Without struggle, there is no progress.

As to kill time and my boredom during work, I've decided to take some time and talk about my dieting journey. The post is gonna be really dry and dull because I did not track my process with any photos, mainly because I never thought I could actually succeed in losing weight. Well, anw in a short summary I managed to lose eight kg gradually within three months. Which I presume to be considered as a healthy diet. :')

Now I'm having difficulties remembering how this whole diet plan started, I did remember that I blogged a post on my weak attempt to lose weight somewhere in Aug which sadly, nothing follows up after that. And then there was a break up, and then I started running everyday. Hmm but that wasn't to lose weight but to train stamina for the upcoming Nike run back then. Anyhow my weight didn't drop a bit since I wasn't on a clean diet control then. I guess there is a few factors that set me into dieting mood: the will to run a full marathon someday; the promised I once gave that I will lose weight after As and become fit like the someone; and ultimately everything sparked off when I step onto the weighing machine one fine day and I realize my weight hit 61. That was probably my bottom line since all along my weight floats around 59-60 and I was hoping that it would maintain. So that's where it all started...

-/
After having to abandon this post in my draft for another two months, I'm paralyzed by the indecision on whether or not to continue this post because there's nothing left to say suddenly, or rather I'm lazy. Kay let's just cut it short, I will do a quick summary on the list of things I did during the process:

1. I downloaded the app My fitness pal on my phone to calculate how much calories intake I need to lose 2lbs a week and also to monitor my daily intake, ensuring the net calories doesn't exceed of certain amount. ( For me it was capped at 1200kcal, well different people have different goals and it varies with your height weight age and your level of daily exercise. ) Our body does no magic, it's as simple as if you consume less, your weight will definitely drop. The only difference is at what rate. ) A short recap on a normal meal at hawker ranges from 500-700kcal and the general daily intake one should be eating is 1900kcal. On an average day, my clean dietary plan looks like this:       

          2. Now clean diet is only half the work, while the other half depends on workout. True enough that solely by eating lesser your weight will drop. But from my own experience in attempting to lose weight by eating very little in secondary 2,it's almost guaranteed that the weight will gained back once you started eating as per normal. Which was what happened to me anyway hahaha. So as we all learn from our past mistakes, this time I accompanied my clean diet with adequate exercise daily. As I have mentioned that I was picking up jogging to train for the Nike run, I continued anyhow afterwards. The starting is no doubt tough, I started off from running barely 1.6km and panting like a dog, then it took time and I got better. That's one thing I like about running, you reap what you sow, if you are determined enough to run everyday you will get better at it. This is not like studying, you might have poured in all your time all your energy doing tys but by the end of the day no one's gonna guarantee you an A on your report. :') 

Okay that was a little of side tracking. As an add-on, I came across this image below in Junhua's itouch half a year ago and decide to take up the challenge. The first few days, or in fact weeks were horrible, I spent three whole weeks to improve from dropping flat onto the ground when I go down to doing a proper push up. But I swear it's worth it, that sense of accomplishment when you finally turned impossible to i'm possible. Quoting from my mum, which I have to agree, she said that if I were to dedicate half the determination I had for losing weight into studies, I will no doubt get a scholarship with ease. :') Owell too bad that studying isn't my realm of interest then.    

  

3. With that, you are almost there. It's really simple, but definitely not easy. One needs really strong will power, determination, discipline, whatever you want to name it, to make sure your dietary plan and work out is sustainable in the long run. For me, a little trick I toyed with was by using tumblr,  seeing motivational quotes and fit girls out there everyday played a large part in affirming my determination to persevere and push myself harder everyday as I run. I don't know if this is scientifically proven that what you see affects your mentality but it worked well for me at least. :) And at the same time, keeping a record of your progress helps too, nothing feels greater than seeing yourself making slow and steady progress as days go by. Keep track of what you eat, what was your workout, and of cause your weight progress. Whenever I felt a little disappointing at the slow progress I made, I thought of this reasoning I came across on tumblr and find it very true; it says that you did not just gain all your excess weights overnight, hence you cant be expecting to lose them all overnight neither.



To sum up, I'm glad that I have come thus far. Staying healthy and keeping fit does absolutely no harm as long as one don't get too obsesses with losing weight. I have to admit that it's easy for one to get into the anorexic state as much as I would want to bring forth myself as a healthy-living girl. Once you get used to the clean dietary, you might tends to push yourself a little further everyday, for instance one day you eat 1200kcal, the next day you might want to restrict yourself to 1000kcal, and even lesser the next day. It almost happened to me but I'm glad that I stick to my initial plan anyways. Partially because I realize I don't have energy to run if I were to consume any lesser. In fact I have to admit sheepishly now that my determination to lose weight is dying off and the scale has been stuck at 53-54 for months, albeit my ideal is always 52kg. :/

Nevermind about that, I conclude that I'm skewing more towards keeping fit rather than losing weight now, which are in fact two entirely different concept. There are days now that I'll munch on a sinful chocolate lava cake, a table of scrumptious hawker food at lagoon and the irresistible NY cheese cake. Of cause occasions as such are on a weekly basis and I do run an extra mile the next day at the gym. But the point is that it all lies in moderation, I like the saying that a bad meal doesn't make you fat, just like how a clean meal doesn't make you healthy. I wish everyone who is planning to start a diet, or in the middle of one now, all the best and may the force be with you! :D It was indeed an interesting experience and there was much things to take away from it, lastly, I'm glad I made it. We people got to be more confident and believe in ourselves yo. What we think, we become.


A pity that I don't have a good before-and-after photo to show off but should I manage to train some little abs someday, not those very well defined one though, just something like this, I will show off a little, till then. :')