56 different names for sugar

happy cells

Do you ever feel scared? Anxious? About anything really.. from the consequences of getting the cold, to the causes of an achy arm or leg, to fear of googling these ailments, only to find out that you might have some form of cancer, to being so indecisive and reluctant to make your own decisions that you feel inclined to take steps only after consulting your friend, psychic, doctor or someone older or "wiser"? Everywhere we are, we are surrounded by things which make us afraid. In relation to health, it's something I've learned, as a Public Health graduate, that our government does a very good job at. From what we see on television, to what we read about in newspapers, magazines, the internet, right down to what our leaders in respective places of worship may say, we are perpetuated by fear. 

Sometimes, you just need to zone out. Sometimes, you just need quiet time. Sometimes you just need to do nothing. Sometimes, you need to something, to reenergise, and tell yourself that everything is going to be OK. Sometimes a little bit of doing this everyday, can solve many existing ailments we may already be suffering from.What if we made our cells on our bodies happy more often?

What if we chose to do this during.. exercise time? Yeah, but with a little difference. You see, this exercise time is going to be special. During this exercise time, you aren't going to bombard your mind with negative crap you see around you, you aren't going to say to yourself, "no pain, no gain", or "you are only as good as your last workout" or " if i don't feel like throwing up, i haven't pushed myself enough". This exercise time is going to be full of movement and listening to your body. This time can be made up of everything and anything alternative to contrary belief of what a typical work out should consist off. It will contain all the ingredients of things which make you smile, on the inside.

Maybe my legs are tired.

No obligation, no stress, no irritation before the "workout", you are going to perspire as a result of doing something which you are excited to do! Be at dancing in your room alone or with a friend or yoga ( simple or even beginners yoga, not hot yoga or commercial types of yoga we see around us now), martial arts or strolls.  How about using gentler movements as a way to manifest your bodies greatness? I've been thinking lately, why do people enjoy  putting up videos of themselves or others struggling during workout sessions,  as they do squats, lift weights or.. wait for it..... lift each other?! (Possibly an ego thing?Yeah, maybe? Just to show how "strong" they are). How strong are your organs which you push so hard? You may look nice on the outside, but, have you ever asked yourself what your kidneys, muscles or heart look like?

I'm so glad my eyes are open now and I see through fitness trends. These trends are made to glorify exercise as as an all out war on the body.

I mean really, what is she doing? How is this beneficial to the body? People sit on seats, they don't lift themselves on them. Come on. 

Hmmm how about Healthy is the new Strong? Probably the next trend?

I no longer think it's something good (in the sense that wow, this person must really be working out hard sorta good) if someone is exhausted after a workout or suffers injuries and needs/still continues to workout despite feeling sore in certain areas.

How about more injuries? Soreness? Pain? Discomfort? Oh... I guess we forgot about all that.. 

If we just listen to our bodies, we'd know that injuries and pain are signs we need to heed. I'm not saying we shouldn't push ourselves, all I'm saying is, what if we pushed it using common sense? What if we indulged in workouts which we look forward to? Instead of grumbling " oh great I have to go for a run, or to the gym", can you imagine how our muscles, cells and tissues would feel if we did something that made us happy BEFORE and after a workout? 

The last thing fitness should be is a military operation. If you have read this whole post, there is a reason why you have. Maybe there is a part of you which feels this way too. What if we took a deeper look and tried a "less is more" approach instead of a "no pain, no gain" approach? 

What if we made the cells in our bodies happy?

Happy haemoglobes,

Aly

do you know...

What 400 calories of oil, chicken & vegetables look like?

Well yeah it looks like this. Now, which to you seems like the best option?Yeah the vege of course!

Plus it's gonna leave you feeling light, guiltless, glowing, satiated & healthy! 

Cheers to nature,

aly

Yummeh salad

Love salad? Well so do I! Try this Egyptian salad out sometime. All you need will be lemons, lemon juice, olive oil, chunky tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, thinly sliced onions, fresh parsley, cayenne pepper and paprika! Yummeh ★ 

Boom boom,

Aly

Get to know your vege better

Did you know that the color of our vegetables are significant? They don't just look and taste good, but the colors actually help us categorize why it's good for us.

Getting to know our vege better, 

aly

How often do you incorporate these "superfoods" in your diet?

I don't really believe in the term superfoods, but anyway, what you see below, is packed with goodness, how much do you incorporate in your diet?

