iamsimplytired

Interesting fact...

2007-12-26T07:41:00.000-08:00

Do you know that when a woman eat quickly, they consume 10% more calories than when they have the same meal but chew each bite for 15 to 20 times?

So, don't be lazy and let's start chewing... ;)

Skip Yourself Fit

2007-12-16T20:06:00.000-08:00

To get a great body, you not only need to have a good diet but you need to also do some exercises. Therefore, for mommies out there, you do not have to worry if you do not have the time to go for gyms, aerobics or yoga class. You could always do it at home in between your juggles with house chores and kids too ;).

And, as for starters, let me share with you one simple way. I actually got this from Reader’s Digest. Good luck!!

Excerpt from Reader’s Digest : Skipping is not just for kids. It’s high-intensity cardio exercise that uses every muscle in your body. It’s a great way to improve general fitness, endurance and stamina, says personal trainer Alexandra Wilson. However, to get results you must work your heart from 70 to 80 per cent of its full capacity. Try the mini-circuit below. “Ensure you warm up for five minutes”, says Wilson. “And keep the circuit going for at least 20. It’s an excellent work out, especially if you’re short of time.”

Skip for one minute
Star jumps for 30 seconds
Six 30-metre sprints
Ten sit-ups
Repeat five times

Fitness put on test, Scored A !

2007-12-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

After struggling with works for 5 days straight, Monday to Friday, I just need a time-out!

I decided to bring my friend, Hamim, to Pulau Ubin for cycling. I went there emm... last year with some friends. This is my second trip then. It was the first for Hamim to enjoy Singapore outdoor trip.

Last Saturday morning, I woke up earlier than usual, stuffed my backpack with 2 bottles of water, a towel, prayer robe (in case we stretch our day till evening), camera of course and also my gym stuff coz I have Yoga class at 420pm, so thought of heading straight to the gym, just in case.

Off we went to Pulau Ubin by boat from the jetty. Wow... cool ocean breeze ... it's relaxing!

There, we rented bikes and headed straight and around the island.

Enjoyed cool wind!

The challenge got started when we hit the earth trail. Walla... snowy rain makes the trail slippery. Xtra careful we must. My sport shoes are not suitable for this. Hiking shoes are more suitable. Anyway, we went straight ahead.

Cycling makes me happy! I love cycling. In fact, I love sports and any active activities for that matter. I juz love it...

The best part, steep slopes are part of the trail. For some bikers, they will got down and pushed their bikes up on foot. I decided to challenge myself. I put my mountain bike on gear, cycled up, slow and steady along the steep slippery slope, right left right left... and walla.. there I was.. up on the top. Good job, gurl! Some of the tourist nearby clapped their hands and announced me as the winner of the fitness award. Hehehhe... It's so cool! Thanks to my frequent gym visits.
Fitness put on test and I scored very well, an "A"!

We stopped at the nearby stall and had a sweet cold coconut drinks, the very same coconut drink stall at which I stopped during my first visit.

We then got on the boat back to the jetty.

Hamim went straight home. As for me, it's not the end of the day just yet. I went to the gym, it's Yoga time, gurl!

Again fitness test come into the picture. :D

After the class, I grabbed an ice-cream from nearby 7-11 and sat down by the river and read book.

Walla... what an enjoyable day, indeed!

Gurls, be active and have fun!

:: I’m Officially on the 7 Days Diet Plan Starting today::

2007-12-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

Hi peeps! I know that I have been neglecting this blog for a while and I am sorry for that. I had my reasons to be on hiatus. I felt guilty and really bad for letting Wanie to do all the blog-entry for me, but after all, what are friends for, right?

Anyways, as an opening of me being back on track, let me share something with you guys. Yes, you have read it correctly. I am on diet. And it’s actually, 7 days diet only ;).

I assure you, it really works if you were to follow it without cheating of course. Hehe. So, to all of you out there who wants to look good, you guys can have a try on this. I have tried the 7 days thingy once and it was fantabulous. Thus, have fun, GIRLS.

7 Days Diet Plan
Basic Fat-Burning Soup
Ingredients
6 large green onions
1 bunch celery
1 large head of cabbage
2 green peppers (capsicum)
1 or 2 large cans tomatoes
1 package of Lipton onion soup mix / Knorr – chicken cubes

* The measurements meant to be for big portion. If you want to do a smaller portion, you need to roughly figure that out by yourself. Sorry. Hehe.

