I Made A Change to be Healthy and Look Better

I have been battling with my weight since 2016, shortly after I got married. Injured my knee while doing yoga and that was it. I couldn't exercise anymore. I could barely move. And so, I let myself go, way off all the rails and tracks. It took me almost a year to recover. Countless visits to specialists, biopsy, weekly drips of lacking vitamins in my body, and in the end, only steroids could rid off the inflammation on my knee. And you know what happens after you take steroids, you bloat up. My face got so round within 3 days and I never looked the same ever since.

And so, began my motherhood journey in 2017. One of the mistakes I made was assuming that as long as I breastfeed my baby, I will lose the extra weight in no time. I believed it because so many people kept telling me that. You see, I breastfed my son for two years. And because being a mom totally made a 360° change to my life and routine, I just assumed that as long as I breastfeed my kid for as long as I can (2 years limit) and being a working mom who has no time to do anything else, that would do the deed. Boy, was I wrong. Also, the major culprit was my sweet tooth! During the first two years of being a mom, I never really watched what I ate. I consumed a lot of food that could boost my milk production (vanilla milkshake was one of them).

So you see, I can list down all the bad choices that led to my weight gain, but I'd rather not. And hey, there's no one to be blamed but me! And that's really important. Admitting your own faults is key to change your lifestyle for a better one. To make a change, you've got to realize and "make that change" (cue: Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror"). Or else, you'll be stuck like in a pandora box.

Anyway, enough background story of my weight gain. So, I've lost at least 6kgs since I started to make a change to my lifestyle (story on the beginning of my weight loss journey in another post soon!). The picture below may not do much justice and from what I can see here, although it looked like I didn't really lose much, I think I was able to trim a bit of my chubby cheeks and elongated my jawline a little. ;)

(Left pic was taken in March 2020, right pic was taken in Nov 2020.)

Here are some tips that I go by towards a healthier lifestyle and also to stick with it!

1. It's Now or Never

That's right, my friend. The time is NOW. Once you procrastinate your plan to start a healthier lifestyle, you'll never start until it's too late. Ask yourself why you need to start now. Is it because you've exceeded your BMI (overweight/obese)? Your current weight or physical limits you to do certain activities? Health wise? You hate how you look like now and tired of shopping for clothes because what you like don't come in your size and even if they do, you look horrible in it? There's really no wrong reason for this. Figure it out and once you've determined that reason, trust me, you'll make no excuses anymore. As simple as that. For me, besides a healthier self, I want to like what I see when I stand in front of the mirror. Call me vain, but what's a girl if she's not a vain in her DNA.

2. What do You Want to Do?

So, the next step is what are you gonna do? What healthier lifestyle are you going for? What should change? Whether it's to start slow by eating better and counting your calories, follow a detox and meal replacement program, or go physical and just work out? The golden rule of thumb when you're making a change or starting a new habit or routine is to do it SLOWLY BUT SURELY. This new change might not work around your schedule, your commitments and even your health and body. Test the water and see if the temp's right. What I'm trying to say here is see if the change you are making blends well with your life without having to adjust so drastically or cause any harm to you. Because no matter how good the change is going to be for you, no one likes changes - it's just downright human nature.

3. Know Your Body Type - Find Out the Best Workout For Your Body

Before you start your nutrition regimen and training, it's a good idea to figure out your body type so you can build a workout program for your specific body type: the 3 main body types are ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Knowing which of the three basic body types you're closest to will help you better tailor your diet and workout plan to meet your needs and set realistic, attainable goals that pave the way to your success. My body type is close to an endomorph, therefore, I will benefit more from endurance training by maintaining a relatively fast training pace and using moderate weights. In terms of the best diet, I should cut on carbs and eat more protein.

4. Know How Your Metabolism Works - Find the Trigger

Boosting metabolism is the holy grail of weight watchers everywhere. It should be at the top of your mind when you're trying to lose weight. If you've ever had trouble losing weight, your slow metabolism could be the cause of it and no matter what diet regime you follow, if you don't find a trigger that can boost your basal metabolic rate, nothing will work and this WILL make you give up. So find that TRIGGER. Mine is as simple as eggs and coffee, first thing in the morning.

