Healthy Living: Living Again

Hi mate!

It's that time of year again! The Olympic just started yesterday! I can't say I'm a fan because I really don't know anything about the olympic other than it started yesterday in London.

Well, I was working out in the gym when I saw the olympic opening, and I must say, I have a lot of pride for my country when I saw the American Team marching into the stadium.

As for my weight issue, things are going smoothly.
Its' been a week since I got back from my Resident Assistant job from my summer premed camp. I left when I was 130 lbs, and when I returned, I was still 130 lbs. I am very happy and fortunate because I was very scared on gainning weight in the summer camp. We ate a lot of unhealthy food, so I really tried my best to get some exercise from playing team sports in camp.

Now, after I came back from my summer camp, I started going to the gym again. I started out slow. I jog for 30 min on some day and I bycicle for 30 min on other days. I also had a few days where I got food coma. (which is extremely bad, as bad as eating fastfood)

Ether way, I gained another lb. I'm now 131 lbs (stated by my scale) However, I think that extra lbs is result of muscle fat. My don't see myself getting fatter, but I saw my legs getting leaner. I'm really starting to like the way I look in short shorts. But either way, in my mom term, I'm still "fat".
Nevermind! I'm wrong. Lol, I just checked my calories intake for this month, and after careful calculation. I realized I ate a lot this week. No wonder!! LOL xDD hahaha.. oopse! 

But either way, I hope the lbs start dropping soon. Also, I feel like I need to make a goal & planning schedule for my gym routines. I guess the goal for next month is 127 lbs? I think that is reasonable.

I need to take a more agressive approach into losing weight. I need to make a plan & eating schedule to work way down. Maybe set a goal. I'm not doing anything extreme, and I'll be sure to be reasonable with my goal. But I just want my healthy living processes to have more of a "direction".

Healthy Living Tips: Tea & weightloss

Does tea help you lose weight? 

"There is some research to suggest that drinking three or four cups of tea a day, or a cup of coffee every day, will increase your metabolism enough that you will lose about 5 pounds in a year. That's it. Green tea has the same result. Acai berry and other products do not do any more than that, and can actually be harmful.

Weight loss is an overall process and there are no magic answers. Pay no attention to weight loss supplements and pills and all the latest fads. You need to think about many factors but most of them are related to issues we've known about for a very long time. There are many sensible things you can do that will make a tremendous difference over the long term if you need to lose weight. It can be done in a healthy way. This is what has worked for me.

Keeping a food journal really does help. It will give you a much better sense of how much you are eating, and when, and why.

Make a few additional small changes - walk everywhere, always use stairs instead of elevators, walk on escalators, get up and move around at least once an hour if your work or your life in general is sedentary, walk every day, use a pedometer. Walking 10,000 steps a day is a really good idea. Build up to a long brisk walk everyday, or most days. Be more active and watch less TV and spend less time on the computer. Buy one piece of exercise equipment to have at home and be strict with yourself about using it. Sometimes you can find mini-steppers or exercise bikes at second hand stores and thrift stores for just a few dollars.

Start a weight lifting routine. Join a gym. Possibly you can find one that has someone who specializes in weight lifting programs for beginners. Weight lifting will increase your metabolism as well as improve posture and appearance overall. Even if you can't get to the gym you can work out at home using things around the house. Invest in a good weight training book. The Dummies series actually has a good one.

In terms of diet, cut out or reduce things like junk food, pop, fat, fast food. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish. Particularly if you choose a vegetarian lifestyle include natural peanut butter, hummus, dried fruit and nuts. Pay close attention to getting the nutrients your body needs to be healthy.

Make your portion sizes smaller. Use a smaller plate - in our society we have become accustomed to thinking that we need a large plate of food at every meal, and we don't. About quarter of your plate of food should be protein and at least half of it should be veggies.

Learn to count calories. At your current weight and activity level, you may possibly need about 2000 calories or more to maintain your current weight. So you will lose weight at a reasonable and healthy rate if you cut back to about 1600 or 1700 calories a day.

Eat small amounts frequently, rather than three large meals. Never skip breakfast. Include some protein in your breakfast. It will help get you through the day.

Drink plenty of water, at least 8 big glasses of water a day, and more if it is very hot, if you sweat a lot, or if you are exercising intensely, and eliminate fruit juices. Fruit juices have too many calories, so get your vitamins from fresh fruit, not the juice. You will begin to see changes in your body.

