Fit For Life... Not Fat

Nope, I'm not pregnant...

The difference between the word 'fit' and 'fat' is merely the vowel that is between the letter f and t, but in physical terms the difference could not have been more significant. And not to mention the ease and difficulty to transfrom from one form to another and vice versa.

When I was younger, the issue of weight problem seem like someone else's problem. Up to my teenage years, I could munch down up to 3 Big Macs and still had a lot more space for some fries and a big cup of milk shake. And even after all that, I wouldn't feel like exploding like I do now and there would not be even a hint of a bulge on my hard and well-shaped belly.

I remember an incident when I was 13 when my brother, my dad and me were dining at Pizza Hut and we ordered 2 large super supreme pizzas. The waitress who was taking our order, out of a sense of duty, told us that she felt 2 large super supreme pizzas were probably too much for the 3 of us in one sitting. We insisted on our order, and when the pizza came, we gulped everything in less than 20 minutes. And I remember we later ordered some ice cream for desserts...

Those days now feel like distant memories...

Nowadays, maintaining my current weight is a constant struggle, not to mention losing it. Things were probably easier in my pre-married days, when I could gain and lose my weight almost at will. Nowadays, the easier way is always up the weighing scale and going down is tantamount to a small miracle. For the record, I've gained 5 kilos over the last year, 4 inches around the waist... pheww... heck, my belly is even bigger than my wife's when she was pregnant!

So coming to the year 2008, I've made a resolution to at least lose what I've gained in 2007, and maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. A little cut down on the carbohydrates is required, and a little jolt with the physical exercise will be needed here. I've set myself certain key performance indicators in order to achieve this aim of mine, which are as follows:

Physical indicators
Current weight: 81.1kg
Target weight: 72kg

Current waistline: 38 inches
Target waistline: 33 inches

Exercise
On a weekly basis, I aim to do at least two times of any combination of the following physical exercises:
1. Jogging - 3km
2. Cycling - 10km
3. Swimming - 30 minutes

Food
This is probably the most difficult of all the indicators for me to adhere to. I've always been a lover of fatty foods like the skin of a fried chicken or McDonald's chocolate sundae and apple pie. And to make matters worse, I only take vege and fruits out of necessity, which usually means I do not take them at all most of the time. This is where most resolve is needed.

1. Cut down
Carbohydrates
- 1 scoop of rice per meal, and small portions of side dishes
- only 1 trip per month to any fast food joint per month. The Prosperity Burger season at McDonald's is not going to make this easy...
- only 1 sweet desserts per week.

2. Increase
a. Drink 2 litres of water every day
b. Take fruits for snacking at the office

I will be posting my progress here on a weekly basis. Hoping for a small miracle here. With lots of belief and will power, I might just be able to transform myself from fat to fit.

Wish me luck...