How I Lost my Pregnancy Weight Fast

It’s fun to eat, and it’s even more tempting when you’re pregnant. All the cravings lead to excess weight, if not eaten with control. But oh well, you’re pregnant. You have the right to eat.

After giving birth, getting rid of the weight and fats acquired during pregnancy is the huge challenge.

So what did I do to lose the pregnancy weight in just a few weeks?

1) Breastfeed. Breastfeeding burns around 500 calories.

2) Eat well and eat healthy. This is both for you and your baby. Maintain a balanced diet especially when breastfeeding.

3) Exercise. As soon as my body was ready, I gradually started light workouts like walking. I switched to more intense ones when I fully recovered.

The key is to have discipline and self-control. If I was able to do it, so can you.

How to Move on After a Breakup

I know how you feel. I’ve been there. The pain is indescribable and you are hurting badly. You slept through the night lonely and crying, only to wake up the other day with the same broken heart.

I guarantee that you can move on and be happy again after a breakup, no matter how bad it is. Here are my 5 expert tips:

1) Pour it all out. Talk with someone you trust about how you feel. Cry it out at night if you want to. Hit the punching bag to spill out all of your pain inside. The point is to release the tension and the unexpressed feelings, especially those that hurt beyond words.

2) Get rid of the thing that remind you of your relationship. Keep your photos and other relationship memorabilia out of your sight. This will help you refocus your mind on other things and moving on.

3) Get busy. Ever wondered why we get saddest at night? Because during that time we are not as busy as we are during daytime. If you don’t have anything to think about or keep your mind busy with, you’ll end up thinking about your good times together and your break up. You can get busy with a hobby, go to the gym, or travel. Time will pass and you’ll soon be able to move on.

4) Go out with your friends and family. Go spend time with your family and friends. Do the things that you couldn’t do with them when you were still in a relationship. You will realize how much you are loved.

5) Pray and give it time. Why pray? Because God can mend your broken heart. It takes time. Live one day at a time and you’ll get over the heartache. Don’t jump into another relationship too fast. Pray and lift your future relationships to God. He is the best author of love stories.

Top 5 Long Distance Date Ideas

Who said couples in a long distance relationship can’t have a romantic date? With the technological advances nowadays, long distance dates are possible, not to mention those hug vests and the like which make you feel real hugs.

Here are 5 great date ideas, in no particular order, for you and your loved one miles away:

1) Watch a movie. Watch a movie on your computer together during videochat. You can share screen or focus one cam on the TV. Don’t forget the popcorn!

2) Play games. Play online games or those small fun games provided in your chat platform.

3) Eat together. You can eat together while on videochat. If conditions permit, you can also watch each other cook and prepare meals.

4) Accompany each other “virtually” in different activities. Show each other what’s keeping you busy. May it be washing the dishes or doing the laundry. This may be too much but not really if you want to spend time together.

5) Just talk. Of course, what can beat your regular heart-to-heart conversations? Just talk without any distractions. Have each other’s 100% attention.

Remember, communication is key to a successful relationship may it be near or long distance. When you’re miles apart, the challenge becomes bigger. But no challenge is too big for people in love and close together by heart.

Scared to Tell Her that You Love Her? Here are the Reasons Why and How You Can Overcome Them

Many people are hesitant to express their feelings, let alone through words. What’s with saying them out loud? Words are powerful. They can change a mood, they can either create or destroy a life. Simply put, words affect people in many ways. A “yes” could mean forever and a “no” could mean the end of something that’s supposed to be wonderful.

Many of us have unsaid words hidden in the deepest part of our hearts. Sadly, these words stay unknown because we are scared to say them to the people we reserve them for. Why are we scared? Here are the reasons:

1) Fear of rejection. This is self-explanatory. Being rejected is one of the worst feelings in the world. And being turned down by the one you love can break your heart.

What to do: Say it. You’ll never know until you tell her. If she’s cool with it, congrats. If not, deal with rejection like a man. At least you knew and won’t go living with what if’s. Move on, your princess is waiting for you out there.

2) You don’t want to ruin the friendship. Some couples lose their precious friendship when one of them makes a move to take it to the next level while the other prefers the “just friends” status.

What to do: Tell her how you feel but assure her that if she doesn’t want a romantic relationship, you are totally cool with it and can go on being just friends with her. If she turns you down, do act like the same friend she used to know.

3) We wait for the right time. How do you know if it’s the right time? Truth is, you never know.

What to do: So say what you want to say once you get the opportunity. That given chance may be the only one you got, you don’t want to miss it. Besides, if you wait too long you might be too late.

Just remember, life is too short to leave important things unsaid. Tell her you love her, at least she knows how you feel and you know where you stand.

Top 3 Things You Can Learn from Senyora Santibañez’s Tweets

Senyora Santibañez (image from Google)

Senyora Santibañez is a famous local meme in the Philippines. The character is actually an antagonist in the Mexican TV show, Marimar. She is a stereotypically arrogant, filthy rich, snobbish plantation owner. The Twitter counterpart is known to give her butler, Facundo, out-of-this-world errands such as reservation of an entire amusement park just for her, or hiring a famous band to entertain her within the comfort of her own yard. Senyora calls herself the “Queen of Corned Beef” and claims to give her servants these canned goods.

