Busting My Diet

So one of my new year resolutions this year was to lose weight.

The last time I went on a diet was a month before Aiden's Star Wars birthday. I went on a strict 3-week Paleo diet and lost like nearly 7kg or more. All because I needed to fit in this tight army green pants which was part of my Rey outfit. But immediately after that, I 'celebrated' by feasting on cake, desserts and carbs. Slowly but surely, I regained what I had lost. Our Pangkor Laut Resort was the tip of the weighing scale for me. Hence... the new year resolution.

I started my diet on my first day at work. (I knew that if I went on a diet while I was at home, I would be even more tempted to raid the fridge.) A friend recommended EzDiet, so I decided to purchase the 7-day Atkins meal plan from them. While waiting my week's meal to arrive, I filled the days by going on my usual Paleo diet.

A week's worth of meals.

A typical three-course meal for a day. Paleo was so strict, that I was supremely overjoyed with the fact that Atkins allowed eggs, soy sauce, and even dressings!

And here are some of my dugaan during the diet. An anniversary dinner for my in-laws at Jibby Chow (I nibbled on some of Hubby's leftovers plus a bite of cake), Aiden's cousin came for a sleepover and they requested for so many sinful things (I hidu bau jer), and a team lunch makan masak lemak ikan patin (I drank plain water only). Oh dugaan sungguh!!!

The spread at Jibby Chow. Telan air liur jer lah...

Pizza and ice-cream. 

Anyway, this post is not about my boring diet (what is there to blog about, other than being lethargic, tired and cranky??), but rather to chronicle my eating adventures post diet! Yes, after 2 weeks and 3 kgs lighter, I had to pause my diet regime to make way for soooo many food-filled invitations.

It all started with the company dinner to celebrate our First Oil Date (FOD). Everyone raved about how the food was going to cost RM400 plus per person without alcohol - wagyu beef, sashimi, lobster bisque and fresh oysters to name a few.

Check out the spread. Memang besar godaan malam tuh. And a very memorable momento from that night; a drop of oil from our very first oil production!

Longgggg story about my outfit. I was supposed to go home to change into this very dreamy grey dress for the night. To cut a long story short, it rained cats and dogs that afternoon, and I got stuck in a massive traffic jam going home. In the end I decided to turn back and just wear whatever I had in the car (a new Zara top I had purchased over lunch).

Can you spot me?

The next day, I attended a farewell. Superb buffet feast by Le Meridien, and I simply couldn't resist having plates after plates of salmon sashimi! I stayed away from rice, but I failed miserably at the dessert section.

Missing my old teammates!

The next day, I attended another farewell, this time at Kanna Curry House in PJ. How can one resist curry??? Hence, my first plate of rice in two weeks. *cries*

I'm amazed when one professes to not knowing the existence of Camera 360!

As if nasi daun pisang for lunch wasn't sinful enough, I had a birthday tea-party with the gang pagar sekolah afterwards. Since it was also our resident baker's birthday, it wasn't fair to ask her to bake her own birthday cake. Hence yours truly had to come out of retirement and bake a chocolate cake; and since our whatsapp group is full with discussions about dieting, I decided to make a weighing scale and measuring tape out of the cake! 

And as if lunch and tea wasn't sinful enough as well, the gang pagar sekolah regrouped that night for a birthday dinner at Stesen83! I succumbed to temptation and had grilled lamb. *sigh*

The next day, we had birthday invitations and two kenduri engagements to attend. In a nutshell, diet ke laut lah. All sorts of carbs went into my tummy that day. From that super adorable TNT popcake, to nasi briyani with daging dendeng.

Next day was Sunday, and we stayed home most of the day. But of course, my maid makes a mean cekodok pisang and cekodok bawang. I couldn't stop munching on them. Then we made a quick pit stop at my in-laws (they served us laksam and oat cookies *huwaaaa*) on the way to our weekly grocery shopping. And... I had rice for dinner. Kononnya last plate of rice before my diet officially starts again. Memang I belasah makan that night!

