another wake up call

Simply being overweight, but not obese, from an early age boosts the risk of premature death by a third -- as much as smoking up to 10 cigarettes a day, researchers in Sweden recently reported.

A BMI of 25-to-30 indicates being overweight, while above 30 means one is obese. The range of normal weight is 18.5-to-24.9. The study also found that being severely underweight -- a BMI of under 17 -- carried about the same risk of early death as being overweight or a light smoker.

So yes, you can also be too thin.


you may read the full article here

comfy shoes

these are old shoes, i've had them since vito was a baby and haven't worn them since. they're just not my style. i'm more of a wedge/loafers/stilletos kind of woman. they're the only ones that match my outfits anyway.

but since my plantar fasciitis started, i've had to compromise on style and go for comfort. these are my only pair of shoes that actually help. the crocs don't help, the flipflops don't either. and ballerina flats actually make it worse. while the stilletos ease up the pressure on my heels, i can't very well go brisk-walking in them, can i? :-S

anyway, the good news is i finally bought myself a pair of athletic shoes. gulp! yes, i raided the sale racks at the sporting good store and found myself a pair of reeboks. i have no idea what model or whatever it is, i just know it's for running. that's good enough for me. and it's a pretty shade of soft blue that will go well with my jeans. i'll just condition myself to think that i'm going to my workout so i don't get hives out of seeing myself in athletic wear when i go bring vito to school. you must think i'm crazy, don't you? oh, go ahead, say it.

feeling lighter

nope, not me, my hair! =)

it's now a bob. the heat has been getting to me, so i decided to have it cut above shoulder length. what do you think? manuel says it makes me look younger. =D i'm inclined to agree. but then again, i agree with every good thing said about me. hahahahaha!

oh my aching heel

my right heel has been aching quite a bit the past few weeks. it's becoming too painful to walk, which is a bummer since that's the best exercise i can ever get. and it's not like i have a choice not to, because otherwise, how will my son get to school? dang.

anyway, i researched my symptoms and found out that i have plantar fasciitis.

from webmd:

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis (say "PLAN-ter fash-ee-EYE-tus") is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk.

Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people. It also occurs in younger people who are on their feet a lot, like athletes or soldiers. It can happen in one foot or both feet.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is caused by straining the ligament that supports your arch. Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament. These can lead to pain and swelling. This is more likely to happen if:

• Your feet roll inward too much when you walk (excessive pronation). err, what?
  
• You have high arches or flat feet. - i do have high arches
  
• You walk, stand, or run for long periods of time, especially on hard surfaces. - as i said, unavoidable.
  
• You are overweight.- ouch, that too. although when i was 200 lbs i didn't get this. so why would i develop plantar fasciitis now that i'm 160 lbs? doesn't make sense.
  
• You wear shoes that don't fit well or are worn out. - all my shoes fit well, they're just not too comfortable. but i can go walking at the mall for hours in them and my feet don't hurt! it's only when i walk fast.
  
• You have tight Achilles tendons or calf muscles. - i have no idea if i do.
  

What are the symptoms?

Most people with plantar fasciitis have pain when they take their first steps after they get out of bed or sit for a long time. true You may have less stiffness and pain after you take a few steps, but your foot may hurt more as the day goes on. also true It may hurt the most when you climb stairs or after you stand for a long time.

How is it treated?

No single treatment works best for everyone with plantar fasciitis. But there are many things you can try to help your foot get better:

• Give your feet a rest. Cut back on activities that make your foot hurt. Try not to walk or run on hard surfaces. uh, yeah right. i live in the city not the countryside, and there's no way i can cut back on walking.
  
• To reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel. tried it, didn't work Or take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), naproxen (such as Aleve), or aspirin.
• Do calf stretches and towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning. this one actually works
  
• Get a new pair of shoes. wow! i love this treatment! Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. Or try heel cups or shoe inserts (orthotics). Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot hurts.

snacking

i love to snack. i love munching on crunchy things all the time. actually, i love snacks even more than regular meals. =)

lately i've been addicted to this --- apple slices, baked walnuts, and sharp cheddar. yum! i love the combination of tastes, textures, and flavors. and because you have to exert a bit of effort to prepare it, you won't find yourself eating more than what's on your plate.

it sure beats eating a bag of chips. =D

rumbly in my tumbly

i don't know what i ate or drank friday last week, but i woke up saturday with intense stomach cramps and had to make several trips to the bathroom (i stopped counting after the 7th time). i made sure i rehydrated often, but i still felt weak and dizzy. it wasn't until monday when i started feeling better and my tummy stopped its rumbling.

you would think that i'd be losing weight because of it, but no. the doctor recommended i go on a BRAT diet, you know, bananas, rice, apples, toast --- all carbs! three days on it and my cravings were back in full force. so instead of losing weight, i gained some.

*sigh*

i'm just glad i'm better now and i can go back to eating healthy again. oh no wait, i'm hosting a party tonight for my little boy and there is not a single healthy item on the menu. oh well. tomorrow then.

thanks mai!

i super duper love this portrait!
it's amazing how much malou has improved on her craft, isn't it?
i love her use of available light, the soft focus, everything!
she made me look fabulous

i wish i could print this and have it framed

=)

like mother like daughter

i am so proud of my mom. she went on the south beach diet a few months ago, after i had told her how astonishing the results were. she's diabetic, so she has a greater motivation to lose weight than i do.

so far, she has lost 15 lbs, her blood sugar is stabilizing, and her insulin dependence has gone down. she used to inject herself twice a day with a high dose of insulin. now she only injects herself once, at half the dose of her usual. and she's looking really good! to think she's not even following the diet as religiously as i have.

i know i have a high risk for diabetes -- i have the genes on both sides of the family. i'm hoping that with this change in lifestyle, i'll get to avoid developing the disease for a few more decades yet. my mom's improvement gives me hope that maybe i can.

victorious

photo taken by malu. grabbed from her site

i'm feeling quite victorious after coming back from the trip. =) i stuck to my diet (although i did cheat a few times) and i didn't gain a single pound.

it was quite a hectic holiday, my days were filled with errands, and i scheduled the fun parts (meeting friends) for lunch and dinner. what a challenge it was not to let loose my appetite! but invitation after invitation, i mentioned that i wanted to go wherever they served salads. everyone was supportive and i only cheated a few times (i had a crepe at rica's, ate a slice of vito's birthday cake, and had a few teacakes at lily's farm) but i paid dearly for each slip. i guess my stomach cannot handle sugar and starch anymore. hooray for my tummy! =)

oh, and speaking of tummies, i had the best news ever when my favorite seamstress took my measurements last week --- my waistline is now only 29 inches. it's the first time in 4 and a half years that it has gone below 30 and i'm super duper happy! i actually couldn't believe it! (apparently some of my friends couldn't either because when i announced it to one of my groups, someone actually said, are you sure that's only 29 inches? hahahaha. i don't care if you don't believe me, i have proof from a neutral observer and it's documented. HA!)