Kevin Zahri

NST Interview: Your ticket to good health with Kevin Zahri

Following article was featured in the New Strait Times on the 29th March 2011. Written by Zuhaila Sedek.
ZUHAILA SEDEK learns how having a regular and healthy breakfast can help one stay slim. It is 8am and you realise that you will be late to work. The late night outing you had yesterday seems to be taking its toll on you. You rush into the bathroom and out again, grab the nearest dress in your closet and rush off to the office.
You missed something important, though — breakfast.
Did you know that numerous research studies have shown that people who skip breakfast regularly are more likely to develop heart disease, prone to flu and suffer premature death prone. They tend to be obese and are less likely to look after their health in the long run.
As scary as it may sound, skipping breakfast, like what model and actress Liz Hurley is doing, appears to get you nowhere.
Nutritionist and fitness instructor Kevin Zahri says your breakfast determines the quality of your day — whether it is productive or otherwise.
"Breakfast kickstarts your day and it is important to have enough energy to start the day. People who skip their breakfast usually feel sleepy, hungry and lethargic," he said.
We have brunches too. . But all these are more or less the same.
Kevin says that the longer one waits to have breakfast, the slower his or her metabolism will be.
"With slow metabolism, the conserved energy takes longer to be burnt. When the body takes a longer time to burn energy, it is easier to gain weight,” said Kevin.
Taking regular breakfasts helps you stay slim too, provided you’re not eating something like nasi beriyani.
"Breakfast can help control your appetite. It stabilises blood and sugar levels. This regulates your hunger and energy levels" Kevin explains.

Breakfast can help control your appetite. It stabilises blood and sugar levels. This regulates your hunger and energy levels ...
When you miss your breakfast, you tend to eat more during lunch. When you eat too much for lunch, you will feel lethargic and sleepy again.

When you miss your breakfast, you tend to eat more during lunch. When you eat too much for lunch, you will feel lethargic and sleepy again," he adds.
There is no specific time for a person to have their breakfast but on average, the majority of people have breakfast between 6.30am and 10am.

Breakfasts provide one-third of the daily calories needed for a person. It must be balanced with three main components — carbohydrates, proteins and minerals.
Kevin suggests a general baseline for the intake of these three nutrients: 50 per cent of carbohydrate, 35 per cent of protein and 15 per cent of mineral.
"But it is difficult to give the exact percentage of each nutrient needed because every individual is different," said Kevin.
He mentions that the determinants for the amount of every nutrient taken depend on a person’s sex, age, height, weight and activities.
"The more active you are, the more calories you need. The taller you are, the more energy you will need. The calorie intake of a cyclist to an office worker, of course, differs."

Back to basics

• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy you need to sustain your life. This includes your breathing, organs and everything else you need to keep alive.
• Daily Calorie Requirement (DCR) is the amount of calories you should take with consideration of your age, sex, height, weight and activity.
• Learn how to calculate these and build your own unique diet with Kevin's How to Lose 5kg in 5 Weeks eBook

Read more: Health: Your ticket to good health http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Health_Yourtickettogoodhealth/Article/

by Kevin Zahri

Kosmo: Rangka kecil punca sukar gemuk

Berikut adalah salina artikel Syalmizi Hamis dari Kosmo! mengenai kesukarkan ektomorph menambah berat badan. Berikut adalah salinan artikel berkenaan. Kalau anda mengalami masalah kurus dan perlukan panduan, dapatkan eBook Panduan Menambah 5kg Dalam 10 Minggu saya.

SABAN hari Jamal, 24, graduan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) memikirkan keadaan badannya yang dirasakan kurus.
Dengan berat 47 kilogram (kg) dan berketinggian 170 sentimeter (sm), Jamal kurang berkeyakinan apabila berada di khalayak selain menghadapi masalah untuk memadankan pakaian yang sesuai.
Mencuba pelbagai cara termasuk mengambil beberapa jenama pil penambah selera yang disyorkan oleh doktor serta susu menambah berat badan, semua itu tidak menampakkan hasil positif.
“Makan pil memang meningkatkan selera makan tetapi saya masih gagal untuk menambah berat badan.
“Saya juga pernah minum susu yang didakwa dapat meningkatkan berat badan namun kesannya seperti tiada langsung.
“Saya tidak menyalahkan keberkesanan minuman itu seratus peratus memandangkan saya sendiri mengambilnya secara kurang teratur,” kata Jamal yang mempunyai ukur lilit pinggang 92 sm.
Selepas bertemu doktor pakar beberapa tahun lalu, Jamal diberitahu bahawa masalah itu melibatkan faktor genetik, kadar metabolisma yang tinggi serta gaya hidupnya yang aktif bersukan.
Anak pertama daripada enam adik-beradik itu pernah mendapat nasihat lain yang mungkin berkesan untuk menambahkan berat badan seperti melakukan aktiviti kecergasan, mengangkat bebanan dan suntikan steroid.

