Climbing Mt. Batulao [via iPhone]

June 17, 2013

"OMG we smell like fertilizer!!!"

I can't recall what we were overreacting about in this photo, but the caption suits it! Steph and I are total drama queens.

I didn't even notice this sign, Dondi was able to capture it. Get a guide or you're sure to get lost!

About 3 hours in we decided to have lunch and take some obligatory souvenir photos at Camp 1

I always have this type of photo wherein a friend is assisting the elderly.

approaching the summit

Steph reminded me of a woman from Kosovo

a rope was there to help us haul ourselves up in some parts

I look decent in photo ops but in reality, it's a nose-flaring experience.

Don't... look. down.

Tryin to werq as we reached the summit!

The most maarte group of mountaineers

We came all the way here for some coconut juice!

This stuff works. Shared this with the rest and only those who applied it were saved from looking like lechons.

Ray-Ban caravan sunglasses + Folded & Hung top + Zara tank top + H&M leggings + the North Face backpack + Pacsafe belt bag + Nike trainers (I have yet to buy decent shoes)

"We climbed those mountains?!"

❧

We took a chance and decided to head to Nasugbu, Batangas last Saturday even if the weather in Manila was horrible. We decided that we could always stay and chill in Tagaytay if the weather wouldn't permit us to climb that day. As we were nearing Batangas the skies were bright and clear so we asked some locals for directions (our unpreparedness for these trips deserves an award in itself). A few missed turns and we reached the starting point where we hired a young guide that agreed to a fee of Php 400 (read somewhere that these fees helped send them to school). This proved to be a good move since unlike our last hike (Mt. Pico de Loro), there weren't a lot of markings and there were so many diverging routes.

The trek to the summit was about 3 hours long. We spent about 30 minutes at the peak, enjoying fresh buko juice and taking photos, before descending and reaching our starting point in 3 hours. It took us less than 7 hours to climb and get back to our car, and we were glad that despite arriving late (got there at 10:30 AM) we were able to drive back to Manila a few hours before sundown.

Mountaineers' accounts online state that this was the same level as Pico, but throughout the hike & climb we kept commenting that it was slightly easier. It was Dondi's first time to climb and during the first 10 minutes he kept asking if the path was going to be as wide all throughout, but as we kept going he commented that they were indeed getting narrower. It got to a point where the paths were less than a foot across, and the ravines would make your knees shake once you stop to look at your side.

Some challenges during this climb:

• Steep portions that required you to use a rope to haul yourself up- it's just like any other climb requiring a rope, so you have to be able to lift yourself up

• It's a bit harder to go down because of the loose rocks. It's important to wear the right shoes or have a trekking pole to assist you if you're not that accustomed to these things yet.

• There aren't a lot of trees to serve as shade so wear a hat! My scalp is sunburnt since I forgot to bring one and an umbrella.

Some more notes:

• You can buy buko juice / soda / beer / halo halo at most of the stops, but they don't have water! Bring a lot of water with you.

• Registration fee is just Php 40 and you can also camp for a fee.

• Pace yourself. Javy had a brilliant way to conserve his energy- he'd stop at the windy spots and then run to catch up when we were already far away from him.

• Sunblock, salt (for cramps), first aid kit, water, scarf/hat, sunglasses.

• Some plants have sharp edges and we got cuts all over so it's better to wear something that can cover your legs and arms. There are lots of bugs, too!

Overall it was a really fun climb and I am having climbing withdrawals, it's insane! I can't wait for the next trip! We learn a lot from each one since they're never the same, and you can never be too prepared. It's challenging psychologically as it is physically.

We do it for the view-- nothing beats a 360 from the summit!

❤

Parrot's Peak, Mt. Pico de Loro [via iPhone]

May 19, 2013

To reach the peak we had to walk (and climb) for about 3 hours

I didn't want to bring a backpack so I brought a fanny pack instead. I got too excited about this nerdy accessory because it's anti-theft!

2.5 hours up brought us to the campsite where we could buy drinks and take some photos. Here's David risking his life for the sake of a good Instagram pic.

L-R: my brother (in the most inappropriate hiking/climbing outfit), me, Ayen, David, Steph, Ces and Jed

frugal fitness fashion: sports bra- Jockey, shorts- Nike, shoes- Adidas, top- Forever 21, sunglasses- Ray-Ban (polarized Caravans)

Struggling to reach the highest peak... It almost looks like flat ground on this photo...

