Losing weight has been my biggest struggle ever since I entered puberty. As much as I love food, I have a sedentary lifestyle. It did not become better when I went to adulthood. My weight was a yoyo, I was losing weight (if I am disciplined) and gaining more weight (when I am a mush of a lazy ass). As I grow older and older, I can feel my body aging as fast as I am eating. It is not a pleasant wake-up call.

It's exactly 12 days before Christmas. While most are busy opening their presents/advent calendars, I decided to join in the trend. Instead of opening presents, I decided to jump start my metabolism by doing a fitness challenge.


It's been almost two years since I had a good workout routine. I attempted several times post pregnancy, but my hormones keep messing me up. My appetite was out of control, adding the fact that I am fully breastfeeding, my metabolism was hibernating.

To start off one of my goals for 2019, I am doing a 12 days of fitness challenge to shake things up. Here's my plan:

Day 1 (That's today!) - 1 full run at the oval near the community center
Day 2 (Dec 14) - Push up exercise for at least 14 minutes (10 modified pushup and 3 full pushup).
Day 3 (Dec 15) - Finish one Insanity routine. THIS.IS.INSANE.
Day 4 (Dec 16) - Abs Exercises for 16 minutes. 4 variety of ab exercise.
Day 5 (Dec 17) - Arm Exercise with weights for 17 minutes.
Day 6 (Dec 18) - Push up Exercise for 18 minutes
Day 7 (Dec 19) - Squats (using weights) for 19 minutes
Day 8 (Dec 20) - Ab Exercise for 20 mins doing 4 variety.
Day 9 (Dec 21) - Arm Exercise (with weights) for 21 minutes
Day 10 (Dec 22) - Finish one Insanity routine. Let's check my stamina here.
Day 11 (Dec 23) - 2 full run at the oval near the community center
Day 12 (Dec 24) - Squats (using weights) for 24 mins.

If you'll observe, There are 6 types of exercises namely running, squats, arms, pushup, abs and cardio. My weak points will be running, arms and pushup (cardio, if I can actually last the Insanity workout). I strategically placed exercises I'm struggling at the earlier days. Adding the Insanity routine is a bit ambitious, so we'll see how far I can go from there.


The goal of this challenge is to jump start my metabolism (and to sweat buckets!). One of my goals for 2019 is to get back on exercising and modifying my eating habits so I could lose the pregnancy weight.

If you also want to do the challenge, feel free to use this (or modify to your preference). I'll update my progress on Instagram (follow me @carolranas) using the hashtag #12daysofxmasfitness #becarol.

Let the Fitness Challenge begin!



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UPDATE:

If you have been following my instagram stories, I've been posting this challenge there. I even made a highlight on my profile page. Anyway, I just want to update my blog readers on what went down on this challenge.

I was able to do diligently up until Day 6. Day 7 - 9 was a bit of a struggle. Sadly, I did not make it to Day 10 - 12. Time constraint and procrastination were the culprit (I'll mix in the holiday spirit as well). Day 12 was our flight back to Manila for the holidays. Few days before that, we were busy packing (and shopping) for gifts and pasalubongs. I know those are just excuses, I really fell short of motivation.

LESSON: Buy cute active wear outfits so I'll look good in my insta stories. HAHAHA!
Kidding aside, I learned that procrastination got the best of me. I modified the challenge from the start so as towards the end of the challenge, I would still be able to do it. AND I DID NOT.

My cute baby was a big help because he joined me in my exercises. My friends and sisters were happy watching the video because of him. My sisters even reminded me of the challenge, just because they miss seeing the cute baby hanging out with me while I exercise. (WATCH MY INSTAGRAM STORIES HIGHLIGHTS SO YOU'LL SEE). 

Goal for 2019, END PROCRASTINATION! Be more productive on all aspects. ^_^

Hope you had fun with the challenge as much as I did. I am now researching for other challenges that I can do to increase my productivity (and to feel good about myself as well).




 

It's exactly 12 days before Christmas. While most are busy opening their presents/advent calendars, I decided to join in the trend. Instead of opening presents, I decided to jump start my metabolism by doing a fitness challenge.


It's been almost two years since I had a good workout routine. I attempted several times post pregnancy, but my hormones keep messing me up. My appetite was out of control, adding the fact that I am fully breastfeeding, my metabolism was hibernating.

To start off one of my goals for 2019, I am doing a 12 days of fitness challenge to shake things up. Here's my plan:

Day 1 (That's today!) - 1 full run at the oval near the community center
Day 2 (Dec 14) - Push up exercise for at least 14 minutes (10 modified pushup and 3 full pushup).
Day 3 (Dec 15) - Finish one Insanity routine. THIS.IS.INSANE.
Day 4 (Dec 16) - Abs Exercises for 16 minutes. 4 variety of ab exercise.
Day 5 (Dec 17) - Arm Exercise with weights for 17 minutes.
Day 6 (Dec 18) - Push up Exercise for 18 minutes
Day 7 (Dec 19) - Squats (using weights) for 19 minutes
Day 8 (Dec 20) - Ab Exercise for 20 mins doing 4 variety.
Day 9 (Dec 21) - Arm Exercise (with weights) for 21 minutes
Day 10 (Dec 22) - Finish one Insanity routine. Let's check my stamina here.
Day 11 (Dec 23) - 2 full run at the oval near the community center
Day 12 (Dec 24) - Squats (using weights) for 24 mins.

