InBody Check Progress – March '08

I’ve gained weight this month (shoot!) but on the upside it seems that the weight increase is due to the increase in my overall lean body mass (yay!). It this point I’m not so worried about gaining overall weight as long as I know that it’s healthy weight (lean/muscle mass) instead of fat mass.

Having said that, the muscle mass increase seemed to be a little bit on the low side compared to what I was expecting having going through the new PT program. I guess I should try to find out what would be the expected gains baseline that I can use to compare my progress for this. If I look at the month to month increase then there is definitely improvements after following the new PT plan since I gained 0.8kgs for muscle mass compared to 0.1kgs in the Jan-Feb timeframe when I just started on the PT program.

Fat mass loss seems to be stagnant this month (boo!) but percentage wise it is still on the right downward track. Still a ways to go before I hit my 18% fat percentage for this year though. I definitely could lose more by doing more cardio but my PT advised me to cut down on my cardio to reduce the risk of reducing the gains I made with muscle mass total. Guess I just have to watch my fat intake more closely this coming months.

I still have about a month’s worth of PT sessions left which I would be using mainly to correct any lingering form mistakes so that by the time I will be doing them myself, I would be able to fully gain from what I learned from my PT. Taking my PT’s advice, I’m cutting down my cardio sessions down to a max of 2 x 40-minute spinning (RPM) sessions a week and 3 x 10 minute workout warm-ups on the cross trainer. Those sessions should be sufficient to fulfill my cardio needs for the moment.

The journey continues.

Workout Progress – March ‘08

March was another good workout month for me. To avoid my muscles from retaining muscle memory from repetitive exercises, PT and I decided to vary the type of exercises that I had to do per PT session. By doing it this way, my muscles are forced to adapt faster to the changes and mentally I would not have mental barriers set up because I don't know what to expect my limits for that day was. We also ventured into more total body endurance training as one of my goals is also to build up a more balanced body tone instead of just a particular body group. Endurance training is good for that as you get to work out a lot more muscles groups per set compared to isolated muscle trainings.

I am also proud to say that I have been fairly consistent with my attendance in the spinning (RPM) classes at my gym. I was finally able to find a timeslot that worked best for me and have been attending at least once a week. I try to get 2 classes per week but it’s hard to go to the Sunday class without me sacrificing my social life (as if!). Once I got used to the extremely hard bicycle seat and the fact that my fat bum would be bouncing around in public (the fly wheel studio is practically an aquarium at my gym) when I cycle, the classes were actually an enjoyable way to burn off calories. Strange that a few months ago I was so self conscious to join in the class but now I’m arguing with my friend on whether or nor should we cycle to the beat of the provided music instead of just increasing the level intensities when the instructor calls it out. He says no but I say yes … anyone can settle this argument? For me it’s a whole other level of enjoyment to challenge your paddling to be in sync with the downbeat.

Diet plan in March

Breakfast (8 am)
- 1 sachet of Quaker Oats Flavored instant oatmeal
- 1 serving of low fat yogurt
- 1 serving of protein shake

Brunch (10 am)
- 1/2 serving of plan fried rice with tempeh goreng or greens
- 1 hardboiled egg (alternate working days
– 2 whole eggs total per week)
- 1 serving of fruits

Lunch (12 pm)
- 1 Spirulina cereal 3 in 1 mix.

Snacks (4 pm)
- 1 Nature Valley Granola bar (Apple Crisps, Almond and Pecan have lowest calories)
- Japanese Green Tea

Dinner (7 pm)
– non workout days (Tues/Sat)
- 1 serving of protein shake
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Workout Days (M/W/Thurs/F: 8:30 – 11:30 pm, Sun: 4 – 8pm)
Pre workout
- 1 serving of protein shake
- buy something roughly less than 300kcal

Post workout
- 1 serving of protein shake

Supplements :
MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hardcore Protein Shake – 3 servings per day
GNC Pro Performance Creatine Monohydrate – 3 servings per day
21st Century’s HerbalLipo Tea – 1 serving per week day
GNC MegaMen Dietary Supplement – 1 tablet per day
GNC Big 50 Vit B Complex – 1 tablet per day
GNC Fish Oils – 1 tablet per day

Thanks to my birthday discount at GNC, I added a few new supplements in my daily consume list. The Big 50 Vit B Complex is to help with mental alertness as well as for metabolic processes and the Fish Oils capsules for overall health maintenance. Since I’m looking to bulk up a bit in the next few months, I’ve also added Creatine Monohydrate to my supplements list. My past experience with it showed that I was able to push myself further when I take creatine on top of my usual protein shakes. The new MuscleTech protein shake that I am taking now does have creatine in it so I’m actually doubling my intake of creatine for the moment.

