Tis' The Season To Be...Sick

Last weekend was pretty fun. I just joined the new company for a little more than two weeks, and was already invited to join the annual team building for the department. It was a 2D/1N event at Hydro Hotel from Friday to Saturday, and it turned out great. Really sped up the process of breaking the ice and getting to know my new colleagues, most of which I didn't even know existed. The age spectrum of people in my department are on the higher side, but I found them to be very amusing, amicable and loads of fun. Enjoyed every minute of it and they made me feel very comfortable around them. Through the event, I saw how closely knit they were, and they made sure I felt right at home.

Oh, and during lunch on the last day, I got my hands on a nice, big, fat snake!~

Yes, get your head out of the gutter people. Moving on~

Sunday night, I came down with diarrhea...a few times. Tummy felt queasy and uncomfortable, and I know some shit has gone wrong (pun intended). True enough, I woke up at 3am with a fever. Took 2 Panadol Actifast and struggled to fall back to sleep. Pretty difficult since my body couldn't decide whether it was hot or freezing and waged a battle within, switching to and fro and messing up my body's thermostat.

Needless to say, Monday was an off day for me. I woke up with the most uncomfortable feeling in my gut, like an alien baby was festering inside and decided to use my large intestine as a chew toy and my small intestines as it's belt. I struggled to pull myself out of bed. It's amazing how multiple sessions of peeing through your ass and sleepless night due to a sudden brief attack of fever can sap all your energy and make you feel like crap. Thankfully, my fever was gone when I woke up. But I was weak, tired and my body felt like it had gone through a pinball machine. I struggled to get to the clinic for my meds and MC, only to find out probably like half of the people in the neighborhood also decided to pay the doctor a visit that morning.

So, I had to wait...and wait...and wait. I swear, at some points, I don't know if I wanted to faint, puke or kill the other people who were waiting so that I could go first. Nah I'm kidding, I wouldn't even the energy to kill 'em anyways. Subsequently turn finally came, more than an hour later. The diagnose was severe indigestion or food poisoning, as suspected. Must've been the damn Prosperity burger I bought for dinner on Sunday. The sauce was a little too strong and the color didn't look right too. Took my meds and got home as fast as I could. For the entire Monday, I could only manage to eat a piece of bread and an apple, nothing else. Every time I put a morsel into my mouth, my stomach couldn't decide whether it wanted to devour it or expel it. Felt horribly nauseous and dizzy all the time, and my appetite was nowhere to be found. So, I basically just slept through the day. See, that's why I HATE GETTING SICK. I feel so helpless and useless!~

Thankfully by early Tuesday morning, my tummy felt a lot better, the nausea was gone and my appetite wandered back. But, I still had to take the day off coz my body felt like it only had the strength of a starving kitten. As I munched on some bread and had an apple, mum came over to announce that sis just came down with chicken pox.

Yay, what a lovely week to inch towards Xmas!~

(sarcasm intended)

Self Defense and Safety Tips - Part 1

You can NEVER be too cautious these days. Crime can and WILL happen at any moment, especially when you least expect it. That is why I'm compelled to share these self-defense tips that I've received over the years. Today's post is going to be about assault and robbery:

1. Your elbow and knees are the strongest points on your body (why do you think Muay Thai fighters use them so much). If you are close enough to use it, don't hesitate!

2. For anyone who can't throw a proper punch, use the base of your palm (the point where your wrist connects to your palm). It is one of the hardest parts of your hand. This tip is especially good for women.

3. If the assailant is in front of you and you have a chance to hit him, hit that bastard where it's gonna hurt...BAD. He's not going to play fair, so why should you? Aim for the groin, throat, ribcage, eyes and nose. Here's what you can do:

a) Knee him in the groin as hard as you can.

b) Elbow him repeatedly into his ribcage or his face.

c) Claw at his eyes (this is good for ladies, especially if you have long nails). Don't hesitate to poke his eyes out.

d) Use the base of your palm and hit him repeatedly at the nose. It's gonna be really painful, especially if you manage to break it.

e) If you're able to land a punch, punch his throat. Aim for his Adam's apple.

4. If you're being held from behind, I've read a few tips on how to free yourself:

a) If there is a wall behind you, shove yourself backwards as hard as you can and hit the assailant against the wall. This will momentarily knock the wind out of him.

b) If you're able to move your arms, try to get a hold on one of his fingers and twist it backwards really hard (it's really painful, try it if you don't believe me). Don't worry about breaking it. In fact, it's better if you do.

c) If you can't move your arms, stomp on his FEET really hard. This may not seem obvious at first but it can really hurt and may temporarily loosen his grip.

5. As cliche as it might seem, you can always bite whatever body part that is close to your face. And bite HARD.

6. For ladies, keeping longer nails finally might have some merit. If you can't get near his eyes, dig your nails into the assailant's exposed flesh and draw blood.

7. If he has a knife and you're not cornered, turn around and RUN! If he has a knife pointed behind you but doesn't have a hold on you, just BOLT as fast as you can. Preferably run into a PUBLIC AREA.

8. If he has a knife and you're cornered, SCREAM as loud as you can. Usually petty robbers are afraid of drawing attention and will flee.

9. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zig -zag pattern. (from a police officer)

I'm by no means a self-defense expert. I received these tips are from various sources (usually from emails) which come mostly from self-defense experts and law enforcers to advise people on how to defend themselves.

If you're being robbed, it would be better to give up the money than risk anything else. If the predator's intention is kidnapping, rape or physical harm, that's when you have to start to defend yourself. These predators usually prey on those they think are weaker than themselves. If you've fallen victim, DON'T BE AN EASY VICTIM. Give them hell! Especially if your life is at stake. Chances are they will leave you alone if you can put up a good fight. Whatever happens, don't be afraid to make A LOT of noise to announce that you're in trouble.

Be safe =)

Being Fat is Now Illegal...

...in Japan. Yes, I kid you not.

I applaud this effort to make the country change its ways for better health and making the right choices when it comes to food. It might be a little drastic and might need a bit of tweaking in future, but overall its better than doing nothing at all.

PS: That's why I love Jap food. So much healthier too =)

Manorexia

I didn't realize this term existed until I saw a video posted in FB. And NO, manorexia does NOT mean depriving yourself of men. Read on...

Anorexia nervosa means refusing to eat, an eating disorder that is fueled by a distorted body image of thinking that one is fat, no matter how thin, frail and emaciated one gets.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder with recurrent binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors. The most common form is defensive vomiting (sometimes called purging), fasting, the use of laxatives, enemas, diuretics, and over exercising are also common.

Manorexia simply means anorexia that is suffered by men, and was initially thought to be affecting almost exclusively women. In fact, a Harvard study shows that men account for 25 percent of anorexics and bulimics.

This is video I saw in FB:

Another video featuring the same person.

An episode of The Early Show on CBS on Manorexia.

