Both the pavement and the belly. Let’s start with the roadwork. Oh, thank heaven for the 7-Eleven debut Hash. There’s a first time for everything, and we were the first Kennel in the Philippines to participate in this twice-a-year event. We started out on the seventh day of the eleventh month at 11:07 a.m. and visited seven 7-Eleven stores on our 7.11K journey. Okay, it turned out to be a little over 8K, but we tried! Here’s how it looked:
I bought some hats for the occasionAll dressed up and ready to go. Well, except for the shoes, but they are outside.A Jeepney ride to the start of the trail in Manga Vacca7-Eleven #1in Subic’s Manga Vacca barangay
In Hash fashion, the tradition calls for having a beverage at each stop along the way. I had four beers and two Cokes during the journey (nothing at the last stop, I saved that beer for the On-Home at IDM).
The Gash drank soju at each stopTwelve in attendance for the debut of the Subic Bay 7-Eleven HashersCheers!Heading out to store #2And there it be!Downtown Subic near the market place.Everybody’s hereTagay!Then on to our next stopTo B or not to B? Ay, who cares!It’s not the first time I’ve walked this stretch of highwayStore #3 in CalapandayanDrink up!Time out along the way for a cookie deliveryThat’s my girl!Store #4 in CalapacuanAn unexplained uptick in soju sales for 7-Elevens yesterdayThis place needs to up its game to achieve 7-Eleven heights.And onward we march!A 7-Eleven sighting just ahead!Store #5 in MatainSee you next time, Subic townStore #6 on Baloy road in BarrettoDiet? What diet? The beer was cold and wet, just the way I like itThe girls were still going strong despite the soju infusionsAnd at last, the seventh and final stop on our convenience trek.Not a bad way to fill some hours.
Right upstairs from this 7-Eleven is a videoke joint. Some of the gals headed up there to enjoy the aircon and sing some songs.
The rejoined us at IDM an hour or so laterI wound up ending my day at IDM. Originally, I planned to go home, nap, shower, and then head back into town. But I determined I’d had enough of a good thing, and we ended our day around when we usually start. Again, not bad for a change.
Early to bed, early to rise. And it’s Friday, the one week anniversary of my diet. Time for a weigh-in to see how I’m doing:
November 1: 267.1
November 8: 258.7
Net loss: 8.4 pounds
Well, that was a bit surprising. I doubt I will continue to lose that much week-to-week, but it is good to know my efforts are paying off so far.
My belly circumference went from 52″ down to 50″. My waist remains at 44.
We can’t find anything keto locally, but Swan has had success ordering online:
Keto pancake mix, syrup, and cerealAnd the almond flour finally arrived. We’ll see what Swan comes up with using this low-carb alternative.My first-ever keto pancakeAnd with sugar-free syrup on top
It wasn’t bad. I can’t put my finger on what was different taste-wise, but it wasn’t the same flavor that I’m used to. Still, quite edible and better than no pancakes in the future.
And I rounded out the breakfast with bacon and fruits.
Onward and hopefully downward, I go!
Time for a stroll down memory lane:
Whenever you travel, Filipino culture dictates that you are to bring back pasalubong (gifts) for your friends and acquaintances.This is the bounty i bought two years ago in Cambodia.And the Cambodian bargirl of the those long-ago days
I posted this one year ago, and I’m happy to report that the American people took heed:
Hoping for better days ahead
Today’s YouTube video is a short one from Joy of the Jungle. She’s not to good at vlogging, but bless her heart, she tries.
Let’s have some fun:
Did you hide him down under?Can I hitch a ride? I’ve got some mistakes I’d like to fix.Man, I hate when that happens
Alright, Friday evening has almost arrived. I’m going to give Swan her beach fix. There’s a new place on Baloy I want to check out. Plus, I want to see if the floating bar has made its reappearance yet. Tell you all about it tomorrow.
8 thoughts on “Pounding it down”
7-Eleven #1 in Subic’s Manga Vacca barangay
I got curious about the “Manga Vacca” name, but when I looked it up, I got “Barangay Mangan-Vaca,” with a hyphen (see here, for example).
Store #3 in Calapandayan
Some of these photos are horizontally flipped.
An unexplained uptick in soju sales for 7-Elevens yesterday
Is soju really that popular among PI women? What about Japanese shochu?
This place needs to up its game to achieve 7-Eleven heights.
Interesting to see “5-Fifteen.” In Korea, the number “25” often signifies how hard people are working: not just 24 hours a day, but 25 hours a day (think of the Beatles singing “eight days a week”). A popular convenience store here is, as you know, GS25.
A 7-Eleven sighting just ahead!
I assume all of this was mapped out in advance. Was it all road, or were there moments on the trail when you had to cross over mountains?
Net loss: 8.4 pounds
Congrats! But remember that the first 10 pounds of any diet (lifestyle change) are almost always just water. Now, you’ve got to keep the weight down and start losing actual fat.
