Philips Airfryer Viva Collection - Tried and Tested

I have always wanted a Philips airfryer! Although I have never used one before, I have heard of its ability to fry food using minimal oil, cooking through the circulation of hot air. Moreover, no oily mess would be created throughout the process. It just sounds like the perfect equipment to have in the kitchen for easy and healthy food!

The day has arrived as I finally purchased one for my mum as a Mother's Day gift. This particular model is under the Viva collection (HD9623) which is smaller size with a 0.8kg capacity (as compared to the XL with 1.2kg capacity). Generally, it can serve food for 3 - 4 people. Since my kitchen has limited space, its compact size is perfect for us. We chose the manual knobs control for the temperature and time instead of the touchscreen one. The salesperson has feedback that this manual design is created after several users complained about the touch screen and buttons becoming faulty after some time. 

The airfryer was purchased at Best Denki at a $299 special price. In addition, it came with the complimentary grill plate, baking tin, recipe book, carrying trolley and weighing machine. The weighing machine is part of their promotion upon spending a certain amount on Philips branded items. It is probably good to weigh myself regularly since I would be having more good food cooked by the airfryer!

PRODUCT DESIGN

 
The reason why we hesitated on purchasing a Philips airfryer was because of my mum's complaint that some parts cannot be taken out fully to clean. The problem is solved because for the viva collection, the whole part can be detached for convenience of washing. Even the handle is detachable so you can just wash the oily parts. The base of the frying basket can also be taken off for an easier scrubbing process. 

You may also coil the wire to the back hook of the airfryer so that it does not look messy. The only concern I have is the rather short length of the wire. The wire is so short that I have to either place a stand below my airfryer or use an extension cord. I am not sure whether there is a reason for the short wire but if there isn't, it could be made longer for better ease of use.

THE TRIALS

Homemade Fries`
 

With all the anticipation, the first dish I wanted to try was homemade fries. I did it according to the Philips SG recipe.

     1) First try fries

I used 3 medium size potatoes and sliced them like fries (I believe the fryer can accommodate about 4 and still ensure it has sufficient space). The potatoes were soaked in water for about 40 minutes (at least 30 minutes as instructed). I wondered why this step is required, so I googled and found out that this is done to remove the starch from the potatoes and prevent them from sticking to each other. I read about how it may also affect the crispiness. The slices are then dried with paper towels (but I realized I was not thorough enough) and placed in the frying basket. The airfryer has been preheated at 160°C for 3 minutes. I placed the fries in it at 160°C for 16 minutes. After which, I adjusted the temperature to 180°C for a further 12 minutes. During the 6 minutes mark, I opened the fryer to toss the fries to ensure even cooking

Results:

The potatoes smell really good! But the taste is disappointing because it is barely crispy. After a little while, the fries turned soggy. I felt that this must be because of my half hearted attempt at drying the potatoes.

     2) Second try fries

Using two medium potatoes this time, every step remains the same except that I used a drainer and ensured the fries are pat dry to the best that I can. The fries may turn out better with more space too, I thought. 

Results:

The crisp is definitely better this time but I realized it looks a little too brown. It might be overcooked.

     3) Third try fries

I soaked two potatoes this time but only used half of it for the third try. Dried the potatoes to the best, even airing it for a while. Preheated the airfryer for 3 minutes at 180°C and placed the fries inside for 20 minutes. At 10 minutes mark, I opened it up to toss. The directions are found in this Philips Youtube video. 

Results:

Crispiness is about the same as the second time. I think the duration is better this time as it is less brown with no burnt taste.

    
     4) Forth try fries

The other half of the potatoes were placed in the fridge for another 30 minutes or so. According to the video, she recommended the soaking process in the fridge. Hopefully, with a longer soaking duration and cool water, it may have a better effect on the crispiness. The temperature was set at 180°C and cooked for 20 minutes, just like the third try. 