Little did I know that my teammates had arranged for a Yee Sang lunch today at Chynna, KL Hilton. Ok-lah, I decided to postpone my diet for another day. How can one say no to Yee Sang, right?

Yee Sang with sliced salmon. And a huge plate of steamed fish! Not visible in picture - buttered prawns, roasted honey chicken, stir fried asparagus, and my absolute favourite - chinese pancakes!

Here's to a prosperous new year of the rooster.

Anyway, I am back on my diet tomorrow. (No more cheating, promise!) I haven't had the courage to step on the weighing scale since I busted my diet, so hopefully I am not back to square one? Wish me luck!!!

Detox, Anyone???

I had lunch with a girlfriend recently, who shared her experience with detox. She tried the La Juiceria one day detox program. According to her, her pee (excuse my language!) smelt so bad that she felt sorry for the person who was going to use the toilet after her! *chuckles*

I guess the toxins going out of her body were responsible for the smell and all. Which is ultimately a good sign, no?

Convinced, I decided to give it a try too. Last Friday, La Juiceria opened their latest outlet in Nu Sentral. So I decided to take the plunge! The one day detox program includes 6 bottles of cold-pressed juice for RM99. It also comes with a cooler bag (to keep your juices cold for your trip home), organic raw cashew nuts (in case you feel hungry) and a very detailed detox cleanse schedule.

Do you think you're ready for detox? Detox is a strict diet regime - hence for the entire day you will consume no food, no sugar... (and no fun!) as the purpose is to take the loads off organs that detoxify the body. If you think you can do this, read on about my one day experience below!

La Juiceria one day detox program... plus a complimentary Vital Shot (or The Defender).

So the first thing I did when I rolled out of bed... was planned what I wanted to have for breakfast. No seriously, that was what I did. Until I opened the fridge and realized that the juice was going to expire that day! *boohoohoo* So first tip - buy this only when you have made time in your schedule to detox. These juices are best consumed within 2 days, and will expire on the 3rd day (the day I did my detox). 

Went through the detox cleanse schedule, and set my mind to follow it to a T. No food for a day? Given my previous experience with the paleo diet, this one... aaahhh kacang putih lah! 

So breakfast became warm lemon water instead. An hour after that I had my first juice - Goodness Greens. Oh my god... it was the worse taste ever. I think I gagged after the first mouthful! (Fret not, the rest of the juices were quite bearable!) It took me half and hour to finish it,and you even have to swirl the juice around your mouth to release salivary enzymes that help break down the nutrients for easy absorption... ewwww.

300ml of water after that, it was time for brunch with juice #2 - Mint Lemonade. Much better taste. Unfortunately, due to all the liquids I was consuming, I had to run to the toilet every half an hour. And just my luck, I had to send the car to the workshop that day. So I had to brave peeing at the workshop toilet - I was that desperate. Sigh, where was my bladder control when I needed it??? Hence tip #2 is, make sure you have easy access to (clean) toilets when you do this. No important meetings too, cos you will run out of the meeting quite frequently and annoy your boss immensely! *grin*

300ml of water after juice #2, my tummy was growling for lunch. Downed juice #3 - Tropical Greens... uurrgghh it was as horrible as the first juice. I'm really hating these green coloured juices! The good thing is, the pang of hunger went away. 

No green juices, please! Any other colour but green!

300ml of alkaline water and lots of toilet breaks later, I had juice #4 - Gold Glow for tea time. This one tasted quite good! I'm happy with anything but green juices. After 300ml of water and frequent visits to the toilet, the clock showed 6pm and it was time for (very early!) dinner with juice #5 - Beet Aid. This one was bearable but I wished it didn't have the ginger taste in it. 

Next, according to the schedule - it was time for light exercises. Cycled to the clubhouse with Aiden and Ian plus 600ml of water. Broke quite a sweat cycling uphill - a very satisfying workout. At 830pm, I had juice #6 - Almond Mylk (not a typo!) for dessert. And it was quite a good dessert too. Loved the milky consistency and delicious taste. This one is the best of them all! Took a long bath, 300ml of water and retired to bed early... all as per the detox schedule.

