.tips on losing weight.

assalamualaikum everyone!

tips on losing weight..

for PCOS patients.

or for anyone with weight problem.

it is still applicable except for tip number 5.

you can read all the tips you want from the world wide web.

this is just my take on the topic because it works for me.

i hope it helps!

1. set a goal
it helps to push yourself whenever you feel lost or down. i use apps like myfitnesspal and endomondo to keep track of how many kilograms i had lost, my daily calorie intake etc. i aimed to lose 1 kilogram per week = 1200 cal per day. the best thing is, these apps can be synced. for example, the calories burnt during your workout (endomondo) can be easily detected by myfitnesspal diary thus you can (if you want to) take more calorie than the one you already set. yeay! i'm using strava now btw.

2. cut sugar intake

this might seem like a small step but it gives a huge impact on your weight loss process, especially at your abdomen area. what i'm doing: avoid soft drinks or sweetened drinks on weekdays and only indulge in them on weekends (cheat days!). i try to drink 3 litres of water daily. the receptionist at my office joked about the countless times i walked past him to go to the ladies. never mind him because it is worth it! both the water intake and the brisk walk you take back and forth.

3. eat less carbohydrates
fruits for breakfast and snack. just a handful of rice with enough protein and fibers for lunch and dinner. sometimes i derhaka also because of events at work, open houses etc. i can't resist a bite of that fluffy doughnut or a sip from the hot, steaming cup of teh tarik or nescafe. don't fret! have a bite and a few sips (not more than a cup!) and simply get back into your routine the next day. we're trying to change our diet and make it a habit, not a crash diet.

4. intermittent fasting
a suggestion given by my husband. we started with a 12-hour fast (a friend of him is already on the 23-hour fast!). we have breakfast at 8am, snack at 10am, lunch at 1pm and dinner at 7pm. sometimes we can't stick to it because of we have guests at home or have to attend events at night. it's okay. always eat in moderation.

5. metformin

because i have PCOS, i was prescribed metformin. it helps to lower my insulin and blood sugar levels. by lowering the insulin level, metformin allows women to cycle more normally. in a way, this medication helps me to maintain my weight and helps with my slow metabolism. you don't need this if you don't have PCOS. i'm just sharing what might help. it is better to consult your doctor.

6. weigh yourself
we do this every morning before or after showering. you will able to know whether what you did during exercise yesterday and what you consumed had help in you losing or gaining weight. hence, this will put your mind on your target and consciously you will plan for your meal through out the day and which exercise to partake later. i find that ejal loses weight much easier than me. i think it is partly because he exercises more and consumes less food. however, when we did exercise together for a period of time and sometimes i eat lesser than him, i still did not lose as much. don't be discouraged! people lose weight at a different pace. your body fat, how your body retains water, your metabolism for example are matters that affect the process.

7. ignore negativity
yes, this is what we will face while trying to lose weight. body shaming, jeering and the negative thoughts that crosses your mind. avoid these people so that you can only cherish positive vibes. surely among your many friends, one would notice your effort and how your look changes. maybe some small ones like inch loss and less chubbiness on the cheeks. keep these friends around even if they give compliment just to be nice and we're not really showing any changes yet. slow and steady rather that collapsing from low blood pressure because you skipped lunch.

8. choose your exercise

my favorites are brisk walk and aerobics. sometimes i run or hike and use other equipment like jump rope or the elliptical trainer. it is quite important to find which one that is suitable to your body. surely we need to get out of our comfort zone to see results but you would also need to consider the capacity of pressure that your body can endure, like your knees or your lungs. so far i can only manage to run for 3 minutes and rest for 1. repeat the set. ejal can run for 12 minutes now!

enjoy the process and don't be too harsh on yourself.

remember to focus on 80% food and 20% exercise.

if you gain back a few more (i gained some after the third IVF try),

chill...just repeat the process.

may the force be with ya!

till then,

toodle-oo!

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.201st post.

assalamualaikum,

thank you dear readers!

travel tips,

rants,

stories,

recipes,

book reviews,

IVF journey,

poems.

hopefully my writing is beneficial to those who read them

and bring comfort to those who need it.

p/s: i finally have an IG account! the primary reason is because basel has a private account. hehe..

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.an emotional detachment.

assalamualaikum readers!

well, i did say we planned to do things differently this time. so, we did. besides me staying in ipoh to lessen the risk of travelling to the embryo, we also tried a few other things.

i tried to stay emotionally happy by avoiding any stressful thoughts or events so that my physical is not compromised. i tried not to do any vigorous activities because friends who had pregnancy experiences told me that even sweeping the floor and driving should be avoided (in my case).

as what had happened before, i have the same thoughts and feeling of being pregnant. there is an embryo inside of me, right? a successfully fertilized egg to be exact. am i not technically pregnant?

.some of the medications.

i consumed all the required supplements, 

received jabs every three days,

watched my diet (though my appetite changed a bit),

careful with my movements,

performed my prayers and zikir solemnly (i'd like to think so),

talked and poured my concerns to Allah,

avoided all gadgets,

engaged in all my favorites things to do.

we tried everything humanly possible but in the end,

it is all up to Allah swt.

we tried and we put trust in Him.

in the morning of 28th september, we went to the clinic so i could get my blood tested to confirm whether the pregnancy was successful or not. we were then told to come back at noon to review the result with our doctor.

the photo below was the one ejal shared on his facebook page with a posting mentioning that our third try also failed. yes, we failed. again. our doctor seemed dumbfounded with the blood test result.

.the last day.

everything was perfect, he said.

the body is healthy.

the womb is well prepared with medications/supplement.

the embryo is cultivated to a desired outcome.

a different method than the last one was used during FET.

but still....

as the appointment was on monday,

he asked whether i need a medical certificate

for the rest of the week.

he asked whether i need time to rest physically and mentally.

i felt fine at that very moment.

neither physical nor emotional pain.

i guess, i detached myself from the situation.

a defense mechanism, maybe?

i asked for only one day off from work. however, the next day i woke up with pain. my back, legs, arms, neck and nether regions. we called the clinic and a nurse said that that's normal. normal after i stopped taking the medications. normal for the next stage of my body rejecting the embryo.

later, i took a few more days off from work. my feelings were okay but i was hurting physically. the floodgate of tears only came a few weeks later. while we were in the car, in heavy traffic, out of nowhere. weird, ain't it? ejal let me sobbed. let it all out without saying anything. then, all is well. back to work!

should we try again?

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thank you for reading!