#10: Healthy Living - Assess where you stand now!

I've received a lot of emails regarding requests for me to post tips on losing weight

but was really tied up with school...

so sorry everyone!  here it goes!

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4 out of 10 overweight individuals actually don't realize that they are overweight

So first, you should assess where you currently stand now

Using a simple method! called the Body Mass Index ^^

I bet most of you would have knowledge about it already

but as we deviate from school

we gradually forget the importance of maintaining a healthy weight

that MOE had been trying so hard to educate us about since primary school

here's a good BMI calculator specially for Singaporeans!

http://www.shape.com.sg/bmi-calculator

an example of what I have for dinner at home! ^^ 

To kick start your healthy living journey,

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

You can also use this^ to calculate your daily calorie requirements!
the average man requires 2200 calories and 1800 calories for woman

If you need to lose weight (like really! not if you're already within the acceptable range please girls)

I would recommend subtracting 500 calories max. from your daily calorie requirements 

DO NOT go too extreme with dieting

believe me, I'd suffered the negative effects of it.

to lose 1 pound or roughly 0.45kg requires a deficit of 3500 calories

which can be achieved in a week! by subtracting 500cal everyday

this is the FASTEST weight loss you should go for

To know how many calories you are eating, keep a journal!

and use GOOGLE to search for calories in foods!

buy a mini weighing scale if you must to weigh the foods 

many of us tend to underestimate the calories we take in and overestimate the calories we burn

here are some example portion sizes for 200-calories

79.3g of Big Mac

39g of peanut M&Ms 

22ml of Irish Baileys

42.5g of Oreo cookies

8.1ml of Canola oil

27.9g of  unsalted butter

50.9g of blueberry muffin

120g of skinless chicken meat

476g of Asian Pears

the KIND OF FOOD you eat really does matter!
by changing your diet you can actually eat more & feel fuller on lesser calories
i will talk more about food calories next time! :)
more photos found here! http://www.caloriegallery.com/

another important point is to KEEP ACTIVE!
it does not mean that you have to specially put aside time for gym everyday
simple activities like taking the stairs, walking a longer route or even run some errands for the lazy people
will eventually add up to quite a substantial amount of calories burnt!

p.s. I also used to weigh myself every week and jolt them down on a piece of paper 

this was to motivate myself by seeing the rewards from the efforts I put in ^^

#9: YAY. Just 1 more to go!!

I'll miss you guys :(

 Finally done with WAPR presentation!!

Had been really stressed over this project this few weeks 

it's the last class project for me & I really want to end my 3 years of poly on a good note

fortunately, it went pretty well in my opinion ^^

all the effort had been worth it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEREMY
Thanks for being such a sweet friend (:

SP' DBF/04 - Self-Declared Best Class of 2012

My lovely classmates! hehe

my class is wonderful. really. 

I can't ask for a better class to have.

You guys made going to school such a joy everyday :)

that's all for this post actually! 

words can't convey how relieved I am, now that the project has ended.

PHEW. now I'm left with the final major project....

ahhh

#8: MunchDiary - The Soup Spoon, Tiong Bahru Plaza

I know many dieters are always in a lost when eating out

because you never really know what chefs put into their dishes to make it taste oh so delicious~

Even veg-based dishes can turn out to be calorie-laden!

Foods e.g. kway tiao are splattered with oil to prevent them from sticking

which is why it looks so shiny

oil is also used to give dishes that shiny touch

this is because shiny foods tend to be more appealing and thus more appetizing

 Kylie's Words of Wisdom for the day! :

If the dish looks shiny, high chances are that it's due to the high oil content.

which is why you may spot me staring at dishes at mixed-rice/cai-fan stores for so long :X

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back to what I had for lunch today

Clockwise from bottom left: Chicken Mushroom Wrap, Irish Beef Stew with Stout, Sumo Nabe Hotpot[mine!]

I wanted something really warm and hearty 

since the weather's been so cold and wet lately

The Soup Spoon has 8 all-time favs on their menu and 3 specials that changes each month

Out of the 3 dishes, I had the Sumo Nabe Hotpot!

[i wasn't sure how to pronounce "Nabe", so i left that word out when ordering. LOL.]

