16 March 2009

This time last year


This time last year I was in Hong Kong with my mum. :)
So much has changed in a year. Some for the worse, but most of it for the better. Praise God! :D

06 March 2009

March Plan: Day Four/ Five

I'm reaching the end of my first week of my healthy eating regime, if you can call it that. Well, my March Plan. I've decided not to stick to it as strictly as that. I did my push ups yesterday morning, but not this morning as I was too tired. My alarm went off at 07:00am this morning, as usual, but I ended up sleeping in till 07:30am, so lost lots of valuable time. I slept quite late last night, after 1:00am, reason being I came home so late, 10:45pm and had dinner. At 11:45pm I washed the dishes but still had a full stomach that I could not sleep with. So I ended up playing few games of Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 on my Playstation 3. I used my new-found favourite Chelsea team, beat Tunisia 3-0, lost 3-0 to Newcastle, then drew with Barcelona only to lose two goals in extra time. Haha! I feel I've improved a lot with Chelsea. I used to favour Barcelona but now find it easier to use Chelsea.

I wasn't just playing Pro Evolution Soccer to kill time. It was also to prepare for today after work. My colleague Ian invited me and another colleague Ryan to go to his place for some football action tonight. He stays not far from work, so it basically means I can leave the office and go straight into Pro Evo mode! =D The last time I played Ian was in my house back in January. The time prior to that was in Ian's house in December. Ian did comment on my improved skills when we played in January as compared to December. But we don't know how well Ryan plays. I think I will stick with Chelsea tonight and give it my best shot. Refraining from bad tackles and hacking at ankles will be an improvement for me. And being able to hold on to the ball, keeping possession are things I need to focus on. Currently I have a habit of making short passes each time I get the ball, which means I lose the ball more often and that can lead to breakaways on the counter and worse, a goal for the opposition! =O

Looking forward to dinner at Ian's place too. They're going to great lengths to accommodate my eating preferences too. Ian initially suggested getting pizza for dinner. Nothing wrong with pizza generally, but when I think of pizza, I think of grease. And when I think of grease, I picture it wrapped around my heart. And that's scary. No, I don't have a fear of pizza or anything greasy, but just would prefer to eat healthily if I get the choice. Monday was when we started discussing what food to have. I suggested I could bring up some food of my own, if they didn't mind. Ian then discussed with his other half Leanne and they have now suggested Jack Daniels chicken legs and potatoes and salad. That sounds fab! I appreciate how others can be so nice to cook healthily for me. It's nice :)

Gonna have an eventful weekend. Nothing like last Saturday of course. Won't be fully booked like last week. Tomorrow morning I'm going to give my first driving lesson to Elaam. Prepared the briefing/ lesson plan last night. Then will need to visit Specsavers to sort out getting daily contact lenses, then maybe a quick visit to the gym (just maybe, cos at the time of writing I am not in the mood for it), then study some more and chillax. Sunday I'm going up to Edinburgh to join ECEC for their church service. Will be my first church service in Edinburgh. Then afterwards I should be attending a birthday dinner. Won't say much about it right now cos I don't know much about it, and it might be a surprise so I might spoil things. =P

04 March 2009

March Plan: Day Three

07:00am, alarm went off. Stopped it. Logged on Facebook, logged on Gmail. Nothing exciting. Went back to snooze for 20mins...

07:20am: got up to make today's lunch, pack my bag, push ups, shower and leave for work.

08:20am: arrived at work. Colleague Ian joked about me logging all my life on this blog. Hahaha! Had my protein drink and cereal with banana.

11:05am: strawberry yoghurt with banana. Did not feel it was filling enough.

1:06pm: lunch of sandwich, tea and apple.

6:00pm: Family dinner at home with Elaam - rice, chicken, duck, fish, veg and 'foo-jok tong sui'

11:55pm: A chunk of melon before flossing and brushing teeth for bed.

After deciding on my change of plans earlier today I think I will put this March Plan back on the shelf for a while. I will still not eat junk in between meals and stuff but will not be listing what I eat. I think it'll get boring. Haha!

Change needed

It's not easy working, studying and gymming. Has anybody else ever tried working a day in the office 08:30am-5pm, then studying in the library 6pm-8pm followed by the gum between 8pm-10pm? I have been doing that every Tuesday and Thursday since January...and it SUCKS!!

My recent bright idea of a change or experiment in March, was indeed my body's cry out for something else in life. Something to bring excitement. The past two months have gone by almost in auto-pilot: mainly around work, study, gym, work, study, gym, church, cinema, party, work, study, gym... (you get the picture!). If it weren't for Elaam coming into my life, it would be very boring I tell ya. She has brought the fun back into me and we have spent quality time together, providing each other with words of encouragement, prayers of support, great food and love. I thank God for it all. =)

However, this morning at work, in my boredom (yes, it was really really quiet work today!!) I was thinking that I really need to sort out my weekly schedules out. Ideally I do not want to study then gym then go home to have dinner after 10pm!! It's stupid! I don't even like eating after 10pm, but because I come back from the gym around 10:30pm on Tuesday and Thursday nights I must eat after my workout. Need to stock up in protein and carbohydrates. Then, with a full stomach I look at the time, and it usually just leaves me with 45mins before my ideal bedtime of midnight. I don't want to sleep with a full stomach. Besides avoiding stored calories turning into fat, I also feel uncomfortable lying down with a stomach full of food. =/

So what alternatives do I have? Well ideally I'd like to try gymming, eating then studying. That way I know my food will definitely have time to digest whilst I exercise my brain. However, what library opens past 8pm? I am no longer a student so I can't get into university libraries. Even if I can get in, the idea of using someone else's matric card to get through the turnstiles still makes me a little weary. And I don't like borrowing people's stuff cos I like freedom to use the card anytime/ day I want and that is not a viable option. People have exams as well so will also need to study. So... no library to go to after gym and dinner. What's else?

