Having "Me" Time

It’s been too long since my last post. I missed writing. I missed my blog. I missed my readers. The voices inside me missed being punched onto the screen. With this change in weather and not having enough “me” time of late, I’ve been literally voiceless from a bad flu and I have to say it hasn’t been one of my best weeks. I never had such a good stomach workout(or pain) from a cough before. (They say laughter is good for toning your stomach muscles, but I think coughs must rank somewhere closeby.) Nevertheless, one must be be positive! I think my stomach will be fit and toned by the time the coughing has subsided. Wonderful. I’ve even lost a kg that was excess since the New Years. As having a cold seems to be “in” at the moment with a change in weather and all, I thought today I’d write about why one should NOT be a google doc. I am guilty of being a google doc. Whenever I come down with something I like to google it up the symptoms, read about it voraciously and quench m...

It’s almost the end of January, I have a zillion things to do yet right now all I am thinking about are socks. Yes, you read it right. Socks. Those soft cushy things you put on your feet to keep warm and wear with shoes. What? Are you serious? Yes, I am. I am very serious. I have to confess, I have actually been thinking about socks for a few days now so it’s about time I wrote about it. It all started when I resumed my running schedule after a few weeks of rest. Most days, running is a bore and I do it just so that I can eat and have that delicant piece of sinful chocolate that melts in your mouth. However, one day a week or so again, I ran and ran and for the first time in a long time, I felt that running was enjoyable. It was fun, relaxing and I enjoyed feeling my feet pacing up and down on the treadmill. I felt bouncy and my feet were happy. I could run more than I had for awhile. I wondered if it was runner’s high, but it wasn’t. I thought that maybe it was because I had...

I need my sleep but sometimes I wonder, why do we sleep?  Do I really need to sleep? If I didn't sleep I could spend more waking hours doing a million more things. Why we sleep though is a question that has been asked for centuries and still no one really knows the answer.  I do not know why I sleep, but I know that if I do not get enough sleep, the next day becomes a waste of a day. I get headaches, feel groggy and my concentration level is low.   This lack of sleep is what scientists have been studying for centuries in an attempt to better understand why we sleep. Scientists study these various effects of sleep defiency to better understand sleep.  Without it,  our cognitive skills would be harmed and brain development probably affected. If you think humans sleep to save energy, the BBC article "The Science of Sleep" mentions that for eight hours of sleep, we only save about 50kCal which is very minimal.  One piece of my Peppe...

Since the flood prevented me from exercising regularly and now that it has gone, I find myself in the festive season with my weight going uphill. I gained 3kgs last week (now 2kg down and 1kg left to go) which is the most I’ve ever gained in the last year or so. It’s during festive times like these when our weight go up and up. (I mean it’s a time for meeting friends, hanging out and having fun. What this means is a lot of eating, drinking and late nights. A routine that is wonderfully suited to gaining weight. ) Fear not, with some exercising planning, you can keep your weight in control and get it back down before you find yourself unable to fit into the pretty dress you had ready for New Year’s Eve. Of course, in between meals do not forget to also watch what you eat. The more you eat the harder you have to work at burning it out. Since I gained 3kgs, I had to find a way to get it down and fast it must before it reaches a new steady state. When the weight is in a steady ...

I love this myth. This is a myth that says one should not eat after a certain time if one wants to lose weight because food eaten later will turn into fat.  I think at a certain time during my chubby days I too tried this and guess what? I stayed chubby.  I still ate a lot and did not exercise and so yes, I remained chubby no matter what time I ate. Now the myth works for some people, because they end up eating less.  They tell themselves not to eat after a certain hour, and so mindless snacking is avoided.    Especially if you lived in an apartment like I did, the fridge was just convenient and easy access.  Watching TV, I could see the fridge and when you have nowhere to walk, (because the space is small)  you walk to the fridge.  You open the fridge and peek inside. A snack, a piece of cake, a chocolate catches your eyes and before you know it, it's in your stomach! Some say, however, that eating late...

Life goes on sitting and waiting for the flood. Lets talk about eggs today. A basic food staple that can give you energy during hard times are boiled eggs.  You can survive on rice and boiled eggs (as long as you do not get bored of it).  However, those with high cholesterol levels are often afraid of eating eggs for fear that it will push cholesterol levels up high. Some avoid it like it was some sort of disease. According to Alannah Dibona, eggs are not unhealthy and not a food that needs to be avoided like the plague.  Cholesterol comes from certain saturated fat and trans fat.  Eggs have very little saturated fat (1.5 grams of fat for a large egg) and no trans fat.  That means Yeah! I can eat more eggs. Eggs, in fact are quite healthy and have 13 naturally occuring vitamins and minerals.  Yes, you read it correctly, eggs are good for you.  You might ask, "Even the yolks that are supposed to have lots  of cholesterol?" ...

