10 Fat Burning Foods.

1) Water
A recent study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss. Researchers in Germany found that subjects of the study increased their metabolic rates (the rate at which calories are burned) by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water.

I don't suggest using water to suppress your appetite that some people do. It simply bloats me up. But i drink at least 2 litres a day and i cannot do without my huge ass water bottle.

2) Chilli
Eating hot peppers can speed up your metabolism and cool your cravings, researchers at Laval University in Canada found.

Here's why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeño and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism. I love chilli but i used to think too much chilli will make you break out. But that could be just my puberty.

3) Apples and Pears
Overweight women who ate the equivalent of three small apples or pears a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn't, according to State University of Rio de Janeiro researchers.
I hate pears but i eat them because of the above reason (haha. vain) and i will choose green apples over red. Due to green apples being more acidic, i think it works better.

4) Low-Fat Yogurt
Researches say the above helps but i have my reservations. Yogurt is still animal protein, and too much animal protein is no good. Yami yogurt is my weakness. I have a cup with toppings (nuts or granola) every time i see one. It's a healthier alternative to ice-cream. But I still do have ice-cream when I feel like it (Haggen Daz’s Tiramisu, Udder’s D24), just that nowadays ice-cream is super $$$!

5) Soup

According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it's made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids.

My digestive system is rather poor. Once I eat, my stomach stays full and bloated for the entire day. So if I know I have a shoot or I will need to be wearing a form fitting dress for an event later, I will take soup from Soup Spoon. They do not have cream or MSG and is gluten-free. You can choose the meat options for a heavier meal or go vegetarian and it’ll still keep you full.

6)  Green Tea

The benefits of green tea has been reported over and over again. Other than anti-cancer properties, I found that green tea cures sore throats.  Even if they’re not pure! Like the canned/bottled ones (which is always VERY sweet).

I was in Thailand and I had a sore throat. I was apprehensive in getting Strepsils because those lozenges ALWAYS makes my sore throat worse. I remembered reading that green tea helps, but I was so sure that they meant the pure green tea! Not being able to find any pure green tea around, I decided to take a chance with the “soft drink” version. Fearing the sugar in it will make it worse, it did the opposite.  I’m not so sure about green tea helping you to lose weight though. I never did try. But I do drink tea regularly, but it’s Sunrider tea (read my post on Saving Skin). I have a very old aged thinking that too much tea will be too cooling for the body, thus my family only trusts Sunrider because though it’s called tea, it’s actually a blend of xxx number of herbs.  It clears up our arteries and detox our organs.

7) Broccoli

Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium but it's also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption.

This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fiber. Plus, it contains powerful phytochemicals that protect against disease.

I wasn’t a fan of broccoli, but I figured there must be a reason why mothers love feeding their babies broccoli. I force myself to eat more cauliflowers too.

8) Oatmeal

This heart-healthy favourite is great because it's a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber that keeps you full and gives you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. I am not a fan of oatmeal but I started eating muesli from my days living in Australia. Museli is a mixture of oats along with other things and it can be really yummy! Particularly the roasted ones. The café I worked at uses Brookfield’s macadamia roasted muesli. 

Be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of nutrients.

9) Lean Turkey

Rev up your fat-burning engine with this bodybuilder favorite. Studies have shown that protein can help boost your metabolism and build lean muscle tissue, so that you burn more calories.

I don’t really consume this enough, but if I was at the deli, and I feel like having ham, I would choose the turkey slices instead.

10)  Grapefruit

The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Researchers at Scripps Clinic found that participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal in a 12-week period lost an average of 3.6 pounds.

The study indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes weight loss. I don’t eat grapefruit for weight loss, but I eat them to stay youthful.

Frankly, all of the above is not my food Bible that I follow religiously. They’re tips from experts, which coincidentally is what I eat too! So I guess there is some truth to their weight loss properties because I am living example?

