How To Exercise & Lose Weight / Slim Down & Get Rid Of Love Handle Aka Spare Tyre? (Compiled)

[subarucap]

Delete topic

Edited October 28, 2019 by subarucap

[gummibear]

i was 80kg in december, 2010.

my first 4 kg loss due to taking this drink using basil seeds. its like tadpoles in the plain water. part of cleansing out your intestines. healthy intestines is also a good start for losing weight.

now 68kg.

Where do you go about buying these basil seeds? Any special preparations required prior consumption?

[justgymguy]

I have been wanting to try the slimspa product for a while... and i have jus purchased the product online. I will give a actual field report after say 2-3weeks? All these are taken together with a gym routine which i hv jus started not too long, but not seeing any results... may be not that regular visits to the gym (becos of work) or that age is really catching up with much lower metabolism.

Anyway, any gymmers, fitness or medical experts in here can share or validate the following. I have read from somewhere, can't remember where exaclty, that for guys in their 40s onwards, in order to increase their metabolism, one of the way is to take a testosterones pills to increase our production of that important hormones for guys. It says guys in this age range, their sexual drive is going downhill mainly because the production of testosterones is much lower and the production of estrogen (female hormones) increases. This female hormones is the culprit of making us grow fat as we grow older. So one of the way to battle this is to take testosterones pills to maintain the balance. Is this true?

After some of my own research, there is this supplement called, T-Bomb or T-Bomb 2. it claim that it helps to boost the natural production of testostrones and stop/prevent the production of estrogen and thus helps in the battle of losing weight. One added advantage is that it helps tremendously in our libido too. Is this true? Anyone tried this supplements before? Any reviews?

Just someone in his 40s trying all means to lose weight.

[Guest IamPineapple]

To TS:

Always remember this... you are what you eat...

[Guest Super Obese]

I have been wanting to try the slimspa product for a while... and i have jus purchased the product online. I will give a actual field report after say 2-3weeks? All these are taken together with a gym routine which i hv jus started not too long, but not seeing any results... may be not that regular visits to the gym (becos of work) or that age is really catching up with much lower metabolism.

Anyway, any gymmers, fitness or medical experts in here can share or validate the following. I have read from somewhere, can't remember where exaclty, that for guys in their 40s onwards, in order to increase their metabolism, one of the way is to take a testosterones pills to increase our production of that important hormones for guys. It says guys in this age range, their sexual drive is going downhill mainly because the production of testosterones is much lower and the production of estrogen (female hormones) increases. This female hormones is the culprit of making us grow fat as we grow older. So one of the way to battle this is to take testosterones pills to maintain the balance. Is this true?

After some of my own research, there is this supplement called, T-Bomb or T-Bomb 2. it claim that it helps to boost the natural production of testostrones and stop/prevent the production of estrogen and thus helps in the battle of losing weight. One added advantage is that it helps tremendously in our libido too. Is this true? Anyone tried this supplements before? Any reviews?

Just someone in his 40s trying all means to lose weight.

Sadly, had tried Slimspa as well to to no avail. I've not tried T-Bomb, T-Bomb 2 or even basil seeds. Will like to try. Thanks.

[Guest needtocut]

hey all,

i need help with this, so do offer any valuable suggestions, i would appreciate it!

i am having this layer of fats around my stomach and i need to reduce it in one month's time.

i know it's going to be pretty hard and ambitious, but im willing to do anything as much as I could to maximise this reduction.

i don't look fat when im in clothes, and im not horizontally challenged either, im just having this stubborn blubber around my waist.

i'm pretty busy with work nowadays, but i can afford to fork out some time to do some exercises which are effective.

any suggestions on how to cut down on the fats around my waist?

thanks and god bless

[GachiMuchi]

1. Want to lose weight but never exercise.

2, Want to lose weight in 30 days.

3. Busy but willing to fork out some time to do some exercise.

4. Only wants to cut down fats around the waist.

Sorry, you will NOT succeed in losing weight and it would take a Miracle for you to lose only the weight around the waist in 1 month.

There are NO SHORT CUT in losing weight and NOT in such short time. Moreover, you can't even afford to take time to do it because you NOT DETERMINE Enough.

So you might as well forget it.

[justgymguy]

1. Want to lose weight but never exercise. 2, Want to lose weight in 30 days. 3. Busy but willing to fork out some time to do some exercise. 4. Only wants to cut down fats around the waist. Sorry, you will NOT succeed in losing weight and it would take a Miracle for you to lose only the weight around the waist in 1 month. There are NO SHORT CUT in losing weight and NOT in such short time. Moreover, you can't even afford to take time to do it because you NOT DETERMINE Enough. So you might as well forget it.

I would agree with GM. I used to be like you too. but when rubber meets the road. I gave up easily. You need to want to have it, or lose it badly in order for any weight lost to work. I have also 'cheated' myself for the past 2-3months when I started (or restart) my gym sessions. I realise if I am not giving it priority, it will be so easy to give up for whatever reasons that you can think of to convince yourself that you can let it go this time. That is why I recalibrated my sessions and routine to force myself to go everyday to gym. Mon/Wed/Fri on strength training by a PT. Tue/Thurs/Sat for cardio. This is working for me at least for the past week... lose 2kg straight.

So you have to ask yourselve how badly (desparate) you want it. If you really want it badly then prioritise exercise and dieting so not to give yourselve any excuses. Otherwise, whatever people says/advise in here, is not going to work for you... at least not in the long run.