...but the blogs were correct in saying that you'd have to grab on to grass to climb up!!!

The most beautiful view that greeted us

Parrot's Peak!

The rest of the group at the Parrot's peak

My brother and I at the other peak

❧ My friends and I have been dying to go on another hiking trip so we agreed to reserve last weekend for a short one. We've been wanting to go to Mt. Pulag but we didn't have enough time to prepare and organize a bigger group. Jed suggested Pico de Loro in Cavite, so Ayen researched about the hike. I've only heard of Pico de Loro as a resort, so I didn't expect anything from this trip. Even David thought the hike was going to be easy- like going around in a park or something. Ayen even mentioned people talking about grabbing on to grass to climb up but we all laughed when she said that and thought nothing of it. I wore my Adidas Boost running shoes and thought that the thick sole was going to cushion my feet from the rocks, but as the hike progressed I started to realize that it was a bad idea. I couldn't feel the ground at all so I was being careful the whole time as the paths were all inclined or going downhill. I was also suffering from cough so I was careful not to have an asthma attack (I haven't used my inhaler in 6 years). This definitely slowed me down and made me realize that it was time to buy decent hiking shoes! The Boosts are the best running shoes and are also great for plyometrics but NEVER wear them for hiking. Other than my struggle to keep my balance with my shoes, the hike was so much fun. It's a bit of a challenge as it is the highest walkable trail at 665 meters above sea level so it's more like mountain climbing but with more rugged trails (the hike to the summit isn't paved) . It takes 3 hours to climb with rests in between, and another 3 to go down. We spent an hour on the peak and on the Parrot's Peak, and the climb definitely made the view more worth it. There were lots of campers but this was also doable as a day trip if you go early. We arrived around 8:30 AM and left almost 4:00 PM. The funniest part of this trip was expecting nothing from it... We were all underprepared (except for having enough water) and we didn't really know that it was going to be that much of a climb. We only slept for 2 hours since we stayed at my uncle's house in Cavite and spent too much time catching up and exchanging stories. The two guys in the group were scared of heights, my brother wore flimsy sneakers, we didn't have a guide and just followed the other hikers and we also didn't know some hiking etiquette. As we were walking all the hikers would say "Ingat!" or would greet you a good afternoon. It was really nice to be amongst friendly people since it wasn't that easy and it was our first time there. Whenever someone would ask about our group, my friends would always plug my site (LOL) and I would just sit there, face-palming. The Raleene.com Mountaineering Club was born on that day! Highlights of the group include laughing at our disbelief in climbing mountains and ADHD attacks after two sips of pop. We paid Php 40.00 for registration and the rest of our money went to buying Gatorade (Php 50) and Mountain Dew (Php 30) at the camp sites out of desperation. And because it's a business, they didn't have water, just sugar-filled drinks that make you want to buy even more! My brother might've had the most complete backpack with the essentials my dad packed for him (he trained for the army or something. LOL Hi, dad!). You should have these basics: plastic bags, lots of water, face towels, alcohol, first-aid kit, sunblock (I used Nivea's Protect & Refresh SPF 50 with Invisible Cooling Mist. Water-resistant and non-greasy, i didn't get sunburnt like my friends!), tissue, moist towelettes, swiss knife, salt (one of us got cramps so this is actually important), painkillers, umbrella, packed lunch, snacks, chocolate/crackers. As for what to wear- proper shoes, a hat, sunglasses, leggings/compression pants and long sleeves (or a shirt with armbands) are the safest options since tan lines aren't so nice when you wear sleeveless tops, plus you're prone to have gashes and cuts especially when sliding downhill. It was harder to go down from the highest peak since everyone's been grabbing on to the grass and the mountain's bald because of all the uprooting! I'd recommend hikes like these to those who want to try out something else this summer. You can even do this to overcome your fear of heights! It's so much fun, especially after discovering what your body can do if you're willing. For adventure-seekers, this is a beginner's course but it's definitely not easy. You can read more about it on other blogs so you'll know what to expect. ❤

I LOVE FOOD!

July 04, 2010

After losing some weight during summer & ever since I started my quest to weight loss and healthy living, I've been getting tons of questions about my diet and exercise routine. Got asked for the nth time today so I decided to make a blog post about it. Of course, I just had to include the mouth-watering photos because I love taking pictures of food!

"Raleene, I was wondering, at what times do you eat and what do you usually eat for breakfast, lunch, & dinner? I live in LA and the veg food is expensive! &Do you ever cook your own meals? Sorry for the long question! Your healthy lifestyle is contagious!"