Hi-Ho Silver!

aly

Watermelon + Strawberry Popsicles

This post warrants the use of many colors. It just does, cause  this is a happy post and we gonna  make the easiest thing ever! Popsicles! No added sugar, no preservatives, creates the illusion that you have ice cream in your hands, not expensive and very satisfying in this crazy heat. Today, is the day for 

watermelon + strawberry popsicles :)

What do you need?

1. 5 Strawberries + half a small watermelon+ strawberry slices
2. Blender
3. Ice lolly/Popsicle molds
4. Refrigerator
5. Patience + hot weather + craving for something sweet and thirst quenching ;)

What do you do?

1. Put ingredients in blender (all except the strawberry slices)
2. Blend
3. Pour into molds
4. Add in strawberry slices
5. Freeze
6. Wait bout 6 hours
7. Consume :D

This is so simple & satisfying (esp for those who need to avoid processed food and refined sugar). For some reason, it just made me and the peeps at home really happy. I don't know why, maybe it's because it kinda makes you feel like a kid again. We ended up sitting together and discussing all the different flavors & fruit combinations we want to try out. Hehe! The popsicle molds had this straw like thing attached to it, which is great cause when it melts, you can just sluuurrrp the blended goodness.

Try it out! 

xxxxx aly

Juice fast preparation

I plan on going on a juice fast soon, so I'm slowly preparing for it. 

Today, me be drinkin 1litre of cucumber+celery+green apple juice. All you need is 1 cucumber, 1 packet of celery and 5 green apples.

Tally ho,

aly!

preservative free almond milk

Love Almonds? Love coconut water? Coolbeans, then try this! Almond milk, using coconut water! So easy to make and it's preservative free :)

Okay so, this is something you would make if you like nuts.. if not.. then don't.. it's not gonna be very drinkable. Also, unlike myself (who clearly got pretty excited about making this, please use half a packet of almonds and not a whole pack, cause it turned out really really nutty and thick, almost smoothie like). The almonds I bought were from Origins.

What you need to do:

1. Soak almonds for bout 7-8 hours (I just left them to soak overnight) Purpose of doing this? To remove enzyme inhibitors. (What are enzyme inhibitors? Okay so in our body right we have digestive enzymes and metabolic ones which help to break down food. Now if enzyme inhibitors aren't removed, they actually clog or denature active sites of enzymes (in our body), leading to a real strain on digestive mechanisms). So soak em before consuming them ya.
2. Strain it
3. Pour in coconut water into a bowl, put your almonds in (I used water from 2 coconuts)
4. Using a ladel, scoop out equal parts of almonds with coconut water 
5. Put each scoop in your blender
6. Blend
7. DRINK. heee heee

If you want, put in some dates and cinnamon powder while your blending, it'll make your milk nice and sweet.

No more buying these for me.. 

I have tried all of the above, they all have a synthetic taste, and come on.. if they were really so pure, well.. I don't think they'd expire next year.

                                                                                                                               xxx aly

weight loss updates

       

HAHA! love this pic.. anywayssssss...

So here's a quick update on my weight loss journey so far. The picture below is of me at my heaviest, 74 kgs, and me now, at 56 kgs. Usually, I wouldn't feel comfortable putting pictures like this up, because I'd be too embarrassed or self-conscious.. but you know what? I don't care anymore.. I just hope to be able to inspire someone and help someone believe in themselves enough to set a goal, and work towards achieving it. 

It's taken me at least 2-3 years to get to this weight, mainly because I don't take any short cuts. I've been aiming for sustainable weight loss, no quick fix solutions please. My journey isn't even close to coming to a halt though, because I know that I could feel even better from within, and that I need to find the right types of food and mind practices my body needs.

Something I've learned so far is that there is no one -size -fits-all type of diet for everyone.. being vegan for some is the best way of living, while being vegetarian or pescatarian or hey maybe even breatharian is best for others. There is also no one -size- fits- all sure way of burning calories that suits every-BODY. There has to be a reason why we have so many different ways of getting our heart rates up and perspiration going..right? Is running  going to be your way of losing fat? Or is Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, swimming, walking the dog, cycling or hitting the gym gonna be your thing?   

I have also come to learn that numbers on a weighing scale are not the most important determinants for good health. It's really actually about feeling energized, positive and happy, from within. I certainly know that I feel a lot more energetic now than I did when I was heavier, but I'm work in progress, and I know that I could feel so so much healthier.. it's just gonna take me more time to discover what truly works for me.

