Obesity

While taking five and browsing through yahoo earlier, I came across this thought provoking blog:

http://www.sheerbalance.com/brettsblog/2008/02/17/children-obesitywhos-to-blame/

The writer basically wrote about children obesity problem and invited readers to give their comments. Many blame the parents for the problem, although some say obesity is due to a combination of factors too such as genetic, unhealthy school-snacks, TV commercial and of course. ignorance of nutritions.

Being an overweight parent myself, as well as having an overweight 11 year old, I started seriously thinking about this. I realized that I can almost blame myself 100% for this problem, mostly for having been ignorant about nutritions. It's true that in school you learn all about balanced diets, about the food pyramid and the importance of taking from each group. But as far as I can remember, no one ever taught me the importance of counting calories. Coming from a food-loving society, no one bothers about controlled portion etc. Well I've heard that processed food contain way too much unsuitable ingredients like chemical, salt and sugar, but it never occured to me that a 25gm piece of snack can actually have about 200 calories. So it's not only the ingredients, but also the calories that can lead to obesity.

And I remained ignorant until recently. Slowly I am being awakened. I consider it a good start that I now know a person's consumption of food shouldn't exceed the body mass requirement, that is the energy needed to make one's body function. It is not about the size of a portion, its about how much calories the portion has. If one takes more calories than one should, the only way to avoid putting on weight is to exercise enough to burn the calories. I still have to aid myself with a calorie counter book in order to know the calorie intake of everyone in the family, as I'm still getting used to this 'new' knowledge.

For example, my 11 year old's BMR requirement is 1370 cal per day. I have to wisely divide the cals to 5 meals, concentrating on breakfast and lunch. It would roughly be something like this:

Breakfast
a glass of homemade juice 110 cal
two pancakes 186 cal
(296 cal)

Recess
a snack bar 129 cal

Lunch
2 ham sandiches 394 cal
a fruit 55 cal
(449)

Tea/Dinner
a cup of rice 127 cal
a cup of vegies 50 cal
a piece of meat/chicken/fish 150 cal


Supper
biscuit fruit etc that's about 170 cal
= 1371 cal

Of course that's ideal. I'm still striving to achieve that. Often the girl sneaks to eat a cookie or helps herself to a second helping. As someone who once was growing up and constantly feels hungry (you know how it is to be a kid), I understand that. Sometimes I become stern and tell her off but I wonder if I should be more tolerant, let her take a 100 cal extra and make her exercise more instead.

Of course, this is all easier said than done, but one just has to try harder...

Lock Picking

Wow, the things one can get from youtube are unbelievable! On the plus side, you get to master a lot of DIY skills quite easily, and on the minus side, if you have the tendency to be cunning, you can actually learn the techniques just as easily.

A loves boxes, especially those trinket boxes with fancy locks. The little brother, N, unfortunately has the penchant for spoiling her boxes. He locked the key of one of A's special boxes inside that box today. The sisters, apparently having discussed how best to solve the problem, approached Mom and Dad to try picking the lock 'spy books style'.

I tried using a bobby pin, Dad tried a penknife but none worked. Then an inspiration struck, "check it out on youtube"! After watching a few techniques, I decided to use a pair of tweezers to pick the lock. Voila! Within seconds the job was done. Now this, has been an education for Mom. Here are some I find useful:

The road less travelled

Somehow, I feel that this Robert Frost poem reflects my life:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,


And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(Robert Frost)

The 10 laws of better health

As I was reading articles on health today, I found this and thought it's worth sharing:

The Ten Laws of Better Health

1. Better health is a result of life affirming habits that are repeated on a daily basis. The key to a healthy life is having healthy habits rather than unhealthy ones.

2. Our mind and emotions have a direct affect on our health. Therefore what we focus on and what we think about and how we deal with emotions are all important considerations when creating a healthy lifestyle.

3. Diet plays a key role in our overall health and our response to disease and infection. Therefore cultivating a sound diet is an important step to a healthy life.

4. Daily exercise, even in small amounts can make a profound positive effect on our health. Therefore cultivating some kind of exercise habit is important for long term well being.

5. Stress is a leading cause of disease and poor health. Developing a routine for handling stress and reducing it is an intregal part of better health.

