Staying at Size Healthy

WAY TOO COLD - there's just no way...

2013-01-12T10:13:00.001-08:00

TOO TIRED
TOO EARLY
NO TIME
TOO LATE
TOO EXPENSIVE
WAY TOO BUSY
DON'T LIKE GYMS - IT'S NASTY
EMBARRASSING, IM TOO FAT
TOO HARD
TOO EASY
WASTE OF TIME
I HAVE NO ONE TO GO WITH
TOO FAR
I'LL JUST QUIT ANYWAY
IT'S BORING
MY BACK HURTS
MY FEET HURTS
MY KNEES HURT
I HAVE ARTHRITIS
I DON'T WANT TO GET BULKY
THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH WORK
I HAVE MY PERIOD
I'LL JUST GAIN ALL THE WEIGHT BACK ANYWAY
IM TOO OLD
I DON'T NEED TO WORKOUT

Did I cover it all? Bottom line is... You know you need to exercise and it is good for you. So why not do it? There is always something for everybody. You don't have to go to the gym or spend lots of cash on equipment or clothes or anything. Just walk around the block with your dog... After a few days, make that a jog around the block... Then make it two blocks... Three blocks... Don't want to go outside? Stay indoors and dance around... Don't like to dance? Do some stretching, yoga, pilates in your room. Have Comcast cable? Go to the on demand option and find something you want to do... Just move!

Look, you know these are excuses. Even my dad who has a metal plate on his spine makes these excuses but knows, he has to exercise... so he goes to the mall - it's warm, it's indoors, he's not racing with anyone, but does about 2-3 laps around the entire mall for exercise. Doesn't help that when I go with him we share an Auntie Anne pretzel after the walk... But that's a different story. ;)

This week alone, I found myself - TWICE...trying to make excuses not to come to class. But just as I was making those excuses, I've trained my brain and myself to make exercise part of my schedule. It's a routine. I bring my workout clothes to work, and after work, before I even get in my car, I put my workout clothes on. Depending on traffic, I usually find myself a little early to class... And very tired from work and from the commute. But I have my clothes on, I park the car in front of the dance studio and I take a quick power nap while waiting for class to start. I was careful to turn my alarm clock on just in case I doze to a deep sleep. Yes, I'm that tired... But I give myself NO EXCUSE to not exercise. I'm there, I'm dressed, ready or not... I drag myself in there 10 minutes before class starts. I'm groggy, half asleep... But as soon as that music starts, I'm left with no choice but to dance. 3 minutes in, I'm up, awake, smiling, heart pumping, laughing, and 100% of the time, I leave happy. That is why I give myself no room for excuses. I know that at the end of this whole dramatic ordeal of a day and no matter how crappy and tough it may have been to get my ass over to this place... I end up always feeling 100% better than when I first started. The key: I don't go home for any reason before working out. Because i know that if i go home, I'm not going back out.

Look, you do what you want with your body but also know that you must do what can for your it. And you know how much more you can do if you just push yourself harder. Don't be afraid to try. Don't be afraid to fail. Don't be afraid of a little pain. It will go away and you will find out how strong, and how much stronger you can really get. For me, that is the exciting part. I'm in competition with only myself... And nothing can bring me down but myself. And if I want ME to win, I have to be the much better me and not listen to the old ME that had all the excuses. :)

Getting up now, it's Saturday morning and no excuse... It's freezing outside, but I know it will only take 1 minute to warm my body up and 3 minutes to get me sweating in Eduardo's class. Woot woot!!!

Embrace Your Curves - Not Your Fat

2013-01-03T16:33:00.002-08:00

Ok I know I'm going to get some hate mail for this but I'm going to be as gentle and nice about this as possible. I got into a pretty heated discussion with someone about how "all women, no matter how large or skinny, should embrace their curves." Somehow, this person felt that even the super obese women should be just happy with what they have and just accept that this is the body they have and live with it. I disagreed because I think there's a difference between being curvy and being fat; and I am getting tired of hearing women describe obesity as curvaceous! Curvy is beautiful. Obesity is dangerous.

When I was overweight... wait, actually I'm still officially in the "overweight" category according to the CDC, but details on that will be on another post. Let's just say when I was 205lbs heavy with height 5'3, I heard many people say to me that I look great and that I should "embrace my curves and keep it that way". I also thought to myself, yeah - I've been this size for over 20 years, so I'm sure this is who I really am and the size I'm supposed to be. I'm beautiful dammit! I dressed like a diva and acted like one... but realized I had so many limitations. I wasn't very active, I couldn't be- the most active I got was when I walked around the mall specially during the holidays. I guess that's really because I got tired too easily and didn't really have all the energy I needed to run around and be in the hustle and bustle of things. I didn't run because I couldn't. I didn't swim because it was too hard to breathe. I can only ride the bike in flat lands, and gave up soon as I saw inclines. I watched games, but never got to play in them. Slow strolls and sitting were my main activities. Oh, and eating of course - I couldn't do much of anything else.

Now, as I evaluate that phrase - I know there is a huge difference between "embracing your curves" and "embracing your fat". I'm not curvy. Matter of fact, when in class, I usually notice how my body is straight and pretty shapeless. I had some boobs when I was heavier but since I lost weight, the boobs are gone too. I just have "boo" left now. Hehee... Thankfully, I have a tiny bit of booty left - not bootaaay like most women want, but an unflat booty. I still have things jiggling around my waist which I would like to try and lessen this year, yes it's my 2013 goal - less jiggles. But I am very happy with my body, and I can honestly say I embrace whatever curves I have. It's not much, but it's mine and it's in pretty good shape.

