Confessions from an Ex Fat Boy

My Journey - Reliving it : Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:09:00 +0000

I’m not gonna... eat that pasta. I’m not... gonna eat it. I’m... not gonna eat... Not this time. I chew on these words, force them through my head. Where people have delicious meals, I have plain, dull meals. I'm always at home, eating another meal alone, with constantly repeat of the word CONTROL and a plate of chicken & brown rice. Not forgetting is another jug of water. This is only my second week and I’m sick of it already.

Chew slowly follow by water. Chew and water. And I keep repeating that. This is my method. This is my form of control. This is the system. Listen, the toughest part isn’t the workout. Yes, cardio or lifting can be tough, but it is nothing compare to eating. It’s the diet. The way of eating. Diet is what differentiates success and failure.

I'm hungry again... Why does this always happen? The feeling of starvation and the loud roar in my stomach is killing me. I envy others who get to eat whatever their heart desires without putting on additional pounds. The food I'm having now is always dry and tastes like shit, but at least there is still something in there. Some days, I'm so hungry that I force myself to sit and stare. I break out in a cold sweat. I have to will myself to stop. Yeah, living like this is real agony.

People in the other world, they don’t understand. They can’t. They eat instinctively. For me, eating is another part of my life that must be controlled. I’ve had to learn how to eat, overcome my appetite. It sounds fucked up, but that’s what I gotta do to prepare for this. It sucks and I’ve still got miles to go.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:09:00 +0000

What is Waist-to-Hip?

Basically it determines whether is your body pear-shaped or an apple-shaped.
Pear-shaped body builds more fats on the hips.
Apple-shaped body builds more fats to the waist and upper torso,
There are some who are categorized as avocado-shaped (somewhere in between).

Instructions
If you don't know your waist and hip sizes, just use a measuring tape to get these two numbers. Just relax and please brothers and sisters, no sucking in the belly!

1) For your waist, measure around the narrowest part of your waist (or if that isn't easy to find, measure at your belly button).
2) For your hip size, measure around the widest part of your hips.

Then, key those numbers in to the calculator below.

Earlier research had suggested that men should not have a waist-to-hip ratio above 0.95, and in women it should be no higher than 0.8.

Creatine 101

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:16:00 +0000

Does all this sounds familiar - "Creatine does not work for me" or "Creatine causes me to retain water" or "Creatine upsets my stomach." Creatine is still the most effective muscle building supplement ever for those that understand how and when it is used as an energy source in the body.

How do I know this?

Well, I was previously on Creatine during my massing phase. And I have to confessed it gave me huge gains. When my friends ask me how did you gain so fast? The secret was creatine. Creatine was the substance which gave me the extra edge during training. It was the key to building powerful skeletal muscle—huge biceps, defined “diamond” triceps, big pecs and more. Basically it improves my performance for high-intensity exercises and maximize my workouts.

How does creatine work to get you huge muscles?
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is generated in the human body, as well as ingested as part of a natural meat-eating diet. Your liver and kidneys produce small amounts of creatine and if you eat meat, particularly fish like tuna and herring, you gain more natural creatine that in turn becomes available to your skeletal muscles. But if you’re looking to pack on muscle bulk fast then these natural sources are not enough.

Creatine is related to ATP. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is made by the body’s mitochondria. ATP is used by the body’s cells to create energy. When the cells encounter stress, they are unable to produce adequate amounts of ATP. This causes muscles fatigue and in long tern the cells to age and possibly become infected with disease. So,the more ATP you make available to your muscles the more energy created to power bodybuilding and boost performance in bursty sports, like sprinting, rowing, bodybuilding. Normal levels of ATP allow you only a few seconds of high-intensity energy. Creatine helps by converting to ATP and burns for about six or seven seconds at nearly 100 percent muscle contraction. Knowing this tells us how we must train to get the best results with creatine. A weight training set needs to be completed with in ten to twelve seconds, which means heavy weight and low reps.

In a nutshell, Creatine fuels ATP development, which means:

* Sustained high intensity and power workouts
* More energy for muscle contraction
* Vastly improved power and muscle size
* You workout longer, stronger and get to see the results in the mirror.

Do you know how much CREATINE you should be taking? Calculate your intake Free at Bodybuilding.com!

My Journey - Reliving it

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:32:00 +0000

I'm starting a new section in my blog. Its called "My Journey - Reliving It".

