Not watching the scale...

So I've been saying, I've been exercising to keep my body fit and healthy. There's a tendency to keep weighing myself when I started exercising, to see if I've been dropping the pounds off. But then I came to realise, my body is a in a normal BMI, there's no need for me to drop off any pounds or such to reach an underweight level.

What I really want is to get fitter, healthier, to give myself the option to do  a wider variety of outdoor stuff. Well, for me to fit in with the "guys" stuff. A good reason to weigh yourself before and after a workout is to make sure you are drinking enough water to fuel your body back to where it started. Sometimes we tend to drink too little water, and end up being dehydrated. And, being in the USA now, dehydration is common, and scary. Weather here is really, really dry. And while you don't feel that hot, you're actually already sunburnt.

I intend to monitor my progress by feel. When you stick to your routine, and maintain a regular exercise program, you can feel changes in your body. You can challenge yourself to do things that you never could. I would never have managed to jog on the spot for more than a minute before, which is why I only stuck to walking workouts all the time, but recently I've managed to jog on the spot for 20 seconds with 10 seconds rest in between for 4 minutes in total. Without feeling breathless. I like that!

As usual, Monday, I was having my Monday blues, so I did not workout.

Tues, I did Shaun T's Insanity Cardio Recovery (50mins) + High Intensity Interval Training Cardio (20 secs work, 10 seconds rest, for total of 20 mins..

Wednesday, I did Shaun T's Insanity Max Interval Circuit (60 mins.)

Today, i will be expecting to go to the gym as its hubby's sports day every Thursday when he does the morning shift. We're keeping up the healthy lifestyle!

I started exercising early this year with 2 x 3lbs weights. I'm trying to progress to the 5 lbs weights that we bought on Monday. I'm experiencing aches  all over my back now, but no pain no gain right? I really do like how my arms are starting to tone up right now... After 5 months of training. A little stronger, but it feels great!

My camera's arriving today!! And i'm really excited to start the snapping this weekend. Lets see how it goes, and whether I can put up some photos soon!

Do check back!!

Take healthy up a notch!

I don't know how many times I've probably attempted to get fitter in my life. But all the time failing miserably. I'd say, the first 23 years of my life, i've probably never ever felt the need to exercise. I love myself, with or without flabs. I don't mind being a little chubby, since it has always been under wraps. I must say, i'm first to get the MC of every reason in primary to secondary school just so i can skip the PE lesson every week. I would pretend to have pain here or there, and every month a certain week i have to be excused from PE lessons due to the woman's monthlies. Great excuse. Yep.

Little did I know, years later, it would all befall back on me. I don't really have a healthy lifestyle. I have plenty of vices. All bad for me, I know. I was constantly being breathless, and my chest was in pain every time i did something slight strenuous. I knew my health is not good, being sick all the time, and calling in for MC at work. I wasn't like overweight or anything.. My weight range maintained around 45 to 53kg most of the time. Its a huge range though. but it would jump back and forth depended on my health. When I get sick, i hardly have appetite for anything, so my weight would drop drastically. When I'm healthy and happy, I would just want to go out for nice food, and my weight would keep jumping up.

Being in Singapore, probably one of the most "rushing" places in the world. By rushing, i mean it seems everyday, every moment, everyone seems to be rushing somewhere. Even work is being rushed by the boss, friends rush you to meet them. Everything always puts you in a hurry, and you seldom have time for yourself even.

I've been in USA for around 6 months now, with the hubby working here for the next 2 years more to come. When we first arrived here, I was at my heaviest, 55kg, and breathless all the time. Due to the atmostphere, the elevation. I had chest pains, nose bleeds, everything possible. I couldn't possibly do anything. It was winter, and everyone wanted to ski/ snowboard. However, everytime i put my feet on the ski, and tried to go down the hill, my muscles would cramp, or i would pull some hamstring or something, and would end up in some terrible pain. Its just all due to the very unfit lifestyle i've been having. And I seriously wanted to change that. I'm only 25 now, and i felt like I was 40 at that moment.

So in winter (February), I started doing exercise videos, to keep warm at home, and to improve my fitness. We travel alot here, and there's alot of mountains here too. I don't want to be breathless everytime we set off to hike a new mountain. And we weren't even hiking, just trying to get a good view, to take photos! I needed get fit to keep up with the boys. I didn't want my health to hinder with what I could travel and explore around the USA.

