Month: March 2017

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Health

The Best Medicine: Laugh

Posted on by sonokotchi


I’ve been busy lately because it is end of Japanese fiscal year and also end of 1st Quarter.

I have many deadlines by tomorrow.

I try to finish them soonest possible because I want to leave office at 5 o’clock sharp.

My good friends are in town!

They always make me laugh.

With no exception, I laughed through tonight!

I suppose not to take any rice, but since they love sushi, we went to their favorite sushi restaurant for dinner.

I believe laughing is the best medicine. 

I also need to take care of feelinng, so I think I can be excused from dieting tonight (and few days).

Posted in Beauty, Cooking, Feelings, Food, Health, Mt. Fuji

No Salt, No Sugar, No Fat

Posted on by sonokotchi

I am practicing a new diet (eat meat, but no rice, flour and sugar) for two weeks.

Yes, I lost few kg and I’m keeping it. Yeah!

Today, I met my diet mentor (physical therapist) and was informed that I need to be careful of seasonings.

For example, Ponzu, it’s soy sauce with citrus, but a commercialized Ponzu uses fruit sugar and liquid sugar.

And salt; I need to cut salt totally.

Miso soup isn’t recommended to take because it’s too salty.

We can intake enough amino acid from meat.
Miso soup is Japanese traditional food; furthermore, miso is fermented and fermented food is known as good for body.
But it’s not recommended.

It seems my knowledge is outdated.

He advised me I shouldn’t grill a steak with salt; I should grill with pepper and garlic only.

He recommended to eat together with herbs such as coriander (paxi) to get flavour on breast chicken.

I eat Paxi when I eat Thai food or other ethnic food.

I never bought it, but I look for it at a supermarket tonight.

I tried a bite together with chicken, and I agree it tastes good.

I was in shock.

I need to further discipline myself.

When I saw this sophisticated bottle at supermarket, I decided to reward myself.

Mt. Fuji Sparkling Water.

Posted in Beauty, Feelings, Food, Health

Rizap Meal

Posted on by sonokotchi

Rizap is a new type of gym.

A gym gurantees to lose weight in two month by training you at the gym and guiding you what you should eat by your personal trainer.

If you didn’t lose weight by following a personal trainer, a gym will refund all your money.

It’s not cheap because your personal trainer will look after you in all angles: about JPY 350,000 (ISD 3,500) for two months.

This Rizap supervises diet food by collaborating with convenient stores, Family Mart.

I came back home late so I was lazy to cook tonight.

I tried this and it is nice.

This could be my lunch tomorrow…?

Posted in Beauty, Cooking, Feelings, Food, Health

Chicken Recipe 

Posted on by sonokotchi

I introduced a new way of diet yesterday.

Among all types of meat, chicken breast and chicken tenderloin are highly recommended.

But these parts are not juicy…

I need to cook differently to avoid getting board with chicken.

I cooked spicy chicken for tomorrow’s lunch. 

I don’t think any restaurant can make me full with meat (main dish) only; therefore, it is wise to bring a lunch from home.

I need more chicken recipe.

I also made a vegetable green smoothie for breakfast: soy milk, tomato and parsley.

I’m glad that I bought the air-vacuum smoothie maker!

Posted in Beauty, Cooking, Feelings, Food, Health

New Diet

Posted on by sonokotchi

My trainer is a body builder.

He goes on diet to control his weight.

He taught me what I should do: I should eat meat and vegetables only.

However, surprisingly I can eat as much as I want because an excess will be discharged.

After dinner, if I get hungry I can eat steak even late at night.

Wonderful!

And I shouldn’t feel hungry because I eat meat which keeps my stomach full.

But I shouldn’t eat any rice, flour products (bread, pasta, etc.), and sugar products.

I understand I shouldn’t eat any confectionery products, but I didn’t know I shouldn’t eat fruit!

I thought fruit is healthy and rich in enzyme, but I was told it contains high sugar fruit.

I make smoothie with kiwi and apple, but I was told I should avoid these.

Therefore, I made a smoothie with soy milk, tomato, parsley and carrot.

This is truly vegetable smoothie.

I lost few kg exercising this diet for a week.

My trainer told me I can have one day in a week to reward myself so I ate freely yesterday during socializing.

