On my 11th week....

I am on my 11th week with weight watchers and I must
Say that I've never felt so good in a long time! I lost
3 inches on my waist, 1 cup size down and lost a total
Of 18lbs. I blame the alcohol intake for the plateau, but I can say now that I am way past that now. starting weight was almost 148lbs and now, for the first time
Since 2006, I am 129lbs! Still wayyyyy far from my ambisyosya goal of
108 lbs, but I am definitely getting there.... On my
3rd month with weight watchers (which is next week) I will for the first time
reward myself with something deep fried!!! Hahahahaha
My staple diet most days consists of Ligo premium sardines in tomato sauce (3pts per can), lots of veggies, diet soda (hoard them!), K cereal, purefoods corned
Beef with potatoes, monggo on fridays and lots of Sinigang! Love weight watchers!!!!!
I am down to 19pts a day, exercise 6 times a week and lookin forward in doing this longer!
Here's what I had today:
Mangoes breakfast 2 pts
Boxing 2 hours plus 5 pts (22 pts left)
Lunch
1 cup rice 4 pts
1/2 c corned beef with potatoes 6 pts
Sinigang soup 1 pt

Merienda
2 pcs pandesal 4 pts
Coffee w/o sugar 0

Dinner
Lucky mee chicken noodles 5pts
San mig light 1 bottle 2
Total 24 pts! Cool!

everyday routine

Here's what I ate for the rest of the day:

Lunch
1/2 c rice : 2
fish : 5
salad (with dried squid) : 1
mangoes : 2
coke light : 0
coffee (without sugar) : 0
Dinner:
arroz caldo 1.5 cups : 6
chicken : 3
egg : 2
tofu (fried with pam spray) : 3
total for the day : 25 points.

im 6 points over my usual 19 today ...

It has been a while since i last stepped on the scale. Well, not that long ago, last week to be exact. Around monday. It has been so hard these past 3 weeks. On my last entry here, I was stuck at 135. Now I am stuck at 133 lbs. I work out almost everyday now, and spend an average of 2 hours at the gym but my stuboorn weight wont move an inch. It has been so slow. But then again, I went to palawan, ate the week before wayyyyy beyond my points, and now, only half of the week and I have used up almost half of my extra 35 points.
I have also been reading on weight watchers, and it's good to know that there are really a lot of peole who go through the same thing. Nakaka frustrate lang talaga. I am tired almost everyday. I hardly spend time with the boys (with work and all) - all because of my fixation in
being back to my high school weight. I have been on this thing for almost 3 months now and all i can say is that it really has been taking so long.... Nakakainip. But im not gaining, so i guess thats also a good thing.
Hay. I'm not shallow, really i'm not.
til tomorrow....

happy eating peeps.!
ps.. i thought about bacon and waffles all day today. hay.

Stuck at 135...

I'm on my 7th week on weight watchers and on my 5th week on boxing. So far, i have lost a total of 13 or so lbs. It's been confusing since when i first started this diet/lifestyle, I was using 3 different weighing scales. The one at home, at the gym and the freaky one at the doctor's office. At my doctor's, my weight was 154 lbs ( the main reason why i finally decided to go on at diet), at home was 147 and at the gym was 148. Since I've been using the one at the gym, i say about 13-14 lbs (since i swear it was 134 this morning). It's actually not so bad since you dont really lose 13 lbs eating sisig and lechon kawali on a day to day basis. But, I feel as if I am stuck at 135 lbs. My first goal is actually 130 ( in three months) and i have 5 weeks left. 5 weeks means 1 lb per week. And that is just too slow for me. I am used to dropping it way faster than that back when I use to crash diet.. But the reality is, it's just wayyyyyyyy to hard to lose weight!!!!!
I dont want to give up really,but starting next week I will be extra busy with session in congress resuming and all..... I dont know if i will have to time to go to the gym in the morning or even after work since I go home mostly at around 7 or 8 in the evening.
I'm gonna have to leave it all up to weight watchers for the next couple of weeks and hopefully it's as effective as how it has been for my aunt and my sister...
I can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seventh week on weight watchers

