I can’t tell you how relieved I am myself that the auditions are finally taking place for the Biggest Loser Asia - you guys have no idea the number of emails I receive asking me how to be a part of this show - well, ask no more.

Casting for the The Biggest Loser Asia is now OPEN! See below for more details.

From June 22 to Aug 31, hopefuls can send in their applications online at www.biggestloserasia.com. Registration and auditions will take place online via submission of an application form and a 4 minute audition tape - more details at www.biggestloserasia.com.

- A total of 30 contestants will be selected for the show
- Applicants must be citizens or residing in Asia (excluding Japan, Australia, New Zealand) - Contestants to be 18-55 years
- All participants must be able to speak English fluently (assuming this is a requirement for the Trainers as well, there goes more than half of the trainers in Malaysia.. heh heh).
- Prize Money: US$100,000 (approx. RM360,000)
- The health club sponsor is Fitness First

On another note… who will be the chosen trainers be? Will there be a male and female trainer, or will it be a team of trainers?

Will the trainers impart life-changing advice based on their own experience, or will they simply be reading something off a manual they don’t really understand?

In other words - will the trainer have what it takes?

In my opinion, the trainers are the people who make the show - they change the lives of those ON the show, and even those watching the show from home. Real, genuine people with the heart to see the people under their care change. The type that won’t answer their phone while in a session with you.

And no matter what the organizers/ads will say, and as different as the Biggest Loser Asia may be made to suit the Asian people - the show will be nothing like the real thing without the right trainers to pull it off. They have big shoes to fill.

So you guys… if you would like to try out for the show - now is the time. All you ladies from my weight loss support group - this is the chance you’ve been waiting for.

Read also:

1. The Biggest Loser Asia - Coming Soon this 2009!
2. US$1,000 to tell your Biggest Loser story
3. A Revelation from the Biggest Loser
4. Spotted in Kuala Lumpur - The Biggest Losers?
5. Helen Phillips wins ‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ by losing 140 lbs!

The truth is… that I am only human - which means that I too make mistakes.

So… in true Malaysian spirit… I am having my Nasi Lemak tonight - with fried chicken.
This is Klang at it’s best - you gotta try this if you come to this side of town! Drop me an email if you’d like me to take you there :P

So if you’re asking… Oh my God.. how can DM, Malaysia’s most popular fitness blogger, have Nasi Lemak at 1am??

Well let me tell you something that may have never occurred to most of you. Just like anyone else;

I too, have cravings - just like you.
Cravings for sugary drinks.
Cravings for fried foods.
Cravings for Nasi Lemak.
Cravings to eat an entire large pizza and still have room for dessert.
And let me tell you that Chocolate is a gift from God.

But you know… at the end of the day.. it all boils down to moderation. Do this everyday, and you will mess yourself up - big time (believe me I know). But do this as part of a balanced diet - and you’ll be just fine. :-)

I know where to draw the line - and you should too.

Can I tell you about a principle for eating - which is to eat the right foods that fuel your body for success 90% of the time, and enjoy other foods that you crave for the remaining 10%.

It is unrealistic to expect 100% nutritional discipline. I don’t expect 100% from all my clients, because it is just not realistic.

The difference in results between 90% adherence to a nutrition program and 100% adherence is negligible.

We just need to make sure that we get the math correct - for example, if one is eating 6 meals per day for 7 days of the week - that’s 42 meals. Therefore 10% of 42 is about 4. So, we’re allowed to “break the rules” 4 meals each week.

Like I always say… Fitness is a lifestyle - NOT a diet.

Even the knowledge of my own fallibility cannot keep me from making mistakes. Only when I fall do I get up again. ~Vincent Van Gogh

What have you longed to eat lately? I’d love to hear from you.

Read also:

1. What is the Glycemic Index?
2. What’s for Breakfast?
3. The TRUTH Revealed - Are Fried Foods Really Bad For You?
4. A Healthy Lifestyle - Is Malaysia Really in Better Shape Today Than We Were Before?
5. Low Carb Diet Blues

BodyJammed

Even the King of Twist wasn't chubby

Dear BodyJammed - I love your nickname. :-)

Firsty- I’ve never really been a fan of group exercises classes, but that’s just me. I’ve always been someone who has lousy hand-eye-leg coordination - so having me in a group exercise class would mean certain disaster.

