For the first time in my life, I can safely say that my level of fitness is something I am proud of. To go from being obese to an athlete level of fitness, and transform my body in such a short period of time, is purely down to dedication and commitment, week in, week out. Here are some before and after stats
Waist
Before : 35.5 inches
Now : 31 inches
Weight
Before : 82 KG(180 lbs)
Now : 61 KG (134)
Bodyfat percentage
Before : 24 %
Now : 15.5%
Pleased with the progress, although I could have made more progress if I had less cheat meals and counted calories in my diet.
My goal physique is somewhere around 7-9% bodyfat.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Zyzz : A Way of Life
RIP Aziz "Zyzz" Shavershian,
Son of Zeus, brother of Hercules, father of aesthetics.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Sri Lanka Telecom : Worst ISP ever, period.
I have been subscribed to SLT's ADSL services for 5 years, and had all sorts of problems with this internet service provider.
I'll start this post with an experience with the SLT customer service line agent that has always amused me. If I call the customer service line to complain saying that my internet is not working or disconnecting continuously, their ultimate solution is -
"Sir! please restart the router, that should fix the problem. Thank you for calling SLT"
There were times I asked myself, "are these people trolling me, or are they just stupid?"
(FYI,, restarting the router didn't fix the internet disconnecting issues i was having, it turned out to be that a cable from the local exchange was heavily damaged, it took them 1 year to notice it, and another 6 months more to fix it)
Back in 2007 is when my dad bought internet to our house, he went for the cheapest available package which was a 512kbps download speed "Home unlimited" usage package. This package soon became limited. SLT introduced a "Fair Usage" policy (aka FUP) that limited all the broadband connections and violated the contract of users who were subscribed to this broadband package. I can recall tons of abusive posts of upset ADSL users from Sri Lankan websites such as www.elakiri.lk and www.gamer.lk but, if you are really curious, go and see for yourself.
Not long ago, SLT introduced new broadband packages that offer speeds upto 16 mbps. The package I am currently subscribed to is the 8 mb "Web Family" package with 25 gigabytes of usage. Now, anyone who uses their internet connections for downloading knows that 25 gb is just not enough.. I can't find a good movie in BlueRay quality for less than 5 GB, so if I download 5 x BR movies a month then my usage is over and my internet speed gets reduced to 64kbps? No thanks.
SLT, this is 2012, it's time you listen to what the customers have to say and provide a proper internet service to this country.
Monday, June 18, 2012
How I lost 19 KG (41.8 lbs) in 6 months
I don't know if anyone even reads my blog :D But since my last post had so many views I decided to write another post, this one is about my weight loss.
Note : I am not a doctor, I am just sharing how I managed to lose 41 pounds in 6 months. If you are unfamiliar with some of the terms in the post, please Google them. :))
At the time I started hitting the gym, I weighed 82 kilos (180 pounds). Now, I realized that I was way too overweight for my age (17 then, 18 now).
The first and most important thing before you start working out is to have a goal and image of what you want to look like after 1-2 years. Next step, be realistic, you are not going to see huge results in a few weeks time, it may take months, or years if you do it wrong. Last step - Doing your research, I spent hours and hours going on random weight-loss forums to ask what I should and should not do. So, without making this post any longer, I'll break this down to 2 parts. What to do, and what not to do.
Part 1 : What you should do!
Minimize the size of your meals!
Instead of filling your tummy up with a mountain of rice(carbs)..fill up your plate with more vegetables, meats, and little bit of carbs and replace your high calorie deserts with fruits. Drink more water! I drank 1.5L water a day, every day, for the past 6 months.
I started losing weight so fast when I started following a proper diet. Avoid foods with saturated fat and sugar at all cost!
As crazy as it sounds, eating more will help your body keep it's metabolism upt. I ate 5 to 6 meals a day, each meal was a small portion, like a cup of rice with chicken, egg whites, beans, potatoes, etc
So every time I got hungry I would eat a fruit instead of a chocolate. Thirsty? Make a cup of green tea with no sugar instead of a cup of milk tea.
*Once you start going to the gym, make sure do some stretching before you exercise to avoid any injuries*
In cardio, it's always about pumping up your heart rate as much as you can to burn more fat. I would suggest ditching the elliptical machines, cycles, etc and doing high intensity interval training workouts (check YouTube). HIIT workouts are all about pushing yourself to the limit and triggering the "afterburn" effect
For example - You are sitting in front of the TV all day long on the day after your workout, but your body is still burning more calories than usual..yes, this is the afterburn effect in a nutshell.
So yes, don't waste hours and hours doing elliptical machines and walking on treadmills..you will get bored really fast with what you're trying to achieve! I only did 10-20 minutes of cardio at most! Tip : bring your Ipod or MP3 player if your gym has no music, there is nothing duller than working out to an empty silence
(I would avoid such gyms)
Weight training is not so different from cardio, in fact, many of the people at my gym prefers weight training to cardio. This is because, with weight training
1. You are building muscle
2. You are keeping your heart rate up for longer periods to trigger the afterburn effect.
Now you might ask "I'm overweight, why would I want to build more muscle and look bigger" ?
