Not Giving Up

Last Tuesday was my first training session after getting back from my vacation.  Needless to say I gained a few while on holiday (as do a lot of people) and the week after I wasn't able to burn off the extra kgs I'd gained in time for my session with the personal trainer.  During the weigh in, I'd gained at least 1kg (more even) and it was a expected on my end but nonetheless disappointing.  Especially since I'd been doing well and had lost 2-3kg before that.

THE WORKOUT

Since I'd not been exercising as much for the past couple of weeks, the trainer had me do some basic routines starting off with (the dreaded) low step box (50 reps/4 sets).  Then were squats with the fitball behind me for back support (25 reps/4 sets).  I'm not sure what the next workout is called but basically I had to stand shoulder-width apart with a mat laid out in front of me and as I inhale, I'd bend down and walk my hands forward then backwards up to standing position again as I exhale (25 reps/3-4 sets).  An exercise I did rather quickly (to my and my trainer's surprise) was the one where I had to stand with one feet in front and another stretched to the back and then I had to jump and switch leg positions (25 reps/4 sets).  Next, I was instructed to do crunches with my feet supported by a fitball (25reps/4 sets).  Last but not least, before cooling down, I did the plank and held position for 25 counts (3 sets).

HOW I FELT


Needless to say I was panting my way through the sets.  My trainer checked my pulse and made sure I had sufficient rest in between sets.  However, I have noticed a better endurance level compared to when I first started out.  My breathing has improved quite a bit but my heart still pounds especially with the step box.  With the squats, I must admit it was a bit of a struggle considering they were still sore from Body Balance class the day before but the fitball definitely helped.  I would have strained my back otherwise.  As for the exercise that followed, I'm still not doing very well with having my stomach above my head level.  Being inverted makes me dizzy and nauseous.  Also, I should've tied my shoes to fit my feet a bit more snug (it was comfortably loose) to keep my feet from moving around in my shoes.  The hop-switch (yes, I don't know what it's called so I'm naming it) I managed to do pretty quickly which was a relief.  Again, since it was a cardio workout, I was short of breath towards my last set and my heart was beating so fast!  My abs were had begun to cram up by the 3rd set and I had to pull every strand of strength I could to get through the rest of the reps for the 3rd and 4th sets.  Right after that was the plank and I was so close to crying.  First set I could only hold for 10 counts.  The subsequent sets I held it together and managed to get through 20-25 reps. At the end of all that, I could barely speak and was lying flat down on the mat regaining my breath and strength to get up. (haha)

TAKEAWAYS

• Always be careful when doing step box exercises. If you can't go as quickly as you'd like, don't rush it. You could slip and sprain your feet.
• Be aware of your breathing. Check with your trainer on the correct breathing technique for each workout.
• A fitball makes for excellent support for your workouts especially if you're just beginning and your muscles aren't strong enough to fully support your body weight.
• Wearing correct shoes for indoor training is very important and makes a lot of difference. Trainers (shoes) are designed specifically with indoor workouts in mind and therefore provides adequate support and cushioning to avoid injuries and make working out more comfortable.
• Let your trainer know if you need a few extra seconds or a minute longer to rest before continuing with the next sets. You don't want to pass out in the middle of your workout.

Body Balance class

Yesterday I decided to wake up a whole lot earlier and head out to the gym to get a taste of the Body Balance class which started at 7.30am.  My original plan was to be there when the gym opens at 7am and get a half hour treadmill warm up cardio before the class.  I did my best and only got to the gym with enough time to do only 5 minutes of treadmill.

Anyways, the instructor was very attentive and nice.  She noticed that it was my first time to her class and told me to take it easy and work at my own pace.  I liked the fact that she was very encouraging and not at all pushy like an instructor or two that I've had in the past when I tried yoga and pilates.  Her instructions were very clear and she'd even briefed on some of the things about the class like it was a mirror image class whereby when she goes left, we go in the same direction (i.e. our right if she's facing us or left as well when she faces the mirror).