Result:

Almost the same as third try! Relatively crispy and cooked just right. I guess there is no way to make very crispy fries unless you use frozen fries or deep fry homemade fries? And I suppose there is no need for longer soaking time or cooled water. But for hygiene purposes, it may still be better to pop that soaking potatoes in the fridge.

Best Homemade Fries Recipe- 

Soak sliced potatoes in water for 30 minutes 

Dry potatoes as best as you can

Preheat airfryer 180°C for 3 minutes 

Place potatoes inside for 20 minutes (open to toss at 10 minutes mark) 

Frozen Onion Rings`

     1) First try onion rings

I preheated the airfryer at 200°C for 3 minutes. According to the Philips instruction guide, it states that frozen snacks can be cooked at 200°C. I placed the frozen onion rings, without defrosting, into the frying basket for 10 minutes. After half the time mark, I always open it to toss the onion rings for even cooking.

Results:

Very crispy onion rings! Almost no soft parts. There is a slightly burned taste though.
 

     2) Second try onion rings

I wanted to try cooking it for 8 minutes but have accidentally set it to 180°C instead due to the confusion with homemade fries. So the second batch of onion rings was put in for 8 minutes at 180°C. I am estimating you can put about 15 - 20 pieces each time, without overcrowding.

Results:
It turned out quite crispy, less browned, and rather soft and puffy inside. You can taste the onion more distinctly.

     3) Third try onion rings

This time, I tried 8 minutes at 200°C.

Results:
It is more crispy than the second try, but no longer puffy in the middle. This is not the best taste yet.


     4) Forth try onion rings

Reduced time to 6 minutes at 200°C.

Results:
The crisp is similar to third try, but the inside is slightly puffy and soft.

Best Frozen Onion Rings Recipe-

6 minutes at 200°C (at 3 minutes mark, open to toss)

No defrosting required

Wholemeal Bread Toast`

It does not make sense to use an airfryer to toast your bread but I tried anyway!

     1) First try toast

First, I broke the 2 pieces of bread into halves. They fit just right in one layer if you arrange them properly. The airfryer was preheated to 180°C for 3 minutes first. Then I placed the bread inside to toast for 5 minutes.

Results:
Over crispy - like biscuit.

     2) Second try toast

This time I just place two pieces of bread overlapping each other at the sides. Placed the bread inside to toast for 3 minutes at 180°C.

Results:
The toast is just like how I like it. Well-toasted, crispy and hot enough for the butter to melt on it. However, the overlapped parts are soft. Therefore, it is really not efficient to use an airfryer for toasting because of space constraint.

Best Toast Recipe-

3 minutes at 180°C.  

BENEFITS

What I really like about the product is definitely the convenience and ease of use it provides! You can just put your food in and there's no mess created. No more tough cleaning and mopping of oily floor after every cooking session.

Now you can get to indulge in fried food with little to no oil usage! This is healthier in a sense (although fried food/frozen food is still not the best option). They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Of course, you have to experiment and get the best timing and temperature.

Other than this, you can have so many creative possibilities of food cooked with the airfryer. Just like Dable Kwan, her love for Philips airfryer inspired her to create dishes and eventually have her own recipe book. Her book features manageable cooking recipes for non professional cooks like me. The process of cooking is much simplified through the use of airfryer.

I will try baking with this airfryer someday. This is sufficient experimentation for now!
I love my (my mother's) Philips Airfryer 💓.

Chrono Trigger - The best game ever

Spoiler Alert!

I am going to write about some interesting aspects of Chrono Trigger and why I love it so much. If you want to experience this game with no prior information, do not continue reading 😆!

I was first introduced to Chrono Trigger by my bf. He has played it 4 times and proclaimed that it is his favourite game! I can see why that is so now. Chrono Trigger is a Japanese created 2D RPG which features cute characters and a fabulous storyline. The graphics of this 16-bit game is beautiful and so retro. The soundtracks created wonderfully complements each theme in the game.

I started the game with no prior knowledge last year August but there were delays in between before I finally completed in March. The game could have been completed faster because it is really addictive when the story starts to unfold!


