More Weight Loss Tips (Part 2)
This is the 2nd series of weight loss tips. Check out my first round of tips kurangkan berat badan.
Weight loss is probably the most popular fitness topic for most. Why? haha coz most people are struggling to stop or reverse their gradual weight gain. Following are some more tips for you.
- 1.
Knowledge. Trust me, without proper understanding of how weight gain or weight loss happens, you can't take control! Yes its all about taking control of your health, fitness and weight. How are you supposed to take control of your health, job or even life if you dont have the proper know-how. Its not as difficult as you think it is but do learn. Don't just blindly follow people what others or the government tells you to do. - 2.
Realistic Goal Setting. Weight gain is typically a slow process. People may gain 10kg over 10 years. Problem is that most people wanna then lose all that weight in 10 weeks. Thats just not realistic. Especially you are not equipped with the know-how to lose the weight. My advice? Start with a realistic goal. Maybe aim for 1kg in a month and based on that success, set new goals. Dont think about 10 weeks or 10 months. Think about a lifetime. - 3.
Need Exercise?. Yes or no? haha. If you had the proper know-how, this is an easy one. Yes you can lose weight without ever doing a single exercise. Weight loss is all about creating a calorie deficit. Sure its easier with exercise but with a decent diet, you can lose weight without exercising. - 4.
Cardio or weight training? If you do wanna lose weight by combining exercise into your plans, both cardio and weight training are important. Cardio helps you burn extra calories while weight training ensure that you dont end of kurus kering ;) - 5.
Which is the best diet? I blogged about this recently - "What is the Best Diet". You can choose any diet you like! My advice is that you 1. Choose a diet that you can sustain over a lifetime and 2. that you know why you have chosen a particular diet. - 6.
Malaysian diet sesuai? Yeah no problem. I personally maintain a very Malaysian diet. Its not the fault of the mamaks or the Malaysian foods. Its the fault of the choice we make. You dont have to choose nasi lemak every time you hit the mamak. Its about choices and striking a balance between good and bad choices. But again, you got to have the know-how to distinguish between good and bad choices. - 7.
Do supplements help? Yup they do but the keyword here is HELP. They dont work wonders. Dont be fooled by the before/after pictures. Understand that every supplement serves a purpose. Understand the ingredients and how you can incorporate these into your lifestyle. Remember - its nutrition and exercise first. Supplements come 3rd. Every supplement manufacturer will tell you the same (if you read the fine print) - 8.
Is there a secret to weight loss? Nope. Sorry to disappoint but there is no secret or shortcut to weight loss. Its all about the basics and taking control. Sure you can enroll in personal training sessions or slimming products but end of the day, educate yourself and look for long term solutions.
Happiness and the balance of life.
I always talk about finding a balance of exercise, nutrition and fitness that suits the balance of your own life. For me the concepts of balance for health and our lifes arent all that different. We all have unique lifestyles and needs - thats what is so great about health and life. Its in our own hands and for the most part, for us to dictate or at least we try do.
Today I don't wanna write much about the balance of health but the balance of life - my life :)
What is the balance of life?
I don't think one needs to be a life coach expert to understand life. We all are in it. Struggling to find a balance. Just like health, the search of happiness is a lifetime commitment. That's exactly what the balance of my life to focused on - Happiness!
Whether its money, sex, friends or work, we all strive for a balance that makes us happy. Otherwise, you wake up someday and realize that the things you have been fighting for are ...well meaningless.
...I don't think one needs to be a life coach expert to understand life. We all are in it. Struggling to find a balance...
The Fragility of Being Happy
One thing I have learned over the 30 years of my life is that happiness is a funny thing. One day, you can be happy as a clown today and have lots of good things going for ya THAN ... one incident ... one accident .... or a single loss can hit you square in the face and wham .... u r on floor fighting to literally get your balance back in check!
Perspective, Acceptance, Realization and Experience
One thing that always helps me get back on my feet quickly are 3 components (hahaha "components" sounds a little geeky .. but hey its my life. My choice hehe).