So "What is My Journey - Reliving It" all about?
It is my very own never been reveal before personal diary. I recently recovered my long lost journal stating my ups and downs in my quest to fitness. I found some very good insights and decided to go public with it. You get to see and experience my feelings throughout my 32 weeks. My never before been told secret emotions and how U overcome them. I couldn't believe how far I've come from. The road to success has never been an easy one. Life is hard, it eats you from inside out. But F*cK it. You hear voices in your head, constantly doubting yourself. Getting up everyday every morning when the sky is still dark. But your life was already dark ever since. Living behind shadows all this while is already chewing you up. But what's the difference of what you are doing now? So why do you still do it? Is it for Fame? or is it for Glory? You are doing it because you got something to prove to yourself. That you are not a Loser. That you are more than just this. This life, this journey, this quest is about believing the impossible. Its about fulfilling your destiny, becoming the person you ought to be. So hang on for this 32 weeks and make sure you never let go. So again what is "My Journey - Reliving It"? The purpose is to rewalk this journey with you. And at the end of the 32 weeks, you'll know where you stand. The destination has been set. The journey starts with Week 1, my fellow comrades! Come back and follow regularly how I live my journey in each post. Now hold on tight, share with me your journey and the best for every week will be review here exclusively for the next 32 weeks. Relive my journey!

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

BMR Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:02:00 +0000

BMI Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Try out my BMI Calculator from yourminis.com.

FREE Tracking Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:12:00 +0000

Keep track of how much weight you are losing with a weight loss tracking chart is a a significant step. There is nothing more motivating than seeing your results thus far in black and white.

There are tonnes of benefits to be gained from a weight loss tracking chart. Firstly it is the best way to see your results and how you are progressing with the diet and exercise. Secondly you can monitor how much you are losing each week or each month - see what works, what doesn’t. I don't believe in weighing yourself more than once a week if you are trying to lose weight. Try to pay attention to which of your meals really satisfies your hunger, what times of day (or days) that you are particularly vulnerable to hunger or poor meal choices so that you can plan better, and try to identify small diet or exercise changes that you can make on an ongoing basis to continue losing weight.

Another benefit is you can check whether your weight loss system is useful enough for achieving your short term and long term weight loss goals. Here I have included some tools,software and programs that you can use which I recommend you do cause it will definitely assist you.

BWM 2.0 Diet Manager Freeware

This BWM (Biometric Weight Manager) diet manager is a program oriented to people you wants to start a new life, losing weight, or either taking control of their own food and combining these good things with some exercise. This software can be downloaded for FREE. The program will help you achieve your personal goals, weight loss, diet, nutrients, etc. What I particular like is how you will be able to receive a daily feedback throught detailed graphics reports basic on your weight goal progress. When you start using your BWM diet manager program, you will need before to complete your personal profile to obtain your daily basis. Each day you can register your activities, food, exercise, etc. Your will be able to have your own dairy of your regular life. BWM Manager, allow you to set up your own diet plan and corresponding nutrient percentages. You can also configure your program in combination with some popular diet programs like Atkins, South Beach, Shape Up, etc. So, if you want to have a healthier life with a very good tracking system, I'll definitely recommend this!

Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator
BMR is the total number of calories your body requires for normal bodily functions (excluding activity factors). This includes keeping your heart beating, inhaling and exhaling air, digesting food, making new blood cells, maintaining your body temperature and every other metabolic process in your body. In other words, your BMR is all the energy used for the basic processes of life itself. It is very important to note that the higher your lean body mass is, the higher your BMR will be. This is very significant if you want to lose body fat because it means that the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, and it requires a great deal of energy just to sustain it.

Download this FREE software to estimate your metabolic rate and the recommended calorie intake according to your height, weight and age. Also taking into account how active you are and if you are male or female -My-Diet-Program.com

myfitnesspal.com

With MyFitnessPal.com you have access to a lot of great features to help you on your fitness journey. Here are some of these features:

- Easy to use food diary
- Food database with information on 6,000 different foods (and growing)
- A personal food database
- Discussion forums for support and motivation
- Personalized diet profile
- Flexibility

The best part about MyFitnessPal.com is that it is always 100% free. They don’t charge any fees for any of these services.

One of the best features of MyFitnessPal.com is the community side. Having the support of others in your weight loss or muscle building efforts could be the missing key to your success. That’s why its always recommended that you have a training partner and also that you hang out with people headed in the same direction that you are. While you may not get a training partner (although you might find a local buddy there), you can at least get some great moral support. Check them out sometime!

Free Weight Tracking Calendar

StartYourDiet.com is an interactive diet program that allows you to plan your diet, track your progress and achieve the weight loss results you desire. Featuring a free tracking calendar for tracking your weight, setting goals and charting your progress. A deluxe version of the program allows you to track your meals, find a diet buddy, start a diet blog and more! If you have some spare cash, do invest in this. It's worth it. If not, the BWM 2.0 Diet Manager will do just find.

Monday updates: Project 31

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:25:00 +0000

Project 31 has been getting a little slow responds. Nevertheless, it is starting to peak up gradually. Thank you for supporting Project 31.

This are the habits and goals of the participants of Project 31. And I am hoping to get an update from all of you. This is to keep you focused and devoted. It will act like a checklist. Other people are encourage to join in and comment on each others problems, achievements and progress. I would like to know:

1. One positive thing you noticed this week.
2. What are you looking forward to next week.

To those of you who just join in, its all right, you can share too. And to those who had yet to join in, JOIN IN RIGHT NOW! Make the change today!

