All I want is a flat (?)

Rumors had it that our Caldecott Sex Goddess, Fiona Xie is going to ditch the limelight for the taitais’ society. Such disturbing news to all the guys out there, indeed, isn’t it? She is one of the most desirable women in Singapore and has a voluptuous bust line. One mention of Fiona and the film scene of her and some other actresses running along the bustling Orchard Road in their bikinis comes to mind.

Definitions of sexiness, well has to be the color Red, plunging neckline, hot body, being tall, lean, a firm butt and having a long mane of hair sort of round it up.

Do you agree? What’s your take on this? Elegant bust line enhancing gown? Do share…

Brazilian Supermodel Gisele Caroline Bundchen and Hollywood Glamour Star Angelina Jolie definitely fit the bill perfectly, according to my understanding of Sexiness.

For sure, having a hot body is fundamental but factors such as having a strong character, charisma and body language, especially a pair of lively and expressive eyes contribute to it all, when my friends & I ‘people watch’. Lolx.

In Singapore, most ladies are dressed in shorts and flip flops without much effort to doll up thus I have yet to find someone who can compete with Gisele Caroline Bundchen and Angelina Jolie.

Sigh and yes, my friends & I love to ‘people watch’ and gossip about the ladies other than the hunks in the streets. It is actually more interesting to play fashion police and at times, to gain fresh inspirations in dressing up and most importantly knowing what to avoid so as not to be a laughing stock.

Do you like to ‘people watch’ and have you come across any attractive person(s), whom you deem as sexy? It can be a male or female, a celebrity or a personal friend.

Angelina Jolie with her electrifying eyes and thick lips          

Gisele Caroline Bundchen with her admirable flat tummy! A pair of sparkling eyes & long mane of hair

Well, I thank God that, err, I have thick lips as  I have received compliments about it from both my guy and lady friends. Ha-ha, So I reckon that it is one of my assets. Except that, age is catching up and more efforts have to be sowed in order to reap or maintain the self -desirable ‘sexy’ image.

The very first step and top priority is to have a flat tummy but I also understand that Gisele and Angelina go to the gym VERY regularly and have a strict diet. I am trying really.

*Chant Chant Chant: Flat tummy…flat tummy!!!

(P/s: Some of the upcoming Korean celebrities are catching my attention too. Although the fact that many of them went under the knife to look perfectly gorgeous doesn’t sit in nicely with my idea of beauty. Oh well.)

 

New Mummy-Staying in Shape

Till today, I still find it fascinating how a human could breathe life into any tiny being after a mere 9 months of pregnancy. The thoughts of myself expanding, and then contracting again is fascinating. But of course, I did not go back to the original size as before. How I wished!

Though there are a handful who asked what I did to slim down, I have to remind them that this is only the first pregnancy, and I have friends who have had three children, and they are qualified as bonafide hot mamas.

Keeping in shape has been a constant challenge from the day I decide to marry then-boyfriend-now-husband.  Most girls want to look good for their wedding shots, and I also dabbled in a brief modelling stint for my wedding photographer for some fun after my wedding shots. So, I have to look slim!

This was published in Her World Bridal magazine in June last year.

My History

When I was pregnant, I was 28 years old and 45kg. Morning sickness was a pain to remember, and the only memorable thing about it was, my dad was in the same state as me because of chemotherapy. One of the side effects – vomiting. I remembered we were joking about it, that we were “pregnant” together so I’m not exactly suffering alone. Well, such hilarity coming out from the mouth of a man battling with a terminal disease. I felt consoled nevertheless; my dad’s a tough cookie.

I didn’t gain much during the first half of the pregnancy, because all I could take was milo and crackers. Towards the last three months however, my appetite grew, and I find myself eating 5 heavy meals every day – The weight gain suddenly became really obvious, I find myself staring back at my double chin, my thighs are rubbing against each other as I walk, and I get frequent leg cramps. I remembered the frequent peeing trips to the toilet because my baby was pressing down on my bladder, and I didn’t dare to drink a lot of water. It was a mistake, because lack of water triggers off water retention and my foot swelled up to resemble those of an elephant’s.

In total, I gained about 19kgs in a span of 36 weeks. On top of all that, I get a surprise present – STRETCHMARKS! On my once wash board tummy. I remember lamenting to myself, “Oh Shit, No more Bikinis!”. My daily regime of applying the Clarins Stretchmark cream has gone to waste, so it’s not really about the cream, but the skin of an individual.