- Perspective - Whenever you deal with a problem in life, I put it into perspective. Comparing it against all the good things in my life. I always tell myself the following: "Kids that have lost their parents in the 2004 tsunami or through war in the middle east have REAL PROBLEMS. My problems don't dont compare. I have a lot going in my life. Be grateful!"
- Acceptance - We have to accept that not everything is always going to go our ways. We can only control and achieve so much. Even the best players in the world accept success comes with failure.
- Realization - For me, its important to realize that in life, we only have so much control. Diseases, natural disasters etc can hit your life at any time and hey for me, its better to keep it real than to live in denial. Hope this makes sense ;)
- Experience - Old men are wise coz they have experience. You have to live through the ups and downs of life to appreciate its highs and yeah its lows. I look at lows as an opportunity to get to a higher high.
I always tell myself the following: "Kids that have lost their parents in the 2004 tsunami or through war in the middle east have REAL PROBLEMS. My problems just dont compare. I have a lot going in my life. Be grateful!"
What makes me happy?
I love my life today :) My family, good friends, work, health and sports makes me happy. Thats my balance. Money, glitz and glamour is not part of the equation :)
10 Tips Untuk Kempiskan Perut
Ingin mengatasi masalah perut buncit? Berikut adalah beberapa tips ringkas untuk membantu anda kempiskan perut. Untuk panduan lebih lanjut, sila rujuk kepada eBook Panduan Kurangkan 5kg 5 Minggu yang sekaligus membincangkan tentang cara-cara untuk membuang lemak.
- Penting kualiti daripada kuantiti! Tidak perlu melaku beratus-ratus sit ups setiap hari! 1 ataupun 2 sessi seminggu dengan latihan berkualiti adalah lebih baik. Don’t overtrain.
- Untuk merangsangkan otot abs anda setiap sessi, pelbagaikan latihan abs ! Gunakan latihan yang berbeza untuk latih abs daripada sudut yang berbeza. Bahagian abs termasuk, upper, mid, lower dan obliques.
- Fokus kepada contraction otot abs semasa latihan! Make sure its your abs that is doing the work dan bukan bahagian otot yang lain (back, leher dll).
- Fokus kepada pernafasan. Hembus nafas ketika “exertion” (ataupun ketika melakukan “crunch”). Ini akan membolehkan anda contract otot abs dengan sebaik mungkin
- Untuk sessi workout abs, lakukan 2-3 latihan yang berbeza. Sebagai panduan, stick to 3 set bagi setiap exercise dan 15-20 ulangan (reps) bagi setiap set!
- Latihan abs yang terbaik tidak akan menolong anda untuk kempiskan perut selagi adanya lapisan lemak antara otot dan kulit!
- Penjagaan makanan adalah mustahak untuk memeliki bahagian perut yang cantik! Elakkan makanan berminyak, garam. Minum banyak air dan pastikan anda mengamalkan diet yang seimbang.
- Look after your calories. Seperti mana yang saya katakana dahulu, anda harus create calorie deficit untuk membakar lemak berlebihan!
- Latihan cardio ataupun bersukan adalah cara yang sesuai untuk membakar calorie berlebihan! It also makes dieting easier as kita tidak perlu jaga pemakanan dengan terlalu rapat!
- Jika anda telahpun kurangkan lemak badan tetapi tidak lagi nampak abs yang cantik, kurangkan pengambilan sodium (yang takung air badan) dan make sure semasa latihan, abs are fatigued. Tingkatkan ulangan ataupun beban jika perlu!
FREE Fitness Workshop – 25th April. Register today.
Join our first FREE public fitness workshop to learn about everything from weight loss, exercise technique, nutrition and much more.
This workshop combines both theory and exercise sessions to help you answer any question(s) you may have, illustrate do's & dont's and also address the most common questions about fitness, nutrition, exercise, goal setting and much much more.
Each participant will receive a 2-week FREE trial membership and 1 personal training session from Celebrity Fitness worth RM500 and much more..
