my buy @ GZ

the skinny model

I am Lip s!!!

Lips (Kevin Chia) is a personal trainer, but he could not reject the school's oversea attachment program. Somehow, his idea of the work environment is not as rosy as he thinks. He was "promised" to go to a hotel initially, but he was posted to the resort in the end.

*Hotel has in-house gym and access to meat where he can still eat and train.

The resort was located in a very deserted village where a lot of Guilin-ian have not even hear of this place. Over there, there is no gym! no meat! no clique! no entertainment!

As a hardgainer, he lost all his muscle due to the fact that he lacks resistance training and good food. His girlf is far away back in Singapore. His clique are all busy. It doesn't help when his girf and him argued over nothing recently.

*meat's serving size of at least 1 portion/meal

Now still stuck in China for another 35 days, Lips must battle to keep his sanity! He is in his room 24/7 except for lunch and dinner. I think he is a little bit crazy recently. He started talking to the dogs! WTF

His daily activity currently...

• Wake up at 10am
• Lunch at 12pm
• Dinner at 530pm
• Sleep at 1am

During time in between these 4 important timings, he will pass time by

• watching movies (now left 2 movies liao!! SIAO LIAO)
• playing winning eleven
• eat
• eat
• eat
• nap
• MSN
• Forums

Nevertheless, he has these tasks before his return.

1. Periodic report
   
2. Final report
3. Plan first date with girlf after her exam
4. Do PT homework
5. Plan ideas for his car
6. MAINTAIN HIS SANITY!!!!

Everyone, please wish Lips luck.

Godspeed!

If you are reading this and are missing me, leave a comment. It will make me feel better. :(

Get your own perspective from various sources.

A newspaper is a written publication news, information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint.

I need to emphasize that writing is definitely not easy because of simple grammar or punctuation error that I always commit. Just look out right grammar/punctuation is important.

Dear John,

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior.
You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy - will you let me be yours?

Gloria

Dear John,

I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior.
You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?

Yours,

Gloria

Other than this, the ability to express and bringing the reader into my perspective/idea is also important. With this point, I wish to tell my younger friends and readers that you have to read the same piece of article from various source and come up with your own perspective. Newspaper in a certain country is controlled by the government and they have the right to censor/edit. Hence, they can give you a very slanted view to support a certain view.

Here's just 1 letter to straits times forum which has been edited to give a total different view.

The published letter

18 Dec 2007
Straits Times Print Forum

Pay rise for top civil servants timely

I read with great relief the article about ministers and top civil servants getting a 4 - 21 per cent pay rise next month (ST, Dec 14).

We can now be assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have secured their steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication to fight for our cause. It could not be more timely. When inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans 'can barely stay afloat' (The Sunday Times, Dec 2), we need, more than ever, the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through the difficulties.

We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to retain them at all costs. This is especially so as these senior civil servants have been in the public sector for so long that they are likely to seek fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, I hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate. Therefore, I appeal to them to follow Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's lead in giving to the poor and spreading the blessings.

Agung Santoso Ongko

From this letter, the writer is SUPPORTING pay rise right? Just look at the original letter that he wrote.

The original letter

"I read with great relief the ST article “Ministers, top civil servants to get 4% to 21% pay rise in Jan” published on 13 December 2007. We can now rest doubly assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have successfully secured their most steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication in fighting for our cause. Certainly, it cannot be timelier. At this point, when inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans “can barely stay afloat” (The Sunday Times 02 December 2007), we are in dire need, more than ever, for the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through all these difficulties. We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to fight to retain them at all costs. This is especially so, as these senior civil servants have been dwelling in the public sector for such a long time that they are more likely indeed to seek a fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, though, I sincerely hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate in our midst, for the total annual increment that every senior civil servant is set to receive can actually support approximately 1,000 other Singaporeans. Therefore, I appeal to our senior civil servants to follow PM Lee's lead in giving back to the poor and spreading the blessings. What that increase means to you means infinitely more to them."

If it has not become apparent to you by now, I had meant this piece to be satirical. And I admit that I may have failed miserably. I admit that it may be my own incompetent, ambiguous writing that has resulted in the gross misunderstanding. It is indeed possible that my vagueness has led to the editors misreading my intentions and viewing all the hyperboles and superlatives as redundant emphasis on my support for the pay rise. I shall, however, leave it to you readers to decide for yourself.

I hope I have made my position clear, though: that I am strongly opposed to the unwise timing of the ministerial pay rise, and that if it happens anyway, I call for those benefiting from it to share with those among us who live on $290 a month, and are saving every single cent just to continue surviving.

- Agung Santoso Ongko

Conclusion
Read all news with a pinch of salt. Find out the real thing and come up with your own perspective thinking. Just do not trust ALL news.

Source

ps: So if you read this, next time we discuss about politics in Singapore, just don't tell me all those craps which I had been listening la.
"XXX is the best"
"They gone AWOL!"?
"Economy is good!"
"Pay rise is necessary!"

disclaimer: if this blog entry is not suitable, please contact me to take it down.

slacking is good? it will be good for a few days, or weeks at most..

we are so sick of slacking....

me: What did you all do in the room today?
pearleen: everytime you ask this, everytime we give the same answer
me: oh is it?

We are basically doing nothing everyday.

Just 2 stupid things about Denise and I.

Denise
her atm card was blocked because she input the wrong PIN 3 times.
the number of our local atm is 1,2,3 and 0 at the bottom right?
over at that atm, it's 123 at the bottom, 789 at the top.
she remembered her PIN through a keying sequence and she doesnt even know her own PIN.
She needs a HP to get her PIN right.
Oh mine!!

Me
possibly more "oh mine"!

We are at this hotel room at yang shuo. We are going out for a walk when i said "eh, the door cannot be locked?"
I tried locking with the key but it seems that the key unlock the door in both directions. (clockwise and anti-clockwise)

They: huh? yours also? we also cannot lock leh.
me: cannot la, like that how?
they: HAHAHA, LOCK FROM INSIDE LA

Oh mine by kevin.

---------------------

We are waiting for pearleen to do something really stupid. Dont just let me catch you hor P!

Transportation woes in Singapore

I always complain about driving is expensive in Singapore. It is definitely much more expensive than public transport, but I still prefer to get stuck in a traffic jam (wasting time) than waiting for public transport. This entry may be a very long one but I'll make it better with headings.

Why I choose car over public transport (Summary)

• When I’m stuck in a jam, I can still relax in my car, listening to music etc. I do not have to squeeze with people like a sardine in a bus/train.
  
• I can live with inconsiderate drivers – with a few years of driving experience, I just know how to keep a distance away from these drivers.
  
• I cannot live with inconsiderate public transport users – just 1 main factor: personal hygiene. Some people just smell.
  
• Paying a few hundred more monthly is still affordable at my level; I am a happy car driver.

Public transport in Singapore

The main focus of the ministry is to bring about efficient and cost-effective transportation to enhance our economic competitiveness and quality of life.
It strives to make Singapore an international civil aviation and maritime centre for the region.

New Transport Minister PDF Print E-mail
Written by Rachel Chan
Tuesday, 26 December 2006

Singapore's transport system underwent changes at every level this year, with increases in bus, MRT and taxi fares, to a new Transport Minister - Mr Raymond Lim. He plans to draw up a blueprint for improvement for public transport. A new set of bus service standards, which has been drawn up based on commuters' expectations, will see buses arrive on time, be less crowded and travel faster. In the aviation industry, Changi Aiport is expected to sustain its status as the region's hub.

