GOODBYE DOESN’T MEAN FOREVER

Today, March 9, 2024 is the day that I officially start a new adventure in my life.

From hereon, I will be facing life’s challenges without Ate Ella by my side.

After 24 years, the day has finally come for Ate Ella to be reunited with her own family in the States.

She has been with our family ever since Eia was born. Accompanying me to Eia’s various therapies, medical consultations, laboratory tests, healing masses, special schools, DSAPI (Down Syndrome Assn of the Phils Inc) activities, etc. Eia wouldn’t be as “normal” as she is now if not for her.

She has been the Wind Beneath My Wings for the past 24 years. I couldn’t have escaped from my husband with 2 children in tow without her. 

Ate Ella has been with me through the ups and downs  of my colorful life. In every season, she’s always been there to accompany me in my journey. We laughed and cried together. Shared our joys and pains. Evaded traffic enforcers together. She supported my ambitious goals and dreams, crazy as they were. How am I supposed to live without her now?

Is this really goodbye or is our parting only temporary?

I wish and pray that we will still be together again someday and I will find her cheering for me in jubilation at the 100km Ultramarathon FinishLine heheheh . . .

(I apologize for my long absence. Had to cope with 3 tragedies that struck my family. You may get in touch with me via Messenger or thru ndelr62@gmail.com. Stay safe everyone!)

Weird But True

 I did 16:8 Intermittent Fasting for 6 consecutive months and I only lost 2-3 lbs.

Then I received the best advice ever from Coach Omar of BetterMe . . . Take a DIET BREAK!

And so I did. No diet for almost 2 months, ending on my 65th birthday.

Result? I gained back the 3 lbs. I lost which was understandable, given all the unhealthy foods that I feasted on.

Then back to serious calorie counting without Intermittent Fasting. For almost a month, I diligently weighed every single food before it entered my stomach then input them in the Calorie Counter of BetterMe App. When I could already estimate the amount of calories of what I am about to digest, I ditched the food scale but continued to monitor my calories by gut feel.

Last Saturday, I indulged myself with the sumptuous finger foods after my godson’s Concert, including the mouth-watering panna cotta, brownies and blueberry cheesecake. I slept at night regretting why I allowed myself to eat 3 different kinds of dessert when I could only choose 1. Imagine my surprise when I weighed myself in the morning. I lost 2 lbs!

Last Sunday, I ran 19 km in the morning. In the afternoon, I ate 2 slices of square-cut pizza, thinking that it would not affect my weight because of the 19 km that I ran. Well, I was wrong. The following day, I gained 1 lb huhuhu...

Then yesterday, the Olongapo group formerly managed by my dear mother visited her bringing with them a humongous bilao of pansit palabok, grapes, buko pie and cassava cake. Did I gain weight? Nope. After all the eating I did yesterday, I miraculously reached my target weight!

It has been 5 months. During those days that I thought I would gain weight, I actually lost some pounds. And during those days that I thought I would maintain my weight, I sadly gained.

Weird but true.

I lost 7 lbs. without Intermittent Fasting but followed the 80-20 principle: 80% healthy choices and the 20% whatever I want—healthy or not. I delight in sweets, chocolate, chicharon, pasta, pizza, lechon. I used to eat without rice but I am now back eating rice though only 1/4 to 1/2 cup per day.

As for my favorite SanMig Zero, Omar wanted me to give it up but I promised him I would only drink 1 bottle per week. So last September during our Unlimited Lunch Buffet when I consumed 8 glasses of draft beer, I had to wait 8 weeks before I reunite with my favorite SanMig Zero.

It is common belief that losing the last 5 lbs. is the most difficult phase in anyone’s weightloss journey. It is certainly stressful and nerve-wrecking when you hit that formidable plateau. With so many options available, you need to be very patient to finally find the most suitable plan for you. It may take years but it’s definitely worth it.

Good luck!

Life Is Short

It has been 11 years since my dear Tatay (father) left us. The pain is now lessened but I still cry at times when I think of him.

Life is short. Love your parents to the fullest. Kiss and hug them while you still can. Forgive them of their shortcomings and accept them for what they are. Make them feel how grateful you are for being their child. When their memory fades, gently remind them of the things they have forgotten. If they still fail to remember, be patient and understand that it’s not their fault. They did not choose to lose their memory. Create new lovely memories with them. 

They carried you in their arms and cared for you when you were helpless and couldn’t do anything on your own. Took pride in your achievements and success. Consoled you in your failures and disappointments. They always believed in you even when you didn’t know yourself. Now that they don’t know themselves anymore, just letting them feel that they are truly loved would be enough for them to find meaning for their existence.

My dear Tatay remembered everything until he breathed his last. He was 88 then. On the contrary, my mother only remembers her Midwifery Board Exam score of 99% heheheh... She is now 89 and sadly dealing with signs of Dementia. She has agreed to consult a Neurologist and hopefully, things will be better. If not, we are ready to face this Challenge. So help us God.

(You may reach me at ndelr 62@gmail.com or via Messenger. Thanks for dropping by. Stay safe everyone!)