All women are naturally shapely, some more than others, but being OBESE and SUPER OBESE is NOT considered CURVY. At 205lbs, I was OBESE. That's 70lbs over what I am supposed to weigh considering my height. (Ever play Wii Fit? Yeah, that little Avatar, after I weighed myself at the beginning of each session said "Uh-oh, you're OBESE!" A friggin cartoon pretty much called me SUPER FAT.)

But it was right and it's not pretty, and it's not healthy. Do you know how much 70lbs of fat looks like? Here, check it out:

Use your own imagination - multiply the bottom shelf of fat to make 70lbs, and I'm sure you will agree, that is not something to be proud of, let alone embrace. Curves are beautiful, and I definitely think it's sexy. Obesity is not and it is a problem, and it must be addressed. Weight can be controlled - it's not easy but you have to try. It's for you, and for all the people around you that you love and that love you. Okay, I guess women with a little extra fat here and there, cute; but lot of extra fat on your body smothers your organs, causes inflammation, will mess up your joints, your feet, your back, cause diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, colon and breast cancer... and the list goes on and on and on.

All I'm saying here is be honest with yourself. Love your body, and love your body right. It's a beautiful creation and gift from our God, and don't let it go to waste by not protecting it and taking care of it. Weight is controllable. You don't have to be unhealthy and sick. Let the real beauty of your curves out... don't let them hide behind the layers of fat (and then calling those curves.)

If after reading this you're still unclear about the difference between curvy and fat, how about this:
Some CURVY women have bigger boobs, more pronounced hips, wider in the bumper, or maybe have more muscle than others.

FAT is something you become from poor diet choices and exercise habits.

These women are curvy.

Need help getting healthier in the new year? If you're in the East Bay (Oakland/Alameda/Hayward) area, send me a message. There's a group of ladies and gentlemen that I know would be willing to help you out. And we'll all have a great time while doing it too. :) You don't have to go to classes with us - but that would definitely help jumpstart your weight loss. Sometimes, all you need is someone to talk to and exchange experiences with, and get feedback from about what works and what doesn't. Leave me a message if you're interested.

Keep It Simple Silly! :) Tonight's Dinner

2013-01-02T21:05:00.005-08:00

Healthy Lifestyle means healthy eating habits. And eating healthier does not mean having to be Iron Chef and make complex meals. Just like any life process, 9 times out of 10, simplicity is key.

For tonight's dinner, I made fresh broccoli soup and shrimp salad. It's as simple as it can get - it's super yummy, and it's so good for you.

Broccoli Soup - water in pot, add salt, let it boil. Once water starts boiling, throw in broccoli crowns in the pot. 4 minutes max. Take all the broccoli out and throw it in the blender. Use the water in the pot that broccoli was in, and add water in blender - 1 part of broccoli and half water. Blend/Puree. Add salt and pepper. Soup done. Don't need to use chicken stock - make this soup vegetarian. :) Okay, you can throw in some walnuts in there after it's done, and drizzle some olive oil. I skip the walnuts and oil, keeping it simple.

Salad - I used one romaine lettuce, sprinkled blanched bay shrimp on top, squeeze some lemon juice over shrimp, diced red onions, diced hard boiled eggs, salt and pepper. Use your fav dressing... and voila, super awesome dinner!!!

Try it.

Is there a Miracle Weight Loss Pill? Read here to find out.

2013-01-02T15:56:00.002-08:00

Many have contacted me asking for advice about weight loss so I thought I’d get back into my healthy lifestyle blog about tips, tricks, and weight loss stories. Fair warning, if you’re easily offended, turn away now. Don’t follow my blog because I guess just like what many say about trainers, and fitness coaches – the ones who have gone through the process will not be the nicest. :) Why? Because we know what your excuses will be, we’ve made those excuses before. Been there, done that. We usually always know what you can and can’t do, what you’re capable of and what will take time… and one thing is sure: weight loss, and adapting to a healthier lifestyle will take time. What is important are:
#1 - knowing that you want to change. Get your head in the game immediately! Of course YOU CAN DO IT! I did, and I was probably the laziest person in the world.  - and
#2 - knowing that the hardest part of this journey is starting the weight loss/lifestyle change process.

I've been calling this a lifestyle change because it has to be. If you want permanent weight loss and a healthy body, you have to change the way you live your life. You can’t possibly do the same thing you’re doing and eat the same way and expect to change. And don’t even think about popping some pills to help you. There’s no magic pill except the “get your ass up every day and move it” pill.

Then again, some people have commented to me about how they don't really want to through this weight loss process because they will only gain it back and then some... seriously people, what is your excuse #2 because #1 is pathetic. And no, your skin won’t sag and have to go through skin surgery that you can’t afford. Ok, I know there are hundreds of excuses out there but if your head is ready, and you’re tired of being unhealthy… follow the simple rule, and you will be just fine: Eat Less, Move More.

Let’s start with moving… changing eating habits is harder (at least for me) so we can tackle that next time.