Sherre
I'm in on Project 31! My habit is going to be exercise ... EVERY SINGLE DAY. Thank you for doing this ... I need all the help I can get.

Antoinette
I'm back. :)

I commit to 20 minutes of exercise a day. I will mainly focus on Pilates though because I've been having some back pain and I know from experience that Pilates usually helps me with that. Plus, Pilates always makes me stand taller and feel leaner. It's a win win!

Anonymous
Ok, my behaviour change:
1) Earlier to bed so I can get up at 6:00 to exercise my dogs. It will be dark, but I need to do it early cause I'm really bad in my time management
2)It will get me fitter and I want this to be a long term habit, building on and supporting other healthy habits.(not to mention good for the dogs!)
3)It will be different this time because I’m going to start my change the night before, relaxing and going to bed early.

Steven
Hi all,

I’d love to join this challenge – hope I’m not too late.

My habit that I will break is to stop buying packets of junk food and eat it all in one sitting. If I feel the urge to do that, I will read a letter that I’ve written to myself about all the reasons why I shouldn’t, and eat something healthy instead.

I will do this for the next 31 days. I will then continue to do this after the 31 days are over.

Thanks for this project Keeven!

Day 2 of Annie's 365-Mile Challenge.

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

The second day of Annie's 365-Mile Challenge and I feel as pumped up as ever. Today I step into the gym ready physically and mentally focused...I'm starting to feel into the challenge after looking at how others had been so motivated to clocked in their durations. I'm ready to beat my own record yesterday.
And my positive mindset seem to paid off.

Today's Workout

Treadmill
Duration: 28 minutes
Elevation: 3
Speed: 12
Calories Burned: 305
Distance: 5km which is equivalent to 3.1miles

Then I proceed to my abs exercise. (15 minutes)
30 x 3 crunches
30 x 3 Cross-Body Crunch
10 x 3 Air Bike
10 x 3 Lying Leg Raise

Stationary Bike
Duration: 35 minutes
Calories Burned: 223
Distance: 7.1 miles

Followed by my back workout: (30 minutes)
12 x 4 Pullups
12 x 4 Wide-Grip Pulldowns Behind The Neck
12 x 4 Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
12 x 4 Elevated Cable Rows

My total duration of my workout today is 108 minutes.Pretty high intensity.
Total distance: I got in 13.2 miles on my second day.

A rapid increase from my second day. But I know its due to the stationary bike. Nevertheless another great workout at the gym that I encourage everyone to try. Combination of high intensity cardio and weight trainings. It do you wonders.

Day 1 of Annie's 365-Mile Challenge.

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Me on my last lap on Annie's 365-Mile Challenge

Today is my first day of Annie's 365-Mile Challenge.
My total duration of my workout today is 1 hour 30 minutes which means I got in 6.75 miles for a start. Not bad I suppose.

I was really tired today and was feeling sick. If you haven been noticing, people around the world are falling sick day by day. Even the old man fell sick today, one day before his birthday. And I'm not sure if he is up to any celebration tomorrow. Doesn't make today quite a motivating day to the gym. So I did a mini run around the neighborhood followed by my old time favorite home workout.

I did a 45 minutes run. For the record, I covered almost 3.75 miles. A little slower than usual. But my right knee felt weak and was starting to give way. So I had to slow down a little. After all, I was saving up a little energy for my squats. Just look at me in the photo - gasping strongly for air.

Another 45 minutes workout which consists of:

Super set this 2 exercises for 3 sets.
15 reps body weight squat
15 reps push ups

Then followed by abs workout.
30 x 3 crunches
30 x 3 Cross-Body Crunch
10 x 3 Air Bike
10 x 3 Lying Leg Raise

Overall, I'm satisfied with today's workout. What about you?

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

Coffee Dieting: Coffee Calories

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:39:00 +0000

The internet connection nowadays are really bad. Every time when it rains, basically I have zero connectivity. And that's really frustrating as I really love updating my blog and reading what other bloggers have to share as well. And when all hopes are gone, suddenly my internet when alive! I'm so excited now.

So, yesterday, a nice chap at the gym approached me. His name is David. We chit chat a little, exchange name cards and trying out new workouts. David asked me a very good question and I want to share it with all of you. He asked me - "I'm trying to lose weight. But I really love coffee. Can I still drink coffee?"

I feel it would be great to really clear the considerable confusion over coffee calories. Plus, I confessed I'm a great fan of coffee as well.

So I told David - A plain cup of brewed coffee contains almost zero calories. It's how you dress up your coffee that makes a difference in the fat, sugar and calorie count — and your weight-loss plans.

Well, that's true isn't it?

