Rebounding to lose weight

My pace to make lifestyle changes has got to pick up and I mean real fast. I had a very nice long chat with my doctor yesterday. When you go to the Polyclinic for your medical appointments, you might not get to see the same doctor (unless you're on another plan on which you pay more for) and I have been blessed to have Dr T see me on several occasions. He's about my age and I enjoy his advice and his friendly demeanour. Can't say the same for some of those grumpy "Chinese" ladies taking the BP - real complain queens.

My BP is hovering on the higher than average. It's not on the worrisome range yet BUT due to family medical history, I am a walking time bomb. No one will ever know such things. I could cave and start taking BP meds immediately but I bargained for another 3 months to bring my weight down. Since our last consult, I had been trying to exercise as he had advised and that's a start but I guess it's not enough. The scales are not moving in the right direction and my BP is not budging. He advised that the fact that my BP hovered at around the same readings every time I took it, was an indication that I did have hypertension.

In one of my previous posts, I had mentioned that I was jumping on my mini-trampoline. Dr T was quite interested to know how I found it. Told him I loved it and the best part was, it was in my bedroom so I didn't have an excuse like having to travel far to exercise! By the way, I realise it's a Kettler and not a Reebok. See, lah. I don't really care for details like that. I mean I am staring at the thing on a daily basis and the brand didn't even register correctly in my brain! Brain fog (but certainly clearing up, slowly, day by day!

My Kettler rebounder

(Copyright Fiona C Yeo of Cartoon Lagoon 2015 - Do NOT ever, ever, steal my pics without permission!)

 

Just realised my stubby toes were in the pic. What's with that bent fourth toe???

 

I rebound barefoot, by the way. Yep, barefoot and nearly bare naked. Nearly. I'm in my bra and panties. Haha.

 

So, last night, after my medical consultation, I did the most wicked thing. I bought delicious Hainanese Chicken Rice. White for me, black for the hubs. Then between us, we shared another white. Oops, not. So yummy. I even had some gizzards and heart thrown in. What the heck. I was being wreckless. reckless (my spelling is really going to the dogs).

 

Feeling a tad guilty, I made hubs and myself drink lots of home made detox water. Brought a whole tumbler into the room.

 

Then...after I had done my chores and settled down to my own free time, I got on the rebounder (I shall refer to it as rebounding on my rebounder because it sounds better than saying jumping on my mini-trampoline). Hubs was very tired and had gone to bed early. I plugged in my earphones and drew inspiration from some rebounding videos. Actually, I didn't follow their steps much. Just listened to them to be inspired. I have a tendency to just do whatever I wish on the rebounder. I lasted only 20 minutes but was dripping in perspiration when I finally stepped off it. 20 minutes thrice a week is 1 hour. 1 hour of exercising per week is better than no hour, no? 

 

I love how I feel after I've sweat it out on the rebounder. Look! No make up. Did not touch up photo. Do I look terrible? Perhaps I look messy and sweaty but I felt good!

 

 

(Copyright Fiona C Yeo of Cartoon Lagoon 2015 - Do NOT ever, ever, steal my pics without permission or I will hunt you down with my rebounder and let you rebound far and wide!)

 

 

Here's the icing on the cake. I had been weighed during the medical appointment. I weighed myself again after the chicken rice and rebounding and I had lost 1 kg. It is accurate because my home weighing machine gave the same reading as the one at the Polyclinic. So how nice. I told hubs that I had rebounded for 20 mins just to lose my chicken rice gluttony. By the way, he woke up later after I'd taken my bath and both of us were feeling hungry. - __ - Not good.

 

So, this is proof of the pudding. I have to exercise if I want to see some movement for the better on the scales. I believe that if I was more careful with my diet, I'd see a faster reduction but I'm not really for a crash diet. I don't think I can do it. For now, I have reduced my sugar intake. Salt, not so much yet but I've replaced my salt with Himalayan Salt. I just bought a couple of lemons and cucumbers and am looking forward to drinking detox water on a regular basis. Oh yes and carbs. Sigh. I just had a wonderful big bowl of Mee Tai Mak. You know? That cute little rat tail; short, fat and white noodle? Dang. Need to rebound extra long tonight to shake that off. 

 

 



Happy Call Steak

I am not on a diet. I am not on a diet. I am not on a diet.
Really, lah. I am not on a diet. I just had one and a half packets of delicious Hainanese Chicken Rice and three dollars worth of soy sauce laced gizzards last night so I am not lying.

