Cadbury Highlights Milk Chocolate

A friend got me this years ago from Brunei knowing I was a fan of anything chocolate.



I didn't know why but I kept it in my cupboard and has since moved between two homes before settling down in my current place. And now that I've started to be more conscious of what I eat, there would be times where I'd rather a cuppa of simple chocolate drink instead of a full on meal.

But this came in just handy because it doesn't require mixing the powder in milk, instead just add hot water to it and it will taste great.



I had it with three teaspoonful of the cocoa powder mix (and additional tsp for good measure) with hot water and added lots of ice to it. Since it's Malaysia and I usually prefer my chocolate drink cold than hot here.

Each serving (3 tsp) is only 40 calories, 3g of sugars, 1.4g of fat, with sweeteners of course. Which was an incredibly good replace for old fashion chocolate drink that comes heavy with full cream milk.

It's the perfect and best low calorie chocolate drink I've had so far.



Imported from the UK and suitable for vegetarians.
Guess I'll be hoping by an expat-friendly supermarket soon to scout for more of this. 

Unreal Candy

If candy won't get you to click on the video, Gisele Bundchen will. ;)

The coolest thing on earth.

I want one so bad. I don't care if I have to pay more to get it. It sounds too good to be true, it's unreal! lol
And it taste better than Reese and M&M's? Get outta here!

See the nutritional facts on getunreal.com

Article Source.

Burning off CNY Weights

Chinese New Year has come and gone and I have found myself two kgs heavier right after the festival.

I have a shoot in two weeks so I'm setting a goal to lose off these two kgs in 14 days.

Now I'm not an exercise buff but I don't mind walking. I disgress going to the gym, or any sort of sports because frankly, I don't really have that sort of stamina to last long. Strangely enough, due to my travelling habit, I have adopted a skill in walking.

And I don't just mean a walk in a park. I mean I can walk for hours non stop in a day and I can still find myself going on. I once walked an average of 5 hours a day for 10 days in Beijing.

Or even once hike-walk across a tiny peninsula on the Isle of Skye (in Scotland) in search for some lost village, one way journey took me five kms across the green hills and land, and another five km back. And I had been walking all over the island that morning.


So I decided to dedicate two weeks starting from today to walk. As my form of exercise. On a treadmill. Thank god for that. No sun for me thanks. I don't mind the sweat, I just hate having darker skin.

Now here's the calculation.


One kg of fat = 7700 calories (holy!)
(One pound is 3500 calories)

So to shed off that much, I can't just cut off on my daily intake of calories (which would be 1800 calories since I'm a girl) by 500/1000 everyday because then my body would take the carbs I consume and transform it into fat to burn.

And I can't just cut down on carb while cutting back on calories either, and focus on protein. Because then my body would transform protein into carbs in my liver (called Gluconeogenesis) and the process will just repeat itself.

And technically, due to the complexity of our metobolism, it would take more (than 7700) calories to burn off one kg of fat.


Generally, I should cut back on 500 calories a day and exercise at the same time (aka walk).
So by calculation, that would mean I should limit my consumption to 1200 calories a day.

But because I've been binging so much during CNY. It's actually healthy to detox for the first three days of the two weeks; because then it allows the body to burn your bodyfat first before realising it's calories deficient.

I'm talking about fruits, fresh juice, lots of water and no heavy solid food yet. Limiting myself to only 500 calories, this would help me cut back a further 700 a day on the first three days.


As for walking,

1 hr normal walking = 150 calories

But I'm doing a slight brisk walk at 4km/hr so 45 mins walking would take 155. (estimate, base on personal treadmill walk)

Hence, 1 hr 30 mins walk = 310 calories.
That would be 6km of walk every day.


First three days: (1200 + 310) x 3 = 4530

Following days: (500 + 310) x 11 = 8910

Total: 4530 + 8910 = 13440 calories.


Fat lost in two weeks: 13440/7700 = 1.745

That's a whooping 1.75 kilo of fat!

In two weeks and simply by walking. Not limiting much your intake as long as you stick to a 1200 cal daily benchmark.


Considering the possibility of water retention and undiscarded stools in my body, I'd say two kgs in two weeks should be a healthy and very possible achievement.

Wish me luck! (on my determination)

You should try it too.

Target this week

To lose 2.5kg by Wednesday this week.

Method: Crash diet + running up down my condo two times every morning and night. (20 floors wei~)

It's achievable, difficult but possible, coz i know one of the two half kg is water, as I am now going through my menses and my body is full of water~ so really I am looking at losing 1.5kg, some of which are just waste and more water. More More More~~~~~


Leaving on a sailing trip this Wednesday, gotta look good for the sea baby! (yea right~)

Food Poisoning Diet

No. Don't even go there.

NEVER entice yourself with the slightest idea of it.

