DyeHardZ's Notebook

honey before sleep for fat-loss?

2008-09-20T00:45:00.002+07:00

this is what promised by The Hibernation Diet : to help us sleep and lose weight at the same time by using our biology and working with our bodies (rather than against them).

ask yourself these questions :
- do you wake regularly during the night?
- do you have night sweats?
- do you experience acid reflux during the night?
- do you get up to go to the bathroom during the night?
- do you feel nauseous in the early morning?
- do you wake up exhausted?
- do you have a dry throat in the morning?
- do you get night cramps?
- do you feel weak in the early morning?

if “yes” for any of these questions :
It could mean that instead of burning fat and repairing muscles, your body has produced a stream of stress hormones while you've slept.

how much fat do we burn in activities?
- 10% fat during intense exercise.
- 20% fat during moderate exercise.
- 35% fat during low level exercise.
- 70% fat during rest !!

during sleep we should burn fats ...
however, if the liver is not fueled prior to bed, we release stress hormones from the adrenal glands which raise our heart rate and blood pressure. these hormones instead of burning fat, degrade muscle and bone.

honey when taken prior to bed :
- be able to fuel the liver and the brain.
- keeping blood sugar levels balanced.
- letting recovery hormones burning fat.
- preventing release of stress hormones.
- helping us get a better night's sleep.

why honey?
- contains glucose and fructose in a 1:1 ratio, ideal for fueling the liver.
- contains a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and amino acids ... beneficial!

how to do The Hibernation Diet?
- one hour before bed, eat 1-2 tablespoon honey (straight from the jar or as a warm drink)
- eat a healthy and balanced diet, avoid highly refined and processed foods (such as white bread, pizza, burgers, chocolates, beer, and sugar)
- for better result, do resistance exercises (weight trainings) 2-3 times each week.

my experience :
I have been trying this diet for several weeks. I drink 2 tablespoons honey mixed with a glass of cold low-fat milk, 2-3 hours before sleep. I felt sleep better than before. less wake during the night, less dry throat in the morning, etc. from now I will drink it 1 hour before sleep.

more info :
Amazing Benefits of Honey

myth collection #3 (fat-loss & workout)

2008-09-03T20:44:00.003+07:00

(continued from myth #2)

MYTH 11 : sit-ups will reduce fat in your abs (spot reduction)

FACT : Overall body fat must be reduced to lose fat in any particular area. Although fat is lost or gained throughout the body, it seems the last area to become lean is the first area to get fat. It is the midsection (in men and some women, especially after menopause), and hips and thighs (in women and few men).

There is no such thing as spot reduction. Sit-ups, crunches, etc will only exercise the muscles under the fat.

MYTH 12 : high repetitions will burn more fat

FACT : Research has shown that moderate repetitions (8-12), rather than higher repetitions (20-25) are more effective in terms of fat-loss. Training with heavy weights and lower reps will build a larger degree of muscle mass and, as a result, stimulate the metabolism and burn more fat over the long term as muscle is a metabolically active tissue.

Higher reps will help during the refining stage (before a contest) but will do very little to actually build the muscle necessary to transform ones body into a fat-burning machine.

MYTH 13 : (woman) weight training will make me bulky/huge

FACT : No, because woman don't produce enough testosterone to allow for muscular growth as large as men. (testosterone is one of the main hormones that responsible for increasing muscle size)

"There are women who lift weights and look like men!" Yes, because they take testosterone/androgens/steroids/pro-hormones to help them achieve that look. Does average woman who wants to get in shape and attain a 'sexy' body have to supplement this way to achieve her goals? NO!

MYTH 14 : working out turns fat into muscle

FACT : No, because muscle and fat are two completely different things. Fat is made up of triglycerides and muscle is made up of amino acids.

Building muscle will help you burn fat. The more muscle developed, the more calories the body will burn even while at rest.