My own experience and thoughts

I suffered a milder form of eating disorder more than 5 years ago. I was fat and decided to get thinner. While it was great that I finally decided to make a change, a lot of what I did was wrong. When I started out, I only at 2 very small meals a day, but luckily had the common sense to include a lot of fruits daily. As the weight began to go, I was able to take up exercise but my 'diet' was still meager. I wasn't aware that I had picked up on an eating disorder. The more I motivated I was, the more drastically I dieted. Coupled with more exercise, it began to take a toll on me. My body was reaching a point where it gave me constant cravings for foods, since I had deprived myself so much and would give in to the caloric demands of my body. I was basically under-feeding and over-exercising.

Then, I learned about 'cheat days', which would psychologically help me to stay on track and keep my sanity in check. Cheat days was basically planned days (usually once a week) when I could eat anything I wanted and this would serve to give me a metabolic boost since I had been on low calories the whole week. Depending on the source of advice you receive, a cheat meal could last a whole day or only one meal on that day.

However, I took this overboard and cheat days became a day when I gave in to all my cravings. Instead of eating whatever I wanted to sensibly, it became a binge day. I stuffed my face with everything I could get my hands on. My stomach told me I was filled to the brim, but my mouth couldn't stop eating. It was scary sometimes because I felt that I was losing control of myself. I would become either so bloated or sick by the end of the day. And this cycle would repeat itself week after week. It was not only abusive to my body, but put my progress to a halt. At some points, I was even going backwards.

Gradually, I began to realize that I was stuck in the vicious cycle of severe dieting and binging and this was the root of my problem. I made a change in my mindset and re-educated myself on how to change and live a fit and healthy lifestyle. I realized the importance of healthy eating and moderation, instead of relying dieting and deprivation. Although I make a conscious habit out of choosing the right foods 80% of the time, I do reward myself. I no longer subscribe to cheat days/meals, but instead get right back on track after indulging myself instead, which I find much easier to do.

Food fuels not only our bodies, but our souls as well. Some of the fondest memories we have usually revolve around food, either having your favorite foods for the first time, eating with loved ones or in favorite places, eating during special occasions/celebrations etc. If we place TOO much emphasis on what we eat until it becomes so stressful, we risk developing an eating disorder and becoming paranoid about food. While it is good to practice HEALTHY eating habits, it is imperative that we remain vigilant so that we do not to cross the line.

Having the perfect body not only affects women but men as well. As much as women desire the lean and toned body of every female celebrity or model, the same goes for men who want a muscular, lean and ripped body. The media plays a HUGE role by displaying a lot of models/celebs with perfect physiques in magazines, ads, internet etc. While it is admirable that they have achieved such an amazing physical condition and should be a role model, it can be a double-edged sword. It could cause an individual to develop a false perception of the ideal body image and think that they are inadequate and deeply flawed physically. This can have an negative impact on one's self-esteem and create an unhealthy obsession to make themselves perfect.

Don't get me wrong, having a drive and determination to improve your health and physical state is ALWAYS a good thing. In fact, that is what I constantly strive for. But, it becomes a problem when dedication evolves into an obsession, which is separated by a thin line. AND, this could also be a matter of perception. A dedicated person can be seen by others as obsessed. An obsessed person might see himself as extremely dedicated and not caring what others think.

So where do we draw the line? From my experience, it is best to stop on your tracks every now and then to evaluate what you're doing and how you're feeling. If you're constantly dieting, exercising too hard, feeling like crap all the time OR experiencing all three, then it's time to take a step back and listen to your body. Eat more, exercise less, get more rest and give your body a break. You won't get any results if you're constantly depriving your body of food and beating it to a pulp during every workout. Give yourself a break psychologically by treating yourself to your favorite foods too.

A healthy body is one that is sound in all aspects: physically, emotionally and mentally.

You don't get fit to get healthy, but you get healthy to get fit. Health ALWAYS comes first, then everything else will fall into place =)

PS: This is not based on any studies, but from my own experience and what I've observed.

Dispelling Myths of Homosexuality

I got this from someone and thought it was worth sharing. I'm AGAINST discrimination of ANY KIND.

MYTH #1: Lesbians and gay men are always easy to identify.

People often use lesbian and gay stereotypes to identify a person's sexual orientation, such as gay men are effeminate and lesbians are butch. A study conducted to see if people could accurately identify a person's sexual orientation after watching a series of video taped interviews. Close to 80% of the subjects were unable to identify the person's sexual orientation (Berger et al, 1987). Some studies have found that lesbians do rate higher on masculinity scores, which comes largely from their high self-rating as independent. The measures of masculinity and femininity tend to be gender-biased and are not very useful in the study of gay men and lesbians.

The homosexual community is very diverse and its members can not be neatly categorized into stereotypes based on myths and appearance. Only when we dispel these stereotypes, that continue to fuel people's homophobic attitudes, will people realize that there are more similarities than differences between the gay and straight population.

MYTH #2: All lesbians are either butch or femme.

Some gay women are, but many believe they do not have to adopt such restrictive roles in order to express their love of women. This does not mean we should pass judgment on those women who are in butch-femme relationships and who are happy with their roles.

The butch-femme myth stems from the visibility of the butch lesbian. The butch lesbian also reinforces the myth that lesbians can not get a man and the butch- femme relationship is acting out the man-woman relationship which is what all women really want.

Lesbianism is NOT a dislike of men. Lesbianism is an inclination, a positive emotional, physical attraction to other women. Lesbianism (& homosexuality) is not just a sexual activity -- it is something that spans beyond a person's physical behaviour.

MYTH #3: Women become lesbians because they had bad or negative sexual experiences with men.

A 1990 study of lesbian and female students found that there was no significant difference in their traumatic heterosexual experiences. Both lesbians and heterosexual women reported the same number of traumatic experiences (incest, molestation, rape, physical abuse). Most women said they began to question their sexual orientation because they felt strong emotional and/or sexual bonds with women and NOT because they felt an aversion towards men.

MYTH #4: Openly gay teachers, professors, professionals and other role models are dangerous because they will try to recruit people to homosexuality.

Opponents of openly gay teachers and other role models argue that students may wish to be like their teachers and/or professors given their position of authority and prestige. An openly gay teacher or professor can, however, provide a positive role model for those students in the minority, who are gay or know they are going to be gay and who desperately need support and understanding.

Openly gay men or lesbians in positions of authority, such as in education, politics, religious institutions, the medical profession, etc. help to dispel the myth of homosexuals as socially maladjusted and unstable.

It is highly unlikely that one role model could override all the messages that reinforce heterosexuality in society.

MYTH #5: Homosexuals want to lower the age of consent laws for sexual activity so that they can have access to young children and try to convert them.

In Canada, the age of consent for sexual activity for homosexuals is 21. For heterosexuals, it ranges from 14 to 18, depending on the province, sex and marital status of the individual.

Age of consent laws do not deal specifically with adult-child relations. These laws also prevent young people from having sex with each other. There is no justification for the existence of separate age of consent laws according to one's sexual orientation. It is merely another example of homophobia and misconceptions about homosexuality.

MYTH #6: Gay men tend to be pedophiles and molest children.