Upcoming workshop details:
- Date: 25th April 2009 (Saturday)
- Time: 11am - 2pm
- Location: Yoga Studio, Celebrity Fitness, Bangsar Village II, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- No of pax: 40pax
- Freebies: Each participant will receive a goodies bag from Celebrity Fitness, Adidas, Fitness Concept etc...
Interested? Simply register online, facebook, email or call our office at 03-42705250 or call Kathy 017-2746887 or Watie (016-6880304)
Eight Diet Comparison - Which is the best?
Wow its been a long time since i last blogged about health. That shows how busy I have been with other things.
Ok I have been getting a lot of questions about different diets. Which is the best. Whether they work etc. So lemme break down some of the diet, common questions and my opinions.
Atkins or Low Carb Diet
- What is it? Its a well-known low-carb diet created by Dr . Robert Atkins from a diet he read in the Journal of the American Medical Association and utilized to resolve his own overweight condition following medical school and graduate medical training.
- My Verdict? The diet works by eliminating excessive carbs from your diet. This in directly lowers your calorie intake. Hence you will lose weight. Also fats and proteins are more filling (mengenyangkan) opposed to carbs. The problem with the Aktins diet is that its not practical for the long term. As a result, those that complete the diet, often find themselves regaining the weight once they go back to their nasi lemak ways.
Crash Diets
- What is it? A crash diet is a diet which is extreme in its nutritional deprivations, typically severely restricting calorie intake.
- My Verdict? Crash diets "work" by creating extreme calorie deficits (deficits of 1000 calories or more per day). So obviously one will lose weight as long as they deprive their bodies from calories. It is meant to achieve rapid weight loss and may differ from outright starvation only slightly. The problem is similar to Atkins diet where they are not meant to last for long periods of time. Most people that practice the occassional crash diets will have yo-yo weight problems.
Blood Type Diet
- What is it? Blood type diets are diets based on one's blood type. So depending on the time when a blood type first surfaced (i.e the Ice Age where grains are scarce), an individual is supposed to eat food (meats) that suit that particular time in history. Makes sense!? In a way.
- My Verdict? If this diet has worked for you than great but if you tell me (a meat lover) that my blood type is not meant to digest meats etc I'll probably laugh at your face. The problem in weight gain is not about a particular food! Its about everything we eat in excess - that's meats, grains and fruits included. Don't go and blame your blood type of your own actions ;)
Detox Diet
- What is it? Detox diets are dietary plans regarded as having detoxifying effects. They "cleanse" your system from toxins and built-up "waste" by instilling lots of fibers that help vacumm your colon/system.
- My Verdict? Ultimately, the goal of a detox diet is not about losing weight but to help your body eliminate toxins and other waste. If so happens that you have lost a couple pounds of water weight etc, that should be a bonus. The argument that some are making is that your body's own waste management system is sufficient to deal with toxins and waste and that there is no need for a specialized diet. I say no harm in trying.
Read about my Juvanex Detox trial here">
High Protein Diet
- What is it? A high protein diet is often recommended by bodybuilders and nutritionists to help efforts to build muscle and lose fat. Protein intake is as much 1-1.6g of protein per pound of bodyweight.
- My Verdict? I significantly increased my protein intake when I started weight training to about 1g per pound of body weight. This provided me with enough "building blocks" to grow. Today its probably a little less than that but I still focus my diet intake around proteins. Not because proteins are more important than carbohydrates but because quality proteins are hard to come by. And while carbohydrates are everywhere, proteins need a little more intentions. As a nutritionist, I personally advice my clients to elevate proteins and reduce carbohydrates so that the intake is balanced (Read balanced diet next)
Organic Diet
- What is it? Organic diet focuses on the consumption of organic foods that are made according to certain production standards. The use of conventional non-organic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides is greatly restricted and avoided as a last resort.
- My Verdict? An organic apple can make you gain weight just as much as a regular apple. For me, organic diets are more philosophical or a way of life. Especialy when you life in a modern city and dont get toxins from your foods, you will get them with every breath you take.
Balanced Diet (My Choice!)