If you are trying to lose weight, here are some things which help me, which may help you too. You could start asking yourself questions such as.. 

What are you drinking? Are you still drinking soft drinks, fruit juice from packets, energizer drinks, alcoholic beverages, tea or coffee more than water? If you are.. why don't you try incorporating more water in your diet? Make drinking water more "fun" by adding lemon or cucumber, or even berries to your water to add some  natural flavor. Yeah and by natural flavor  I am referring to natural flavor  not the "natural flavor"  you will see in many "organic" and non-organic drinks out there. Consuming more water is going to help keep you hydrated, help cut back unnecessary calories ( otherwise found in canned drinks & those mentioned above), and help flush out toxins in the body. 

Feel like snacking? Track back.. what are you snacking on? Try to learn and understand your snacking habits.. do you snack when you are bored? Or when you are feeling emotionally worked up? Would drinking water actually satiate the hunger? Hmm.. time to get to know your snacking habits better.. 

Are you eating enough fruit and veggie daily? When you do feel like snacking.. train the palate to enjoy some juicy fruit like oranges, or yummy sweet treats like bananas.. you could even get fun with your food and make interesting images like this below :)

Before you are about to eat.. you could try asking yourself a few questions.. I'm not saying that we should spoil or disrupt the eating experience and begin to start feeling guilty about eating.. but you know, just really take some time to get to know yourself and understand your habits when it comes to the way you eat.. It will reveal so much about you, and even your emotional state, that soon enough, you are going to notice the connections and patterns.. all of which will work in your favor to helping YOU achieve your weight loss goals!

As I mentioned things such as your emotional state above.. I just want to reiterate the importance of having a healthy mind. You know, there is so much we don't realize about the way our mind is connected to.. well so many things, but in this case, our eating habits. As for me, when I am really stressed out, I tend to crave crap. Really, my favorite things to snack on are/were potato chips and biscuits. When I'm stressed out, I eat and crave sweet stuff. When I am upset, I usually don't want to eat..sometimes when I'm terribly upset I have noticed that I can go without eating for many many hours. So you see, creating a lovely balance in the mind, is so important. I am really still working on having a healthy mind.. I am going to try to meditate and pray more to help bring balance..what are your methods going to be?

Now, having said all of the above, don't forget about some self lovin.. and remember that.. it's..  

Just because you may not fit into a certain box, created by man, of how a woman should look, PLEASE don't give in to societal pressures. I just HATE how women have been conditioned to think they need to have perfect skin, to be curvy (but not too curvy to a point you'd be considered too thick okay?), to be skinny (but not too skinny, what about boobs and ass? Remember, it's all about boobs and ass.. boobs and ass..), to have toned bodies (but wait wait.. no muscles, we don't want you looking too manly), to have long hair (don't do the short hair thing please, what are you.. into women?), to have long thick hair (yeah come on, you, yes you, you know what you need? Hair extensions or.. what about some clip-in hair?), spotless skin (don't wanna be lookin at some golf ball..), hairless skin ( oh wait, oh thank god, I thought you were chewbacca for a minute..) stretch mark free skin, scar-less skin, manicured nails, the right clothes,  tight clothes (not too loose, don't be lookin like some grandma or a nun), fitted clothes which show the "right" amount of skin, to be wearing the right perfume (that will make any man unable to resist you), to be seen wearing or carrying what's in season or the right branded stuff ($500-$5000 dollar handbag anyone?), PLEASE.. the list could obviously go on,  but just  always remember, that a major key to happiness lies in acceptance of the self. Love you for you. Do things because YOU want to.Nobody has any right to tell you how you should or shouldn't look. (I am guilty of some of this behavior too, you know, never feeling good enough, needing to do this or that because that's how it "should" be. Sheesh, it's ridiculous guys!). 

If you are 88 kgs and as healthy as a horse, DON'T go trying to work out to reach 55 kgs just because you "SHOULD " be 55kgs. No! But if you are on the heavier side, and cannot seem to walk up a flight of stairs without panting, or if you just don't feel physically good from within, then come on, let your journey begin, start working it baby!

Hang in there, cause..... 

xxxxxxx aly

Losing weight

The other day, I met up with a close friend of mine I haven't seen in almost 3 years! Ohhh the giggles, stories we had to share and memories we reminisced about was amazing. She also told me it would be so great if I shared with other people how I managed to shed weight. So here goes, I shall share and hope that these tips benefit someone out there!