Group exercise, ‘Group X’, or ‘GX’ as they are sometimes called - are a fantastic way to make your workouts FUN. And we all know that when something is fun to do - we end up sticking to it, and eventually forming a habit. GX classes are also a great way to ‘force’ you to be doing your exercise long enough (as compared to being on a treadmill, where you may get bored after 20 minutes and call it quits).

So why doesn’t your instructor look as good as she’s SUPPOSED to be?

In fact, this same problem exists among many personal trainers too. I’ve seen clients who look fitter than their trainers - and the same can be said for those in a group exercise class.

Why?

Well, I’m 99% convinced that the problem lies in what he/she eats. Unbalanced meals, poor meal timing, breakfast skipping, and the typical Malaysian’s dilemma of ‘Mamak Culture‘ all play a role in what you eventually look like. Guys, don’t expect to look like a greek god if you can’t even stomach vegetables, and girls - you won’t get those Jennifer Aniston arms if your diet consists of cookies, chips, and cakes are your primary source of carbohydrates.

In fact, I tell all my clients who train with me that the success of their program really does depend on how much they’re willing to change their eating habits. Be it for weight gain, or weight loss - we are what we eat. Great nutrition is the foundation of a great physique - and when I say ‘nutrition’, I don’t mean stuffing yourself with every vitamin on the shelf, or with hyped-up bodybuilding supplements.

For example, if one were to end up with a lousy Personal Trainer who thinks that Fried Rice + Fried Chicken is an excellent post-workout meal (I actually had a personal trainer from the club which I workout at suggest that to me. In fact, he asked me to have 3 plates of it a day), then chances are high that you are screwed.

Many people lack the knowledge of what simple and good nutrition is - Personal Trainers included… and that is another problem altogether.

Consider the following about our gastrointestinal system:

Did you know, that there are more neurons in the small intestine than in the entire spinal cord? And that it is the only system in the body that has its own, independently operating nervous system, called the enteric nervous system.

Also - there are over 400 species of microbes living in your gut, totaling over 15 pounds of mass and containing more bacteria than there are known stars in the sky.

So if our bodies allocate this many resources to one particular system, it must be important don’t you think? We need to start treating our food intake with care if we wish to see results - weight loss, muscle gain or just general health.

On another note - there ARE GroupX instructors who have awesome physiques as well. Those of you reading this… you know who you are. *wink*

Your friend and coach,
DM

P.s - speaking about chubby instructors, Fitness First is having their annual Miracle 2009 event - see their website for details.

Read also:

1. Typical Excuses we make to avoid Exercise
2. It’s open Day today at Fitness First!
3. Exercise vs. Quick Fixes
4. Personal Trainer or Personal Time Waster?

Many of us go through our everyday lives being really busy - there are a 101 things that keep us occupied - issues at work, stuff to do at home with the family, a business to run, a busy blog to take care of (that’s me!), endless emails, pressure from the boss, and with all that - we still manage to squeeze in MORE work, in the form of exercise.

Ask yourself this - have you hit a dead end lately at the gym? Has the weight stopped coming off? Feeling sluggish and demotivated at the gym? Not seeing the results you desire? Do you wake up hating to get to work?

One of the reasons for this.. could be that you are stressed. Yes, you, I said STRESSED.

I think most of us tend to be in denial when someone says that we are stressed - I know I am, and could never really accept it if someone told me I am undergoing stress.

To roughly find out if you are stressed, take a look at the ‘Life Stress Inventory‘ test. Take the simple test (it will take you less than a minute), and do share your score by posting a comment below.

As for me, I scored a lousy 33 points - which indicates that I am stressed. I’m just a few steps away from being ‘Very Stressed’. Now that’s a scary thought.

How does stress mess us up?
This is where the stress hormones - cortisol, come into play.

