GreySneakers Diaries

When I started going to the gym almost 5 years ago I couldn't run. I climbed the stairs to my office lobby with great difficulty and couldn't run at all. My right knee was giving me problems beside having to carry such a heavy body weight. I could do the crosstrainer, stationary bikes, elliptical and stepper at the gym but I couldn't even jog on the treadmill. When I joined GX classes, the instructor always reminded me to do the 'options'. I.e no jumping, no hopping and no quick lunges. After about 6 months of regular exercise I tried running but my joints were still not good enough. I started using guards to protect them. I could jog for a few minutes after about a year or so. My joints got stronger but I started to feel breathless after 3 minutes of slow jog. I knew I was still not fit enough to run. The fact is I was never a runner. Back in high school, I participated in the 100m and 400m races because they were compulsory. I also participated in the annual ...

.... one size!!! Hooray!!!!!! Aaaah..... I went to collect my renewed Ms Read card last week and while the sales assistant was searching for my card, I picked up a few skirts and blouses. When I handed the clothes over to another sales assistant for her to take them off the hangers she told me, 'I don't think you wear this size.' I checked the size of each cloth again, 'Yes, this is my size....' I was so sure because I have been wearing size X for like 4 years now. In 2005 I was still wearing size X+1. I managed to drop 1 dress size after one year of exercising (although not that regularly) at the gym. The sales assistant disappeared for awhile and came back with the same designs of clothes which I took earlier but all of them were size X-1. She insisted that I tried them on. I was rather excited and entered the changing room with 4 blouses and 4 skirts. Usually we are only allowed to try out 3 pieces of clothes at one go, right? But at Ms Read they're...

On Thursday, two male work colleagues told me that I looked like I've lost some weight. Guy #1 asked what I've done. I simply told him that I've been taking lighter breakfast and eat home-cooked food for dinner. He didn't believe me. Guy #2 asked whether I've been seriously working out. Well, it's a widely known fact that I used to be a 'moody' gym-goer. I only worked out when I was really in the mood. I told him the same thing about the breakfast. It's true, I have been having cereal with milk for breakfast. I bought one packet everyweek. The cereal I chose was a mix of nut, fruit, seed and oat and it's low in sugar content. Usually I took half a cup every morning and it made me feel full until about 11 a.m. Then it's already time for my morning snack. These days I stock up some healthy biscuits in my drawer as I've sworn to myself that I won't have those oily, salty chips for snacking anymore. Lunch time is the only time when I c...