A dose of Saturday morning sunshine

Disclaimer: I came unprepared and I totally looked picture unworthy. I grabbed the first thing that caught my eye in the closet and decided to wear it. Totally uncool. :(

I had only about 3 hrs. of sleep since I was awoken by hubby telling me we need to do an ocular visit for Keifer's birthday. Can you just imagine! It was scorching hot outside and I didn't get to shower and put any powder nor perfume on, the only accessory I have are my sunglasses that only worsen my after-bed look. :(


Well, the little kiddo has been bugging us on spending his birthday at a resort nearby. Since June is fast approaching and summer trips hasn't ended yet, we wanted to ensure we can score a nice place enough for around 20-30 people. We're not actually planning anything fancy. We're just looking forward to spending time with the fam and just enjoying the summer before the rainy season starts. And I'm really crossing my fingers that the sun would be generous enough to shed us some sunshine.


A TRIP TO MOMARCO RESORT (Pililia Rizal)


The resort is ALMOST 2 hours away from home and I was privileged enough to steal some sleep while we're on the road. 

Away from the city and nestled behind the lovely mountains lies this new and (not so) discovered place.


Upon entering the resort, the first thing that you'll see would be a "mini" zoo. It was really small and had a few common animals. See that cage at the back??? That is the place baby!

You'll get to see this cute little parrot...

And a playground for the kids...

And I guess for the grown-ups too?? LOL.

Mama treated us for some ice cream which is totally weather appropriate. :)

After our little resort tour, we decided to jump to the next town to have lunch at this restaurant. 

I've read blogs and heard that people from the city are driving down here to see what the rave was all about. 

IMHO, I was a bit disappointed. It was overrated and doesn't really portray the FLOATING restaurant kind of thing. Well, except for the lovely view of the Laguna Lake.

And the trees surrounding the place.

Honestly, the place looks way better in photos...

Their service was quite slow but I can say that it somehow gives justice to the fact that the sea foods were fresh, or tasted fresh.

That coconut juice is the bomb man!!! :)

I don't know how they cooked the shrimp but Keifer almost finished the entire serving plate and had to go back for a round 2. 

That dish down there... was delish! :)

We were home at around 2 PM and I decided to take an afternoon nap to fuel up for a run with hubby.


We started running past 5 PM and we were able to witness the sun to set. 


I'm not a romantic person but there is always something so lovely-dovey about sunsets. Do you agree with me? :) 

Our 3.55 miles (5.72 km) run took us more than an hour since JR's toes were not in a good condition earlier. It's been doing this strange thing everytime we go for a long run and I wanted to keep my pace with him just in case something terrible happens (Thank God nothing did!). I guess I need to drag him more often to do shorter runs every morning. 

Well tomorrow's gonna be a long day and we've got tons of things to do. We've been planning all week to do a general cleaning, which unfortunately or should I say "fortunately" did not happen because of Keifer's urgent request. I need to sleep now and re-fuel for another exciting Sunday. :)

Good night!

XOXO

Einah

Wednesday Lunch Date

Hello there! Yesterday, I had the privilege to go out for a decent lunch with my colleagues since our meeting was moved at a later time. As you guys know, I've been packing my own lunch lately to avoid eating anything that I consider "sinful". So yesterday was not that day due to 3 reasons - 1.) I woke up late and time did not permit me to do so 2.) We're running out of resources and our grocery shopping is still due this Saturday and 3.) I'm not in the mood for some cereals+almond milk+banana nor peanut butter+banana sandwich type of lunch. 


We were supposed to eat at Cravings where they offer a salad buffet and soup for 300php. Pretty cheap if you need to satisfy a starvation. But knowing how fickle-minded girls are, we had a last minute change of plans. We opted to eat at a Thai Restaurant for no apparent reason - well I guess because it's the very first restaurant that caught our eyes upon entering Eastwood mall.  We opted to eat at My Thai Kitchen, just a little restaurant with a couple of customers (probably because it was too early for lunch that time). The place is not so fancy and it's just the right place that would offer you a taste of Thai cuisine just when you needed it. Their cheap price gives justice to a limited menu.

I ordered for Vegetarian Pad Thai and Pal See Sahai since they were the only dish free of any meat.

Nothing's really surprising with Pak See Sahai. It looks simple and taste just that. Stir fried tofu, bell peppers, onions and garlic - nothing special. :(

But I totally enjoyed the Vegetarian Pad Thai! It's delish and now falls under my comfort food list. I even tried saving half of it for dinner and it taste just as good as it had been when it was served to us during lunch time. Yum! :)

 Danzy, a devotee of of Pho Hoa's Pomelo Shrimp Salad, ordered  Yam So Oo (Pomelo Shrimp Salad) and Tod Man Pia (Thai fish cakes). She said she loved the fish cakes but finds the salad a bit odd because of the coconut milk. According to her, she'd still go for the salad in Pho Hoa.

Anne, being the only rice-eater amongst us, chose to have Khau Kluk Gapi. Thai's ever famous bagoong rice with sweet pork, egg and green mangoes. I don't think she enjoyed it as much as we did with our food. I didn't hear her make any good or bad comments so I came up with the conclusion that it wasn't that mind blowing either. I also saw her saving half of her dish for an afternoon snack.

