I’m not gonna... eat that pasta. I’m not... gonna eat it. I’m... not gonna eat... Not this time. I chew on these words, force them through my head. Where people have delicious meals, I have plain, dull meals. I'm always at home, eating another meal alone, with constantly repeat of the word CONTROL and a plate of chicken & brown rice. Not forgetting is another jug of water. This is only my second week and I’m sick of it already.

Chew slowly follow by water. Chew and water. And I keep repeating that. This is my method. This is my form of control. This is the system. Listen, the toughest part isn’t the workout. Yes, cardio or lifting can be tough, but it is nothing compare to eating. It’s the diet. The way of eating. Diet is what differentiates success and failure.

I'm hungry again... Why does this always happen? The feeling of starvation and the loud roar in my stomach is killing me. I envy others who get to eat whatever their heart desires without putting on additional pounds. The food I'm having now is always dry and tastes like shit, but at least there is still something in there. Some days, I'm so hungry that I force myself to sit and stare. I break out in a cold sweat. I have to will myself to stop. Yeah, living like this is real agony.

People in the other world, they don’t understand. They can’t. They eat instinctively. For me, eating is another part of my life that must be controlled. I’ve had to learn how to eat, overcome my appetite. It sounds fucked up, but that’s what I gotta do to prepare for this. It sucks and I’ve still got miles to go.

What is Waist-to-Hip?

Basically it determines whether is your body pear-shaped or an apple-shaped.
Pear-shaped body builds more fats on the hips.
Apple-shaped body builds more fats to the waist and upper torso,
There are some who are categorized as avocado-shaped (somewhere in between).

Instructions
If you don't know your waist and hip sizes, just use a measuring tape to get these two numbers. Just relax and please brothers and sisters, no sucking in the belly!

1) For your waist, measure around the narrowest part of your waist (or if that isn't easy to find, measure at your belly button).
2) For your hip size, measure around the widest part of your hips.

Then, key those numbers in to the calculator below.

Earlier research had suggested that men should not have a waist-to-hip ratio above 0.95, and in women it should be no higher than 0.8.

Does all this sounds familiar - "Creatine does not work for me" or "Creatine causes me to retain water" or "Creatine upsets my stomach." Creatine is still the most effective muscle building supplement ever for those that understand how and when it is used as an energy source in the body.

How do I know this?

Well, I was previously on Creatine during my massing phase. And I have to confessed it gave me huge gains. When my friends ask me how did you gain so fast? The secret was creatine. Creatine was the substance which gave me the extra edge during training. It was the key to building powerful skeletal muscle—huge biceps, defined “diamond” triceps, big pecs and more. Basically it improves my performance for high-intensity exercises and maximize my workouts.

How does creatine work to get you huge muscles?
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is generated in the human body, as well as ingested as part of a natural meat-eating diet. Your liver and kidneys produce small amounts of creatine and if you eat meat, particularly fish like tuna and herring, you gain more natural creatine that in turn becomes available to your skeletal muscles. But if you’re looking to pack on muscle bulk fast then these natural sources are not enough.

Creatine is related to ATP. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is made by the body’s mitochondria. ATP is used by the body’s cells to create energy. When the cells encounter stress, they are unable to produce adequate amounts of ATP. This causes muscles fatigue and in long tern the cells to age and possibly become infected with disease. So,the more ATP you make available to your muscles the more energy created to power bodybuilding and boost performance in bursty sports, like sprinting, rowing, bodybuilding. Normal levels of ATP allow you only a few seconds of high-intensity energy. Creatine helps by converting to ATP and burns for about six or seven seconds at nearly 100 percent muscle contraction. Knowing this tells us how we must train to get the best results with creatine. A weight training set needs to be completed with in ten to twelve seconds, which means heavy weight and low reps.

In a nutshell, Creatine fuels ATP development, which means:

* Sustained high intensity and power workouts
* More energy for muscle contraction
* Vastly improved power and muscle size
* You workout longer, stronger and get to see the results in the mirror.

Do you know how much CREATINE you should be taking? Calculate your intake Free at Bodybuilding.com!

I'm starting a new section in my blog. Its called "My Journey - Reliving It".

So "What is My Journey - Reliving It" all about?
It is my very own never been reveal before personal diary. I recently recovered my long lost journal stating my ups and downs in my quest to fitness. I found some very good insights and decided to go public with it. You get to see and experience my feelings throughout my 32 weeks. My never before been told secret emotions and how U overcome them. I couldn't believe how far I've come from. The road to success has never been an easy one. Life is hard, it eats you from inside out. But F*cK it. You hear voices in your head, constantly doubting yourself. Getting up everyday every morning when the sky is still dark. But your life was already dark ever since. Living behind shadows all this while is already chewing you up. But what's the difference of what you are doing now? So why do you still do it? Is it for Fame? or is it for Glory? You are doing it because you got something to prove to yourself. That you are not a Loser. That you are more than just this. This life, this journey, this quest is about believing the impossible. Its about fulfilling your destiny, becoming the person you ought to be. So hang on for this 32 weeks and make sure you never let go. So again what is "My Journey - Reliving It"? The purpose is to rewalk this journey with you. And at the end of the 32 weeks, you'll know where you stand. The destination has been set. The journey starts with Week 1, my fellow comrades! Come back and follow regularly how I live my journey in each post. Now hold on tight, share with me your journey and the best for every week will be review here exclusively for the next 32 weeks. Relive my journey!

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

Try out my BMI Calculator from yourminis.com.

Keep track of how much weight you are losing with a weight loss tracking chart is a a significant step. There is nothing more motivating than seeing your results thus far in black and white.

There are tonnes of benefits to be gained from a weight loss tracking chart. Firstly it is the best way to see your results and how you are progressing with the diet and exercise. Secondly you can monitor how much you are losing each week or each month - see what works, what doesn’t. I don't believe in weighing yourself more than once a week if you are trying to lose weight. Try to pay attention to which of your meals really satisfies your hunger, what times of day (or days) that you are particularly vulnerable to hunger or poor meal choices so that you can plan better, and try to identify small diet or exercise changes that you can make on an ongoing basis to continue losing weight.

Another benefit is you can check whether your weight loss system is useful enough for achieving your short term and long term weight loss goals. Here I have included some tools,software and programs that you can use which I recommend you do cause it will definitely assist you.

BWM 2.0 Diet Manager Freeware

This BWM (Biometric Weight Manager) diet manager is a program oriented to people you wants to start a new life, losing weight, or either taking control of their own food and combining these good things with some exercise. This software can be downloaded for FREE. The program will help you achieve your personal goals, weight loss, diet, nutrients, etc. What I particular like is how you will be able to receive a daily feedback throught detailed graphics reports basic on your weight goal progress. When you start using your BWM diet manager program, you will need before to complete your personal profile to obtain your daily basis. Each day you can register your activities, food, exercise, etc. Your will be able to have your own dairy of your regular life. BWM Manager, allow you to set up your own diet plan and corresponding nutrient percentages. You can also configure your program in combination with some popular diet programs like Atkins, South Beach, Shape Up, etc. So, if you want to have a healthier life with a very good tracking system, I'll definitely recommend this!


Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator
BMR is the total number of calories your body requires for normal bodily functions (excluding activity factors). This includes keeping your heart beating, inhaling and exhaling air, digesting food, making new blood cells, maintaining your body temperature and every other metabolic process in your body. In other words, your BMR is all the energy used for the basic processes of life itself. It is very important to note that the higher your lean body mass is, the higher your BMR will be. This is very significant if you want to lose body fat because it means that the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, and it requires a great deal of energy just to sustain it.

Download this FREE software to estimate your metabolic rate and the recommended calorie intake according to your height, weight and age. Also taking into account how active you are and if you are male or female -My-Diet-Program.com

myfitnesspal.com

With MyFitnessPal.com you have access to a lot of great features to help you on your fitness journey. Here are some of these features:

- Easy to use food diary
- Food database with information on 6,000 different foods (and growing)
- A personal food database
- Discussion forums for support and motivation
- Personalized diet profile
- Flexibility

The best part about MyFitnessPal.com is that it is always 100% free. They don’t charge any fees for any of these services.

One of the best features of MyFitnessPal.com is the community side. Having the support of others in your weight loss or muscle building efforts could be the missing key to your success. That’s why its always recommended that you have a training partner and also that you hang out with people headed in the same direction that you are. While you may not get a training partner (although you might find a local buddy there), you can at least get some great moral support. Check them out sometime!



Free Weight Tracking Calendar


StartYourDiet.com is an interactive diet program that allows you to plan your diet, track your progress and achieve the weight loss results you desire. Featuring a free tracking calendar for tracking your weight, setting goals and charting your progress. A deluxe version of the program allows you to track your meals, find a diet buddy, start a diet blog and more! If you have some spare cash, do invest in this. It's worth it. If not, the BWM 2.0 Diet Manager will do just find.

Project 31 has been getting a little slow responds. Nevertheless, it is starting to peak up gradually. Thank you for supporting Project 31.

This are the habits and goals of the participants of Project 31. And I am hoping to get an update from all of you. This is to keep you focused and devoted. It will act like a checklist. Other people are encourage to join in and comment on each others problems, achievements and progress. I would like to know:

1. One positive thing you noticed this week.
2. What are you looking forward to next week.

To those of you who just join in, its all right, you can share too. And to those who had yet to join in, JOIN IN RIGHT NOW! Make the change today!

Sherre
I'm in on Project 31! My habit is going to be exercise ... EVERY SINGLE DAY. Thank you for doing this ... I need all the help I can get.

Antoinette
I'm back. :)

I commit to 20 minutes of exercise a day. I will mainly focus on Pilates though because I've been having some back pain and I know from experience that Pilates usually helps me with that. Plus, Pilates always makes me stand taller and feel leaner. It's a win win!

Anonymous
Ok, my behaviour change:
1) Earlier to bed so I can get up at 6:00 to exercise my dogs. It will be dark, but I need to do it early cause I'm really bad in my time management
2)It will get me fitter and I want this to be a long term habit, building on and supporting other healthy habits.(not to mention good for the dogs!)
3)It will be different this time because I’m going to start my change the night before, relaxing and going to bed early.

Steven
Hi all,

I’d love to join this challenge – hope I’m not too late.

My habit that I will break is to stop buying packets of junk food and eat it all in one sitting. If I feel the urge to do that, I will read a letter that I’ve written to myself about all the reasons why I shouldn’t, and eat something healthy instead.

I will do this for the next 31 days. I will then continue to do this after the 31 days are over.

Thanks for this project Keeven!

The second day of Annie's 365-Mile Challenge and I feel as pumped up as ever. Today I step into the gym ready physically and mentally focused...I'm starting to feel into the challenge after looking at how others had been so motivated to clocked in their durations. I'm ready to beat my own record yesterday.
And my positive mindset seem to paid off.

Today's Workout

Treadmill
Duration: 28 minutes
Elevation: 3
Speed: 12
Calories Burned: 305
Distance: 5km which is equivalent to 3.1miles

Then I proceed to my abs exercise. (15 minutes)
30 x 3 crunches
30 x 3 Cross-Body Crunch
10 x 3 Air Bike
10 x 3 Lying Leg Raise

Stationary Bike
Duration: 35 minutes
Calories Burned: 223
Distance: 7.1 miles

Followed by my back workout: (30 minutes)
12 x 4 Pullups
12 x 4 Wide-Grip Pulldowns Behind The Neck
12 x 4 Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
12 x 4 Elevated Cable Rows

My total duration of my workout today is 108 minutes.Pretty high intensity.
Total distance: I got in 13.2 miles on my second day.

A rapid increase from my second day. But I know its due to the stationary bike. Nevertheless another great workout at the gym that I encourage everyone to try. Combination of high intensity cardio and weight trainings. It do you wonders.

Me on my last lap on Annie's 365-Mile Challenge


Today is my first day of Annie's 365-Mile Challenge.
My total duration of my workout today is 1 hour 30 minutes which means I got in 6.75 miles for a start. Not bad I suppose.

I was really tired today and was feeling sick. If you haven been noticing, people around the world are falling sick day by day. Even the old man fell sick today, one day before his birthday. And I'm not sure if he is up to any celebration tomorrow. Doesn't make today quite a motivating day to the gym. So I did a mini run around the neighborhood followed by my old time favorite home workout.

I did a 45 minutes run. For the record, I covered almost 3.75 miles. A little slower than usual. But my right knee felt weak and was starting to give way. So I had to slow down a little. After all, I was saving up a little energy for my squats. Just look at me in the photo - gasping strongly for air.

Another 45 minutes workout which consists of:

Super set this 2 exercises for 3 sets.
15 reps body weight squat
15 reps push ups

Then followed by abs workout.
30 x 3 crunches
30 x 3 Cross-Body Crunch
10 x 3 Air Bike
10 x 3 Lying Leg Raise

Overall, I'm satisfied with today's workout. What about you?

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

The internet connection nowadays are really bad. Every time when it rains, basically I have zero connectivity. And that's really frustrating as I really love updating my blog and reading what other bloggers have to share as well. And when all hopes are gone, suddenly my internet when alive! I'm so excited now.

So, yesterday, a nice chap at the gym approached me. His name is David. We chit chat a little, exchange name cards and trying out new workouts. David asked me a very good question and I want to share it with all of you. He asked me - "I'm trying to lose weight. But I really love coffee. Can I still drink coffee?"

I feel it would be great to really clear the considerable confusion over coffee calories. Plus, I confessed I'm a great fan of coffee as well.

So I told David - A plain cup of brewed coffee contains almost zero calories. It's how you dress up your coffee that makes a difference in the fat, sugar and calorie count — and your weight-loss plans.

Well, that's true isn't it?

When we talk about about coffee calories, what are we actually talking about? The truth is the additives we put in it. We tend to sweeten the bitterness with milk, sugar, or cream. And they are these additives that are going to add up the calories.
So what happens to coffee lover is basically this - the larger the drink volume, the more additives you will be adding in. The more additives you add in, the more calories you are consuming. Period.