Vary your routines. Don't eat the same number of calories every day (vary your calories from 1400 a day to 1900 or 2000 some days), eat a variety of foods, and do different kinds and amounts of exercise. You will lose weight much more efficiently if you mix things up from time to time so that your body doesn't adjust to any one routine.

An area that many people overlook is getting enough sleep. You are much more likely to overeat or to binge eat if you are tired and not well rested, so get enough sleep.

Check out websites about nutrition, exercise, weight training, etc."

Healthy Living Tips #2

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*****
GOLDEN RULE: 

1. Set goals. 

Whether it is the way you eat or the type of exercise you do. Always set a goal

2.Create a plan

Plan of how you will get there.

Plan out: 
-how many time will you exercise & how long
-what type of exercise
-what type of food to eat
-what activities to eliminated & add on to your lifestyle.
-estimate how long until you reach this goal. (planned a due date)

Helpful Guidance:
-BE REALISTIC
-BE PATIENCE
-START SLOW & ADD UP
-AIM FOR REPITION & CONSISTENTCY
-HAVE POSITIVE ROLE MODEL
-HAVE A REWARD SYSTEM
-KEEP TRACK & RECORDS.


“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
― Benjamin Franklin

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6. Eat until you are satisfied but not fulled
--> By eating until your satisfied, you can save room for dessert, which should be fruits
--> try to eat slowly.. (i still can't do this )

7. Eat often & in small portion
--> Eat every 3-4 hours a day.
--> It helps your body digest faster when eating in small portion. It keep you from starving and overeating in your next meal.

8. Excerise after eating dinner
--> Allow for an hour to digest your food & then walk off your calories.
--> Hitting the gym at night is very useful

9. Bicyling helps give better legs! :)
--> 30 min - 1 hour of a day
--> Aim for repetition. Patel fast @ low level for a period of time.

10. Be Health Consious
--> Do thing throughout the day to keep your head concious of your healthy living style
--> Help you stay away from fatty food & fall into tempatin
--> Help make your day more active
--> (EXTREMELY IMPORTANT)

Healthy Living Tips: #1

So, I realized that over the past year, I have learned a lot about how to live a healthy lifestyle.
My weight have fluctuate greatly, and I'm currently back to my old weight again. (the one I originally started out to be)

I'm not exactly proud of it, but I realized that it's not the end of the world. I may have lost this round, but I have a gain a handfull of knowledge of what not to do to lose weight. Hahaha. Losing weight and living a healthy life style is not a task you can complete & quit. It's a battle that you will have to continuously fight with everyday for the rest of your life. Don't rush. Time & Patience is the key.

*I don't claim that these rule would work for you. But it work for me.

I wrote this page as a reminder for me to not forget the rules. I am the way I am right now because I neglected my own rule.

So, I"m going to list out a few rules I found. I hope you find them helpful

RULE OF THUMBS!

1. Drink 8 cups of water daily

2. Planned your eating portion before every meal
--> take under consideration what you have eating prior
--> take under consideration what type of meal this is (fatty meal w/ oily food or healthy meal)

3.  Drink a glass of water prior to every meal.
--> Or try eating soup as a meal starter.
--> The same method doesn't work while eating & drinking water. It could, but you have to eat very slow.

4. Keep Track of what you have eating so far throughout the day
--> it prevent you from snacking too often
--> I like using my cell phone to keep track of what I have eating so far...

 

5. NEVER SLEEP or SIT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME after a meal
--> try standing for an hour after your meal. It help you from falling asleep & allow you more opportunities to move around. 

Here is an explaination from a nutritionist:

"Yes, sleeping or sitting right after meals will make you gain weight. More if you a meal and then sleep for 8 hours and ill tell you why. Our body absorbs all the nutrients by our small intestines. It takes 1-4 hours for food to be broken down to chyme and be absorbed into the small intestine. Now, here is where the nutrients will be converted into glycogen or glucose. Glycogen (energy) is our fuel and is what we burn calories wise. So if your active (really any sort of movement) will keep your glycogen burning. Now, if your sleeping after a meal, it does not convert to glycogen but to glucose where it will be stored into fat deposits where later when your active will convert to glycogen and be burned. However, its really hard for glucose to convert to glycogen so I would recommend doing anything possible to avoid sleeping or sitting for long periods of time after meals. To wrap it up, yes you do gain weight if you sleep right after a meal."