STORYLINE

The unique storyline is definitely the number one reason that I got hooked on to the game. It starts off with just Crono, the spiky-haired main character (who reminded me of Dragon ball), in the team. At the Millennial fair, he bumped into Marle, who turned out to be the princess. As they checked out the teleportation device created by Crono's friend, Lucca, Marle got sucked into the portal after it reacted with her pendant. Crono then went into the same portal in the attempt to save her new found friend. This is when I realized the surprising element of the game; TIME TRAVEL! The implementation of time travel in the game is so unique and adds a mysterious element as you move along with the narrative.

Traveling from the present (1000AD) to the past (600AD), Marle was found pretending to be the queen because the people mistook her identity. She is, after all, the descendant of the royal family. However, this spells big trouble if the real queen was not rescued because Marle would then not exist in the present. Together with Lucca, who created a gate key to travel through portals at will, and a frog knight, they formed a team to save the real Queen Leene.

Back to the present, things got really funny when Crono was captured for his crime of kidnapping the princess and he went through the trial. That's when I realized how I played my game had an impact on the trial verdict. Apparently, eating the chicken for HP would make Crono a thief, and more likely that he is guilty of his crime. Eventually, Crono escaped prison and together with Marle and Lucca, they entered another portal and arrived somewhere dilapidated and abandoned. Initially, I did not know the exact era until it was displayed on the map (2300AD). NO NO NO the future is a ruined piece of land?? This is the start of the big discovery about the truth.

From the future, Lucca repaired a robot and he became part of the team. When 4 characters travel through the portal, the path to End of Time opens! It is a peaceful place where time is endless. That is also where the characters got to learn MAGIC!

As you continue to play on according to the story, the team travels through other time and places. The Zeal Palace is an era when magic was created and let me tell you, it is an absolutely beautiful place on top of the world! Eventually, you would realize you have an ultimate mission in the game to save humanity. What would that be? Find out yourself 😃. This is also the reason why time travel can happen. Some parts of the story can be quite confusing but it would all fall in place soon.

To fulfill the final mission, the team needs to be strong so you have to continue to upgrade and level up. This is where the side quests can come into play. Each side quest is a small story that enhances the whole plot with more depth and meaning. Since it is free and easy here, it might be harder to figure out what to do (Hint: definitely need to Era-hop several times). But it is also the fun part when you have to think. What happens in the past would impact the future :). There are also interesting mini-games such as car racing with Johnny (2300AD) and drinking contest with Ayla (65 mil BC).

Depending on how you play your game, you would have different endings! According to other online sources, there are 13 different endings! For first time players, I feel that it is better to fully explore the game before you check out how you can get those other endings. One of the endings - Beyond Time, has 5 different variations. I got the one called follow the cat and it is amusing.

GAMEPLAY

In RPG games, there are definitely different kinds of monsters. There's a mushroom monster named Hetake, as in you know, Shitake mushroom! By defeating monsters, you gain tech points and experience. You can choose to use general attack, techs or magic attacks. Tech includes different forms of technique attacks which utilize mana. Both magic and tech attacks are unlocked as you level up. The best part here is that the characters can combine their techs and formed a whole new level of attack.

Some attacks also allow damage on all surrounding monsters (saves time!), hence you can strategize on how to best defeat the enemies effectively while saving on mana. The monsters can move freely in a battle so the time of attack is also crucial for techs that hit monsters near to each other or in a row. Each character can only learn a specific element of magic. For Crono, he learns all lightning magic and I think it is quite linked to why he has sharp standing orange hair.

I also love how the characters have healing and revival skills. This is the reason I must have Marle in the team. At the final battle, my characters died several times due to my lousy gaming skills 😝. If it wasn't for the heal and life power, the game would have been tougher for me. Also due to my weak gaming skills, the option of "wait" battle mode makes it more manageable for me to plan and think of the next step of attack.

Monsters ~
There are no random encounters of monsters! Yay! That can be quite irritating, especially when you are trying to save on health potion and on the way to the inn to rest instead. Also, the monsters generally do not respawn. This is good for people like me who can be really confused about finding the way and ends up returning to the same places.

