5 Things I'm Postponing in Life Until I Lose Weight

11 years and counting. I remember I posted this same post in celebration of our wedding anniversary 4 years ago. It has always been my intention to reward myself with wedding anniversary photo shoot once I met my weight loss goals. The wedding anniversary is my specified weight loss deadline, to boost my motivation to keep going. But look like I had the same old picture here. Dieting for 4 years and lost... 4 years! What a shame. Well, weight loss motivations is a tricky thing! I have a difficult time to stick to a diet plan more than a few weeks.

I don't actually need to wait until I met my weight loss goals to do this photo shoot thing. Like my friend said, why wait? With a bit editing skills, Photoshop here and there, play around with good angle, props and different combination of lights, you're good to go. But that's the whole point of the rewarding system. You'll gift yourself with something in return for an accomplished mission. A reward WHEN you reach your weight loss goals, in my case.

Anniversary: Celebrating our good 11 years!

Being fat is sucks. I realize that I'm holding myself from a lot of the things I wanted to do because of my weight.

5 Things I'm Holding Back From Doing Because of My Weight

1 - Expanding family
I don't want to get pregnant when I'm not at my ideal weight yet. Many friends of mine slightly disagree with me. Weight gain is normal during pregnancy. So losing weight to gain it back because of pregnancy is a total waste of effort, said them. Just focus on having babies and when you decide to stop, you can concentrate on losing weight, get in better shape, get the body you've always wanted, and start working on maintaining the weight loss for good.

But I have a different view in this. I am already obese. I believe my body can't afford to carry any extra weight now, if let's say I'm going to gain 20 kg extra during my pregnancy. No. that would take its toll on my body that is already in an unhealthy state. To get in a better shape for my next pregnancy is an absolute must. I want to have a healthy pregnancy. Moreover, I learn from my previous pregnancy that if you have a steady weight and stick to a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, you'll be likely to get the baby weight off easily after baby. I'm not getting any younger. That is why losing weight and get in a healthy shape is very important to me now so that we can start thinking about a new addition to the family.

2 - New Hobbies
This year I want to try a new hobby. I am feeling somehow stuck in my life. Life has become monotonous. Maybe exploring new hobbies, learning a new skill and meeting new people can spice up life a little bit. I wanted to try scuba diving because I always wondered how it feels like to breath underwater. But what stopping me? I don't want to be the fat diver on earth. Really. The diving suits might make me look like a stupid whale. The. Lamest. Excuse. Ever. Haha~ But seriously, I can't help but feeling insecure about how I might look in that suit thing. Narcissistic Syndrome much?

I'd also love to try rock climbing, but I'm too fat! The instructor at the sports center where I'm going told me that the rope can support up to a certain weight, which means OK for my weight but I don't have confidence. I fear I might struggle a lot to start because of my weight and end up looking like a fool.

3 - Nice Pictures
I am always the person behind the camera because I'm never happy with how I look in pictures. I know taking pictures is all about creating memories. What a pity, I keep missing in family pictures. When I had to be in it, I'll make sure to stand at the back, sometimes using my children as props to hide my body. I'm however not 100% against being photographed and look too fat. Pictures could be the only evidence and memory I'd have when I reach my weight loss goals one day and say, I used to be fat. Talking about positive thinking.

4 - Shop New Clothes
I haven't gone for clothes shopping for nearly 10 years. Not exactly. I mean it feels like I haven't clothes shopping for a very long time. Last time was December last year because I literally didn't have anything 'fancy' to wear on Christmas. I've been wearing my husband's T-shirt all this time because that are the only clothes I am comfortable wearing. I have few tops in plus sizes and I've been mix and match the old clothes over and over again. Boring! You know, I don't really like putting up my selfies on Facebook because of reason no#3, and secondly, I'm like wearing the same clothes in almost every picture so I think I'm feeling a bit guilty to be seen in the very same clothes in various occasion.

I'd love to buy new clothes and update my wardrobe. But I had to push this into my weight loss bucketlist. Clothes shopping is tiring. I'm always struggling shopping for my size, especially pants. I never wear jeans since 7 years ago. Some more, wrong dress would make you look like you're pregnant. Fat fashions are not flattering, I don't know why but they make you look frumpy rather than stylish. So I simply stop buying clothes. But the perk of it I get to save money on clothes.

5 - Exercise
I have a love-hate relationship with exercise. I think I keep holding myself back because I am physically challenge during a workout. Exercise is hard because it doesn't simply happen. You really need to commit to it. You don't see the result right away so motivation to keep going is hard.

Let's chat a bit:

• Are you postponing your life you lose the weight? Name ONE THING that is may be holding you back from making progress in life.
• Is it because you fear of something? What is your biggest fear?
• Or is it your destructive habits that is holding you back?

Please leave your thought in the comments, I'd love to read your feedback.

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10 Day Weight Loss Mental Challenge

Are you familiar with this quote 'Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve'?

It’s Napoleon Hill's most famous inspirational quotes on the power of positive thinking. It means when you truly believe on something, your mind find ways to accomplish it. Same goes to negative thinking. The moment you have a negative thought, it’s already hindering you from achieving something that you want, less energy instead of more energy, less peace of mind instead of more peace of mind, less success instead of more success.

I remember reading a story about a traveller who went to visit a beautiful waterfall. Scenic view was mesmerizing and the water was crystal clear, the surrounding area smells so earthy fresh. He took a sip from the waterfall, the water couldn't get any purer. Just as he had finished, he saw a signboard nearby that read "poison". He suddenly felt sick, his vision suddenly became blurry, he had trouble breathing, his heart race like crazy. He shouted for help and his tour guide sent him immediately to the hospital. The doctor asked, what happened? He told his story, but the doctor burst out laughing instead. The doctor in his teary laugh explained that the signboard that he just saw was actually written "poisson", double "S"- a French word that means fish. The man thought he was going to die because of the 'poisonous' water, and he became what he think. He started to feel the symptom of poisoning. Moral of the story is our mental attitude can either improve our health and increase our chances of success, or vice versa.

These final 10 days of September, I'm going to do a different weight loss challenge from the challenge I did before. It is called the 10 Day Weight Loss Mental Challenge inspired by Anthony Tony Robbins, the author of Awaken The Giant Within.