Honestly, I was already considering taking off and leaving half way through the class but persuaded myself to stick with it all the way til the end of the session.  I'm very proud that I did my best and finished the full 1 hour.

THE EXPERIENCE

I haven't done any form of yoga or pilates in maybe 2 years or more and naturally my body has lost some of it's flexibility (and strength).  If you've never tried these types of exercises, it may not look like much and you probably wouldn't expect it to challenge your muscles or make you sweat.  After all, it's just a bunch of slow movements and poses, right?  Let me tell you, if you haven't tried it, give it a go and it'll totally change your perception of the exercise.

Anyways, before I get way off track from my post, there were times when my thigh muscles were practically shaking (more like strongly vibrating) while in warrior pose.  My shoulder and arm muscles were unable to keep my hands up shoulder level.  I continued to do my best to keep up and put my arms down for a few seconds and tried again.  My core and thighs were also experiencing fatigue during some of the exercises.  And yes, I was sweating a lot.

THE AFTERMATH


Now, the day after, I definitely feel some muscle aches.  Especially my thigh muscles.  My shoulder and lower back muscles are also being awaken. Haha. I think my arms aren't feeling it too bad because I've been doing a lot of arm workouts/weights so far. But generally my body does feel tired. Pretty sure with time, as my body gets stronger and gains more flexibility, the exercises will be that much more fun.

TAKE-AWAYS

• If you're a beginner, don't worry about not being able to perform the poses completely.  There are beginner options for the poses.  Your muscles will be less stiff and elongate naturally over time.
• Give yourself a chance to at least attempt the exercise as much as you can without passing out.  You might surprise yourself and the feeling once you're done is very gratifying.
• Take note of your breathing and let it flow with the movements.  Keep your core (abs) tight, shoulders open and pay attention to your posture.
• Don't overexert yourself if your body isn't ready.  It's dangerous and could cause injuries. Listen to your body.

Feel Comfortable at the Gym

When you're working out at the gym, always wear clothes and shoes that are appropriate and comfortable.  Now if you're bigger than a size XL, finding suitable gym attire can be a challenge.  Although I'm a borderline XL (L/XL or XL/2XL depending on the style and cut), finding comfortable clothes wasn't easy at first.

When you start shopping for gym clothes (or general work out clothes), you'll begin to notice that these exercise specific types of clothes usually range from sizes XS to L (certain brands cater up to XL).  I've checked out garments from the obvious makers -- Nike, Adidas, Fila, Puma, Schwarzenbach, Reebok and the likes -- as well as more casual brands and must admit that although I managed to grab a couple of workout pants that fit me, the tops were way too tight (even XL).

Then there's the price factor involved.  Due to the technology put into the material for the garments, the prices aren't very wallet friendly if you're on a tight budget.  For instance, a pair of long gym pants from Nike costs RM179.90 while tops range anywhere from RM80-RM169 (and more).  So you've already spent cash on the gym membership (and for some engaging personal trainers as well), now you'll have to shell out more money for clothes?

Time and Breaks

Now that all that excitement of starting to go to the gym has died down, I've had to work extra hard at motivating myself to be more gym active.  I know, it's a little too early for me to start getting my motivation all torn down.

Anyways, I was away with family over the weekend last week and missed my Saturday training session.  Then there were a series of back to back family dinners/mini gathering from Monday through Wednesday which I've learnt from past experiences isn't the best time to rush to the gym considering the food hadn't had enough time to settle (my trainer says 2 hours prior to workout is ideal eating time).  On top of that, the rest of the family came back from the holiday on Tuesday night (and would you know, their flight was delayed too) and so Tuesday workout was a no go.  Was pretty pumped to go for the Thursday session but alas, during my work trip to Ranau early that day, my gastric kicked in almost full blast and my brother suggested that we cancelled that night since I wasn't well.  Finally managed to hit the gym yesterday (i.e. Saturday) and although I was given a target of 1000kcal it was quite frustrating to me to only managed to hit 20% of that target.

