5 Tips to Become a Morning Person

It's kind of super slow updates here.

The last time I stepped on the scale, I was 68 kg. I weighed myself on Monday and here is the result.

I'm 1 kg down!
67.5 kg as I step on the scale on Monday's 2/7/12 Weigh-In.

Last 4 week: 68kg
This week : 67.5

I'm frustrated seeing very slow result on the scale, but I understand that this is the price I have to pay for not exercising and being out of control around foods.

I decided to rise early, shine as well with my workout routine to go back on track. I thought that morning is the best time to exercise because it frees me of having to wait for my kids to go to their regular day time nap before I can start my exercise routine. You also won't have to think about a time to shower before fancy dinner plans if you exercise in the morning. Morning exercise also give yourself more free time after work by not having to hurry to the gym, find parking, wait for a machine during the workout “rush hour” and get your exercise in.

I know it wasn't easy because I'm not a morning person but I know that soon I will adapt.  If you are just like me who can't wake up in the morning, you might find this WikiHow's 5 Tips to Become a Morning Person useful to you.

1. Reflect about the purpose of getting up earlier
Think about the reasons why you'd like to get up earlier in the mornings. It can be a routine matters such as checking emails and paying bills to be done first thing in morning while you're alert and get them out of the way; or maybe having quiet time to yourself -- read,write,exercise or meditate before anybody else in the house is up 

2. Go to bed earlier
Sleep earlier to rise earlier. Consider going to bed earlier in increments. Start with 15 minutes earlier, with the expectation of getting up 15 minutes earlier, then gradually increase this to half an hour and then to an hour. Avoid watching TV, using the internet, or eating just before bedtime. Avoid bright lights, caffeine, and alcohol, as these will all wake you up more. Allow yourself to read in bed. Reading is a quiet activity and it will often induce sleep in the supine position.

Image from Chew on This

3. Set your alarm clock

Make the alarm clock loud. If possible, make your alarm clock play loud music to wake you up, instead of the traditional beep. Keep the alarm clock far enough away that you have to get out of bed to shut it off. The effort of having to rise from bed to shut it off will bFe enough to start waking you up properly.

4. Help Wake Yourself Up
Trick your body into greater alertness. Turn on bright lights on first thing in the morning, or going out into the morning sun. Force yourself to leave the room – go to the bathroom, drink a glass of water, splash your face with water, stretch and make your bed, open the curtains, or anything that will overcome your inner chat about returning to bed.

5. Have a good breakfast
Breakfast is your energy source, a kick-starter for the rest of the day. Early bird has to wait longer until lunch time, so don't skip breakfast.

Are you an early morning riser or a night owl?

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Exercise to Lose Weight: 7 Tricks to Get Into Exercise Routine After a Long Break

I haven't had a real workout for 2 weeks.

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This week I want to get back on track.

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I have to. 

But since Monday I haven't started any exercise
yet. Getting back to your exercise routine after a long break is not easy because you've lost the momentum.

Lifehack shows you 7 tricks to get into your exercise routine after a long break.

1. Schedule During Quiet Hours 
Don’t put exercise time in a place where it will easily be pushed aside by something more important. Right after work or first thing in the morning are often good places to put it. Lunch-hour workouts might be too easy to skip if work demands start mounting.

 2. Get a Buddy
Grab a friend to join you. Having a social aspect to exercising can boost your commitment to the exercise habit.

3. X Your Calendar 

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One person I know has the habit of drawing a red “X” through any day on the calendar he goes to the gym.

The benefit of this is it quickly shows how long it has been since you’ve gone to the gym.

Keeping a steady amount of X’s on your calendar is an easy way to motivate yourself.

4. Isolate Your Weakness 
If falling off the exercise wagon is a common occurrence for you, find out why. Do you not enjoy exercising? Is it a lack of time? Is it feeling self-conscious at the gym? Is it a lack of fitness know-how? As soon as you can isolate your weakness, you can make steps to improve the situation.

5. Start Small 
Trying to run fifteen miles your first workout isn’t a good way to build a habit. Work below your capacity for the first few weeks to build the habit. Otherwise you might scare yourself off after a brutal workout.

6. Commit for Thirty Days 
Make a commitment to go every day (even just for 20 minutes) for one month. This will solidify the exercise habit. By making a commitment you also take pressure off yourself in the first weeks back of deciding whether to go.