The detox schedule and cleanse checklist.

So my verdict? Despite the numerous toilet trips, there was no suspicious smell at all. Possibly because I cleanse my colon frequently using Teh Orang Kampung (a cheaper option too). I had hunger pangs, but they were cured after every bottle of juice. (Although I was very tempted to have a bite of Hubby's mee goreng that night... but I persevered!) *yeay* I felt fresh when I woke up the next day and noticed a marked difference in energy, so that's good. I also lost 1.5kg, mostly water... And gained 500gm the very next day to make a total weight loss of 1kg.

Would I repeat it? Probably not, as I think you can probably concoct your own juices based on detox guides online. Although I have to admit, certain ingredients in the juice, like kale, is not easy to find in our country (unless it's Chinese kale i.e. kailan *grin*). But if I do try it again, I would probably buy the juices individually. The juices are about RM12 each. Logically, 6 bottles will cost plus/minus RM72, so why pay RM99? Probably because of the cooler bag (RM25) and organic nuts (RM6).

Bottom line is, detox - good. Price - not so good.

Oh by the way, this is not a sponsored post. Good luck with the detox!

Solace in Running

Recently, I found tranquility and peace of mind in running.

Previous excuses I used to give to myself when I was too LAZY to run were:

• I much rather spend that time with Aiden.
• The treadmill is in the guest room.
• I cannot bear leaving Aiden at home alone while I drive to the clubhouse for a run at the gym.
• I'm tired from a long day at work. I'll do it tomorrow.

However, after being saddled with so many issues surrounding Hubby's surgery, slowly but surely I felt like I was going to crack. Crack from the pressure, the sheer exhaustion, juggling family and work priorities, all of this while still having to put up a smile at the end of the day and reassure everyone that everything will be alright.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not forcing myself to be all smiles, all day, everyday. I am naturally born like that. Friends close to me know that I usually keep all these pent up emotions and sweep them under the carpet until one day it goes kaboom and you see me crash.

But somehow, I found solace in running. One day, I just slipped on my running shoes and started running towards the hills of Cahaya SPK. The hills are actually part of Precinct 1 - where the bungalow lots are. Not even a single house has been built except for one under construction. Previously some of us would run up daily but then when security became an issue, it became such a taboo to run there. But the day I started running, I guess I just didn't care. I just needed to get away.

InsyaAllah, everything will be okay...

A Visit to the Pediatrician...

A week after the viral fever scare and Aiden was still not gaining weight. I could even feel his back bone! That was how skinny he was. And it doesn't help that Aiden refuses to eat bersuap. He prefers to eat all by himself. Using a plate/bowl and a spoon. Which is great, since it shows that he is developing his basic motor skills. But I bet the floor eats more than him. The amount of food that actually ends up in his mouth is far far far less than the amout that Bibik has to kutip from the floor after every meal.

So off we went to Prince Court Medical Centre. Unfortunately, Aiden's usual pediatrician (Dr Padma) wasn't around so I decided to just try my luck with Dr Anthony. And Alhamdulillah, he was as perfect as Dr Padma, if not better!

Aiden is now ngam ngam 10.1 kg. (When he was sick in Singapore, he dropped to 9.9kg! Below the 10kg mark for one year olds!)

Aiden looking curiously, waiting for his cue to scream.

Good boy! He didn't cry at all!

Oooppsss spoke too soon! Aiden absolutely hates being laid vertical. I don't know how Bibik manages to get him into his diapers every single day!

I didn't even know that the Women and Children Centre had a playroom! Maybe because this is the first time that Aiden can finally understand the concept of toys and playing with other toddlers. (Don't ask me how the hell that boy climbed to the top of the house. Hopefully Aiden doesn't replicate the same antics!)

Playing on the see saw.

One... Two...

Threeeeee!!! Check out Aiden's terified face. Despite the months of Gymboree classes, he still hasn't conquered the fear of going down plastic slides.

Oh, did I mention that Aiden is absolutely obsessed with phones? And he finally grasped the idea that phones should be held to the ear. Not behind the head.