Good question, I used to think that lifting weights would make me look "bigger". It took me a while to figure out how it works, if you got some muscle, your metabolism is high when your muscles takes in calories to maintain the muscles so all in all this means, you will be burning more fat.
Check YouTube for weight training workouts, I would suggest bicep-curl workouts, squats, deadlifts and bench pressing.
Part 2 : What you shouldn't do!
Over the last 6 months I have had 5 cheat meals (every time I had a cheat meal, in a piece of paper I wrote down when I had a cheat meal to keep track xD) at least once a month I would order a pizza or some fried chicken.I have read some interesting theories of people saying that they lost more weight by eating junk food at random times, this is complete rubbish. It's okay to have a cheat meal once every two weeks, but if you want to get in shape faster.. then I would suggest having a cheat meal only once a month.
Also, if you workout only once a week then you will actually gain MORE weight! How? Good question, say, you go to the gym and spend 2 hours and rest for the rest of the week, your body needs to recover from all the energy lost in that one day workout, and for the rest of the days when you are "recovering" your body will not be burning more calories, in fact, it will be storing them more than usual! This has been proven. So yes, try to workout at least 3-4 times a week if you want to see some physical changes fast.
This is one of the main reasons I was overweight, I used to eat so much food to the point I was so full. Back then, I didn't keep count of my calorie intake, so yes. But come on, who wouldn't eat 10 pizzas if all of it didn't end up making their waistline bigger? I can think of just one person..Natalie Portman.
In simple, when you "feel" that you are no longer hungry, that is the point at which you should stop eating.
BEFORE (this is me, November 2011, age 17, 5"6, 180 pounds)
AFTER (age 18, 5"8, 138 pounds)
Not the best pics for comparison, but meh.
That's pretty much it, Good luck! If you know any friends who are trying to lose weight, please share this post with them :) Thank you.
Note : I am not a doctor, I am just sharing how I managed to lose 41 pounds in 6 months. If you are unfamiliar with some of the terms in the post, please Google them. :))
At the time I started hitting the gym, I weighed 82 kilos (180 pounds). Now, I realized that I was way too overweight for my age (17 then, 18 now).
The first and most important thing before you start working out is to have a goal and image of what you want to look like after 1-2 years. Next step, be realistic, you are not going to see huge results in a few weeks time, it may take months, or years if you do it wrong. Last step - Doing your research, I spent hours and hours going on random weight-loss forums to ask what I should and should not do. So, without making this post any longer, I'll break this down to 2 parts. What to do, and what not to do.
Part 1 : What you should do!
A HEALTHY DIET!
Minimize the size of your meals!
Instead of filling your tummy up with a mountain of rice(carbs)..fill up your plate with more vegetables, meats, and little bit of carbs and replace your high calorie deserts with fruits. Drink more water! I drank 1.5L water a day, every day, for the past 6 months.
I started losing weight so fast when I started following a proper diet. Avoid foods with saturated fat and sugar at all cost!
EAT MORE!
As crazy as it sounds, eating more will help your body keep it's metabolism upt. I ate 5 to 6 meals a day, each meal was a small portion, like a cup of rice with chicken, egg whites, beans, potatoes, etc
So every time I got hungry I would eat a fruit instead of a chocolate. Thirsty? Make a cup of green tea with no sugar instead of a cup of milk tea.
CARDIO!
*Once you start going to the gym, make sure do some stretching before you exercise to avoid any injuries*
In cardio, it's always about pumping up your heart rate as much as you can to burn more fat. I would suggest ditching the elliptical machines, cycles, etc and doing high intensity interval training workouts (check YouTube). HIIT workouts are all about pushing yourself to the limit and triggering the "afterburn" effect
For example - You are sitting in front of the TV all day long on the day after your workout, but your body is still burning more calories than usual..yes, this is the afterburn effect in a nutshell.
So yes, don't waste hours and hours doing elliptical machines and walking on treadmills..you will get bored really fast with what you're trying to achieve! I only did 10-20 minutes of cardio at most! Tip : bring your Ipod or MP3 player if your gym has no music, there is nothing duller than working out to an empty silence
(I would avoid such gyms)
WEIGHT TRAINING!
 |
(Guys only ..unless you are a girl who wants to bulk up?) |
Weight training is not so different from cardio, in fact, many of the people at my gym prefers weight training to cardio. This is because, with weight training
1. You are building muscle
2. You are keeping your heart rate up for longer periods to trigger the afterburn effect.
Now you might ask "I'm overweight, why would I want to build more muscle and look bigger" ?
