My Gym Routine

My first fitness entry. :) I would like to share my gym routine for my age and my physical level. I normally go to the gym after work, which is during afternoon. Honestly, I never hire a personal trainer, tooooo costly and I think I'm good enough do the work out on my own.

1. For warm up, I walk on a treadmill for about 15 to 30 minutes depending on my mood. Set the treadmill machine to incline 4.5. Warming up is important to loosen muscles by increasing the blood flow and body temperature. It also reduce the risk on injury. 

Few times my warming up session not 'warm' enough and what happen on next day..? My leg's joints stiff, I can’t wear heels and I walk like pregnant penguin. 

2. Jogging and running. By the time I start jogging, my body temperature is ready to receive advance work out. Reduce the incline to 0, and speed around 7 to 9. Now run run run. Run until I’m heavily sweating and I will make sure the % on the treadmill machine will reach 100% or at least 2km of running. Be sure that always on the right posture while running. Heart beat so fast now, time to cool down by brisk walk for about 3 minutes.

3. Cross trainer. This is any different form of activity besides running like cycling, skiing and stepper. I go for ski first for 20 minutes and later I will get the stepper for 30 minutes (Stepper is my most favorite cross training activity). I found that cross training after running is great, because its helps to increase my fitness while giving my running muscles a break. 

My tips: Watch TV during the workout or listen to mp3 or watch other people doing their workouts, it’s downright entertaining and maybe you can learn a new style or trick to the same machine.

4. Sit up part. Sit up (or abs routines) won’t make you skinny because it does not burn fat but it builds muscle. With the aid of sit up bench, I can do 300 sit ups (25 sit up – rest – 25 sit ups – rest – so on). When I’m done with sit up, I go for weight training. Weight training is ideal for increasing my energy and stamina. I’m not always do this because the machines always full. Guys love to do weight training to get muscles. I admit that I’m not very good with the weight training.

That's all my normal gym routine. Here are few tips.

Every time I switch an activity one to another, I drink at least 3 glasses of water to replenish my body fluids to keep my body hydrated. Drink water prior to exercise, while exercising and drink even more water after workout to replenish fluids lost when sweating. 

Sometime I found that doing the same thing every time is boring. So I change it up and see what works best in my situation. Mix up the workout segments to keep it interesting. For example, instead doing sit ups at the machines, hit the floor mat and do basic sit-up.

Once in awhile, leave the gym floor and machines and take different classes like yoga burn, kick boxing, self defense, dancing, body jam or anything that looks fun. It's a nice break and different muscles are used for different routines.

Done with the work out, I will have steam bath before I shower. So refreshing and walk out of the gym feeling powerful, alive and proud.

I believe that many of us trying very hard to reduce weight. I hope my gym routine and tips are helpful.

FOTD : Bright Lips

A bright lipstick is the easiest way to get eye-catching looks and demands attention. 

Pair bright lips with a pale, almost makeup-free face, keeping the rest of your makeup simple. Adding bright cheeks and smoky eyes will have you looking like a drag queen.

Actually I woke up late from bed and this is a quick and easy look for me. Match a bright lips with a skin tone's eyeshadow and a generous layer of eyeliner, few strokes of mascara and blusher. There you go.

Till then, welcome 2011. Happy New Year everyone. Have a blast year ahead.

Lazy Sunday

CAN SOMEONE DO LAUNDRY FOR ME..? PLEASE

Birthday Haircut ( Pic Heavy)

For many years, I keep my hair mid length. I think mid length haircuts look amazingly stylish and a perfect choice for most women, because of their versatility and low maintenance and of course femininity. I haven't cut my hair since September, i'm too tight with workloads and now for my birthday (it a must-do every year) I want give my hair a cut. I will remain a mid length hairstyles but with paired with a gorgeous set of side swept layered bangs. Please Serene..

Rich lather

Start blow hair

She talks to security guard

Chop chop chop chicken chop

Fringe

Done

This is the place called

 The perasan me

My Birthday

16th December, a day that is all mine, my birthday :). No matter how old I get, I always feel like a child when it's my birthday. Yup, still a kid at heart, no matter how many candles are on that cake.(I just turned 27 in case you were wondering). Do I look like 27..? Oh Gosh 3 years more to reach 3-0. But it happens to everyone. 

I was very lucky to receive much love this year. Loads of sweet sms texts and lovely facebook messages and comments. Dear all, thanks so much for your doa and wishes. 

Simply Penang

What makes the Assam Laksa tasty is the strong aroma of the herbs, the sourness of the soup and the quality of the prawn paste. The aroma and looks of this Assam Laksa is nice but the taste is something like onion version. The blended onion definitely kills the Assam Laksa kick. I can’t finish a bowl of this Assam Laksa. Ah Cheng Assam Laksa still the best for me.