Veg food is too expensive? But the organic food markets and farmers markets there are so accessible! You're lucky you live in L.A.! Not to mention, you guys have Whole Foods! I wish we had that here :)) LOL

Anyways, here's what I usually get and crave for on a typical day:

Breakfast: 7AM
-watermelon slices
-oranges
-green tea / coffee (only if I'm seriously sleep-deprived)
-vitamins (vegetarian multivitamins, calcium & vitamin C)

Lunch: 12noon
-grilled vegetable sandwich on multigrain bread OR
-vegetable tempura (has eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, slices of carrots + potatoes + sweet potatoes & string beans)
-lightly-fried "fake meat" from the Thai food section OR
-a BIG bowl of salad drizzled with some vinaigrette OR
-Cooked/steamed mix of veggies that we have at home (usually tons of broccoli, squash, watercress, bitter gourd, cauliflower, cabbage, okra or just ANYTHING! lol) OR
-veggie pizza/pasta/burrito/burger

*Dinner: 6-7 PM
-fruit OR light vegetable soup
-coffee sweetened with Stevita or green tea
*I don't like eating dinner since I find that it makes me sluggish to work/study at night and I don't like sleeping when my stomach's full. Gives me nightmares. Eeep.

When I get hungry for some odd reason (usually when I lack sleep or I crave for weird things), I'd usually grab some fruit or snack on some Fit crackers (loaded with Fiber). Or if I'm lucky, I get the smallest serving of frozen yogurt.

My lunch is ALWAYS the heaviest meal of the day but I make sure I don't eat any more carbs after that (and I try my best to stay away from white bread).

I need to eat good stuff cos I need energy, and not some sugar rush fueled by corn syrup, to work out and survive my hectic schedules.

I make sure to load up on fruits for energy and greens to heal and alkalize my system.

I also make it a point to drink at least 10 glasses of water a day aside from the tea/coffee/fresh fruit+green juices I drink.

So yes, it is safe to say that I have a healthy appetite. I DO NOT starve myself even if I look like I've lost so much weight ever since I graduated from grade school and high school... I was at 150 lbs. when I was in 5th grade (and I think I was only 5' then) and it was during high school when I decided to get fit. I did this by taking up modern jazz lessons (and I got hooked to that plus cheer dancing all throughout high school) plus I added different types of cardio to my routine.

My weight loss journey took years. I transitioned into being a vegan on December 2008, and I successfully eliminated all animal by-products in my diet for 3 months... I gave up on that and switched to being an ovo-lacto vegetarian (I can eat things with egg and milk) since it was kinda hard to find vegan desserts in Manila. I still stay away from milk and would rather take Soy Milk, but I love eating cheese occasionally, and sometimes I feel the need to eat eggs (only free-range and organic ones of course) for the protein boost in my diet.

The food log I've posted above is NOT what I eat everyday. I don't wanna be too uptight on what I eat, plus I love eating out with friends, so I enjoy variety in my diet.

As for my current exercise routine, it involves going to the gym 3-4 times a week. I do cardio (treadmill/elliptical/stairmaster/cycling) for 30 minutes to an hour, then I do some weights and use the machines for another hour (I rest, of course. And catch a glimpse of the TV every now and then. LOL). And then I do some matwork- a couple of Progressive Power Yoga and Pilates routines for 20 minutes (a combination of what I've learned from all the Power Yoga and Pilates DVDs I've worked with for about a year) and I finish off with stretching so I don't experience any aches the following day...

My workout routine has to change every 2 months or else my body becomes too accustomed to it and fails to recognize it as exercise. Sometimes I also do laps on the pool or do other things with friends (recently tried wakeboarding, hiking, running, rock climbing)- just anything that will keep me active is good.

Over the years, I've grown to really LOVE good food and exercise. It's like if I don't exercise for a couple of days (especially when I travel), I end up being lazy and lifeless... I am totally addicted to endorphins and I can't wait to try out more things to keep me alert and to keep heart pumping!!!

And now, THE FOOD PICS!!! ENJOY! :P

Is it obvious? Chelsea Market/Cafe's Organic Grilled Vegetable Sandwich on multigrain bread is my favorite sandwich in the entire universe. It's just bursting with flavor, plus it's so pretty. I always take a photo of it every time I get it. They say when you eat fries, it goes straight to your thighs or a moment on the lips, forever on your hips- but the fried potato wedges that come with it are the best as well!