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Diet with Exercise

Onwards to the third week of my “Healthier Me” journey, the C-lium-based breakfast diet continues as I took it every morning with my drink. Now it’s time to focus and learn more things about fiber and its association in losing weight. Allow me to share some interesting facts about fiber from clium.com.ph.

Here are some fiber facts:

Fiber promotes healthy digestion

As I have mentioned in a previous article. One of the major and immediately visible effects of taking C-lium fiber is a regular and comfortable bowel movement. More than just making your visit to the toilet more regular and consistent, you would notice a softer stool (pardon the graphic description). 🙂

Moving on, the site also mentions that a high-fiber diet helps reduce the risk of digestive track related diseases.

Fiber for healthy digestion

Fiber helps reduce the risk of heart disease

The C-lium website indicates that fiber has the ability to bind with bile acids, which is effective in absorbing fats. These then demand more bad cholesterol to be converted to bile acids and are excreted.

The explanation is actually a bit technical for me, but somehow we do get the picture.:)

Sources of fiber include a cereal drink like the new Milo Overload, apples, oatmeal, brown rice, and of course, C-lium Fibre whose one sachet serving gives the most fiber! 🙂

C-Lium FIber Health Journal and Exercise Tips

Fiber Sources

Daily Fiber Requirements

We always hear about marketers and encouraging words from heath gurus about how good fiber is for our health.

But just how much fiber do we actually need or should have?

For good health, an average of 25-35 grams of fiber daily is the recommended dosage. However, a regular individual usually only consumes about 15 grams of fiber per day.

Here are some tips on how to increase your fiber intake:

1. For breakfast, having a slice of wheatbread is a good start!
2. Eat fruits
3. Include more clean raw vegetables, salads, and greens with your meals
4. Eat brown rice instead of white!
5. Add a sachet or tablespoon of C-lium in your daily fiber intake.

*Fiber facts and iformation  source: C-Lium Website

What’s Your Fiber Diet?

We’re midway in this C-lium Fiber “Healthier Me” journey. I’m excited for the upcoming check-up this September to discover some medical health findings on how much I have improved after a month. 🙂

SM Master Chefs @ SM Hypermarket

From the success of last year’s SM Master Chefs, SM Hypermarket launches SM Master Chefs 2012 in a festive gathering of top brands, media, and bloggers at SM Hypermarket Cubao last August 16, 2012.

The grand launch in SM Hypermarket was participated in by SM Master Chefs brands namely Unilever, San Miguel, Nestle, Bounty Fresh, and CDO.

Of course, there were cooking demonstrations as well by the aforementioned brands led by their top chefs namely:

• Chef RJ Garcia (San Miguel)
• Chef Pau Sia (Unilever Food Solutions)
• Chef Arnold Bernardo (Bounty Fresh)
• Chef Tess Sulito (Nestle)
• Chef Menoy Gimenez (CDO)

Chef RJ Garcia of San Miguel

Chef Pau Sia of Unilever – Knorr

Chef Arnold Bernardo of Bounty Fresh

Chef Menoy Gimenez of CDO

Chef Tess Sulito of Nestle

SM Master Chefs 2012

This year’s SM Master Chefs has three (3) main components: the Recipe Contest, the Cooking Marathon, and the Carinderia Makeover.

SM Master Chefs 2012

Recipe Contest

SM Master Chefs recipe contest was conceptualized with the SM Hypermarket customer in mind and it is easy to participate in.

Just buy your ingredients at SM Hypermarket and whip up a great tasting and, if possible, a unique recipe using any of the SM Master brands. You are then now eligible to join and get the chance to win and be hailed as one of the thirty three SM Master Chefs for 2012. Just bring your finished product to any SM Hypermarket store on judging day.

Cooking Marathon

A big hit from last year’s SM Master Chefs was the cooking marathon, it is included again in this year’s program to the delight of the grocery shoppers who witness these beneficial and knowledge-enriching cooking demonstrations by the master brand chefs.

It is brought back this year with new recipes from master brands Bounty Fresh, CDO, Nestle, Purefoods, Magnolia and Unilever Food Solutions – Knorr. Each will have a featured chef who will go around the 34 branches of SM Hypermarket every week in three months (which started August 21) for cooking demonstrations. The best thing about this is that they are for free!

Please see the Cooking Marathon schedule below:

SM Master Chefs Cooking Marathon Schedule

Carinderia Makeover

Small businesses and entrepreneurs in the food service business are in for a treat from SM Hypermakret!