When we talk about about coffee calories, what are we actually talking about? The truth is the additives we put in it. We tend to sweeten the bitterness with milk, sugar, or cream. And they are these additives that are going to add up the calories.
So what happens to coffee lover is basically this - the larger the drink volume, the more additives you will be adding in. The more additives you add in, the more calories you are consuming. Period.

So the tip to coffee dieting is simple. Just take the time to consider how would you flavor your coffee by reading the product labels of your sweeteners. So basically one tablespoon is estimated around 15ml. If you add 1 tablespoon of sugar, you'll add roughly 50 calories. If you choose to add 1 tablespoon of whipping cream, you'll be adding more than 50 calories and 5 grams of fat to a cup of coffee. However, on the other hand, one tablespoon of fat-free milk adds only 5 calories.

Remember not to take thing likely at the local coffee bar. What goes into the brew you order also matters. Before ordering, check out the nutrition information provided by the coffee bar. You can also check it online.

In addition, I've heard many rumors on the effectiveness of caffeine as a fat burner. Well, all I can say is currently, there is no research that can prove caffeine helps enhance fat decomposition. In my opinion, it is the disadvantages that worries me. Overdose of drinking coffee also has bad influence on bone, irregular heart beat and etc.

So to conclude this, reduce the amount of additives you put into your coffee and you'll successfully reduce a significant amount of Calories from your diet. If your interested in coffee dieting, you can carefully choose your type of coffee by referring to the chart above. Remember less additives less calories! Happy coffee dieting!

Lauching Project 31! - #Tip1: Goal Setting

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:06:00 +0000

Hello people!

Today is the first day of Project 31 and I'm officially launching it. Please join me and share your habits, goals, lifestyle changes that you would like to change. As a kindly reminder, it need not be related to weight loss.

In conjunction with Project 31, I would like to share one of my key to success - Goal Setting. It would be my first tip in helping you achieve your life changing habits. From time to time, I’d be sharing some information with the bloggers that might help with their goals in Project 31. Try it, ignore it but just hear me out.

When it comes to setting a goal, a very old friend taught me the SMART approach.

S – Specific – The Goals should be specific and detailed in writing. For example, instead of saying “I want to stop eating those sweetening food”, try saying “I will stop eating chocolate brownies by 15 September”. And write it down!!! You can write it down here at the comment section so that others will know as well. I want you to be committed.

M – Measurable – If you currently eat 5 chocolate brownies, set yourself a time line. Week 1, 4 per week, Week 2, 3 per day and so on.

A – Action Focused – By writing down your goal and inserting in a time line, you can take appropriate action every day. Do not rush yourself. The key is to take baby steps every day and soon you will see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

R – Realistic – Set realistic goals! This is usually the main cause of failure. As much as I want you to achieve your goals, I do not want you to fail either. Be ambitious but don't lose your passion through unrealistic expectations.

T – Time Focused – Set a date and time when you will achieve your goal. Otherwise its not a goal, its a wish!!

I hope this is helpful. And I wish everyone good luck!

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

The different stages of your child's development

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:29:00 +0000

People have different experiences at different ages. Did you know that children are in the business of learning? They attempt to store all the things that happen to them into some type of logical form. See how freaking sneaky is this young fellow. Enjoy the video. *Have a great laugh or two*

Infant

Teenager

And this is what happens when this cheeky fellow grew up. A great way to escape from a boring lecture.

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

Great Ways I Start My Day

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:34:00 +0000

Well,losing weight can at times be really really hard to handle. Sometimes we would feel like crying for no reason. We feel depress and agitated. Frustrated and angry. Or even suicidal. Often it is very depressing for me when I see my friends enjoying pizza with extra toppings and cheese and all I can have was salad. We sometimes get so tired up at work and chores but yet we need to force our lazy ass to do some exercise. The stress keeps building up when we step foot on the scale and the needle was pointing at the same number as last week. Throughout the years, I've learned that how you plan to start the morning can be really helpful in determining the rhythm for the rest of the day. I always make sure I start the morning with some added kick into it. And before I knew it, soon this extra activity became a healthy lifestyle habit. I wish to share with you some of the great activities I incorporate into my morning routine that can leave me better able to handle the stress. Try one or try all. Experiment with it, and take the pick which suits you best.

Dance in the Shower
Personally this is my favorite. Its more of stretching but I prefer to call it dancing. Enjoy the hot water splashing down on you. Move your head from left to right and lift both your arms up. Gift it a nice stretch. Sing along while your doing it. The hot water will loosen up your muscles, so it’s easier to get a good stretch. Dancing aka Stretching will help you to start the day feeling more relaxed and ready to face what lies ahead of you.

Morning Walk
I think many hate doing this. I use to dislike waking up in the morning to exercise. You need not have to jog or run. Just walk and enjoy the fresh morning breeze against your face. I think I need not have to tell you the benefits of walking. The benefits of walking have practically a long list! Oh! bring a dog with you, you’ll be lavished with attention as well!

