Keeping FIT and having FUN...

Some lenglui's just love exercising and hitting the gym. I think... sugar_cupcakes is totally the kind who dreads exercising (a self-confess couch potato... huhuhuhu - apart from surfing). But we totally dig having toned bodies and having that healthy glow... HOW NOW?

Some tips on getting some FUN workout in a bum-lenglui's life:

• Choose a sport you like
• None? LOL... then see below

• Always do something you enjoy. If that ain't happening, incorporate some workout while you're doing something you enjoy
• Watching the telly while digging into a tub of Baskin Robbin's don't count - FAIL
• Love shopping? LOL... Actually WINDOW SHOPPING COUNTS! But hey, remember to walk multiple rounds from one end of the mall to the other... (Think of it as... umm... surveying multiple stores to get the a good bargain).. REPEAT -> It's WINDOW shopping... lol
• Eg; Try doing some squats while watching your fav drama series... Hohoho.. you'll eventually become the queen of multitasking

• Get a media player to play your favourite MV dance video. 
• Eg; KPOP SNSD's - The Boys MV
• Dance to the MVs for about 10 mins in front of the telly every morning
• Shake your boomboom in the comfort of your own home - you can even do it in your PJs... muahahaha...

• Get a skipping rope - Convenient and effective CARDIO workout
• DAISO sells cheap skipping rope with skip-counter for RM5
• 5-10mins per day of the skipping rope gives you the CARDIO workout you need
• Trust me... even with 200 skips, you're going to start sweating
• That tummy issue... is going to start looking much better in 2 weeks... hohoho...
• Lenglui's with knee issues, best avoid this... skipping can be hard on the knees

• Twist your house chores a little
• Doing circular stretches for your feet while washing the dishes can be pretty good for loosening your ankle joints
• While hanging up your laundry, do some short squats with catchy music in your background
• Get those mop-slippers... slide a round the house LOL... while the floor cleaning with your feet

• Make use of your shower time
• Do simple stretches in during your shower..  Eg; Stretch your arms and loosen your wrist joints
• Having a hot shower can be relaxing... but if you're living in a tropical country like Malaysia, have your usual hot shower, then turn the temp to cool for a couple of mins... It's super refreshing and gets your blood circulating!

If none of the above appeal to you... TIME TO FIND ONE THAT DOES! 

Why every LAZY lengluis should own a bikini...?

Yessss... As the post title says, why a lazy lenglui should own a bikini!

To begin with, not everyone will sit well in a bikini. Imagine exposing the flab and the uh-huh... not so gorgeous part of your body.... So you're thinking... This post is as crazy as it gets.

There are several reasons why a LAZY lenglui should own a bikini:

• There is no such thing as an ugly body... only LAZY body owners
• Bikinis look great on models.... but on us everyday lengluis...? Uh-huh.... riskyyyyyyy.....
• If you think thinking about working out is going to make you start exercising sooner or later to get that fab, healthy, lean body... think again... THINKING ALONE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
• When you own a nice bikini, you will want to try it on sometimes (even if it means in front of the mirror in the privacy of your own room... hahahahaha...)
• And when the try-on process don't look too good, it means its time to do SOMETHING
• Something like mild EXERCISING, TONING, EATING HEALTHIER AND BEING HEALTHIER
• Find a sport that is FUN and STICK TO IT! If the sport is a torture... you'll never stick to it... no matter what your brain tells you when you ummm... see yourself in the mirror in that bikini... LOL...
• Okay... easier said than done... Bikinis don't hide the flab like some pretty clothes do...
• AND THAT IS WHY A LAZY LENGLUI SHOULD OWN A BIKINI
• Its a great wake up call to remind us lengluis... the bikini shape stays the same... But on whether we're going to look good in it or not, entirely depends on us!

New wishlist item #1 - FitFlop flip flops

I bet you lengluis have seen these around... FitFlop, Sketchers ToneUp, Sketcher's ShapeUp... hmmm... whatever them shoes/sandals/flip flops that claims to tone your butt and calves. Tone butt??? Woooooohoooo... I want...!!! LOL...

There are loads of mix reviews on these. Some people say they work, some say they don't, some say there's soreness between their toes and some complains about them being bad for the lower back and knees... Even some celebrities swear by them! Oh, and.. they are bloody pricey for a pair for flip flops or sneakers though...

