... PERKAKAS

perkakas untuk menjadi perkasa ... :p

BAD EATING HABITS!

by: Jacob Franek

Bad Eating Habit No. 1 - You overeat

The explanation: You ignore the screams from your satiated stomach and continue to cram morsel after morsel down the hatch.

The root of the problem: A lack of discipline.

The solution: Overeating is often the result of intense hunger. To battle the binge, try to eat before you are overly famished. When eating, eat slowly and savour each bite. It takes the brain some time to register a feeling of fullness, so slowing your pace will keep your portions at a healthy size. Lastly, try to bring greater discipline into all areas of your life. Getting yourself organised is a great way to start.

Bad Eating Habit No. 2 - You dig junk food

The explanation: You rewrote the food guide to include only one major food group: junk food.

The root of the problem: Convenience.

The solution: There is a reason that junk food is called “junk.” Your typical junk foods are rarely nutritious while your typical snack foods are rarely satisfying, making it easy to overindulge. Much of the problem with today’s dieting lies with boredom, explains Dr. Ian in his book, The 4 Day Diet. People get tired of eating the same food day after day, and junk foods offer a convenient escape. Don’t become a slave to this convenience. Healthy foods can offer the same variety as junk, but the motivation to opt for change will have to come from within. To get started, find inspiration for innovative foods from outside sources, like a cooking class. Who knows? You might even meet a cute lady friend along the way.

Bad Eating Habit No. 3 - You’re a speed-eater

The explanation: Each and every meal is a time trial, and you’re constantly trying to better your best.

The root of the problem: Stress.

The solution: If you’re stressed on time or have a lot on your mind, chances are that it’ll show in your eating. Your solution then is to actively try and slow down. You can help yourself by avoiding finger foods. Instead, choose more complicated food items that will require utensils and time to finish. Tackle the root of the problem by learning some stress-reduction techniques like meditation.

Bad Eating Habit No. 4 – You eat Vegas-style

The explanation: You’re a saint during the week but you let yourself go on the weekends.

The root of the problem: A lack of discipline.

The solution: Whether you are trying to lose weight or simply maintain it, five days of hard work can easily come undone from a weekend of bad binge eating. If eating out is your problem, eat lightly before you go out to lessen your hunger. And don’t restrict yourself too much during the week so that the weekend becomes less of a treat. Even our man Dr. Ian lets himself go from time to time: “No one can eat healthy all the time. It's just not practical,” he says.

Bad Eating Habit No. 5 - You’re a mindless muncher

The explanation: The second you’re in front of a TV, you hit cruise control and stop paying attention to the food flowing into your mouth.

The root of the problem: Varied.

The solution: Spaced-out eating can be a symptom of various causes. Perhaps you’re stressed and attempting to take your mind off the burden or maybe it’s just convenient to eat your dinner with your favourite show. Whatever the reason, the habit needs to stop. Try and identify the root of the problem first, and if possible tackle that. Then do yourself a favour and separate food from television. If you must snack, have a suitable portion prepared before you sit down. At best, try to eat major meals only when you’re fully engaged.

...picking up the pieces

No one can say that they are entirely guilt-free when it comes to pleasures of the gut, so the first step of any rehabilitation program is to recognise the problem and your weaknesses. But don’t listen to us, take it from the expert: For change to succeed, says Dr. Ian, “you have to reevaluate your relationship to food, your motivations for losing weight and your goals. Find your areas of weakness and work on them slowly. Always think that you can accomplish even the most difficult of goals.” Sound advice, doc.

:)

... SWIMMING for a LIVING??

Source: AskMen




Most men have a tendency to turn to the treadmill or the bike for their cardiovascular workout if they aren't already getting it from sports such as football or basketball. Since these machines are readily available in most gyms, it seems like an easy solution. However, if you take a trip to your local pool, you may find a workout that challenges you in a whole new way.

You've probably heard that swimming is great exercise, but you may have never really taken the time to learn how to use it to your advantage. Here's what you need to know.

Types of Strokes

The main types of swimming strokes are freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke, with the butterfly being considered the most difficult by far.

