Healthy & Speedy Fat Loss

Road To 6 Pack Abs :) Part 1

2011-11-02T11:11:00.003+08:00

Hi, whats up! I'm into my 2nd week of weight training.. mind you, whenever I say weight training, don't be afraid, I'm not talking about hardcore heavy weights but good enough to get a good workout and get our muscles into hypertrophy.

So what's KStorm Workout all about? Pick whatever you can from here. I will get back my 6 pack abs in 3 months, the deadline is 1st February 2012. That's a bold statement, right? Come join me :)

My "Road To 6 Pack Abs"

It will take me 5-7 hours a week, about an hour a day of training. The training will split into 5 sections namely:
1. Shoulders
2. Biceps & Triceps
3. Legs
4. Chest
5. Back ... so where is the "Abs Day"?! :)

It will be every alternate days after the section training, Abs = Core Training for me.. Core training is the basic requirement for all exercises.

Biceps & Triceps: This is what I did yesterday:
1. Straight Bar Curls (5 sets)
2. Standing Dumbell Curls (5 sets)
3. Reverse E-Z Bar Curls (5 sets)
4. Single Arm Rope Pushdown (5 sets)
5. Seated Overhead Dumbell Extension (5 sets)
6. Reverse Grip Straight Bar Pushdown (5 sets)

Thanks for reading & see you again.

P/S: Will tell you what do I do with my "Leg Day" tomorrow :)

Not A Good Boy!

2011-11-01T15:05:00.004+08:00

Hi, it has been many moons since my last post :) and did I promise that I will make a comeback? Here I am :p OK OK I have not been a good boy.. I ate and drink like no tomorrow, I smoked too but the good news is.. I quit smoking a month ago. It was easier to quit this time than my previous (that was about 3 years ago). The 2nd good news is emmmm I walked back into gym and started my regimen to trim, short-circuit my system.. :) The 3rd good news (all for myself), I have a new hobby, ..Hiking. You guys can join me! I love to hike, take that as my "leg" day :)

Well guys, I will not be very extreme with my routines and food intake like last time. All I need is to drop 4-5 kGs and build some muscles at the same time.. not forgetting my 6 pack abs :) Let's start with some literature to warm us up.

Ok back to Health & Fitness.. I think we have to refresh some memories, I read an interesting article this morning, I think some of you might be interested. Let's get into it, and start the "fixes"

Principle #1 – You must optimize your hormonal environment for fat loss (at all times)

Simply put, if you want to burn fat at all times, your body must be in a fat burning state at all times. The only way to achieve this is by optimizing your body's fat burning hormones around the clock, and it's done through the use of three unique methods for fat loss:

a) Nutrient Combining

Now, you probably already know that you should be eating a mix of high quality proteins, healthy fats, and fibrous carbohydrates daily.

What you probably didn't know is how you combine these nutrients can and will have a profound effect on your body's hormonal response to each meal, and therefore your fat loss.

Avoiding the "Deadly Combination"

If your goal is to avoid fat storage, it's probably a good idea to avoid the presence of fatty acids and storage hormones (such as insulin) in your blood stream at the same time.

Why, because Storage + Fat = You don't want that.

When you consume dietary fat, fatty acids are released in to the blood. When you consume dietary carbohydrate, insulin is secreted in to the blood to shuttle blood sugar to its storage sites.
Putting 2 and 2 together, you can see that the two nutrients you'll want to avoid consuming together in appreciable amounts are carbs and fat.

Carbs cause the storage hormone insulin to be released. Fat ingestion leads to large amounts of fatty acids in the blood. Insulin + fat = fat storage.

To avoid the problematic situation, follow this simple rule: Consume protein with every meal. Add either carbs or fat (but not both).

Of course, it's rarely possible to consume ZERO fat or ZERO carbs since most foods have trace amounts of both; just be sure to keep the "unwanted" nutrient under ten grams in each meal.

To recap, here are the two "approved" types of nutrient combining:
Protein + Fat meals (with less than 10 grams of carbs)
Protein + Carb meals (with less than 10 grams of fat)

So now you know what nutrients to eat together. But, when should you eat a Protein + Carb meal and when should you eat meals that contain Protein + Fat?

b) Carb Syncing™

Contrary to popular belief, the key to fat loss is not avoiding carbs, it's learning to consume them only when your body is most primed to "handle" them best. This comes at two different times of day:

In the morning
After intense exercise

For one, loads of research has shown that glucose tolerance is highest in the morning, making it a no brainer to consume a large portion of your daily carb intake at breakfast when your body is best equipped to process them.

If you’re someone who consumes frequent meals, mid-morning is another great option.

Basically, the rule is this: eat your carbs in the morning, not the afternoon or evening.
Unless… …you’re performing intense exercise.

Perhaps (well not perhaps, it’s true) an even better time to eat your carbs is after exercise. During the 1-2 hour window post workout your body is ultra primed to suck up carbs for recovery, energy replenishment, and other anabolic processes (and NOT fat storage).

So, should you choose to work out in the evening, late-night carb snacking can actually be beneficial to your fat loss results and there's no better time to consume the majority of your daily carb allotment than immediately following your workout.

BUT, there is an ideal situation; a "best of both worlds" if you will. And that's where you schedule your workout in the morning and consume all your carbs early in the day.

We call this Carb Syncing™ because you "sync" your carbohydrate intake with a time window in which your body is literally CRAVING carbs.

Nutrient Combining and Carb Syncing™ are the two tools you need to keep your body in a fat burning state 24 hours a day. But there is one way you can still screw things up, and that's by not periodically implementing our third technique: Strategic Overfeeding.

c) Strategic Overfeeding

Dieting can do a number on your metabolism by screwing with important fat burning hormones like leptin, and rather quickly at that. The answer to overcoming these adaptations lies in strategic high-calorie Cheat Days.

As you recall, leptin is heavily mediated by your calorie intake. Decrease calories and leptin levels fall off, increase calories and leptin levels recover.

And while it takes roughly a week of moderate dieting for leptin levels to fall off significantly, it only takes one day of cheating, or overfeeding, for leptin to recover back to baseline.

By frequently resetting your metabolism throughout the course of your diet with strategic high-calorie Cheat Days, you can essentially have your cake and eat it too while watching your waistline continually shrink week after week.

Principle #2 – You must perform calorically expensive, metabolism boosting exercise

Most exercise doesn't do anything for your metabolism over the long term. Spend 45 minutes on the treadmill and maybe burn 1/10th of one pound of fat.

Wow. That's amazing.

If you are truly looking to burn fat around the clock, you absolutely must be performing exercise that has a prolonged effect on your metabolism for hours after your session is done.

In fact, research has shown that a specific form of exercise called Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT) can increase your metabolism for up to 48 hours post workout – that's TWO DAYS of elevated metabolism from a single 40-minute workout.

Do you know how much fat you burn from one of those workouts? Yes, a LOT more than "cardio" or traditional high rep circuit training, that's for sure.

So what exactly is Metabolic Resistance Training?

It's a series of non-competing total body resistance training exercises linked together with incomplete cardiovascular recovery.

Now, that may sound like a mouthful, so let's break that down. For example, a workout may start with these four movements:

Dumbbell Lunges x 8 reps per side
Dumbbell Chest Press x 8 reps
Goblet Squats x 8 reps
Dumbbell Row x 8 reps per side
No rest between movements (isn't that crazy?!)

Because there is no rest between each exercise, there is not enough time for your cardiovascular system to fully recover (i.e. incomplete recovery).

The exercises are "non-competing" because they transition from upper body to lower body, allowing the muscles of your upper body to rest while your lower body is works (and vice versa).

Essentially, you're providing a HUGE metabolic stimulus to your entire muscular and cardiovascular systems through strategically designed full body resistance training combined with minimal rest. This is what allows for an unparalleled exercise-induced increase in metabolism for hours and hours after your session—something we call the afterburn.
You want the afterburn. A lot of it.

To summarize, when you combine the metabolism power of Metabolic Resistance Training with the hormone-regulating power of Nutrient Timing, Carb Syncing™, and Strategic Overfeeding, you have a clear recipe for 24/7 fat loss.

But there is one last "secret" missing ingredient to the whole puzzle that, quite frankly, MUST be in place for success.

Principle #3 – You must be actively engaged in a social support community

We've said it before, and we'll say it again. Less than 10% of people who begin a diet and exercise program actually stick with it for any length of time. And the numbers get even worse when talking about people who actually experience success and keep the weight off.

Those numbers suck. And without a doubt one of the biggest contributors to these abysmal statistics is that it's just too easy to fall off track when you aren't taking steps on a daily basis to remain actively engaged in the program you're following.