Blogging
I don't think I need to explain much on this. Many of you reading this might be blogging way longer than I have. Blogging on your weight loss progress leads to increased self-awareness. Writing your issues downs can help you release negative emotions, and share them with people who are facing them as well.

Eat a Balanced Breakfast
Breakfast is known as ‘breaking the fast'. And it means having bagel and coffee alone is not enough. They contain nothing but empty calories. Always start the morning with a healthy balance meal both protein,carbs and fruits. You need sufficient blood sugar levels to handle physical and mental stress. Without it, you won't be able to follow through the day without eating more unwanted calories on the next meal. Read more.

Music!
This has really been my habit till today. Every morning the first thing I do I switch on my speakers. And the music goes bom! Put on your favorite songs. A mixture of slow and fast songs. Music has been shown to reduce stress. Listening to slow song will give you a soothing feel and a sense of peace. If you choose to play party songs like me, you'll create positive energy. Listen to music as you get ready and start your day, adding a sense of peace to your morning walk, relaxing your body in the shower, and stimulating your mind as you blog.

If you have any great ideas, share them with me..

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

Remembering 9/11

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:43:00 +0000

The life of people across the globe change that day. The world was never the same again. Let us honor them. Let us not take for granted for what we have today. Let us all be thankful that we have live for another day. Today, we shall appreciate one another. To the 3 Malaysians who lost their life that day, Amen.

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

10 Crazy Things You Can Do to Lose Weight At Home

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:24:00 +0000

1. Brush your teeth using the normal toothbrush. Move those hands. Do not use electric toothbrush.
2. Stand up and take shower instead of lying on bath tub. Sing while you scrub your body! Try reach for your back while your at it. Its a very good form of stretching.
3. When you are watching television, sit on a balance ball rather than on the sofa.
4. Walk to the television if you want to change the channel or volume. Do not use the television remote control.
5. After you finish washing dishes, dry them instead of leaving them to drain.
6. Don't use the juice machine. Try squeezing the fruit with your hands.
7. If you see a housefly, chase and hit it with magazine or newspaper. Do not use spray
8. Use a cordless phone and dance around the house when you are talking on the phone.
9. Bend over and stretch those legs when you pick up those laundry from the basket.
10. Put on some music and cut up the rug. Dancing improves your mood.
OK... make it eleven. Man will love this.
11. Have sex more often. And I mean with your partner!.

Do you have more to add to the list? Feel free to comment.

How is your life after losing weight?

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:08:00 +0000

What do you expect after you lose weight? How would you imagine your life will be? For starters, you might be jumping up the roof. And honestly, you should. You have gone through HELL and god knows how much you suffer to achieve the body you have today. Give yourself a peck in the back. But like what other large changes you go through in life, we are bound back to our day-to-day routine. We are constantly adjusting. If we are bless with more money in life, we laugh about it, enjoyed the new found wealth together and we adjust to our more lavish life. If we lose a lover, we cry and mourn but we eventually adjust and move on.

Similarly, I am adjusting to the fact that I am about 60 pounds lighter than I was a few years ago. It's not like I spend every moment thinking "Oh My God, I'm finally there!". But I do feel it in some way about it sometime. For example when I'm sitting in my chair I realize how much space there actually is now. I also realized that sometimes when I'm watching TV, I will unconsciously touch my chest, feeling it with my hands and at the same time feeling proud that I actually felt muscle. It may sound silly. But that's what happen to me. But I think everyone of us deserved to feel better about themselves as we now look better and know have accomplished something that a lot of people strive for. The feeling of walking down the hall without the pain in my knees and enjoying my increased mobility is simply hard to believe. No longer need I feel like a walking snow man (imagine the 3 round balls of snow that make up a snowman). And of course - SEX! If you know you look better, you'll feel better naked. And of course you should be getting more sex and enjoying it more!

So like all human beings who functions better with goals assigned, I am currently challenging my body to bulk up on mass and tone up by the end of this year. Hopefully I would continue living a healthy life. Well, that's all I ever wanted. What else can I ask for? What would you ask for?

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

10 Ways to Know You're Burned Out from Working Out

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:50:00 +0000

We all have those days when we don't feel like moving at all. You'll get the feeling that your routine work is just so boring and what you are doing now made no sense at all. Here are some ways to know you're burned out:

1. On the way to the gym for your usual workout, it suddenly rain. You quickly rush home to lay on the couch though you know the rain doesn't affect your workout.

2. You could imagine your running shoes starring at you from a far, daring you to go out for a morning run. But then you decide to hide under the blanket.

3. Your stared at your mobile phone, your workout partner is calling you for the forth time and the thought of switching off your phone cross your mind.

4. You are pushing through all your workout sets. You're personal trainer standing beside you is counting for you, but you can hear yourself saying "I know there are 5 reps more to go...Do you have to keep counting?"

