Quality or Quantity?

New studies say that 30minutes daily exercise is enough to shed pounds!

"Researchers found moderately overweight men who exercised hard enough to sweat for 30 minutes a day lost an average of 8 pounds over three months compared to an average weight loss of 6 pounds among men who worked out for 60 minutes a day. The overall loss in body mass was the same for both groups, almost 9 pounds."

Well... I believe in this! I started a new workout program 6 months ago in one of the European franchise fitness centre calls VIVAFIT. VIVAFIT offers 30minutes of various types of workouts daily, five times a week. I started with the HIIT exercise at the beginning of the week and ended my week with strengthening body balance. I come everyday or at least three times a week.

At first during the first registration, I even questioned the Personal Trainer there - "30minutes? Is it enough for me?" Before joining this, I went to the typical gym centre equipped with lots of machine and I probably only used 3-4 machines there. The one I always used were the treadmills and cycle machines. Sometimes I would explore machines on legs which I rarely do because I was afraid of doing it wrongly.

Years I have been doing this and well.. I did lose my weight but it was very slow progress. I am glad that I found and joined this newly opened fitness centre in Oman. Though the fees are quite a bomb, it really is worth the money and effort.

For the six months I've joined, I have lost 4kg. PERMANENTLY 4kg, NOT yoyo! This is the highest achievement and the "biggest loser" that I have made. Its not just the weight loss but also my body, mainly my arms and legs, are becoming fitter and toned up. No more wobbly flabby arms! The difficult part is always to get the flat tummy but I'm working out towards it. 

In these classes, I also learned the new way and name of exercises and terms like - plank, lunges, squat and many more.. also pilates, core, strength, HIIT (High-intensity Interval Training) and more. Fun.. If nowadays people were to talk about all these things, I can join and also brag about it!

I am not against doing exercise using machines, I like it too, but I feel these kind of exercise classes suits me better. 30 minutes every day for each class and sometimes I have two classes which runs to 1 hour, with the quality workout that I do - it is enough for a day. 

I have more time to do other things as I don't spend hours at the gym. I believe in whatever we do, try our best to do the best we can so that we can get a good quality result. There is no point spending hours in the gym or anything else, when at the end we achieve nothing.

Mendalami Ilmu Sebaik Mungkin

Pada hujung minggu baru ini, saya berpeluang menghadiri SEMINAR HADIS oleh Pakar Hadis, Dr Rozaimi Ramle. Beliau didatangkan khas dari Malaysia oleh Majlis Ilmu Muscat di sini. 

Banyak ilmu dan perkara baru yang saya belajar selama tiga hari bersama beliau. Selama ini saya tidaklah begitu menitik berat tentang hadis-hadis yang saya baca. Asalkan hadis itu bunyinya baik, maka saya kira baiklah untuk diamalkan. 

Hadis adalah segala sesuatu yang disandarkan kepada  Nabi Muhammad saw dari segi perkataan (sabda), perbuatan dan ketetapan. Hadis juga dijadikan sumber hukum dalam agama Islam selain Al-Quran. Hadis telah dikumpul sejak zaman Nabi hidup lagi. 

Pada zaman sekarang begitu banyak kata-kata serta amalan yang berbunyi baik dan logik atau sebaliknya, yang disebarkan sebagai hadis. Kebanyakkannya telah diamalkan sejak zaman nenek moyang kita dulu. Kita sendiri mungkin tidak tahu samada amalan itu adalah yang dituntut agama atau ia sekadar ikutan dan budaya.

Sebelum menerima dan mengamal sesebuah hadis, kita harus lah periksa kesahehan hadis itu. Saheh kah hadis ini? Kita sebagai orang biasa mungkin tidak mempunyai kredibiliti dalam menilai dan memahami sesebuah hadis itu. Namun kita diberi akal dan pilihan untuk memilih dan mencari SIAPA yang kita akan ambil sebagai rujukan dan APA rujukan yang kita akan ambil.

Hukumnya HARAM jika kita menyebar dan mengamalkan HADIS PALSU. Rekaan hadis boleh mengubah ajaran agama dan menghina Nabi walaupun dengan niat baik. Meriwayatkan hadis tanpa tahu statusnya kepada kawan-kawan dan orang ramai adalah haram. Ia dikhuatiri bercanggah dengan Al Quran. Astagfirullahaladzim.. takut saya mendengar ini.

