My first munggo bean stew

My own version of korean bibimbap

Detox water - the Sassy water formula

The sassy water was created by Cynthia Sass of flatbelly.com.  I would usually prepare the water at night and drink it the next day.  Here's the formula:

Cynthia Sass' sassy water: 
2 liters or 8 1/2 cups of fresh water (use good quality water, filtered if need be) 
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated 
 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly 
1 medium lemon, sliced thinly 12 fresh mint leaves – try to obtain spearmint leaves but other mint leaves will work too; choose small ones


Refreshing "sassy" water:
2 liters or 8 1/2 cups of fresh water 
1 medium mandarin or tangerine, sliced thinly 
4 fresh pineapple sage leaves 8 fresh lemon verbena leaves 
12 fresh mint leaves, small

Here I go again.....

I'm back to my dieting after my 42-day  vacation in the Philippines.  I will be sharing pictures in the next few posts about my vacation.

Tell me, how do you spell MOTIVATION?

For me, Motivation is spelled as G-O-L-D.  yes, you read it right.  GOLD!

The Dubai Municipality has once again initiated a weight loss program for all residents of Dubai.  This is a yearly program of the Dubai Municipality to promote health and wellness in the emirate of Dubai for all nationalities.  This health program is done by Dubai Municipality every Ramadan.

Dubai Weight in Gold Programme

This year, the program is called "Your weight in gold".  The weigh in started 19 November 2013 in different registration sites or jogging tracks in different parks.  I went to the nearest jogging track from my flat, which is the Zabeel Park.

The long line for the weigh-in of Weight in Gold at Zabeel Park 

I spent four hours in line and finally finsihed at 1:15 a.m. when I found out that my current weight is a gruesome 69.1 kg.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

So, here I go again starting my diet and exercise.  On my facebook page, I post my daily diet food or activity.

https://www.facebook.com/lorelie.ganda?ref=tn_tnmn

I will be posting on this blog once again my weight loss journey.  I will not be following only one diet routine or exercises but i will mix it as to my convenience.

Good luck and go for gold.

Kim Chi Kin Dubai

Since it's "treat day" today after finishing the two-week perfect diet program, we went to Kim Chi Kin (formerly Bon Chon) opposite Burjuman Center in Dubai.  It is a Korean restaurant that serves one of the best chickens next to KFC. 

We ordered two big value box, which is good for three, since we are five.  This includes:

9 soy and spicy chicken
3 rice or bread
3 side dishes
1 kimchi
3 drinks

I have always loved the kimchi.  I also like the fries with oregano sprinkled on it.  Take note, Kim Chi Kin is using Zero trans fat, meaning they are not using hydrogenated oils or oils that produce bad cholesterol.  The chicken is not breaded but double fried that is why it is so crunchy to the bones. 

The overall experience is a 9/10.  Best Korean fast food in Dubai.  Two thumbs up!

L-R Gerry, Caren, Lorelie, Leah and Hector

Day 14: Final weigh in

Today, 3 March 2013, marks the end of our Hemani Perfect diet.  My final weight is.....

67.70 kg

from

71 kg

 

This is me now...

Day 13: The final countdown

Yesterday was day 13 and almost all of our grocery supplies for the Hemani Perfect diet are almost over.  Our food was the ukoy recipe in herbs that we made.  We used balsamic vinegar and garlic as dressing.  It was so yummy.

Day 13 is also March 2 which means it is my one and only son, Yerik Jean or Gorby's as we know him, 10th birthday. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORBY! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Day 12: A very lazy day

Friday is fasting day during this lent for catholics here in Dubai.  In the morning, I did not eat or follow any meal on the food list of the perfect diet.  When I arrived home in the afternoon, I drank a cup of milk and a glass of water.  I watched the movie The Impossible, the true to life story of a family during the phuket, thailand tsunamin in 2004.  Then, i watched Zero Dark Thirty, another true story of the fall of usama bin laden.  That was about it and then i fell asleep until maybe 8:30 p.m.  I did not feel hungry but forced myself to eat salad and oolong tea.  Caren arrived and we cooked another healthy option recipe calle UKOY.  

Recipe for Ukoy (shrimp and vegetable fritters) in herbs 

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 cup of flour

1 cup of water

bean sprouts

carrots

shrimps 

herbs of your choice (parsley, oregano, tarragon etc.)

salt and pepper to taste\

Olive oil for frying

Procedure:

Put flour in mixing bowl

Add egg

Add water

Mix together

Season with salt and pepper to taste

Add carrots, bean sprouts and shrimps

Fry in olive oil 

use vinegar and garlic as dip

Day 11: Food feast and self-control

Dieting on off days is the hardest part of the program.  Since we are all at home and in the resting and festive mood, we tend to be out of control with eating.  NOT with this Perfect Diet.  I am so proud of myself and Caren that we were able to control ourselves.  Even during the weekend, we followed the menu plan of the Hemani Perfect diet. Today, except for afternoon snack and dinner, we ate the suggested diet list.

