A Dream To Change The World

Photo credit: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/abethemovie

We all have dreams. Most times, those dreams propel us to strive harder knowing that they can help us, our family and even the society in a larger scale.

I am one of the millions who dream not just for myself but I dream big because I know, when my dreams come true, I may be able to make a change in this world. My tiny voice will be heard because I will be a positive change that our world needs.

Sometimes, it is very frustrating to struggle and stumble many times just to get to where you want to be. And oftentimes, the road is not paved without obstacles. However, there are movements out there who can help us get there and one of them is A Billion Entrepreneurs.

A Billion Entrepreneurs is a movement that aims to instill the entrepreneurial spirit to everyone and to the generations to come. It strives to give a new meaning to "taking responsibilities for outcomes" which now meant to be responsible for one's success, own happiness and purpose in life no matter what the situation one is in.

At this stage where I can find new meaning to my purpose and to find means to succeed in life so I can make a difference, it is best to refer to notable resources of A Billion Entrepreneurs.  The resources they have including the movie found in www.ABEthemovie.com can provide that stimulus to have that "can do" attitude in business. Having said that, armed with the information, inspiration and tips from real-life entrepreneurs in the film is a great motivator to make things happen not just for ourselves but for the society as a whole.

Photo credit: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/abethemovie

We all want to improve our lives and those of others. Watching the movie can give you a lot of information to start fulfilling your dreams. Aim to have that Freedom, Security and Success in your life. Support the ABE The Movie. Start living your dream.

Keep Goals For A Healthier You

January 2014 is almost coming to an end. Have you already kept your promise to live a healthy life and engage in regular exercise for a healthier you? It is okay to start things slow but the fact of the matter is that, you have to start somewhere and commit to it.

Honestly, I am still baby steps when it comes to exercise. I have started eating with portion control though. At least, I am heading to something that will provide a better and healthier life for me.

As soon as you are able to embark on your journey to a healthy lifestyle, remember to do the following to meet your goal in the long run:

1. Write your goals down

It is best to see your goals set in stone; in this case, in paper! Make it a point to write your before and after measurements so you know how you are progressing as you go along.

Be realistic in your goals. You cannot write, for example, "I will lose 10 kilos in a week." I don't want to be sarcastic but you will lose weight that fast is something is terribly wrong but make it achievable. Have a decent goal like try to lose 2 kilos per week.

2. Be specific

Be specific as possible with what you want to become with this journey. You cannot just say, "I want to be sexy or well-built." That is easier said than done but what are the "specific" ways you will do to achieve those?

3. Keep a journal

Document your process and review them so you know which one is working and which one is not. This way, you can gauge how far you are now with your desire to live a healthy life and how near it is to reach the target. This will help motivate you in the long journey to a healthier you.

4. Do not deny yourself

I remembered what my nutritionist told me when I consulted few years ago. She said, if we are embarking on a healthier lifestyle, it is still a healthy way to enjoy the other foods that we used to eat but do so in moderation and not as frequent.  Do not cheat nor deny yourself of that small piece of pie. If you have been working out really hard and has committed to a regular diet and exercise, it is not bad to reward yourself with a food you like. You can also reward yourself with a weekend free of exercise, just laze around and enjoy a little quiet time doing your favorite hobby. Be kind to yourself.


I hope these tips will help you on your track to fulfill a commitment to be healthy and fit not just for the whole year of 2014 but as a permanent lifestyle. Good luck! I also need that!

How To Stay On Track With Your Diet and Weight Loss Goals

New Year is upon us and that goes for a lot who have made resolutions to live a healthier lifestyle, lose the unhealthy weight and be slim and trim.

I may not have any New Year's resolution this year but I do have a goal I want to achieve and that is to be back on track on healthy eating and regular exercising just like how I was few years ago before I fell from the healthy wagon.

This 2014, let us strive to achieve our goal to a healthier body, soul and mind. Here are simple tips that can keep our weight loss goal in check and our diet on track.