Dalam menuntut ilmu agama, menjadi tanggungjawab kita untuk mencari guru, ustaz yang tahu dan faham agama mengikut cara yang diajar oleh Nabi dan Al Quran. Segala ajaran haruslah berlandaskan dalil dari Al Quran dan Hadis, bukan dari pandangan peribadi.

Banyak perkara yang saya ingin kongsikan di sini namun saya sedar dengan ilmu cetek yang saya ada dalam perkara ini menahan saya dari meneruskannya. Saya takut saya akan tersalah bicara. Satu perkara yang jelas adalah Hadis ini ibarat Nabi itu sendiri kerana segala yang kita dapat dari hadis ini adalah segala perbuatan dan bicara Nabi. Maka ia bukanlah suatu perkara yang boleh dibuat main dan dipandang ringan.

Banyak yang masih saya tidak tahu dan lebih banyak ingin saya belajar. Semoga Allah memberi saya lebih banyak peluang dan istiqamah untuk merebut peluang mendalami ilmu agama ini. 

Daripada `Aishah r.a. katanya: Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 

Sesiapa yang mengada-ngadakan sesuatu perkara mengenai urusan agama kami, yang bukan daripadanya, maka ia adalah tertolak. Dalam satu riwayat yang lain: Sesiapa yang melakukan satu amalan yang bukan dari ajaran kami, maka ia adalah tertolak. (riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim)

Sesungguhnya sesiapa yang hidup selepasku akan melihat perselisihan yang banyak. Maka hendaklah kalian berpegang kepada sunnahku dan sunnah al-Khulafa’ al-Rasyidin al-Mahdiyyin (mendapat petunjuk). Berpeganglah dengannya dan gigitlah ia dengan geraham. 

Hadis riwayat Abu Daud, no. 4607, at-Tirmidzi, no. 2676 dan al-Hakim 1/95

Wallahuallam...

Call Me By My Name

Recently there was a huge viral story on Malaysia's social media about how a person was addressed wrongly during a conversation of an online business transaction.

Before, I worked and dealt with various levels of people from private and government sectors; I learned very well how important the 'title' is for certain people. I worked as a trainer, then as a consultant which dealt with meeting and talking to people. I have met all kinds of levels and types of people throughout my career days and even now.

I still remember when I was given a task by my boss to conduct a training to one of the government sectors. I always conducted my training in English and if required only would I conduct in Bahasa Melayu or rojak campur dengan English. So when you talk in English of course you address people using "YOU" and "I".

At the end of my training I got a complaint from the participant (written in the evaluation form and verbally remarks by the personnel of that government agency) for not respecting and addressing the people in the class very well. It seems there were a few "Dato" and "Datin" in the class. It was like a huge slap on my face at that time. Of course I defended myself; how would I know there were Datos and Datins in my class as nobody cared to inform me!

On the other hand (after coming back to reality and long thoughts) I admitted it was partly my mistake. I should have checked who were my audience. I should have done homework at that part. Since that day, I am very careful on how I address people and till now it's like a habit that I am always conscious not to address people wrongly.

Well.. that if it is in a real world, you could see the person's face and expression, but what if it were the case in the cyber world? Where only text and sentences be the conversation between people. I guess it will be no problem between people that knows each other but with strangers, especially doing business - this is why every seller should learn the ethic on how to communicate.

I love buying things online and always communicate with the sellers who mostly youngsters. So far they are very polite addressing me "sis" "kakak" or "puan". As for the middle aged seller their favourite term is always "dear". It is probably to sound more intimate mesra gitu.. hehehe. Play safe kan.. it is better rather than you mistakenly address people.

How you talk to people.. address or call people be it at any situation, reflects who you are. If you don't want to be called rude or dumb, you have to learn how to live politely in this world. I don't agree with some people saying - apa lah yang ada pada pangkat? Mati bukan boleh bawa pun.. Dato, Datin, Prof, Dr or apa saja, itu semua pangkat je pun.