So the tip to coffee dieting is simple. Just take the time to consider how would you flavor your coffee by reading the product labels of your sweeteners. So basically one tablespoon is estimated around 15ml. If you add 1 tablespoon of sugar, you'll add roughly 50 calories. If you choose to add 1 tablespoon of whipping cream, you'll be adding more than 50 calories and 5 grams of fat to a cup of coffee. However, on the other hand, one tablespoon of fat-free milk adds only 5 calories.

Remember not to take thing likely at the local coffee bar. What goes into the brew you order also matters. Before ordering, check out the nutrition information provided by the coffee bar. You can also check it online.

In addition, I've heard many rumors on the effectiveness of caffeine as a fat burner. Well, all I can say is currently, there is no research that can prove caffeine helps enhance fat decomposition. In my opinion, it is the disadvantages that worries me. Overdose of drinking coffee also has bad influence on bone, irregular heart beat and etc.

So to conclude this, reduce the amount of additives you put into your coffee and you'll successfully reduce a significant amount of Calories from your diet. If your interested in coffee dieting, you can carefully choose your type of coffee by referring to the chart above. Remember less additives less calories! Happy coffee dieting!

Hello people!

Today is the first day of Project 31 and I'm officially launching it. Please join me and share your habits, goals, lifestyle changes that you would like to change. As a kindly reminder, it need not be related to weight loss.

In conjunction with Project 31, I would like to share one of my key to success - Goal Setting. It would be my first tip in helping you achieve your life changing habits. From time to time, I’d be sharing some information with the bloggers that might help with their goals in Project 31. Try it, ignore it but just hear me out.

When it comes to setting a goal, a very old friend taught me the SMART approach.

S – Specific – The Goals should be specific and detailed in writing. For example, instead of saying “I want to stop eating those sweetening food”, try saying “I will stop eating chocolate brownies by 15 September”. And write it down!!! You can write it down here at the comment section so that others will know as well. I want you to be committed.

M – Measurable – If you currently eat 5 chocolate brownies, set yourself a time line. Week 1, 4 per week, Week 2, 3 per day and so on.

A – Action Focused – By writing down your goal and inserting in a time line, you can take appropriate action every day. Do not rush yourself. The key is to take baby steps every day and soon you will see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

R – Realistic – Set realistic goals! This is usually the main cause of failure. As much as I want you to achieve your goals, I do not want you to fail either. Be ambitious but don't lose your passion through unrealistic expectations.

T – Time Focused – Set a date and time when you will achieve your goal. Otherwise its not a goal, its a wish!!

I hope this is helpful. And I wish everyone good luck!

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

People have different experiences at different ages. Did you know that children are in the business of learning? They attempt to store all the things that happen to them into some type of logical form. See how freaking sneaky is this young fellow. Enjoy the video. *Have a great laugh or two*

Infant



Teenager

And this is what happens when this cheeky fellow grew up. A great way to escape from a boring lecture.



Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

Well,losing weight can at times be really really hard to handle. Sometimes we would feel like crying for no reason. We feel depress and agitated. Frustrated and angry. Or even suicidal. Often it is very depressing for me when I see my friends enjoying pizza with extra toppings and cheese and all I can have was salad. We sometimes get so tired up at work and chores but yet we need to force our lazy ass to do some exercise. The stress keeps building up when we step foot on the scale and the needle was pointing at the same number as last week. Throughout the years, I've learned that how you plan to start the morning can be really helpful in determining the rhythm for the rest of the day. I always make sure I start the morning with some added kick into it. And before I knew it, soon this extra activity became a healthy lifestyle habit. I wish to share with you some of the great activities I incorporate into my morning routine that can leave me better able to handle the stress. Try one or try all. Experiment with it, and take the pick which suits you best.


Dance in the Shower
Personally this is my favorite. Its more of stretching but I prefer to call it dancing. Enjoy the hot water splashing down on you. Move your head from left to right and lift both your arms up. Gift it a nice stretch. Sing along while your doing it. The hot water will loosen up your muscles, so it’s easier to get a good stretch. Dancing aka Stretching will help you to start the day feeling more relaxed and ready to face what lies ahead of you.

Morning Walk
I think many hate doing this. I use to dislike waking up in the morning to exercise. You need not have to jog or run. Just walk and enjoy the fresh morning breeze against your face. I think I need not have to tell you the benefits of walking. The benefits of walking have practically a long list! Oh! bring a dog with you, you’ll be lavished with attention as well!

Blogging
I don't think I need to explain much on this. Many of you reading this might be blogging way longer than I have. Blogging on your weight loss progress leads to increased self-awareness. Writing your issues downs can help you release negative emotions, and share them with people who are facing them as well.

Eat a Balanced Breakfast
Breakfast is known as ‘breaking the fast'. And it means having bagel and coffee alone is not enough. They contain nothing but empty calories. Always start the morning with a healthy balance meal both protein,carbs and fruits. You need sufficient blood sugar levels to handle physical and mental stress. Without it, you won't be able to follow through the day without eating more unwanted calories on the next meal. Read more.

Music!
This has really been my habit till today. Every morning the first thing I do I switch on my speakers. And the music goes bom! Put on your favorite songs. A mixture of slow and fast songs. Music has been shown to reduce stress. Listening to slow song will give you a soothing feel and a sense of peace. If you choose to play party songs like me, you'll create positive energy. Listen to music as you get ready and start your day, adding a sense of peace to your morning walk, relaxing your body in the shower, and stimulating your mind as you blog.

If you have any great ideas, share them with me..

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

The life of people across the globe change that day. The world was never the same again. Let us honor them. Let us not take for granted for what we have today. Let us all be thankful that we have live for another day. Today, we shall appreciate one another. To the 3 Malaysians who lost their life that day, Amen.

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

1. Brush your teeth using the normal toothbrush. Move those hands. Do not use electric toothbrush.
2. Stand up and take shower instead of lying on bath tub. Sing while you scrub your body! Try reach for your back while your at it. Its a very good form of stretching.
3. When you are watching television, sit on a balance ball rather than on the sofa.
4. Walk to the television if you want to change the channel or volume. Do not use the television remote control.
5. After you finish washing dishes, dry them instead of leaving them to drain.
6. Don't use the juice machine. Try squeezing the fruit with your hands.
7. If you see a housefly, chase and hit it with magazine or newspaper. Do not use spray
8. Use a cordless phone and dance around the house when you are talking on the phone.
9. Bend over and stretch those legs when you pick up those laundry from the basket.
10. Put on some music and cut up the rug. Dancing improves your mood.
OK... make it eleven. Man will love this.
11. Have sex more often. And I mean with your partner!.

Do you have more to add to the list? Feel free to comment.

