wins the contest.  Lest we forget, likers should like the House of Fashions page first before they like any contestant photo, or else the like is invalid ;)  Even if you are not interested in joining the contest, please be a doll and visit the House of Fashions page, and vote by liking a contestant(s).  I'm sure the eventual winner will appreciate those efforts you made to click and click, and consider that as a memorable wedding gift to that lucky winning couple ;)

Further contest details will be announced as well as tutorials regarding instructions/videos on how to obtain body measurements, etc., so please stay tuned!

By the way, for those who are wondering what's in store for me in this thing...  Ms. Brenda Cruz, the couturier/owner of House of Fashions, is a good friend of mine, and I wanted to help her with the promotions.  Blogging is free anyway, so might as well, right?  What are friends for? *wink*

Monday, June 27, 2011

Gently they fall,

Slowly they fill,

Like an outburst from a soft squeeze.

They kissed my lips,

They touched my nose,

From my eyes they slept and rolled down my cheeks.

My fingers felt their dampness,

My hands tried to contain their fullness

With a heart of such heaviness!

Slowly they cease, 

Gently they heed,

Leaving the remnants of mist.

~ TEARS ~
by: Yours Truly

Saturday, June 25, 2011

MY FRIDGE MAGNET COLLECTION

Other than priceless photographs, what is a cool memento you can take home with you when traveling?  FRIDGE MAGNET.  You can easily find this souvenir item, and it usually costs less than $10, depending on the make and style, and where you buy it from.  Airports and hotels sell it at a little bit higher price as compared to local souvenir shops, but if you're really on a budget, you can always find cute ones at a Dollar Store for - you guessed it right - a dollar.  One thing I also like about this souvenir item is that it is travel friendly in that it doesn't take up a lot of space in your luggage and you wouldn't have to worry about declaring it at a custom's border.  Like I've said, it is relatively cheap, so you can buy enough to take home with you and give as souvenirs for your family, friends, boss, coworkers, and neighbors. (Hey, it's the thought that counts!) :D

My husband and I recently started collecting fridge magnets.  So far, we have eight fridge magnets from our travel escapades, but we are trying to accumulate more (meaning more travels, yay !!!).  Every time we go on trips now, we always keep in mind to get one, especially if it's our first time to visit a place.  Below are pictures of our collection and some fun facts which I hope you'll enjoy viewing and reading:

The Empire State of Mind

We went to New York several times, and we bought this when we did a New York/New Jersey - Liberty Island/Ellis Island Trip.

You probably know this already but thought I'd share anyway:

Do you know that the Statue of Liberty is coated with a thin layer of copper, hence, its original appearance is of red orange metallic luster?  The blue-green color is due to a long-term chemical reaction between metal and water called patination, which occurs with most copper when placed outside.

The Capital of the United States
This is my favorite fridge magnet among our collection so far !

You probably know this already but thought I'd share anyway:

The White House was being built while George Washington was in office, so he never actually lived there.

The Sunshine State
The first time we went to Florida was to meet and greet the famous mouse, Mickey, and the rest of the Disney crew.

You probably know this already but thought I'd share anyway:

It's not a small world after all.  Covering 40 square miles, Walt Disney World Resort is about the size of San Francisco or two Manhattan islands.  Of the more than 25,000 acres, less than 35% has been developed with the quarter designated as a wilderness preserve.  I would say you need a good week to explore Walt Disney World Resort. 

The Sunshine State Part 2
The second time we were in Florida was when my husband attended a conference in Jacksonville.  We also were able to do a quick side trip to St. Augustine.

You probably know this already but thought I'd share anyway:

St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United States.  Among the many attractions to see are the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Castillo de San Marcos, The Spanish Military Hospital Museum, and Oldest House Museum Complex.

First in Flight
The only times we were in North Carolina were during layovers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (but that didn't keep us from getting a fridge magnet!)

You probably know this already but thought I'd share anyway:

The original Wright brothers aeroplane - the world's first power-driven heavier-than-air machine in which man made free, controlled, and sustained flight; invented and built by Wilbur and Orville Wright; flown by them at Kitty Hawk, Carolina on December 17, 1903.  By original scientific research, the Wright brothers discovered the principles of human flight.  As inventors, builders and flyers, they further developed the aeroplane, taught man to fly, and opened the era of aviation.

JAMAICA

To read about my Jamaican vacation, please click here:  I BEG YOUR PARDON MAMA WHAT DID YOU SAY?

