WAGING A FULL-BLOWN BATTLE OF THE BULGE =)

Earlier this year, I decided on a New-Year's-Cum-Birthday-Resolution that by the time I hit 40, I would have to be down to my weight when I was 30. Ang yabang ko. Haha! I, of course, at that time, was thinking I had the whole year ahead of me, and that I was the type anyway who can lose weight quickly if I just put my mind into it. What I did not realize, of course, was that sometime between my 35th year and my 39th, my stupid metabolism decided it had nothing else left to prove and that it was time to slow down. Gr. Hay!

My lackadaisical metabolism was, of course, further aggravated by my seefood diet. I see food, I eat it. Gr.

The extent of how much I've gained is best summed up in a post I previously wrote in my...uh...old friendster blog. =p It's one of my favorite stories and one that I do not tire of rehashing. I always have a good laugh everytime I remember--all at my own expense, of course. I won't go into details, but you can read it here if you have time. =D

In any case, three months to go before I hit the big 4-0, I decided to get down to business. I decided as a starting point to weigh myself on the scale. My target weight is to go back to 94-97 lbs. (Yes, up until I hit 35, I had no problem keeping my weight below 100 lbs. Bliss. =)) Now here I was, thinking I was only about 110 lbs, but I decided to make it official anyway. Using the office weighing scale, I weighed myself and had to gasp when the digital reading threw back 118.5. NOOOOOOOOOOO. WAAAAAAAAAAAY. "Bullet," I said matter-of-factly,"sira ang scale mo!" Haha. =)

Still in denial, I decided to weigh myself again in Father's trusty digital scale once I get home to House Better over the weekend. Quite confident, I stepped onto the scale, eyes closed. With one eye, I squinted at the reading on the scale. 118.4. Darn! Ano ba! Lech. Sira din ang scale ni Father! Hahahahaha! ;p

I simply could not believe it. I mean I know I get ribbed a lot about the weight I've gained, but have I really let myself go that much?! Apparently, yes, and it was time to do something about it. Wah. =S

First, however, I needed some sort of motivation. Some sort of North Star that I can guide myself against to track my progress. See, I know myself. With the first person who tells me, "I've lost some weight", I'd be off celebrating with a venti coffee frap or a cup of froyo. So I decided to look through my archives for a photo of the "old me" I should be gunning after. I decided on this. It was a photo of me soon after I meat Hubby Sweet. Goodness, I couldn't believe this was taken just a little over 5 years ago! Santa Barbara. =S

Then, I suppose I was inspired by about 5 or so people in the office who have lost weight (some of them older than me, some of them in a perpetual diet without much success). Thing is, they were all on the Cohen diet which requires you to get blood tests and pay P50,000 (yes, I kid you not--albeit, supposedly in staggered payments) for a list of items you can and can't eat and in what quantities. I marveled at their weight loss (some as much as 20 lbs to date), but decided I have better use for my P50K. I decided to just strictly follow--one way or another--the South Beach diet (or something like it) which previously worked for me.

Quite serendipitously, two of my friends told me about the protein shake which came in choco or berry flavors. They've been taking it along with supplements that had one of them losing 10 lbs after one week, and the other 18 lbs and going after years of struggle with her weight. I can drink the shake as a meal replacement for a week, and I'm even allowed to eat fruits as snacks. "Hmmmm...," I thought, "it's not something I can do long-term, but I suppose doing it for a week wouldn't be too bad". So I tried the routine for a week, but while I lost weight, I did not lose as drastic a weight as my friend. "Oh, well," I thought, as realization sunk in, "There really won't be a shortcut for me this time."

What it did allow me to do is to rebuild some form of discipline with re: eating on time, eating the right of food and resisting the chips, pastries and sugar drinks that are regularly served to us during meetings. While it did not allow me to lose weight as drastically as my friends did, it, at least, allowed me that. =)

What I am thankful for, at least, is that I am back on track as far as healthy eating is concerned. Fruits and veggies have become my friends; chips have become the enemy. (Mantra until I get every single pound of excess weight off: "I would love to see my jawline again more than I love eating chips....I would love to see my jawline again more than I love eating chips...." Haha. =)) I've also done away with rice for now.