As mentioned, "falling off track" can be attributed to a number of things:
Lack of motivation
Lack of accountability
Lack of active engagement
"Life" (you get busy)
Lack of results
Lack of planning
Lack of support

In other words, there are WAY too many things stacked up against the likelihood you will succeed, unless you do something about it.

The good news is that researched has shown one particular resource to simultaneous "cure" all these problems: an online weight loss support community.

In fact, in a year-long study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, participants in an online weight loss support community lost more than TWICE the weight of participants who took part in a more traditional program. And further, other research published in Obesity Research has shown that over the course of 18 months, those who participated in an online weight loss support community were much more likely to maintain their weight loss than those who did not.

A full blown support community that includes direct access to us as the creators of the program and thousands of other individuals doing the same program you are.

Support, accountability, motivation, active engagement all in one place to keep you on track and achieving your transformation. Oh, and there will be a bunch of awesome "extras" as well.
Not only did we do the scientific research to make this program foolproof…we've gone the extra mile to make it fail-proof.

(article above in blue contributed by Joel)

Weight Problem?

2011-05-10T09:36:00.005+08:00

Hi guys, how do you do? I am so sorry I have been missing for almost a year. Well, some might want to know how "BIG" I am :) Seriously I was not really doing what I used to preach. "BIG", depends how you look at it... emmm.. BIG as in term of gaining fat, YES I am.. but not really put on loads of it hehe... Some friends would say I am looking much better with some baby fats..Oh gosh, hate it!

Ok cut it short... I just enrolled to a gym, started workout the easy way, would not be too strenuous... Excuse me, don't forget I have rested for a looooooong time. I am sure you will have more updates soon.

I come acrossed an article about losing weight days ago... emmmm don't you think it should be losing FATS..which I used to emphasise? No worries, take it as it is at the moment, cut those jargons for the time being.. Enjoy!

15 Easy Tips For Rapid Fat Melting

Follow these simple tips from registered dietitian Jayson Hunter, the Head of Research and Development for Prograde Nutrition, for a lean and healthy body.

Eat 4-6 small meals day a day instead of the usual 2-3 large meals. Eating frequently will help regulate and boost your metabolism to burn more calories.

Consume whole foods that are high in fiber and low in sugar, such as lean protein sources (lean beef, chicken, fish, and whey protein), fruits & vegetables (oranges, apples, strawberries, blueberries, broccoli, peppers, asparagus, carrots, nuts (almonds, cashews, & walnuts), and whole grains.

Eat low-glycemic carbohydrates such as vegetables, whole-wheat products and oatmeal instead of refined processed carbohydrates which usually come in a box or a bag.

Consume 25-35 grams of fiber per day. Fiber will help satisfy hunger pangs as well as control insulin and blood sugar levels which tend to promote fat storage.

Eat some type of lean protein at each meal. Protein helps to satisfy hunger and provide the necessary building blocks to maintain lean body mass while losing body fat.

Consume adequate amounts of healthy fat foods such as olive oil, walnuts, almonds, Omega-3 fortified eggs or other Omega-3 products. Healthy fats are great antioxidants as well as help with brain function and many other essentials processes that take place in the body on a daily basis. Essential Fatty acids also help prevent certain diseases.

Eat 5-10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day to meet your micronutrient needs. Vegetables also contain a good amount of fiber and help to control appetites and curb hunger. Additionally, VGF25+ provides the power-packed nutrition of 25 whole vegetables, greens and fruits in a convenient “super pill.”

Consume Green Tea or Water instead of calorie filled drinks such as soft drinks. Green Tea has many health benefits and should be drinking 1ml of non-caffeinated fluid for every calorie that you consume. This works out between (8-12) 8oz glasses of Green Tea or Water a day.

Balance your fat intake for the day. 1/3 should come from saturated fats, 1/3 from monounsaturated fats, and 1/3 from polyunsaturated fats. Again, ensure you’re consuming Anti-Oxidant rich Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids by incorporating EFA Icon into your nutritional plan.

Consistent fat loss requires good habits. If you want to create good habits then you need plan. Therefore, map out your meals every day and follow them. If you follow your plan everyday for 2-3 weeks you will form habits that become part of your daily routine and part of your life.
Incorporate “superfoods” into your meal plan on a daily basis. Some examples are salmon, low-fat plain yogurt, tomatoes, spinach, mixed berries, whole oats, mixed nuts, olive oil, flax seeds(or flax meal), green tea, and various beans. Many of the super nutrition found in these “superfoods” are also found in VGF25+.

Keep total fat intake under 30% for the day. This can easily be accomplished by avoiding “extra” fats such as butter, sour cream, mayonnaise… This doesn’t mean you have to completely eliminate these items, just use them sparingly and avoid adding them to foods whenever possible.

EXERCISE! Yes, you can lose weight just by changing your eating habits. But very few people succeed long-term - and it takes much longer to lose fat - when they don’t exercise. And something most people don’t realize is, just how critical ingesting the research proven Protein to Carbohydrate ratio is to optimizing the results of your workout efforts.

Record what you eat and drink. You will be amazed by what you find. Keeping a food journal is critical to your success because you need it to evaluate and analyze your current eating patterns. If your fat loss efforts are stagnant the answer can usually be found in your food journal.

Follow the 90% rule. If you can follow your plan 90% of the time you will soon see unwanted fat melt off your body. However, if you find yourself breaking these rules more than 90% of the time your chances of failing increase significantly.

p/s: thanks Jayson for the above article

Back To Basic

2011-05-01T21:16:00.017+08:00

Hello everyone, sorry for the long awaited new post on KStorm Workouts. I have to apologize for keeping you waiting. I have been away because I was busy for my work and moving into another direction. And now I'm back, BUT with more passion and new ideas how to make fitness more interesting and fun. And I'm here to share with you. Especially you. Yes! I mean YOU!

Today, we are GOING BACK TO BASICS. I was having a drink few days ago with one of my friend. We talked about gym, fitness, workouts and stuffs.

She was a member of one of the biggest gym chains in Malaysia. She told me that she only visited the gym for few months and she stopped going to the gym. The reason why is because she doesn't know how to do a proper workout and what to do in the gym. And another reason is because of those peacock guys at the gym are holding the dumbbells standing or sitting on the bench in front of the mirror at the free weight area as if they own the gym. I bet anyone of you ladies who goes to gym experienced this before, don't you? And my advice is, approach them and ask them is it possible to share the weights or bench. Ladies, you have the right, just speak out your mind, because you paid for the membership or the gym usage. Guys are not going to eat you.

O.K. Back to the topic. At KStorm Workouts, it's about lose fat, be leaner and fitter in a healthy way. No matter who you are, what is your objective, where do you workout. Whether it's a commercial gym or old fashioned gym with besi karat. (besi karat means steel with rust stain just in case you don't understand Malay) There are four basic exercises that you cannot skip which is what we called the BIG FOUR. These exercises are SQUATS, MILITARY PRESS, DEADLIFTS and BENCH PRESS.

These are all compound movements and also known as multi-joint movements. Obviously if you are moving more joints, you are moving more muscles. The alternative is known as isolation exercises. These focus on a single joint’s movement and concentrate on developing one muscle. With a compound exercise you could be targeting two, three, and sometimes many more muscle groups. We want the kind of muscle mass that we have sculpted and worked into an impressive physique. But most of us want to know that that muscle mass provides some real strength too. Compound exercises are great for developing real world strength. When you have to lift a box—or as your mass gains increase, a couch—you wouldn’t be using just one muscle. Most of life’s situations that require actual strength involve movements that are multi-joint, compound movements.

Compound exercises provide the most bang for your buck. In the time that you can be doing an isolation exercise that benefits only one major muscle group, you could also have chosen a compound exercise. It is pretty simple to see that if you only have an hour to work out, all the time that hits more than one muscle group is more effective than the time spent on isolation exercises.

But most of the women are afraid of getting bigger or carrying bulky muscle like what they seen on T.V. and fitness magazine when I say the word "muscle". Especially in Asia, they think doing weight training with 10 or 20lbs could make them look like "Incredible Hulk" or Arnold Schwarzenegger. To all the Western country readers, this might makes you laugh your ass off but can't blame them, it's the misconception that has been there for years.

Dear readers, it's difficult for women to build bulky muscle due to the different level of our testosterone.(male hormone) On average, an adult male body produces about ten times more testosterone than an adult human female body. And never forget the purpose of you reading this is because you want to lose fat. The fact is, the more lean muscle mass you carry, the more fat you are going to BURN!!! Sounds great, huh??? To maximize fat burning effects, you have to do compound movements to train all the major muscles and get rid of the slabs of fat on your tummy. Don't worry about your smaller muscle such as triceps, when you train your bigger muscle, the small ones will take care of themselves.