7. Go for Yourself, Not to Impress
Going to the gym with the only goal of looking great is like starting a business with only the goal to make money. The effort can’t justify the results. But if you go to the gym to push yourself, gain energy and have a good time, then you can keep going even when results are slow.

How do you make a comeback after taking weeks off of exercise? Share here, leave your comment.

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Monday Weigh In: Flat Belly Meal Plan

I haven't updated my weight loss progress last week.

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There is no big difference in my weight anyway from the previous week. I was 68kg the week before and I gained 0.3kg on Monday last week.

I missed my workouts all last week and I eat a lot.

I don't want to feel like giving up for getting discourage seeing another weight gain, so I didn't do my weigh in this week. Promise to myself, I will do better this week.

Source

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Monday Weigh In: Flat Belly Meal Plan

I haven't updated my weight loss progress last week.

source

There is no big difference in my weight anyway from the previous week. I was 68kg the week before and I gained 0.3kg on Monday last week.

I missed my workouts all last week and I eat a lot.

I don't want to feel like giving up for getting discourage seeing another weight gain, so I didn't do my weigh in this week. Promise to myself, I will do better this week.

Source

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Monday Weigh In: 5 Reasons to Do Water Fasting

My progress last week 21/5/12

My progress

It's a long delay between posts. I have not not update my blog all last week because I have been busy doing nothing. :)

Last Monday was my weigh in day. It feels like I just stepped on the scale yesterday, and now it's weigh in day again. The weeks fly by so fast!

Last 2 week I was 68.6kg;
Body measurement (chest-waist-hips in inches): 39 - 34½ - 42½.

Last week I weigh 68.2kg;
Body measurement (chest-waist-hips in inches):  37 - 34 - 40½.

This week I am 68 kg; only 200gm loss from last week
Body measurement (chest-waist-hips in inches): 38 - 34½ - 41. It has been goes up and down in two weeks.

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Frankly, those small loss left me feeling frustrated a bit. But I understand that you can't depend on the scale alone to measure your progress. Since I have started to include strength training in my workout routine 2 weeks ago, so I guess that could explain the small loss?

I believe that everyone who want to lose weight want to know how to speed up weight loss. Me no exception. I have tried water fasting several weeks ago and I've lost 2.4 kg on my first week.

I am thinking about to start water fast again this week. But I have to be mentally prepared for this because water fast is definitely not for the weak minded. I myself only managed to pass water fast for 15 days last time (I cheat a few times.)

Many people are against the idea of water fasting because they view it as eating disorder. People think water fasting is dangerous and crazy. But as a matter of fact, water fasting has been practiced since ancient times to heal and detoxify the body. Though water fasting has been clinically proven to treat Type II diabetes, the benefit of water fasting is not in weight loss. Weight loss is only another benefit you can get from doing water fasting. Apart from the weight loss purpose, these are 5 reasons why I want to do a water fasting again:

1. Water fasting gives your body a physiological rest
By doing a water fast, you allows the body to have true rest and heal from all of the toxins and pollutants in your food and environment. Water fasting will restores your body balance by eliminating wastes.

2. Water fasting help you to break food addiction
If you use to binge daily on chocolate, ice cream and junk food, water fasting is one of a way to break a bad cycle of eating.

3. Water fasting for self-control and self-discipline
During a time of water fasting, your self discipline will be brought to the test. To reach your weight loss goal, a little self-discipline is important. Water fasting is one of a way to develop self discipline and create a healthier lifestyle.

4. Water fasting for spiritual breakthrough
Water fasting will help you to realize how much you take food for granted. Based on my personal experience, water fasting help me to grow spiritually. You'll start to realize how little we need to survive and how much God provides for us everyday. You'll start to realize how blessed we are.

5. Water fasting to kick start a new diet
Water fasting can be extremely powerful  for the overweight person. Fasting will definitely make you lose weight. Though some people might argue that the weight you lose during water fasting is only water weight, let's make it clear: if you lose 20 pounds on water fasting, don't you think it's a good start rather than do nothing? 20 pounds is 20 pounds! Don't you think a body stricken with obesity will be thankful for twenty less pounds upon it? You may also heard that you will gain the weight back after a water fasting. Yes, it's true if you go back directly to your old lifestyle. But no, you are not gaining the weight back after a water fasting if you learn the art of gaining control of your appetite.

Always consult doctor or your health care provider before making any changes in your diet.

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