Remembering Papa

I found out that my grandfather passed away today at the age of 94.

I can honestly say he was the hardest working person I ever knew. He lived his life working hard so others might have a better life. As a young man, he worked to help put his siblings through school. As a father, he worked hard to provide a better life for his wife and 3 sons. After retiring from the military, he worked on a farm and continued to provide for his grandchildren.

About 12 years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer. At their time, he was still working on the farm and over 80 years old. He could outwork just about everyone I knew. But with cancer, he sold the farm and moved into town. I was sure he wouldn't last a year. I had lost my other grandfather to cancer and seen what it could do, but more than that, I knew Papa's will to work, kept him alive. Without the farm, I thought cancer would get the best of him.
I was wrong.
He found other projects like flipping houses, building retaining walls and other jobs that 80+ year old  men had no business doing to keep him going. And he kept going. And going.

He fought through the cancer, but age kept coming at him. His eyes started to go bad. And his hearing. His pace slowed. But each time I asked him how he was, he would say, "I've got another day, so I can't complain." He enjoyed the gift of each day and he tried to teach us that gift as well.

He leaves behind his wife of 65 years, Amparo, or Grandma as we call her.

I love them both.

One Year Anniversary on TSFL

I started Take Shape For Life one year ago. Here is a before and after photo of me with some of my old clothes.

About 55 lbs. lighter.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement. Still working at keeping it off and getting healthier.

Wednesday Meals

After going way over on Tuesday thanks to a family dinner at a Chinese restaurant, I tried to get back to a more sensible daily menu. Here it is:

Breakfast at 7:30am - 286 calories
Scrambled eggs - 1 whole egg & 1 egg white
1 piece of Mestemacher Fitnessbread (whole grain)
Multi-vitamin
Omega-3 capsule
1 date

Mid-morning at 10am - 160 calories
Medifast Chocolate Mint Bar

Lunch at 12:30pm - 345 calories
Medifast Chicken Noodle Soup
3 cups of Italiano Romane Lettuce salad mix
2 tsp of vigin olive oil
3 tbs of balsamic vinegar
10 raw almonds
3 pieces of Kavli Garlic Crisps (like thin crackers)
1 can of Coke Zero

Early Afternoon Snack at 2:30pm - 214 calories
1 Cup of celery sticks covered with about 2tbs of organic Peanut butter (nothing added, just peanuts)

Late Afternoon Snack at 5pm - 177 calories
Small diced royal gala apple mixed in with 1 container of Fage Fat Free Greek Yogurt

Dinner at 7:30pm - 730 calories (a little more than I would normally have)
4 strips of baked, skinless lemon pepper chicken (thigh meat)
1 cup of carrots
1 cup of celery sticks
1/2 cup of brown rice

= 1913 calories and I was shooting for 2020, but I was way over the day before.

Winning the Battle

After having numerous conversations with people- heck, it's probably the conversation I have most nowadays- about my transformation, I decided it would be good to put it down in one place as a resource for others and a reminder for me. The post right before this one details some of the process, so I would encourage you to read that if you really have any interest in this. So here is the transformation so far:

The photo on the left was the day I started at over 200 lbs. The photo in the center was 2 months in when I had lost 33 lbs, which was around my original goal. The last photo was at the end of April after I had been on maintenance for about 10 weeks. At that point I had settled in to a size that I am trying to keep- about 55 lbs less than my starting weight.

Honestly, I never thought I could lose 55 lbs and I thought losing 30 would be darn near impossible. I don't think I was the only one holding that view as I regularly get comments like, "you have lost a ton of weight", "I didn't even recognize you", "did you mean to lose that much weight?"*, "are you okay?"* and "you don't need to lose any more weight". When I go back and look at the photos from a year ago, in a way it does look like I am looking at someone else's face. It's strange because I live with that look most of my life. I don't have exact numbers, but I remember weighing around 185 lbs in college ('91-95) and I probably was in the 195 range when I lived in Alabama ('98-'00) and I got over 200 some time in the transition from  Greenville to Thailand ('04-06). The only images of a "thin" me that I know of are from the age of 7 and younger ('73-'80).

So how did it happen?

