All it takes is a little dedication...

I know every is asking the same question. Top of the list. "How to maintain a good physics for a long period?" with all the temptations lurking at every corner and opportunities for comfort lying all over, it seems to be "mission impossible" just to keep up.

pictures above is arrange in order.. "Jun 2009" "Mar 2010" "Nov 2010" I'm a living proof that with just a little effort and dedication, nothing is every impossible. I do hope to be an inspiration to many in the busy society that health is of major importance as without it, success would be far from reach. Many of us overlook this issue as most of us are clouded by the importance of money and neglected other aspects of life be it family, friends, rest.... Health...

Again and again, i remind everyone that it just take 10 minutes every morning for a basic health maintenance if you are too busy and if you have a little more time to spare, a half hour workout is all you need daily. You don't have to work your ass off every time. I know its a trend for everyone lately to attend intensive group exercise and pump till they drop. Which results in depletion of energy till the very last drop. In which case, losing mood to do just about anything at all. But this is not what workout is all about. You are suppose to feel fresher, more energize after each session as your metabolism is boost to the max so you are hyped for the game to come.

so be smart in choosing your workout.. just because it says "BURN 800 Calories" doesn't mean it's burning fats only. You do need to watch your diet and rest period as well. so be it 10 minutes or 30 minutes, a good exercise will leave you fully energized... iv 3 hrs - 5 each session and im always leaving the gym fresh and ready to game....

Happy Workout :)

Gaspari Nutrition Anavite

Supplements and nutrition is a very important aspect in our quest for healthy living... trust me, i've tried it out and taken the toll. Without much vitamins and minerals out body just can't take the impact and torture we throw at it be it in the gym or outside on out everyday life. Even when you walk from your room to the washroom, you risk injuries to your hip, knee and ankle bones. The Impact from the activities would cause wear and tear if we don't take care of it properly.

I've used tons and tons of supplements be it from the shelves or from direct sales. And all of them have their strength and weaknesses. I still use every single brand i can get a hold of but of course after much analysis and studies of what i need at the very moment and in future to come. the most common vitamin i use is the Vitamin C and B-Complex (full)

Right now I'm using a hardcore version which is from Gaspari Nutrition, The Anavite. Do not be fooled by the brand itself as it's not just for bodybuilders. If you read the supplement facts, it has got all the daily vitamins we need packed with some extras which we would not have taken in if it's not included in the pack such as the Beta-Alanine, L-carnitine and L-Tartrate... will blog more on why is all these important as well... i've only left 10 minutes to leave the house so i won't be late for work... lol... iv been a pretty bz lately at work with 7 days full and most days 16hrs of work for peanuts OT allowances... talk bout employees rights in the 3rd world country.... anyways... don forget the vitamins, mineral and supplements intake... its troublesome, but its worth all the trouble... choa..

Sleep walking

Have you ever have the feeling as if u've not woken up from ur dream world and that it's all just ur imaginations till someone who is kinda enough to poke you with a pin to tell you that it's the reality and "YOU NEED TO GET SOME SLEEP" hahaha... well, there is an old saying, you wanna grow, you need to sleep. rest is a very important activity as it helps our body to recover from all the torture we've threw at it. And most importantly, our body starts to replenish whatever we have used up so the next day will be another day.

Lately, i've not been having much rest due to my work. I've to set up a large event everyday for almost 2 weeks. working from 8 am up till 11pm or sometimes even 2am. DAILY... just imagine me being a walking zombie at daily. But No mistake, I still wake up at 5am to do my routine cardio to keep that metabolism high throughout the day so i get to burn fats constantly. It's hard to wake up at 5, especially when i sleep at 3 am... But I'm feeling. No doubt a lot of you are gym bugs or Gym Freaks like me. A proper rest is needed for your muscle to recover and grow. You may felt like incomplete if you don't visit the gym but by doing so, you end up causing more harm than gain. Make sure you have at least 8 hrs of sleep 6hrs is ok daily so that you can be fresher the next round when you visit the gym after work...

Being tired is pretty dangerous especially when you have to get out of bed. I almost fell off a 3 story high scaffolding today when i fell asleep on it while waiting for my colleagues to roll up the cables i've just detached from the ceiling. What a wake up call.. lol. anyways, do get enough rest.. and i mean plenty of rest to see quality muscles gain in you.

burning more than you think

It's such a common sight around the gym compound. With people who exercised for a couple of minutes and stepped out to take a few puff. And then comes in to take another few kgs before stepping out for few more sticks. It's not just annoying for people who are still pumping inside the gym with all the smokes clouding the gym or even the smell which irritates gym enthusiast who wants to concentrate to get in a few more of those plates but smoking right after a workout could actually harm you a lot more than you think.... y so?