I have decided NOT to do the two things in any one day. That is, after work on a week day, I will only either go to the gym or go to the library. There should be no real need to study and gym, cramming everything in like that. It takes too much time and I only have 7 hours between finishing work and sleeping at midnight. I do need time to chill, really. I have resorted to spread my activities out over the week instead.

Here's what I do in a typical week (outwith work): Library, Gym, Cinema, Church, Time with Elaam. I am not sure how I'm going to spread these things out. But I know I'd like to keep Sunday free from these activities. I want Sunday to be a day of rest. To not think about work (I don't anyway!) or studying or even going to the gym. I want Sundays 'off' to just chillax. To go to church, possibly serve, feed from Jesus then to socialise with brothers and sisters in Christ, see Elaam or go home. That's it. I don't want anything strenuous on a Sunday. Even when I work as a driving instructor, I plan to take Sundays off. :)

So that's Sunday out of the way... what about the rest of the week?

With the exception of Mitchell Library, the rest of the City Council libraries open till 8pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Mitchell incudes a Wednesday). All other days they close at 5pm, so that is ruled out. We can confirm Mondays, Tuesday and Thursdays are the best days to study after work, right?

The gym opens till 10:30pm week days and till 5:30pm weekends. But I don't want to look at the late closing time as I'd want to have left the gym well before 10pm. Ideally around 8-8:30pm!

Orange Wednesdays happen once a week. That's when I enjoy a movie with Elaam. We have watched six movies at the cinema so far and our seventh one, Gran Torino, will be tonight!! =D I don't want to give up going to the cinema.

If I gym Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I could possibly study Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday(?!)... erm, nah! Don't think I'd like to study on a Sat! I'd rather gym! Also, another reason why I would not want to set up gym on Mondays and Fridays is because those are the bank holiday days and the gym would find any excuse to close early on like mid-term, Easter, Christmas etc. They always seem to affect the Fridays and Mondays - that sucks! So it's a safer option to choose Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to gym.

Ok, that's it!! Monday: study, Tuesday: gym, Wednesday: study and Orange Wednesday, Thursday: gym, Friday: study (but where? - everywhere shuts at 5pm!), Saturday: gym, Sunday: chillax! There! Sorted...I think! Only leaves me with how I can study on a Friday if no libraries are open. The only option is to consider Western Infirmary library. But! Hm... not too sure about that. Maybe time spent with my AA Instructor, Ronnie, is also classed as studying because after all, it is AA-related. So I'll either have my AA training on Fridays after work or Saturday mornings. We'll see about that.
Yes, so after all this, I think I have found a new schedule for my life as of next Monday! I will study after work from 6pm till roughy 8pm, if it rolls over then ok, if not, then I'll get dinner at home or with Elaam. (Did I ever mention Elaam is a great cook?) Finishing studying or gym early will mean I will not be sleeping with a full stomach anymore and I will hope to be in bed for midnight every night, waking up at 7am on weekdays. :)

Thanks for reading!! =P

03 March 2009

March Plan: Day Two

7:00am, woke up and made sandwiches for lunch and studying time.

7:30am, packed for the gym, the did press ups and showered and shaved.

8:30am, had first protein shake followed by cereal with banana.

11:15am, had yoghurt with a banana

1:30pm, had sandwich, tea and apple for lunch whilst reading The Essential Guide to passing ADI Part 3

5:45pm-9:00pm, studied at Western Infirmary library. Prepared lesson on Emergency Stop/ Use of Mirrors for next Monday.

Didn't go to the gym tonight, but will definitely go on Thursday and superset through chest, back, arms and abs :D

10:00pm, had dinner at home.

Going to bed for midnight after some Pro Evolution Soccer :)

02 March 2009

March Plan: Day One

Woke up at 7:15am, had my morning pee. Made today's lunch, which was a double decker sandwich (aka Big G Mac), and another wee sandwich for when I am studying. Did twenty normal gripped press ups. Rested for minute of so before doing 20 close gripped press ups. Stretched then went for a shower.

Arrived at work 8:18am and use the skimmed milk to make up 400ml protein whey shake, vanilla flavour (not as nice as chocolate was). Fifteen mins later had Tesco's cereal-alike cereal with a banana.

Tea break 11:05am had a Danone Activia yoghurt with a banana.

What was in the Big G Mac for lunch? Top layer was margarine, lettuce and five wee circular slices of chicken meat (like half the diameter of a cd). Bottom later was a piece of oven-cooked battered chicken and a cheese slice. So there I have my protein, vegetable and some fat for lunch. Had that with a cup of tea and an apple.

6:00pm I was in the local library studying my driving instruction stuff. Had a wee sandwich: slices of that chicken meat again with some lettuce. Washed down with water.

8:00pm, dinner at home. 1 and half bowls of rice with steamed eggs, cooked aubergines, pork char siu. Quite full after dinner. Three strawberries are dessert. =D

9:00pm, watched Heroes with a cup of tea. A spoonful of honey instead of sugar. Niiiice! :)

End of Day One. I feel fine. Not much change in body. Just need more sleep. Hehe!