HAPPY FASTING

It's a very special month to my Moslem family and friends, and to my dearest dad..

It's the fasting month, month of Ramadan..

Reading my social media timeline, I noticed that some friends of mine would like to 'use' this opportunity to lose weight too..

I also noticed that some people tend to lose some during fasting month, but easily gain back after Lebaran, or worse.. some even gaining more throughout the month.

After doing some reading and learning about 'the right way to eat', there are things that people do that made them gaining instead of losing.

Here are some tips for those who are fasting and would like to do it healthily (and possibly lose weight):

Pick the right meals
When eating sahur, try your best to eat a balanced meal. 
Power food (e.g. whole grains, wheat, oats, whole grain rice), legumes (e.g. lentils or beans) and fresh food (e.g. fruits and vegetables) will not only be beneficial for your health, but will keep you full longer and avoid you from experiencing cravings throughout the day. 
High protein food like lean meats, fish, eggs, milk, or nuts can also help stabilizing blood sugar levels. 
This also applies for dinner (after breaking the fast).

Avoid sugary food and drinks
Sugary food and drinks will only spike your blood sugar level, and later on will make you feel hungry and experience cravings faster. 

It is recommended to consume a bit of sugar when breaking the fast, as the body need the energy lost throughout the day. But be wise, don't over do this.

Drink plenty of water, pre and post fast
Drink a lot of water (not sugary drinks!) before and after fasting to keep yourself hydrated.

Exercise
Try to do an at least 30-mins exercise, when possible. It is best to do it an hour after you break your fast. Don't go hard on yourself, know your body limit, and make sure to drink plenty of water.

Don't do 'revenge' eating
When breaking your fast, don't eat like you're on revenge. Break your fast wisely with some tea and not-overly sweet tajil, and then eat dinner approximately an hour after that (after sholat). 

When you're fasting, your metabolism slows down and body will go to 'starving'  or 'fat storing' mode. This means that your body will store more fat from the food you eat. Eating unwisely will not only cause you to gain weight, but also possibly harm your health. This is what cause some people to gain weight instead of losing during fasting month. Because they go overboard when breaking the fast. 

Just FYI, my father does this all the time, fasting in a wise manner. This is the reason why he's still in good shape, even though he's almost 60. 

Happy fasting to all my Moslem family and friends 

may this month brings you lots of blessing

MY PROGRESS

If I'm not mistaken, 
I have never actually put a picture of myself, then and now (before and after lifestyle change)..

I have talked about making progress in several posts, but never post the proof, hehehe..

But before that..
Keep in mind that body weight is NOT the only indicator of progress (or even regress).

Other indicators you should also consider are including:

• the way you fit into your clothes
• fat percentage
• muscle percentage
• BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
• body measurements: waist-line, neck-line, fingers, etc.
• people's opinion ;)
• the most important one: how your body feel !!

Body-weight wise, I'm not losing too much, well since I'm not actually over weight anyway. 

But thanks to the scale at the gym, I am able to measure those points mentioned above.

That's how I know that I'm making progress. 

My fat percentage decreased, my muscle percentage and BMR increased. In addition to that, I fit better in my clothes, and able to fit into those I could not wear for a while.

Top row: approximately a year ago
Bottom row: recently

As you probably could see, I used to have quite chubby cheeks and very visible double chins *huhu*. My eating habit was never that bad, but not clean. I tried to avoid putting sugar in my drinks, but still enjoy the sweetness of desserts and high-calories carbs. 

When putting my makeup on, shading is considered one of the most important rituals, as I'm trying to hide the chubbiness (LOL!).

Now my cheeks are relatively slimmer, and my double chins are not as visible as it used to (couldn't actually make it disappear completely, genetics!). I'm now avoiding any sugary products and high calories carbs. 

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy desserts, but not more than once in 2 or 3 weeks, and only in a small portion. 

Besides, I'm not really craving for it anymore, not like I used to (as the result of lifestyle change).

And on top of everything, I feel better in general.

I don't easily get sick, I can focus better, and I feel happier. I also feel less pain during PMS and period.

It's all because of the food I consume and my workout routine :) 

I'm happy with my progress, but it doesn't mean that I'm stopping.

Healthy lifestyle should not be a short time thing, but should be continuous.

Hope I'll stay committed to it as long as possible.

Have a nice day :)

Top 10 Weight Loss Myths 

Found this interesting article while browsing a few days ago..