What do you expect after you lose weight? How would you imagine your life will be? For starters, you might be jumping up the roof. And honestly, you should. You have gone through HELL and god knows how much you suffer to achieve the body you have today. Give yourself a peck in the back. But like what other large changes you go through in life, we are bound back to our day-to-day routine. We are constantly adjusting. If we are bless with more money in life, we laugh about it, enjoyed the new found wealth together and we adjust to our more lavish life. If we lose a lover, we cry and mourn but we eventually adjust and move on.

Similarly, I am adjusting to the fact that I am about 60 pounds lighter than I was a few years ago. It's not like I spend every moment thinking "Oh My God, I'm finally there!". But I do feel it in some way about it sometime. For example when I'm sitting in my chair I realize how much space there actually is now. I also realized that sometimes when I'm watching TV, I will unconsciously touch my chest, feeling it with my hands and at the same time feeling proud that I actually felt muscle. It may sound silly. But that's what happen to me. But I think everyone of us deserved to feel better about themselves as we now look better and know have accomplished something that a lot of people strive for. The feeling of walking down the hall without the pain in my knees and enjoying my increased mobility is simply hard to believe. No longer need I feel like a walking snow man (imagine the 3 round balls of snow that make up a snowman). And of course - SEX! If you know you look better, you'll feel better naked. And of course you should be getting more sex and enjoying it more!

So like all human beings who functions better with goals assigned, I am currently challenging my body to bulk up on mass and tone up by the end of this year. Hopefully I would continue living a healthy life. Well, that's all I ever wanted. What else can I ask for? What would you ask for?

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

We all have those days when we don't feel like moving at all. You'll get the feeling that your routine work is just so boring and what you are doing now made no sense at all. Here are some ways to know you're burned out:

1. On the way to the gym for your usual workout, it suddenly rain. You quickly rush home to lay on the couch though you know the rain doesn't affect your workout.

2. You could imagine your running shoes starring at you from a far, daring you to go out for a morning run. But then you decide to hide under the blanket.

3. Your stared at your mobile phone, your workout partner is calling you for the forth time and the thought of switching off your phone cross your mind.

4. You are pushing through all your workout sets. You're personal trainer standing beside you is counting for you, but you can hear yourself saying "I know there are 5 reps more to go...Do you have to keep counting?"

5. Looking at your gym bag gives you a soar eye.

6. When you are doing your shopping, you go through the racks and you hear yourself saying "Whats up with all the labels behind these packets?"

7. In the morning to work, you park in the nearest parking space, take the lift instead of the stairs and roll your chair to your colleague's desk instead of actually walking.

8. At lunch, you asked a colleague - Want a donut?

9. During your usual morning run, you stop and check your shoes to see if someone secretly strapped 10-lb weights to your feet.

10. Getting out of bed feels like an abs workout.

Does this sounds familiar? Its all right. Is normal burnout sometimes happens to us. Just take the time off from your normal workout and try something new instead. You can consider participating in Project 31 or you can simply give yourself a few days of rest. Take the time and share your problems with a friend and you'll come back stronger than ever!

Thanks Sherre for informing me about the comment box. Apparently the ad was in the way of the submit button. That's very weird. It shouldn't happen. But it should be find now. If there is anymore problem, do contact me. Start hitting those comments!

Hello my dear readers,

Today, we are doing something different. I thought of something more practical. Well, we all have some bad habits that we would like to change don't we?. But changing a bad habit is not as easy as what people think. And you know it is. I've seen thousands of people sign up for new gym memberships every day and within less than four weeks they've already thrown in the towel, never to step foot in that gym again. Don't be like them. I'm not trying to discourage you, I want you to succeed and to believe in yourself and to realize that you can and will transform your life, and you'll do it one step at a time. And Project 31 is my way of offering a little encouragement and support.

What is Project 31?

I have constant struggle over my journey, fighting my temptations on food, resisting the urge to smoke, controlling my temper and many others. I know that some of you are trying very hard to change your bad habits forever, constantly fighting but never quite there. Some of you might be struggling to get the momentum. However, I know there are still some out there waiting not willing to work but wish one day something magically will happen.

So, Project 31 requires you to identify only ONE habit which you really need to change right now. And when I mean Now, I really mean NOW!. Stop giving excuses like "This is not the right time" Because you and I know there isn't. Stop thinking, start doing! It need not be related to weight loss. It might be about food or exercise, it could be alcohol or drug related, your long-term goals or perhaps some other kind of destructive habit. Project 31 only wants you to identify ONLY ONE habit in order to focus on that ONE particular destructive habit and addressing that one part at a time. We cannot rush into it. Rushing to change 100 habits at a time only results to failure.

Why 31?

Well, 31 simple means 31 days. You might think it may not be sufficient for you to change but it’s surely enough time for everyone here in the bloggersphere to help you generate some momentum, provide some motivation and hopefully provide a platform to jump start your change. I can only teach you to walk but eventually you have to walk on your own. The decision lies in your hands.

How to Participate?

Submit a comment stating the following:

1. State the ONE habit you want to face
2. Why do you choose to do so and why is important to you.
3. Why this time it will be different.

Keep it short and simple.

Every Monday, you are require to write an update in the comment section of that day's post. This is to keep you focused and devoted. It will act like a checklist. Other people are encourage to join in and comment on each others problems, achievements and progress. Your update may contain:

1. One positive thing you noticed this week.
2. What are you looking forward to next week.

The official ’start date’ of Project 31 is next Monday (September 15) and ends on Thursday (October 15). This will give all of you some time. Nevertheless, you can start right now if you like to. In fact I would prefer that. So start clicking on the comment box!

Keeven
Ex Fat Boy

This is a frequently asked question if you're new to weight training. Trust me, I had a hard time figuring this out. Yet, every tough questions has its answers. However, I have a confession to make. Bare in mind, I am no pro trainer or fat loss guru. So if your expecting to see a long article giving you bombastic advices, you are wrong. I am just a guy who is going to give you my honest and truthful experiences on fat loss. So before we go more into that, let us have a quick run on the basic definitions.

What is Cardio?

‘Cardio’ as is known in short is also known as cardiovascular exercise. Cardio is something you do at a sustained pace over a period of time which puts pressure on your cardiorespiratory system. When I say cardiorespiratory I mean your heart and lungs. Cardio can be as simple as walking to running, or swimming to cycling.

What is Weight Training ?

Lifting weights, on the other hand is a form of anaerobic activity. Anaerobic means an absence of oxygen. It does not mean no oxygen is needed but it simply means the activity requires a short bursts of high intensity energy that increases the muscle's requirement for oxygen, resulting our body to produce lactate acid. Production of lactate acid will prohibit us from lifting at that intensity.

Now that we're done on a few of the simple difference between cardio and weight training, the fun part begins!