I cannot abstain from unhealthy food. I can’t give up chocolates, I can’t give up Char Kway Tiao, I can’t give up Pockey and such.  Amidst all the junk food, the only thing I seldom touch is soft drinks and fast food. I always choose water over soft drinks (saves a lot of money too. A coke at a restaurant can cost $3, triple of what supermarkets sell ok! But if you go overseas, then water is not free. They can cost as much as a soft drink. But that’s another matter.)

 So I make it up with exercise for the lack of discipline over religiously eating healthy. I run daily, practice yoga alternately and sometimes skip running to swim or roller blade.  Exercise should not rule your life though. I used to be a stick-in-a-mud. I loved my exercise so much that I wouldn’t go out and socialise. Then I realised, if I keep rejecting invitations, I will end up marrying my running shoes, and that won’t be rosy but smelly indeed.

I’m not born with the skinny genes. I can put on weight and I can get fat if I don’t watch it.  My heaviest was 52kg, bordering onto 54kg. Those were my poly days where I snacked SO MUCH during and in between lectures. 3 hour break, nothing else to do but eat mah. Then in Australia, no matter how much I run (daily), the scales never went down but it maintained at 50kg.  I used to have a rule. That I eat as healthy as possible and only let loose on the weekends. Then I realise why make yourself be so miserable with so many diets and rules!

Eating healthy has become part of my lifestyle and doing sports is my habit. I love exercising and sitting still bores me. 

Nothing Loose, Nothing Hanging.

Ambassador of Singapore

My girl, Meg sent me an SOS message, asking if i could do her a favor of showing her French friend around. After all, he took care of her when she was in his home town.

I happened to be invited to an opening party, and i knew our President was going to be there. It would be killing many birds at one time for a new resident! He gets to see a Singapore fashion event, he gets to meet the President! I misled him into thinking it's a lingerie party though. Because i was invited by a lingerie shop.

Worse was, i didn't knew our dear President was so "open" to grace a lingerie party! Later on, then i found out it's Mandarin Gallery's opening. That explains it.

 

Denise Keller is awfully thin. But still pretty. Andre De Cruz is really pretty and poised, Patricia Mok is really "loud" and one girl's side view really resembles Katie Holmes!

So i met Q at Somerset MRT. It was like a "blind date". All i knew was from what is saw on FB. I figured it would be easier for a girl to spot a man out because men don't photoshop their pictures nor use fake eyelashes right?

I was glad there wasn't any awkward silence at all! I could understand his French accent and all. If that fails, i can fall back on Mandarin! He speaks pretty fluent Mandarin, Meg should be ashamed. She is Chinese, albeit Australian. His name is so cool, like the famous director.

 

Sparkles and fireworks were launched.

I realised runway models aren't exactly drop-dead gorgeous. They're just very tall with nice figures. They're all 1.8m and above.

 

The men are better looking though. The people standing on the streets of Orchard Road were certainly envious of us. Being able to sit on the other side, sipping wine and enjoying canapes.

He is actually younger than me! Don't look like hor...hahaha. Poor dude, came to Singapore and clueless, he ended up staying in a ghetto hotel! Had to share with 3 other foreign workers, listening to them watch porn in the room at night. They sleep on double deckers and he can feel his sway some nights!

The opening party was super duper awesome because after the cocktail and fashion show, we could SHOP IN PRIVATE! Exclusive shopping, we had the whole mall to ourselves. Every shop had specials going on, JUST FOR US!

 

JTB, the japanese travel agency gave out Fiji Apples. They said its air-flown from Japan. Not sure if it's true (fruits are $$ in Japan), but it looks bigger than the usual apples.

There's an art gallery inside and we got the gallery's very cool desktop calender & ang pow packets for free!

 

As usual, i come up with naughty poses and friend is obliged to go along with me.

This painting is WICKED.

 

Close-up. Look where its hand is!

 

You know what the best part is? WE WERE GIVEN SHOPPING MONEY!!!!!!! Cold hard cash ( in vouchers form) to offset our purchases that night. As you would guess, everything in Mandarin Gallery is exorbitantly priced. All the high-end fashion, but with our combined vouchers, i GOT A RAYBAN SUNGLASSES ABSOLUTELY FREE!