How to perform the BIG FOUR?

1)Squat

Starting Position: You will want to do barbell squats in a squat or power rack for safety reasons. If you do not have access to one, you might want to consider dumbbell squats. The barbell should rest on your upper back behind your neck. Grip the bar firmly, extending your arms well outside of shoulder width. Position you legs a little wider than shoulder width with your feet slight angled outward.

Performing the exercises: Keep you head straight ahead and your back straight as you slowly bend your knees until your thighs are slightly below parallel to the ground. Gently return the original starting position.

What not to do:

Rounding the back – Avoid rounding your back when you perform a squat or you will risk injury. Ensure your back remains straight and your head remain straight ahead or slight angled up.
Not going down far enough – Contrary to some opinions, stopping above parallel causes more injury to you knee than going below parallel. So make sure to go low enough and decrease your the weight on the bar if you are having problems.
Resting the bar on your neck – The bar should rest on top of your back instead of on your neck.
Pointing your knees inward – Make sure you do not let you knees point inward as your start pushing back up to the starting position. This tends to happen with new lifters or when you are lifting heavier weight.
Leaning forward/weight on toes – push from your heels and do not let them come of the ground.

Other tips:

Practice – Remember to first perfect your form before you begin lifting heavy weight.
Go low enough – Remember no partial squats. Do not worry about how much weight you are lifting – go at least parallel to the ground.

2) Deadlifts

Starting Position: Get a barbell and place it on the ground where you have some room. Start with a weight you can easily lift from the ground if it is your first time. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your front of your feet under the bar. Your shins will be about 3 inches from the bar and your feet should be angled out a little bit.

Performing the exercise: Hold the bar with an over/underhand grip combination as you squat down to grab it. You should now be holding the bar in the squatted position with your back straight and looking straight ahead. Slowly begin lifting the weight up as you are pushing your feet against the ground. You should be moving you hips in and your shoulders up as you lift the weight up. Once you have stood up with the weight to your side you can slowly lower the weight back down to the ground in bending down similar to the squat position decent.

Tips

Head up – Look straight ahead the entire time
Back straight – Keep your back straight; do not round your back
Full Rep - Return the bar to the ground before doing another repetition
Make sure you are bending your legs and using your leg muscles as you lift. You shouldn’t be lifting the weight just with your lower back
Keep the bar close to your legs on the way up and down

3)Military Press

Starting Position: Find a shoulder press bench. Position your feet flat on the ground shoulder width apart. You hands should also be at shoulder width apart.

Performing the exercise: Raise the bar overhead, extending your arms. Keep your back straight and remain looking straight ahead. Slowly lower the bar to nose height.

Tips

You can perform this exercise lowering the bar in front of your face or behind your neck
Try not to arch your back, use your shoulder muscles

4) Bench Press

Starting Position: Lie on a flat bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Your arms should be on the bar a little wider than shoulder width apart.

Performing the Exercise: Lower the bar slowly to your chest and explode the weight up.

What not to do

Do not lift your feet up from the ground
Do not bounce the bar off your chest

Tips

Keep your bottom on the bench (do not lift it)
A slight arch in your back is ok
You can vary the width or your arms to work more of your chest or triceps
Use a controlled motion when lifting the weight. Keep the bar balanced
Make sure you do a full rep going all the way to your chest!

Of course there are more compound movements such as bent over barbell row, chin ups, lat pulldown, etc... Can try to alternate your routine by doing these compound movements to make it fun. Always remember, compound movements are your fundamental to a stronger and more functional body. It's like you have to graduate from primary school before you continue your high school education without any problem understanding what the teacher is teaching.

*Guys, please don't stand in front of the mirror at the gym without doing anything. Share the gym equipments with the ladies, I bet they will give you the sweetest smile.
Until the next time I see you all again. Hope you enjoy this article.

To a leaner, healthier and fitter you.
Kevin.

A New Gadget Named FITBIT

2010-06-22T09:32:00.006+08:00

Hi,

Long time no see... :) I am not a great fan of soccer but it's WORLD CUP, once in every 4 years ... And yesterday's game between Portugal and North Korea was simply electrifying and finally Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first international goal in 16 months.. Yeah, June is the couch potato's month eh lol... It's alright if you are not so active but don't binge esp potatoe chips and others high calories tidbits....

How's your progress? Did you monitor the readings closely? I hope everything's in order. Today I want to share something looks high-tech (it's indeed :p).. I believe it won't be in our shore before early next year. It's called "FITBIT" It will help you to monitor some important readings and let you know where you are heading.... Hats off to the company! It's rare in this day that a company can improve upon an existing technology. However, they took something as simple as a "pedometer" and turned it into a feedback junkies dream and a fashion divas must have item. This item will be selling like hot cake soon across the globe... Of course I will be getting one for myself...

The Fitbit accurately tracks your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and sleep quality. The Fitbit contains a 3D motion sensor like the one found in the Nintendo Wii. The Fitbit tracks your motion in three dimensions and converts this into useful information about your daily activities.

You can wear the Fitbit on your waist, in your pocket or on undergarments. At night, you can wear the Fitbit clipped to the included wristband in order to track your sleep. Anytime you walk by the included wireless base station, data from your Fitbit is silently uploaded in the background.

Here's the link: http://www.fitbit.com/ (for you to find out more)

Please share your experience if you do have one :)

To Healthier, Fitter & Leaner YOU,

Kayee Lai

Protein! Oh Protein!

2010-06-04T10:37:00.005+08:00

Boy oh boy and girl oh girl, actually isn't easy to build muscles, it's much harder to build than losing them... esp young ladies out there, they thought when they get themselves involved in weight training, soon in no time, some muscles will protrude out somewhere :) ... that's why most ladies refrain themselves lifting weights.. Well today I am going to touch on PROTEIN.

Why protein? Why not protein? Do you know how much protein do you need? ... Protein is one of the macronutrient. Macronutrients are your proteins, carbohydrates and fats. We eat a combination of all three on a daily basis, but did you know that only 2 are needed for you to survive and they also happen to be the most effective in helping you lose weight? And one in particular is absolutely necessary if you want to burn off your stubborn fat and transform your body. It's none other than PROTEIN. Each macronutrient provides something to our body. Protein provides structure for your cells, carbohydrate provides immediate energy for activities and fat provides long term energy for physical activities as well as energy to run all of your metabolic processes. But protein and fats are the only two macronutrients essential for your body’s survival. This is why when you’re trying to lose weight and cutting calories it’s vital that you take in sufficient amounts of protein and fat.

It’s vital that you consume enough protein on a daily basis in order for you to sustain (or build) a lean body while trying to lose weight. A minimum daily protein intake is between 0.35 - 0.5 grams per lean body weight. However if your activity level increases so should your protein intake. The reason being that the more active you are the more muscles you breakdown and repairing it requires you to have more protein. Does it make sense?

The exact amount will vary according to each individual and their activity levels, but below is a general rule of thumb for your protein consumption. In order to calculate the amount of protein, you need to consume, the first thing you must do is get your lean body mass. Your lean body mass is your current bodyweight minus your current body fat (weight). And in order to get that, you need to calculate your body fat percentage... Alamak how? If interested you can post here to find out more directly from me.......

To Leaner & Fitter YOU

Kayee Lai

No SPOT Reduction

2010-05-20T12:31:00.011+08:00

Do you workout but your one problem area never seems to go away…your belly fat or beer belly or some gurus called it as pooh belly? Men tend to have big problem with it because that’s the first place that fats love to settle down right THERE... could it be more macho having those fats dangling there? Or sometimes “pop OUT” when you dress up too tight. As for women, fats love to settle at and around the hips and butts. Know what, some men would say “emmm, look at her, she’s fertile!”.. Do you really judge those fats as fertile? Or it’s an insult to women?

Remember there is NO SHORT CUT and sorry to inform you that there is NO SPOT REDUCTION. So save your penny and forget about those slimming centres out there especially those in Damansara Utama. By the way, can they sue me for condemning them? Well let’s getting serious, if you have been on a quest for a flat belly or even a six pack abs, it’s what you don’t know that may be sabotaging your efforts of budging that stubborn fat off your stomach. The right information can be the difference between looking at your same old belly a few months (I took 2 months to flatten my tummy, from 36.5” to 31”) from now or seeing a brand new you with flat abs you haven’t seen since your college days.