I think it really started because of 2 main factors. In the fall of 2009, I played in the Pan-Asia Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Hong Kong. After that tournament, I developed some problems in my left knee. It was probably one of my best weekends of ultimate. I had to step up to play against the best guys in Asia and so I ran my butt off, but in the process strained my MCL and might have damaged my meniscus. It seems I also developed some tendentious in my knees as well. It sidelined me for more than a year. About a year after I hurt my left knee, I was trying to play again and injured my right knee in about the same way. So after 2 years of little ultimate, I was gaining weight and wondering if I would ever really be able to play again.

About that time, several people at church started to (noticeably) lose weight. These were guys that I respected. Guys older than me that were looking great. So I asked them how they did it. They all directed me to a lady at church, Claudine, who helps people with the Take Shape For Life program. I learned more about the program, discussed it with my wife and considered if this program was right for me and a good investment**. Based on the results I had seen, the info I had learned and my health situation at that point, I decided to go for it.

I was anxious to start because I was going to Thailand for a wedding in August of 2011 and wanted to be a little thinner for that, but Claudine was travelling and I wasn't able to start until September. I was also nervous about starting. While Take Shape For Life offers a pretty good variety of Medifast meals, there were a lot of options that were foods I never ate or seldom ate in my life like, soup and oatmeal. I wondered if I would really be able to stick to the plan. Thankfully, I did.

THE PLAN
I went over some of the basic principles in my first post, but for those of you that are really interested here is what it typically looked like for me during the weight loss phase:
5 Medifast meals + 1 'Lean & Green" meal
Breakfast - Oatmeal (MF)
Mid-morning - Caramel Crunch bar (MF)
Lunch - Chicken & Wild Rice Soup (MF)
Early afternoon - Chocolate Shake (MF)
Late afternoon - BBQ Bites (MF)
Dinner - Baked lemon pepper chicken (4-6 oz) & ginger/garlic spinach (2-3 cups)

I eat "normal" food now and will try to post a weeks worth of meals so you can see what I eat now. During the weight loss plan I was consuming about 1100-1300 calories a day. Now I try to hit 2100 a day to maintain (more if I am doing strenuous exercise).

Q&A about the plan:
Don't you get hungry eating so little?
Maybe a little, but remember I am eating 6 times a day, so while the portions are smaller, I am eating more of them. I usually would get hungry 2 hours after my latest meal and I was supposed to eat about every 2-3 hours, so it usually wasn't a problem.
Now I eat more food, but still use some portion control. I usually get hungry when it is time to eat, so it really isn't a problem usually.

Do the Medifast meals taste good?
Yes, no and okay.
I like most of the bars and shakes (some of the antioxidant shakes don't mix that well IMO). I like the pudding and cookies. The BBQ bites and Pizza Bites are pretty good.
I have gotten used to the chicken & wild rice soup, chicken noodle soup and the oatmeals enough to like them.
The scrambled eggs are edible, but the SW Style eggs might be the foulest "food" on earth. The pancakes aren't that great and a bit of a disappointment in size and taste, plus they can be tricky to cook correctly.
Of course, these are my opinions and I know others that have different tastes (but I have never found anyone that liked the SW eggs).

**Is it expensive?
It isn't cheap, but I am not going to discuss cost, but rather a philosophy that I use. Before I referred to the plan as an investment and that is how I view it. Some people don't want to do the plan because of the cost and I can understand that, but to me it has been worth it for several reasons.

• Hopefully, the investment now means less medical bills later in life. To my knowledge I am not diabetic, but honestly I was heading that way with the lifestyle I was leading. So I look at it as paying for health instead of paying for insulin... or heart medicine or cholesterol medicine or blood pressure medicine or whatever myriads of meds most people from the US are on or will be on one day.
• I don't necessarily want longevity of life. I want quality of life. Hopefully, I am allowing myself to do things in the future that I wouldn't have been able to do before. I am already back to playing ultimate and I am faster and stronger than I have ever been. I can enjoy life with my wife and friends (see below).
• If you really wanted to, you could do it without the Medifast. However, for me using the Medifast was good because making that big of a life transition is tough and the last thing you need to do it to be calculating calories, sugar, carbs, fats (all the types), proteins, vitamins, etc. for 6 meals a day, 7 days a week. I would have quit. The Medifast meals are pre calculated for all of you dietary needs so it makes life more bearable.  
• Having Claudine as an advisor, cheerleader and source of information was a big help.

