Ender's game

I watched this film at the cinema today and I really enjoyed it!
The story was about a group of super intelligent kids who are selected to be trained as commanders /fighters to defeat an alien species that tried to colonize the earth.

We follow their journey through various stages of training until a final, controversial battle at the end of the film. I don't want to spoil it for you, you have to go and watch the film yourself, if you are a science fiction fan you will probably enjoy "Ender's game".
I loved the special effects, the structures they managed to create (spaceship, rockets, various sci-fi gadgets), the environment of the alien planet and the general feel of the film. It had a good balance between action and the psychological development of the characters. The battle scenes were really cool!
Normally I really don't like CGI but it was so well done that everything felt so real! I actually felt some emotions during this film, which rarely happens when I watch sci-fi movies.

check this out

I was particularly fascinated by the training scenes at "Battle school" where the kids had to train in a vast chamber with 0 gravity, playing a game where they had to shoot each other's teams. I always wanted to try to hover in 0 gravity and these scenes really made me feel like I was flying around with the guys and was part of the team!
I mean look at this! Who wouldn't want to try it?

How cool is this???!!

Nothing better than training with a friend of the opposite sex in a cool battle suit!

What I keep wondering is why in every film are aliens always portrayed as some kind of ugly insects or horrible lizard like creatures...couldn't they be a little bit more human or extremely beautiful creatures? I guess it would be really hard then to fight them or hate them, they always need to be portrayed as something disgusting. Apart from the film "Avatar" where they are kinda cute and a bit human looking, where of course one sides with them, because they are the "victims".
"Ender's game" is actually taken from a book, or better a book series by author Orson Scott Card. I think it is always a bit sad that people (like me in this case) seems to discover a book or an author AFTER having watched a film or played a video game, then again if this is a way to get people to read I guess it is all good.

the novel

Now that I watched this film I really can't wait to get a hold of these books!
I found this interesting image online that illustrates the series.

The film starred Harrison Ford, who was still in great shape considering his age. I really love this actor.
I am a big Indiana Jones fan!
The young protagonists Asa Butterfield (very promising young British actor!) and Hailee Steinfeld (OMG, the same girl of "True Grit", I didn't recognize her at all!) were absolutely brilliant!

Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld

And what about Bonzo, played by Moises Arias, simply awesome! Yes, I really loved the acting of the cast, it was very convincing.
I definitely want to see this movie again!

Loving YOGA more and more!

Just came back from another awesome Yoga class! I took two classes this week and I am getting so much into it, I can't seem to get enough! I am doing some proper stretches and poses that I could only dream of a couple of weeks ago!
Yoga has really a magical discipline. Because of my back injury I wasn't able to bend my back for many years, or better I always avoided movements that involved back bending.
I am really surprised how quickly Yoga has activated these back muscles in me and how flexible I am becoming in such a short time!
Today we had a really nice class, where we did a few new poses that I never tried before.
Another girl and I were the only ones in the whole class to be able to do the Ustrasana, aka the Camel Pose!

Ustrasana, The Camel Pose

The first time I tried it I almost couldn't reach my ankles...then one hand managed to grab one ankle and I held in there so tight and quickly managed to get the other hand on the other ankle. Wow, it felt really good!
I just tried this pose at home and it suddenly felt easy! Much easier than I remember!
So yeah, I am getting there!
I feel really happy about this. Maybe soon I will take a few photos of myself doing the Yoga poses I have learned.
The gym is making me a lot stronger. Today I went to a store far away (about 30 mins walk) to get a vacuum cleaner. Back in the summer, when I wasn't trained I remember always feeling exhausted on the way back home from that store, with either pain in my feet or legs. Today I went down and carried the vacuum cleaner home which was in a big box all by myself, in the rain. In a normal situation back then I would have certainly freaked out at the thought of carrying a big box like that for a 30 min walk uphill, out in the rain etc. Today I felt tough like Michelle Rodriguez and carried it home without any help or complaining for that matter LOL! I was picturing the old me in my head wining : "My legs hurt, this box is too big and heavy, I am getting wet, I am cold, I hate this wind etc etc etc) and I was smiling at the thought of it....smiling because
 I am toughening up, which is really good!

Abs hurt but it is all good!! :)

Had a fantastic session yesterday at the gym with my new gym buddy Alina!  She really made me work hard and to be honest I never saw my face that red before unless it was after some intense cardio training!
My t-shirt was actually all sweaty as well! We worked on legs and abs, had also two squats sessions and I must say today I can feel the effects of all that hard work! Especially in my abs.
It is incredible to see the immediate results of resistance training, I really think that by the end of January I should be in really good shape! I wish I had started lifting weights years ago...all those hours at the gym with little results for many years just because I was doing the wrong kind of exercises for my goal...or at least I thought that cardio was the best way to burn calories...well now I know that weights are actually the best and most effective ways to burn stubborn fat!
I am not gonna be satisfied until I see that line on my stomach that I always wanted to have, which shows the muscles underneath!
That is my ultimate goal with this training I am doing.
After that tough session with Alina I even had one hour of Yoga. The beginning of the class was awesome, relaxed me a lot and made me stretch good. Half way through the class though I started to feel some weakness, especially in my arms (depending on the positions we were in). There was a particular exercise of arms balance that I really couldn't do. Well I guess 3 Yoga classes are not going to cut it, I am not trained enough.
This was the position we were supposed to do.

Now dont let the smile of this woman in the picture fool you. This is NOT an easy position to do for someone like me who just had three Yoga lessons. Already to put the leg other the arm was not the easiest thing...not to mention standing on both arms... well I will try this exercise again at home in my free time and see if I make any progress.

