The Food Diaries Project

I've always struggled with the extra fat in my body. I mean, that muffin top is really hard to get rid of. 

So this semester I've been trying (really hard) to get into shape by working out, running and going to the gym (succeeded only once, meh). 

But did you know what contributes more to your health are the things you eat, instead of how long you work out? 80% of your diet will determine your body shape/weight, while the rest is determined by your exercises.

So, I decided to take things slowly and start with my food plan first. Once in a while I try to work out, but if I'm too busy with assignments and projects, then planning my meals are easier. 

1. THE BREAD EXPERIMENT 

Now, I love bread. So I experimented bread with a few ingredients I don't normally use. And here are the results :D 

French Toast with Kaya.

Not sure if this is a 100% healthy but it is tasty. Plus I love mixing bread with eggs!

Peanut Butter with Bananas Sandwich

I found this tip online from @twt_gym (Twitter). Surprisingly this is really tasty! I used crunchy peanut butter. Now, peanut butter is a great source of protein, energy and weight loss. But the more natural the peanut butter the better! 

More info on peanut butter here.

French Toast with Cinnamon. 

Now, there are tons of health benefits associated with cinnamon. You can refer to the post here on WikiHow. Cinnamon aids in curing flu, reducing heart disease and even smelling cinnamon can boost your brain function! I tried sprinkling cinnamon in green tea and on bread and it's not that bad. Don't overdo it, or else you'll be sneezing and the strong spicy smell might turn off your appetite. 

I have yet to try cinnamon on grilled apples, or cinnamon on toast! 

2. DRINKS

I've only tried 2 types of drinks to increase weight loss: 

Green Tea (with lemon) 

 and Lemon Detox Water

Some interesting info about these two drinks:  

Types of detox water. I usually use lemon, have yet to try with cucumbers and oranges.

But using just lemons does have it's own kick. It's sour but you get used to the taste. It cleans out all the toxins in your bowels so that actually aids in reducing your weight. 

Overall, I think reducing my meal plans to more eggs, wheat, oats, fresh fruits and more healthier drinks helped me a bit in losing those extra fat around my stomach. I still got a long way to go.

Who knows maybe I'll even go out for a run this evening. 

Or have a cheat day :3 

Haha kidding!

Hope you found these info useful, and let me know if you've got interesting health tips to share :D

The Road To Extraordinary

Asides from the wonderful typography, it's a pretty good quote, no?

Praying for a wonderful journey that will make me extraordinary. Like they always say:

 "There's no such things as hard things, just challenges"

Roughly 9 Weeks Left

...Until my internship begins. 

And guess what? Alhamdulillah I managed to secure a place here:

Where the plant in Port Dickson looks like this at night:

Alhamdulillah, I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity to do my internship here for the next 7 months. I got Health, Security, Safety and Environment (HSSE) Department which relates to Chemical Engineering, though not physically technical as much as I'd hoped. But you know what? I've heard so many negative comments about this department:

"HSE? OMG that's so boring. All you do is office work and no chance to do anything technical"

"Bapak bosan department HSE, buat filing and report je"

"HSE huh? Well...it won't be much, but at least the company's good"

And I'm DONE listening to this kind of negative feedback, who probably are just pissed about something else and decides to spoil the mood for me.

I've been focusing on some positive comments instead:

"HSE? That's highly sought for these days. What do you mean it's not technical? You need to know EVERYTHING about the plant, that's technicality right there."

"It's a good department, not many ventured into it yet. You got a real opportunity there"

"HSE? Ok ape, asalkan dpt company bagus, insyallah dapat department mane2, smua okay"

"Don't listen to other people, they're just envious. It's a really good department with high potential in the future"

Of course, my spirits went down after listening to the negative comments, but one senior gave me a great piece of advice. 

Regardless of where you go, if you don't push yourself to perform in that particular area, what's the point? If you're good and hardworking, you'll make through it. You'll succeed anywhere. If you're bad....then you'll be bad wherever you go. And you can't blame any department for that.