After I gave birth, I breastfed for 2 weeks, and the weight reduced slightly. Massage was aborted because I gave birth via C-section, and there was intense pain at the surgery area. I do have a Chinese lady who comes to my place to massage me from the third week onwards, but because my threshold for pain was so low, my sessions with her didn’t help much. The tummy wrap was excruciating, I find myself releasing the tight cloth around my tummy the moment she’s out of the gate, so I wasn’t very discipline either.

I only resumed jogging on the fourth month, after being advised by my gynae at Gleneagles. The first session was depressing. I wasn’t as fit as before, and my stamina was at all time low. I still have my ugly bulge vandalised with purplish unsightly stretch marks and I never knew they will be there for as long as they want, and will only appear fainter over time.

I remember discussing about this openly with all my mummy friends..some get it, some don’t, so guess I have only my genes to blame.

I didn’t visit the gym or do any fancy body-toning work-outs, but I embarked on a trio-weekly slimming massage at a Spa salon at Ang Mo Kio. I’m happy with the results because I feel healthier other than the effortless shedding weight part. Massage helps in blood circulation and rejuvenation. This is a well-known fact, and I am a firm believer of massages.

Now 9 months on, I am 5 kg from my pre-pregnancy weight, and I still have a belly that may resemble a 3 months pregnant tummy at times when I overeat(Well, who doesn’t?). But friends and relatives have commented that I looked better than before. Maybe I have my new-found motherhood identity and motivation (keeping in shape) in life to thank.

Eat Healthy, Be Healthy, Stay in Shape! = Happy Woman

I still jog, carry my 8kg baby around, bring her for walks or I’ll settle her in the stroller and do a push-baby-in-pram jog along the beach. Make sure that the stroller can be used for jogging. I bought mine from Stokke, at Mothercare.

Not only can you lose weight, you get to tone the muscles in your arms at the same time. This jogging regime is super tiring so be mentally prepared..Pack towel and some water for yourself and your baby, then store it in the stroller. I ended up with sore and achy arms for 2 days after the first attempt, but my baby loves this exercise so much because she feels like she’s flying probably

I also practised a lot of self-control with my cravings. If I had supper the previous night, I’ll downed lemonade the entire day thereafter. Lunch is Japanese cucumber with yogurt and they are yummy!

I eat very little rice and literally no yellow noodles because these are high on carbo, and I take a lot of vegetables and fruits. No processed food(it is hard, but a little goes a long way). A coffee lover, I drink coffee without sugar, and no candies for me. I still however, crave in to my favourite ice-cream from Hagen Daz but I also remember to exercise so I can eat!

On lazy and raining days like what we often get recently, I fall back on my trusty new baby, the uKimimi (uKimono)for some “me time” indoor zapping. I strapped this on(remember to breathe in! and suck in that tummy) with my baby girl playing on the bed next to me. Sure is a funny sight, but It is definitely time-saver, and best of all, I’m in a recumbent position indulging in an effortless work-out!  Kimmi always seems so amused with this pretty lavender grooving away on her mommy’s tummy. She has learnt a few shake-a-tum-tum moves by the way, so proud of her!

In conclusion, I believed that there are no ugly women, only lazy ones. It takes a whole lot of perseverance to see results. It takes discipline too, to strap on my uKimono after awhile just like how I grew weary of the uZap eventually as novelty wears off. Such devices work only if you keep using constantly, coupled with a healthy diet and moderate exercise. Not that hard seriously if you are determined to slim down.

This is the price to pay for being a mommy. Imagine when baby no.2 comes, I’ll have to start the regime all over again. This time however, I’ll probably jumpstart myself on some yoga class for preggies to maintain gradual weight increase during pregnancy. The trick I realised, is to achieve GRADUAL weight increase instead of a sudden purge towards the end. Hormonal change may be the main culprit, but most of my mommy girlfriends feedback that it is in fact, manageable. This is happy news for mums-to-be and ladies who are planning to have babies.

I am still envious of how other mums have wash board tummies after giving birth, and I totally want to be like them. I missed wearing flattering tops or dresses that shows off that neat waistline – I have a waistline but the unpredictable tummy part can be dampening. There’s still room for improvement!

I haven’t been so concerned about a body part all my life until now. Keeping in shape has been a challenge, and I’m battling this everyday with my ego. I’ll share more tips in the next few entries, and I am inviting my dear readers to share your tips as well!

How do you stay in shape without burning a hole in your pocket?

 

 

Body,Mind and Soul

Have you ever wonder why there seemed to be more illnesses these days in comparison to our grandparents’ times?

All of us live in a fast paced, ever evolving society. In fact, Singapore’s pace is considered moderate in comparison with other cosmopolitan cities. Imagine living in Hong Kong or New York City, we won’t even have the time to complain that we are stressed!

