I now weigh 110 lbs. I can now fit in a few of my skirts. I feel significantly lighter on the belly front and I don't look so bloated although my belly is still big.

My ideal weight is supposedly 98 lbs though but I'm not giving up hope. I'm now allowed to eat regular food like meat, milk, bread and all those other food that I've been deprived of during my detox phase. But I'm still maintaining the detox diet (vegetable, fruits, fish etc.), only inserting a little of the now allowed food like eggs, bread, meat and milk. Seeing that I could eat all the detox diet without having any problems, I plan on making it my main food group.

I also now own a coffeemaker since using instant coffee can cause hyper acidity, which isn't really helpful with the tummy. I snack on healthy food compared to my daily meringue habit before. As the say goes by, I feel lighter, happier and more energetic than I was before.

It's really only the beginning that seems so difficult. It's like writing for me, I have a hard time coming up with the introduction but as soon as I do, the rest is a breeze. I'm more conscious now of what I eat and I now look for alternatives. For example, I was at Starbucks and instead of ordering the latest Java Frappuccino, I ordered Iced Cafe Latte with soy milk and only one packet of brown sugar. The taste is not compromised but it's a lot healthier, my tummy thanks me for it.

I also don't feel the craving for sweets because the Chilled Chocolate Custard I learned from Nadine Tengco's IHealth website sates it.

And now, I've finally taken one of the biggest step in achieving the mission on becoming healthier and sexier in the coming days.... I enrolled myself to a four-month membership with Fitness First.

I was a member of Fitness First before back in 2004. After a year, I took up boxing and lost significant amount of weight. Very significant since my weight before was 96 lbs. I go to the gym everyday (yes, everyday). I take up boxing, strength training and running at the gym and still have time to do the Carmen Electra Strip Tease Video as my cool down exercise when I go home. After all those things, I still have energy to go to law school and study until late in he evening. From 2004 up until the early part of 2007, that was my lifestyle. I get to eat what I want because I burn it off at the gym. The downside of all those things was that I was eating so unhealthy.

Now, I have that I'm doing both (eating healthy and proportionally to my body as well as exercising) I have high hopes that I'm nearer to completing mission before the year ends.

So, why all the fuss of me doing all these things? Why go through all these tedious work when there are more than a million alternative to lose weight? Well, it's not just about losing weight... It's really about being in tune with body, really knowing what goes on with it. So that I know what it needs to keep me going after my dreams. I don't want to be limited because my body can't take it. I want to be free from all those unhealthy things because I have so many things that I want to do and want to be. I can't do those things if I'm limited because of my health.

I want transformation, a total new me. I want to be able to live longer so I could spend more time with my loved ones. I want to be able to see my daughter walk down the aisle whenever she wishes to get married, play with my grandchildren, enjoy the rest of my life old and gray with Ron and still be able to take a bite of lechon without having anyone tell me I can't. It's not just losing weight (although there is that). I also don't want to waste my money on curing whatever sickness I have in the future. I don't want to be a burden to anyone when I grow old. If you're as independent as I am, you know what I mean.

And I don't want to do it the easy way. I want to appreciate every sweat and every painstaking step and say I conquered it the most natural way. It is a dream, yes.. It is difficult, yes. But the victory of having achieved is so sweet, it beats the sweetest chocolate cake.

I hope that I could inspire everyone to do the same. Don't we all owe it to ourselves? I was jaded before, but now I encourage everyone to do the same. It's so nice seeing posts of other bloggers who are taking steps into changing their lifestyle. I'm happy I'm not alone in this voyage. I hope you'll all join us.

much love,
Shen

Have you found your HG eye primer yet? Well, here's a post about my love affair with one eye primer. It may just strike your fancy!

I've been lemming for the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer ever since Nessa of nessasarymakeup.com raved about it on her blog. I knew in my heart that it was a product that I should give a try.

Thanks to my lawschool best boy bud Kapatid (Filipino or Tagalog term for both brother and sister), he was so nice to give me two Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primers as pasalubong (bring home gifts) when he visited the United States last year. Thank you, kapatid!

Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer is definitely one great primer. I've been using this bottle for months now and it shows no sign of emptying (i use this alternately with my Urban Decay Primer Potion). I can't believe that the 2.5 ml bottle can last me this long.

If anybody knows me and my makeup routine, eye primer is the very important to me. Having this much passion in doing makeup, I need a primer than is as passionate as I am. After all, no matter how petty many people think of makeup, effort is still put in whenever we apply our eye shadows. I love how pigmented this primer is! It immediately evens out the yellow tone of my eyelids that makes the eye shadows look more vibrant and truest to its color.