It took some time to get over my sorrows, but I realised that even if I got other departments like Process, Control or even Office-Based work, I'd give it my all and perform my best. Cause everyone starts at the bottom. And to go far from your starting point, you have to be willing to try your best at something. With this, respect is earned and your career more defined. 

So, here's to giving a 120% (though I don't believe in irregular percentages, but you get my point) into something regardless of whether I'll be good at it. Here's to making the best out of my 7-months internship and being the best trainee I could possible be for this company. 

Here's to new adventures in Port Dickson, HSSE, and all the beautiful memories along the way. 

Turning 21

I turned 21 last Wednesday. I don't feel any different physically. But I have always looked forward to my 20's years. People always tell me that your 20's are crucial to develop your personality, career and life aspirations. 

Once I watched this video: Why 30 is not the new 20

And ever since then, I've been more focused in aiming to achieve my own personal goals. Like curb my depression fits, or be more independent, craft a wonderful journey to a career I hope to still love in the next 20-30 years. And all of that starts now. 

I must say, my mom has always been my biggest inspiration. She was the one who always pushed me to do well in my studies and make a name out of myself. She never got the chance to pursue a college education since she had to work and help support her family. It was rough back then, and I am grateful to have lived a more comfortable life compared to my parents who had to work hard to give us this life. Knowing this, it made me more anxious of developing myself the moment I turned 20 last year. 

Things I learned for the past 20 years: 

1. Anger and jealousy is just a wasted emotion.
2. So is caring what EVERYONE thinks of you. The opinions of those who knows you is what matters.
3. It's alright to be weird and by yourself. It's better than fitting in a place where you don't belong.
4. Stop pleasing everyone. It's not worth it.
5. Make life goals. And a plan. The planning part is crucial.
6. I cannot emphasize this any stronger: Plan and don't take into account the negative, destructive comments that you will inevitably receive.

And being 21, it just fuels my enthusiasm and motivation to at least try to be better than I was before. If you read my last post, you'd know how I struggled with social perception of being a bookworm/nerd. Well, I'm shedding off the layers of humiliation I've allowed to rest on my skin, and it's time to not care what others think of me, and achieve what I was born to do.

Be different. 

And be the best I could be.

Knowing Your Strength

You know what I've realised in the past week? 

Your intelligence is sometimes defined by your OWN terms, not by everybody else.

When I went for the interview last week, I didn't expect to be shortlisted, let alone selected to be one of their vacation trainees. I've always had people underestimating me, telling me that all I'm worth is just the CGPA on my CV, nothing more. 

And over time, I've believed them...

Ever since secondary school, my peers would made me feel like I'm just a nerd who's book smart but probably isn't worth anything outside my classes. Same goes for college. Which is why I strive so hard to join events and develop my communication skills and critical thinking whenever I find myself in a sticky situation. 

But being selected and offered a place for internship, ahead of everyone else, made me realise one crucial thing about myself. 

I do have my own potential(s). I could count on one hand the amount of people who believed me...and I don't have enough fingers or even toes to count the amount of people who don't. And the difference between these 2 groups of people?

One knows me very well, while the other is just a group that merely comments.

Though I must admit, the latter group is very important for self-improvement and taking criticism in a positive way, but it shouldn't ever waver your motivation and inspiration to be your best. To find motivation and the willpower to move on, you need the first group.

They can be your parents, best friend, room mate, mentor, lecturers, anyone who inspires you to do better. Who advises you to test the uncharted waters cause they know you'll swim back alive.

I know this internship issue is just a temporary phase in my life, and I'll have future work-related issues to think about, but right now at this point in my life. I'm proud of myself and the journey I've traveled. I'm glad that I did listen to the second group of people, but never allowed them to define my abilities and success in the past 21 years. 

I'm glad I get to define intelligence in my own terms now. 

And I'm so glad to have surround myself with amazing people like these who never fail to inspire me with their own success and ongoing life achievements.

Renewing my confidence have never felt so good. 

So here's to all my sources of inspiration and to all who ever doubted me. 

"It's not about what you've achieved, it's about the future achievements you have yet to achieve" - Mohamad Nazmi Zaidi