My Journey Called A!Life.

When I went back to blogging a year ago, all I had in mind was to do what I love to do the most - write. Back then, all I wanted was to end my blogging hiatus, pick up from where I left off, and start writing again. I knew nothing about Alexa stats, page rankings, giveaway hops, or sponsored posts. And I have never, in a million years, thought that blogging would land me THIS.

Livin' the A!Life!

The highlight of my stint as a Brand Ambassador for A!Life, and perhaps the biggest break so far in my blogging career - a product advertisement with me on it! Craaaaa-zy, I know! :)

We did the photoshoot last October at the Summit Media Studio, where I finally had the chance to meet my fellow brand ambassadors Dominique Tiu and Martha Sta. Barbara, plus the winners of the Take Control! Live the A!Life contest Kai Grafia and Ruby Papio. Our wardrobe and accessories were provided by Mango, while our 'makeover' was done by a professional makeup artist and a professional hair stylist.

In the midst of this fun chaos that is the A!Life photoshoot, Domz, Martha, Kai, Ruby, and I all sat down for a fun and laidback interview with Cosmo.ph. Each of us were given an A!Life product to represent, and since I am the oldest in the bunch, (and no, I'm not afraid to admit that I'm even turning 31 TODAY) I was given A!Life Restore. It's an anti-aging supplement which contains Injuv, a Hyaluronic acid that restores moisture from within the cells, rejuvenates the skin, and prevents the onset of fine lines and wrinkles.

And with that, we're now on the Lifestyle Picks section of Cosmo.ph, where our photos and interviews are featured individually. Here's how my spread looks like.

Restore and Control.

Pretty amazing, huh? Quite an achievement too, considering I've been blogging mainstream for just a year plus the fact that I am hardly seen - unheard of, even - at social events. And to be pitched by a pharmaceutical company as reputable as Pascual Laboratories is truly overwhelming. I am most grateful for having been given this wonderful opportunity!

And to those who have been with me since Day One of my A!Life journey - Zel and Mich of Yehey!, Ms. Elaine of HN Laguna, my blog readers and followers, thank you for being with me every step of the way! All of this wouldn't have been possible without you! Ever onward! :)

Take Control, and Just Dance.

I was doing well with my high-fiber diet... until Mum decided to go out for dinner last Thursday, and have pizza. And If there's one dish that can make really me cheat on my diet, this is it. I mean, really, is there anyone out there who can resist the beck and call of ham, bacon, pepperoni, and cheese?

Pizza is my Kryptonite. It's the one food that I find hard - if not impossible - to refuse. Just the thought of sinking my teeth into that cheese-filled dough is enough to break my defenses down.

Good thing there's A!life Control to help me during these trying (haha!) times.

As I have mentioned before, A!life Control is a food supplement that contains Phase 2™, an all-natural extract from white kidney beans. Proven in multiple clinical studies to minimize the absorption of carbohydrates, this breakthrough ingredient is an essential arsenal in battling against weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

In my case, it's my secret weapon in making sure that carbs don't load up on my thighs and hips. Haha! That way, I get to enjoy my share of pizza, pasta, and mozarella sticks.

And I make amends by doing Zumba twice or thrice a week. Either that, or I play Just Dance on Mum's new XBox with my sibs.

It's remarkable how being an A!life Brand Ambassador made me live a healthier and more active lifestyle once again. Being a stay-at-home, full-time, hands-on Mom for almost four years kept me from doing the sports activities that I used to do - like jogging by the lake, playing badminton, and playing football, the sport that I love the most.

Given the chance, I would love to play football again. If my doctor clears me of my leg injury, I'd go back to the field in a heartbeat! But for the meantime, I can just sweat it out with Mum's Kinect and Bradley's Crazy Socks.

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, 

one must first discipline and control one's own mind. 

If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, 

and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him. - Buddha

Spazz Saturday #4 | Zumba. Kpop. ALife!

This week's edition of Spazz Saturday is all about fitness!


Oh yes. I've been bitten by the Zumba bug. And because I want my Zumba sessions to be more fun and interesting, I searched online for workout routines using Kpop music. This is how I stumbled upon Crazy Sock TV - the official YouTube channel of fitness instructor Bradley Sutton.

Bradley is a licensed fitness instructor who specializes in the Zumba Fitness program. From a "265 pound sumo wrestling out-of-shape guy with no dance experience", Bradley became the 185 pound, healthy, dance fitness maniac who wears crazy socks and the Coolest Shoes.
Based in San Marcos, California, Bradley currently holds classes at the ShadowRidge Dance Center every Tuesday and Sunday.
Check out this 'I am the Best' workout routine by Bradley and friends - one of my favorites in his YouTube channel.

Bradley's Zumba videos, along with my low-carb, high-fiber diet PLUS A!Life Control are the perfect partners in the quest to regain my long-lost size 2 figure. Haha!

Oh, and you may now vote for your favorite photos in the Take Control, Live the A!Life promo! Voting period opens today, and ends on September 28, 2012. The two photos with the most 'likes' will be selected by the panel of judges and event organizers. Winners will be announced on October 5, 2012.

High-Fiber, Low Carb, A!Life!

Following my addiction to Mogu Mogu, I decided to take this fitness frenzy to the next level by going on a high-fiber diet this week. And the weeks to come.

Studies show that a high-fiber diet can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and help control blood sugar level, thereby reducing one's risk of diabetes and heart disease. For someone who wants to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, a high-fiber diet is the way to go.

Women my age should get at least 25 grams of fiber daily. Men, on the other hand, need 38 grams to fully enjoy all the health benefits of fiber. Some of the high-fiber food include apples, raspberries, peas, asparagus, and even air-popped popcorn. Of course, how can I forget bran flakes and whole wheat cereal, which is what I've been eating for breakfast AND dinner for the past seven days. 