Among the common monsters lie the big bosses. They are more difficult to defeat but each of them has their own weaknesses and strengths. For me, the fun part is really trying to figure out how to defeat a certain monster by trial and error. That is if you do not read the wiki for Chrono Trigger beforehand (the temptation is strong man). Here is where you may need to swap your characters for their unique abilities to counter the different weaknesses of the bosses. I actually did not realize that I can arrange my team anytime until the next half of the game. One of the stupidest boss is Ozzie! It is a hilarious element of the story, and you get to meet him twice.

Items ~
Treasure chests are everywhere for you to open. Do also look out for twinkly blue stars to get special tabs which you can give to your characters for enhancement. Crono is more of a physical attack person, so you may give him all your power tabs.

The items in the chests include all the types of equipment which the characters may don to increase their power. Some special gears like the Gold Erng can increase health and the Gold Stud can cut down MP usage per attack! I especially love the reduced-MP-usage gear because I can then spam tech or magic attacks! There are also other potions and revival items to be collected for the final battle.

Other than the general wooden chests, there are some black chests along that way that are sealed with a mysterious force. Feels a little scary. It is really interesting when I found out why those chests are sealed close. You may find out why yourself as well!

MUSIC

The best soundtracks for a game are found here! Each track just fits perfectly to each theme. The upbeat tune of the battle theme songs really makes you more excited to fight those monsters.

In the midst of the game, I was amazed by this soundtrack which gives off a serene and blissful feeling! I went to youtube to search for Chrono Trigger songs and I found it; CORRIDORS OF TIME <3. Subsequently, I realized it is the theme song of Zeal Palace. Coupled with the beautiful visuals, I get immersed in the mesmerizing background music!

As I am writing this, the Chrono Trigger playlist on Spotify is playing in my ears. It includes all the remixed versions of the original soundtrack and they are equally perfect.

This sums up all the elements that I liked about the game. It is basically everything - the visuals, the music, the narrative and how the game is supposed to be played. I do not have much experience with other RPG games but Chrono Trigger is a groundbreaking (and forever special) game for me. It has changed my view on games and makes me want to explore more of such games!

Pictures: Screenshots from the game

Journey towards a fitter lifestyle - and losing fats

It was the turning point when I realized how tight my office pants were. 

The nature of our desk-bound careers often causes us to lead a sedentary lifestyle. When a person spends the bulk of his time in an inactive position, it often spells bad news for the lower back. If the sitting position is wrong, the neck and shoulders may also feel the strain. Needless to say, prolonged sitting can also lead to that extra bulge at the tummy, which is what happened to me. Unknowingly, I gained weight, and the roundness of my face was obvious. 

I disliked taking photos back then because I did not like what I saw. I acknowledged that I had gained weight but I was feeling bad about my body issues. At that time, I was recovering from a knee injury (tried out high-intensity run) and I was not very active. Although I was always putting in time for shorts run, those sessions were inadequate. It was all cardio and I was doing it all wrongly. I was not aware that my exercise sessions were insufficient and ineffective in burning fats.

The photo of realization - With my friend Natty 

25 Dec 15

To my bf - Why you take until I so fat!?

The exact day my life changed - 19 February 2016

 
I just started working in the fitness industry for a couple of months and it has helped me kick-start this journey. Looking back now, I am grateful for this job opportunity because it has helped me to understand myself in different aspects. That very day, I took the InBody - Body Composition Analysis and reality hit me.

It has been awhile then since I weighed myself. The figures in front of me shook me awake. The horror to see such a high percentage of body fats as compared to the ideal ratio. I was, according to their scale, in the category of "extremely over" for obesity diagnosis. My visceral fat amount, which is the fats inside the body around the organs, was nearing the dangerous level of 100. It was a warning sign; I was moving towards the unhealthy zone. 

"It is time to make changes before it is too late."
I thought to myself. 