To be honest, and I mean brutally honest, and only the truth.

I would rather DIE than to have another food poisoning session.

No, I would rather GAIN WEIGHT than another to get food poisoned again.


I'm serious.

At least gaining weight I won't feel like dying, and all I need to lose is to stop eating and go on detox for a few days, painless effort compare to the PAIN I went through each time with food poisoning ok?!

Trust me. And I am saying it as the 6th F.P. encounter that YOU DO NOT want to get poisoned by food.

I only mention this because it is THE ONLY, and I really mean the sole reason, why I shouldn't be so darn depressed about my 6th time food poisoning.

I lost 2kg. yay~

God I hate food poisoning.

Sure Win Diet Plan

My friend told me this is a sure win diet plan that's bound to achieve your weight goal in 3 months.

Never hurt to try.


Diet Tips
==============

My diet program consist of 3 phases. Phase 1 encourages snacking because it stabilizes blood sugar, which minimizes cravings and ultimately helps you manage your weight. If you're accustomed to snacking on chips and pretzels, you probably like some crunch when you munch. Since those snacks may send your blood sugar soaring, it's better to select a nutrient-dense, fiber-rich snack. Nuts are a delicious and obvious go-to choice, but they're not your only crunchy snack option! Here are some other healthy, Phase-specific nibbles to add to your snacking repertoire:

Phase 1 ( 2weeks )
Raw veggies, including celery, green and red peppers, cauliflower, and broccoli florets
Dill pickles (seek out the no-sugar-added variety and limit your consumption if you're watching sodium intake)
Edamame (boiled soybeans — sold by the bag in the frozen foods section of most supermarkets)
Sunflower seeds (count these toward your daily nut/seed allowance)
Soy nuts


Phases 2 and 3: Everything above PLUS the below...:)

Carrot sticks
Whole-wheat crackers
High-fiber, low-sugar, whole-grain cereal
Air-popped or microwavable popcorn (check the label to be sure it doesn't contain trans fats)
Frozen grapes
Apple slices with artificially sweetened, nonfat or low-fat yogurt dip
Toasted whole-wheat pita bread, sliced into triangles, with hummus

Losing 20 pounds

The other day I was asking my friend how to lose 20 pounds on msn...

Aliza says:

Ok...for the 20 pounds... 1st, you have to change the way you eat. Cut down on carbs...all carbs. So, that not only means cookies, cakes and chips...it also means rice, cereals and breads...even some high sugar fruits. Notice I didn't get rid of all carbs...you still need some carbs to live. So, the best are complex carbs like brown rice, whole wheat and yams. Otherwise, if you can stand it

Aliza says:

go carb-less during the week then allow yourself limited complex carbs on the weekend and 1 dessert after lunch.

Aliza says:

If you must eat carbs, try to do so for breakfast and lunch and none for dinner.

Aliza says:

Increase your veggie and fruits intake. You can actually eat as much veggies and fruits as you want as long as you stay away from the high sugar stuff like durian, mango, lychee. The best are leafy green veggies, celery, carrot sticks, broccoli, green apples, guava, pineapple.

Aliza says:

Ok...so that's the food part.

Aliza says:

Other than cutting down (drastically if you can stand it) on carbs, you have to excercise...at least 1 hour a day. The best time to burn fat is right when you wake up. While you were sleeping your body uses up the rest of the food you ate during the day and you wake up depleted of any energy source other than your body fat. So, when you excercise at this time, you are burning fat 200-300 times

Aliza says:

more effectively. If you can't excercise in the morning or when you wake up, then when you do have time...you must warm up for 20-30 minutes to deplete whatever food you last ate. Only after 30 minutes do you actually begin to burn fat. But be careful that you don't overdo the cardio...for women just light cardio will do...unless you're going for the muscle woman look. Heh.

Aliza says:

Then you should burn for 30-60 minutes a day or at least 3 days a week. If you have loads of time like me, you can do 2 30-60 minute workouts in a day to more rapidly lose fat. Ok...so food and excercise is out of the way.

Aliza says:

Once you get your food and excercise right, the pounds will start to melt off during your second week. Then it'll continue to melt off quickly till the last 5 or so pounds. They are always the most difficult. Since your fat will be melting, your skin will hang a bit...so this is the time to do light weight training and those 200 sit-ups a day!

Aliza says:

Ok...summary...3 steps to losing 20 pounds: (1) Limit carbohydrates (2) Exercise 3 times or more a week for at least 1 hour (3) Do light weight training

Nicole said:

omg.. 200situps? are u serious?!

Aliza says:

serious girl. start with 75...3 sets of 25 repetitions. work your way up to 90...3 sets of ninety. Do it right when you wake up and right before you go to sleep. Your tummy will love you for it.