Yeap.  Working out to lose weight is definitely a tough business.  Finding time to go to the gym and work on achieving that goal is definitely a bit of a struggle for me.  I do try to work up a sweat while at home if I can't make it to the gym as much as I can.  I'd walk on the treadmill for 30mins or work with weights or even do the steps exercise at the stairs.

All that said, I'm still determined to do this.  I am pretty bummed that I've been missing a lot of my PT sessions.  And I'll be missing a few more week after next cos I'll be away again on vacation for my birthday.  Plus, I feel bad that I've had to cancel with my trainer.

Having been on this journey so far, the idea of working out has also changed my perception towards food. Every morsel seems to get more scrutiny and almost always equated with the time needed to burn off the calories consumed.  For instance, a McChicken burger is approximately 300++kcal which means at the rate I'm going, I'll need to spend 30-45mins on the treadmill/elliptical to burn off the same amount.  Was chatting up a couple of my friends recently during a good friend's wedding and they were saying the same thing.  It's really frustrating to think that it takes so much effort to work off those calories.  We were discussing how incredibly frustrating it was to look at the progress level indicator on the machines (treadmill/elliptical) move so slowly despite how hard we were working ourselves.

My brother and I have also noticed that we tend to sweat a whole lot more while doing our work outs lately compared to before we were gym active.  I asked Kadazan Bonita if this was normal and she mentioned that she was noticing the same thing too.  So guys, it's perfectly normal.  I may be wrong but I think that since your body is now introduced to exercise, your metabolic rate also increases which generates more heat when you work out.  I think that makes sense.

Here's another thing that I've noticed.  Personally, I prefer watching a TV show or movie or something when on the treadmill or elliptical as opposed to just listening to music.  I find that time passes by a lot faster that way.  So I might just put in a movie or TV show or two on my phone to keep my mind occupied.  With music, I need to keep my eyes closed to really tune out my heavy limbs struggling with the workout.  Not really the best way to go especially on the treadmill cos the next thing you know you've been bumped off the machine.  Haha.  It helps that the gym's treadmill has an in-built TV.  :)  I'm usually tuned in to MTV unless the show that was on at the time was not interesting then I'd be on the news.  At home, the treadmill pretty much faces the TV so that's good too.

Getting Started Is Tough

I've got to admit that starting out with an exercise regime is tough.  The whole process of building strength, stamina and at the same time staying motivated to not give up takes effort.  Having experienced just a fraction of what the contestants of The Biggest Loser have to go through on a daily basis makes me wonder about the immense pressure that they're under.  For those contestants, not only do they have to work hard training to achieve the highest possible weight loss percentages, they are also fighting to complete challenges.

If, like me, you aren't particularly an active person, don't do sports or any other forms of rigorous exercise, it's not going to be an easy ride to fitness.  The past weekend I was in pain most of the time from the push ups (and accumulation of other arm exercises) from Friday (and Thursday's) workout sessions.  Bending and extending my arms hurt like crazy!!  Fortunately for me, I drive a compact car (i.e. lightweight) and it wasn't impossible to drive and make turns and what not.  But physically, my movements were slower and limited.  Reaching for the seatbelts took a little longer and at times I needed to bring my head or chest forward or bend sideways to help me reach power switches at home or pick things up.  I was spilling drinks pouring it out of the can (100 Plus mind you, not Coca Cola), and sometimes my spoon misses my mouth when eating.  It hurt but I also found the whole situation somewhat hilarious.  Even simple things like changing clothes had to be done slowly and my head and body had to bend to assist.