If you'd ask me if I'd go back? I definitely would... just for their Pad Thai probably. :)

Anyway, I'm pretty excited for next week for I'll be enrolling for a Yoga Class with my dear friend.  But of course, the first thing that we did was to look for a class where both our crazy schedules would fit and find a place accessible to work. We actually plan to do it before work and get all pumped up! LOL!


After days for Yoga class hunting, we both agreed to take the Yoga challenge here....

Here's a link to their website: http://yogamanila.com/

Aside from the affordable rate they have for walk-ins - 500 PHP, the place is located inside a Class A mall so we're both expecting that the yoga and shower rooms are clean and spacious. Unfortunately I can't find a photo of their rooms so I'm crossing my fingers that they'll all meet my/our expectations. My friend and I agreed to take the 7:30 - 9:00 AM class since our work starts at around 11am. At least we still have 2 hours to fix ourselves and get our ass to work.

But of course, preparations are not complete without some Yoga mat....

This is the cheapest Yoga mat I came across with and it's only for 399 PHP. Got one for myself and one for Bless (my soon to be Yoga companion). Do you still need to ask what color I picked? Harhar. :D

I plan to invest on some good quality ones if I find myself liking it. I just don't want to purchase an expensive mat and and end up not using them. So cheers to a good start and preparation! :) I'm pretty excited and I can't wait to add another physical activity on my list. :)

1.) Running

2.) Hiking

3.) Boxing

4.) Yoga

So I guess that's all for today. 

Oh wait! I almost forgot about the pretty bouquet of flowers I got last Monday for a post-mother's day treat.

Don't they just look PRETTY? :) Giving flowers is not really my hubby's thing so I have to give the guy some credit for this. Thanks hun! I know you're secretly reading my blog. Haha.

I guess that's it for today. Got to sleep now coz' it's pretty late and I need to train for an upcoming run. Updates will be given on my next blogs. See yah! :)

XOXO

Einah

I Run for Integrity 10k - May 2012

My cuhrazee busy schedule left me with a frozen and outdated blog. And yes.. I'm guilty and felt like I have a lot to blab about. It would probably take me the entire night to tell you about the juicy bits so it would just be better to focus on the highlight of it all. 

I've been training like crazy for a couple of weeks and have been dragging myself to my boxing class to improve my strength, muscle tone and endurance. I run every other day and do at-home exercises in between if I'm not out boxing. Poor hubby thinks I'm losing my mind with all this healthy-living thingy! LOL! Well... believe you me, being physically active and following a strict vegetarian diet are on top of my goals the coming days.. and years perhaps. Open our fridge and see it for yourself! LOL.

 A peek of where I usually run every morning.

Aside from the 10k run I've been training for - self-trained that is, we're also planning to go on our 2nd hiking trip next week and these are the all reasons of my excitement and preparation. I now have a list of the things I needed (or wanted??) to buy (??) and do if I plan to make them as a part of my regular physical activity. After delving into the world of running and mountaineering, I think that the said list, or gears, respectfully deserves a separate post on this blog. :)

For the meantime, I'd like to share my accomplishment for today and the fruit of all my labor from the past week/s.

A 10k run usually takes me an hour and 50 minutes to finish so seeing a 30 minute difference from the last was already a fulfillment for me.

 "Running is never easy, no matter how much you do it, but that’s part of what makes it great. It’s always good to challenge yourself." quoted from Fannetasticfood blog

For a post-run treat, I decided to grab a large cup of Acai Supercharger to give me a boost of energy. From the word itself - SUPERCHARGER!! :)


Studies show that acai (pronounced ah-say-yee) are natural energy drinks that are rich in Vitamin C, D and E, fiber,  and antioxidants. Since the drink also contains a fair amount of soy milk, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries; it would aid in muscle repair after a strenuous activity and gives you enough intake of iron and calcium on a day's requirement. I think I forgot to mention that the drink has a whooping 420 calories!!! Hell yeah! I actually tried to save half of it for lunch to minimize the guilt. As if it would make any difference! LOL. 

And this is what I guiltlessly munch on for breakfast after shedding off 904 calories after running. Though I honestly got hungry right after 2 hours, which is totally not normal for me. Good thing I was able to still save half of my drink until I reached home.

Blueberry pancakes (with bluebarry syrup) and brewed coffee... with acai drink on the side. 

It's been a fun (but challenging) day and I'm really happy that all my effort are not gone to waste. I felt empowered and motivated to do better the next time! A couple of training might someday make me a third placer.. Heck!!! Or even a first placer! Hahahaha! Who knows man?! Might as well dream BIG right? LOL.

The body and foot massage we had earlier might keep me snuggled up in my bed for a couple of hours and I might have to skip my usual Monday run. I might have to resume on Tuesday and train myself for our upcoming hike. 

Here's a teaser of where we'll be hiking on Sunday afternoon.