Very very obsessed.

He loves holding two phones to his ears. Usually its the house phone and my iPhone. Or two iPhones simultaneously.

And the phone never leaves his ear even when another toy distracts him.

So what did Dr Anthony say? Well even though Aiden popped out as an obese baby (4.1kg remember?), he is now of normal size. I complained to the doctor about Aiden losing his Michelin lines and he answered: "You don't want those Michelin lines! His size is just fine! You don't want an overweight baby". And when I told him about Aiden refusing to eat, insisting on feeding himself, he said that it is good that Aiden is showing interest in spoon feeding himself. Also, it is very important to implement the high chair rule. No feeding snacks in front of the TV. If a toddler can sit in a high chair and knows that it is time to eat (not play or get distracted by anything or worse still, cries), half of the battle is won! About making him more interested in food, his recommendation to cure picky eaters was to:

• Make sure the food in his plate is of multi colours (Mummy put red chilli baru tau!)
• Introduce him to new food everyday. He may like something for a week or so and then decides to like something else after that.
• Try to get him involved in the process of making his food (Okay, from now onwards, Mummy will let you turn the kitchen upside down, Aiden...)
• 3 meals per day - breakfast, lunch and dinner (Aiden always skips breakfast because he loves waking up late, just like Mummy!) And set meal times. And keep to it!
• Not more than 2 snacks per day. Meaning biscuits only during brunch and tea.
• No distractions. TV off, no toys and eat at the high chair and table only.
• Try to get company! The more the merrier!
• And don't lose your patience. It is definitely very challenging to coax a picky eater to eat, but at the end of the day, if he's hungry, he'll eat. Stay calm.

About fattening him up:

• Mix butter in his rice.
• Add a bit of oil in his milk (okay, this one I certainly cannot do!)
• Try cheese. Or chocolates!
• Food requirement: 50% carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, noodles, bread). 30%+ protein (meat, bean curd, nuts, lentils) and the remainder to be oil/fat (butter/olive oil). Fruits and vegetables should be unlimited and for snacks.
• Mixing Milo in his milk is fine. No, he won't get addicted to it. (I asked!)
• If you're really worried, try a full calorie formula milk. He recommended Pediasure (iklan free nie!)
• Keeping his milk bottle away in hope that he would be hungry and start eating, probably wouldn't work. Stubborn picky eaters will just wait it out.

There you go.Free advise for all of you from the doctor himself. I am just playing the middle man here.

So, was I being a bit of an OTT Mummy by dragging Aiden to the doctor just because he felt a bit bony???

Of Yong Tau Foo

I have been on a diet for the past two weeks. Okay, fine I cheated during public holidays, weekends and when Hubby was in KL. Which means I cheated last Friday till Monday. Which also means that I have been quite disciplined during the weekdays. Every weekday for the past week I had eaten Yong Tau Foo and nothing else!

So today, I decided to prepare my own Yong Tau Foo. Not only can I put tons and tons of stuff in the soup (which probably cancels out my dieting attempt) but it is also a lot more cheaper! The idea came after I saw a lot of delicious Yong Tau Foo ready-made condiments in Tesco, so the only thing I needed to make was the soup. Can't be that hard, right??

For this post, pictures were taken using the Lomo camera application via iPhone.

That's a picture of the traffic jam I have to tempuh everyday on my way back home. Looks beautiful in the Lomo version right?

For any of you unfamilliar with the Lomo picture, this is the original picture.

This is how it looks like when converted to Lomo. And the above karipap like Yong Tau Foo is really delicious. Unfortunately I left it a tad too long in the pot, that the wanton skin disintegrated into pieces, leaving only the inti intact.

I was spoiled with choices, all from Tesco!

Tak pernah dibuat orang - Yong Tau Foo ada Foo Chuk. But it is my version, so who cares!