Keeping in shape, in my opinion, is not just about maintaining our shell. There are two other factors which are more important and they should go hand-in-hand. I’m sure you have all heard about “Body, Mind and Soul”.

We all know exercises and activities are ways to keep our body in shape. But have you paid attention to your psychological health? Are you happy or aggressive? Do you carry positive or negative vibes mentally? Is your soul in good shape?

Two years back when I was still selling cars, I found my mental wellness being compromised. I was easily irritable, very short-tempered, impatient, suspicious of colleagues around me, and always ready to put up a fight. I basically felt like I was sardines packed in a can, anxiously waiting for the pressure to build up, so that I can explode and drench everyone with the sauce. During those last few years of my car trade career, the number of times I honked at other road users is probably more than the number of cars I sell. Thank god I had the little voice at the back of my mind constantly reminding me to calm myself down. Otherwise you would have seen my face on the front page of national papers, committing road rage.

So what do I do? A group of us enrolled ourselves to do kickboxing. The instructor was a psycho himself, I think. He pushed us to our limits, making us cry for mercy. But after every session, I feel as if the monster in me was too drained to start any fight.

Hot Yoga was another killer. I nearly died. It was a love and hate situation. I hated sit and reach during my school days and was never flexible enough to reach beyond my feet. Imagine how I suffered when I had to bend myself throughout the 26 postures. However, I love how it calms and de-stresses, and I always have a great night’s rest after a session. I was at peace. In fact, it works the body, mind, and soul.

Someone recommended I see a nutritionist and go on a detox program to purge toxins that has been residing in different parts of my body. Apparently, it improves skin condition and quality of sleep, eliminates excess body fats, relieves stress and tension, boasts energy levels, and increases the body’s natural ability to fight diseases. Something I have never tried but would consider if anyone of you out there could educate me more on this subject. One question: Does drinking water with lemon on an empty stomach in the morning count?

People around me could see the improvements in my behavior and appearance when I’m happier and at peace. Going for regular massages and spas, or resort holiday trips helps too. Do not only focus on looking good. We need to put more effort in healing our mind and soul when keeping in shape. A smile goes a long way, and it will always make anyone look beautiful and lovable.

 

Motherhood – an experience

Motherhood is a godsend package that comes without a bargain. I embraced motherhood like a juvenile scholar because I didn’t know what engorgement was like till it happened to me. My breasts were as hard as watermelon, and I woke up in tears at 2am with my man..err.. massaging them lovingly with warm towel while I expressed milk like a bonafide cow. Thanks to that someone who invented the electronic milk pump. Wished they come in sound proof ones though…

Kimmi’s conception was planned a month before our wedding, and Hubby proved to be an excellent gunman.  We wanted a child before I hit the grand 30, and like what the fortune teller had predicted, she manifested into our lives this year. Ironically, he also correctly predicted the death of my beloved father. Life, is written like a book..don’t you think so?

On the pregnancy note, I hated the puking part and my morning sickness makes me depressed. The only consolation was not having to work during the entire pregnancy period. I also hated the aftermath c-section surgery pain, and the confinement period that turns many of us off. I guessed I would have enjoyed my little preggy adventure if not for the above mentioned, and I also lost my dad to cancer when I was 5 months pregnant with Kimmi.

Despite all these, I am still gamed to have baby no.2 all because…I wanted to. Kimmi makes me laugh a lot, and sometimes, I forgot that I’m laughing.  The immerse joy that I never had for the past 28 year in this life form was derived from a little body – My baby girl Oh, and did I also mentioned the extra kilos and stretch marks that comes in this package? It is free too, unfortunately…

A gift from mommy Yvonne, I kept a pregnancy journal book that looks like this.

A stick-on journaling book for the mom’s soul

I blog about my pregnancy to feel better too!

Baking period: Our little bun at week 10, see here for more information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting hitched soon… With my bestie, I really miss my 45kg body here…

Well, motherhood gives me the grounding I never knew, and the new found identity that all newly promoted parents would be proud of.  Though it can be a pain to be woken up by a distressed baby in the middle of the night, it becomes so worthwhile when their little lip curl into a smile upon assurance.  And oohh…babies smells so heavenly. I love how my Kimmi smell, and how she often smiles in her sleep.

I would imagine that she’s dreaming of beautiful faraway lands where the unicorns and fairies lived. Somehow, I believed in the existence of such realms because I have seen them in my dreams. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could be as pure spirited and carefree as the little ones? The world will be a much nicer and peaceful place to live in. May all dreams come true for our little ones

 

I’ve got it! Have you?