When we are constantly on the go, and have no ‘downtime’, levels of cortisol remain high, and that can affect our weight. Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands as a reaction to stress.

One of its main functions is to help the body produce blood sugar from proteins and ‘pour’ it into our bloodstream, providing energy for the “fight or flight” response. Any excess sugar is then used for fat production.

As well as causing us to gain fat, especially around the stomach, constantly elevated cortisol levels also lead to muscle loss, a less effective immune system and slower recovery from injury.

Definitely NOT something we want.

Lack of sleep too has been associated with obesity.

One study showed that people who slept only four hours per night for two nights in a row experienced an 18% decrease in levels of leptin, which has a role in hunger control, and a 28% increase in ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger.

They also had a 24% increase in appetite, craved sweet, starchy and salty food, and lost interest in fruit, vegetables, protein and dairy products.

So, if you are highly stressed, or almost getting there (like me), it is important that we nip this problem in the bud before things start to spiral out of control. Are you guys with me on this?

The following tips should help get you under control while reducing your cortisol levels.

1. Vary your workouts. If you’ve been ‘hardcore lifting heavy weights’ and doing intense cardio for the past few months - do your body a favour, and have a few easy days. This could mean resting or doing yoga, gentle cycling or taking a walk.

2. Have a relaxing routine – a warm bath before bed, spend time performing gentle stretching and relaxing exercises at the gym.

3. Go get a massage and pamper yourself.

4. Get enough sleep - too much time on facebook can be bad for you.

5. Eat plenty of healthy fats, such as fish oil, which helps keep cortisol levels in check.

6. Every three to four weeks of exercise, try to have a ‘lighter’ week, which can include massage, gentle yoga-type exercises, walking, gentle cycling and stretching. When you head back to the gym, your body will be well rested and you will be able to train harder - which translates to greater weight loss and an improvement in strength.

With this being said, I’m actually looking forward to the classes at BeYoga - I am a proud member there! (but still a newbie).

I’m off to have a warm bath. Goodnight guys…

Read also:

1. Why is it important to stretch before your workout?

More pics over here.

Well, this is NOT the real show - but simply an awareness exercise done by the producers of the real show. 2 real Personal Trainers with 10 real overweight individuals, combing the streets of KL and performing random exercise drills at various locations. It was quite a scene actually, as it was very amusing and it caught many people by surprise.

An awareness for what you ask? Well… as some of you may have already guessed by now… the show is coming to Asia!.

Without further delay, here are some of the facts I got from one of the members of the team from NBC Universal (Singapore).

- It will be an Asian version, therefore covering other Asian countries
- 2 participants from each country (that means only 2 from Malaysia)
- Contest is to be held in Malaysia
- Scheduled to start after the muslim fasting month
- The prize money is US$100,000
- Casting for the participants is expected to begin this July
- Naturally, the Personal Trainers for the show will be from the gym which turns out to be the major sponsor (so no Bob Harper or Jillian Michaels - just pray that it is not one of the mobile-phone wielding trainers we have here)
- Exact dates, further announcements and more information will be made available over the Hallmark Channel, so you need to keep watching

*Although from a reliable source - since what I’ve listed above is only through ‘word-of-mouth’, it shouldn’t be taken as fact, and could still be subject to change as the show/casting has yet to start.

So there you go.. now you know what all the madness over the weekend was about. In my opinion.. I am indeed thrilled and can’t wait for the show to begin, and also glad that it will be in our very own Malaysia.

I am curious to see just how big the participants will be, the eating recommendations/diets these guys are put on, and of course - whoever the trainers are, they’ve got big shoes to fill.

Read also:

1. The Biggest Loser Asia - Auditions happening NOW
2. US$1,000 to tell your Biggest Loser story
3. A Revelation from the Biggest Loser
4. Helen Phillips wins ‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ by losing 140 lbs!
5. The Professional Personal Trainer - Answering a phone call during a session with a Client

* I store the nuts in the refrigerator so they stay fresher.