The perpetrators of child sexual abuse are overwhelmingly men; very few women are offenders. The abuser is usually a member of the child's family or someone known by the family. Pedophiles, men who have a sexual preference for children, constitute less than 1% of the adult male population. Pedophiles are quite distinct from adult gay men who prefer adult sexual partners. Studies have shown no correlation between a man's sexual orientation and a tendency to sexually abuse children

Homosexual pedophiles are considered a perversion of the normal homosexual man in the same way that heterosexual pedophiles are also a perversion. Heterosexual men are twice as likely to sexually abuse children as homosexual men are. There is solid evidence that over 92% of child abuse cases, including same gender sexual abuse, are perpetrated by heterosexuals.

The number of reported child abuse cases have increased over the past five years. It is crucial that we address the issue of child sexual abuse objectively and recognize that this abuse is occurring behind to many closed doors in so-called traditional family homes.

MYTH #7: Gay men and lesbians have limited social support networks.

In a homophobic society, it is certainly important for lesbians and gay men to build their own community to overcome social stigma and alienation. Research has shown that both heterosexuals and homosexuals shared similar beliefs in the value of social support. Both report receiving similar amount of support but their sources differed.

Gay men and lesbians tended to depend more on friends and their partners and less on relatives and family than heterosexuals did. Despite the obstacles to the creation of meaningful support networks, many lesbians and gay men are able to develop circles of significant and supportive people.

No one should be made to feel guilty about loving someone, regardless of sexual orientation. Society should address negative stereotypes and intolerance expressed towards homosexuality, rather than condemn people for expressing their love for another human being.

MYTH #8: Gay, lesbians, and bisexual people cannot and do not want long-term relationships.

The stereotype is of the lonely gay man or woman drifting from one sexual liaison to another, never satisfied and never committed.

Studies have shown that between 40-60% of gay men are in steady relationships. These figures are probably higher because men in long term relationships tend to be older and less likely to go to bars, where these statistics were recorded.

Between 45-80% of lesbians are in steady relationships. In most studies, the proportion of lesbians in an on-going relationship was close to 75%.

It is hard to judge how long these partnerships last given the lack of marriage records. The few studies on older lesbians and gay men have shown that relationships lasting longer than 20 years are common.

Another study compared the rate of break-up between lesbian, gay, and co-habitating and married heterosexual couples over an 18 month period. For all couples who had been together for more than 10 years the rate of break-up was:

•6% for lesbians,
•4% for gay men,
•4% for married couples.

For couples together for less than 2 years, only 1 in 5 relationships ended over the 18-month period. Overall the difference in break-up rates between homosexual and heterosexual couples is almost insignificant.

In general, a pattern of continuity and stability was seen in all the relationships.

MYTH #9: One person always plays the role of husband and the other the wife in homosexual relationships.

Invariably many people ask which partner is the man and which is the woman.

Research has shown that most lesbian and gay men actively reject traditional husband-wife or masculine-feminine roles as a model for homosexual relationships. Clear-cut or obvious husband-wife roles are uncommon.

Differences between the partners may be based on age, with the older partner acting as a mentor or role model.

MYTH #10: Gay men can not be monogamous.

A study of gay male couples indicated that only 20% of relationships were sexually open. Many of the other couples followed a wide variety of patterns -- as diverse as a similar survey of heterosexual couples indicated (Blasband & Peplau, 1985).

MYTH #11: Gay relationships are abnormal and dysfunctional.

A study of heterosexual university students found that the belief that gay relationships are inferior to those of heterosexuals is widely held. The students assumed that somehow the depth of feeling and commitment was not the same (Testa, Kinder, Ironson, 1987).

Studies have shown that, when homosexual and heterosexual couples are compared, they do not differ regarding levels of love and satisfaction.

There are no differences comparing the quality of the relationship and strength of the commitment between homosexual and heterosexual couples (Duff & Rusbult, 1986).

In summary, homosexual partnerships appear no more vulnerable (or more immune) to problems and dissatisfaction than their heterosexual counterparts.

Back To Gaining Lean Mass

So far, my goal has always to achieve a lean, fit and athletic build. Now, I'm going to set a goal of gaining more lean mass. Although I'm quite lean now, I'm not satisfied with my muscle mass and size. The narcissistic side of my wants to look more impressive
and more hot when I'm naked. So here's what I plan to do:

1. Stay focused on my goal. This is crucial as every meal and workout is driven to achieve my goal, which is to gain more lean mass and minimize any fat gain, or even lose some fat in the process (desirable but not always achievable). I can be very indecisive at times, but now that I've decided on my new goal, I need to stay determined and focused on it.
   
2. Lift hard and heavy 3-4 days per week. Naturally, I will need to crank up the intensity and change the program to fit my goal. I will basically be following the similar 4-day spilt program in the past and will need to monitor myself to avoid over-training or prevent any injuries, which I've experienced in the past that put a stop to my progress. I might change or tweak the routine as need to make sure I'm making progress and don't over-train or injure myself.
3. Eat, eat and eat some more. Yes, I will need to eat more, but within reason and my meals should still consist mostly of clean foods, not stuffing myself with anything I can get my hands on. Wanting to gain muscle is not an excuse to loading up on junk/fast foods that are high is saturated/trans fat, sodium, sugar or processed carbs. Gaining muscle doesn't mean compromising your health, period! So, I'll still be closely monitoring my food intake based on my progress. I need to eat enough for growth and recovery from training. Besides, gaining 10 pounds of muscle along with 10 pounds of fat doesn't look nice at all. In fact, it'll only make you look worse! How many fat and bulky people do you see at the gym? I rest my case.
4. Eat more protein. This is a no-brainer if you wanna gain lean mass, since protein is the primary building block for your body. This goes hand in hand with #3, as most of my extra caloric intake will come from increasing protein consumption. Of course, I don't wanna overdo it, since any protein that is unused will just be flushed out or stored as fat. I'll keep protein to about 1 gram per pound of body weight.
5. Getting plenty of rest. I will need at least 8 hours of sleep daily so that I can recover and grow. Besides my muscles, my body and nervous system needs to rest and recover so that I don't overtrain as well.
6. Keeping cardio to a minimum. I'll need to cut back to 1-3 days per week, just to keep fat gain at bay and helping myself recover faster, usually done on non-lifting days. If I need more rest of non-lifting days, I might just skip it on that day. I also need to conserve more glycogen and calories to fuel my workouts. My muscles are fuller when I keep cardio minimal.

I have a good muscular base to begin with, and I'm not a hard gainer. Once I eat right, get enough rest and lift hard, I find that I can gain muscle pretty easily, but I need to watch it as since I gain fat easily too. Aside from injuries limiting my progress in the past, I'm was also too afraid of gaining fat. When my clothes get tighter as I get bigger, I become psychologically affected and slide back to my old goal. As a former fat guy, I'm so used to trying to get my clothes to fit looser, not the other way around. It's a psychological barrier that I need to get past in order to evolve. I feel as if I'm not achieving my full physical potential, since I can gain lean mass easily but I'm not doing it. I really need to stay focused and determined and not let this affect my progress. Wish me luck!

The Biggest Loser

I discovered this reality show during my last years in Uni. The Biggest Loser takes extremely overweight individuals selected through auditions to eventually join the show and begin their weight loss journey. In the end, the person who loses the most weight wins a large cash prize, which is a huge motivator besides regaining your health, fitness, self confidence and resolving emotional issues throughout the show.