Yeah, he probably weighs 120 lbs wet, is 15+ years younger, is lightning quick and has springs for legs, but I still had a good time giving it my all in Bangkok. (Top) On holiday in Israel with Rufina.

How do you feel?

4 days ago, I played ultimate for 2 hours. The first 1.5 hours I felt 29 again. I felt GREAT! The last 30 minutes, I was tired of running after younger, more athletic guys and I felt 39 again. 

The first week is pretty tough. For some it is really hard, but for me it was a little more bearable. I was more irritable and had a harder time focusing, but other than that, it was bearable.

During the beginning of the program, you do have to cut back on your exercise or you will get lightheaded, which I did one night at ultimate. Now, I can alter my daily menu by adding more proteins and healthy carbs & fats on days when I know I will need more energy and it isn't a problem.

You know that mid-afternoon crash you have? I don't get that anymore. Eating smaller portions that aren't heavy in sugars and other carbs keeps my insulin level good and I don't crash. My energy level is better than it's ever been before. I feel good, healthy and able, not fat, tired and unable.

Do you cheat?

Honestly, I have and I do.

It's probably not the answer I should give, but it's the truth. Last week, for Rufina's birthday we had cheesecake for dessert. It happens. I love sweets. I love cookies and ice cream. It's a hard thing to fight off. However, I have also learned that I like fruit and while apples may have a lot of sugar, eating an apple instead of indulging in a piece of chocolate cake, usually is a better choice. But basically here is my advice: Avoid cheating or "treating" as much as you can in the losing phase. The earlier and more frequent you do it, the more likely you will make it a habit. If you know you will be in situations where you might cheat, plan ahead. If I know I am going to have a dim sum lunch with friends after church, I try to eat better the rest of the day and avoid carbs and fats in my other meals. Or I try to take or order a healthy food item instead of eating the junk. I can't stress enough though, avoid cheating. Stick with the plan.

How are you avoiding the bounce and maintaining your weight?

I know some people have had mixed results, but I can only comment on what I have done.

If you read anything here, please understand this: If you view this as a quick weight loss plan and not a lifestyle change you will lose the battle. Also, this has to be your choice. Your wife can't do it for you. Your parents can't do it for you. You have want it and do it yourself. If I go back to eating a lot of fried foods, processed carbs and sugar, then I will gain the weight back. Maybe not all of it, but some of it. Every day, my part-time job is staying healthy. Here's how I do that:

• I spend time in the morning planning and preparing 5 meals a day. I go into the day knowing what I will eat for most of my meals.
• I use an app called myfitnesspal to keep track of my calories and nutrition every day. It takes time and effort, but it cuts down on a lot of the work.
• I play ultimate for about an hour 1-2 times a week. I go on walks with Rufina for about 30-40 minutes about 1-3 times a week.
• I try to make good choices and avoid eating out a lot.
• I make adjustments. If I have a day or week with a lot of bad choices, then I work harder the next days or week. 
• I have a wife, who encourages me in positive ways and supports me in our food choices and dinner preparation.

*Finally, I am often amazed at how people some time react by asking if losing the weight is something I meant to happen. Um, yes, did you not see me before? I was overweight. I understand that sometimes medical issues sometimes create problems that cause unhealthy weight loss, but for me the status quo was what was unhealthy. Honestly, there is a lot to the TSFL plan that I haven't done because I am a bit lazy, but I do understand that for me, this can't be about dropping some pounds and going back to my old life; it has to be about a lifestyle change. I am scared that I won't be able to do it for the next 20, 30 or however many years, but that is the battle I am in. As I tell people, the hard work still lies ahead. It ain't over yet.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them as best I can. I'll also try to post my meals for a week, so you get a better idea of what I eat now.

Not a New Year's Resolution

So like many of you, I have pretty much given up on this blog. With Facebook and other ways to communicate, I just don't take the time to update it. And as I returned to blogger for the first time in almost a year, I realized how clunky this interface really is, but I digress.