Determined to head back to the gym to burn some kcal on the treadmill/elliptical, last night I slowly flexed my muscles and did some arm stretches while watching TV in the living room hoping that tomorrow (today) I'd feel the pain lessen.  When I woke up this morning, I still can't fully extend my arms on their own as easily but the pain is quite bearable.  My movements are still slow but I'm confident it's going to get better.  My shoulder muscles are pretty much back to normal which is great and means I have a little more flexibility in that area.

Food-wise, I have been having appetite issues.  I just don't know what to eat and sometimes don't feel like eating anything.  Still, I know that taking my meals are essential and shouldn't be skipped.  I definitely need the energy to carry out my work outs and to keep my gastric problems at bay.  So here's to another week ahead and a wonderful weekend to come.

3 Sessions Down, 33 More To Go

That's right.  I'm still at the beginning stages of this transformation and it's been pretty tough on me so far.  Although I've only done 3 sessions with the trainer so far, I've also had to do cardio exercises on other days with a 500kcal target (although I don't always hit the target but I try to come as close as possible).  Of course when my body is stronger, this target will slowly increase to 700kcal or 1000kcal a day.

Anyways, going through the journey so far (about 2 weeks since I signed up), I realized that I may not have been able to push myself this hard without a trainer.  I wouldn't have known how to create a program that would work to achieve my goals and having that kind of assistance definitely helps.

Last nite we did a weigh in and I've already gone down about 1.2kg which was surprising considering my clothes seems to fit tighter.  The trainer says it's cos muscle is building up and adding some bulk but it will go down as the fat layers gets burnt off.  Last night was floor exercises.  2 sets of 2 minutes step (if you've never tried step, do not underestimate it).  Next I did bicep curls (1 set of 20-25 reps).  Then there's this exercise where you stand up and then bend down to start walking your body with your hands and back to standing position again.  I did 2 sets of 15 reps.  Since I was struggling with the reps, I put a little too much weight on the soles of my feet and had to rest for awhile before continuing with 2 sets of 15 reps modified push ups.  Man do I hate push ups.  It's even worse with sore arms (from the workout the night before).  I was supposed to do another set of push ups but I had to tell the trainer I wasn't up for it because I was so close to puking on the mat.  My stomach juices were stinging me on the inside and I could feel the acidity.

The whole day yesterday I was having gastric problems right from the time I woke up in the morning (my Koko Krunch breakfast helped a wee bit) til my late lunch (had work to do in the office -- so bad for me -- plus I just didn't know what to eat cos my apetite is waning).  I was supposed to continue to cardio after that to burn another 400kcal for the day (burnt 100kcal during warm ups) but in my condition I asked the trainer if I could do it tomorrow on my own and he says OK.

Now it's "tomorrow" and I woke up with my whole upper body aching.  Yup.  Muscle sore.  I feel it even more today than I did yesterday.  Yesterday I woke up uncomfortable and a bit sore and took some extra effort to raise my arms.  Hilarious.  Today I woke up barely able to extend my arm without feeling my muscle tightening.  Been trying to move my limbs a bit more to loosen it up a little so it's easier to move and honestly, it's still painful.

I asked Kadazan Bonita on twitter if she knew how to alleviate muscle sore, and her advice was to move around a bit to let the blood flow and then if it's still painful, to rest the gym for the day.  You know what, I think I just might take that advice and skip the gym today.  The last thing I want to do is to overstress my muscles (not good) and lose out on workouts next week.  Woohoo.  We might be doing abs by the end of next week.

As for my gastric pain last night and the whole I-wanna-throw-up episode, I grabbed a can of 100 Plus (as advised by my doctor time and time again) and it subsided.  So so glad that it did.  I hate throwing up.  I don't understand people who would want to do it on purpose.  Ah, but that will be another post.

Til my next post!

How It Began & One Step Forward

Recently my company had sent myself and a few colleagues as the first group to the Regional team building programme at Outward Bound Sabah.  It was an overnight programme/course and we had a whole lot of fun participating (click here for pictures and a little story on the programme experience).  I felt excited again and wanted to channel my energy and new found enthusiasm to fitness.

