Ever since I moved out from Lisa & Steve's, I realize I have to shed off some (well...I guess more than "some") of the pounds I gained in the almost two years I lived with them. The reason I gained weight: I slacked off from both my routine workouts and did not watch I what I ate. I think the commute wore me out (40 mins one way) and Buckwheat is just a dog you can't ignore...who wants to be at the gym when you can snuggle up with the B! I used to be a workout queen (and loved it!) I was in spinning, yoga, kickboxing, boxing and weight training. And since I had my own apartment (Bellagio Drive), I prepared my meals carefully and watched the fat and calories. Lisa has the fortunate luck of NOT gaining too much weight if she pigs out...unlike me... I simply pack the pounds if I don't watch it. In 2004, I turned 40 and I looked and felt the best ever. But now, at 2007, I am the fattest I have ever been. I am not a skinny advocate. In fact, I hate people who diet and look like a stick. I think every woman should embrace her body and simply accept what she is born with. So my healthy body is a toned size 8, not size 4 or 2...that, I will never be. Anyway, back to the present. My goal is lose 15 lbs., which would put me back to my normal size 8 and to embrace a healthier eating habit. More fiber and protein, less fats and carbs. Steps toward that goal: I'm back at the gym. Bought my very own (yipee!!) spinning bike. Back at weight training and signed up at www. calorieking.com so I am now monitoring what I eat...diligently! I have restricted myself to 1,455 calories per day. In order to do this, I use a food scale to count every ounce of food I put in my body. I measure everything and put it in a plate. Whatever's in it is the only thing I can eat. This morning: Spin for 45 minutes. (at 5:00 am!) Stretch. Ab exercises. Breakfast: 1 slice of Toasted Multi-Grain Milton's bread and one hard boiled egg. Coffee (with 2% milk) and one plantain (3 oz). So far so good! I feel very energized. My goal, aside from losing weight and being a healthy eater is also to find a diet that will be appetizing to a filipino palate... Whenever I pick up a diet book or a healthy living magazine, I also feel frustrated with the food they suggest you eat. Where are the adobos and the sinigang? Who wants cereals for breakfast or a slice of turkey meat for lunch? Just not appetizing to me! So on my road to healthy living, I also want to design a filipino diet that will be both familiar and appetizing to Pinoys. Breakfast: Nuke a plantain (saba) for three minutes, it is yummy. Brown rice (today, I substituted toasted wheat bread instead of brown rice) and hard boiled egg is healthier than the usual pinoy breakfast of garlic rice, sunny side up egg and Spam/Longganisa. You skip on the fat and still get the grainy yummy taste of rice and egg. Note, also skip on ketsup! | 
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