Run : The Fitness Story in a Year , Jan - June

Early in February, we heard back from 7days Fitness - about 3 months after our 2 months promo subscription ended the year before. We didn't went out for any fitness activities for awhile, we were lazying around and adding up few more happy kilos. 

Until they texted us about their latest 2016 promo :
RM 559 for a year, unlimited passes to classes and gym equipments, weekly training, bring a friend for free on every weekend, RM 80 gift voucher, and free gifts from 7days fitness (shirt, bag, towel). 
The normal fees is RM 799.

After a week of discussion, we decided that we should take the promo offer. We feel that RM 1.60 per day is quite affordable and we consider that we don't have any access to night parks around the area after work and need to wait for the weekend for a run won't be effective for weekly fitness activities. So we signed up for it. I also stopped going to running events since last year.

Here is my 2016 fitness journal (will be updated on monthly basis) :

March :

• Total run : 56 km 
• What I learned so far : After 3 months of resting, I need to catch up with my fitness level back. I had to start from the beginning all over again, by walking to jogging to running, adding few distances per 2 weeks. I need to remind myself in the future; "that if I stop for too long, I need to reset my training again and start from the beginning".
• Strength training : I started to do mild strength training using those gym equipments : for upper body especially torso, back and abdomen, also lower body, because I just run all this time and never do anything else :D The first few days were awful. But I realized that running uses basic muscle strength that I'm so used to - for example even if I run for 8 km, I can no longer feel any bad muscle pain afterwards. But 4 sets of any strength training for not even 15 minutes will make my body sore the day after. I conclude that I might need this after all if I want stronger muscle and bones throughout my whole body to run faster and more consistent. 
• Simple Yoga Stretches : Throughout the day while I'm working at home, I will do several times of basic stretches routine : from hands to heart, to downward dog, plank, cobra and back to the start. This 5 minutes stretches can help my body be more flexible and leaner - sbb I sit in front of the computer for hours.
• Super affordable running shoes : After the third year, my shoes was starting to look like it has been over-worn. I'm planning to buy a new shoe when I reach 800km total of running instead. 
• Challenge : 5km March-ing Forward Challenge - completed! :

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April :

• Total run : 65 km 
• What I learned so far : It's already more than a month of running training, 3-4 times a week, 3-10km per run and additional of strength training. I can run much faster with longer duration :D From the highest treadmill MPH that I can reach was : 8 to 10 ! I haven't lost any weight, and the only changes I noticed are the running session and more duration in planking. 
• Strength training : I continued with the training after my short run. Nothing changes much, I already managed to do the sets without any muscle pain, probably going to try other new machines that I never touched before.
• Sickness : After my sudden sore throat and runny nose for several days, I'm setting a new daily fruits and veggies regime. Fruits can be super expensive but I'm trying to eat it daily - not only my favorite ones, I'm learning to be more flexible *boo .
• Weather : It's getting hotter, our el nino season has arrived. Hardly any rain and jerebu =.= Even running in the gym seems extra heavy and depressing. Tasya just signed up for a month !
• Goal Update : I'm halfway through my 250km total run in 2016. *Maybe I might add more.
• Challenge : Runkeeper April 5km + 10km Challenge - completed !

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May :

• Total run : 17.7 km, Total cycling : 15 km, Swimming : 1 hour
• Goal update : 151 / 250 km
• Challenge : Runkeeper April 5km + 10km Challenge + Runkeeper Global 5k. 

• Runkeeper Global 5k : We ran along with 423,539 runners all over the world on the 29th May. Af & we ran at Putrajaya - we didn't know there was Milo Breakfast Day at the same time, lucky for us we got a free flow of iced Milo after our run. We self-printed our bib, ran randomly without any specific planned track but using Runkeeper to track our km, we started at Taman Pancarona and ended at Palace of Justice. We were the odd ones out - both in full black outfit and different bib on our shirt :D

They said around 20,000 people came for Milo Breakfast Day :

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June :

• Total run : 18.8 km, Total cycling : 8.8 km
• Goal update : 169 / 250 km
• Challenge : Runkeeper June 5km - completed !
• Note : It's was a fasting month and I've became demotivated to run, we only tried to run for the first 2 weeks of June at our apartment 14-floors parking lots. Around 4-5 times, for non-stop 20 minutes run with Af as my pacekeeper and few times before the start of fasting season when we went to the gym for final workouts.