6. Vitamins are a key component of positive health care and you should take some form of dietary supplement on a daily basis.

7. Healthy relationships create a healthy life. Cultivating, positive life enriching relationships are a key to physical and emotional well being.

8. Getting adequate and restful sleep on a nightly basis is a very important contributor to overall health. Therefore, cultivating good sleep habits is an important characteristic of longevitity.

9. A spiritual practice of some kind is conducive to health and longetivity.

10. The environment we live in plays a key role in determing our health and HAPPINESS.
(http://www.free-online-health.com/ten-laws-better-health.htm)

Anger

http://members.tripod.com/kanchanD/ANGER.HTM

I decided to look this topic up today. I've been feeling really angry without obvious reasons. The kids' behaviors added up to that. They've been yelling at each other and teasing each other and ended up crying. It hasn't been easy dealing with that, especially when I was trying to work on something urgent.

Trying to stop them in a normal way didn't work so I ended up yelling at them...and as usual whenever this happened, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't like being angry and I don't understand why I feel angry and that's really terrible.

The first piece of info I found about anger is that it is the result of unfulfilled desires and expectations. How true...you'd expect the kids to be quiet and give you some breathing space and you get just the opposite. But what's more disturbing, perhaps deep down I am angry with myself for being unable to fulfil the expectations I've set. Whatever it is, I have a serious self-analysis to perform...

Wonder how long will I last...

Karate anyone? Never in my life I ever thought that one day I'd be a karate kid, or rather karate-mom. But today is D day. Following one of my impulses has landed me this. It was a mixed feeling before I started the class. My practical side said that I have to go on with it, since my two kids are doing it as well. That way I could be their motivating factor. Plus a family package of 3 people entitles us to a 20% discount each session. On the other hand, my emotional side kept discouraging me.

At the very last minute I had cold feet. I felt sort of embarrassed, thinking "what if I were the only adult there..." or "what if I couldn't follow the movements...". But the karate instructor solved the problem for me. He put me in the next session that's mainly composed of adults. I didn't even have the time to reconsider. Upon finishing their training, I sent the kids home and barely made it back to my session. I wouldn't have had the time to cancel even if I intended to.

So, on I went, this one clumsy mom. And before I knew it, I was enjoying myself like I never did before! True that I might have been a bit clumsy, blame it on my age, but the exercise was so smoothly conducted that I felt like I was doing every movement right. I even thought for a while that it was just like dancing, all rhythm and beat, only a bit tougher...

One thing for sure, I let the child in me out. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to punch and kick the instructor :) I should have done this years and years ago, when the body was still ten times swifter and more agile. But then again, some people are just late bloomers, I supposed.

I do wonder how long will I last...

Binamban and Linabok

This short movie about this food called Binamban is really heartwarming.It brings back memories of an almost forgotten childhood.

Once upon a time when I was young, mom and sometimes my late grandma used to make a delicacy that's almost similar to this, called Linabok. They'd grate banana, cassava, corn or a combination of those to make the cake. Then they'd wrap a small portion in a piece of banana leave, arranged the wrapped cakes in a steaming rack, and steamed them for an hour or so. Sweet without the use of processed sweetener, and aromatic without the use of artificial essence, this food is simply fantastic.

Having taken so many things for granted, I've never learned to make Linabok. Seeing Binamban makes me realize what I've missed. Now I'm going to put this in my next target list: learn to make Linabok from mom.

Watch the film...

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Penguin Island

Finally got to see the penguins. Since it is the kids' school holidays, I thought it's the right time to go. After all, the island is going to be closed for visitors in July.

The short ferry ride from the jetty in Rockingham to Penguin Island was exciting for the kids. The poor darlings have never been on a boat before. They found it so much fun I didn't have the heart to tell them it's not the 'real thing' since the water was very shallow and the distance was very short. It took only a few minutes to get there.

There were only 10 penguins in the discovery centre, little and quiet. It's an experience to see them being fed. It's amazing that no matter how alike they look, each had a different temperament that showed during the feeding. One could see that some of them were actually bossy, some babyish and yet, some were just shy they had to be gently coaxed to eat. Not that much different from people...

I was a bit dissapointed not to have seen any wild penguins though. Must have been hiding in their comfy nests. I would if I were them. Wasn't that fun to have so many people poking their noses on one's business :-).