If you run a karinderia, catering, or small restaurant business, then you can own a brand new kitchen and dining area furnished by SM Hypermarket with SM Master Chefs Free Carinderia Makeover!

SM Hypermarket is giving away a free makeover of their kitchen and dining area to five lucky and deserving food business operators in order to help them sustain their operations. With a minimum P500 worth of groceries inclusive of two sponsor brands or a fully stamped loyalty card, food business owners get a chance to win a makeover.

SM Master Chefs Master Brand Booths @ the Launch

What can you say about the SM Master Chefs program? I’m surely sharing all these great news from SM Hypermarket and about the SM Master Chefs 2012 with my mom.

C-Lium Fiber Box 30s

If you’ve read my article a few weeks ago on “Starting My Journey To A Healthier Me,” this is the second in the series.

And so I started taking C-Lium by mixing it with my morning drink which is either milk, coffee, or a chocolate drink. I tried a beverage mix with oats initially, but I found it in excess when mixed with C-Lium fiber so I settled only with the first three.

I belatedly learned that once C-Lium has been mixed with the beverage, it should be immediately consumed as the small fiber granules expand with time. Personally, I didn’t mind even if the granules has thickened already because they’re still soft; even chewy. 🙂

Reading the label is also a good practice to know the actual contents of whatever you take into your body. C-lium’s Nutritional facts label indicate that dietary fiber is C-lium’s main component being made 100% natural from premium Psyllium fiber husk.

C-Lium Fiber Labels

C-Lium Fiber Health Benefits

It doesn’t have any bad side effects, but on the other hand, can lower ones bad cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and remove excess weight.

Although 1 week of use (during the 1st week of August) may be too short a time to conclude on the above-mentioned effects, what I immediately felt was my softer bowel movement. I can’t say it became regular because I already have a regular bowel movement ever since. What I really noticed is the softer stools, which is good (pardon the visual imagination you are currently experiencing).

C-Lium Fiber Sachets

C-Lium Fiber for My Breakfast

C-Lium Benefits

I just take half to one-pack of the 5g sachet of C-Lium a day which is equivalent to one tablespoon. I heard others can take as much as 3 sachets, perhaps distributed to all the day’s meals. I say try it first with one sachet pack and see how your body responds to it and adjust accordingly when necessary.

How about you? Have you tried C-Lium Fiber on your breakfast as well? Feel free to share your personal stories in the comment section below.

Angel’s Pizza ETON Cyberpod

In a bold move to cater to the mall-going crowd, Angel’s Pizza opened its newest branch at ETON Cyberpod in Ortigas. This is the call-center-dominated mall across Robinsons Galleria crossing Ortigas Avenue.

Simply a pedestrian crossing away from Robinsons, the new Angel’s Pizza ETON Cyberpod still focuses on delivery to nearby customers in offices and condominiums. This is evident through the 6 customer-seat capacity of the pizza store mainly due to the big kitchen space necessary for a pizza chain where the dough and pizza are created.

Angel’s Pizza First Customer

The opening ceremony started with a blessing of the store. Passers-by were also treated to some free pizza slices through out the day in conjunction with the 30% Off whole-day first-day promo.

NomNom got to try some of the pizza flavors and even take home a box of pizza courtesy of Angel’s.

Angel’s Pepperoni PIzza

You may consider this new branch as a transfer from their former branch in the Pasig area (near Julia Vargas corner Meralco Avenue) which has now closed.

Angel’s Pizza ETON Cyberpod
UP/G ETON Cyberpod, Corinthian, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue.
Angel’s Pizza Delivery: 922-2222

Their “Double Deal”  all-day promo is still ongoing where you can get 2 pizzas for the price of 1 on selected flavors. Kudos to Angle’s Pizza ETON Cyberpod for this bold move of having a mall-based branch.

SM Hypermarket Cainta Now Open!

SM Hypermarket brought life to a gloomy, rainy day last August 14, 2012 as the 34th branch of SM Hypermaket opened along Felix Avenue (former Imelda Ave.) in Cainta, Rizal.

The new store brought some festive mood to Cainta recovering from the recent calamity as it opened with exciting promos and discounts. There were also celebrity meet and greet segments which included Georgina Wilson, Jake Vargas and Tippy dos Santos.

Papa Dan of 97.1 Barangay LS also entertained first day shoppers, plus trivia games for extra fun before the store opened at 3pm..

SM Hypermarket Cainta Ribbon Cutting

SM Hypermarket Cainta, Rizal

Some media personnel were given a brief tour of the supermarket showcasing its different sections and areas catering to different needs of the mass market from consumer goods to apparels, appliances, and electronics.

