Exercising without a gym

[Ticklish8]

I have read what Chickenbackside have achieved, and it has been inspiring.

 

Let me share my weight history. Like him I have struggled too with weight.

 

At my heaviest 1 was 118 kilogram. At that time, my bp was on borderline case 120-140 (BP Systolic) / 100-110 (BP Diastolic) and my Lipid/ cholesterol level was high. What was more ironic was that I used to work in hospital and know all about the risk....

 

The changes come in April last year. By then I have 2 kids. The doctor that I have consultated told me that if i persist with my lifestyle, I may not see my 2 kids up to uni.

 

The first changes is of course physchological. I just need a super strong motivating factor to change, if not I will just recede and fail with watever diet, exercise regime that I choose. The 2nd was of course I need to choose a sensible diet n exercise.

 

Knowing myself and the struggle that I have faced all my live, I knew then that I can't just diet and the weight will go down. I will eventually wolf everything back and the weight loss will never be permanent.

 

First stage: April to Jun/July last year

 

So this what I did. I have breakfast like what I'm doing today, have lunch but stop eating after 6pm. If i was super hungry i just eat fruit, maybe some bread and that it. I didnt cut or change the food that i eat during breakfast or lunch. basically eat like before. Since i love swimming, I try to do it regularly. But my mistake was, swim like crazy, then go flat next few days. The doctor told me, what i am doing (exercise) is all wrong. What i should aim first was to get a regular, but consistent short swim lap, then increase eventually.

 

So i didnt set high target. Just 6 lap straight, once a week. I did that for the next 3 month. For someone who lead a sedentary lifestyle, I can tell you the beginning was such a HUGE struggle. The first 2-3 weeks, left me half dead.

 

But eventually it get easier. Then i started to increase to 8 lap (next 1-2 month) then change it to twice a week. Then thrice a week. Then increase the lap to 10 lap. then 12....

 

By January this year - I am doing 20 lap straight, 30 minutes flat every day.

 

Let me update you on my weight now and my blood test.

 

Weight 93 kilogram (been reading on chicken backside article on the need to reduce carbo, sugar)

 

Blood pressure 113/70. The doctor said, perfect.

 

Creatinine 75 (reference interval 60-110)

ALT 29 (17-63)

(check for liver)

 

Lipid profile

Cholesterol 3.5 mmol/L (Desirable <5.2)

HDL-C 0.9 mmol/L (Low <1.0, Desirable 1.0-1.5)

LDL-C, or what u called the bad cholesterol 2.2 mmol/L (Optimal <2.6)

 

Creatine Kinase 79 (50-250)

Clinically, creatine kinase is assayed in blood tests as a marker of myocardial infarction (heart attack), rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown), muscular dystrophy, and in acute renal failure.

 

All the result, according to doctor is perfect. Just need to reduce weight, preferably to 85 kilogram.... so my method was eat less n exercise.

 

[:p]

 

 

I have struggled with weight most of my life. Yoyo dieted a few times, lost the weight, but piled it on more than ever after reaching my goals.

 

But finally, I have found a sustainable way to stay healthy and lean. I thought I'd share my story with you. The people who have tried my method have experienced weight loss and and better health. All of them.

 

I started to change my lifestyle because early last year, I got ill for 3 months and saw 5-6 doctors and none of them could heal me. I finally went for a blood test and found out that I have all sorts of health problems. From high blood pressure to high cholesterol to poor liver function...etc. My doctor told me if I don't lose weight and become healthy, I will probably face my death by the time I'm 50 years old.

 

I am a 173cm tall middle-aged male who has lost 23kg the last year and is having no trouble keeping it off unlike previous times. Before I started changing my lifestyle, I had 35% body fat and my waist was 40 inches. Today, I have 12% body fat and my waist is 29 inches with visible abdominal muscles. I wear size S shirts now compared with XL before, but can hardly button the top buttons and arms are tight due to the proportion of my body now ( a nice problem to have really). I can't buy pants from Gap cos even their size 28 pants are too big for me. My recent blood test revealed that I am at the best state of health I have ever been in.

 

Now, let's get into it.