- What is it? Remember the pyramid diagram? Thats exactly that a balanced diet it. It provides you a guideline or ratio or carbohydrates, protein and fats. Balanced here does not mean a 33:33:33 ratio of carbs:protein:fats. 55:30:15, 50:30:20, 60:25:15 are all examples of a balanced diet where carbohydrates come first, protein and fats are second and third respectively.
- My Verdict? Its my choice and apply it every day of my life. In my opinion, its the most practical diet to sustain for a lifetime. Whether you want to gain or lose weight, a balanced diet is the way to go.
Overall tip! You can choose any diet you like. Whats important is not which on you choose but that you 1) understand how they work, 2) sustain it over a lifetime and 3) that it allows you maintain a balance of health and fun! Hope this help.....phew... feels good to have finished a health article
FREE Fitness Workshop - 21st March. Register today.
Join our first FREE public fitness workshop to learn about everything from weight loss, exercise technique, nutrition and much more.
This workshop combines both theory and exercise sessions to help you answer any question(s) you may have, illustrate do's & dont's and also address the most common questions about fitness, nutrition, exercise, goal setting and much much more.
Each participant will receive a 2-week FREE trial membership and 1 personal training session from Celebrity Fitness worth RM500 and much more..
Upcoming workshop details:
- Date: 21st March 2009 (Saturday)
- Time: 11am - 130pm
- Location: Yoga Studio, Celebrity Fitness, Bangsar Village II, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- No of pax: 40pax
- Freebies: Each participant will receive a goodies bag from Celebrity Fitness, Adidas, Fitness Concept etc...
Interested? Simply register online, facebook, email or call our office at 03-42705250 or call Kathy 017-2746887 or Watie (016-6880304)
Harian Metro: Pilih Makanan Anda
Following article was orginally written by very talented Fairul Asmaini Mohd Pilus. You can view the original article over at Harian Metro online. Published 16 Feb 2009.
Melonggokkan pelbagai menu di atas meja semata-mata memenuhi selera makan bukanlah satu disiplin yang baik untuk diamalkan.
Pemakanan yang tidak terkawal serta tabiat gemar menikmati makanan 'asal sedap' tanpa memikirkan risiko kepada badan di kemudian hari, boleh memudaratkan kesihatan.
Apatah lagi jika mengamalkan pemakanan yang tidak seimbang serta sering menikmati makanan segera yang sudah diketahui mengandungi kandungan lemak dan kalori yang tinggi.
...Hakikatnya, walau apapun hidangan yang ingin dinikmati, seseorang itu perlu memikirkan mengenai kandungan nutrisi di sebaliknya bagi memastikan ia baik untuk tubuh badan.
Hakikatnya, walau apapun hidangan yang ingin dinikmati, seseorang itu perlu memikirkan mengenai kandungan nutrisi di sebaliknya bagi memastikan ia baik untuk tubuh badan.
Jurulatih merangkap penceramah kecergasan serta pengasas laman web berkaitan panduan pemakanan, cekodok.com, Kevin Zahri Abdul Ghaffar, 30, berkata merangka pelan yang memenuhi keperluan peribadi serta melakukan perubahan gaya hidup amat penting untuk membantu seseorang mendapatkan tubuh badan yang sihat.
Buku Fitness 24/7
Kevin yang muncul dengan buku Fitness 24/7 tahun lalu itu berkata, amat penting bagi setiap individu untuk mengetahui kandungan hidangan yang diambil dalam memastikan pola pemakanan sepanjang hari dimanfaatkan, sekali gus mengimbangi keperluan diet sepanjang hari.
Kebanyakan anggota masyarakat masih tidak mengetahui keperluan sebenar badan mereka dan mengambil makanan tanpa memilih apa yang terbaik untuk kesihatan.
Justeru, dia cuba membantu masyarakat mendapatkan amalan pemakanan yang betul serta panduan data kalori menerusi laman web cekodok.com yang diasaskannya.
Cekodok.com
"Laman web ini diwujudkan sejak November lalu dan objektif utamanya adalah untuk memberi maklumat berguna kepada masyarakat berkaitan kesihatan, nutrisi serta kecergasan secara percuma.