You probably know this already but thought I'd share anyway:

"I was slowing down long before the finish and wasn't tired at all.  I could have gone back to the start and done it all over." ~ Usaine Bolt's thoughts on his 100-meter sprint at the 2008 Olympics


Oh Canada !

And of course, my home away from home.  Oh how I miss thee, Toronto !

You probably know this already but thought I'd share anyway:

Canadians consume more macaroni and cheese than any other nation on earth.  Fun, eh?

So there you've seen our fridge magnet collection.  We still have to get magnets from other places we've visited including Hershey (the sweetest place on earth) and Philadelphia, and will update you as I add more magnets to our collection.  If you have any thoughts to share regarding travel souvenirs, feel free to leave a comment.  Adios taquitos! :)

PS:  We have about four other fridge magnets, however, they are not travel-related, so I decided not to post pictures of them any more.  If you're interested to see them, let me know, then I'd be happy to show you :D

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The search for that lucky bride is still on.  For a chance to win your dream wedding gown, please visit:  DREAM WEDDING GOWN CONTEST

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

DREAM WEDDING GOWN CONTEST

 by: Yours Truly

Her scent fills the cathedral air,
Her trailing dress sweeps the aisle,
Her lovely face beneath the veil,
Her groom awaits with a proud smile.

Are you planning to get married within the next year or two?  Do you picture yourself walking down the aisle on your wedding day wearing a lovely dress that you saw over the Internet or in a bridal magazine somewhere?  Can you almost hear the "oohs" and "aahs" of admiration from your guests?  Are you wishing upon a star that somehow Cinderella's fairy godmother would pop herself in front of you and just magically weave you're dream wedding gown with the twirl of her magic wand?  Then, wish no more because here's your chance to get that dream gown of yours for FREE !  Yap, you heard me right.  Ms. Brenda Cruz (couturier) has a contest up for any 2012/2013 bride-to-be for a chance to win a wedding gown of the bride's choice/style.

Here's the drill:

1.  Log in to Facebook and like this page:  House of Fashions
2.  Send/post a picture of the bride, and the couple's picture.
3.  **Whoever gets the most number of "likes" wins.

** "Likers" should "like" the House of Fashions page first before they "like" a picture.  Otherwise, the vote is invalid and will be deducted from the total "likes." (Wow, I've never used so many "like" in a sentence before.  Like, honestly, I swear.  I kinda like told myself, this is like, the first time.  Like, really! ^_^)

Sounds pretty easy, eh?  That's correct!  Once you've done the first two steps above, you just have to get as much people and friends to like the House of Fashions page, and then like your photo of course. 

As it stands now, there are five wishful brides vying for their dream wedding gown.  Hurry now and wait no more, and pass the word around!  If you know someone who's getting married in 2012/2013, tell them about this contest before it ends in December 2011.  For more details, please contact Ms. Brenda Cruz through House of Fashions.  Further instructions will be announced, so stay tuned.

For curious cats, below is a little teaser of Ms. Brenda Cruz's couture collection.  If you like to see more of her creation, please visit her page.

Rumour has it, the bride looked very seductive when she wore this gown that the groom couldn't take his eyes off her throughout the ceremony.  The who?  Haha!
You need more than Victoria's Secret helping bra to pull off a neckline as plunging as this (ahihihi!)
Wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses by Ms. Brenda Cruz
Isn't she lovely?
For more details, please contact this awesome talented lady, Ms. Brenda Cruz.

Monday, June 20, 2011

iCURLY PART 2: SUCCESS OR FAIL???

I hope I didn't keep you waiting for the after-photos of my iCURLY experiment.  Please be the judge and let me know what you think of it?  SUCCESS or FAIL.  Cast your votes by leaving a comment ;)

Gimme some attitude, Curly Tops !


I even TRIED to doll myself up by putting on some make-up, which by the way, I only learned to apply myself about three years ago. I told you, I am primitive.
 
As if eyeshadow and blush-on aren't enough, I put on a dress that I haven't worn yet, which I'm planning to wear to a dinner my hubby and I are attending this week.  Let's just say, I had a little bit of dress rehearsal. Hehe !

 
Have you made up your mind yet?  SUCCESS OR FAIL !? ;)


Somebody once told me that I look like PATRICIA JAVIER.