First and foremost if you have been doing various abs exercises in hopes of reducing fat surrounding your stomach…you REALLY need to stop. I’m talking about all traditional abs exercises like crunches, sit ups, side bends, weighted sit ups …Sit-ups is REALLY a NO-NO. Please STOP if your current abs workout involves you doing some type of torso twisting or bending or involves strenuous hip flexor twisting. These abs exercises don’t do much other than wreck your posture and put unnecessary strain on your lower back. Bear in mind, your abs muscles are not designed to flexing or bending your spine. The perfected engineering & design of the abs muscles are to maintain your midline stability. That’s the real function of it. In other simple words, your abs muscles are there to protect your back from bending and twisting too much... do you get it now?

Here’s a good sample exercise you can try, that gets your abs activated. Start on the floor in a plank position with both your elbows bent at 90 degrees. See picture below:-

* Get into pushup position on the floor. Now bend your elbows 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms. Your elbows should be directly beneath your shoulders, and your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold the position for as long as you can. Your goal should be to hold it for two minutes.

Picture by Men's Fitness

1. An average JOE can hold for 1 minute.

2. If you think you are a STUD, hold for 1.5 minutes.

3. And a POPEYE can hold easily for 2 minutes.

4. If you able to HOLD for 4 minutes, you are HOT

Whatever it is, you got to remember that having strong functional abs aren’t enough to get you a flat tummy. In order to effectively get flat abs you have to burn the fat from your stomach. The problem is you can’t target reduce fat, like I said earlier, NO SPOT REDUCTION. That means when you burn off fat, you burn it off from your entire body. HE did not design ‘selector’ switch for us to choose which area to ‘spot reduce’ hehehe... It bolts down to your body fat percentage still. So believe you got some ideas how to play the games now......

Let's go and flatten our tummies before the coming Christmas.... and enjoy and feel proud of your brand new BODY..Yeah!!!

Please leave a comment. I am sincerely would love to know what you think and what’s in your mind.

To Fitter & Leaner YOU....

Kayee Lai

Weight Training And Abdominal Fat Loss

2010-05-14T23:12:00.011+08:00

As a personal trainer, I go to gym almost everyday. I really enjoy my work as a personal trainer. I help people to achieve their fitness goals and I feel so satisfied when I see the results they achieved.

There are lots of time people asked me, who are the people who engaged your personal training service? To be honest, those are people who wants to lose weight. But I'd rather use the word "FAT LOSS". You have to be cautious of what weight you are losing. Most of the time, I see people running on the treadmill or using any of the cardio machine for half an hour or more. The next thing they will do is stepping on a weighing scale and see how much is their weight. And you know what, they are so happy because they are LOSING WEIGHT. Haha... They are just losing water. And then, they will go to the sit-up bench and do HUNDREDS of high speed body bouncing with their back hyper-extended SIT-UPS hoping to get the washboard abs. I know it sounds funny and familiar. Am I talking about you or your friends or the other gym member that is working out with you? Yes, if you or your friends are doing this. I don't meant to be mean. My dear friends, let's face the truth. There is no such thing called "SPOT REDUCTION" for our abs. If your bodyfat percentage is high, no matter after HUNDREDS or THOUSANDS of SIT-UPS or AB CRUNCH, you still cannot reveal your washboard abs. Sorry to say that you are just wasting time. Then you'll start to ask me, how to get the sexy abs you dreamed of? Please read on the fact.

Most health related organizations, such as American Heart Association, American College of Sports Medicine, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommend aerobic exercise for promoting metabolic health and weight control. Increasing evidence shows that weight training is an essential part of an exercise program. Weight training builds strength, but it also improves metabolic health and promotes fat loss. East Carolina University researches, led by Robert Hickner, showed that a weight training workout cause marked increases in energy expenditure and fat use in lean and obese men. Weight training was particularly effective for mobilizing fat in the abdominal region. However, abdominal fat mobilization was greater in lean than obese people. Weight training increases energy expenditure and fat loss in lean and obese man, but a variety of approaches is best for promoting weight control.

So, do you know what to do now? Stop cheating yourself by stepping on the weighing scale after cardio session and stop doing thousands of sit-ups. Hope this answered your doubt and stop more people from wasting time at the gym and doing more effective workouts with more real results to come.

Stay Strong and Keep Pumping!

Kevin

Statistic (What Do YOU Think?)

2010-05-12T11:24:00.009+08:00

Dear ALL,

I am NOT promoting Great Eastern, but want you guys to take a look at their quarterly policy payouts... actually not the figure that surprised me but the details of it. Bear in mind, this is just a 3-months' report on JUST ONE insurance company in Malay-sia. What about others? Think about the message.

Please double-click on chart to enlarge to new window.

If you can't see clearly the numbers ... and if you are interested to know, please email me. I will forward you the report.

All the best and best of health!

To Fitter & Leaner YOU,

Kayee Lai

BEFORE Tailor Your Nutrition Plan

2010-05-10T08:57:00.011+08:00

Oh gosh! It sounds so tedious. Oh yes indeed it’s tedious if you are serious about fat loss (mind you, I am not talking about weight loss OK, still following?) or muscle gain. Actually this was the very first step I did when I started my own fat loss program last Oct. I believe everyone got to have a good start in everything they REALLY want to do. Understanding of in-out caloric values of our body is the utmost important step to fat loss or muscle gain (over here I will emphasise more on fat loss). Why? Why so important to have such understanding? You may ask. It’s simply because You Are What You Eat. No matter how much time you invested in cardio, weight training, yoga or whatsoever exercise you name it, if you still do not know your position in caloric needs, you are screwed! Isn’t that simple to get screwed?

Shall we start now? Good, I heard you, you are still following.... so let’s get serious and ehemm a bit tedious too (where is the Mathematics teacher) hehehe....

Well the first step to tailor a personal nutrition plan for yourself is to calculate how many calories you burn in a day, in short it’s called TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). TDEE is the total number of calories that your body burns up in 24 hours, including all activities. TDEE is also known as your "maintenance level". Knowing your maintenance level will give you a starting reference point from which to begin your nutrition program. Hope you are doing fine so far... Let’s move on then...

There are many different formulas you can use to determine your caloric maintenance level by taking into account the factors of age, sex, height, weight, lean body mass, and activity level. The formulas namely:-

1. The QUICK Method (based on bodyweight)
2. The Harris-Benedict (BMR based on total bodyweight)
3. The Katch-McArdle (BMR based on lean bodyweight)

Note* BMR: Basal Metabolism Rate = Your resting metabolism rate for functional of your body.
Any formula that takes into account your lean body mass (LBM) will usually give you the most accurate calculation of your energy expenditure, but even without LBM you can still get a reasonably close estimate.

I will touch on Quick Method and The Harris-Benedict formulas because I know most of you out there do not know your lean bodyweight or body fat percentage. Therefore, you won’t be able to use the more accurate Katch-McArdle formula.

Quick Method

The "Quick" Method (based on total bodyweight)

A fast and easy way to determine calorie needs is to use current body weight times a multiplier.

a. Fat loss = 12 - 13 calories per lb. of bodyweight
b. Maintenance (TDEE) = 15 - 16 calories per lb. of bodyweight
c. Weight gain = 18 - 19 calories per lb. of bodyweight

Go on take out a calculator, check yours! :)

The Harris-Benedict Method

The Harris-Benedict formula (BMR based on total body weight)

a. Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)
b. Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

Note: 1 inch = 2.54 cm.
Note: 1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs.

Example:

You are female
You are 30 yrs old
You are 5' 6 " tall (167.6 cm)
You weigh 120 lbs. (54.5 kilos)
Your BMR = 655 + 523 + 302 - 141 = 1339 calories/day

Now that you know your BMR, you can calculate TDEE by multiplying your BMR by your activity multiplier from the chart below:

Activity Multiplier

1. Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
2. Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
3. Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
4. Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
5. Extremely active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or twice per day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

Example:

Your BMR is 1339 calories per day
Your activity level is moderately active (work out 3-4 times per week)
Your activity factor is 1.55
Your TDEE = 1.55 X 1339 = 2075 calories/day

Adjust Your Caloric Intake According To Your Goal

Once you know your TDEE (maintenance level), the next step is to adjust your calories according to your primary goal. The mathematics of calorie balance are simple:

To keep your weight at its current level, you should remain at your daily caloric maintenance level.

To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by reducing your calories slightly below your maintenance level (or keeping your calories the same and increasing your activity above your current level).

To gain weight you need to increase your calories above your maintenance level. Macronutrient ratios may be manipulated, but the primary difference between weight gain programs and weight loss programs is the total number of calories required.

Adjust your caloric intake gradually

It's not a good idea to make any drastic changes to your eating plan (if you like to call it as “diet”, please go ahead) all at once. After calculating your own total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and adjusting it according to your goal, if the amount is substantially higher or lower than your current intake, then you may need to adjust your calories gradually.