 

1st concept is, 90% of your health and weight is determined by WHAT YOU EAT. Exercise helps to make you functional, but don't make the mistake of using exercise as the main tool to lose weight. Ever heard the saying "you cannot out exercise a bad diet"?

 

About the diet, I adopt a paleolithic way of eating. Basically, this sums it up: http://www.paleonu.com/get-started/

 

1) Eliminate sugar (including fruit juices and sports drinks) and all flour

 

2) Start eating proper fats - Use healthy animal fats to substitute fat calories for carb calories. Drink whole cream or half and half instead of milk.

 

3) Eliminate grains. No rice, no bread, no noodles, no pasta...

 

4) Eliminate grain and seed derived oils (cooking oils). Cook with butter, animal fats, or coconut oil.

 

5) Get daily midday sun or take 4-8000 iu vit D daily

 

6) Intermittent fasting and infrequent meals (2 meals a day is best)

 

7) Fruit is just a candy bar from a tree. Stick with berries and avoid watermelon which is pure fructose. Eat in moderation.

 

8) Eliminate legumes

 

9) Adjust your 6s and 3s. Pastured (grass fed) dairy and grass fed beef or bison avoids excess O-6 fatty acids and are better than supplementing with 0-3 supplements.

 

11) Eliminate milk if you are sensitive to it

 

 

About the exercise, I have increased the size of my shoulders and arms by quite a few inches with just body weight exercises. Never underestimate the effectiveness of body weight exercises. For me, I don't like going to the gym, so I make do with body weight exercises so that I can do it in the comfort of my own house. Saves me time and trouble.

 

The core of my workouts are basically pull-ups and push ups. You will be surprised at how much muscle you can pack on with just these 2 exercises. Don't just think plain old simple push ups and pull ups. There are many many variations that will challenge you, even when you're at a high level of physical fitness. Different variations target different muscle groups, so you can be sure you get a great physique.

 

Of course, for your legs, you can do squats and lunges. There are many variations to these too.

 

You can jog if you enjoy running, but don't do it for too long. Keep it under 30 minutes. Focus instead on anaerobic type exercises. Don't listen to people who say you can't burn fat with pull ups. Try doing 5 sets of 20 pull ups and 5 sets of 50 push ups and tell me that's easier than jogging for 1 hour.

 

Slow steady cardio (SSD), like jogging, won't make you look muscular either. So to me, I get 2 things done at the same time when I choose not to concentrate on SSD, namely build a good looking physique and improve my functionality. For example, if there is a fire and I need to climb up to my neighbour's window upstairs, I know I have the strength to pull myself up and help my family escape the danger.

 

I only jog when I feel my body needs more time to recover from my pull ups and push ups.

 

But remember, most of it is what you stuff into your mouth. So address that first.

 

Good luck!

Edited January 22, 2010 by Ticklish8

[Triproton]

From same article:

 

"Not only is dairy fat unlikely to increase heart-disease risk, Dr. Krauss and others have learned, but reducing saturated fat in a way that increases carbohydrates in a diet can shift a person's LDL profile from safe to dangerous. That's pretty much what happens whenever some well-meaning person with "high LDL" starts eating "low-fat" frozen dinners filled out with corn-derived additives, all the while engaging in the customary ravaging of a basket filled with dinner rolls.

 

 

If I read the article properly, I think the summary of the key points are as follows:-

 

1. There are 2 types of LDL (ie bad cholesterol). The big ones (benign) and the small ones (linked to heart disease)

2. Standard testing does not distinguish between the 2 types of LDL. Hence a person will a high LDL could be ok because most of his LDL are the big type. Whereas a person with a low LDL may not be ok because most of his LDL are the small ones.

3. Because of this, Total Cholesterol (ie LDL+HDL+ Trig) is not an accurrate predictor of heart risk.

4. High HDL is definitely a predictor of low risk of heart disease - High HDL should be the goal for everyone.

5. There seems to be an inverse corelation between the level of HDL and level of small LDL (the really bad LDL). Higher the HDL, lower the small LDL. Lower the HDL, higher the small LDL. Hence, HDL level is a more accurate predictor of heart disease.