The Start (Feb - Mar)

My first short-term goal was to fit into my work pants properly again! I want to be back to who I used to be. My second short-term target was to look slimmer for the upcoming cruise holiday because I hope to capture beautiful photographs. My ultimate goal is to change my lifestyle to a healthier and more active one.  


 Food ~

The hardest part of any healthier lifestyle is often the diet. I am not talking about those short term diets in which you restrict what you consume for a certain time period. What I am aiming for is a total change in what I eat and the quantity of it. I used to be eating dinner and thinking of what snack or dessert I could have after that. I love to eat until I could feel that satisfying fullness.

"I can always burn those calories off." I always thought to myself. Well, with that little amount of jogging, how much do you think you can actually get rid of? The amount of calories that goes in is still less than the amount I burn off. With age, the metabolism seems to go down as well, slowing down the process of fat burn.

So here are the few things I did to change:


        1. Eat the same breakfast on weekdays

And that would be two pieces of wholemeal bread with peanut butter. It is definitely not the best of choices (carbs still, but breaks down slower to keep you fuller) but it is convenient and fast to prepare. Peanut butter would be my protein source. Sometimes, I buy two half boiled eggs from Fun Toast in addition to the bread. I bring an apple or a pear as a morning snack, but it only curbs my hunger for about an hour.

I used to be eating those yummy bakery bought buns with an assortment of flavors. If you use My Fitness Pal app, you will realize how much calories one of such bread contains. I was eating two of those per breakfast because one just was not enough to fill me. So this change helped to save some breakfast money, and save my time from thinking about what to eat!

        2. Drink less calories

Drinks contain a bulk of calories that you can avoid. For me, it was easy peasy since I do not order drinks most of the time. The only exception for me is coffee, with reduced sugar! I love bitter coffee anyway. Currently, I cultivated a taste for black coffee. Kopi O siew dai! For the rest of the time, it is mostly water and green tea. I drink lots of water.

        3. Bring lunch from home

This was a tough one because I was eating non-delicious food prepared by myself. Early mornings are difficult enough but I had to add in the time of food preparation. There are many references to follow on meal prepping beforehand but most of them require the use of microwave for heating up. I do not like to use the microwave, and so my food has to be prepared in the morning. I did not want to eat salads as well. Steamed or stir fried, and I would be eating cold food for lunch 😅. In fact, I was eating sandwiches for the first whole week and it was unbearable.

Started with this and I was starving!

With the change in breakfast and lunch, the first two weeks were terrible as I seemed to be constantly hungry. But with any change, it requires some time to get used to. Eventually, I got used to eating bland food. I am not sure whether there was still nutrition in my food, so this is a bad example haha.

        4. Portion control


Dinners (home-cooked food) were the best and weekends were my breaks. Still, you need to control the amount you consume. Last time, before I even start on my meal, I might think that the portion is too little. I would start thinking of food to eat and my brain would then think that I was not full. This is a wrong perspective. Now, I stopped "worrying" about whether the food will fill me. Food requires some time to travel down to the stomach anyway. As long as I am 70% - 80% full, I am satisfied. This would slowly become a habit, and the risk of overeating would be reduced.

        5. Choice of food

There is no restriction to what I eat, but I have to eat in moderation and know when to stop. Sometimes, I just taste a little to satisfy the cravings. I was not a person who counts calories. I am still not a person who counts calories, but it is important to take note of the calories and make conscious food choices. Also, I aim to consume more protein based food and reduce carbs intake. This is easier said than done. So let's say if I have potatoes, then I will not have rice. And if I have rice, I replaced white rice with brown rice.

Exercise ~

No procrastination here. I scheduled my workout and made sure I did it. At first, it was just following Youtube videos on weekdays and that was not new to me. On weekends, I would jog. I was trying to run at least 3km, which was quite a challenge then. When I got my confirmation from the company at the beginning of March, and I can officially access the gym and classes, I was excited!