Also, why the sudden and the time limit of 1 month?

All The Best In Your Effort!

[Clickclock]

well for me, I took up gaming by playing World of Warcraft and it made me skip my meals without feeling worried or sad, went really skinny real quick without me knowing, but its more of an unhealthy, lazy way.

Do what most people tell you to do, watch your diet, do more cardio by running/walking and try to develop a positive mindset of yourself whilst loosing weight. instead of thinking "im fat, im loosing weight now", think more of " i will get there, i know it"

[sgboy82]

Liposuction.

[Clickclock]

liposuction has its risks you know, anyway, its the lazyman's approach, you will feel that you've not earned it.

[imchaser]

Spanx for men. Google it.

[Guest Guest]

it's all in the mind. if you are disciplined enough, you will lose weight.

i lose a kg a week last time. according to sources, this is the healthiest. over a span of 2 months, im supposed to lose 8 kgs but i got lucky and lost 10kg. note that you shouldn't focus so much on weight but it should be fats.

exercise didn't take up alot of time. i did HIIT and it's less than 30 minutes everyday. most importantly, i changed my diet. you should eat healthily and not starve yourself. if you think that healthy food are yucky, like i said - discipline. it didn't affect my lifestyle at all. i eat at the same time everyday, just switch to healthy food. even when im home from work and feeling tired, i still make an effort to exercise - how long can it take? when i see myself after 2 months, i told myself that it was all worth it.

[gstc82]

4 years ago, i weigh abt 76kg, i went on a very very strict diet for 6 months, have veg with no salt, oil or dressing for lunch, for dinner, a palm size amount of rice with some meat and veg, no supper, burgers, soft drinks etc, after 3 months lost abt 6kg, than i started jogging, after 1 month of joging, i jog abt 8km abt 4 to 5 times a week from than till now. it took me over 6 months to loose 16kg thru pure hard work. i am now abt 65kg as i put on muscles as i add weight training and up my food intake. however, i never really loose the stupid fats at my love handles! u will never loose much weight in a month, unless u lipo.

its more impt to change mindset, you must think u want to loose weight to be HEALTHY as most impt, not to look good. if u diet to look good, it will not last. but once you feel healthier, you will feel better abt yourself and naturally people will start to say u look better. i was never a runner, i failed most of my 2.4 ippt, i pick up running 4 years ago and never look back, i just completed the 21km half marathon and i am very proud of that. i am proud i can now outrun most people, i am not trying to be arrogrant, but i feel proud of what i achieved. that motivates me to sustain my weight and not grow fat. i kept my old pants and shirt, several of them to remind me how over weight i was and not to go back to my uncle peroid pre 33 years old. exercise, exercise exercise, there is no short cuts to loose weight.

[Guest Guest]

its more impt to change mindset, you must think u want to loose weight to be HEALTHY as most impt, not to look good. if u diet to look good, it will not last. but once you feel healthier, you will feel better abt yourself and naturally people will start to say u look better. i was never a runner, i failed most of my 2.4 ippt, i pick up running 4 years ago and never look back, i just completed the 21km half marathon and i am very proud of that. i am proud i can now outrun most people, i am not trying to be arrogrant, but i feel proud of what i achieved. that motivates me to sustain my weight and not grow fat. i kept my old pants and shirt, several of them to remind me how over weight i was and not to go back to my uncle peroid pre 33 years old. exercise, exercise exercise, there is no short cuts to loose weight.

actually looking good can be a sole reason to exercise. for me, i admit, i exercise to look good. being more healthy is a bonus for me. the fear of not looking good makes me stick to my exercise routine.

[ItsAMemo]

Weight loss is 80% diet. If you want to lose weight, simply eat less, it will definitely work. Don't cut all the way to the point of starvation and discomfort; simply eat smaller portions at meals gradually, and you'll find that you'll start losing weight pretty quickly. Exercise is not an excuse to eat more after that; don't go for a workout then decide you deserve a buffet as a reward; you could potentially end up getting fatter as a result with that kind of thinking. It's more important to maintain the diet than to do a lot of exercise if your main goal is just losing weight.

It's also important to eat right of course, but that's not so easy. If you cut down on the carbohydrates, focusing only on meats and vegetables and in general, less processed food, it will definitely have an effect. To figure out if something is processed, imagine in your mind how many steps it took to produce the food. So if you're just eating cooked vegetables, not many steps - just have to e.g. boil or maybe stir-fry it with some condiments perhaps. In contrast, something like Cheezels... well I can't imagine many of the steps it took to make it . Meatwise, e.g. a sausage goes through several processing steps to be made, in contrast to a cooked steak.

[GachiMuchi]

I've merged all past post on how to lose weight together.

Those interested, please back read those postings, it has tons of tips and suggestions but No Short Cuts.

[Guest cadrick]

i am on personal training with cali trainer for few months now. what i do is 2 training sessions with trainer per week and on those days that i am on my own. My trainer ask me to burn 500 cal everytime, in regard of what machines you use.

My thought after all these training is you will see the result if u work hard for it. It is not nessassery that u will lose weight but for sure you will gain muscle mass. So losing weight is not a goal to look good. But to gain muscle mass, cos you will look good when your arm is nicely cut .... another tips is eat more small meals. it works for me. And also protein powder after every training. And if u are in workout ...focus...dun read, on the phone or easy cycling... WORK HARD FOR YOUR BODY... by the way i am 40, 186cm and 88kg...