THE TEN-DAY WEIGHT LOSS MENTAL CHALLENGE
RULES OF THE GAME

Rule 1. In the next ten consecutive days, refuse to dwell on any unresourceful thoughts or feelings. Refuse to indulge in any disempowering questions or devitalizing vocabulary or metaphors.

Rule 2. When you catch yourself beginning to focus on the negative - and you certainly will - you are immediately use the problem solving question as your first line of attack, for example:

1. What is great about this problem?
2. What is not perfect yet?
3. What am I willing to do to make it the way I want it?
4. What am I willing to no longer do in order to make it the way I want it?
5. How can I enjoy the process while I do what is necessary to make it the way I want it?

Remember by asking question like, "what's not perfect yet?" you're presupposing that things will be perfect. This question can direct your focus toward a better emotional state, help you break a pattern of negative thinking, and actually come up with a solution to your problems. It doesn't ignore the problem, but it keeps you in the right state while you identify what needs to be changed.

In addition, set yourself up for success each morning for the next ten days by asking yourself the Morning Power Questions before you get out of the bed or while you're in the shower and use the Evening Power Questions, or any questions you believe will put you in a great state before you drop off to sleep.

Morning Power Questions

1. What am I happy about in my life now?
2. What am I excited about in my life now?
3. What am I proud about in my life now?
4. What am I grateful about in my life now?
5. What am I enjoying most in my life now?
6. What am I committed to in my life now?
7. Who do I love? Who loves me?

(substitute “could” for “am” if you get stuck.)

Evening Power Questions

1. What have I given today?
2. What did I learn today?
3. How has today added to the quality of my life or how can I use today as an investment in my future?

Rule 3. For the next ten consecutive days, make certain that your whole focus in life is on solutions and not on problems. The minute you see a possible challenge, immediately focus on what the solution could be.

Rule 4. If you backslide - that is, if you catch yourself indulging in or dwelling on an resourceful thought or feeling-don't beat yourself up. There's no problem with this as long as you change immediately. However, if you continue to dwell on unresouceful thoughts or feelings for any measureable length of time, you must wait until the following morning and start the ten days over. The goal of this program is ten consecutive days without holding or dwelling on a negative thought. The goal is to knock things out before you ever get in a negative emotional state in the first place. This starting-over process must happen no matter how many days in a row you've already accomplished the task.

Admit it, we all have our mental indulgences. We are habitually feel sorry for ourselves for many reasons. We bad mouthing ourselves when we are not able to workout, we sometimes feel like we're a bottomless pit because we want to lose weight so bad but can't stop eating unhealthy foods. Or it is our looks that makes us feel insecure. This weight loss mental challenge is really an opportunity for you and I to become "addicted" to a positive focus for the rest of our lives.

Today is my Day 1 of weight loss mental challenge. What about you, have you decided yet whether you're going to do this? Let me know in the comment.

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Day 13: 3 Simple Ways to Eliminate Processed Foods for Weight Loss

Day 13 Slim Down Challenge. 13 days has passed so quickly!  I'm so happy today that I finally push myself out from my comfort zone. I start working out again after a long break. Actually the first real workout I did this year. Remember I mentioned last time that we moved to a new place because of my husband's job. We have been living here for 5 months but I just discovered a walking park yesterday. I'm actually looking for some fun outdoor activities for the kids and this is how we found out about this park. Who knows, exercising together as a family is a great bonding experience.

Today's slim down challenge is about nixing the processed food. Processed foods are basically food that has been altered from its natural state like canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Breakfast cereals and instant noodles are another prime example of processed foods fall under junk food category. To be honest, these two tops my meal option list. We all know it. Processed foods are usually high in sugar and contain all sort of artificial ingredient. Excess consume of sugar is seriously harmful to our health and can block our weight loss goals. But when you have nothing in the fridge, it's very easy to reach one.

30 Day Slim Down Challenge

30 DAY SLIM DOWN CHALLENGE

Day 1 - Put the blame
Day 2 - Set S.M.A.R.T. goals
Day 3 - Ditched added sugar
Day 4 - Avoid refined carbs
Day 5 - Put down the drink
Day 6 - Plan 1 splurge
Day 7 - Allow spontaneous indulgence
Day 8 - Keep grains in check
Day 9 - Eat only when hungry
Day 10 - Go for a walk
Day 11 - Never skip breakfast
Day 12 - Say NO to junkfood
Day 13 - Nix processed foods
Day 14 - Shop for whole foods
Day 15 - Meal prep
Day 16 - Reorganize your fridge
Day 17 - Keep a food journal Day
18 - Ramp up protein intake
Day 19 - Veggies / fruit on every plate
Day 20 - Know your healthy fats
Day 21 - Keep portions in check
Day 22 - Track total calories
Day 23 - Eat at the table
Day 24 - Eliminate distraction
Day 25 - Slow down
Day 26 - Downsize dinnerware
Day 27 - Bust out the scale
Day 28 - Reduce sodium
Day 29 - Sleep 7+ hours
Day 30 - Cut 100 calories 

What exactly you can do to eliminate processed foods for weight loss? 

Ok, I pick these three tips I found on wikihow, am excited to see what happen in the next 2 weeks if I cut out processed foods from my diet.

1 - Write up a meal plan
I think this is a very important part. Proper meal planning will help us ensure the meals meet our nutritional need. We might be tempted to grab fast foods if we don't plan our on-the-go meals ahead of time.

2 - Clean up our kitchen
Go through our kitchen and throw out any processed foods we can find,  Read the ingredient label on the packaged foods to get information about what's in the food, any additives, preservatives or flavorings.

3 - Purchase and eat whole fruits and vegetables
Restock our kitchen with healthy foods. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, or tomatoes. Fruits and vegetables are nutritious foods that contain essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Avoid highly processed fruits and vegetables like canned fruit in syrup.

Your turn: What's the one processed food you can't live without?

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Day 4: Failing at Weight Loss, Do You Start Over or Just Move On?

Day 4 Slim Down Challenge today. I didn't post Day 3 yesterday, well it was Sunday and I usually don't blog on Sunday. #familytime

I am feeling less motivated today.

My progress was maybe only 3 out of 10? Husband is working outstation for a week from today. I just feel like lazing around since today is also school off day, celebrating 'qingming'. No need to send and pick up children from school. No need to welcome husband home from work and a little mess is also okay. So it's definitely my lazy day today. I didn't workout and diet is off-track a bit.