The Soup Spoon lists the ingredients used for all their soups and the calorie content as well :D

Sumo Hotpot contains 213cal and Beef Stew contains 317 cal for regular bowls (375ml)

 but I had the large bowl which is 500ml :>

In addition, Grass-fed Beef is used for the stew which is great! 

because it is much leaner than commercial beef.

Though both soups are packed with nutritious ingredients & no MSG, preservatives..

However, I did feel that the soups were slightly too salty for my palate. 

Conclusion: The Soup Spoon is a great affordable place for casual eating 

for people who are watching their calorie-intake! 

but I could probably find healthier delicious soup options elsewhere. :)

L.O.L,

Kylie

#7: Just a short note...

Just wanna give a big THANK YOU

 to everyone who have been following my blog.

and the credits received from my weight loss post.

I'm terribly touched by all the nice comments I'd been receiving this few days.(:

It's heartwarming to know that I've been able to inspire others to join me in this journey.

& I'll definitely try to help as much as I can!

Do drop me an email for any questions regarding how to lead a healthy lifestyle!

hehe  ^^

I've been really busy with school work lately so I might not be able to post as often.

But I'm honestly very appreciative of you guys actually spending time to visit this little blog of mine. 

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Lately, I'd been featured in this blog post done by a real talented guy called Derick.

http://www.derickwjtan.me/2012/11/06/good-things-dont-come-easy/

Do have a read at his post!

It's definitely heartwarming to know that there are many young people out there 

who are still putting in their best efforts to achieve their dreams

We are definitely not the 'strawberry tribe'  

that many adults associate us to be.

STUDY HARD WORK HARD PLAY HARD

Don't lose hope when you meet obstacles

because there are many out there just like you,

and we'll all be here to give each other support! 

♥♥♥

I'll post on my healthy eat-outs as soon as I can! (: 

L.O.L,

Kylie

p.s. I'll really appreciate it if you can add me into your own blogger lists[the lil gadget at the side of the blog] and do inform me if you want to me to add yours into mine!^^ 

#6: MunchDiary - Marché Salad Bar

Marché is one of my favourite places to satisfy my salad cravings.

Basically, you choose a plate size, S/M/L 

(large for $11.90++ only!!)

and then pile as much of the hot/cold salads available at the salad bar

there are really delicious options available! :D

cooked portobello, swiss mushrooms, pumpkin,

and tasty cold salads red cabbage, olives, beans, couscous~  

salads are not boring okay!

it's not the tasteless raw leafs that people often assume to be

which result in them piling tons of calorie-laden thousand island & mayo

salads at marche are cooked/mixed with healthy seasonings like balsamic vinegar, olive oil etc.

there is even a healthier choice HPB awarded, pasted at the bar

I often get stared at by the chefs cause I got TOO carried away piling salads on my plate ><

Here's a few of my 'masterpieces' from previous visits ^^

"Mushrooms - Food of the Gods" Roman Quote

The colours are so pretty! ^^

& I definitely recommend the cooked mushrooms! 

such juicy little bastards. :>

for the carnivores, if salads aren't enough 

there are always meat options around

like pork knuckles, ribs, calamari, salmon...

& the popular rosti, crepes and dessert bar!!  

so guys come give salads another chance kay? (;

L.O.L,

Kylie

Marché VivoCity
Level 3 Sky Park, VivoCity
1 HarbourFront Walk #03-14
Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6376-8226

Marché 313@somerset
Level 1, Discovery Walk
313 Orchard Road
Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 6834 4041

#5: SP SPELL! ~*~

I'm beyond busy. 

Never-ending project deadlines to meet...

and I still willfully believed that this last term of school is gonna be quite slack. T^T

Despite all these, 

I still took up another errand to add onto my to-do list. 

that is...SP SPELL.

huh what??

even me a 3rd year student had never heard of it. :S

and I was never really involved in activities in SP

as I was afraid that they may take up too much time which could be used for studying.

okay so i confess i'm a nerd. sorta.

long story short.

SPELL is an entrepreneurship project by SP Business School

where the students manage a retail shop in Changi Airport T3

to experience hands-on on how to conduct an actual business.

-the end-

3 days after NF finals, 

oh wow SP is really updated on news

I was called up by Ms Mila, lecturer-in-charge for SPELL, 

to take part in their fashion runway featuring their new collection of clothes

she sounded so sincere over the phone and I just couldn't say no ><

just like that, I made my crazy life even crazier

few of MANY photos from the shoot!

there was a photoshoot done for the new collection as well! :D

and i found out,

many students from different schools in SP were involved in this event!