[Guest Nudi]

I lost 18 kg, from 80 kg to 62 kg over a period of 18 months. I am 171 cm. Maintained this weight for 2 years afterwards. Through aerobics and weights 3 times a week 2 hrs each time. and little food. So no more social life! And if I missed a two gym sessions I gain one kg. If were to go for holidays, I gain 2- 3 kg in a week. Keeping in shape is hard work. Any one with ideas on maintenance without tears?

[ItsAMemo]

Kind of weird posting this; sort of advertising for this guy (I'm a client) but he doesn't know I'm gay lol. They know their stuff though, and can probably help some of you guys out if you're serious about losing weight / getting fitter overall:

http://www.ziklagfitness.com/

They're quite good at their basics (SMFR / Stretching / Core / Activation) which can help if you're having difficulty getting started with exercising from a sedentary lifestyle, or have some injury that you need fixed up (Aldrin's pretty good at fixing up injuries due to training...)

[justgymguy]

i am on personal training with cali trainer for few months now. what i do is 2 training sessions with trainer per week and on those days that i am on my own. My trainer ask me to burn 500 cal everytime, in regard of what machines you use. My thought after all these training is you will see the result if u work hard for it. It is not nessassery that u will lose weight but for sure you will gain muscle mass. So losing weight is not a goal to look good. But to gain muscle mass, cos you will look good when your arm is nicely cut .... another tips is eat more small meals. it works for me. And also protein powder after every training. And if u are in workout ...focus...dun read, on the phone or easy cycling... WORK HARD FOR YOUR BODY... by the way i am 40, 186cm and 88kg...

I lost 18 kg, from 80 kg to 62 kg over a period of 18 months. I am 171 cm. Maintained this weight for 2 years afterwards. Through aerobics and weights 3 times a week 2 hrs each time. and little food. So no more social life! And if I missed a two gym sessions I gain one kg. If were to go for holidays, I gain 2- 3 kg in a week. Keeping in shape is hard work. Any one with ideas on maintenance without tears?

You guys are my inspirations, especially Cadrick. How long have you been training to be where you are? I just started not too long ago and really hope to see results soon. Compare to when I was 30yo... it was so easy to lose weight. Now I have to work so much harder just to lose that 1kg. If you have some advise that will be greatly appreciated.

[justgymguy]

Anyway, really like to know if anyone was a chub and now a fit guy? Anyone care to share how you did it? I believed it is more of motivational for everyone who is keen to lose weight and have a nice fit toned bod.

[Allegro]

I used to quite chubby in primary school, but when I reached secondary, thankfully I joined a uniform group that requires me to march/exercise under the hot sun almost 3-4 times a week. That's when I got fascinated with developing muscles (like my seniors) and losing the baby fats, decided to exercise on my own as well, jog 3 times a week and swim once a week. Then it became a regular regime, especially when I've found a buddy to exercise together.

I rarely eat fast food like my peers (who loves them), maybe once in a while I will join them. I think fast food is really bad.

If you want to lose weight and stay fit, must have the will power to do it all the way. Results won't come in a few days, you need months and sometimes years, depending on the goal.

Edited September 19, 2011 by Allegro

[Guest cadrick]

hi justgymguy... i had been actively training for about half a year ( 3 to 4 times per week ). Before that i was just a guy that waste my time in gym. Cos i do things my way and thus the result is really normal... It was until a wake up call of wanting to do myself a favour. Give my body a new make over. I spend a bomb on personal trainer which cost me few k. In my opinion. It worth every cents cos my trainer push my limit and it shows... Now i am used to going gym every other day. It become part of my life. A healthy lifestyle which i enjoy very much. I love the sweaty feeling when i look into the mirror. I love how my body look. I love how healthy i am. Age 40 a gift for myself

[justgymguy]

Hi Cadrick, Thks for sharing. I too have a wake up call recently and am spending $K for a PT... sigh... but as you said, it is worth it. For me, I used to be workaholic, works 12-16hours a day and it is second to my family in terms of priority. However, lately, I noticed that I am putting on weight real easy and my weight keeps going up and I feel lerthagic most of the days. Did my annual medical check up (which I stopped for 5 yrs) and the Dr says my cholestrol level is high nearing the danger zone and everything else was high and nearing danger zone. When he compared with my records 5 yrs ago, though i was chub but very healthy level (cos I still somewhat workout then). He said. "You are 40yo now, do not think that your body is like last time when you were younger. Better do something soon otherwise, all the complications will start coming in fast". That really was a wake up call for me! I realised I'm not that young anymore.

Even when I started to work out in the gym, I was not that serious, thinking that spending that 30-40mins on the threadmill will suffice and even if I skip one or 2 sessions is ok... until... after 2 months... my weight was the same and fat level was the same. The PT told me this... Sir, honestly, much as I want to make my living as your trainer, but I feel that you should really and seriously think about your fitness goals. It is really not worth your time and money to spend on PT and gym membership when you are not consistent and persistent in your training. I'll be more than glad to ask the company to refund you if you want to stop. But if you are determine enough and trust me enough to train you to your fitness goal, I'll be more than happy to do that. But you must 1st determine within yourself to do it. No miracle will happen if you did not determine in yourself to really want it.

So now, for the past 2 weeks, I have been hitting the gym 5 days a week. Mon to Fri... 1,3,5 training with PT on weights. 2,4 on cardio for at least 45mins with a ave heartbeat of 130-140 (which is 70-80% of my max heartbeat). Average per session in the gym is about 1.5hrs. I have not weight myself yet, as I only want to see it after a month. But already showing signs of losing weight cos my pants are no longer than tight.