1. Have a food journal
It helps to keep tabs of what you eat day in and day out. That way, you get to have a clearer picture of what bad foods you have eaten that can derail you from achieving your healthy diet. Seeing what works best and now can stir you away from cheating on your healthy diet.

2. Place a picture of a "slimmer" you and make it your inspiration
I have a picture of myself on my healthy weight few years ago tucked in my wallet so wherever I go and when I am tempted to eat something really bad, I pull the picture out and stare closely for several minutes. It might be an odd practice for some but it works like a charm to me. I have that picture as a reminder of the reason why I am doing all these. If I cheat myself now, I am just prolonging my agony and the more I am fooling myself.

3. Change your perspective about those yummy, sinfully bad foods/treats

Photo credit: beachbody.com

Yes, that cupcake over there in the counter that has a dollop of marshmallow icing in your favorite color at that can be tempting and such an eye-pleaser. Do remember that, while it may taste very, very nice, the amount of calories you will ingest eating that delectable treat can be equivalent to a run on the treadmill for an hour. 1 cupcake - that's all it takes to ruin all your diet. You can stay away from those yummy treats for the interim because you haven't achieved your goal yet. But once you have, it is not bad to treat yourself to a yummy dessert but only when you know when to treat it as a delicacy and nothing more.

4. Stay away from fast foods
One of the culprits why we get off the healthy wagon is our inability to prepare our own food due to time constraints. Please, let's not make that an excuse this 2014. It is so 2013! Yes, you can make time and you have to. If you want to be healthy then stay away from processed foods that are brimming with sodium and bad fats. Wake up a bit earlier than usual so you can prepare your meal. A little sacrifice will go a long way in your weight loss goal.

5. Have enough R and R
Rest and relaxation are two of the reasons why healthy people stay slim and trim. These people know when to get out of stress that produces cortisol which makes your body store more fat. Learn to meditate and filter the outside noise. Practice Tai Chi or go to a spa for a retreat. Just keep those nerves calm.

There are still plenty of ways to keep our goals in weight loss and proper dieting. It takes determination and the belief in one's self to achieve all these goals for worthy reasons. Your health and you are worthy reasons enough to take living a healthier life seriously. We only live once then live it healthily.

Party Is Over! Welcome 2014!

Photo credit: yahoo images

Yes, the days of non-stop eating, partying, drinking and merriment has come to an end (temporarily!) and we are now in the first day of the new year of 2014. It's time to get serious to the reality after the holidays.

I am not good at making resolutions but I will try to live a healthier life this year. I aim for more travels, more quality time spent with the ones I love and more blogging opps to receive.

I don't believe in astrology nor predictions that the year of the Horse is not good for those born under the year of the Rat. I happen to be born in 1972 so that makes me under the year of the Rat. People are saying that the year of the Horse is not compatible with the Rat born people. I rebuke that and I don't believe such claims.

I just woke up with my first payment for my blog services for the year of 2014 and the mail came from a trusted and regular sponsor. Mind you, it is in 3-digits! Is that not blessed or what?

So there, whatever people say about this or that, I will rely on the fact that God will bless me with more opportunities because He knows I will be sharing it.

Here's to a year of good health, more love, tons of PEACE and of course, steady flow of income from my blogs and that means - loads of paid opportunities.

Yes, 2014! I am claiming you!

New Year's Resolution

Are you one of those who make resolutions every year only to break them or not even follow? I am guilty as charged. Well, at least, I used to.

I made it a habit to make resolutions every year before. I would make a long list and noticed that I would do some but break most of them. It was always like that; a cycle that I know will recur again in the future if I don't break it.

This year I decided not to make any resolution at all keeping in mind my goals for the future. I will try to live each day, doing what I have to do and keeping tab of what I want to accomplish as the days go by.

How about you? Have you made any resolution this year?