Source

I have doubts over their mission statement. If they want to bring good services to us, will they have price hike to achieve "maximum profit"?

Why are there so many cars now?

• COE/ERP doesn't work well as proven. If COE is still very expensive like over $30k, I will think there will be much lesser cars in Singapore.
• To get a car in the past, you need at least 30% downpayment. With $0 driveaway & 10 years 100% loan now, you can see just too many cars.
• Just blame it on the poor public transportation!
• Over-population? Our population is about 4m currently & we are aiming for 6.5m! Just wait and see how crowded everywhere will be in another few years.
  

Look at the public transportation in HK.

this time in HK, its more crowded then last yr but I had no problem travelling ard on Xmas eve and on Xmas day itself

1: 24th Dec went to ocean park.. by 6pm the bus queue i think almost 300M long... but it took only 15 mins of few double deck buses (no standing) to clear myself at the end of the queue out. Was so amazed with the buese respond to a situation like that.

2: taken more then 10 MTR trips... and probably 9 out of 10 times I was spared a seat as I am with my 2 years old kid. In SIngapore I considered lucky if i get 1 out of 10 times of such courtesy.

3: Xmas eve so went dinner.. then by 11pm want to go back and the taxi (with service available) are everywhere. Picture here:


4: all the buese here (at least Citybus) has this LED to tell u the next stop... extreamly useful for those unfamiliar with the place they going. I think spore only few SMRT buses has this rite??


5: buses here also very on time. never late, but also never early. and the network here is very good.. almost everywhere i can take bus/mini bus when MTR is not accessing those places.

Not to say the grass is greeener on the other side, but my 6th day here is good enough for me to conclude the above, esp i took a lot of public transport over these last few days. 4 more days to go and i am glad with what i seen so far.

ONLY PROBLEM: MTR and buses here not as cheap as singapore.

Source

You see, I am just like any other typical human. If I can get around in Singapore comfortably in a bus/train, why the heck will I want a car?

I just want to have a seat during my journey.
I just don't want to spend 30-60minutes to wait for a bus.
I just don't want to squeeze with so many people.

If our public transport becomes...

1. at most 10 minutes of waiting times
2. bring you from point A to point B is shortest possible time. (20 minute as claimed by someone - driving in Singapore)
3. a comfortable journey

I will gladly sell my car and hop onto any bus.

A summary of why are there so much problems.

1. self centered Singaporeans (including me)
2. money orientated organizations
   
3. over-population

My wish list (Which is impossible la)

1. Another expressway built above current CTE - CTE2?
2. Lesser people? (Yes, you can tell me to move. Sure i will when i earn enough)
3. A more social gracious society (boy, this one will be hard!)
4. More purchasing power! (Either control inflation or raise income)

But i know i am dreaming.. at least i hope that my future will be bright enough.
Doing things what i love and earning enough for retirement to maintain my lifestyle.

Summary of price hike in 2007

Hope everybody is coping with all the price hike. 2007 is definitely the craziest! More to come?

Source

2007

Jan: All diesel-driven vehicles to undergo smoke test. (link)

Jan: NUH’s A&E fee raised from $70 to $80. (link)

Jan: Skilled Foreign workers levy raised by $50, from $100 to $150, for all sectors. (link) (link)

Jan 26: SMU Law Course to cost more, NUS says it may increase fees too. (link)

Feb: KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital hikes ward treatment fees. (link)

Feb 14: Tax penalties from GST audits could increase. With the hike in Goods and Services Tax (GST) by two percentage points, tax analysts said tax penalties arising from businesses making mistakes in GST audits may also increase. (link)

Feb 25: Sunny Cove: Fees to Pulau Hantu Raised - As of 24th February 2007 (Saturday), the operator had increased the price for the chartering of boat to local water. With the price hike, all courses conducted at local water will be subjected to the increase from 25th February 2007 (Sunday) onwards. (link)

Feb 25: Eldershield premiums to go up by year’s end. (link)

April 1: Singapore Medical Association withdraws guidelines on fees. Doctors now have more flexibility to adjust their fees, following a decision by the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) to withdraw its guidelines on fees, as of 1 April. (link)

April 1: URA increase fees for Housing Developers’s Licence – from between $500 to $8,000. (link)

April 2: NUS revise car park charges. (link)


April 8: Means testing for hospital admission to start within a year. Subsidised patients that stay more than five days in a public hospital can expect some questions about their income. (link) (link)

April 11: Ikea to start charging customers for plastic bags. (ST, 11 April, 2007)

April 25: The Singapore American School increased tuition fees by between $425 and $1,000. (link)

April: Within hours of each other, the four petrol companies in Singapore - First Shell, then Singapore Petroleum Company (SPC), ExxonMobil and lastly Chevron - each revised its prices. The retail price of petrol and diesel rose by 10 cents. (Electric New Paper) (link) (link)

May 12: Inflation heads for a higher plane. For now, the major public concern is a rise in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 5% to 7% in July, which is likely to exacerbate the series of worrying price increases over the past year. (Littlespeck)

May 14: NUH increase ward charges for B2 and C-class wards by $2, increases of 4 and 8 per cent. (link)

May 23: DBS raises its e-transaction fee for initial public offering (IPO) applications. Retail investors who applied for IPO shares launched on or after that date, through the local bank’s ATMs and Internet banking, were surprised that they now have to pay $2. (link)

May 29: New fee hikes at public hospitals and polyclinics. A NEW round of fee hikes is underway at most public hospitals and some polyclinics. Subsidised patients at four public hospitals will now pay $24 or $25 for every visit to a specialist clinic, up from about $21. All 18 polyclinics, which used to charge a standard consultation fee of $8 for adults, now charge anything from $8-$8.80. (link) (link) (link)

May: From milk to Milo, cooking oil to coffee, canned foods, processed foods, wheat products and more, prices have been rising recently at supermarkets and hypermarts here. (link) (link) (link)

June 1: Prices of milk go up. The price increase for condensed milk ranged from $0.10 to $0.50, which means the prices for some brands of condensed milk have gone up by nearly 45 per cent. The price increase for evaporated milk ranged from $0.15 to $0.47, marking a percentage increase of between 18 per cent to 48 per cent. (link) (link)


June 4: Online hosiery shop increases price. There will be a overall price increase on 4th June 2007 for all brands due to increased cost of yarns and cost of shipping. (link)



June 6: Even before the Nets fee hike kicks in, a shoe shop in Parkway Parade has already started charging customers extra to cover the increase. (link)

June 7: Wholesale price of ducks goes up. The wholesale price of ducks has increased by 20 cents a kilogram. (link)

June 7: Eggs price increase. Eggs now cost between 17 cents and 18 cents each. (link)

June 29: Rental space rents rise. Islandwide, rents at Grade A malls have moved up by between 5-7 per cent in the first half of this year and could increase by another 5-6 per cent by end-2007, analysts said. (Business Times, June 29, 2007) (link)

June 29: Fees up by 14% on average at NUS. Two days before the higher 7-per-cent GST kicked in on July 1, prospective students of the continuing education arm of the National University of Singapore (NUS) received news that fees for many courses had gone up — by an average 14 per cent. (link)