If I was part of the GLEE show and did a BORN THIS WAY shirt, I would've put: WAVY HAIR.  Yes, I have naturally wavy hair but I get a Japanese perm every year because I don't like the mahangin-sa-labas (it's-windy-outside) look.

Okay, that's it for now, folks. Hubby is home now and is wondering where I went to get my hair and face done. Haha ! Vamanos !

Sunday, June 19, 2011

iCURLY

It seems like you can learn almost anything through the Internet nowadays - thanks to Google, Wiki, YouTube and all the other how-to and what-is-not blog/vlog sites out there in the cyberwold.

But guess what I stumbled upon today while doing my routine surfing?  Paper bag curls tutorial !

Since I am home alone and bored (housework pretty much done yesterday - I just need to bake coconut macaroons later for a lunch event tomorrow), I thought of giving my hair a little twist *wink wink*

To begin with, I have no idea how to use a curling iron nor do I own one. Yes, that's how primitive I am.

Below are evidence of my epic attempt to curl my hair using paper sans the heat. Apologies for the quality of the pics as these are merely iPhone shots and lighting did not cooperate. Ready? ;)


I don't know yet if this epic attempt will actually turn out to be an epic fail, as I am still playing the waiting game. I decided to leave them on for a few more hours in hopes of voluminous curl results, however, on second thought, I honestly think that the paper curls are cute, so I probably will just leave them on FOREVER :D

Kidding aside, I will definitely post after-photos regardless of the result. For the time being, let me get to my baking. After all, if this turns out to be an epic success, I deserve a treat ;)

See ya in a bit !

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My share for:

MellowYellowMondayBadge

Saturday, June 18, 2011

PAPALENG NG BAYAN


I am Sam is a very touching movie about Sam Dawson, a man who suffers from a developmental disability, and in a fortunate twist of fate, fathers a girl whom he names Lucy (after The Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds). 

When I thought of my father today, I somehow related him to Sam's character in a figurative way. My father has shortcomings which can be translated as disability, but like Sam, he did not allow it to get in the way of expressing his love for his child. In the movie, Lucy was never embarrassed of his father. In fact, when the time came that she had to be moved into a foster family, she kept finding her way back to his father's arms. I aim to be a Lucy myself, that no matter what, I would always be proud of my father - not for his inabilities - but for the love he has always shown us.

Happy Father's Day, Papaleng. Thank you for everything, especially for teaching me how to hold the world in a paper cup ;)

You see, my father is not SUPERMAN. Not even close. That is why we love him to bits

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

♪♫ I FEEL PRETTY ♪♫

 Thanks, Vince, for making me feel pretty all the time :)

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I FEEL PRETTY
from West Side Story

I feel pretty
Oh so pretty
I feel pretty and witty and gay
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me today.
I feel charming
Oh so charming
It's alarming how charming I feel
And so pretty
That I hardly can believe I'm real.
See the pretty girl in that mirror there?
Who can that attractive girl be?
Such a pretty face
Such a pretty dress
Such a pretty smile
Such a pretty me!
I feel stunning
And entrancing
Feel like running
And dancing for joy
For I'm loved
By a pretty wonderful boy
I feel pretty
Oh so pretty
That the city should give me its key
A committee
Should be organized to honour me
I feel dizzy
I feel sunny
I feel fizzy and funny and fine
And so pretty
Miss America can just resign
See the pretty girl in that mirror there
Who can that attractive girl be?
Such a pretty face
Such a pretty dress
Such a pretty smile
Such a pretty me!
I feel stunning
And entrancing
Feel like running and dancing for joy
For I'm loved
By a pretty wonderful boy.

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Saturday, June 11, 2011

MY ONGOING WEIGHT BATTLE SAGA



Before anybody object and judge me of my vanity, please allow me to open this blog with the Serenity Prayer, lest we forget:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference."

DISCLAIMER:  This entry is a saga (meaning a long story of heroic achievement), so bear with me if this is quite longer than your ordinary blog.  Moreover, for the record, I'm not advocating any weight loss product or program whatsoever.

I have always been conscious of my body figure even way back when I was still in the Philippines (thanks to my mother's joking of me getting liposuction, and threats of not buying me clothes every time I'd get chunky).  It's not that bad or extreme as it sounds but it definitely had an effect.  Of course, who doesn't want to get new clothes every now and then, right?  As true to most of us, losing weight is never a problem in younger years.  Back in the days, I would just do my regular one-week night shift in the hospital and lo and behold, the blubbers are gone instantly and magically.