Unbelievably Strange

For the past 30 days, this blog has been unbelievably read in Israel more than in the US and in the Philippines and in all other countries in the world with the exception of Singapore. How did that happen?

Strange isn’t it? It is something my simple mind cannot fully comprehend. Unfathomable indeed!

God is probably sending me a message. Please join me in prayer to end the Israel-Hamas War. Let there be peace. AMEN.

Tip # 12: How to Add Steps Into Your Usual Activities

Whether you work from home or in the office, here are some practical tips how to increase your daily steps:

1. Stand and move around while talking with someone over the phone.

2. Instead of going in circles looking for a parking space near your building, choose the farthest to increase your steps.

3. When riding the elevator, get off a floor before your exit level and take the stairs. Gradually increase the number of floors you walk. Make sure you allotted enough time for this before your Boss notice that you’re always late for work. If you sweat a lot, bring extra clothes. And if you’re lucky to have a bathroom in your office, take a quick shower before settling for work.

4. If you can successfully hold yourself, use the farthest restroom from your office.

5. Aim to drink 3-4 liters of water a day so you will have more trips to the water dispenser station.

6. With your pet fur as walking buddy, enjoy his company early in the morning or after dinner. 

7. Take steps to the right, left, front, and back while attending a virtual meeting. That means you need a standing table. Mine is the cabinet I used when I was still selling health products in StarMall.

8. If you have a second floor in your home, climb up and down the stairs while praying the Rosary. You have strengthened your physical body while nourishing your soul. If you’re not Catholic, listen to beautiful music or be creative and think of something else. Or think of nothing at all. Empty your mind. Go up and down until you drop. 

9. When you get together with friends, catch up stories with them while window shopping or strolling in the park. At least your body is ready for the Unlimited Buffet you intend to feast on heheheh...

10. Instead of riding the tricycle, walk going home. If you have a number of things with you, equally distribute them into 2 bags so you don’t suffer from frozen shoulder or if you’re more comfortable with a backpack, carry one.

(Got more ideas? Email me at ndelr62@gmail.com or chat with me via Messenger. Stay safe everyone!)

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM

Come February 25, 2024, I get the chance to prove the authenticity of the idiomatic expression “Third Time’s the Charm” when I finally reach the peak of People’s Park in the Sky before 1PM.

Yup! You guessed it right. For the third time, I’m gonna attempt to run from Luneta to Tagaytay in less than 14 hours. I failed to do that this year. My running buddy and I gave up at km 47 — only 13 kms away to the joy of ecstatic victory. We went home severely devastated.

“If you don’t change anything, nothing will change.” No short cuts this time. I am sticking to Marathon Handbook’s 26-week Training Schedule for a 60km Ultramarathon. I now have pairs of specialized socks for PLANTAR FASCIITIS. Nothing’s gonna stop me now. 

The program consists of 4 running days, 2 REST days (Mon. and Fri.) and Thursday for Strength Training.

Now here’s the challenge: Monday is reserved for YOGA, my bonding time with Gio. Thursday is for TaiChi, my bonding time with Eia. So on Thursdays, I do TaiChi and lift dumb bells. In effect, I only have 1 REST day for the week. But I’m happy that my Coach (Omar of BetterMe) suggested this modification in the training plan. He used to nag me that I should have 2 REST days in a week but I firmly declared that Monday YOGA with my unico hijo is non-negotiable. So is Thursday TaiChi with my only daughter. He finally accepted my extraordinary conditions but is probably praying that I will survive my training without bonking. So my modified schedule looks like this:

• Monday:  YOGA
• Tuesday:  Tempo Run
• Wednesday:  Speed Interval Workout
• Thursday:  TaiChi and Strength Training
• Friday:  REST
• Saturday:  LSD (Hills)
• Sunday: Recovery Run

Wish me luck!

(For comments/suggestions, pls email me at ndelr62@gmail,com or chat with me via Messenger. Stay safe everyone!)

Test Of Faith

It is so easy to praise and thank God when blessings keep pouring on us. We raise our hands in exaltation and dance in jubilation. But when we get caught and swept away by a tsunami, what do we do?

I used to declare that God will certainly not give you a cross you cannot carry. Now at 65, I look back and realize how naive I was.

Sometimes, we are faced with insurmountable problems that we cannot overcome no matter what we do. Even with professional help, the adversities keep coming in bunch. Of course friends and family are always there to comfort us and offer their utmost support but still, we remain stuck in the middle of a quicksand where we could drown anytime soon.

When we are crushed at the bottom of the pit brought about by endless battles we couldn’t win, God is telling us something. “Be still and know that I am God.”

When you have already done everything humanly possible and still failed, surrender everything to God. Trust Him completely and believe in your heart that He is the God of the Impossible. He will make a way where there seems to be no way. He is bigger than all the biggest problems in this world combined.

Yes, sometimes God do give us custom-made crosses that are way too heavy for us to carry. It is during those turbulent times that our faith is put to the ultimate test. Will you grow steadfast in faith and expect a miracle from God with great anticipation OR will you just allow yourself to wallow in self-pity and eventually die of desolation?