At night, I had to attend the testimonial night of the intercessory prayer group of Our Lady of Guadalupe together with Caren and Dinno.  And with event comes food fests :-O BUT we are so proud of ourselves that we were able to control our eating binge.  We ate more of fruits and vegetables and just tasted little of the sweets offered in the buffet.  Way to go girls!

Caren and Dinno testifying on the goodness of God in their lives

Day 10: Going Japanese?

Day 10 and still feeling a bit sick with colds and cough.  I stopped exercising for a while since i had the flu.  Today's weight is 67 kg, still plateauing. Hopefully, before we end the perfect diet, i would  be able to exercise again and lose another kilo or two.  I am beginning to get the habit of eating healthy and lesser junk food.  Tonight, we're going Japanese with Oolong tea drink and Nori Maki Arare or rice crackers with seaweeds.

Oolong tea and Nori Maki

What are the benefits of Oolong tea?

Oolong tea is a very well known health tea.  It gives a lot of health benefits especially with weight loss when taken regularly.   Oolong tea undergoes less fermentation that is why it is like black tea and green tea (in between).

It is well known to decrease the rate of heart disease and stroke.  Oolong tea also helps with lowering sugar and increasing metabolism. 

Since I am into weight loss, I will concentrate on the weight loss benefits of ingesting oolong tea.

• improve fat metabolism thereby causing weight loss

caffeine in oolong tea increases metabolism

• Increase energy expenditure  

• Inhibits the absorption of nutrients including fats and carbohydrates

Day 9: Dreaming of the last day

It has been nine days since we started the Hemani Perfect Diet.  Today, our weights are still the same as yesterday.  Plateau? Maybe?  Week two diet list of the Perfect Diet is quite heavy but the bowel movement is really, really smooth and suave :) I think it's because of the vegetables and fruits combined with coffee and tea.

We have been dreaming and planning of a "healthy feast day".  Yes, it seems that we have developed a habit of eating healthy and living healthy.  

What is healthy feast day?

Our healthy feast day is the first weekend after our two-week Perfect Diet.  In our case, weekend in Dubai is Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays.  Our two-week diet ends on the 4th of March 2013.  We plan to have the healthy feast on the 7th of March 2013, which is my mom, Lucita Saulo Hernandez' birthday.  

What do we plan to eat.  Today, we were dreaming of what we wanted to eat right after the diet.  Surprisingly, except for Kentucky Fried Chicken hmmmm minus the skin and coco jam, we decided to have:

Vegetable cocktails

Fruit cocktails

Ham asparagus

some healthy pasta

cakes, cupcakes

I can't wait for the healthy feast.  This is the day that we test our new habit of healthy living.  Are we going to over eat or not? he he he

Caren and Lie's Recipe for today: 

For tomorrow's food, we cooked up our vegetable and fish menu. 

Fish fillet in herbs and vegetable ala first time :)

Fish Recipe

Ingredients

White fish fillet

Oregano

Ginger powder

Lemon

Bread crums

Egg

Olive oil

Procedure:

Marinate fish with lemon, ginger powder, oregano

Chill for 24 hours

Heat olive oil in low fire

beat egg and deep fish fillet one by one

Then, cover with crumbs

Fry

Vegetable ala first time

Vegetable of your own choice - anything goes

garlic

onion

olive oil

Procedure

Heat olive oil in low fire

Saute garlic and onion

Add vegetables 

Season with worcestershire sauce

I hope you enjoy our new healthy option recipes. 

Day 8: Down with flu :(

Today, i called in sick from work.  I had flu.  I missed all meals of week 2 diet plan of the Hemani Perfect Diet.  I only ate the night meal.  I was feeling so under the weather.  I just stayed in bed and took medicines.

In the afternoon, i baked our chicken for tomorrow and made healthy option tuna pizza and vegetable pizza.

 

Lorelie's healthy option pizza

 Ingredients:

Brown bread

Capsicum green

Eggplant 

pizza sauce

Oregano

Low-fat cheese

Tuna in olive oil

Procedure:

1.  Spread pizza sauce on brown bread

2.  Sprinkle with Oregano

3.  Spread tuna including the olive oil 

4.  Add chopped capsicum and eggplant

5.  Top with low-fat cheese

6.  Bake at 250 degrees F

Let's eat!

Day 7: Last day of week one menu

Day 7:  It was our last day of a very limited diet week.  We checked our weight and guess what? I have reached my maximum ideal weight of 67 kg.  Isn't that great?  It is also our last day of week one menu.  we are excited for day eight.

Unfortunately, i have been feeling under the weather.  I have been having runny nose and fever since the morning of day seven.  I cannot even feel the taste of my food.

After church, Caren and I went to shop more fruits, eggs, cheese and milk.  Oh by the way, Caren los another kilo. WTG!  Enah, leah and Grace remained on plateau. 

We increased our exercise to 7-10 minutes.  Good girls. Can't wait for day eight.

Day 6: Plateau and losers

After two days of not checking our weight, today at day six, my weight is 68 kg from 69 kg.  I thought i plateaud but I'm a loser.  Alriiiight.  Though some of the members of the Perfect Diet support group plateaud, we're still happy with the results. 

