My Year With the Wii Fit

We bought the Wii and the Wii Fit game last year. I wasn't exactly expecting much, nor was I really thinking about drastic weight loss but I did actually thought I could see some improvement in my ongoing weight challenges. I guess I'm just one of those people who get easily sucked into new technology and what it could do. I was also attracted to the Wii's visual style and seeing stats up on the big screen.

Starting out, the first few months on the wii fit didn't really live to expectations. I tried my best to give at least 30 minutes a day on the machine but I could still see my weight just go up and down and fluctuate. It didn't help that it was leading into the Christmas season and we all know what a help to the diet that is.

Anyway, I soon realised that just having 30 minutes or more on the Wii fit a day wasn't cutting it. Of course, the Wii Fit software did have helpful reminders about overeating and snacking and the effect it could do to attempts at weight loss but those words on the screen didn't really drive in the concept so much as the numbers did. The first 3 months on the Wii Fit saw me actually gain a kilo or two despite the time I was spending on it. I could actually see it on the graphs on-screen.

This was then I decided to add a bit more to my routine. I dusted off the excercise bike and started biking again. First for 5 minutes, then gradually built it up to 10, then 15 then 20 minutes a day. I also kept up my time on the Wii Fit, doing at least 30 minutes on the cardio workouts.

This was when I started on fixing my meals and portion control. I've come to realise that excercise and diet had to work together. Who knew!

So, I started having more oatmeal for breakfast and salads for lunch and eating the right amount of food. It took me a while to get used to the concept that one doesn't have to be really full for every meal.

I got into walking during my lunch breaks at work, at least 20 minutes a day in the beginning and slowly building it up to 30 to 40 minutes a day. I still kept up with using the Wii Fit and checking my weight daily.

It was fine for me to see how the changes I made translate into the graphs. I could see how a big meal would show a weight gain and how much work I had to do to get it down again. It was almost a simple equation: eat less, move more.

Before I knew it, I lost a kilo here and there. In two months, I lost 10 kilos just by building up my routine.



I started seeing the fat turn into flab so I started doing sit ups and push ups hoping to tone up the skin around my waist and arms.

The next few months showed my weight loss rate decrease as my body adjusted to the changes. I kept at my routine for the most part although I have to admit I soon was using the Wii Fit as just a way to keep track of my weight through the charts and graphs. I stopped doing the 30 minutes a day on the Wii Fit and concentrated instead on the biking and walking.

I now have lost 20 kilos since I started. I lost over 10 inches from my waist line as well.

The funny thing is I don't feel especially healthier but I guess the gradual changes haven't made me notice. I still can't run for more than two minutes without gasping for breath so I'm starting to work on my fitness in that way.

I have controlled my blood sugar and cholesterol as my last tests shown I'm in the normal range for the first time in a long time.

We recently came across old videos of me from almost 7 years ago and the kids could hardly belive their eyes, me neither! I also had this picture of me and the girl from last year and how I look today. I can see the difference now and I hope I am able to maintain this for as long as I can. I don't want to be one of those cautionary tales of drastic weight loss and gain!

Last year...



Today...

Blogging Hiatus

I have totally been neglecting our blog in favour of Facebook status updates. I don't know whether to be sad about it. Oh well, I guess it was inevitable but I still do want to maintain this blog of ours to keep writing in the long form.

At any rate, I do know I have to revisit this blog sometime soon. I just need to to inspire my writing side.

Photo Shoot

We went clothes shopping some time back and the kids got new outfits. We did an impromptu fashion shoot one day when we were about to go out. The kids were game enough to pose even if just for a short while.

A Trip to the City

A Trip to the City
Originally uploaded by chazzvid

It's the school holidays, has been for a couple of weeks and the wife and I decided it was a good idea to have one of our girls and boys days. The idea was that I take the boy out while the wife took the little girl and explore the city.

Things didn't go exactly to plan as we had to leave late in the day. Didn't matter though because it was always a treat to have the kids in the city.

We started with lunch at a sushi train restaurant. Before this time, the boy didn't really like sushi but he's actually developed a liking to California rolls. The girl, however, is quite adventurous and will try almost anything.

I remember one time I had her try a little bit of wasabi and to her credit she actually tasted it. She thought it was avocado and was about to take a huge helping of it at one point before I stopped her!

After lunch we had dessert at this fancy cupcake place which wasn't too bad but I felt charged too much for the food, fancy as the cupcakes may seem.

After the cakes and coffee we went our separate ways as the girls went to the hairdresser's while the boy and I went and got our own haircuts. We then explored Rundle Mall for while before we met up with the girls again at the museum. We spent some time there before we did a bit of shopping and rode the free bus to the Adelaide Central Markets for some more late food shopping.

We ended the day by having dinner at our favourite Chinese restaurant on Gouger Street. A sort of belated/advanced birthday thing for the parents.

A good day, especially when we were able to get home in time to watch our current favourite TV show, Master Chef!

Celebration Dance!

The kids had to prepare a presentation for their "graduation" ceremonies in last summer's McDonald's Kiddie Crew. This is something they came up with themselves.

Paella For Lunch

Paella For Lunch
Originally uploaded by chazzvid

Last weekend was a long weekend here in Oz. So, I had time to prepare my wife's favourite: paella.

It's not quite the complicated dish it ends up to be. As long as all the ingredients are ready in the beginning then it really just comes together in a big wonderful mess.

I usually make a ( sort of ) traditional paella, with pork, chicken. This time around I decided to make it a more seafood one, with fish and mussels.

Again, there are tons of paella recipes but this one I sort of just winged it and it turned out great.

Photos from Philippines Holidays

I know it's been a while but I've finally been able to upload some of the photos taken during our last holiday from the Philippines. I don't know why it's taken me a while but I guess I was just too lazy to blog and post these past few weeks. Sigh... I guess I just need to get back into that writing groove.

At any rate, there are more photos at our Flickr site.

And We Are Back...

After a quick 3 week vacation in the Philippines. We didn't really plan on going back home but because it was my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary, it didn't take much to convince us to plan a trip back.

Good thing that it was also the kids' Easter holiday break and we were able to make the schedules work, although the kids had to skip a week of school. We did our usual route via Singapore and stayed overnight before the last leg into Manila. In Singapore we were able to catch a bit of sightseeing at the Jurong Bird Park before our next plane ride.

We arrived in Manila on Saturday and the next day being Easter Sunday we went straight into an Easter Egg hunt and the little celebration for my in-laws's anniversary.

The next few weeks was a blur, sort of. It was all about the kids really. In between mall hopping, shopping and eating, the kids had art lessons, ice skating lessons and were also enrolled in the McDonald's Kiddie Crew summer program. We had time to at least get to Tagaytay, UP Diliman and visit my wife's family roots in Bulacan. Oh, and of course, lots of swimming for the kids.

I'll try to sort out the photos next post, promise. :)