Yes, inner Bangkok will be flooded soon.  I say this because I believe I live in "inner" Bangkok.  I am not far from the BTS skytrain and lifestyle shopping areas.  Now, the "water" is a few kilometers away from my house.  My local supermarket where I go for monthly supplies without having to use the main road is starting to flood. It's taken so long to arrive.  I've been waiting for over two weeks. I have to admit I am not as excited as I thought I'd be. (Maybe when I actually see the water, I will start to be excited.) Now, I just want it to flood and go away as soon as possible.  Whatever will be, will be.  Tonight, let's therefore talk about Myth 6 that say that high sodium foods taste salty, and that one should avoid salty snacks. According to Andy Belatti, a nutritionist, apparently new research indicate that low-sodium diets may not necessarily be better for your heart, but they do reduce high blood pres...

Tonight, I temporarily stop listening to news regarding flooding. It's too depressing and it's making me stressed.  I know not when the water will come and at what level.  Whatever happens, happens.  Let it be.  Let's instead talk about a lighter topic today and continue on with the fourth myth.  The myth that in order to get calcium and have strong bones, you have to consume a lot of dairy products. This is a common myth.  When we think about having strong healthy bones, we immediately think of dairy.  We think of milk, cheese, and yogurt (high in calcium and vitamin D), but forget other sources of vitamins such as dark leafy greens.  Vitamin K and Magnesium are also important for healthy bones according to nuitritionist Andy Bellati.  Vitamin K can be found in dark leafy greens  such as collard greens, mustard greens, kale, and bok choy, while Magnesium can be found in almonds, cashews, oatmeal and potatoes.  It's wonderf...

Yes, the flood waters are moving closer to Bangkok.  Everyone is getting a little nervous, me included.  When it rains, I can't help but wonder if that will mean one more line of defense has broken and that soon the waters will rush into the inner city area.  Let's pray that there be no more casualties.  When stressed I tend to eat more than I should.  It's like my brain decides that eating helps relieve stress.  However, it only helps short term for it ends up making me feel worried about having eaten too much.   I end up looking for healthy foods to eat, which brings me to the third myth.  The myth that low fat foods are always good for you. I'm sorry to have to be the one to break the news to you, but low fat foods are NOT always good for you. It is important to always read the food labels when you buy food.  Sometimes, the food is indeed low in fat, but extremely high in sodium (salt) and sugars whic...

Many people think health comes along when you have another "half" another "soul" to be by your side. Some say "love" will make you lose weight, be healthy.  There is some truth to it, but I think that is somewhat oversimplified.  You do not need to have "someone" to get healthy.  The only reason you should get healthy and lose weight is because you dearly want to yourself.  Because you love yourself and you think that you are worthy of the attention.  Once you have found that love for yourself, then love for another comes more easily. Health is a great cure for the soul. It rejunevates, energizes and gives you strength you previously didn't know you had.  You can somehow run those few kilometers and walk up flights of stairs without feeling tired. Walks that were once unappealing, now seem like a little walk in the garden.  The hot weather becomes less annoying, and the chair more comfortable. Yes, even just sitting on chairs becomes a...

This morning while running, I thought about the upcoming Bangkok Marathon .  I have to get a little more serious in my running.  In 53 days, the Bangkok Marathon will be held as it has been for the past few years.  On November 20, 2011 tens of thousands of people will be out running in the wee mornings of the day.  I will be there.  Let's all be there.  Let's go out, have some exercise and enjoy the experience. For those of you who have never joined the marathon, let me tell you this.  Once you've experienced it, you will want to keep coming back.  It's fun, it's exciting and its open the everyone.  How often do you get to run on the street by the Grand Palace and watch the sunrise?  You don't have to run the entire 42km marathon.  They have the 10K as well as the 5K for you to choose from.  I will be doing the 5K.  I want to run it all and not run. The first time I joined the marathon was 4 years ago, I w...

The vegetarian festival is coming up soon in Bangkok and so if you are looking for somewhere that serves delicious vegetarian food, I recommend this little restaurant called "Thamna".  This literally translates to "farming" in Thai.   It's a lovely little eatery that opened up roughly two years ago and is very close to my office, so close that I had not written about it.  It is, however, one of my all time favorites and somewhere where you can go have a healthy meal. It's a tiny little shop with a cosy ambiance and soft music playing in the background.  Paintings line the walls and it has a somewhat artistic feel to it.  It has roughly 6 tables so I recommend making a reservation if you plan to go there during the peak hours of noon.  Office workers from nearby go to this shop during the lunch break. What kind of food do they serve?  It's a vegetarian restaurant so no meat is served here, only vegetables and lots and lots of mush...

The rain has made my walking trips a bit difficult this rainy season, so I am turning to indoor activities for the moment.  Having a flu is also a big inhibitor of going places.   Anyways, thanks to a dear sister, I had the opportunity to attend an event that was really quite informative and fun at the same time.  It was a spa's anniversary and amongst the many activities they had for customers, one of them taught us how to make our own facial scrub and so I thought I'd share the recipe with you. It's organic, there are no chemicals and its good for your skin.  It left mine feeling all soft and lovely.   it smells good too.  I love things which smell good. It's really quite simple and something to try if you are home and want to just try something new. The ingredients include: black sesame, plain yogurt, and honey.  Yes, it's really as simple as that.  First, roast the black sesame a bit and then grind it up so that t...

