OF TRAINING AND AFTERNOON TEA BUFFET AND DARK CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

As one can see from the mish mash in the title, I am getting sick of titling everything “Training Updates - XXXXX” and yet not in a creative enough mood to think of anything more interesting.

I had a relatively good week of training. In particular, I had a great training day during the week itself. The day didn’t start out so good. In actual fact, I felt like I was coming down with a serious flu halfway through the week. I spent the day sleeping and resting and by that evening, I felt fully rested and energetic. By the time I reached the gym, I could feel the power coursing through my limbs, and felt the incredible urge to pull heavy. I thought Popeye probably felt like this every time he got some spinach. I felt so good that I told Coach E that I could do anything that night and probably get some PRs. And I did – back squats at 55 kg. I really do believe I could have done 57.5 kg or maybe even 60 kg if I was in a mind to do so, but decided to be prudent and hone my form on 55 kg. Chin ups was great – finally able to get my chin above the bar and managed controlled lowering for up to 3 sets.

The weekday bout probably tired me out for the Saturday lifting, so I found myself making single lifts of 60 kgs and not being able to do anymore. But I wasn’t too concerned.

Muay Thai has become kind of a roulette wheel experience. I never know whether I am going to have a good session or be wiped out halfway. I can’t even pinpoint, much less control the factors which affect each session. So I guess I can only hope for the best until I graduate from bootcamp and put an end to Saturday heavy lifting and concentrate on Muay Thai. Anyway, I managed to survive this week quite well.

My planned derailment from my diet finally arrived on Saturday afternoon – a glorious afternoon of gourmet delights at Chihuly Lounge, Ritz Carlton. The Chihuly Lounge afternoon teas have always been one of my favourite treats, and the chocolate and nuts theme for the month of April to June was definitely not to be missed. I was not disappointed.

The savoury canapés deserve their own honorable mention. I kept going back for the Wagyu beef sandwich, crab wrap, crab salad, and the asparagus wrapped in beef. The last was a combination of taste and textures that was simply heavenly. I never realised asparagus tasted so good.

While I had meant to gun mostly for the desserts, I could only endure so much sweetness and richness before I had to take a break. I took a little of most of the chocolate stuff, and avoided the peanut butter items, which was too rich for my liking. But the crowning glory of the day was all those scoops of dark chocolate ice cream – best I ever tasted. If logistics didn’t intervene, I would probably have smuggled a whole tubful home to enjoy at leisure.

I go back onto my strict(er) diet regime today. Breaks like yesterday’s afternoon tea makes it all worthwhile….for if I didn’t make the effort to maintain a certain level of diet cleanliness normally, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy yesterday’s spread without any guilt.

And I also believe, however blasphemous it may seem to people of certain persuasions, that if God really made the world, the best thing he did was when he uttered, “Let there be chocolate...and ice cream.”