I've always struggled with weight and body image issues.  At one point in my life, I was content, and was at peace with my body.  I used to be a skinny (albeit curvy) child and upon hitting puberty, I began seeing my weight as a problem.  I went from a size 26 jeans to a size 30 and from 48kg to 57kg in 4 1/2 years.  It definitely didn't help to see my schoolmates maintaining their slender figures while I seem to be increasing fat mass.  Midway through my final year in secondary school, my mum and I joined a jazz dance class at her friend's studio for a couple of months.  At the same time I'd been working on boosting my self-esteem (I had issues fitting in in school) and was saved by self-help books like:

Those books helped me feel better about myself and gave me a more positive outlook on life as a whole.  I was happy again.  It resulted in me dropping the excess weight and weighing between 45-49kg for a good 3-4 years.  I felt confident, was outgoing, and felt good in my clothes.  I had better stamina and enjoyed immersing myself in badminton.

Somewhere along the way, I began to forget the values and positivity that I've learnt and words were beginning to affect me again.  Comments telling me I needed to lose weight and that I was either too thin or that I've gained weight (expressed with utter shock) took a toll on me.  In addition to that, my enthusiasm and over-packed schedule of campus activities led me to neglect the most essential part of my health, eating right and on time which in turn triggered a gastric attack.  My vision became like "TV snow" and my limbs were weak.  I tried to eat and ended up throwing up in the car on the way back to college.  My friends took me to the campus clinic ward and who knows what jabs were given to me during my half-conscious condition.  The following days while recovering, my stomach got so bloated I looked like I was 6 months pregnant!

Consequent to that incident, my weight began to climb and losing weight got harder than it used to.  Gaining a mere 5kg brought on comments of how much weight I've gain, how much heavier I looked and the likes.  People were telling me that I should start dieting, cutting out rice completely and skipping meals.  My fat percentage at the time was 26% which was acceptable and yet I was feeling more and more uncomfortable in my own skin.  Sure I wasn't wearing a size XS but I could still fit in sizes S and M.  I joined a dance class and when I got back home I joined a gym at a local hotel.  None of that helped.

I've tried everything from slimming supplements, slimming centres to nutrition drinks to shed the pounds.  I tried going for LesMills classes and signed up for a gym membership a few years ago until they closed down.  So anyways, back to what I started out to say, I've decided to put my life back in order and work on improving my fitness levels, be healthier and feeling more comfortable in my own skin and clothes.  This time around, I'm going back to basics and have signed up for a gym membership along with my brother for company and support (and motivation).  So while he works on getting buff, I'll be working on achieving my ideal weight and lower my fat percentage.  To ensure I'm doing the right types of exercises and to further assist to motivate me reach my goals, I've engaged a personal trainer to jump start my weight loss and fitness journey.

The first week has been tough on my physically and mentally.  Being at a level of fitness that has room for a lot of improvement, I struggle with keeping my eyes on the prize.  During my first session, I had to do 3 sets of steps exercise (barely got through the last set), light weight shoulder presses, an exercise my dance instructor used to call "step-bone-change", and jumping jacks.  My heart was pounding so hard at the end of the session I was almost scared for the next session.  Then I went for cardio sessions on the treadmill and elliptical.  My trainer gave me a target of 500kcal to burn and let me tell you, it's not as easy when you're fitness level is only subpar.  Took me 55mins to burn 400kcal on the treadmill changing up the inclination and speed as I go.  Another day I attempted the 500kcal target once again but this time I broke it into 2 sets of 250kcal each.  Spent over half an hour on both the elliptical machine and the treadmill respectively to achieve that workout target.