MYTH 15 : drinking water has no relation with fat-loss

FACT : When dehydrated, our body temperature drops slightly, causing the body to store fat as a way to help raise or maintain our temperature. Even mild dehydration will slow down your metabolism, speed up aging, reduce resistance to disease, and reduce muscle recovery after exercise.

To avoid this metabolic pitfall, have lots of fluid throughout the day.

(to be continued)

more info :
ExRx.net
Bodybuilding.com : here and here
Benefits of Honey

Indonesian version of this blog

2008-08-28T20:08:00.000+07:00

[ Indonesian version ]
I've created Catatan DyeHardZ, a new blog that entirely in Indonesian language. I made it because most visitors of this blog are from Indonesia. So this DyeHardZ's Notebook will be in full English from now.

perbandingan jenis susu L-Men

2008-08-24T14:22:00.000+07:00

anda ingin mencoba susu L-Men namun bingung karena jenis produknya banyak sekali? saya coba share di bawah ini berdasarkan info yang saya dapat dan pengalaman sendiri. (catatan : saya bukan orang nutrifood dan info ini bersifat subjektif)

jenis susu L-Men yang ada :
1. Daily Formula
2. Hi-Protein Basic
3. Asiatix
4. Hi-Protein Regular
5. Hi-Protein Advanced
6. Platinum
7. Gain Mass
8. Lose Weight
9. Sixpack (ini pemanis rendah kalori, bukan susu)

L-Men Daily Formula
warna dus : coklat muda
rasa : dark chocolate
protein : 10 g
l-carnitine : -
untuk : dewasa dengan aktivitas sehari-hari
komentar : rasanya enak, sayang tidak ada l-carnitine.

L-Men Hi-Protein Basic
warna dus : merah
rasa : caramel macchiato, mochaccino blend
protein : 10 g
l-carnitine : 45 mg
untuk : remaja yang masih dalam masa pertumbuhan
komentar : belum pernah coba.

L-Men Asiatix
warna dus : hijau kebiruan
rasa : ogura
protein : 12 g
l-carnitine : 50 mg
untuk : dewasa yang sensitif terhadap susu (jerawat/diare)
komentar : awalnya ragu karena saya fanatik coklat. ternyata enak juga. buat anda yang perutnya suka 'guruduk-guruduk' setelah minum susu biasa, boleh coba yang ini.

L-Men Hi-Protein Regular
warna dus : biru
rasa : chocolate hazelnut
protein : 13.5 g
l-carnitine : 109 mg
untuk : dewasa yang berolahraga
komentar : rasa hazelnut-nya enak. l-carnitine lumayan banyak, namun kalsium-nya hanya 300 mg.

L-Men Hi-Protein Advanced
warna dus : hijau tua
rasa : cappucino, choco-vanilla, mocha-latte
protein : 15 g
l-carnitine : 220 mg
l-glutamine dan bcaa : tinggi
untuk : dewasa yang aktif berolahraga dengan intensitas tinggi
komentar : hanya pernah coba choco-vanilla dan kurang cocok dengan rasanya.

L-Men Platinum
warna botol : hitam
rasa : choco-latte
protein : 23 g
l-carnitine : 250 mg
l-glutamine dan bcaa : tinggi
ekstra : creatine monohydrate 100 mg
untuk : binaragawan
komentar : belum pernah coba.

L-Men Gain Mass
warna dus : kuning
rasa : chocolate, banana
protein : 16.5 g
l-carnitine : -
untuk : dewasa yang ingin menambah berat badan
komentar : belum pernah coba.

L-Men Lose Weight
warna dus : oranye
rasa : chocolate cereal
protein : 15 g
l-carnitine : 250 mg
untuk : dewasa yang ingin menurunkan berat badan
komentar : kurang cocok dengan rasanya. menurut saya, daripada mengurangi asupan kalori, lebih enak meningkatkan metabolisme tubuh dengan cara meningkatkan massa otot dan HIIT.