Weight Gain And Weight Loss

Gaining weight was difficult when I was young. I was a scrawny, little kid with a whale-ful of appetite. I remember chugging full cream milk every day, having 1 pint of ice cream for dessert and eating rice and other fattening morsels regularly. I barely gained weight.

I reached puberty and still had the same problem - too skinny. I was already in college and was still buying pants and other clothes off the pre-teens rack! I would always have my jeans re-fitted by a tailor or have to get a size meant for a 12 year-old kid. Imagine how tiny and slim I was then.

I got married and had a kid and still had the slim physique I had before. I started to balloon when I hit 35 and that was 5 years ago. Since then, my weight would fluctuate. It is a real yo-yo weight loss and gain for me. However, I noticed these past few weeks that it is a steady weight gain. Am I reaching menopausal stage? Are my hormones going berserk?

I am exercising and eating properly and yet, the scale still shows abominable numbers. I am too scared now to step on the weighing scale because the numbers are not right. Or I am in denial? Proof that I am gaining weight are my tight clothes. They are seriously getting tighter  by the week. If I don't do something very drastic and serious then I will end up buying bigger sized clothes which I am not too happy about.

My friends are supporting me on my goal to lose weight for good health's sake. I am serious about it but I need constant reminders and a lot of prodding o help me get through. I think I am having withdrawal symptoms now. I crave food that I usually don' eat and when I eat them, I feel awful. I hope I can get over that phase. I just want to lose weight the healthy way.

I have a very long way to go. I hope I can make it through because gaining weight is easier now than losing weight. My body's not the same anymore.

Fresh Start for 2012

I have been praying for good things to happen not just for myself and my family, but for everyone too. I am giving myself a chance to grow and one of doing that is to jump out of my comfort zone. I started with my career. I was not getting anywhere with my career in the place where I am in so I thought, the only way to go forward is to apply for a lateral move somewhere I can showcase my talent and skills. And God has been good to me. He knew what was best so he gave me the position I applied for. So, by end of February 2012, I will be reporting to a new department with new people to meet and new challenges to face.

My health is another aspect in my life that I want to give a new lease. I started walking again. It's still early to say if it's going to be regular but I am envisioning myself to do that. I just hope my determination to wean off my other medications will be a great impetus for me to carry on with the weight loss. Also, I am working towards making myself fit enough to carry another full term pregnancy. My daughter has been bugging me for a sibling and I am pushing 40 this March. I think it's not yet late for that.

The financial aspect of my life is getting better too. Although there are still plenty of bills to pay, I can finally scrimp enough to save some which will eventually go to our dream house project.

My personal life is rosy too! It's mostly rosy anyway but this year will be more of family solidarity and giving time to people who truly matters.

So, I welcome 2012 with open arms, new hope and a better perspective in life. I pray that God will have more compassion to humanity inspite of the negativity surrounding us. I know God is good and He will not forsake mankind. I just pray that 2012 will be great for everyone.

Walk For Good Health

I started pounding the treadmill again last month. So far, I can say that I have been very good with my commitment to stick to my schedule.

I fell off the wagon few months ago. I just felt that I didn't have the drive to continue on what I have started last year when I lost weight. Of course, that dilly-dallying cost me my weight loss success. I had to start all over again and who was I kidding? MYSELF!

The month of April was my wake up call when I could hardly fit on my clothes I just wore few months ago. I took a close look at myself in the mirror and I was aghast on what I saw - a very, very rotund version of me! I cried and felt a little insecure. I know it is bad to self-loathe but I felt that. A lot of people  are even making side-comments on my "sudden" pudginess because I was not like this last year. I already shed some of the weight and then I slacked.

I had to convince myself that I am doing this because I don't want to look good but I want to feel good inside and out. There is a difference between wanting and feeling and I want the more substantial one. I may look good but my health is horrible. I will go for the latter. Below are pictures of me - recently taken and how I looked like five years ago. I normally don't post a photo of my very fat image but this is my reality. I want to have that same motivation I used to have and this time it's to feel great inside because I deserve it.

