Body hurts like hell

My shoulder hurts... inadvertently when you work out too much, your body will need a break. The problem is I did not take a break.. When that happens, my body breaks.

I read somewhere I might need physiotheraphy for my shoulders. What the heck do I need physio for? I need replacements parts..but I suspect they have run out of my parts 30+ years ago le.. *LOL

So it all boils down to Cortisone Injections. Eee.. it sounds painful already. I understand it can be painful. Anyone able to tell me if this is true? And also, I hope it is not that expensive. Thanks thanks!

Knee pain, ankle pain, fingers pain, shin pain.. ow.. owww..

Self doubts

Upon my return to the dojo for my training, I have my eyes set on a final medal... and it has to be a good one, maybe silver, maybe gold? I am not talking about the local tournaments either, I want the one, my ultimate, heck, everyone's final fantasy.. world standard one. But everyone has their doubts..

I am training hard...oh yes I am training twice as hard... I am sacrificing much too, oh yes, twice as much also... I am also not the only one. So the questions in my mind are, who will make it..and when?

Time is not on my side obviously, I am getting old, and the older you get, the harder it is to bounce back, even harder to be the cream of the crop, and hardest to maintain there...

Age affects everything... physical, mental, hell, even your state of welfare (money-wise)...

Dreams gets shattered like a mirror, so difficult to find all the missing pieces and even harder to fix everything back they should be, and a broken mirror never reflect well again...

We talk about speed... power... flexibility... knowledge... health... etc etc... declining, and not increasing... lacking confidence and low morale...

Well my dear friends reading this....

Not I.

Let me give you the number to call: 1800-I-GIVE-A-DAMN.

You must have mistaken me for someone else who gives a damn about all these.
Age: So?
Time: So?
Power: So?
Hea...: So? So? So?

I tell you this...

When the UNSTOPPABLE FORCE meets the IMMOVABLE OBJECT,
Only COMMITTMENT will PREVAIL.

....and if you make me repeat this again I will have to beat you to a pulp...

I will...

...make no mistake about it.

Yours Sincerely,
The Committed One

As I journey towards my grading...

I did a measurement of my waist this morning... OMG! I am like 36" already! I know this may not seem like much to most people, but it matters the living crap out of me.

Coming from a start of 44" I have come full circle (pardon the pun) in reaching my 36", same waistline when I was fighting fit 14 years ago. My height has not changed one single bit though...still the measly 168cm... LOL

Weight wise also ... from a high of 126KG in 1988, to an all time low of 68KG when I was in the army (a story I will tell in my subsequent blogs...stay tuned), I was 86KG..just nice when I was active in my club. Right now, as I am typing this, I am 87KG... 1KG of fat left to go...

Pammy says I have more muscles instead of fats now, she will be a good one to comment since she saw me in both my best times and worst... So, logically I weight more now, since I still weigh in at 87KG, does that mean I am ACTUALLY lighter than before already!!?? *woot That is one inspirational highlight of current status.

The very notion of being lighter and slimmer means fitter is not true anymore. Let me tell you why. When I first lost weight rapidly due to exercise (Ketosis inducing) AND diet (Modified Atkins), I was so elated at my weight loss that I was happily training hard for my karate.

After a while I started to realised, er, I am fluffing my punches and flicking my kicks... yes you heard right, flick. I cannot put any power behind my strikes... damn frust I tell you.

Later I read that the rapid lost in weight was a combination of fat, protein and muscle mass loss. I was thinking OMG OMG OMG...major mistake, I did not factor in muscle loss... But then again, it worked out well in the end. The loss was a good reset in my system, everything broke down so I can rebuild again. and rebuild I did... LOL

It wasn't easy, all the running, weights, stretching, training... But I had one thing going for me...kata.

Karate kata was meant to be a cheoreographed movements against imaginary attacks, but it also pinpoints weaknesses in our own training, such as weak stance, or poor concentration. Using that as a guage I improved myself.