I agree, mati memang tak boleh bawa itu semua.. but respect and dignity is needed so you can live and die in a respectable way. Those who have "Prof" or "Dr" as their title, do you know how hard they work to achieve to that level? Here in Oman we have a few medical "Dr" and also PhD "Dr". We also have a "Prof" here. I always address them with that title though I met them everyday. They never stop me doing that neither ask me to. I just feel that they deserve that title and they deserve to be respected that way.

As for me.. call me "Puan" ok.. "Cik" pun ok.. (ni perasan muda ah jap).. dah ada pun panggil "makcik" dan "aunty".  Nak panggil I "Datin" ? Ok je.. tapi jangan depan the real Dato and Datin ye.. Tersangat malu.. hahhahha.. Among my close friends, we love to call each other "Datin".. Bukan berangan pun nak jadi Datin, tapi saja suka-suka pasal kawan yang kita panggil Datin tu tersangat style dan kelasss which the real Datin pun tak kalah tau.... oops.. terlebih sudah ya.. 

Bersedekahlah Tanpa Mengarap Balasan

Tangan yang menghulur lebih mulia dari tangan yang menerima. "menghulur" atau "memberi" ini boleh datang dari berbagai cara. Ada juga yang boleh dikategorikan dalam konteks "sedekah". Ya.. jika niat kita ikhlas untuk memberi dan menghulur ia akan membuahkan sedekah pahala.

Ada orang yang suka memberi buah tangan atau hadiah kepada saudara mara atau kawan-kawan setiap kali mereka berjumpa. Tidak kiralah apa jua hadiah itu tapi orang yang sering memberi ini akan merasa puas kerana dapat menggembirakan si penerima. 

Ada orang juga yang memang suka sangat belanja orang makan. Bukan dia nak menunjuk-nunjuk banyak duit konon, tapi memang itu sifatnya. Saya pernah melihat adegan berebut-rebut nak bayar antara kawan-kawan. Mereka ini semua berduit, tapi agaknya memang sifat mereka yang suka belanja orang makan. Mungkin mereka rasa puas dan gembira denga cara ini.

Ada orang juga yang suka mengadakan jamuan makan di rumah. Hampir setiap minggu pasti ada jamuan atau kenduri kecil untuk dijamu makan bersama kawan atau saudara. Segala penat lelah hilang bila melihat tetamu berkumpul makan bersama.

Perbuatan ini kadangkala dah menjadi habit atau kebiasaan dalam hidup mereka. Pada orang yang memberi ini mereka merasa satu keseronokan dan kepuasan melakukan sedekah cara ini. Ya.. tanpa mereka sedar, ini adalah sedekah dan pahala boleh juga diraih dengan cara ini. Cuma kadang kala hati saya tergerak pada yang menerima itu. Jika orang yang merima itu kerap menerima sesuatu dari orang yang sama sahaja, tidak kah mereka mereka merasa sesuatu? Hmm.. apa yang perlu mereka rasa ye? Malu? Bersalah? Terhutang budi? "Terharu?" "Bertuah" "Bersyukur" 

OK.. soalan ini tidak perlu timbul jika orang yang memberi ini iklas niatnya kan? Tapi sebagai manusia biasa, hati pasti diduga dan didetikkan dengan perasaan jahat ini. Pasti perasaan ini akan timbul sedikit walaupun tidak banyak. 

Saya selalu berkata pada diri saya dan anak-anak. Berbuatlah baik pada orang, pasti kebaikan kita akan dapat. Saya juga selalu mengingati terus terusan pada diri saya, jika saya membuat sesuatu jangan lah sentiasa mengharapkan balasan. Jika saya masak laksa beri pada Cik Kiah, tidak semestinya keesokkan hari Cik Kiah akan masak juga laksa balas pada saya kan? Mungkin juga Cik Kiah langsung tidak akan masak atau balas apa2 pun pada saya. Mungkin Cik Yam yang saya jarang memberi padanya tetiba akan beri saya laksa... (ini contoh lah kan... :) )

Kadangkala kebaikan yang kita buat, ganjarannya datang dari berbagai cara. Mungkin Allah tidak salurkannya terus pada kita tapi kepada anak cucu kita. Kadangkala ganjaran itu bukan lah dari segi material atau juga bukan dari cara yang sama kita buat. Tetapi tanpa kita sedar sebenarnya ganjaran itu telah Allah berikan pada kita.