For example, if your determine that your optimal caloric intake is 1900 calories per day, but you have only been eating 900 calories per day, your metabolism may be sluggish and your appetite may be on the low side. An immediate jump to 1900 calories per day might actually cause a fat gain because your body has adapted to a lower caloric intake and the sudden jump up would create a surplus.

When your calories have been very low, the best approach is to gradually increase your calories over a period of a few weeks to allow your metabolism to speed up and acclimatize. Increase a little bit at a time each week, monitor the results, and then increase again if all is well until you reach your optimal calorie intake for healthy fat loss.

Measure your results and adjust calories accordingly

All of these calculations for finding your correct caloric intake are quite simplistic and are just estimates to give you a starting point. You will have to monitor your progress closely to make sure that the result you obtain is the proper level for you. You will know if you're at the correct level of calories by keeping track of your caloric intake, your bodyweight, and your body fat percentage. You need to observe your bodyweight and body fat percentage to see how you respond. If you don't see the results you expect, then you can adjust your caloric intake and exercise levels accordingly.

The bottom line is that it's not effective to slash your calories to very low levels in order to lose fat. In fact, the more calories you consume the better, as long as a sufficient deficit is created through diet and exercise. The best approach is to reduce calories only slightly and raise your daily calorie expenditure by increasing your frequency, duration and or intensity of exercise.

OK OK... now I realised that writing blog is like doing a cardio session for an hour LOL... If anyone of you still feeling LOST, not knowing what I tried to convey, please write to me.

Woah... sorry way too long for this one. Anyway, hope you guys have a GOOD START.

To Fitter and Leaner YOU,

Kayee Lai

Your So-called Personal Trainer

Getting Unstuck In The Gym

2010-05-07T12:50:00.017+08:00

Yo~~ Just trained my legs yesterday. With the help of my workout partner Kayee Lai and another iron brother, I had a great workout! With lots of compound movements and a few heavy sets, I almost puke at the end of my leg extension pump set. Definitely it was not the typical "SQUAT TILL YOU PUKE" type of workout. I knew I can't continue with my workout after I puked, because I've experienced for couples of times before.

Talking about working out, I had lots of people approached me and ask me questions such as: "How can I improve more on my bench and/or squats. How can I gain more lean muscle? How to increase strength because I think I hit the plateau and my gain is stagnant and I'm so dissapointed with my progress..."

If you are reading this and you think you are experiencing the situations above, stop doing the same old thing and sit on your butt!!! It's time to take action! Each of the following strategies can help you get rolling again:

1) If you've been killing yourself in the gym to no avail, don't train for a week. Focus your mind on other pressing matters instead, like solving world, helping out victims in Haiti or figuring out why TV detectives can only solve crimes once they've been relieved of duty.

2) If, on the other hand, a few days off every week is the problem, blast your body for a week or so. Let it know you are back in charge.

3) Get adequate sleep, which for most people means at least 6-8 hours a night. Zzzz.......

4) Eat 5-6 healthy, nutrient packed meals a day. You AREN'T going anywhere if you don't have fuel in your tank. (undereating is the most common problem among people who weight train)

5) Give your body adequate time to rest between workouts. Seldom, if ever, train the same bodypart on back-to-back days, for example.

6) If applicable, stop taking every set to failure.

7) Periodise your training to keep tour head in the game and your body on its toes.

Overtraining: WARNING Signs

When your gains slow to a crawl, the first order of business is to make sure you aren't overtraining. You may need a little R&R if you are experiencing some combination of these telltale signs:

A: Elevated resting pulse rate upon awakening.

B: Loss of interest in training.

C: Increase injuries, muscle aches or both.

D: Irritability.

E: Insomnia.

F: Loss of muscle size.

G: Headache.

H: Fatigue.

I: Diminished sex drive.

J: Loss of appetite.

My Cheat Day

2010-05-07T10:24:00.011+08:00

Woh ........ Today I am really feeling exhausted, not because of my training session yesterday but I did not have a good night sleep. And I really hate it if I can’t get at least a good 5 hours solid sleep... I need to preserve my muscles if it is not grow :( Oh gosh, probably due to my core training, can feel the adrenalin rush and feeling hyperactive, how I wish our brain is an “ON OFF” button. OR probably I was looking forward to today!!! It’s my CHEAT DAY!!! Yeahhhhhhh ....

Today I want to talk about Cheat Day (CD). Cheat Day is just another fat loss jargon, it’s another day in paradise, a special day to give your body a TREAT :) after a few low caloric deficit days. Eat what you want.. Stay cool... you will love your Cheat Day too. Maybe lots of you have not heard of this fat loss jargon, it’s not NEW actually. I did not know before Oct 2009. Let’s get a bit serious, Cheat Day is an important day, an UNO day, to avoid the negative adaptation of your long term calorie restriction (this is what you called DIETING). Have you ever thought why “DIETING” would not work efficiently for a long term? Let me cite an instance, a SMART ALEC would go on diet, week after week, wow amazing, the weight continues to come off like magic ala David Blain, simply by eat less or some might solely rely on protein diet (ops hate to use the word “diet”) and exercise, that’s all.

Yeah right!!! If only it were that simple. In fact, if it were, we would probably all be having sporting abs and bodies resembling those of fitness models (as you can see those fitness models ads in men briefs’ boxes :))

If you go on a low calorie diet for weeks, regardless whether it’s a protein diet, carbs diet (those vege eater), any other low calorie diet, or even thinking to go for meal replacement e.g. Herbalife, your BODY will screw you up by doing everything it can to keep you from losing fat further. Why so? It’s simply because our body is a great invention indeed. Thanks and no thanks, right?

OK, back to some engineering, FAT = warmth + energy. These 2 important things are for your survival when food intake is restricted or just so happened to be scarce. Though body is a great invention but our body can’t differentiate dieting from starving. So it will turn “ON” the body starvation mode/response to counteract the changes.

What will happen next? When starvation mode is triggered, it will slow down the metabolism rate, decreases fat burning hormones, increases fat storing hormones and protect your current fat storage. So now you tell me how to burn them further? Once it's triggered, what will happen if you can't go on the same diet you used to do and back to normal eating habit occasionally? BANG!!! Your body love it... Your body will win the battle and it happens always, easily 80% chances your body will win hehehe... Then you will be back to a square one with even higher body fat %. So just remember to play the CHEATING GAME with your body OK so that your body don't fall into starvation response.

A basic understanding is important at THIS STAGE for beginners rather than knowing all other scientific terms like Leptin or Insulin hormones.

Looks like I got to pen off otherwise it would be too bored to read my blog... Want to know my eating plan today?

1st meal: Well I had spaghetti, chicken, celery and carrot in tomato sauce as topping, a serving of HL fresh milk and a cup of NitroT,.. emm just nice for 550 calories breakfast.

Tea time (10:30am): A cup of Nesvita and Mass Factor.

Lunch (1:00pm): Will have a good lunch with plenty of carbs.

Tea time (3:30pm): Fruits, goreng pisang (fried banana).. love it! Cucuk kodok hahahaha and cup of coffee. And probably will go for 2 glasses of Red Wine... where else? In Sid’s LOL..

Dinner (6-7:00pm): Pizza Hut with COKE.

Supper (9:00pm): Half piece of Roti Canai, a packet of nasi lemak.. luv Tosai too and a cup of Teh Tarik.

To Fitter and Leaner YOU,

Kayee Lai

KStorm Kayee Lai "What's Been Holding You Back?"

2010-05-02T15:08:00.013+08:00

I rested 2 days from training, Friday & Saturday and this morning I walked into the gym feeling so fresh. I changed my routines entirely, applying the "time squeezing method" and giving a new burst to deep fibres of muscles. As usual in all my gym routines I don't neglect cardio vascular exercise. Somehow today while doing my HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio routine, I was thinking about my friends and others.. "What have been holding them back?". They see me changed but that does not inspire them at all to hit the gym or exercise. So what's in their mind? What we gonna lose if we spend some time exercising? Health isn't wealth?

I've also realised different things motivate different people to make changes. Like my case, it was because of my blood pressure and visceral fat. Personally I also believe in majority of cases, most people wait until the pain reaches crisis or even to the point of "rock bottom" or "you're going to die" (ops, too strong words to use), before they make a change. I remember I was asked why I quit smoking 2.5 years ago, I used to say "I do not want to be warned by someone UP there or DOWN there" :-) Whatever it is, normally when there was some type of "triggering event" then only will prompt them to begin a program of physical transformation. OK OK... yes some commented mine was way too drastic... but actually I don't think so at all. I love my new physique :-), and more importantly the fitness level.

Fortunately, you don't have to hit bottom to get motivated enough to make a change. If you take a serious inventory of what's going on inside your head, - thoughts, beliefs, values and old programming - weigh those I mentioned, you can identify your true motivations to change, now, right now, today, long before it gets serious or too late. Time waits for no men. Time flies... but I guarantee you that you can also find what's been holding you back. Act now!