6. There is also a postive corelatioon between Trig and small LDL. Higher the Trig, higher the small LDL.

7. Hence overall goal should be High HDL and low Trig. Total LDL is not an accurate predictor unless we can test for small and big LDL.

8. Good fats (ie polyunsaturated fats) are definitely good. It increases HDL and may lower LDL.

9. Saturated Fats increases LDL. But not all increases small LDL (which is the really bad one). For example, dairy products seems to only increase big LDL (the benign one). There is a question mark over beef. More tests required.

10. Best advice, I quote

 

"...Eating fewer carbohydrates, losing weight, and engaging in more physical activity have all been shown to reduce small LDL. Weight loss, in fact, has been demonstrated to reverse the dreaded pattern B all by itself. In other words, worry less about eggs or butter and their effect on LDL, and focus more on eating fewer processed foods and staying in motion. "I am very much an advocate of starting with lifestyle first," Dr. Krauss says."

 

So, basically, this article endorses a low carb diet but not expressly encouraging a high sat. fat diet as the they are not very sure which sat. fat increase small LDL. So, in meantime, I think it's better to take more good fats - ie poly or mon unsat. fat. Also, regular exercise is key!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Topgun]

I've another question for CBS. I'm 1/2 cantonese, and traditionally with every meal, (or at least every dinner in my household) we boil soups or some form of soup. Typical are lotus root, or old cucumber, winter melon, salted veg with duck, etc, etc. Are these soups bad? Do they contain carbo? Any idea? Angmos don't take these type of soups they only cream of something or consomme (clear soup). Any studies done our chinese soups that have been boiled long long 2-3 hrs?

 

[Chickenbackside]

A few viewpoints regards fats:

 

http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/2008/08/07...-you-need-them/

 

http://www.paleonu.com/panu-weblog/2009/6/...s-and-oils.html

 

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/saturated-fat-healthy/

 

http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2010/01/15/tw...-heart-disease/

 

http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2009/10/16/mo...-not-fattening/

 

http://nephropal.blogspot.com/2010/01/no-a...ed-fat-and.html

 

http://www.westonaprice.org/The-Skinny-on-Fats.html

Edited January 22, 2010 by Chickenbackside

[Chickenbackside]

 

 

[Little_prince]

ive been trying your diet... but its so difficult! so many sources of carbo ard us.... esp asian sdiet... haiz =(

[Skunk]

ive been trying your diet... but its so difficult! so many sources of carbo ard us.... esp asian sdiet... haiz =(

 

to be successful in this diet,

 

1) you must be prepared to spend alot on food

2) you must be prepared to almost always cook yourself and eat at home

3) in relation to 2), no need to go out and eat with others already LOL

4) cannot eat asian food already, unless u eat rendang without rice, bak kut teh without rice, everything without rice/noodles.

 

but the pay-off is phenomenal weight loss, and it's permanent as long as u continue eating that way. Not just that, u will feel damm healthy hehe

 

[Hamburger]

bro, while fruit juice is a No-No, wat abt unsweetened soya bean milk?? i read from e label they does contain carbo leh . mi luv SB drink leh, w/o sugar of course

[Idwish]

And how about sweetening stuff like "equal" replacing sugar? Zero Coke or Diet Coke?

Edited January 23, 2010 by Idwish

[Hamburger]

heard those r cancer causing agent

[Skunk]

And how about sweetening stuff like "equal" replacing sugar? Zero Coke or Diet Coke?

 

I drink alot of Coke Zero....i use it to make Whisky Coke....dunno leh, but it seems like drinking these stuff makes me feel very hungry compared with the traditional type of Coke.

[Chickenbackside]

Any soy product that isn't fermented, I wouldn't touch. Fermented soy like tempeh, natto or miso (the real stuff, not the instant miso soups that contain a load of MSG) I have no problems eating them.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/soy-scrutiny/

http://chetday.com/soy.html

 

 

Artificial sweeteners are a grey area. But in any case, if the ingredient is something I can't pronounce, I wouldn't put it into my body.

