Dea Guwapa

Ugh, stress-eating again.

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Dea

Things have not been too well at the office lately, I am usually so stressed by the time I finish my shift that I end up reaching for comfort food. It’s so hard to diet if this keeps up.

I was supposed to go on a fast this week, I planned on just taking meal-replacement shakes and supplementing that with only fruits and vegetables, but all this stress is making it impossible. I’m craving for carbs more than ever. If I don’t give in to my cravings, I get cranky leaving me even more stressed.

I hope our workload lightens up soon, for the sake of my figure. I really don’t want to resort to having to take adapexin-p just to lose all this weight, I want to do this the healthy and natural way.

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I miss doing yoga

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Dea

I haven’t been to the yoga studio in the last few weeks. I just couldn’t afford — financially and time-wise — to do both Bikram yoga and make-up school at the same time. Bikram yoga doesn’t come cheap, and right now all my money goes to my make-up expenses, I cannot afford to pay for yoga classes at this point. Aside from that, I practice putting on make-up on myself (on my eyes at the very least) everyday, and that eats up what free time I have. (And do you realize how much work goes into cleaning make-up brushes? A lot!)

I’ve been thinking about how to reduce belly fat while in still in school, and I guess right now I’ll just have to stick to Pilates and the exercise bike at home paired with a sensible diet. But it’s just not as fun as Bikram, I really love Bikram.

I can’t wait to go back to doing yoga, which isn’t to say that I want my make-up classes to end, I love make-up school as well. Once I’m done with school, I’ll definitely go back to the yoga studio, and I’ll finally attempt the 30-Day Bikram Yoga Challenge.

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So how did my first Bikram yoga session go?

This is soooooooo it!

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Dea

This is it! I AM GOING TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET MY SEXY BODY BACK!

Oh, I know, I’ve said it before and haven’t had as much success as I had hoped, but I know that this time THIS IS IT!

I’m proud to say that I’m one of the rare few who actually lost weight over the holidays. (Thank you, Bikram Yoga. No thank you, my mom’s and Abet’s mom’s wicked holiday dishes.)

You see, this time, I am motivated like I’ve never been before. After all, I will be getting married! In a wedding dress! Where I’ll be photographed the most on any given day of my life! And I’ll look at those photos FOREVER!

I cannot — CANNOT! — afford to be fat on my wedding day. Also, I want to wear a bikini live in a bikini on our honeymoons, demmit.

So far, so good. Abet and I started the year with a healthy lunch at Sonya’s Garden in Tagaytay earlier, I stuffed myself silly with greens. I plan to continue doing Bikram Yoga as often as I can, I believe that if I just keep at this, the extra poundage will just fall off. That, and a healthy diet, of course. And I want to do this naturally. I bought a box of slimming coffee that’s popular at our office, it suppresses your appetite like no other, and I was planning on using it for the holidays, but proud to say that the box remains unopened.

My most urgent motivation is our engagement pictorial. We weren’t planning on having prenup pictures taken because it’s not in our budget, but as luck would have it, I won a prenup session in the annual online auction of Weddings@Work at an unbelievably low price. And it wasn’t just any photographer, we managed to get Eddie Boy Escudero, one of the country’s premiere photographers. I can’t wait to whip my ass (and my tummy, my thighs, my arms, etc.) in shape so I can wear pretty, sexy dresses in our prenup photos.

I have all the reasons in the world to slim down, but at the top of that list would have to be my Abet. He has always thought that I was the most beautiful girl in the world no matter what size I am, even at my fattest, and for that alone he deserves a hot girl!

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Broke!

One month.

Someone almost upstaged me at my wedding...

I will finally attempt to be a yogini!

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Dea

Finally, after much procrastination!

I already got myself a yoga mat and some workout clothes, so out the window go my excuses. Later today, I will attend my first Bikram yoga session. Actually, I was supposed to start working out last Monday, but then my cat was not eating properly, I didn’t want to be away from her for too long. But she’s fine now, so this is it!

I’m a bit nervous. I hope I don’t throw up or faint or get a nosebleed. Bikram yoga is done in a 38°C heated room so I’m not even counting on finishing the full 90-minute session on my first try.

I’m hoping that Bikram yoga and I will get along well, I want to experience all the benefits it has to offer: strength, flexibility, balance, better posture, better overall health, decreased body pain, better sleep, and my number one motivation of all, weight loss. I’m also looking forward to what it can do to my mind and soul. My uncle even said that I may find myself losing interest in cigarettes and maybe even meat once I get into yoga. Let’s see.

For November and December, Bikram Yoga Manila is actually offering a free session for first-timers for their anniversary, which I didn’t know about until today. My timing couldn’t be more perfect. I’ll let y’all know how it goes.