Here are a few steps to begin with:
• Go to your doctor. Your doctor will let you know how good or bad shape you are. In my case, I was in pretty bad shape. All my test results were bad. Cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar, pre-diabetic, etc. I know some of you don't want to go to the doctor because you're afraid about what you'll find out. Goodness, go now and get this ball rolling. Otherwise, stop reading now and pretend you never saw this post.

• If you get the same type of news I got, you have two choices. You can keep doing what you’re doing – meaning, nothing… and if that’s the case, stop reading now and pretend you never saw this post; or, you can do something about it. MOVE! Just MOVE, do something and keep moving.
• According to Dr Oz, if you keep doing what you have been doing – and not change anything in your life except for doing a 30min exercise-ish activity every day, you WILL lose weight. Makes sense right? So walk for 30 minutes every day, or run if you like to do that. In my case, I couldn’t run then – my knees hurt when I ran because I was too darn fat and my knees were being pounded on way too much. I know I know – you’ve heard all these before: take the stairs not the elevator or escalator, park far away from the front door – but it really works! Don’t give yourself an excuse, otherwise stop reading now and pretend you never saw this post.

• Get yourself a pedometer. It’s $20 at Walgreens for a basic pedometer. I think they even have free pedometer apps now. Make it a game… 10,000 steps a day is good. If in the first couple of days, you’re short some steps… figure out a way to get to 10,000. I work in an office and sit almost all day… when I first started walking (not quite exercising yet), I realized 10,000 steps is a ton!!! I was only making 3000-5000 a day so I got up from my desk every hour at least and walked at least 5 laps on our hallway floor – it’s a small building. Didn’t seem like it was making much difference but at the end of the day… I was at 8000-9000 steps, so I only had to make up 1000 more steps. Side note: when I started taking Zumba (Eduardo’s of course), I realized one class was about 8,000 – 12,000 steps. So go to a gym and take a class! You’ll get to your 10,000 steps quicker and will have some fun doing it.
• Finally, DO NOT get in your car to head home until you’ve hit 10,000 steps, or until you’ve done your 30 minutes of exercise for the day (or whatever your goal is for your daily activity.) Like many people, we work all day and when we get home, we just want to rest, have dinner, do our chores, and catch up on TV. Again, DON’T… GO… HOME… until you’ve done your activity for the day.

Schedule your activities as part of your day – not something you do when you have time. Just like going to work and eating every day, your daily activities need to be part of your life. Knowing “I CAN DO IT” is good… but “I AM DOING IT” is a better mindset.

Good luck friends… if you haven’t “stopped reading now and pretended you never saw this post”, you passed the first test. That means you’re still interested in being healthy and hope you check out my next post. I’m here to help anytime… send me a message, I don’t mind at all. I may not be able to answer your questions individually, but I will make sure to address them during my next post.

Till next time, keep on movin!

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT

2012-11-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

PAIN IS TEMPORARY... Don't be afraid of PAIN.

2012-04-12T14:41:00.001-07:00

Conditioning the mind to achieve our goals.

2012-01-13T00:37:00.000-08:00

Contrary to popular belief, regular exercise and a healthy diet are NOT all it takes to achieve any fitness goals. I found that it is also important to stay focused and driven; and to achieve that - one must have a conditioned mind. Personally, I feel it helps to listen to inspirational or motivational speeches --- and lately, I have been hooked on Arnold Schwarzennegger's "Secrets To Success" speech. Here are the clips in two parts, I hope it inspires you just as it has me, and help you set higher personal goals.

Inspiration and my 2012 goal...

2011-12-18T23:07:00.000-08:00

13 days to the end of the year and surely, many have started thinking about their New Year's Resolutions for 2012. I'm not sure I have a resolution. I do, however, intend to continue to be a better version of myself in the future. When I saw this video today, I was instantly inspired. The video contains a lot of quotes that have helped me through my lifestyle change in the last couple of years including:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure

I will show you how great I am.

It ain't about how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep movin forward. That's how winning is done."

As we let our own light shine, we unconsiously give people permission to do the same.

This video is an inspiration. I hope, God willing, to be here on Earth long enough to also inspire as many people as I can to be a better version of themselves. We all know how we were yesterday... and every morning, when we wake up - we get a gift from our Creator... a chance to make the day better than it was yesterday. Not just for us, but also for everyone around us. This is my goal for the New Year. Enjoy the video!

I WANT TO LEARN TO COOK!!!

2011-11-18T11:12:00.001-08:00

Everyone who knows me know that I CAN'T COOK. Hahaa... laugh all you want! I've admitted that to myself a long time ago. Even Lionel once said to me after making him dinner one evening... "sweetie, you have so many other great talents!!!" There is one dish I can kinda' make decently... I make a mean spaghetti. Other than that, I can boil water and make rice using rice cooker. LOL! Do you know how frustrating it is to not even know how to properly make hard boiled eggs? Yeah... I'm that bad. So seeing this new website gives me a little bit of hope. Hey - if anything, I can follow directions quite well. It's super super cool and I can't wait to give it a try this weekend.

It's SUPERCOOK.COM. Pretty much, you enter on their website everything you have in your kitchen, and from there - the site generates recipes for you to use. It's really realy cool. I entered most items I have in my kitchen (that I can rememeber) and found 514 recipes that I can do right now. I'm excited! A small warning though: I don't see calorie/nutrition facts on the list of recipes, so if you're trying to watch your calorie intake - you'll have to still do this on your own. Anyway, for people like me who are culinary skill deficient --- this site is heaven sent. I can't wait until I try some recipes out this weekend. Wish me luck! Oh and if you happen to check out the site... let me know what you think. :) Yeay!!!