During the weekend, we stepped on the treadmill for 30 minutes.  Caren did a bit of yoga in bed and some jumping jacks.  Now, we're trying to learn new exercises from Mike Chang. 

Mike Chang

Day 5: More herbs and healthy options

Today is our fifth day of perfect diet.  I have been busy with my church service from morning until late afternoon.  I had to do fasting in time for lent and was not able to follow our scheduled diet.  At night, one of my friends cooked healthy options pasta with broccoli, olive oil, shrimp, spam and cheese.  It was yummy but i had to control myself to get a second serving.  I hope I won't get my weight back. :(

Back to other weight loss herbs

3.  Oregano Helps ins digestive health and speeds up metabolism.

4.  Tarragon Muscle building and aids in digestion 

 

5.  Ginger powder .K. Han, a Japanese researcher, says ginger creates thermogenesis, an action that boosts metabolism. He led a study in which rats fed ginger extract lost weight while maintaining a high-fat diet.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/280367-how-ginger-helps-you-lose-weight/#ixzz2Lf3RlXuk

Day 4: Loving herbs

We found out that there are a lot of herbs that help in weight loss.  Last night, we shopped for herbs and meat to include in our diet for the coming days.

White fish in herbs and turmeric

Porkchops in herbs

Some Herbs that are good for weight loss 

Below are the herbs that we currently use in preparation for our food. 

1.  Thyme  This has diuretic effect and can remove fluid retention in the body. 

2.  Marjoram    Soothing aromatic properties that relieves stress, thereby preventing nibbling of dieters.

 To be continued....

Day 3: Now, we're losing

So, glad to have lost 2 kilos.  Maybe we're beginning to lose our water retained in our body.  To my Perfect Diet support group.

Day 2 of Perfect Diet: Thanks for the support!

What's the hardest part of going on a diet?  You get lack of support.  Good thing majority of the six women in our Perfect diet are strong willed and very supportive of each other.  Sadly, one of us had to leave the program because she has a visitor so she can't control eating he he he.

Today is day two.  The hardest part is when people around you do not believe that you can finish the diet program.  When they say negative things and worse, they would laugh at you.  But we came prepared.

Another diet hurdle is the"rumbling stomach".  It really weakens me when I hear my stomach crying for "fooood!".  Sometimes I would just want to nibble on something or just break the diet BUT, NO! I won't.

There may be a lot of obstacles in our diet program, but here's how we handled them. 

How to overcome diet obstacles?

 

 1.  Ignore. How do you ignore your teasers, detractors and unbelievers? By focusing your attention in other things like you mobile phone, your computer or anything that would distract your attention away from  those people, away from their "unsupportive" talks.

2.  Stay focused on your eating schedule.  Aside from keeping a food journal, stay loyal and focused on your schedule.  In Day one, I have posted our perfect plan diet schedule with time and activities.  

3.  Stay away from stress.  Studies show that relieving your stress helps in weight loss.  When I get stressed, I would see myself nibbling on junk foods, tsk tsk tsk.  When you are on a diet.  Stay away from stress!

4.  Calorie counting.  I enjoy counting calories.  Not because the label says "LOW FAT", "NO SUGAR", "ORGANIC", "LOW CALORIES", etc, means it is "really" low in calories.  Learn to check the label at the back of every food product.  In my experience, when there is no nutritional information, chances are,  they are high in calories. Beware!

 5.  Avoid eating out.  Need I say more?

Day 1: Weighing and goal setting (Perfect Diet)

On 18 February 2013, we started the Hemani Perfect Diet support program.  We are six women who aim to lose weight in two weeks using the Hemani Perfect Diet Tea.  At 8:00 a.m. Dubai time, we started checking our weight.  Sadly, I weighed 71 kg at 5 feet 3 inches.  Whaaaaaat?  I cannot reveal the rest of the girls' height, sorry. Ideally, my weight should be between 64 to 67 kg.  

 

 

 

Setting our goal

Our goal is to reach at least the maximum ideal weight.  As for me, for the next two weeks, I want to achieve the weight of 67 kg.  In most goal settings including weight loss, goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound.

Perfect Diet Schedule

8:30 a.m.               Drink two glasses of water

9:00 a.m.               Perfect Diet breakfast

9:30 a.m.               Perfect Diet Rise and Shine tea

10:00 a.m.             5-minute exercise

11:30 a.m.             Snack - Low fat

12:30 p.m.            Two glasses of water

12:50 p.m.            Refreshing afternoon tea

1:00 p.m.              Perfect diet lunch

3:00 p.m.              Stair exercise

3;30 p.m.              Snack - Low fat

6:30 p.m.              Two glasses of water

 

7:00 p.m.               Perfect Diet dinner

 

before bedtime      Peaceful night tea

 

During the day, we would drink lots of water.  We never felt hungry.  To top it all, it seems like it is cleansing our kidney as we need to go to the toilet often to urinate. This is day one of Hemani Perfect Diet.