July 1st: GST increased from 5% to 7%. (link) (link)

July 1st: THE Singapore Petroleum Company (SPC) and market leader ExxonMobil became the first companies to raise pump prices at their petrol stations following the GST hike. The two companies increased prices across the board for their three grades of petrol and diesel by 0.23 cents to 0.33 cents per litre from 7am. Caltex will be increasing its pump prices on Monday. (ST, July 1, 2007) (link) (link)

July 1st: NETS announced a price hike for its Electronic Funds Transfer Point-of-Sale (EFTPOS) and CashCard Services to between 1.5% and 1.8%. (link) (link)

July 1st: Pasir Ris – Punggol Town Council revise penalties for late payment of S&C charges to 2% and absorb 7% GST. (2004 rates) (2007 rates)

July 1st: Cigarette prices up as bar ban kicks in. Tobacco companies raised the prices of popular brands by an average of 40 cents. This brought the price of a 20-stick pack of Marlboro or Dunhill cigarettes, for example, to $11.60. (AsiaOne)

July 3: Resale price index for HDB flats rise 2.9% from 3 months before. (link)

July 4: The Committee Against GST Profiteering (CAP) has found price changes to be generally moderate since the announcement of the GST increase in November 2006. (link)

July 10: Changi General Hospital increases A&E charges. Following in the wake of earlier hikes by the National University Hospital and Alexandra Hospital, CGH this month increased its A&E attendance fee by $10 — or 15 per cent — to $75. For the B2 and C-class wards, the daily treatment fee went up by $1, representing a 6-to-10-per-cent increment. The daily ward charge for B2 wards also rose by $1, or 2 per cent. (link)

July 11: Starhub raise prices for cable tv packages. SCV subscribers pay $4 more across the board. (link) (link) (link)

July 11: The Committee Against GST Profiteering has received 33 complaints in the past six months about price increases, all dealing with food items. About 10 cases involve chain businesses. (ST, July 11, 2007) (link)

July 15: Electricity tariffs to be raised by almost 9% for July to September. (link)

July 18: Govt raises development charge from 50% to 70% for new building projects from 50 per cent to 70 per cent of the increase in value of the land. (link) (link)

July 21: HDB rents at 10-year high. For the first time in recent memory, monthly rents for some HDB flats have pushed northwards of $2,000 in leases signed in the last couple of months. (ST, 21 July 2007) (link)

July 25: Hospital bills up 10% to 30% across all ward classes. (link)


July: July inflation hits 2.6%, highest in over 12 years. (link)


July (CPI): Housing costs increased 4.9 per cent because of higher housing maintenance charges, electricity tariffs and rented accommodation costs. (ST, Aug 23, 2007) (link)



July (CPI): Food prices went up by 1.4 per cent, mainly due to dearer cooked food, fresh fish, fruits, vegetables and milk powder. (link)


July (CPI): Transport and communication prices moved up by 1 per cent, reflecting mainly dearer petrol and higher car prices. (link)

July (CPI): The index for education and stationery rose by 2.1 per cent as a result of higher fees at commercial institutions and universities. (link)

July (CPI): Prices of clothing and footwear increased by 3.9 per cent. (link)

July (CPI): Health care cost rose by 2.2 per cent on account of dearer chinese herbs and higher charges for general medical consultation and dental treatment. (link)


Aug 2: SBS, SMRT seeking bus, train fare increases. If approved, transport fares could rise by up to three cents from October. (link)

Aug 2: Singapore Airlines raises fuel surcharge – from between US$2, US$5 and US$9. (link)

Aug 6: ERP rates at Orchard, YMCA and Fort Canning Tunnel to go up. From August 6, cars passing the Orchard, YMCA and Fort Canning Tunnel gantries will be charged an additional $0.50. That makes it $1 per entry. Rates for motorcycles will also double to $0.50. Goods vehicles and small buses will now be charged $1.50. Heavy goods vehicles and big buses will be charged $2. (link)

Aug 7: Student made to pay adult fare. (link)

Aug 7: Cost of living in S’pore getting higher compared to neighbours. Singapore retains its 9th position out of 41 Asian locations as the most costly city. (CNA)

Aug 7: Car insurance premiums likely to increase. Higher premium rates for car insurance look almost certain, after the motor sector suffered a second consecutive quarter of losses. Rises could be between 5 and 10 per cent, according to one insurer, as the industry battles higher claims. (AsiaOne, ST, Aug 7, 2007)

Aug 8: 17% hike in Delifrance’s tuna croissant sandwich, from $5.05 to $5.90. (link)

Aug 10: Change of supplier sees spike in price of medicine. A 80ml bottle of Minoxi 5 from Trima Pharmaceutical used to cost $38.50. This time round, the price was $45.50 for a 60ml bottle. Going by volume, the price increase was a hefty 57.6 per cent. (ST Forum, Aug 10, 2007) (link)

Aug 13: Up to 30% levy imposed on hotel room revenues during F1 race. The Trade and Industry Ministry (MTI) has decided a levy of 30 per cent for hotels on the trackside, and 20 per cent for others. (link)

Aug 23: More ERP gantries, extended hours. (link) (link)

Aug 24: By Aug 24, the Committee Against GST Profiteering had received 115 complaints on alleged GST profiteering. In the first two weeks of July, after the GST increase came into effect, 49 complaints were received, surpassing the 30 complaints received in May. (ST, Aug 29, 2007)

Aug 27: Singapore raises 2007 inflation forecast to 1-2 per cent. Singapore’s central bank confirmed an apparent off-the-cuff remark by Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang in parliament that inflation would come in at 1-2 percent this year, above the government’s previous forecast of 0.5-1.5 percent. (Reuters)

Aug 29: Middle-aged suicide rate up. In 2003, there were 14 suicides (of men in their 40s and 50s) per 100,000. In 2006, it went up to 19 per 100,000. For women, there were 8 per 100,000. In 2006, it went up to 13 per 100,000. (TODAY, Aug 29, 2007) (link)

Aug 29: Storage boom as rents rise. Companies which provide self-storage facilities are reporting a rise in rentals by foreigners as rising rental prices force more of them to downsize. (The Electric New Paper, Aug 29, 2007) (link)

Aug 31: Government raises property development charges. For non-landed residential use, the charge was raised by an average of 58 percent with prime areas like Cantonment Road seeing the biggest jump of 112 percent. Areas seeing the highest increase (of over 100 percent) include Telok Ayer, Maxwell, Shenton, Anson and South Bridge Road. (CNA)

Dec 9: Price of luncheon meat soar, from $1 to as high as $3. Prices of luncheon meat have been on the rise since August when the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) rejected and destroyed a consignment of canned pork products from two food processing plants in China. (New Paper)

Dec 10: ComfortDelgro raises taxi fares. Commuters will pay between 18 per cent and 49 per cent more for a taxi ride home from the city from 5pm to midnight. (Straits Times) (CNA)

Dec 11: SCHOOL bus fares will go up by at least $5 to $10 in January, sparked by the increase in diesel prices in recent months. (Straits Times)

Dec 14: Singapore’s second-largest taxi operator SMRT will be raising its fares from next Friday, December 21. The changes are in line with the adjustments made by market leader ComfortDelGro which will be increasing fares from December 17. (CNA)