Freestyle swimming, also known as the front crawl or Australian crawl, is basically what the name implies. There are no specific limitations on how your arms and legs must move; you just have to be sure to keep one body part above the water at all times (except for the first 15 meters at the beginning and after each turn). This is probably the most suitable style to use if you are just beginning and until you feel comfortable in the water. A 150- to 180-pound male swimming freestyle will burn between 500 calories an hour at a moderate intensity to 700 calories an hour at a high intensity.

The breaststroke, on the other hand, has a more defined pattern of movement. Your shoulders should be kept in line with the water, and your arm and leg movements should be coordinated to push together, performing the same actions. Your arms move out from your chest and around the sides of your body, and then back up along the center again to return to the start position (while your legs mimic the same movement). During the first stroke as well as after a turn, you are allowed one arm stroke and leg kick with your head in the water, but the remainder of the time, your head must stay above it. Swimming for an hour using this stroke will burn about 750 calories.

During the butterfly stroke, your arms move together from behind you, up and out of the water, ending above your head before once again entering the water, while your legs do a dolphin kick. This stroke particularly calls your shoulder muscles into play, so it is recommended for those who are quite developed in this area. Since this is probably the most difficult stroke, it demands the most energy output, and you will expend approximately 800 calories an hour performing it.

Finally, for the backstroke, perform the movement with your back facing the water, moving your arms and legs as you would if you were performing the freestyle stroke, and you will burn around 500 calories an hour. Keep in mind that you must have a fairly good awareness of the position of your body in the pool, as you will not be able to clearly see the wall approaching.

Assuming you can perform each stroke for the same amount of time, the butterfly will be your best bet for both fat loss and muscle building. This is because you are burning the greatest number of calories per hour while performing it, making it an efficient way to create the caloric deficit needed for fat loss. It is also the stroke that takes the most muscular power, therefore giving your body the best total strength-training workout.

If building muscle is your primary goal, you may wish to perform this stroke at the highest intensity possible, but for a shorter period of time. That way, you won't expend as many calories (since you need to be in a surplus to build muscle), but you will push yourself hard enough to stimulate muscle growth.

important considerations

Since you are performing this workout in water, there are a few additional considerations. One of the most important aspects of swimming is learning to regulate your breathing; because your head is only above the water at certain moments, you must adapt your breathing to each stroke. Some people will need to practice this before jumping into a workout. If you haven't mastered your breathing rhythm, you will find it difficult to push yourself hard enough to derive benefits, as your muscles need oxygen to perform properly.

It is also critical for you to master the type of stroke you plan on using before trying to swim laps. If you aren't performing it correctly, you will be inefficient and will tire out much more quickly than if you were using the proper technique. If your body is moving in rhythm with a fluid series of actions, you will be able to focus on pushing yourself to get your heart rate up, thus improving your workout.

benefits of swimming

There are many reasons to take your next workout to the pool. First, it is a great cardiovascular exercise. If you push yourself hard enough, swimming can be comparable to -- if not more intense than -- running. Since you use both your upper and lower body to propel yourself through the water, you engage more muscles and burn more calories than with running (during which the upper body doesn't work that much).

In addition, swimming gives you a great strengthening workout. The day after your first serious session in the pool, your upper body will likely be very sore. You will be using muscles in ways you don't normally use them, which will serve to strengthen your whole shoulder girdle as well as your back muscles (particularly your Latissimus Dorsi muscle).

Finally, many people find swimming to be a very good way to relieve stress. It allows you to clear your head so you are not only getting physical benefits, but psychological ones as well.

Weekly Schedule

Am into the 2nd stage of P90x now...doing 30 reps for AB-Ripper X, but still need to work harder for the Chest, Shoulders, Triceps training...don't seem to have enough strength to go for a full fledge workout...