8:02 Minutes was all it took.

2011-06-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

I had this rant all ready to be published about haters who try and find crap to say about others to make themselves feel better about themselves... blah blah blah... just a few things popped up yesterday that bothered me. But I just deleted all of that after seeing this video.

I usually don't click on Facebook videos because 9 out of 10 times, it's a virus, some type of spam or malware, etc. Just not interested. But I saw this one going around for a couple of days... and today, I decided to click on it. I'm sooo glad I did. Totally changed my perspective in many things.

Instead of ranting about crappy people today... I'm writing about someone who deserved to be acknowledged in the good he has attained even after being given CRAP from a very young age. This kid was given a horrible hand... but he surely played his cards well. Instead of concentrating on the negative, and feeling sorry for himself, and blaming everyone for his circumstances, it's like he stood there - and accepted what the world has given to him.

He paid attention. He learned by watching, listening, and practicing. In his worst moments, given a horrible hand in life - he learned to sing and sing beautifully. You and I know, this kid has just changed his life by appearing in this show. I wish him well. I wish him more blessings. I wish he learns to smile more as he needs to realize by sharing his life and talent (and he kept saying "he does not sing well") to the world, I am sure as he did to me, he has touched a lot of people's lives. Because of him, I will be nicer today... haha!

And all it took was 8:02 minutes.

My Personal Thoughts on ZUMBA

2011-04-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to write about this for a long time now and every day, I find it more and more important for me to share my thoughts on this Zumba craze because I am asked almost on a weekly (if not more) basis, about how I achieved my weightloss. My answer used to be a quick "ZUMBA" - since this was really the only activity I did to really get active. I'm still excited that the workouts have helped me tremendously, and still kicks my behind every single time I come to Eduardo's class. Here is the game changer for me though... In the last year that I have been physically active, I learned so much about Zumba, the workouts, the history, and even how to get certified to teach Zumba - I feel I have to share this with everyone.

When I first started exercising, I was fortunate enough to attend my very first exercise class - a Zumba class, taught by Eduardo Vargas. I lasted 20 minutes that day before I started almost throwing up ;). I weighed between 192-195 lbs at that time. That 1st day in class, I looked around me and there were clearly other people heavier than I was, but all were having a mighty great time, all smiles, with no signs of exhaustion except for their wet hair and clothes drenched in their sweat. I realized, I must have been in awful shape to not be able to keep up with these folks... so I decided I will go back to the next class to try again, at which time I lasted through the water break (approximately 30-35 mins into class). I kept coming back to Eduardo's class until one day, I felt I've mustered up enough endurance to try the class twice in one night - a back to back 2hr class. And success!!! It was tough, intensity x2, but I did it. 2 hours of crazy intense Eduardo Vargas style Zumba.

But these classes are in Oakland, and I work in Burlingame. So I tried looking for Zumba classes around the SF and Peninsula area. I attended a few, but each time, came home frustrated and quite dismayed. I thought Zumba, was Zumba - Same music, same styles, same intensity - or at least relatively close... but they were not. I remember sweating 7 minutes into the start of Eduardo's classes. These other classes I attended, I barely break out a sweat 45 minutes in. It was quite frustrating.

Needless to say, I stopped trying to find classes near my job, and kept going to Eduardo's classes. Then I tried the Zumba DVDs to see if I can try to do some of these at home. Not even close. I also went to a Zumbathon. Wow, that was an enlightening experience. When the instructor you are used to working with is on the same stage as 6 other instructors... Geez, I just remembered walking out of there saying "OMG, I'm so glad he was the first Zumba instructor I ever worked with!!!" Otherwise, I might have given up Zumba early and would probably have tried something else???

And then there were these flyers that we found with a beautiful dark skinned, super fit, Latina looking woman in front advertising a fun Zumba class with a live DJ. I almost went to that class until a friend said... "that ad is false advertisement!" Apparently, the woman on the cover is not the same woman teaching the class. The lady who actually taught the class is much older, Caucasian, much bigger in frame, quite overweight woman whose movements were very very slow. There were also only 2 students in the class, total of 4 people in the room counting the instructor and the DJ.

I've heard other horror stories about this same instructor... not going to go into too much detail because you might just figure out who the instructor is. I'll just say on another incident with the same instructor, a student was so upset that she went up to the instructor and told her that the class, even though a trial and was free, was a waste of her time and gas driving to that location. It's Zumba, so of course students will think, yes it will be fun, they will dance, and at least expect to break into a sweat while doing it. Not during this class.

I have to say, I've felt this before. I'm not a dancer, nor am I a fitness instructor... but as a student who wants to be healthier, I expect any of my instructors to be: (1) skilled at what he/she is teaching; (2) know the basic steps, has some type of rhythm, and at least know the difference between different styles of dances; (3) has better endurance than I do (seriously, if i can outdance you, then you need to be payin me for a class, not vise versa!);) (4) is motivating not just vocally but also visually. I know I've gotten in trouble for making this comment before, but I'm just going to put it out there. PERSONALLY, if I want to lose weight and feel better about myself, I want my instructor to look physically fit so I can set a goal to try to look like him/her - body wise. Getting yelled at by someone who weigh 50lbs more than myself, and can't keep up with my endurance and stamina will never motivate me. I think if you're teaching it, you need to be able to do it!!! Case closed.