Aliza says:

Abs are easy to develop though...it's getting rid of the fat that's covering it that's the problem! Now that's hard work.

She logged off and continued to SMS me from Bangkok:

Step 4: sleep 8+ hrs. step 5: double your water intake to 16 glasses (at 4 litres) to flush out fat & toxins. Tough but these 5 steps work. The end.

O...Kay.....

*Take knife out and slit wrist*

Stationary Phase

I feel that I am going through a phase where the weight just stubbornly maintain there. It's frustrating.

I would say I have been RATHER hardworking. Working out in the gym in between intervals (though I can only last for 10 minutes each time, those blacks staring at me freaks me out)

I only eat one apple for each meal, a hearty (one handful) oats and milk serving when I can't stand the hunger. Occasionally skipping a meal and go for Milo instead. But my weight just doesn't seem to co-operate!!!

*tipping-toe on weighing machine* "go down, go down"

*lean forward* "go left go left"

Have prepared for the worse to happen and might, god lords NO, postpone my plan this weekend to the next. Damnit!

Please tell me this is just a phase. Should I continue what I do or change regime?

Oats and Milk

Changing My Diet

I have been adopting a new diet recently for the past three days.

I call it the Oatmeal Diet.




Well, my weight hasn’t exactly gone down, but there are improvements.

Bowel system seems to be improving for one. I used to constipate for the longest time, like a week!! And that really affects my mood, sometimes I have to rely on laxatives to keep me going (to the toilet). But since two days ago, I have visited the toilet on a daily basis.

Technically, the oatmeal diet consists of sugar-free oatmeal and milk, full cream milk for that matter. Now I know that full cream milk are fattening, so why didn’t I go for skimmed milk or fresh milk at least?

There are few reasons to this.

First, I once heard or read from somewhere, that despite skimmed or low fat milk have lower fat percentage in it, because of the skimming process, the milk loses flavor and therefore to make up for the lost flavor, manufacturer usually adds in food conditioner and other sorts of chemical which are harmful to the body. And therefore is it better to opt for fresh or full cream milk than low fat milk. The same concept applies to yogurt drinks, low fat drinks usually has higher sugar content than normal drinks.

Second, it’s bloody sugar-less oatmeal. Not your packaged prepared muesli that you can purchase from stores, those are delicious. I never really tried pure plain oats before, and thought that maybe the richness of the milk can satisfy my taste bud enough to swallow the meal.

And to be honest, it’s actually quite delicious.


Nicolekiss Oatmeal Ingredient:

- a cup of organic baby oats (you can buy this from Chinese herbs store)
- a handful of raisins (to add sweetness)
- fresh or full cream milk
- slice in a whole banana (optional)

One packet of oats can last you for half a week if you eat it for breakfast and dinner.



The larger chunks are prunes


Simple, easy to make, cheap.

Try it.

Detox Week - Day 3

My period hits today. Suddenly I have all the reasons in the world to binge. Which is not a good thing.

I have cravings for almost everything I've come across, but only today. And feeling cranky from morning didn't help on my diet control.

The pain was too much to endure thus exercising was definitely out of my topic.

Breakfast: Two ice creams cones o.O

Lunch: Dragon Fruit

Dinner: Half a plate of shell pasta alfredo from Italiannes


Deadly sins, oh why do I commit thee...


Someone sent me an interesting article today.

Read it here.


Might be helpful.

So tomorrow onwards, less cravings, less snackings, and more water. Will work on my 8/12 work out as the article suggests.

Weight: still not going to weigh myself as it might prove pointless.

The Start of a Food-less Week.

Okay.

After returning from my Thailand, Japan and Vietnam trips back to back over the past three weeks. I am officially EIGHT kg heavier than when I managed to slide comfortable into that newly bought Levis Jeans of mine.

But now, I doubt I can fit into any of the existing jeans that I currently own.

I'm happy now, cause I have travelled to enough places and countries, tried enough food (dishes from three countries in less than a month) to settle myself down for at least one month before my travelling bug starts crawling again.

Which to my horror, if I am not mistaken, I thought I felt the bug tingling slightly today. But that could be just my imagination. I hope, if not I don't think my purse is going to be too happy about it.

Anyway, first day of Diet!

My weight in measure: 63 kg (that is a total of 8 kg heavier than five months ago)
My target weight: 53 kg

So I have 10 kg to lose.

Target weight to lose in the month of September: 5kg.

Which I don't think will be too difficult since most of the weight could be water retention.


Diet plan of Week 1: Detox

That includes lots of water, lots of fresh fruit juices, and lots of cardio exercises.

That means no meat, no fish, no fruits even, basically no solid food. No dairy products like milk or yogurt, and definitely no DESSERTS! Which is probably the most difficult part to conquer.

For the sake of my wardrobe, sacrifices must be made!