The Answer : Weights Training before Cardio

Shocking? But that's the truth. You might think isn't cardio the ultimate fat burning workout? Let me tell you the truth of all truth. Weight training is the best way to increase metabolism, burn fats and easy to maintain. Why? Because a pound of muscles burn much more calories than a pound of fat. Fat can only burn 5 calories per day. Muscles on the other hand burn 50 calories per day. So, simply transforming 5 pounds of fat to 5 pounds of muscle, your body gets to burn an additional 250 calories. Simply great! Cardio at a steady pace for 40 minutes won't do much for fat loss. However it is still important. Modified your cardio training into interval training will do wonders for you. Let me give you an example. Run for 1 minute easy intervals followed by 30 seconds higher intensity. Keep repeating that. And mix it in between your weight trainings. You can view a sample here - The Fat Boy Workout

Most of my female friends are reluctant to try when I mentioned weight training. They have the perceptions that if I lift the 10 pounds dumbbell to much I'll get to bulk. Let me tell you something. As long as you push your muscles to the limit, your muscles should be fatigue and you will never bulk up! So take the time to consider my program. Cardio is wonderful, but weight training is much better!

To those of you who doesn't know GNC, GNC stands for General Nutrition Center. It is the leading retailer of nutritional supplements, vitamins, and other health food products. They have over 100 stores in Malaysia, and many others throughout the world. Is impossible you never heard of GNC if you’re into diet and exercise. And perhaps you are about to head right into one yourself. If you are, hold it right there, hear me out.

1. Most of the people who work in GNC know NOTHING about diet, fitness, bodybuilding, weight loss or health or any supplements they want you to buy

These are not doctors, nutritionists, dietitians or personal trainers. So, if you walk into GNC expecting to get any advice and information, I won't count on it. They will try and pretend to have the answers to your questions for the sake of your money. They don’t care if you need the supplements. They just want you to buy it.

If you are fat, they will push the most expensive fat burning supplements. If you are skinny, they will push the most expensive weight gain and muscle building supplements. That’s basically all they know. It's sad but that's the truth!


2. The objective of a GNC employee is SELL SELL SELL!
More specifically, they are trained to do whatever in their power to get you to buy their supplements. They are just similar to a typical SALESMEN! If you have been there, you would probably agree with me. GNC seems to really push their Mega Man/Woman Multivitamin. Am I right?

You can go in there for some protein powder, and an employee will actually say “You know, you should really buy our multivitamin if you’re going to buy this protein powder.” When you ask why, they will just read the details behind the box. They are commission based 'salesmen' that are driven by money, not your well being.

3. Everything in GNC is overpriced.

You basically can get everything cheaper online. Shop online! If your in Malaysia, I’ve come to discover a better place to purchase my supplements. They are called Supplement2Day. Go check out their website. They do deliver to your doorstep with a small amount of fee.

Last but not least,

I want to make it clear that I didn’t write this to portray GNC as the one evil company that only cares about making money. But we are talking about stuffs we put in the mouth. Is concerns our health and body. I hope GNC could change these perceptions. And finally, like I said, I didn’t write this to get people to hate GNC. I just think you should know as a consumer. Because you deserve to know!

A year ago, a friend of mine was asking me to share my results with the world. At that moment, I did help around the gym and gave a tip or two to friends who asked me for advise. After all, I am not a certified trainer (but I'm planning to). But other than that, there's nothing much I can do. Yet I wanted to reach out to the larger population. Every time I manage to help someone achieve success, it was very fulfilling. Hearing their problems, sharing experiences and exchanging workout programs. It helps us to be a better person. It was then until recently did I discovered the power of the BLOG. And to my surprise I never thought that there will be people actually following Confessions from an Ex Fat Boy. Thank you for supporting the beginning of a yet another wonderful adventure for me. You guys rock! Therefore, as a gift to all Confessions from an Ex Fat Boy's readers, I've decided to update and give it a more corporate look.That presents me with quite a challenge today. I am no html pro. So it is no easy task for me. I wanted something that look both clean and easy to navigate whilst accommodating comprehensive information and a little advertisement place. Nevertheless, that is exactly what has been achieved in the new look. I am still working on some small minor details and a nice design for my title. I'll appreciate if anyone would like to offer their services to design. So to all of you who visited during the maintenance period, I apologize. I also included a Feature column to preview weekly hot topics. I'm ought to customize my twitter. But right now, I'm overall quite happy with it. I hope you like the new look and find it easy to use. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please do not hesitate to drop a comment! Thank you!

Today, I shall share with you one of my key routine to weight loss that I discover by trial and error. When I first started out my quest for weight loss, I started like what most people will do - "cardio". Yes, our favorite common enemy. I was very eager to lose my belly and I approach a trainer for help. The trainer suggest me to do lots of cardio. So I had been doing lots of brisk walking with steady speed (I had to walk initially because my knees couldn't support my upper body weight). And then I did very light shoulder press, bench press and got knows how many crunches and other ab exercises. And to my disbelieve, I only lose 1 pound after 1 month. Trust me, with the amount of effort put in, losing 1 pound was just not worth it. After all, I have to pay the trainer so much just to lose 1 pound. So, I decided to do my own research. And I compiled a series of exercises, modified a little bit of resistance which then form my Fat Boy workout plan.

The Fat Boy routine is as follows:

My diet:
Skim or at least low fat milk, egg whites, chicken breasts, brown rice or whole wheat bread and a significant amount of fruits and vegetables. I split my meals to 5 small meals a day and drank lots of water. My dinner consists of low carbs.

Monday
10 minutes warm up on treadmill.
Chest and Triceps followed by 15 minutes on treadmill
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell Incline Bench Press
Pec Deck Fly
Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension
EZ Bar Tricep Extensions

Wednesday
10 minutes warm up on treadmill.
Back and biceps followed by 15 minutes on treadmill
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
Wide-Grip Pulldowns Behind The Neck
Cable Rows
Preacher Curl
Concentration Curls

Friday
10 minutes warm up on treadmill.
Shoulders followed by 15 minutes on treadmill
Barbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Bent Over Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise
Barbell Shrug

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
10 minutes on the stepper
10 minutes on the stationary bicycle
This is 1 cycle:
Barbell Squat
Dumbbell Rear Lunge
Glute Kickback
Perform 4 cycles.

If you need guidance on how to perform those exercises, you can refer here. They have huge database with various types of exercises along with videos to guide you.

Workout Description

Week 1. Focus on preparing your body.
Sets: Perform 4 sets of each exercise
Reps: 8 - 10 per set
Rest: 60 - 90 seconds between sets

This amount of repetitions is needed to activate the muscle fibres which have seldom been use all this while. Moderate rep of 8-10 will accomplish this better than a low rep range or even a very high rep range.

In relation to the resistance, the weight you choose must be heavy enough that the last few reps must be a struggle. If you are not able to complete at least eight reps then the weight is too heavy. However, if you are able to complete the full amount of reps quite easily then the weight is to light. Do take some time to figure this out.

Week 2. Focus on the development of muscle tone and muscular endurance.
Hence, I alter the reps/rest intervals.
Sets: You will perform 3 sets of each exercise.
Reps: 15 – 20 per set
Rest: 30 seconds between sets.

You will repeat this routine 3 times. That makes a total of six weeks. After that, another different workout will have to be plan as our body are able to adapt. Don't worry. I'll teach you that as well.
Frankly, I followed the above routine and on my 4th week, I've lost around 11 pounds and started to see difference around my belly. I lost 2 and a half inches off my waist. The awesome thing is I did not do any abs exercise. The secret? The FatBoy Workout is designed to jump start beginners by hitting those big muscle group. Each day we focus on hitting 1 big muscle group. And i emphasis a lot on the lower body as it really takes up a lot of my energy at the same time help develop my strength for running.