Dec 14: Hike in POSB coins charge excessive. “IN THE past, whenever I made a deposit or withdrawal in coins, I paid $5 in service charge for every $500. Now, I have to pay $15 for every $500. So if I changed $1,000 into coins, I would lose $30.” (ST Forum Page)

Dec 14: Adjustment rate for housing loan changed unilaterally. “This unilateral change in adjustment rate is an increase in effective interest on the loan, and it is done without changing the loan interest rates. Is it fair for banks to offer adjustment rates as a ‘feature’ to woo customers but, six months into the loan, unilaterally reduce the benefits of the feature?” (ST Forum Page)

Dec 14: Hike in luggage surcharge wasn’t publicized. “When they were at the check-in counter, they were informed that the overweight charge was $20, not $8, and if they did not pay up they would not get their boarding passes. They had no choice but to pay.” (ST Forum Page)

Dec 20: Potong Pasir to raise S&C charges. THE opposition-held Potong Pasir ward is raising its service and conservancy (S&C) charges for the first time in a decade. Residents there will pay between $2.50 and $8 more a month, depending on the size of their HDB flat. (Straits Times)

Dec 20: Expect to pay more for food from next month. SINGAPOREANS should brace themselves for a sharp hike in food prices starting from New Year’s Day, which could affect anything from curry puffs to ice cream. (Asia One)
Dec 28: Electricity tariffs to go up. Highest since 2001. From next month (Jan 2008), electricity tariffs will go up nearly 6 per cent, to 22.62 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh). (Straits Times)

2007: HDB ups valuation and administrative fees for valuation report of flats. This is to include the new 7% GST. (link)

Things to do before CNY

When I'm back to Singapore! This entry is for me to remember what to do la.

Must do!

• Get sticker for car done at dfm. (may be discarded)
  
• Contact/inform all PT clients. (50% done)
  
• Get stationary for PT.
• Get some gym equipments - foam roller, strength band, mini band. (Will be getting during course)
  
• Purchase a lot of supplements for myself and clients. (4th Feb)
  
• Do my PT homework. (Done!)
  
• Maybe get spoiler installed for the car.
• Train once or twice at clubfit. (May be discarded if i get too shagged at CPT)
  
• Get CF membership done.
• Attend CPT at OPTS (3 days)
  

People to meet!

• clique consist of mel, pa, worm, yihui, chris
• NP peeps? if you all miss me, if not can be delayed till after CNY

Misc stuff

• buy a new pair of "go out shoes".
• buy a new pair of track shoes
• buy a new pair of gym shoes

I think that will be all.
Cheers!

merry xmas

forget about my sad entry earlier on. i just send her another sucky email. if she is going to choose to say it still sucks, i will be single and available.

it's just that stupid song which the singer sang at the pub just now. i know i still like her for all her pros... darn that insecurity cons.

nevertheless, i am high only about 700ml of beer and 1 shot of tequlia to finish everything up.

i hate beer. but it's the cheapest choice to get high here.

Merry xmas all.. this year's isnt so bad.

if it's meant to be, it will be. if it's not meant to be, it will not be.

btw, i always have beer before i go onto any fat loss program for a reason. too bad i cannot go training and dieting right away. will blog about all my good food and drink later on..

as for my xmas last year or year before, go check my old entry. the funny thing is that i was laughing at bird's present and i am so heng that i got his fucking cup. ahhahhaa

ok, i need to sleep.

sha, you cause my heart to hurt, definitely. i dont want you in my dream tonight please.

i thought that i wont be posting this message this year. but darn it. here it goes AGAIN

ALL I WANT FOR XMAS IS YOU

i cannot take it anymore.

xmas will not be a particular happy occasion because i dont celebrate it. the thing is that i never expect this year's xmas to be rather shocking. if i know what may happen today, i will probably not come online and msn you.

out of nothing, you say i dont care and said my email sucks? if i dont even bother, i will just tell you to choose ian instead of sending you that email.

am i too generous? i let you have the total freedom to choose all your friends. i allow you to go to their house alone. i mean, is there so many guys who will place so much trust? i do.

you said that you were afraid of me. afraid of what? i never abuse you physically nor verbally. i never flirt around and i will never flirt. what else that's of me that scare you?

to be honest, i am afraid of your insecurity...

dont try to tie me down by saying that you hate me. remember that we said to each other "we started well together. if we were to end, we will end it nicely"...

we will just end it nicely.

i wont get upset for not having you before. i will be happy that i once had you.

Basic Dieting

There are so many kinds of diets around. Before you try another diet that will only work in the short run, do give this article a read and get your basic right.

Macronutrient consists of carbohydrate, protein and fat. By eating correctly, you are on your way to the “wow” figure.

1 gram of carbs/protein gives 4 calories.
1 gram of fat gives 9 calories.
1 gram of alcohol gives 7 calories.

People gain fat because of over-eating. It can be overeating of carbs, protein or fat. Be it good or bad.

Please find out the amount of calories that you need.

The distribution
30% of your calories should come from fat. The rest of 70% should come from protein and carbohydrate. For myself, my carbohydrate is about 40% and my protein is about 30%.

Note that the ratio should be change accordingly for various fitness goals.

The Following Is A List Of Acceptable Protein, Carbohydrate, & Fat Sources.

Protein:

• Tuna or most any fish.
• Cottage cheese.
• Eggs (especially the whites).
• Chicken breast (skinless).
• Turkey breast (skinless).
• Lean beef.
• Low fat or no fat cheese.
• Low fat pork.
• Protein supplement
• Essentially most any other source of protein so long as it is low in saturated fat and carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates:

• Sweet potatoes.
• Oat meal, oat bran, oat bran cereal.
• Bran cereal.
• Brown rice.
• Wheat bread (try to limit to 2 slices per day).
• Beans.
• Low fat popcorn (low fat butter spray makes this a delicacy).
• Fruits (limit to 2-3 servings per day).
• Malto dextrin (during workout).
• Dextrose (during workout)
• Vegetables.
• Stay away from refined grains and anything that says "enriched" or "high fructose corn syrup" on the label!

Fat:

• Omega 3 capsules (fish oil capsules).
• Flax seed oil.
• Primrose oil.
• Borage oil.
• Olive oil.
• Nuts (limit to 1 serving per day), peanut butter (as long as it does not contain hydrogenated oils).
• Egg yolks.
• Fish (salmon especially).
• All other fat should come as a by-product of your carbohydrate and protein intake.

Myths and mistakes of dieting

Dieting is important for muscle gain, fat loss and other fitness goals. Whenever I mention “diet”, people can only think of starvation. They will lose weight through limiting their food intake.

“Dieting doesn’t mean starving!”

Some of the diets have its uses. Just that you are doing it wrongly when you think you are doing it correctly. I won’t be discussing on the right way of doing it and how should you cycle your diet.

*Please note that these diets are only useful in the short run. They should never be used in the long run.

Low-carbohydrate diet

• People can go on a “low carbs diet” by reducing their white rice intake etc. The problem is the amount of carbs into their body. Very often, I just see they reduce their carbs intake from “too much” to “moderate”. You are just eating the right amount of carbs, not low carbs yet!

• Yes, some can be eating doing low carbs correctly. The problem is that you cannot go long term. There is time when you need to refuel your body by taking moderate to high amount of carbohydrate so that you can get another run of result with a low carbs diet.