Nyway, this is my current workout plan which I modified to suit my weekly commitments:



Sunday

Chest, Shoulder, Triceps training with P90x
AB-Ripper x

or

Chest, Shoulder Triceps training in the gym


Monday

1. Plyometrics with P90x

or

4 mile run + 1km swim



Tuesday

Back & Biceps
AB Ripper X


Wednesday

Yoga

or

Cardio session in gym + 1km swim


Thursday

Legs and Back
AB Ripper X


Friday

Kenpo X

or

Football (2 hours)


Saturday

Rest/ Stretches

UPDATE: Start of Week 6

Day: 38 (Start of Week 6)
Date:26 April 2010
Weight : 63.9 KG

Current Daily Diet

Breakfast

1. Whole grain cereal with skimmed milk (fat less than 1%)
2. One full banana
3. Protein shake

Morning snack
1. Protein bar/ Whole grain bar/ Fruits

Lunch
1. Baked Salmon with sweet potatoes

Snack
1. Nuts/Fruits/Wholegrain bars

Dinner
1. Grilled chicken breasts/ Baked potatoes/ Pasta
2. Fruits

Supper
1. Protein Shake





Looks DULL..haha

6 PACK SECRETS

Not that I already have 'em but this may serve as a guide (but I'm getting there! :p )

Source: Men's Health

1. Don't do Sit-ups
There is no one single move that will build a solid six-pack, but if there were there would not be the simple sit-up. Wedging your feet under a bench and raising your chest to your knees works the hip flexors, NOT THE ABS

2. Keep Cardio Short
Your cardio exercise should revolve around interval sprints and hill sessions rather than long steady paced runs. This will help maximize the calorie burn.

3. Slow down your reps
Muscles will grow onky if they are held under tension and slowing down the reps will do the trick!

4. Have perfect posture
Maintaining good posture throughout the day, even when you're sitting at your desk will activate those all important deep lying stabilizing muscles. So sit up straight!

5. Work you whole body
Exercises such as squats and deadlifts require abs to provide stability throught the move. Hence, performing them as part of your training will both stimulate the deep lying and outer-core muscles to build a strong and stable midesction.

6. Hit your abs from all angles
Standard crunches will only hit the upper abs. Adding reverse crunches will work the lower abs as well, while twisting crunches will hit the oblique to build a complete six pack.

7. Save the abs until last
Working your abs at the start of your session can fatigue them so that tehy dont provide the stability needed for big compound moves, meaning u'll have to settle for something less. Work your abs later in session to devote and entire workout to them.

8. Treat the abs like any other muscle
To buildyour abs, work them like you would do to other muscle groups. Start with sets of ten to 15 repititions, leaving a day's rest between the sessions, and increase the intensity by adding extra sets. Bashing out 200 reps every day will not lead to a six pack, but most probably a hernia.

2nd Post

Just as my first post, my 2nd picture update was taken way before today...

Day 17 (Start of Week 3)
Date: 5 April 2010
Weight: 63.4 kg

Time to WORKOUT

Am starting a fitness diary for myself to keep track of my body, endurance as well as overall health. Turned 26 last month and I guess it's about time to seriously consider changing my eating as well as social habits.

Was an active swimmer when I was young, and when I entered college, football was my main 'fat burner' . Used to be very fit physically then and I really miss the time where I could run up and down the wings regularly for Curtin University's footy team.

When I moved to UK, everything seemed to change a lot....packed up the pounds....fitness went from a hundred to a -5..and I cud only overlap ONCE during an 11 a side match...FUCKIN 'ELL...hahaha...used to weigh 62 kg and during Raya last Sept, weighed an astounding (well, x lah astounding ney) 70KG! And when I got back to Manchester , i cud hardly even put on my jeans!

Anyway, I shud have started this diary thing a month ago when I started my diet and fitness regime...but I guess it's not too late :) Will be putting up pictures to track my progress and hopefully when the girlfriend and family come over later during the summer, I'll be in my greatest shape! (fingers crossed) :p


So...below shows how I started off for Week 1 ( 20 March 2010)...weighed 62kg (after some serious dieting over the winter , where I basically starved myself...AND GOT MYSELF SICK SEVERAL TIMES! So, dont go on a famine-like diet ..its BAD for u! )