Actually the hubs going outstation is the best time for me to focus on my diet because I don't have to cook fancy fussy meals. I never forced to cook for my husband, well maybe I'm lucky my husband is not picky when comes to food but ya know I still feel guilty when I don't prepared him proper dinner. You probably know the saying, 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.' So I mean when he's out of town for business, it's like cooking 'off-duty' for me. I just basically made a simple and easy meals for the children. There's no way to impress the kids with complicated meals, you know children taste is sometimes different than adult. Good food, feeling full and it's fine already. I'm afraid that if they cannot finish their food it will be always me who became their trashcan - to avoid waste! (Read, diet ruin) So that's it. Simple and zero-waste food for the kids. When I don't have to cook fancy meals that also means food temptation is in control.

30 Day Slim Down Challenge

30 DAY SLIM DOWN CHALLENGE

Day 1 - Put the blame
Day 2 - Set S.M.A.R.T. goals
Day 3 - Ditched added sugar
Day 4 - Avoid refined carbs
Day 5 - Put down the drink
Day 6 - Plan 1 splurge
Day 7 - Allow spontaneous indulgence
Day 8 - Keep grains in check
Day 9 - Eat only when hungry
Day 10 - Go for a walk
Day 11 - Never skip breakfast
Day 12 - Say NO to junkfood
Day 13 - Nix processed foods
Day 14 - Shop for whole foods
Day 15 - Meal prep
Day 16 - Reorganize your fridge
Day 17 - Keep a food journal Day
18 - Ramp up protein intake
Day 19 - Veggies / fruit on every plate
Day 20 - Know your healthy fats
Day 21 - Keep portions in check
Day 22 - Track total calories
Day 23 - Eat at the table
Day 24 - Eliminate distraction
Day 25 - Slow down
Day 26 - Downsize dinnerware
Day 27 - Bust out the scale
Day 28 - Reduce sodium
Day 29 - Sleep 7+ hours
Day 30 - Cut 100 calories 

Back to the topic. Today suppose to be good but it happen to be a less than productive day for me. Question is, when you fail your weight loss plan are you starting over from Day 1 the next day or you just move on with the plan?

Perfectionist Dieter
I used to go back to Day 1 whenever I fall off my diet. For example, I plan to do a sugar detox for 10 days but fail halfway. Say, on the 5th day. So I call it cancel and go back to Day 1. I want to follow the rules exactly. I think it's normal for anyone because we believe we'll be successful in melting off unwanted pounds if we do so. Perfectionist dieter detected! It actually feel exhausted to start over everytime you failed. 'I start over tomorrow,' or 'I start over next Monday.' This makes me feel like today or this week is my "last meal", I can eat whatever I want because it's the last time I'm going to eat those food. Tomorrow I'll be strict again. Or next Monday, I'll be strict again. Then when I slightly derailed, I am likely to want to give up for the day and "start again tomorrow" or "start over on Monday" and I end up repeating the same situation over and over.

Perfectionism ruining my weight loss effort. I am done! Sometimes our diet plan or weight loss plan is not as perfect as we want it but it's totally okay. The key is progress not perfection. Now whenever I messed up my diet, I'll try as best as I can to begin eating right at the next meal, not waiting until a certain day to begin. The next meal is a time to refresh, to begin eating wholesome foods again. I promise when I made weight loss mistakes, I'll reflect on how this happened, why this happened, and what I can do in the future to prevent it.

Your turn: Are you a perfectionist dieter? What do you do when you mess up your diet? Are you starting over at a certain day, or are you simply dust yourself off and move on? Discuss in the comments.

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Day 2 Slim Down Challenge: Five SMART Goals for Weight Loss

Day 2 Slim Down Challenge today. To be honest, I am a bit worried if I can't finish this. But just what people always said, there's no try, JUST DO IT.

I am doing a NO CARB, NO SUGAR DIET for 30 days. Okay first for anyone who concerned, cutting out carbs from your diet is completely safe, according to Dr. Mike Roussell, a nutritional consultant and the author of Dr. Mike's 7 Step Weight Loss Plan and the 6 Pillars of Nutrition. Your body function very well without carbs by either making the sugars it needs or finding alternate energy sources. For example, when you drastically reduce or eliminate carbs from your diet, your body is able to make sugar to store as glycogen. If you wanted to completely cut out carbs, power your body with fats, improve your health, and exercise at a high level.

Second thing I'd like to share here, I have not failed. Yes, I had crackers and instant coffee for breakfast this morning which I suppose not to take during this Slim Down Challenge but but well, just a minor slip up – next thing is refocus and move on.

I always believe setting goals for weight loss is important because it gives you direction, boost your motivation and self-confidence. This is embarrassing I had to share my weight loss goals this month from 2 years ago. I mean like this weight loss thing I'm talking about is taking me forever, like two years and I still here? Yup, I know. Action, action, action.

30 DAY #HEWLD SLIM DOWN CHALLENGE

✓Day 1 - Put the blame
Day 2 - Set S.M.A.R.T. goals
Day 3 - Ditched added sugar
Day 4 - Avoid refined carbs
Day 5 - Put down the drink
Day 6 - Plan 1 splurge
 Day 7 - Allow spontaneous indulgence
Day 8 - Keep grains in check
Day 9 - Eat only when hungry
Day 10 - Go for a walk
Day 11 - Never skip breakfast
Day 12 - Say NO to junkfood
Day 13 - Nix processed foods
Day 14 - Shop for whole foods
Day 15 - Meal prep
Day 16 - Reorganize your fridge
Day 17 - Keep a food journal
Day 18 - Ramp up protein intake
Day 19 - Veggies / fruit on every plate
Day 20 - Know your healthy fats
Day 21 - Keep portions in check
Day 22 - Track total calories
Day 23 - Eat at the table
Day 24 - Eliminate distraction
Day 25 - Slow down
Day 26 - Downsize dinnerware
Day 27 - Bust out the scale
Day 28 - Reduce sodium
Day 29 - Sleep 7+ hours
Day 30 - Cut 100 calories 

What is actually a good weight loss goal strategy?
SMART goals, as I understand is a useful way to help reevaluate our weight loss action plan. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

Specific - declare what you will do, how long you will do it, and when you will do it.
Fitness: Wake up early morning and spend roughly 30 minutes exercising every morning. Exercise will wake you up. If you quickly cleared off exercise from your to-do-list, you can keep the productivity going for the rest of the day.