If you have any questions feel free to drop me a comment, and I'll reply you as soon as possible. Try The Fat Boy Workout and tell me the results!

What is Breakfast? Simple. Breakfast simply means breaking the fast. Its because we haven't ate anything since the night before but our body continues to burn energy while we sleep. Therefore, we have to refuel first thing in the morning considering we have not ate for several hours.

In the past, I confessed I usually skip breakfast as I thought that would cut down on calories. I was desperate to lose my weight in the past that I made a choice not to have breakfast. But oh god I was wrong. When I skip breakfast, I was agitated and restless. I could not stay focus at work. I was usually at starving stage by the time it was lunch. Hence, this cause me to overeat my lunch. Because I have an empty tank, my blood sugar levels are low. This leads my lunch to be high in sugar and fat. Besides, this causes my cravings for chips to amplify. In turn, overeating places undue stress on your body and can result in unwanted weight gain. Skipping breakfast has no benefits for weight loss.

So now, What makes a good breakfast? It need not necessary be cereals, bread, pancake and etc. As long as foods consume contribute to an overall balanced diet, it will be fine. Example of good breakfast are: A glass of skim milk, oats, whole wheat toast (cut down on the butter), eggs (try consume less of the yolk) or a glass of fruit juice. I personally prefer a high carbs high protein breakfast. A sufficient amount of carbs are needed to fuel me through the morning and preventing me to consume more carbs the next meal. I post a photo of what I have for breakfast today. Scramble eggs, red beans, 2 slices of whole wheat bread and a glass of milk.

Put some effort into preparing your breakfast as you will want something that looks appealing to you in the morning. Stop making excuses that you do not have the time. If you really do not have time, grab an apple or breakfast bar. Prepare your breakfast the night before. That will definitely save time.

So enjoy your breakfast!!

Everyday, we’ve discussed ways and efforts to make exercising more fun. Everyday we try to motivate ourselves to workout. And now, Nintendo is going to train you to get out and use those two limbs. Today,I read a nice article over at the Washington Post. Mike Musgrove writes on the new Nintendo DS game titled "Personal Trainer: Walking". Apparently, Nintendo created a walking game by tying a pedometer to a software that runs on the DS. Players can download their pedometer data to the DS and it tracks statistics, compares your daily distances walked with your friends’ records and many others. It works like a walking journal where you can track how much you've walked by keeping your pedometer with you. Besides that, in order to unlock certain levels or goals in the game, you have to earn it by walking...

If you ask me today if “Walking is a game now?”

Yes, walking is a game now. It definitely will encourage people to move more instead of being a couch potato. Besides, it should be fun for the kids! Children will be busy walking to compete with their friends and crack new items in the game. Maybe this is our solution to stop or at least reduce obesity of future generations. And for this, I salute Nintendo for taking the effort to harmonize physical activity with video games in many creative ways. What do you think?

Happy Independence Day to all Malaysians!! Hope you are enjoying the public holiday with your amazing fellow Malaysians. I know I am. TODAY, all Malaysians celebrate the day Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first prime minister declared "Merdeka" (Freedom) for the country in 1957. The day Malaysia finally broke free from colonial rule. The day the hardships of our ancestors finally make sense.

Nothing can describe freedom. Freedom is everything to me. Its the smell of success, fulfillment, victory yet it reminds me of hardship, pain and sweat. I have taken the time to celebrate my freedom from fat, from weight issues, from food, from myself. For this, I am thankful to God. Today, I confessed I love reading what you shared in your posts and I sincerely wish that one day all of you here will be celebrating your own Independence Day. You will be the person you ought to be. No longer you need to hear the word obesity, fat or overweight. You will finally be FREE!!! MERDEKA!

District 9... Is one Awesome and disturbing yet inspirational movie!
I've just watch District 9 and to those of you who have not, Go watch it.

In short, District 9 features a gazillion of aliens which mothership stranded right over Johannesburg, South Africa. We humans decide to take in the stranded visitors by providing them food and shelter. Hence, the MNU (Multi-National United) is created to oversee the welfare of the aliens.

In my opinion, the film is so confrontational and depressing to watch. There are many lessons to be learned here. What District 9 got to offer is something more than ordinary. There are over 2,000,000 aliens in the camp. And when faced with desperate relocation of illegal refugees (the aliens), with scarce resources and almost no humanitarian aid, human beings resort to brutal measures. The black Africans who suffered under their leader, Apartheid dominates Johannesburg, telling news crews "It would be different if they were just from another country. What rights do we grant to non-human life forms?" These gangs have exploited the aliens, trading them cat food (somehow the aliens loves them) for their valuable weapons and ruling the village with cruel violence. We are given a very peculiar picture of human intolerance and greed.

All these issues came into my mind when I watch District 9. It will be hard to not compare District 9 with what is happening in the real world. We humans can be very selfish and prejudice towards something or someone whom are indifferent to the main population. When applied towards the fat people, it is very disappointing. Just because we are fat, does not mean it gives others the right to treat us unrighteous and disrespectful. We today are so blinded by materialism and appearance that we may without knowing outcast others whom are unlike us. Like the aliens in District 9, these outcast people do the best they can to survive in today's society while longing to be accepted.

Then we have the hero, Wikus van something something. Sorry. I can't really remember. He started as a normal average guy working for the MNU but is forced to become violent to survive. Wikus reminded me of my former self. A guy who refuses to accept what’s happening to him. He thinks he’s just having a terrible nightmare. He didn’t want to be a lab rat for the MNU and he didn’t want to be part of the aliens’ escape plan. All Wikus wants to do is return to his normal self. Though he took sometime, but eventually he did accept the person he has become and stood up bravely for his alien friend. This is a lesson we should all learn. The earlier we accept that we are different and that we have chosen the path to change, the easier the journey would be for us. There is no point running away from the fact. Accept that we need to achieve a certain goal and do it! Stop running away from it!

So to those of you who haven watch District 9, go watch it. Whether you love it or hate it I think we all agree we need some "moral enlightment".

In light of what happen with regards to ACCA, I was definitively frustrated and stressed. In which this reminds me on my first hand experience on stress eating. Stress eating.. Yes? Familiar? This is one of the most favorite discussion today. I also read about Lori Ann's stress eating issues. Stress eating or what I would like to call DESTRUCTIVE eating because it does nothing good to our body but destroys it along with our dreams actually has no permanent solution. But we can control it. Just look at the photo. See what DESTRUCTIVE eating has done to Jessica Simpson.

Every time I had an argument with my father or whenever i feel tense or wound up, I would want to eat something because it changes my state. At least that's what I think. Every time I wait too long for something or someone I would feel agitated and I would feel better after chewing down something. Especially Chips!! When I was working, I use to reach into my desk drawer for a candy bar or snack after a tense meeting or an uncomfortable run-in with my co-worker. If you are facing something similar like me, YOU ARE A DESTRUCTIVE EATER!!