BODY COMBAT
I started off with using the gym equipment, but without good knowledge, I did not know how to really exercise effectively. I experienced my first body combat class after work with my colleague. It was a great session of kicking and boxing, and coordinating the whole body to move together. I recall that I was in such a bad mood that day, and I just imagined I was boxing that person. It gave me the strength and motivation to push on! Body aches the next day.

STABILITY BALL
Utilizing a weighted ball, we did squats, planks, and lifting with hands and legs. It was also my first experience with the lifting of weighted plates. It was an exhausting one but I enjoyed it.

BODY BALANCE
Body balance is a mixture of Tai chi, Pilates and Yoga. It is good for flexibility and for those who would like a good stretch. My balancing is quite bad and so I found it difficult to stay in position for some moves.

BODY ATTACK
This is a super high energy fitness class that you get to go crazy and party! There is a lot of quick jumping and running about. You go breathless but you cannot stop. It was very fun but tiring as well!

TRX
I swear I hate this class. TRX is a suspension training tool whereby you make use of the straps and do various exercises with it. As a beginner with weak muscle control, it was excruciatingly hard even when it was just my body weight. The instructor kept telling me that I was doing certain moves wrongly. But it was really because I had no strength in my arms to do it correctly. He was a bit fierce so I did not dare to go back to his class again. Maybe, just maybe, if I try it again now, I can do it better!

CIRCUIT
This circuit workout consists of a series of exercises which we do for as many times as possible in a stated amount of time. This includes squats, lifting of barbells, burpees, push ups, planking and etc. I have never done so much strength training in my life, and I had MAJOR MUSCLE ACHE after that. Even the process of sitting down or standing up hurts so badly. I said that I was not going to go for that class ever again! But then it became my regular class!!

CYCLE
Spinning class on a stationary bicycle looks easy, but your legs will give way after one session. According to the instructor's plan, you go as quickly as possible for one minute and the next moment you start the "mountain climbing". The resistance gear will be adjusted accordingly throughout the class. My first class was easy because I was not aware of the gear adjustment. At gear 0, the cycle was a breeze. Subsequently, my legs went wobbly and my glutes ached. I wanted to train my legs to be stronger and eventually I got better at it.

BODYPUMP
Bodypump is a workout which utilizes the barbell. I was doing a planned series of squats, lunges, chest presses and etc with energetic background music. Weights were slowly increased on each side of the barbell but there was a limit to the weight I could take. I was doing my lunges wrongly at first and felt so unbalanced when doing so.

These are the various classes I tried out. I decided on three regular 7am morning classes, each lasting 45 minutes per session. Circuit, Cycle and Bodypump classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday respectively. Coupled with preparing lunch, I wake up at about 5am on those three days. Generally, I will be energized for the whole day, but will be really sleepy by 10pm at night. The first few times were demanding but it got better with regular sessions. I preferred morning classes to evening classes so that I can beat the crowd and space constraint. There was also not much "losing out" on after-work time.

On Sundays, I go for runs. At first, the target was 3km. With consistent workout session through the classes, my stamina improved and then I could reach 4km. I use the trusty Runkeeper app to keep track of my running progress.


Apr - May 

I got over the feeling of constant hunger and my appetite shrunk to a more normal one. I look forward to my weekend meals but made sure I eat only enough. Workouts were consistent although my colleague decided to stop going for classes. Only YOU can ultimately motivate yourself! My cruise trip was my one of my pushing factors.

Slowly but surely ~

In April, two of my co-workers commented that I slimmed down. That was when I realized the change in my face! It was no longer so round. Small little changes were starting to show on my body as well. The stomach abs may not be visible but I could feel it. A little more toned here and there you know. The said office pants were doing better on my waist, but there was still room for improvement. The tiny changes made me more motivated to continue. 💪

Body Composition Analysis ~

I did another analysis test on 7 April 2016 and I would say that there was a teeny weeny bit of disappointment. I felt like I made a lot of changes but the results were not showing as much. Now that I looked at it, that was 2kg of fat mass down! And I dropped by 10 in visceral fat area. Not sure where my muscles went though >.<.