Diet: No carbs, no sugar. Focus on eating good quality, minimally processed real food.

Measurable - measure a goal.
Fitness: Exercising for at least 30 minutes each day.
Diet: Anything except carbs and sugar, no more than 1,200 calories in a day.

Attainable - goal that you have enough time and resources to achieve.
Fitness: Exercise every morning is attainable. If I can't make it upon wake up I still can exercise after sending the children to school. Lots of free time before the children come back from school just need to learn better time management.

Diet: No carbs, no sugar is actually something I can actually accomplish. Stop eating junk food, just focus on real food. Stop buying junk food, remove it from my house and give away any junk food to friends.

Realistic: Relevant goal, something that is reasonable.
Instead of weighing myself, I look for other ways to measure my progress. What about this, an old shirt? This top I'm wearing should look a bit looser in the middle area by the end of Slim Down Challenge. This is realistic expectation, do not want to expect too much of myself.

Trackable - Goals are best achieved if you keep a record of your progress.
I'm going to create a daily checklist of all the habits that are scientifically proven to result in fat loss, and then use that as your measurement device.

Slim Down Challenge Healthy Living Checklist

Do you have a plan? Are you setting SMART goals? Share in the comments.

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Day 1 Slim Down Challenge: 30 Relatively Small Diet and Lifestyle Changes for Big Weight Loss Benefit

If I tell people I'm 6 month pregnant, anyone would surely buy it. No, I'm not pregnant. This is just fat.

I got asked by friends countless time about my "pregnancy", they refused to believe when I denied. Getting asked this too frequent, even I sometimes would get confused myself, 'could I be pregnant without me realizing about it?' That's enough to give you a slight idea how terribly out of shape I am. Haha~ Well it's not like I never tried to lose weight. If you read my older post, you'll understand my struggle with weight loss. I usually made it well the first 3 days but the motivation to lose weight just faded after few days and I'll finally abandoned it. My bad!

The Diet

Today is 1st April, a brand new day and I decided to restart my weight loss journey today. I have been putting off way too long now. 3 months passed by already and seriously I could have accomplished something but sadly I didn't.

The 30 Day Weight Loss Plan
I plan to do a no carb, no sugar diet for 30 days. And to give myself an extra push, I'm following this #SHAPESlimDown mini daily challenge and I promise to keep up with it for 30 days.

30 Day Slim Down Challenge

Day 1 - Put the blame
Day 2 - Set S.M.A.R.T. goals
Day 3 - Ditched added sugar
Day 4 - Avoid refined carbs
Day 5 - Put down the drink
Day 6 - Plan 1 splurge
Day 7 - Allow spontaneous indulgence
Day 8 - Keep grains in check
Day 9 - Eat only when hungry
Day 10 - Go for a walk
Day 11 - Never skip breakfast
Day 12 - Say NO to junkfood
Day 13 - Nix processed foods
Day 14 - Shop for whole foods
Day 15 - Meal prep
Day 16 - Reorganize your fridge
Day 17 - Keep a food journal
Day 18 - Ramp up protein intake
Day 19 - Veggies / fruit on every plate
Day 20 - Know your healthy fats
Day 21 - Keep portions in check
Day 22 - Track total calories
Day 23 - Eat at the table
Day 24 - Eliminate distraction
Day 25 - Slow down
Day 26 - Downsize dinnerware
Day 27 - Bust out the scale
Day 28 - Reduce sodium
Day 29 - Sleep 7+ hours
Day 30 - Cut 100 calories

Tell ya, this is not easy. Never. I've being in a very comfortable zone for quiet some time. Making a change of routine is going to be a challenge but I'll keep posting about my progress to keep me accountable with the weight loss plan. How's that?

I got this. 

Now I'd like to hear from you. Do you know any other small changes I can follow to lose weight? Share your ideas in the comments.

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Weight Loss Challenge: The Weekend No-Dinner Diet

Christmas is less than 20 days ahead! Losing weight for Christmas is not my goal anymore. 2 weeks is too short a time to achieve a significant weight loss. But I still need to lose weight for my health. That's my ultimate goal and that's the reason why I never stop trying to lose weight even though the weight loss deadline is almost or already over.

Last weekend I decided to challenge myself to do another tweak to my diet. At first, I want to do the weekend detox but I'm not mentally prepare for it because there's always family outings on the weekend and dieting while outing is CHALLENGING. So I tried the less extreme diet plan - the weekend no-dinner diet. I am actually not new to this. I've tried to go to bed without dinner many time in the past. Not because I want to lose weight, partly yes. But the main reason why I skip dinner was because I was lazy to cook. :‑Þ

The No-Dinner Diet
The no-dinner diet is not exactly a diet btw. It's more like a pattern of eating that reduces your eating window. I know some friends who skip dinner and lose weight. I think the logic is pretty simple. Skipping dinner may lead to weight loss because well, skipped meal means skipped calories. Choosing to omit one or two meal a day will make it easier to restrict your caloric intake over the course of the week thus will give your body a chance to lose weight as you're simply just eating less calories than you were consuming before.

Why the no-dinner diet? Because it's an easy hack to simplify your day. You don't have to worry about meal planning and food preparation every 2-3 hours. Since you simply skip a meal or two, you just need to focus about eating food in your eating window.

The Drawbacks with The No-Dinner Diet
Feeling hungry and miserable.

When you eat every 2-3 hours, your body will becomes used to expecting to it and then your body will start to get hungry at that hour. The transition to skip to one meal a day might shock the body into changing for a little while but from my past experience I've found once you get locked into your routine, your hunger hormones will adapt.

How to survive the No-Dinner Diet
1 - Distract yourself from thinking about food.
I made the no-dinner diet last weekend! I avoid dinner by treating myself to a massage, thanks to Mr. hubby for taking care of the kids while I'm enjoying my spa session. There are many ways we can distract ourselves from eating. Read a motivational book, paint your fingernails, exercise or calling a friend on the telephone.

2 - Sleep early.
Late sleepers equals more eating . Lack of sleep also increases hunger and slows down metabolism making it more difficult to maintain or lose weight. Studies show that the metabolism may actually increase during sleep. So get a good quality of sleep for a healthier metabolism.