The last time I visited the Philippines, a friend introduced me to Senyora Santibañez’s Twitter account. I found it really hilarious I was hooked to scroll and backread.

Here are the top 3 things you can learn from Senyora’s tweets:

1) Watch your grammar. Let me reiterate: watch your grammar. If you’re not sure if your grammar and spelling are correct, please just use your native tongue. That way you will save yourself from humiliation and others’ ears from bleeding. If even the simple use of “your and you’re” is confusing to you, not to mention the tenses and subject-verb agreement ( which are all taught in early elementary years), maybe you should refrain from posting in English for the time being until you’re more knowledgeable. Same goes for misheard and misspelled but rhymed words and phrases, such as the trending Mango flute; Have a great, have a KitKat; she passed away; stop toy; and launchtime. Like, seriously?

2) Influence works wonders. She has a huge following whom she treats as her servants. She ridicules and mocks other people, including her followers, but most continue to agree with her. People watch out for everything she has to say. Senyora can attack anyone by making fun of him or her. Even Philippine Senator Nancy Binay was not spared. The politician even responds to Senyora like she’s under her spell.

3) Humor and truth are a good combination. Senyora’s followers are very much entertained by her sarcastic and fearless tweets. Her tweets make fun of others, but can be considered true and factual observations at the same time. They are relatable and may voice out what the mass is thinking or feeling. Coupled with humor, they capture anyone’s attention in a heartbeat.

He Said “Brb” Two Days Ago and You’re Still Waiting?

The two of you were chatting when he (or she) said “brb” (be right back) so you waited. For how long?

If you two are just random friends who wanted to catch up a little, then a “brb” without a follow up means nothing. You will not get disappointed, maybe just an “oh, he probably forgot about it” and that’s it. No hard feelings. You, yourself, may forget about it, too.

However, it’s a different story if the person on the other line is someone special to you. Like when the two of you are “talking” or dating or are in the process of getting to know each other, the abandoned “brb” can be a big deal.

Listen, if you are important and special to a person and he wants to continue the chat, he’ll indeed be right back. If he couldn’t go on chat with you because something came up, he will at least let you know because he cares enough not to keep you waiting for nothing. If he really couldn’t let you know ASAP, he will apologize, as soon as he gets a chance, that he failed to come back.

Of course, let’s not forget to be understanding. There are inevitable things that can ruin a conversation or a chat: lost internet connection, an emergency, a sudden errand, and the like.

Don’t let an abandoned “brb” be the judge on how you two will end up. Just remember, if a person wants to talk to you, he or she will find a way. If he doesn’t want to talk to you, he’ll come up with tons of excuses.

Can you Forgive but Not Forget? Top 5 Tips on How to do Both

Easy to forgive, hard to forget. This is the reason behind heavy hearts and grudges. It’s not difficult to say “OK” when someone sincerely apologizes. The challenge comes in when you see your offender’s face and everything just starts coming back pouring right in front of your eyes. The day she lied, the night he cheated, your brother’s laugh when you fell off the chair, your friend’s betrayal. You remember how the bad experience happened really well you can rewind it over and over. What happens next? The “I’m sorry” which you accepted becomes diluted with the playback of memories. Suddenly you are burdened again while your offender feels free and confident about being forgiven. And now you are the one suffering.

How can you forgive AND forget? It’s not easy but if you’re determined to free yourself from bondage and unnecessary stress, you can eventually succeed.

Here are 5 tips to help you master the forgive-and-forget combo:

1) Know that you are not perfect. Being aware of your own imperfections helps you realize that your offender also has weaknesses. He or she makes mistakes just like you.

2) Remember the times when you were the one in need of forgiveness. You were once sorry and you were forgiven. Who are you not to forgive? You might complain, “But my offense was not as big as his.” It really doesn’t matter. A sincere apology for a huge mistake is better than an insincere one for a small lie. Look at your offender’s heart. Even if he or she doesn’t seem so sincere, give forgiveness because it is still you who will be at peace in the end. It’s for your own benefit.

3) See the good in others. Even the worst criminal has a good side. Strive to see that.

4) Live in the present. Remember the saying “Today is a gift that’s why it’s called the present?” It’s true. So don’t dwell on the past. Focus on living the moment. Don’t waste your time thinking about things that can’t be brought back. Don’t live in hatred. Reliving the bad memories over and over is destructive to your overall health.

5) Pray. God is forgiving and merciful, who are we not to forgive? Jesus even died on the cross to redeem the world. Ask God for peace of mind and heart.

Satisfied with “Mutual Understanding” Relationship? The Pros and Cons of MU.

Mutual Understanding aka MU is a type of relationship in which there is no formal declaration whether the couple is indeed together or not. There is no formality that you’re together, both the guy and girl simply don’t talk about it. Anybody who sees you could mistaken you to be in a boyfriend-girlfriend status when in fact it’s otherwise. In Facebook, this relationship status belongs to the “It’s complicated” type.