** Take as much as you want, whenever you want at anytime of the day. This soup will not add calories; the more you eat the more you will lose. If eaten alone for indefinite periods, you would suffer malnutrition.

Process: (How the 7 Days Work)
* Do not hesitate to ask me if you have any uncertainties or doubts on any thing.

Day 1 : All fruits except banana. Fruits & Soup. Drinks : Unsweetened tea, cranberry juice or water.

Day 2 : All Vegetables. Green and leafy, stay away from dry beans, peas and corns. Vege & Soup. Dinner : Reward yourself with big baked potato and butter. Don’t eat fruit.

Day 3 : Mix Day 1 & Day 2. Take all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. You cannot have baked potato this day.

Day 4 : Bananas and skimmed milk. Eat as many as 8 bananas and drink as many glasses of skimmed milk as you can along with your soup. But, on this particular day your body will need potassium and calcium to lessen your craving for sweets.

Day 5 : Beef and tomatoes (or salad). You may have 10 – 12 oz this day. Try to drink as many as 6 to 8 glasses of water this day to wash away the uric acid in your body. Take your soup at least once this day.

Day 6 : Beef and veggies. Eat to your heart’s content of beef and vegetables this day. You can even have 2 or 3 steaks if you like, with green, leafy vegetables. BUT NO BAKED POTATOES. Be sure to take your soup at least once this day.

Day 7 : Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables. Again, stuff, stuff, stuff, yourself. Be sure to take your soup at least once a today. If you have not cheated on your diet, you will find that you have lost 10-17 pounds. If you have lost more than 15 pounds, stay off the diet for 2 days before resuming.

** If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for beef on only one of the beef days. You need high protein from beef at least one day.

Note : It is used for overweight heart patients who need to lose weight rapidly, usually before surgery.

Bangkok Trip

2007-11-17T06:17:00.001-08:00

Taking time-off from work does helps in rejuvenating and refreshing our mind, body and soul. I joined Aini in Bangkok last weekend!

It was absolutely fun and enjoyable. The highlight of all was definitely a Shopping Spree!

Day 1

Grand Palace, Royal Decorations and Coins Museum
- Paid 250 Baht/person and walked around the palace.

Floating Market
- Took Tuk Tuk from Grand Palace to the pier. As soon as we arrived at the pier, a guy garlanded us with a beautiful flowers and we thought it was for free when we learnt that he demanded 100 Baht. We wanted to return the garland when he agreed to accept 20 Baht. So, guys becareful and never forget to bargain!
Then, we had a 1-hour boat trip along Chao Phraya River at 600 Baht/person. Enjoyed the cool breeze and sight seeing along the river. We were pleased to actually experience the floating market and bought things from the seller from boat to boat. We bought souvenir from a Thai lady after bargaining hard. Aini is very good at this. BIG smile and speak politely are the tips for bargaining. Bargaining is truely an art! Walla...

Tuk Tuk Ride

Khao San Road
- Popular among the backpackers for cheap clothes, accessories, food, DVDs, CDs and many more. We bought a wrist band made of wood and string. For the first time ever in our life, we had a vegetarian tom yam for lunch at Etho.

Central World Plaza, MBK, Paragon, Siam Plaza
- Just walked around the malls. We didnt want to shop at the malls since we have lots of malls in our place, Malaysia and Singapore.

Lumphini Park
- Amazingly, there was a big group of people who joined the aerobic session at the park. They really enjoyed it. We were also impressed when everyone suddenly stopped jogging, walking and stand still when a Thai song was played. We guessed it must be the national song. At the park, I had a vegetarian fried rice which I brought from the hotel. Then, we continued our trip to Suan Lum Night Bazaar. We knew that it is somewhere near around the park. But since the park is huge, we were not so sure which way to head to. We asked two Thai's guys who were having a brisk walk for a direction to Suan Lam Night Bazaar. we ended up joining them brisk walking one whole round approx 2.5km! Oh boy!

Suan Lam Night Bazaar
- It's a great place to get local items like home deco, clothes, accessories, gifts, souvenirs and many more. We enjoyed it very much.

