Health – Losing Weight

Lose Some, Save Some

Do I really want to get married in December?

Last night, Alfred commented that it’s me who doesn’t really think of getting married this year. Where’s this coming from? Basically, he’s set the date and has told anyone who asks (okay, not all) of the plan. But I keep on challenging him; playing the devil’s advocate. Will we have the budget to make this happen? That’s my primary concern. I am sure we will still be together by that time, I’m just not sure if we will have the money to make it happen the way we want it. Or the way I want it.

We both are not so good at saving money. The biggest problem: spending the money even before we have it. My credit card allowed for that behavior; it’s a bad habit and I’m trying to break it for both of us. I’ve talked about saving before and even shared what the plan is this year. But I just can’t be so sure we have enough time.

Truthfully, we should have started this a long time ago. Back when I just started earning decently – like when my salary was doubled when I first worked in this company or when his also increased when he moved here, and then again when he moved to where he works now. But we didn’t. Sure I have a savings account, and I do have money in it but it isn’t even half of what my brother has saved up already even after loaning me the dough for getting our (condo) units beautified.

I can save – as evidenced by the two and a half year’s worth of loan payments I’ve already done. If I saved even half of that amount in the previous two years, I’d be well on my way to paying for a grand wedding. LOL. But I can be easily shaken too. When I say I want to buy something but feel like I don’t deserve it, the boyfriend is there to convince me that I actually do deserve the treat. He also tells me, for example, that buying new clothes is actually called for (which is true). Yes I have all the stuff I bought, and there’s plenty of evidence of all the good food I’ve eaten over the years, but there’s just not THAT much to show for the almost five years I’ve worked here. And I still owe my brother some money.

I realize that by blurting these words now, I am admitting a weakness. And it’s not just for myself but for the boyfriend too. That’s not good because I have no permission to do that. He reads my blog and I know his feelings might get hurt too. But I feel like I must get this out. Because I also know that no matter how his attitude towards saving is, there is no excuse for mine. And I can’t blame him for enabling my shopaholic tendencies or encouraging the swipe mentality. We should just both look forward and change the error of our old ways.

You know another reason I’m anxious about a December altar date? I don’t trust myself to lose enough weight to become the gorgeous blushing bride I want to be. That’s another thing I have to commit to actually do, and there is no time to waste. I must lose weight fast! :S

Body aches and colds

That’s what we keep on having. I almost always wake up feeling sore around the neck and shoulder area. Worse, I wake up with a very bad headache, just like what happened on Saturday morning. I have trouble going to bed too. I feel sleepy so I trudge over to my bedroom (or sometimes lay on the sofa), but then I lie awake for Gawd knows how long. Then there’s Alfred. He came home with colds yesterday and was really feeling sick. He says someone at work kept on sneezing right in front of him, and before he knew it, he was doing the same. Poor guy.

I think this started happening when I finished taking three months’ worth of the medication that the doctor gave me for my migraines. I don’t know if this means I’d already become dependent on the drug but I hope not. It’s just weird that I get headaches again now that I’m pretty much stress-free, at least compared when I still had my old post. Lol 🙂 But what about the boyfriend?

What’s actually common between the two of us is that we’ve stopped taking nutritional supplements due to lack of supply. I bought this certain brand several months back and we’ve already gone through two sets. There’s three of us who used to take them regularly, my mom included. I’ve meant to re-stock but it costs a sum and I don’t want to go all the way to Makati to just get one set. I realized just now that I could actually have them shipped to me without added cost. Although, another option would be to buy through another friend who is actually thinking of signing up with that company too. I’d get my fix, and I help her get setup with that business at the same time. So I just have to cough up the cash for it. Hmm…

Of course, all this can actually just be further signs that I am once again gaining weight instead of losing it. I have to do something about this once and for all! (I know I keep on saying it. Empty words, no actions… sigh)

The {Newbie} Photographer

I finally published the {newbie} photographer! Actually, I published my first post on the 19th and it was about Project 365.  Then today, I decided to edit the About page, but also publish the motivation behind setting up the website as its own individual post. Do check them out.

I am a bit frustrated about the template I chose though, which is why I didn’t broadcast here the first post I setup there. It’s just not working the way I pictured it would. I guess I’ll just fill it up with a couple more posts before I more actively promote the space…

Now I don’t know what got me to do this, but I signed up for GDI domains. It wouldn’t hurt to have an additional income stream I guess. I don’t know anyone who’s on it so I’m not even sure I’ll get anywhere. I did sign up for 99-19thstreet.com through that service and I hope to have that one up and running by next month. I promised my nieces I’d have a blog site up for them and this would be perfect as a family blog. The domain hasn’t propagated yet though.