This so called MU is different from an open relationship. In an open relationship, the partners know they are together, it’s just that they agree to be able to “explore” while they are an item.

Many couples have this MU instead of a “declared” relationship. As long as the guy and girl understand each other and they have mutual understanding so to speak, they are happy with whatever partnership that they have.

Because of the mutual understanding that exists, the guy and girl settle to not talking about their real status anymore. They are in the same page and they both know what’s written on it.

Let’s take a look at the Pros and Cons of the MU type of relationship.

Pros:

1) No strings attached. This is good if both of you don’t want to commit yet, if you want an open relationship.

2) You are not alone. You can’t call him (or her) boyfriend (or girlfriend), but he (or she) is always there.

3) The feeling of excitement. The anticipation if the relationship will pursue to the next level. Great if you both really like each other and plan to commit anytime soon.

Cons:

1) No strings attached. Yup, you read it right, like the first item in Pros. Since there is no “formality” that you’re in an exclusive relationship, there’s possibility that the other would meet somebody else and leave you hanging. You can’t complain because he’s not your boyfriend. You may get jealous but you don’t have the right.

2) It may lead to frustration and disappointment, eventually leading to heartaches. This is connected to the item above. This happens when you fall too deeply in love with your partner but he or she is stuck with just being with you the same MU way.

3) The feeling of being a spare tire. You can’t avoid thinking that in this type of relationship, you are being used as someone to temporarily fill the role of a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The MU type of relationship is both enjoyable and challenging at the same time. If you want it to be worthwhile, my biggest piece of advice is KNOW WHERE YOU STAND. If it leads to the next level, congratulations. If otherwise, it’s ok. Don’t be sad that it ended, smile because it happened. Someone else out there is meant to be with you.

Stay Single if You Can’t be Faithful

Ladies and gentlemen, do your potential partner a favor. If you know you can’t be faithful to him (or her), don’t pursue the relationship.

If she entrusted her heart to you, take care of it. If a friend entrusted his precious car to you for a week, you would definitely take care of it and make sure it does not get scratches or dents. What more if it’s a heart handed to you, hoping to be kept and taken care of forever. If you don’t take care of it, it will get bruised and broken even worse than a dented car.

Dishonesty and unfaithfulness hurt people big time. If you can’t be faithful, don’t commit. Because unfaithfulness is the opposite of commitment. Don’t give false hopes. Don’t make her believe that she’s the only one when it’s otherwise. Don’t be selfish. Don’t make her love you just because you like the feeling. Don’t pursue a relationship with her just for your own benefit.

If you can’t be faithful, you’re better off single so you would not hurt any one, especially if that person loves you enough to entrust her heart to you.

When Someone You’re In Love with is In Love with Somebody Else

Oh well. Truth is, you can’t do anything about it. Why? Because you have no control over another person’s feelings and preferences.

Why him or her and not you? Let me tell you why.

1) You simply don’t suit his taste. That doesn’t mean you’re unattractive. It’s because what is beautiful to one’s eyes may not be as pretty to another’s. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, remember? You might think, “but every body says im prettier than she is.” Yes, you may be prettier but looks are not the only determining factor in attraction though it’s initially the first thing a person notices.

2) He’s more comfortable with her. Chances are, if they are in a relationship, they could end up getting married and live together for the rest of their lives. He probably is more comfortable with her than he is with you. Men (and women) want to be with someone they can think out loud with. Someone with whom he could be his true self. And that person he’s in love with most probably makes him comfortable to be like that. Maybe they enjoy the same music genre, maybe they both love sushi, or they have so many things in common. Or maybe they have so many differences which made them so interested with each other; and both are comfortable with each other when trying new things. He could as well be comfortable introducing her to his family and friends. Everyone wants to live comfortably especially with the person they are with most of the time.

3) You’re one relationship late. You could have been the one for him or her but you’re too late because he or she is already with somebody else. Aaahhhh… Those could have beens and what ifs. But know what? The fact that he’s with someone, and that someone is not you, means you’re not meant to be together; at least for the time being. Who knows what the future will bring?

Given these, what should you do?

Here are some pointers:

1) Let it go. Don’t waste your time with someone or something that’s not yours.

2) Divert your attention to something else. Why not divert it “to somebody else?” Because having someone as a rebound is dangerous. Start a hobby, go to the gym, watch a movie, go out with friends. You might be thinking about him all the time but you never even cross his mind. Easier said than done but yes, accept that he loves somebody else.

3) Know where you stand and accept it. I am saying this because you might think of fighting for your love. But there’s no point in fighting for it if the one you love isn’t fighting with you. You will only end up fighting against yourself because you will be more frustrated and hurt as a result.

4) Move on. That’s life. There’s a lot more in store for you. When the right time comes, you will be with the “one” meant for you. Allow time to heal you and prepare you to enter a fulfilling relationship. One day at a time and you will get through it.