High protein diet
Protein is the thing for muscle building! This is true, I won’t deny this. I do see newbies getting anal on their protein intake for muscle building. They will go gulping down bottles and bottles of protein supplement in hope of getting that extra pound of muscle.

With that extra protein, yes you may recover faster and possible get more muscle growth. The problem is that you need to get your basic diet (consisting of carbohydrate, protein & fat) correct first. Extra protein with a poor basic diet will not give you the muscle that you want.

Just remember that protein gives calories too. By over-eating protein, it is possible that you will get that extra fat.

Too much protein causes gout
This is just not true. Too much protein doesn’t cause gout. Just go and google around for researches that have been done.

Just one thing to note: if you have gout, then you shouldn’t take too much protein.

Fat is the evil! It causes you to get fat!
There is just half-truth in this statement. There are good fat & bad fat, just like good and bad carbs. By overeating anything, the excess calories will be stored as fat.

We still need a good amount of fat everyday. I will cover this in another article.

An apple an day, keeps my fat away.
This is the worst fad diet ever. You are just restricting your calorie intake by an insane amount. You can see weight loss instantly. Just remember that your weight will rebound as soon as you resume your usual diet.

You just need to know what is happening.

Your body goes into “survival mode” by shutting down some of its normal function because of the lack of calories. You are losing your lean body mass. Your metabolism started crawling. You get moody and bark at anything that annoys you. You start to fall sick easily and experience hair loss too.

As soon as you see the figure on the weighing scale is correct, you resume your usual diet. (Just pray that you are alive to see this stage) Within weeks, your weight rebound. It’s even higher this time. You cannot even squeeze into your jeans anymore. Yeah, now you know it's bad.

This article is long enough and I should stop here. Just remember to read through all my other articles to find out more about dieting.

Balding?!!

Took this pic yesterday and i am shock! again.

Yes i have a problem with my hair. It is generally lesser than most people and i thought that i am balding when i see that i drop so many hair everytime i shampoo!

I visited 1 specialist- Dr Ash sometimes june 2007 for this problem. He took a simple test for me and said that i am not suffering from any male pattern hair loss. All my hair focilicies (whatever spelling la) are still healthy!

He just asked a few questions about my shampoo, how i shampoo and how many hair i drop everyday. He just said "nah, it's normal!"

Phew, I changed my shampoo. True enough, i am dropping less hair within 6 weeks. It's normal to drop 20-30 hairs during shampoo but i sort of count every shampoo. Around 10. ^^

It was this picture which re-confirm my fear again... well, i just deduce that it was my new parting which is not suitable for me. As you all know, there's 1 "hole" or 2 at the top of our heads which determine our partings. I think mine is slightly left centered whereas my new parting is at the right. Which causes the part to part not nicely and it make me show my flaw - thin hair.

Another pic i took this morning

Just to double confirm.... i took a few shots in front of a mirror.

Pre-test: nervous!

The test! & it seems normal.

Heng ah...

No sign of male pattern hair loss yet. It's still general thinning. Come to think of it. I am turning 25 in another few days!!! I am not young when i will have thick hair anymore.

A few random points.

• During spotting for my clients, i see their hair quite sparse too. It's happening to everyone. My dad has thick hair consider his age - no male pattern hair loss.
• I look at my brother and a few people around. All are like me. The center crown is generally thinner which can be due to wrong shampoo and wrong method. I know a lot of people like to put all their non diluted shampoo at middle of head and start to work sidewards. This is not good! We need to dilute a bit of shampoo with water and work from sides and rear to the top. Common sense, our hair at rear and sides wont fall easily.
• For medication (the famous prosar (spelling) or something). It can help to slow down hair loss in good cases, grow hair again in rare cases. But it is not 100%. There is side effects (which all guys dont want) which affect your sex life. When you stop medication, your hair will just start to drop. So think before you start the medication. I know some unethical doctors will prescribe the medication anyhow, but once you stop that medication, your hair will fall faster than it was originally.
• There is no 100% cure for hair loss except for hair transplant. About $5/hair and there is risk. Well. just google "prince william" and look at him. If he is so rich and he is balding...
• to slow down hair loss, reduce stress! eat less MSG & stop all your unhealthy lifestyle. Don't blame sway if you are eating hawker food everyday, sleep 4 hours nightly and try fad diet like 1 apple a day for fat loss.

Am i talking too much? Darn, i know quite a bit about hair loss, usual methods (which are wrong) that people use, what kind of treatment if you are just having poor scalp or dandruff etc. Heh, if i am out of fitness industry, i can start a hair loss one!

Conclusion!!
Kevin is not balding. Just aging. & his hair is yar, thinner than average people in his eyes.
First impression is important. But i can definite use my confident to shine!

Another bo liao entry

Was moving tables and chair for meeting and i decided to play around since i never do these things in gym for months!

Bent over TABLE row

Standing CHAIR press

TABLE squat

I look at my form.
/me shake head.
i need SMR & stretching to improve ROM.

Btw, i will be leaving the resort this sunday. 2 nights out. So my xmas will be at yang shuo - western street.

& oh, i am still alone in my room. heng that they never ask me to move out!

/me out

Flooded with fitness articles?

ahaha, i feel it's good to rewrite all my fitness articles to share with my readers if you dont go to my website. I'm gonna write my feeling for that fake egg articles.

I got it from peter's forum. As you all know, China is famous for copy cats & imitations etc.

If you buy a real LV wallet and people mistake you for buying a fake, i can only say that you deserve it? If you are someone who only go for real goods, then people will not even doubt that you will get the real thing.

But what about fake eggs? It's too much! There's no way to tell between real and fake eggs! I pay the price of real eggs to get fake ones? This happens in guang dong, which is just beside my "guang xi". I'm not sure if i am affect coz i ate 4 hard boiled eggs daily..

When i though my already bare-diet is not bad enough....

to goi: those meat which i had. LOL. I ate them like once in 2 weeks or so. (all my lunch and dinner will be mainly meat when i'm in city) I still wanna complain!! I want meat! I want meat!!!!!

Fake eggs from China!

Beware u guys and gals!
During a recent raid on a wholesale centre in Guangzhou city, the capital of China 'sGuangdong province, a large quantity of fake eggs was seized.
Their wholesale price is 0.15 yuan (S$0.03) each - half the price of a real egg.
Consumers have a hard time telling a genuine egg from a fake one. This is good news for unscrupulous entrepreneurs, who are even conducting three-day courses in the production of artificial eggs for less than S$150.
A reporter with Hong Kong-based Chinese magazine East Week enrolled in one such course.
To create egg white, the instructor - a woman in her 20s - used assorted ingredients such as gelatin, an unknown powder, benzoic acid, coagulating material and even alum, which is normally used for industrial processes.
For egg yolk, some lemon-yellow colouring powder is mixed to a liquid and the concoction stirred. The liquid is then poured into a round-shaped plastic mould and mixed with so-called 'magic water', which contains calcium chloride.
This gives the 'yolk' a thin outer membrane, firming it up. The egg is then shaped with a mould. The shell is not forgotten. Paraffin wax and an unidentified white liquid are poured onto the fake egg, which is then left to dry.
The artificial egg can be fried sunny-side up or steamed. Although bubbles appear on the white of the egg, those who have tasted it say the fake stuff tastes very much like the real thing.
But experts warn of the danger of eating fake eggs. Not only do they not contain any nutrients, a Hong Kong Chinese University professor warned that long-term consumption of alum could cause dementia.