So I'm looking forward to the day that I have dropped from 95kg to 85kg, to 80kg, to 75kg... by then I hope to have my 6packs abs back when I was in NSF days. And at the sametime, may be join in a Dragon Boat team... something that I have thought about last time but never got a chance to do it.

Sorry for the long winded sharing, but I guess, I want to write it down to remind myself.

PS. After the determination... I no longer craved for junk food, and somehow naturally my appetite is not longer that huge. Somehow my body also went into its own dieting... e.g. i used to take at least 2 bowls of rice... now only a half.

Edited September 19, 2011 by justgymguy

[Manbane]

1) Can try some meal replacement like Xando. I buy them from Vivo basement. Taste average but very low in calories. I use it at night to replace my daily supper now as i get hungry every 3-4 few hours.

Works well for me and i am noticeably toner and less puffy. Also, do some form of carb cycling. Just google the plans.

2) Acupuncture to reduce water retention / improve blood circulation so that body looks more tone.

3) Proper fitness trainer to get you started on Gym routine (wane off after u know the basics) and come up with a fitness plan.

4) Join some exercise classes in gyms like body combat, cycling so that it is not so boring.

5) Generally very easy to get noticeable result if you are obese. But once u hit about 12% body fat, the real challenge will come.

I find it impossible to get to single digit body fat as i love food too much!

[Guest guest]

i am 170 80kg. am i considered fat?

[justgymguy]

@ Manbane - Thks for sharing. I currently using SlimSpa. but PT advise that once I finishes it, I should use Hydroxycut HARDCORE instead. I dun really like meal replacement... even the protein shakes... I'm getting bored with it liao. As for body fats... I think I'll be delighted once I hit 12-15% body fats... cos now I think I am in 25-30% bodyfats...

@Guest - I believed it is hard to tell if 170cn 80kg is fat. Cos sometime you may have heavy bones and etc so it is hard to tell. Best is to get to measure your bodyfats and you will then know whether or not you are fat. There are machines out there that measures bodyfats... or go into those wellness store (e.g. OTTO, OSIM and etc) in the pretext of buying their equipment, you test it out and then you will know your bodyfats % liao.

[Guest Guest]

This is a true story.

My neighbour goes to Malaysia to cast black magic on me 2 yrs ago(bcoz I reported her for hurling vulgarities spitting/vandalising/threaten to kill me n almost took her to court).

I used to weigh close to 100 kg but now I m down to 80kg, over a period of 6 mths.

Why? bcoz I could not eat n have this irrational fear of eating that I could choke on my food.

They engaged a male spirit to do their ugly work by 'choking on my throat' .The purpose is to make me sell my apt & vacate the place.So my intake of food gone down drastically. I lost 2 to 3 inches around my waist and i m one size down.

The interesting part is that I was losing weight under this not-so-lucky circumsatances.

But now I putting back on weight again bcoz her spell had expired.

[Guest cadrick]

hi justgymguy... i really cannot believe that for the first 2 months, u didnt try to make your money worth for the PT training...for me, started from my first session i had been putting in my full effort as i dun want my money go into the drain. Anyway i still think that weight loss is not the goal for total fitness. As after all these training, i realised that my weight maintained. But my waist go down from W33 to W32 and my belt lossen an inch. My body tone up, arm nicer cut, tummy flatter, leg toner. And please train legs and body as a whole. Cos big upper body with chicken leg really dun go well... For me i dun really take supper. If i am hungry i will eat oat with cold milk or make sandwiches with ham n cheese. I tried brown rice with veg. for meal. And am also a hugh fan of subway, easy and lazy me. I dun use meal replacement as i believe in real food. I make sandwiches n bring fruits to office for small in between meal. I still comsume protein powder, as hard for me to really eat enough protein from food. Basically is a total change of food in take and OMG, it really cost quite a bit and troublesome too.... But i guess i am use to it somehow...

I find it is interesting to read how others train and how they eat. please readers....contribute your share and enlighten us...

[orca888]

It's very easy to lose weight...

Just google for Paleo diet...

Cutting out all the sweet stuff, carbs (especially processed carbs) works...

And strange as it seems, you need to eat fats to lose fats...

Oh and forget about cardio - you will do better with resistance training...

Edited September 21, 2011 by orca888

[Nudi]

I do aerobics, weights, yoga three times a week for three years already and is currently slim and lean at 171/64 kg. I like my present body in all ways except that I have this love handle that would not go away despite great effort. Had tries pepper creams and slimming creams but in vain. I don't want to laser because of the cost and it is not long lasting. Anyone has any tips on natural ways?

[bodybuildMLY]

Your FOOD. Research has shown that exercise ALONE won't help in losing the weight, unless you manipulate your food to ensure that the calorie intake is less than the calorie output. For a start if you are clueless in getting a guide on food intake, I recommend the book Body-for-Life by Bill Phillips. Basic but useful... all the best.

[Nudi]

Tnx bodybuildMLY,

Will look into it the FOOD matter. Actually I have a flat tummy, the luv handle is at the back- at the waist level. Just two pieces of flabs. Fatty tissues, I think. Want to get rid of them to have that 'complete' body. Tnx again.

[Manbane]

think u should read lye mcdonald ud2 diet..for serious dieter who wants to achieve single digit body fat. Basically u seem to be left with the last bit of persistent

fats that wont go away..and this is the hardest part.