To give you a little more history, when I moved to Canada in 2005, I weighed a little more than 100 pounds - roughly 102 pounds I would think.  At that weight, I was already chunky for my petite frame.  Muffin tops and belly fats.  Not to mention, the meaty arms.  Uuugggggh ! I can hear my mother (yes, her again!) saying to me before I left the Philippines, "Anak, 'wag na 'wag kang magpapataba pagdating mo sa Canada, ha?" (Pardon me as my English translation may sound brutal:  "My child, don't you ever get fat when you get to Canada.") It was like a commandment written on stone.

My first few years in Canada was adjustment period. I went through a lot of stuff - hardships, unwanted experiences, depression, frustration - and before I knew it, I shrunk myself to 98 pounds - unplanned.  Even a double extra small size dress was big for me then.  Every once in a while, I would gain but I stabilized around the 98 to 100-pound range.  I went to the gym a couple of times and attended a few classes whenever I would feel I gained.  I sort of developed an awareness of my weight and body figure.  Now, you may be wondering when did I officially declare a war against weight gain.  Keep on reading, please.

My weight battle saga began in the spring of 2009.  It was the time when I fully recovered from my badly broken heart (a very effective weight loss program - but not advisable!), and I started going out with Vince ♥.  We shared the same passion for food and gastronomic adventure.  We both have a voracious appetite that feeds off on each other's.  Sooner than later, before I knew it, I blew up myself to a whooping 120 pounds - beat that ! It was like all the weight that I evaded during the first quarter or so of my life finally caught up on me with a vengeance.  Aaaarrrggggghhhh !!!

120 pounds was the heaviest I got.  With my tiny frame, there was no way I could hide that weight.  I looked unproportional.  People around me noticed it and I got mixed reactions.  Some actually preferred and liked the heavier-me look as opposed to the skinnier-me.  One comment I won't forget is, "Bakit ganyan ka tumaba? Nakakatakot!"  I dare not translate that but let's just put it this way for my non-Filipino readers:  It made me feel like a monster - literally - maybe it was just the choice of words but that remark broke the camel's back.  It was the perfect reason to officially declare the war against weight gain.

I'm telling you it is not an easy battle.  Most of the time, I'm on the losing side.  From 120 pounds, I was able to bring it down to 112 pounds.  I have a stressful job so I guess that helped a lot in my case.  There are rare times that I dropped to 108 pounds but basically it played around the 110-112-pound range.  Recently, I plateaued at 110 pounds.  I wasn't quite satisfied but nevertheless happy that I was able to lose 10 pounds in about two years' time.  Although a tiny voice inside me survives to say that I can lose more, I was close to coming to terms and accepting that there is no more going down beyond 110 pounds for me.  I almost surrendered at that point.

Until one day, I got another friendly comment, "Ang taba mo na nga!"  That was the signal that made me turn the flags upside down, and start the battle again.  As a strategy this time, I recruited outside forces.  I enrolled in Weight Watchers Online.  Good grief !

I've been a member of the Weight Watchers for a little more than a month now.  Guess what?  I lost 3 pounds already !!!  Yehey !!!  There is indeed hope.  It's never too late to lose weight -- this actually sounds a pretty good motto.  Haha !  Basically, Weight Watchers is all about portion sizes (measuring cups and serving sizes are a must!), healthy choices, and exercise.  I haven't been faithfully following the Weight Watchers Points Plus food intake limit per day for my healthy weight goal of 102 pounds, but I am already losing weight.  I can just imagine that if I strictly adhere to the program, oh my gosh, I will be losing weight faster than you can say, "Wow!"  I didn't set a time length, as I wanted to take it easy, bit by bit.  One thing for sure is that I am working on it - even Vince can attest to that - and hopefully one day I'd get there and overcome this self-declared weight battle and finally put an end to this saga.

Going back to the Serenity Prayer above, I understand that my current weight is something I can change - so I'm mustering the courage to change it - until it reaches the mark, that I can no longer change it and just have to accept it the way it is.  There is a healthy weight range for each one of us and a reasonable plan to attain it.

Thank you for spending time to read my blog.  Allow me again to end this entry (not the saga... not yet) with a prayer for all my friends who are in the same predicament as I am:

JUST KIDDING !!! :p
PS:  Vince has lost 3 pounds too, and oh boy, he is definitely a happy camper ! :)

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