5. Looking at your gym bag gives you a soar eye.

6. When you are doing your shopping, you go through the racks and you hear yourself saying "Whats up with all the labels behind these packets?"

7. In the morning to work, you park in the nearest parking space, take the lift instead of the stairs and roll your chair to your colleague's desk instead of actually walking.

8. At lunch, you asked a colleague - Want a donut?

9. During your usual morning run, you stop and check your shoes to see if someone secretly strapped 10-lb weights to your feet.

10. Getting out of bed feels like an abs workout.

Does this sounds familiar? Its all right. Is normal burnout sometimes happens to us. Just take the time off from your normal workout and try something new instead. You can consider participating in Project 31 or you can simply give yourself a few days of rest. Take the time and share your problems with a friend and you'll come back stronger than ever!

Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Thanks Sherre for informing me about the comment box. Apparently the ad was in the way of the submit button. That's very weird. It shouldn't happen. But it should be find now. If there is anymore problem, do contact me. Start hitting those comments!

Project 31 - Jumpstart to change

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:47:00 +0000

Hello my dear readers,

Today, we are doing something different. I thought of something more practical. Well, we all have some bad habits that we would like to change don't we?. But changing a bad habit is not as easy as what people think. And you know it is. I've seen thousands of people sign up for new gym memberships every day and within less than four weeks they've already thrown in the towel, never to step foot in that gym again. Don't be like them. I'm not trying to discourage you, I want you to succeed and to believe in yourself and to realize that you can and will transform your life, and you'll do it one step at a time. And Project 31 is my way of offering a little encouragement and support.

What is Project 31?

I have constant struggle over my journey, fighting my temptations on food, resisting the urge to smoke, controlling my temper and many others. I know that some of you are trying very hard to change your bad habits forever, constantly fighting but never quite there. Some of you might be struggling to get the momentum. However, I know there are still some out there waiting not willing to work but wish one day something magically will happen.

So, Project 31 requires you to identify only ONE habit which you really need to change right now. And when I mean Now, I really mean NOW!. Stop giving excuses like "This is not the right time" Because you and I know there isn't. Stop thinking, start doing! It need not be related to weight loss. It might be about food or exercise, it could be alcohol or drug related, your long-term goals or perhaps some other kind of destructive habit. Project 31 only wants you to identify ONLY ONE habit in order to focus on that ONE particular destructive habit and addressing that one part at a time. We cannot rush into it. Rushing to change 100 habits at a time only results to failure.

Why 31?

Well, 31 simple means 31 days. You might think it may not be sufficient for you to change but it’s surely enough time for everyone here in the bloggersphere to help you generate some momentum, provide some motivation and hopefully provide a platform to jump start your change. I can only teach you to walk but eventually you have to walk on your own. The decision lies in your hands.

How to Participate?

Submit a comment stating the following:

1. State the ONE habit you want to face
2. Why do you choose to do so and why is important to you.
3. Why this time it will be different.

Keep it short and simple.

Every Monday, you are require to write an update in the comment section of that day's post. This is to keep you focused and devoted. It will act like a checklist. Other people are encourage to join in and comment on each others problems, achievements and progress. Your update may contain:

1. One positive thing you noticed this week.
2. What are you looking forward to next week.

The official ’start date’ of Project 31 is next Monday (September 15) and ends on Thursday (October 15). This will give all of you some time. Nevertheless, you can start right now if you like to. In fact I would prefer that. So start clicking on the comment box!

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

Cardio or Weights? Which should come first for fat loss?

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:45:00 +0000

This is a frequently asked question if you're new to weight training. Trust me, I had a hard time figuring this out. Yet, every tough questions has its answers. However, I have a confession to make. Bare in mind, I am no pro trainer or fat loss guru. So if your expecting to see a long article giving you bombastic advices, you are wrong. I am just a guy who is going to give you my honest and truthful experiences on fat loss. So before we go more into that, let us have a quick run on the basic definitions.

What is Cardio?

‘Cardio’ as is known in short is also known as cardiovascular exercise. Cardio is something you do at a sustained pace over a period of time which puts pressure on your cardiorespiratory system. When I say cardiorespiratory I mean your heart and lungs. Cardio can be as simple as walking to running, or swimming to cycling.

What is Weight Training ?

Lifting weights, on the other hand is a form of anaerobic activity. Anaerobic means an absence of oxygen. It does not mean no oxygen is needed but it simply means the activity requires a short bursts of high intensity energy that increases the muscle's requirement for oxygen, resulting our body to produce lactate acid. Production of lactate acid will prohibit us from lifting at that intensity.

Now that we're done on a few of the simple difference between cardio and weight training, the fun part begins!

