work it out

There's nothing that looks better on clothes than a toned fit body. So why not fall in love with getting in shape? Working out has been something I've dreaded before but here are some easy steps I do to making it happen.

•  Get in the habit. It doesn't matter if you're tired, hungover, it's raining, it's too nice- GO. I make working out such a part of my daily routine it's like brushing my teeth. I MAKE it a MUST so that "I can't or I have no time" is impossible.

• Make working out enjoyable. Before when I used to run my ass on the treadmill like a gerbil, I made sure I had an enjoyable playlist to get me hyped and juiced.. Now that I sit my lazy butt on the bicycle, I read. I love to read and this time also allows me to catch up on my emails, text messages, plan out my day- and before you know it, you'll watch time fly.

• Diet. It's honestly the only way to go. I don't mean anything crazy but never underestimate the power of portions and replace certain foods so you don't feel deprived. For example, I love chocolate milk- but now I drink light soy chocolate milk and i LOVE it. I never liked vegetables before but now I love salads- believe me there are many delicious salads that go beyond a caesar. For me, maybe after gaining 50lbs and eating everything in sight for 9 months you become quite disgusted with the junk you used to eat. You can still indulge, I encourage it, but everything in moderation is key.

• Be consistent. I can't stress enough how much this played such an important factor in discovering how much weight I've lost. In the 50lbs I lost in 2 months, I honestly did not see results instantly. It was a gradual process that took heart and dedication, but time flew by fast and so did my pre-pregnant body.

• Reap the rewards. Treat yourself to something nice when you accomplish mini goals, enjoy the compliments and watch yourself feel good that you actually WANT to keep up the hard work. And you'll see working out can not only be healthier but actually make you feel real good inside.

My typical work out day:

• I go to a real janky gym. You don't really need anything fancy. Cute workout clothes are neither required either unless you really want to. I honestly get up sometimes in my pajamas and glasses just to get myself to go first thing in the morning. I worry about getting cute after.
  
• I don't do anything drastic. I bike for 30 minutes, an hour if I have time and a good read. 2 arm machines of 4 sets of 20- these are pretty similar to push ups only the lazy version. Then I do a shit load of sit ups- on an ab bench! :)
  
• I WANT to eat healthy bc I know how hard it is to work out and I don't want to regain it all back in 5 minutes of eating a whole roll of microwaved cookie dough.
  
• Although don't get me wrong, I have my days where I'm pure lazy, eat my late night mcdonalds after a big night out, just ask my friends they'll tell you how disgusting it is.. or inhale a whole bag of cadbury mini eggs in one sitting- yes i know, but just the smell inside of the bag makes me salivate.. haha. But I don't beat myself up for it, I just make up for it and work out hard the next day.

asian fashion

vogue korea march 2009

marie claire korea march 2009

nylon magazine korea march 2009

for those that think asian fashion is not forward,  think again.

fashion can be interpreted in so many different ways and i'm very drawn to this style for reasons i can go on and on about.. but to name a few..

• beauty makes fashion so much more appealing.. the girls are just drop dead gorgeous-from their skin, to their hair, to their fresh makeup and their petite frames, they make the clothes they're wearing look so simple, chic, and well put together.
• their styles can range from elegant to wild to funky to boho to goth or even a combination of it all and they still can pull it off! their outfits are very creative and unique in their own way and there's a certain quirkiness they carry within them that is oh so cute and irresistible.
• being in Hong Kong and Japan, I was so inspired by how fashionable women are and I hear all the rave that Korea is just as trendy, so I might have to put that on my go to list to see one of these days.

on the go..

Did you know Hello Kitty is the ambassador of Japanese tourism?

Japanese magazines are the source of many of my fashion inspirations.

 

Beef bowl & green tea

 

oishii!!

(nikibiki leggings, urbn sandals, ZAO top, hollister sweater, forever21 ring, rolex watch, LV purse)

• Japan for me in a nutshell in 3 hours.
• I enjoyed my pocky and milk tea as I waited to finally get home.. 
• What a day.. Manila to Hong Kong to Japan to San Francisco.. jetsetting.

i fly like paper..

(nikibiki leggings, ZOA ny shirt, hollister sweater, urbn sandals)

• Layovers can be a great opportunity to ease the boredom from traveling. Check out the gift shops and browse through magazines on your down time.. luckily my laptop has kept me quite occupied.
• Getting snacks or eating at the airport is always a good suggestion if you're like me and hate airplane food.
• At this point, I feel I've been almost everywhere in a week and my fascination for numbers has gotten me to memorize my passport number.
  
• I never understood why airplanes blast the AC- so make sure you layer up or pack an extra sweater or socks.
• I hate sitting next to strangers on the plane- especially if they're... haha. nevermind. so thank god I didn't have to this time. :)
• But if you must, window seats are always a better option so you can lean your head against it to fall asleep.
• If you don't feel like talking to your neighbor, just put on your headphones, it's a surefire way to avoid conversation. 
• And if you do feel like talking, well sky's the limit but for starters strike an easy question, like asking them where are they from and who knows you can make a new friend and kill time a lot quicker and before you know it.. you're home. FINALLY.