For the soul...

The soul needs feeding. Here are some nourishment...

Monsters vs Aliens

All prepared to fall asleep during the movie, I went with my three excited kids to watch Monsters vs Aliens. Their ramblings about some monsters turned heroes didn't excite me a bit. The only piece of info I managed to quickly read about this movie was that one of the monsters' voices is Reese Witherspoon's. I thought since she is one of the greatest artists alive, it's worth watching.

Well I got my time and money's worth! Albeit simple in terms of plot, the movie is lesson-packed; promoting values such as appreciating family and friends, of not judging a book by its cover, of bravery, and of...rejecting useless guys with style!

My usual preference is movies packed with humorous lines, but Monsters vs Aliens is not bad at all. Susan aka Genormica the sweet monster is just adorable. And her monster friends are definitely monsters with big hearts.

The kids, and their mom have thoroughly enjoyed it :-)

My Latest Exercise Music

Got so bored of walking and jogging. Thought I'd do a different kind of exercise today. A visit to youtube gave me fantastic ideas of doing a simple but fun exrecise: dancing. Here are some of the music I found really enjoyable. They are a random mix of music I once loved to sway to:

Why do I feel VERY hungry?

I was beginning to wonder whether I was counting the calories right or whether I was doing something wrong. Last night towards midnight I felt extremely hungry although according to my calculation I've consumed enough food to make up the needed 1400 cal requirement of my body. I had 2 glasses of fresh apple-carrot juice and half a mug of oat for breakfast, 1 mug of white tea for morning tea, 2 bowls of clear chicken soup with a small portion of chicken, a large bowl of salad and half a cup of white rice for lunch, plenty of water and a hot cross bun for afternoon snack, and a large bowl of soup with fresh greens and 2 slices of watermelon for dinner.

I thought I might have even taken more than I should have. But strangely enough hunger pangs started at around 10pm and got worse. It was so bad to the extent that I couldn't concentrate on the journal article I was trying to read. At 11.30pm I completely lost my willpower and had a mug of watery milo and three small crackers. And I was still hungry that I ate a banana. Needless to say, it put me in a sour mood.

Trying hard to justify my failure to stick to the healthy diet regime, I tried to blame it on PMS. Yet it didn't make me feel any better.

Today I had to do a bit of digging on the facts about hunger. I realized that many people who are trying to lose weight experience the same thing. Some people suggest that it is due to the lack of sugar level in the blood. Some say that it is due to not taking enough from all the food groups. Yet another says the body could be in shock, esp for those who just started changing their diets. And I also stumbled on a fact that emotions can also trigger hunger pangs.

I still don't know what caused my hunger last night. I guess it's a combination of various factors. Today I try to increase fruit intake a little bit, to see whether it's all due to low sugar level. 2 cups of fresh fruit juice and a few apples or bananas. I might even allow myself a small choc egg later, that is if I can find the time to increase my exercise time... (How I miss my comfort snacks).

Easter Reflection

As tradition goes, Easter is a new beginning. In a way it is leaving behind all the bad habits of the past, and turn a new leaf.

My Easter reflection seems to revolve around friendship this year. I've been thinking of all the good friends I've made over the years since I was in primary school till present. I don't make friends easily. I just don't know how. But when I do, the friendships tend to last.

My primary school friendships, perhaps, were the shy, tentative types. The friends that I've known then, when they last to the present, are the type I always think as the 'have fun' one. They were fun to be with, just as what every primary school kid needed. That impression stuck :-)

Secondary school friends form another category, the 'discovery stage' friends. Most friends that last from this stage are those who once shared my discoveries about self, spirituality, politics etc. My longest, deepest friendship that is with B started from this stage. Once together in a boarding school, and on to university, we have shared a lot as best friends. Now in our own ways, the bond remains strong as ever. I'm grateful to have found such a rare friendship. I've lost contact with some friends from this 'discovery stage', but in my heart, all their wonderful qualities remain.

The university friends seem to be in the 'growing up' category. It seems to have been a stage where so much good fun was spent, so many friends met. I regret to say that I've also lost touch with so many of them.