Written by Janie

Woohoo! Today, I am a proud owner of the new uKimono and mine’s the sexy and brilliant red (after much debating of course)! *Wink* It was really difficult to decide on the colors and if I have the spare cash, I will definitely get all 3 to match my moods. The red one when I am feeling passionate and confident, the purple one will enhance the calm and relaxed mood, it happens to match my room color too. While the citrus orange to represent the bubbly and sporty personality. One of my friends named hers, Lavie as she has got the purple one, so cute right? Which one will you choose?

Fortunately, the friendly and knowledgeable sales personnel at the ION outlet were really patient and very helpful demo-ing how to use the uKimono. The uKimono has a preset 10mins function of both the threading and vibrating motion or we can choose the manual functions. I left the shop feeling very impressed and assured of the innovation and effectiveness. It is really a good bargain for me because other than wanting to reduce the fats on my thighs and waist, it also helps improve the body’s digestion and prevents constipation!

Constipation has always been another troubling issue for my friends and I as we clear our bowels only once or twice a week. We always tease one another of being full of ‘shit’ (Haha, pardon the language) and it causes bloated stomachs, breakouts and leaves us feeling frustrated. So I was really excited when the sales personnel highlighted this feature to help us banish this common and worrisome health problem.

I strapped it on the moment I got home and my mum was squealing when she saw it! She had been eyeing it since she saw the television ads featuring S.H.E. Suddenly, she seemed to turn into a little ga, coaxing me to strap it on her instead. It is so easy to operate that my mum picked it up after only explaining it to her once.

My maiden 10 mins with the uKimono gave me great hope in wanting to embark on starting a journal to a flat tummy and leaner thighs! Initially, you will feel the itch as if someone is tickling you but after a while, you will get used to it. Else, you can try to put a towel between the Ukimono and your body to counter the itch but bearing in mind that the effectiveness will be reduced too. So in this case, I feel it’s no itch, no gain!

Other than that, I can use it when I am watching television or reading a book so it does not disrupt my lifestyle. The only concerns for me will be that I will need to be near a power socket to operate it and it is a little heavier than it looks from the television. But I am not complaining! =)

Hurry to the nearest outlet and try it on and remember to leave your comments after that.

And mum, do not think that I am unaware of you secretly using my uKimono! Ha!

 

Join uKimono Sayonara Fats Challenge today!

Dear blog readers!

Join the uKimono Sayonara Fats Challenge today! Win a special OSIM gift when you knock out the most fats. *There would be one winner crowned at the end of every month from December 2009 till March 2010. Application form is available in the free uKimono diary with every purchase of uKimono.

First measurement to be taken upon purchase of uKimono. Second measurement to be taken within 60 days from purchase date. All measurements must be endorsed by an OSIM sales consultant. Hurry and join now as Challenge ends on 31 March 2010. Please visit our outlets and roadshows for more details!

*Terms and Conditions apply.

 

 

Staying in Shape on Lazy Days

Many people ask me: “How do you keep in shape despite eating like how you eat?” You must be wondering what they mean when they say, “How I eat”.

Alright, let me just use last Friday as an example. To start my day, I had a bowl of extremely spicy minced pork noodles, two half-boiled eggs, a slice of bread with butter and jam, and a tall glass of iced Milo. Mid day, I had Bak Kut Teh with Pigs’ Trotters (not lean meat, I like it when the fats melts in my mouth). Dinner, according to my dictionary, is the most important meal of my day, as I need to justify for working so hard and unwind after a day’s work. I had Japanese buffet which made me feel like exploding. Thank god I felt like a glut at the end of the day. Otherwise, I would have gone for Cheese Prata with Milo Dinosaur before meeting up with the food monsters in my dreams.

Wow, that’s a lot of food in a day! Now that I’ve listed them down, I should be extremely guilty if I had to count my calories! Well, I’ve been stuffing myself since god knows when. I’m a foodie and it makes me happy. So what the heck!

Perhaps thanks to the good genes that run in the family, I’ve been maintaining my weight in the region of 50-55kg. Not too bad for my height. I didn’t do much until I touched my third decade. When you are young, your metabolism is your greatest friend.

I guess the nature of my work does play a part too. As a realtor, it is required that I go around the island for viewings. Just last month, I was trying to sell a 4^th floor walk-up apartment. I wished I had my running shoes on. I went up and down the flight of stairs in my stilettos 8 times. And this was just one occasion. I was there 3 times. Luckily I was not wearing a pair of Manolo Blahnik.