[Guest NeverSayNey]

A lean healthier body is what most of us desire, how do we achieve that?

Top 10 Weight-Loss Tips

No.10 Avoid Inactivity

When you think of weight loss, you likely think of the role your exercise plays. Surprisingly, it’s not just your activity level that’s important; it’s also your inactivity. Think of it this way: If you go for a 20-minute jog every day, you could potentially be inactive for 23 hours and 40 minutes.

During this time, your metabolism slows, meaning you burn fewer calories. Little things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther away from the stores you go to and walking the rest, and getting up from your desk once an hour to walk around a bit are all simple strategies that will help support your more aggressive fat-loss efforts.

No.9 Break A Sweat Every Day

Whether or not you’re a gym rat, this rule applies. In the interest of consistently progressing toward your goals, it’s important to take some step toward them every day. Aim to break a sweat at least once per day through some sort of activity.

This doesn’t need to be through structured exercise. If you prefer activities like hiking, rock climbing or flag football on your nontraining days, then indulge in those. The important thing, both psychologically and physically, is that you’re consistently invested in your progress.

No.8 Resistance Training

Most people understand, quite accurately, that they need to burn more calories than they take in if they want to lose weight. Unfortunately an understanding of how and when calories are burned is less widespread. The majority of calories you burn throughout the day are not from physical activity or exercise. In fact, as much as 70% of your daily caloric expenditure comes from your resting metabolic rate, meaning the calories your body burns to sustain life. Muscle is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body.

In other words, sustaining muscle mass requires more calories than bone or fat (and all of the other structures within the body). As a result, one way to ramp up your resting metabolism is to add some muscle mass through resistance training. Performing resistance training circuits is a terrific way to add muscle mass and burn a ton of calories in the process.

No.7 Interval Training

It is a well-established fact that interval training is a substantially more sufficient means of conditioning for fat loss than steady-state cardio work. In other words, you’ll lose more fat per minute of activity by performing intervals compared to steady-state work. Of course, this isn’t to say that adhering to a program with steady-state cardio won’t work, only that it will take you more time to make the same progress.

If you’re crunched for time, as most men are, running for 15 to 20 minutes or biking for 30 seconds as hard as you can and then resting for 60 seconds will do wonders for jump-starting your weight loss. Using this interval method (30 seconds on, 60 seconds off), start by doing 6 intervals 3 times per week and then progress your way up to 12, adding 1 more interval to each session each week. If you’re just starting out, begin on a bike to minimize the impact your joints take during running.

No.6 Eat "Natural"

Proper nutrition doesn’t need to be as complicated as some people make it. In a recent audio interview, strength and conditioning expert Michael Boyle rephrases a great saying from Michael Pollan, stating, “Eat food. Mostly plants and animals. Not too much.” This raises the question of what “food” is and how this may segregate options in the grocery store.

Sport nutritionist Brian St. Pierre provides a simple explanation: “If you can hunt it or grow it, it’s food. If you can’t, it’s not.” Quite simply, this implies that fruits, vegetables, plants, meat, nuts, beans, and legumes qualify as food. The goal here is to eat a diet consisting of food, not food products. Sure, there are advanced nutrition strategies out there involving macronutrient cycling, extreme calorie restriction and nutrient-timing practices. While these “sexier” options may be necessary to help bring a body builder from 8% body fat to 4% body fat, the overwhelming majority of men will make considerable progress by sticking to the “eat natural” plan described above.

No.5 Plan Ahead

You’ve heard the old adage, "Failing to plan is planning to be fat."

This has value on both the training and nutrition side of things. When that primal sense of ravenous hunger sweeps over you, you’re going to grab the most convenient option. If that option is in line with your weight loss goals, you’re all set. If not, you’ll invariably overindulge in processed garbage. Set aside a few hours on one or two days of the week to cook all your food for the week and put it in Tupperware. Also, put together some healthy snack options. This way you have a predefined defense against the unpredictable chaos of everyday living.

No.4 Throw Out The Crap

If it’s there, you will eat it. It’s that simple. If you fill your house with fresh vegetables, lean meats and healthy fats, you’ll be living in an environment conducive to your success. Alternatively, if your cabinets are filled with chips, cookies, crackers, and other similar products, you’ll be headed in the opposite direction.

Willpower is a limited resource. You may have the fortitude to say no to the unhealthy options 2, 3, even 10 or 30 times, but eventually you’ll give in. And because those snacks are filled with so much processed garbage, they never go bad! Don’t subject yourself to those temptations -- just throw it out.

No.3 Build A Support Network

It’s unlikely that you put on weight by habitually eating nutrient-dense foods in appropriate amounts and exercising regularly. Because you’ve built habits that are more conducive to weight gain, weight loss will require that you change these very habits. As intuitive as this may be, it’s certainly not an easy process. When you start to rationalize why it’s OK to eat those cookies, nachos and burgers or why you are allowed to skip one workout, it’s helpful to have at least one person to help keep you on track.

The more time you spend with certain people, the more important it is that they’re on board with helping you achieve your goals. Of course, the opposite is also true. People who dismiss your goals or surround you with temptations and, overall, just aren’t supportive can have a profoundly detrimental impact on your progress. This can be a hard choice to make, but ultimately you’ll need to cut back on the amount of time you spend with these people. Oftentimes it’s useful to reach out to people and ask for their help. When someone feels like they could be influential in your success, it makes them more likely to want to help.

