Time To Shred Some Fats

Its been just over a year since my last run at 2011 Sundown. I completed 21km, barely able to walk across the finishing line due to cramps. But its still a personal achievement to finish it below 3 hours.

One year on and I have lost all my stamina and muscles, in exchange for expanded waistline, barely able to fit into my pants (again), and some not so good readings with my bad cholesterol. Well the combination of uncontrolled feasting on rich, yummy and sinful food and the zero exercise over the year all adds up.

It is time to put a stop. Watching Sasuke Singapore on TV makes me wanna get fit again! RAWR!

Image from Nike Running Singapore

First, set a target, for without it, there is no aim, purpose or motivation. First target is to complete the Nike 10k 2012. Its almost like Deja Vu as it was the Nike 10k 2010 that I caught the running bug. Let's hope this run gets me started again. Let me know if you are going for this run too. Friends would make it more fun. More details can be found here.

Update 28th Sept 12: Registration for Nike 10k 2012 has closed.

I have also bought myself a Polygon Helios F500 flatbar road bike to join my poly friends on their weekly rides. The first time I ride with them was a 36km ride. I wasn't really expecting that and boy was it gruesome, wanted to give up halfway. But having ride a few more times it's getting more and more enjoyable.

Hope you guys find some fun activities to do and keep fit as well.

Update: Yes I complete the run in one piece. Although the timing is not great, completing it is itself an achievement.

Sundown Half-Marathon 2011

This would probably be one of the most hard-earned medal I have crazily earned.

I signed up for the Sundown 21km run end of last year, when I was still in good shape and had a passion for running. Fast-forward five months and it was a different story. I had lose my motivation to run and the last time I wore my running shoes was for the Compression Run in April. So it was pretty close to suicidal going for a 21km run with almost no training at all. But I told myself to just go and have fun, take it as a leisure jog. Or walk.

Surprisingly I enjoyed the run, well at least the first 15km of it. Running in a large event with so many other runners makes the event fun and enjoyable. And I was able to draw strengths from other runners. I lasted till the 15km mark before I finally walked instead of jog.

At 16 km, the soreness and pain on different parts of my legs were there, yet bearable. But another form of distraction hit me. I was hungry, really hungry. Every time I pass by a volunteer of the event, I wished they were holding out a banana to give to me.

Determine to finish the race so I can have supper (I was trying to turn hungry into my strength), I did a mixture  of slow job and fast walk. Then at 18km mark, the tightness on my thighs threatened to give me cramps. I had to do more stretching along the way and walk more to prevent the cramps from coming up.

Having looked at the timing on my watch, it seems like I could still do it under 3 hours if I hasten my pace a little. With a focus aim in mind, I started to pick up my pace again. Then at 20km mark, the thighs gave up, tightening up so much that I couldn't jog anymore. Even fast walking proved to be a teeth grinding affair. That was it, I could only hobble on towards the finish line.

As I approach the last 300m to the finish line, it seems like under 3 hours is still possible. The competitive mind then took over and pushed the wasted legs on towards the end. And I did it under 3 hours.

I'm gonna hang up my shoes and take a break from running, a break of at least two years.

Cold Storage Kids Run 2011

Xavier thrilled with his first medal

Xavier did his run today and got himself a participation medal. I signed him up for the Sunny Family Chase" category and accompanied him for the run.

And boy was it a hot day. We were melting under the scorching sun while waiting for our turn to run. Xavier was all excited about the run on our way there but when it came to the actual run, he became all whiny and needing, and kept asking to be carried every few steps. Maybe it was because of the huge number of unfamiliar faces all around us during the run. Pretty overwhelming for him I guess.

We took a break at the water point and while resting, we saw his classmate Thomas. And all the sudden he had a 180° change, and was running after Thomas and having fun and laughter. He suddenly seems so confident. My conclusion, peer pressure works well on him and he is quite a show-off. Ha.

Here are some of the other photos. The carnival atmosphere from the line of proud parents cheering their family on and taking photos and videos is just wonderful.

Cold Storage Kids Run - Race Expo

We sign Xavier up for the Cold Storage Kids Run '11 just so he can get some exercise to hopefully do away with his tummy... just kidding.

Thought it would be fun to go for such runs just for the fun of it, since Xavier's "Sunny Family Chase" category is just a 800m "run" with an accompanying parent for age 2-4 years old with no prize. We went to collect the goodies bag today and there are quite a number of stuffs in the bag I must say. Things include race tee, milk, snacks, wipes, milk powder, stickers, drawing paper with colour pencils, backpack, etc. The expo also has activities for kids to engage in like a mini obstacle course and balloon sculptures but Xavier was sleeping in the car while daddy went to get the stuff.