In The Biggest Loser America, contestants are aided by trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Micheals. In The Biggest Loser Australia, Shannan Ponton and Michelle Bridges are the trainers. Occasionally throughout the Australian show, The Commando makes an appearance to grill the contestants during training. Even Bob Harper and Jillian Micheals will make appearances and periodically join the rest of the trainers to help train the Australian contestants. I've only watched Season 1 (2006)-3 (2008) of Australia's version so far.

How it works:
Confirmed contestants will be brought into a controlled environment, called the White House, where they will remain for 12 weeks. Once there, they will go for an initial weigh-in wearing very light clothing to make their inital starting weight. Guys will only wear shorts, girls will wear shorts and tops and this will happen at every weigh-in. The weigh-in will be done in the presence of everyone and in front of the whole of Australia, so there is NOWHERE to hide. During the course of the show, contestants will be educated on nutrition, exercise and fitness and trained really, REALLY hard by the personal trainers.

Contestants are usually split into 2 competing teams. Weekly weigh-ins will be done and each contestant will be eliminated based on how little they lost. Hence, everyone will want to push as hard as they can and try to lose as much as possible each week, hence the term 'biggest loser'. They will also face weekly challenges (which are VERY GRUELLING!), so you can imagine how it would affect the team when losing one member. The format in each season changes slightly, but there are many twists in the game. Here's a sample preview from Season 3:

What I like:- it teaches the contestants proper nutrition, workout and ultimately change their lives. The key to successful fat loss and maintaining a healthy weight is a lifestyle change, which is sustainable long term.

- it preaches that the BEST way to lose fat and look great is by both good diet/nutrition and exercise. NOT any fad or crash dieting with no exercise (I still see many people doing this!).

- the show not only addresses physical and health issues, but recognizes the need to resolve the mental and emotional problems, as well as bad habits, which are usually the root cause for a person gaining so much weight. It helps each contestant deal with uncontrolled and bad eating habits, emotional eating due to loss of a loved one, very low self-esteem (I was a victim of this), depression, insecurities etc. This is one of the reasons why I loved this show so much, because it REALLY relates to me, although I was never borderline obese, but I suffered from depression and very low self-esteem in the past.

- it teaches them discipline, helps them believe in themselves and push themselves past they own perceived limits. The only limits you have are the ones you put on yourself.

What I don't like:

- the amount of exercise they do daily is unrealistic and not sustainable long term. It's reported that they work out about 4-6 hours A DAY! Even if it's only short term (12 weeks) and they can easily fall back to 1-2 hours a day after that, it's still a ridiculous amount unless you're an athlete with a specific nutrition and training program. A normal individual does NOT have that much time daily to work out. Furthermore, you really risk over-training and injury, which is why the paramedics and medical team are always available on site in case anything happens. Some contestants have even been sent to the hospital before!

- some trainers advocate restrictions to certain favourite foods. DON'T get me wrong, I'm ALL FOR healthy eating, but enjoying some chocolate, a slice of cake, some pizza or ice cream occasionally feels good to me, as long as 80-90% of what I eat are wholesome, healthy foods. I don't like it when certain eliminated contestants say that they have never touched any chocolate or [insert favorite food here] since they left. If they didn't feel like eating any, it's TOTALLY fine. But if they want to but restrict themselves, it will pose a problem in the future. Eventually, they might crumble psychologically and go on a binge. The key is moderation, NOT deprivation. Have a couple of slices of pizza, NOT the whole pizza. Eat a quarter bar of chocolate, NOT polish off a whole bar. It's all about self-control, you get my drift?

- the show uses the term weight loss instead of fat loss (which would be a better goal). Weight loss can come from water, lean muscle or fat. A person who is overweight tends to hold a lot of water, which is usually the first thing to go when adding exercise and following a proper diet. So, it's no surprise that the weight loss on the first week's weigh-in went through the roof! I'm just guessing that the weight loss mechanism is used as it's the easiest to measure, but it's hardly an optimal result. Fat loss would definitely be better.

Overall:

I still love this show and look forward to watching Season 4. Watching each episode as everyone fights and struggles physically, emotionally and mentally to change themselves is so heartfelt and inspiring. Sometimes, I cheer and cry with them. Like I said, I can definitely relate =)

New Training Program, New Motivation!

Well, I only meant PHYSICALLY. I've enlisted the help of my gym instructor, who is a retired bodybuilder and a common judge for local bodybuilding competitions in Penang and KL (I think). I found my training becoming mundane and stagnant lately. On top of that, I was lacking motivation. Doing almost the same thing every week gets old fast. I needed something fresh and new. It would be exciting to see what new training tricks and tips I would learn and see how the training affects my body. It's much more intensive than what I do on a weekly basis, consisting 4-5 days of split training focusing on each body part per week. Basically, it's a higher volume training with more concentration and intensity on each body part. I'm going moderately heavy with higher reps, a combination that saps the HELL out of me currently. It's probably because my muscles are not used to such high volume and intense workouts yet, and need more time to develop endurance and growth. Bye bye to full/total body training for now. Hello, SPLITS!

Aside from the new training stimulus, I needed motivation. I seriously missed the time when I had my very first personal training by a brilliant and dedicated gym instructor when I first started out lifting weights in my last year of Uni. Till this day, I'm SO glad I made that first step to approach him for personal training after the first fitness club meeting that evening. He was ALWAYS there to motivate me, grind my ass (NOT literally!) at the gym and push me beyond my limits. He MADE me believe in myself and that I could do SO MUCH more, and I DID! Every step of the way, for those 2 short months, I made great progress losing fat, gaining muscle, gaining strength and acquiring more motivation to work out. A lot of the uni gym patrons were very surprised at my progress, needless to say. By constantly busting my ass, I exceeded his expectations, AND my own. In terms of training, I have the determination, discipline and tenacity it takes. For those 2 months, ESPECIALLY in the beginning, working out was excruciating to say the least. But consciously, or subconsciously, I recognized the NEED for such training to improve myself physically. SO, I stuck to it and NEVER, EVER missed a SINGLE session, 6 DAYS A WEEK FOR 2 WHOLE MONTHS!

Back to the present, I've asked for my current instructor's help partly due to motivation. Besides teaching me new things, it's GREAT to have someone telling how much you've improved. It's awesome to have someone continuously pushing you to break past your limits. Sometimes, it's not entirely our fault, we just needed a little nudge to help us break through and go further. I'm not sure how long this will last, but I'm hoping to learn new things from it and continue improving physically. It's only been 2 consecutive days so far, and my EVERYTHING hurts right now.

My routine for the coming weeks will be something like this:

TRAIN HARD! --> EAT WELL --> GET PLENTY OF SLEEP AND RECOVER

Sharing with you a quote that I hold dear, because I really believe it to be truein my experience:

The pain for change is only bearable, when the pain of staying the same becomes unbearable.

Hours upon hours of blood, sweat and tears, because I never wanted to stay the same =)

Cheers!

What Do Food Cravings Mean?