Try doing this quiz I found on the internet - http://www.stresseaterquiz.com

We must first start by identifying the situation and acknowledging to ourselves that we are, indeed, turning to food during times of stress and uncertainty.

In order to confront our stress eating, we need to be able to identify what causes it and also come up with other ways to deal with stress. Spend some time trying to figure that out and then substitute it.

Some articles I read stated that exercise and movement are always a good way to deal with stress and tension. Well, it doesn't work for me though. Because every time I hit the gym, I need to stay focus on my daily goal. I have to mentally fit in order to workout and it doesn't work the other way around for me. However, it may be possible to take a quick walk around the block or up a few flights of stairs to clear my head.

I would encourage listening to music or writing out feelings of frustration in a journal or even here in your blog like what you have been doing can be a productive way to let go of stress instead of turning to the refrigerator. If you love talking and it helps to talk to a friend, then making a phone call can be a stress reliever. I always call my gym partner when I'm unhappy. By doing that, the person on the other end can tell if I am are eating while talking. So back to my earlier posts, choose a friend that is also working toward healthier eating habits, then you can be a support-system for each other. If your feeling agitated at night, try taking a bath. You'll be surprise. It works wonders.

Oh! And I read from some of the others blogs that they usually get stressed up too much with their chores. My advice, stop worrying so much about cleaning the house, doing the laundry, washing the dishes and running around from left to right. Take time for yourself. Think of this as MUMMY'S STRESS BREAK! If you take care of yourself first, you will be a much better person.

And last but not least, chew a piece of gum during the time of the day when you typically eat because of stress. Works all the time for me!

To sum it up:
1)Identify and substitute
2)Express it, instead of eating it
3)Bath, Bath, Bath
4)Mummy's Stress Break!
5)Start Chewing GUM!

I am seriously damn piss off right now. I couldn't work out. I feel immobilize, tire and I couldn't even run for 10 minutes without having this trouble lingering around my head. My head feels so much heavier than a 25lbs dumbbell. I picked up the weights only to put it back right down. I only did 2 sets of biceps curl and I decided to call it off. I thought everything would be find. And that I would give up my job and concentrate on finishing up my ACCA examinations. But I was wrong.

ACCA is suppose to be one of the oldest accounting body and claims to be the best of the best for professional accountants. They even proudly tell the world Why ACCA? If ACCA is so much world class, then i wonder what about the people working there. Let me summarize them for you. S**T!

As far as I'm concerned, they have the worst customer service. Two months ago, I called up ACCA Malaysia to make an inquiry. The female on the end of the phone was totally rude. All I wanted to know was why I tried calling so many times but I couldn't get through and she said with so much sarcasm in her voice - "We have to eat do you know that?". Not even a word of apology. Great!

Nevertheless, I took the liberty to go straight to their office somewhere in Dang Wangi. I took the LRT (is like a subway) to avoid any unnecessary jam. I had a hard time searching for Wisma Denmark and ended up asking a passerby. Not only they didn't have a proper signboard on their building, it was quite well hidden. The female at the counter was very very very unhelpful. She just gave me a few brochures and ask me to read them but all I wanted was someone to verify my exemptions. I even printed out their exemption inquiry form from their website and took the time to fill it up. And as she reluctantly flip through my qualifications, she grimly look at me and say - "Oh. You don't need this form as your a Monash graduate. You are given 9 papers exemptions as stated on the website. All we need is your Academic Transcript". I was wondering why the female on the phone couldn't have told me this earlier. Then there is no need for me to come second time.

But that was just small matters. Till this morning when I receive their so called "WELCOME PACKAGE", only to realize I was given only 7 papers exemptions. I was fuming with anger. I had enrolled myself with a university and paid the school fees in full. I can't take the exam for my current paper till I complete the other 2 papers which I was suppose to be exempted from. What am I to do now? I do not understand. Why couldn't they inform me earlier? Classes for ACCA started in July and they are only telling me now!! I am seriously pissed of! And they never gave me any reason. Why is this? I was assured by Monash University that everything would be find and I'll be given the appropriate exemptions. I do not know what to do now? I am seriously stressed up.

I wonder is there anyone out there facing the same problem.

I never started, thinking I will ever reach this far. Similar to most people, I started my weight loss mission by not allowing myself to eat fast food, cutting down my carbs intake by half and it made life at that moment seem meaningless. Today,I confessed if it wasn't for the support of this few individuals, I wouldn't had made it. I receive a photograph from a dear friend, Leon today (refer on the left). It was a taken back in 2008 in our university gym. On the left is Leon and I'm the guy on the right. I was still in the midst of losing weights. Looking back at the photograph reminds me how my journey began. Inspired by that photograph Leon send to me, I'm dedicating this entry to 5 people who have made a difference in my life when I was down,when I was still struggling in my weight loss journey and during those times I needed a push from the back.

1.My Good Friend Leon – Leon is probably the closest friend I have in my life right now which amazes me everyday. Not only because he is one of the most smartest person I know in college but mostly because at first glance we are an unlikely match. When I first met him back in college, Leon was the personification of "KIASU". I on the other hand am a person who can care less. Yet we are like "SIONG DI" (blood brothers) on the INSIDE. We have the same values,morals and thinking. I know he will ALWAYS tell me the truth even if it hurts and that is a GREAT thing that money cant buy. We ALL need more honesty in our lives.
It was Leon who asked me to accompany to the university gym, and, stupidly, I actually said yes. At that time, I am usually very quite. Maybe its due to the fact that I was stuck in a FAT PIG body. But Leon was very motivating. We understood each other. I figured if Leon was at the gym, I wouldn't be so ashamed with myself. If it wasn't for him, this journey would never had begin.

2. My GF Christina - Who reminds me so much of who I really am. She didn't mind when I was a BIG MONSTER. She is way too nice and cares sometimes more than she should. Without any doubt she is so much a part of me now that I don’t know what I would do if she was not there. She is a fighter even if she does not know it, and she was always there throughout my whole transformation journey! She help cooked for me according to my diet and supported me when i was on the verge of giving up. Thank you for sticking up with me till today.

3. My friend Say – Say is my dearest friend and my gym partner. Unlike me, Say was a normal person. He is not fat. Nevertheless, he has always supported me in gym. He inspires me everyday to push the extra mile. Say is one of the smartest people I know and he is also one of the funniest. He taught me always to push those last reps, no matter WHAT!!

4.My brother Steven – I always say my brother Steven is one of the most talented writers in the world as far as I am concerned even if he does not think so. He recently won first price in an essay competition and his face was all over the News Straits Times. But more than that he is one of the most caring people I know.
He inspires me EVERYDAY to be a better person. He was also fat and in the last few years he worked hard and he inspires me everyday to lose weight and become a better person.

5. My Mother Patricia – My mother was likely the ULTIMATE mom and I don’t say that just because she's my Mom. My mother is a STRONG woman and had an unbelievable capacity to LOVE. She goes all out for anyone she love especially for her kids. I am very proud to be her son and I will be there for her till the day I leave this place.