Working life brought on another type of friendship. It is what I call the 'thick and thin' friendship. The friends I've made at this stage are indeed precious. Some started from uni days and they are even more special. At this stage, one learns that life is all about hardships and little fun, and how the hardships seem so much lighter with the presence of wonderful people who understand. At this stage, friendships naturally divided into core and periphery types. The core forms the 'thick and thin' group, people who share much more than just work problems, who know me inside and out and accept me for what I am. Those who will faithfully defend me and back me up any time. Those who will laugh and cry with me, even run away with me when I want to. I feel blessed to have these friends in my life.

Then I grew a bit more and started another type of friendship, the 'family friends' type. Separate from work, these people I found are wonderful in every way. With them I can have good times like family picnics, movies and foods, I can talk crazy or wisdom, etc. Not less precious, these are the newest friends in my life. Perhaps these people are wisdom :-) since I've known them only at the age that I should start searching for wisdom. Needless to say, I'm blessed to have met them all.

In my journey of life, people come and go. Most of them I treasure greatly. I still do.

Calories oh calories

Not sure whether I ever bothered about the term 'calorie' before. Well I knew it's something to do with food energy. Now that it has become an all important word to me, I've taken the initiative to find out a bit more about it:

"To lose weight, all you need to do is create a calorie deficit. This can be achieved either, by reducing your calorie-intake below your maintenance level; or by keeping your calorie-intake static and increasing the number of calories you burn."

"Our calorie needs - meaning the number of daily calories we require to maintain our weight - depend on a number of factors.
Our age, gender, weight, height and exercise routine are the main variables in assessing calorie-needs.
But body composition is important, too. Because lean tissue (muscle) is more metabolically active than fat, the higher our body fat percentage, the fewer calories we require."

"Calorie Intake and Age
The principle reason for this age related weight gain is a decline in lean muscle mass due to inactivity and the aging process. This loss of lean muscle causes a slow down in our metabolic rate - the rate at which we burn calories. For example, between the ages of 30 and 70 muscle mass typically decreases by an average of about 30 per cent in most people."

"Age-Related Weight Gain
The above reduction in muscle mass typically leads to a weight gain of about 5 pounds per decade (men) or 3.5 pounds per decade (women). "

In short:
1. As we get older, the more difficult it is to lose weight, hence the need to not gain.
2. The two ways in losing weight are: a) reduce or maintain calorie-intake or, burn more calories by exercising.

I'll have to stick to my 1481 cals requirement daily or less. It helps to have found these informative websites:
http://www.calorie-counter.net/
http://www.michellebridges.com/

The heart remembers...

Two days ago was one of my best girl friends, L's birthday. She turned 36, but in my heart she is always the 25 year old girl I first met at work. We went to the same uni as undergraduates. I was a year ahead, in a different faculty, but I've seen her a few times hanging out with my fellow statemen. My impression of her then was, "this is one bold, intelligent lady". Always asking good questions during seminars, she did portray that impression.

Fate had it that we were to be colleagues at work, at a newly formed institution in my homeland. She being the foreigner, adapted to the local cultures very well. I got to know her better, and I began to see her much more than just the 'bold, intelligent lady' that was my first impression. She IS a beautiful lady, in and out. She fought for injustice at the office, no matter how that brought her the label 'rebellious'.

Then we went to do our MA in the same uni that we went to as undergraduates. We became housemates, and I saw more aspects of her that are indeed impressive. To top her other qualities, she is also extremely generous. While earning a meagre tutor's salary, she supported her brother who studied in a private college. To cut a long story short, we faced many moments together, both good and bad. She married her sweetheart, and had her first baby, J, who's very precious to us, her family and friends. Other friends and I shared the moments of her labour and her joy when J was born. In the last hours of pain, she was still at the computer getting an assignment done!

When we were done with the MA, we went back to work at the same institution, and she generously offered me a roof over my head. Since both our hubs were still finishing their studies, I gladly lived with her together with my 2-year old daughter and a live-in helper. When I gave birth to my second daughter without hubby by my side, she was there to give me the much needed moral support. The birth date of my second daughter coincidently is the same as her first son's, and so we have another reason to bond stronger.

Trials after trials came our way, and we strongly stood to face them together. With her I once shared this analogy:(there's a group of us at work who became really close after all the years). It was like we linked our hands to go up and down this unknown mountain, and whenever one of us fell over, the rest never let go. Instead we stuck together through thick and thin.