Lose the fat

1) Eat 6 meals a day
Yes! You are not seeing it wrongly. Let me start off by saying why 3-meal a day is not good.

I will be using 1500 calories/day diet as an example.

Your typical 3-meal a day diet.

1. Breakfast at 8am.
2. Lunch at 1230pm.
3. Dinner at 7pm.

The meals are usually too much in proportion. There are a few negative effects.

• By overeating for each meal, you get too much excess calories. Excess calories are stored as fat.
• The time in between meals is too long. Your body can metabolize your muscle for energy.
• You get too hungry for all meals, you will tend to over AGAIN.
• This cycle keeps repeating, you will find that you are losing your muscle mass. If this is not bad enough, your fat mass is increasing at an increasing rate.

Eating 1-2 meals a day or eating 3 small meals a day is worse. As a guide, total calories intake for each day should never go below 1,200 calories. You still need the calories for your body to function.

An example for a 6-meal diet.

• Meal 1 at 8am
• Meal 2 at 10am
• Meal 3 at 12pm
• Meal 4 at 3pm
• Meal 5 at 6pm
• Meal 6 at 9pm

Each meal will be around 300 calories. There are a few benefits with this kind of small meal.

1. Increased metabolism because your body need calories to burn the food.
2. Prevent muscle breakdown because of the constant energy from food.
3. You seldom overeat when you are not hungry. (Overeating is the cause of fat gain)

2) Quality of calories
Always fuel your body with high quality calories. Calories should come from complex carbohydrate, protein and good fat. Calories intake should never go below 1,200. In fact, i will encourage more. Your fat intake should be about 30% of your diet.

Remember: 1,500 good calories is always better than 1,200 bad calories.

3) High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Steady cardio such as jogging only boost your metabolism for the period of time that you exercise. (Not to mention many other bad effects of steady cardio) HIIT boost your metabolism for hours after workout. Engage in HIIT today to boost your metabolism for fat loss!

1 cycle = 30 seconds "high intensity", followed by 30 seconds of "low intensity"
For first timer, do about 4 cycles. Engage in HIIT 2-3 times a week. Increase the number of cycle by one a week.
After finishing about 12 cycles, take 1-2 weeks break. Repeat from 4 cycles.

High intensity can refers to sprinting (relative fitness can be jogging to some), cycling on stationary bike etc.
Low intensity can refers to walking (relative fitness can be walking real slowly), cycling slowly on stationary bike etc.

Keep ratio of high intensity to low intensity as close to 1:1 as possible.

Click here to read more about HIIT

4) Resistance training for fat loss!
By doing resistance training correctly, you will increase your muscle mass. Your metabolism will increase. With a healthy diet, you can be assured that fat loss will be very easy and it is usually permanent.

"But I don't wanna get bulky like those body builders!"

Bodybuilder

You will never become bulky like bodybuilders. They have a very strict regime of diet, training and rest. They will require good genes to achieve so much such bodies.

Still need more assurance? I can squat and deadlift twice my body weight! I am still considered small to many people.

Small & Lean at 62kg.

Now you can be 100% confident that you will never become the next Simon Chua with general resistance training.

There are many more benefits of resistance training other than fat loss. (Only when resistance training is done correctly) I will name only a few here.

1. It increases your bone mass.
2. It increases your strength.
3. It improves your immune system.
4. It elevates your mood.
5. It makes you look younger.
6. It improves your posture.
7. It lowers risk of injury.
8. It makes daily activities easier.
9. It increases the level of good cholesterol.
10. The list can just go on...

Conclusion
That's it. Just 4 changes to your life to lose the fat.

"Lose them (fat) and keep them away!"

The truth about muscle & fat

As a personal trainer, it is fustrating when i see scams that promise to turn your fat into muscle.

Source of picture

The truth!
Muscle and fat are 2 different body tissues. You cannot turn fat into muscle (and vice versa) anymore than you can turn lead into gold.

No idea what's fat & muscle? Look at anyone. Muscle are those hard flesh which can look tone and desired. Fat are those flabs on any area of the body. If one has a tummy, that's fat around the waist.

Looking better will always involve 2 processes. They are fat loss and muscle gain.

Muscle weighs heaiver than fat.
You can weigh heavier and have a smaller waistline.This is the reason why you should be concerned about your bodyfat % than the figure on the weighing scale.

Comparing these 2 men, Brad Pitt is definitely heavier but his body looks better.

Woman with higher bodyfat %

Woman with lower bodyfat %

It is clear that lower body % is desired.

Muscle burns more calories than fat.
If you were to compare both tissues to remain at rest for 24 hours, the increased in metabolic rate is not much. It is less than 10 calories for 1 extra pound* of muscle.
*(2.2 pounds = 1kg)

Only 10 calories? Don't give up the idea of gaining muscle yet. Muscle creates the movement of our body. We are using our muscle even when we are walking. With such long working hours of our muscle, muscle can burn at least 20 times more than fat. This is why somone muscular can afford to eat more without putting on fat so easily.

With these 2 points, (looking better and able to eat more) I hope that your goal is fat loss instead of weight loss & muscle gain instead of weight gain.

However, the sad truth...
Blame it on our body. In order to survive, our body will choose to pack on fat rather than muscle. Even if you are muscular and lean right now, without maintenance through resistance training, your muscle will still shrink! You will only gain fat much faster if you do not downsize your diet accordingly.

The reason why the myth of "Muscle becoming fat when training stop" is still alive. Most people still eat as much when they stop training.

Don't give up the idea of achieving a lean body yet. Maintaining a lean body can require as little as 2 hours in the gym weekly. I am able to maintain my lean body by going to the gym twice a week (less than 1 hour each time) and eat smartly.

Picture of myself

What are you waiting for? Starting hitting the gym to gain the muscle now!

You are what you eat

I was chatting with one of my client just now when he said "My ex pt tells me to eat, eat & eat to get big".
I must say that if you eat a lot (dirty food), you won't definitely look how you desired.

"You are what you eat"
How true this phrase it.

I will cover a few that are typical in Singapore.

Please note that i will not be including detailed training & diet in this article. I won't be speculating if they use steroid too. Please do note that it's possible to achieve without any steroid.

Workout Quality & Volume
Elites - Professional.
Decent - Not good enough to go top, but not bad enough to achieve what most want.
Lousy - probably some bicep curls or a 40minute jog 1-3 times weekly.

For ladies

Skinny!

Achieve this body by eating an apple a day. Just pray that you won't fall before reaching this stage. (Death in extreme circumstances). This group of people may or may not exercise.

A case of serious malnutrition probably.

Skinny but flabby

A typical lady's body walking down Orchard Road. They may look skinny or lean with clothings, but there are a few flabby area. Mainly tummy, hips, arms and thighs.

Lousy or no workout.
Typical 3-meal a day with low quality calories.
Not forgetting supper or snack.

Very lean!

This body is very lean. She has quite a bit of muscle there. Training wise, it has to be between decent and elites. Very clean diet, at least 90% quality calories. My clients' opinions think this lady has too little body fat though.

What most desired

It's just what most my female clients tell me anyway. They want to look "non flabby" and "not bulky". This body is achievable with decent training (achievable with me) and smart eating. By smart eating, i will say it's 5-6 small meals with good quality calories. You are allowed to eat "cheat meal" probably once or twice a week.