For the coming April, I will be cutting down my PT session to 2 times a week considering that I only have 7 sessions left with will last me till the end of the month. I have been offered PT renewal at RM85 per session for 18 sessions but I think I want to go on by myself for a bit to see how much progress that I can get by myself. I’ve already documented my current exercise plans so I can reuse the same plan when I’m not training with my PT. I will miss being able with a PT but thanks to him, I feel more assured that what I can do on my own would be able to give me the results that I want. The only thing that I would definitely have to figure out is how to work the free weights without a spotter. I guess that I could do lesser weights with higher reps since I won’t be too confident of lifting heavy weights on my own.

If anyone works out at California Fitness, Sunway Pyramid and might be looking for a workout partner in May, do drop me a line to my email or the comments box.

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 20

Program Day 20 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (10 minutes, 80 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Workout (3 supersets with minimum rest in between)
Dumbbell Side Raise (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Front Raise (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Dumbbell Triceps Extension (reps – 10/15/20, weight – 15/15/15 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Raised Knee Upper Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Push-Up (reps – 10/20/30, weight – body weight)

Chest
Chest Press (reps – 15/15/15/12, weight – 35/55/85/100 lbs)

Back
Vertical Row (reps – 15/15/15/12, weight – 55/100/130/145 lbs)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 30/30/30, weight – bodyweight)

Cool down – None

Indonesia Trip '08 – Tentative Travel Plans

Took some time these past days to do some research on the places that we will be going on our Indonesia trip to flesh out the proposed travel itinerary. I think that I’ve got a fairly varied list of attractions types to visit but I would definitely welcome any additional recommendations of things to see/do/visit while were are there.

Day 01
- Departure from KUL - Jakarta, arrival mid morning
- Hotel check-in and rest
- MONAS/Museum + Sunset at Sunda Kelapa Harbor
- night : free and easy
- overnight Jakarta

Day 02
- Full day Jakarta
- Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
- afternoon + night : free and easy
- overnight Jakarta

Day 03
- Exit Jakarta - Puncak via overland travel
- Stopover at Sari Ater Hot Springs Resort, Puncak
- Arrival in Bandung mid afternoon
- Hotel check-in and rest
- night : free and easy

Day 04
- Full day Bandung
- Mt. Tangkuban Perahu Crater hiking trip
- Shopping at Bandung
- overnight Bandung

Day 05
- Exit Bandung - Yogyakarta train trip (early morning)
- Arrival in Yogyakarta mid afternoon
- Hotel check-in and rest
- Taman Sari Water Castle & Ngasem Bird Market tour
- night : free and easy
- overnight Yogyakarta

Day 06
- Full day Yogyakarta
- Borobudur temple tour
- Parambanan temple tour
- Kotagade Palace tour
- overnight Yogyakarta

Day 07
- Full day Yogyakarta
- Sultan’s Palace/Kraton tour
- afternoon + night: free and easy
- overnight Yogyakarta

Day 08
- Exit Yogyakarta - Solo train or bus trip (early morning)
- Arrival in Solo early morning
- Hotel check in and rest
- Javanese Spa and Message relaxation treat
- night : free and easy
- overnight Solo

Day 09
- Departure from Solo – KUL (early morning)
- Arrival KUL in afternoon
- Rest and recovery

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 19

Program Day 19 (muscle group: Legs, Shoulders – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (10 minutes - 90 kcal target burn)

Legs
Seated Leg Press (reps – 15/15/15/12/12/12, weight – 100/190/230/275/320/360 lbs)
Leg Extensions (reps – 15/15/12, weight – 100/120/140 lbs)
Leg Curl (reps – 15/15/12, weight – 55/77/88 lbs)
One-Leg Standing Calf Raise (reps – 15/15/15, weight – body weight)
Rotary Calf Extension (reps – 15/15/15, weight 45/45/45 lbs)

Shoulders
Shoulder Press (reps – 15/15/12, weight – 55/66/77 lbs)
Overhead Shoulder Press (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 35/35/35 lbs)
Lateral Shoulder Raise (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)

Cool down – none

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 18

Program Day 18 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (10 minutes - 90 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Circuit Training – EZ Barbell

Set 1

Squats (reps – 12, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 12, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 12, weight 30 lbs)

Set 2

Squats (reps – 15, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Power Lunges (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 15, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 15, weight 30 lbs)

Set 3

Squats (reps – 20, weight - 30 lbs)
Shoulder Press (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Power Lunges (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Upright Row (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Deadlift (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Bicep Curls (reps – 20, weight – 30 lbs)
Triceps Extension (reps – 20, weight - 30 lbs)
Upper Body Push Ups (reps – 20/30/40, weight – body weight)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Cool down – none

The workout for Day 18 was a diversion from my normal workout schedule. Since I can’t make it to the PT session on Friday, we decided that the last PT session for this week would be something that hit all major muscle groups that I’ve been working on. I’m sure there is an official term for it but for the time being I’m calling it the “Total Body Endurance Circuit Training” for easy reference.