3 - Choose your lunch carefully.
Aim for a mix of lean protein, whole-grain carbohydrates and healthy fat that will fuel your body until tomorrow's breakfast.

4 - Chug a couple glasses of water.
Water does not have some magical property but staying hydrated could help you reduce appetite and make you burn more calories. A small study says it may help you burn about 50 calories per liter or quart of water, or about 25 calories per water bottle-full of water. Always having a water bottle around will make it easier on you to drink more water.

A challenge will push you far outside your comfort zone. What challenges you have set for yourself lately? Share in the comments. 

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Drop 10 Weight Loss Challenge Recap

The April's Drop 10 WEIGHT LOSS challenge is now officially over.

I set up this weight loss challenge for myself to push myself to shed pounds, and feel better. I aimed to lose at least 10 lb (5 kg) during the challenge, but... #Drop10 is just NOT happening!

Goals 
Weight loss - lose at least 10 lbs (5 kg)
Exercise - Follow the Drop 10 workout 3 times per week and cardio at home least 3 times per week
Diet - Daily intermittent fasting. Eating window between 11 am to 6 pm. Try to eliminate carbs especially rice and bread in my diet. Avoid fast food, party foods, junk food, and sweetened beverage.

Recap
Weight loss - Weight static at 80 kg.
Exercise - I follow religiously the Drop 10 workout on the first week but I lose the motivation to keep going the following weeks.
Diet - Daily intemittent fasting but sometime the eating window get extended. I ate less of rice and bread. I did not touch party foods except for weekend when I allow myself to take a rest from the plan.

I went from 76 kg to 80 kg after Christmas last year. During this #Drop10 challenge I hope to jump start my weight loss journey but weight loss does not happen as expected.

What did I learn from this #Drop10 challenge?

1. Drop10 failed because I am eating too much
I have already cleaned up my diet big time but I'm still not losing weight, it may be that my calorie intake stay the same. In order to shed pounds your body needs to burn more than you consume. In other word, create calorie deficit.

2. Drop10 failed because I'm not being consistent enough 
No fitness plan in the world works if you don't do it consistently. Focusing more on 'eating healthy foods' is not enough for significant weight loss. One of the biggest success points of people achieving their goals is consistency of training and eating. That being said, you are not necessarily spend more time in the gym to be fit. Your workouts should be intensity-dependent. Key: the harder you work, the shorter your workout time may need to be. Got that!

3. Drop 10 failed because I am eating wrong foods 
I did well in avoiding excess bread, sugar, and anything else that’s processed. Starchy carbohydrates (like potatoes, brown rice, grains) should be eaten on days of strength training but on rest days or when I'm doing light cardio, I should've try to stick to just protein and veggies and not a lot of those starchy foods.

Not losing weight: I expect that wearing kaftan top would hide my look-alike-6 month-pregnant belly but it appeared to even convinced  others that I  were pregnant when I were not!

Is It Success or Failure?

On scale yes I'm maybe FAILED. But wait I'm NOT fail altogether. During this Drop10 challenge I've learned to develop this mindful style of eating. I've learned how to curb my cravings and avoid junk food. I'm craving healthy foods now- not junk food any more! I now find that junk food does not taste as good as it used to. To sum up, I consider myself a SUCCESS despite what the scale said.

How do you define success? 

Share your two cents in the comments below! 

Previously on Drop 10 Challenge:

[Day 2] April Drop 10 Weight Loss Challenge

[Day 3] Three Common Sense Approach To Cheat Your Way To Lose Weight

[Day 4] How Do You Show Love And Support To Others Without Involving Food?

[Day 5] Another Inspiring Weight Loss Story

[ Day 16] How to Lose Weight Fast Without Counting Calories

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[Day 16 Drop 10 Challenge] How to Lose Weight Fast Without Counting Calories

Drop 10 Weight Loss Challenge is on Day 16 today. I am trying to write daily blog post to keep you up to date with my progress but as you can see it doesn't work. I am not a good blogger!

My original weight loss plan this April is to do a Daily Intermittent Fasting for 21 days from Apr 13 to May 3, 2015. I'm following the Fast-5 Diet rules which to fast for 19 hours (including sleep) and I'd have a 5 hour daily feeding window between 10 am to 3pm. But I've change it from 11 am to 6pm to suit my lifestyle. I'm actually feeling not any lighter than I was when I started this challenge. My tummy won't shrink! I don't restrict calorie during the eating window and maybe that's why.

I'm not really into calorie counting these days. I am not saying counting calories doesn't help but I'm afraid the routines is making me obsess about food. There’s no better way to strip the enjoyment out of your next meal than to think whether or not you could substitute one food with a lower calorie option, what and when your next meal is, or get out a food journal to make sure you don't exceed a certain number. Food is to be enjoyed! But you know the science of weight loss. Eat fewer calories and exercise to burn more calories. No matter what diet you're following, if you eat too many calories you won't lose weight. This combination is what we called "calorie deficit" and said to be the key to effective weight loss.

"If you're trying to lose weight, you want this to be a negative number - a "caloric deficit." For instance, if you eat 1500 calories and you burn 2000, you've created a 500 calorie deficit that day. Your main goal for fat loss is to accumulate a significant caloric deficit over the entire week."

-Hussman Fitness

Honestly, I'm tired of counting calories. Is there any possible way to lose weight that don't involve tracking calories? Authority Nutrition show you simple tricks that could help you lose weight WITHOUT having to do math every day.

1. Cutting Carbs to Reduce Appetite 

Don't be surprise if your Asian host serve you rice with virtually every meal. We eat a lot of rice. Rice is a food staple for many Asian countries. A good pal shared to me not long time ago that she lost a lot of weight by cutting rice out of her diet. Probably the most effective way to start losing weight without calorie control is by cutting rice from my diet. Or to be specific, cut back on carbohydrates - rice, bread, pasta, potato and cereal, white flour, refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup.

One study show that people who eat less carbohydrates feel less hungry therefore automatically start to eat less calories. Reducing carbs also lowers your insulin levels which leads to significant reductions in water weight.