 

In any case, the whole point of artificial sweeteners is to enjoy the taste of sugar without suffering the consequences, like insulin spikes. However, this study done at the Utrecht University in the Netherlands shows that this strategy may not be effective at all:

 

http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2010/01/14/ar...fool-the-brain/

 

 

 

[Skunk]

But in any case, if the ingredient is something I can't pronounce, I wouldn't put it into my body.

 

very good advice...I'm considering giving up Diet Coke and simply have Whisky Water instead....my wife said how about cutting out the whisky and just have water LOL

[Chickenbackside]

Haha... I love the occasional shot of single malt myself. Luckily I like mine on the rocks. Mmmmmmm....

[Ithunk]

I have read what Chickenbackside have achieved, and it has been inspiring.

 

Let me share my weight history. Like him I have struggled too with weight.

 

At my heaviest 1 was 118 kilogram. At that time, my bp was on borderline case 120-140 (BP Systolic) / 100-110 (BP Diastolic) and my Lipid/ cholesterol level was high. What was more ironic was that I used to work in hospital and know all about the risk....

 

The changes come in April last year. By then I have 2 kids. The doctor that I have consultated told me that if i persist with my lifestyle, I may not see my 2 kids up to uni.

 

The first changes is of course physchological. I just need a super strong motivating factor to change, if not I will just recede and fail with watever diet, exercise regime that I choose. The 2nd was of course I need to choose a sensible diet n exercise.

 

Knowing myself and the struggle that I have faced all my live, I knew then that I can't just diet and the weight will go down. I will eventually wolf everything back and the weight loss will never be permanent.

 

First stage: April to Jun/July last year

 

So this what I did. I have breakfast like what I'm doing today, have lunch but stop eating after 6pm. If i was super hungry i just eat fruit, maybe some bread and that it. I didnt cut or change the food that i eat during breakfast or lunch. basically eat like before. Since i love swimming, I try to do it regularly. But my mistake was, swim like crazy, then go flat next few days. The doctor told me, what i am doing (exercise) is all wrong. What i should aim first was to get a regular, but consistent short swim lap, then increase eventually.

 

So i didnt set high target. Just 6 lap straight, once a week. I did that for the next 3 month. For someone who lead a sedentary lifestyle, I can tell you the beginning was such a HUGE struggle. The first 2-3 weeks, left me half dead.

 

But eventually it get easier. Then i started to increase to 8 lap (next 1-2 month) then change it to twice a week. Then thrice a week. Then increase the lap to 10 lap. then 12....

 

By January this year - I am doing 20 lap straight, 30 minutes flat every day.

 

Let me update you on my weight now and my blood test.

 

Weight 93 kilogram (been reading on chicken backside article on the need to reduce carbo, sugar)

 

Blood pressure 113/70. The doctor said, perfect.

 

Creatinine 75 (reference interval 60-110)

ALT 29 (17-63)

(check for liver)

 

Lipid profile

Cholesterol 3.5 mmol/L (Desirable <5.2)

HDL-C 0.9 mmol/L (Low <1.0, Desirable 1.0-1.5)

LDL-C, or what u called the bad cholesterol 2.2 mmol/L (Optimal <2.6)

 

Creatine Kinase 79 (50-250)

Clinically, creatine kinase is assayed in blood tests as a marker of myocardial infarction (heart attack), rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown), muscular dystrophy, and in acute renal failure.

 

All the result, according to doctor is perfect. Just need to reduce weight, preferably to 85 kilogram.... so my method was eat less n exercise.

 

[:p]

 

this is great....

[Topgun]

ive been trying your diet... but its so difficult! so many sources of carbo ard us.... esp asian sdiet... haiz =(

 

Ya, it's very hard especially when eating out with family or friends. And I love my carbs: rice, noodles, pasta, prata, chips, corn, ... die

[Topgun]

Just weighed myself. 68.8kg! First time I m under 70kg since my god, when I was in my twenties!

 

Last I weighed myself was Jan 6, 72.1 kg in my birthday suit. Just now in my t-shirt, shorts, coins in pocket, ahem

 

 

[Chickenbackside]

It's just the beginning...