Xavier's number for the race ends with "007". Do you think he looks like one with his poses below?

Compression Run 2011

I signed up for the 12km Compression Run 2011 as a means to force myself to be ready for the Sundown Marathon 2011. Before you look at me in disbelief, no I didn't register to run a 42km marathon. I signed up for the 21km half marathon.

The Compression Run and the Sundown is about 6 weeks apart so I thought it was a perfect "checkpoint". But I have been slacking with my run preparation, procrastinating from Chinese New Year to my reservist to 2 weeks before the Compression Run before I did some real running. And even then it was just a 4km and a 5.5km run in that 2 weeks. So I was not having high hopes of completing the 12km run in 1 piece.

But the actual run went pretty well. I guess when you are running with so many other runners, you tend to get motivated. Weather was cooling and there was a slight drizzle during the run. A few eye candies help to make the run more bearable. And I finish the run in 1 piece with a timing I'm very happy with.

Next up, Sundown. Hope I can get some 10km runs before the attempting the 21km.

Simple Tips to Healthier Life - Eating

After successfully bringing my weight down (see previous post), I realise that there are simple steps in our daily life that you can make to lead a healthier life. Let me share some tips I have learnt about eating.

Summary of the tips:
- Eat a full breakfast
- Cut your carbohydrate intake by at least 1/2 for dinner.
- Eat more meals and stop eating when you are not hungry.
- Avoid fried and sweet items.

I love eating. It was one of the hardest habit to change for me initially. I told Desmond (my personal trainer) I can do all the exercise and endure all the tekan (punishment), but I cannot give up eating those yummy food. Its just too tempting and hard. But after some research on the net, its is very doable. Just need to take the first step.

The simple steps revolve around the Chinese saying, "早餐吃得饱, 午餐吃得好, 晚餐吃得少". Its similar to the saying "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper". The other principal is not to stave yourself as it does more harm than good. Let me elaborate.

Your body need a certain calories intake everyday in order to maintain your body weight. There are many calories calculators online which can calculate the calories you need to consume to maintain your weight. I did the lazy way out and bought a Tanita weighting machine that can tell me that. The idea is to consume about 500 calories less every day in order to shred fats and weight. If you try to drop it drastically and stave yourself, your body might go into what they call "starvation mode" . So instead of burning fats, your body now burns lean tissue and muscle. You may lose weight but you are not losing fat. Also, muscles help to burn fats as you go through your dailies activities so having more muscle means burning more fats. As you build more muscles via strength training, burning fats become easier.

So given that you have to consume a certain amount of calories everyday, the whole idea is to eat big in the morning and eat little at night. It makes lots of sense as your body need the energy in the day more than at night when you are sleeping. So you try to fill up your calories quota when the sun is up and eat less when the sun is down. Eating breakfast is very important. Let me say it again, eating breakfast is very important. I have been without breakfast for years, preferring to eat an early lunch instead. Now I can't start my day without eating anything in the morning. Food in the morning wakes your brain up and give your body the energy to start the day.

Another pointer is to eat more meals and "do not eat till you are full, but eat till you are not hungry". Plan healthy snacks in between meals. Try to look for healthy alternatives so that you do not need to face drastic changes to your diet. If you have craving for something yummy yet unhealthy, eat them in moderation. Do not think just because you have a craving means you have to eat more of it and upsize it. I learn to give in to my cravings but I make sure I only have a small portion of it just to satisfy my craving . 

For many of you, dinner might be the heaviest meal of your day because you entertain your clients, or have gatherings, or have company and wedding dinners to attend. The simplest way is to cut your carbohydrate intake by at least 1/2 for dinner. If you can do without any carbohydrate after 6pm, even better. This is because your body usually do not use up all the energy from your carbohydrate intake and most of it stores as fat when you sleep.

Lastly, avoid fried food and sweet stuff if possible and take more vegetables and fruits.

Now you might ask, so how do I know the calories in the food I eat everyday? There are websites that you can register for free and input what you eat on a daily basis and it calculates and track your calories intake for you. I use to use My Plate @live.strong.com but am now too lazy to do it. However, I strongly encourage you to do it at least for 2 weeks. The first week to track calories of your usual diet and the second week when you do changes to your diet. Then you know if you are on the right track.

Happy fat and weight shredding.

Fitness Milestone Weekend

Front runners of the run aka those who can run fast enough for prize.

This weekend has been very fruitful as I accomplished two fitness goals I set for myself in July. The first was to pass IPPT. Did that on Saturday by passing the Chip-Up Station. Might do again before my window close for money but will see how my knee recovers.

