Getting back on track

How I wish I had the luxury to watch the sky unfolds from the crisp morning to the radiant flourish of bright red - moments where darkness spit the day. In short I like to slack and just enjoy and be oblivious of the world.

Anyway, I have been slacking lately from going to the gym. From my regular three-times-a-week to just twice. Worse, I ate lots of calorific foodies. So I decided to go to the gym and burn them all for 15 minutes in tread mill and 5 minutes on stationary bike. Fitness First should be thankful or not? I don't know :P Well maybe next week I will be back to my regimen of getting fit.

One of the culprits is Lutong Pinoy food stall at Lucky Plaza err... I love the sinigang, mango salad, pinakbet, chopsuey, bihon guisado etc. From Buona Vista to Orchard, I had my lunch there last Tuesday and another one last Wednesday and I ate pork with vegetables. I think for this month, it's the third occasion I ate pork and to make mention, I had crispy pata at Bonifacio, a bit chic Filipino restaurant in Kret Ayer, and chicken pork adobo at Lutong Pinoy. I must do away with this unhealthy stuff - seriously. I have been successful in my get-away-with-pork meals for the past months or up to a year but lately, I'm missing my plan. Anyway, I must resist the very sinful pork - I'm not a Muslim though but I wanted to change my diet.

I think I need a switch inside my subconscious to utterly remind me of this....

One fine Monday

I can consider my Monday so great today so maybe I should say one great Monday instead.

Anyway, I came to the office just on time. I actually woke up around 8:20 already and my roommate woke me up because he seemed to notice that I was going to be late if won't get up and start the day right. I pulled myself from bed and went to the bathroom. Good thing there was nobody there so I would not have to queue. I managed to do the morning ritual so quick but since I had to go to the gym, it took me some a bit of time to prepare. I was able to get out of our flat at around 9:30AM. Haven't I told you guys that I have received an email from my project lead regarding the my infraction of coming to the office at around 10 AM? Yes, I do not want that to happen to so I have to get a bus ride quickly.... It so happened that the bus arrived at that time so my being late was a bit far from happening again. Arriving to the office just fine, logged in to my PC and then started opening the programs that I will be using. Then came the mail from my project lead that I will be doing some validation of the project from my Indonesian teammate. I have been using the program he created so I'm a bit familiar about it and a bit familiar with the code as well. But I could not start doing what I have to do simply because there was no documentation where to base my validation. There was no base document. I have asked my PL about it and the engineer but then the document which came was only the existing test plan... So I thought I can manage it so I decided to start the task even if I am not convinced with it. Anyway, have to hurdle this one out. Noon came and we were supposed to have a team lunch together with the boss of my manager. He is the big guy. So there, the excel sheets were untouched and the documents were still lying there waving at me. I love the idea of eating out and the idea that it's for free. The group planned to have our lunch at this cozy and chic Italian restaurant at Tanjong Pagar, called Capricci. So I left my seat and went to the toilet to attend this simple call of nature... and then my phone was ringing and it was difficult to answer that call. I was planning to just leave my mobile ringing on my side pocket but it was persistent. So after my call of nature thing, I answered the phone without washing my hands. It was Olga and she's telling me that they were waiting at the lobby of Gemalto. I actually sent an SMS to Agnes but I think she did not notice that or I don't know so I just told Olga that it's our team lunch with the big boss. Anyway, after washing my hands, my teammates were waiting and preparing for the lunch trip. We got out of Gemalto and took two cabs. We arrived at the restaurant just on time as it was like 12:30 already or just around that time. Then we ordered some finger foods. Most of them I don't really know. Our boss ordered some salads. It seemed that most of my teammates do not eat salad so I was the one who finished them all. Ofcourse we had some interesting and yucky conversations about taboo food and some vegetarian diet and diets which has some significance to religion. Anyway, I find it very interesting simply because our talks revolved around those things and not on each other's work or task at the office. We then started ordering our main course, and I had carbonarra with seafood. When our teammates had their orders, we then talked about our boss' family basically his childre. We also talked about food again. It was kind of very great non stressful talk - very light but interesting and fun one. Our food were served and then we were beginning to mellow on our talks as our attention were glued to what we were lunching. I find the food really good but since it was like a huge serving, it turned out something else but still I finished my food. After the main course, we had our desserts and I ordered fruta tiramisu. It was served after a few minutes and again, the dessert is heavenly.... should I call it sinful ? Yeah my tummy was already bulging at that point. Our talks then centered on coffee and then Java then to our teammates iphone then to our boss' HTC. Somehow we were satisfied with what we ate and we finished lunch at 3:56PM in my wrist watch. I can't be mistaken because I counted the hours left for work after that. I also noticed that the bill was at a hefty 450 something SGD which was for 6 persons. That's a huge sum actually because it can support a family of 3 in the Philippines for a month. I maybe wrong but that's how I imagined it.

It was really hot when we got out of the restaurant and worse, there were limited cabs passing by. So we had to wait for 10 -15 minutes just to get a ride going to the office.

When we arrived to the office, my sleepy eyes were making another stint. I really could not help myself and it was so embarassing. I do not like to take coffee because of my hypertension and I do not know what to do.... It's affecting my work... gosh I need to consult to a sleep expert or any of those experts out there who could better help me. Anyway, at around 6PM my brain began to function and then I started working and thinking really fast so my fingers were already typing things... I finished one worksheet which was good thing. The deadline of the project would be tomorrow or later wahahha as it is 12:38AM already. Then I sent a private message to Agnes if she's going to the gym. So off we went to the gym together. I was so lucky to see this really beautiful creature which nearly caused an accident.... Anyway, we proceeded to the gym with all these remarks and chitchats.