No.2 Hire A Personal Trainer (a cute one for better effect )

Losing weight is all about having a well-constructed plan and following it consistently. Working with a quality coach will inherently improve your likelihood of success. A quality coach could come in the form of a nutritionist, trainer or someone well equipped in both arenas.

In addition to your coach’s role in providing a plan and holding you accountable to it, something else happens when you hire someone to help you with your goals. Because you’ve made a financial investment in your progress, you hold yourself to a higher standard. While this is a subconscious reinforcement, it is still very powerful.

Last but not least,

No.1 Set Goals

The most surefire way to never achieve your goals is to not set them. The difference between a goal and a wish is that goals are specific, realistic and written down! Write down your goals and post them around the areas you spend the most time (work, car, refrigerator). According to some experts, a realistic amount of body fat loss is around 0.5% to 1% every 2 to 4 weeks. This is important to keep in mind, as many have the lofty expectations of losing drastic amounts of weight in a few weeks, despite it having taken several years for them to accumulate all of it. Be realistic -- nothing derails progress like disappointment.

You can be just like him...

[Guest NeverSayNey]

GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS

[Guest NeverSayNey]

Not many realise that the 1-hour window after working out is vital in proper re-fueling and re-building of their bodies.

In fact, carbohydrates should be consumed within 15 minutes after exercising as the enzymes which are responsible for producing glycogen are most active then. After that, muscles continue to replace glycogen at a slower rate, taking at least 20 hours to fully replenish depleted stores.

Good sources are: have a healthy dose of oatmeal porridge with bananas or Nestum porridge with apples immediately after your workout.

As for protein, your body needs a refuel no later than 60 minutes after exercising. But protein on its own does very little for recovery. When taken with carbs, however, it can enhance glycogen replacement. If you can't tolerate solid food so soon after exercising, try protein shakes or whey protein drinks instead.

Good sources are: wholemeal wraps--Chicken Breast, spring onion egg omelette, Salmon, even peanut butter is a good source of protein

(Take note that yogurts are filled with sugar, so choose the plain all natural and DIY with almonds, raisins, berries and fruits)

[Guest Guest]

Protein shake with fruits

Breakfast

[Guest Gotcha]

Eating more meals in smaller portions help to maintain my weight too!

[Guest FatBoi]

Very true, I tend to buy junk food when I feel very hungry. The tip I have is do your research beforehand, make a shopping list, and only get what you've listed, don't be distracted by the promotions (whatever buy 2 get 1 free, get what you require for that day

)

GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS

[Guest FatBuster]

3 tips for rapid weight loss

The most important thing for healthy weight loss is to be mindful of your eating habits and lifestyle.

Most of us would like to have a better figure and look more attractive. Extra weight can hurt us in many ways beyond what it does to our health and appearance. It affects our lives and how people judge us. A study has shown that a large number of people think that overweight people lack self-control.

If you are on the road to shedding some pounds, you probably want to lose weight fast. Yet we know that losing weight does not happen magically overnight. Instead, it requires effort and determination.

Despite wanting to lose weight quickly, you should make sure that your method of losing weight is a healthy one. If not, you may be losing important muscle, rather than just fat. The most important thing for healthy weight loss is to be mindful of your eating habits and lifestyle.

Below are three tips that you can incorporate into your life to help you lose weight rapidly in a healthy way.

1. Eat breakfast

Breakfast is the most essential meal of the day. It fills your stomach after a long night of sleep. Eating breakfast will make you more alert and energetic at the start of the day.

Skipping breakfast will result in unexpected and, at times, uncontrollable hunger later in the day. This hunger may then lead you to unwanted snacking. Furthermore, skipping breakfast might make you eat more than usual during lunch to satisfy the hunger. This could increase your overall calorie intake.

Research has shown that if you eat breakfast every morning, you are more likely to maintain a normal weight. It is important to start off your day with a healthy breakfast to fill your stomach and prevent unexpected snacking later in the day.

A healthy breakfast should include all three main nutrients — carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The carbohydrates will give you instant energy and the fiber (which is a type of carbohydrate) will help keep you full longer. Protein and fat also prolong your satiety to minimize your hunger as the day goes on.

2. Exercise regularly

Research has shown that even 30 minutes of daily exercise can provide numerous health benefits in addition to aiding in weight loss and maintaining a healthy, desired weight.

Unfortunately, we often feel like we do not have the time for exercising. We are either too tired after work or cannot squeeze any free time from the endless piles of school assignments.

Even with a packed schedule, we can make little changes in our activities to incorporate a bit of exercise into our daily lives. For example, instead of taking the lift or the escalator, go for the stairs. If your office or your school is a stone's throw away from the MRT station or the bus stop, skip the public transport and walk to your destination.

At regular intervals, take a rest from your work. You can do some stretching exercises at your desk or take a walk outside your office or classroom. These little changes in your life will contribute significantly to your weight loss over time.

If you have a bit more time on your hands, you can sign up for an activity at the nearest community center, which have all kinds of classes available such as aerobics, swimming, and kickboxing. Having to pay for these classes will actually motivate you to attend them. This will then give you a good reason to allocate some time for regular exercise.

Of course, do keep in mind that regular exercise should be accompanied by a healthy diet.

3. Avoid deprivation diets

When we want to lose weight fast, we might think that not eating is the key. For example, a person who wants to lose five kilograms rapidly might eat as little as a carrot stick per day until the goal is achieved.