L-Men Sixpack
catatan : ini pemanis rendah kalori, bukan susu
warna dus : merah tua, kecil
untuk : siapapun yang sedang berdiet rendah kalori
komentar : saya lebih suka madu, namun ... tinggi kalori. :D

kapan waktu minum susu L-Men?
beberapa menit setelah selesai berolahraga.
di rumah siapkan shaker (gelas bertutup rapat), diisi 4 sendok makan susu L-Men (atau 2 sachet). selesai berolahraga, tambahkan isi shaker dengan air biasa/dingin, tutup rapat, kocok sampai larut, minum. enaaak!

jadi hanya dengan minum L-Men saja saya bisa punya tubuh six-pack seperti di tampilan dus / iklan di tv?
hahaha, kira-kira atuh ... kalau hanya minum susu saja ya jadinya ~~samcan~~ gemuk dan lembek. olahraga itu wajib kalau mau punya tubuh yang ok. kalau mau sampai six-pack, silahkan fitnes / latihan beban.

info lanjut :
L-Men

Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs

2008-08-21T21:45:00.000+07:00

Cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.

The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are. The olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on !!

source :
BrainReady

chocolate is healthy ... really?

2008-08-18T21:06:00.000+07:00

YES (keep reading!), as long as :
- no added milk
- cocoa solids min. 70% (higher = better)
- no large quantity *grin*

dark chocolate with cocoa solids min. 75% is a good example of healthy chocolate. (not just 'dark chocolate')

chocolate is an antioxidant superpower
it is one of the highest antioxidant foods known, higher than blueberries!

chocolate has amazing effects on the brain
theobromine, caffeine, tyramine, phenylethylamine and other chemicals promote an overall sense of well-being, relaxed sharpness, pain is diminished, fogginess and depression reduced, cognitive performance increased.

chocolate lower blood pressure
polyphenols and other compounds lower blood pressure, reduce plaque in arteries, have all-around cardiovascular benefits.

other chocolate benefits :
- may reduce 'bad' blood sugar levels
- rich in numerous vitamins and minerals
- an aphrodisiac effect (unproven)

tidbit :
chocolate originally known and referred as the "Food of the Gods".

more info :
BrainReady
Wikipedia

myth collection #2 (fat-loss)

2008-08-14T22:55:00.002+07:00

(continued from myth #1)

MYTH 6 : Skipping breakfast to cut down some calories

FACT : Eating a good breakfast fuels the body and sets the tone right for the rest of the day; it jumpstarts our metabolic activities and bring the body into a calorie-burning mode to burn the most calories possible. Furthermore, skipping breakfast increases the likelihood of bingeing on whatever food is available when those hunger pangs finally hit during lunch time.

So, have a healthy combo of carbohydrates, protein and fat for breakfast, but dodge all the sugar coated donuts, croissants and cereals.

MYTH 7 : Only bodybuilders and weight trainers need to build muscles

FACT : Muscles are ‘metabolically active’; they burn more calories than other body tissue and increase our ability to burn fat more efficiently. Exercises like weight-lifting can raise our heart rate and boost our resting metabolic rate for hours as muscles burn to calories to recover and repair.

Remember, if you don’t use your muscles, your body gets rid of them.

MYTH 8 : Who fancy eating vegetables and fruits

FACT : High-fibre carbohydrates like beans, fruit, vegetables, cereals, legumes, and whole grains gives your thermic metabolism a boost. They take longer to digest, and therefore help burn more calories compared to simple carbohydrates. Fibre also prolongs the feeling of satiety.

Hence, to satisfy your hunger with fewer calories, eat more high fibre carbohydrates.

MYTH 9 : Processed foods is OK

FACT : Processed foods such as flour no longer require the body to extract the fibre and nutrients, and to break down into tiny units for absorption into the blood. The body digests them quickly, burning fewer calories in the process as a result. Also, processed foods like sausages and ham are often outrageously high in fat and salt content. The natural enzymes produced by our bodies to help metabolize foods are outnumbered by the amount of processed foods that we out into our system.

The result is a slow metabolism and consequently, weight gain.