Gym gym gym.... cardio and some weights ....

Right now my body is still active but my eyes are sleepy. I am still waiting for MJ to be online to have a nice talk with her at this very late hour....

Oh I forgot to mention that I had a new haircut and new look and good bye to my old long hair.

Yoga at Fitness First

I was out at the office by 7PM and went straight ahead to Fitness First. But before going to the gym, I dropped by at Starbucks to buy a sandwich. I had few bites to it while going my way to FF and when I got to the FF located at the 23rd floor of the building. I presented my ID and then got my towels and then I got a glass of iced tea as a quencher. I then proceeded to the mens locker room and got my own locker. I changed clothes. I then walk out of the locker room. It so happened that I passed by the Yoga studio and I met Rika, an officemate, who will be attending the Yoga session. We exchanged few words. When I proceeded to the free weights section, I saw three of my team mates waving their hands and calling me in. They were inside the Yoga studio. So, I went inside the studio and ask if it's difficult to follow and asking more if I can even do their Yoga tricks? Hehehehe. Audi told me that it's just easy and all I have to do is just listen and follow the instructor. So I was a bit excited already. It's going to be my first time to join the Yoga class.

Things started with this breathing technique while sitting on your legs' tendons (I don't know what they call the position) with hands placed on top of your lap. It was like a controlled breathing and finding your balance and letting go of those tensions in the body. Relaxing the mind, focusing your thoughts to your breathing and finding the center of your balance while in a sitting stance. It was actually quite easy but it was just the start. When things went on, the positions and movement went a bit difficult. The instructor went to my place when I was doing this sort of stretching wherein I was like putting my feet backwards and my two hands forward on the floor. She had to tell me to raise my butt backwards which I got with her very close assistance. It became difficult when we had to raise one leg pussing backward. Somehow I was able to get the right position but on the stretching part where we had to place our one leg forward slightly bent to our chest and the other leg backward fully stretched, that proved difficult. There was this other position wherein we wee lying on the mat folding our legs inward hugging our knees and we needed to like assimilate a rocking chair. It was also difficult and I even had a few chuckles. I even heard some farting but I thought it was just the cracking of the bones or ligaments of some sort.

Anyway, I was liking Yoga already because it made me feel very relaxed after the session. So that was my very first ever Yoga experience at Fitness First after a 4-month long membership with them. I still have 8 months for my 1 year membership with them so it's a long way to learning the basics.

My First Session at Fitness First

Okay, I have planned to actually have my first session last Saturday but, when I called them up, they told me that they were fully booked. Fitness First was supposedly be the one to call me and I did not received any call from them last week. Even so, I decided to agree with their proposal to have it today.

I was late in the office and the task that I have is to read and read and read. I am always getting sleepy while doing it the whole day. Good thing I finished the whole technical specifications with in the day. Though it was hard to remember everything, I managed to at least understood it in a snap. Hopefully it will proved useful to what I am doing.

Anyway, I was excited for the office hours to finish. I am planning to go out from the office at around 7pm. When the clock ticked at 6:55PM I just prepared and went out of the office. I walked around 7 minutes going to Fitness First which was just at Fusionopolis. The staff from the gym called me and was checking where was I already. I just told her that I was on my way. When I arrived at the gym, the personal trainer introduced himself. I went to the locker room to changed clothes and secure my things. After that, I had my physical examinations. The exercises then started. I had the warm up first with the tread mill then the weights. I had some crunches and some curl ups. After that, he explained to me the programs that I should take. It was very inviting at first but it was just too expensive for me. So I told him, that I will think it over. So that was it. I will be in my own in determining what to do or the routines to do. I think I will just do some reading and stuff.

I went home. Took my dinner and thanks to Olga for cooking dinner for us. After dinner, I went to a hot bath. It was very refreshing. I think I'm gonna have new routines and set of activities for the whole year round. Hope it won't be boring me and hoping that it will improve my health and achieve my desired finess.

I have enrolled at Fitness First

I have been wanting to join a fitness club or something and today I have decided.

Fusionopolis is about 5-8 minutes walk from the office. So I searched online of what fitness club was in that building since I've heard that there is a fitness gym there. So I then found out that its Fitness First. After office hours, Olga and I decided to go to this gym and check things for ourselves. It was located at the north wing of the build and is at the 23rd floor. We got to the reception and check their pamphlets. After checking the available services I had to check with the receptionist as to the price of their services. The staff had me sign a log form then requested me to sit at their available guest area. While waiting, I got to see the place from the outside and it was a great view of the area. Well after a minute or two of waiting, another staff approached us and she introduced herself as Azlina. She then began the tour and guide us to the second floor where main facility was located. Then she showed us the yoga room. Well it was kind of exciting to try yoga. After the yoga room, she showed us the third floor which was the rooftop already and it has the swimming pool. After the pool area, we went down to the second floor then checked the looker and changing area. After that, she showed us the stretching area then the cycling area. It wasn't spacious but it was really clean. After the whole tour, Azlani had to talk to us about the dues and stuff. Well, good enough since we come from Gemalto and they have this promo and the fees were waived. Basically, I did not have to pay the membership fee, the Admin fee stayed the same and the monthly due was also slashed. Well I will be paying only 98SG dollars a month which is more or less the same in the Philippines. So I was convinced and I signed up. They gave me a back-pack, a headphone then a face towel. They also gave me a 14day free of charge use of the facilities. I just thought again that its a good thing to invest in my health and stuff.

I'm so excited to start my first gym day! Hurray I'm gonna dance and flex my body and then tone my muscles and become more fit.