The Answer : Weights Training before Cardio

Shocking? But that's the truth. You might think isn't cardio the ultimate fat burning workout? Let me tell you the truth of all truth. Weight training is the best way to increase metabolism, burn fats and easy to maintain. Why? Because a pound of muscles burn much more calories than a pound of fat. Fat can only burn 5 calories per day. Muscles on the other hand burn 50 calories per day. So, simply transforming 5 pounds of fat to 5 pounds of muscle, your body gets to burn an additional 250 calories. Simply great! Cardio at a steady pace for 40 minutes won't do much for fat loss. However it is still important. Modified your cardio training into interval training will do wonders for you. Let me give you an example. Run for 1 minute easy intervals followed by 30 seconds higher intensity. Keep repeating that. And mix it in between your weight trainings. You can view a sample here - The Fat Boy Workout

Most of my female friends are reluctant to try when I mentioned weight training. They have the perceptions that if I lift the 10 pounds dumbbell to much I'll get to bulk. Let me tell you something. As long as you push your muscles to the limit, your muscles should be fatigue and you will never bulk up! So take the time to consider my program. Cardio is wonderful, but weight training is much better!

What should you know before shopping at GNC?

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:45:00 +0000

To those of you who doesn't know GNC, GNC stands for General Nutrition Center. It is the leading retailer of nutritional supplements, vitamins, and other health food products. They have over 100 stores in Malaysia, and many others throughout the world. Is impossible you never heard of GNC if you’re into diet and exercise. And perhaps you are about to head right into one yourself. If you are, hold it right there, hear me out.

1. Most of the people who work in GNC know NOTHING about diet, fitness, bodybuilding, weight loss or health or any supplements they want you to buy

These are not doctors, nutritionists, dietitians or personal trainers. So, if you walk into GNC expecting to get any advice and information, I won't count on it. They will try and pretend to have the answers to your questions for the sake of your money. They don’t care if you need the supplements. They just want you to buy it.

If you are fat, they will push the most expensive fat burning supplements. If you are skinny, they will push the most expensive weight gain and muscle building supplements. That’s basically all they know. It's sad but that's the truth!

2. The objective of a GNC employee is SELL SELL SELL!
More specifically, they are trained to do whatever in their power to get you to buy their supplements. They are just similar to a typical SALESMEN! If you have been there, you would probably agree with me. GNC seems to really push their Mega Man/Woman Multivitamin. Am I right?

You can go in there for some protein powder, and an employee will actually say “You know, you should really buy our multivitamin if you’re going to buy this protein powder.” When you ask why, they will just read the details behind the box. They are commission based 'salesmen' that are driven by money, not your well being.

3. Everything in GNC is overpriced.

You basically can get everything cheaper online. Shop online! If your in Malaysia, I’ve come to discover a better place to purchase my supplements. They are called Supplement2Day. Go check out their website. They do deliver to your doorstep with a small amount of fee.

Last but not least,

I want to make it clear that I didn’t write this to portray GNC as the one evil company that only cares about making money. But we are talking about stuffs we put in the mouth. Is concerns our health and body. I hope GNC could change these perceptions. And finally, like I said, I didn’t write this to get people to hate GNC. I just think you should know as a consumer. Because you deserve to know!

New Look Launched

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:30:00 +0000

A year ago, a friend of mine was asking me to share my results with the world. At that moment, I did help around the gym and gave a tip or two to friends who asked me for advise. After all, I am not a certified trainer (but I'm planning to). But other than that, there's nothing much I can do. Yet I wanted to reach out to the larger population. Every time I manage to help someone achieve success, it was very fulfilling. Hearing their problems, sharing experiences and exchanging workout programs. It helps us to be a better person. It was then until recently did I discovered the power of the BLOG. And to my surprise I never thought that there will be people actually following Confessions from an Ex Fat Boy. Thank you for supporting the beginning of a yet another wonderful adventure for me. You guys rock! Therefore, as a gift to all Confessions from an Ex Fat Boy's readers, I've decided to update and give it a more corporate look.That presents me with quite a challenge today. I am no html pro. So it is no easy task for me. I wanted something that look both clean and easy to navigate whilst accommodating comprehensive information and a little advertisement place. Nevertheless, that is exactly what has been achieved in the new look. I am still working on some small minor details and a nice design for my title. I'll appreciate if anyone would like to offer their services to design. So to all of you who visited during the maintenance period, I apologize. I also included a Feature column to preview weekly hot topics. I'm ought to customize my twitter. But right now, I'm overall quite happy with it. I hope you like the new look and find it easy to use. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please do not hesitate to drop a comment! Thank you!

The Fat Boy Workout

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:11:00 +0000

Today, I shall share with you one of my key routine to weight loss that I discover by trial and error. When I first started out my quest for weight loss, I started like what most people will do - "cardio". Yes, our favorite common enemy. I was very eager to lose my belly and I approach a trainer for help. The trainer suggest me to do lots of cardio. So I had been doing lots of brisk walking with steady speed (I had to walk initially because my knees couldn't support my upper body weight). And then I did very light shoulder press, bench press and got knows how many crunches and other ab exercises. And to my disbelieve, I only lose 1 pound after 1 month. Trust me, with the amount of effort put in, losing 1 pound was just not worth it. After all, I have to pay the trainer so much just to lose 1 pound. So, I decided to do my own research. And I compiled a series of exercises, modified a little bit of resistance which then form my Fat Boy workout plan.