"Bigger" version of me. I wore a loose blouse to conceal my flabby tummy. 

Taken 5 years ago during my "ideal" weight days.  I used to have "flat" tummy and skinny arms. 

So, I am now committed to walk regularly with other exercise on the side like skipping rope and doing jumping jacks for few minutes. I also do half push-ups to tone my arms. My food intake is getting better each week. I am beginning to shun processed food and taking in more fruits and vegetables with lesser sodium. I still eat fried food but using olive oil. My budget is a bit over the top these days because of the food I prepare and eat but you don't put a price on good health, right?

I know it's still a long shot before I reach my desire weight goal. I will get there in due time.

My Goals this 2011

A lot of us made our new year's resolution for 2011. I have and I am resolved to do few things which will bring continuous and positive effect until the coming years.

My goals for 2011 (and hopefully to spread all the way to the coming years):

1. Be more healthy. This will stave illness and keep the medical bills away.

2. Be more active. I am done sitting in front of the computer and playing games on Facebook. Yes, I am also one of the millions who got hooked at one point on the ever-addicting social network. I imagined how my life was pre-Facebook. I used to do a lot of stuff and recently I was in a rut because all I did was play some games in that social network.

3. Pay down my credit cards. I do not have to elaborate on this. Many share this sentiment with me. I am tired paying for the finance charges. This borrowing thing has to stop. And it will this 2011.

4. Save, save, save. I used to be very thrifty when I was single. After having my own small family, I noticed my budgeting skill  went a little wayward. I used to save big time and wonder what happened to my spending habits. I counted the chicks when they weren't hatched yet so I used up my savings for things and services I didn't actually need. I am re-focusing all my energy and will-power to save.

5. Be more sociable. I am an anti-social! There, I said it. When I say anti-social, I don't mean the hermit-kind of reclusiveness. I just enjoy small gathering of people I truly know. So, I have to muster the guts to attend to social events where I barely know anyone. I have a problem breaking the ice. I don't have the gift of gab like most people do. That has to change. I have to face my fear of public-speaking and overcome my shyness. Now you know why I enjoy blogging than partying...

6. Learn a new language. I used to speak Japanese, a bit of Arabic and French. All those were side-tracked because I focused more on helping my daughter with her school stuff. I want to challenge my mind and continue learning different languages. I don't know if I'll be able to use any of them in my daily life but it does help to know a different language because we travel a lot. During our trip to France, I was able to communicate with my very little French and found our way around town. I know they have their benefits. I will soon find that out.

7. Move to a new department or have a career change. This one is my last goal for 2011. I am aiming to empower my career so I can earn more but if I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel for the current economic situation, I may have to shelve this temporarily until the dust settles. Our company is still very stable and I don't want to shoot my foot by jumping out. I will probably find another higher position within the company if the recession's tide has still not ebbed.

So, do you have your goals for 2011? 

                                                                                                               

Weight Loss on Track Again

I temporarily slowed down in my quest to lose weight when I dropped 4 kilos in a span of a month's time. The doctor advised me to take it easy because it was not good for my body to take in such a drastic loss in a short period of time. So, I went easy and forgot to go back on my quest to lose more weight.

With the onset of the cooler months, losing weight has become more challenging because it is harder to sweat. I have to start my weight loss program again by October whether I like it or not. I cannot fall in a rut.

I am considering to try diet pills that actually work but have to be careful since I have hypertension. The doctor said that I have to consult a physician before I actually buy a diet supplement due to my condition.

On second thought, I will go back to my salad-eating habits again and skip on the bad carbs and sodas. I lost weight by skipping on sodium too. So going back to that clean eating (albeit, bland and sometimes boring) habit will definitely jump-start my metabolism again.

This is it! The weight loss program is on!