Then it was time for her to leave for her homeland. It was such a sad moment for me. I was losing a best friend, who's also a sister. It has been years now since she left, and I am now in another country. But indeed, the heart remembers...sometimes I regret not being there physically for her when she faced trials, like she was there for me when I thought there was no more hope in life. No matter what, L, I love you always. I pray for you when I pray, and I wish you happiness no matter where you are.

The Goodness of Black Tea

I still can't quite stomach black tea but after reading this article (excerpt), I am seriously considering it:

"NEW YORK , April 9 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study conducted at the University of L'Aquila in Italy and supported by the Lipton Institute of Tea, is the first to show that black tea consumption - depending on dose - simultaneously increased blood vessel reactivity and reduced both blood pressure and arterial stiffness, suggesting a cardiovascular health profile that is consistent with maintaining heart health.
Using a cohort of 19 healthy men (mean age 33), the researchers assigned participants to one of five prescribed intakes of black tea over five periods lasting one week each. The caffeine level of each dose was standardized but the dose of tea flavonoids was controlled at levels of 0 (the control dose), 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg of tea flavonoids per day. A standard cup of black tea contains approximately 100-200 mg of flavonoids, depending on the individual preference of tea making. During the duration of the study, participants avoided naturally flavonoid-rich food and beverages such as red wine and chocolate to ensure that the results were a true reflection of flavonoid-rich black tea consumption only.
"In our study, black tea affected vascular function in normal individuals. We observed that vascular function improvement exerted by black tea started with one cup per day and further improved by increasing the number of daily cups of tea," explained Professor Claudio Ferri , the principle investigator of the study and one of the lead researchers in this field. " (http://money.aol.com/article/new-research-suggests-drinking-as-little/421528?icid=sphere_newsaol_inpage)

My transition from coffee to tea began about 11 months ago, when I realized that the caffeine from coffee was the culprit that triggered my chronic migraine. It was a gradual transition from 3-4 mugs of coffee daily, to 3-4 mugs of white, sugared tea daily, to the current 2 mugs white tea without sugar. I found that not only I don't suffer migraine anymore (except for the rare occurence of about once in a few months, often temperature-triggered), I don't quite miss coffee as I thought I would. (Mind you, I still love the aroma of coffee though). I guess another transition is due, from white tea to black tea...anything for health, since I am not getting any younger anymore.

Good Friday and cultural influence

I am not an anthropologist, but I've always been fascinated with things to do with the human race and their cultures. As I sat in church, participating in the Good Friday celebration today, the various reactions of people during the veneration of the cross continued to amazed me. Some people lightly kissed the crucifix, some bowed, and some even kneeled, bowed and kissed it with great reverance. Yet some refused to do the act, although later I saw them went to receive the communion. It could be culture or choice that drives people to this celebration then, I said to myself.

I might not understand fully the significant of the act, but I understand enough to know that one kisses the crucifix to show gratefulness and respect toJesus' who died on the cross to bear the sins of sinners (am I not one?). I've done it perhaps 20 times, that's equal more than half of my life, and while I questioned the very act before I came to be comfortable with my faith, I've never really been made to feel that I was worshipping an object, contrary to popular belief. Now that must be acceptance of one's faith, or it could also be due to cultural influence.

It's strange that I've never really had the chance to practice my own culture when I was growing up. Must have been due to modernization or 'mainsreamization' of minor societies like mine. But one thing for sure, I hold a healthy respect toward my culture. When my grandfather or grandmother performed one of their cultural rituals (bless their souls), I always felt overwhelmed with pride and pleasure, of feeling of belonging to something solid and traditional. Now my grandparents, before they embraced Catholic, used to be 'traditionalists'. And yet they didn't have any problem converting. Apart from having had been approached by missionaries who lived a simple and honest life, I can think of another reason why they did it.

It must be the 'fit' factor. In some way, Christianity fits with my people's cultural beliefs. Someone long ago told me that the concept of sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is nothing alien to my people. In our story of creation, a young lady was sacrificed during famine to save the people of her land. From her blood grew rice and other food plants. And so I think that is the 'fit' concept. Furthermore, our people believed (and some still do) that once the soul leaves the body, it went up to this special place on top of the Kinabalu Mountain, which was thought to be the highest place on earth (our earth obviously). In a way, that resembles 'going up to heaven'.