I’m always very high in energy. Whenever I’m out for a social gathering, I will be the one who will try to spice up the party. If you say this is not part of an exercise, I would like to hear from those event organizers and party planners. Do you feel tired after trying to keep everyone entertained?

I have my lazy days which I refuse to even climb a step of stairs. Occasionally, I allow myself to be the couch potato. This is when overhauling takes place. While following the Gossip Girls and Lipstick Jungle serials for hours with chips, I would plaster masks on my face and nails (No prospective boyfriends allowed during this ritual). Excessive moisturizing follows, and finally ends with a nice rub of my legs and feet. They deserve a break too, after serving me and walked from Singapore to London in my size 10 slippers, and from Jurong to Pasir Ris in my Aldos.

And you know what? Just last night, I have a new addition to this weekly ritual. I’m referring to my brand new uKimono. Yeah!! Finally in my hands!! I felt like an anxious child unwrapping my new toy. Like a curious kiddy, I was exploring this cute and cheerful looking belt. Hmm… no pictures of my plastered face with singlet and boxers yet. Will get in a better suit for public eye and snap a picture for you in my upcoming article.

Apart from what I’ve mentioned, any other fun exercise suggestions you can contribute? Or keeping in shape the “lazy” way? Let me take a peek into your room, I’d love to hear your own rituals too!

I’ll be waiting…. *wink*

 

Useful Health Workouts

Dear blog readers, once again OSIM brings you useful health tips that you could use to make your life a healthier and better one!

Regular massages complement well with regular workouts. Workouts not only help to keep you in shape, but also lower your stress level. Try out these following workouts to complement with your massages:

• Lie face up with legs on the floor and arms extended behind you, palms up. Lift left leg and right arm. Grab ankle as you twist upper body and turn head slightly to the left. Hold for 1 count. Switch sides to complete 1 rep. Do 5 to 7 reps.
• Lie on your left. Cross your arms in front of chest, legs straight, feet together. Roll onto your back, place hands on the floor behind hips and sit up as you draw your knees toward your chest.
• Lower your legs to floor as you turn and lie on your right side. Repeat back to left side to complete 1 rep. Do 5 reps.

You could choose to do these workouts after your massage sessions and they do complement nicely with your new uKimono too! So after a recommended 20 minutes of uKimono session, go challenge yourself with these workouts to make sure that you have a slimmer and toned silhouette.

So unless your idea of exercising is running down for your bus every single workday morning (like me), you know you’ve got to do something about it! Go try this out today and see the difference in your fitness level.

 

Stubborn Fats I Wish To Zap !

A question posed by a friend a week ago set me thinking, other than running and the occasional 10 sit ups (haha!), what other sports do I engage in? Well, I did try out the aqua fit and kick boxing classes when my friends invited me as a guest to their frequented gym.

I just wasn’t hooked.

And of late, I realized that my skirts, pants and even running shorts are a tad tighter than before! Not a very good sign at all.

Top of the list, I badly need to shed off those irritating and unwelcome fats on my waist and thigh because I no longer can be oblivious to their existence. I am actually ‘up’ by 1 size, no prize for guessing my waistline though. It’s so sad, frustrating and I am trying not to harp on it.

Because of the shift from a XS to M GRADUALLY (I love this word loads), I have passed down 2 full huge black (trash) bags of clothes to my sister and friends. Some of which are 2 of my favorite jeans that I had procrastinated for the longest time to get rid of, hoping that I can still fit into them again and soon.

Well, the truth hurts, so whenever, I see my sister wearing them, with her flat tummy and lean legs, I really miss my ‘old self’. Ha-ha and I swear to lose those fats despite all difficulties.

Doubtful thoughts creep in and suddenly they hit me. Will running alone will be able to tackle them? And another problem I am worrying is my calcium intake as my mother has osteoporosis and is on medication. Scenes like these made me realized that her nagging to take care of our health suddenly makes perfect sense.

To me, to have both health and an attractive bod are very important and if I can have wealth too, life will indeed be a true bliss.

Some time back, a gal friend actually offered me to try out her uZap (the first generation with Fiona Xie as their ambassador) and I remembered being very excited by her kind gesture then! ( PS: uZap has now been replaced by the new and improved uKimono! )

I really wish to zap, zap and zap those fats away fast.

Any successful regime that is a must try?

 

uKimono Press Conference S.H.E videos

Watch videos from uKimono press conference with S.H.E here:

OSIM uKimono S.H.E Press Conference (6 Nov):

OSIM uKimono S.H.E Autograph Session (7 Nov):

Look our for more vids from the event coming to your way soon!