If you notice, this body is very close to "lean and toned". Just eat more than "lean and toned".

Fat
I won't be putting any pic down here. From skinny but flabby, add on a few years of age, one will probably look like "fat" now. Very common for girls who started working in the office upon graduation.

For Guys

Skinny!

This is just another case of malnutrition.

"Small & lean"

This body is not small in reality. It's probably close to 70kg with 8-12% body fat. This body is achievable with decent training and smart eating.

The real "small & lean"

Bruce Lee will be a very good example of small and lean.

Dirty bulk

I call this kind of body "dirty bulk". In reality, "dirty bulk" is much bigger. Probably more muscle at least 18-20+% BF.

If one were to train (lousy to decent) and do not care what he eats, this is the kind of body you will get. You can look big with shirt on, just need to live with the tummy that you have.

This is what i really meant by just "eat, eat & eat." If you want better example, just go to a gym and see people who train like a "pro" to you. They look big, but they have a tummy, bodyfat at least 20%. (Not applicable to people who train for strength)

Brad Pitt in "Troy"

This body is nice! I heard somewhere that this body is around 190 pounds. That's about 90kg. This is achievable with decent to elites training with lots of clean food. (More than "small & lean" above)

Bodybuilder

This bodybuilder's body. It's the hardest to get. Eating a lot of clean & quality food is a must. (More than BP in Troy) Knowledge, passion & discipline are just 3 of the many criteria needed.

Fat (Same as ladies)
I won't be putting any pic down here. From skinny but flabby, add on a few years of age, one will probably look like "fat" now. Very common for guys who started working in the office upon graduation.

I think i have covered most of the types of body that is more typical to newbies. Hope this article helps.

Disclaimer: The following pictures are taken from the internet. I am not related to them. If you are (or your friend is) in any of the picture, or if the picture has copyright. Please contact me to remove the picture.

Ice blended protein shake

Spend just a few minutes to prepare a delicious shake.

All you need.

1. blender
2. whey protein (vanilla preferred)
3. banana
4. milk
5. ice cubes
6. ice cream (if you can afford some junk)

Just dump everything into the blender! *GRIN*
Try to calculate how many calories you need.
1 banana is about 100 calories.
1 scoop of protein is about 100 calories.
250ml of HL milk is 150 calories.

Dumped everything inside, then blend!
I used 2 banana, 350ml of milk & 2 scoops of protein.

This is the end result. By right i should be receiving around 500 good calories, but well, i need to share 1 cup with Leonard (my nephew).

If you can eat extra calories, you can add 1 scoop of ice-cream for that ultra milk shake taste.
Add ice cube if you like ice-blend shake.

You can play around with the flavour. For example, if you like strawberry, use strawberry instead of banana. Use strawberry flavoured protein instead of vanilla.

Enjoy your shake!

Start HIIT today

It is common to hear fitness professionals and medical doctors prescribe low to moderate intensity aerobic training (cardio) to people who are trying to prevent heart disease or lose weight. Most often, the recommendations constitute something along the lines of "perform 30-60 minutes of steady pace cardio 3-5 times per week maintaining your heart rate at a moderate level". Before you just give in to this popular belief and become the "hamster on the wheel" doing endless hours of boring cardio, I'd like you to consider some recent scientific research that indicates that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it's cracked up to be.

First, realize that our bodies are designed to perform physical activity in bursts of exertion followed by recovery, or stop-and-go movement instead of steady state movement. Recent research is suggesting that physical variability is one of the most important aspects to consider in your training. This tendency can be seen throughout nature as all animals demonstrate stop-and-go motion instead of steady state motion. In fact, humans are the only creatures in nature that attempt to do "endurance" type physical activities. Most competitive sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) are also based on stop-and-go movement or short bursts of exertion followed by recovery. To examine an example of the different effects of endurance or steady state training versus stop-and-go training, consider the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters carry a physique that is very lean, muscular, and powerful looking, while the typical dedicated marathoner is more often emaciated and sickly looking. Now which would you rather resemble?

Another factor to keep in mind regarding the benefits of physical variability is the internal effect of various forms of exercise on our body. Scientists have known that excessive steady state endurance exercise (different for everyone, but sometimes defined as greater than 60 minutes per session most days of the week) increases free radical production in the body, can degenerate joints, reduces immune function, causes muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with weight loss). Furthermore, steady state endurance training only trains the heart at one specific heart rate range and doesn't train it to respond to various every day stressors. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Think about it this way -- Exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure.

The important aspect of variable cyclic training that makes it superior over steady state cardio is the recovery period in between bursts of exertion. That recovery period is crucially important for the body to elicit a healthy response to an exercise stimulus. Another benefit of variable cyclic training is that it is much more interesting and has lower drop-out rates than long boring steady state cardio programs.

To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life's every day stressors. There are many ways you can reap the benefits of stop-and-go or variable intensity physical training. One of the absolute most effective forms of variable intensity training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints. Most competitive sports such as football, basketball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion. In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on some pieces of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods.

High intensity interval training (HIIT)
1 cycle = 30 seconds "high intensity", followed by 30 seconds of "low intensity"
For first timer, do about 4 cycles. Engage in HIIT 2-3 times a week. Increase the number of cycle by one a week.
After finishing about 12 cycles, take 1-2 weeks break. Repeat from 4 cycles.

High intensity can refers to sprinting (relative fitness can be jogging to some), cycling on stationary bike etc.
Low intensity can refers to walking (relative fitness can be walking real slowly), cycling slowly on stationary bike etc.

Keep ratio of high intensity to low intensity as close to 1:1 as possible.

The take-away message from this article is to try to train your body at highly variable intensity rates for the majority of your workouts to get the most beneficial response in terms of heart health, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.

ps: I edited the article because i do not encourage cardio machine like treadmill.
Important points in bold.
Added points in italic.

Source

Newbies's guide to resistance training

I get motivated to share my knowledge whenever people appreciate what i do & whenever you guys tell me your progress. With my limited knowledge, i shall talk a bit on training.

You should know by now, there are tons and tons of training methods for all kinds of fitness goal. I shall write about general training. It's suitable for all beginners who are interested to engage in resistant training, but have zero idea on what to do.

In part 1, i will cover the following.
1) Training of movement, not "just" muscle.
2) Choice of weight/set/repetition.
3) Some errors.
4) Some other advices.

1. Training movement, not "just" muscle
I believe in training every part of your muscle.
I believe in total body workout.
I believe in trainings that will be useful to everyday life. (Functional training)

Don't believe? Read the following and see if you agree with me.

1) Over training of chest, shoulders and arms. (Many guys)
They hunched.

2) Over training of abdominal muscle. (Many people)
They experience lower back pain.

3) Over training of upper body. (Many guys AGAIN)
Huge body with chicken legs.

Instead of focusing all these "small" muscles, engage in the following 8 movements. You will know that all muscles will be covered by these 8 movements. (2 examples of exercises each)

Upper Body
1. Horizontal Push (Bench press, DB press)
2. Horizontal Pull (Seated row, BB row)
3. Vertical Push (Military press, shoulder press)
4. Vertical Pull (Pull up, Lats pull down)
Lower Body

Quad Dominant (My favourite - squats)
Hip Dominant (Deadlift)
Knee Dominant Flexion (Reverse leg curl)
Knee Dominant Extension (Lunges)

*Adapted this movement thingy from Peter Rouse.