Cravings are just your body's way of telling you what it needs and if not controlled, it might lead to over-eating, binging and eating all the wrong foods. Here some reasons why cravings happen:

1. You're just not eating enough food. This is true if you've been on a caloric deficit for some time due to dieting or food deprivation. Bump up your caloric intake with good amounts of lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats. Resist diving into unhealthy junk/fast/processed foods, those are mostly empty calories with minimal or no nutrients that your body can use to functional optimally and healthily.

2. You're not getting enough of certain food groups or nutrients. Your body is usually very straight forward in telling you what it needs:

- If you crave carbs, it means your glycogen or blood sugar levels are low and you're lacking enough carbs to sustain your level of energy or activity. Bump up intake of high fiber, HIGH QUALITY carbs from fruits, starchy vegetables (potatoes/yams) and whole grains. Don't go reaching for cakes, donuts, pastries etc.

- If you crave protein, your body needs more protein to repair itself and grow. If your body wants a steak, so give it a steak!

- If you crave fatty foods, your body might be lacking in essential fats that it cannot produce and must be taken from food. Eat more healthy fats from seafood (salmon, tuna etc), oils (olive oil, coconut oil etc) and nuts (all types). Watch the portions though, fat is high in calories.

- Sometimes you even crave certain fruits or vegetables because your body is lacking certain vitamins, minerals or nutrients. By all means, go ahead and indulge, but make sure they are fresh, not canned or processed stuff.

3. You might not be getting enough fiber. Sometimes cravings happen because the food eaten gets digested and absorbed too fast, so you're hungry again and craving for more food shortly after your last meal. This is true when you eat a lot of junk/fast/processed foods. Fiber is known to increase satiety and fullness without adding many calories and aids proper digestion to make sure your body absorbs all the nutrients from the foods you eat. Bump up your fiber intake from fruits, vegetables and whole grains to eliminate constant food cravings. Your bowels will thank you for it too!

4. You might be addicted to certain foods. Certain food substances can have a drug-like effect on the body, and you might even experience withdrawal symptoms when you omit it. Some of the most addictive substances known to man are sugar, chocolate, caffeine and sodium (salt). The more you have it, the more you'll crave it next time. I'm not saying avoid them completely, just don't go overboard with it until you grow a dependency on it!

5. You are dehydrated. Thirst can often be misinterpreted as hunger or cravings. You end up eating more than you should, when in fact, you just need to drink more water. Next time hunger or cravings hit you, try drinking 1-2 glasses of water and see if it stops. If it does, you're just thirsty.

How do we curb cravings?
Don't jump on any drastic diets that call for total elimination of certain food groups and/or advocate very low calories. It'll just jump start your body to some serious cravings later on. To curb cravings:

1. Make sure you eat enough lean protein.
2. Maintain a high intake of fiber and nutrients from fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. Basically, any plant-based food that grows naturally.
3. Eat healthy fats from oils, nuts and seafood.
4. Drink plenty of water.
5. Keep junk/fast/processed food to a minimum, so that your body doesn't start a cycle of cravings from excessive sugar, sodium and other addictive chemicals. Again, I don't preach deprivation (unless for medical reasons), just moderation.

Dieting vs Healthy Eating

A lot of people don't understand the key difference between these two terms. Fortunately, lately even the experts are avoiding the word diet and promoting healthy eating as the solution to long term success in losing weight and keeping it off. How different can they be?

Dieting is usually refers to a short term eating plan.
Healthy eating requires a lifestyle change by making healthy choices from wholesome foods and thus, is something that you can maintain throughout your life.

Dieting is usually associated with restrictions and deprivation. You can't have any desserts and treats. It can make people adopt an all-or-nothing approach, meaning you need to be 100% compliant and if you screw up by eating something not in your plan, you feel as if you have failed and proceed to eat anything in sight.
Healthy eating means having desserts and treats that you love in moderation, say about once or twice per week and enjoy it.

Dieting, for most people, automatically means starving yourself or adopting a very low calorie diet in an attempt to shed off fat. A lot of people do this by skipping meals too.
Healthy eating means adopting good eating habits and eating natural, wholesome foods that promote fat loss and good health.

Dieting can be hazardous to health. Eating a lot less and starving yourself means your body isn't getting all the nutrients it needs and if maintained for a long time, can damage your body's immunity system, organ functions and even cause emotional and mental complications.
Healthy eating will only improve overall health such as your physical, mental and emotional well-being, since you are eating wholesome foods that provide all the necessary nutrients and health benefits.

Dieting can force the body into the starvation response, which will cause the body lower its metabolism and store the foods that you eat, instead of burning it off. You could end up fatter than before you started, after you've come off the diet and return to old eating habits. This is called the yo-yo effect of dieting.
Healthy eating avoids this, since you improve the quality of foods that you eat, instead of just drastically reducing the quantity.

Dieting can give rise to eating disorders such as anorexia, binging or bulimia. Anorexia stems from constantly starving yourself; binging happens when you crave certain foods too much and end up stuffing yourself till you're too full or sick; and bulimia means forcibly purging after eating.
Healthy eating helps you learn to make better choices with food and adopting better eating habits to support both overall health and maintaining a healthy weight. Wholesome foods are naturally much lower in calories, loaded with fiber, water and nutrients, which automatically promotes fat loss.

Conclusion
In the battle of the bulge and trying to look better naked, a lot of people tend to neglect their health. It doesn't make any sense if you want to look better, yet feel weak, tired and unhealthy most of the time, right? Take things slowly and progress gradually, not overnight. There is no need for any drastic diets, which can only jeopardize both your results and health. You need to remember and acknowledge that you didn't put on the weight overnight, so why expect it to come off overnight too? Slow and steady wins the race, both in body composition and health. I believe that if your body feels good on the inside, it will definitely show on the outside!

Whether you look fit or fat, have abs or not, all of it doesn't matter if you don't have your health.

Starting Out for a Fitter and Healthier You!

So you're overweight, feeling unhealthy or just generally wanna look better with your shirt off. So what do you do? Do you just start exercising? Do you immediately go to the gym and begin to throw weights around? Do you jump on the first diet you read or hear about? Previously, I wrote a post about being a beginner at the gym. Today, I'm going to write about a bigger picture. Basically, what you need to do if you're starting out.

Fix your diet
When I say diet, I don't mean those fad diets that are unhealthy and bad for you. I'm referring to what you should eat on a daily basis. A good and sound diet or nutrition should be the solid foundation of every fitness program and healthy lifestyle. You can workout as hard as you want, but if your diet is lousy, then your results will slow down, plateau or head the opposite direction. In the battle of the bulge or quest to look good naked, people sometimes tend forget to take good health into account. They jump on fad diets, slash their calories drastically or starve themselves, which is harmful to health and bodily functions if prolonged. So how should you fix your diet?

1. Like try to quit smoking or alcohol, don't go cold turkey. Make gradual changes to your diet. Making sudden drastic changes could shock you or stress you out. Instead of reducing the quantity of what you eat, improve the quality of foods you eat. Gradually phase out junk or processed foods and replace with wholesome, natural foods (lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats). Whole foods are generally lower in calories, more nutrient dense and make you feel full longer.

2. Make better choices when picking what you eat outdoors or in fast food places (if you have no choice but to dine there).