Day 2

Chatuchak Weekend Market
- There are about 15 000 shops in Chatuchak Weekend Market. We finally found a Halal stall in the market! We had a very nice lunch. And we packed dinner from the same stall before returning to hotel.

Day 3

I spent my day in the hotel. I went to the gym, made friends with a Thai couple and joined them for a badminton game. I also joined the aerobic class. It was fun following the instructor who spoke in Thai. But, luckily he managed to say little English. I watched a tennis game since there was a Tennis tournament at the hotel. That night, we went to Sun Luam Night Bazaar again for the final shopping.

Day 4

Departed to Singapore in the morning and went straight to office from the airport. Back to work, gurl!

Aerobics

2007-10-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness... Aerobic looks easy man...
But my body is so stiff and I am very bad in body coordination. So, easy steps are hard for me. That proves, I am not good in dancing. Oh gosh...

Marching.. right ..left..right ..left... one step right..hop... twist left..twist right... some other steps...

Seriously I cant remember the steps... how bad I am..hehehee...
Never mind... I'll catch up as I go along..

Not much sweating since I often missed the steps ..

Bodylicious

2007-10-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

Again I missed the class i intended to go, the Step 101 session, 340pm. So, I joined the next class, Bodylicious.

Bodylicious is similar to ABT class. It's an intense body ocnditioning workout aiming at Abs, Butts and Thigh for body toning.

Some exercise looks easy like squat half-way and hold, but when we do it, we'll feel the intense muscle on thigh area. Wow... it's challenging.

I noticed that for ABT and Bodylicious classes, there will not be many particpants. But for BodyPump, Step 101 and others, they easily hit full house. This proves that ABT is really challenging class but it's good for toning our challenging areas: Abs, Butts and Thigh.

Pilates

2007-10-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hey gurls....

I went to the "Pilates" session this afternoon. And you know what?? I love it!
It is relaxing while balancing and stretching your body.

"Pilates" is a mat work class taught according to the principles of Pilates. It is gentle but effective exercises to strengthen your core abdominal and back muscles. It also gives more stability and support to body.

I told you that my body's flexibility is really bad. Push-up is very hard for me. I can't even touch my toes when i bend. So, by taking this session, i hope i can slowly improve my body's flexibility and stability.

Tomorrow, I plan to join Body Balance and Step 101.
See ya!

My second "Body Pump" session

2007-10-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

After resting for a month during the fasting month, now, I am back in the gym!

We can postpone our membership for some valid reasons like fasting month or hospitalized or medical reason. With this, we can maintain our membership term without loss. This means, if you have 1-year term which starts on 1 Jan 2007 and ends on 31 Dec 2007, when you postponed for 1 month for the Ramadhan, you will finish your term on 31 Jan 2008, instead. That simple!

I felt a little bit lazy to go back to the gym, but, somehow I managed to flush that laziness away. I went to California Fitness Center in Bugis after work. Planning to take up "Body Balance" session at 7.40pm, but, I was stucked with some discussion in the office, thus, I went for a "Body Pump" session, instead, at 8.50pm.

It was FUN!
I really enjoy it. I feel happy for doing something different other than works in the office. Furthermore, performing the session routines accompanied with some music really made me feel good.

So, I will keep the gym in my schedule every week. At least, 2 times on weekdays and every Saturday and Sunday. I will share with you my experience for each session.

Tomorrow, I plan to join "Pilates" session. I haven't try this before. We'll see.

Keep Fit, gurls!

Salam AidilFitri

2007-10-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

Salam AidilFitri to all the Muslims.
Maaf Zahir Batin.

Salam Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

2007-09-19T02:05:00.000-07:00

It's fasting month, the Ramadhan!
We wish to all the Muslims, Salam Ramadhan Al-Mubarak....

Tips when breaking fast:

Starts with sweets like dates (kurma)
Take plain water
Minimize intake of iced water
Take more fruits
i.e papaya is good for digestion

Some facts obtained from the article "The Spiritual and Health Benefits of Ramadhan Fasting" by Shahid Athar, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine:

Physiological effect of fasting

lowering of blood sugar,
lowering of cholesterol
lowering of the systolic blood pressure.
Ramadan fasting would be an ideal recommendation for the treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity, and essential hypertension.