Cruise Trip ~

I went for my cruise trip in the middle of May with confidence that all my photos would look great now! While I was not as active working out, there were fun things like the flow rider, rock climbing and ice skating that kept me moving. Although I definitely ate more on board, it was easy to make better food choices at the buffet. At the main dining room, the mains were generally protein centered as well. We did not get any drink package, so I mainly had coffee or tea, and water.

Anyway, my second goal was attained. Proud of myself!


Jun - Aug

Food ~

It was hard to get back to bringing lunch to work because it got tiring after some time, especially with that break. Eventually, I had to stop in July due to stomach discomfort. Wind problems and acid reflux issues came into play. Frankly speaking, my lunch diet was lazy and cold. I once had a whole steamed cauliflower for lunch, and it was just that. My stomach had suffered.

I started to eat from Wheat. They offer a healthier combination of protein + carbs + salad. They also have a membership system that time which I fully utilized. However, healthy food is generally more expensive outside, with my meals costing between $8-$12. I felt happier with better food 😆.

Exercise ~

When your workout level pauses or drops, your stamina will go down. So, those morning classes became difficult once more. The aching feeling as I did my first cycling class after I was back, was a killer. Those legs almost gave way as I exited the class. But since the foundation is still there, it was not as difficult to start over again.

Funny how I sprained my thumb just by picking myself up from the ground. It was after a workout and my hand gave way because I had no strength left lol.

I ran my first 5km on 6 July!

Body Composition Analysis ~

Excited to see the improvements!

It was all good until the heels of my feet were starting to hurt. In August, that was when I realized I have high arched feet after a foot analysis. I always knew my balance is bad and I thought it was purely due to the small size of my feet. With this knowledge, I knew I should not push myself on increasing the weights in bodypump classes. The pressure on my heels was too much to handle. And I was not even using a lot of weights compared to the other pro members of the club.

At the same time, I love how the foam roller at the gym helped to sooth my aching muscles. Hence, I bought a short one from Qoo10 for usage at home. It works great.

Some obvious changes in my arms and thighs. Definitely lost some fats here compared to the initial stage. I can safely say I attained my first short-term goal at about this time!

Toilet upgrade ~

On 20 August, my unit started undergoing the toilet upgrading program. That period of time was just physically tiring due to the lack of sufficient rest. After a restless night, I thought that a cycle class might help but I could feel my heart racing in a weird way. A tired body cannot take intense exertion. So I took a break....


Sep - Dec

And I never got back my motivation to go for early morning classes anymore.

But that's okay. The same goal remains.

A change of route ~

It was when I found the Nike + Training Club app, and everything is free! There is a good variety of workouts with different intensity and time duration. The good thing is that it has a video guide to show you how to do the moves correctly. I started off on 28 Sep with a 21 workout plan that was created for me. Every alternate day, I would complete one workout. The in-between days were the recovery days set for me. If I could not make it on certain days, I would still ensure I finished it on the next day. Those 45 minutes workouts were arduous at the start. There were a number of moves I could not do so I did the alternative.

When I finally completed the whole course on 8 Nov, I was really fitter than before I started! I never was able to do a single normal push up, but now I can at least do wide arm regular push ups! I will master a full push up one day. I could not hold my reverse crunch for even a while at first, but now I can. I was struggling with side plank knee dives but now I'm a pro! Nah just kidding.

From there, I continued using this app based on choice of workout, rather than following another plan. The stress level is there when you feel compelled to do according to plan. Sometimes, I use the Sworkit app for a series of exercises in a selected amount of time. You would not know the next move and that is fun!

Body Composition Analysis ~

This is the final body composition analysis that I took. Comparing it to the first test, 5kg of fat mass was lost and the internal fat area became smaller. There are other measurements as well, and they all got better! I am delighted that my efforts paid off. 💓

Food wise, I got tired of eating Wheat and started eating fish soup kuey from Shenton House. Super love the soup with lots of coriander. They give a reasonable amount of spinach as well. This may not be the best diet but it is quite balanced.  