More photos and writings next week. :)

XOXO
Einah

A Road to Healthy Living

A Road to Healthy Living

“Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.” – Socrates

I am not fat nor I can call myself skinny either. I was never blessed with Scarlett Johanson’s curves nor Adriana Lima’s skinny figure. I am one of those girls who have their own body insecurities. I usually complain about my broad shoulders, my not-so-flat tummy and my chubby cheeks. And hell yeah! I am not physically fit for I was never a fan of any sports. A simple 5-minute run would give me dizzy spells and would cause me shortness of breathing. Honestly speaking, I’ve been dreading to ask my college professors on how I manage to pass  my Physical Education classes – swimming, volleyball, basketball, badminton. Ugggh. It’s crazy but I can’t even do a decent dive and backstroke.

Now you see, recalling where I was years ago when it comes to my lifestyle, I can say that healthy living was really a far cry. I care less about what I put into my mouth. As long as it looks and tastes good, then nothing in the world could stop me. Frequent booze night, sleep deprivation, overindulging to sweets, binge eating, pigging out and skipping meals are my sinful routines. I did crash diets and drag myself to the gym with an empty stomach. After a few months, not a pound went off since I tend to go back to my old routines and cheat myself most of the time. Then I realized that it’s about time that I settle to a more stable and realistic goal– having a balanced diet and staying physically active.

Today, the tides turned and I can slowly see myself living a healthier and guilt-free lifestyle. It’s not a piece of cake and not a day went by where I have not craved for my blueberry cheesecake and strawberry-banana ice cream. And please don’t get me started on how I resisted drinking that cold chocolate-cream chip frappe from Starbucks (*Sigh*). Though I still reward myself for some hard work and indulge into my cravings once a week, I ensure that I never go out of hand and do not waste an entire week’s sweat session.

I stay physically active and engage into more activities that I have a great interest in – boxing, running, hiking/ trekking. I stopped counting the numbers (e.g. calories, carbohydrates, fats, minutes I run and exercise a day) and just feel good about staying fit and improving my stamina and endurance. I really don’t know if it’s just me but there’s something about working out in the morning and feeling a spike of energy. Studies show that when you exercise, your body releases a neurotransmitter called serotonin which in turn gives you a feeling of well-being and happiness.

Staying focused and determined takes a lot of effort on anyone’s part. As I said before, it’s a struggle as you start but will turn out to be a fulfilling journey in the long run. There are times that you just wanted to go back and live it like you used to – not caring about your food intake and just merely slacking off. There’ll be tough times that you just want to crawl into your bed and grab that calorie-packed muffin on the kitchen counter. But before you turn your head back, just think of all the added benefits you’ll miss out on, from improved mood, to better sleep, to disease prevention. As Jim White, a registered dietitian and personal trainer by the American College of Sports Medicine, puts it – “The exercise has to be there.”

Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way that I think would also be helpful on your road to a Healthy Living:

1. Come up with a specific and realistic goal. Do not just say “I’ll eat less so I could lose weight” instead say something like “In 3 months time, I’ll lose 15 pounds by doing a 30-minute run thrice a week”. Coming up with a realistic goal and a specific action item would give you visible results. You’ll see the progress and you would know that all of your hard work was paid off.

2. Work out while learning a new skill. Exercising sounds like a simple task but something that’s so hard to religiously commit yourself doing. I tried paying for a month of gym membership but ended up quitting on my third week since I don’t find it fun and exciting at all. I feel dragged and tortured lifting weights and doing simultaneous machine exercises. I tried enrolling for a boxing class and I ended up loving it. Aside from sweating my ass off, I was able to learn a new skill and I don’t feel bummed out due to variations with the exercise.

3.      Stop obsessing over the weighing scale. Myth Buster: Muscle and Fat weighs just the same as a pound of cotton and a pound of meat does. Sad but true. You may not see yourself losing a few pounds but you can feel your used-to-be-tight clothes slowly fitting your now toned and fit body. It’s not a crime to weigh yourself once in a while, but if you use this to track your progress, then I say that you’re just up for some disappointment.

4.      Stay motivated by looking at how far you’ve gone through. Your motivation is at its peak at the beginning but slowly diminishes over time. It’s a bitter pill to swallow but there’ll be a point in your life where you hit a weight-loss plateau and lose your motivation to continue. I experienced that and I felt cheated by my own body. This is why you needed to work toward a permanent behavior change – changes in what you eat and how much you eat. Always remind yourself that you’ve gone a long way and all your efforts will go down the drain if you go back to your old eating habits. A year of dieting and working out is nothing to a month of sinful eating.

5.      Influence more people to living a healthy lifestyle. Social scientists found that good habits can be contagious. If you encourage more people and be an inspiration to them, you don’t just help them achieve their goal but it also help you to be the best in what you do. Information alone does not create lifestyle changes. A change in actions or behaviors along with role models can better influence changes to create a healthy lifestyle.

One thing I learned through this life-changing decision is that self-determination is always the key. No one can be of a better influence than your own drive to a healthier path. Someday, you’d realize that the personal rewards are so incredibly satisfying and worth all the hard work it requires. ;)

XOXO

Einah