Oh yes, weight loss / fitness / dieting, we also have to do SWOT analysis. Our strengths, meaning what we are good at, so we can do more or a variety of the same, our weaknesses, so we can watch out for the pitfalls, like sweet tooth for diet, or weak knees for exercise, etc etc. then we can make use of opportunities that present itself to enhance our training or lifestyle change. Threats are equally identified and avoided like SIOW!!!!! DUN GO TO BUFFET IF YOU CANNOT TAKE THE TEMPTATION... *in a small voice: i am a very weak willed person...*

I am happily continuing my diet after a break known as Carb break.. (That will be updated on a blog with my past records on an excel sheet... LOL), it is wokring for me, so I should continue, as it is for Pammy. However, I would advise all those who like to try this, "Follow you own footsteps", because each and everyone of us have different body types, different blood types, different characters, and on and on... Idea is that we must find out what works for us, there are merits in each and every type of dieting program, because it OBVIOUSLY worked for the founder/creator... :)

Anyway, I will be popping down to SKA in a while to practise kata. I calculated that if I wanted to practise Seipai kata 50 times, I would have to do 10 repetitions in an hour, 5 hours straight. That means 6 minutes per kata inclusive breaks... phew... wish me luck... I realy admire the world champions, they do this like 1000 times is like...wow! NOT IN A DAY LAR..... over a period of time lar.. LOL

Till my next post.. ~out

Blog 5 from Myweightlossdiary.com

- Breakthrough -

DATE: 01/23/2008 20:02:45 / MOOD: full of life
Just got a new breakthrough on weight loss. I got to 87KG today, my first since 1995!!
My target weight is eventually 82KG.
Iam starting to focus on Plyometrics exercises and PNF stretches now. I hope this will improve my training and workouts so that I can do more work with less effort = more reps!
Wish me luck!
~Outz Rob

Blog 4 from Myweightlossdiary.com

- Work out schedule -

DATE: 01/14/2008 20:39:04 / MOOD: full of life
Usual workout schedule for the day (twice a week)
1 hour of cardio run (about 8km, sustainable pace), or 30 mins of fat burn run (about 5-6km, faster pace).
200 set crunches, 50 pushups, 100 leg raises, 200 squats.
15mins static stretching, arms and legs.
Sub routine A:
Strength training on free weights.
Sub routine B:
Flexibility training using PNF stretches.
Sub routine C:
Reflex training using shadowbox and speedball.
Everyone should have standard program for exercise and have flexibility to switch like lego blocks for variety and in case of rain, indoor programs. I have just roughly listed mine as a guide, everyone have their own, you should have yours.
My two cents.. Rob~

Blog 3 from Myweightlossdiary.com

- Strange Things are happening... -

DATE: 01/08/2008 23:20:16 / MOOD: horny
Ok. I have a problem this weekend...
Iam getting leaner every week, my weight has reached my desired level, my trips to the gym are paying off, and I am getting attention where I want them.... but, problem is, what the heck am I supposed to do with my rising libido?
Ha ha...actually... it feels great to be alive! And I want everyone to know that!
Cheerseveryone and have a great year ahead!!!!!
~~Rob

Blog 2 from Myweightlossdiary.com

- How others see you -

DATE: 12/07/2007 18:04:40 / MOOD: full of life
I have noticed somehow that most of the people around us... especially those whom you are closely related to in one way of the other, be it in a club, social network or maybe just a gathering, they will always, almost give you negative remarks about your efforts to lose weight.
Somehow, I think these people are secretly jealous of our success in losing weight and is psychologically trying to derail us. Yes, that is what I think. They put us down when we are trying to talk about our weight loss program, diet and exercise. They will encourage you to eat when they know full well you are trying to deit. They will entice you passive entertainment when you are trying to put in that extra 10 mins of exercise or calisthenics.
These so called friends are simply worried we will eclipse them when we are fitter and more attractive. They feel good when they are around us simply because we are overweight and don't pose a threat to their ego.
Look around you and ask yourself seriously.. do we really need people like these around when we are fighting the flab?
Personally, I have my fair share if not...maybe more than my fair share of detractors coming from the most un-expected sources, like my own mother and sister. Then there are the jealous peers from my sports club... I have been noticing that the fitter I got, the more insults I am getting from them that "Oh, you are so old already, what if the dieting kills you..".. I mean c'mon already..
But anyway, the point of this entry is not to gripe, but to let you know you are not alone.. What I do when these happens is that I look past their insecurities and just roll with the punches. Smile and shrug thier negative comments and tell yourself.. I AM SUCCEEDING, WHICH IS WHY I AM GETTING ATTENTION... Heh heh heh.. almost always that thought will bring a smile to my face immediate and I feel better already.. Better this than no reaction from people around us at all right? :)
SO, GO OUT THERE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!! Never let anyone else tell us how we should feel or be, because only one person in this world cares how we should eventually look and feel... that is yourself!
Till the next entry.. out~
Robert