Today is not a particularly good day for me. I know that it's quite an improvement that I lost almost 13 lbs for the whole 6 weeks, but, I'm starting to think if I can really stick to this and do this all my life. I know it's quite ambitious to aim for my weight when I was in high school, but upon reading all the success stories online, there was one thing that stood out-- that most of them were currently on thier weight during high school.
But, I am particularly, extra hungry today. It's also my fault that i wasnt able to have my breakfast this morning. Heck, it's only 3:00 pm and i am hungryyyyyyyy.
I am also on my 4th week boxing, which I really enjoy.
But, today is not a good day.
I hope I dont faint later at the gym....
here's what i ate for lunch:

Coke zero = 0
rice 1 c = 4
Sinigang na bangus (head part) = 3
Adobong pusit 1/2 = 3
string beans stir fried 1/2 = 1
total points = 11

I only have 9 points left for the day.Plus an additional 3 or 4 with boxing later.
Will splurge on dinner.

Hay........

I still have steak!

Last night we had dinner at Le Entrecote along Burgos Circle. It was a sort of despedida/Birthday celebration for my dad's youngest sibling, tito recto.

I had 12 points left for the day after eating my 8 points during the earlier part of the day.
But guess what, I even had the steak!

First part of the meal was the bread with butter.. 5 points

then the salad :) soo yummy...





then... the steak. though i had my steak sauce served separately, since provencal butter has way too many points...steak points (i ate half) 5 points.



I didnt have the luxury for the dessert... though i had a glass of wine...2 points.. and 2 bottles of beer 4 points. :)

total points for the day:

lunch:

rice 1 c = 4
tuna 3/4 c = 4

Dinner :
salad w/ dressing ; 2
wine ; 2
bread with butter : 5
steak (lean) = 5
beer 2 = 4

total for the day = 26 points

went 24points over my usual 20... so i still have 31 points left for the weekend...

I love weight watchers!!!!!

Struggling with a new lifestlye...

Its has been a while since my last entry here... in every sense of the word, I am a newbie... I still have no idea how to arrange my posts here.. so bear with me....

A lot has happened since 2009. My eldest son is almost through with High school, nicole, is almost 10. and We have a new addition to the family... Magnus. and Pablo. My hubby's Christmas gift last 2010. the most hyper yorkie there is.

I am finally happy with my job. And i say it every morning when i wake up--man,do i love my job! I don't carry luggages anymore, or do errands to the mall and check in at the airport like i use to do with my old boss.. i actually get tired most days thinking. I have a thinking job and i love every minute of it. I know my worth and what i am capable of now.

The family is also struggling with the loss of a matriarch. Our beloved lola passed away last December. It has been hard and most days, i feel as if, she is still here with us.

I still miss my dad terribly. Since he passed away last 2006, it was only last December that we decided to finally put him to rest... with my lola. He is now with her, as me and my sisters decided to finally bury his remains together with my lola and their baby sister, tita gecca.

A new year has come, and what have i been doing lately???? obsessed with my weight!!! I am very thankful for my sister who showed me the ropes on weight watchers. I am not a member, i obviously cannot afford it, But she use to be, so she taught me everything i know. Started at the end of November i am now on my 6th week on the diet. so far so good. I do boxing with my best friend tara every morning and have lost a total of 11 lbs!!!! Last November, my weight was 149 lbs. I am now 138 lbs. I use several websites to verify the points of the food that i eat and have also compiled one for my friend, tara, a Filipino version of weight watchers. I uploaded a picture way back in 2004 i think, to remind me that yes, we can lose weight after all!
I am not an expert and I welcome corrections with the points. but i thought i'd share it here anyway. here are the points that i compiled that i also took from a blogger who does weight watchers. I hope you will find it useful as it has been for me and my friend.