well, 1st of all... why do you exercise? other that building a beautiful physics, im sure you would want to improve your stamina for everyday activity, health so you spend less on medications and can enjoy great food throughout your whole life..... etc.. wait.. if you have already build a stronger physics with superb stamina.. that means your organs are stronger as well as functioning at tip top condition... so wouldn't that make your lungs stronger too ?? awesome right.. so in everyone knowledge, that means you can smoke more cause your are healthier and your lungs are running perfectly.. but on the contrary, with stronger lungs, that means you take in stronger breath and absorb more air into the system. like a clean car air filter. but have any of you open up your car filter and check out the sight in there? at least you can replace that filter.. what bout your lungs? with stronger organs, you absorb more smokes than those who are less active.....

since we are talking bout organs today... for the heavy drinkers, same scenario different agenda.. with bodybuilding and workout, you build a stronger liver which in returns filters better and absorb better... all those alcohol consumed will just get absorb fully... you can have your social beer or drink once in a while just to relax. but not too often...

have a great workout day :)

GOING NUTS!!!!

NUTS .... if you don't know by now, its in the SUPER FOOD list. but please be reminded, not everyone can consume this treasure of nature due to allergy and probably sickness. So be sure to consult your doctor before you consume these babies...

so what is in nuts which is so awesome? FATS!! .. that's right folks.. Nuts contains high level of MUFA. if you have gone through my old blogs, you would know what MUFA is... but seriously, i've been discriminated, condemned and criticized for introducing nuts to everyone's diet (of course, after interviewing them) and consuming tons and tons of nuts... Once I went NUTS tat I bought a 1kg pack of nuts and finish em all in one sitting... lol... but if you look at it scientifically, NUTS not only contain a high level of good fats, its also packed with tons of proteins and fibers... I'm not asking you to pour in 1kg of nuts in one sitting like i did but consuming a handful amount of nuts a day could help you fill up that gap of proteins which you didn't managed to cover up during the whole day. plus, the good fats will help you to jack up the metabolism so you burn bad fats... but pls consult your doc just to be sure.

Different nuts have different unique abilities and effects... so make sure you have a variety.... SO GO OUT THERE AND GET NUTTY!!
These nuts are high in IRON!! hahaha... but i've never tried it before... :P

Dedication = Satisfaction

Well, a lot of people would wanna know how I look like with all the talks bout healthy food and lifestyle. And then there are some who knows me and wana know how I am doing all this while with the lack of a complete gym, supplements and definitely time for gym.. most would think that i'm out of shape by now. But here I am with "just out of the oven" picture taken late afternoon today while at work shirtless due to the hot and humid weather. I got a little naughty and asked my colleague to snap a few shot of me posing under the scorching sun with his camera phone.

Initially I had planned for it yesterday while hanging cables on a 3 story high mobile scaffolding but the pictures turned out a little blur.

Well, I've not been very active in the gym lately due to my new job. But with whatever I can get, I managed to gain 2.5kg mass of my 20kg mass plan in just a week without any supplements. So another 17.5kg to go.

Posing under the scorching sun

Hulk Knows the color!!

Yeah, I called it. The Most muscular super hero sure knows the color.. GREEN.. It's not just in pens and papers or even on screen that the huge beast, the Incredible HULK is ripped and as dry as the deserts of Sahara.

I know a lot of people from the gym have one common concept on building mass. Lots of meat, carbs and proteins. but they fail to mention lots of fruits and vegetables. As of always, meat have always been an all time favourite in Mass building process. Especially "BEEF" which contains not only Protein but a high dose of creatine. Next you have the chicken breast and eggs tied closely at 2nd, moving on to fish.... but wait... all these hard to digest protein won't get anywhere near your muscles if your system can't fully process them least to absorb them. If your digestive system is not functioning properly, how is it that you are able to reap the goodness of all the items which you just stuff into that slaughter house?

Vegetables and fruits are a good source of fiber and many of them contains great enzymes which helps your digestive system to function properly. And according to my studies, there is a substance in vegetables which helps you to get that ripped effect by slowing down the process of protein being burnt as food for the body. by doing so, your body actually stays full longer which ends up aiding your metabolism to last longer. isn't that what all bodybuilders have been hunting for all this while? prolonged metabolism rotations which helps to burn fats all day long without turning to catabolism.

Final words, Go Green, Go Hulk!!

Oiling all the way down .... to your tummy

Gosh, you know, if you google bout cooking oil, there is no "agreed upon" statements.. something which is very frustrating indeed for us who does our research before we buy what we put into our mouth.. I was holding onto my phone with "Opera Mini" on with numerous tabs on "cooking oils" such as Canola Oil, Sunflower seed oil, corn oil... etc. and the attendant was watching with the eye of an eagle probably suspecting me as a shoplifter who's pretending to hover around till no one's around. Come on, I didn't have a bag with me that time.. don't think i can stuff any cooking oil bottle into my pants and tell em I have a huge package.... ish....

anyways, there is no such thing as a safe cooking oil as most of the oil would release a certain waste which is harmful to our body under high heat. So lesson learnt. Be it Olive Oil, Peanut oil, sunflower seed oil, safflower seed oil, corn, almond... etc.... Never cook it under Extreme high heat so that means no frying at all.