I had googled for a few Yong Tau Foo soup recipes from the office, and decided to mix and match from the few which looked believable. To start, I fried about quarter of a cup of anchovies in very minimal oil. Then I threw in a bit of shallots, garlic and ginger - all thinly sliced. Then I poured in 4 cups of water and seasoned it with chicken stock, salt and pepper. Suit to taste. Brought it to a boil and dumped all the Yong Tau Foo in. Don't leave it in too long or you'll get disgutingly disintegrated Yong Tau Foo.

Simple right?

Looks more delicious in the Lomo version.

My version of Yong Tau Foo. Nyummy nyummy nyummy. Even the soup was good!

I even purchased the kicap sauce, ready made from Tesco - sangat pemalas kan?!

After a very satisfying meal, I drove to my Aunt's house in Titiwangsa. My cousin's wedding is just around the corner and I was in charge of coordinating the cookies and cupcakes for the main table, VIPs and the bride's family. So we were going to meet the baker to check out the design and of course, taste it! I have always believed that the food should taste as good as it looks!

My aunt's living room. Even though the lights were off, it still looks nice. Hmmm.. I soooo love this application!

The theme is pink and grey.

Look at the delicate design!

I really like her work. I love her attention to detail and how kemas her work is. And the striped cup really made the cupcake look more classy!

Too beautiful to eat!

Seventh Heaven

For my birthday, Sothys rewarded me with a free aromatherapy massage worth RM298, and a 15% discount on any one Sothys product. After making sure that this wasn’t a marketing gimmick, I relented. So, after spending 4 days straight at the Macy’s sale I decided to reward myself with the free massage. Besides the massage, I topped it up with a whole body scrub and a slimming blanket treatment. After consuming Herbalife for a month, I have seen a bit of result in my weight, but it obviously isn’t enough!

So yesterday, after returning from the last day of the Macy’s sale, I drove straight to Pavillion. Sothys is located on the seventh floor. There is only one set of lifts serving this floor, which is filled with spas, slimming sanctuaries and other (so called) healthcare providers designed to burn a hole in your pocket.

But really, Sothys is a good choice for facials. I love their service, the staff knows me by name, I like how they pamper me and the back pulse point massage that comes with the facial is absolutely to die for!

The cosy waiting area.

Ensuite.

My own private wash basin and bathroom.

The massage table, and the feet soaking thingy.

After the treatment, as usual my beautician, Celine would talk me into buying their products. Usually, I would not give in. And I had made up my mind to only replenish my stock of face cream during this visit, utilizing the discount voucher. But this time, because it was my first try at the full body treatment, Celine kept convincing me that I needed a stretch mark and firming cream. And apparently they had a promotion – spend above a certain amount and you get to buy their cleansing milk and toner for a special price.

Out off all the good things about Sothys, this is the only thing that I hate. It is not in their nature to give things out for free. For instance, in order to get this, you have to purchase with purchase (PWP). Or buy a cash card. And you can’t use a birthday discount voucher over a PWP promotion.

I don’t know why but I let my guard down this time around. Celine managed to convince me to buy a few items. Kononnya I will need to replenish my toner and cleansing milk stock anyway, so why not buy it now. “It’s equivalent to purchasing 4 bottles at the price of 2!” So she says.

My latest loot.

The damage was… erm… I’ll keep it to myself. And I wasn’t happy with the fact that I could not use my 15% discount voucher, since it shall expire at the end of the year. (Anyone wants this voucher, please let me know.) I was grumbling at Celine to let me use the discount with the PWP thingy, but to no avail.

Suddenly, Celine said “Wait, I’ve got something that will cheer you up! A special treat especially and only for our Platinum members for their birthday!” And she came out with a bouquet of flowers, and a cake that says - Happy Birthday Liz. Terus sejuk hati. Damn.

Layers and layers of nyummy tiramisu. *drool*

Even Aiden had a bite (of the cream, not the coffee!)

One candle only? I am only one year old! *denial*

But when I got home, I got to thinking, how much is a cake and a bouquet of flowers, in relative to what I’ve just spent?

Oh well, I can’t turn back time, can I? *sigh*

Aiden laughing his heart out at Mummy's gullible-ness :(