I've been doing exercise videos for like 5 months now, the longest I've ever done something, and stay determined to do so. I like how my health has been transformed slightly. I've managed to shave a couple of KGs off. I'm currently at 51kg. And i've managed to put on abit of muscle. I'm actually enjoying the sweat and am starting to do my dvds more and more often, and have been trying to get active in my life. I try to go out for long walks, even just to go get the groceries, it would be a 2 mile walk. I keep trying to find housework to do, to keep my body moving. I love seeing my body getting leaner, and my muscles getting more toned..

So i've been watching youtubes for some inspiration of newer routines or seeing other women's workouts. And i came across this woman.


Can I say what an inspiration she is? Her body is awesomely sexy. She's HOT. Sweaty. And she's uber fit. Look at those muscles! SEXY! After watching her push herself to her maximum every workout, I thought about stepping up my own exercise routines.

Right now, i'm just doing a 40 minute video 3 - 4 times a week. And occasional walks, and that's about it. I love my body how it is, but I wish to get fitter, for health reasons, with defining the body alittle more as a side benefit. (A sweet gift for my husband for being supportive of me starting my active lifestyle.)

So now, i'm going to start pushing myself a little more, at the same time, use this blog to log my thoughts and my exercises down, to see how far I can push myself. I'm not gonna be thinking about the shape of my body, or my weight. I'm just gonna push myself for health reasons, and I'm hoping to start seeing results in the next 2 months. So let's see about that!

BTW, will be getting a new PC this weekend, and a new camera, a Lumix FZ35, to kick start my photography during our road trips. I love the natural surroundings we have here, and wish to snap all these into beautiful memories. Expect more updates, and more beautiful photos, coming your way!

Why not join me and start getting active yourself? ;)

Vacation Withdrawal. Bring me back to Vegas.

I'm in vacation withdrawal. I didn't imagine myself to be in such a long withdrawal, neither did I expect myself to enjoy myself THAT much.

Its like what do you expect to get when you're on a vacation, seeing rocks, rocks, and hey, more rocks! We visited Arizona, Grand Canyons, Hoover Dam, VEGAS! And many other stopover points actually.

But the main great fun? ARIZONA & VEGAS. I partied, let my hair loose, danced, get drunk & wasted. & i realized that's what I've been missing all along. Call me crazy to poison my life, but I have been locked up in this cold freezer, being a full time housewife, nagged by my husband everyday, to be a better housewife. It is so different, so difficult to get adjusted to. I've NEVER cleaned a house at all. Now, I do all the cleaning. I hate it. Yes I know, its my house, and I have to clean after myself. But doing it all everyday, and doing it again the next day? SUCKS!

So we went on this vacation, with one of my husband's colleague. As much as we went out so often, I didn't really knew how he was like on vacation. I enjoyed his company day to day. But really when you're on a vacation, all you wanna do is have fun and have no arguments, therefore, i am very wary with who i travel with.

I WAS SO DAMN WRONG. This guy rocks. Hahaha. He made me laugh every single day no matter how much I tried to piss him off. I could totally be myself with him, as crazy as I want to be, and he didn't judge me. We had rocking fun with our friends in Arizona, I missed them so much... And we had crazier rocking fun in Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas right? So.. I'm not going into details here...

But, we drink, drank, got high, and had so much fun... We suntanned, gambled, drank, jacuzzied, drank, gambled, drunk. Right now, I am just having vacation withdrawal. I just want to go back Vegas. I want to go crazy, get wild, let myself loose again.  The party animals wants to go out and play!!!

Oh.. Bring me back to Vegas pls.

Well, i will post up some photos, and my trip itinerary. But no photos of me in Vegas. ;) The memories will stay there.. I brought one back though, I found a great buddy, and one that I will treasure for a long time, and drag him with us for our vacations.

What makes the perfect wife?

Since the day we got married, I've been constantly questioning myself this. What makes the perfect wife? If I did that, would that make me a better wife? If I did this, would he love me more? If I do this everyday for him, would it improve our relationship, and give us more time to spend together? I've been at this for months on end. We've been married for 7 months now. And I'm still trying at it, improving and trying to get better. I've come to the stage where I could practically breeze thru making breakfast for him every morning, packing his lunchboxes, planning a meal just by opening a fridge.