Zumba Certification - is it just a money maker?
Here's a problem I found about the Zumba certification process. ANYONE CAN BE AN INSTRUCTOR. If you pay Zumba a certification fee of about $300, bam! - you're certified after attending a one day session - and you don't even have to dance. You can sit there, take notes and at the end of the day, you're apparently "qualified" and "certified" to teach the class.

There's a plus and minus to this. For instructors who already have a fitness and dance background, it's nice to know that they don't need to cross much red tape to teach the class. However, my issue here is with other folks who go through the certification process with no kind of dance, fitness, or even a teaching experience, and with just one day and $300, they are certified Zumba instructors.

As a 195lb woman who was on the verge of being medicated for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes... and all other diseases that are linked into obesity, when I first walked into a Zumba class over year ago, hoping to make myself better by getting a little exercise, I partly entrusted my health to that instructor. I hoped that this instructor knew what he was doing, knew when to give me an option when a movement seemed too hard, knew when to push when he can tell I still can push, and knew when to stop me when he thinks I am doing too much. Is this asking too much to ask an instructor to do their job properly?

Bottomline... I'm not putting all Zumba instructors down. God knows, there are tons of really talented instructors out there who really do an awesome job, help their students achieve their max potential, while keeping the "Ditch the workout, join the party" mentality. ZUMBA is a great workout - IF AND ONLY IF you find an instructor that will work you to your max.

I have friends that have taken Eduardo's class, and then started taking classes at other gyms thinking Zumba is Zumba everywhere... and they tell me later on that they finally understood what I meant when I said, "not all Zumba classes are the same."

I'll end with this... there are lots of instructors, with lots of different styles, who specialize in lots of different things, and work at different pace. Some students will be contented with losing between 300-600 calories a class, but if you push a little harder, you can make better use of your time and money working with someone who can make you burn over 1000 calories an hour, and is truly a professional fitness instructor. :) If you are happy with your instructor and contented with results, then that's all that matters.

Now when I am asked about how I lost my weight, I say "I work with an awesome instructor named Eduardo Vargas. He teaches in the East Bay, some classes in SF, teaches Zumba, but his Zumba it's not really like regular Zumba." - and I smile and tell them to just try it out, you'll know what I mean.

You've been warned. :) Good luck, and good health to all you Zumberos and Zumberas!

I want my Krispy Kreme

2011-04-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

I had the weirdest craving for Krispy Kreme yesterday (Sunday). I think the last time I had a KK donut was possibly 4 years ago. All morning I was thinking about that melt in your mouth original glazed donut. I haven't been feeling 100% all week so this may have affected my head a little. So I did what some of my fitness friends suggested... get myself busy and if after I do a bunch of stuff, I'm still thinking about it - then I need to have it.

I then went out for a run with my baby boy, Nagii. Almost an hour. Then back in the house, wrapped my hands, slipped on my boxing gloves and hit the bag for about 30mins. After I was done, I felt great!!! But... still had that yummy donut on my mind. I said to myself, darn it... I just won't go there! I just can't possibly get in the car to just get a donut. What the heck was I thinkin???

Later in the afternoon, I was going to a party for my bff's hubby, Simon. Soon as I got there, she (Perla) asked us to pickup three dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. I was more than happy to make this run because at some point, I realized... after everything that I did all day... I deserved one.

I bought two "mini" original glazed donuts for myself. Didn't touch the regular ones for the party.

At the end of the day... me happy. I got my Krispy Kreme. Mmm... it was yummy. Hopefully, it'll be another 4 years till I have my next KK craving. :)

Paying it forward...

2011-01-24T22:38:00.000-08:00

i was feeling so beat after this 90 minute class tonight, but coming home and seeing all the Facebook comments to this video I posted this morning just makes me feel so much better. Thanks everyone, really... thanks. I'm overjoyed that I can inspire others as much as I have been inspired by the people I workout with every day. We dance, we smile and laugh, we sweat, we all work hard --- and together, we inspire each other. i have truly been blessed... and i am soooo thankful!

Countdown to Vegas starts today!!! OMG!!! Do I have enough time to get back into shape?

2010-12-30T12:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've been on a trip with friends. Not Lionel, or my family - but friends. I'm so excited. Entire trip is booked, even bought a show to Cher's last show at "The Colloseum"... we're going to Vegas!!! Woohoo!!!

So now I have another goal to work towards. I have a little over a month but I need to get my body Vegas ready so we can wear fun fun "clubbing and just having fun" outfits. Knowing the company I will be with, we will have pictures. :)

THEN SUDDENLY, REALITY SUNK.
The last month and a half has been really tough starting with the Thanksgiving dinner at Perla's. Then my two week birthday celebration with cake almost every day - started with the Children's Choir and their parents throwing me a party. Then, big dinner with friends at PF Chang, then the constant lunch and dinner with friends and family - all ala mode (meaning, ending with cake or ice cream!) --- and then... the big birthday suprise bash!!! And then... our Company Holiday Party... and then Happy Hour at Perla's... and then Carlo's Birthday Lunch... and then client holiday lunches... and then Children's Choir Christmas Party... and then Family Christmas Dinner Noche Buena... and then Perla's Christmas Day Feast... and then more Sunday Family lunches. And because all of these gatherings --- I'm not able to go all my regular workout classes.

