Hi sleepy,


I can relate with your frustrations especially when you’re putting in alot of effort to find what’s the right fit for you.

Having been through different kinds of workouts in the past, perhaps I could offer some of my own insights:

1. What kind of exercise do you really enjoy such that you feel all excited about even dressing up to go and do the workout? Do something that you really enjoy so that it doesn’t feel like "exercising". The session becomes a gift to yourself rather than something on the checklist of things to do.

2. Prioritise which is more important : budget or convenience. Lucky for you if you have a centre that can meet both budget and convenience but if you can one or the other, which is the higher priority?

3. What are dietary habits like? Cardio exercise alone can burn calories but if your overall daily food intake is not disciplined enough, you accumulate the weight quickly. I’ve seen people who work out 3-4 times of zumba yet they look fat week after week. Something else must be happening right?
However, if you do some weights training with interval circuit/resistance training, you can start to lose weight faster as you’re building muscles though it’s not apparent on the weighing scale.

4. Set specific goals and know why you really want to do this.
Hold accountability to your goals by sharing it with someone.

I’m currently doing a 6-week plan to lose 3-4 kg in 6 weeks. I tried last year (oct-dec) for 3 months to reach my goal of 3 kg weight loss but failed miserably even though I was doing my workouts 2-3 times a week.

My "failure" was because I was not watching my food intake and not having a proper plan of how I was going to do this. Now my 6 week plan involves a nutritional consultation and I’m on a meal plan which incorporates what I can eat to keep my blood sugar stable and enable weight loss while doing vigorous activity. I like it that I now know what I can eat outside while still sticking to my goal. Each week, I’m putting in 3 times 30-min circuit training, one time 45-min cardio with some resistance workout and 2 times 1-hr zumba. I’m confident this plan will work.

I plan to share at the forum at the end of my 6 weeks!!

ChiefKiasu:

slmkhoo:

I have a 16yo daughter like that too. The problem is that many people are very impatient and will not give her time to plan her answer then speak. It means that she is usually left out of conversations as it moves on before she has a chance to take part. It's OK at home as we will give her the time she needs, but with other people, they think she is unwilling to speak, or just too dumb to answer. Any suggestions?

There's nothing wrong with thinking before you speak. It's better than shooting off and then regretting the moment. I see it more as a virtue than a fault.

One of my kids is like that and we do some role-plays about social situations when he is dumbfounded or does not know what to say, what will be a temporary answer he can give people. I know of introverted adults who have learnt how to let people know that they are thinking by saying \"I'm still listening to what you're saying but I\"m thinking about my own response.\"

Try sia huat at temple street in chinatown. They hv mn designs. Even restaurants/catering companies order from them. Just choose design u want from display and staff will get stock out for u.

MamaO:

beanbear:

Hi MamaO, Be prepared to pay around $1600 - $2000 for the assessment especially if you want a complete report that can be used for MOE exemption from Chinese and accomodations for exams eg extra time, quiet room, etc.


By the way if you are considering looking at for an Educational Psychologist, do check out their credentials properly and ask them if they have experience writing reports for the purpose of getting MOE exemptions.

I consulted my friends who had done this and it really helps to work with a Psychologist who understands how MOE works.

By the way, the report for exemption only lasts 3 years. My friend whose kid got his assessment done in P2 was told that his exemption is \"expired\" at P5 and if he wants to be exempted at PSLE, he needs to go for another round of assessment. My friend paid another $1800 to get it done!!

Hi beanbear, do u or others have recommendation on the assessment and also on Education Psychologist.
I do not know exemption is only for '3 years'! Thought is forever as once you did not take up the subject how are u going for PSLE or further.
Hope someone can recommend the above.

I will pm you the contacts of the psychologists that my friends and I have used. Its an average of 4-6months waiting time. Be patient. It's better to get it done correctly. There are many many tests that can be done but a psychologist will ask for family history, interview you thoroughly and is keen observer of your child.

slmkhoo:

MamaO:

[quote=\"beanbear\"]Hi MamaO, Be prepared to pay around $1600 - $2000 for the assessment especially if you want a complete report that can be used for MOE exemption from Chinese and accomodations for exams eg extra time, quiet room, etc.