Some of you know that I started a new health plan back in September, called Take Shape For Life. After seeing quite a few people at our church shed weight on the plan, I decided to give it a try. I won't bore you with the details, but basically, it works on a few principles:
- Cut sugar - Cut high fructose corns syrup with is pretty much poison
- Reduce bad carbs while eating healthy portions of good carbs
- Eat smaller meals more regularly throughout the day
= All of the above, keeps your sugar and insulin level in better balance, which reduces fat storage and creates a more regular energy level
- Eat more veggies
- Some regular activity/exercise

I officially started on September 19. The following 2 photos where taken on that day.

After 2 months on Phase 1 (fat burning), I had lost 33 lbs. You can see the difference below (or hopefully you can see the difference).

I stayed on Phase 1 for one more month until the middle of December. Then, I then switched to Phase 2, transitioning to maintenance. I have been on that for 2 weeks. The last photo was taken on January 1. I now have lost 47 lbs and without having accurate records, my best guess is that I weigh somewhere in the range that I did in early high school (when I might have been shorter). (BTW, my original goal was 25-30 lbs.)

As great as that is, I know the hard work lies ahead. With the exception of some not so disciplined weeks in December- too many meals with friends and too many temptations around- I have done pretty well at sticking to the plan. I have always been a picky eater. I have always had a taste for junk food. But in the past 3.5 months, I have given up sandwiches, cereal, cookies, ice cream, pizza, hamburgers and fried food. These were staples of my diet. I have eaten soup, green veggies and oatmeal almost daily. None of those were on my menu before. It wasn't easy. I am thankful to have an encouraging and helpful wife, a good adviser and a gracious God.

But as good as things have gone, that was the easy part. What lies ahead is 6 more weeks of transition- adding low-fat dairy and whole grains starches into my regular diet- and then... the rest of my life. I think anyone can change the way they eat for 1-3 months, but memories of pizza, thoughts of tacos and whiffs of McDonald's french fries (like at the movies the other day) still tempt me.

I have never really made New Year's resolutions. I am not a future-thinking guy. So this isn't a resolution for a year. This is a battle for a life time- something which I have never been particularly good at. But I am wearing new clothes, some of which are too loose even now. My knees are feeling better after Ultimate Frisbee. Other maladies which had been more frequent in the past few years, have been reduced. I am trying to hold on to that. To hold on to a new found youth, to a new found face, to a new found health. I can't promise I will succeed, but so far I am rejoicing and wanted to rejoice with you.

John Weaver

Today I found out that my Uncle John passed away. Technically, he was my great-great uncle. He was my grandmother’s uncle. He was 87 years old.

I firmly believe he is with Christ in heaven where his wife has been waiting for 6 years. I know he is relieved to have shed his temporary body that was wearing down. I know he is happy to be with his wife of more than 50 years. And I know he is filled with joy to be with His Creator. And I am at peace with that, in fact, I am happy that he has moved to a better part of life after having a pretty full life. Sure, I miss him, but I know his hope has been realized.

However, something isn’t quite right. When I read his obituary, it just listed his age, the date of death and some brief information about his funeral service. I was very disappointed that this would be all that some people would know of John Weaver. So that is why I am writing- to let you know more about him.

I am sure that John was a part of my life before this, but the time when John- and Aunt Bessie Mae, for that matter- really became an important part of my life was around the time I turned 4 years old. My parents had just divorced or were going through the divorce. I was too young then and am too old now to know if I really understood what was going on then, but I remember having asthma and other ailments then, so maybe I did know and my body was reacting for me in a way that a young boy doesn’t know how.

But more than the particulars of the divorce and wheezing at night, I remember numerous trips to the Space & Rocket Museum, weekly trips to Baskin-Robbins, regular visits to feed the ducks at Big Spring Park, many games of Putt-Putt and hours spent shopping for various toys. Those were the type things that John did with me… for me. He knew I needed a man in my life and he stepped in to fill that need. He made me fill so loved. Honestly, he probably spoiled me a bit. He selflessly gave his time and money to make sure I didn’t miss out on all the things that little boys enjoy doing.

However, one of the greatest gifts he gave me and Aunt Bessie Mae truly reflected his love and dedication. John was a smoker and with my burgeoning allergies and asthma, I didn’t care much for the cigarette smoke or the smell it left in the car. So he stopped. Stopped for me and Bessie Mae, who didn’t care for it either. And I never saw him smoke again.

After a year or so, we moved away to Georgia, but every time I went back to Huntsville, John and I would spend time together. John kept up with the various toys that coveted through the years: Batman, Star Wars, GI Joe, Transformers and LEGOs. And we continued to play putt-putt and go to the Space Center.