SM Hypermarket Sections

SM Hypermarket Areas

SM Hypermarket Fresh

SM Hypermarket Hydro Spray

SM Hypermarket Cainta in the same way upheld SM Hypermarket‘s focus of being a one-stop shop of almost everything a consumer needs from food to non-food items; plus services such as bills payment and money transfer.

SM Hypermarket Outreach

In related relief efforts, SM Hypermarket reached out to its new community and donated food relief packs for victims of monsoon floods in the municipality. Over 2,000 packs of food relief items were donated.

SM Hypermarket Cainta Relief Donations for Rizal

Photo shows SM Hypermarket president Robert Kwee handing over the packs to (L-R) Cainta Mayor Mon Ilagan, Rizal Vice Governor Ross Glenn Gongora, Bgy. Sto. Domingo chairman Boy Sulit and Ms. Veron Ilagan.

Opening promos and discounts

• Bonus with SM Hypermarket’s Value Packs – save as much as 80% in bundled items that come with free SM Bonus products.
• Buy One Get One – free on breads, eggs, meat and other grocery items
• Price Markdowns – on your favorite brands and home essentials to make the opening truly rewarding for Cainta shoppers.
• SM Advantage Card, BDO Rewards and Prestige card holders can enjoy member exclusive promos when they swipe their card into the SWIPE machine located at the store entrance.

SM Hypermarket Cainta Grand Opening Programme

SM Hypermarket Tagline: “Happy To Serve”

It was a rainy opening day indeed, but it did not prevent the people from flocking to SM Hypermaket Cainta. Congratulations to SM Hypermarket and may you continue to “serve happily.”

Mondo Juice

You must have read my previous blog about Mondo Juice Megamall for you to fully appreciate this post. You can consider this a part two-of-sorts. 🙂

Having an awesome first experience, my fiance and I made sure we’d drop by the second Mondo Juice branch – and that is the one in Robinsons Galleria. And so we did.

It was a bit smaller than the Megamall branch but the interiors played with curves and lines, perhaps to give the small space more fluid and spacious dimensions. Kudos to the designer. The walls were also decorated with principled health statements from Mondo Juice itself such as “Hide and Seek: We don’t play games with your smoothie…” and “Made by Nature: Assemnled by Mondo Juice.”

Mondo Juice Robinsons Galleria

Mondo Juice Galleria

Hide & Seek

Made by Nature

What to Order

Now for the beverage-choosing part, we made sure to order something else from which we have already tried. My Mondo Marjorie chose the Sippin’ Strawberry premium fruit smoothie while I tried something from the “Exotic” fruit smoothies category for the first time – Raspberry Rush.

Mondo Juice Menu

Mondo Juice Menu Board

The Sippin’ Strawberry sticker labels says that it’s a mix of strawberries, mangoes, cranberry juice, and nectar. The solo is priced at P135 while the ‘Mondo’ size is P180.

Mondo Juice Sippin’ Strawberry

My Raspberry Rush is a combination of well, raspberries, strawberries, low-fat yogurt, and cranberry juice. Although the price is more premium at P160 for solo and P220 for mondo, I liked its taste better, perhaps due to the low-fat yogurt which made the juice’ texture slightly thicker but still natural and in good taste.

Mondo Juice Raspberry Rush

To complete our meal, we shared the Beef Pastrami sandwich (P165) which was also our first-time to order.  Aside from the beef pastrami, it has lettuce, onions, mild cheddar, and honey mustard on a black sesame whole wheat ciabatta. It was one protein-filled sandwich with a healthy bunch of stuff. 🙂

Beef Pastrami

NomNom and the Mondo Juice Advocate

WIped-out Mondo Juice Fruit Juices

I consider this a good closing article to our brief back-to-back Mondo Juice mini-series. It somehow felt complete having visited both the SM Megamall and Robinsons Galleria branches of our newest beverage place of choice that is both healthy and refreshing –  Mondo Juice!

Mondo Juice Megamall

So called ‘fruit juice bars‘ and ‘smoothie stands‘ have sprouted around the metro in the recent years, trying to ride on the “healthy lifestyle” bandwagon. But only very few can claim to serve an all-natural, real fruit smoothie without added sugar, syrup or sweeteners – that’s Mondo Juice.

Being a ‘Megamall guy,’ I’ve been passing by Mondo Juice in SM Megamall for so long as I can remember. But it was only recently that I actually tried it upon the prodding of my fiance who have tried and blogged about Mondo Juice way back in mid-2011.