Lor Bak. This is my new favorite. I can translate this as marinated chicken, and rolled into erm..a sheet. Not a popiah sheet. But I love love and love this as it is not spicy at all and the meat tender and tasty enough. It served with some salad and two specially prepared dipping sauce. One dipping sauce is sweet and spicy while the other is thick cornstarch with mild spice powder mixture. I don’t need the two sauces as the Lor Bak itself are fantastic. 

A plain porridge definitely tasteless and boring. But, this porridge’s accessories will give a hearty, flavorful porridge full of goodness. The accessories are minced chicken with sesame oil, two types of sambal (I’m sorry I can’t recall exactly the sambal, but it taste good), parsley and scallion, minced salty eggs and sliced ginger.

This is Chu Cheong Fun

You can find this easily when you eat Yong Tau Fu. It’s a steamed rice rolls with shrimp paste. This is special sauce which tasted different from ‘petis’ like you normally added to your Assam Laksa. It tasted a bit like urm..how to describe this, a mild version of ‘petis’ with peanut sauce. Again, I love this because it is not spicy. If you are spicy food lover, you can opt with added some chilli sauce and pickled green chillies.

A normal fried rice with added with tomyam flavor to give it extra kick, served with sambal, sunny side up egg and chicken wings.

Food Type: Penang special delights and a few more tasty local dishes.

Price: Reasonable

Cleanliness Vote : 4/5

Food Vote : 3/5 

Revisit : Yes 

Tips : Leave Work Early

I draft this entry at office 2 days ago. I think the time was  a quarter to 6pm, which is time for me to get off from office. Beside beauty and food thingy, let me share you how to get off from office early. Oh I'm sorry there is no picture in this entry.

1. Super important : GET TO WORK ON TIME. If you find yourself trying to sneak into office late every morning, take a good look at what you did the night before. Prepare your work clothes out before going to bed and prepare breakfast the night before. All this time saved in the morning should not translate to more time to sleep in.  Beside, we can't predict how the traffic condition during morning. It means leaving home early and getting to work on time.

2. GET ORGANISED. People says, managing time is not the most important task, but managing self is. Start a day with a to-do-list and you'll amazed at how much you accomplish in 8 hours.

3. TECH-SAVVY. Start working online instead of running around getting things approved. i.e Email instead of faxing. However it doesn't mean wasting time on junk mail, web surfing, facebooking or online chatting.

4. SELECT YOUR MEETING. Before you spend 2 hours in a room full of people who have a vague agenda, make sure it's absolutely necessary for you to be there. Personally I hate 2 or more hours meeting because it will tend to digress and I have lots of paper work to be prepare.

5. CUT BREAK TIME. Unless you work in cafe, there's no reason why you should be hanging out three hours a day. Lunch for 1 hour and stay in for coffee/tea breaks. 

6. SPEAK LESS, DO MORE. I limit myself to two 10-15 minutes coffee/tea breaks (one before lunch, and one before leaving). long breaks lead to addictive and gossip time. 

7. DON'T OVER DO.  Some people have to check and re-check and check again before letting something to go. Well it's good to be careful but don't be paranoid. So, do it carefully at first time, and give it a thorough check. 

Now, go home..!!

FOTD : Green Green Grass By The River

Eyebrow Threading

Another way to get my eyebrow in shape is by threading. I've been thread my eyebrow (and upper lips as well) for 4 years. I love to get my eyebrow threaded compared to tweezed or plucked by the reasons:

• Threading will get my eyebrow shapelier and neater. Perfect for who has thick eyebrow like me.
• Long lasting hair removal technique because it removes hair by the root/follicle. I do repeat visits after 3 to 4 weeks. Tweezing eyebrow only last for 3 to 4 days, depends on how sharp your tweezer is.
• The technique is not terribly expensive. It cost me RM7 while upper lips threading RM5.
• It’s clean, safe and sanitary because it does not require chemical ingredients, only needs thread and nothing but the thread touches the skin, and it’s thrown away after use. (of course the beautician’s finger touches my skin during the session)
• Your eyebrow can be done quickly. Well it depends on your brow condition and how good the beautician is as well. My thick brow takes less than 5 minutes, from start to finish. 
• Eyebrow threading also will not harm the skin like wax. If done correctly, the skin should not be red for more than a few minutes after the session. 

Now, have a good look at my eyebrows before get threaded.

Now the session begin. I ask the beautician to maintain my natural shape and I don't want my brow to be thin.

The thread is closely place to the area, then twisted and pulled along the unwanted hair from the root.

 I felt like my skin was being pinched. Damn it really hurt.

** My camera's battery flat, can't show you more**

After shaping the eyebrows, the beautician wipe off my face with dry cotton to remove hair fallen on the skin. The process leaves some redness and she apply a cream (I believe it was an astringent) to reduce the redness of my skin. Barely 5 minutes later the redness gone.

After the quick and hurting session

The area below the eyebrows also look much cleaner now

I love to use threading for upper lip as well

I'm pleased, really pleased with the result.