Another impact that John and Aunt Bessie Mae had on me was their Christian walk. Like my grandparents, they were regular church attendees. And after John retired, he spent a lot of time at the church, volunteering, taking photos of events and helping out.

When I finally turned to Christ and start my own journey of faith, no one was happier than John and Bessie Mae. When I decided to serve overseas, they were sad that I would be away, but they supported me.

And in between childhood and those big decisions of adulthood, he encouraged me and let me know how proud he was when I graduated from high school & college. I guess the most wonderful thing about John was that I always knew where I stood with him. I was a beloved son.

John wasn’t a perfect man, but he loved me, loved his wife and loved God and he wasn’t ashamed to let anyone know that.

I am glad that I was able to introduce Rufina to John. It meant a lot to all of us. He supported us and wanted the best for us. He knew what it meant to have a special woman for a wife and he wanted me to share that blessing. And maybe 49 years from now I will get to throw a huge bash for our anniversary like he did for theirs (complete with news coverage).

I know there are things I am forgetting, but I just wanted to write a little about this man that meant so much to me.

OMG! It's a post

Eh, does this thing still work?

So had some random thoughts today and didn't feel like posting them on facebook.

I heard Super Tramp for the first time in a LONG time and it was good. I was at a fancy burger joint in TST (HK) and they had a really nice mix of music- some soul, funk and classic rock. While they were playing Witchy Woman, followed by Peaceful Easy Feelin', I remembered how much I used to love the Eagles, especially in high school. I pretty much had the whole place to myself (you do that at 11:30 in swanky burger joints in HK), and I was looking out the window at the Harbor Terminal. Very relax. Good music. BTW, Super Tramp followed Barry White.

Finished reading Moneyball yesterday. Read most of it over the past 4 days including my flight over. FANTASTIC book!. If you like baseball, you should read it. It might make you a bit angry at MLB, especially the last couple of chapters, but it is still an interesting read, as was The Blind Side.

And now something from Dostoyevsky:
"Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground is the heart of men."

Conflict of Interests

Please forgive me; this one is going to be a bit of free form with a lot of loose ends.

Over the past few months I have often pondered a question posed by an agnostic co-worker: Why do innocent people suffer? For example, why must children and "good" people die in earthquakes?

I believe I can give a fairly theologically correct answer to this question that will satisfy my head, but at times the answer doesn't satisfy my heart and I worry that it wouldn't satisfy either my co-worker's head or heart.

Of course, there is also the problem that the question she poses is a flawed question. Who really is innocent? Who is "good"?

This morning, I walked up on a group of students and one of the girls was crying. I stopped by to see what was the matter. Two of her friends were consoling her. I found out from the prefect (school monitor), that the girl had teased another girl about being short and chubby. A teacher busted her for this and scolded the girl for teasing the girl. Thus, the offender/scolded girl was crying. How innocent are children? I see plenty of behavior that is not "good" from young children every day.

I don't know when the corruption bears its fruit, but the truth is we are all prone to choose bad over good. I know my flesh will always opt for the comfortable, selfish choice. Even if my flesh doesn't something seemingly good that benefits another, it is because I expect benefit also. My flesh will choose sin.

Maybe your flesh is better than mine. I mean, I do see some pretty "good" people out there. But honestly, your flesh is probably prone to sin also. I would bet on it. I've seen a lot of people and I gotta think I am taking the safe money on that bet.

Now back an earlier point: when the corruption bears its fruit. I've got a 5 year-old-girl that is got a bend toward evil you wouldn't believe, so it's gotta be earlier than five. But maybe it's after 2; that seems innocent enough, right?

Yesterday, a different agnostic co-worker's son was badly injured and is now in the hospital. He is almost 2, so he should be innocent, right? So we go back to the first two questions in this post: why did this happen or why did it have to happen? I don't have the answer to that. All I know is that, because deep within my flesh God put a little compassion and because of Christ, I received the Holy Spirit which gave me a little more compassion, I hurt for my co-worker and her son. Despite my sinful flesh, I suffer with another in their tragedy. That compassion urges me to help, to be selfless, rather than selfish.