Setidak-tidaknya kita akan merasa tenang. Kita akan merasa bahagia dan seronok jika dapat menggembirakan orang lain. Ini juga adalah satu ganjaran yang mungkin kita tidak sedar. 

Selain ingin menjadi orang yang sentiasa ikhlas memberi dan bersedekah, saya juga ingin menjadi orang yang sentiasa tahu bersyukur dan malu jika selalu menerima. Saya tidak mahu mengambil kesempatan di atas kebaikan orang lain. Saya mahu sentiasa berterima kasih kerana saya tahu di dunia ini memang akan sentiada ada orang yang memang ikhlas ingin membuat kebaikan.

" Tangan yang menghulur lebih baik daripada tangan yang menerima, mulakanlah dengan mereka yang dibawah tanggunganmu. Sebaik-baik sedekah itu adalah yang tidak mengorbankan keperluannya dan keluarganya, sesiapa yang menahan daripada meminta sedekah dia akan dijaga oleh Allah s.w.t. , sesiapa yang merasa berpada-pada maka diberikan Allah s.w.t. kelegaan padanya." (HR Bukhari dan Muslim)

Unexplained Hiatus

Wow.. the last time I was here, in my blog was in November 2014. It has been almost two years... Blogging has always been one of my favourite thing to do. I started in the year of 2007. Almost everyday I wanted to blog something. I always had something to share and to tell. Even till now I always do.

I have slowly drifted away from my blog as I got distracted with so many other things - fb, instagram, twitter etc. I am also getting lazy in anything related to writing and reading. I am a person that used to love reading so much, and I always had a book/novel with me all the time or before sleep.. now it's the other way round. I found that books that I read are no longer interesting. I found that I am so lazy to blog though I have so many ideas/stories to share.

Why? Could it be the age factor? Hehehehe.. I don't really know but what I know today, at this moment, is that I am back here blogging. One of the strong factors that made me to start again is because of my father... Yes.. my beloved father that I call "Ayah".

Ayah is 73 years old. Recently I went back to visit him. Every time when I visit Ayah, he looks weaker and older. His steps become slower. Ayah is having a mild parkinson and on blood pressure medication. Ayah will easily get tired and will always prefer to lie down or sleep. Ayah now seldom talks but when he talks, he will randomly ask questions that we don't know how to answer. Ayah will suddenly talked about his past like works and friends.

Ayah that I know was a strong and smart man. He worked as a manager at one of BERNAS (used to be known as LPN) branch. I grown up in a few places/branches of LPN complex in Kedah. Ayah managed hundreds of staffs and was well known as a very strict boss! Ayah was active in golf and loved meeting friends. Our house was always full with visitors and relatives who came to visit us.

It's heartbreaking to see my father the total opposite of what he used to be. There are many things that could've stopped the change of my father. First of all, my father shouldn't have stopped golfing. I know very well that he loves golf so much. When he plays golf, he meets friends and they talk and chat which makes him happy. My father used to read the newspaper every morning. That is a must routine for him. One day he told me that he feels lazy to read now and stopped subscribing the newspaper. Most of the time now, my father just stay at home either sleep or sitting down. Now, that is his daily routine.

When I look at him and his friends who are at the same age or older, I feel bad for him. Many of his friends are still healthy and actively driving, exercise and meeting people. Everybody will get old. How you prepare yourself getting old is what you have to start doing now.

I am 47 years old. I do exercise regularly and am conscious on my diet. My daily activity besides doing the routine house chores are hobbies like knitting, sewing, making dolls and watching drama online! I don't read books anymore except for recipe books. I only read news and gossip from fb. (That's so sad right :( )

I want to grow old smart. I want to grow old healthy. I want to be able to talk in whatever topics I can when I grow old. I want to be able to continue doing things that I like.

To be able to achieve all of that, I have to always make my brain work, right? Stimulate my brain.. like writing and blogging- what I'm doing now.

Wow... can't believe that I've typed so many paragraphs. A good start indeed.

I guess I have to stop now as I will continue again in another episode. Welcome back 'vogue mom' and I hope this time it will be continuously active.