Like the “Total Body Endurance Workout” that I went through on day 15 of my PT program, I had to complete all the exercises in one set before I could stop to rest before going to the next set. Given that I have to almost immediately start the next movement once the preceding it finishes, the exercises were actually tougher than they look. For the moment, we will keep to using only one weight for all the exercises but eventually I would build the endurance to increase weights for each set. Of course that is dependent on whether I could go to the next set. For Day 18, I was ok for the first 2 sets but was really struggling in the last set.

The exercises are quite easy to execute so I would definitely put them in my personal program once my sessions with PT has been completed. It feels like something that I can use when I’m working out by myself and has the advantage to training the full body instead of individual muscles. Hopefully that would give me a more balanced muscle development and not look like I was focusing on a particular part of the body.

Having more stamina and greater endurance would also be a major plus for me.

Indonesia Trip '08 – Time To Dust Off Those Traveling Shoes

After my successful Manila trip last year, I’ve been looking forward to repeat the experience with a new destination. Earlier in the year, I’ve decided to select Indonesia as the next ASEAN country that I would like to visit this year. As fate would have it, a few friends that I recently known were also planning to visit Indonesia this year so it was easier for me to find traveling buddies to go on the trip with. Unlike the previous Manila trip, my traveling companions this time around would be closer to my age and share more common interests with me. While it was a blast traveling with the guys I went with last time to Manila, there were more than a few occasions that I wished that I had someone more alike to share the moments that I was experiencing with.

There would definitely be a lot of difference between this upcoming trip, planned in April, with the Manila trip I went on last year. For one, we would be away for much longer than before and will cover more cities during our trip. Given that situation, we agreed to try and follow the more frugal backpackers route but staying at guesthouses and arranging our ground tours ourselves. I have always dreamed of going on a trip the way a backpacker would do but was always been unsure if I can do it alone. Having traveling companion nearer to my age and interest meant that we could consider the plan to rough it out while traveling since we would have each other to look out for the other.

We went to the Matta fair at PWTC last weekend but it seems that a lot of the packages were not really catered for the backpacker’s budget. There were not many choices of accommodations that were rated any lower that 3 stars and almost no one had listings for hostels or guest houses. A lot of the ground tour packages also seemed a bit on the pricey side considering a lot of the activities that they offer were things that we can arrange ourselves easily enough when we get there. So instead of booking our packages during the Matta fair, we decided to shop around for ideas of what to do and use that in our internet searches to see if there are any better deals that we can find online.

To date, we have already listed a few activities that we would want to plan to while we’re there. Visits to museums and monuments in Jakarta, watch schooners at Sunda Kelapa harbor, Taman Mini Indonesia, a spa day at Sari Ater Hot Spring in Puncak, shopping in Bandung are among the activities that we already have in mind. But chief among the sites that we would be visiting for our trip will have to be a day trip to experience the wonder of the Borobudur and other relics available in Yogyakarta. A visit to Borobudur has been something that I wanted to do for a long time and I am definitely looking forward to do it in April.

We’ve already booked out flights and now focused on finding affordable accommodations in Jakarta, Bandung and Solo. We pretty much have a nice place to stay in while in Yogyakarta which I’m just waiting for their confirmation. We’re also currently looking at few options for ground tours if there are to places that we need permits/entrance fees or if they are a bit out of the way to travel with our backpacks. We may want to rough it out but not break our backs while doing it! The other thing that I’m also looking forward to is to travel across Java on trains which for me has always been my favorite method of transportation. There is just something about the idea of taking a train ride that is still quite romantic for me.

There is still a lot of work to be done and I would welcome any suggestions especially on where to find cheap accommodations in Jakarta, Bandung and Solo. Pointers of what to do, see and eat while in Jakarta/Puncak/Bandung/Yogyakarta/Solo would definitely be helpful for us to plan our trip as well. We’re not looking to splurge on a lot of items but definitely want to be able to immerse ourselves in the travel experience and culture during the 9 days we will be there. Being able to do it cheaply would definitely be a bonus.