3. Portion control at every meal. This is important to make sure you don't eat too many calories in one sitting and feel over-stuffed.


4. Know your calories. I'm not saying that you should count calories every day, which is not practical (if it suits you, go ahead) and can be very tedious. BUT, I believe that it is very important to know the calories in foods that you eat. This will help you make better informed choices, let you know how much of a certain food to eat, give you an idea of what foods you can eat more of and what foods you should eat sparingly (Trust me, you will be surprised at how high the calories are in many foods that you love!). Some good places to start; Calorie Counter, Nutritiondata, nutriWEB Malaysia (for Malaysian food).

5. Drink PLENTY of water. Don't wait until you get thirsty, coz your body will only signal thirst when it becomes very dehydrated. An average person should drink about 8 glasses of water a day, more if you're working out regularly. Drinking more water might help you eat less, as people sometimes mistaken thirst for hunger. Drink a glass of water before you eat when you suddenly feel hungry and wait if you still feel hungry. You might just be thirsty.

Exercise/Workout
Exercise, training or working is the catalyst that will propels you towards your goal. You can't rely on a good diet alone. You need exercise to help re-shape, tone your body and get the results that you need.

1. Start resistance or weight-training. Join a gym if you can or equip your home with a bench or some dumbbells. You can also use old school body weight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups etc. Of course, the better option would be getting into a gym if you can afford it, since there are more varieties of weights and machines to help you get started. Resistance or weight training is crucial to help to develop better strength, increase muscular and bone density, build lean muscle which helps elevate your metabolism and re-shape your body. For an average joe, about 3 times per week should suffice. If you're more ambitious, go ahead for more but you should allow yourself enough time to rest for recovery and growth. Remember, your muscles grow outside the gym, not when you're working out.

2. Start some cardio activity at least 3 times per week. Cardio or aerobic activity increases your heart rate and requires more oxygen to sustain during the duration of the activity. It has the benefit of lowering your resting heart rate, improving cardiovascular health, increase fat-burning, improving circulation and delivery of nutrients in the body. Make it light if you've never exercised for a long time. This can be some walking, cycling or light jogging outdoors. If you prefer the gym, you can use the cardio machines like the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bikes, stair-steppers etc. If there are classes available in your gym for cardio purposes (spin class, cardio jam, kickboxing etc) , go ahead. You can even play your favorite sports on a regular basis. Basically, do any cardio activity that suits you and is even enjoyable for you will do.

3. Move your ass! That's it, even when you're not exercising. I'm talking about NEAT, Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. Basically, it's activity during times when you're not exercising or playing sports. Most people today have sedentary jobs and spend the whole day just sitting down. So, move more! Park further and walk to your office, take the stairs instead of the elevator, do more chores such as gardening, washing your car etc. In other words, keep yourself moving throughout the day. Increasing NEAT will help keep your metabolism up, improve circulation, help you burn more calories and prevent tiredness due to inactivity.

Conclusion
It's all about synergy. To maximise your results, you need a good diet + resistance training + cardio. One without the other would just compromise your results. This is how I learned it, and most of the time, learned it the hard way. So, I hope this helps =)

PS: The model's name is Brandon Stoughton. He's an American model and is featured in Britney's Womanizer MTV. Yes, I know this is unrelated to the content of my post, but I just had to, coz I know some people are drooling right now XD

Protein Makes You Feel and Sleep Better!

Lately, I've discovered that protein is not only good for building muscle and losing fat. Protein can also help prevent and treat depression and insomnia as well.

How does it work?
To put it simply (I'm no doctor or nutritionist here), when we ingest and metabolize protein, our body derives one of the 20 amino acids in protein called Tryptophan, which is used to produce a neurotransmitter from the brain called Serotonin, which in turn is needed to produce a hormone called Melatonin.

Eat protein --> Trytophan --> Serotonin --> Melatonin

So, your body cannot produce the latter without the former.

How does it help?
In the central nervous system, serotonin helps regulate anger, aggression, body temperature, mood, sleep, sexuality, appetite, and metabolism. It is often used as mood elevators or antidepressants. Basically, it helps to improve your mood and make you feel better, aside from endorphins, another 'happy' and mood elevating hormone produced when you exercise.

Melatonin is important to help regulate the circadian rhythms of the body (control the cycle of bodily functions) and helps you sleep.

So if you're feeling down or depressed most of the time and can't sleep, go grab that protein shake and eat more protein!

For a simple and visual explanation:

Changing Up My Weight Training Routine!

For more than a year now, I've been lifting mostly on a full body routine, 3 times per week. My full body routine basically comprises of compound exercises that focuses on major or large muscle groups such as chest, shoulders, back and legs (hams and quads). I'd usually attack the smaller muscles such as triceps, biceps and calves at the end of the workout. Abs and cardio would be optional after all that is done. I've gotten some good gainsin terms of lean mass and strength, and lost some fat with this routine. These couple of months, I noticed that my gains were beginning to stagnate, workouts are more fatiguing and I've become more overtrained easily on certain weeks. I suspect that increasing the load (heavier lifts) during each exercise is beginning to take a toll on my body. The full body routine is great when you're just starting out and building initial lean muscle and strength. But as you progress and need to increase the load, intensity and volume, especially for each body part to further add strength and size, a full body routine can be very fatiguing and would stretch your workout session too long.

For this reason, beginning of last week, I've switched to a split routine that allows me to increase the load, intensity and volume, and focus on developing each body part further. The split routine that I've chosen is an isolated body part routine, 3-4 times per week focusing on different body parts.

My 4 day split routine:

Day 1: Chest & Forearms (optional).

Day 2: Shoulders & Triceps.

Day 3: Back & Biceps.

Day 4: Legs.

If 4 days is too tiring on certain weeks, I'd scale back to a 3 day split routine:

Day 1: Chest & Back.

Day 2: Shoulders & Triceps.

Day 3: Legs & Biceps.

(Abs and cardio would be optional at the end of each session, although I usually do my abs. On days when I don't lift, I'd either rest or do cardio).

I would include a major muscle group on each day and usually work those first with compound exercises, before working on smaller muscle groups. Compound lifts on large muscles require a lot more energy, so it's always best to put them at the beginning of the workout. Also, I would change up my split routine sometimes, either on muscle group combination or move them around to different days, depending on my schedule. However, I need to monitor my workout to make sure I don't over-train a muscle group and possibly injure myself. I have a tendency to challenge myself, which is always good but sometimes I could overdo it.

Isolated body part split routines are very commonly used by fitness competitors or bodybuilders and is usually meant for more advanced trainees. Beginners can use it as well but it's usually preferred for beginners to build a foundation of strength and some lean muscle with a full body routine first. Jumping into a split routine might cause some over-training on certain body parts and injury, due to lack of initial strength and conditioning of the muscle to support.

MUST WATCH Nutrition Videos!

Me: So, did you read my blog lately?

Joe: Yes, but not the fitness stuff, too long and too informative. I usually just skip them.

Me: .....

SO, as a favor to my best friend Joe and obviously all my readers out there who care about fitness and their health, I've decided to share what I recently dicovered in YouTube.

