Resolutions for 2012 (and Dec 2011)

• Learn more German
• Meditate
• Write GMAT and apply for MBA programs
• Trip to the US
• Get somewhat closer to being able do this: 

YES I had to re-post this one. GOAL.

YESOHMYGOSH

Wow, posting here after ages. Going home home in 2 weeks and need to under-indulge now so I can indulge later. Notice how I don't say "overindulge later". That would not be Middle Path-like at all.

That said, today I had a light breakfast of some crackers and coffee. Lunch was more significant - yong tau fu (healthy!!!) but then a calorie overload from a peppermint mocha. So much for under-indulging!

I've signed up for the next year at a yoga studio. My target is 4 classes per week to maximise ROI, health and other random situations permitting. Tomorrow I'll be going for the yin class at 8:15 after work. Good stuff. I didn't realise how out of shape I was until I couldn't sit on my ankles- something I was able to do very easily in high school. Damn, it's been such a long time since high school. I'm old! But getting older is fun too. You can look back on all the things you've done and have a good laugh about most of it  :)

So yoga routine will be like twice or thrice on weekdays, twice on weekends. Hope I can keep it up and get better at each practice. This is the ultimate goal:

Source: http://omyall.tumblr.com/post/13544885371/my-yoga-mentor

She makes it look so easy T_T

Little by little

My resolution to start swimming this weekend hasn't quite happened yet. Yesterday was a late night (2 birthday celebrations) and it's all rainy today so I'm prepping to swim at least tomorrow.

Today I want to do some sneaker shopping and reevaluation of my wardrobe and give away some of the old clothes I just don't need anymore. Trying to reinvent my personal style with some trendy pieces mixed with classics and casuals. I love my new black pants for work with the pocket-detail. Mostly I just love that they have huge pockets which fit put my phone, transit card, ipod and even my sunglasses! Work trousers minus pockets are just a hindrance to efficiency.

Quarterly update?

Hmm alright so my health checkup results which I was previously freaking out about turned out to be normal - praise be to Amun Ra! All good except for the tummy diameter part. Apparently my bloodwork contradicts my waistline and gives me a low risk of heart disease...while my waistline suggests otherwise. Sigh. Tummy needs to go. Need to exercise and walk around more. Back to using my standing desk at work after a long time. Perhaps daily exercise and eating right, meditating and journaling will also help me be more mentally focused and calm, which is something I have not been for the past week or two. Suddenly everything has changed. And more changes are yet to come. But the result of those changes shall be balance, oneness with the universe, contenment. I should start swimming again as well - perhaps in the mornings on weekends since it usually rains every evening and they're strict about lightning warnings.

OK that's decided - aim for a swim on Saturday and Sunday morning, be at the pool at 8am. As I am pretty broke right now, avoid clubbing/late nights out with friends. Save $$ for the big summer sales in May!

Time to face the needles =(

So the last time I did a medical checkup which wasn't just for a visa or job and which was more than a glorified HIV test was around 3.5 years ago. My cholestrol and everything was fine back then. Even did an ultrasound which was soooo tickly.

Tomorrow I do another medical, not as thorough as the one 3.5 years ago, but just the most important things like cholestrol, kidney and liver functioning, etc.

I admit that for the past 2 years I haven't been making the healthiest choices when it comes to diet and exercise. Being 90% vegetarian helps in that I'm not injesting animal fat or antibiotics from meat. But it also means I eat more carbs to feel full, and end up with only having a choice of unhealthy dishes (like fries) to choose from when I eat out. And I always eat out.

In my 4 years of college I never really drank too much. However, my alcohol consumption rate has gone up since graduating. I would say I am fairly good with not drinking too often, with the exceptional periods like holiday seasons or trips to colder places where I may drink more. But on average I do drink more often now than 3 years ago.

In terms of exercise, I've been fairly inconsistent except for the time when I just started this blog. I can rationalise away every single day I didn't exercise (it was raining, I didn't wake up early enough, wasn't physically/psychologically feeling well, had to work overtime, had to meet friends for unhealthy beverages and meals, didn't have access to fitness class/equipment, had somewhere else to go, chores) but at the end of the day they are just excuses. If I want to exercise, I can make it happen. I have made it happen before, regularly. I must, if I want to stay healthy and happy.

So I hope like mad that my body is doing ok. I hope that my blood tests say that everything is normal, that I don't have diabetes or underground chronic hepatitis or worse.

And I pray that whoever draws my 2 blood samples tomorrow (fasting and non-fasting) is quick and effective unlike the nurse from hell back in September last year who did nothing to ease my queasiness.

I know I have to make a more conscious effort to make the right choices when I eat out or when I go grocery shopping. I must also get some form of exercise for at least 30 mins a day. I must resist consuming non-nutritional things I don't need, which will also be better overall for the environment and my body. I have to make a change once more, and the change must be sustainable.