Household chores? Dishwashing, toilet cleaning, laundry, they no longer challenge me. Probably a couple of years back, i was totally clueless about anything household. I was never one who helped out in household stuff. Well, not until I started dating him, and tried to impress his family with my helpfulness. Throughout staying with his family for the last 7 years, I've come to learn some house cleaning, and stuff. But not much since they got a maid in the house to look after Alfie, the family dog.


While i used to think that trying to impress the in laws were already a challenge to me, nothing beats having your own house with him alone. Nothing beats, him working all day, leaving you alone at home to deal with the house. One on one. Nothing beats having no maids here to clean for you. Everything is DIY. Nothing beats coming home hungry, and still having to cook for yourselves. Nothing beats having a husband to come home nagging at you for not cleaning well. But hey! Was i brought here to clean up after you? Was I brought here to look after your house, so you didn't have to? The singles are doing the same job as you, and they manage their house well too. So why can't you?

Then again, it dawned on me. The ideal wife of Singaporean men, or maybe every men. They just want a wife to look after them, to do things for them. They want to come home, to a place they can call home, feel home, smell home. A single friend told me that he could very well live on his own and do things on his own, and why is it my husband seem to depend on me so much? Wasn't women meant to be pampered?

Women ARE meant to be pampered, as much as men liked being pampered. In my situation now though, the MAN is bringing home the dough. And me, being home all day, gets the duties of a housewife. I overlook the whole house.

I can tell you, the standard that men set for their home, is not at all low. They tend to want their own home, very much to the standard their parents had when in their own home, without the things they hated whilst living in their parent's house. And this keeps continuing. Each one, getting more perfectionist than the previous. It really comes to a point where the wives breakdown, the hard work doesn't seem to pay off as the constant nagging still hits. Quarrels arise.. Relationship problems arise. Men find the woman no longer satisfy the criteria of being a wife, and goes out to find someone better. Divorce hits. And the cycle continues.

When does this ever come to an end? I am probably at the stage whereby, I'm still happily married. I still enjoy everyday with love from him. We're a happy couple. But the nagging doesn't stop.. And I'm trying my hardest to maintain this house. Its been 4 months we're here. Its been 3 months in this house. I admit there are some stuff I should have done earlier, but I've been lazy. We had an argument today.

I have been thinking about adopting a pet dog for long time now. From being in Singapore till now. I've kept all kinds of animals before. Rabbits, rats, hamsters, tortoises, guinea pigs, chickens. You name it I've had it. I loved the idea of giving love to an animal who deserved it but never had it before. For most of my pets, they're adopted. Injured, unloved, uncared for. I wanted a dog since young, but my parents never liked the idea. So now that we got our home, we've finally settled down in this country so far away from "home", i thought we would be ready for a new addition to our house.

Apparently, he thought we weren't ready. He said we're still too lazy to clean up after ourselves. The house is still not in the condition he expects it to be. That we still have alot of improvements to make. In terms of financially and household. That if our lifestyles improved, and become more settled in, that if the house remains clean and everything is in order to his liking, we could consider getting a pet. I took it personal. It was as though telling me, I haven't been doing a good job as a housewife. So really, what makes the perfect wife?

I have been thinking it through. After the conversation, I was really down. I didn't know how then I could make him happy. What else i need to do to make him happy? Everyday i try my best. I sleep an hour later to make sure his lunch box is all ready for the next work day. I wake up earlier to make breakfast for him so he could fill his stomach to go work and do his best. I do the laundry, clean the dishes, stoves, toilets, prepare the meals, so he could come home happy and play his games so he doesn't have to do anything.

Probably I wasn't organized enough. Maybe that's what that's making me feel hectic everyday trying to catch up with the household chores and maintaining the house. He went to bed early, and i've spent the time trying to search how to organize myself such that my days are not hectic but the home is in order. I needed badly to declutter my life, to set myself in order, to organize it such that I can do everything, and still stay sane.

I've learnt to do up a household organiser file. And that's what i've set myself up to do tomorrow. I will wake up do my chores, and plan my daily, weekly, and monthly to do. I will do my menu planning, my chores planning, and grocery shopping. I will do up my household organiser, and do my goal setting, holiday planning. And hopefully in time to come, everything can come into place, and I will gain back his trust, that I'm the best choice he ever made for himself. I love him and I truly do. And I will not let little things like this, tear me apart or spoil the wonderful relationship we have built between ourselves.

