Away on the road, at the beach

Went to the beach recently with my family, just to spend some time with them, and trying to get some time-off over work (spent 2 nights there).

People say it's difficult to maintain our healthy diet while on travelling. Yes, it's difficult if you do not plan.... but even if you don't, there are still other ways to eat properly.. you just need to look for it.. it can be hard, but it's well worth it.

When I said plan - I packed my own cooked brown-rice, some fruits, and nuts/seeds. So that I won't eat anything and everything while on the road. But even then, I've run out of my packed-stuff on the second day, but then I still won't settle for anything common, unhealthy food around - like nasi lemak or roti canai for breakfast (that's the only thing available around the place we stayed!!). I still ordered from the stall, but only cucumber and boiled eggs (that's all that they have that I can eat!). For the rest of the family? - all the works! with an extra sambal and teh tarik of course (while i brewed my own green tea).

Call me crazy, or whatever - i just don't feel like putting junk food into my body.. anymore.

At the beach, besides the usual sun-bathing, and swimming, I also added that extra boost of cardio running along the beach (interval sprinting on the sands), and doing some bodyweight workouts. As expected, people have that weirdo-look at me, but who cares. 

See this pic, I'm doing the 'bird-dog' routine at the beach..

I got my niece trying to follow me, and gotten some weird looks from other beach-goers.

I did jumping squat, bird dog, prisoner squat, lunges, spiderman pushups, split squat, burpees, plank, side plank, mountain climb pushup, etc, and interval sprint along the beach. I also added a sprint towards the sea, and back - that's a tough one.

get more details of the exercise routines from my other posts here.

let's be healthy..

Sher Khan.

The Food Pyramid

During our school days, we've been taught about The Food Pyramid, or even if you were to go to a dietition these days - they still talked about this old Food Pyramid (I know that because during my initial days of trying to lose weight, I did go to one of those dietation session - the lady dietation explain the details of this pyramid (posted on the wall), and why we need to take a lot of grains etc etc).

Here's the traditional Food Pyramid (published in early 80s) that we've learnt over the years.

Do you know because of this food pyramid - we're mis-informed, and since they (whoever that produce it) published it, the rate of obesity in the world increases?? - do a search on uncle google, and you'll find studies after studies proofing it.

The traditional food pyramid actually suggested that in a day, we need to take food based on the food groups. From the base of taking a lot of carbohydrates from grains in a form of breads, rice, pasta, etc to a narrower/higher in the pyramid of other food groups like veggies, chicken, meats, milk, eggs and take sparingly of oils, ice-creams, cakes.

I've learnt throughout my journey - if I were to stick with this recommendation, I won't lose the fat and lose the weight. The key to my diet, is to choose the types of carbohydrates, protein, and fats (no such thing as low-carb diet, low-fat diet, low-protein diet)...so Dr. Atkins is wrong?.. you bet. 

I tend to agree with the revised Food Pyramid guidelines  (published in 2005)- that everyone should be aware of.

Further to that, in my own diet, I tend to eliminate or avoid some food groups altogether. Like refined grains products, processed/packaged food, and sugar (as much as I can). On carbo, focus on complex carbohydrates only, that is high in phytonutrient index - that's the key of increasing your metabolism and control your insulin levels through-out the day. On fats - I eliminate as much as trans-fat as possible (this is another reason why I avoid processed/packaged food), and go sparingly on saturated fat. On protein - make it at every meal, in its most natural form as much as possible. and most of all - focus on getting a lot of fiber! (both soluble and insoluble types), and drink a lot of plain water!.

So there you go! - hope you've learn something new today.

UPDATE:
My latest post (Nov 2010) -- shares on my recommendation for "what to eat, and what not to eat".

let's get healthy!

Sher Khan.

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No time, too busy to exercise

There are days when I'm too busy at work, and got back late that I'm not able to exercise.. this week is such a good example, for the whole week, I got back late (way past 8pm), that I've missed my 'window' of exercising (if you've been following this blog, my typical routine is between 7 to 8:30pm) - I've found that's the best time for me to sweat it out. I've tried early morning, but I'm more productive (and stronger) during this time. 

If I were to get back home late - I'll miss the exercise for the day. Right? well, not exactly.

Although I'm not able to do a full blown 45min strength and cardio routines, to the very least, I make sure I do bunch of push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, and squat during this tight period, I even can sometimes squeeze running high knee on the spot, and quick barbell military press - just before I hit the shower. 

See my previous post on those routines I mentioned.

Exercise is so important for our body to maintain a greater number of mitochondrial mass. The more exercise you do, the more these power-cells in our body is produced, and ultimately, it shall boost our metabolism to its peak!

What the heck is mitochondria? go and search with uncle google lah.. lots of reference.

In short, it's the energy cells within your body - has those tiny hairs that produces energy. The more active you are, the more of these hairs grows on these cells, and the more energy it produces -that increases your metabolic rate! -- this is the secret of losing the fat!

The trick is to keep exercising (interval training that is - working at 80% of maximum heart rate), and these little power-cells shall flourishes -- making you more energetic, stronger, and definitely assisting you in the quest of losing the excess weight... even while you're sleeping, watching tv, or even right now while you're reading this blog!

Go and have a deeper read on mitochondria, and then you would understand why it's so important that we need to exercise regularly.

let's get healthy..

Sher Khan.

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I told myself...

"I'm always hungry!", "I don't like apples/pear/mangoes", "I don't have time to exercise", "I can't live without my coffee", "I love red-meat steaks", "My work/life is too stressful, that I turn to food for comfort", "When I'm out with friends, I don't want to offend them (for having savory desserts, alcohol drinking, teh-tarik, etc)", "I love nasi lemak/roti canai/pizza - they keeps me energize!", "Coke/Pepsi is my life!","I live on McD, KFC, DunkinDonuts, etc", "I don't like to sweat in the morning (or afternoon, or evening,)", "I don't know how, so that's why I don't do it", "I just love Pringles/Lays/Doritos/Twisties/etc etc)" .... the list goes on and on and on..

Those are the quotes that I myself used to have, but not anymore...

I told myself, I've definitely did something wrong for the past 34 years, that made me into what I was..

I told myself, if I can't lose weight (that's something totally under my control), don't bother trying or dreams about other achievement..

I told myself, I want to see my kids grow up, and at least to see them get married one day..

I told myself, I want to able to run and play together with my kids, not watching them by the side..

I told myself, I don't want to die early and leave my wife and kids suffering without me..

I told myself, f**k-other people with their comments, I shall proof to them and ownself, I'm worth it!

I told myself, WHAT'S STOPPING ME?!!

I told myself, I CAN DO IT!!

Pump up the volume, and view this video.

Sher Khan.