I don't like cake so I don't need to have my cake and eat it too.
I am making lifestyle changes (will talk about that in the next post, coming up shortly) and that inlcudes eating what I want but with exercise as the trade off.

So, here's my sizzling steak. By golly, I think I've nailed it!
I fried them on my trusty old Happy call pan (the red one that you can flip open and flip to the other side) but without closing the cover. I'm too cheapskate to buy another Happy Call frying pan so I figured my current Happy Call pan has just as good a material to fry steaks as their more expensive frying pans.

 

My take on steak, medium rare!

(Copyright Fiona C Yeo of Cartoon Lagoon 2015 - Do NOT ever, ever, steal my pics without permission or I will smack you with a steak beyond well done!)

 

 

Close up



(Copyright Fiona C Yeo of Cartoon Lagoon 2015 - I repeat: Do NOT ever, ever, steal my pics without permission or I will smack you with a steak beyond well done!)

 

Medium Rare

(Copyright Fiona C Yeo of Cartoon Lagoon 2015 - And I repeat again: Do NOT ever, ever, steal my pics without permission or I will smack you with a steak beyond well done!)

 

 

Aiyah, my Ah Lau is a real Ah Pek. I had already served him his steak, sizzling on the hotplate and I had returned to the stove to 'sizzle' mine when I heard him yelling, "Darl! Darl! Why so red? Got blood, ah?" (he does NOT like any trace of blood even on his white chicken rice pieces).

 

I calmly yelled back (it is an art I have mastered; to yell calmly) that it was MEDIUM RARE, that's why GOT BLOOD!!! It's HOW Jamie and Gordon taught me on Youtube, mah!!!

 

I convinced him to try the bloody steak and he said it was so delicious! But he was swapping his bloody pieces for my pieces which were less bloody. Alamak. In the end, I put his hotplate directly on the stove and it took only about another minute before all his pieces turned well, MEDIUM. He was a happy man.

 

I had been so engrossed with my steak that I had not thought of any accompanying side dishes. As such, I quickly fried some sliced canned button mushrooms and red onions. Required no seasoning as the onions made the side dish naturally sweet. I thought I would require gravy but really, no gravy is required. The steak is yummy by itself. Thank you, Jamie. Thank you, Gordon. Thank you, Youtube.

 

Pity none of our kids were home that night to taste the steak. I'm going to repeat this on a weekend when I catch both of them at home. I think they'll like it. Sweet steak success!

 

(Did you note, there were no carbs on our hotplates? The steaks were more than filling enough. That's my compromise and one of the examples of what I mean by lifestyle changes. Slowly but surely.)

 



 

 

Sambal prawns and the art of bochapness



My take on Sambal prawns

 

My friend, who's a good cook, gave me her Sambal Udang recipe. I painstakingly measured out the ingredients for the rempah (chilli paste) as was called for and followed the steps diligently but alas, the whole colour of my Tiger Prawns turned out to be a much more bright orange than hers was. I find it hilarious. I really lack the skill! Fortunately, I didn't get a tummy ache from eating it and it turned out to be quite tasty.

 

We had a potluck party to celebrate my Mother-in-law's birthday at our place. My Father-in-law is a cute old man. Just before he was leaving for home, he asked me if he could ask me a question. He wanted to know if I had been on a slimming programme. Hahahahaha.....I was so tickled. I wasn't annoyed at all. But I was like 'what?' His daughter interrupted and told him weight was a sensitive issue to a woman, Papa! But I was curious and wanted to know the purpose of his question. Turns out, as he had politely put it, I looked like I had lost weight and that's why he wanted to know! The truth is I was in a loose Donald Duck T-shirt looking really bloated. Photos of me that night were not all that flattering; double chin, bloated tummy and all. Maybe it's cos I had been cooking for 10 hours or more. I'm not sure if he was telling the truth but I looked really blah in the photos. Those pics really made me wanna exercise even more.

 

Over the weekend, I felt very lethargic because I hadn't been jumping on my mini-trampoline. I finally got on it last night and had a good workout. I have not been wearing headphones or anything (yet) because I can then talk to hubs as I jump. Also, my dog hates it. She'll ask to be let out of the room. I think it's cos of the noise from the springs. I do it in the privacy of our own room and hubs was lazing on the bed with his ipad. I caught him glancing over his shoulder every once in a while to look at me going boing-boing-boing. In between breaths, I managed to ask him to help me oil the squeaky springs (one day). He said it would be easy to do that. After about 20 minutes of continuous bouncing, he turned around to remind me that I had to remember that I was going to give him a back massage later! Very funny. He was trying to tell me not to tire myself out!

 

I am using a Reebok Kettler mini-trampoline which I had bought second hand. It was in fairly good condition. No rust. No tears in the netting. No broken springs. The best part is the legs are removable. I was looking for one which could be stored away but I didn't want a foldable one. I just cannot fathom jumping on something that could just give way and be accidentally collapsed into half. But that's just me. I didn't want to buy a new one (yet) because I was afraid it would become another white elephant and now that I actually use it, I find it serves it purpose and there is no need to buy a new one for now. Actually, I had bought it some time ago, jumped on it and then stopped. For the longest time, it had become a storage surface for folded laundry instead! Anyhow, hubs DID place some folded laundry on it much to my annoyance.

 

I really, really enjoy bouncing on it. I think all adults should just throw caution to the wind and have a good and wild time bouncing up and down (ON the trampoline, lah. What were you thinking, you dirty little thing?). I felt so good when I finally got off it and stared at myself in the mirror, my face all flushed and glowing. I asked hubs if he could see I looked so 'good' with my face healthily flushed. Haha. He put on his specs, stared closely at me then shook his head and said, "Eeee, very sweaty!" -__- Bummer

 

I'm having a tough time convincing hubs to get on the trampoline. He said he doesn't do 'such things'. Oh well. To each his own. Not gonna let him dampen my spirits. I'm gonna be thin again!!! Yes, I am!!! Yesterday, as I was removing the folded laundry from the trampoline, getting ready to jump, he wished me well and told me he hoped I would get really skinny like I wished to be. Then today, he tells me that life is short and to eat whatever I want to eat in moderation. I think in a way, he and my son have hit the nail on the head. I should just eat what I like in moderation. In moderation means not greedily and in excess but to not totally avoid it. I mean, how does one avoid Chicken Rice? On the other hand, I need to balance my output to be more than my input because I am already overweight.

 

I was feeling very good today after all that exercising and am looking forward to doing it again tonight. Really felt good. Then bummer, had a fall out with the pain in the *ss, lazy, bad attitude co-worker of mine. I told my co-worker he had a very bad attitude. What a wimp. I've never minced my words and I have no qualms to let you know how I feel about you.

 

Most of the time, I leave troublesome people alone but I've reached a point where I don't WISH to be troubled by these troublesome people anymore and look, would it make a difference what I said to you? Would it change your mind about me? Not a bit, right? So why should I bother? I'm just going to call a spade a spade. If you're a dumb *ss lazy worker and I am inconvenienced in any way by your lack of effort, because it affects my work, I will tell you so. On the other hand, if you are making a fool out of yourself and it in no way affects me, then, hey, knock yourself out and enjoy your show. I could care less.

 

'Bochapness' is like being oblivious to or unaffected by anything that shouldn't be of concern to you. I'm a fast learner. My hubby has this skill down pat and is a constant teacher. He refers to it as 'one ear in, one ear out'. Which basically means, he has put on invisible ear plugs to comments, complaints, conversations which he doesn't care about. He doesn't wish to be affected by any of these. He also doesn't like any of us to comment (especially me) on ANYTHING that doesn't concern me. For example, if you told me that your kid is in a gang and takes drugs, he wouldn't like me to tell him that. If I did, he would say it's none of our business. So, he's pretty good in that way. He doesn't indulge in ANY gossip. However, I told him, it's just small talk sometimes but he says there are better things to talk about. He thinks being bochap goes hand in hand with staying positive. Hey, not bad, I am married to a personal positive thinking coach, okay!

 

So he has been guiding me or rather telling me off. FINALLY, I think I've got it. I'm not at HIS level yet but I'm getting there. I've improved so much that if he reminds me to give him a back massage, I just ignore him! I told him today, he has taught me too well! Me being me, I have to have my strengths too, right? My strength is, I have no qualms to provide constructive (or nowadays, destructive) criticism. I think I am known for that in my estate. My RC chairman is scared of me. When he has an event in my void deck and it's going to get noisy, early on a weekend morning, he will come to give me fair warning first. Ok, so you are scared of me because I've come to you about 3 or 4 times to ask you politely to not barbeque IN the void deck directly below our unit. It's not an unfair request. I don't care what you think of me when you see me. Really, it's your team who barbeques IN the void deck. Who does that? I had suggested you bring it out a few steps into the open grass but no, you won't. I had suggested you barbeque at the barbeque pits just across the tiny road but no, you won't. My apartment gets hot from the heat and the oil filters in so since it affects me directly and perhaps no other unit, I complained. I've never filed an official complaint because I think they are decent people and it's not a permanent event but still, frustrating enough because it's a yearly event. So. Yes. Just so. I've really nothing to say if they wish to see me as being fierce. I admit I can be. Don't play, play, hor. You think this aunty dumb dumb one, ah? I give you a good one then you know.

 

Recently, someone told me, her husband never did say anything when his workers were lazy. On the other hand, her offspring found it difficult to cope with the lazy workers and wanted to tell them off. The husband is old school. The offspring is innovative and bringing the business to a whole new level. I can already see that the offspring will be less popular with the workers but perhaps it is a necessary evil. The offspring needs cooperative workers to improve the business, isn't it? The other alternative is to bring no change and continue in the ways of the good ol' days. OK, what am I saying with the above example is it is necessary to stand your ground and be firm at times. So I will and I am.

 

I mean, it's like the sambal udang (prawn) recipe, right? You can give me the ingredients and I may follow the instructions but my final product may look nothing like another's does. In the same way, I may learn the art of bochapness or peacefulness from my husband but I need to stand my ground to find a way to be that to my advantage and at the same time, not lose my own personality and strengths. I also need to find a way of being ME with Christ in my life (now, that's a tough one). I always find that to die unto oneself, you lose you and you find Christ. How to be like that all the time in this life? Very, very difficult. I can only apply what hubs teaches me. One ear in, one ear out. So when I get criticised, I try to let it pass. If I get judged, I try to let it pass. But in a work condition, I decided, it's different. Work needs to be done. Insubordination needs to be addressed. It's different. If I say, one ear in, one ear out, then I can't be an efficient worker. It is easy to practise Christian values when you live in a cave by yourself. It is very difficult in the real world and I am still struggling. Uuuurrrgggghhh! So tough!

 

Sending positive vibes to my readers, whoever you are!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Weight gain

Aiyoh. I said in my previous post I have never felt depressed. I think weighing oneself can cause instant depression!

My trusty old Ikea weighing scale

 

I am fully aware that when you are exercising to lose weight, you should not be so bothered with weighing yourself because you can actually stay the same weight, lose weight or gain weight.

All the same, it was 'depressing' to see my weight staring back at me just a while ago!

 

I've not weighed myself in a while. I have this personal weighing scale which I keep in the office under my table which is a tad out of whack (off calibration) because it adds a few more kgs to your actual weight. I think it's off calibration from 'office people' borrowing it to weigh heavy cartons! I just know that some pants and some dresses are getting loser and it's not because I've been dieting. It just happened. And as I've said in my last post, I just re-started exercising a bit here and there. Actually, another lady asked me if I was not feeling well because I seem to have lost weight over the past few months. Really, ah? That makes me happy! The weight loss part but not the sickness part, lah.

 

Anyway, I didn't dare to step on the scales until today and alamak. Contrary to what I'd expected, I'd put on weight! Ok, ok. I know. Fats turn into muscle. Blah blah. Still, depressing.

 

I'd only stepped on it because someone in the neighbouring office asked to borrow a weighing scale and had returned it to me, thus drawing my attention to it. The person (who's overweight), started explaining how he used to be very skinny. When he said that and I looked at overweight him, it hit home. I also think that way. I mean, I'm overweight and I'd like the world to know that when I got married, my waistline was only 23cm inches! Yes. 23cm inches. Now, to get my current waistline, you can invert the 23cm inches and do the Math.

 

When I heard him say that. It really dawned on me that no matter how skinny I used to be, I no longer am. When I get my photos taken, I have to pick a good one to post. One where I look least fat in. That's the honest truth. I don't have to look the prettiest in any pic but I need it to be the one least fat amongst all the pics. When I order clothes online, its touch and go. My bust line is satisfactory but not too ample and yet my tummy and hips are. So they don't match up for dress sizes you can order. I need to go for a bigger size and thus have to settle for a too loose bust line. Or, I order one that fits my bust but end up with a tight squeeze showing the bulging tummy. Okay, skater cut dresses can cover ample hips, butts and thunder thighs. 3/4 sleeves (leg O' ham sleeves?) can cover underarm fat. Lower necklines can give an illusion of slimness (but a lack of cleavage), slimmer waistlines can give an illusion of smaller waists. (Yes,I do know what can mask my fats best although I don't stick to these rigidly). Plus sized clothes are too big for me. What does that leave me with? Not very much choice. 

 

I realised when the guy was talking that I still have a choice to be less fat. Not to be thin but to be less fat than I am now.

 

Hubby is happy with the way I am now. I'm happy he loves me the way I look but I think he's just being nice. I would love myself looking a bit less fat and really, I'm sure hubby would too. Come on! Last night, he was showing me pics of these twin girls he said were so pretty and they were NOT fat!!! (Actually, I looked at them and honestly thought they were not pretty but he insisted they were!)

 

Going back to the scale. Aiyoh. Perhaps my weight gain is really the fats turning into muscle***. Cheh. Darn sian. I mean you would feel sian too if I said after exercising, you will look half your size but gain more weight. Anyway, I'm not giving up. I actually look forward to bouncing on my mini-trampoline and I'm going to build up my stamina so that I can last longer on it. I always think of my thrice a week belly dancing classes and miss them terribly. I love belly dancing. But I am just too tired after work to make a trip to the class locations. The new C.C near my home is being built and is a walking distance from my place. I hope that my belly dance teacher will be teaching there. Whenever I hear the Middle Eastern music or whenever hubs shows me (very randomly) some belly dance videos on youtube, I imagine myself dancing in my mind. LOL. On the other hand, I have people teaching line dancing just a block away from mine but I don't know why, I just can't bear the thought of me line dancing! Hubs has suggested to me before that I should just sign up and take it as a form of exercise but I watch the group of ladies and think, no, no. But never say never. Some form of exercise is better than nothing.

 

I have decided that I am no dieter. I don't do diets so I have to do exercise. My son helped imbue this in me. He's quite fit and so he drummed it into me that if I wasn't willing to diet, I had to exercise. He's right. So I hope that one day, I'll be able to proudly post before and after photos here!!! Meanwhile, I need to drown my sorrow (from the weight gain) by trying to blend some rempah (chilli paste) from a friend's recipe tonight! (Shout out to YOU, M J!). Mother-in-law's birthday celebration will be at our place tomorrow!


Footnote***There is no such thing as fats turning into muscle or muscle turning into fats. What one actually means is you can usually lose fat and replace it with muscle.

 



 

My birthday

I don't know how I got here. Here, meaning nearer to the side of 50 than 40. Well, anyway, I did and I am thankful to God that he kept me alive and well all these years and that I am who I am today because of everything I have had to go through.

A week before my birthday, hubs and I were blessed (a gift from someone generous!) to spend time together on a weekend cruise to Malacca. We sailed on a Friday.

Me in nautical colours (the red on my nails & lips, lah). Practically wore flipflops because I was getting ready to leave the ship and walk Malacca town! Left my wedges in the cabin.



Sua Ku me (mountain tortoise). I'd never been on a cruise before (although Mike has) because I used to think it was a really dumb idea to be stuck on board a ship for a holiday. My idea of a holiday is to soak in as much of the local culture as possible. But you know, never say never. I really enjoyed the idea of my holiday starting sooner than I would have taking a plane to a foreign country! Plus, I don't have to fly; something I don't enjoy at all.

I liked that one could immediately check into the room and start the holiday even before the ship has left the dock! This is even better (albeit much more costly) than our trips to Batam! We were clanging wine glasses before it even sailed! Yes, like very, very much.

Also, I always thought people on board a cruise would be decked out in T-shirts and bermudas. You know, it's a cruise for goodness sake, the sun? The sea? But erring on the side of caution, I brought 'decent' clothes and made my man bring his jeans. Thank goodness we did. No T-shirt and shorts, okay. We nearly fainted when we got surrounded by a bevy of very well decked out Japanese ladies. The urge to faint could have been due to the overpowering mix of perfume but largely due to our awe at their fancy clothes, hair and evening bags!!! I mean, really formal! The sight was very nice to take in! The Singaporean women on the other hand were decked out in their erm, sensible attire. Sensible meaning, decent Aunty blouse covering crotch area, pants and crossbody handbags (who am I calling Aunty? I think possibly myself!). They really came prepared to be comfortable enough to.....gamble! It was interesting; we watched a jackpot tournament taking place. Never seen one before.

The food was nothing to shout about. I mean, really nothing to shout about and one had to queue to enter a dining room of choice! But, the main meals are included in the package so you don't really have to worry about food and drinks. After a very blah but filling breakfast, we got to disembark at a port in Malacca and managed to visit some of Mike's relatives for a few hours. It was really nice to see them again. It was an impromptu visit but they were so nice to spend time with us. We were stuffed with the local makan and I managed to snag a really cutie-patootie Cherry bag charm whilst out shopping!

Back on the ship, we cruised into the sunset, having a nice 3 course meal then listening to a live band playing by the pool. I'm definitely going on another cruise!

My simple birthday

 



My sweet hubby had secretly bought me flowers. The night before my birthday, he had urged me to take a rest after dinner. I disappeared into the room and didn't think much about his whereabouts. He then called me out of the room (much to my annoyance because I was in the middle of watching a youtube video!) and asked me if I noticed anything different in the house (ok, when I say house, I mean my humble abode, THE APARTMENT, ok?). He'd done this to me many times over, you know; test me to see if I notice any new decor he'd put up and I always fail the tests! I was terrified of failing again so my eyes quickly shifted back and forth, up and down, sweeping the living room. LOL. After several random guesses, he exasperatedly asked me if I hadn't noticed the roses on the coffee table! I just dumbly responded with an 'oh'. He said he'd got them for me and I asked him why if he'd gotten them for me, did he place them ON the coffee table like a decorative piece. Haha. Very unromantic of me but he did move me. Rewarded him with a big bear hug and a kiss. He said he'd spent some time in the kitchen removing the thorns off the roses. I thought that was so sweet. He'd actually purchased them from the wholesaler so of course they came with thorns. Much more meaningful than buying a bouquet from a florist if you ask me.

We have sort of stopped buying each other gifts already for occasions. So apart from the flowers, did he buy me anything else for my birthday? Yes, he did. Well, I sort of picked it out myself, but he knew I'd been eyeing it for some time and so told me he'd get it for my birthday. I am SUPER happy with it. Yes, superficial, greedy, materialistic me. Ha! Not telling what it is though.

That's us going home after Sunday Mass on my birthday weekend.

This is so random to talk about but I wanted to say that I've only just realised that Kajal is Kohl. Do you see it in my eyes? I'd put it on wrongly but since that pic was taken, I've learnt from wonderful youtube (yes, thank God for youtube!) that I need to apply Kajal on the waterline. I was a bit distracted during Mass because I'd wiped my eyes (I tear a lot at times) and black stuff was rubbing off onto my fingers! I didn't have a mirror with me and I was worried I was looking like a panda in church! The amazing thing was, I'd taken a nap that Sunday afternoon and I woke up in the evening with the Kajal still intact! Ok, it smudged a bit outside of the waterline but generally, the black lines were still intact on the waterline! Amazing! I have to go find out more about the proper method of using Kajal. I've learnt that it has natural ingredients and it can actually be beneficial for your eyelids. Well, that's just me, still searching for the elusive NON-SMUDGE eyeliner after all these years. Nothing. Nothing I have tried stays as it claims will stay. Now I think back to the leg-warmer years and my electric blue kohl eye pencil and how I was putting it on the wrong way and how frustrated I was that the soft kohl kept breaking (money breaking away too). I would not have known so much without the internet. Can't really blame the kids. I myself find it very handy and addictive.
Anyhoo, I've always admired the way Middle eastern women have their eyes lined so black and wondered why they don't seem to suffer smudges like I do with my variety of eyeliners!

Anyhow, now that I am a year older, I wish to look younger. At least a year younger, lah! While I haven't been weighing myself, I've been told I look like I lost some weight. I noticed my butt has slimmed down (could possibly be due to the few years of wearing fitflops, I dunno). I'm building up my running stamina slowly by running and jumping on my mini-trampoline a few minutes a day. Yes, before I take my bath, I'm down to my underwear, jumping about like a crazed monkey doing whatever actions I feel like doing behind closed doors ON my mini-trampoline. Who cares what anyone thinks? I am having so much fun jumping about and making a monkey out of myself while exercising. The springs of the trampoline make quite a noise. Much like a couple going at 'it' (boing, boing, boing) but as no one lives below our unit, I don't think it bothers any of the neighbours. The best part is, I can just jump off it, cool down a while and go take my bath without having dampened any 'exercise' clothing (because I was only in my underwear, remember?)!

I WANT to be fitter. I am grateful to God that I have remained healthy all these years and I think I owe it to myself to be fitter. So, as my wise old man would say, just Nike it. So I am.

I have also been trying to stay positive and trying to react differently from how I would normally. My goal is to remain positive. Just stay positive. I've never fallen into depression before and I know it is because God has been lifting me up all these years. I've never felt down and out. Fed up yes but never desolate. So I am grateful for God's blessings and I owe it to myself to lead the good life. The good life includes loving myself and loving life!