Maybe, and hopefully till then, I will be able to adopt our buddy dog, and in time to come, have a little baby in addition to our family.

Step conversion chart.

Step Conversion Chart For example, high impact aerobics for 30 minutes equals 6,090 steps (30 x 203 = 6,090). 2,000 steps equal one mile.
Activity	Steps/Min (Avg)
| Bicycling |
Bicycling (leisurely, 10-11.9 mph)	100
Bicycling (moderate, 12-13.9 mph)	200
Bicycling (vigorous, 14-15.9 mph)	250
| Top |
| Dancing |
Aerobic dancing, low impact	118
Aerobic dancing, strenuously	140
Dancing, choreographed	158
Dancing, socially	93
Line Dancing	139
| Top |
| Gym Activities |
Aerobics (high impact)	182
Aerobics (low impact)	125
Aerobics (moderate)	154
Basketball, game	230
Basketball, playing recreational	138
Boxing, in a ring competitively	213
Boxing, non-competitive	131
Circuit Training	178
Elliptical trainer	203
Gymnastics	89
Handball, recreational	142
Judo	187
Jumping Rope, moderate/fast	244
Jumping Rope, slow	178
Karate	290
Kickboxing	290
Pilates	101
Racquetball	138
Racquetball, playing competitively	198
Rowing, light	111
Rowing, moderate	179
Rowing, vigorous effort	203
Softball	145
Stair climbing, moderate	180
Stair climbing, slow	90
Stair climbing, vigorous	267
Stretching	6
Swimming, leisure	133
Swimming, moderate effort	174
Swimming, treading water	49
Swimming, vigorous effort	222
Tae Kwon Do	290
Tai Chi	8
Water Aerobics	100
Weight lifting, light	66
Weight lifting, moderate	87
Weight lifting, vigorous	133
Yoga	100
| Top |
| Household Activities |
Grocery Shopping	67
Housework, light	72
Housework, mopping floors	51
Housework, vacuuming	101
Housework, washing windows	87
Painting/papering	78
Washing the car	87
| Top |
| Lawn and Garden |
Firewood, chopping	133
Firewood, sawing	113
Firewood, stacking	89
Gardening, heavy	174
Gardening, light	73
Gardening, moderate	116
Hoeing in a garden	96
Mowing	160
Raking leaves	125
Yard Work, general	145
| Top |
| Miscellaneous |
Badminton	98
Billiards	77
Bowling	87
Fishing, from boat, sitting	56
Fishing, from river bank and walking	111
Frisbee, general playing	67
Grocery Shopping	67
Horseback riding, trotting	102
Horseback riding, walking leisurely	31
In-line skating, moderately	125
Jumping Rope, moderate/fast	244
Jumping Rope, slow	178
Mowing	160
Orienteering	151
Painting/papering	78
Pilates	101
Raking leaves	125
Rollerblading, moderately	125
Shoveling snow, heavy	278
Shoveling snow, light	133
Shoveling snow, moderate	174
Tae Kwon Do	290
Tai Chi	8
Washing the car	87
Yoga	100
| Top |
| Outdoor Activities |
Badminton	100
Baseball	111
Basketball, game	230
Basketball, playing recreational	138
Bicycling (leisurely, 10-11.9 mph)	100
Bicycling (moderate, 12-13.9 mph)	200
Bicycling (vigorous, 14-15.9 mph)	250
Canoeing, leisurely	100
Firewood, chopping	133
Firewood, sawing	113
Firewood, stacking	89
Fishing, from boat, sitting	56
Fishing, from river bank and walking	111
Frisbee, general playing	67
Gardening, heavy	174
Gardening, light	73
Gardening, moderate	116
Golfing, with a cart	78
Golfing, without a cart	122
Hiking, 10-20 lb. load	217
Hiking, 21-42 lb. load	232
Hiking, general	172
Horseback riding, trotting	102
Horseback riding, walking leisurely	31
In-line skating, moderately	125
Mowing	160
Orienteering	151
Rollerblading, moderately	125
Running a 6 minute mile	247
Running a 7 minute mile	222
Running a 8 minute mile	200
Running a 9 minute mile	184
Running, jogging	156
Shoveling snow, heavy	278
Shoveling snow, light	133
Shoveling snow, moderate	174
Skiing, cross-country moderately	164
Skiing, cross-country rapidly	256
Skiing, cross-country slowly	114
