Cleanin Out My Closet

My style sucks. Seriously. I don't know how to describe how "baduy" I am. I am always one of two things: 1) Overdressed or 2) Underdressed [more often, under, shame shame shame]. This is a dilemma of mine. I am not exaggerating. What I wear on a daily basis is actually meh. I buy / hoard clothes but I can't seem to make them work for me. I always pick what's comfortable and not what looks good. They say dress to express and not to impress, I guess I'm sending the wrong and oogleh signal. Shameful.

I hate wearing pants specially on a hot, sunny day. I love wearing shorts and a shirt. I love the wind on my short legs. But I still wear pants when needed, like when I go to church, or when I go to drive school, or when I have nothing else to wear for work. I thank God that my 2 favorite jeans are actually comfy, I wanna thank Forever 21 too, haha!

So anyway, point of this post is that I'm gonna dedicate my Sunday [this coming Sunday] to cleaning my closet. From shoes, to bags, to clothes. EVERYTHING. I don't care if I throwaway everything, as long as the good ones stay. Or should I do an Ukay-Ukay again? I wonder if people are gonna be interested to buy my old clothes which are actually okay naman, just not too fancy schmancy, hehehe.

We Ran Manila 10k

WE DID IT! Babycakes and I finished 10k of the We Run Manila 10k [NikexRunrio] despite being 20 minutes late compared to our original target. Nevertheless, it was breathtaking [pun intended, haha] and unbelievable! It was such an amazing feeling!! I'm super proud of us babe!! More marathons for us :]

Success: Before and After

Nothing great is ever achieved without a few obstacles.

May '11

May '11

May '11

June '11

June '11

August? :p [Zach, Anna, Me, Joanna]

September '11 :]

October '11

I've already lost a total of 15lbs since August..That's 7.5lbs/month. The secret? positive attitude, exercise, and healthy living. I binge but I make up for it by doubling my gym time. 

I need to lose another 10 :]

I feel so proud of myself :]

Taho Bar, Mall of Asia

A fun new way to enjoy TAHOOOOOOOOOO. 

After my driving class in Mall of Asia, the three boys, Mariz, and I had dinner at Gumbo in MOA. Afterwards, we were looking for a light and yummy dessert that we could all enjoy..and we found this TAHO BAR. Their Taho version is interesting. Their Taho is flavored, you can choose between cold or hot, and the best part, their syrup is light. They're kinda cheap too. But if you were to buy this, I suggest you get the small one not unless you are a HUUUUGGGGEEEE fan of Taho. I didn't finish my large order cause I was already full, sayang, no regrets though, lol. The flavors that I ordered were: Maja Blanca, Ube, and Pandan..I liked the combination! :] T'was a fun Taho experience! 

My rate: 4/5 stars :]

Toast Box, Robinsons Place Manila

Two or Three Saturdays ago, I treated myself to a light dinner turned heavy. I was devastated due to unforeseen circumstances that happened earlier that day. So, Dad dropped me off at Robinsons cause I was hungry and he had to go back to the office. I then saw Toastbox. Trivia, Toastbox was established in Singapore in 2005. It started as a small food stall that has grown steadily and has fast expanded to different parts of Asia. So anyway, I went in, scanned the menu, which was very SINGAPOREAN btw. I ordered a French Toast set with eggs, and Teh Tarik [Tea with Milk, just not sure if I used the right term]. I had to add P15 to add ice to my milk tea [that much]. What I enjoyed most about my first time was the the ambiance of Toast Box!! I love the theme, the interior, and the excellent lighting too! I  am also in love with their milk tea [you know, the pulled real thing, not the fad], it's not too sweet, strong, and bland. Theirs is just right :] [I actually like it better than Kopi Roti]. Their French Toast is okay, a bit too oily for me [umay much]. French Toast is normally soaked in Egg and Milk, and should be light; but their version is a bit too..Textured? Heavy for the tummy? I still prefer my homemade French Toast. I haven't tried their Haina Chicken yet, I just hope that it's good compared to Hainanese Chicken wannabes out there, lol. Their Prawn Mee is..WEIRD. I swear! The taste is a mixture of sweet, tangy, and spicy, literally. It was, sad to say, a bit disgusting. But, I suggest you order their Milo Dinosaur, it's fun and yummy!! I'd rate this, overall, a 3/5 stars :] 

FISH!

I loooooooooooveee FISH..I can eat fish from Monday til Sunday and still be a happy camper! 

 Fried Dory with Mango Salsa

Steamed Salmon with Lemonbutter, Garlic, and Cheese

Running

TARGET BEFORE THE BIG DAY: 135 and a toned tummy!