I look forward for the outcome!!  

Posted in Daily Life, Feelings, Friends, Tokyo

School Reunion

Posted on by sonokotchi

School reunion was organized at the school.

Instantly, we were all brought back to school days.

We haven’t seen each other for years, but we all laughed through the event.

We walked around the school with sentimental feelings.

It was so nice to see old friends and TEACHERS.

Our bond is there and precious. 

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, Surprise, Tokyo

Omotenashi (Japanese Hospitality)

Posted on by sonokotchi

I had dinner with my old friends from Malaysia.

We enjoyed Robata Yaki (grilled) in Shinjuku.


We haven’t met for years so we laughed throughout dinner, sharing good memories.

We were asked for last order; we said we are fine.

Then light went out.

I thought there is a problem with the light, worried.

Then a lady who has been serving our table neared to us with a welcoming plate.

It’s simple, but touching.

This is my first time posting a photo that I didn’t take.

We were all feeling overwhelmed.

I didn’t want to spoil the moment so I asked my friend to share a photo with me.

 

All of us are overwhelmed by this.

I am so proud to show my friends Japanese warm hospitality: OMOTENASHI.

The chemistry was right: good friends, good food and good moment.

It is a wonderful night.

Posted in Beauty, Feelings, Food, Health, Surprise

Nuts

Posted on by sonokotchi

I try to replace my snacks to nuts.

Now I love nuts and I cannot stop eating.

Today I check its nutritious facts…it’s high in CALORY and high in FATS!

Really…?

I’m addicted; I cannot stop eating… Ooops

I didn’t know it’s addictive…dangerous.

On the other hand, there is nuts diet – we won’t suffer from hunger and get good nutrious facts from nuts. 

Hummm I didn’t know that.

I try to be careful, not to overeat.

Posted in Action, Beauty, Books & Magazines, Daily Life, Exercise, Feelings, Health

Mindfulness

Posted on by sonokotchi

Nowadays I can easily find the word, mindfulness, on Japanese women’s magazines.

There are many magazines at my beauty salon and I read about it briefly the other day.

Today, I was standing in a train on the way to my dermatologist.

I needed to hold a rail because a train was packed. 

Since I was holding a rail, I cannot play with my mobile.

I looked outside, but I couldn’t see anything because windows were all fogged up due to a cold rain.

I remembered MINDFULNESS.

I didn’t close my eyes, but my surrounding created a perfect situation to listen to my feeling.

I have frustration.

While waiting for my turn at the dermatologist, I browsed on internet to learn more about MINDFULNESS.
Now it’s time to listen to my feelings to love myself more.

Perhaps, I can practice while I’m taking a bath because I sit in a bathtub for 10 – 15 mins in nice aroma and I’m relaxed.

 

Posted in Action, Beauty, Experience, Feelings, Food, Friends, Health

Detoxing

Posted on by sonokotchi

I was off line for a while.

It wasn’t my will but I detoxed this weekend, both physically and digitally.

I had good days and bad days and bad days eventually forced me to detox.

Last week, I was busy with good days.

Weekend: I went to Wakayama Prefecture to visit temples and enjoy being in nature – ocean, waterfall and mountains & trees.

Monday: I went to gym.

Tuesday: I went to an ear doctor for check up – nothing is wrong, I can go for more diving!

Wednesday: I went to body work.

Thursday: I went to see physical trainer.

Friday: I had girls’ night. We had so much fun so we had a little too much of red wine.


Saturday: I had a hangover and I slept through a day.
Sunday: I was feeling better, but I felt tired and slept through another day.

Monday: It is a Japanese national holiday (Spring Equinox Day); therefore, my office is closed. I finally woke up and be active: doing laundry, cleaning room, even went to beauty salon to get my hair done.

Since I slept through Saturday and Sunday, I didn’t eat and I open SNS.

I was forced to detox; but I feel fresh.

My body is lighter (lost few kg over weekend) and my mind is lighter (didn’t care about message – I only noticed I received few today).

It’s difficult to detox for me because I don’t have a strong will.

It is a perfect timing to change my diet – eating meat and vegetables only.

Let’s see how it works.

I will share more about it after getting result on me.