Now I'm sitting here thinking... WHAT HAVE I DONE??? Now I have to hustle - it's crunch time again!!! Forget New Year's Resolution... I need to start ASAP!!! These last few weeks has been crazy crazy crazy!!! I can't believe how quickly the holidays went. I have one month left on my gym membership... need to use it as often as I can. (Yes, I finally canceled my 24hr Fitness Membership - long story... for another post but it does have a happy ending.)

THE CHALLENGE.
This is going to be fun. I have a little over a month. My plan - increase workouts, and have a more "sensible" diet. That being said --- I want to be clear that I will not deprive myself of anything that I want or crave for. I never have. That's what works for me. I want to feel good - and not miserable because I can't have that small cup of ice cream (Eating Right Ice Cream Cups - 100 calories - and they're good!!!). Craving satisfied, me happy.
But since I do like to exercise now, I'm thinking maybe I'll get more extreme for a month. Add a few more workouts, classes, run... who knows I might just cash in on my Personal Training credits from Eduardo. (Geez, talk about EXTREME! Ok, wait - now that would be my last resort because that hurts like a mo-fo!!!) But whatever I do... it starts right now! As I am writing this post - I am doing leg lifts. :)

Happy New Year Everyone!!! Wishing everybody more happiness, financial security, better health, and love in 2011!!!

My mom can be funny... :)

2010-12-30T01:34:00.000-08:00

So I'm giving this blog thing another shot. It's just been really hard to stop and write these days. Between taking care of my day job, choir rehearsals and performances, private gig rehearsals and performances, and working out - it's been super tough to keep up with doing anything else. Thanks Christelle for suggesting to write more on this space. :) I think I will have a tiny bit of time now that the holidays are over.

Today's Topic: My mom's funny Christmas gift comment

Sunday after Christmas, I was having lunch with my mom when I thanked her for the super cute blouses I received from her. They were sweet and simple, and both a perfect fit. I did give her a hint on sizes a few days before Christmas though --- even though I wasn't really sure what she was trying to get for me. See, now that I have shed a few pounds --- (who am I kidding, I should be proud --- I have lost 50 lbs to date since February of this year - thanks to bodybyeduardo.com - pardon the slight commercial, it's the least I can do for someone who has been super instrumental to this weightloss journey of mine) --- trying to find clothes that fit right has been a task. Every store's merchandise seem to fit me differently. So here are the hints I gave my mom:

Bebe - Medium (although last Sunday, I had to get a size Small for a sweater I exchanged --- but for regular materials that have no give, a size Medium fits me perfectly.)
INC (Macy's Brand) - Small/Medium or somewhere between 6 and 8
Guess - Medium
H&M - Ok, this one throws me off --- at this store, I am a 10 or 12, and a Medium/Large. I guess because it's a store for younger folks???
Forever 21 - same fit as H&M store.
NY & Co - one of my fav stores!!! Here I'm a 6 (and the sixes here fit me kind of big--- i'm sure I can fit a 4 but it will be tight). For blouses that are super loose, I can fit an XSmall, but typically - I'd be a Small.
Gap - Blouses would be Small/Medium. Pants would be 8.
Cache - Medium
Any other store - I would be a Medium (or so I thought!!!)

Maybe all this just confused her even more... :)

Anyway, she confessed Sunday after Christmas that it was a horrible experience shopping for me this year. She went to a number of different stores, and could not make up her mind on what would look good and what would fit, or not fit. She said she literally had a headache trying to shop for my annual Christmas blouse --- yes, she typically would pick a blouse for me every year. Up until maybe two or three years ago, her Christmas gift would be my Christmas outfit! So, up until LAST YEAR (2009) she really knew my body and shopping was typically a breeze.

So you ready for the funny comment? She said with her eyebrows crunched and a look of frustration...

"You were so hard to shop for this year!!! I did... I literally had headaches trying to decide your Christmas gifts! I went to so many stores and couldn't figure out what style and what size to get. It was so much easier and simpler when you were FAT. All I need to do was decide clothing style, find them in size XL, and I knew for sure it would fit perfectly!"

My jaw dropped. But I laughed really loud after that. My dad who was there also just shook his head and started laughing. My mom almost sounded mean, but at the same time... nice. For a minute there, I wasn't sure if I should be offended or flattered. I felt bad that she had headaches shopping for me this year. I'm usually the easiest to shop for - well, me and my dad. We're both easy and uber gracious recipients. :) But I'm glad I gave my mom a bit of a challenge this year. And even with the headaches, she made great choices. I loved loved loved my tops. The winning store where she purchased and made the final decision? New York & Company, Size - Small.

Here are pics. Love this first one... super sexy and flattering!!!

And this other one, I love because I can wear it to work and church! Yeay!

THANKS MOM!!!!! You still know what would look great on me even with my body change. :) I LUV U!!!

My reply to emails I've received about losing weight...

2010-06-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

Below is an exerpt (a reply) from an email I recently wrote to a friend asking for weighloss advise. I have been receiving personal emails from a number of people - asking what and how I've been doing, so I thought instead of emailing everyone individually, I'd just post this in here. I'll have to take out personal references but I'm sure you'll get the idea. (Please excuse the grammar, spelling errors (if any) and punctuation... I wrote this email out in a hurry as I just really wanted to send a reply to a friend.)