Healthy Living: Missing In Action!

Hi there! :)
It's been 2 weeks since I have posted anything. I am not dead yet. I'm no where near dead.
I was away for a 2 weeks as  Resident Assistant in the Summer Premed Camp.

I spent the 2 weeks taking care of the high school kids and showing them what it is like to be a Physician! :) 
This has been an awesome trip. I enjoy my time tremendously as a coach there. This kids really are amazing. But don't take my words for it! Here is a small excerpt from one of my kids as she wrote her reflection on facebook.

"UC Irvine Summer Premed Program. An indescribable life-changing 2 week summer camp. I can honestly say these were 2 of the best weeks of my life. I cannot even begin to explain how blessed I feel to have experienced this program. I have learned so much, and I got to do things students in Medical School haven't even gotten to do yet. From the IV workshops, to the cadaver lab, to the casting and splinting session, ultrasounds, Intubating, CPR, to using all of the robots and laproscopic surgery equipment, Suturing on a pig's leg and interviewing real patients in the hospital...etc.. This experience has been incredible. On top of all that, I have created friends and bonds that i know will last a lifetime. I love each and every one of you who stayed in the dorms so much and you guys are definitely my second family. I had the time of my life playing sports, watching movies, playing ping pong and just dance, the epic water balloon fight, Boomers, Knott's Berry Farm, Irvine Spectrum and watching Spiderman, and having dinner at Wally's house with you! You guys are some of the most amazing people I have ever met, and each one of you has a special place in my heart. This has been such an inspirational program and I am so happy I got the chance to be a part of it! I absolutely cannot wait for our reunion! Thank you once again for everyone who helped me be able to attend this program, I would more than happy to share all about it( more than I already have haha) with everyone! :)))♥ I will post pictures later!"

Reading this just made me want to cry. :( This program have been like a therapy for me! It have help me termondously get over my crush and it also relight that fire in me. Starting my second year, I started losing sight of my goal. I dind't think about medicine  much anymore. But now, this program have really reconfirm to me what I really want to do with my life. It have spark that fire and make feel more competive. THere is a lot to be done. Application for Med School is almost here!! 

It's really been a blessing for me to joining this program. These kids really change me. I don't feel sad anymore. I don't miss my crush that much. I don't feel that lost anymore. Once again, I feel like I have a direction. I have a goal. I have a dream that I want to achieve. OH, and I realize that there is a lot to life.. haha xD But I truly know that medicine is definitely a place I want to invest my life in. It is a very worthy career. In honesty, these kids have taught me so much more than I think I have instill in them.
                                              
                                            Thank you so much Summer Premed Session II 2012.

(that's a group hug for me :] )

Healthy Living: Picking myself Up

So..

Today, I did a lot of reflection about my life. And I realize I need to get back on my feet now. I spent a lot of time writing about my feelings and reflecting about things that happen to me in the past spring quarter. I feel a lot better now. I don't regret anything and I hope that I can be a better person in the future.

I ate within calories limit today and went to the gym.

Here is a song that have calm me tonight. I'm Buddhist so this song was a really awakening call for me.
It really have calm my soul:

Healthy Living: PIGG

Okay, this week, I feel really bad.
I didn't lose any lbs. Instead, I stayed the same.. arrghgh. 130 T__T

But it's okay, I went out a lot last week and ate a lot of bad food with my friends. I had a blast! :) So, I don't really regret it. I am very glad I didn't gain! :)

Oh, I feel a lot more energetic lately. I been going to the gym daily. I really wanna get back to 120...
But, I gotta be patience. I realize that losing weight is like getting over a crush.
You can't do it in one day. You probably can't do it in one week. You have to do it everyday for the rest of your life. :)

I want to share something with you guys today. I was sad.. so I was reading over my old blog, and I realize I wrote this back in 2010. So.. here it is!

"I believe that life is not a tragedy.
And that happiness does not come with the price of pain,
and that the world around us is full of positive glowing energy,
and it will continue to glow, and it's the people like us,
who persevere through our struggles who are the true star of the universe."

I'm so proud of myself right now for some reason. I was just sad about how things are ..and after reading this, I feel like it have really picked me up. I can't believe I wrote this back in 2010. It reminded me of what my believes are, and that I shouldn't give up just because I didn't accomplished my academic goal and struggling through a relationship problem. I really need to get back on my feet and get things done! :)

I'll do digital Update soon..