 

I took SO LONG to decide. Ahhhh...couldn't believe my luck! I was recently just thinking of investing in a good pair of sunglass and one that totally fits me. Aviators flatters almost everyone. I decided to give up the tackey cheapo ones after my bf enlightened me why his sunglasses are so $*(&#*$(&@ expensive. If you wear a cheapo sunglass, under the sun, everything might still look dark and therefore your iris might think its safe to open. But fact is, that cheapo sunglass might not be giving you real protection and therefore harm your iris. It would be worse than not wearing anything at all! Iu you had not worn any, your iris will naturally close to protect your eyes and not let so much sunlight in.

$300 FREE FREE FREE!!!

 

 I hope Q had an awesome time experiencing Uniquely Singapore. Hahaha...

He said he did, it's his first fashion show experience with celebrities and beautiful people. I'm so thankful i stayed till the end, i usually leave after enjoying the canapes because it's usually boring. if i had left, i would have no RayBans!

This was the BEST event i've attended. Oh, i so want to go to the Triumph fashion show in July.

Technology. Personal or Impersonal?

It has always been a debate over the good and bad of technology. Did you know that the internet originated for porn? Other than the fact that the American soldiers needed something to communicate with, they needed an outlet too. Go look up the history of the internet and porn and you'll find some correlation. But here's a fun video to sum it up. Sang first on Avenue Q which i saw on my 23rd birthday, someone re-edited it into a Sesame Street version (have you also heard the debate about SS being evil? That's another discussion for another day.)

But that's not my thesis for today. What i feel with technology is, our society is becoming impersonal ironically. I cannot deny that social networks have its merits. We now are kept updated with not only celebrity news, but real news that matter. News about our friends. I know who is with who, i know who does what, real-time.

Let's just say that i found afew of my ex boyfriend's skeletons-in-the-closet from a social network! It's Generation Me now. Social networks is a form of self promotion, whether conscious or sub-conscious. People won't admit it, fearing to sound narcissitic. But we can't deny that being self-promoting, narcissistic, overconfident, and attention-seeking is helpful for succeeding in a competitive world. Just beware of crossing the line and becoming conceited and shameless.

How many birthday or wedding invites do you get via Facebook? I find that rather insincere. A friend invited 500 friends to her birthday party via the event application. Maybe i am special (she has 1000 friends), but i would love to see all 500 turn up and the birthday girl has to panic for crowd control.

What irks me are the wedding invites. No phone calls, no sms, no emails and not even a Facebook private message! People are inviting you to their big day via Facebook event. I know how stressed a couple can be when planning a wedding, though Facebook saves alot of time, people's EQ is going downhill. There is no longer courtesy or sincerity in invitations.Expecting people to click attending or not attending, some may click Maybe Attending just to irk this insincere planner. A friend of 20 years even asked me to be her host for her wedding via a post on HER wall. Expecting me to respond?

Nonetheless, updating your status on Facebook at the altar is deemed outrageously sweet.

I know of friends who use status update as personal attacks (know that friend the comment is aimed at WILL BE SEEING IT). I think it's immature and hypocritical. But this one takes the cake! Click to see better. I will type out the sypnosis here:

" So if everyone hasn't heard yet..i'm grounded for the next 3 months. Why? Because Katie decided to rat me out and tell my parents about the 12 pack i was hiding in my room. My parents are Asian, and all of you that asian parents are fucking strict. 12 cans= 3 months of being grounded. LIttle over the top? Not if your parents are Asian and your sister is a filthy bitch.

Since all i can do and all i'll ever for the next 2 and a half months involve sitting on the computer all day, i thought i'd get a little revenge today. Everyone out there might think my sister is such a sweet and innocent girl, but a few days ago i decided to go treasure hunting in her room and found a little something special hidden in her closet. This will make the next 2.5 months bearable.

Ladies and gentlemen....my sister is a whore."

