thoughts and reflections

pantang

Today was the last day of my 'urut' session. Although it felt like a luxury having someone coming to your home to do massage and other traditional treatment on your body for two and a half hours every morning, I am secretly glad that it's over!

For one thing, I won't have to chit-chat with the 'makcik urut' anymore. (I really think there is nothing worse than a chit-chatting masseuse, when all you want to do is relax and be pampered!) Also, I won't have to worry about my hungry baby at the 2 hour mark every morning.

More than the above though, I am glad not to be having to wear the 'barut' (basically a corset that is tied to your body to bring back your waistline) anymore, made especially uncomfortable with the application of 'kapur' and 'limau' (chalk and lime) on your tummy area to make the area hot in order to promote the fat burning process (theoretically speaking that is. Don't ask me if i believe it works!)

Then there is the 'tungku' process which is basically a hot stone treatment. Again, this is to apply heat in order to burn all the fat which has been accumulated in the last 9 months. This actually feels really nice, made especially exotic with the aroma of 'daun mengkudu' that wraps the stone.

Although I find all these 'pantang' tradition very interesting, I won't be able to judge if it works - since I did not follow it religiously. I shower and take-off the 'barut' after a maximum period of 4 hours, I do not 'pantang' with my food and i go down the stairs and sit outside sometimes for fresh air. Erm... in fact I have actually been out to the shops! Now, I guess I will just have to find other means to lose all these extra weight.. 5 kg to lose - wish me luck!

posted by miss-cream @ 10:08 AM