In 1994 the first International Congress on "Health and Ramadan", held in Casablanca, entered 50 extensive studies on the medical ethics of fasting. While improvement in many medical conditions was noted; however, in no way did fasting worsen any patients' health or their baseline medical condition. On the other hand, patients who are suffering from severe diseases, whether type I diabetes or coronary artery disease, kidney stones, etc., are exempt from fasting and should not be allowed to fast.

Psychological effects of fasting

There is a peace and tranquility for those who fast during the month of Ramadan.
Personal hostility is at a minimum.
Crime rate decreases.
better stabilization of blood glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates behavior changes.

Muslims take advice from the Prophet who said, "If one slanders you or aggresses against you, say I am fasting."

Beneficial effect of extra prayer at night:

helps with better utilization of food
helps in energy output.
- There are 10 extra calories output for each unit of the prayer. Again, we do not do prayers for exercise, but a mild movement of the joints with extra calorie utilization is a better form of exercise.

Recitation of the Quran

produces a tranquility of heart and mind
improves the memory.

Ace~ Yummilicious Salad…

2007-09-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Peeps,

I have got a special meal that my family had for dinner last night. Presenting you with, “Ace~ Yummilicious Salad”.

Ingredients:
Onion - provides relief in the treatment of coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis.
Kiwi Fruits – Rich with vitamin C and fiber. And, also did you know that recent tests show kiwi can also reduce your risk of heart disease? Apart from, being a good source of phyto-nutrients which protect cells from oxygen-related damage, and antioxidants, which help the body guard against problems like inflammation and cancer.
Fish Fillet - Excellent source of high-quality proteins with sufficient amount of all the essential amino acids.
Corn - A good source of many nutrients including thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folate, dietary fiber, vitamin C, phosphorous and manganese.
What is folate ? What can high-folate foods do for you?

Support red blood cell production and help prevent anemia
Help prevent homocysteine build-up in your blood
Support cell production, especially in your skin
Allow nerves to function properly
Help prevent osteoporosis-related bone fractures
Help prevent dementias including Alzheimer's disease

Salad (Green & Purple) - Fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B, folic acid
Tomato – High vitamin C and contain goodly amounts of potassium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin A and vitamin B.
Thousand Island
Boiled Potato with a pinch of salt – Most economical sources of Vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, folacin (folic acid), copper, potassium and iron.

Method
Put it all together in a big bowl and mixed it. Wallah! As easy as that ;).

Good Luck & Enjoy.. ;)

"Fast Food Maniac"

2007-09-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

Still fresh in my mind...I can still remember... 5 Sept 2005, the day when I first got myself here in Singapore! It was my first flight ever in my life too. In fact, my trip was quite a rush, for the new so-called "critical project". Here, I hardly have relatives not even Malay friends (anyway, I was the only Malay girl in my company). Just my colleagues, Chinesse and Indians. They too from Malaysia, not knowing much about Spore. So, I dont know where to get Halal food. Indians colleagues (Indians from India) didn't help much... they dont really know much about halal food and stuff.

For ONE WHOLE WEEK i took fast food, name it, McDonald.. Bugger King.. KFC...Pizza EVERY DAY!!! Oh My goodness...
Due to hectic project schedule, my team worked day and night, weekdays and weekends. So, I dont find much time to wonder around looking for good food. It came to a point where I can't take it anymore. I was craving for rice. So, I bought rice, cook and ate with KFC's fried chicken! Sometimes, I took Maggie Mee. It was so crazy. I don't have much time to do any proper cooking. At that time, I was the so-called "workaholic working lady" flew from Malaysia to the land of lion trying to win the game of "The Survivor".

When I finally managed to squeez myself out, my friend, Tee and I went to Park Royal Hotel and had a very nice dinner ever!
Wow... it was absolutely awesome.

I believe they are many working woman out there do skip meals for work. Many take fast food for a quick lunch. Ladies..the truth is certainly hard to be told.