So what's been holding you back? Think about it seriously......

Quote of the day: A goal casually set and lightly taken, will be freely abandoned at the first obstacle (by Zig Ziglar)

To Leaner & Fitter You,

Kayee Lai

Muscle Body Fat Scale Rating

2010-04-25T12:46:00.009+08:00

Rain in Ninja Assasin is having a 6-8% body fat

I have been asked not to be too "cheong hei" (long winded - having too long an article in my blog) simply because those interested in keeping fit may not be able to hit the gym if they read too much :-)

If any of you interested in knowing the term "RIPPED", "SHREDDED", "Super Lean", "Lean" as in body fat %... I had made a search and found the following scale for your reference. It may be vary compares to other school of thought but it's good enough to understand, knowing the objective and direction we are heading.

RIPPED = Shredded, whereby Super Lean = Very Lean.

Muscle Body Fat Rating Scale:

WOMEN:

Competition Shape ("ripped"): 8-12%
Super/Very Lean (excellent): below 15%

Lean (good): 16-20%

Satisfactory (fair): 21-25%

Improvement needed (poor): 26-30%

Major improvement needed (Very poor): 31-40%+

MEN:

Competition Shape ("ripped"): 3-6%

Super/Very Lean (excellent): below 9%

Lean (good): 10-14%

Satisfactory (fair): 15-19%

Improvement needed (poor): 20-25%

Major improvement needed (Very poor): 26-30%+

"Ripped/Shredded" body fat levels were not meant to be maintained all year round. It's not realistic and it may may not be healthy, particularly for women. The average guy or gal should probably aim for the "lean" category as a realistic year round goal, or if you're really ambitious and dedicated, the "very lean category." ..Don't worry we still can eat Pizza, Coke and McD :-)

You'll probably have to hit the "very lean" category for six pack abs. Just a quick note: You're not destined to get fatter as you get older, but in the general population (non fitness and bodybuilding folks), the average older person has more body fat :-)

Just remember another note of mine to those who is chasing for a nice abs: the bottom line is that there's no "perfect" body fat percentage where you're assured of seeing your abs. You will probably have to hit the "very lean/super lean" category for six pack abs (however, they are very subjective actually. For e.g. at the moment, I am in "Lean" cat yet I can see them..).

Til we chat again about fitness... To Fitness and Leaner You!

Kayee Lai

High Reps And Fat Loss: Do High Reps Get You Leaner And Prevent Muscle Loss During A Fat Loss Phase?

2010-04-22T08:56:00.005+08:00

Question: I heard that weight training protects your muscles during a fat burning phase. If I perform 50 reps using a light weight, will it protect my muscles from decreasing when I'm on a diet? If I perform, say, 100 reps, using 40% max weight, my muscles feel the same as if I had just used 80% of my max weight for 10 reps... what's the difference?

Answer: You asked "do light weights protect your muscles?" The direct answer is no. The type of resistance and repetition scheme that builds the muscle is also the best way to keep it. It's actually a common error to switch over to light weights and high reps during a fat loss program, thinking that high reps burn more fat.

It's OK, and probably a good idea to do some high rep work - some people do a "pump set" after their heavy sets, for example - but to drop all your 6, 8, 10, and 12 rep sets in favor of high reps (15-20+) and light weights is a mistake.

You mentioned the "feeling in your muscles." You are probably feeling a "burn" which is the build up of lactic acid. However, wouldn't it be better to judge your workout effectiveness based on your change in body composition, strength, muscle size, and body appearance rather than on how much it burns or fatigues you? Which is your goal, to improve your physique and strength or to get a burn?

Another way to look at it is if you can do 50 or more repetitions with a weight, then the weight is so light that you're not really doing the type of weight training that builds strength or muscle, you're training for muscular endurance or strength-endurance. You could even say that you're doing cardio with extra resistance.

A beginner may notice some muscle development or "tone" when they first start a weight training program, even a purely high rep program, but you won't get continued increases in muscle size or muscle strength with low weights and high reps, especially if high reps are done exclusively.

Including high rep weight training is fine. In fact, your muscles probably respond best from using a variety of rep ranges rather than one. But I'd suggest looking at the higher rep endurance work as ancillary to your primary workouts with lower reps and heavier weights.

While the burn you mentioned may feel the same when comparing a set of 100 reps to 10 reps, there's a very different training effect produced by using different repetition brackets, especially on such an extreme example of 100 reps versus 10 reps.

Our muscles do not know the difference between 10 reps and 100 reps or five sets versus 3 sets - our muscles only know how hard and how long they have to contract. This is not recent, revolutionary training breakthrough - it's just a common training variable called "time under tension."

We use rep "brackets" like 8-12 to target an appropriate time under tension range for muscle hypertrophy, and setting a target for time under tension seems to work very well even though it's not a direct approach. Here is a list of basic training goals with rep brackets and appropriate time under tension stats:

Strength: 1-5 repetitions X 4 seconds = approx. 5-15 seconds
Hypertrophy: 8-12 repetitions = approx. 30-45 seconds
Endurance: 25-50 repetitions = approx. 1-2 minutes
Cardio: 50-100+ repetitions = approx. 3-30 minutes

With that said, it is very important to monitor your time under tension, or make sure that you are lifting within the correct rep ranges for your goals. If you want to build muscle or maintain muscle during a fat loss phase, you should stay within the hypertrophy recommendations above. Anything more than that, and you are changing the type of training effect on your muscular system.

From a strength training perspective, anything over 12 reps is either endurance or cardiovascular work. The optimal approach is to use the time in your weight training sessions to develop strength, muscle size and or muscular conditioning - not for extra endurance and cardio benefits.

Of course, cardio and endurance training have their place in a fat loss program, but they can't replace heavier weight training and should be considered separately.

For more information, this article goes further into the physiological effects of the different rep ranges:

Last but not least, whether you lose muscle while in a caloric deficit is also a function of proper recovery from your workouts and good lifestyle (low stress, proper sleep), as well as the magnitude of the calorie deficit (calories should not be cut too severely), and protein intake (there is new research that just came out recently confirming once again that sufficient protein intake during a calorie deficit helps protect lean body mass).

We thank Mr. Venuto for his contribution in our blog.

Before & After

2010-04-20T14:03:00.017+08:00

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Pictures (top to bottom)

(1) 84kGs, dated 20 May 2009 in Damansara.

(2) 83kGs, dated 18 July 2009 in China.

(3) 87kGs, dated 12 Oct 2009 at The Mines.

(4) 74kGs, dated 20 Dec 2009 at home.

(5) 73,5kGs, dated 23 Dec 2001 at home.

Body Composition Measurement (15 Oct 2009 VS 25 Dec 2009 & 20 Jan 2010)

1. Body Fat % = 25.5 VS 18.5 & 15 (13.5% by 3 points BF caliper)

2. Visceral Fat = 15 VS 11 & 9

3. Body Age = 45 VS 41 & 39

4. BMI = 26.3 VS 25.0 & 23.5

5. RMR/BMR = 1700 VS 1680 & 1650

6. RHR (Pulse) = 79 VS 69 & 58

7. Weight = 86.5kGs VS 73.5kGs & 68kGs

8. Waist-line = 36.5" VS 32" & 30"

It really didnt happen overnight..... Like the saying goes, "success begins with a fella's will, all in the state of mind"... There has to be commitment, determination, discipline, dedication & LOADS of preseverance :-)

All the best to you people out there...

At the moment, I am into my next phase of training. What's that? What will be my final weight? It has nothing to do with weight. Weight is no longer a concern. I want to hit a 8% body fat with some solid mass of course :-)

To Leaner & Fitter You!

Kayee Lai

20 Fittest Foods

2010-04-20T09:59:00.000+08:00

We count down the absolute best foods to pile on your plate

It's true. You really are what you eat. And that's why some days you end up feeling more like a cream-filled Twinkie than the lean cut of beef you aspire to.
But you probably already know that. That's why, like all of us, you're most likely trying to clean up your act and start eating healthy. But the truth is, that's just not enough. Because if you're gorging yourself on apples, bananas, and salads made with iceberg lettuce, you may be eating healthy-but you're not eating smart.
In order to build the body you want (the thunderous arms and the rock-hard abs, the lightning-quick brain and the unquenchable libido) you need to make every bite of food you put in your mouth count. That means building your diet around the most potent, nutrient-dense, disease-fighting, muscle-growing foods around.
But where do you start? And what foods are the absolute fittest? To find out, we decided to put some of the nation's top nutritionists to the test.

