Will I Become The Next Ratu Kebaya?

(Pics courtesy of my Mom - taken circa mid-fifties)

Don't you feel blessed we're living in this hot tropical climate where we generate a lot of sweat just by lifting a finger? Take me for instance, washing the bathroom, cooking, vacuuming, even hanging out the wash (no gardening, yet and I don't iron) all done in full tracks and long sleeves cotton tees, makes me drenched in sweat and feeling detoxified after. Hey, that doesn't mean I love housework, or is passionate about it, or even desirous of it. I just do it for the pleasure, for the pleasure, for the pleasure (my on-going affirmation for life) of ____ ?

Only thing about housework, they are not the full-body workouts you get attending body-pump or body-vive or whatever they call aerobic classes these days, a lot of muscles and joints are hardly used. In fact we keep using the same old muscle and joints again and again. At the gym, they tell me that we need to strengthen the unused muscles and joints to help us enjoy a good quality of life in old age, if we live long enough that is.

Last Friday I had Farah from the gym go through my body composition with me. Free service for members. I am actually 57% muscle and 39.5% fat. If my fat touches 40% I'll cry... no, no I'll just have the pleasure of sweating more... To burn fat, I'll have to do more endurance kind of exercises i.e. a lower intensity but for a longer duration, like middle to long distance running, not sprinting.



At school I was running sprints and doing long-jumps, playing ping-pong and netball, in short sports requiring short bursts of energy. I had no stamina for the longer distances.

Doing high-intensity cardio-based exercises may use up muscle rather than fat because fat is kept in storage whereas muscle energy is easier for the body to access in a desperate situation (which signifies cardios).

I have maybe 10-15 kg of fat to lose according to Farah and some kg of muscles to gain, ideally. What lah, I'm not entering "Who's the Next Ratu Kebaya" reality show. And she gave me a food-guide for "Eating Right For Your Blood-type" would you believe?




My blood-type is A+ by the way, please take note other A+'s because we can only donate blood amongst ourselves and AB+

RBC Compatibility chart
In addition to donating to the same blood group;
type O blood donors can give to A, B and AB;
blood donors of types A and B can give to AB

Just as I was poring over the guide, taking note of the many foods that are supposedly poisonous to my body, and the little that act as medicines, in came an e-mail from a kindly unker hehe:

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I love this Doctor!


Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart only good for so many beats, and that it...don't waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiency. What does cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables.. So steak is nothing more than efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef also good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable).

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made of grain. Bottom up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have body and you have fat, your ratio one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No pain...good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU NOT LISTENING! Food are fried these day in vegetable oil. In fact, they permeated by it. How could getting more vegetable be bad for you?!?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise muscle, it get bigger. You should only be doing sit-up if you want bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy?!? HEL-LO-O!! Cocoa bean! Another vegetable! It best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming good for your figure, explain whale to me...

Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!!"

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Maybe I should follow the good doctor's philosophy and dump the diet. I love beef, lamb chops, dairy, bread, mee kuning, curries, cheeses, creamy soups, chickpeas, you name it etc,etc......

BLEARRRH!!!!