However, a deprivation diet only has a short term effect on weight loss. Your metabolism rate actually slows down when you consume so few calories per day. Additionally, losing weight so quickly and depriving yourself of a healthy diet can easily backfire, causing you to gain back the weight very quickly.

In addition to causing you to be hungry all day and night, deprivation diets usually do not provide the nutrients that the body needs to carry out its daily functions. Your body needs nutrients to keep up your metabolism, give you energy for physical activity, and to carry out general functions. Without these essential nutrients, your body will start to shut down, and weight loss may become very difficult. Therefore, it is important for you to eat regular meals and keep to a balanced diet.

As you go forward with your weight loss, remember that it is crucial to choose a healthy weight loss method, which is more likely to ensure that pounds are lost not only rapidly, but also permanently.

Eating breakfast, exercising regularly and avoiding deprivation diets can all help you lose weight rapidly. With these tips in mind and an optimistic mindset, you are a step closer to achieving your goal.

What weight loss method would you recommend or not recommend to other people?

[Guest PizzaSinner]

Why you can’t ‘burn off’ a bad meal

The method of guilt-based exercise doesn't work to burn off calories eaten.

One of the common misconceptions of new clients at Genesis Gym is that they can "burn off" a bad meal by doing some exercise after.

This is an idea driven by the negative emotion of guilt.

In this article I will explain why this method of guilt-based exercise doesn't work, and how to plan a "less healthy" meal into your week.

First let's take what I call the "pizza" example.

Let's say you go to a party the night before and overdo the pizza eating. According to Domino's website, half a regular peperoni pizza (4 slices) is 1160 calories.

This has: 135g carbohydrates and 51g fat.

Then guilt kicks in and you decide to go for a jog. "That will burn it off" you think. So you take a 100 minute jog which is way more than normal, but the thought of that pizza sticking on your love handles helps you push through the sore knees to finish the jog.

"Phew, I got rid of those 1160 calories!" you might think.

Not so fast.

Here is why this method will not work

1. Food is not just calories food is information that tells your body what to do.

In this case, the large amount of carbohydrates in the pizza stimulates the storage hormone insulin, and get stored in your fat cells. The large amount of fat in the pizza, combined with insulin also get stored in your fat cells.

2. We tend to eat bad food at night. The high fat levels lower growth hormone output which is a critical part of the fat burning, and body repair processes that we need to do at night.

3. The exercise we did with good intentions, quite possibly did burn 1,160 calories. However, it is a long, slow, cardiovascular dominant form of exercise which when done for long periods of time (needed to get rid of ALL those calories) tends to....

• Break down muscle for fuel since amino acids are an important fuel for long activity
  
• Raise stress hormones, which means fat storage especially around the tummy area, and even further break down muscles for fuel
  
• Lead to an overall lower metabolism and easier future fat gain because of the increased fat and lowered lean muscle
  

As you can see the "burn off a bad meal" mentality doesn't work well.

So what shall we do?

1. Normal daily food should be unprocessed and "caveman" in nature.

2. If you do eat a bad meal, try to make it more carbohydrate based with limited amounts of fats together with it. Eat it several hours before you sleep.

3. Use strength training as your main form of exercise. It builds lean mass and this increases insulin sensitivity of your muscles. Which means that nutrients from meals will tend to replenish your muscle stores rather than get shuttled into your fat cells.

4. If you do go overboard don't worry it can happen to any body, just recover quickly and get back on track. If one car tire gets punctured, fix it and get back on the road, don't feel bad about it, give up and puncture all the rest of them by doing foolish things.

[Guest Breakfast101]

What is a Healthy Breakfast?

The concept of a healthy breakfast is seldom understood by people.

Most folks believe breakfast that is low in calories and doesn’t include too much of fat constitutes a good breakfast However, the parameters for a breakfast meal to be truly healthy include many other aspects.

Understanding Dynamics of Healthy Breakfast

• Firstly, a healthy breakfast doesn’t need to be very low in calories. In fact, your breakfast should be more fulfilling than your lunch and should contain more calories than your dinner.

• Yes, fat content in breakfast should be low but this doesn’t mean $!^*| elimination of anything containing a bit of fat. For instance, butter used in minimal amounts is within the realm of eatinf healthy during the morning

• A healthy breakfast should be able to keep you full until the lunch time arrives. Ideally, you shouldn’t have anything else besides a cup of tea and biscuit or two between lunch and breakfast.

• Breakfast that is devoid of sufficient carbohydrates and proteins tends to work against your weight loss goals. A lighter breakfast will be digested sooner, inducing a dip in the blood sugar levels. This leads to hunger pangs and sugar cravings, making your snack insensibly.

• A truly healthy breakfast should provide you sufficient energy to kickstart your day. Ideally, the break items should be able to induce physical and mental energy. People who attend work after having a fulfilling breakfast are more likely to be more alert and energetic through the office hours.

Choose Breakfast Cereals with Care

Every nutritionist advised to go heavy on complex carbohydrates and a variety of cereals during breakfast. Complex carbs contain a high amount of fiber and help to regulate blood sugar levels. Thus, muesli or vermicelli along with multi-grain breads and cookies are good breakfast, cereal choices. Other options include oatmeal and porridge. Getting sufficient carbs is vital to fight-off the hunger pangs and awaken you psychologically for the day ahead. Carbs are also vital during breakfast if you workout during the mornings. Try to avoid processed or refined cereals in all forms including breads, biscuits and buns. Cornflakes aren't the greatest choice from the perspective of eating a fulfilling breakfast. Further, many varieties of cornflakes are quoted with synthetic sugar.