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Run : Gym and Haze

A week after we bought a Groupon's voucher to unlimited 1-month passes to a gym, we both got sick. It started with 4 days of AF resting and 5 more days of mine. It was awful and I couldn't do anything much other than watching series and movies. 

Now we are both on track again, Tasy included - *because we mentioned to her about the special affordable offer. The haze's condition turned out really bad lately after we thought that it got much better last week. False alarm. All running events got cancelled and postponed. Yesterday : Putrajaya - 184, Bukit Damansara - 178. See, following my instinct on buying the gym's pass for a month instead on joining another running event turned out to be just right. For RM 58, I got to run as many times as I want. 

By now I reached 37 km 46km of running and 11 km 14km of walking in our 3rd week. Not bad, la kan? We got roughly around 10 more days and I'm aiming for reaching at least 50 km of running this month.

+ a week more to go ! should we extend our gym session for now? 

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I also met my ex-chief of editor while lunch 4 days ago. He's in his 50s, quite fit, lean healthy body, got a copy of "What we talk about when we talk about running", used to be an avid runner but got injured - like all avid long distance runners lah kan. He doesn't seem like he regrets his years of intense running, I just remember he said this : "Well, I no longer run these days. I can't.", in 'that' tone. But he goes to the gym now and got himself a trainer to build his muscle. He home-grilled chicken breasts for lunch and maintained his food intakes and he happily said to me; 

"You just need to be a little bit more disciplined with your self and you can. I no longer run, but I still can do other things to train my body."

And when he asked what we had for lunch, and we answered "another unhealthy foods, shame on us", he said :

"You need healthy foods. It's easy you know, just go to the supermarket and buy some chicken breasts, marinate it for a night and grill it in the morning before work. I can do it, you can too".

Since than, I started bringing home-cooked lunch from the previous night's leftovers. 

And put so many tidbits at my table in the office for snacks when I need distraction from my roaring stomach : nuts, raisins, banana, biscuits. Healthy kan? =,= 

Little Things 205 : Smoothies

In trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I found a new delightful latest craze; smoothies ! 

We received 2 blenders from our wedding gifts; one for normal blender and another one for juice/smoothies. Ma mentioned that her blender just couldn't work anymore few weeks ago so I gave her one of the blender for her to make her daily morning juices *we don't really have the chance to use all the presents pun.

Basically the juice consists of all the weird stuffs like : carrots, tomatoes, celery,  pegaga, apple, orange and honey. We have to drink it every single day, every morning. For years. Anyone claims that drinking juices can make your skin glow and all those stuffs? No lah, I've been doing this for years, my skin is still too oily, too pimply, too uneven most of the time. Hmph. 

It's healthy, yes, but I usually I can't finish it. Partly because I'm full, partly because I'm so mengada-ngada. I often buy fruits before arriving at work and sooometime when I'm super hungry after work but I feel too guilty to eat out, I'll buy some juices/smoothies from Boost. It is quite expensive, and I know I can do something exactly like that, double the amount. So I decided to learn to do it myself. 

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We just went to a supermarket one day after work, and I bought fresh milk and bananas. 

The next morning, I poured some milk, 8 cubes of ices that I made the night before and 4 bananas. I blended it and served to AF & Ma. It was the most refreshing delicious smoothies I've ever had! I even thought that I'll be having my morning stomachache afterwards because I consumed banana + milk, but nothing happened. They both also agreed. ❤ ❤ 

The next several days, we kept on buying more bananas and I kept making several glasses of smoothies in the morning or after work. Hah. I tried to make honey-dew smoothies several days ago but it turned out to be a bit meh. I'm still in love with plain banana smoothies. No sugar, no yogurt. 

