Happy Feet!

These shoes certainly look like my other Skechers ballerinas, the difference though is I never had blisters even during the first time I wore them. These are the most comfortable shoes I've ever had! Though they look like ordinary ballerinas from topview, they are a bit dorky when viewed from the side. (See below photo.) Don't judge the book by its cover goes the cliche and it goes for this pair as well.

They are like MBTs, fitness shoes that claim to promote weight loss, tone your muscles, and improve your posture without going to the gym. You'd think, is that even possible? Well, here’s a little background on this kind of shoe: they basically work by putting you off balance. The heel is set slightly lower than normal shoes and the bottom of the shoe is curved, so your muscles are constantly working to keep you balanced and centered.

I am a walker, I walk the kids from the tram stop to school and then back, I walk from the tram stop going home, I walk my youngest to the kindergarten and back, in between I'd go to the grocery, the bank or just take photos around the city and most importantly I preach. I'd say I walk an average 2 hours a day (1 hour minimum, 3 hours at most) so at the end of the day, my feet are dead tired. Sometimes, I would change shoes when I have the chance but still there'd be pain.

I had planned on buying another type when I received a 10€ gift certificate from a shoeshop. I can't remember though how I came about the Shape ups but when I walk in the store I thought I'd have a look on consumer reviews. There are many positive comments from users that I read  saying that their muscles toned and that they went down 1 (others more) size smaller.  :D It could be or could be not but I've been cutting down on rice, I've been doing ab workout, climbing up the stairs (we live on the 9th floor) that today I wore a pair of pants that I've kept for some time since they don't fit anymore. A  neighbor even came up to me and asked what am I doing to lose weight! :D Winter came so I had to change to boots. I planned on buying the shape up boots but I had no budget for it then.

Winter passed by so I can wear this pair again. I do think there's a big difference in my posture before and now with these shoes, I am dropping the idea of taking diet pills. I am also confident that along with shape ups, biking, jogging and a regular trip to the gym (I haven't been there for 2 weeks), I'd be able to achieve the weight I want. I also am most assured at the end of the day my feet are not tired, they are happy!

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A post for:

Muscles

I'm determined to really lose them stubborn fats so I've been building up muscles....I learned that the best way to do that is to consume the right amount of protein especially after a workout. Consuming protein after a strength training workout is critical to muscle recovery and hydration and would help build muscle fast.

I also read that because the body is in a state where it metabolizes the food digested quickly, protein rich foods are best digested at this time. My choices would be tuna and egg sans the yolk...and lots of water of course. Experts suggest whey protein, a mixture of globular proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production; which can easily be purchased at the gym, I've yet to try that. A whey protein shake will be digested by your body much quicker than a whole food because it will be a liquid. And, not to mention, whey protein is the fastest digesting protein there is. This is what makes whey protein pretty much the official choice of most people as their post workout meal protein source. I however, prefer tuna most of the time. Here's a tuna dish I really enjoy.

So let's see in some weeks where this would take me. I'm glad that I don't need diet pills to actually lose some weight...I've yet to look at the fit yummy mummy menu to add a bit more healthy food into my diet. Tata!

The Fitness Program that never was

Before our Pinas vacation I kept babbling about being fit. I bought a pair of skechers shape-ups. I was at the gym 4 times a week. I was in a high-protein, low-fat diet and my weight dramatically decreased. --- Just for a while. Being at home means endless pigouts...sisig, sushi, noodles, puto, barbecue, ube cake, ube ice cream, halo-halo, chicharon, bulalo and well, just look at this shirt with a list of popular pinoy food. :D

Coming back, I stayed home with the kids since it's summer and they are not registered to any kindergarten. Yes, we would occasionally go out for walks in my shape-ups.I planned to do my regular gym work when school started in September. I wasn't able to do so because there are still so many schoolstuff to do. I am also trying to attain citizenship so I'm always on the go.

I've stopped the diet for a while though I still can't help but look at diets around the net. Like mushrooms on a rainy day, diets and strategies to lessen food-intake sprout everyday.

The hCG diet is one of those that has been a hype for many years now. The acronym hCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin). It is a hormone produced during pregnancy by the cells that form the placenta. It is said that the hormone helps in correcting one's metabolism. It is always paired with a low-calorie diet.

The  foods allowed on hcg diet are composed of a well balanced nutrition from fruit, vegetables and meat, fish or poultry. Still, many are not convinced of the hCG, I'm not an expert on this so I may not try but I'd surely go on the gym as soon as schedule permits...bring back my routine and eat healthy. My fitness program for the past month may have gone to waste but it's not too late to start again. As we are often reminded; there is no easy way in keeping an a-ok bod....so I'd be taking it one step at a time.

Growing...bigger not taller!

One time I picked up the little boy from the daycare center, his playmate came to me and said hello. He's a cute little boy with blue round eyes...just when my son started in the day care, he was just a baby. Time really flies fast, I said, and the caregiver, the boy's mom are in agreement with that. The mom said how fast was is that her son is so tall now, upon hearing this my little boy said, we all grow, even us parents. The caregiver jokingly said yes, we grew bigger and wider not taller! True, we're not getting any younger nor thinner, this is really depressing it makes me want to believe that there are really diet pills out there that can help me shed off some pounds. Sadly, they turn out to be fads most of the time. I heard maybe you've heard about lipozene, fenterdren or the ever famous bangkok pills but I haven't heard of one that is a surefire way to help ypu reduce weight...*sigh*

Beauty suffers....so true, so true!

Diet pills

The information highway has lots to give about diets, health and nutrition and even the best weight loss products and the top rated diet pills in the market. There are different trainings recommended, tablets that works as suppresants, food intake diets, cleansing methods, plastic cloth therapy, skin-tightening lotions, medical treatment all for the goal of making one's self look better.

I must admit I have tried some of those (not all lol!), and none has worked with lasting results so far. I have been to the gym, tried the negative calorie diet and the gm diet but still, I'd look ok then fat, ok then fat and I'm just tired of it. I wasn't able to do my plan to do Pilates in February but I did the belly dancing...and a lot more other bits of loosing the big F! Let's see...

Diet...and some

So what about diets that work? I've been going non-stop about them on my food blog and here I am again...

Aside from the belly dancing class I attend on Wednesday mornings, there isn't really much movement I do. I only do some walking, well not some, I walk when bringing and picking the kids to and from school and when I buy groceries. I also walk  when I get off the tram to reach home, there's a bus that I can take for one stop to our place but I do the walk for the exercise but this isn't really enough to make me sweat. Then I do some wii-fit exercises when I feel like it...

Since I took the belly dancing class and been doing hoola hoops and step ups I noticed a tightening on certain muscle areas. I like what I'm seeing. So in line with this I added the biking routine and a little bit of cut down on eating. ;) My goal is 3 months, hopefully I'd be fit as to how I want that time.