So I was outraged when our employer demanded that my co-worker come to work today while her young son was in the hospital recovering from his injury. I was further outraged to hear the way the principal treated her in such a difficult time. And I was further outraged when after making my co-worker feel like crap, she tossed out something like don't forget to pray. Pardon me, but what the hell?!

This is exactly many reasonable people don't want to become Christians. Why would my co-worker want to open her heart to Christ when one of His ambassadors slapped her in the face in a time of need?

I have carefully tried to reach out to this co-worker several times. By God's grace and His Spirit suppressing my flesh, I felt like some progress had been made in bringing her closer to Christ. But now, that has been trampled upon by a supposed Christian who acted out of flesh rather than Spirit. And I know it is the case, because I felt it when the co-worker told me what our principal said.

I want to take the principal to task. I want to reel off Scripture and tear her a new one, but I know it is probably not right (Although, if you look at Christ's life, he did criticize people- hypocrites). But I know my flesh. I know how easy it is for me to fall. And how hard it is yield to the Spirit. I doubt I could do it in a Christ-like manner. I am frustrated.

I think about all this and I have a Job moment. I want to tell God that in some ways, I feel like His plan is probably the worst plan in the history of plans. Why on earth would you allow sinful people be in charge of dispensing your plan to others? You know we are going to mess it up. We aren't qualified. Sure, I know that leaves the way for it to be God doing it, not us, but at some point we have to be working in tandem with God, right? Yes, God made things happen for Jonah to go to Nineveh, but He didn't force the sermon out of Jonah's mouth. Jonah had to put his sinful nature aside, so he could share God's message. Well, that ain't always easy. So why did God do it this way?

So I am left to hope that there is hope. I have to hope that God can heal my co-worker's son. I have to hope that God will find a way to reach out to my two agnostic co-workers. I have to hope that my principal doesn't tarnish Christ's name. I have to hope the Spirit will control me instead of my flesh. I have to hope that I don't tarnish His Name either. I have to hope God knows what He is doing.

And on days like today, that hope feels farther away than I would like.

Overdue KK Post: Part 3

Up, up and away!
One of the things we did while we were at Sapi Island was parasailing. I had never done it before and was excited about trying it out.

Splash down!

We took off from this blue platform on the boat. They used a winch to let us out and up into the sky. Then, they reeled us back onto the platform. It was pretty amazing how smooth it went.



Soaring up in the sky!

Overdue KK Post: Part 2

This little guy was one of a few carvings at our hotel.

A giant monitor (lizard) on Sapi Island. They were crawling around the barbecue pit near the edge of the forest.

This is Sapi Island (or Palau Sapi, if you are local). One of the great things about KK is the assortment of islands just a short boat ride away. There were water sports and a beach with quite a bit of coral and tropical fish. We spent almost a full day here soaking up the sun, surf and sand.

Overdue KK Post

Sorry, I got sidetracked. Here are photos of the tallest building in Kota Kinabalu- or the whole province of Sabah for that matter. I think it is less than 30 stories which would make it simply average in Hong Kong. Nonetheless, we had some fun with it. I believe this was on our last day in KK.

KK Day 3

One our 3rd day (2nd full day), we had a day on our own. We decided to make it a restful day since we did water sports on the previous day and would also be out on the next day.

This is a shot of half the private beach at the Shangri-la. The building across the beach is the spa. We did get massages that day, but we went outside the resort because it was a little pricier than we wanted.

This is the other side of the beach featuring the the Sunset Bar. You may have noticed that the beach is pretty empty. Well, it was morning, so that might have been part of it, but I think it was because the beach was just okay. There was quite a number of shells and bits of coral, so it wasn't easy on the feet when you waded in the water. Most people played in the pools instead.

Enjoying the warm morning under the shade, with just enough breeze to keep it from getting hot.

Another reason people might have passed on the beach was jellyfish. There was a warning sign up and while we were relaxing, two employees dragged the beach area and pulled out a family of jellyfish. I'm sure they later served them to some of the Chinese or Japanese tourist. Don't eat the baby!

Rufina relaxing.

Not quite a Corona commercial, but close.

Yes, well, what did you expect? It's still me.

After going out for lunch- and finding a dish eerily like Khao Soi, and enjoying 2 hours of foot and body massage, we went back to the resort to enjoy a nice sunset at the Shangri-la.