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So how did my first Bikram yoga session go?

Broke!

Fitness Wishlist

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Dea

If I had these pretty little things, maybe it would be easier for me to pick my bum off the floor and work out.

Or maybe not.

a baby pink or baby blue yoga mat with carrying case

purple and white Nike Shox

Core Rhythms Dance Exercise DVD

Adidas by Stella McCartney gym bag

Nike sports bras (can’t live without these)

a Bikram Yoga Manila membership

a Barre3 membership

pink kettlebells (I have no idea what these are for, but I saw them on TV Patrol the other night and I want a pair)

and last but not the least:

the time and the discipline to actually exercise!!!

The next 3 & 1/2 years will be exciting

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If I ever won the lottery

Herbivore again

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Dea

This was lunch:

And this was dinner:

And lunch and dinner will be like this for the next 10 days, until my brother’s wedding. I haven’t been successful with my fitness goal, I haven’t haven’t been updating my fitness journal since may weight just isn’t budging anymore. For now, let’s just blame the kitten, shall we? She takes up ALL my time when I’m home that I really haven’t been able to do anything else, much less exercise. Yes, let’s blame the kitten.

So there, I hope I survive, and I hope I lose couple more pounds before I slip into my fuchsia abay dress. Good thing I like fruits. I’m getting so much roughage now that I don’t think I’ll need to browse colon cleanse reviews anytime soon.

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Two weeks more!

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Dea

14 days to go until I cross off the first item on my 31 Before 31 list: (#10) Be a vegetarian for 60 days. And I never cheated, not even when we had food tastings with two different caterers. I didn’t touch the meat dishes.

Believe it or not, I haven’t been craving for pork or beef at all. In fact, I’m craving for just 3 things: Jollibee Chicken Joy, Sr. Pedro roast chicken, and my mom’s squid in ink dish. After the 60 days, I think I’ll continue to lay off the red meat and reincorporate just seafood and chicken into my diet, but only when I’m craving for it. We’ll see.

I’m actually feeling better now than when I first started going vegetarian. Six weeks ago, I felt like a truck in bad need of rv repairs: I felt heavy, I was sluggish, and I was popping and creaking and aching all over. The difference isn’t really dramatic and the weight loss is minimal (just 7 lbs.), but I’m happier, definitely. I don’t feel as heavy or as bloated as before, and the body pains have lessened. And while almost everyone around me at work has the sniffles and coughs, I’m as fit as a fiddle. Must be all that fruit.

I’m so proud of myself already. I can’t wait for August 26, when I’ll finally get to tick off item #10 on my list. I’ll treat myself to a 1-piece Chicken Joy meal then.

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I need to make Pilates my new best friend

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Dea

I was alarmed when my officemate Cheska read out this headline at work today: “Bigger waistline, bigger risk of dying.”

I’ll say it: I have a BIG tummy. It ranges in size from 2 months pregnant to 4 months pregnant depending on my underwear, how much I just ate, or my bowel movement that morning. (TMI, I know. Gross.) And it isn’t just me, Abet is also, um, abdominally endowed.

This isn’t new to me, I’ve always known that a wide midsection is unhealthy because it means that the internal organs are covered in fat, but reading the article really freaked me out. I actually didn’t have any appetite for dinner.

I really need to focus on getting my waistline down, and not just for aesthetic reasons anymore. And I need to convince Abet to do the same. We have this grand plan of growing old into Lolo and Lola in love, so we can’t afford to have that bigger risk of us dying. Sorry to be so morbid.

Once we’re married, I’m going to make sure that Abet and I will have a very healthy lifestyle. I’m going to start stocking up on healthy recipes and scouting for folding treadmills and portable ab machines in the meantime. For now, we’ll be constantly reminding each other to eat healthy, and I’ll be working out with my Pilates videos and my mom’s Ab Rocket while he rides around on his bike. We just have to get rid of these belly flabs.

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3 weeks down, 5 more to go

Posted on July 17, 2010 by Dea

Of being a vegetarian, that is.

So far, I’ve lost 6 lbs., and that’s without regular exercise, just 20 minutes of Pilates whenever I’m in the mood. I’ll start exercising once my weight loss eventually plateaus, I’ll start with Bikram yoga then. I’m quite pleased with my tummy now, it’s back to looking just two months pregnant instead of four. And while it may just be psychological, I do feel much lighter and less bloated, and my trips to the bathroom have become regular, you’d think I was taking colon cleanse products. All this just by avoiding all meat including seafood.