Whatever it is... either of them are still on my #1 wish item  for now... LOL.... Discipline-discipline..  sugar_cupcakes is staying real clever and is doing more research on this before actually deciding to purchase them. Heck... they look kind of funky... so... that's my first review for now... And, the research continues...

See this reviews by fellow bloggers:

• http://www.mywomenstuff.com/2010/05/09/can-your-footwear-tone-and-shape-your-body/
• http://www.beetricesreviews.com/2010/08/fitflop-pietra-makes-my-heart-do-fit.html

P/S - If any of you lengluis have been walking in these, do comment. Would appreciate it! (^o^)

Update 25th January 2011:

• And... sugar_cupcakes finally got one of these (electra bronze)... hohohohoho...
• Lets give it a month before I put up a proper review on this... 

Update 24th March:

• I figured 3 months should be enough to review this
• Definitely some improvement in the thigh area.. (Yeah... i checked the rear... LOL)
• But not sure if its because of this or that I've been doing lots of moving about lately
• Though, I do have one conclusion on this... sugar_cupcakes love em FitFlops!!
• Why? Cos they are mighty comfortable and feels like a little spring when you walk! 
• If you walk around the shopping malls a lot... the thighs and bum seems to come into contact a lot when you walk. Hmm... maybe that's where some workout goes...
• Remember to get the style that fits you most. Different designs fit differently depending on your feet shape regardless if the size is right
• Oh and... you'd definitely feel the pinch in you wallet when you get this... Imagine... RM260++ for a pair of slippers... Ouch......

Surf Season... huhuhuhuhu..

Again, I've been slow in updating this blog.. 'Cos its surf season again...! There goes the sputtering and drowning in the waves which is actually really fun! (glug-glug-gluggggg) Oooo nooo... you'll now think, crazy as this blogger may be, now she loves drowning too?! I am, but a lousy beginner, 'cos hahahhaha... sugar_cupcakes only goes like once a year.. And learning to surf takes lots of hours and perseverance (from a nice helpful guy on the beach - his blog). Noted!

You'd just love the people and the sea in Cherating! The wave and current there is perfect for beginners (but still... I'm struggling to take on the "a teeny bit bigger waves"... really difficult la.... lol...)

So umm... This post is less on beauty... but more on fitness and personal raves... hohoho... :p


Why I love going to Cherating during surf season?

• the people there are real nice and genuine (and I love the part where I can just walk around with flip flops, t-shirt and shorts all day and when its raining you don't need no umbrella - of course you'll need the umbrella when the hot sun comes out.. hahahahahaaaa... typical Asian chick)
• I (heart) the quaint little guest houses (the ones which are clean, without air-cond, without water heater, friendly guests, perfectly placed clothes line to hang your wet clothes, thoughtful mosquito netting and lighted up mosquito incense every night)
• lots of beginner surfers there and everyone's willing to help! (since being a newbie is always difficult)
• food is cheap and GOOD!
• the beach doggies and cats are friendly and lovable!
• don't know why, I just LOVE being in the water! (even though emm... getting dragged by the long boards when being wiped out is emm... pretty painful... LOL)
• you get a really good full body workout and less muscle injury (though emm... you'll be prone to get bruises... lol...)
• good food, good people, great fun, sea and salt... what more could a iwannabelenglui ask for?! 

Conclusion:

• I LOVE everything there is to learning to surf

Nice BUTT? - Wakeboarding for fast results... lol

pic sourced from http://www.wakeboard.com.my/

Seriously... I've been wanting to write about this since my one and only trial of wakeboarding... YOU WILL GET A TONED FIRM BUTT WITH REGULAR WAKEBOARDING!! I am not kidding. And the only reason I'm saying this is because - when friends and I got home from wakeboarding, our butt muscles hurt like crazy!!!! HAHAHHAHAHA.... Believe all you want... But... man.... imagine your butt hurting even when you try to squat or sit... So... there can be only one conclusion to this... wakeboarding seriously work out the bum area!!! Forget squats and lunges... I could never get my butt area to hurt this much with 20 squats or 20 lunges... But one short session of wakeboarding and after a day.... Man.... before you can say... you go girl.... If you want quick results (and escaping having to do squats and lunges)... TRY WAKEBOARDING.... Though... emm... be warned... not for the faint-fitted... lol... I don't have a nice butt... but... I think I'll stick to the occasional lunges and squats for now... I don't have that much pain tolerance or fitness discipline... lol...

To be continued...
About wakeboarding:
Who should try it:
Who shouldn't try this:

Yoga for Beauty (trust me on this)

I am now going to tell you the shallow honest truth.

