Working hard at working out...

Two more sucessful days of working out... and truth be told, Im really enjoying this... After the one-hour cardio and buckets loads of sweat and sudden head rush I feel I have enough energy for to last me for the day. I also wake up early in teh morning in order to make it to the gym by 6am for an hour workout. Crazy but true...

I also do my workouts by myself diligently without the trainer and I know from where my strength and change in attitude comes from (Fred looks above). Philippians 4:13, the Bible... Its true... :)

Im seeing slight differences now physically... like my pants have loosed a bit and my waist has gone in (thank God for that) and my stomach has been reduced (thanks to those amazing stomach cruches). I only walk outside now as thoughh im on a treadmill ha ha...

Morning at the gym allows me to concentrate well at work and also in the evening when I go for music practices at church or bible study at a friend's place, I tend to walk it there with ease. So its working well on week 2. I hope I keep up the momentum. 

All in all I've reduced only 2kg (probably only water weight). Persistence is the key... This fight against obesity has only begun... Can't wait to be more healthier...

He he...

Another day in paradise...

Another successful day in the week where I got to go for my workout routine in the morning. No matter how droning the day may seem my body is slowly conditioning to waking up by 5am and then sleeping in 2 or 4 installments till 5:30. I wake up my flat mate Seyi and we hit the gym together by 6:15am.

The usual routine is good but now Im gaining stamina and my legs hurt in the end. The cardio exercises also coming along pretty well soon I will increase the sets and the reps gradually. Btw I've been taking my dinner by 7pm offlate


Positives:

• More alert throughout the day
• Increase in energy
• Feel good syndrome
• Increase in water conspumtion
• Good sleep

Negatives:

• Stiffness and pain in the joints
• Hunger pangs are active
• short spells of sleepiness
• muscle cramps

These are but a few that I know of.at the moment... I know im on the road to progress although its much to early to see some results. God Bless you all and thank you for the support....

Proof

Just to prove that I have joined the Gym...

O Brother Fred, Where art thou???

Well I must confess...

In absentia:

Its been a while since I updated this blog and its not a good sign because I really am not keeping a tab on my weight reduction. Its soo easy to let it pass by as a though its just a passing cloud but It guess its not.

I thank few of my friends who keep asking me about these blog updates on a more daily basis and the feeling of guilt weighs me down. Nevertheless, truth be told, I did manage to complete my 5 days of work out in the gym successfully. and took a break for 2 days but in these two days I slid back and indulged in unhealthy eating habits... I know i doesn't sound good.. but I am back on track and I want to stay that way. The song "I can try with some help from my friends" by the beatles comes to mind. Nevertheless, excuse apart, I will update this blog as regularly as possible.

Gym workout:

Heres my routine for the entire hour at the gym.

- 30 mins on treadmill with an avg speed of 4.5 -5 and I make it to 2.3 kms and also my target is to burn 300 calories.
- 3 sets of 20 pushups against a wall.
- Stomach exercises to strengthen the tummy muscles
- and an assorted cardio exercises that helps me sweat it out like crazy.

After an hour at the gym, I feel good but in pain. Offlate I've been feeling very stiff and its begun to hurt in place I never knew that muscles would exist. I have to undergo another 5 more hours in order to make it to the next level.

My conclusion

Good exercise should always follow healthy eating habits. Just to burn 300 calories is like moving a mountain but its sooo easy to put it on. Also the more I tend to ahng out with friends (who are much slimmer than I am) I tend to eat a lot. To lose weight sometimes it comes at the cost of being void of a social life.

Stay away from temptation... Eat right and live right

Thought provoking comparison

I looked at myself nearly 12 years ago when I was doing my final year B.Com in India and compared myself to the present me... The findings were mind-boggling. Check this comparison pic below....

In just 12 years and 3 countries across 2 continents (India - Australia - Bahrain), I had put on a whopping nearly 50kgs. How on earth did I do that? I have no clue... Luckily my personality hasn't changed much but I guess I've taken life for granted. This is a reminder for me to look and stay healthy.

I'd do anything to go back to 1997 and be that much slimmer cheerful brat I was back then... I do remember excercising a lot in those few months (until those horrible exams came along). Well, things can change now too - I just have to work harder (luckily no more exams hehe) and burn it out faster...

Will keep you posted on my current weight... I sure am a little embarrassed to put it up but nevertheless I must.. I realise that I can do this and I must... No excuses this time... what say people??

Please keep those comments coming....  Cheers! :)

Learning Discipline...

The day before I ate pretty much the same

Breakfast : Bowl of cereal
Lunch : Caesar salad and sharwarma
Tea: Cup of Tea
Dinner : An apple

Walking: 30 mins... Phew! so far so good...

---- Yesterday, ---

I gave in and indulged.

Breakfast : Bowl of cereal & Apple
Lunch: A subway tuna sandwich (wheat bread)
Tea: cup of Tea
Dinner: Chicken shawarma platter & grills

Walking: I had a prior appointment so I couldnt get to walk.