16 runway models, back-stage helpers, performers, in charge of music....

oh wow. SP is really determined to make this event happening. 

Before the actual runway on 3rd Nov

we had quite a few rehearsals... much to my dismay,

 I'm already filled up to the brim with so many projects on hand!

but sighh what to do? TAHAN. bite my lip and pull through.... :<

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make-up for the show! by SHISEIDO (:

YAY THE DAY IS FINALLY HERE.

the runway is held at Changi Airport Terminal 3!

and I'd to woke up extremely early on a Saturday to reach there by 8am. 

The turnout for the event was rather huge! 

much more then I initially thought.

Principals, lecturers, students, passer-bys, invited bloggers and media

oh my. nerves start to kick in. this is intense

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Thankfully the event was a success!! 

Everything flowed smoothly, 

no one forgot their sequences, no girl fell, audience was great

I'm so proud of all the student-models esp since it's a first for many of them (:

the AWESOME people who made this event a success <3
*spot the extremely handsome guy in the bottom centre photo*
he's Matthew and is part of FEMALE's magazine 50 Most GORGEOUS People in Singapore 2012 :0

Though I was in deep regret after accepting this project initially,

it was extremely heartwarming to see so many students put in so much effort 

sacrificing so many hours of sleep and weekends

without asking for anything in return to make this event successful :')

Be it studies, work, projects or whatever

I always believed that

 "if I decided to do something, I have to put in my best effort to get it done"

so however tired I may be,

 I told myself that I'm happy to be in this and to show it when I'm on stage.

this is the least I can do to thank the audience who came to support

and the people who put in so much effort to pull this off...

As of now, I'm extremely thankful to be able to take part in SP SPELL.

Made new friends and fond memories to keep for life as I recall back on my poly days.

At least now, I finally did something meaningful for my school.

Hehe (:

L.O.L,

Kylie

p.s. i really want to do blog posts on food as well. though it may be really amateur compared to so many wonderfully crafted food blogs out there... >< -food lover dilemma-  

#4: How I lost 45 kg, from the very beginning...

I've been wanting to write about my weight loss journey 

for a very long time

but wasn't sure where? or how?

 or if anyone would actually be interested at all..

But since I finally created a blog at last, 

let's not procrastinate anymore(:

this may be a long post and i may cry as i type

but here it goes

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Lil Me

Well, i've been overweight or 'chubby' 

if you put it in a nice way...all my life.

I don't have fond memories of primary school.

I still remember clearly the first day of it...

we sat around a square table and was given some work to do

one of the girls at the table was sharing her colour pencils with everyone,

except me

"ew i don't wanna lend her, girls dont talk to her"

just like that, i was outcast by the rest

honestly, i hold no grudges against that girl

we were all once young and ignorant

throughout primary school, people always made fun at my name..

my chinese name is Yuan Xiao Nan. 袁晓楠

and if you're chinese, you'll probably understand why..

its pronunciation literally translates into "Round Small Boy"

so yeah. i was fat. and had short hair. so yeah.

after PSLE, i visited my relatives overseas.

as a 'treat' for completion of primary school.

I love my relatives, really. and I know they feel the same too.

it's just that sometimes older aunties tend to be a little...over-chit-chatty...

I overheard them on the phone,

"aiyooo, they must have spoil her real bad. she looks so fat and ugly now"

 I cried.

I was a 12yo girl, without my parents, 

in a foreign country where I'll have to stay at for another month,

with people whom I thought I could rely on, & love me for who I am no matter.

it was terrible.

2009 - Secondary School

Secondary school was the total opposite.

It was definitely a period that I hope will never end.

Fooled around, joked and laughed every single day. 

Though teachers must have hated me, I was a terrible student. HAHA.

 Most importantly,

I gained true friends whom loved me for me 

& will be stuck with me for LIFE!!

-evil laughter-

April 2010 -  First few days of Poly.
Gained ALOT of weight during the O levels period.

Entering Poly was a nightmare for me, being in all-girls schools the entire life before.

Boys were a species that I never had contact with EVER.

I swear I didn't have a single guy contact in my phone nor in my fb friends list

I was afraid of them

What if they decide to outcast me as well?