Eating frequent fast food meals causes:

1) Obesity

Arggg... the most frigthening enemy for woman

2) Face an increased risk of developing insulin resistance

Results of a study funded by the National Heart,Lung, and Blood Institute(NHLBI) shows that eating frequent fast food meals causes teens and young adults to gain more weight and face increased risk of developing insulin resistance.
This may lead to DIABETES

3) Addictive

A steady diet of fast food - burgers, fries and
As people put on weight, they become more resistant to the hormone leptin, which is strongly linked to weight and appetite, and a brain peptide called galanin that stimulates eating.
Leptin releases signals to the part of the brain that co-ordinates eating behaviour but as people gain weight they become more resistant to the effects of the hormone.

4) Hair fall

High-fat, high-animal protein and high-salt diet damages the kidneys and creates acidic blood, thereby leading to hair loss, according to Paul Pitchford's Healing with Whole Foods and Janet Zand's, Allan N. Spreen's and James B. LaValle's Smart Medicine for Healthier Living.

5) High Blood pressure

A single fast food meal can quickly send your blood pressure soaring, University of Calgary suggests.
This immediate pumping up of blood pressure levels could provide a key mechanism through which high fat meals produce heart disease over time, the paper's lead researcher says.

6) breast cancer

The number one killer among women aged 35-54 years - could be triggered early in life by an unhealthy diet of fast food, Professor Paul Kleihues has warned.

"There is increasing evidence linking breast cancer to dietary habits in the first ten years."

The excess fat carried by overweight girls may be the key to developing breast cancer.

When they reach puberty, the female oestrogen hormones, which help trigger most breast cancers, are stored in the fat instead of being used or discarded.

And the list goes on and on...
In short, try to minimize intake of fast food to enjoy a healthy life :-)

French Toast with Baked Beans

2007-09-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, ladies!! Ready to start your day? Make sure you start it in a healthy way! Here, I have a simple healthy recipe to share with you for breakfast.

May I present you with, “French Toast with Baked Beans”

Back in the UK, my hubby always had baked beans for his breakfast, be it with toast, sausages or scramble eggs. I, for one, don’t quite like it, although I could take a very little bit of it. However, when I got to know that baked beans is actually producing lots of nutrients, I start learning on how to eat it more in my daily meal.

The reason beans are so healthy is that they contain antioxidants which protect the cells in the body. Antioxidants protect from the effects of aging and all sorts of disease such as cancer and heart disease.

And so, let me show you the steps for preparing “French Toast with Baked Beans”.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk (low or no fat)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices bread
½ cup baked beans, to serve (try salt reduced!)

Method

Whisk egg and milk together until well combined.
Place mixture in shallow dish.
Dip the bread into the egg mix on both sides.
In a non stick pan, heat the olive oil then cook the bread on both sides until golden brown.
Heat the baked beans and serve on top of the French toast.

Wallah! Your breakfast is ready to be served. Do not forget to enjoy the meal with your favourite freshly squeezed juice.

Good Luck!

“Not only are baked beans low in fat, they are also chock-full of protein and fibre” – Matt Lovell (Nutritionist)

California Fitness Membership

2007-09-04T09:01:00.001-07:00

I would like to share with you the survey I made for the fitness center's membership fees.

California Fitness

GOLD (One Club)
Enrollment Fee (ONE-time payment) = SGD 347
Processing Fee (ONE-time payment)= SGD 104
SGD 105/month

PLATINUM (All Clubs)
Enrollment Fee (ONE-time payment)= SGD 426
Processing Fee (ONE-time payment)= SGD 104
SGD 116/month

You can get a better price if you have CitiBank or DBS Credit Card.
Only for SGD 78/month! for 24 months and get 12 months FREE and NO Enrollment Fee and NO Processing Fee...

In KL, Malaysia, we can get RM144/month for a number of Credit Cards for the same package! Heheheeee... I joined in KL, my homeland. Because, someday I will make a final return!

Fitness Club One

6 months Membership
Student/Elderly = SGD 230/month
Adult = SGD 280/month
Admin Fee (ONE-time payment) = SGD 50

1 Year Membership
Student/Elderly = SGD 420/month
Adult = SGD 470/month
Admin Fee (ONE-time payment) = SGD 50

But, facility-wise Fitness Club One is quite limited.

Warm up? What’s warm up?

2007-09-04T07:56:00.001-07:00

You know, I love to walk, jog and run. I am good at that. In fact, very good! Heheh.. Nevertheless, walking, jogging and running without warming up your body is a bad habit. Warm up is very important to prepare the body before doing more intense workout.