 
The running goal ~

Been talking about joining a 10km run with my friend, Magdalene, and I finally registered for Osim Sundown 2017 on 21 Dec. I put consistent effort in running but once you take a break from running, you start over again. When I was training, 10km just seems so far away from me. Since I never ran a 10km before, I had doubts about my performance during the actual run.

20 Mar 16 - First 4km completed

06 Jul 16 - First 5km completed

20 Nov 16 - First 6km completed

27 Nov 16 - First 7km completed

10 Mar 17 - First 8km completed

YEAR 2017!

January in Japan


I was sick before my Japan trip, so my priority was to recuperate. Then, I was in Japan for 2 weeks. It was very cold so my body probably burned calories just to keep me warm! I burned calories from screaming at Disney theme parks as well. I ate like a tourist because the food is just so yummilicious. I came back with a swollen achilles tendon. So here's a month of not exercising at all! My first concern was the upcoming run.

Feb - Mar

I was back on track at the beginning of Feb and it was definitely taxing at first. These bodyweight workouts helped me so much in attaining better stamina for running. I found the 8fit app, which features different types of workout from circuit to tabata. Some may be short but you sweat buckets after one session. Sometimes, I look up Youtube for workout videos.

Taking notes ~

Here, I started a new exercise book to write down all the exercises completed. It really helps when you keep track of your physical activities. There is evidence to motivate yourself further. There is that little bit of guilt when the pages are empty as well. That guilt is not an obsession, but just a reminder that I never want to go back to where I started.

Taking a photo after a workout works as well. Do not lose track of your direction.


Sundown ~

Nearing the actual run, I trained more but I still could not complete the 10! I was looking forward to the run and yet felt a little scared as well. My dad joined the run under his company, so we ended up running our first race together (because I could not find Mag at the starting point).


On that very day, I was so anxious and so excited for it. I did not have much appetite and I spent my day listening to motivating songs! It's my life. It's now or never. AND I DID IT. No stopping. Really, there wasn't much space for me to stop either. At 7km, I wished I could stop. At 8km, I felt like the end point was still miles away. My legs were really tired. At 9km, I had to grit my teeth and move. I have come too far to stop now.

I was so proud when we crossed the finishing line together! I did something I never knew I could do in the past.

💦💦💦

I work out about 3 to 4 times per week now and I hope to continue this lifestyle. It has been a year and I have achieved so much in terms of my physical well being. I hope the lower back pain is gone for good and the neck ache during a run never comes back. My stamina for exercise is way better and I can do some things I could not do last time. What I learned here is that when you keep practicing and do a certain move, eventually you will master it. Consistency is key! There is a lot of determination and effort put in because I know that this is important to me.

I will always remember WHY I started in the first place.

On appearance, I don't look much different. I am still the chubby me, with quite a lot of fats to keep myself warm. The abs generally stay hidden and protected by my fats. In the first place, I was not aiming to achieve a lean bikini body or to be a body builder. I just wanted to move towards a more active and healthier lifestyle, and this lifestyle has to be sustainable for me. Although there were several breaks in between, that did not stop me from continuing. I do not eat that strictly, hence the progress would be slower. But I will still maintain all these, and every day is another day of improvement, no matter how small.

"If you get tired, 

learn to rest,

not to quit."

Note that my motivation does not come from weight loss. Weight is really just a number that fluctuates at different time of the day (currently between 58.5kg to 60kg). I prefer to look at my reflection rather than the number on the weighing scale. 👸

I gained confidence in my body as well. At first, the focus on physical appearance was stronger. But gradually, I realized that as long as I put in consistent effort, I already feel good about myself. I am a disciplined woman who puts in hard work so I will not allow anyone's judgment get to me.

Some not bad results

But oh hi tummy, you are still here!

I made the decision to change, and I will continue to hold on to it.
To all who are trying to shed some weight, focus on the long-term goal of maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Keep moving, keep trying and you will see results through your perseverance!

YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE.