40 day exercise challenge

I know I mentioned some weeks ago that I was challenging myself to a 40 day oat and vegetable diet. I regret to say that the plan didn't go as smoothly as I anticipated it to be because it is almost impossible and impractical. Imagine your friends asking you out for a meal and you either reject them or tell them sheepishly that you are on an oat diet. I always find it an embarrassment to tell people that I am on a diet because after awhile, I suspect people will start to wonder 'why doesn't she look slimmer' after half a month. Or imagine your family wants to go out for dinner to celebrate Mothers' Day and you excuse yourself with 'oh I have to follow my oat diet very strictly. Please go ahead without me.' It is a conversation and relationship killer. 


So being the practical person that I am, with some adjustments, I have instead challenged myself to a 40 day exercise regime. It is definitely easier as opposed to a oat diet because you can still do your daily exercise without compromising on meet ups with your friends or family. And of course, it is much easier telling me that you have picked up exercising because you want to be fitter (and of course, look better.) But it is taking all the discipline out of me. I am on my 7th day tonight and I hope to reach my 21st day the night before I fly off to US. The plan is to continue even on my SF trip if safety allows so that it can eventually become a lifestyle.


Having said that, the real challenge in keeping up with a jogging (or any exercise regime) is when you don't see results. For instance, most of us exercise simply to lose weight and if lucky, the by-product is a healthier us. Few of us choose to exercise to develop stronger hearts and fitter muscles (unless ordained by a doctor). Most of us look at the aesthetic appeal of exercising. This is why I often abort my exercise regime after a week or two because I don't see my jeans becoming loose. I tend to neglect the physical aspect of being healthier. For starters, my stamina has increased just by picking up jogging after one week. This time round, I want to challenge myself to expand my capacity and stretch my discipline. I always believed that discipline in one aspect of your life tends to spill over to all other aspects of your life, likewise for all other character traits. Being disciplined in keeping oneself physically fit would essentially mean that one would be discipline in his / her work life, finances and anything in their lives which require discipline. It's as simple as that. So pick up that running shoes, and work your heart!


The only valid excuse for not exercising is paralysis.  ~Moira Nordholt


There are really only two requirements when it comes to exercise.  One is that you do it.  The other is that you continue to do it.  ~Jennie Brand-Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell, Stephen Colagiuri, Alan W. Barclay


Exercise should be regarded as tribute to the heart.  ~Gene Tunney

Life of an unemployed fresh grad

Victory sign having emerged victorious from the last exam of my 20 years in formal institution

Partners in crime 

My mates find me amusing and decided to snap a picture

Liberation meal at Flyer's Popeye right aft exams (:

Obligatory tourist shot

Accompanied M for her first tattoo with Moon (who's an awesome tattoo artist BTW)- Para theore which means 'With God' in Greek. 

Angus steak at Le Cuisson. It was quite raw and wasn't very tender to the bite

Foie Gras - No doubt you taste decent, but your value is nothing more than a social construct

Celebrating the bdays of the April and May babies at Cinei

Kayden Li (: 4th May 2012 - born to 1 of the most blissful couple I know

Some of my earlier friends from church :)

Cranberry Sandwich (which tasted awesome) - Post Exam treat from A at P.S. cafe (:

Salsa Burger- Back to Rock n Ash. Affordable and delightful :) 

Incentives from my tutees' mum who adores cooking (and most probably, me)

Cookie Crumble Frap at BPP SB with my decade old friend - I never fail to be amazed by how conversations flow so easily despite the time lag between each meet up.

Rekindling old school delights :)

:)

Crepe and Rosti from Vivo's Marche with the secondary school choir clique - those were the days when we lived and breathed to sing (:

some dessert topped with Green tea ice cream from ji de chi. It's worth a shot!

A lazy tuesday afternoon with my sidekick as we drove through CBD to satisfy cravings :)

Flat white at Maison Ikkoku

S's artwork 

Red velvet cake is very worth trying

The happiest girl alive on 8th May 2012 - She who got engaged on her birthday :)

Met the boys to celebrate M's bday

Heading to the countryside with V and H - The crazy things we do in the car

Exploring

Some fish spa therapy

Wouldn't have survived honors year w/o them :)

The bigger fishes were much more intimidating

This breed of fish cost 5k/ pair. No joke. 

Then we headed down to Bollywood Veggetables Farm

Fish & Chips, Mushroom w Chicken, Curry.

Tempura, Banana cake w ice cream (in V's words - one bite and you feel like it's Or***m)

Guess what again!

Cappacuino- Oriole care & bar at 313 with the gang. Learning to appreciate the fine art of coffee

Hard core planning for upcoming trip

Double down at KFC- need I say more

sometimes, we are able to look beyond the face value of drama serials and draw upon the messages they try to convey.

 

Through material queen, I see the importance of tenacity and persevering for what you want in life. Above all else, I see the depths of a father's love (:

My heart is filled with joy seeing the first few friends I got to know in church, getting onto the bandwagon of marriage, one by one. God is indeed faithful to those who seek Him (:


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April and Affairs

Now that school and exams are behind, I am thankful for good sleep the past two nights. By good, I mean I fall  asleep almost immediately after I hit my pillow and I fall into deep slumber, but it could also be due to accumulated fatigue. I've been having the worst sleep for the past two weeks; every night I lay in bed so tired from a day of intense studying but I lay there, waiting for myself to fall asleep for a few hours and sometimes all the way till morning. Insomnia is one of the worst thing that can happen to you because it keeps you awake at night, thinking of redundant things.

Here are some updates of my April (:

On the last seminar for migration, Prof treated the class to Pizza and KFC :)

OOTD. Kinda funny how so many people came to touch my top on the day I was wearing it

Koi from the sis one day after school :) Not a particular fan of Koi but a fan of siblings love :)

Everyone was supposed to give an excited face for our trip to the exhibition. 

ABCD to MBS Arts Museum!

My favorite girls (:

Inside the titanic exhibit

Hanging out at cuppage after service one night

QUIZNOS - LOVE IT!

Mandatory last seminar shot

Spot me!!

Last day of school

Lunch at Da Paolo Gastronomia at Cluny Court on the last day of school. The meal costed us $90 for 3 persons.

This tartiflette which was 97% potatoe and 3% bacon costed $26

Tiramisu and some almond chocolate cake. Both were equally awesome!

Because there was some transition at home, everyone had to share responsibility in managing affairs at home. The parents were generally in charged of our meals. 

This was my dad's message for us in pictogram with the salmon in the backgrd. My dad makes me laugh sometimes. 

This is from Five Star. Dinner was chicken rice for 3 consecutive day and it was quite painful. 

Thank you D. Ang!!!

I have a weakness and that is temptations. Study bites. 

Someone baked this for us at the combined CGM. Yummy :)

The sis and her BF loves durian and we often stand to gain at home as a result

The only thing i love about exams- cod fish