I did it my way

I have been battling with my weight ever since I can remember, almost always I was the biggest girl in class or anywhere for that matter. Very rare there's someone bigger than me. I did manage to shed about 20kgs when I was about 19 right after I had my appendix out. Managed to keep it off until I got married at 22. Since I did it the wrong way, there were moments I was dabbling with being bulimic. I couldn't/didn't keep it up when I got married, being the foodie that loves to cook I am.

My weight ballooned up at unbelievable rate within 15 years. I was battling with infertility, hated where I was in live and was quite disgusted with how I look each I look into the mirror.

And one day before Ramadan, I think about a week before, something just struck in me. I NEED change. I need to get a hold of my life. And the easiest thing I could do is something that doesn't involve other. The change must be about me. I challenged myself. To see if I still have anything left of the old fighting spirit.

I started controlling my food intake, with Ramadan it wasn't too hard. I cooked my own food, staying away from the normal Ramadan fares + the bazaar Ramadan. I went on a fat-free, no oil, no red meat diet. Meal consist of a dinner plate 1/2 filled with veges (raw/blanched), 2 tablespoon of carb + remaining being white fish / chicken breast that I oven bake/steam with loads of herbs & spices. Fruit is a must. And yes I take tonnes of yogurt, as part of the meal. I was taking 1 meal a day, sahur is just some tamar.

The weigh started melting, I lost about 7kgs in the 1st week - which I know perfectly well are just water loss, but hey! It was really showing. A week on, I started walking daily for an hour in the evening just before iftar. It was truly murder in the beginning, but I kept to it. Chanting to my self 'The pain in my legs are not as bad as the pain in my heart caused by being stuck in this body I hate'. From the 2km on the 1st day, I was up to 3.5km and then 5km within the month.

Aidilfitri came and went, I stuck to my regime. Never touching anything but my own food. Surprised quite a few people with the changes as I did not talk about it at all, made sure no photos are on my FB that even hinted of the things I was doing. By then I've lost about 15kg, the changes was quite obvious, even my skin has gotten better. And I was doing it all drug free, none of those weight-loss program. The only extra supplement I take is Lecithin on top of my usual multivitamins. And yes I weight myself daily as to know what help with loss/gain. Oh, btw, after each meal I sometimes weight almost 1.5kg more, but I know this are all water & etc. and it will just go away in less than 12 hours.

It's been about 6 months, I am still on the journey, though not as strict as before, I do take normal food in very controlled manner - just for the taste of it. I walk 3-4 times a week (up to 5 miles sometimes). I have lost more than 35kg. I still need to join the gym to tone up. I target 5-8kg more, I know this is not going to be easy at all, but I believe I can do it. And the bonus, I am actually smaller than some of those beauties during school/college time! 

My BMI is down by 14 points, from morbid obese to plain overweight ;) And 8kgs more, I will for the 1st time in my life join you normal people.

Lastly ladies, if I can do it, anyone can!

got my 'delicious' fix

After our 3rd bad experience at Delicious Straits Quay, I have officially put the place on my banlist.

The problem is, I have always loved the food at Delicious, counting the days for them to finally open in Penang. But one year on, their food and service has gotten from bad to worse, serving desert that has gone bad and claiming that that's how its being served. Always out of key ingredients for a dish but still going ahead to serve.Hence we have forgo the place for quite a bit. 

And today while on my quickie 15 hours day trip to KL, we decided to have lunch at the One Utama outlet.

Zz had Mama's Beef Bolognese Spaghettini
with Meatballs and Parmesan while I went for the Spicy Crabmeat Linguini tossed with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Arugula, sprinkled with Pine Nuts. Desert was Peach and Banana Crumble Slice with Vanilla Ice Cream.

I pronounce cravings fixed.