In just a few days, it will be the end of August and it will have been eight months since January.  If you haven't accomplished your goals, perhaps now is a time to reevaluate them and reprioritize.   If you have not yet gone for a health check up, then I recommend you do so.  Health should be a priority.  Surprisingly, not a lot of people regularly have annual checkups and we go through life thinking that we are healthy, all is fine and that we are still young.  Nothing is going to happen to us. The sad truth is, we get older every year.  Our bodies get older, and suddenly we find ourselves faced with health problems we previously never thought of. Backaches seem more common in the thirties.  If I get up too fast, or move too fast, I risk hurting my back which results in endless days of torture and wearing low unattractive heels.  I finally understand while the older ladies are always spotted wearing "comfortable" shoes versus the...

I just got my health check results today.  It's always a bit nerve-racking when you receive the results in a sealed package and have to open it.  It makes you wonder what will be written inside.  How will my cholesterol be this year? Am I going to have high triglyceride levels?   It's a time when you cannot run away from reality and the numbers are either telling you good or not so good news.  Getting the health check result is like getting a reality check. A reality check that tells you how well, or not well, you have been treating your body. A few years ago when I was at my "peak" (in terms of being overweight and unhealthy, not peak fitness level!), I never liked the health check results.  It was always had the same phrases on them:  "Lose some weight, eat healthier, exercise, cholesterol levels are high, avoid fatty foods and dairy products." Yes, I remember them all. It was always there ...

Oftentimes we spend our lives taking care of others and forget the most important person:  ourself.  You find your days and hours devoted to taking care of family members, taking care of clients and customers and work non-stop to meet deadlines.  Work consumes us alive as well as the zillion other tasks we have to get done in our daily lives. Now how much time you spend taking care of family members of course depends on how large your family is.  It can include parents, siblings, your spouse, children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, inlaws, etc.  If you have a large family, this of course will consume quite a bit of your time.  If you have children, you will most often be preoccupied taking care of them.  I don't have any but from what I see, having children is a full time job.  From the moment you wake up, until the time you fall asleep there are things that need to get done.  Many times, parents forget to take care of themsel...

If you are like me, somedays the discipline just goes on holiday and it takes awhile to get it back.  You start on a series of eating out with friends, then more and more reunions come your way, and before you know it, you keep wanting to eat more.    For the ladies out there, here's a tip on how to make sure you don't eat too much:  Wear Pants.  Wear Jeans.  or Wear Skirts with waists that do not expand. I'm a big fan of skirts and dresses and I love the ones without any waists.  They just flow over and then you tie it up with a little belt or a bow to finish the look.  They're comfortable, they're convenient and they are perfect for Bangkok's hot weather.  However, they can be quite dangerous if you eat out a lot when your discipline has gone on holiday.  You don't feel your stomach expanding and you can keep on eating till your heart's content.  As long as the mind isn't full, there is more room to grow (your stomach ...

Yesterday I started out writing with the intention of talking about "Dragon Fruits" but half way through I realized I was talking more about weigh scales.  Tonight I'd get straight to the point and talk about this relatively new fruit called "Dragon fruit." When I first heard the name I wondered what could a fruit look like to justify such a name?  Is it shaped like a dragon?  Is it large and full of fire with flapping wings ?  That's what I always think about when I hear the word "dragon."  I still love saying the name "dragon fruit."  It makes me feel like I am in a mystical land. Interestingly, it's a fruit that comes from a cacti plant that only blooms at night. What's more, it depends on pollination by bats and moths. Not exactly your ideal fruit that dangles from pretty looking trees, like apples that tempted Adam and Eve. However, after seeing the "dragon fruit", I can somewhat see why it's called so...

Considering the number of restaurants I have been reviewing (and I have plenty more lined up), you might wonder how can one stay in shape and prevent excessive weight gain? As my advice has always been the first step to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to be "aware" of what one is eating.  If you aren't exactly sure, write it down and take note.  If you ate a lot yesterday, eat less today.  It's simple as that.  You are what you eat. If you couldn't be bothered to note what you've been eating, then use the weigh scale.  Weigh yourself everyday.  Weigh yourself at the same time of day each.  It works wonders, and best of all, it takes less than a minute to do. (No excuse that you don't have time.) I have to admit though, that almost two years since I first started my diet, I still have a slight fear of the weigh scale.  I wonder if the needle will jump up after I've had that delicious chocolate cake, or that incredibly fattening creamy salm...

Health is a very important part of our lives and being in poor health can be detrimental to one's quality of life and affect greatly our lifestyles.  It can also affect our postures and our characters.   Imagine someone who is constantly at pain when walking or their arms and shoulders give them continued problems.  If you watch them, every now and then they'd stop walking, maybe walk crooked or suddenly rotates their shoulders in an upward movement as if some strange tick was making them move.  No matter how good looking they are, or how well dressed you are, this sudden tick of the shoulder can give the person next to you some doubts to your sanity. Shoulders used to be a big problem area for me and I realize also for my colleages.  Afterall sitting at the computer ten hours a day typing and clicking away on the computer isn't exactly what humans were designed to do.  We're supposed to be hunters and gatherers.  That's how our ancestors lived....