So, you may or may not know this but if you met me about 2.5 years ago, you would've met Alyssa who weighed 74Kgs. Today, after working out and eating right, I weigh 58 Kgs. 

Before I put on all that weight I was below 60Kgs, but while going overseas to study, getting too lazy to cook, stressed out with assignments and feeling too comfortable and happy and loved in my relationship, I put more than 10 Kgs! Anyways, I do have my ultimate goal which is to reach a healthy weight of somewhere between 52-55 Kg. Let's hope I can achieve that. I just thought I'd share with you how I managed to loose this weight and how I hope to continue to shed the extra weight. 

1. FEEL IT

If you want to lose weight, the drive comes from WITHIN. No amount of hurtful comments/teasing/ concern will take you to the place you need to be in to create change. Feel it baby, from within. 

    2. ACT ON IT

Once you feel it, you know it's intuition mixed with drive telling you to create change. YOU HAVE TO ACT ON IT because no one else is going to create change for you. 

   3.GET HELP

I am lucky enough to have had trainers advice me on what exercises I should do, as much as I hated weights, I was forced to use them during sessions. If you can get yourself to a gym, and get a trainer to help you out, do it. Find a trainer you gel with, otherwise you are going to end up abhorring the thought of working out, which makes everything tougher, cause working out already is tough.. imagine  having to put up with a trainer you dislike on top of that? 

   4. EAT

Eat. I eat all the time. No seriously,  I eat every few hours. In fact, when and if I don't eat on "time", I get into a very bad mood. Haha yes quite sad, but.. I need to eat. Don't get me wrong, I don't eat heavy meals every 2-3 hours, I eat light ones. It keeps me going, keeps the metabolism alive and kicking. TRUST ME, and don't listen to bullshit diets which swear that starving will get you results. In fact it is a book by Rujuta Diwekar which changed my attitude about eating. Get it if you want? It's called "Don't loose your mind, loose your weight". As you train and eat, LISTEN to your body ( I will elaborate on this point after number 5).. you are going to figure out what your body likes, what it dislikes, what bloats you, gives you water retention, what it loves, what will and won't pack on the pounds easily.

  5. EXPERIMENT

Try different types of work outs. At one point, all I used to do is run on a treadmill, now, things are just different. Weights, walks outside, skate skooting ( yes heheheh because it's so fun, come on!), Yoga, Aerobics, Dancing, I just looooove moving my body and working up a sweat! Also, try getting your hands on a PEDOMETER. The first time I came across this uber cool tiny gadget which counts how many steps you take was at my previous work place. It is just great, because a person needs to take an average of 10,000 steps a day to maintain their weight, so now you know, if you want to LOSE weight, up it, increase your number of steps to let's say.. 15,000?

6. KNOW YOUR BODY

I mentioned listening to your body under point 4. Honestly, a method which helped me / is helping me know my body better is Yoga. Why? Because Yoga helps you become more aware of your body.You become more in tune with what your body doesn't like, it's needs/cravings/things which don't agree with it..It's pretty awesome because then you start to realize what to put in your body, which types of food make you feel good after a meal, and which just make you feel horrible once consumed.

7. NO WHITES PLEASE

Try to cut out the white stuff.  What I mean is, no processed bleached white breads, no white rice, no refined white products  Try switching to the browns, whole grains, wholemeal. It may take a while to get used to, but once your taste buds become more familiar with these new taste sensations, oooo you will get used to it. I'm sure you will! This isn't just for weight loss purposes, this will result in you have better digestion, skin, energy, and health :) ( BTW, eating the whites of your eggs, don't cut that out, don't cut out tofu either.. you kinda get the drift here right about the whites? yes, the unhealthy white stuff is the stuff to cut out).

6. PUSH

If you don't see results as quickly as you hoped you would, IT'S OKAY. Just continue to push. As you push , imagine or envision how you feel and look once you have achieved your ideal weight ( or goals in life, really, this can be applied to anything !)  keep envisioning it- make it happen. PUSH!

7. REWARD

Always be kind and grateful to your body. Give thanks for your health, for the fact that you can run, so many people cannot, that you can walk, that you have access to various sources of information to learn what you need to. When you indulge ( when eating cake for example) , indulge fully, be in the moment, give it a 100% and try not to feel guilty when enjoying what you are indulging in. I'm getting used to this too, because think of it, how can you really truly enjoy that piece of cake if all you think of are the calories, or how long you have to run to burn off what you just ate?

Envision, Act, Push, Let Go, Breath & Give Thanks!