The second was to complete a run event of at least 10km. Did that this morning at the Nike City 10K SG 2010 run this morning with Johnson and Jiamiao.

Runner facing a sea of florescent green as we form up for the start of the run.

Happy faces before the run.

Happy faces + Victory signs after the run.

Running shoes tri-force!

I finished the run below 60mins (according to my Nike+ app timing) and can't be happier since I set the target at 75mins. Johnson and Jiamiao will be preparing for their Stanchart 21km Run. As for me, I'm probably gonna go back to eating yummy sinful food...

NOT!

Update on 27Oct10:

Ok my chip timing is out: 58mins 44 sec. *Pat myself on the back*

Nike City 10K Race Pack

Just went to collect the race pack today for the Nike City 10K run on 24th Oct. No the pack doesn't include the shoe, that's my running shoe. Have not been training since I hurt my knee but this week seems good. Probably try to do two more runs this week before the event. And also buy 4D for my number.

GAMBATEH!

Fat to Not So Fat

I was reading this article on Men's Health Singapore October 2010 issue call Running After Heels by Neil Humphreys when Lilian turned to me and ask what I was grinning about. I felt somewhat connected to Neil. We were in similar circumstances: in our thirties, have a young kid, use to have super metabolism but have put on extra tyres, etc.

He wrote about the reasons that got him exercising and I couldn't stop laughing about the fourth point: "I could no longer see my private parts". Its so funny yet, so frank and real.

Not so long ago, July 2010 to be exact, I couldn't see mine as well. I was at my "prime" then, happily (and casually) blogging about good food I love or have come across. My weight was just decimals below 80kg and I had to make new pants and subsequently enlarge those new pants, all within the first seven months of year 2010. Conversation at friends' gatherings soon focus on my growing tummy and I even came up with the perfect excuse that the tummy is needed to support Xavier's weight when I'm carrying him (as he "sits" on my tummy).

But inside me I had this voice that keeps telling me I need to get back in shape again (not sure whether was I incepted?). Partly was because I need to pass the coming IPPT and partly because its becoming ridiculous to buy more new pants, again. All these years I have always passed my IPPT within my window period. I just needed to shape up 3 months before the deadline and I usually scape through it. However, this year is different, very different. I felt I need help badly to pass this year's IPPT.

Hence when my company had a team building event at FTI (Functional Training Institute), I took up the offer for a training session after that and subsequently sign up for personal training with one of the specialist. For the first time in my life I have join a gym and it wasn't cheap. I could have bought myself a new iMac for the money. But I needed someone to jump-start my system and motivate (read yell and scream) me toward a healthier lifestyle. This also involved a total change in mindset on my part. In fact, Lilian was quite shock at my mindset change. For friends who have known me well, I'm a meat lover and braised pig trotter is one of my favourite. However, I began to dramatically change my diet from full meat and no vegetable to full vegetable and no meat.

Three months have passed and I have shred almost 7kg (now about 73kg) and my body fat has gone from 20% to 17%. I have learnt and experience quite a number of things which I would share in my later posts. While I failed my IPPT last Saturday (by 1 chip-up), I'm feeling good overall. I have gone from fat to not so fat. Becoming fit is still some distance away and a goal I'm working towards. Next milestone, completing the coming Nike 10k run is under 1hr 15 mins. Hopefully my troubled left knee recovers before the run.

Leonardo came to my dreams?

Manage to catch Inception recently. Its been awhile since Lilian and I last caught a movie so it was a big deal. Like almost everyone else, I left the cinema with question marks on my forehead.

One of the question mark was, "Have I been incepted recently?". I mean for years I have enjoyed eating the tasty food, which usually do not classify as clean, healthy food. Think braised pork trotter, fried chicken wings and fatty pork with apple sumi-yaki and you get the rough idea. And I have never believed in gym, much less engaging a personal trainer.

Somehow after my Penang trip, it stuck me that this year's IPPT is gonna be a steep uphill task, mainly because my weight and belt size has ballooned faster than the raise in COE prices. And the thought of wasting time at RT when I should be spending time with my family made me do drastic actions.

So I engaged a personal trainer to get my fitness back, changed my diet to cut carbohydrates and totally eliminate fried and fatty food from my diet. It came a point that Lilian took some of my vegetables from my soupy Yong Tau Foo as she had less vegetables on her plate; even she couldn't believe she did that.

Its been slightly over a month and I'm seeing results in terms of 1 belt size reduction and a generally healthier feel. But I still have to work on my pull-ups and 2.4km run to get through.

So was I incepted? I don't know as I don't remember dreaming about people saying I'm fat and I should get a trainer and work on my fitness. But the fact that the idea suddenly grew in me makes me wonder...