We can’t find anything keto locally, but Swan has had success ordering online
That’s great, but be careful with ready-to-eat products labeled “keto.” A lot of them have carbs in hidden places. Keto overlaps with the “primal” diet, which basically calls for eating as much unprocessed food as possible. The closer the food is to coming out of the ground or off the hoof, the better. Seasoning should be minimal—salt and pepper. The keto side of things would be to minimize carbs. Most fruits are super carby; stick with berries, which are generally high in fiber and have a relatively low glycemic index (20-ish). No dried fruit (or only a sprinkling, as on a salad)—dried fruits are “carb bombs” because, being dried, they have concentrated amounts of carbs per unit volume.
As your other commenter suggested (and as I’ve commented before), minimize your insulin spikes by drinking beer and eating less frequently. Every time you eat, every time you drink beer (or soda, or whatever), you’re spiking your blood sugar, which spikes your insulin. Think about doing intermittent fasting, maybe a 16-8 window: 16 hours of fasting, 2 meals in an 8-hour window. Beer only with meals if you absolutely must have your beer. No breakfast, then lunch at noonish and dinner at 6-ish. That’s not unreasonable, is it? No dessert later on, or if you do have dessert, have it along with dinner and make sure it’s keto. (Pecan pie should be a once-a-month cheat-day indulgence.)
Insulin is a good hormone in that it lowers your blood sugar, but it’s a bad hormone in that it promotes fat storage. This is why weight loss is tied to minimizing your insulin spikes.
Since you’re pretty good at staying below your calorie budget, adjust your budget to 1800 calories max, and let that be your new standard. I’m not suggesting you starve yourself; if anything, feel free to stuff yourself on foods with a low calorie density (leafy salads, etc., not carby veggies like taters, carrots, etc.).
A reminder that I’ve written about the two major and seemingly conflicting theories of dieting: CICO and CIM. See here. Continued good luck!
“She’s not to good at vlogging….”
And you’re not TOO good at proofreading.
I do enjoy my friendly nitpicking.
Cheers!
Yep, I’m bad. But at least I provide some motivation for you to read my blog! 🙂
Kevin, Mangan-Vaca appears to be the “official” spelling. So, I misspelled and mis-hyphenated. In my defense, I wrote it like it sounds to me. I’ve also seen it written as one word and also as “Manggahan.” Good catch, though!
The photos in this post came mostly from the Hash Facebook page and were taken by several different members of the group. I assume by “horizontal flip,” you are referring to the backward writing that occurred during selfie mode.
Soju is indeed very popular with the ladies here. I see it even in the smallest of stores. I have never seen the Japanese version, though.
Yeah, I figured the “5-Fifteen” was just a play of the 7-Eleven name. If I recall, there are a lot more GS-25 stores than 7-Elevens in Korea.
Thanks for the link and your diet advice. Especially this one: ‘by drinking beer and eating less frequently.” So, that means if I get hungry, drink beer. Got it! (I’m joking, of course). Seriously, I do get what you are saying, and I will re-read your post on CICO, which is probably the foundation of my current plan. I’m trying to minimize carb intake, but not to a keto level. At least not yet. So, no sweets at all, and I’m avoiding the obvious carby things like bread and potatoes. If my hybrid diet plan doesn’t work out, I’ll consider the intermittent fasting routine, although I question if I have the self-discipline to pull that off. I just went back and checked, and I’ve been under 1800 daily calories for six of the eight days I’ve been dieting. So, an 1800 max should be doable.
Thanks for your encouragement and support!
Article recently about 7-11 in the US closing a bunch (1000+(?)) stores. In addition to shopping habits changing including on line shopping, another hit to 7-11 has been the decrease in smoking rates. Cigarette sales used to be a pretty significant portion of their sales and those have decreased quite a bit. I am guessing that vapes and things like Zyn pouches have not made up the deficit.
Brian, it has been shocking to read about all the chain stores that are shutting down stores. In part, it is the online shopping thing. Also, unencumbered retail theft. And inflation emptying wallets for discretionary spending. I hadn’t heard 7-Eleven was in the same boat.
I’ve also seen it written as one word and also as “Manggahan.” Good catch, though!
Yes, that spelling is also at the link I provided. But I wasn’t suggesting changing your spelling over to a completely different word; I just wondered about the “Manga Vacca” part. For further study: what’s the relationship between the two names, “Manggahan” and “Barangay Mangan-Vaca”? Why two names? Is the first one ever “Baranguay Manggahan”?
Kev, I’m not sure about that apparent dual naming. I hear people calling in Manggahan frequently, but all the signage I see says “Mangan-Vaca” (sometimes Vacca). Another of life’s mysteries.
7-Eleven #1 in Subic’s Manga Vacca barangay
I got curious about the “Manga Vacca” name, but when I looked it up, I got “Barangay Mangan-Vaca,” with a hyphen (see here, for example).
Store #3 in Calapandayan
Some of these photos are horizontally flipped.
An unexplained uptick in soju sales for 7-Elevens yesterday
Is soju really that popular among PI women? What about Japanese shochu?
This place needs to up its game to achieve 7-Eleven heights.
Interesting to see “5-Fifteen.” In Korea, the number “25” often signifies how hard people are working: not just 24 hours a day, but 25 hours a day (think of the Beatles singing “eight days a week”). A popular convenience store here is, as you know, GS25.