I haven’t had any serious meat cravings so far, thanks to my favorite meatless food that I indulge in whenever I get tired of vegetables: Sbarro’s baked ziti with tomato sauce, Army Navy’s veggie burrito, and Yellow Cab’s cheese pizza. I think I can maintain this diet long-term. I’ll see how this goes in the next five weeks.

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Broke!

Pulag Dreaming

Meatless for 60 days

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Dea

I had tried going vegetarian for a whole month five years ago. By the time the month was up, I had lost weight, the aches and pains in my body went away, and I generally felt a whole lot better than I did before I went all-veggie.

I’m attempting to do this again, but to challenge myself even more, I’ll go meatless for 60 consecutive days. It’s on my 31 Before 31 list. I need to do this for myself. You all know I desperately need to lose weight, and I’m already aching in places that aren’t supposed to start aching until I’m fifty.

It’s been 10 days since I started being herbivore, and so far, so good. No meat cravings so far. Lunch breaks at work can be a bit of a drag, though. By some cruel twist of fate, my lunchmates are 3 guys who have the most awesome home-cooked baon that they’re always generous to share. I have to decline for now as I settle for the vegemeat Abet and I got in Binondo last weekend.

"Isipin mo na lang ham yan."

I’m taking vitamins now to make sure I get enough nutrients, and I think I’ll give Momon’s protein shake another chance. I’m positive I can sustain this diet for two months. While I know that there’ll probably be some serious cravings for a Brother’s Burger or Sr. Pedro litson manok down the line, I know that it only takes chocolate to satiate them. 50 days to go!

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So how did my first Bikram yoga session go?

Waist, is that you I see?

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Dea

Seems like those ab workouts and dieting are starting to pay off. I swear my tummy is not as big as it was a couple of weeks ago. While I still could pass of as pregnant, I now look like I’m just two months pregnant instead of four (Benjamin Button’s in my tummy, y’all). Abet also says my midsection’s smaller now.

A few days ago, my officemate Chris commented during lunchtime that “my beltbag is vanishing.” For a moment, I didn’t know if I should be pleased or if I want to throw my oatmeal in his face. The oatmeal stayed in my mug; I just shrugged it off and considered it a compliment.

I’m excited at the thought of getting my waist back, as well as other parts of my anatomy: my cheekbones, my jawline, and most especially my clavicles. Oh, how I miss my clavicles! I’ve been eating well (no rice and softdrinks) and moving a lot (exercise bike + Pilates) lately. I don’t know if I’ve already lost weight, I haven’t stepped on the bathroom scale in days, but I certainly do feel more energized and lighter, and I’m sleeping better as well.

I just scheduled a Barre3 session for tomorrow afternoon. Waist, I’ll be seeing you real soon!

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Free Krispy Kreme doughnuts!

Posted on June 8, 2010 by Dea

I rarely join blog contests that require me to do more than post a comment because I never win (or maybe that’s because I don’t join?), but I didn’t hesitate to join when Aileen Apolo offered a dozen free Kripy Kremes as the prize for her Mother’s Day contest. Besides, the mechanics were pretty simple: submit a photo of you with your mother to Chloe, the official Krispy Kreme girl on Facebook, with a description on why it’s magical. My mom and I have tons of pictures together, so this was easy! Here’s my entry:

This photo was taken two years ago at Space Mountain at the most magical place on earth, Disneyland, when I took my mother to Hong Kong.
At that very moment, for a little while, she was not a wife and mother managing a household with five kids while studying for her doctorate degree, she was a little girl without a care in the world just enjoying a roller coaster ride.

I won, yipee!

I love doughnuts, they’re on my list of top ten favorite foods, but they just taste a whole lot more delicious when they’re free!

Free Krispy Kreme Donuts

Thank you, Aileen and Chloe (and mama)! You’re wrecking my diet and I’ll have to spend extra minutes on the exercise bike, but Krispy Kreme doughnuts make me happy like nothing else can!

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Bag of Beans, Tagaytay

Someone almost upstaged me at my wedding...

4 months to go!

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Dea

How cute is my brother and his fiancée’s Save the Date?

And how cute is Cello???

That dog has me wrapped around his dirty little paw!

–=-=–

Four more months to go until the first wedding in the family, and I am already so excited. Their wedding is going to be great, I can’t wait. I’ve set a new fitness goal for myself: slim down for my brother’s wedding, and that means I have four more months to go to get in shape (round doesn’t count).

Momon lost major weight the last few months, and while I’m envious, I’m also inspired. Envious that he can stand his gritty protein shake and of his discipline to diet and exercise, and inspired because I know I can trim down and shape up if I work hard enough.

Now, excuse me while I do some Pilates.

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I will get my sexy back!

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Dea

Oh, how I long to look like this again!