Enrich Breakfast with Fruits

Fruits are an essential part of any recipe for creating a healthy breakfast. Fruits provide a ready mix of vitamins, minerals and many micronutrients that strengthen our immunity. The natural sugars found within fruits help to increase our energy levels, giving us that much needed burst-of-energy to tackle the rushed morning hours. The high-fiber content ensures that our bowel movement is regulated and distressing problems like bloating or constipation are kept away. This includes banana that are high in carbs, mangoes or pomegranates that have a very sweet taste and watermelon for its thirst-quenching, refreshing taste.

Breakfast without Eggs is Incomplete

To feel fuller through the day and fuel your body through the rigors of office-work and morning gymming, you need eggs. Having at least two eggs is recommended for an adult.

Understand Utility of Milk for Breakfast

Some people think that milk is just a traditional breakfast item and doesn’t possess any noteworthy quality. Milk is among the rare foods that contain Tryptophan. This biochemical is needed for the uptake of Serotonin—the feel-good hormone in our body. Thus, a glass of milk ensures that you start your day with a natural, anti-stress aid.

Concluding Thoughts

The best way to keep your breakfast healthy and interesting is trying different alternatives for each breakfast ingredient. This includes trying different fruits, soy milk, different multi-grain breads and eggs cooked in different ways.

[orca888]

Nah, thanks but no thanks...hahah

I maintain my body the natural way - no processed carbs, no sugar and minimal carb intake

I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full...

Healthy fats is my friend - it helps me stay full for longer

I avoid all grains, especially wheat

[Guest GlendenChong]

Nah, thanks but no thanks...hahah

I maintain my body the natural way - no processed carbs, no sugar and minimal carb intake

I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full...

Healthy fats is my friend - it helps me stay full for longer

I avoid all grains, especially wheat

Care to share your meal plan, orca888 (how do we get rid of tummy fat, stomach fat was easy). Any exercise in particular that will my problem, I have been doing squats, but I find that my legs are stronger, stubborn fats remains.

[orca888]

Care to share your meal plan, orca888 (how do we get rid of tummy fat, stomach fat was easy). Any exercise in particular that will my problem, I have been doing squats, but I find that my legs are stronger, stubborn fats remains.

I am currently following this www.leangains.com

Diet is definitely more important than exercising...hahah

To burn those stubborn fats, you need to embrace healthy fats - turn your body from a sugar burner to a fats burner

My profile pix was taken in Jan and since then, I have leaned out another 10kgs...hahah

At my height, my "ideal" weight with 10% BF is around 81kgs - I am still about 5 kgs away

[Guest GlendenChong]

I am currently following this www.leangains.com

Diet is definitely more important than exercising...hahah

To burn those stubborn fats, you need to embrace healthy fats - turn your body from a sugar burner to a fats burner

My profile pix was taken in Jan and since then, I have leaned out another 10kgs...hahah

At my height, my "ideal" weight with 10% BF is around 81kgs - I am still about 5 kgs away

OIC, no carb diet seems to be the trend, I love nuts, eggs, milk and fish. Will get tips from that site, thank you so much orca888, how long did it take for you to see results? I am afraid that I will feel depressed and moody, lack of energy when there's no sugar or carbs in my system.

[sum1outhere_03]

How about a "spiritual" way of cutting?

Hmm I don't literally mean praying your way till you get slim kind, but more to "think" your way to cutting... (actually it works for putting on weight as well)

There are countless ways of cutting weight, and there are some who had successfully cut on by putting much effort (like what you read in the above articles).

Here's what I mean to this... Especially for those who have already started cutting down, or you have the intention to do so, and your mind starts with this 3 letter word:

BUT. (it's impossible always comes next)

We are what we eat, but we are also what we think...

Looking at those who've cut down successfully, don't they have the same initial thoughts? However, why these people are able to see results at the end is not just the action itself, it's also the thinking that they have... They often train their minds to say, I CAN DO IT. It's not easy, but these people just needs some effort to think differently before they see results.

Here's my personal 3 points into thinking your success weight:

#1 Have a realistic goal in mind.

Obviously you don't want to stay where you are... Otherwise you won't be thinking about it at all, right? But that's something I learn for myself in putting on weight as well. I want to lose 5kg in 6 months, sounds too easy for some, but may be "difficult" for others, but for the "others" category, this may be quite realistic to achieve. Don't compare everybody else's results because one's body will be different from another, hence the rate to see results will be different also...

#2 Regularly think (and confess) that you can do it.

After the intention of wanting a nice body like every other muscular hot bods, sometimes along the way, you'd see those temptations of deep fried chicken wings, potato chips and all that stuff that makes sure you have back your size... Along the way it's easier to say I give up and start munching on those stuff again...

But as I've said earlier, those who are successful, they keep in mind of the goal, and they keep in mind that things are possible for them and they can achieve. If thinking is not enough, say it to yourself (not in public though) that you can do it!

#3 Achieve things with "least resistance"

Along the way of saying you can do it, the best way to cut down your weight is through "least resistance". In other words, it's "going with the flow".

Putting in effort is great, but make sure while you're on your way, you're not heading toward the "wrong direction", but heading towards your goal with the flow... There's no point putting much effort and having that resistance, cos by doing so you've have a higher chance of putting them back again..

[Guest NeverSayNey]

Losing it is one thing, maintaining that weight loss is the real test.