Anoreksia

“Saya percaya kepada keberkesanan aktiviti kecergasan di gimnasium tetapi masih tidak berkesempatan melakukannya akibat kekangan waktu.
“Bagaimanapun, saya tidak berani mengambil steroid kerana bimbangkan kesan sampingannya,” katanya.
Kisah sama dikongsi oleh seorang pekerja swasta, Rosdalilah Zahari yang pernah digelar anoreksia oleh rakan-rakannya.
Dengan berat 49 kg dan berketinggian 145 sm, Rosdalilah, 29, turut mendapatkan nasihat daripada doktor pakar kedua-dua hospital kerajaan dan swasta.
Seperti Jamal, dia dinasihatkan mengambil makanan yang disyorkan oleh doktor tetapi tidak dapat mengikutinya dengan berdisiplin.
“Ada kawan-kawan yang menggelar saya tiang lampu, lidi dan anoreksia kerana keadaan fizikal yang kurus dan cengkung.
“Nasihat doktor agar mengambil makanan yang disyorkan tidak dapat saya ikut kerana faktor selera dan membuatkan saya mudah lapar,” katanya yang pernah mencatatkan berat 42 kg ketika berusia awal 20-an.
Pandangan perunding kecergasan dan nutrisi, Kevin Zahri, boleh diambil kira oleh mereka yang berada dalam situasi sama.
Menurut Kevin, masalah kesukaran untuk menambah berat badan adalah disebabkan faktor genetik.
Golongan itu mempunyai bentuk badan ektomorf iaitu kerangka badan yang kecil dan panjang.

Ektomorf

“Golongan ini sukar untuk menambah berat badan dan perlu berusaha lebih,” kata Kevin yang sering memberi nasihat melalui laman webnya, kevinzahri.com.
Perkara utama yang diambil kira dalam membentuk otot badan adalah pemilihan jenis dan kuantiti makanan yang betul, aktiviti kecergasan dan makanan suplemen.
Menurutnya, orang kurus tidak boleh bergantung sepenuhnya kepada suplemen kerana ia hanya sebagai perangsang untuk membantu pertumbuhan otot.

Actually this statement tak betul. Suplemen BUKAN faktor perangsang. Perangsang adalah senaman pemberat.

“Latihan bebanan di gimnasium membantu menambah berat melalui pembentukan otot dan menjadi lebih sasa.
“Tidak kira lelaki atau wanita, latihan ini amat perlu untuk menambah berat badan dengan syarat ia dilakukan secara berterusan.
“Sama ada seseorang itu ingin menambah atau mengurangkan berat badan, kita perlu makan di antara lima hingga enam hidangan sehari yang mengandungi karbohidrat, protein dan lemak.
“Perlu diingat, suplemen hanyalah bahan rangsangan untuk pertumbuhan otot dan bukannya alat untuk menambah berat badan.

Again, this statement tak betul. Suplemen BUKAN faktor perangsang. Perangsang adalah senaman pemberat.

“Tanpa latihan dan makanan yang teratur, suplemen tidak memberi sebarang kesan,” katanya yang mempunyai pengalaman selama 10 tahun dalam dunia kesihatan kecergasan.
Solusi kepada sesiapa yang bertubuh kurus seperti dijelaskan Kevin itu harus dilakukan secara berterusan agar dapat mengekalkan saiz dan bentuk badan yang diinginkan dan bukannya dalam tempoh beberapa bulan sahaja.
Seorang profesor dari Jabatan Pengimejan Molekular, Imperial College London, Dr. Jimmy Bell, menjelaskan bahawa individu kurus tidak semestinya mempunyai kesihatan yang baik kerana terdapat bukti imej dalaman yang menunjukkan lemak dan menyelaputi organ.
Lemak dalaman yang meliputi organ dalaman seperti jantung, hati atau pankreas yang tidak dapat dilihat mata kasar sama bahayanya dengan lemak di bawah kulit.
“Kurus bukan bererti anda sihat. Budaya makan apa sahaja dengan banyak untuk menambah berat badan boleh menyebabkan kandungan lemak dalaman bertambah dan ia membahayakan kesihatan,” kata Bell.
“Keadaan genetik pemilik bentuk badan ektomorf tidak dapat diubah sebaliknya boleh dibantu dengan meningkatkan pertumbuhan otot.

by Kevin Zahri

Weight Loss: Sauna vs Steam Bath vs Exercise?

Many have been asking me whether they can hit the sauna or steam bath for weight loss. I did blog about this a while back in a post called 5 Health Benefits of Sauna - Boleh Kuruskan Badan?

Sauna, Steam Bath Exercise: Common Ground

All three can help you lose weight. How? Well in two ways.
Firstly, all three will raise your metabolism. For exercise its quite common. Exercise exerts your cardiovascular system. For sauna and steam baths, the extreme conditions (heat, dryness or humidity) forces your heart, blood circulation and lungs to work overtime while you are just sitting there. And when your cardio system works overtime, you will burn more calories.

..depending on your weight and sauna settings, a typical 30-60min session can help you burn some 300-500 calories ....

Secondly, all three will help you perspire (sweat) ... this can help not only release toxins but most can help you reduce water retention. And yes, water loss is part of weight loss. In fact, weight loss is made up of muscle, fat and water loss.

Uncommon Ground

The main difference between exercise and sauna/steambath is ... well exercise! Jogging, rowing, football etc don't just work your cardiovascular system but also help to strengthen your muscles, joints and bones. And yeah, exercise is probably more fun than sitting in a small room with half naked people .... unless perhaps its a co-ed sauna ... but that is a whole other topic.
In conclusion? All three can help you lose weight. If you can, experiment with all three and see how they make you feel. I personally don't like saunas or steam baths ... I never last more than 5 minutes but that really is a personal choice. Whatever you do, never neglect your physical activities as you can't replace movement by sitting on your behind.

by Kevin Zahri