Our First Dutch Christmas

Never have we imagined that we'd be spending a Christmas as residents here in The Netherlands. We were happy to be in Asia for this season. But God has other plans. 

As I grow older, and as I shared in our Christmas family devotional last night, I want to have simpler Christmases from now on. Growing up, a big company of friends and family surrounded me. We would feast on Christmas delicacies and specialties. 

In the past couple of years, now that we have our family and living abroad, it has become more solemn and quieter. I can't just say I like the change. But it is good. It reminds me of the message of the first Christmas, the uncomplicated quiet time when and where Jesus was born.  

Like I said in my travel blog, I'm still trying to get used to this Dutch Christmas set-up. We'll see if we'll travel to another city or country for Christmas. Still simple, but maybe livelier.

For our Noche Buena, we played card games and then watched Oppenheimer! Haha! What a Christmas movie, right? 

Then, at 11 pm, while the food was baking, we did our family devotional, a yearly Christmas tradition. We exchanged gifts afterward. 

At midnight, we savored the simple feast I prepared consisting of store-bought chicken roulade, vegan "beef" Wellington, black Angus bitterballen, Cinnabon's cinnamon rolls, and chocolate ice cream. (I loved our light dinner. I cooked oats caldo for me and normal arroz caldo for the boys.)

Some days before Christmas, we visited Bataviastad, an outlet shopping complex in Lelystad, North Holland. The week before that, we went to a Christmas market in Haarlem with friends from our church. It was crowded, long, and winding. But the company is good. 

The Netherlands has glittery Christmas markets. It's a matter of choosing where you want to go. And if you want to spend a bit more. 

That's it for now. This short respite enabled me to sit down and recall some moments that made a mark this year. Next week, it's back to work again. I hope to write some more in the coming days.  

 

Today, I Beat the Weighing Scale

 

50.6!

Beat that, weighing scale! 😀That's my weight in kilograms as of today. Last week I was 51.9.

The scale has not been friendly for the past years. Until I finally almost reached my ideal of 50 kg after attempting in 2019, when my doctor advised me to get rid of a minor fatty liver.

The road was not easy, especially when you lived in a multicultural country whose staple foods are delectable. I had to eat smart with noodles and dumplings, my favorites. 

So, today I'm celebrating with ice cream! Haha! 

Kidding aside, here are some of the steps I took to take control of a healthy lifestyle:

1. Since February 2 this year, I've begun using Noom (a calorie-counting app). I used to see calorie counting as tedious. I got curious if it could work out. Now I know it's effective because you become conscious of what to eat next or how you will plan your workout for the day.

2. Movement is medicine. I've been following the program of Hasfit.com (low-impact and easy workouts). I wrote about this in my previous blog. I combine it with some dance workouts on YouTube, walking, and even house-cleaning for at least one hour. I see to it that I have four to five days of activity each week.

3. I read about the 70/30 rule. The seventy represents the majority of healthy food you have to include in your daily meals. The 30 is the rest of whatever you want to eat, or the room for that unplanned lunch, dinner, or pizza night. The idea is to avoid excessive consumption of unhealthy food. 

4. Mediterranean meals. My food is composed of greens, nuts, beans, and fruits. I make sure to include oatmeal in my breakfast or snack. I also eat chicken and fatty fish that are not cooked in oil or just a little of it. Olive oil does the job, but in small quantities, too. Bottomline is, be a liver lover.

Don't get me wrong. On weekends, I eat a meal that I like. If I feel guilty after eating something "sinful", I walk and get some fresh air. :-)         

All these may not work out for everyone. But a little bit of any of these might work. What's important is we are intentional and disciplined to live better.

Share your best practices by commenting here. It is always good to share health-focused ideas and ways. (I am not endorsing any products here, please note. 😁)