Thankfully, Boys turned out to be a wonderful bunch

I hanged out with a huge group of 'brothers'

they are damn hilarious i swear

I'm always the 'joker' among my girlfriends

but with the guys, I can finally rest my mouth and pass this role onto them (:

though the people's great. the school's great. life's great. and all.

I admired how girls could doll up and wear pretty clothes to school...

I wanted to be like them.

for the entire first term of poly,

all I wore was a polo and berms. every single day. 

Had 6 Hang Ten polos, same design, different colours, 

3 black. 1 red. 1 dark blue. 1 purple.

and 3 pairs of berms.

also, I had my first crush here.
He was witty, slim-built and light. 
I felt that I wasn't good enough to like him.

A close friend of mine once said,

"if you can lose weight, pigs can fly"

I had the mindset of just staying like this my whole life...

be a tomboy...be single...not get a boyfriend...

I lied to myself that I didn't care. 

One morning, I weighed myself.

 99.7 kg

Something inside me ticked.

I can't carry on like this. I must change. For me. 

Determined. Motivated. Driven.

I wanted to be healthy, to feel beautiful, be confident

do stuff and fulfill dreams that I never thought I'll be able to do.

So on the 12th of July 2010, 

I started my weight loss journey.. 

Photo of me taken every month. July 2010-Oct 2011. 40kg lighter.

totally changed my diet. 

refrained from the "bad stuff" and exercised.

I would google nutrition facts & read through food blogs when I'm hungry

Imagine that I'm eating them & that would've been enough.

I weighed myself everyday. and the weight loss was drastic.

I would lose about 2.5kg/week.

for the first 3 months.

I lost a remarkable 30kg...

But I was so caught up in losing weight, I neglected my health.

"wah you lost so much weight! how did you do it? you must feel really good now."

yeah I was proud of myself. 

but I became moody, weak and pale.

no longer the humorous out-going girl that I used to be.

That's not all...

I lost a lot of hair. 

Each time I run my fingers through, 10 strands would fall out.

it was crazy. 

I was depressed.

My hair was my crowning glory.

Something girls cannot live without.

It was the asset that I was most proud of when I was fat.

I refuse to crumble to this self-harm I'm committing unconsciously.

I tuned my diet.

added in food groups and was less harsh on myself.

My mood improved and I started to have energy again.

Though I might have lost a lot of weight,

the confidence that I thought I would have gained was still not there.

I did not have the courage to wear sleeveless tops or shorts.

And would always feel as if people are still judging me as 'fat'

All I wore was still shirts, jackets, jeans.

And I still stuck with straight rebonded hair.

NOT GOOD.

This was not what I started my journey for!!

I wanted to feel beautiful! To wear pretty clothes!

December 2011 - My hair loss was less drastic. 

I wanted to reward myself.

I permed my hair.

My new curls gave me life.

I gained confidence.

I tried make-up.

I put down my specs and had contacts for the first time.

I feel beautiful.

(:

December 2011- Present Me

Till today, I'm still cautious about what I eat. 

Still a little over-paranoid.

Still counting my calories.

But at least I'm happy. 

I'm back to the girl I was. 

The girl who would laugh and joke around.

And at the same time, now 45kg lighter

I became a brand new person.

I gained confidence, 

& new dreams to achieve and work hard to.

I even joined a certain modelling competition which I talked about in my 'Profile'

and will probably do a post about it soon :)

So to the girls and boys out there.

Believe that it's possible.

my secret to success: Self-Discipline

It may be difficult at first, especially for food-lovers like me.

there may be sacrifices,

people who pull you down & don't understand what you're going through

"just eat la, see i eat so much still so skinny"

but remember, you're doing it for a better you.

and there'll be many supporting you along the way, 

including me

Life will definitely become more exciting. 

more opportunities will open. more adventures to venture.

This is a lifestyle change, a turning phase

trust me, it WILL get easier!!!

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Lastly, I would like to dedicate this post to my family and friends

who gave me tremendous support throughout this journey.

you guys give meaning to the person i am today.

thank you.

L.O.L,
Kylie

p.s. my first crush eventually got a girlfriend. she's a really sweet girl!
       & I'm genuinely happy for him, really am. hahaha. like I said, this is a change for a better you!^^