Mondo Juice Fruit Smoothie

And so I tried, and regretted it. I regret why it was only now that I gave-in to my fiance’s recommendation to try Mondo Juice. 🙂

We came from a full-house Starbucks shop so I eventually agreed to her suggestion of trying Mondo Juice as I always welcome the thought of trying restaurants I have never been to.

Mondo Juice branch interior

Mondo Juice High-Powered Blenders

My Order #1: Blushing Mango & Turkey Pesto

Mango has always been one of my favorite fruits so I decided to go ‘safe‘ and chose the “Blushing Mango” from the Premium Fruit Smoothie category. It costs P135 for the solo size and P180 for the ‘Mondo‘ (big) size.

The other smoothie categories were ‘Homegrown‘, ‘Buzz Smoothies‘, and ‘Exotic‘, among others.

I was also offered add-on options such as yogurt, oatmeal, soy milk, and honey whose prices ranged from Php 15 to Php 35. As much as I would like to have those healthy add-ons, I decided to have the smoothie as it is. I wanted to know how it fares without the extras.

Blushing Mango Smoothie

Hungry as I was, I ordered a Turkey Pesto sandwich to match my smoothie. The smoked turkey breast slices were calling out to me complete with the green peppers and rustic pesto in between two Italian herb Focaccia breads. 🙂

As so it was served.

My Blushing Mango smoothie came in a transparent cup where you can see all the goodness of the fruit and pulp (no rinds/roots), and an informative sticker at the back. Mine turned-out to be a blend of mangoes, respberries, and nectar amounting to 3.5 big servings of fruit hitting upto 140% of my vitamin C need.

I had my first ‘sip‘ and I can almost feel the toxins flushed down. 🙂

Grilled Turkey Pesto Sandwich

Her Order #1: Mango Magic with Ham & Cheese

Not to be outdone, my Mondo Juice advocate and fiance named Marjorie ordered her all-time favorite ‘homegrown‘ fruit smoochie smoothie called Mango Magic (P125 Solo). She partnered it with the traditional – Ham & Egg sandwich.

Based on the back sticker label, the magic in her Mango Magic is a mix of mangoes, nectar, and orange juice with a whooping 161% of vitamin C! It goes further saying “the only thing fresher grows on a tree.” 🙂 With the 1/3 pound of fruit in each Mondo Jucie cup, the recommended five servings of fruit daily has just been met!

And without hesitation, she made her ‘sip‘ and said “ahhh.”

Mango Magic with Ham & Cheese Sandwich

My Order #2: Blueberry Bonanza + Kiwi Fruit & Jello

An hour after, needless to say, we wanted more. Round 2 was imminent.

I then consulted the sales crews and asked which one is their bestseller. The unanimous answer was the “Blueberry Bonanza“! Again from the premium fruit smoothie category, it had the same price as my first one at P135 per ‘solo size‘ order and P180 for the Mondo.

Blueberry Bonanza Smoothie

Mondo Juice Jello

Adventurous as I am, a group of jello encased in interestingly hard plastic containers on the left side of the display piqued my curiosity. I browsed through and selected the Kiwi Fruit & Jello over the Lychee and Mandarin Orange-infused ones.

Kiwi Fruit & Jello

On first ‘sip‘, I already knew why the Blueberry Bonanza is the bestseller. The natural blend of blueberries, mangoes, bananas, and cranberry juice was harmonious. You have to try it for yourself.

The Kiwi fruit & jello was fine with good kiwis and jello fruit juice. It’s something different for a change. I think the kids will love it too. For something healthy, parents out there should seriously consider this as a snack for their kids.

Her Order #2: Proteinzone Super Smoochie Smoothie

From the start, I never doubted she would take seconds for Mondo Juice.

My Mondo Marjorie scanned through the menu board for quite a while similar to how she scans through dresses, gowns, shoes, and bags while shopping in department stores.

I was afraid.

Three mondo minutes after, she finally exclaimed: “I think I will try something different this time!”

I was even more afraid.

Ready to face my fears, I gathered enough courage and asked her straight to the point: “What’s your order as the cashier is waiting?”

She looked at me intensely into the eye and finally said … that she wanted to try the Proteinzone Super Smoothie booster (P145/solo;185 /Mondo). In the same category are the ‘Detox‘ & ‘Power-Up‘ smoothies.