So, when you're trying to lose weight, you've got to face many challenges . Temptation will always be there to bring you down. One place you can always go, your close family and friends. Let them know that you need their help and encouragement, and most of all, someone to be accountable to.

If you don't have a family and friends, is ok. Just start finding a diet buddy. Groups like Weight Watchers or fat loss groups on Facebook contains other people who want to lose weight. When you are among a group with similar interest, you're sure to find them a source of motivation.The best part it could be the start of a beautiful friendship!

Well, today, I'm going to make my very first confession in this blog. Have you ever experience eating a delicious meal with your friend at a favorite dining place, and as you get up from the table, you find your belly popping out like a big air balloon. You then, only realize you have overeaten and feeling slightly guilty.

I confessed, that was what used to happen to me and it just happened again today. I met up with an old classmate and we had lunch at Black Canyon Coffee. I ordered beef spaghetti. It taste all right. But not worth for the amount you are paying. We catch up, reminiscing the good old days in high school. Not trying to show off, but I kind of like being compliment by him for my new found body. An hour later, we ordered tuna sandwiches and a bowl of salad. And before I realized it, I was already burping.

In the past, I used to be dreading the whole day, blaming myself for being so weak and useless. When I recall now,I used to sabotage myself with words like: “I am such a loser”, “I am freaking hopeless", "I will never be thin" and many other negative statements. If you find yourself doing the same thing, STOP IT right now! You gain nothing for blaming yourself.

So what should you do the next time you overeat?

This is what I usually do. Every time a negative situation occur, I will come up with a way in which that could be perceived as a positive. For example, in this case, I overate with my friend, I might respond "at least now I can tell you how's the food there"

The purpose here is not to convince yourself to be happy about something you're not. but rather to recognize and increase your capacity to find the positive in the midst of a challenge. Now, try practicing this...

1. Think of something you are not happy about in your weight loss journey.
2. Now come up with as many ways it could be perceived as a good thing.

Remember, to achieve a positive weight loss, start embracing the positive !

I always realise people do not suddenly want to transform their body for no reason. Often, the reason is not for such a noble cause. I had casually ask many whom i met at the gym - Why go through all this pain? Many came up with this answer - to look good naked and to attract the opposite sex... or in special cases - the same sex.

Don't laugh. brows.gif You know is true.

Nonetheless, is "looking good naked" or "attracting hot babes" a solid enough reason to drag your butt to the gym and put yourself through intense, grueling workouts day in and day out?

Is it a good enough reason to make sacrifices, give up bad habits by totally changing your dietary habits and start eating healthy, body building food spread consistently throughout the day?

Is it a compelling enough reason to get up after you have failed the first time, second and countless more times to retry again that are required to make a transformation of this magnitude?

Maybe it will be and maybe it won't be. To some it can be very motivating. Think about it. Is there anything wrong by wanting to attract the opposite sex. Come on, I mean who doesn't want to look good naked? Furthermore, who doesn't want to attract the attention of the women or men we find appealing? Most of us do.

To be honest, that's one of the reasons I started shredding all those excessive fats and it's still is. It is a normal, valid reason and it does motivate me, but it is not by any means my only reason. And if you want to be successful in this, it shouldn't be your only reason either. You need a reason so big and powerful that it will propel you towards success. And once you got that reason, constantly remember it and you will have the force so powerful that no one can stop you from achieving your dreams but yourself.

The number one secret to transform your body and thus your life is to have a burning desire to do so and in order to fuel this burning desire you have to have a strong enough reason, or list of reasons, as to why you are putting forth the effort to make this transformation. So today before you start your workout, ask yourself - WHY?

Today, it begins - the first day of what will probably be an entirely new relationship with food an entirely new relationship with your body. One of the most remarkable things about making a true commitment to transforming your weak, fat, flabby framed body into the strong, ripped, muscular version of your ideal self is the impact that this journey will have on your entire life. Everything that we do, say, or think in this world acts incorelation from the rest of our life situation like a ripple effect that moves outward into other areas of our life.

For example if you begin by making simple changes to your diet in an effort to eat healthier, more nutritious and muscle-building foods, this change will also effect: the way you feel (i.e. your emotional state), your daily energy levels (i.e. your vitality), your interaction with others (i.e. your relationships), your ability to work, focus, and get things done (i.e. your career) and so on.

Beyond that, people will take notice and see the improvement that this effect is having on your life, which could lead them to make more conscious dietary decisions themselves. In other words, you've become a positive example to others merely by making the decision to transform your body, and this decision is having an impact not only on your own life but in the lives of others.

When you make the commitment to transform your body, you are, in effect, taking a journey to radically transform every aspect of your life.

You can reach me at: keevenlim@gmail.com

Feel free to contact me, if you need anything at all. Your personal details will remain confidential. You can reach me by filling up the form below. Alternatively you may leave comments on my blog and I’ll respond as soon as I can. Thank you.

Why I Started the Confessions from an Ex Fat Boy?

Well, the biggest reason is just that I always wanted to make a web site dedicated to weight loss. I want to share my experience as an Ex Fat Boy, how I face it, and the solutions to it. Ever since I was a small child, I was roundish and clumsy in whatever aspect. I've been fat my whole life. My mother took care of me from birth while my dad worked and, as I was the first born child in the family, she love me so much that she also fed me wayyy too much and lots of pasta, rice, soups, potatoes and gravy, fat, sugar and salt. As I got older, I started enjoying food more and more.

I was only 13 when I recall being tormented for being overweight. I was around 150 pounds!!! It’s actually very sad as a lot of my childhood is blocked out of my own memory. I'm left with little images of individual events - your general name calling and getting mildly pushed around. I remember my nickname was "pork chop". I was being called that by the elder boys who thought they were so funny. No one ever stuck up for me. I remember dreading recesses and spending it alone in some random corner where I hoped to be left alone. No one made eye contact with me and people really weren’t all that nice.The last time I remember I was only 17 years old, 5’6” but weigh 210 pounds on the dot!

And so I told myself enough is enough. I had a dream. I wanted to look slim and ripped. I wanted to wear a size M T-shirt without having my excess belly fat sticking out. I want to be a ladies-magnet when I walked down the streets for at least once in my life. Through out the year, I've spent a ton of time seeking out all kinds of diet and workout information through magazines, web sites and forums, and the amount of useless, unnecessary, and just plain wrong information out there is just crazy. As if that wasn't bad enough, the amount of people trying to sell this information or sell some type of book, supplement, pill, machine, membership or product of some kind is even crazier.Don't get me wrong, there is indeed some great free useful and truthful information out there. I just wanted to help add to it.

Regarding Confessions from an Ex Fat Boy itself, essentially all I really want is to provide the tools and information that had helped me to lose weight. I will show you EXACTLY how I did that, so that YOU TOO CAN DO THE SAME THING. So that my dream can be YOUR DREAM too.

Regards,

Keeven Lim
Ex Fat Boy