First, we polled 40 of the country's most respected food experts-registered dietitians, college nutrition professors, and authors-asking them each: What are the 10 most important foods every guy should include in his diet for maximum fitness? Then, as the results rolled in, we ranked our experts' recommendations.
We not only tell you which foods made the list, but how much of each you should eat on a weekly basis. So read on to see how you can make your diet more fit.

20) Turkey Breast 72 calories per 3-oz serving

Eat 3 servings per weekBuy it skinless and you get seven grams of muscle-building protein per ounce. Turkey is high in B vitamins, zinc (a known booster of sperm production), and the cancer fighter selenium. "It's also got a ton of amino acids, and there are little or no saturated fats," says Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist in Reading, Mass. "Plus, it's one of the most versatile cuts of meat around, so you can easily eat it throughout the week and never have the same thing twice."

19) Olive Oil 119 calories per tbsp

Eat 2 tbsp per dayOlive oil is rich in good monounsaturated fat, making it an ideal food for heart health. In fact, studies show that replacing two tablespoons of saturated fat (found in butter and lard) with monounsaturated fat may reduce the risk of heart disease. But that's not the only reason to eat it. A study in the journal Nature reports that olive oil also has potent anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it can help reduce pain and swelling just like a dose of ibuprofen. In addition to cooking with olive oil and using it as a dressing for your salad, you can get even more in your diet by mixing a tablespoon or two into your daily protein shake.

18) Quinoa 318 calories per half cup

Eat 2-3 servings per weekChances are you may not be familiar with this exotic whole grain grown in the Andes mountains. But you should be. It has a light, mild flavor-making it ideal for guys who hate other whole grains. Even better, it's higher in protein than any other grain around, and packs a hefty dose of heart-healthy. unsaturated fats. "Quinoa is also a great source of fiber and B vitamins," says Christopher Mohr, Ph.D., R.D. a professor of nutrition at the University of Louisville.

17) Black Beans 227 calories per cup

Eat 2 servings per weekTiny as they are, beans can help you feel energized and fuller longer than almost anything else you can eat. The reason is twofold: They're incredibly high in fiber, which swells in your stomach and promotes a feeling of fullness. And, they're stuffed with a highly complex form of carbohydrate that can take your body a long while to convert into energy. Like meat, they're also packed with protein. But unlike meat, they've got no saturated fats. "Beans of all types are always high on most nutritionists' lists," says Chicago-based nutritionist Jennifer R. Bathgate, R.D. So why'd our experts pick the black variety? Easy. Ounce for ounce, they have more fiber per serving than any other member of the legume family.

16) Green Tea 2 calories per cup

Drink 1-3 cups per dayFrom cancer prevention to weight loss to potentially slowing the development of Alzheimer's, green tea has been shown to help fight almost every major medical ill. "Hot or cold, there's almost nothing better you can drink," says Mohr. Not the teabagging type? Try buying a liquid extract. Drop a bit in water and voila! Instant tea.

15) Eggs 74 calories per large egg

Eat 3-7 eggs per week"An egg a day is A-OK," says Ward. Here's why: Eggs contain a heavy-hitting 4 grams of pure muscle-building amino acids inside every shell, in addition to boasting some of the highest naturally available doses around of a vitamin called choline, which is thought to help enhance memory. "They're the gold standard in terms of providing all the right nutrients for muscle growth," says Ward.

14) Milk 118 calories per cup

Get 3 servings of dairy per dayYou know milk does a body good, but you may not know that skipping dairy makes your body angry, sort of. When you're not getting enough, your body releases hormones that cause your cells to retain calcium-and fat, says Michael Zemel, Ph.D., director of The Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee. Calories still count, so you should drink your milk by the glass rather than the gallon. But just make sure you get some. "There are components in dairy that help turn on your body's fat-burning system and slow down the storage of fat," says Zemel. And although other forms of supplements are great, this is one case in which the real thing works the best.

13) Water 0 calories

Drink Eight 8-oz glasses per dayYou know you need to be drinking more water, and for good reason. Water flushes toxins from your system, regulates body temp, acts as an insulator for joints, prevents kidney stones, and supplies the body with a raft of crucial minerals, says Marietta Amatangelo, R.D., of Germantown, Md. "Without water, none of the other super-foods would matter."

Although water helps in every way, it may be at its most powerful when it comes to weight loss. Drinking a glass or two of water a half hour or so before mealtime, for example, can help take the edge off your hunger.

Getting in all that water each day seem like a drag? Try making a half gallon of sugar-free lemonade you can sip throughout the day, or buy a pack of calorie-free flavorings to add to your water bottle at work.

12) Sweet Potatoes 100 calories per med. potato

Eat 1 per weekA four-ounce sweet potato holds more than 100% of our daily supply of beta carotene, a hefty dose of iron, and a plentiful shot of vitamins C and E. Together, these nutrients work together to protect your body against cellular damage of all types, especially in athletes who compete in extreme environments (such as altitude, heat, cold, or pollution). They're also one of the best foods for muscle recovery after a tough workout, says California sports nutritionist Kim Mueller, R.D.

And there are more ways to eat them than just baked, boiled, or topped with marshmallows. Try stirring cooked, diced sweet potato into chili or your favorite potato-salad recipe. You can also grate them into hamburgers or meatloaf, or use them to make your own oven-baked fries.

11) Soy 300 calories per cup

Eat 2 servings per weekIf tough Navy SEALs eat soybeans, you can, too. Dietitian Wendy Jo Peterson, of Virginia Beach, who's married to a SEAL, serves him and his Navy buddies edamame. "They think they don't like it until I make them try it, and afterward, I tell them it's soybeans." Peterson calls soy a "perfect food." It has the protein of meat, the fiber of a whole grain, and the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals of the best vegetables and fruits. If you don't like tofu and soy milk-there are easy ways to boost your soy intake. Soy nuts and the soy protein used in some protein shakes and bars not only taste great but are very guy-friendly.

10) Beef 163 calories per 3-oz serving

Eat 3-4 servings per weekIt's not only high in muscle-building amino acids, it's also a powerhouse of iron and zinc, which aid circulatory health. In fact, beef is so nutrient-dense that a three-ounce serving supplies more than 10% of your recommended daily intake of a number of nutrients, including protein, B6 and B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, and riboflavin. Worried about the fat? Don't. According to USDA data, today's beef is up to 20% leaner than it was a decade ago. In fact, 19 cuts of beef meet government guidelines as being a lean meat. To keep the meat you're buying lean as well as tender and flavorful, opt for cuts with the words round or top in the name-things like eye round roast, top round, or top sirloin steak.

9) Whole-Wheat Bread 140 calories per 2 slices

Eat 6 slices per weekWhite flour doesn't just rob you of fiber and protein, it also digests incredibly quickly in the body, giving you a rapid spike of energy-but one that comes crashing down just as fast. Over time, those spikes in insulin production wear on the body, damaging cells and promoting excess storage of fat. So why would you ever eat white bread?

"Even if you're cutting carbs, there's still a place for complex whole grains in your diet," says Mohr. "They leave you feeling fuller longer, and they provide the longest possible supply of sustained energy." Just watch out when you're buying something that claims to be whole grain. It may only look brown because it's colored with molasses. Rather than buying based on color, check the ingredient list. The only true whole-grain products are those that contain 100% whole wheat or whole grain listed as the first ingredient on the packaging.

8) Almonds 82 calories per 1/2-oz serving

Eat 3 servings per weekHigh in protein, fiber, and vitamin E, almonds are great for your heart, digestive system, and skin. Although they're also loaded with healthy unsaturated fats, some guys avoid them because they're so calorie-dense. But that's a mistake. Gary Fraser, Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Loma Linda University in California, studied folks who added two ounces of almonds to their diet on a regular basis. Turns out they had no significant weight change. "Since nuts are such a hard food, it appears that a significant amount of their calories are never absorbed into the body," he says.

To work more almonds into your diet, try keeping a bag of dry-roasted or lightly seasoned almonds in your desk drawer at work-and snack on a handful rather than hitting the vending machine. You can also blend almond butter into smoothies, or use it in place of peanut butter to make an, uh, AB&J sandwich.

7) Yogurt 154 calories per cup

Get 3 servings of dairy per dayYogurt has all the benefits of milk, plus active cultures that boost the number of germ-fighting bacteria along your intestinal walls, says Mueller. Why does that matter? It helps keep you from getting sick. Studies show that people who eat yogurt most often are less likely to catch a cold than people who rarely eat the stuff. Like milk, yogurt contains calcium that not only boosts fat-burning but also helps you feel satiated, making it an ideal food for weight loss. "Try to buy yogurt that is less than a week old to ensure you're getting the most benefit from the active cultures," she says. (The later the product's expiration date, the newer it is.) One word of caution: Most yogurt is packed with added sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. To see our favorite lower-carb brands, flip to page 26.