I’ve already shared where I get them from with my Email Newsletter subscribers about a week ago, and now I’ll share it with you guys - well, I get the nuts really cheap at a baking supplies shop. :)

Not a bakery that sells cakes and pastries - but one that supplies to the bakeries/cooks, etc themselves. Hope you guys know what I’m referring to?

In these stores, you can find an incredible range of stuff in there (even high protein flour, muffin flour mix, bread mix to bake your own bread, etc). But of course, what caught my eye was the nuts - if you’re crazy enough, you can even purchase a 25kg bag! A baking supplies shop will usually have almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, sometimes even dried figs, and a few others. Besides eating them as a snack, I also use nuts (especially almonds) whenever I make my super shakes.

And now, for the benefit of my Malaysian readers, the 2 shops I know are in Klang (Selangor). Here is their address:

BS Bakery Shop
209 Batu 1 1/2, Jalan Meru, 41050 Klang, Selangor.
Tel/Fax: 603-3341 1513

Branch:
41 Persiaran Pegaga, Taman Bayu Perdana, 41200 Klang, Selangor.
Tel: 603-3324 6898

I’m also pretty sure that wherever you’re from - there would be one nearby (as long as there are bakers, there will always be a baking suppliers shop). Try looking it up on the Internet - Google “bake supplies shop kuala lumpur”, or even try looking in the Yellow Pages.

Read also:

1. DM Goes Nutty!
2. SALE at the Weider Pro Shop @ Sunway Pyramid
3. Bodybuilding Supplements in Malaysia - Goodbye GNC, Hello EGOnutritions!
4. The 4 Stupid Diet Myths

Today (Sunday, 31 May 09) - they will be at Sunway Pyramid between 12 noon to 5pm - be there, and get a chance to have your photos taken with them perhaps? That’s what I saw plenty of people doing. :)

A question I’m sure ALL of you are having - have they started a Malaysian version of the Biggest Losers? Well guys, I would LOVE to tell you the answer right away - but JUST HOLD YOUR HORSES for a couple more days!! More to be revealed soon… Stay tuned - only at dailymuscle.com.

P.S. - Subscribe to my FREE Email Newlsetter, follow me on twitter, or add me on facebook to get updates, tips, and a whole lot of other stuff throughout the week. (For example, my facebook friends received an instant update of the above event).

Read also:

1. The Biggest Loser Asia - Coming Soon this 2009!
2. The Biggest Loser Asia - Auditions happening NOW
3. US$1,000 to tell your Biggest Loser story
4. Helen Phillips wins ‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ by losing 140 lbs!
5. A Revelation from the Biggest Loser

This online contest, organized by NBC Universal and the Hallmark Channel, requires you to submit before/after weight loss photos and to share your journey/story - and you will stand a chance to win the cash prize. You may even be featured on the Hallmark channel!

Yes, this is just an awareness contest - and not the actual Biggest Loser show (it’s coming SOON to Asia though!). And regardless of whether you lost 20lbs or 200lbs - a weight loss story will always be a weight loss story. You just never know who you may touch by sharing what you went through.

So if you’ve got a life-changing story to share - or perhaps you just feel compelled to tell people about your weight loss experience - then go ahead, and inspire the world by taking part in this contest!

Or if you like - also share your story with me (be it 1kg, or 100kg) - if I find it inspiring, I’ll make sure it gets featured on DailyMuscle.com. Just drop me a note on my Contact page. You’ve got nothing to lose!

Read also:

1. The Biggest Loser Asia - Coming Soon this 2009!
2. The Biggest Loser Asia - Auditions happening NOW
3. Helen Phillips wins ‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ by losing 140 lbs!
4. A Revelation from the Biggest Loser
5. Spotted in Kuala Lumpur - The Biggest Losers?

From the left:
1. Dried figs - RM6.80
2. Walnuts 250g - RM10.50
3. Almonds 500g - RM12.50
4. Pecans 250g - RM15.50
5. Pine Nuts 100g - RM11.90

There was even a 25kg bag of almonds!!