But I'm considering to have some other try-outs, so I'm stalking Boost's list of drinks here. Pinterest is a great tool also. Will buy more fruits, I promised myself that.

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It is a bit like a love-hate relation because I know fruits are good and healthy but they can be super expensive *and I'm a cheapskate. T^T I really want a healthy clean diet, so I'm going to continue my exploration in finding something healthy and fulfilling enough for both of us. And Ma ❤

PS : I am really encouraging people to try banana smoothies. 

Run : Fitness, Health & Technology

There used to be a time when technology isn't as big as it is now. I remember doing outdoor activities without clicking on 'start' button to track my distance, I remember the time when I read Reader's Digest magazine every month to know about some useful tips and tricks, I remember the time when learning about things means you need to collect pamphlets, go to library or ask an expert.

Now, it is much easier.
Everything is on the tips of your finger.
I really enjoy technology, I found it very useful.

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Here is how I used technology in helping me managing my health & fitness :

Mobile applications :
I've been using smartphone since 2012 and one of the thing that I really like to do is trying out new mobile applications. Throughout the years, I've tried many apps, downloaded and deleted some when I felt like the program didn't worked for me. There are a lot of applications available in the market, so it depends on the user's preferences to know what really work for them.

These are some mobile applications that I'm using :

1. Runkeeper - I keep track all my fitness activities using Runkeeper i.e : running, walking and yoga. I've been using the app. since 2012, so I'm comfortable with the whole system. Usually early each year, I'll set a total distance that I want to achieve for that year. Last year I aimed for 150km and this year is 200km. I can also see the reports on how much I improved, or how much calories I burned and that keeps me motivated. I guess competing with my Runkeeper's friend list also one of the reason for me to stay motivated.

2. Yogify - I downloaded the whole package in 2013 that includes 3 big programs : strength, balance and flexibility. I learned and followed the program level-by-level. It is very easy to use because I don't really need internet connection to load videos from youtube every time or pay for yoga classes. I can just click on 'Start' and do it myself on my own pace.  

3. Headspace - This mobile application is quite new for me, so I'm still trying out the free app. It teaches us how to meditate and tell us the importance and benefits of meditation in a nice convincing voice walkthrough and animated video. If you love science, read this.

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Blog :
Other than keeping track of my activities using mobile applications, I like to write on health, fitness and foods every now and then. I keep track of my running events, my running tips & tricks and other useful knowledge that I found or experimented on my 'staying-healthy' regime.

The blog is a personal place for me to remind myself on things that I found useful, because I am aware of how vast the internet can be and I can't keep track of everything if I don't write it down. Perhaps it might help readers find useful things as well :)

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Pinterest and website/blogs :
I also found Pinterest very interestingly reliable in finding out about almost everything for example : healthy food recipes, how to do smoothie and juices, running tracks, yoga poses, tips and tricks and fitness hacks. I pinned everything and keep in in a folder for my personal read.

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What I want to try in the future :
I am very much interested in fitness trackers that can monitor daily steps, sleeping patterns, and calories. It is not as widely used in Asian countries as much as in the US yet, so it's quite pricy and it's hard to find one suitable for me in local market. Although I don't feel comfortable tracking everything, I'm interested in finding out about those invisible data in my body to learn about the technology behind it.

But then again, this is also interestingly yummeh : 

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Last week, I found out about Oscar Insurance while I was researching on concept and interfaces for insurance based website and mobile application. I found their approach friendly and eye-catching, so I saved for my future reference.

Since their company is tech-based and uses fitness trackers in their incentive program for their members. Each Oscar member receives their own Misfit tracker and can even earn back $1 a day when they hit their personalized goals. It inspired to share few things about how has the technology helped or changed the way I manage health and tools that I'm using to keep track or improve it. If you are interested in learning more about them, check out their sites for health insurance in New Jersey and New York. They don't have it local yet, but they are expanding fast.

I am not in any way affiliated or received any compensation for this post, I just found their company interesting and I am free to share these knowledge with people :).