"Selain itu, cekodok.com juga berfungsi sebagai tempat rujukan mengenai nutrisi makanan tempatan serta Barat yang sering dinikmati masyarakat di negara ini," katanya.
Jurulatih kecergasan peribadi dengan kelayakan Latihan Kecergasan Atlit Amerika (Afta) ini berkata, biarpun baru tiga bulan diwujudkan, laman web berkenaan mendapat sambutan positif dan dikunjungi ribuan pengunjung setiap hari.
Menurut Kevin, ia adalah petanda positif masyarakat di negara ini semakin peka dengan apa yang mereka nikmati dan mengetahui kandungan nutrisi serta kalori sebenar makanan berkenaan.
Lebih 26 jenis Makanan
Laman web berkenaan menyediakan maklumat lengkap mengenai nutrisi terhadap lebih 26 jenis makanan antaranya sayur-sayuran, produk tenusu, pencuci mulut, makanan segera, ais krim, makanan Jepun, minuman, makanan mamak, hidangan berasaskan mi, kek, roti, daging serta buah-buahan.
"Di cekodok.com, pengunjung bukan saja boleh mendapatkan maklumat berguna mengenai nutrisi makanan malah dapat mempelajari dengan lebih mendalam mengenai kalori di ruangan Sekolah Nutrisi yang disediakan.
"Ruang ini memberi jawapan yang diperlukan masyarakat mengenai soalan berkaitan kalori seperti jumlah kalori yang diperlukan sehari, bagaimana kalori boleh mempengaruhi pengurangan atau kenaikan berat badan, bagaimana membaca label nutrisi yang disediakan dan banyak lagi.
Fitness analysis and meal planner percuma
"Lebih daripada itu, laman web ini turut menyediakan perancangan pemakanan, analisis kecergasan (yang akan dimulakan tidak lama lagi) serta perkongsian perancangan pemakanan sesama pengunjung. Ia menyediakan pelbagai maklumat pemakanan yang diperlukan menerusi satu klik di laman web ini saja," katanya.
Dalam pada itu, Kevin berkata, kejayaan mengawal berat badan dan menjaga kecergasan akan membawa kepada perubahan berkekalan dalam gaya hidup dan isunya bukan kuantiti tetapi sebaliknya adalah kualiti.
Kevin berkata, rahsia pemakanan adalah seseorang itu perlu bersikap memilih apa yang dimakan.
...Saya tidak boleh memberikan anda satu pelan pemakanan yang memaksa anda makan apa yang tidak digemari tanpa mengetahui terlebih dulu apa makanan yang anda gemari...
"Sebagai contoh, menjalani senaman secara berlebihan, mungkin tidak membawa keputusan diharapkan dan begitu juga memakan buah-buahan secara berlebihan juga boleh menyebabkan seseorang mengalami kenaikan berat badan.
"Saya tidak boleh memberikan anda satu pelan pemakanan yang memaksa anda makan apa yang tidak digemari tanpa mengetahui terlebih dulu apa makanan yang anda gemari.
"Sebaliknya, anda perlu belajar membuat pilihan yang lebih bijak berdasarkan apa yang anda gemar," katanya.
Sementara itu, menyentuh mengenai buku Fitness 27/7, Kevin berkata, dia mengambil masa tiga bulan untuk menyiapkan buku berkenaan sepenuhnya.
Kecergasan adalah gaya hidup
Kevin berkata, kandungan buku itu menumpukan kepada kecergasan sebagai antara isu gaya hidup.
"Buku ini adalah buku kecergasan pertama yang ditulis khusus untuk gaya hidup orang Malaysia dan Asia. Ia sebuah buku praktikal yang mengajar anda bagaimana mengamalkan gaya hidup praktikal," katanya.
NST - Click to count (Cekodok.com)
Following is an article written by the incredible Meena Sreenivasan. Featured in the NST on the 2nd Feb 2009. You can view the NST version here.
Health portal cekodok.com makes counting calories easy, writes MEENA SREENIVASAN.