Cutting Back on Calories

I started my "experiment" today by cutting back on my calorie intake. I seriously don't know how to do this. I bought a kitchen scale and have been reading food labels before I purchase. I checked my BMI and it is not even bordering normal for my age, height and weight. Drat! I am overweight by #@ much. OVERWEIGHT!!!

I remember just being 48 kilos pre-pregnancy. I gained few pounds and went back to size 00 after giving birth. Goodness, that was 12 years ago. I started to gain weight when I hit 35 and it was never the same again.

I hope that by cutting back on my calorie intake spur my weight loss goal. It is really hard but I have to keep fit. I can only consume 1200 calories in a day and have to stay active. Let's see about that.

Re-focusing On Life's Priorities

I have been a slacker lately. Being a wee lazy is not inherent of me. I am always up and about (except for my frail immune system). My previous routine, before the addiction to Facebook started, involves waking up early, doing stretches, jogging and eating healthy breakfast. When I say healthy, that means, sunny side up cooked using olive oil, plain toasted fibre bread and steamed veggies.

It has been a while since I had that healthy and hearty breakfast prepared. My breakfast these days are mostly prepared in haste and they are fried! What happened to healthy living?

Then there's this Facebook mania going on. Prior to getting hooked on Facebook, I was just doing normal things a mother and a wife would do to her family. Facebook has taken over most of my spare time. I cannot complete anything anymore. My husband is already complaining about my addiction to the games I play in that social platform. I guess most of you will be able to relate with me. Who can resist being a "mayor, hotel heiress or a farmer" of your own town, hotel and farm? Who can say no to "millions of fake money" given by friends? Who can resist the yummy treats given by family and friends in Facebook all for free without the exorbitant price tag of a fine-dining cuisine and loaded calories? Only in Facebook! In reality, you can't even get close to that! Apart from that, playing in Facebook is stress-busting for me. Initially it was until it took over my life. It's the only place where I can get lost and forget life's worries and mundane trivialities.

I am beginning to wonder if slacking becomes me. I know it will not do me good to procrastinate. I really need to change my habits and perspective to be able to commit to my goals in life. I am not getting any younger.

So, I will lessen my Facebooking (notice how I turned that word into a verb?)for the time being. Scrap the binge-eating. Toss the excess worries where most of the time, the issues at present do not even warrant much attention. It's just me being Ria. Move more, get myself involved in activities. Meet people. Laugh more. Worry less. Just have fun. I have been serious and wayward at the same time so I think my focus should be geared to what would make my life happier and healthier.

I don't want to make promises I cannot keep. Let's just see how it goes with my re-focusing plan. It's already the 3rd month of the year and I am not even close to my goals in life.

It's about time.

Health Nut - Weight Loss Tracker

We exercise and keep our diet on check but do we actually track our achievements or at least keep our goals on a tab?

There are a number of tools to assist us and keep us in line with our set goals to lose weight. Some weight loss tracker can help us maintain our motivation and sticking to out set goals. It also helps us to monitor our weight loss progress.

Apart from weight loss tools available in the Internet, we can also keep our progress by keeping a journal which I have been doing for years now. At least with my journal, I know exactly when I fall of the track and when.

Yo Mama!

I don't know if I'll be happy or sad with my new nickname. Yo Mama is short for Yo-Yo mama because my weight keeps going up and down and up and down. Just like how a yo-yo works. Just last week I was a kilo down and now, I gained 1 1/2 kilos. My rope of patience is about to snap and I better come up with a plan I can commit myself into. I know there are new weight loss products out in the market and I better act soon. I can't wait for another nickname to be branded to me. The next time they call me it better be - Yo Sexy Mama!

Clean Up Like Crazy

What does a dateless person do on a Valentine's Day while enjoying a much deserved rest and relaxation? Check Facebook? Play flash games? Walk the dog? Laundry? Press clothes? Sleep all day? Well, tempting as they may seem (they are honestly in my list of things to do for the whole week), I have to clean the house for the coming of spring!