My Mondo Model: Marjorie (with her Proteinzine Smoothie)

Proteinzone Back Sticker Label

Surprisingly, on the other hand, she’s passing up the sandwich and hinted to share with my Kiwi jello instead; which is not a problem of course. 😛

The smoochie smoothie finally came and it turned out to be a concoction of raspberries, bananas, nectar, cranberry juice, a shot of soy protein at 4g and fiber of 2.35g per serving! (I don’t know what’s the standard, but it impressed upon me that it’s much!) 🙂

‘Sip‘!

Completing the menu board of Mondo Juice are fresh pressed juice, hot drinks such as coffee, tea, and chocolate. Other cold drinks include iced coffee, brewed ice tea, and lemonade.

There are even honeyed nuts and mango cashew nuts available by the counter.

Her Proteinzone and Mango Magic!

The Mondo Juice Advocate & NomNom

Undoubtedly, it was a no-fuss afternoon of all-natural fruit smooches smoothies with my fiance at Mondo Juice Megamall where we can drink it straight, without the sugar and syrup bait.

So where were the ‘smooches‘ in the story? It went in-between ‘sips‘. 🙂

Dessert comes first 🙂

Acaci Buffet Restaurant debuts at the new Filipino five-star luxury hotel - Acacia Hotel Manila – last month as the newest buffet dining spot in Alabang (south of Metro Manila). Situated in Filinvest Corporate City, Acaci coffeeshop offers a buffet with sumptuous spreads of Asian and international dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Located above the lobby with its own floor, the restaurant offers an “East meets West” theme without loosing the inspiration of each dish to ‘fusion‘.

Appetizer & Salad bar Station

Appetizers Salad Bar Station (Gravlax – Top Left)

Diners can have their fill of local and international dishes starting with the appetizer salad bar station located in the middle of the restaurant where they can choose from an array of fresh greens and dressings. There are also a selection of cold cuts, patés, and terrines while enjoying the crustacean selections, cocktail, tacos salad options, and the sushi bar

Don’t miss the Gravlax and Thai Prawn with Green Mango and Lime Salad.

Sushi Bar & Other Cold Cuts

Crustacean Selection (upper left)

Filipino & Asian Station

I decided to skip the bread and cheese section, however, as I intended to focus on the main dishes.

The Asian section consists of a variety of local and international dishes with our very own pork sisig (a spicy Filipino pork dish) and Sinigang. If I’m not mistaken, I think this is the first time I’m having ‘sisig‘ in a hotel buffet. 🙂

Asaian Station & Pork Sisig (right)

Sinigang, soup & condiments

Other options included the the Seared Cod Fish Fillet, Cajun Spiced Chicken with Pumpkin and Asparagus Tips, and Braised Bean Curd with Assorted Mushrooms. Surprisingly, there was only one simple rice variety in the buffet – fried rice with ham and vegetables.

Western Station & Carving Station

For the Western cuisine, they have a pasta section right beside the Mongolian station followed by popular choices including lamb, tender prime rib, and flaky salmon.

The Carving Station hosted the Herb-Roasted U.S. Rib-Eye with corn on the cob, roasted spiced potato wedges and a gazillion sauce options.

Bread & Cheese Station

Avocado and Chicken Salad with Coriander Dressing

Dessert Station

The dessert station offers an array of cakes, pastries, chocolate fondue fountain, and sliced fruits. Albeit quite limited in this part, I highly recommend the customizable crepes station with condiments, sauces, & ice cream.

Dessert Station

Crepe Station

Other stations include the Wanton Station, Filipino Soup, and Deep Fried Thai Fish Station. Watch out for the upcoming shawarma station and an interactive Caesar salad station where attendants will assemble the salad according the preference of the guest.

Pasta Station

Wanton Station (left) & Dimsum Station (right)

Deep Fried Thai Fish

Executive Chef Raffy Hubilla

We were also able to briefly interview Executive Chef Raffy Hubilla who is a veteran in the industry having been in the hospitality food scene for 22 years including a stint with Marriot Hotel.

Acaci is named after a species of flower-bearing plants in the Amazon. The interior is spacious with four panels of paintings done by the Filipino artist Jomike Tejido which are proudly displayed as part of the restaurant décor.

Executive Chef Raffy Hubilla

Acaci Restaurant

Acacia Hotel Manila – Acaci
Business Address: 5400 East Asia Drive corner Commerce Avenue, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Email: enquiry@acaciahotelsmanila.com
Tel no. 720 2000 or 588 5888
www.acaciahotelsmanila.com
Follow them on Facebook (Acacia Hotels Manila) or in Twitter (AcaciaHotels)

Acaci in Acacia Hotel Manila

Dine at Acaci Buffet Restaurant for only Php995 nett per person inclusive of one round of Iced Tea or Pandan Juice.