I eat rice only once a day - lunchtime, specifically - and partner it with a viand containing high-fiber ingredients. For instance, this pinakbet which I cooked earlier.

Pinakbet + daing na bangus.

This traditional Filipino vegetable stew contains bitter melon, string beans, squash, and eggplant - all of which are packed with fiber. Partnered with daing na bangus (milkfish marinated in vinegar and garlic), this makes a really hearty meal!

Now before I eat a meal with rice, or anything laden with carbohydrates, I take Control (one tablet, to be exact) five to ten minutes before the meal. As I've mentioned before, this food supplement has the ability to minimize the body's carbohydrate absorption. Thanks to its active ingredient, Phase 2™, I can still enjoy a normal 'rice + viand' meal without having to worry about carbs going straight to my thighs and hips. Ah, the joys of living the A!Life!

Join me as I live the A!Life!

Like A!Life on Facebook for your daily source of health and nutrition tips! 
Follow A!Life on Twitter to keep tabs on the latest events and promos. 

Join the Take Control, Live the A!Life promo! 
Your A!Life story may win you cash, A!Life products, a makeover and photoshoot, plus the chance to appear with us Brand Ambassadors on Cosmo.ph!

Sharing with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

I Take Control and Live the A!life!

There was a point in my life when I was actually slim. I had a 26" waistline, no bulges or love handles, and wore size M, sometimes even size S clothes.

I was at my slimmest in 2007. 

Despite being a chubby kid who grew up to become an even chubbier adult, I somehow managed to achieve what my husband would call a 'vavavoom' figure. Thanks to Chinese herbal medicine (aka diet pills), football, dental braces and jaw therapy that made eating difficult, and three gum surgeries that made eating next to impossible, I was able to attain this 36-26-36 figure.

See that awkward smile on the left photo? This was during our company Christmas party back in 2006. 

I just had gum surgery two days prior, and I couldn't even eat. Let alone close my mouth properly!

But alas, this svelte-ness was short-lived!
I got pregnant in 2008 and gained a lot of weight in the process. I was so huge that some people actually thought I was carrying twins! And despite shedding some of those pregnancy pounds, regaining my pre-homemaker figure had been an uphill battle.

Hubby and I, plus our nephew Cholo at Yue's Christening, 2009.

Curly hair (plus unwanted fat). Yue's First Birthday, 2009.

Although I'm not the kind of person who lives with regrets, there are days when I wish I still had that body from 2007. In fact, I still keep my size 2 jeans (they've been relegated to the bottom-most drawer of my cabinet) with hopes of wearing them again one of these days. If I was able to do it before, then I can definitely do it again! All the more now that I TAKE CONTROL.

A!life Control is a food supplement that contains Phase 2™, an all-natural extract from white kidney beans. This breakthrough ingredient has been proven in multiple clinical studies to minimize the absorption of carbohydrates, the major culprit of our miseries - weight gain, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome to name a few.

A!life Control reduces the caloric impact of starchy foods, while lowering one’s glycemic index. The glycemic index is a ranking scale and system based on the effect of food on blood sugar. And while carbohydrate-based food have the greatest (negative) effect on blood sugar levels, it is rather ironic that some of my favorite food (think pizza, pasta, donuts, cinnamon rolls) rank very high in the glycemic index. Even rice, the staple food of Filipinos, is at the top of the ranking.

Thankfully, there's A!life Control to do the trick - one tablet taken five to ten minutes before eating a meal containing starch or carbohydrates. Combined with proper diet and regular exercise, I am well on my way to regaining my size 2 figure!

Join me as I live the A!life, as I Take Control and embrace a healthier lifestyle!

This is how I 'aegyo'. And I just had to squeeze this in. :)

Got an A!Life Control story? 

Share it on Facebook and be the next A!Life online ambassador! You get to win these amazing prizes, too!

1. Six (6) boxes of A!Life's complete supplement line

2. Cash prize worth Php 10,000

3. One (1) A! Life Umbrella

4. One (1) of the three gift certificates: 

• SM Gift Certificate (worth Php 2000)
• Executive Check- Up (valued at Php 2000) 
• Gym Pass (valued at Php 2000)

5. Professional makeover and photoshoot

6. Spread and feature at Cosmo.ph together with A!life Brand Ambassadors Martha Sta. Barbara (The Beauty Junkee), Dominique Tiu (Konichiwear) and Czjai Reyes-Ocampo (yes, that's me!)

To join, all you have to do is:
1. Like A!Life on Facebook AND follow them on Twitter.
2. Go to the contest app on the A!Life Facebook page.
3. Submit your best photo, with a description of how A!Life Control has helped you live the A!Life.

And do take note of the following guidelines when you join:

• Submission of entries is from August 20, 2012- September 14, 2012.
• Voting begins on September 15, 2012 and will end on September 28, 2012. Votes are equivalent to Facebook 'likes' on the contestant's photo. Voters must be fans of the A!Life Facebook page and Twitter followers as well.
• Two winners will be selected based on Facebook 'likes' and through the discretion of the event organizers.
• Winners will be announced on October 5, 2012 via the A!Life Facebook page.
• Winners will also be notified via email regarding the schedule of the Cosmo.ph photoshoot and claiming of prizes.

Looking forward to see your photos and read your stories! Best of all, I can't wait for the makeover and photoshoot session with you! Best of luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: This sponsored post is part of the Live the A!Life Campaign. Thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. Rest assured that I use/have used the aforementioned product/s, with no adverse reaction afterwards.