Thought I'd share this with you..

Writings in this color are my notes ;) 

• If I drastically cut calories, I'll lose weight faster.

When you take your caloric intake down too low, you are actually sending your body into "starvation mode." Your body wants to maintain your weight when it "thinks" you are starving; therefore, your metabolism will actually slow down and you may not lose weight.
~> this is the reason we need to have a healthy diet that involves ingredients such as fresh fruits & veggies, lean meats, legumes, etc. 

• The stricter the diet, the better it will work.

The stricter a diet is -- such as completely eliminating entire food groups or eating just one food -- the less effective it will be in the end. You'll get tired of the allowed food and when you feel really deprived, you're likely to call it quits altogether.
~> combine various healthy ingredients to create wonderful dish to prevent you from feeling bored and deprived.

• I should get rid of my favorite less-than-healthful foods.

By treating yourself to your old favorites now and again, you'll stay motivated and you'll be less likely to give in to a binge. (Just make sure you get back on track after your treat.) Moderation is the key to successful, long-term weight loss.
~> hey, I still give myself some treats once in a while, in a relatively small portion. Why? Because after implementing 'clean eating' for a while, I don't really crave that much.

• Eating late at night will cause me to gain weight.

All things considered, it doesn't really matter when you eat, only how many calories you eat and burn in a day. Whether you're eating in the morning or at midnight, your body turns any extra calories into fat over the course of time. In fact, eating a light snack -- like cheese and crackers -- before bed may help you sleep better.
~> choose what you eat wisely, at all times! 

• I shouldn't eat between meals.

On the contrary, eating a small, healthful snack between meals will help keep your blood sugar stable and your metabolism going strong. You'll also avoid getting too hungry so you don't overeat at your next meal.
~> choose you snack wisely too! 

• Fat is bad.

Everybody needs to include some fat in their diet. Fat makes dishes more satisfying and palatable. Some fats are even good for you, like omega-3 fatty acids, which are found predominantly in fish and shellfish, and monounsaturated fat like that in olive oil.
~> salmon is rich in healthy fat, and when using olive/coconut oil I use the extra virgin one.

• Skipping meals will help me lose weight.

On the contrary, skipping meals may actually cause you to gain weight! Your metabolism plummets and you get overly-hungry when go too long without eating. Plus, you may not be reaching your daily calorie requirements which will backfire on you (Remember, eating too few calories can cause weight loss to stall). That's why eating the meal we skip most, breakfast, can actually help us lose weight.
~> trust me, don't skip it! Read my previous post regarding my experience.

• Dairy is a "don't" on healthy diets.

Women in particular need the calcium dairy products provide, not to mention the fact that research has shown eating enough calcium can actually give our weight loss efforts a boost.
~> if you're lactose intolerant, there are some alternatives that you could choose from. Go to my May 30th post to know more about those milks.

• It all boils down to willpower.

Yes, willpower may be a factor when it comes to how we respond to cravings, but a lot more factors can impact our weight, including genetics, culture, home environment, activity level and health issues. The good news is eating a healthy diet and exercising can help you overcome these influences.
~> set a goal, create a strategy, and stick with it! 

• Drinking a lot of water can help me lose weight.

Drinking water in and of itself will not lead to weight loss. Of course, water is key to a healthy lifestyle and drinking enough has many benefits, but when people lose weight due to drinking water, it's most likely because they're substituting it for high-calorie juices and sodas.

~> avoid sugary drinks!

Source:

http://weightloss.about.com/od/getstarted/tp/bltpmyths.htm

DON'T SKIP YOUR MEAL!!

Yup, you heard (or read, more precisely) me..
Do not skip your meal.. 
Not breakfast, not lunch, not dinner.. 
Just don't!

Myth: Eat less or skip meals could help me lose weight

True / False (!!)

The statement above is a widely known misconception about body transformation. 
I, myself, used to think that it's true too..

Turns out, when you eat regularly (breakfast-lunch-dinner, and snacks), you are increasing the possibility of losing weight or fat, and becoming healthier.

I'm not trying to brag that I'm the perfect example for that, not at all.
I, myself, still constantly trying to maintain a good eating habit.
But I've got to say, the result is showing, based on the scale (fat%, muscle%, etc.) and based on people's opinion :))

Just an intermezzo..
I just got engaged last Saturday, June 21st 2014!
Definitely one of my happiest days!!
We had a rather traditional engagement party, with only several family members attending from both sides.
It was a nice event, and thank God everything went smoothly. 