I've recently joined a 10k marathon for October. I am scared and excited at the same time. I'm scared cause this is my very first marathon and already, I'm doing 10k; Excited, cause this is a new experience for me and babycakes and this is actually gonna PUSH me to do beyond what I normally do slash beyond my comfort zone.


Running ain't that new to me though I have never experienced running in a marathon. I used to jog around the quadrangle when I was still training for volleyball varsity in high school, I also run the treadmill at the gym. This We Run Manila 10K is a BIG CHALLENGE for me. Never in my life have I thought of joining events like this cause 1) I'm not a fast runner 2) I [used to] get easily tired 3) I'd rather bike. But I am little by little getting the hang of it. I am really looking forward to running this marathon! 

So my dad accompanied me to A Runner's Circle in Quirino to buy new running shoes. My budget was 3,500 but i ended up doubling it for this, haha! I was unaware of how important running shoes are to a runner [naks!]. Choosing the right shoes is extremely important because it promotes correct bio-mechanics and shock absorption [for an injury free run]. 


I'm about to try it tonight [excited MUCH!]. I hope this indeed is the perfect running shoes for me! Keeping my fingers [and toes] crossed! :]

Date With Finn!

Can't wait to see you my big fluffy babyboy Finn :) I miss you baby! Such a cute lil puppy, now you're all grown up biting people's toesies! :"> 

Brrr!

Here's my September schedule :) Scratch that Dinner at Shang post..still dunno where to celebrate our 5th anniv :(

Update!

I just finished my 20 minute exercise cause I had to reach my quota. This week was horrible, lazy, and disappointing. I had my monthly period so I had an awkward time exercising cause of heavy flow..I know, it sounds like a lazy excuse not to move, very disappointing. Despite this, I pushed myself to try so I still worked my ass off not in the gym but inside my condo to catch up on lost gym time, remember 20 minutes is better than 0 minutes. So instead of working out in the gym, I did level one and two of the 30 Day Shred by THE Jillian Michaels. I did it thrice this week plus 35 minutes running on the treadmill. 20 minutes each of level one and two might sound like an easy peasy thing, it`s not, trust me, the exercise not only concentrates on cardio but also incorporates strengthening exercises alternately..this is effective because the exercises use both small and big muscles all at the same time to burn twice as much calories than in a regular exercise. I actually enjoy every single minute of it, it pushes me to my limit and it`s a different take on my exercise routine. The 30 Day Shred is the perfect exercise for me cause it eliminates body fat while toning parts of the body. Speaking of toning, I have stepped it up a notch and am aiming for a toned tummy a.k.a. baby abs. It might seem funny to you, but I am pushing myself even more. A toned body doesn`t come for free so I am trying to be stricter on food intake and my exercise. But I am seriously seeing huge results on my legs and my waist..I've lost about 4 inches off my waist and dropped 8 lbs which is pretty amazing for me..I won`t stop `til I get the body that I am now aiming for. Nothing can stop me from achieving more than what I can do. I`m strong and I`m capable so there`s no turning back. IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU.

Babe :)

Cheer up my babycake, we'll make Singapore 2011 happen :)

Angles

This angle made my arm/s look smaller than usual Don`t mind my tryna-look-funny-face :)

Schoolgirl Outfit

I absolutely love this, this duo is super cute. I wore this to work last week. I paired this with plain black flats from cotton on (T-strap flats would look cuter). Dress is from Topshop, White Cardigan is from Zara :) 

Brow Talk

Groomed brows is a MUST. 

I always make sure that my brows are neat and clean but it`s always bushy and thick. I don't like line-thin brows because it kind of changes a person`s expression. 

I should probably hire a pro to fix it. Any suggestions?

[front face angle]

STRONG.

Just cause I'm making myself STRONG.


I went to the gym last Saturday despite my lack of sleep because I have a self-proclaimed weekly gym quota. It was rather odd that only a few people were there, my guess was cause the mall was on sale. I was the rose among the thorns, not that it mattered nor hindered me from doing what I normally do. I feel motivated actually whenever I see guys in the gym (not THAT way). I feel empowered because I`m the only girl running and strengthening with the guys, talk about Girl Power, hahaha. It makes me push myself harder. If guys can do it, why can't I? What's stopping me? Nothing. Yeah, NOTHING. If I, the extremely lazy girl, can do it, SO CAN YOU. 


So anyway, I've neither lost nor gained this week, which is a bit of a bummer. I've computed my weight and I still need to lose about 10 more lbs. I should stop obsessing over weight and instead continue my cardio and strengthening workout, my body's shrinking anyway..I'm thinking of doing it 5x instead of 4 but the 5th would be swimming instead of gym..I think that's a good plan so I wouldn't be stuck in a boring gym routine. I shall try that this coming week and update you as soon as the week ends.