MYTH 10 : Sleep less so that more calories can be burnt while staying up late at night.

FACT : Research shows lack of sleep retards our body ability to perform metabolic functions such as breaking down carbohydrates and producing hormones. The body's fat cells secrete less of the "appetite control" hormone leptin, sending an erroneous signal from the brain that more food is needed when, in fact, enough food has been eaten.

(to be continued)

more info :
Benefits of Honey

busy till next week

2008-08-09T14:33:00.000+07:00

I just learnt a bit of David Allen's Getting Things Done and use it with Remember The Milk. now I realized that I have sooo many things to do. so ... no post until next week.

yesterday I watched opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics. just watch the first hour and the last hour. I'm amazed with those 'human pixel' in early hour. soo many people and still organized. and that running 'floating man' in last minutes before flaming the big torch was cool too.

and maybe I want to move my blog to wordpress, but still uncertain.

bump key to open any locked door

2008-08-04T16:27:00.002+07:00

with this bump key, you can open any locked door (with the same key-type).

how?
insert bump key in the lock. pull it back one notch, then strike the back of the key with a hard object. done, door unlocked. watch this video to see how it's done.

if you are interested to learn how it works, check this article.

more info :
Wired How-To Wiki
Pickbuster
Wikipedia

dark/gray background style in firefox

2008-08-03T20:10:00.006+07:00

[ Indonesian version ]
sick of those blinding-bright-white-background while surfing/browsing most websites (eg. google/wikipedia)? modify its style using stylish in firefox.

how?
1. install add-ons : stylish, then restart firefox
2. install global style : myfavolours
3. if you want similar effect to 'View Page Souce' (Ctrl-U), install style : Black View Source Style

tips :
you can easily turn on/off this style at 'Manage Styles' (Ctrl-M).

annoyed with transparent window/pop-up?
1. open 'Manage Styles' (Ctrl-M)
2. choose myfavolours style
3. click the Edit button
4. find word : transparent
5. replace it with : #333
6. click the Save button

how about Opera browser?
1. save that style to harddisk (eg. c:\darkstyle.css)
2. go to tools - preferences - advanced - content - style options
3. fill in my style sheet : c:\darkstyle.css , then press ok twice.

bonus :
if you want a simple gray background style with better compatibility with certain websites, try this.

/* Name : DyeHardZ Gray Background */
/* Last update : 18 August 2008 */
/* Release note : better compatibility with certain websites eg. google reader, remember the milk */

@charset "utf-8";
html, div, ul, li, td, tr, pre, code, blockquote, p, span, font {
background: #A2B1C4 ;
color: #000000 !important;
}

body, textarea {
background: #A2B1C4 !important;
color: #000000 !important;
}

A:link { color: #0000C0 !important; }
A:hover { background: lightblue !important; }
A:active { color: #FF0000 !important; }
A:visited { color: #800080 !important; }

why it has label 'green'?
using dark/gray background style make your monitor consume less energy.

myth collection #1 (fat-loss)

2008-08-01T12:45:00.006+07:00

[ Indonesian version ]
Our ideas about healthy weight loss can sometimes be erroneous. Check if you have the following misconceptions.

MYTH 1 : Skipping meals will help cut down some calories.

FACT : The body goes into 'starvation mode' when meals are skipped, decreasing the body's metabolic rate. The body tries to hold on to the calories and becomes more efficient in storing what we eat as fat.

The initial weight loss is basically water and muscle tissue, not fat.

MYTH 2 : Refrain from snacking between meals.

FACT : Snacking is not the issue, it is what you snack on. Choose healthier alternatives like fresh fruit or nuts instead of candies, chips and chocolates.

MYTH 3 : No food should be consumed after 8pm.

FACT : What you eat and how much physical activity you do during the day is more critical than when you eat. No matter what time of the day or night you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.

in my opinion : don't eat heavy meal just before bed time. eat it at least 3 hours before.

MYTH 4 : There’s no need to exercise if the daily amount of calories is being watched and counted.