This was taken three years and sixteen pounds ago when I went to Boracay with my sister and boyfriend, and it’s now my top ‘thinspiration pic.’ I got the idea of looking at my own picture in my thinner years when the need arises from Kaith, and I’ve been looking at this pic a lot lately.

I’m not skinny-thin in this pic, I never will be. I was 136 lbs. back then, and while 136 lbs. sounds hefty, do take note that I’m a tall girl, and my boobs alone probably weigh 10 lbs. (Yeah, I have boobs, can’t really hide them in a swimsuit.) And then there are my hips and my booty. At that weight, I can do splits and cartwheels.

Anyway, right now, I’m on a mission to get my friggin’ sexy back! I look NOTHING like I did three years ago, and it gets frustrating at times, depressing at the worst. And even worse, I’m unhealthy. Yeah. At 27 years old, I’m creaking and aching, and that’s just so wrong.

I’ve had enough of feeling frustrated and being sluggish and not fitting into the clothes I want to wear. Recently, I’ve been trying to eat well (fruits and vegetables galore, and less rice, red meat, sweets and soda) and exercise regularly (weights in the morning, cardio and Pilates after work). I’m pretty proud of myself. While it’s a struggle, I think I’m doing okay. I still falter at times, like two Krispy Kreme donuts in a row, but I try to compensate for it by exercising more.

I realize that dieting hard-core isn’t really for me. Four days on the South Beach Diet with no carbs and no fruits (I really need my fruits) made me cranky, and cranky is not good for my job. Exercising more is easier for me than eating less, so that’s what I’m going to do. This weekend, I’ll try Bikram Yoga or Barre3. Next weekend, I want to swim or dance or jog or play badminton. I’m going to be active! I’ll still continue with the tons of fruits and veggies and still cut back on the bad stuff.

I want to do cartwheels and splits again.

I WANT TO BE HOT AGAIN.

And that’s just what I’m going to be. Watch out for me.

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Weekend Updates

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Dea

Here Comes The Bride is hilarious! I watched the movie with three of my officemates at Trinoma, and our tummies hurt from laughing so hard (and that was after an insanely heavy merienda at Friday’s). I don’t watch local movies on the big screen, but I couldn’t resist the trailer! Abet cringed when he found out I had plans of watching this movie (he can’t stand local flicks either)–guess what, honey? I planned this movie date with my friends!

I liked Here Comes The Bride better than Kimmy Dora (which I watched on the TV at the office) but Eugene Domingo was just as brilliant and funny. The humor, just as intelligent. Angelica Panganiban was a revelation–she did a superb job of playing a gay man trapped in woman’s body–and is so H-O-T! No wonder she has my dear Derek wrapped around her finger! Hmm, sige na nga!

I’m already bugging my mom and my sister to watch this movie. Tomorrow I’ll bug my girlfriends, too.

–=-=–

It’s exactly a month before our trip to Bangkok (rather, Abet’s trip to Bangkok with me tagging along), and other than booking our plane tickets and hotel, I haven’t done anything.

With our previous trips, I researched about our destinations months before the trip–knowing what to visit/do/eat/buy and how to navigate that city’s public transportation system, but right now, nothing yet. I don’t have any idea what Bangkok’s train system looks like. I do know what I want to eat (tons of pad thai, bagoong rice, tom yum, sticky rice, and iced milk tea–I adore Thai food), but I don’t know where. I really should start my research now. To those who’ve been to Bangkok, any tips?

Actually, right now, I don’t know how safe Bangkok is for travel, things are chaotic there right now, and I don’t know how things will be in a month. I do hope this trip pushes through, but if not, we are so getting letterpress invitations, a mobile bar, a photobooth, and a chocolate fountain for our wedding.

Aside from Bangkok, I also have to plan our trip to Cagayan de Oro (for a friend’s wedding) and Camiguin, also in June. So far, I’ve only bought the plane tickets. I lived in Cagayan de Oro for four years, but right now I’m at a loss on where to stay and what to do (white-water rafting? zip line? visit my old house?).

There’s still so much to do: make itineraries, get travel insurance (we never travel without this), buy $$$, book hotels, shop for stuff… it will be a busy month ahead, but I’m looking forward to it. Traveling with my boyfriend is one of my ultimate favorite things to do on earth, and I’m thankful for the opportunities.

–=-=–

Speaking of opportunities, I’ve been given a bigger one at work. I’m kinda nervous, but I’m glad I was considered. I’m up for it. Bring it on.

–=-=–

I will attempt the South Beach diet again tomorrow and see if I will last two whole weeks of Phase 1. And I will try (try lang naman, e) to go to the gym every day this week. Good luck to me!

–=-=–

I hope your workweek flies by! I’m looking forward to next weekend already!

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Back from Backpacking