You've to check this out. Especially the Hall of Fame. Laugh Out Loud Facebook Moments. If you see anything worth posting on this site and you do, you get paid $100! Not sure if Singaporeans can participate though. With status updates, you see who are your real friends.

Well, Chelsea might sound a little bimbotic, but look how her "friend" (supposedly) Mike comments back! LOL.

Let technology not kill what makes us human.

No Secret about Victoria

Largely talked about VS is finally here, in Festive Hotel, Resort World. Here's my personal review on the only store in Asia.

VS is all about lingerie. It wasn't a huge shop space to begin with, and it wasn't overwhelmed with lingerie. As pictured here, it's the only range of undies they have in store. This, and another row behind.

Panties go for SGD 32 per peice (all prices excl. GST)

 

They do not have bras but they have a teeny section on nighties. They start at SGD 80 and there's only 1 style (as seen on rack on the right). The thin all-lace dress in electric blue and pink.

They do not have swimwear, neither do they have the gorgeous fashion wear.

The only clothes they have are these i would think frumpy pyjamas. They have some nice racer back tank tops but they're going at SGD 50. They do not have changing rooms. I suppose underwear always had the rule of no-trying.

What they do try, is giving us abit of everything VS has to offer. Like a taster menu.

This pouch costs SGD 16, plain looking handbags were 3 figure price tags.

A rather wide variety of bath oils, foams, frangrance mists and makeup. They start at SGD 60 for a 3 peice set. This section reminds me of The Body Shop.

I liked looking at the accessories though. Although again it didn't exactly make my eyes swim. Very Juicy Couture like, they have charm braclets that starts from SGD 65.

They have key chains, passport holders and if you must have a peice of VS, i would say their accessories were more affordable. Starting from SGD 20 for this keychain puch for example.

I'd stick to buying online with its discounts and wider variety with the only pain being the shipping fee. There're still people who couldn't resist purchasing something from that shiny store just because everybody's talking about it.

Aunties want to be Victoria Secret's Angels too.

Mock Meat.

I've been fascinated with Japan- the land of the absurd. So when i realised my dream of visiting Tokyo last year (June 2009 post), i was pretty excited to find out for myself if internet news is real news.

Stories i've heard included shit restaurants (where girls excrete in front of you and you dig in their feces according to flavours which is influenced by girls' diets), school girl's saliva for sale and the strangest stuff in vending machines.

I've also heard about the human sushi platter (but never experienced it),

where you literally eat sushi/ food off a human plate.

Japan is a country that dumbfounds everyone. One of the blogs i read wrote about Issei Sagawa's detailed account of eating his victim. What shocks me is how can his countrymen be supportive of him? He was aquainted of his crime and guilt after being deported back to Japan ( crime happened in France). And it wasn't only because his dad was a prominent industrialist, Issei became a CELEBRITY!

"A year after his release, Sagawa wrote the aforementioned book (now out of print) In The Fog in which he describes, in meticulous detail, the murder, rape, and consumption of Renee Hartevelt.....(he was also) on various Japanese television shows, mainly guest spots on talk shows wanting to speak with the famed cannibal who 'got away with it'....Sagawa, who is now 51, has taken up painting. Many of his paintings focus on women's asses (no surprise there), but like all serial killer art, it has a fame that far outdistances its quality of production"

He even has Rolling Stones writing a song about him, and has appeared in Japanese PORN!

Now, he is penning a manga re-telling of the murder. Why are his countrymen putting money into his pocket for his crime??

Read a summary of the incident here.

And so, is it not surprising that Japan has caught on Cannibalism?

Look what i found on the Internet. There is a restaurant in Japan where you can mimick Cannibalism. For normal (or not?!) people to have sick fun eating fake humans. Like the themed restaurants found in Taiwan, Hong Kong (Toilet restaurant, Jail restaurant).

They use utensils and pretend to be a surgeon, choosing which part to eat first. Re-enacting what a cannibal would do in troes of passion.