By the way if you are considering looking at for an Educational Psychologist, do check out their credentials properly and ask them if they have experience writing reports for the purpose of getting MOE exemptions.

I consulted my friends who had done this and it really helps to work with a Psychologist who understands how MOE works.

By the way, the report for exemption only lasts 3 years. My friend whose kid got his assessment done in P2 was told that his exemption is \"expired\" at P5 and if he wants to be exempted at PSLE, he needs to go for another round of assessment. My friend paid another $1800 to get it done!!

Hi beanbear, do u or others have recommendation on the assessment and also on Education Psychologist.
I do not know exemption is only for '3 years'! Thought is forever as once you did not take up the subject how are u going for PSLE or further.
Hope someone can recommend the above.

I was under the impression that the psychologist's report was the thing that was 'valid' for 3 yrs, in the sense that if you want to submit it to MOE for another reason later on, they will ask for a new assessment if it's more than 3 yrs since the last assessment. Exemption from MT, at least in my daughter's case (not for ADHD), was stated as all the way up to 'A' levels. But she was already P6 when we applied, so maybe it's different for younger kids?[/quote]It makes a difference at primary school levels because of PSLE. The psychologist's report is valid for 3 years so if it expires at P5, you need a \"fresh\" one in order to be exempted from PSLE Chinese or perhaps you need to have the psychologist confirm that your child is still suffering from the learning difficulties. After you're done with PSLE, it's exemption forever!! Don't ask me how come like this, I was stunned myself when my friend had to get a new assessment done. Maybe there were some technicalities in terms of updating the records with MOE every 3 years which my friend didn't do.

Hi MamaO, Be prepared to pay around $1600 - $2000 for the assessment especially if you want a complete report that can be used for MOE exemption from Chinese and accomodations for exams eg extra time, quiet room, etc.


By the way if you are considering looking at for an Educational Psychologist, do check out their credentials properly and ask them if they have experience writing reports for the purpose of getting MOE exemptions.

I consulted my friends who had done this and it really helps to work with a Psychologist who understands how MOE works.

By the way, the report for exemption only lasts 3 years. My friend whose kid got his assessment done in P2 was told that his exemption is "expired" at P5 and if he wants to be exempted at PSLE, he needs to go for another round of assessment. My friend paid another $1800 to get it done!!

the queen:

Hi all!


May i have your guidelines for simple dish to be cooked on weekdays? i am a full time working mum with the elder DS gg to primary school and yonger DS gg to childcare, may i know, for those in the same situation as me, how do you cope ? can cope? :scared:

I want to acknowledge you really wanting to provide a home-cooked meal for your children. It's wonderful because your nutritious food will go a long way to your kids having childhood memories of their mummy's cooking, even if it's very simple.

I'm blessed to have a maid now but in the past, when I was a younger FTWM with 2 young children at home & no maid, I would go home to cook. It takes planning but it's doable. I've suggested these dishes based on the consideration that the preparation should be simple and these are one-dish meals that have sufficient nutrition.

Here are some suggestions for one-dish meals:

1. Claypot chicken rice (But cooked in a rice cooker) - put in marinated cut-up chicken (from one whole chicken) together with the rice to cook. Half-way through, throw in sliced chinese mushrooms, chinese sausage, salted fish. Put in the vegetable at the last 2 mins to allow the steam to cook it. If you can, prepare the chicken the night before you sleep and have the chicken ready in the fridge together with the other ingredients. Chicken only need to be marinated with soya sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, pepper and a little black sauce for colour)

2. Chicken stew cooked in slow-cooker or cook when you come home in a stew pot. Put in carrots, potatoes, leek, and dried herbs such as oregano, tarragon. If you cook with a stew pot, do the following. Fry the cut-up chicken with chopped large onions & garlic in olive oil. When the onions are soft, you can throw in the carrots, potatoes, leek and fry a little, then pour in chicken stock (you can buy ready packets) or water and simmer for about 30-45mins. Sprinkle dried herbs when the stock is boiling and add some white cooking wine. To thicken the gravy, you may mash up some of the cooked potatoes or add corn-flour mixed with some water. Again you can prep the chicken the night before by marinating with a bit of oyster sauce, a little salt and pepper.