It is good source of information on nutrition and health from a nutritionist named Natalie. You can get her numerous videos from her YouTube playlist.

If you don't want to bother reading too much about good nutrition, then watch and listen about it! Basically, she talks really WELL about good nutrition, emphasizes how it can benefit and affect your general well-being. The information she delivers is EASY to understand and is incredibly useful for any average Joe OR fitness enthusiast. I've learned a lot from her and I can't help but share them with you.

PS: For straight guys out there, it also helps that she's cute and pretty =P

Understanding Food, part 1:

Understanding Food, part 2:

Nutrition and Your Mental Health:

Top 10 Motivation Tips (everyone could use some of this):

Healthy Weight Loss Tips:

Whole Foods, Health and Weight Loss (VERY recommended):

She has a lot more videos in her YouTube playlist, do take a look. I'm still reviewing them. Hope this helps =)

Whole Foods vs Processed Foods

I've talked about the merits on eating whole foods before. I noticed that a lot of people are still confused on what to eat and how to identify if something is wholesome and healthy for you. So I've made a list to identify what consists of healthy whole foods, and processed foods that are usually have less, if not devoid of nutrients.

Whole Foods
1. It should look like something that out naturally come from the ground or raw from an animal source. If it comes in a package or box, the only ingredient listed should only consist of the raw ingredient and no other additives. For example: oats, beans, raw nuts, eggs etc.
2. It takes work to prepare it before you eat. You usually need to clean, chop or cook it before eating it.
3. It usually has a short shelf life and best eaten as soon as possible. Isn't this true for fresh fruits and vegetables?
4. If you leave it out for a few days, it turns moldy, rotten and ridden with bacteria.
5. Usually, you won't find them in the MIDDLE of the department store, but at the SIDE, where fresh produce are kept. An exception of course are packaged whole foods like oats.

Processed foods
1. Usually comes in a package, bag or box, and is wrapped in plastic or foil. Looks nothing like something that came out from the ground or an animal source.
2. Very convenient and easy to eat. Just take it out of the package and you're ready to go.
3. Has a long shelf life and tastes the same even after a long time.
4. Ingredients list is usually longer than your monthly bills. Plus you can't even pronounce most of the chemical ingredients or additives, let alone know what they are.

There you have it, some simple tips to help you choose a better, healthier and more wholesome diet =)

Recipe: Chicken Caesar Salad

Made this for brunch today. It looked good, so I had to take a pic. Here's what I put in it:

Chicken Caesar Salad
4-6oz grilled chicken breast, sliced into bite sizes.
1 cup baby romaine lettuce (add as much as you want).
3-4 raw white button mushrooms, chopped.
some red and yellow bell peppers, chopped.
some sliced zucchini.
6-8 raw almonds, chopped.
a pinch of raisins
1-2 tbsp Lady's Choice classic Caesar salad dressing.

Instructions
1. Put the sliced lettuce, mushrooms, bell peppers and zucchini in a large salad plate/bowl.
2. Sprinkle with the chopped almonds and raisins.
3. Top with the sliced grilled chicken.
4. Drizzle on the salad dressing.

Watch it with the Caesar salad dressing, 1 tbsp has 45 calories. Normally I don't use creamy dressings much, but it's quite flavorful so a little bit goes a long way. Doesn't it look huge? It's loaded with vegetables, very high in fibre and incredibly healthy (again, watch the dressing). Now, how much do you think you'd have to pay for something like this in a restaurant? =P

Recipe: Healthy Chocolate Shakes

During last weekend when I was in KL, I went to Celebrity Fitness with my buddies for a workout and since I didn't bring any protein with me, I had to purchase a protein shake from the drinks counter in there. The shake I got for post-workout was a chocolate protein shake made from 1/2 cup low fat milk, 1 scoop chocolate whey protein and 6 ice cubes. Sounds so simple, yet tastes as delicious as any chocolate milkshake you can get. However, that simple shake set me back RM 10. So, I thought to myself,"I can totally do this at home band make it even tastier, and not end up spending a bomb."

So, I got a blender a few days ago from Jusco. I've been wanting to get one for a long time to make protein shakes and healthy smoothies and this incident spurred me on. Just wanna shake a few recipes that I came up with =)

Absolute Chocolate Recovery Shake (great for post-workout)
2 scoops chocolate 100% whey protein powder.
2 tbsp dextrose powder.
1-2 tsp 100% pure unsweetened Van Houten cocoa powder (depends on how chocolatey you want it).
1/2 cup skim/low fat milk.
1/2 cup water.
6 ice cubes.
(you will need a really big glass for this one)

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake (I swear, this tastes like an awesome dessert!)
1 scoop chocolate 100% whey protein powder.
1-2 tsp 100% pure unsweetened Van Houten cocoa powder.
1-2 tbsp 100% natural peanut butter (no added sugar, salt, oil or preservatives).
1/2 cup skim/low fat milk.
1/2 cup water.
Substitute water for 4-6 ice cubes if you want it cold.

Low Fat Mocha Latte Shake (the perfect pick-me-up)
1 scoop chocolate 100% whey protein powder.
1 tsp instant coffee powder.
1-2 tsp 100% pure unsweetened Van Houten cocoa powder.
1 cup skim/low fat milk.
Add 4-6 ice cubes if you want it cold.
Add some peanut butter if you want it creamier and nutty.

As you can see, you can LOVE chocolate and make it very healthy too. I'd add some fruits like bananas or berries but I don't have any to experiment with right now (Also, berries cost a bomb in Malaysia). If you don't have whey protein, just leave it out and add a bit more milk for a protein boost. If you don't use milk due to the recent melanine scare, you can substitute with soy milk or get milk imported from Australia or New Zealand. Honestly, the variations are endless. As for natural peanut butter, I use the CED brand, which also produces a lot of organic products. Look out for it when you're in Jusco or Tesco.

I've been having a galore making really mouth-watering shakes that taste indulgent, yet very healthy and low in calories. I won't even bother going out for milkshakes or ice-blended drinks anymore. They're often over-priced but simple to make. You just need to gather the ingredients, chuck them in and blend away. I won't even mind the cleaning later, coz these taste SO GOOD!

For Beginners at the Gym

I've been a regular gym bunny for some time now. Every now and then, a friend of mine who has just started working out would tell me that they are shy or embarassed in the gym. It's pretty common actually, especially for beginners. If you're starting out and have never stepped into a gym before, it can be quite intimidating. All the different and numerous weight equipments might seem alien to you. Plus, there's all the fit or muscular people working out everywhere. You may think that you're too skinny, fat or out of shape and feel awkward exercising amongst the fitter and more muscular gym-goers.

Let me tell you, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Remember, everyone starts out as a beginner and struggles, just like yourself. All the fit and muscular gym-goers were also skinny, fat or out of shape when they began. What you see today is the product of all the hard work, dedication, discipline and proper training. It's like seeing an impressive building. You admire the finished structure and design, but you never saw the amount of work and effort that went into completing it. So when you start going to the gym, acknowledge that you're a beginner and use those around who're better than you as motivation to work hard and improve!