Last night, was my second workout session with my trainer.  We did strength training this time round which I actually enjoyed despite the muscle fatigue that ensued.  We worked triceps, biceps, chest, shoulders and back.  I'm not going to lie, it was hard.  Half way through the sets my arms were trembling and my hands were shaking as I picked up my water bottle for a drink.  Found it somewhat hilarious at the same time.  My shoulder and arm muscles struggled with the shoulder presses but all in all, I made it through the hour long session and quite proudly so.

The aftermath?  Sore muscles.  I was up pretty early today too which is weird.  And I was famished!!  Woke up at 6.10am and after laying around catching up on tweets, I couldn't stand the acidity in my stomach and jumped out of bed and grabbed the easiest available food -- Koko Krunch cereal with low fat milk.  Not the best as far as filling power but it worked albeit temporarily.

This isn't quite the healthiest day cos breakfast was at about 7.00am and it's 3.15pm now and I'm still stuck at my office desk hungry for lunch.  Yes, another challenge I forgot to mention.  I am a workaholic.  I really need to ease on the work and take better care of myself.

That's it for now.  An overview of my struggles and my baby steps to better health, fitness and weight.

Fitness, Health and Weight Loss...

I've started this blog as sort of an online journal to share my thoughts and experiences while embarking on my journey to a healthier, fitter (is that a word?) and slimmer me.  Recently Jillian Michaels (if you don't know who she is, she's one of the trainers on The Biggest Loser, aka America's Toughest Trainers) tweeted about the benefits of blogging about your weight loss and workouts.  And although I've thought about creating this blog for quite awhile now, that probably was the push that I needed and it couldn't have come at a better time.

I am not here as a health, fitness or weight loss expert.  I am overweight and my fitness level leaves a lot to be desired for.  Honestly, I love food and at this point I can't see myself letting that go and going all health food fanatic.  My feelings towards food though has evolved.  I say everything in moderation (applies to other things and not just food specifically).

Recently, I've decided to give the gym another try only this time with a little extra push, I felt that I needed to get myself a personal trainer as well to properly guide me to reach my goals.  I'm not severely obese but I am definitely overweight.  I've been trying a lot of things from slimming supplements to slimming centres to health drinks and all it's done for me is help me get farther from my ideal weight.  I'll be sharing those experiences as well as the products that I've tried before in future posts.

Why so eager to lose weight? Do I want to be model skinny?


No.  I've noticed that being overweight has its disadvantages.  I'm out of breath a little too easily (i.e. my stamina sucks), at one point I was having difficulty breathing and that wasn't fun.  And no, I don't have asthma.  Also, I've been accumulating a lot of fatty tissue in my abdomen area (aka visceral fat) and that can be quite dangerous and could lead to health complications.  Sometimes, I feel like my heart pumps a little too rapidly and that scares me.  Of course, another reason to lose weight is because clothes are so hard to find.  I'm sort of in between regular and plus sizes and those sizes are hard to come by.  I'll talk more on clothes in a future post as well.  And what I really don't like, is the fatigue I experience.  I feel so sluggish and tired a lot even though I'm not an active person.  That's not the person I want to be.

What are my challenges?


First and foremost, although busy, I live a pretty sedentary life.  My only form of exercise is carrying grocery and shopping bags (and walking from one end of a mall to the other).  I suppose I do walk more when I'm travelling.  My other challenge is my love for good food.  Although I'm not much of a rice fan, I do love noodles and pasta.  I used to eat wholewheat pasta before this but that was a few years back.  I've cut down on pasta these days though and only eat it every once in a while.  Another big hurdle for me is the fact that I  have a gastric problem (since I was in primary school).  If you don't have gastric (or gastritis), you might not understand how this can be a challenge.  Again, since this is an intro post, I'll save the gastric stories for later.  If you're a working girl/guy, you'll probably be familiar with this challenge: time.  Especially if work is unpredictable and you barely have time for family, friends and yourself.  But I'm determined to find time this time around and I'll share how in my next post (most probably).

I think this should be a good start to this blog.  Til my next posts!