The Fat Boy routine is as follows:

My diet:
Skim or at least low fat milk, egg whites, chicken breasts, brown rice or whole wheat bread and a significant amount of fruits and vegetables. I split my meals to 5 small meals a day and drank lots of water. My dinner consists of low carbs.

Monday
10 minutes warm up on treadmill.
Chest and Triceps followed by 15 minutes on treadmill
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell Incline Bench Press
Pec Deck Fly
Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension
EZ Bar Tricep Extensions

Wednesday
10 minutes warm up on treadmill.
Back and biceps followed by 15 minutes on treadmill
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
Wide-Grip Pulldowns Behind The Neck
Cable Rows
Preacher Curl
Concentration Curls

Friday
10 minutes warm up on treadmill.
Shoulders followed by 15 minutes on treadmill
Barbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise
Barbell Shrug

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
10 minutes on the stepper
10 minutes on the stationary bicycle
This is 1 cycle:
Barbell Squat
Dumbbell Rear Lunge
Glute Kickback
Perform 4 cycles.

If you need guidance on how to perform those exercises, you can refer here. They have huge database with various types of exercises along with videos to guide you.

Workout Description

Week 1. Focus on preparing your body.
Sets: Perform 4 sets of each exercise
Reps: 8 - 10 per set
Rest: 60 - 90 seconds between sets

This amount of repetitions is needed to activate the muscle fibres which have seldom been use all this while. Moderate rep of 8-10 will accomplish this better than a low rep range or even a very high rep range.

In relation to the resistance, the weight you choose must be heavy enough that the last few reps must be a struggle. If you are not able to complete at least eight reps then the weight is too heavy. However, if you are able to complete the full amount of reps quite easily then the weight is to light. Do take some time to figure this out.

Week 2. Focus on the development of muscle tone and muscular endurance.
Hence, I alter the reps/rest intervals.
Sets: You will perform 3 sets of each exercise.
Reps: 15 – 20 per set
Rest: 30 seconds between sets.

You will repeat this routine 3 times. That makes a total of six weeks. After that, another different workout will have to be plan as our body are able to adapt. Don't worry. I'll teach you that as well.
Frankly, I followed the above routine and on my 4th week, I've lost around 11 pounds and started to see difference around my belly. I lost 2 and a half inches off my waist. The awesome thing is I did not do any abs exercise. The secret? The FatBoy Workout is designed to jump start beginners by hitting those big muscle group. Each day we focus on hitting 1 big muscle group. And i emphasis a lot on the lower body as it really takes up a lot of my energy at the same time help develop my strength for running.

If you have any questions feel free to drop me a comment, and I'll reply you as soon as possible. Try The Fat Boy Workout and tell me the results!

Why Breakfast contribute to weight loss ???

noreply@blogger.com (Keeven) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:39:00 +0000

What is Breakfast? Simple. Breakfast simply means breaking the fast. Its because we haven't ate anything since the night before but our body continues to burn energy while we sleep. Therefore, we have to refuel first thing in the morning considering we have not ate for several hours.

In the past, I confessed I usually skip breakfast as I thought that would cut down on calories. I was desperate to lose my weight in the past that I made a choice not to have breakfast. But oh god I was wrong. When I skip breakfast, I was agitated and restless. I could not stay focus at work. I was usually at starving stage by the time it was lunch. Hence, this cause me to overeat my lunch. Because I have an empty tank, my blood sugar levels are low. This leads my lunch to be high in sugar and fat. Besides, this causes my cravings for chips to amplify. In turn, overeating places undue stress on your body and can result in unwanted weight gain. Skipping breakfast has no benefits for weight loss.

So now, What makes a good breakfast? It need not necessary be cereals, bread, pancake and etc. As long as foods consume contribute to an overall balanced diet, it will be fine. Example of good breakfast are: A glass of skim milk, oats, whole wheat toast (cut down on the butter), eggs (try consume less of the yolk) or a glass of fruit juice. I personally prefer a high carbs high protein breakfast. A sufficient amount of carbs are needed to fuel me through the morning and preventing me to consume more carbs the next meal. I post a photo of what I have for breakfast today. Scramble eggs, red beans, 2 slices of whole wheat bread and a glass of milk.

Put some effort into preparing your breakfast as you will want something that looks appealing to you in the morning. Stop making excuses that you do not have the time. If you really do not have time, grab an apple or breakfast bar. Prepare your breakfast the night before. That will definitely save time.

So enjoy your breakfast!!