Tentative travel schedule
Day 01 - Departure from KUL - Jakarta, overnight Jakarta
Day 02 - Full day Jakarta, overnight Jakarta
Day 03 - Exit Jakarta - Puncak - Bandung, overnight Bandung
Day 04 - Full day Bandung, overnight Bandung
Day 05 - Exit Bandung - Yogyakarta train trip, overnight Yogyakarta
Day 06 - Full day Yogyakarta, overnight Yogyakarta
Day 07 - Full day Yogyakarta, overnight Yogyakarta
Day 08 - Exit Yogyakarta - Solo train trip, overnight Solo
Day 09 - Departure from Solo - KUL

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 17

Program Day 17 (muscle group: Chest, Abs, Biceps, Back – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up – Cross Trainer (20 minutes - 180 kcal target burn)

Chest
Pec Fly (reps – 15/12/10, weight – 50/65/80 lbs)
Incline Push Up (reps – 15/15/15, weight – body weight)
Bench Press (reps – 12/10/10, weight – 10/25/35 lbs)
Iso Bench Press (reps – 12/10/10, weight – 10/25/35 lbs)

Abs
Abs Crunch Bench (reps – 30/30/30, weight – body weight)

Biceps
Free weight Preacher Curl (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 40/40/40 lbs)
Single Arm Bicep Curl (reps – 15/25/35 – each arm, weight – 25/15/10 lbs)
Bicep Curl (reps – 15/25/35, weight – 50/35/20 lbs)

Back
Low Row (reps – 12/10/08, weight – 55/77/99 lbs)

Cool down – none

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 16

Program Day 16 (muscle group: Back and Triceps – duration 1 hr excluding warm up)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (10 minutes, 80 kcal target burn)

Back
Assisted Chin Up (reps - 15/15/15, weight – 33% of body weight)
Isolinear Front Lateral Pull (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 45/45/45 lbs)
Upper Back (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 35/35/35 lbs)
Low Row (reps - 12/12/12, weight – 45/45/45 lbs)

Triceps
Barbell Close Grip (reps – 15/15/15, weight – 20/20/20 lbs)
Seated Dips - Bench (reps – 15/15/15, weight – body weight)
Triceps Pushdown (reps – 15/12/12/10, weight – 30/40/50/60 lbs)

Cool down
None

Workout Journal – 2008 Personal Training Program Day 15

Program Day 15 (muscle group: Total Body – duration 1.5 hrs)

Warm up
Cross Trainer (10 minutes, 60 kcal target burn)

Total Body Endurance Workout (3 circuits with minimum rest in between)
Dumbbell Side Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Front Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Dumbbell Triceps Extension (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 10/15/20 lbs)
Static Lunges (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Raised Knee Upper Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – body weight)
Push-Up (reps – 10/20/30, weight – body weight)

Chest
Isolinear Chest Bench Press (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 20/30/45 lbs)

Back
Isolinear Front Lateral Pull (reps – 12/12/12, weight – 25/35/60 lbs)

Abs
Isolated Lower Abs Crunches (reps – 20/20/20, weight – bodyweight)

Lower Back
Back Extensions (reps – 12/10/10/08, weight – 80/95/110/125 lbs)

Cool down – None

My PT surprised me today by springing a new workout that he created for his clients. Instead of the normal back and triceps workout scheduled today, he put me through a total body endurance circuit workout that used weight training exercise. The goal was to build muscle mass, increase endurance and reduce recovery time. Unlike the other weight exercises that I’ve gone through, the goal of this workout is to go through all the exercise in sequence as a superset before increasing the dumbbell weight for the next superset.

I have to say that I was doing well up to the end of the second circuit. Once I hit the 3rd circuit using the 20 lbs dumbbell, every muscle in my body started to scream bloody murder. It was still a good workout though as I now know that I need build up more endurance to reach the goal of doing 4 supersets.

I’m really worn out after the PT session but it was an exciting night of testing my own limits.

Breath And Reflect

It was truly a political tsunami.

The bloodiest general election this country has seen since independence has left casualties in it’s wake. Long standing political figures suddenly found their fortunes sour in the blink of an eye. Sure bets turned out to be anything but. In the race to recapture one, four have been lost in the wayside and the one still prove to be elusive.

Uncertainties abound. Will campaign promises made be fulfill in the coming term? Will there be any major changes that will impact the individual person on the street? Will there be any impact on how outsiders view our country’s recent political development? Will it impact the markets and foreign exchanges?