So, what is warm up?

According to wikipedia, a warm up is usually performed before participating in (technical) sports or exercising. A warm up generally consists of a gradual increase in intensity in physical activity. For example, before running or playing an intense sport one might slowly jog to warm muscles and increase heart rate. It is important that warm ups should be specific to the exercise that will follow, which means that exercises should prepare the muscles to be used and to activate the energy systems that are required for that particular activity. The risks and benefits of combining stretching with warming up are mixed and in some cases disputed. Warming up prepares your body mentally & physically.

And so, I have simple steps in which I would like to share with all of you out there. Hehe.. it has to be simple otherwise, I won’t be able to remember it because I just tend to not remember things.. It’s not hard and what you need to do is follow exactly as per below:

Picture courtesy of Wanie ;).

Happy "Warming Up", peeps!!

Flatten Your Belly Meal Plan....

2007-08-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Exercising without a proper meal intake does not mean anything. And so, I have some meal plan to share ;).

British food scientist Monica Grenfell has filled this 3-day meal plan with simple, unprocessed foods. The plan is designed to completely eliminate bloat over the next few days, so your belly will get flat fast. Tempted? So, do not waste anymore time and start eating healthily.

Day 1
Breakfast
½ cup oats simmered or microwaved with water; nonfat milk added to taste

Mid-morning
6 oz live and active cultures yogurt
Water

Lunch
Herb, Spinach or Tomato Omellete (2 yolks and 3 whites)
Plain-dressed leaf salad (with vinaigrette)

Mid-afternoon
10 oz nonfat milk with ½ tsp honey

Dinner
Plain flattened chicken breast rolled in crushed pine nuts and pan-fried (make one extra and refrigerate)
Spinach with carrot puree (no butter)

Dessert
6 plums with rice pudding OR 3 rings pineapple, roasted, with low fat sour cream

Two Hours Before Bed
1 apple
1 banana
6 almonds
Small cup nonfat milk, warmed, with ½ tsp honey

Day 2
Breakfast
2 egg yolks and 3 whites whisked and scrambled
10 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
Mid-morning
6 oz live and active cultures yogurt

Lunch
Cold chicken from yesterday, sliced, with 2 tsp mayonnaise
Leaf salad, including watercress (with vinaigrette)

Mid-afternoon
6 oz live and active cultures yogurt

Dinner
Grilled, poached or pan-fried salmon fillet OR Cannelloni stuffed with spinach and almonds
Sliced tomato and cucumber salad
3 tbsp peas
3 tbsp corn
Med baked potato with 1 tsp sour cream

Dessert
Bowl of mixed strawberries and raspberries (1/2 cup)
1 tbsp light cream
6 Brazil nuts

Two Hours Before Bed
Cup of warm nonfat milk with ½ tsp honey
1 apple

Day 3
Breakfast
½ cup oats simmered or microwaved with water; nonfat milk added to taste

Mid-morning
6 oz live and active cultures yogurt

Lunch
4 oz tuna packed in spring water, served with salad, capers and olives

Mid-afternoon
6 oz live and active cultures yogurt

Dinner
6 oz fillet steak, grilled OR
2 “skinny” burgers (minced beef, nothing else)
Served with 1 tbsp tangy tomato salsa
4 oz baked potato with 1 tsp sour cream

Dessert
Grapes with sour cream and brown sugar grilled
1 tbsp light cream

Two Hours Before Bed
Cup of warm nonfat milk with ½ tsp honey
1 apple
1 peach

Have fun and enjoy!!!

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."
- La Rochefoucauld

Aching all over my body

2007-08-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

I feel aching all over my body! This is actually a normal thing that will happen to anyone who don't keep fit and exercise regularly, like me :D. Getting started to exercise, we will first experience PAIN. When we keep exercising regularly, we will move forward to FEEL zone. Here, we will feel our body more energetic and strong. Finally, we will SEE the result! Slim body, trimmed tummy and strong muscle.

If you stop in the middle, you will have to start from zero all over again!

Keep fit, gurls!

Ace~ in the House

2007-08-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hello peeps! Gosh! Wanie really makes me feel guilty. She has been contributing entry after entry and nothing at all comes from me. And, so that’s why I told myself, by hook or by crook, I have got to blog something for today ;).