YOU are on a strict diet but you cheated last night, polishing off a plate of nasi lemak followed by a glass of teh tarik for supper.
How do you know how many calories you have consumed so you can burn them off at the gym today? Easy. Just log on to cekodok.com.
Launched in November, cekodok.com is a free Malaysian food calorie database. Not just a comprehensive calorie-counting tool for local food, the portal also gives information on calories for food eaten elsewhere in the world.
According to its founder, fitness and nutrition consultant Kevin Zahri: “We have developed a comprehensive calorie guide based on local foods. Future plans include more diet tools which are free, such as an interactive meal planner, fitness regimes, video guides and an e-Book, this month.
“Our objective is simple. We wish to provide people worldwide with free tools and information to improve their general health and well-being,” said Kevin, a Malaysian fitness celebrity.
...our objective is simple. We wish to provide people worldwide with free tools and information to improve their general health and well-being...
He added that the portal aims to be a fun site.
With the help of sponsors, Kevin aims to organise free monthly public health and fitness awareness seminars.
Why the domain name cekodok.com for a health website?
“It’s short and catchy. I didn’t want something too generic. After all, the website is not about perfection, but more about balance in life.
“It’s okay to eat cekodok (fried banana balls), which is sweet and oily, as long as it’s in moderation. The cool thing about the website is that you are able to share the platform established in Malaysia with the rest of the world.”
How does it work?
Cekodok.com categorises food based on description and calculates their calorific value.
“For example, there are different categories of food such as mamak food, rice or pasta, and the website lists the fat, carbohydrate and protein content.
“For example, when you eat a roti canai, you consume about 300 calories, but then again, it depends on how it’s prepared and cooked.”
Kevin said his interactive meal planner enables him to share it with others, who, in turn, will be able to share their secrets and tools with him.
Free Fitness Analysis Tools
Another useful instrument at cekodok.com is the Fitness Analysis. Based on your weight, age, height, sex and level of activity, you can calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and the number of calories you need in a day. It also lists the number of calories you need to burn to lose weight.
Note: The fitness analysis tool is not yet available. Release is planner for Q1 2009.
“From your BMR, you can get your DCR (Daily Calorie Requirement); BMI (Body Mass Index) — whether you are obese, overweight, underweight or normal; and your activity factor.
“Then you will be able to calculate how many calories your body actually needs. With this information, you can have your recommended meal plan based on your goal — be it weight gain, weight loss or just maintaining your weight.”
Educational Health Videos
Kevin hopes to include educational articles and short video clips on exercise and fitness.
“I also intend to come up with the second edition of my book Fitness 24/7 and the Malay version, Cergas 24/7, both launched last year.
“My goal is to attain international recognition and reach out to the Middle East and publish Fitness for Islam, a book about food, exercise and lifestyle.
My Daily Diet Nutrition Plan
What do I eat everyday?
A lot of you have been asking me what I eat on a normal day. This was also one of the reason why I decided to build cekodok.com - in order to share my meal plans with everyone.Read more
New Cekodok.com Feature - Free Meal Planner
Ever wanted to creat your own meal plan? Want to know what I eat everyday? Great news! We just launched the beta version of Cekodok.com's Meal Planner.Read more
Hectic Start to 2009
Wow! its been almost a month since I last posted an entry here... that not good but its been a hectic-hectic last few weeks.
Year End Vacation
After i recovered from my demam (after my bday), I went for a quick trip to Krabi and Phi Phi island over Christmas. Spent a couple nites in Krabi and two more on Phi Phi island. Phi Phi is awesome! Read more
Looking back over the last 30 years
Its been about a week since I said goodbye to the 20s with a bang! hahaah those that were there, know what that means. I'm not exactly sure where I'm heading with this post but turning 30 has left me reflecting on my life.
...I'm not sure where exactly I'm heading with this post but turning 30 has left me reflecting a lot about my life...
Dunno if its just me or if everyone goes through this....hahah I know I know...30 is just a number but I see it as an opportunity to open a new chapter in my life and hey a lil self reflection has never hurt anyone.
Read more