(Left to right) Mama's Beef Bolognese Spaghettini, Spicy Crabmeat Linguini, Peach and Banana Crumble.

note : this entry is written on the North-South Highway, somewhere between Trolak and Sungkai while I am sitting in an Aeroline bus heading toward Penang. 21 Jump Street is on the tv, bleargh...

for the love of cooking and the day I chased the wolf

just the cookbooks

These are some of what I managed to grab at the Big Bad Wolf Sale 2012 last friday/saturday. We were there from 10:30pm and left the checkout counter at 4:30am. If anyone were to ask me if they should go, I'd say they are crazy not to, considering the prices (most are at 80% off current retail price!) and the choices and varieties of topics available.

Yes, I went there with the intention of getting cookbooks mostly. I have been waiting for this sale for almost a year, and cookbooks are indeed the major part of the loot. Most of those on my wishlist from Jamie Oliver & Nigella Lawson was indeed on sale at 20% of it's original price, so what was I to do but to grab whatever that caught my fancy. 
 

• MEDITERRANEAN FOOD OF THE SUN
• THE FOODIE HANDBOOK
• WAGAMAMA WAYS WITH NOODLES
• GORDON'S GREAT ESCAPE: SOUTHEAST ASIA
• AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY : FAST LOW-FAT MEALS
• AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY : EASY ENTERTAINING
• AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY : CASSEROLES
• AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY : QUICK & EASY CURRY
• AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY : OLD FASHIONED FAVOURITES
• AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY : CHOCS & TREATS
• THE MIDDLE EASTERN KITCHEN
• THE JAPANESE KITCHEN
• HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS
• NIGELLA FRESH
• NIGELLA KITCHEN
• NIGELLA EXPRESS
• NIGELLA BITES
• NIGELLA LAWSON FEAST : FOOD TO CELEBRATE LIFE
• FOREVER SUMMER by NIGELLA LAWSON
• THE NAKED CHEF TAKES OFF
• JAMIE'S AMERICA
• JAMIE'S FOOD REVOLUTION
• HAPPY DAYS WITH THE NAKED CHEF
• THE NAKED CHEF
• JAMIE AT HOME
• JAMIE'S KITCHEN 
• SUGAR AND SPICE by LAUREN CONRAD

Apart from all these, I got books for the two boys - Scholastic Reading Series, Little Men, Malay novels & sudoku books for mom and some fictions, mostly spy-thrillers by Robert Ludlum & crime fictions by Micheal Conelly. Plus some chick-lits, though I couldn't get as many as I wanted to, I had planned to numb my brain in between cooking sessions with those in the year 2013. Couldn't find any of Lee Child either. Nor any books on poetry. Most prolly they are out there, I just didn't see any.

I doubt I even covered 20% of the whole sale, so many sections was missed or rather I had to give a miss due to lack of time and energy running really low by 2am. I didn't even get to go down the aisle for Self-Help, Biography or Art & Photography. Lucky for me I came across some gems while lining up to pay, these are unwanted books left along the way on the tables between the lines to the checkout, other people's rejects are priceless to me. While I wish I could go again, to really take my time and slowly go through what BBW has to offer, I think I'll give the next sale a miss, and be back at the one in 2014 - unless I can get more bookcases, I really appreciate what I thought was a sarcastic remark by Zz about going to IKEA next to get new book cases next (he said that while we were heading toward the checkout with 2 trolley worth of books between the 3 of us)turns out to be a sincere suggestion. And yes we did get a new 25 cubbies Expedit plus a new work chair for me :)

The sale is on from December 7 to 23, 9am to 9pm. Don't forget to bring your own trolley or trolley bag as lugging around your selections will be a murder eventhough they do provide 'storage' service for your shopping so you can keep going back for more, remember to wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to spend at least 3-4 hours there. While drink and food are not allowed into the sale area, there's a mezzanine floor where refreshments are being sold and they even have massage chairs for your tired body and feet.

Now everyone, go to the Big Bad Wolf Sale! Time to feed your mind people, stretch your imagination, after all most books cost less than a cup of latte.

for the love of reading

Another gem from my all time favorite movie