Wow! My dear Wanie is really having fun ‘Pumping up her body’ at the gym. Unlike her, I do not have the time for gym neither the extra money.. heheh.. well, no worries. All you need to have is ‘determination’. With that, anything is possible, be it you are a mom of two or single ;). And the best thing is, it’s totally free-of-charge.

And so, what’s the secret of my healthy life. Oh well! Nothing fancy, though. However, it’s enough to make me sweat and be happy around my loved ones.

I was out, jog and walk at a park nearby my parent’s house in Nilai with my hubby. We did full two-rounds running side by side, relishing each others company. Once in a while, I ran fast and put my hands on his shoulder and had a high jump.

It felt really good. The satisfaction that I experienced was priceless. The sweat that showers parts of my body, the muscle pain that I have to put up with but being with the person you care and love, makes it all WORTH IT!

Not only that, from the corner of my eyes, I could see my kids and my parents, laughing and enjoying themselves at the playground, eases the pain and the exhaustion.

A reminder to all and also to myself, no matter how hard we have worked or how much time we have spend on working, most importantly, make some time and some room for the family.

A simple activity such as this, not only bring togetherness but also, it’s a way of healthy living!

“True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are united.”- Alexander von Humboldt

Street Jazz and ABT

2007-08-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Out of steps! That was what I felt most of the time in the Street Jazz session today afternoon. I realized that I never do any dance before. That explains how difficult for me to catch up with the steps. Furthermore, it was not for beginners. I simply joined because I wanted to explore since I have only 7-day trial. Nevertheless, it would be great fun if I can follow the steps.

After jazzing around clumsily, I joined ABT (Abs, Butts, Thighs) session. I knew it would be hard for me. But, I just wanted to try out. You will never know if you don't try, isn't it? And yes, my guess was absolutely right. Most of the exercises really challenge our muscles on ABT parts, which are my weakness points. I find it very good for body toning especially to trim our tummy (abs).

My biggest problem is my inflexible limbs. I can never touch my toes when I bend down. Frankly, I am very weak in body stretching. When the trainer showed me around to try out some equipments - lifting the weight plates using hands and then legs, the result was "I have no strength at all"!

TO DO list for me:

1. Top-bottom Workouts
a) upper body - shoulders, hands.
b) Abs, back
c) lower body - buts, thigh, legs and foot

Aim:
a) To build muscle
b) To improve strength on upper, abs and lower body

2. Join Intro Steps

Aim:
a) To get used to dance steps
b) To make my limbs move easily

What is ABT (Abs, Butts and Thigh)?

The name explains itself. ABT combines the use of steps and hand weights to tone up our abdomen (tummy), butts and thigh.

Do you know that WOMAN accumulate FAT on 3 parts of our body?

Mans accumulate fat only on 1 part, the abs. But, we, ladies, accumulate fat on THREE parts: abs, butts and thigh. So, we have more parts to attack then... heheehhee..

Girls... Never feel bad if you can't do it in the beginning. It's ok. It is normally hard at the beggining. After all, we all have to start somewhere, isn't it?

Go girls!

My first "Body Pump" session

2007-08-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

This morning was my very first "BodyPump" session. I never been in gym before, so I was quite blur. One of the girls offered me help in setting up the equipment.

You must be wondering what is "BodyPump"?

BodyPump is performed using a barbell, free weights-plates and aerobic step. It is the fastest way to tone and condition our body and get in shape. Based on the exercise step and personal strength level, we choose appropriate weights for the routine. Coupled with the background music, this exercise covers squats, chest, back - press, dead lift, dead rows, triceps, biceps, lunges, shoulder - push ups, lateral raises, frontal raises, abdominals and various stretching. This specifically aims at the muscles and body toning.

For a first timer like me, I just tried with 1kg weight. It is quite a challenge for me since my upper body is very weak. But, it was fun indeed!

Tomorrow, I plan to join for ABT and perhaps Street Jazz!
We'll see..

The cheapest sport shoes in the store!

2007-08-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

I got a VIP membership for a 7-day trial at the California Fitness. I decided to give a try on Saturday. The problem is I don’t even have a sport shoes!