Good question, I used to think that lifting weights would make me look "bigger". It took me a while to figure out how it works, if you got some muscle, your metabolism is high when your muscles takes in calories to maintain the muscles so all in all this means, you will be burning more fat.
Check YouTube for weight training workouts, I would suggest bicep-curl workouts, squats, deadlifts and bench pressing.
Part 2 : What you shouldn't do!
CHEAT MEALS!
 |
| yummmm?! no. |
Over the last 6 months I have had 5 cheat meals (every time I had a cheat meal, in a piece of paper I wrote down when I had a cheat meal to keep track xD) at least once a month I would order a pizza or some fried chicken.I have read some interesting theories of people saying that they lost more weight by eating junk food at random times, this is complete rubbish. It's okay to have a cheat meal once every two weeks, but if you want to get in shape faster.. then I would suggest having a cheat meal only once a month.
WORKING OUT- ONLY 4 TIMES A WEEK! NO MORE!
Try to go to the gym at least 4 times a week, if you go all 7 days then
you will be tiring yourself too much and you will faint at one point.
Also, if you workout only once a week then you will actually gain MORE weight! How? Good question, say, you go to the gym and spend 2 hours and rest for the rest of the week, your body needs to recover from all the energy lost in that one day workout, and for the rest of the days when you are "recovering" your body will not be burning more calories, in fact, it will be storing them more than usual! This has been proven. So yes, try to workout at least 3-4 times a week if you want to see some physical changes fast.
DO NOT EAT MORE THAN WHAT YOUR BODY NEEDS!
This is one of the main reasons I was overweight, I used to eat so much food to the point I was so full. Back then, I didn't keep count of my calorie intake, so yes. But come on, who wouldn't eat 10 pizzas if all of it didn't end up making their waistline bigger? I can think of just one person..Natalie Portman.
In simple, when you "feel" that you are no longer hungry, that is the point at which you should stop eating.
BEFORE (this is me, November 2011, age 17, 5"6, 180 pounds)
AFTER (age 18, 5"8, 138 pounds)
Not the best pics for comparison, but meh.
That's pretty much it, Good luck! If you know any friends who are trying to lose weight, please share this post with them :) Thank you.
"I make my own dream"
Aminda
Monday, June 11, 2012
A man I will never forget.
I have always felt the need to open a blog to write what's on my mind. I made this blogger account a while back, and up till now, I didn't have the time or interest to post something. Well, not anymore..
It has been 2 days since my grandfather passed away from old age(96 years and 8 months)..he had a witty sense of humor, even when he was in his deathbed. What I have learned from this man is that nothing lasts forever, life is short, death is inevitable, and I know his last wish would have been for us to not to grief and shed tears over his death, but to live on, and to make it count.
Ever since he passed away, and every time I walk into my grandparent's house, my head involuntarily turns to the chair he used to sit..he would usually greet me saying "Enna putha, awith inda ganda" (it means - Come son, take a seat). There are no words to explain the pain I feel inside of me every time I walk into that house, and to see his empty seat, which reminds me of the cold hard truth, that he is no longer with us. Today, my mother pointed her finger to my grandfather's chair, I stared at it for like an eternity where flashes of warm memories of him came to me of my childhood with him...his interest in Numismatics(collection of coins), his affection towards pets, and his deeply religious nature.
My warmest and fondest memory of him was when he was in his deathbed, weak and barely even able to open his eyes..I walked up to him and he recognized me, raised his right hand with much difficulty and took my hand , smiled and said one last word "...Putha"(son)
Aththa, I'd like to believe that you are in a better place, somewhere far away, but you will always be with us in our hearts. May you rest in peace and attain nibbana.
Your loving grandson, Aminda.
It has been 2 days since my grandfather passed away from old age(96 years and 8 months)..he had a witty sense of humor, even when he was in his deathbed. What I have learned from this man is that nothing lasts forever, life is short, death is inevitable, and I know his last wish would have been for us to not to grief and shed tears over his death, but to live on, and to make it count.
Ever since he passed away, and every time I walk into my grandparent's house, my head involuntarily turns to the chair he used to sit..he would usually greet me saying "Enna putha, awith inda ganda" (it means - Come son, take a seat). There are no words to explain the pain I feel inside of me every time I walk into that house, and to see his empty seat, which reminds me of the cold hard truth, that he is no longer with us. Today, my mother pointed her finger to my grandfather's chair, I stared at it for like an eternity where flashes of warm memories of him came to me of my childhood with him...his interest in Numismatics(collection of coins), his affection towards pets, and his deeply religious nature.
My warmest and fondest memory of him was when he was in his deathbed, weak and barely even able to open his eyes..I walked up to him and he recognized me, raised his right hand with much difficulty and took my hand , smiled and said one last word "...Putha"(son)
Aththa, I'd like to believe that you are in a better place, somewhere far away, but you will always be with us in our hearts. May you rest in peace and attain nibbana.
Your loving grandson, Aminda.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)