EMPOWER YOUR MIND, STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY.


xx,
Charlotte

Numbers

my back is killing me.

MUST.STICK.TO.THE.GOAL.

15 TO GO.

My Workout Playlist :)

The Right Way

fitspire.

my motivational print from believe-toachieve.tumblr.com

I'm back :) I have no excuse this time for my absence, I'm just plain lazy.

So anyway, I've been shedding off the lbs that I've gained during my recent US trip plus more. In a span of 3 or 4 weeks, I've lost a total of 7 lbs. which is "healthy" according to my med student friend. My goal is to get rid of at least 20 lbs, I've lost more than 7 already but I feel like I still need to lose 15 more, which ain't that bad. If they can, why can't I? Truth be told, I want to lose at least 5 lbs a week which is unhealthy and unimaginable due to my schedule, blame it on Biggest Loser for that idea (what do you expect? they eat, exercise, and do physical stuff, just that). I hit the gym 4 days a week minimum, and 5 if lucky. So far, I see a BIG LEGIT improvement on my tummy and my legs, a bit on my arms, back, and shoulders (will post a picture soon). I can already stand a 30-second plank which is awsuuumm! What I am doing is physically draining but I cannot use that as an excuse because of the intensity of how I badly want to change my sort of unhealthy lifestyle. I am getting used to my new routine of gym after work but then again, it is physically draining.


My guy friend told me not to overdo this new health addiction and my gym time because I look better with a bit of chunk, and I do believe him, but what I want to achieve is a fit and toned body, not too muscular and not the skinny kind which is, sad to say, a bit gross and unhealthy. That picture of the girl above is absolutely dreamy, not to thin and not to chunky, that's what I want, I don't want to be stick thin with bones protruding here and there, I want to have a lean body. I believe in myself, I push myself, because no one is gonna do it for me, and I am my own enemy and my own motivation. 


Things that I have learned: 
1.Portions matter!
2.Stop obsessing over those food/drink diet fads, they work temporarily (been there, done that), opt for something which you can often do, do it the healthy way, then maintain. 
3.When you want something, you just want to PUSH yourself harder and to train not only your body, but also your mind.
4.One step at a time :)

Your body isn't giving up on your brain, so why should your brain give up on your body?
There are no shortcuts to success.

Of Make Up and Vanity

Here are some of my ultimate favorite items which can be found inside my make up bag. I stopped using too much products on my face hence I threw away my old make up stash, which I rarely use. For now, I just use the basic necessities and a few investment items.

 A lot of people rave about how amazing this Shu Lash Curler is and I definitely agree. I have fine long lashes which curl easily thanks to this little gadget of mine. I pair this with a Maybeline or Bobbi Brown Mascara.

[Shu Uemura, $17]

 Set of [still unused, except for the 168 brush, is that how you call MAC brushes? By codes?] 

Travel Make Up Brushes, came with A Tartan Tale Collection Satchel 
MAC make up brushes are a bit pricey for a person like me who doesn`t use make up that often. Nevertheless, their brushes are super duper fine! The fibers of the brushes are soft in comparison to cheap make up brushes [well duh, charlotte]. 

[MAC, I forgot the price]

 

THIS EXACT SET. Photo from Temptalia  

L'Oreal Carbon Black Lineur Instense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner.
THIS IS THE BOMB DIGGITY. The EASIEST and NICEST eyeliner application that I`ve done my entire life, I KID YOU NOT! Seriously, I cannot express how intense my love for this product is. I bought min in the States cause I'm not so sure if they have it here in the Philippines, but if they do have it here, I will most def buy it no questions asked [despite the price difference].

[L'Oreal, $7 I think]

 15 ML worth of HEAVEN. I swear, this Lip Conditioner is the best Lip Tint/Balm that I've purchased my entire life. Plus the smell and the taste reminds me of Cake Batter, YUM! haha.

[MAC, $17]

Photo Strip

My girl friends and I made an agreement to do a celebrity photobooth strip but I guess t'was only Anna [click name to be redirected to her blog] who could pull it off. I and Jowa on the other hand, tried our best, turned out swaggerific too but still can't beat the pro, haha! :]

 Lea Michele :]

 My hottie of a girl friend, Anna

My other schmeexxyy love, Joanna [click name to be redirected to her blog] 

My first lame fail attempt. Just MEH. But I j'adore high contrast black and white photos :]

A better set! What is pacute? I absolutely love my glasses!

Frame from Forever 21 :]