Positives:

• Felt good to avoid the usual Vanelli's pasta intake and go for some health foods
• Reduced my sugar intake in the tea (1.5 tsp)

Negatives:

• Went for the foot long sub as opposed to the 6 inch
• Was so hungry that I ate late into the night between 10-11pm and slept an hour later.
• Have heat rashes on my thighs from all the walking (quiet painful)
• No walking  :(

Today, I'll be joining the nearest Gym... so going to check it out...

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me so far... God bless you all.  :)

Apple a day keeps the doctor away

Here are some interesting points about Apples:

• Apples are delciious
• quiet easy to carry around for snacking.
• they are low in calories
• serve as a natural mouth freshner
• cost effective and inexpensive
  

Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber such as pectin actually helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of atherosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber in apples provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system.

It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin. Almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content. Most of an apple's fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen, the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor.

There are hundreds of varieties of apples on the market today, although most people have only tasted one or two of the most popular such as Red Delicious or Granny Smith. Apples can be sweet, tart, soft and smooth or crisp and crunchy, depending on the one you choose. There is an apple to suit almost everyone's taste, so why not choose one. Have an apple today!

Apple Nutrition Facts
(*One medium 2-1/2 inch apple, fresh, raw, with skin)

Calories 81
Carbohydrate 21 grams
Dietary Fiber 4 grams
Soluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber
Calcium 10 mg
Phosphorus 10 mg    
Iron .25 mg
Sodium 0.00 mg
Potassium 159 mg
Vitamin C 8 mg
Vitamin A 73 IU
Folate 4 mcg

*The nutritional value of apples will vary slightly depending on the variety and size.

Source: USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory -- Apple

Walking and Talking

Phew! Yesterday after work... I decided to walk from my flat in Exhibition Road to the NEC church (probably a little more than 1km.. but I really dont know) only to feel more sore... I still have a lot of pain in my legs and lower body... guess the muscles are building up. I was a bit hungry when I got to church.

Breakfast: Bowl of Cereal (wheetos) & banana

Lunch: Caesar chicken Salad & water

Dinner: 2-3 chicken cutlets at the church.

Negatives:

1. I know I need to cut down on the fried food intake but I sure was hungry after a rigorous walk.
2. I still don't see any change in my physical appearance... 

Positives:

1. I called a friend, put my handsfree earpiece on and we spoke for the duration of the walk. Since it was a good conversation, I didnt feel the distance at all and also I noticed that I did most of the talking and so my breathing was quiet normal. Only when I stopped did I feel breathless and my heart racing...
2. My metabolism has changed and I feel better every morning and at night I sleep well. 
3. My confidence level is also up. Feel better with all the encouragement I'm getting from you. 

Keep em coming...! :)

Walking Tall at the Mall

Yesterday a few friends and I decided to go to the mall to Kill 2 hours before heading to the movies. Once we got there, I knew I wasnt going to get any work out done... So when they all went for bowling... I walked around all 3 floors at the City Centre. I was kinda baffled as to how large the mall was. It took me 1 whole hour to walk around from the 3rd floor to the first floor and back up again...  My dinner was an apple and some popcorn at the movies... I think I'm getting used to water as my main beverage now... Apparently its Fat free... LOL... Walking really gets your cardio done. My body hurts today.. but like my friend Mel said "No pain.. No Gain!"... Amen!

Negatives: I didn't get to sweat out much (as I normally would have) since the whole place was air conditioned.

Positives: Its definitely a change in place...  Its nice to window shop like for a few seconds as you pass by each shop while the momentum is on and you get to smile at all the friendly security personnel. They must be wondering what I was upto and where I was going in such a hurry... :D

KFC: King Cool and the Fat compressors

Whats with this blog?

I've started this blog so that you (reader) can sign up and monitor my weight loss through each day. I have one agenda right now and that is to lose these kilos.I'll also be putting up my short term goals to achieve periodically for a healthy lifetime. Now how i do it? Truth be told, I really dont know, but the Bible tells me that "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me" and so I will have started somewhere.



Where do I begin?

Right here and right now - ironically, thats a song by Fat Boy Slim. haha...

My goals for now...

1. Change my diet to healthy foods - less sugar, less salt, more fruits and veggies (less carbs)
2. a minimum of 30 mins walk a day and sweat it out (well paced)
   
3. Sleep early and wake up early
4. Be accountable to all my online blog readers (thats You!)
5. Lose at least 10 - 15 Kilos before Christmas
6. Think positively and be encouraged by anyone and anything.

I think this should do for now...  This shouldn't become another resolution that goes down the drain... but a promise never to be defeated in this area. The bible tells me that "I am more than a conqueror" and I CAN do it with His help and surely with yours... :)

Love you all...
Freddy

Ps: This journey begins with the first step.  thanks for your support...