I honestly can't wait to go back to the gym this evening! I have no idea what I will do tonight, maybe some swimming as I didnt swim for quite a few days now. After that sauna accident, I am like scared to go to the pool area. I need to fight this phobia a little sauna will not kill me after the gym, but I need to learn my body's limits and not over do it.

I feel good because I feel like I am doing something really good for myself and my body!

The squats continue!

Another excellent work out today! I have done squats again with the 10 kg barbell and also some with the kettlebell, in addition to my regular work out. I also done more cardio, at a lower level, but more minutes and at a fast pace...and I think I am burning more calories this way!
Physically I feel better and stronger. I still don't have any muscles of course but what counts is to lose the excess fat and get toned up and I am seeing results day after day.
I took a photo of myself today, a selfie, not out of vanity but to see the progression of my body.

Maybe by taking one photo a week I will be able to see if there is any difference? Or maybe one a month will do. This top I am wearing is size 14, only by looking at this photo I realize how large it is  on the sides! It means I am getting slimmer! The trousers also got big, they are size 12 and had to roll them up because they became too large. This means my efforts are paying off. I am happy about it. I reckon, if I go on this way, working out every day, that by January I will be in good shape. I am going to feel so much better both physically and mentally. Tomorrow I really hope to manage to attend the Zumba class, haven't been able last week but I doubt that I will be able to. No matter what I can't wait to go back to the gym tomorrow evening! I am challenging myself and this time I mean it: I will get in perfect shape! InshAllah!

Work out update!

Wow! I am really satisfied with my fitness journey!
I have been working out everyday this week and although I am still far from reaching my goal, I am really satisfied with my commitment to it.
I totally got addicted to my new gym, it becomes like a drug and it is like never enough!
Yesterday I had a lovely yoga session and I must say that I became much more flexible and stronger than the first time! I was doing the exercises much better and I came home all relaxed and full of positive energy. There is something so mystical about yoga, by the geometric alignment in every position that really makes you body-aware. It really feels like some kind of magic! If people would practise it a bit more there would definitely be less aggression and frustration around.
We repeated some exercises that we did the time before, which I found challenging during my first lesson but this time I did them so much better!

Incredible how my body adjusted to these new positions in such a short time!
I also changed my routine at the gym, trying new settings on the machines and doing different exercises that I had never done before...it felt really good!
For instance as far as cardio on the cross trainer I tried a different technique today, copying one of my gym friends who is really fit...I lowered the level which allowed me to move a lot faster (which is really good for the circulation) and did more minutes than I normally do. The calories burn was actually higher this way, but I wonder if this is going to affect the "after burn" ?
I also did some squats with the barbell today! I used only 10 kg as I don't have much strength and most of all I need to learn how to perform squats correctly so that I don't injure myself. It felt really good! I am going to work more with resistance training from now on as I really need to build some muscles in order to burn more calories!
I am excited about these new exercises and possible effects on my body!
I can't wait to see the results. I also been taking that soya protein I bought the other day. I feel less exhausted when I take it and so far I haven't seen any side effect...maybe because I only have been using it for a few days and it is too early. Let's see what happens!
Can't wait to go back to the gym tomorrow! Happy work out everyone!
By the way here is a nice video about squats I found on the internet.

Working out for that perfect body!

I just LOVE my new gym! To subscribe was the best decision I ever made. I got completely addicted to it and now I can really see the benefits of having a large, comfortable and stimulating gym that really is an invitation to spend as much time as possible there.
I basically work out every day, very rarely I skip one day, only if I am not feeling well and my body needs recovery, otherwise I am at the gym every single evening.
I have been combining cardio, weight lift machines, swimming and Zumba fitness and in only 20 days I have already seen some great results! I lost one size, my tummy got a lot flatter, my waist smaller and my arms and legs are much  more toned. It is awesome to be able to see such results, it really makes you push harder.
I also tried Yoga last week and it was a really good and magical experience. It didn't really feel like a work out, as it was more like stretching, but it felt really good. It was very relaxing and some positions we did made me move some muscles in my back that I normally do not use, since a car accident I had when I was 19.  It felt like it activated some energy and some dormant parts of my body...I can't wait to have more Yoga classes! I am sure I will benefit from it and become a lot more flexible. I really need it as I feel kind of stiff at times, although I got a lot better since I started to work out at this new gym.
Today I bought some soy protein to be used as post work out shakes. I definitely do not have enough protein intake as I do not eat meat and I tend to avoid diary products, hopefully this will help me to facilitate muscle recovery. 

They had so many different kinds of proteins and I wasn't sure which one to choose. I know soya should be avoided as it is highly inflammatory, so I really hope this doesn't happen with this product, as it is proteins only, not the whole soya.  I just read a very scary article about it...if soy is genetically modified it can be really harmful!
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/12/08/the-dirty-little-secret-hidden-in-much-of-your-health-food.aspx
I am really scared of trying it out now. They say the one I bought is a safe brand...but I am still scared, they lie so much to sell products and the food industry these days can not be trusted.
I just heard the other day that the best way to lose weight is to do squats and lift weights. I always avoided weights as I thought I just wanted to burn fat and get toned not actually build muscles, but they told me that the best way to achieve my goal is to get more muscles as muscles burn fat much faster! I didn't know that!
So now I am going to change my work out routine and start with new exercises that will help me achieve my goals. Tomorrow I have a session with a personal trainer and to be honest I cannot wait to see what exercises she is going to recommend me!
I also started to get to know some people at the gym, which is great. After working out we normally meet up at the Spa and chill together.
Yesterday I over did it though. I got stuck in the sauna for too long and when I went out I almost passed out. It was a horrible feeling. I am going to be more careful from now on.