Why is there the need to go for Yoga a couple of times a week?

• Seriously, it eventually makes you body beautiful! (long term effect okay? no such thing as going for 1 week and you become beautiful overnight. lol... how I wish)
• The regular aunties in yoga class (which I'll probably turn into one day)... are body beautiful!! Take a look at the aged regulars in a yoga class... You'd know that lady (yes, she has crows feet at the corner of her eyes, and her hands and feet shows her age) BUT........... she has a body of a twenty-something!! Come on, you may load gunks on your face, hands, feet... But when you age, you think weekly spa's gonna help that aging body of yours?? I don't think so. Think yoga, women!
• Yoga lets you relax your mind... and teaches you good breathing practices where you'll eventually subconsciously apply in your daily life...
• Your mind stays young
  
• I'm telling you from a women to another... trust me on this. You're gonna thank yoga when your body reaches an age where your joints starts to make that cracking noise and your shoulders, back and necks starts to ache...
• I'm no yoga addict... and I really loath exercise... But I do this... for the sake of... BEAUTY! I know this sounds utmost shallow and vain... but women... I'm telling you... when you look good, feel good... you're ready to take on the world.
• If you think you won't be able to afford the classes, do this... go for a week or two... let the instructor correct your postures in the classes... learn them as you go. Then.... stop the classes, buy your own yoga mat and do it at home. An hour a day is all you need!
  

I'm crazy over an insanely addictive site "popsugar".. They even have a page just for Yoga:
http://www.fitsugar.com/tag/yoga

I (heart) Surfing - helps get rid of cellulites too hehehe

Surfer Chicks - Not as easy as it looks babe...

pic credit to roxy - no I'm not advertising for roxy... lol

Okay... So surfing is probably one of the most difficult sport to learn. And... feels like you've got to be really fit to be able to do surfing.. But... if you have got a good stamina, strong determination, loves swimming and beaches and don't mind the occasional jellyfish stings and bruises from falls or getting hit by your surfboard... I think we'd make very good friends! lol...

Some YouTube vids from "Surfing for girls" which I found were really helpful:

• Surfing for Girls : How to Stand While Surfing
• Surfing for Girls : How to Choose Your First Surfboard
• Surfing for Girls : Surfing & How to Get Through Waves
• Surfing for Girls : How to Carry a Surfboard
  

Now, I can't really explain to you WHY all the fuss about surfing... You'll just have to try it out for yourself. If you do manage to stand on the surfboard, glide through the water, and feeling the breeze of salty air in your face... you will understand.

Here are some tips from a lousy beginner to another on making your first stand (pop-up):

• Take lessons if possible! (I had some and the instructor was really strong, since he needs to hold your board when the waves are pounding in and you're struggling to stay on it)
• Watch the vids before going to your first lesson
• Remember sunblock - suffering from sunburn is not part of the learning experience
  
• You'll need rash guards and board shorts... Normal cotton wear is going to wear you down... And... you don't want to get rashes on your bod on your first lesson...
• Yes, wearing a bikini looks hot but... no... you won't look hot sputtering and choking on seawater in a bikini.. And later having red rashes on your body... Get a rash guard!
  
• Practice on land to get your body positioning right and your feet right
• Learn how to carry the surfboard correctly... This will save you tons of muscle aches
• Learn how to get through the waves correctly... Otherwise you're so gonna suffer in the water when the waves are hammering you through... You're just gonna get no where
• Talk to your instructor... Don't be shy to ask... He/She's not gonna eat you...
  
• When catching a wave, lift your chest up (very important!), otherwise you might just drown head on with your surfboard... I'm forever getting that... lol
  
• When exhausted, take a break... Otherwise you might just decide... surfing is a torture and you never want to do it again...

Why surfing is not for you?

• The beach?? Sticky salty air... Eewww...
  
• Can't swim well enough to not drown in waves
• Getting a tan? No way... you love your Snow White skin way too much!
  
• Even the weight of your handbag is enough to wear you out... Imagining yourself carrying a 4 liter bottle or mineral water up a stairs?! What?! You must be kidding...
• You're easily embarrassed and hate looking stupid in front of hot chicks or hot studs
• Forget about the thought of having sticky saltwater on your skin... you'd rather go to a spa and zen out...
  

I'm still having lotsa trouble popping up on the board... But... heck... its worth all the effort when you do manage to stand up. Surfing... feels pretty amazing...