FACT : Exercise works on our basal metabolic rate, so the more you exercise, the higher our metabolic rate. It’s an important part of any healthy weight loss management programme.

MYTH 5 : Abstain from dairy products like milk and cheese as they are fattening.

FACT : Dairy products contain nutrients that nourish the body and provide protein and calcium for building muscles and strengthening bones. Choose low-fat dairy products that are lower in calories. And also remember that our bodies do need a certain amount of fat to function properly.

(continued to myth #2)

more info :
Benefits of Honey

honey is wonderful!

2008-07-29T18:35:00.009+07:00

[ Indonesian version ]
"yeah, I know that honey is good."
... do you REALLY know how good is it?

health benefits of honey :
- nature’s energy booster
- a great immunity system builder
- a natural remedy for some ailments (more info)
- fat, cholesterol, and sodium free
- has a healthy Glycemic Index (GI) (more info)

why honey is better than sugar?
table sugar lacks minerals and vitamins (hence it's been often called empty calories). (more info)
honey contains vitamins, amino acids, and a variety of minerals essential, and it has certain beneficial antioxidant and antibacterial properties. (more info)

how to eat?
you can eat a spoonful of honey from jar/bottle, then drink a glass of water. or you can mix it with tea. Here some popular combination :
- honey + apple cidar vinegar (detox)
- honey + cinnamon powder (remedy)
- honey + lemon (fat-loss)
- honey + milk (good digestion)

warning :
don't add honey in a boiling hot water because that would damage the goodness of the honey.

warning-2 :
don't give honey to baby/infant under the age of 12-18 months. (more info)

my favorite?
a glass of low fat milk + 2 spoonful of honey.

more info :
Amazing Benefits of Honey

HIIT for better fat-loss

2008-07-27T05:01:00.010+07:00

[ Indonesian version ]
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a kind of cardio workout (10-15 minutes) that has result much more fat-loss than regular cardio (30-45 minutes).

regular cardio vs HIIT :
in regular cardio, fat burned while doing workout only.
in HIIT, fat burned while doing workout AND rest, include sleeping (increased metabolism).

how to do HIIT?
1. warm up for 5 minutes.
2. high intensity (eg. sprint! not just run) for 12 seconds.
3. low intensity (eg. walk or slow jog) for 48 seconds.
4. repeat step 2-3 for 5-6 times.
5. cool down for 5 minutes.

where or what tool to do HIIT?
the best choice is running at track/road.
other choice is using stationary bike, skipping rope, elliptical machine, or strider.
using treadmill or swimming is not recommended. (more info)

caution :
don't do HIIT everyday. your body need rest.
2 times in a week is ok. 3-4 times is optimal.

tips :
you may change interval time. these are examples.
beginner (1:4) : 6s high, 24s low, 10-12 times.
beginner (1:3) : 15s high, 45s low, 5-6 times.
intermediate (1:2) : 10s high, 20s low, 8-10 times.
advanced (2:3) : 8s high, 12s low, 12-15 times.
advanced (1:1) : 10s high, 10s low, 12-15 times.

tips-2 :
eat/drink antioxidant (eg. vitamin C) after workout. it will help you feel better by reducing free radicals that your body created while workout.

more info :
HIIT Source
Interval Training
Wikipedia

google image for visual search

2008-07-24T20:20:00.012+07:00

[ Indonesian version ]
if you want a visualization about something and can't get good result from google or wikipedia, try google image.

example :
while browsing some site, I found "Seated Overhead Barbell Press". what kind of workout is that? search at google or wikipedia ... no good, too time consuming. search at google image ... *bam*, instant result.

tips :
turn off SafeSearch if you ~~are a pervert~~ need specific result.

yay, first post!

2008-07-24T16:39:00.011+07:00

[ Indonesian version ]
one small step for me, one ... quite small leap for my dream ... not quite my dream, but ... well, it's difficult to write first post (especially for me who almost never wrote any article in English) ... so, enjoy this. :)