In the aftermath of great upheavals, it is normal to find oneself in a state of daze and confusion. In this case, it is no different. We have seen how the people have exercise their right as citizens to vote for change in how our country is being administered. Now we are looking for what will happen next.

To the victors goes the spoils of victory but also the responsibility to make right what has been fought for all these years. The sentiment that voters want to vote for change will only go so far if the status quo is maintained. Voters will be expecting to see the plans for change and measurable milestones to look forward to.

To the losers goes the responsibility to review and reflect on the bloody defeat. Arrogance, complacency and hubris have conspired to set the stage for the fall from grace. This time will be best spent to recoup losses, reconsolidate and reassess where things went wrong and what is needed to rebuild the tattered reputation.

Breath and reflect.

That is what the rest of us need to do. Whether we voted for the victors or the losers, the outcome has already been made certain. We will need to give them time to organize and plan for their next move. Till then we continue to live our lives as if nothing has changed and not make plans based on things that we can never be certain will happen.

Breath and reflect.

Time To Stand And Deliver

Most (hopefully) Malaysian eligible voters will be out tomorrow to vote in their choice of representative to administer our country for the next term. I count myself as one of them since this will be the second time that I will be voting for the future of my country. Hopefully I can figure out when I am suppose to go to cast my vote since they have changed the polling station I’m suppose to go to since the last general election. I don’t think that there will be much problems trying to figure that out since there bound to be a lot of party volunteers stationed around the area near my place who would be more than happy to ferry me to the polling station as they did in the last general election.

I am apolitical by choice. I despise participating in any political discussion and have know to leave the table if anyone starts a discussion on politics during meal times which I have always found highly distasteful. Despite professing my apolitical stance, it does not mean that I have no awareness of the political situation that we live in. I actually do know what is happening politic-wise and what is more important is that I make my own personal choice about it. I do not need blatantly desperate TV spots (the product of a whole PR team that will deserve to be fired for the over exuberance use of heavy handed messages) to sway me nor do I need empty rhetoric from people who really wish that they were in power instead of the other person. The more either side try to shove their message forcefully down my throat, the faster the bitter bile within me threatens to spill over.

I do not believe in voting in change for change sake. We need a clear vision and reasonable goals to strive to especially in the face of the global uncertainties surrounding us today. We need track records of achievements and not just people with the potential to do better but later never deliver them after they are elected. We need doers who actually come down to the ground level to do what is necessary to make sure that we continue to prosper as a nation. We do not need sayers who talk the talk but fail to walk the walk when they have received their responsibilities. We do not need leaders who says one thing when they were in the winning side then says the exact opposite when they find themselves out of favor and stranded in the opposite camp.

“With great power, comes great responsibility” - fan’s of the Spiderman comics knows this philosophy by heart. This statement is especially true in light of certain changes made by people in power who sometimes seems to forget who put them in power. You (the powers that be) are responsible for the running of the country to benefit the people and not your individual persons and cronies. Long have we seen how the benefits are not so equally distributed down the food chain down to the level of the people on the street and definite grumblings have already been voiced out in hopes that it would only be heard but also took notice of. We would definitely be watching if those voices have been heard and if those complaints will be addressed.

My dad gave me this gem when I first became aware of politics and their implications on my future. He told me,

“All politicians are pirates. The older pirates have already amassed their
plunder throughout the years, feel complacent and would be less likely to tax
heavily to increase their wealth. New pirates on the other hand would be hungry,
greedy for bounty and would only have gold in their eyes when they see you.
Think about who would you rather have around you and use that to decide who to
vote for”

No doubt it is not hard to figure out who he votes for in every general election! Regardless, I have taken that lesson to heart and have always used that idea when deciding on who I would vote for.

We need balance in our next administration.

We need a strong government who will have to navigate use safely in the uncertain waters of the current world economic and political seas. We do not need an inward looking government with policies that would see the nation contract from it’s position in the world both economically and politically.

We need a strong opposition front who would act as a check and balance mechanism to ensure continued transparency and accountability. We do not need an opposition front more interested in getting personal payback and loudly criticizing without offering rational constructive alternatives to be considered.

We need a stronger sense of ourselves as a united multicultural nation whose differences are recognized and celebrated equally. We do not need to have our nation to become more Arab than Arab just to prove that we are better than other people.

I will not be voting in change for change sake. Nor will I be voting for the continuation of status quo.

I will be voting for balance and moderation.

This is my choice.

Have you made yours?