Weight watchers usual Filipino food
Rice 1c = 4
Oatmeal 1c = 4
Cereal (diet kind)= 2
Pasta 1 c = 4
Coffee black 1tsp = 0
Coffee mix = 2
Diet soda = 0
Salad w/ olive oil 1tsp =1

Sinigang soup 1 c = 1
Afritada sauce ½ c = 1
Menudo sauce ½ c = 1
Adobo sauce ½ = 1
Dinuguan = 4
Nilaga soup 1 c = 1
Veggies = 0
Potatoes 1 whole= 1
Carrots raw 1c =0
Carrots boiled 1c =1
Green leefy veggies =0
Sinampalukan soup 1c =1
Kare kare soup 1 c = 4
Gravy sauce ¼ c = 3
Pinaksiw sauce (vinegar)=0
Monggo 1 c = 3
Pinakbet 1 c = 4
Chopseuy 1c = 4
(if w/meat +1)
Salsa 1/2 cup = 0
Misua 1c = 4


Eggplant
Ampalaya
Sitaw
Okra
Upo
Pechay
*points on oil used while cooking

Curry (beef/pork/chicken) 1c =10

Chicken:
breast, without skin and bone 1 = 3 

breast, without skin 1 = 3 

breast, with skin 1 = 5 

drumstick, without skin 1 = 1 

drumstick, with skin 1 = 3 

thigh, without skin = 3 

thigh, with skin = 4


Pork
½ c cubed w/o fat = 3
½ or 1 slice w/ fat= 5
1 small liempo piece w/0 fat = 3
grilled liempo small w/o fat =3

lean 1 slice, or 1/2 cup cubed or shredded (2 oz) = 3 

regular 1 slice, or 1/2 cup cubed or shredded (2 oz) = 5
Spareribs: 
barbecued 4 (each 4" long) = 8
Bacon, cooked, crisp 3 slices= 4 

Sisig 1c = 8
Pork chop lean 1 pc = 5
w/ fat = 7


Beef: 

ground 1 patty (3 oz) = 6 

ground, lean 1 patty (3 oz) = 6
lean 1 slice or 1/2 cup cubed or shredded = 3 

regular 1 slice or 1/2 cup cubed or shredded = 4

steak 1 small (4 oz) = 10 

steak, lean 1 small (4 oz) = 7 

Beef stew 1 cup = 5
Fish
fish, fried 1 fillet = 12 

Tilapia fillet (one side, small) = 3
Fried= 6
Bangus fillet (one side, small) = 3
Fried = 6
Bangus head fried = 5
Belly fried = 6
Tuna in oil 1 c = 10
Tuna in water 1 c = 6
Tuna 
fresh, cooked 1 fillet or steak = 5
Sashimi tuna 4 pcs = 1
Salmon 4 pcs = 2
Sushi 4 small pcs = 2
Calamares ½ c fried = 11
Squid ½ c adobo = 2

Shellfish, fresh (meat only), cooked without fat: 

Clams 1/2 cup = 2 

Crab 1/2 cup = 1 
-
Lobster 1/2 cup = 1 

Oysters 1/2 cup = 2 
-
Scallops 1/2 cup = 1 
-
Shrimp 1/2 cup = 1

Tuna 1/2 cup = 7 

Fish and cheese sandwich, fried, fast food 1 = 13

Eggs:

omelet, cheese 2-egg, = 8

omelet, ham and cheese 2-egg,= 9

scrambled 2 or 1/2 cup = 5

whole 1 = 2

Milk:

buttermilk, fat-free, low-fat (1%),or reduced-fat (2%) 1 cup = 2

evaporated, fat-free or low-fat 1/2 cup = 2

evaporated, whole 1/2 cup = 4

fat-free 1 cup = 2

instant nonfat dry powder 1/3 cup = 2

low-fat or light (1/2% or 1%) 1 cup = 2

reduced-fat (2%) 1 cup = 3

soy milk: 
-
fat-free 1 cup (8 fl oz) = 2 
-
regular 1 cup (8 fl oz) = 3 

sweetened condensed 1/2 cup = 11 

whole 1 cup = 4

Breads:

1 slice = 2 

garlic 1 slice = 5 

high-fiber (3 g or more dietary fiber per slice) 1 slice = 1 

Bread crumbs, dried 3 Tbsp = 2
Doughnut, plain or glazed 1 (3" diameter) = 6 

Croissant = 5


Pasta:
Arrabiata ½ c = 2
Marinara ½ store bought = 2
Bolognese ½ c = 6
Alfredo sauce ½ c = 10
Putanesca ½ c = 2
Baked lasagna 1c = 6
Aglio olio 1c = 7
Pesto 2tbsp = 4
Spaghetti sauce, bottled, any type 1/2 cup = 2 
Spaghetti with marinara sauce 1 cup spaghetti with 1/2 cup sauce = 6

Spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs 1 cup spaghetti, 1/2 cup sauce, and 2 meatballs = 16 

Ravioli 8 pcs ½ c sauce = 16

Ziti, baked (without meat) 1 cup = 6


Pizza:
Pizza, cheese, thin crust 1 slice (1/8 of 12", 1/10 of 14", or 1/12 of 16") = 4 

Pizza, one-meat topping, thin crust 1 slice (1/8 of 12", 1/10 of 14", or 1/12 of 16") = 5

Salad:
Caesar 3 cup = 7 

Chef’s, no dressing 4 cups = 6 

chicken 1/2 cup = 6 

Coleslaw 1/2 cup = 4

fruit 1 cup = 2

mixed greens 1 cup = 0
potato 1/2 cup = 7
side without dressing, fast food 1 serving = 0 
spinach, with dressing 2 cups = 7 

three-bean, canned 1/2 cup = 1 

tuna 1/2 cup = 7 



Fruits:

Apple 1 small = 1
Banana 1 big = 2
Mangoes 1 = 2
Watermelon 1 c/2” slice = 1
Orange 1 = 1
Melon 1 c = 1

Cheeses:

cottage 2 Tbsp = 1 
-
fat free 1 cup = 3 
-
low-fat (1%) 1 cup = 3 
-
reduced-fat (2%) 1 cup = 4 
-
regular (4%) 1 cup = 6 

cream 2 Tbsp = 1 
-
fat free 4 Tbsp = 1 
-
light 2 Tbsp = 2 
-
regular (4%) 1 Tbsp = 1
feta 1/4 cup (1 1/3 oz) = 3

hard or semisoft, dairy or soy 2 Tbsp = 1 

fat-free 1" cube, 4 Tbsp shredded, or 3 Tbsp grated (1 oz) = 1 
-
low-fat 1" cube, 4 Tbsp shredded, or 3 Tbsp grated (1 oz) = 2 

regular 1" cube, 4 Tbsp shredded, or 3 Tbsp grated (1 oz) = 3


mayonnaise or mayonnaise-type: 

fat-free 4 Tbsp = 1

reduced-calorie 2 tsp = 1 
-
regluar 1 tsp = 1


oil
vegetable 1 tsp = 1
olive oil 1 tsp = 1

Ice cream:

fat-free, no sugar added 1/2 cup = 2 
fat-free,
sweetened with sugar 1/2 cup = 2 
light
1/2 cup = 3 

premium 1/2 cup = 7

regular 1/2 cup = 4 

Ice cream cone, plain or sugar 1 small = 1

Ice cream sandwich 1 = 4

Ice cream sundae 1/2 cup ice cream with syrup, nuts, and whipped topping = 8

MCDONALDS
Hamburger =6
Cheeseburger = 7
Big mac = 13
Quarter Pounder = 10
w/ cheese = 13
McChicken = 12
w/o mayo = 6
Fillet o fish = 11
Nuggets 4 pcs = 5
6 pcs = 7
bbq sauce = 1
fries small = 5
fries large = 10
shake = 8
hot fudge = 8
oreo mcflurry = 13
egg mcmufin = 7
sausage mcmuffin = 9
w/ egg = 9
Big breakfast = 15
Hash browns = 3
Hotcakes w/ butter and syrup = 13

Fajitas:

beef 2 = 12

chicken 2 = 8

pork 2 = 13
fish, canned, drained: 

anchovies 6 =1 

salmon 1/2 cup = 4 
-
sardines 5 = 3 
-
tuna, canned in oil, drained 1/2 cup = 5 
-
tuna, canned in water 1/2 cup = 3

Flour, any type 3 Tbsp = 1
Liquor (brandy, gin, rum, scotch, tequila, vodka, whiskey) 1 jigger, (1 1/2 fl oz) = 2 