In the past few weeks or so, Goolai has been my favorite lunch buddy. I discovered it along with a office friends a few years ago when they still delivered to our old Citibank office. 'Am not sure if they still deliver these days, but thankfully, these "to-go" salads are available at the Robinson's Supermarket near House Pioneerso I get my stash at least once a week. I prefer their fruit vinaigrettes over their cream-based dressings (with the exception of their Tex-Mex salad). Goolai has made healthy eating really good for me. =)

Imagine:

Mixed Greens with Poppyseed Vinaigrette. Mixed greens with chicken strips, mangoes, strawberries, dragonfruit, walnut and poppyseed vinaigrette.

Mixed Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette. Mixed greens with peaches, kiwi, dragon fruit, raisin, Feta cheese, honey almonds with raspberry vinaigrette.

Tex-Mex Ranch. Aaaah, this one shouldn't be considered a salad really. Haha. Still, I choose to consider it so because of the veggie, never mind the other ingredients. =D Mixed greens with ground beef, tomatoes, onion, grated cheese, nachos with tex-mex ranch dressing. =D


In addition to my North Star picture, I have decided to weigh myself only once a week using Father's digital scale in House Better. I wanted to lose weight, but I did not want to be obsessed by it. I do weigh myself every morning in the House Pioneer scale, but that scale is in kilos so I really just use it as a guide but don't obsess by converting the kilogram readings into pounds. So far, after 3 weeks, I've lost 6 lbs. Definitely not as quickly as I used to do it, no, but Hubby Sweet tells me 2 lbs a week is not a bad pace. I figured a week or two more of getting my system used to my new eating habits, then I'll pick up exercising again. (I know enough that unless I do actual cardio-exercises, I may lose weight, but I will be hard-pressed to lose the extra fat in the tummy area. =))

Another serendipitous discovery in this hopefully-not-so-quixotic-quest of mine is the Blood Type Diet. Two Saturdays ago, I was in the office (saying goodbye to what would have been a long weekend); there were last minute changes and back-up requirements for the Board Presentations. I arrived to find our CFO eating a plateful of pineapples.

"Breakfast?" I teased.

"Actually, yes," he replied, " I've lost 3 lbs this week just eating pineapples instead of bananas." Then he proceeded to tell me about this book that his sister brought home for him that states that people tend to digest and process certain types of food according to how well they react to the inherent chemistry in their blood (thus the term Blood Type diet).

"Depending on your blood type," he continued, "there is a chart of meats, grains, seafood, fruits, vegetables, etc. that would be most beneficial for you in the sense that it can be best processed by your system, food that are neutral and food that you should avoid entirely. It's a book by Dr. D'Adamo, but I can't remember the title right now. I think the book is also available locally. Try checking in National."

A quick internet check enabled us to get the specific title: Eat Right for Your Type by Dr. Peter D'Adamo. I did manage to find a copy in Fully Booked Boni High, except that they were out of the original Eat Right version so I got the Cook Right for Your Type version instead.

The original has the full explanation of why eating based on your blood type makes sense, but the Cook Right version provides a good enough overview of the rationale behind the type of food that each blood type needs to maximize and/or avoid. In addition, it provides several recipes that can set you down the path of blood type dieting. I've been at it since late last week (at least as far as the type of food is concerned), but this week I'll start being strict on the quantities and frequency as well. We'll see how it goes. =)

Before I decided to take things seriously, I picked my North Star. I suppose it also makes sense to post a starting point. =) The picture below was taken outside Dong Bei in a recent Binondo outing with college friends. (Thank you, Annette, for the pic. 'Hope you don't mind me using it. =)) To be fair, I looked happy, but I suppose that is not the point. I want to be happy, but look sexy. Haha! ;D

With only a little over 2 months to go before I hit the big 4-0, I suppose I've got my work(out =p) cut out for me.

Good God. Heaven help me. =)

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Goolai Salad Packs are available in most supermarkets. I'm fairly sure they're available in Robinson's, Rustan's and Landmark. Check your favorite supermarket's chiller section for availability. The last time I went, they also have a stand-alone kiosk in Virra Mall. =)

If you want to know more about Eating Right for Your Type, click here for the official site. As I tried to find out more about this type of diet, I found that it was also featured in Livestrong.com--which, rightly or wrongly, built more credibility for it for me. O, sya. =)