Here are some tips to help you start out:

1. There are bound to be gym instructor(s) around. Feel free to ask about weight exercises to train different body parts and the proper technique during lifting. This is important to minimize/ eliminate injury.

2. Do some research on the internet or by reading to find a basic lifting routine and learn about exercises. You might not be familiar with the names for different exercises but you can find pictures, videos or ask the instructors/gym members how to do perform them.

3. See an interesting exercise that someone is doing? Ask that person what it's for and try it out!


4. Don't be afraid to seek advise or tips from someone who's doing well at the gym. Most experienced lifters would be glad to help out a beginner who's trying to improve their physique. Till this day, I've yet to come across someone experienced but arrogant or unwilling to help.

5. If you're out of shape, try not to feel too awkward or self-conscious at the gym. Everyone is probably focusing and busy on their own routines to notice. Just focus on working hard and improving yourself!

6. If you feel a certain pain during lifting that's bothering you, you might be doing it wrongly. Ask an instructor or gym member to help monitor your form or show you the right way to do it.

7. If you can afford it, hire a personal trainer. It really helps to have a certified trainer constantly guiding, motivating, pushing and keeping you consistent through your workouts. This way, you can learn and improve a lot faster. However, make sure that your personal trainer is DEDICATED and KNOWS HIS/HER STUFF.

8. If you can't afford it, find a gym buddy. It can be someone who's also starting out like yourself, or a friend who's already into it. By having a partner, you can keep each other motivated, consistent and improve by competing against each other.

Work hard and continuously improve! Hope this helps =)

Making Better Choices with Fast Food

(Requested from a friend, so I've decided to make a post for this)

I generally stay away from fast food, except for the occasional cheat meals. Fast foods are too highly processed and contain a lot of preservatives and additives that cause cancer and damage your heart, liver and kidneys. Fast foods are also very HIGH in calories, sodium, carbs and fat.

But CAN you make better OR healthier choices when faced with fast food? Yes, just follow these simple tips:

1. Choose a burger with a grilled patty. Ask for sauces to be removed and add more vegetables. Look for a small or medium-sized burger to avoid a calorie bomb!

2. Have coffee, tea, water or diet sodas instead. Accompanying real sodas with your fast food will REALLY rack up the calories. Besides, sodas contain a ridiculously high amount of SUGAR!

3. Have pizzas the way Italians do, with a thin crust and plenty of toppings. A thin crust goes a long way in saving you tonnes of calories. Top your pizza with plenty of vegetables and lean meat. Opt for tomato based pizza sauce, which contain high amounts of lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomato that helps to ward off cancer and heart disease. Watch the cheese! Ordering extra cheese means adding more calories, fat and sodium.

4. When making your own sandwich (think Subway) or ordering salads, ditch the creamy sauces. Choose mustard, vinaigrette or olive oil instead. Ask for more vegetables! Remember to choose lean meats for your sandwich or salads.

5. Fries taste great but they are just empty calories, high in trans fat, carbs and sodium. You can save tonnes of calories by not having them with your fast food meal. Order a small one if you want to have it. It'll at least keep your calories in check. Fries are one of those 'once-you-have-one-you-can't-stop' foods. Don't you agree?

6. Having fried chicken? I tend to choose breast meat over wings and drumsticks. Also, remove the skin please.

7. Order plain frozen yogurt for dessert. Any additions (sauces, cookie crumbs etc) will just rack up the calories. Pies are not a very good choice as they are high in fat and sugar.

PS: The pictures are just random and not meant to suggest how you should have your fast food =P

Healthy Tips When Eating Out...for Malaysians!

Let's face it, as Malaysians, we LOVE to eat and we have a VAST array of local delicacies from our many cultures to dive into. So what happens when you're trying to drop some pounds or just generally want to eat healthier? Do you abandon that resolve when you dine out instead of cook in?

Actually, you CAN ALWAYS opt for healthier choices. Here are some tips to help you along.

At hawker stalls or local restaurants:
1. For rice, ALWAYS go for plain steamed white or basmati rice. Although white rice has less nutrients and fiber, it is very low fat and is definitely better than fried or any other version that's cooked with oil/coconut milk (think nasi lemak).

2. When choosing various types of noodles, bee hoon (rice vermicelli) and koay teow (flat rice noodles) are definitely a better choice. Lower in sodium, higher in protein and lower in carb vs calorie ratio. Yellow egg noodles are higher in additives and sodium while thicker white noodles are heavier in carbs.

3. When choosing noodle dishes, opt for soup or the 'wet' version. Fried and 'dry' versions contain much more oil and fat which can hike up the calories.

4. When choosing noodle soup, go for clear soups, instead of oily or curry soups which also contain more fat and sodium that can make you very thirsty later on.

5. When choosing meat dishes to go with rice, avoid anything deep-fried, cooked in curries made from coconut milk or just generally cooked with a lot of oil. Choose meats that are grilled, stir-fried (always pick meat from the top as the oil will drain to the bottom of the dish), cooked in normal curries (watch out for too much oil) or cooked in soups. Remember to pick leaner meat such as chicken, fish and all types of seafood. Beef is fine too, but I find that it's usually cooked in curries thickened with coconut milk (think rendang) or oily sauces. If you're having it anyway, don't eat too much of it as it can really pack on the calories. Moderation is the key.

6. Stir-fried vegetables are good, but watch out for too much oil. Always scoop the vegetables from the top, as most of the oil will gather at the bottom of the dish or tray.

If you're having Indian or mamak food:
1. Avoid flooding your rice with curry. Also, choose healthier and less fattening options like dhal or less thick fish curries. Remember, curries are very flavorful. A little bit goes a long way.

2. Instead of rice, you can also have indian breads such as chapatti (usually made from wholemeal flour), idly or thosai. Chapatti is usually just reheated or slightly warmed over a flat pan with very little oil. Remember to ask for less oil when ordering thosai. Some places add more oil or 'ghee' when making thosai. To save calories, accompany them with dhal curry, instead of other heavier curries. Avoid oily and fried options like roti canai, puri, murtabak or roti pratha. Having them once in a while is fine. While naan bread is not fried or oily, the portion is usually large and it's made from white flour so it is not recommended.

3. Choose for healthier meat options such as cooked in normal curry or tandoori, instead getting deep-fried, cooked heavily in oil or coconut milk. You can ask if a thick curry is cooked in coconut milk or yogurt. Yogurt is obviously a better choice, as it's lower in fat and calories, without sacrificing the flavor and texture.

4. Portion control! Most Indian or mamak stalls can pack on A LOT of rice onto your plate. Politely ask to half the portion, or share the rice with a friend.

Local delicacies, drinks and desserts:
1. Most of our local cakes or 'kuih-muih' are either high in sugar, fat or starch. Consume in moderation if you are having it. Best alternative I can suggest is substitute for fruits or nuts instead!

2. When ordering dessert, go for fresh fruits, fruit tarts, sorbets, frozen yogurt or jellies. Much lower in calories than ice-creams, pastries, cakes etc.

3. Always follow-up your drink orders with 'kurang manis' or less sweet. However, there's no reason you should order a drink every time you dine out (although, I love my occasional teh tarik!). Water is always the best option!