3. Chicken macaroni soup. Make the stock with a whole chicken. When the chicken is cooked after about 45mins, take the chicken out, debone and throw in the bones to cook the stock for another 45mins. Add salt to taste for the soup. Parboil some vegetables separately. Boil the macaroni separately. Serve with macaroni with soup and vegetables. Sometimes, to make it more attractive to my young kids, last time, I would make toasted small bread croutons for kids to garnish on their macaroni. Just cut up old break into small cubes & toast it. Your kids can help too!

Other one-dish meals that are great to try are shepherd pie, lasagne, yong tau foo soup, dry mee tai mak, fried rice.

Happy experimenting and most important, your children will appreciate you for it, even if not now, they will later in their life.

missrumphius:

beanbear:

[quote=\"missrumphius\"]Hi beanbear,


Very inspired to read about your exercise routines. Hubby and I are looking to kick-start our exercise routine. Can you share details about your fitness trainer? Thank you very much!

Hi there! Great to hear you & hubby will work out together. I'll pm you the details of my trainer. I just went to his new gym yesterday and had a great workout. I'm looking forward to looking good and feeling great during the chinese new year.

Previously when I started looking good, my hubby was inspired and went to workout with me also and he lost so much just after 2 months because men have more muscle mass. After our recent Sydney trip, he's put on so much coz of the drinking of beer & wine every day!! For men, that's usually the key obstacle. They like to chill out & drink but that's alot of calories.

Hi beanbear,

Thanks again for the pm. I read through the website carefully this time, and I quote from it \"Only the priviledged, high society people and serious exercisers are patrons to this studio.\". Their fees are not easily affordable for most people. I sincerely thank you for your generous sharing, but I have to say it is a bit intimidating given their fees and the kind of clients they service. Not sure it is suitable for us. Thanks again.[/quote]hehe, my trainer does work with some \"who's who\" in society but I'm certainly not one of them!

It's best you give the trainer a call and just talk to him. He's very nice, I assure you, down to earth and simple kind of person but he's serious about his clients and I guess some of the stuff he writes on the website is to ward off those who are not serious about doing this. His rates are negotiable so it's ok to just have a chat with him.

We lose 10% metabolic rate every decade and once you’re in your late 30s to 40s, you will be putting on weight even if you maintain your lifestyle & eating habits. If you do a little exercise, you may ward off a little bit of weight gain but it’s really a battle of the bulge because metabolic rate is very hard to bring up.


I’ve learnt alot from my different trainers & reading the past few years. This is what I’ve discerned. If you’re a busy person, you want to be efficient about your workout, ie you want to gain maximum benefits with short amount of time eg 30mins. What kind of benefits? Ahh…here comes the science bit. Muscle gain is critical for raising metabolic rate gain. If you do cardio interval training, you can get better stamina & burn lots of calories. But the moment you stop your routine even for a week, you body will not be burning calories as efficiently as you were during your exercise week.

But if you put in some resistance weight training during your 30mins, you will be gaining muscle, then your body continues to burn even after your workout has ended. Do this over several months, you’ll find that your body is burning calories more efficiently and inches fall off your waist!!

The other key factor i’ve discovered is regulating your sugar intake. Sugar comes in all forms and we may be consuming alot of unnecessary & empty calories than we are aware of. I know of people who make one key difference in their diet and they see a change. One client I was coaching changed from taking 3 tsp of sugar in his coffee to just having coffee without sugar. He lost 1 kg in one month without changing other parts of his lifestyle. He just needed to change and monitor his sugar intake which was usually "hidden" inside his beverages and then he could see a change after that.

Funz:

beanbear, where is the gym?

It's in the west near holland/commonwealth area.