Gotong Royong is akin to communal work or a community clean-up activity. In this case, it’s an initiative by the school to keep the school clean and conducive for learning activities. They would get the parents, students and related agencies to get involved for the said purposes.
I have to say, this is the first time I am getting involved. Before this, I might not have been paying much attention to the WhatsApp group, or I may have had something else planned for the weekend and couldn’t commit to it. This year, I noticed the announcement and made an early written commitment in my planner to ensure that nothing else is slotted in on that day. I was intrigued to see whose parents would turn up and what chores I could assist with in the Gotong Royong.
My daughter came with me. She likes these things cause then, she could play with her friends as well.
I was asked to help with the wallpaper. Man, that got me nervous. I couldn’t even cut the wallpaper in a straight line. Eventually, I managed to do it with the help of the kids. The men, the fathers, painted the sides of the walls. The lovely teacher did all the many miscellaneous tasks. I believe there will be another session to help the class teacher with the curtains and the table covers. So InsyaAllah I am in.
To drop 1 kg of fat, you would need to burn 7700kcal. That is 150,000 steps.
Supposedly, if I choose to be ONLY on a caloric maintenance, I will be able to lose 1 kg of fat, IF I WALK;
6K steps/day – I would get there in 30 days
8K steps/day – 19 days
10K steps/day – 15 days
15K steps/day – 10 days
Of course, I would experience faster weight loss if my MEALS are in a calorie deficit and I pick up strength training. Since I have just started to be more consistent with my brisk walking schedule, I think I should stick to that first before I swing my kettlebell. Or maybe I could get going with it over the weekends. I tried doing that before, but it got so tiring that I stopped. Furthermore, I needed the weekend to relax, do my household chores, and spend time with my family. Household chores, such as buying groceries, folding laundry, and the occasional floor-mopping, take up a big chunk of the weekend. Thankfully, I have my Roborock to help with the vacuuming.
Regarding the steps, I am not quite sure whether a focused 10K on the treadmill would be more or as effective as the 10K that includes our NEAT activities. I suppose I should go for the focused session. So far, I am able to get that in spending 100 minutes on my walking pad at a pace of 4.5 to 5. This pace keeps my heart rate at Zone 2. I try not to go too fast, as that will turn my walking into a HIT instead. Thus, burning my carbs instead of my adipose tissue for fuel.
The results are showing tremendously in my husband. To be fair, he is walking far more than myself. He walks in the morning before going to work and after work. On weekend mornings, he would spend more time doing that. He could easily get more than 20K steps with that schedule. I have yet to see a dramatic difference in myself, but I have unwavering faith in this new strategy. Let’s do this.
In a world where leading a luxurious life is deemed successful, you have another world where showcasing a wasatiyyah lifestyle is equally successful. Country life, everyday family life, is slowly creeping into social media as the desired lifestyle. Indeed, I aim for such a lifestyle where wasatiyyah is enough. Of course, going for the occasional overseas trip sounds nice. However, daily living does not need to be aesthetic 24 hours a day.
Ashik Pangadan is quite popular on Threads nowadays for portraying a simple life. Yes, he is a lifestyle vlogger with a manager. It is acknowledged that he earns a living through his media presence. Yet, his life seems attainable. That is to have normal, easy-to-make food on the table, a lovely family, a decent job and the luxury of time to just live life in peace. There’s no pressure to hustle and make your first million in 1 year. He was like this other man I saw on Instagram. An American guy who puts his laptop slowly in his bag and works a regular 9-to-5 job. It was just him driving, working and eating lunch. It was simple. I did not follow his account, but his reels do pop up once in a while. Haven’t seen much of him lately. Maybe it’s because I have been watching too many baking and football videos lately.
Anyway, all of us can have that sort of life, too. The life of having enough. I think I am up to 70% of getting to that state of mind. There are just a few more goals I need to achieve. Mostly finance-related, like loans and stuff. The life of Enough need not be extravagant or packaged in a specific thought. It is ok to have mismatched mugs in the kitchen. A living room that is not Japandi themed. Meals may come from one single pot, served in a free Darlie dish. The wardrobe capsule is not pastel but a mix of black with other colours. That kind of vibe.
Before the Japanese head spa existed, one would need to go to the hairdresser’s looking for a hair wash and head massage. The good ones will give you a complimentary shoulder and back rub as well. I believe it is only recently that these hair spa services have emerged, and it definitely got me excited.
I have tried a hair spa service at one of the shops at Bukit Baru. I did not really enjoy that one. That particular spa included basic facials in its service. It was for 90 minutes, but it felt rushed and agonising. Obviously, I did not come back. Later, I came across Poppy Beauty Hair Spa as I was doing my brisk walking in that area.
I looked up the reviews on Google, and I thought it was worth trying. This particular spa has two branches. One was in Semabok, and the one I went to was at MITC. The one located at MITC was a ladies’ only outlet. I WhatsApped the number I got from their Instagram page and made the earliest booking slot at 1030am. Parking was easy, as it was still too early for the crowd at Mydin to arrive.
Initially, I chose the Classic Hair Spa package. Later, when I arrived at the shop, the therapist showed me other available treatment packages. I added the Scalp Treatment therapy. Thus, I ended up with a hair wash, scalp treatment, and head massage, including the shoulders and arms.
The products they use
Before the session, I was asked to change into this lovely towel and robe. My personal belongings are kept inside the locker. My scalp was examined under a special tool, and obviously, it looked bad. They put a heated eye pad throughout my 2-hour session, relaxing music with minimal talking from the therapist. I liked that the therapist, or is it a beautician, did not give me a running commentary on my wrecked hair and oily scalp. After the treatment, my scalp looked better. The lady suggested that I double cleanse my hair when I shampoo and that I should do it every day, given that my scalp was oily. Now that I have been very active in brisk walking, washing my hair daily has become mandatory. Only that I did not shampoo twice because I thought it would dry my hair. Turns out that I should. While my hair was being blow-dried, I was served a cup of calming lemongrass tea. After all that, my hair glowed over my fat face. Hahaha.
The total cost came up to RM 228. With the impeccable service, I thought it was worth every single penny. I am keen to try their body massage one day. They have other treatment packages too, like the Mother and Daughter hair spa package. That is pretty cute. Will check that one out too.
