Ten minutes never felt so long

I was supposed to do yoga yesterday, but the torturing heat here in Manila made it close to impossible.  Have you seen the temperatures lately?  It feels like we’re in an oven.

In the middle of setting up for yoga, I felt irritated and annoyed and it was very impossible to try to calm the mind and do my rounds.  So I went for the next best thing:  circuit training.

Actually, it’s the best exercise.  High intensity interval training guarantees maximum output at the least amount of time, provided of course that you execute it well.  Circuit training also makes sure that you burn after a workout.

Usually my source here is Back on Pointe but I needed some visuals.  So I headed over to Popsugar Fitness and found this:

I did this entire circuit twice and I swear my thighs and buns were burning.  I thought I couldn’t finish!  You just have to power through.  Don’t forget to end it with some yoga!

Hulk's Exercise

I wish you well on your health and fitness journey.  Do you have a favorite circuit?  Share it with me in the comments.  I would love to hear all about it. :)

 

Why exercise?

I have committed a good portion of my day trying to get fit again.  My day is often consumed by commuting, so I make sure I do yoga at least three times a week.  If you follow me on Instagram, you will notice that I have greens every single day.  And I mean it.  Dining out means a salad and some lean protein.  If it’s Japanese, it’s sashimi.  There are so many required changes in my habits; I didn’t realize how bad I’m eating and non-moving until I had to make so many changes.

It is not easy.  I guarantee you that.  But I will get a tape measure, hop on scale every end of the month and start measuring my progress.

After all, there are so many reasons to do this:

Neila Rey's 50 Reasons to Exercise

Are you with me on this one?

Returned, I have?

Forgive the hiatus.  I have repeatedly told myself that this year would be different, but even with the weekly notification from WordPress, I still failed to update the blog as regularly as possible.

Blame it on my Superman complex.  I actually thought I can juggle a full-time job, three major subjects for grad school, an LDR, chores and errands, family stuff, and a whole dollop of me-time.  Ha.  Noting the number of zits that have popped across my forehead and the existence of eyebags upon eyebags, I have come to conclude that I have bitten off more than I can chew.

Relief, however, comes after some time.  I have a handful of minutes to relish the fact that, after this week, this term’s grad school is officially over.  I could not be more relieved.  I am never overloading on subjects again!

As much as I want to finish, I really should not have done away with so many major subjects at a time.  It is embarrassing to say, but it was work that suffered.  Oh, how I wish that work did not suffer as much as it did.  But it did.  Oh it so did.  I will definitely pay more attention to time management now.  There must be a semblance of life balance in what I do….

…. which includes physical health.  Coming from an annual physical exam, it was discovered that I indulge too much in um, savory food to say the least.  I think — I THINK — with a weight gain of almost 10 pounds since Paris — Oh Paris, I wish I can escape to you — I eat my stress away.  So, like every year, I embark yet again on a journey to physical wellness this time.  And I hope that the quick 6 week break from schooling will help me build a firmer and stronger workout habit.

It's A Numbers Game

Le Beau is quite concerned and I can’t afford to have another person worrying about me.  My mother already has that covered.  So yeah.  Here we go again right?

I figured it out though.  Or at least I’ve planned it all in my head.  I have to shed some weight first before I start building muscle again.  I’ve done it before, right after finishing the management program in 2010.  Given, of course, that my body might not respond as quickly as it used to four years ago, it surely is worth a shot.

That means sleeping longer, eating better, lessening sugar and well, yoga.  Yoga is my life saver.  Le Beau knows it too; he finds me more pleasant and happy and relaxed after yoga.  And I would like to think a pleasant and relaxed partner is someone he deserves to have.  Yihee.  Bring on the cheese.

Yoga is

Oh, it’s National Poetry Month!  A good friend Ginny has constantly posted beautiful words on Facebook and I have to thank her because now, I look forward to it!  I have forgotten, too, the power of the written word.  Because of that, I shall do my best to keep posting lovely prose — at least, lovely to me — in this channel.

I hope you enjoy this journey — wellness and artistry — even though I basically force you to go with me on it.

May you have a much better managed day than mine.  :)  I leave you with Tyler Knott Gregson.  Tell you more about how I discovered him later.

Tyler Knott Gregson #319
Thank you, Pinterest, for being my constant source of images.

Get the fuck out of bed

Nothing in this world can be more motivating than this.

Get the fuck up.

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