Blog 1 from Myweightlossdiary.com

- Visual Affirmations! -

DATE: 12/03/2007 02:53:06 / MOOD: loosing weight
Hello every1!
I have been taking pictures of myself over a period of time and I have look them over and over everytime I feel down or unable to push on with my diet and exercise plan. Then suddenly I see myself a few months back...++20 KG heavier and suddenly, the world seems that much lighter and brighter.. literally!!
SometimesI will make myself wear nice fitting clothes and go out for a walk. I like the way girls sometimes gawk at my legs and bum. I know its seems shallow but I do feel good about myself.. A LOT! I remember back when no one would even consider looking in my direction twice..
Anyway,my advise to my friends who would come to me for advise on weight loss would be almost always the same.. a sensible food intake MINUS any supplements or meal replacements.. because in the long run, FINANCIALLY IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE... better stick to regular food where we can have better control... A sensible exercise program.. one which targets CARDIO VASCULAR.. and STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING of our arms and legs... I will advise making the exercise venue as close to home as possible so that it is convenient... Make the exercise regime simple and not too taxing, so that the exercise can be repeated almost everyday if not once every other day.
I just posted some more pictures in the gallery.. lets hope Jennifer (Myweightlossdiary administrator) doesn't delete them.. yicks!
Outz~~.. Rob

Men's Health

After almost one whole month of waiting.. Men's Health March issue is finally out!!! Yay!

I have glorified myself by scanning it and posting it up here... this is my virgin magazine article, other than school magazine LOL.

Yes the background was photoshopped... NO, my pose was not.. it was pure and unadulterated, 100% *Tobi Geri. Was that a fly in my mouth...?

I will be popping into the friendly island of Sentosa in a bit... My chief is sending me there on a demo class. Then I have to rush down to Conrad Centennial for a relative's wedding... Yep I might just wear my gi down.. yeah right! I was wondering what will be the food there that is suitable for people like us on a diet... hmm.... must be picky and choosy, while appearing non-chalant. Gave so much angpow liao, must at least eat a bit lar.. LOL

Anyways I think my last few kilograms of weight loss is very telling. It has to be because the only places left for the fats to go are in very difficult areas. I am working my ass off - gym, jogging, cross-training, karate and diet, for these to go away. Slowly but surely they are, but then again I am a very impaitient man.

I want to look good in clothes, but then again who doesn't, I also want to show off my new figure, I want to pimp myself LOL.... Fantasy fantasy ah?

Don't start calling me names yet, I am only human... and also because I am a very vain man... sometimes.. Oh yes, I am. *GRIN

*Tobi Geri - Jumping Kick

Hooked on Life & Viwawa

THIS blog is much delayed owing to the fact that I LOST my password and log-in because clever ole me forgot which one I used.. sigh ~sianz

Much like my title suggests... I am hooked on viwawa. Much thanks to my *kohai Edwina who in her innocence just led me to my next obessesion.

Sushido.... A simple game just to choose a recipe with sotong, prawn, tuna, egg, cucumber and roe; then match it against the array of ingredients on the board.. aiyah, if I go into details here, I will never finish this blog le.. LOL You can see for yourself here lor http://www.viwawa.com

For those who are already diehard wawa-ians.. you know who you are hor.. PM me lar ingame, I dun mind. You will just have to find out who I am that's all, - hint, since I like Sushido so much.......

I got that out of my system.. now, back to real life!

As some of you know I have lost weight recently, I am still losing weight, and I will be losing even more; this topic on another blog, hopefully. I was actually maintaining another blog on another website to help support people who are losing weight, so they will come over in short spurts... LOL

My karate grading is going to be held on 30 June! This time with the presence of some senior karate masters who will judging me...eek! My choice of katas will be Bassai Dai, Sen En Chin and Seipai. Not too shabby choices, definitely within my level, so I am pouring sweat, tears and blood into these, hoping eventually I trained hard enough to pass... Then I can finally wear my 3rd dan, muahahahahaha!

For those who are with me on the weight loss journey... you know who you are..., we can do it!

Truthfully, I used to have such low esteem trying to get into fitted shirts and shorts, they TEAR! Yes, not just your usual rips along the seams lar, or thread splits you know... It Tears! Rips! My inner body EXPLODES through the materials lor, chiam see ah, I tell you, no shorts last more than weeks..sigh~

I should give our weight loss achievement a name le, it shall be called, "RIP NO MORE!" or "RIPPLE ME MORE!" lmao!

Here are a few photos to make you cringe... photoshopped before...but for decency only, don't lose your appetite after this hor LOL!



Anyway, much ado about nothing actually.. LOL

*Kohai - Junior, as opposed to **Senpai
*Senpai - Senior, as opposed to *Kohai