A 7-Eleven sighting just ahead!
I assume all of this was mapped out in advance. Was it all road, or were there moments on the trail when you had to cross over mountains?
Net loss: 8.4 pounds
Congrats! But remember that the first 10 pounds of any diet (lifestyle change) are almost always just water. Now, you’ve got to keep the weight down and start losing actual fat.
We can’t find anything keto locally, but Swan has had success ordering online
That’s great, but be careful with ready-to-eat products labeled “keto.” A lot of them have carbs in hidden places. Keto overlaps with the “primal” diet, which basically calls for eating as much unprocessed food as possible. The closer the food is to coming out of the ground or off the hoof, the better. Seasoning should be minimal—salt and pepper. The keto side of things would be to minimize carbs. Most fruits are super carby; stick with berries, which are generally high in fiber and have a relatively low glycemic index (20-ish). No dried fruit (or only a sprinkling, as on a salad)—dried fruits are “carb bombs” because, being dried, they have concentrated amounts of carbs per unit volume.
As your other commenter suggested (and as I’ve commented before), minimize your insulin spikes by drinking beer and eating less frequently. Every time you eat, every time you drink beer (or soda, or whatever), you’re spiking your blood sugar, which spikes your insulin. Think about doing intermittent fasting, maybe a 16-8 window: 16 hours of fasting, 2 meals in an 8-hour window. Beer only with meals if you absolutely must have your beer. No breakfast, then lunch at noonish and dinner at 6-ish. That’s not unreasonable, is it? No dessert later on, or if you do have dessert, have it along with dinner and make sure it’s keto. (Pecan pie should be a once-a-month cheat-day indulgence.)
Insulin is a good hormone in that it lowers your blood sugar, but it’s a bad hormone in that it promotes fat storage. This is why weight loss is tied to minimizing your insulin spikes.
Since you’re pretty good at staying below your calorie budget, adjust your budget to 1800 calories max, and let that be your new standard. I’m not suggesting you starve yourself; if anything, feel free to stuff yourself on foods with a low calorie density (leafy salads, etc., not carby veggies like taters, carrots, etc.).
A reminder that I’ve written about the two major and seemingly conflicting theories of dieting: CICO and CIM. See here. Continued good luck!
“She’s not to good at vlogging….”
And you’re not TOO good at proofreading.
I do enjoy my friendly nitpicking.
Cheers!
Yep, I’m bad. But at least I provide some motivation for you to read my blog! 🙂
Kevin, Mangan-Vaca appears to be the “official” spelling. So, I misspelled and mis-hyphenated. In my defense, I wrote it like it sounds to me. I’ve also seen it written as one word and also as “Manggahan.” Good catch, though!
The photos in this post came mostly from the Hash Facebook page and were taken by several different members of the group. I assume by “horizontal flip,” you are referring to the backward writing that occurred during selfie mode.
Soju is indeed very popular with the ladies here. I see it even in the smallest of stores. I have never seen the Japanese version, though.
Yeah, I figured the “5-Fifteen” was just a play of the 7-Eleven name. If I recall, there are a lot more GS-25 stores than 7-Elevens in Korea.
Thanks for the link and your diet advice. Especially this one: ‘by drinking beer and eating less frequently.” So, that means if I get hungry, drink beer. Got it! (I’m joking, of course). Seriously, I do get what you are saying, and I will re-read your post on CICO, which is probably the foundation of my current plan. I’m trying to minimize carb intake, but not to a keto level. At least not yet. So, no sweets at all, and I’m avoiding the obvious carby things like bread and potatoes. If my hybrid diet plan doesn’t work out, I’ll consider the intermittent fasting routine, although I question if I have the self-discipline to pull that off. I just went back and checked, and I’ve been under 1800 daily calories for six of the eight days I’ve been dieting. So, an 1800 max should be doable.
Thanks for your encouragement and support!
Article recently about 7-11 in the US closing a bunch (1000+(?)) stores. In addition to shopping habits changing including on line shopping, another hit to 7-11 has been the decrease in smoking rates. Cigarette sales used to be a pretty significant portion of their sales and those have decreased quite a bit. I am guessing that vapes and things like Zyn pouches have not made up the deficit.
Brian, it has been shocking to read about all the chain stores that are shutting down stores. In part, it is the online shopping thing. Also, unencumbered retail theft. And inflation emptying wallets for discretionary spending. I hadn’t heard 7-Eleven was in the same boat.
I’ve also seen it written as one word and also as “Manggahan.” Good catch, though!
Yes, that spelling is also at the link I provided. But I wasn’t suggesting changing your spelling over to a completely different word; I just wondered about the “Manga Vacca” part. For further study: what’s the relationship between the two names, “Manggahan” and “Barangay Mangan-Vaca”? Why two names? Is the first one ever “Baranguay Manggahan”?
Kev, I’m not sure about that apparent dual naming. I hear people calling in Manggahan frequently, but all the signage I see says “Mangan-Vaca” (sometimes Vacca). Another of life’s mysteries.