6) Spinach 7 calories per cup

Eat 2-3 servings per weekWhat do button-down dietitians have in common with brawl-happy cartoon sailors? They all love their spinach! And for good reason. One serving of these leafy greens is loaded with fiber, calcium, and virtually your entire day's recommended dosage of beta carotene, a nutrient vital for immune-system health, good vision, but not-as far as we know-huge wrist flexors.

If you can't stand spinach plain, Katherine Tallmadge, R.D., author of Diet Simple, suggests dropping it into burritos, pasta dishes and canned soup.

5) Broccoli 31 calories per cup

Eat 2-3 half-cup servings per weekThis fleshy green should be at the top of your list when it comes to vegetables. It's rich with a healthy supply of iron, calcium, fiber, and vitamin C, meaning it's good for the circulatory system, bones, and fighting colds. "As far as vegetables go, this is the one I try hardest to get more guys to eat," says Niki Kubiak, R.D., a private practice nutritionist in Omaha, Neb. Brocco-phobic? Try it on the sly: Slip it into stir-fries, onto pizza, or use raw chunks as a vehicle for your favorite dip.

4) Tomatoes 83 calories per cup

Eat 4 servings per weekYes, it's true that tomatoes used to be called "love apples" and have a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac. But that lore has nothing to do with why we picked the tomato as the best food for sexual health. Rather, tomatoes win their place on our chart-and their relatively high ranking overall-because of a single nutrient: lycopene.

This powerful antioxidant, which comes from the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, may actually help fight off a number of diseases and ailments-most important for men, prostate cancer. Numerous studies show that men who have the most tomatoes and tomato-based products in their diet are less likely to develop prostate problems than men who rarely eat the stuff. And the good news for guys on the run: Tomatoes are also that rare food that's more nutritious when cooked than when eaten raw. "Lycopene becomes more bio-available to the body after it's been heated," says nutritionist David Ricketts, a prostate-cancer sufferer who used his disease as the motivation for writing the cookbook Eat to Beat Prostate Cancer. "You can start off the day with a glass of tomato juice and have a tomato-based sauce a couple of times a week. However you can work it in, you're pretty much on the way."

3) Oatmeal 148 calories per half cup

Eat 3-4 servings per weekWhen it comes to eating breakfast in the morning, there's nothing better than a bowl of oatmeal to spike your energy levels and provide you with an hours-long supply of fuel. Oatmeal is also filled with stress-fighting and immunity-boosting zinc.

If that weren't enough to convince you to pop a bowl in the microwave, keep in mind that oatmeal can also help promote weight loss and lower your risk of heart disease. Oatmeal is filled with high levels of soluble fiber that protect your heart and arteries by trapping and expelling cholesterol, dropping levels by up to 30 points or more in some cases, says Kubiak.

The best oatmeal may not be the most convenient, however. Those flavored, single-serving packs that litter grocery-store aisles are often filled with added sugar-and therefore excess calories. Instead, stick with the big tub of instant oatmeal and add your own fruit and calorie-free sweeteners, if you need them.

2) Blueberries 41 calories per half cup

Eat 1-2 cups per week of all the fruit you can eat, blueberries may be the absolute best. Whether you're getting them raw, tossed into cereal, mixed in fruit salad or a smoothie, blueberries pack more fiber, vitamins, and minerals per ounce than any other fruit in the produce aisle. Chief among those nutrients are free-radical-fighting antioxidants. Free radicals, which increase in number as you get older, travel around your body damaging cells, promoting disease, and triggering signs of premature aging. And blueberries harness the firepower to knock them out of service.

Need another reason to eat them? How about your memory? Those same antioxidants that fight disease are also effective in helping keep connections between cells in your brain and nervous system healthy, ensuring clearer, quicker thinking and the best memory possible.

1) Salmon 121 calories per 3-oz serving

Eat 3-4 servings per weekSalmon tops our list for a number of reasons, but the biggest has got to be because its so densely stuffed with omega-3's. These fatty acids are thought to slow memory loss as you age and boost heart health by regulating heart rhythms and keeping arteries and veins supple and free of blockages. While saturated fats lead to obesity, the polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish appear to correct and prevent obesity, according to a study published in Clinical Science.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Salmon is also an excellent source of protein. A three-ounce cooked serving contains 20 grams-making it ideal for building muscle and trimming fat. Besides helping stimulate your metabolism three to four times more than carbs or fat, protein is the absolute best food for helping fill you up, so you take in fewer calories and burn more. And that's what being a fit food is all about.

Article by Men's Fitness

Kevin Gan of KStorm Workouts

2010-04-19T13:02:00.000+08:00

My name is Kevin Gan. I started my weight training program in 2001 while in my secondary school.

My first training coach was a former Mr. Asia Bodybuilder of the 70's named Mat Noh. I had joined his gym in June of that same year, he suggested I start to bulk myself if I were serious into bodybuilding. The reason he was saying that was because I was skinny and having small size structure. It was a hard-core training back then. A year later in 2002, I was crowned Mr.Fitness Daerah Jempol and had been selected to represent Negeri Sembilan in bodybuilding contest the same year.

In 2005, I obtained my ACE (American Council on Exercise) certification to be a qualified and certified personal trainer. Since then I worked as personal trainer in mega gyms in Malaysia and had coached and trained hundred of clients.

I specialize in weight loss, body conditioning, muscle hypertrophy training. I had a great desire to help others experience a better quality of life through fitness.

We, in KStorm Workouts aka Healthy & Speedy Fat Loss, together with Kayee, had worked out a 90 days fitness program online for everyone to enjoy a new lifestyle with fitness. Armed with tons of training experience that I had gotten through the years is how I came to be known as the "The Young Fitness Guru".

Thanks for taking the time to look at our blog and I hope that you may learn from the information I have provided. Please feel free to email us for more information

In fitness and for better health,

Kevin Gan

Kayee Lai Of KStorm Workouts

2010-04-16T10:52:00.003+08:00

Meet The Rapid Fire Newbie
Kayee Lai
KSTORM WORKOUTS
Age: Getting younger everday :-)

Photo: March 15th 2010 (after rested for 45 days without training. 14 days before CNY and 15 days after "Chap Goh Mei. the 15th day of Chinese New Year.

Fitness & Fat Loss Expert (so called hahaha)

Hi there, my name is Kayee Lai. Over the past few months, I've dedicated myself to helping others lose more fat, build more muscle, and get fit in the most effective and time-efficient way possible. But getting here didn't happen overnight.

Here's how my journey began...

Back in August 2009, I found out that my blood pressure was at my peak of 165/105 and my visceral fat was alarming at 14, body age was way above my actual age. I knew I got to do something, something that can help me gaining back my fitness. It was during this time, somewhere in mid of October 2009, thanks to Brother Edward for the bet, 2 weeks of free flow of drinks (any drinks) and food. All happened in Sid's Pub. The bet was, I got to have my 6 packs abs in 4 months and the deadline was March 1st 2010, there and then I realised getting changed is a MUST if I wanna to enjoy MORE in life and spend more quality time with family. Also I learned the importance of quality over quantity when it comes to training and getting results.

Within 3 months (a month before the deadline), I shedded 18kGs, from 86kGs to 68kGs. My waist line was 36" to 30" .. got to change all my pants and working attire .. and the tremendous result was that I have had my 6 packs abs that I never had one before or rather dreamt off....

In such a short period, I read a lot, analysed and I gained an in-depth understanding of the body's energy systems and how these processes result in more calorie burning. Now, I just needed to figure out how to most effectively optimize these processes through training.

You see, most people don't think of the nervous system as being related to weight-loss and muscle gain. The truth is, by stimulating the nervous system through proper training, you can burn more calories and increase your strength to get lean and fit faster.

Therefore, I would like to help others to gain their fitness in the shortest period. I hope I can create this opportunity for others to enjoy a better healthy living lifestyle.

Finally, as a role model myself in KSTORM, hours of combined research and studies, and hands-on experience with ACEM certified Mr. Kevin Gan, we developed the KStorm Workouts 90-day fitness program. We created this proven system to help anyone get off the fitness plateau and accelerate their results with faster, more efficient workouts.

Together with Kevin Gan as your online fitness trainer, I've put the KStorm Workouts program to the test on men and women with all different body types, from all walks of life. I've helped people who are overweight, recovering from injuries, and those trying to get past a fitness plateau. Whether you want to shed those extra pounds or take your fitness and performance to the next level, I sincerely hope to help you reach your goals.

To Leaner & Fitter You!
Kayee Lai

Quote of the day: You Can't Out Train A Lousy Diet!