5. It's Not Just your Hair that Needs Conditioning, So Does Your Body

Yep. That's right. There are so many dieting tips that can help you avoid diet pitfalls but one thing that can actually help you achieve lasting weight-loss success: CONDITIONING your body. Did you know that dieting and exercising are not enough? Here's how I see it. I believe that diet and exercise work hand in hand. In order for you to achieve your personal fitness goals, you have to follow a clean diet or simply, "eating right". Even if you're cutting calories, that doesn't mean you have to eat less food, you just gotta eat ENOUGH. And in order to not just lose weight but also get fit, you need to condition your body by working out so that your dieting efforts don't go in vain. If you want to get fit and not flabby, try body conditioning workouts. They target your whole body and that's the best part. They use different muscles to strengthen, shape and tone your body. Body conditioning increases flexibility, improves endurance and establishes a balanced physique. Isn't that just great? Common examples of body conditioning workouts are squat jumps, box jumps, split jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, and lateral lunges. Try these out and you'll see a difference, one you might like.

6. Make Time for Yourself - Have a Date with Yourself

Oh, there are so many things you can do to get reacquainted with yourself. One of it is to exercise. I'm a working mom of a hyper toddler and my day stops when I hit the sack. But if you think about it, there's got to be a time where you can slip a workout even for 30mins. You just got to MAKE TIME. I mean, if you have time to scroll through your newsfeed on social media, then you've got time for a short workout. Don't make excuses. For me, I don't like to take time away from my quality time with my son, so I sacrifice my sleep ins. I'll wake up an hour early before my day actually starts to go for my brisk walk or jog outside. And if it rains, I'll tune in to YouTube and workout at home in front of the TV. My favourite to follow is the 5km walking-aerobics by Leslie Sansone. It doesn't matter which time of day, just do it, even if it's a simple workout like walking. Don't let the rain stop you either. You can do as much working out indoor as you do outdoors.

7. Solo or With a Friend

For my walks or jog outdoor, I prefer to go alone. I don't like to feel pressured when I exercise with someone, be it a friend or relative, tbh. Yes, it's not a competition, but when my workout buddy seems to be doing better than me, say, walks or jogs faster, I know I will feel pressured and fear of being left behind. When it comes to exercising, the rule of thumb is to never compare yourself with others. Do it at your own pace. Don't rush and push yourself too hard as this will compromise your body's ability to bounce back and you'll end up feeling achy or sore. This can also mean having to take a longer break from working out. What a bummer! However, when it comes to dancing workouts like zumba or other physical activities like yoga, aerobics, it's best to do it with a friend or family because, why not? Make it fun while you're at it!

8. Workout Playlist - What's Your Workout Jam?

Music can help distract us from the pain and fatigue from the workouts. It also elevates our mood, increases endurance and improves the quality of our workouts. But I believe that listening to the RIGHT music is key to lift us up through our workout journey; outdoor and indoor. When I listen to the right music during my walks or jogs, I tend to walk or jog faster and farther than usual without even realizing it. Previously, my workout playlist consisted of EDMs. But then I switched to my evergreen favourites -  BACKSTREET BOYS! And hail to the ol' boys, my workouts are even better and more fun now! This is legit MY JAM! So yes, I stand by this - the right music will motivate and inspire you to work harder during your exercise routine.

9. Make it a Leisure

Try not to see exercising or working out as a deadbeat routine because if you do, you'll perceive it as something forceful and not fun. Try to see it as a leisure activity. Spend your leisure time to improve your physical fitness. It's like killing two birds with a stone, you see. You get to do something of quality to your health and body at the same time as enjoying your leisure time. Once you're done with your leisure-time-exercise, you'll end up having more time to do other things. Time savvy, huh?

10. Treat/Reward Yourself

When you are working hard on yourself in many different ways, you still gotta give yourself a break at some point. Hey, even champions take breaks in their training. Take time away from your personal physical developments so you can come back stronger. And while you're at it, reward yourself too. Indulge your sweet tooth with your favourite dessert. It's okay. Hey, you've been working so hard on your body, take a breather and let loose just a little bit (read: must prevail self control!). Bear this motto in mind - burn back what you gained. During my break, I'd go for The Daily Grind or Kenny Hills Bakers Strawberry & Cream Waffles. Oh, so scrumptious!