Traditional cultures might or might not influence one's religious belief. In my case, it might have. And that is another reason why I feel comfortable with my faith, regardless of whether or not I am truly religious.

Fresh homemade juice now

I've always wanted to have a real juicer. More so since I started having health awareness for the family. I want fresh juice for us every morning, without added sugar and preservatives, and most of all produced in a short time efficiently without me having to go through the annoying process of blendering and squeezing the fruits to get the juice, often in meagre amount. My wish came true yesterday. Hubby bought me one, which was promptly put to use this morning.

True to its promise, my brand new Breville juicer works efficiently. I was able to make a jug of carrot-apple juice within 5 mins, all fresh and yummy. Even the little one who used to refuse home made juice was convinced to have a glass.

I know this is only a little thing. But little things are big in a busy mom's life. And I look forward to trying out various fruit combinations for juice. Another plus in my lifestyle makeover work...

of adolescence and nail polish

Another sigh. My girl is all grown up. Today she spent the gift card received on her birthday on books (as usual) and nail polish. Nail polish? Yup, nail polish. We had a bit of disagreement on the color. The sweetie wanted black and I was horrified! (No way!) She demanded one good reason why she can't use a black nail polish. And I blurted "because it's so like cult!".

My, my...I wonder why I am so set against her choosing that color. I'm not really that negative when others apply black nail polish, but I just can't take it when it comes to my own 'little girl'. In the end, she compromised by choosing blue...after much mutterings and complainings.

I wonder if I am just old fashion. Or whether it is normal for a mom to be against certain things like a black nail polish. After all she's only an adolescent who needs guidance...Gosh, much that I want to be a liberal mom who lets her kids think and decide on their own, I know that there are just certain boundaries that I won't let them cross. Despite believing this though, I still get confused by a lot of parenting-related stuffs. Whoever did say parenting is a piece of cake?

It's a struggle...

I had a very long rest yesterday...10 hours. Now that is something. For some reason I was so tired yesterday. Hardly surprising. It was a full day for me. Meeting with the supervisor, peer pressure with the postgrads, grocery shopping, picking up kids from school, a play in the park for the pre-primary kids and that meant socializing with the moms and grandmoms, and my 30 mins exercise with the kids to cap the day.

By dinnertime, I was sooo hungry I wanted to just forget about the diet plan and consume a large plate of yummy calorie packed dinner. Thank God I resisted even with my thinning willpower. Had a plate of greens topped with some tuna and a serving of rice instead. And I was still hungry after that. Drank a few glasses of water, then decided that I should have a good rest to make me feel better. I'm glad I did. I woke up fresh in the morning, ready to face another day of temptation resisting and kg reducing...

At times my selfish self cries "unfair". Why do I, someone who loves cooking and food so much, have to have a weak DNA structure that I easily become overweight and yet am unable to shed weight as easily? Oh yes, I envy people who do not have the problem. But I guess I have no choice but to accept myself and strive to maintain a good balance in life. If you ask me whether I'd forget about yummy food forever, I'd quickly answer "no". I'd shed the unnecessary weight, then continue enjoying food moderately. But before I can do that, here I am, faced with the daunting task of shedding and shedding kgs first. I wonder how long will it take...it seems forever.

Lifestyle makeover day 1

Phew, day one has to be the hardest. Calorie counting, constant reminding of no more than such amount of this, and most of all real physical exercise. My last gym visit was sometime last year. My first and last almost real exercise this year was badminton almost a month ago, during which I tore a tendon on my right elbow. That was when I swore to be off-badminton forever (maybe).

Went jogging with the kids today. The target is half an hour moderate exercise 6 day week. That would aid to the goal of reducing 1 - 1.5 kg per month. (I'd be happy with even 0.5kg). My body protested violently- I was itchy all over. My vision blurred at one point and I had to stop to take a long breathe. (Showed how I have forgotten all about warming up and stuffs).

Did 10 rounds of 400m at the park. Then let the kids led me with their fun activities- star jump, police game, musical bob. At least something fun. The thought of 'just running' was extremely boring it almost made me cry.

Achieved the stipulated 30 minutes today. Looking forward to tomorrow with more fun activities from the kids...