2. Eat Eggs for Breakfast to Make You Lose Weight Fast

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. It contain about 6 grams of high quality protein. Studies have shown that people who eat eggs for breakfast are more likely to lose weight than those who ate bagels. This is probably because the protein and fat in eggs keep you feeling full much longer and reducing the need for a mid morning snack.

3. Eat Low Energy Density Foods to Trick Your Brain Into Losing Weight
'Energy density' is the amount of energy (or calories) per gram of food. Foods that are high in fat and have a low water content, like candy and desserts have high energy densities, while foods that are naturally high in water, high in fibre and lower fat such as fresh fruit and vegetables are tend to have a lower energy density. Studies have shown that by choosing foods with a low energy density (like vegetables and some fruits) can can help you feel more satisfied with fewer calories, without feeling hungrier.

Do you have anything else to add? Share your wisdom in the comments below.

5 more days to complete this challenge. Deep down, I'm afraid if I don't lose weight --- if I don't lose at least 10 pounds on this challenge, I'll be disappointed again. But whatever...I know that the number on the scale is NOT everything. At the end of this Drop 10 challenge I promise that whatever the number on a scale, I won't let it be the determining factor in whether I've succeeded or failed.

Previously on Drop 10 Challenge:
[Day 2] April Drop 10 Weight Loss Challenge
[Day 3] Three Common Sense Approach To Cheat Your Way To Lose Weight
[Day 4] How Do You Show Love And Support To Others Without Involving Food?
[Day 5] Another Inspiring Weight Loss Story

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[Day 4 Drop 10 Challenge] How Do You Show Love and Support to Others Without Involving Food?

It's Day 4 on Drop 10 challenge today.

Mr husband brought home my favorite peanut waffle today which I reject it not. I afraid he may not want to buy for me next time if I did. I'm actually happy that he got something for me that I feel loved and I just want to appreciate that. (You know I hate to admit but being a stay-at-home mom is brutally lonely. Sometimes you can be easily touched by simple act of affection.) We've also heard this line a million times already, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Mean that a woman can make a man love her by cooking him good meals. Cooking is one way to show love.  I remember every time I visit my parents, mom will always have something to serve. Even when I am on diet, I can't...I mean okay first, good foods are hard to resist and secondly I don't want mom to take it personally and be offended just because I refused to eat the foods she prepared wholeheartedly.

People show their love through giving food.

Why people tend to link food with love? I think it's a behavior that we learned growing up. Most of us at early ages learned to associate foods with affirmation especially from parents. But if your loved one is on a weight loss goals, how do you show love and support without involving food? Here are few ideas:

1. Gift that show LOVE 

My husband never bought me flowers. Not even when we were still date. And I secretly hope he would buy me one day because I thought it would be romantic. The hubs more prefer to spend money on things that have added value like foods. Haha If you have creativity and a little time, believe me you don't need to spend a fortune to show someone you care. You can create card for no reason and send to them when they least expect it. Or list down 100 things you love about your loved ones, print it out and frame it to show your admiration for them. To make it extra special, read it out loud!

2. Simple but smart conversational 

Be a good listener. You have conversations with your loved one often, but are you really listening? Listen actively to express your interest. Make eye contact so that they will know with certainty that you are absorbing every single word. You can throw in an encouraging phrase here and there to show that you're paying attention. I told my husband that I never liked like him playing games on his mobile while I was trying to have a conversation with him. It gives me impression that he does not truly listen and I always end up feel like I'm talking to the wall because he is so distracted to respond. Everyone wants to be heard. Give him or her time to say what he or she wants to say.

3. Offer your time 

Spending quality time with the one you love is important in every relationship. Walk together in the evening is one fun activity that you can do together, you can take the kids which will also encourage family bonding. Have lunch together during the week, or have dinner by candlelight, even with the kids. Exercising together can also help in bonding.

There are many ways you can show your loved one how much you care in ways they'll truly appreciate --- without involving food! Please add your ideas in the comment;

 How do you show love to others without involving food?

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[Day 3 Drop 10 Challenge] Three Common Sense Approach to Cheat Your Way to Lose Weight

Today is Day 3 of Drop 10 Weight Loss Challenge. So I cheat today. I ate outside my eating window and the food I ate is not in the Drop 10 menu. I feel bad but on a positive side I didn't drink my favorite super creamy white coffee. I didn't drink calories today, yay!

Cheating is a natural part of dieting. Cheat once a week can help keep the constant craving at bay. But the question is how frequent do you have cheat meals? I believe it's important to keep your cheat meals under control. Dr.Oz prepare these 3 useful guidelines on how to go off your diet once in a while in a sensible way.

1. Choose the best time to cheat on your diet

By deciding at the beginning of the week of when to make your cheat day, you'll be less likely to cheat during the rest of the week. Pre-plan your cheat meal so you can budget your calories for what matters most to you. Slimming tips: Make sure there are at least 5 days between your cheat days.

2. Don’t let your cheat day turn into a binge day

Cheat day can be beneficial but you don't want to overdo it. Cheat days often involve binge eating, so be mindful of your calories! Don't just cram food down your throat because you can. Eat only something worth savoring.

3. Eat more filling foods

Eat foods that make you feel full and satisfied because these foods will --- eggs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, lean meats, seafood, and low fat dairy. These foods fill you up and help tame your appetite.

For some people the idea of cheat days or cheat meals do them right. Fine. But for me taking one meal or a day off like what happen today usually leads to another meal or day off. That cycle of laxity can continue for days or weeks. Sometime it can even cause the end of a successful nutrition and exercise plan.

I think I shouldn't have cheat meals until I've reached my actual goal weight.

What about you? 

When you're tempted with a cheat meal, should you give in or should you resist? 

Share your thoughts and comments below.

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[Day 2] April #Drop10 Weight Loss Challenge

I feel so accomplished today! I gets to tick off "exercise" on my to-do list first thing in the morning. When I procrastinate, I knew I'll end up doing nothing in the end. So the trick is to do first things first.

Today is Day 2 on my April #Drop10 Weight Loss Challenge. Yesterday my diet was so messed up that I decided not to blog about it. There's no reason to justify myself to everyone why I'm not losing weight last month. It's just not happening. So April is again a new chapter. Success, here I come.

The #Drop10 Diet Plan

Intermittent fasting (IF) to lose weight. I can't believe I blog about my weight loss plan with IF method on this month a year ago. I am one piteous lady, I know. Looking at my blog history, I feel like I am going round in circles with weight loss. But I'd like to remind myself and to everyone who's on the same path that weight loss failure is not the opposite of success. Failure is just part of the process of success. Comforted enough?

