It has been a while since I posted a blog. Though this blog post is not a "Travel Blog" I guess I should also share my VOYAGE to a healthier me. As you all know I have been active here and there and make this travel blog as a hobby and yes I don't have any plans of dropping my career in the medical field just to blog like others. I believe that one should still have a means of continuous income and putting these things on the side, not saying that those influential bloggers are not working or not earning a lot, I just believe that I still have to do my mission as a Medical Professional as my main priority and source of income. I'm not good in blogging obviously, been around since 2011 but no one notices this simple blog of mine. Still I keep it cause I believe that it is MY OUTLET for things. Like other bloggers I blog cause I want to not that I NEED TO and yes it is more fun doing this than that even if you have a very small number of audience.
Anyways, while I was busy juggling things around (Work-Masteral-Volunteerism) I was furious here and there staying up late, stress eating, not caring for myself much that I felt something is quite wrong with my body. I've been an Annual Physical Exam nurse for 3 years and yet I forget to check my own health. So I decided to ask our APE doctor to give me requests for laboratories for me to get a check-up. She gave me the usual APE laboratory requests, Complete Blood Count, Chest X-ray, Urinalysis, Fecalysis, Whole Abdominal Ultrasound & Blood Chemistry. I was glad my CBC, Chest X-ray, Urinalysis, Fecalysis were okay. Just slight derivation from the normal. Last time my Liver Ultrasound was normal to slightly fatty, so the doctor suggested me to minimize fat intake I did, for quite a while but went back to my usual stuff again. But this time the Blood Chem & Ultrasound were a shocker.
My Cholesterol levels were all elevated (Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL) and my liver was MODERATELY FAT INFILTRATED. So yeah I really was furious despite the knowledge of what to do I asked our doctor for a more certain action. She prescribed me Rosuvastatin, I know I was doomed. So I asked our doctor if this would be "for life" she told me to try for months, if it goes down to normal again she'll allow me to stop & just decrease my fat intake and improve my diet.
I was pondering for quite a while on going to the gym and following a diet plan. Well for the diet plan I was already starting. I did not eat rice for lunch and sometimes not eat dinner as well (as in not eat dinner at all) I also told myself to eat only when I feel hungry. But with my workplace that is impossible it would be impolite to not get the offered treat by your bosses isn't it?
So yeah it was a struggle, I was looking into gyms for a more accessible & cheaper deals, guess it was not for me. But that did not stop my interest to get into shape. As soon as I heard that there would be a new branch of Anytime Fitness to be opened I waited for their "founding member" discount promo. I signed up and yes, I find having a gym membership pricey but the benefits and the fact that I paid for something quite expensive not to use would be my motivators.
I started around November 20, 2017
I decided to document my journey, sharing it thru my Instagram account linking it to my Facebook & Twitter accounts as well for the following reasons:
- It will serve as a reminder to my family & friends that I am on a fitness journey and that asking me out for drinks or having a sumptuous buffet for dinner would make me off track.
- It also would help me be motivated by the comments and likes from special people.
- It would make me more consistent cause I know there's an audience watching my fitness voyage. 😉
- It may help others be motivated, since I not only post my victory overcoming cravings but also the losses I have being tempted by the evil cravings, though I always say I need to get back on track after & yes I do naman. Showing them that I'm human as well.
- It can also motivate you back, by tips from friends & fellow #FitnessGoals followers.
- It helps me be back on track, whenever I feel lazy or feel being deprived or down, I look at my hashtag & look into my voyage. *TIP: CREATE A HASHTAG*
- Critics can critic but it just keeps me more motivated than ever! I remember a special person commenting on my photo as if disbelieving I cannot pull this off. Guess what BEST MOTIVATION EVER! 😜
So those are among the few reasons why I post... I don't brag I just want to share my journey with people whom I care the most. I was once wondering as well if I should begin my journey but seeing posts from friends all over my feed (from different places) I was motivated. Imagine one time I was still weeks from starting and feeling as if I was down, but suddenly my FB newsfeed was just full of #FitnessGoals posts. Right there & then I got off my bed, changed to my gym clothes and went on.
I started my journey at 94.4kg (Skeletal Muscle Mass: 25.8kg; Percentage Body Fat: 50%) That was November 20, 2017. I'm currently on my 7th month, on my 84th day going to the gym up to date. My last check was last April 25, 2018. Let me put that in a table for you to compare.
| 20-Nov | 21-Dec | 8-Mar | 28-Mar | 25-Apr | |
| Weight (kg) | 94.4 | 92.2 | 87.1 | 85 | 83.9 |
| SMM (kg) | 25.8 | 25.8 | 25.7 | 25.7 | 25.9 |
| PBF(%) | 50 | 48.8 | 46.1 | 44.9 | 43.6 |
Yes, my progress is really evidently going down the good way, but I think my next one would be a bit unusual since I feel I really gained weight but maybe, hopefully it's because of muscle build up. Again never watch the scales. Watch the progress.
To end my post here is my picture wearing the same shirt, about 4 years apart, having the similar weight (I was around 190-200lbs that time, now I'm around 184.58lbs), and still being the fan girl and kain after concert girl I am.
So to all those aspiring gym-goers, diet-ers, fitness goals pushers... GO! Laban lang! 💪