What I love about it...
1. It evens out the skin tone of my eyelids as well as my under eyes.
2. Can be used as primer for undereye concealer.
3. Makes eyeshadow creations last longer for a more than 14 hours.
4. Packaging makes it easier for me to get all the products out without having to slice it open.
5. The color matches my skintone well that its just nice to use alone.
6. Can act as undereye concealer for certain skintones!
7. Improves lid texture.

What I don't..
1. Expensive when bought here in the Philippines via pre-order. (Thank you, Kapatid, I didn't have to have to buy this!)
2. Dries to fast (this is sometimes a good thing for easy-to-do eye makeup but not during when I create EOTDs with several colors)
3. I'm not sure if its available in Smashbox counters in Beauty Bar but I know it came with the Smashbox Wish Palette.

Swatch of Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer

Blended on to the skin

Swatch using Urban Decay eye shadow Absolem from Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadow Palette
left: no primer, applied dry; right: with Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer

Comparison with other Eye Primers I own:
(left to right)
1. Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer
2. Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original)
3. Urban Decay Primer Potion (Sin, champagne shimmer)
4. Etude House Eye Primer

Revlon Color Burst Lipsticks

I was lucky enough to be amongst the few bloggers to get an invite from Elianto.

I still remember that Elianto was the first palette that I owned wherein I actually had a chance to choose the colors myself... I couldn't afford to fill in MAC palettes before (still can't now), but Elianto was there to sate my appetite for colors and cosmetics.


The last time I was here was Pre-Christmas with my mom. We were with our realtives buying gifts for Christmas. Of course I had to do some stop-over here. During Christmas, season, Elianto have great selections of discounted items. Especially those who are as adventurous as I am with colors.








Matte Berry Lipstick are their latest lipstick collection. :)






It was hard to resist.. I got myself 2 eyeshadows from here. :)

Only the best and sleekest scent for my future hubby...


much love,
Shen

Can you image a store like this inside Megamall?????


grabbed photo here. thank you!

much love and excitement,
Shen

Serie Nature Purete Naturelle

Pureté Naturelle is a gentle, everyday shampoo suitable for all hair types. It features organic horsetail plant extract—an ingredient that nourishes strands for hair that is naturally healthy and soft. Moreover, organic horsetail counters damage-causing free radicals, and protects hair and scalp versus harsh external factors.

Pureté Naturelle is also the most natural product in the entire Série Nature line, as 99% of this shampoo’s ingredients are of natural origin, and 10.4% of the ingredients are from Organic Farming. This product also features a 100% natural fragrance, and is completely free from parabens, silicones and artificial colorants.

much love,
Shen

It's so refreshing to see celebrities giving back. But Miriam Quiambao is one celebrity that is used to helping out being Bbb Pilinas - Ms. World in 1999 but represented the Philippines to the Ms. Universe, Year 1999. Being such entailed her to actively participate in many charitable causes.

Even years after such event and now having a successful career in show business as host and actress as well as in real estate, Miriam Quiambao, is still giving back the wonderful blessings she has received. With the help of her partnership The White Hat Italian Yogurt and Real Life Foundation, a child's dream of attending school will come true.

Did you know that it only takes 250 cups of The White hat Italian Yogurt to provide one child with one year of High School education? With the rate I was going last year, I think I've already provided one child one quarter of school year, three more to go!

Well, that day at the event I'm quite sure that we have hit that 250 mark with the long lines at The White Hat Italian Yohgurt at Shangri-la Plaza Mall. With Miriam Quaimbao serving at counter, who wouldn't want to buy? There were also exclusive flavors made by Miriam, herself.

The two limited edition flavors were Summer Delight with its fresh peaches and kiwi that is apt to beat the heat this month and Passionate Indulgence with its walnut and choco fudge brownies as the healthy cheat day dessert alternative. Miriam saw these flavors as representation of her lifestyle, one that keeps her health a top most priority but still indulges with life's pleasurable things once in a while.

I was among the bloggers who got invited to share this eventful day with Ms. Miriam Quiambao. It was also fun having met Jo Bonsol, a foodie blogger, for the first time.


I also got to interview her about her life, career and advise for young girls and women.





Gifts from their sponsors were given away to those who bought cups for the event.




Thanks to Enkei and Candy for inviting to this event!

much love,
Shen