I choose to do a Daily Intermittent Fasting. I'll follow the Fast-5 Diet, fast for 19 hours (including sleep) and then "feed" for the remaining five hours. My eating window would be between 10am to 3pm. I'll combine this with Daniel Fast. During the eating window,

1) eat only food in its natural state, such as fresh vegetables and fruit.
2) abstain completely from party or junk foods.
3) no bread, no rice, no pasta, no cakes, no cereal, no crackers, chips or any other packaged food.
4) no meat
5) drink nothing but water and green tea. Oat milk drink is allowed.

I have attempted water fast in the past, but that's pretty tough. I guess intermittent fasting is the easiest type of fasting to stick with as you won't feel deprived.

The #Drop10 Workout Plan

Hello New Body: 4-Week Workout Plan by Jennifer Widerstrom

I'll follow the 4 week workout plan created by The Biggest Loser trainer Jennifer Widerstrom. In this plan, you'll need a set of dumb-bells. You could use anywhere between 5-to-15 pounders depending on your fitness level.

1. Do each move in order for 1 minute, going as fast as you can with good form. Keep track of your reps: as in, actually write them down.
2. Ideally, each time you do the routine you're able to eke out a few more. Don't rest between moves.
3. Once you've done all 6, rest for 1 minute.
4. Then do the whole thing 4 more times.
5. Your total workout time: 5 rounds in 34 minutes.

Overachievers: If you want 'extra credit', you can jump rope or do jumping jacks during rest between sets.
Do the routine 3 days a week on alternate days. How you spend the other 4 days of the week is up to you.

Hello New Body: 4-Week Workout Plan by Jennifer Widerstrom

I hate to do planks...but I want the benefits they give. This is serious, holding a basic plank is too difficult for me. My abdomen feels as if hanging heavily. I found this awesome lady on YouTube and her guidance on how to do and modify Plank exercise for your core give me some new insight.

Super massive mama! Still trying to improve her planks to get the most out of them.

The secret to success is to break down your ultimate weight loss goals into mini goals that are easy to manage.

Let me know, what your mini goals for April?

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November Pledge: Last Minute Weight Loss Goals Renewal

Yep, it's already the middle of November!

I don't know, where did all the months go? I've been dieting for the past months, but all I lost was 10 months! I cheat on my diet a lot. I'm not consistent with my workout. I think I have extremely poor self control and self discipline.

Is it too late now to lose weight this year? The year of 2014? I had a small talk with my sister-in-law recently, who's also trying to lose weight. We talked about our weight loss progress so far and when I said I'm making little to no progress, it seems that we were on the same boat. Then she ended the conversation saying, I'll restart my diet next year. What? Why next year? There're 40 days left until New Year 2015. There're so much you can happen in 40 days. Many people looking forward to January to have a fresh start with weight loss and fitness goals. And yes to be honest, I am.

But Why do I have to wait until New Years Eve to start feeling better, losing some weight, and eating better? 
Why wait until New Year's Eve to make this decision? 
Why wait until January 1 to take action? 
Why don't just kick off the New Year's resolution before the ball drops? 

If you plan to start afresh next year - you should ask yourself if waiting until the new year is just an excuse. For me, I refuse to go around in a cycle of New Year's weight loss resolution.

If You Want Success Today,
Let Yesterday Go
And Stop Seeking Tomorrow 

There is never a better time to take action than right now.

In the book The Miracle of Health, Uche Odiatu says, postponing forward momentum tells the universe that you're not ready for change. When we postpone something we truly desire, the consequences are not obvious the first day. But days of postponing add up to another average year. A lifetime of average years will be filled with: "I wish I had...", "If only I'd...", etc. Some of us are waiting for the perfect time to take the plunge. But we just need to move forward because there is never the perfect time to do anything—at least not in a recognizable form.

2014 is almost over but it still never too late for us to kick start our weight loss plan and improve our quality of life. This November I promise myself to:

1. Treat my body like a temple

Temple is a sacred place. We will not doing something that can hurt, harm or damage the temple of God. Just as we treat temples with respect, we should treat our body with respect. I try to be more conscious of the foods going into my body. I will avoid foods that can harm my health. I will try to eat better, cut down on the salt and sugar, eat as many fruits and vegetables as I can in one day.

2. Walk 10,000 steps a day

10,000 steps is a great benchmark of an active lifestyle. Walking 10,000 steps a day is close to 5 miles and burn approximately 500 calorie. But it may seem like a lot and can be extremely active for many living a sedentary lifestyle like me. I will choose a small achievable goal to start with. Then try to increase my activity by 1,000 or 2,000 steps a day. I will use each small success to motivate me to go further. Every small improvement is a step in the right direction.

3. No carbs after 2 pm

Okay this is hard. I try to eliminate rice in my diet. But I am Asian and we literally had rice with every meal. Rice and chicken, rice and pork, rice with soup, rice with eggs, etc. By taking a route of cutting carbs after 2 p.m., I can better control the amount of calories I eat, but still can enjoy my favorite foods.

4. Be accountable for what I eat and what I burn

Maybe I need to start food journaling again. I need to write ahead what I plan to eat, this way will helps prevent mindless or impulsive eating. Keeping a food journal also gives me a record that I can always refer back to. To stay accountable and hit my goal, I must put workout in my calendar or to-do list. Schedule each workout for the week like a doctors appointment.

5. Drink 2 litres of water a day

Drinking enough water is an essential part of being healthy especially when you're trying to lose weight, water should be your best friend. Research has found that drinking an average of 6.5 cups of water per day helped people consume 200 fewer calories a day. The next time I think I'm hungry I'll try drinking several glasses of water first.

6. Say NO to junk foods, fast foods, and sweetened beverages

This is a real challenge because whenever I feel hungry and feeling stressed, lonely, bored or blue, I tend to reach for the salty, greasy comfort of junk food. Now I already had remove the junk food from my house, already stopped buying it. Next thing is learning to say NO at the right time to McDonald's, KFC. I am much stronger than my cravings. Whenever I have a strong craving and I know I'm not hungry, a mint or brushing my teeth I think would help to curb cravings. Or maybe just find something to distract myself. The craving will pass.

