Ibyang Sanchez, Author at Ibyang

Why I Love Our Foldable Treadmill

23 May 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 5 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Deep Thoughts, Great Finds for the Home, Health and Well-being

If someone asks me what I bought with my first salary from my first Aussie paycheck, the answer would have to be my Resistance Elliptical Strider.

I grew up being physically active. When I was young, I always get involved in activities where I’m able to move and sweat. It’s not difficult to engage in physical activities in school thanks to the various clubs one can join but when one goes out into the corporate world of working 8-10 hours a day, it can become a challenge to some of us. When I worked in Manila, I had the chance of joining sports competitions until such time I had to retire because of an injury. And just when that happened, I migrated to Australia where I felt I needed to continue having an active lifestyle.

So when I received my first paycheck in 2005, I looked for a cheap exercise equipment and found a Resistance Elliptical Strider. The machine may seem harmless but it is quite the opposite. This one weighed a ton (I don’t have the exact number but it is heavy) and takes a lot of effort (and muscle) to exercise in. But given my age and physical capabilities then, it was good enough for me. A few minutes on this machine 3 to 4 times a week gave me a fast heartbeat rate, strong legs and arms. Other than the help of this machine, I averaged 30 minutes of walking on a daily basis. For three years, I lived near a park and every weekend, I’d briskwalk and run during the afternoons for additional exercise.

When I moved to an apartment with my Husband, we brought the Elliptical Strider with us. But as time goes by, my body has changed and I needed an exercise equipment that will be more friendly to my body, my bones and joints in particular.

As one age, we have to treat our body with appropriate care. I’m petite and cannot carry very heavy things. I thought that I should treat my bones and joints well. At one time, exercising on my elliptical strider gave me a backache so instead of being encouraged to use it, I became wary, fearing that I might injure so I stopped exercising on it last year. It took me months to decide to let it go and opt for another exercise machine.

Last month, I finally bought a Foldable Treadmill online via oo.com.au.

It came with simple instructions on how to unfold it. No need to assemble any big parts.

In less than 5 minutes, our treadmill was ready for use.

I love our treadmill because:
It is handy, small, compact but serves its purpose. With its 1530mm x 650mm x 720mm size, it is perfect for our 2-bedroom apartment. Since it is foldable, it doesn’t eat up too much space at home. It only weighs 19 kilos so lugging it around is not a hassle. It has a stable incline which is manageable for everyone in the family.

I don’t have to get out of the house in order to walk or jog. One of my biggest hurdle in exercising is going/driving to the park and the weather. Going out requires extra time and effort while driving to a place involves petrol costs. The weather can be a nuisance. It’s too cold during winter, too hot during summer and rains last for days. Since I’ve got a treadmill at home, I’ve got no excuse.

I’m back to my regular habit of exercising! After three weeks of having a treadmill at home, I’m now back to exercising 3 to 4 times a week. Nowadays, I look forward to going home and spending time on the treadmill. It easily became a part of my lifestyle because I can get on the treadmill while I watch TFConline before dinner.

The Treadmill was a great replacement to the Elliptical Strider.The treadmill is perfect for me because I love walking. I can just walk for a long period of time while I watch TV or read stuff on the iPad. If I’m not doing anything while on the treadmill, I don’t get bored. Walking in silence is therapeutic for me. It helps me think and de-stress.

It’s a fun exercise machine! I’m able to walk, briskwalk, jog, run on the treadmill. In a 25-minute session, I’m able to do all four activities. Sometimes, I do a bit of arm exercises while walking–a combined exercise. I also sometimes sing while I walk on the treadmill and I love it!

Although I miss having the Elliptical Strider around, I’m glad I made this change in our lifestyle. I realized now how important it is to finding the right equipment for me, one that will is more friendly to me body and one that makes me want to exercise.

For those who would like to buy the same treadmill I have, you can check it out here.

New AVATAR Series: The Legend of Korra

22 May 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 2 Comments Category: Entertainment

The new Avatar series had finally hit the TV screens last April and the Husband and I started watching it last Sunday!!! We’ve caught up until Episode 6 and we can’t wait for Korra’s adventures to unfold. Initial news stated that it will only have one chapter (Book 1) but we heard that it will have a 2nd chapter (Book 2) (super yay!).

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Korra is a teenage girl from the Southern Water Tribe and the current incarnation of the Avatar, who is “hotheaded, independent, and ready to take on the world. She has already mastered the arts of waterbending, earthbending, and firebending but has yet to master airbending, which she must learn from Tenzin—the youngest child of Aang and Katara.

The show is set in a single place called Republic City, a metropolis inhabited by benders and non-benders of all nations and founded by Aang and Zuko after the 100-year war in the original series. The city’s police force practices the art of metalbending—a subset of earthbending—and is led by the daughter of Toph Beifong. The city’s most popular sport is called pro-bending, which involves a team of benders aiming to knock another team of benders out of an arena using each’s own bending skill.

The conflict of the first season centers upon a group of anti-benders, called the Equalists, who use chi-blocking to subdue their enemies.

Discovered Inspirations: The Holstee Manifesto

14 May 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 1 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Discovered Inspirations

I love manifestos! I hope one day I can create my own manifesto. In the meantime, I surround myself with manifestos I chance upon to invite more positivity in my life. I have shared the Lululemon Manifesto and Do the Crazy Thing Manifesto before and I want to share another manifesto making the rounds on the internet for sometime now which starts with, “This is Your Life“. I discovered that it was from a lifestyle company called “Holstee“.