Skiing, downhill moderate	178
Skiing, downhill rapidly	244
Skiing, downhill slowly	109
Snowboarding, light	150
Snowboarding, moderate	182
Snowshoeing	178
Soccer, playing competitively	218
Soccer, recreational	144
Softball	145
Tennis, doubles	102
Tennis, singles	178
Volleyball, game	232
Volleyball, leisure	87
Walking at a normal pace	100
Washing the car	87
| Top |
| Running |
Running a 6 minute mile	247
Running a 7 minute mile	222
Running a 8 minute mile	200
Running a 9 minute mile	184
Running, jogging	156
Walking at a normal pace	100
| Top |
| Sports & Games |
Badminton	98
Baseball	111
Basketball, game	230
Basketball, playing recreational	138
Billiards	77
Bowling	87
Boxing, in a ring competitively	213
Boxing, non-competitive	131
Cricket	111
Fencing	133
Football	189
Golfing, with a cart	78
Golfing, without a cart	122
Gymnastics	89
Handball, recreational	142
Hockey	178
Ice skating, competitively	162
Ice skating, leisurely	84
Ice skating, moderately	122
Judo	187
Karate	290
Kickboxing	290
Racquetball	138
Racquetball, playing competitively	198
Scuba diving	203
Skiing, cross-country moderately	164
Skiing, cross-country rapidly	256
Skiing, cross-country slowly	114
Skiing, downhill moderate	178
Skiing, downhill rapidly	244
Skiing, downhill slowly	109
Snowboarding, light	150
Snowboarding, moderate	182
Soccer, playing competitively	218
Soccer, recreational	144
Softball	145
Squash	348
Tae Kwon Do	290
Tai Chi	8
Tennis, doubles	102
Tennis, singles	178
Volleyball, game	232
Volleyball, leisure	87
Water Polo	222
Yoga	100
| Top |
| Walking |
Golfing, with a cart	78
Golfing, without a cart	122
Grocery Shopping	67
Hiking, 10-20 lb. load	217
Hiking, 21-42 lb. load	232
Hiking, general	172
Orienteering	151
Running, jogging	156
Snowshoeing	178
Stair climbing, moderate	180
Stair climbing, slow	90
Stair climbing, vigorous	267
Walking at a normal pace	100
| Top |
| Water |
Canoeing, leisurely	100
Rowing, light	111
Rowing, moderate	179
Rowing, vigorous effort	203
Scuba diving	203
Swimming, leisure	133
Swimming, moderate effort	174
Swimming, treading water	49
Swimming, vigorous effort	222
Water Aerobics	100
Water Polo	222
Water Skiing	104
| Top |
| Winter |
Curling	89
Hockey	178
Ice skating, competitively	162
Ice skating, leisurely	84
Ice skating, moderately	122
Shoveling snow, heavy	278
Shoveling snow, light	133
Shoveling snow, moderate	174
Skiing, cross-country moderately	164
Skiing, cross-country rapidly	256
Skiing, cross-country slowly	114
Skiing, downhill moderate	178
Skiing, downhill rapidly	244
Skiing, downhill slowly	109
Snowboarding, light	150
Snowboarding, moderate	182
Snowshoeing	178

Break your limits, unleash yourself..

You can bet there will be more blogging coming up. I really want to share the photos we have took on our road trips and our life here. Be it to family or friends..

I want to share our travel road trips and our experience living in another country outside our own..


But at this moment, here's a touching video I want to share with everyone..
  
Limitations are set by yourself. Push your limits to achieve higher than you thought u can. You can fail 100 times but if u succeed that 1 time, u still succeed. Love this video. Too inspirational. Watch it and understand why.. I hope it changes your perception the way it did for me.

bored or missing home too much?

sometimes I just keep wanting to call back sg a lot. be it to friends or to family.. am I just feeling too lonely? or do I just want to not feel left out? am I just feeling how much I treasure my friends or m I just too sticky to those that I m close to?