7. Say NO to excuses

I am the queen of excuses when it came to weight loss. But this November, there'll be no more negative body thoughts. No more "I'll do it tomorrow". No more sitting and wishing for a thinner me. No more eating when I am not hungry. No more waiting for this to get easier. No more "but's..", no more "I can't", no more "it's too hard," "I'm too tired." No more excuses. My dream is bigger than my excuses.

Remember the old saying, "If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse."  

What goals you'd like to achieve before this year will expire?

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'Can You Drink? You Shouldn't Be Eating That' ...and 10 Other Annoying Things People Who Try to Lose Weight Are Hate of Hearing

I spent my weekend at my parents last week. It was one very hot day when my husband came home from golfing and he brought with him a big container of ice cream. And my father gave his usual reaction when I took two to three scoop of it. Only this time I am thankful he did not utter it directly like he always did. But still his eyes scream at me, "I believe you shouldn't be eating that!" Papa, I know you have no idea that I saved up enough calories to enjoy this moment.

At other time, I asked a favor from my sister to stop by my friend's house whom also my diet buddy to pick up something and upon passing the things to me my sister said, she was eating when I arrived. Funny, right? When you tell friends and family you're trying to lose weight, they somehow expect you not to eat. Just because you say you're on diet doesn't mean you stop eating.

If you've been trying to lose weight, then you must be familiar with these most annoying things people always say about your effort.

1. "You don’t need to lose weight, you look great." 
Do you mean my dieting is working? Or do you mean I am looking thinner from a distance? Sarcasm much? Well, if you're trying to be nice to me, I appreciate that. But no, thank you. I know what my ideal weight is and I am clear about my weight loss goal. I am doing this because I want to feel good about myself. Staying motivated on this diet is taking every ounce of my willpower. So please be kind and pass me a bottle of water, will ya?

2. "You don't need to diet, you will never be a size zero." 
I know. And I know I don't have to be a size zero to make a positive healthy choices. If you have nothing good to say, please don't say it at all!

3. "Have you lost any weight yet?"
No. Why are you so bothered?

4. "Have you tried the Atkins diet [or insert other diet here]?" 
No, but thanks. I’m trying this diet that I’m currently on.

5. "Why don't you try yoga instead?"
Thanks for the suggestion. But I have been doing this circuit training at home for weeks and feel great.

6. "You're limiting yourself so much, but you're still fat."

Hey, I'm NOT in competition with anyone. I run my own race. I am not interested to play the game of being better than anyone. I just aim to be better than I was before.

7."You can have A LITTLE cake. I made this. One tiny piece won't hurt!"
For some people moderation is the key to weight loss. But the weight loss mantra is not necessary for everyone. I'm avoiding because just one piece of cake or whatever the trigger food was at the moment, will leads to another and another. Not worth it. Please understand. Respect.

8. "You know 90% of people gain all the weight back after three months right?"
Yes, but 10% DON’T.

9. "I don't understand why people starve themselves."

Yes, I know that my diet would mean starvation to you. I am a 30+ year old woman who stands 4'10" tall and has a slow metabolism that makes it very hard for me to lose weight, while you are a 22 year old young man who stands 6'4" and is absolutely made of muscle. Please. Shut. Up. Now.

10. "You're on a diet? Ugh, I've been trying to gain weight."
Did I ask you?

Isn't it nice if only those annoying comments could help you shed kilos... 

What's the most annoying thing someone's ever said to you while you were trying to lose weight?

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4 Clever Ways to Hold Yourself Accountable to Your Weight Loss Plan

My blog post kind of slow these days. Sorry. I try to update as often as I can.

I have a new love for Instagram, (let's get connected! My username is honeybeegeb) it is like my accountability partner. I'm doing a Squat Challenge this September and every time I done with my exercise, I post it on Instagram. 

There are times when I don't feel like exercising or to complete the squat challenge for the day but I do it anyway. Because I am afraid when I stop posting about the Squat challenge I have started my follower will assume I have quit and I'll bring embarrassment to myself. Or maybe I will disappoint my followers and weight loss buddy who look up to me for inspiration. I am of course nowhere near to my goal but yeah you know you just have to keep pushing yourself because you never know who you are inspiring. I mean, I know that's a silly reason to exercise. You exercise because your body needs it not because you want to makes someone happy. You exercise because exercise can improve your appearance and confidence. Because exercise is a great way to combat stress, exercise improves life expectancy, and the list goes on. 

Getting out from your comfort zone is always tough in the beginning but I believe will get easier with time. So while I try to find my rhythm I see no wrong to use this silly reason to stop myself make excuses and therefore keep myself accountable to my weight loss goal. I admit that I'm not totally focus on clean eating, there are still lacking here and there but I'm working on it. I promise you, dear body.

Squat Challenge: 4 Weeks to 200 Squats by PopSugar

Alright, I keep myself accountable to weight loss plan by posting my fitness daily challenge, posting motivating pictures, quotes, reading and repost success stories on Instagram.

Here are 4 more clever ways to stay accountable to your weight loss plan:

1. Keep a food diary
I'm not a fan. I keep off-track but undeniable it is an excellent tool to keep track of the number of calories that you eat if you use it wisely. Food diary show you where you're missing out on certain types of food.

I used to record everything in my food diary after I eat. I think this is where I'm doing mistake. I always over my calorie limit. So I reject the idea of keeping a food diary because I don't see any point using it. But later I learn that the smartest way to use food diary is not to write down what you had eat, but to write what you plan to eat before you eat it. By this way your increase your awareness and you will literally think twice before you eat.

2. Save your smaller clothes
I haven't ditched my old smaller clothes because I have faith, I'll be able to fit into those again someday. I have one old dress that rather outdated but I still keep it to track my weight loss. When I fit into it I know I made progress.

3. Track your fitness
Keep a fitness log. This is what I do now. I mark an "X" on a calendar on days I exercise and "report" it on Instagram — it’s motivating to see a chain of Xs that you won’t want to break.

4. Reward yourself
This is one way to ensure that you will not give up hope and stay motivated when the road is long. Reward can increases your awareness of what you've achieved. For example, you can reward yourself a spa treatment for every 10 pounds you lose.

Now I want to hear from you:

How do you hold yourself accountable to weight loss? 

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