So, I went to a sports outlet in Simei East Point just now after work. I don’t have much budget, though, you know it’s almost end of the month… So, I searched from one shelf to another… SGD 89+…SGD 99+…SGD 120+…SGD 59.90+ ..SGD 49.90+…

Finally, lucky me, I found the CHEAPEST sport shoes in the store. SGD 19.90. That’s cool enough! I grabbed sport socks too… hehehee…

I need to build 8.5kg of MUSCLE? Are you serious?

2007-08-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

During lunch hour, I hopped in one of the nearby fitness center, the California Fitness. The staffs are very friendly. The consultant sat down with me to get to know me and understand my expectation. I told them I didn’t workout for 3 - 4 years. My main aim is to improve fitness and also to trim my tummy. They took my body analysis with the special equipment. Then, my result was printed out.

Jeng jeng jeng… The result said that I am underweight. Ideal weight for me is 69.6kg, of course considering my height 1.77m. And I need to add 0.9kg FAT and 8.5kg MUSCLE!

Are you kidding???

I was shocked. Why do I need muscle? Then, the consultant explained that muscle is important to support our body. Its function is to produce force and cause motion. We, ladies, do not need bulky muscle like guys. That’s a relief, though. We just need sufficient muscle for our body to keep it in shape and firm. With muscle, we may weight more but we will look just slim and firm.

I am lack of protein due to lack of muscles. My upper body is very weak. That explains my back pains and tired hands. My legs are strong, though. Thanks for the walk-to-home routine! I walked home every day from MRT station. Therefore, I do not really require cardio exercises. Body toning and muscle conditioning programme like bodypump, ABT and pilates are more suitable for me.

Emm… it’s a good thing that I now understand about muscle.

Gym lookouts!

2007-08-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

I went to find out more about gym nearby my office (Raffles Place) and home (Simei). Some of the candidates are:

1) California Fitness
2) Fitness First
3) True Fitness
4) Amore Fitness
5) Fitness Club One

Later on, I will share with you more info for each :-)

It's time for a change

2007-08-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time that I wanted to join some sports club to get active, improve fitness and to make friends too. I love sports very much. Name it bowling, tennis, badminton or any sport for that matter. I used to be a sportsgirl of the school.

But now, due to tight work commitment, I didn’t manage to do any of these for years. Now…it’s time for a change.

I am planning to join a GYM!

-Wish me luck-

Hey ladies!!

2007-08-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

Are you working mom? working wife? working woman? working lady?

Tired of a whole lot of things in hand…
Hectic traffics in the morning rush hour…
Cramped bus/train like sardine can to work…
Office with tonnes of work loads…
Home with family and kids…

Headache! Bored! Tension! And simply tired…

Just wash all that away. Here, we simply get together sharing tips, discussion, experiences to get fit and enjoy a healthy life. So we can ..

Enjoy life to the fullest…
Pass through the heavy traffics in the morning rush hour with peace in mind…
Board the cramped bus/train to work with smile…
Energetic all day in office with excellent appraisal…
Have great fun with family and kids, your loved ones…

Ladies, let’s rock the world !

Who are we?

2007-08-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

iamsimplytired is a blog that helps working woman to share tips, discussion and experiences towards a fun and improved healthy life.

Unlike other blogs, iamsimplytired is simply from woman to woman. We discuss challenges faced by modern working woman at work, home and even society which affect our health quality. We share simple ways that help us to become energetic, confident and healthy working woman.

iamsimplytired is founded by TWO wonderful working ladies who happen to meet each other by chance. Since then, Aini & Wanie become such a good friend.

Aini,
Working mom with two lovely daughters.

"Busy projects in office and at times, travel on business trips plus family and kids at home are enough to pin me down. Healthy lifestyle is vital for me now!"

Wanie,
Working lady who stay alone abroad, away from mom, dad and family for years.

"Tight project deadlines in office gives me no room for social and personal life. Suffocated with hectic working life, I decided to make a new turn to streamline my lifestyle. It's just not worth it to risk life and health for just career. They are more to cherish and contribute to nation, society, community, family and own self. The idea of balancing working and personal life has urged me to create this blog which we, ladies, can share, learn from each other and most important thing to enjoy and have fun!"

From left: Wanie and Aini.