New year, New Gym, New Workouts

I've signed up for 12 personal training sessions, and after 4 sessions, I think it was definitely worth the money. It seems I've got 32% body fat (not good) and my lower body is weaker than the top. My trainer has got me doing kickboxing, squats, ab work, TRX (really interesting) and loads of cardio which I hate but a necessity. After each training I feel like my legs are about to fall off, and yesterday my arms were shaking after a sparring session. 

It's torture, but just goes to show I haven't been pushing myself enough. I've seen 50-something women doing qigong/taichi, lifting weights, walking, running and they have ramrod straight backs and toned muscles. It's possible to keep our bones and muscles strong as we get older, but we've got to put in the work. There is no magic pill or slimming course that'll make us fit and healthy. We don't have to go for hours-long workouts, just consistent activity everyday. It's better than paying loads of money for cholesterol, diabetes, calcium and all sorts of pills for ailments which could have been prevented if only we looked after ourselves from a younger age.

School Schedule 2012

It’s going into the second week of school and we’re getting used to the new schedule. Little H is only taking Mandarin, Taekwondo and Critical Thinking for his extracurricular classes. I really wanted him to continue with Enopi maths, unfortunately they’ve stopped it for some reason. So we’ve gone with the Critical Thinking. He’ll be in school until 3pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, and will have lunch there as well.

H loves his school lunches. It’s a different way of cooking as compared to the usual stuff we serve him. Bread and curry, noodles with fish balls, pasta and baked beans, he loves them all. If I mention I want to serve it at home, he won’t hear of it. It just tastes better in school, or rather eating with friends make everything tastes better. I've also moved up his dinner to 6.30pm (he usually has it at 5.30pm), that means he has to have a snack around 4pm. Then it's shower at 7pm, storytime and off to bed by 8pm.

This year is preparation year for entering Primary 1 next year, so it’s time to push him a little more. At the moment he doesn’t have a proper homework schedule. It’s more like if we don’t have anything else to do, we’ll do homework. We can’t do that anymore. Unfortunately, getting him to follow a proper schedule is going to result in a lot of tears. He turns on the tap very easily nowadays, and even throws tantrums. It’s difficult to tear him away from TV and toys. Even weaning him off the IPad after the holidays were excruciating, both for him and me. I’m not proud to say that I do scream at the kids, because sometimes it’s the only way to get them to do something. Other times I just resort to simple threats. IF I’m not too angry, I actually try to reason with them. That takes quite a while and a WHOLE LOAD of patience, because children do not listen to reason when they’re tired, angry, sad or even happy for that matter.

We’re planning a trip to Penang in early February, so I’m looking forward to that. In fact, we’ve planned quite a few holidays this year, so, yes, life is good :D

Happy New Year!

Holidays are over and it’s back to the grind for the kids. As for the parents, it’s back to juggling schedules, driving to and fro school and activities and making sure they do their homework and pass their tests. Easy right? NOT!

I’ve only got one child plus two nieces to look out for and it’s still stressful. Hats off to those moms with more kids. It must be a logistical nightmare to keep everything in check. I can’t even keep track of Hakim’s toys.

This year (as with past years) I do want to be more organised. So far I’ve organised my file cabinet and shredded old documents to reduce the amount of paper I have in my files. I’ve discovered expired insurance policies from 2005, so it was time for some spring cleaning.

I’ve also been revamping my closet, getting rid or giving away old and un-used clothes. I have to accept that there are clothes that don’t fit me anymore (and never will) and some that just isn’t my style anymore. As I grow older, comfort and simplicity are the two most important aspects I look for in clothes. I cannot stand scratchy materials, materials that are too precious and/or over-tight clothes. I look for soft, easy-care materials that fall well on my body.  I go for simple styles since I’m mostly in jeans anyway. But I do spend a bit more on my T-shirts nowadays because I wear them every day and they need to look presentable.

I’m also changing up my fitness regime. I’ve decided to join a gym. As much as I love my current yoga and belly dancing classes, I’m spending way too much. So I’m ‘consolidating’ everything into one gym membership. I’m going to miss my teachers and friends, but it just makes more financial sense for me to join a gym at the moment.

I’ve got more plans in the pipeline for 2012, and am excited in carrying it all out. I’m praying for my enthusiasm and energy to last all the way through 2012 to see it all through. Wishing the same to everyone, Happy New Year!