I’ve updated my Project 365 blog upto January the 14th. I’m only a week behind! Haha.

Last week, at the kiddie birthday party we attended, Alfred’s big brother was asking about our future wedding (do not ask me when it’s happening, I don’t know either). He was asking what we’d be asking him and his wife to sponsor. Catering? Gown? Then we got to joking about how may yards of fabric would be needed for my wedding gown. Lol. I told them that’s why we haven’t taken our vows yet, I can’t fit into my fantasy wedding dress! If I want to do so by the end of this year, I might as well brace myself for whatever possible diet pill side effects and start taking ’em already. There’s no way I’m exercising my way to weight loss. It is not happening!

The Biggest Contest in the Blogniverse!

Nope, I am not hosting it 🙂 Despite the success of my first ever giveaway, I have not embarked on another contest. Not yet anyway 🙂

But there are two bloggers who have endeavored to celebrate their blogs together by organizing a massive contest. And I am one of their sponsors! 🙂 Go check them out!

BIG Blogversary Contest

From the Biggest Contest… to my biggest problem… you guessed it – my weight! Do you know how relieved I am that this seems to be my biggest issue in life? I mean, others have to struggle just to live or to sustain their lifestyles. What do I have to worry about? How not to eat so much and occupy so much space in this world. Somehow, reading about all the ills of the world makes looking for the best fat loss supplement such a wasteful and fruitless exercise. But search for it I must… I might finally be donning a wedding gown by the end of the year. I have to fit in one first. 🙂

Starbucks Christmas

In Christmas 2007 and 2008, I joined the many others who patronized Starbucks just to earn the stickers for the planners to be used the next year. Last year, I skipped it. It was mainly because I found the design horrible, but also because of Peppermint Mocha’s absence in last year’s holiday drinks lineup.

I tried to make my own personalized Starbucks planner; but then realized just when I was about to print them out, that I didn’t want them anymore. I spent hours going through the design using my digital scrapbooking stash, only to give up on it.

This year, the tandem is back:

starbucks peppermint

My favorite Peppermint Brownie and Peppermint Mocha! I just had to have these two while we waited for Vanessa at the Starbucks at the Sky Garden, SM North.  I got to see the 2010 planners too, and I like what I saw. Liked it even more when I found out that there are freebie/discount coupons in them 🙂

So I completely fell off the bandwagon this week, as I found myself heading for a coffee and cake fix everyday after shift.  I had a ‘fun’ time people watching and looking at others who were there with their laptops, and their Promotional flash drive hanging around their necks, and small groups who were having meetings over brunch.

On Monday morning, this was my meryenda:

starbucks choco toffee loaf

That’s a Dark Cherry Mocha and a slice of Chocolate Toffee Nut Loaf.  I read about Dorothy’s adventure in Oz while enjoying these and waiting for the boyfriend.

The next day, as I was leaving the office, I had an internal debate about passing by Starbucks yet again or heading straight home. My mind was telling me to stay away, that I could still save myself – both my weight and my wallet – from this pre-Christmas disaster. BUT all those new treats were just too difficult to ignore. My heart led me to ELJ’s other entrance, and eventually inside the cafe. This was what I tried next:

starbucks chocolate molten cake

The Chocolate Molten Cake is their version of a lava cake. Once you dig in, more gooey chocolate plus caramel oozes through. There’s also a surprise marble of a choco truffle inside. 🙂 It might prove to be a little sweet for those who aren’t really chocoholics. I definitely had to ask for water to flush it all down. I love it, but I don’t think I’ll be having this again. The 110 peso price tag is just too much for someone who needs to learn to be more thrifty.

The very next day, despite having other plans, I found myself in the same spot. I just could not stop thinking about the Crepe Cake. I had to have it. So I did. It has eighteen layers. I counted (although I’ve seen others say it has only seventeen).

starbucks crepe cake

If the Molten Cake is very sweet, this one is just right. You will definitely recognize the taste of crepe that is alternating with cream filling, and finally finished off with chocolate ganache frosting. I’d love to make something like this! It is so yummy, I had to twit about it real time. Haha 🙂 Sadly though, it costs as much as the molten cake does.

Thankfully, I stopped myself from heading to the cafe yesterday. But that was only because Alfred and I went to Greenhills right after shift.

Okay, I admit it. I also coaxed him to buy me coffee there. I stayed away from any pastries or cakes but I sure did see even more yummy treats there including sugar free concoctions.

We’re only two weeks into November and yet the damage has already done. Goodluck for the rest of the season!

(The above photos were taken using my phone’s camera, not very good quality :(. Checkout Dessert Comes First for better photos of these Starbucks treats. I really miss toting my camera around with me because I miss out on photo opportunities.)

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