=============

It's a lifestyle change dear. I used to not go to the gym at all; but I know I had to do something. I still ate the same... no changes to my diet whatsoever. I didn't eat a whole lot anyway to begin with. The only diet change I did make - during the day, I ate every THREE HOURS. Little meals every three hours keep you full (and people say keep your metabolism up). I stuck to that. I even had an alarm on my computer to remind me that it's time to eat. (Check out Timeleft.com - if you want to get reminders on your computer in case you sit in an office all day like I do.) For a while too, I watched my calorie intake. I used the free site, fatsecret.com to keep track of what I ate, and my daily exercise. It's funny, sometimes I would eat about 2000 calories - and then my exercises and all other activities for the day - would burn 2500 calories... so means there is a deficit of 500 calories almost daily. I think that's why I lost weight so fast.

Now most important - my exercise. I found something I loved!!! Zumba with my instructor is GREAT! I tried other Zumba classes all over (San Mateo, Millbrae, San Francisco, San Leandro), and most were between boring to just ok. Eduardo's Zumba classes though - we started calling it Zumba Extreme. The workout is so good that sometimes, there would be droplets of sweat under us while exercising. He also made it a lot of fun, super challenging, but very sexy. :) (http://www.bodybyeduardo.com/)

I made sure I stopped by the gym every day after work BEFORE I GO HOME. I'm sure you can understand why... if I go home, I don't want to go out anymore. I'd just have dinner, watch TV, and be lazy. At the gym, I usually would attend one cardio class... and then do some weights and ab work immediately after. I didn't do much work on my legs anymore because I was getting all that from Zumba. It's nutty, I know... all of a sudden, I found myself hanging out at the gym 2-3 hours daily... but I was having so much fun. I made friends who shared the same goals as I did. We worked out together sometimes, and absolutely pushed each other.

Anyway, I found that starting the workout is hardest. Keep at it for a couple of weeks, and you'll find things will just fall into place. You'll get used to the workout, the routine, and then start having fun.

Oh, and don't weigh yourself every day. During my first 2 months of working out, I didn't lose any weight at all, and I mean "0" weightloss... and then all of a sudden, I lost 7 lbs, then 12, then 15, then 20... it's crazy. I felt like I was melting. :)

Little steps... you have to start somewhere. Doing something is better than not doing anything at all. When you see the inches come off, and your dress sizes go down... you'll be so excited you'll find yourself pushing yourself even more.

Hope that helps! Good luck. Let me know how it works out for you.

Do you believe in spirits?

2010-06-19T01:06:00.000-07:00

No, no... not "spirits" as in alcohol; I mean spirits of beings no longer alive.

I sang at a vigil/funeral mass tonight. The mass was for a very old woman (not sure how old but the family members spoke of how the woman survived WWII, and how that historical event affected her life.) They also described her as a very talented musician, a pianist and an opera singer. I took interest in her story after hearing this. I thought to myself, geez, this woman is so much like me; and then for some reason, I got super nervous... a bit intimidated and afraid that I might not give this woman the proper musical sendoff she deserves.

While the pastor was giving his homily, I decided to go to the restroom and take a breath of fresh air. Besides, I've been sitting there for the last hour during the vigil - and would be good to stretch, breathe some air and get these butterflies off my stomach - don't know why I got so nervous, too nervous I think. I went to the restroom first, and then took a quick detour outside the church. A few feet from the front door back to the church, I abruptly stopped walking when I noticed this humming bird flying very low. I was reaching for the handle to the front door when all of a sudden, I noticed the hummingbird hover right in front of me... maybe about a feet and a half to two feet from my face. There it was, just hovering... looking at me while I am looking at it. I froze, got even more nervous because this has never happened to me before. There it was... a 4 inch bird with a long beak (don't know if it was sharp - and didn't want it to attack me!!!) fluttering and hovering right in front of my face... 10 seconds, 20 seconds... after 30 seconds, I said "helloooooooo"... - and then it started humming. Still hovering in front of me, it was humming even louder. The first thing I thought about was when Cinderella was with birds singing while they were helping her do her chores. It was WEIRD!!! - and then I said again... "hellooooo!!!" The bird hummed for a couple more seconds, moved it's head a little - and then flew away.

It was the weirdest, most unusual experience I've had in a very long time. What did it all mean?

Finally, I reached out to the door handle, and walked back into the church. The pastor was still saying his homily, and I quietly sat in the back of the church. Once seated, I kept thinking about what just happened outside. I looked up and glanced at the casket... and then it dawned on me!

Could it be possible that the womans spirit may have been in the hummingbird? I couldn't find any other explanation but that she was probably trying to tell me that everything will be just fine??? At any rate, it was weird and at one point it scared the crap outta me. In reality, it was probably a cute site - very cute bird trying to talk to girl... but do birds really get that close to people? And for a good minute?

What do you guys think?

My Princess Dress

2010-05-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a dream dress that you bought and hope to slip into after you lose those few extra pounds? I have! But in my case, I had to lose over 30lbs to even try to get into this dress...

