I have done it!!!!

Yes, I have done it! I weighed in at 65.1 kg today after my exercise on the track. I did a fast walk covering 4.38 km, totalling 8,768 steps and burning 196 kcal., as indicated in my pedometer. I actually weighed in at 65.6 kg on 21st May, and 65.8 kg on 23rd May. 2007.



As I wrote in my post of 1 February - 'You have put on too much weight', and my subsequent post of 14 February - 'I've lost 2 kg.', it has taken me 4 months to reach this goal. Maybe I should go out to celebrate this by indulging myself to all the sinful grub like 'char kwey tiao', murtabak, 'kway chap', durian, birani, curry puff, mutton curry, nasi lemak..........! Ha,ha! And put back what I took out? No way. It has been a hard struggle. I will now maintain my weight and go into moderation mode. For the record, I lost 5 kg. in 4 months. My surgeon told me that if I can control my diet and weight, I can control some of my illness e.g. hypertension, diabetes (which I do not have.).



Many of my friends have commented on my weight loss (especially the ladies!). How did I do it? By cutting down on my carbohydrates and sugar and snacking (my biggest weakness). Eating small portion of rice or noodles, and cutting out white bread certainly helped. I have been eating wholemeal or multi grain bread and limiting myself to two slices per serving. I do not take refined sugar but brown sugar for my coffee (half teaspoon) just to kill the bitterness.



I have also gone off completely without caffeine and drink only decaf coffee and tea. They taste very bland. But I found a decaf coffee powder which still gives me the espresso aroma though bland in taste. I have given up on decaf tea and now take green tea, which in its non-fermented state, is decaf already. I cannot take Milo, cola or chocolate (a favourite of mine). So drinking out is always a problem. Now most upmarket cafe also serve decaf, so no problems. But in the market, kopitiam is a problem. My choice is now limited to chrysanthemum, barley but not packet or canned drinks due to the high sugar content. Fresh fruit juices would be good, although they cost more, and the vendors tend to pack too much ice inside. Having a drink with friends can sometimes be a problem.

It took me some time to adjust to this new routine. I now feel very much lighter without the bloated feeling, and my clothes are loose with my trousers hanging down my waist. Unfortunately I get hunger pangs. I attribute this to reduced bulk in the rice and noodles. I also noticed that it does not take much to fill me up. Probably my stomach has shrunk. I found out that almond is good for the heart and it improves on the HDL and lowers the LDL. Moreover eating them does not result in weight gain. So to cut my hanger pangs, I now reach for a small handful of almond for chewing. Just a small handful and I am satisfied. I also chew on a small packet of wild blueberries every morning. This was recommended to me by a friend and they are supposed to be good for my glaucoma, eye sight and blood circulation.

On my last eye check at SNEC, my glaucoma has stabilised. But I had to change my spectacles, which cost me $590 for a pair of new progressive and two reading glasses. That made me see stars! My right eye deteriorated and I had to correct my near sightedness. Now my new spectacles are better and I can see clearer.

Till then....