2. Choice of weight/set/repetition
2.1. Choice of weight
If you are working 10 repetitions, choose a weight which you will be able to perform the exercise with 10 reps with good form. (Maybe last rep or 2 which you will struggle)

On in this case, if you are doing 10 reps of squats.
a) you are able to perform 7 reps only - the weight is too heavy, go lighter.
b) you are able to perform 14 reps - the weight is too light, go heavier.

2.2. Choice of set
For general training, 2-5 sets will be very good enough. In 1 workout session, do about 12-20 sets. That will be very very good already.

2.3 Choice of repetition
For general training, go for 8-12 reps.
For muscular strength training, go for 6-8 reps.
For muscular endurance training, go for 12-15 reps.

Please note that more muscle hypertrophy (growth) occurs at endurance training.

3. Some errors
I) Doing countless repetitions.
I will not say much about this. You see people doing 30 reps training, look at them yourself. If you think they have a nice body, go ahead and follow them.

II) Doing countless sets.
Same as I

III) Engaging in bodybuilders' trainings.
We are not bodybuilders. I just do these general training, and i think my body is desirable enough. It's the same with all my clients.
If you engage in arnold's press in hope of building big shoulders, go ahead. I can forsee you getting elbow injury 5-8 years down the road. (faster if you are WEAK)


4. Other
See those 8 exercises above? Engage in them in a training session. 2 sets of 15 is a good start for most beginners. You will be doing 16 sets of exercises in a workout.

Think squatting countless times in an hour while you watch TV is good workout? Yeah it's a good workout BUT, high volume training = high muscle hypertrophy. Do not complain when you get "thunderous" thighs.

ps: it's not easy to gain that much of muscles for everyone. but ladies do have more hypertrophy in lower body, just take note of this.

Do not use machines. Use free weight for all exercises. (cable work is considered free weight)
Will not be explaining why though. Just skip machines if you believe in me.

Avoid treadmills etc.

End.
All right, that's the end.

Gimmicks and Gadgets for Weight Loss

Over the years numerous devices have been marketed for weight loss. The majority of these devices are ineffective, and, unfortunately, some are potentially harmful.

Saunas and sweatsuits have, at times, been recommended to help weight loss by burning off or melting away fat. This is a false claim. These devices may induce short-term (ie a number of hours) loss of weight by dehydration. These devices do not burn fat but can cause people to sweat profusely. Overuse of saunas and sweatsuits potentially can lead to severe dehydration. Furthermore, the increase in core temperature that is caused by these devices could be harmful to fetuses during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Other devices such as vibrating belts, bodywraps, and electrical stimulators have been used in an attempt to lose weight. Although these devices may not be harmful, they do not lead to weight loss. The money spend on these useless devices would be better spend on proven techniques. Additionally, if one puts faith and effort into these unproven techniques, one may delay making lifestyle changes that could lead to long-term weight changes.

A widely held myth is that exercise emphasizing a particular body part may cause that area to lose fat quicker than rest of the body. This false theory is called spot reduction. Curl-ups are commonly used exercises that people perform in an attempt to decrease their waistlines. Although curl-ups are terrific exercises for increasing the muscular strength and endurance of the abdominal muscles, they are not very effective for burning fats. As a personal establishes a caloric deficit through regular aerobic exercise, fat loss will occur all over the body, not just the parts where he or she would like to see the decrease.

Programs that advertise rapid, large weight losses are typically deceptive. The rapid weight losses seen at the beginning of such a “diet” are primarily the result of reductions in water weight. It is also important to understand that dietary plans that establish extremely large caloric deficits will substantially reduce RMR and lean body mass and do not establish healthy, lifelong eating habits. The following provides useful information about these fad diets.

Focus on fad diet:
Dietary plans that promise incredible results can be found easily on book selves, in media ads, and on the internet. Many people are looking for quick, easy ways to lose weight, entrepreneurs are eager to supply them. On one description will summarize all fad diets. Many focus on eating one food or food group, whereas others emphasize avoiding certain food. Most of these plans are low in calories and will result in weight loss. (at least according to anecdotal evidence.) however, there are problems. The majority of these diets do not emphasize a balanced diet with an adequate supply of essential nutrients. Over time, these nutritional deficiencies can lead to serious health consequences. Because of the potential for negative health consequences of fad diets, the AHA has “declared war” on fad diets. Another problem with these diets is that they do not lead to lifestyle changes that result in permanent weight loss. Many people follow these diets for a short period of time and then regain their excess weight when they return to their previous pattern of over consuming calories. These diets typically are focus on food rather than behavior change (increasing physical activity, using food substitution).

Hence, a number of “quick fixes” for weight loss are marketed, but these products are at best ineffective and at worst potentially dangerous.

From Health Fitness Instructor’s Handbook 4th edition by Edward T. Howley & B. Don Franks.

Choosing a Personal Trainer

A personal trainer (PT) is a person who helps you to achieve your fitness goal in the shortest and safest way. PT should not only have a passion for good health & fitness and balancing life, they should also be willing to share their knowledge to help others.

PT does not do his/her services for free. The rate for a PT can be as cheap as $30/session/hour to over $200/session/hour. The rate will depend on the value the PT rates himself. (Will be referring a PT as a guy in my article)
Paper credentials are good to the extent of being knowledgeable in the field, but this does not necessarily make him a good PT. A good looking PT can be helpful in his image, but it is not important to determine if he can help his clients to reach their goals.
These are the factors which I will rate as important.

1. Constant update for knowledge
   A PT should always need to update their knowledge through seminars, workshops, books etc in order to provide his clients with safe and effective information.
   A PT should also look to improve his personal skill in order to communicate well with his clients.
   
   
2. A PT should have time for his client according to their demand
   There’s no point in having a PT if he cannot work with you 1 to 1. There’s no point in getting a PT if he cannot afford to have those precious few hours with you every week.
   
   
3. Budget
   The PT should not only be qualified, he should also suit your budget comfortably. Do ask if there’s any extra hidden charge. (e.g. cost to enter a gym)
   
   
4. Policies of the PT
   Do ask all policies of the PT beforehand. It can be cancellation of a training session to billing procedures.
   
   
5. Role model
   Although I mentioned a PT may not need to look good, but he should look decent to set a role model to his clients.
   
   
6. Clients’ progresses as priority
   A PT should be more interested in the progress of his clients than finishing the sessions. Ask yourself, did the PT ask questions about you and your lifestyle? I hope the PT do.
   By asking questions about you, the PT should have a program that can be blended into your current lifestyle. There’s no point in sticking to a “dead program” which strictly require you to eat or do whatever exercise at certain timing.
   The PT should also be experienced enough to give substitution exercise if his clients are not good enough to handle certain exercises.
   
   
7. Communication skill of the PT
   A PT should have good listening skill and communicate well.
   A PT should know when to keep quiet and listen to his clients.
   It’s pointless if a PT has the best knowledge in the world, but he doesn’t pass any knowledge to his clients.
   
   
8. Trust
   Clients must trust their PT before they can cooperate. There will be some physical contacts in a training session. A PT should gained trust of his clients by being professional at all times. A PT and his clients should get along well.

I hope this will give you an idea on how to choose a PT that can meet your needs and guide you the path to the right lifestyle. Hope you will get along well with your PT and look forward to work with him.