Not entirely sure how to proceed with eating a person, Issei Sagawa decided to start with the rear-end (which is only sensible). He grabbed a sturdy knife from the kitchen and proceeded to cut into the dead girl's flesh.

"Suddenly a lot of sallow fat oozes from the wound. It reminds me of Indian corn. It continues to ooze. It is strange. Finally I find the red meat under the sallow fat. I scoop it out and put it in my mouth. I chew. It has no smell and no taste. It melts in my mouth like a perfect piece of tuna.

I look in her eyes and say: 'You are delicious.' "

At this restaurant, the innards of their human IS their meal. They're all edible. Probably full of unhealthy food colouring. It's like having vegetarian mock meat.

You want real meat, but you can't have real meat.

The thing is, i wonder if all these Internet news is really true because i went to Japan, all hyped to find out for myself but out of the checklist, i only found used panties for sale.

Can i say that Singaporeans are quite a boring/ stingy normal bunch because themed restaurants obviously  cannot surive here ( look at Igor's, the vampire themed restaurant).

I'd say i will try this restaurant if i come across it in my next trip to Japan but i might chicken out. After all, i didn't dare go sniff the used panties to find out for myself if it's just a marketing ploy for men with fetishes.

"My passion is so great. I want to eat her. If I do she will be mine forever.There is no escape from this desire- Issei Sagawa"

Perhaps from now on, lovers shouldn't say "i want to eat your P***Y or D**K", it might cause misunderstandings.

Body Secrets

I'll share mine in the next post.

First Sighting!

Bumblebee takes us out to play!

The soft launch to public opens today. I got a sneak peek last weekend!

I was the first to clamour up, then the rest followed.

Like a bunch of sua kus (ignorant), armed with cameras...we snap at everything and anything. This is inside the lift.

The lobby that most of you would have already seen in the media.

The bar in the middle of the lobby. Frankly, the deco didn't wow me. There are countless function rooms in the basement and i'm not quite sure if it's counted as Hard Rock Hotel still, or we were out of HR already...because the deco is VERY CHING CHONG OBIANG! Abit like Genting. The giant flower mortifs on the wall.

Somehow it reminds me of something obscene. We hear the boss likes flowers, thus the deco.

But, they have the largest ballroom in Asia though.

Set for international conferences.

Summits will be held.

Our tour group of about 20 people.

The poor service staff who had to satisfy our demands of cam whoring. There were 10 cameras, each waiting its turn!

We couldn't get to see the famous Hard Rock Hotel's pool. It's taunted to be the happening pool for the rich and famous.

Sadly to say, the international buffet dinner disappointed. For $39 (dinner) , and $22 (lunch), i was apalled to hear the lunch and dinner menu is EXACTLY THE SAME!

There wasn't much of a variety for an international buffet. There was smoked salmon with 3 choices of raw vegetables. There's tuna with cucumber salad and ham and mushroom salad (which tasted sour by the way).

The kids corner (i assume) has the mini burgers (which is not bad of the lot), bolognise pasta and stir fried long beans.

Then there's 1 beef stew with fried potatos. 1 choice of roast meat (beef).

The Indian section was abit more appealing. With 1 tikka chicken, 1 redang, 1 curry chicken and 2 types of nann and 1 saffron rice. They don't taste fantastic, however. Little India is better.

That's all you have for the seafood section. I didn't take the mussels. The oysters were good (according to oyster lovers), the prawns were not too bad.

There's only ONE choice for Chinese cuisine. Tom Yum noodles...and it can't even be compared to canteen food.

Ok, the photos may look nice but yeeeah, they're not state-of-the-art.

I liked this walkway though. Initially, i wasn't thinking about going down, but when i heard this melodious music coming out from my left side, i was just drawn to it. Like i was hypnotised.

They had these multimedia screen where they have fishies swimming across and birds flying coupled with enchanting music. It's like the second grade version, being not able to build a tube of real sea creatures (ala Underwater World style). Orchard Mrt has a similar escalator concept too.

So other than the disappointing meal, we were the privileged few to have a first sighting!