The Holstee Manifesto

This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often.
If you don’t like something, change it.
If you don’t like your job, quit.
If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV.
If you are looking for the love of your life, stop;
they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.
Stop over analyzing, life is simple.
All emotions are beautiful.
When you eat, appreciate every last bite.
Life is simple.
Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences.
Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them.
Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself.
Some opportunities only come once, seize them.
Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them so go out and start creating.
Life is short.
Live your dream, and wear your passion.

Wishing you a week filled of happy smiles and positive thoughts!

The IKEA Family Card and Dreams of a Kitchen & Textiles

11 May 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 2 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Cherished Memories, Deep Thoughts, Food, Great Finds for the Home, The Married Life

We received our IKEA Family Card yesterday and it’s one of the most gorgeous looking cards the Husband and I have encountered.

Be part of the IKEA Family to avail perks and discounts:

Free hot drinks every visit
Discounts on selected meals in the IKEA Restaurant
Exclusive discounts on lots of products
Extended 12-month return policy
10c donated to charity for every swipe
Weekly $250 IKEA gift card draw

For more details, please visit IKEA FAMILY and join for free.

We registered for an IKEA Family Card last month when we took my Mum for a visit. Everytime she’s here, we make sure to drop by IKEA in case she needs something for our home in Manila. Plus, she also loves food at IKEA.

Breakfast at IKEA is always worth waking up early too.

Since my Mum and I were sharing meals that morning, I took this opportunity to grab a slice of their Apple Pie.

The Husband had his favourite, Apricot Pastry.

Other than eat, IKEA is a place for dreaming and research. Even if we don’t really need anything at the moment, we look at the designs, showrooms and products. On our last visit, our we focused on their Kitchen showrooms. I dream of having a gorgeous but functional kitchen someday and these two showrooms below somehow are in line with my idea of a future kitchen. I took photos because one day, I might go back to these for reference.

We opened one of the corner cabinets and saw that IKEA makes use of any space available. You can place a RATIONELL Corner Base Carousel inside your kitchen cabinet so you can store your pots and pans (see photo below). The great thing about it is you swivel the two shelves for easy access to what you need.

I dream of owning this book, “Love for Textiles“. Only a few people know that I love textiles. I never dwell on this interest because I don’t have the space and I don’t have the time. For now, I’m grateful for the thought that when I was young, I had my share of exposure to the textile and fashion industry (thanks to my Dad). My love for textiles and fashion will always be a part of me but in the meantime, I heed to my other calling: writing, food and photography.

It’s always hard to leave IKEA empty-handed. We bought a few items for family in Manila and a few items for our home.

KAVALKAD Frying Pans (sent to the Phils), LEGITIM chopping board, GODTA Green Deep Plate, DINERA Deep Plate (placed underneath the green plate) and STABIL splatter screen.

RATIONELL VARIERA Shelf inserts (for better organization of our pantry), ORDNING Cutlery Stand, GALEJ Tealight Holder, BEVARA Sealing clips (shared them with my Mum & Mother-in-Law), DOKUMENT Pen Cup.

Zushi Sushi & Baskin Robbins at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre (Broadbeach, Queensland)

10 May 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 1 Comments Category: Blog Life, Deep Thoughts, Food, Restaurants, Travel

If I had one free week, I’d go on a blogging holiday and I’d do nothing but blog. While I’m not pressured to update this blog on a daily basis, I do like writing about my food and travel adventures because more than anything else, I blog for myself. Keeping a blog has become a useful tool for me as sometimes I go back to my previous posts on places, restaurants and recipes when the need arises. I still haven’t figured out how to I will share our Philippines, Gold Coast and Melbourne trips (they all happened last year!!!) as efficiently and concisely as possible but I have an inkling of a plan. In the meantime, let me share with you a restaurant that fascinated us when we visited Gold Coast in December 2011.

On the morning that we arrived at Gold Coast our room wasn’t ready yet (we were early for check-in time) so our first agenda was to attend mass (it was a Sunday) and then find a place to have a meal and hang out for a few hours. Our relatives recommended to visit the biggest mall at Gold Coast, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, located at Broadbeach.

We found St. Monica’s Church not too far away from our hotel so after mass, we took the bus to Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.

Arrived a little after 12noon, we felt famished and a bit tired. We assumed all the getting up early and travelling to Gold Coast had taken a toll on us. For lunch, we wanted something fast but fresh. At one corner of the mall, we found a Japanese Restaurant called Zushi Sushi and immediately cheered when we saw the sushi train.

Sat ourselves on the sushi train and wondered, “Where are all the sushi?”

Then suddenly, we saw a miniature train on the sushi train tracks! Oh how cute!!!

Restaurant: Zushi Sushi (Broadbeach, Queensland)

Behind the miniature train were the plates containing yummy sushi.

We only got two plates of sushi, both freshly-made and delicious.

We ordered a plate of stir-fried spicy beef with rice, soup and salad. It was good enough to share. The beef tender and juicy.

For our first meal in Gold Coast, we enjoyed the food and were greatly amused by the creativity that is the miniature train. This is one sushi train experience we will never forget.

We had a good walk around Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and we instantly felt how laidback it was at the Gold Coast. If Sydney feels laidback, Gold Coast is more of that.

Pacific Fair Shopping Centre (Broadbeach, Queensland)

It was during dessert at Baskin Robbins when I told the Husband, “I want a life like this–simple, more laidback.” The Husband agreed.

Zushi Sushi & Teppanyaki – Pacific Fair
http://www.zushisushi.com.au/
Shop 148 Western Food Court
Pacific Fair Shopping Centre
Broadbeach, QLD 4218
07 5572 7877