Valorous Halcyon

I hated running. I'm sure you know I was fat and every run was dreadful to me. Ask my younger self to run even 500 metres and I will be complaining. But I was challenged to improve 1% every day, in one area of my liking. I was challenged by myself. So I decided to change a little on my usual routine last Wednesday. Instead of playing badminton in the evening after work (there was a volleyball match going on at the same venue), I decided to do something similar - running. Just like badminton, running is a type of cardio but was deemed as a more boring type of cardio, so I thought. But I was proved wrong later.  What I normally do with my workout session is to run for 10 minutes then proceed to free weight training. Last Wednesday I decided to push myself and try to run my first ever quarter marathon (5km). Big deal, because I don't even do 2km on a usual basis, more like 1.5km. So the first time I touched 5km line, I clocked 33 minutes 45 seconds. I was on top of...

I was fat (still a little now haha!) but compared to last time, I was a giant! Low stamina, low self-confidence, low metabolic rate. I did not know how to take care of myself. What I meant by taking care of myself is first and foremost taking care of my own body health. I exercised but only occasionally. Being a fatty was not fun, definitely not attractive as well. I got bullied everywhere I went. I got teased in classes. One bad thing led to another. Fat -> Being bullied -> Low self-confidence -> Resentment -> Revenge? Joking! I have forgiven those who bullied me. But the moment came when I finally decided to sign up a one year subscription of Fitness First, the nearest gym to where I was staying -- Casa Subang, at that time in August 2011. I had a personal trainer, Cheryl, who coached me on the proper ways of lifting weights and a few basic steps on free style training. And off I went! The first six months went by without me seeing any tangible result. No weight loss, j...

I'm ALIVE! And the chestpain hitting me yesterday has subsided, though minor pain still can be felt occasionally. The bliss of living another day enlivens my day with gratefulness; appreciating every single moment through. One of my friends told me the primary reason for not having new year resolutions is, due to highly probable restrictions faced to sole new year resolutions and no further plans. For new year resolutions are deterministic and impromptu plans are pure randomness. 'Live up the day as if everyday was the last day you have' was what my friend told me, and I fully concur with the implication of contributing significances to the society by practicing such wise advice. Well I'm back to the library! err, yeah college's library if you are wondering. There lies many memories of mine, particularly college life, for the past 19 months. It's been more than 6 months now since my last staying back in the library, mainly after I started joining gym back in J...

Remember that my personal trainer (Ms. Cheryl) did one operation check up with me, last week? Yes today finally I went to the gym after around a week of sleeping at home, or more on indulging myself at Lanai! =p I was quite determined today, and although my calf seemed to cramp anytime, that didn't stop me! Check out this post , and you will know what I'm talking about! So today again I bumped into her and asked her to carry out the check up for me! Again it was the same series of tasks: 1) Running on the treadmill for 20 minutes (I ran 4km with average speed of 12 km/h and maximum speed of 16 km/h during the last 60m). 2) Rowing for 500m (I did it in 1 minutes 51 seconds, slightly slower but still okay!) 3) Chin up with reduction of 20kg from my current weight (I did it for 5 times consecutively but it was 5kg heavier than last week's!) 4) Push up as many times as I can (I did 40 times straight, a great improvement from 25 times last week!) 5) Sit up as many times ...

Remember I told you on my previous post that I've made my vow to reduce my weight from 85kg to 75kg, yesterday? After 5 months of going to gym, surprisingly my weight is no longer 85kg!!! Bad news is, my weight increased from 85kg to 89kg!!! O.O FATTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the... heck? I think I know why. I was in holiday mood, and I skipped gym from early October to early November! I usually go to gym 3 times per week, on alternate days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)! Right, I was told not to go gym on consecutive days as my body would need rest before commencing the next session.  Okay, increasing weight doesn't necessarily mean increasing body fat percentage. It could mean increase in muscle mass but decrease in body fat percentage. But my case is totally the opposite!!!!!!!!! What the!!! How could that happen? My body fat percentage increased and my muscle mass decreased back to square one (before joining the gym). How how howwwww??? That's absurd.  Bef...

Told ya I'm going to gym today! And here I am, tired like crazy, yet feeling extremely satisfied of the workout just now. Oh by the way, here's a song from one of my favourite childhood cartoons 'Spirit - Stallion of the Cimarron' named 'Here I am', enjoy! =))) Okay okay I know I'm random! =p I just feel like listening to this song, okay? Haha okay! Right so back to the post-workout! What I did today was considered quite intense for me. I saw my Personal Trainer, Miss Cheryl today and since she was quite free, she carried out a test on me. I was required to do a series of workouts in certain period of time, and here's the list:  1) Running on the treadmill for 20 minutes (I ran 3.3km in 20 minutes with average speed of 9.5km/h)  2) Rowing for 500m (I did it in like 1 minutes 48 seconds)  3) Chin up  with reduction of 25kg from my current weight (I did it for 5 times consecutively)  4) Push up as many as I can (I did 25 ...

Hello readers! =p I bet you've noticed that I'm quite active these days (is it? Just two posts consecutively on two different days!), cause I'm having holidays!!! I've practically nothing much to do at home, and guess where I am? I'm at Casa now! Some of my friends who know where Casa is would definitely say, "omg Casa suckkkkssss, what the heck are you doing there?".  Remember that I said from my previous post, that I'm going to gym today? Yes, no? So I've made a vow to myself that I must go to gym today! Not so much on weight training, but rather emphasize more on doing cardio exercises. Just in case you don't know what is cardio exercise, it's more on fat burning activities like jogging, running, cycling, rowing and some other physically intense activities at the free style corner of the gym. Rowing Machine  Treadmill Hang on, since when I've joined a gym? You know, I have had refraine...