I saw this gown at a store probably over 15 years ago. Looking from outside the store window, I saw how strikingly gorgeous this dress was and I knew I just had to have it. Problem was this was the only one left in their whole inventory. It is the very the last one and they just added it to their clearance rack; and unfortunately, it was a size 8/10. Back then, I remember I wore a size 16 (maybe closer to 18) - but what the heck, I thought maybe one day, I would lose enough weight and will be able to wear this.

Fast forward to 15 years later... This dress has now become a part of those group of clothes I kept in my closet not to wear, but for it's sentimental value. This became my princess dress, my fantasy dream dress... and there it was shoved in the corner of my closet next to my high school cap and gown, my competition gowns, and a few bridesmaid dresses. I haven't seen this dress for a couple of years until maybe two weeks ago when I was again cleaning out my closet and trying to find clothes to donate. As soon as I saw the garment bag it was in, I felt butterflies in my stomach. In my head, I was saying... "oh my! my princess dress! could it possibly??? wow, should i even attempt it?" I took it out of the garment bag, looked at it and marveled at still how beautiful it is even after all these years. I crossed my fingers, and tried it on...

>>open this link on another browser for full effect<<

It fits perfectly!!! Just imagine me looking at myself in the mirror, in this pretty pretty dress that I bought over 15 years ago. Never worn it, only pictured myself wearing it... in my dreams, it was my dream... at that moment while looking at myself in the mirror, I realized I had tears coming down my cheeks.

And people wonder why I can't stop talking about working out, Zumba, our mentor Eduardo (he's the really the best!!!), and how blessed I am to have met people who continually inspire me to keep doing what I'm doing. Zumba crew you are the best!!! I love you guys!!! --- crap, I'm crying again. ;_( I better stop writing... haha!

Till next time!

(oh and I'll update this post with photo of me in the dress when i finally wear it out.)

I feel so damn good about myself!!!

2010-05-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I've ever felt this way. Looking back at myself before, I usually "told myself" I felt good but I know I'm just saying that just to make me feel better about where I was in my life. For some reason, knowing that I can lose this much weight in 3.5 months (about 20lbs), I know now that I can do so much more. Not just with my health, but with whatever I put my mind into.

Countdown to Carnaval Begins!

2010-05-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

If you asked me last January (this year) if I would be daring enough to walk down the streets of San Francisco with a group of women and men, with hot bods dressed in colorful feathered costumes, while shaking what their momma gave them... I would probably have laughed in your face and replied with something like... "you're nuts" or "you must be demented".

But those days are over. Two months into Zumba class, I decided to join this year's Carnaval Grand Parade. Not because I now have a hot bod like all my other friends in class, but because I have now have sooooooo much more confidence (scary thought huh?) - and appreciation for all the hard work I have been doing the last few months.

Look, I won't have the super fancy Carnaval costume (this year--- maybe I'll do that next year, haha!)... but just something cute and simple with a nice colorful headdress. We were told there will be some choreography that will need to be learned, but overall - it will be a super fun experience. So I'm so excited.

I am, however, starting to get a bit nervous. I know I say I love me for who I am, and I embrace ALL MY curves ;) --- but I thought, what if I work just a little harder this last three weeks? Say... turn up the volume on the workouts a little bit just to see how much farther I can push myself... starting today. So here's what I've done so far:

For breakfast, my fav 1/2 cup Kellogg's Frosted Flakes (sorry I love this cereal - I know lots of sugar) and 1/2 Fiber One Cereal. Then coffee in the office about 1 1/2 hour before lunch. For lunch, 1/2 serving of Asian Sesame Chicken Salad with Coke Zero (still love soda - i know, not great but hey, no more regular soda for me). Of course, water water water...

About 4pm - I went downstairs to the office gym for about 45mins. Stairmasters and weights.
Then back in the office to finish up on a few more things while I eat the rest of my salad from lunch - that's my last full meal of the day (dinner). For a treat, I had one bite size Milky Way chocolate. Heheh... ;)

Leaving the office now to catch a 2 hour Zumba class.
After class, probably a small Fuji apple (my usual after class treat), and then glass of milk before bed with my multivitamins.

Don't know if I can keep this up... but maybe by writing all these down and telling the world what I'm doing, I'd be so embarassed to fall flat on my booty in front of the whole world.. that I'd just try my hardest to keep this up as long as I can... or at least until May 30th, D-day for Carnaval.

Wish me luck!

My First Post - Why I'm Starting This Blogsite

2010-05-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

Ever since I discovered the joy of exercise, I just can't stop talking about it. What I do, how I'm doing, what works, what doesn't work, etc. I talk about it at home, at work, with my parents, with friends, and even people I just met at GNC while trying to buy some supplements. While I feel this is the best thing that happened to me, I realize that there are many people that are starting to get annoyed by my stories.

And that is why I started this blog. This way, I can share and express my daily successes (and sometimes failures), and be super excited without annoying anyone (hopefully). I'm guessing, if you don't want to hear and know anymore about how much fun I'm having in Zumba, or how much weight I've lost --- then you don't have to be here to read this. Simply close your browser and block this site from ever opening on your computer ever again. Haha!

I do have friends who are super supportive however, and are interested in new activities I'm trying out. For those few friends... I promise to "try" and keep this spot as updated as possible. I also look forward to everyone's comments; maybe we can all share weightloss (or should I call it, "inchloss") secrets.

So here we go, hope you enjoy my posts as I look forward to reading your comments and your opinions.