Onion rings, fast food 1 medium serving = 10 
Onions 1 cup = 1 

Orange: 
juice 1/2 cup = 1

Peanut butter 1 Tbsp = 2

Peanuts 40 nuts = 4

Popcorn:

air-popped 3 cups = 1
microwave-popped, light 3 cups = 1 
microwave-popped, reduced-fat 
(94% fat-free) 5 cups = 1

microwave-popped, regular 3 cups = 3

movie popcorn, without butter 3 cups = 3

Potato chips:

baked 1 oz = 2

regular 14 (1 oz) = 4

Tacos:

beef, fast food 1 = 5 

sauce 1 Tbsp = 0

Tempura:

shrimp 4 jumbo shrimp = 12
vegetable 1 cup = 8 


Tequila 1 jigger (1 1/2 fl oz) = 2



Teriyaki:

beef 2 slices = 7 

chicken 2 slices = 6

fish 4 oz = 5 

sauce 1 Tbsp = 0


BOXING PLUS POINTS : (for my friend tara, extra points vary with weight)
30 mins heavy work out= + 5

*(heavy workout sweating continuously 3-5 mins)

30 mins moderate work out (sweating after 10 min) = +2

30 mins light work out(not sweating) = +1


Good luck!

Where your Heaven is....

This morning my best friend, Tara, called me and told me that she had a dream about my dad. My dad passed away two years ago and I feel somewhat envious to those who dream about him…because so far, since he has passed, I dreamt about him for no more than 5 times.
I long to see his face once more but I guess all that I have right now are the pictures and my thoughts about him...

My dad was diagnosed with Lung Cancer July, 2005 and died last April 10, 2006. I never really knew him until my parents separated. Me and youngest my sister lived with him after the separation. I don’t really understand why we were left with him during the separation but, we did anyway. I never knew him in the sense that when we were growing up, there were only a few number of times that he was a father to us. Yes, my parents had a shitty marriage. They fought a lot and the separation was actually the time when they became friends. The separation was actually the time that we became friends. I hated him all those years while growing up and blamed him for the misfortunes that happened in our family. Then we started talking after the separation and I found out how he loved being an athlete, it was his one true love since he was a kid. You see, he played college ball in UST and Dela Salle. It was I guess his outlet, if some people drank themselves full if they problems, my dad swam. He ran, went biking and during the last days of his life was so frustrated with the disease because he missed playing golf. Oh how he enjoyed food. Most of the food that I love today is influenced by him. We loved trying new restaurants and we would end up making our own version at home. He would always tell me that when I went to a new place that it is imperative that I try new things especially food. During my Hong Kong trip last 2006 he insisted that I try the street foods, for those are the most authentic ones. But, most of all, one thing that I never knew about my dad was how he loved to read. I studied philosophy in college and we shared books and we would later talk about it. I realized how smart he was. We would have these little debates about the existence of man and religion and politics but most of the time we would talk about shoes. My family has been manufacturing shoes for the last 25 years and my Lolo always said that of all of his children, my dad was the born shoemaker. He talked with so much passion about shoes that he even dreamed about them and drew them later as he woke. He told me that he can easily figure out a person’s personality through their shoes. What they do, where they have been and how they live. I find it ironic though since I’ve never been fond of shoes. The only time that I find them interesting is when my dad would talk about them, the latest trend in shoe manufacturing (that he finds out through the annual shoe fare in Hong Kong), the new soles available on the market, and the designs that he comes up with every once in a while.

My dad also loved to travel. He was fortunate enough to go to different countries like China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Canada, USA and Europe. During his chemotherapy, he let me read this book about figuring out where your “heaven” is. Heaven in the sense that the one place that you have been in your life that gave you so much happiness, peace and contentment is where you will live after you die. He said that his heaven is in Europe. We would talk about it for the longest time and how much he longed for me and my sisters to go there and experience the Zen or the unexplainable satisfaction he felt as he walked the streets of Italy. The week before he died, as we were saying our goodbyes to him, I whispered in his ear that my heaven would be where he was. I was there as he roamed Europe, for I lived it through his stories. I have it pictured in my mind the way that he saw it. Experienced it. And I have been there. And I no longer fear death for I know that when I die, I will be living in my dad’s Heaven and experience the kind of contentment that I will never have in this lifetime.