What does one do with all these nuts, you ask? Well, besides occupying a lot of space in my refrigerator, of late, my diet has been one which focuses more on simpler eating - fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Before you ask - aren’t nuts fattening? Well, eating nuts won’t make us fat, but will in fact make us healthy and help control our appetite. But of course, use good judgement - a little bit of nuts go a long way. DON’T pop open a 1lb bag of almonds and get comfortable in front of the TV.

Nuts also contain a lot of fiber, and have been also known to have an appetite suppressing effect. With that, I’d like to recommend nuts to anyone on a fat loss program! Have a handful of nuts instead of a handful of chips.

Note: The nuts you consume should be raw/roasted with nothing funky added. Meaning, have them in their natural form. If they come salted, or honey/flour coated, or with other added flavours etc - then give it a pass and go for the real thing.

On another note - you can also get creative with nuts! Besides eating them as they are, you could also blend them with your shakes (you get much richer shakes), toss them on a salad (adds some bite to a dull salad), or, if you’re bold enough… come up with something like what I’ve done here:

Looks impressive doesn’t it?

Believe me - it is 100x more healthier than it looks! However, it looks much better than it tastes - which isn’t too bad after all - and is ridiculously simple to prepare. If you’ve got a sweet tooth - this will satisfy! Stay tuned for my recipe for this - sign up for the DailyMuscle Email Newsletter below so you don’t miss it (my newsletter also has added tips/info I may not mention here).

References:
J Nutr. 2008 Sep;138(9):1741S-1745S. Impact of peanuts and tree nuts on body weight and healthy weight loss in adults. Mattes RD, Kris-Etherton PM, Foster GD.

Read also:

1. Buying Nuts for Cheap - especially in Malaysia?
2. Should I Add Protein Shakes to my Diet to Increase Weight Loss?
3. The 4 Stupid Diet Myths

If this is your first time to DailyMuscle.com then let me give you a quick tour of my blog.

Firstly, as the article in the MM has mentioned - I blog as an anonymous identity - so you will find that I am referred to as DM (short for Daily Muscle, a nickname given to me by one of my readers many years ago when I first started blogging). I am a full time Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant (ACE-LWMC), and Certified Personal Trainer (ACE-CPT) - both by the prestigious American Council on Exercise.

The DailyMuscle blog is one that is devoted to helping the average person and the fitness enthusiast to get a better understanding of living a healthier lifestyle - a source for credible health and fitness information. You will also find plenty of body-sculpting tips, information on fitness and nutrition, and of course, my personal views and thoughts on various health/fitness-related topics.

More and more people today, especially here in Malaysia are now making an effort to take charge of their health. Take a look at the people around you… we are spending more money today than ever before on health club memberships, all sorts of gadgets and gizmos, slimming centres, health food, vitamins, etc - but are we really becoming a healthier nation? Definitely not.

The solution to this spiraling problem is Lifestyle Change. See one of my more recent posts “One day, you look at the mirror and you can’t recognize yourself“, which struck a familiar chord with many of my readers.

I write more about the reasons for this blog and my story the About Me page.

If you’re curious on how Personal Training can help you, then take a look at my approach to Personal Training. I have many satisfied clients - many which I train in the comfort of their own homes.

If you like what you read here, you can follow my future entries (I usually write several times per week) in two ways - You can either Subscribe to my exclusive Email Newsletter (this is the best option*) by adding your email address to the field at the top right of my sidebar, or by using our RSS News feed.

*My online newsletter readers get that extra attention from me - latest news, exclusive tips and information that I sometimes don’t mention on my blog.

Do also take the time to browse my archives - you never know what you may come across.

Thanks for stopping by - I appreciate you for taking the trouble to visit my humble blog, and I hope you enjoy your stay at DailyMuscle. If you do have any questions feel free to drop me a note in a comment below or via my contact form.

Your friend and coach,
DM
Follow me on Twitter! (get Twitter diet tips!)
Find me on Facebook

Read also:

1. DM’s Email Newsletter
2. dailymuscle.com EXCEEDS 200 Subscribed Readers!
3. Welcome Readers from The The Yoga Instructor Diaries!