Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Today is the first day of 2013 and I will not let this day pass without making my New Year's resolution.

1. The first thing in my list is to lose the excess weight that I gained from eating too much during the Christmas holidays and get back on track again :).

2. The next thing in my list is to control my impulse buying habit, stop splurging on things that I like, and spend less on things that I don't need or nice to have things, so that I can save more.

3. The third in my list is to read more books this year. I have not read much last year and this year I resolve to read more.

4. The last thing in my list to finish my unfinished cross-stitch project that I started almost 2 years ago but stopped last year due to busy schedule.

I hope I will be able to fulfill my New Year's resolution. Wish me luck!

9 Days Before Christmas

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree. 

It's nine (9) days before Christmas and I am still busy with all my remaining items in my to do list at work before I go on vacation.  The past weeks have been very busy for me at work. I will be going on a month long vacation in my home country starting 18th December, that's why I need to complete all the remaining work items in my to do list. I only have one working day left, but still a lot of things to do. Oh well, with the way things are going, I will be most likely working during my Christmas break.  I only hope I can find time to post some new stories while on vacation. For now, I need to focus on my work so I can complete all the things that I have to finish and enjoy my vacation without thinking of unfinished tasks at work.

Christmas is indeed more fun in the Philippines. That's why, I am sooo looking forward to my vacation and spending Christmas with my family.  I miss the parols, bibingka, puto bumbong, Christmas lights, and Simbang gabi. One thing for sure, I'll be home for Christmas :)).

Puto bumbong

Christmas lights

Parol

Bibingka

Belen

It's December!

It's already December, the last month of 2012.  In a few weeks time, we will soon be bidding goodbye to 2012.  Time flies really fast. The time to pack and leave Japan for good is coming closer and closer.  Thinking about this makes me feel sad :(.

But of course I am so thankful to the Lord for giving me this opportunity to work on an international assignment here in Japan. I prayed hard for this international assignment when I was still based in our Manila office and I am really thankful to God because He answered my prayers.

Now, I am making the most of my remaining stay here in Japan. That's why I didn't let the month of November pass by without going to Kyoto to view those wonderful and colorful Autumn trees. As expected, Kyoto was so jam-packed with tourists and Japanese.

So nice to take pictures of the colorful trees.  I really really love Kyoto! I will come back to this place again in February and April.

Kirin Mets - Fat Busting Cola

Here's another fat busting cola that is being sold in Japan - Kirin Mets Cola.

This is my third post about fat busting drinks that are being sold in Japan. I am just amazed that fat busting cola is now becoming a popular beverage in Japan :).  Kirin Mets Cola was launched in April 2012. This fat busting cola was introduced first before the Pepsi Special fat blocking soda.  What's next? Maybe Coke will also launch its own fat busting cola in the next few months.

And here's what I got from google about this product (source: www.foodstuff)

Japan is renowned for its prodigious and eclectic-to-bizarre product innovation when it comes to food and beverages - and recently, giant beverage maker, Kirin, released the "first-ever" health food cola in April. The drink is called Kirin Mets Cola. According to the company, the drink contains an indigestible form dextrin sometimes used as a fibre supplement, which restricts the body’s ability to absorb fat while eating. It contains no sweeteners and has strong carbonation for a refreshing feel. They also claim that blood tests performed in house after consuming the beverage prove the drink keeps levels of neutral fats low after eating.

An increasing health consciousness, particularly among 30-something males, combined with the indisputable fact that high-calorie, delicious foods like hamburgers, pizza and chips just cry out for a cola accompaniment, has led to the development of this fat-busting drink, says Kirin.

The company adds its target demographic is guys who love cola but are worried about their weight, as well as former customers who have stopped buying soft drinks for health reasons. With Mets Cola, they hope to welcome them back with open arms.

I have tasted Kirin Mets and I like the taste better than Pepsi Special.  The taste is somewhere between the regular and diet coke. But this is still a softdrink so I will only drink it once in a while to satisfy my craving for cola :).

Healthya - Fat Burning Drink

I have heard of this healthy drink that claims to burn body fat - Healthya is the brand name. This product is produced by Kao and it's only available in Japan.

Product Features

Approved as a Food for Specified Health Use by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare.

Approved Health Claim

Due to high content of tea catechin, this drink promotes fat utilization as energy and is suitable for people who are concerned about body fat.

Well, I am one of those who are concerned about body fat.  So, I am a prime prospect of this product :).  Before I decided to lose weight last year, my %body fat was above the upper limit. I managed to bring it down to the normal level, through exercise and diet. After achieving my weight loss goal, my body weight has now stabilized. I continue to work out everyday but I am not losing weight anymore, but I can feel that my muscles are more toned now.  If I can still bring down my % body fat, then it would be a bonus.  

I want to try this Healthya drink and see if the claim is true. But, I think I have to drink it regularly to see the benefit. I will take this as a challenge. If I don't lose body fat after one month, then I will stop drinking this, haha!

And now the challenge begins... today is my day 1.

Pepsi Special Fat Blocking Soda - Only in Japan

A new soda, Pepsi Special has just been launched in Japan. It claims that it helps reduce body fat.  Hmmm, sounds too good to be true.

I'm not a fan of diet sodas because I know diet sodas are unhealthy.  But, I got curious of this new product that claims that it can help get rid of fat, and so I bought 2 bottles this afternoon when I went to Daie supermarket so I that I can give it a try :).  It tastes good, just like diet Pepsi or Coke. But I am still not convinced that it can really get rid of fat.

Here's something that I got from my google research.

In Japan, the Suntory beverage company -- PepsiCo's sole distributor in Japan since 1997 -- is marketing "Pepsi Special," a black-and-gold bottle featuring "dextrin," which the company claims is a fiber that blocks fat absorption. Suntory also claims that Pepsi Special reduces "the postprandial rise in triglycerides in the blood."

The implication seems to be that drinking Pepsi Special while eating will somehow reduce the amount of fat you digest. The brand is being advertised as a "FOSHU" product, shorthand for "food specified health use." Black and gold was chosen to impart "a sense of luxury."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/pepsi-special-fat-blocking-soda-in-japan-2012-11#ixzz2Crbe48Zo

Be Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The Beauty of Autumn

Why do I love Autumn? The answer is simple. The beauty and wonder of Autumn never ceases to amaze me. There is nothing more beautiful than the colorful trees of Autumn.

Rokko Island is just so beautiful again with all the changing color of the Autumn leaves.  I will really miss this place, my second home since 2007,  and  most especially the Autumn season, my favorite season of the year.  If my stay in Japan will not be extended to December next year, then this will be my last Autumn season in Japan, sigh :((. 

I went jogging around Greenbelt this morning and I got the chance to take these beautiful pictures of colorful Autumn trees using my phone camera :).  

Photo Apps

I love the photo applications on iPad and iPhone :). It's just so easy to design and make the photos look artistic and catchy by using these apps. Creating photo collages and designing the pictures with different backgrounds is also very easy with these apps.  My favorite apps are the "Girls Camera" for the cute frames and designs and "GQ Image" for creating collages.

Here are my sample pictures using these photo apps :).