Something funny though, which reading on articles regarding Canola Oil, some researcher actually mentioned that canola oil is not actually as healthy as it's claimed... but on other logs, its rated 2nd to olive oil. so who is telling the truth? well, I bought a very crystal clear sunflower seed oil which is high in mono and poly fats and very low in saturated fats. Sunflower seed oil is one of the all time favourite oil because it contains high omega 6 and even vitamin e. The ratio of Omega 3 & 6 in the oil is at 1:2. and according to all those logs, omega 3 is not very suitable for cooking under high heat because under those conditions, omega 3 would be damaged and in turn become toxic which is cancer causing. So be careful. I may look like an idiot reading numerous article in front of the item on my phone. but I'm going to benefit from it and no one else once i consume it... so who cares what others think..

another thing which is still in doubt is the log saying Butter is healthy... well at least healthier than Margarine which contains lots of unsaturated fats. But all these while, I've always considered Butter to be a tummy killer due to the amount of fats content... unless i can find a fat free or reduced fat butter... it's not on my list.

So practice moderations as fats will always be fats no matter how healthy it is according to the charts... play it safe...

Feeling Corny?

Whoa! POP CORN??? YUMMY?!! Am I sure?...... emm...

HELL YEAH!!

hahaha.... well, a lot of people consider popcorns as comfort food which is far from anything healthy.. well, it is comfort food but rather preparation is very important to either make it healthy o not.

Popcorn has been misjudged for many decades least centuries.. well, at least since it was found. Probably due to all the misguidance from the western movies we watched visibly showing how obese boys chowing ton and tons of popcorns in front of their tv or in the cinemas? probably... but popcorn itself is a healthy snack choice. It's a healthy whole grain choice which contains tons of fibers and merely just 93 calories with less than 1.5 gms of fat for a standard air-popped 3 cups serving without any other ingredients.

but unfortunately, society today would not risk their taste buds for anything less than tasty to enter the gateway to their heart. Ingredients such as caramel, sugar, butter... etc have been added to taste as well as fats and calories. Need I say more the next time you visit a cinema.. you know what to do... Usually I either sneak my own snacks if the confectionery in the cinema lacks of the choice.... (will be discussed in the next log) Sorry Cinema owners, but if only you have healthier selections other than the carbonated sugary drinks and those fatty and high calories snacks, probably the health conscious crowd would let you earn their hard earn cash.

Well, new research has found out that popcorns has got large level of health-boosting antioxidants called "polyphenols" Polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables are thought to help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

So I'd say "POP that CORN but CORN it NATURALLY"

Health is a lifestyle! not a luxury

Living in this work orientated, money chasing and busy era a lot of us are given the rights to procrastinate and reasons to not exercise... or is that so? You can't reason your way out of health that's for sure. After a while, everything will surface. Visually is the first sign. with fatigue look, droopy eyes, thick eye bags, dark eye circles... etc.. then health kicks in. with more frequent visits to the clinics, pharmacies, feeling more and more tired daily, aching starts to be a part of a daily routine.... etc. Are your going to procrastinate until all this symptoms becomes a part of your life? Irritating you each time when you want to do something which you can easily accomplish few years back? Trust me, after 4 years working as a freelancer with ample time to hit the gyms and workout and 8mths of unemployment to have every minute dedicated to working out, it took me a while to get used to the working life while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Especially when everyone at work eats the worldly way. hahaha. I was struggling initially until I finally settled down with the office life... emm... well, working society lifestyle and got right back on the track. I prepacked all my food. Here's a breakdown of my daily timetable 5:00am - wake up to have my 1st breakfast 5:10am - workout 5:50am - 2nd breakfast 7:30am - 3rd breakfast 10:00am - snack 12:00pm - lunch 3:00 pm - snack 5:00 pm - snack 5:15 pm - workout 6:00 pm - dinner 9:00pm - supper Whoa!! everyone's common expression. How did I slot in my snacks at work? hahaha.... in the washroom tat is. Not that hygienic but I'm not eating out of the toilet bowl, am I? but it does take a few days to get used to it and to overcome the feeling of depression being confined to eating in the washroom.. hahaha... things i do for health! sheesh.. I don't eat out much but when i do, i choose the right kinda food. I mean, you don't have to restrain yourself from McDonalds or even Kentucky Fried Chicken and even Pizza Huts. Just know what to choose. I usually take a lot of veges. How do you choose? well, for veges, always try to find non greasy or gravy selections. Some veges can be very fatty due to the way its cooked and the ingredients. A lot of people likes to used oyster sauce and other tasty sauces but all these will only add to more carbs and calories. What bout meat? I usually choose steam skinless chicken breast with no sauce added. It's less tasty but its healthier. Try to go for the breast more than the other parts even when you are in a fast food chain restaurant. That way you minimized the amount of fats and carbs. GO SKINLESS!! So I say fast food isn't all that bad? Yeah! you can eat fast food and yet lose weight. But be logical in your choice. If i'm in McDonalds' I usually don't order the carbonated drinks and fries. A Big Mac is all good but if your attendant in the restaurant is a nice guy, you can actually ask em to leave the mayo out. Beef is a great source of protein and creatine. the BREAD? hahaha.. what can 2 slice of palm size bread do to you if you don't take it everyday? and you have the salad selections where you they don't mix the dressings together. Just return the dressings :) KFC? oh yeah, Original only and chicken breast. Peel those tasty, greasy, juicy delicious skins away and leave it by the side of the plate. Never go for Coleslaw cause its high in fats from the mayo.. you see, you don't have to deprive yourselves from comfort food, just be reasonable and don't consume it too often... Eat healthy, stay healthy and stay true :)