If you'll observe, There are 6 types of exercises namely running, squats, arms, pushup, abs and cardio. My weak points will be running, arms and pushup (cardio, if I can actually last the Insanity workout). I strategically placed exercises I'm struggling at the earlier days. Adding the Insanity routine is a bit ambitious, so we'll see how far I can go from there.


The goal of this challenge is to jump start my metabolism (and to sweat buckets!). One of my goals for 2019 is to get back on exercising and modifying my eating habits so I could lose the pregnancy weight.

If you also want to do the challenge, feel free to use this (or modify to your preference). I'll update my progress on Instagram (follow me @carolranas) using the hashtag #12daysofxmasfitness #becarol.

Let the Fitness Challenge begin!

After a nice yoga workout session at Life Yoga, you'll definitely crave for something to fill up your tummy. But the idea of fast food will make you cringe because you've put up so much work into that yoga session to waste it by binge-eating on foods that does not help with your fitness goals.


Luckily, Vibe Cafe is literally beside the Life Yoga Studio. They serve healthy meals and drinks that will complement all the workout you've exerted in their studio. You will never feel guilty because their meals were designed to make you full, while giving you a dose of macro nutrients that your body actually needs after that hot yoga sesh.


Vibe Cafe is a quiant cafe located beside (inside as well!) the Life! Yoga studio. It is a  one stop quick shop for health buffs (of hungry foodies as well!) who has a grumbling stomach after an intense workout. I was invited to try out their dishes before they go fully announce it to the public. They were on soft opening when I visited them.

Snacking is one part of our eating habit. Sometimes, because of our busy life, we settle for snacks that are high in calories like fast food and processed food. Fret not because Mug Shots are now available in the Philippines! They are tasty and at the same time convenient to eat. No, you don't need a mugshot and feel guilty while eating these snacks

Yoga is an traditional form of exercise that originated in India. Yoga aims to bring harmony in your life by putting your whole body in sync, mind, body and soul. There are a lot of types of yoga that you can try. The first time I wet to a yoga class, I was confused after. I didn't know if I'm doing any of the poses right. It didn't felt anything. My mind, body and soul was so out of sync.
But after a few classes, I was able to sync my body through breathing exercises. Once I found my rythm, every yoga class was as effective as a 1 hr Zumba class. I was perspiring like crazy despite the limited flow of movements.

I was not the only one who fell in love with yoga that time. Almost immediately, a lot of yoga studio opened and Yoga was on the rise. Most women, like me loved yoga to every bits.

Most of us have long forgotten our fitness goals once the holiday season kicks in. For most of us, the holiday season means a month long of binge-eating and stuffing ourselves with all the thing we crave.

Thanks to Curves Gym Eastwood, they made me realize that I shouldn't wait till next year to jump start my fitness journey. I don't necessarily need to spend most of my time in the gym. With just 30 mins of workout, 3 times a week, I can breezily loose those stubborn fats and make my curves take the spotlight.


Curves Gym is an all girl gym which promotes health and wellness for busy women. It is a community of support and encouragement; and strengthening women. What makes Curves unique is that it gives you a complete cardio and strength training workout in just 30 minutes, burning up to 500 calories at a time. The Curves workout is built around hydraulic resistance machines that work every major muscle group two muscles at a time, giving you a more efficient and effective workout with every visit. Curves is a women-only gym. Their motto “No men, no makeup, no mirrors”.

Our body is our temple. What we do with our body reflects on the choices we make in our lifestyle. Obesity is one of the pressing issue that a lot of people address in our daily lives. A lot of factors affect one's decision which leads to obesity. Stressors in our environment had lead us to over eat and indulge in food choices that are not healthy.


The battle with trying to eat healthy have been a struggle. But it doesn't have to be an everyday struggle. As long as we stick to our healthy choices within the week and have one cheat day where we can eat what our heart desires, there is progress. As the saying goes "One bad meal won't make you fat, just like one good meal won't make you skinny."

They say a healthy tummy is a healthy body. Digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea or flatulence can easily turn a peachy day into a ruined one. Nowadays, a lot of people have been trying hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle and taking charge of their own health. Detoxification had become mainstream as a way for people to reset their system and jump start their healthy lifestyle.

Soshi and I celebrated our 11th year anniversary at Ace Water Day Spa. I have a Belle de Jour Buy 1 Take 1 coupon that we decided to use for the first time (I always have 2 coupons every year from my planner, yet I always give them out). We were planning to have a relaxed weekend, despite the rainy weather.


Ace Water Spa is not your usual spa place. It's a public spa which incorporates hydrotherapy massages. You will not have your own massage therapist neither have your own room for the massages. It's pampering at your own pace.

Hydrotherapy massage is a kind of therapeutic massage that utilizes "Ultrasonic Jet System" that massages specific areas of the body with its aquatic jets strategically located to relax and soothe tired and aching muscles. The massage is done in heated water, utilizing one push-of-a-button equipment which can be set as soft, moderate and hard massages. The massage systems, being "do-it-yourself" type, gives the freedom to decide which water equipment to use and which part of his body needs more attention.

*late post*

I signed up for Alyanna's Fitness Party at Eastwood Mall hosted by Megaworld Lifestyle Malls last July 21, 2013. I've been wanting to join Alyanna's fitness party because I've been hearing great feedback about it. Her fitness party has been going on for quite some time, and this is the first time I was able to signed up for it (The event is exclusive and by invite only).

I was not feeling well the whole weekend so I was hoping to feel a bit better once I got my doze of cardio and workout. The whole day was packed with activities which made more giddy.

What is Detoxification?