I chanced upon some old clippings of diets that work stashed in my important documents file. I was surprised to see the dates on the articles I have clipped and printed. I realized how long I have been planning to put this weight loss goal in motion and always end up from scratch.

I am keeping the articles I printed for future reference. And when I say future, I hope that is the "near future." Meanwhile, I better get back to my cleaning duty before hubby comes home.

Start Healthy Living Now

OK, no more tricking myself and making plenty of excuses to delay my weight loss plan which I started many moons ago. I keep getting side-tracked and my focus is waning. Not for 2010!

This is not a New Year's resolution. I just want to live a healthy life by losing weight for myself and my family. I feel okay though given that I have been doing brisk-walking lately. I feel that there is more room to improve and excel on my goals for the year. My primary concern is to live a healthy life so my family can emulate what I started.

Losing weight is not an easy task and I am sure that I will be met with a lot of obstacles and temptations to achieve my goal weight. I know for sure that it will be a long arduous task but I will get there. I said it before and I will say it again, "slowly but surely."

After the Holidays Slim Down Project

I have not officially put on the shelf my weight loss goal this holiday season. However my will try to resist the festive food around me, I just have to go with the flow. I do not want to starve nor deprive myself with the lovely and sumptuous meals on the table when everyone else is having their share.

I plan to limit my food intake. Continue with my regular exercise and probably take some supplements like Stimerex ES. I have been looking for this supplement here in Dubai but to no avail. I will try checking for this on my next trip to the US of A this January.

Slacking a Bit

It has been a while since I posted something in my blog apart from the regular. I have been very busy with my daughter's final exams the past few weeks, preparing her for the big event. I have been running like crazy lately as well because of my quest to lose weight. Remember I posted about that few months ago? I am keen on having that goal finally ticked on my list!

Bear with me folks as I slack on my blogging duties to fulfill my motherly chores and health goals. I will be active again very shortly once the school is over and it's just around the corner :)

What a Feat!

Losing weight has become a major concern for me these past few months. I have never been so "huge" in my life until lately. I used to be skinny, almost like a toothpick even after giving birth but when I reached mid-30s, I noticed how my girth would follow my age!!! Hahahaha.

I gained extra pounds since the vacation in the US (blame it on those "regular-sized" meals they serve in the restaurants!!!). I thought I would lose them as soon as I go back to work. A week after that, I still have not done anything but to bum around and stare on the ceiling. Seriously! I feel so lazy these days. I need to lose weight soon and it's a pressing matter now because my knees are starting to ache. That's not a good sign.

Health Nut - Post-Vacation Health Track

Every time I go on a long holiday, I always come back with excess baggage! No pun intended! Hahaha. Honestly, I leave Dubai weighing so and so, and then, I come back with extra weight on. This is horrendous!

Carole Holditch of Good Habits offers tips to getting back on track with our health regime and weight loss goals:

1. Jot it down.
Set your goals, track the progress and share your thoughts by writing them all down. Doing that gives you a very vivid picture of reality.

2. Start small.
Bee realistic with your goals. We cannot lose 10 pounds in one go in a week's time! However, we can lose 2! The process of getting healthy and fit takes time. Envision losing 1 at a time and stick to it. Next time you'll know it, you have lost so much without even realizing it.

3. Figure it out.
Learn more about healthy living, nutrition and fitness. Planning to live a healthy lifestyle is a process. You do not just think it but not actually do it.

4. Watch your habits.
We are all creature of habits. Our plans get derailed with the mundane everyday activities we do. Chop the old vices of eating rapidly, munching on chips and empty calories, being inactive. Move around, eat healthily and keep fit!

5. Allow setbacks.
Acceptance is the key. Accept that we are all human prone to err. Make it a positive thing rather than beating yourself down. So what if you "accidentally" shove that teeny-tiny sliver of chocolate bar down your throat?!? Yes, we all give to temptations but learn from it. When you realize you have succumbed to bad habits or your old ways, learn, stand up and be firm. Say no next time.