Milking the Bread

Milk is essential for the body but a lot of speculations have been made throughout the years. Milk is good for the body, milk is bad, good, bad.......... but who is right and who isn't? well, i've been taking skimmed milk twice daily or sometimes more for 3 years. Low fat high calcium milk for the past 1 year and i've managed to maintain my fat percentage at a very low level. As of eggs, milk has always been underrated. Not cause of milk itself but a lot of people didn't reap the goodness of milk cause they consume a lot of processed milk, full-cream milk and even condensed milk which is high in fats and a lot of other substance which is not the best for health. Milk is actually very beneficial for our muscles and bones. Even for our metabolic mechanism. we just have to choose wisely.

I can't find any of the brand i was using previously which is very low in fats and sugar.. and i mean VERY LOW. Tesco light skimmed milk is awesome. i think that's the best i can find here in Malaysia (peninsula) which is reasonably priced. Now i'm using Anlene Low Fat milk powder cause it's the lowest i can find here in East Malaysia. I drink once in the morning and once before I sleep. By doing so, I'm giving my body the food it needs to boost up the metabolic rate and at the same time, nothing to rich. And with the amount of caffeine i'm consuming daily, I think i'm burning a lot of my calcium. So apart from drinking lots of milk, calcium tabs is essential.

Another underrated super food is the bread... not just any bread but anything with the "WHOLE" is recommended. White breads are fast simple carbs which burns up too fast before your body can fully utilize it for energy. It's not bad but try to consume less of these white colored ones. Wholemeal, Wholegrain, wholewheat are awesome complex carbs which is high in fiber. And another selection of breads are everything with nuts and seeds in it. Complex carbs provide a slower and sustained release. which is really good before a workout so your food can last you throughout the 1 - 2 hrs of exercise before turning to your muscles for energy. Again, i ask you all to choose wisely and read those labels before you put into your mouth.

Have fun with Breads and Milks :)

Sweet as Sugar

Everyone have sweet tooth but whether you are choosing the right sweetness to fulfill that craving counts... and I mean COUNTS... cause like they say, you are what you eat and what you eat shows visibly. so choose wisely according to reasons and not lust.

But it's definitely easier said than done. So how would we accomplish this "mission impossible" for most people? well, for a start, start walking.... into a supermarket if you are too busy to hit the market early in the morning for fresh fruits... every supermarket carries a wide variety of fruits. go for the basics. Apples which last long and friendly to the taste buds.. furthermore, apples have very minimal glucose level, high in fiber and vitamins. or if you fancy something more exotic and you have a bit more budget, try kiwi and strawberries. Kiwi have more vitamin C compared to most of the other fruits and strawberry are great vitamin C and flavonoids. And berries' a source of natural fat burners. Keep them at reach wherever you are. Pack em and carry them around. to work, to cinema, to school... places where you will be tempted to snack and by keeping the fruits around, you won't be snacking on the wrong foods. it's a start isn't it? forget bout the face or how people's going to view you. trust me, I was being discriminated when i 1st started. all sorts of comments being slapped into my face. but when my physics starts to change for the better, people start questioning my diet in curiosity as to why i eat so much and still able to maintain my physics. but problem is that their doubts and fears are still intact which makes them unwilling to try. I pack my whole days meal to work. all the snacks.. and Im always caught chewing my my bread by the shopping mall bench, sidewalks... which ever place i can think of... well, i don't do the squatting next to the drain no more... hahaha.... gosh, those were the time when i was younger. anyways, there are many parks and nice scenery places to eat your home take away... you just need to take the 1st step.

your task, is to walk up another 10 minutes earlier to make a healthy home take away.. just a simple one would do.