That day, I received quite a few compliments on my appearance.
Some family members who I haven't met for a while told me that I look slimmer and healthier (not skinny and saggy). 
Finally, a noticeable result!! All because of the lifestyle change in the last 6 months or so.

My Engagement Day

Back to the topic..

What I'm trying to say is.. 
I know for sure, after trying out so many kinds of diet and eating habits, I'm actually feeling my best after the attempt of applying good eating habits, including eating-regularly (not skipping meals).

By eating regularly, you maintain good metabolic rate. Metabolism is basically the engine of our body that burns up fuel (food). 
When you skip meals, your metabolic rate decreases and your body will enter the "fat storing" state, which means your body will store the fat from the food you consume. 
You don't want that to happen, do you? 

You can enhance the metabolic rate, by picking the right food that requires more energy to burn, e.g: fresh fruit and veggies, lean meats, nuts and legumes. 

I was personally advised by my trainer to eat 5 to 8 small portions of food every day.
Kinda hard to prepare food 8 times a day, since I'm working in an office, so I eat 3 meals a day, plus a plate of snack (usually fruits) in the afternoon. 
That's the best I could manage, and I stick to it (be as consistent as possible).

In addition, if your goal is to lose weight/fat, it would also be better if you exercise.
3-5 times a week of 1 hour exercise, consists of cardio and some weight lifting, will definitely help you achieve your weight/fat loss, in a healthy manner!

DIET

Someone once asked me, "What kind of diet are you doing?"
I simply replied, "I'm not doing any specific diet, just trying to eat cleanly/healthily."

But thinking back, I have done (or at least tried) several kinds of diets.
So this post is going to be about my experience doing those diets, and might as well sharing about some other well-known diets.

Mind you that "diet" does not mean that you are not eating or skipping meals.

In my own definition, it is 

the way of eating or consuming food, that may include certain boundaries and/or preferences.  

I'll start with those I've done previously..

Vegan Diet

Included in the "Vegetarian" group, basically vegan diet is eliminating all animal products consumption.
A person that is on vegan diet eats nothing that came from animals, in any kind. 
This includes: milk (cow, goat, etc.), cheese, eggs, and butter.

Furthermore, Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. 

I did 21-days King Daniel Fast, which is similar to vegan diet, only stricter. 
21-days King Daniel Fast is a biblical based partial fast, used as a person enters into the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting.

I ate only fruits and vegetables, and drink only water as beverage for 21 days.
No sugar or any sweetener, and no rice, breads, or any kind of carbohydrate.

I did this because I was seeking for an answer to my prayers at that time (end of 2013), and not only that I've got my prayers answered, but I also feel great and lighter (shed some kgs).

Vegan diet is challenging, and honestly it is difficult to be done in Indonesia, since there aren't many vegan-friendly restaurants. 
But if I could do it, you could too.

Mayo Clinic Diet

The Mayo Clinic Diet is a weight loss and lifestyle program designed by Mayo Clinic health experts. It's a lifelong approach to help you improve your health and maintain a healthy weight. It aims to teach you how to choose healthy foods and portions and to develop healthy lifestyle habits so that you can maintain a healthy weight for life. 

This diet encourages us in selecting whole-grain carbohydrates, lean sources of protein such as legumes, fish and low-fat dairy, and heart-healthy unsaturated fats. 

I have mentioned in my previous posts, that I did a 13-days Blekros Diet program. This is basically mayo clinic diet based. 
I spent 13 days without no rice and salt.
Trust me this is very challenging, since we're used to eating tasty or salty food. 
Not to mention Indonesians are rice-freaks! Luckily I'm not..

But I did the whole program, lost approximately 4 kgs and able to fit better in my clothes. 


The followings are the other well-known diets that I've never tried before.

Vegetarian 

The Vegetarian Society defines a vegetarian as: "Someone who lives on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with, or without, the use of dairy products and eggs. A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish* or by-products of slaughter." 

Types of vegetarian:

• Lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat both dairy products and eggs; this is the most common type of vegetarian diet
• Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products but avoid eggs
• Vegans do not eat dairy products, eggs, or any other products which are derived from animals.

Most frequently asked questions towards vegetarians are including: 

"Where do you get the calcium and iron?"
Dark green leafy vegetables are the example of calcium and iron source. Tofu is also the source of calcium, while beans are a good source of iron.
Dried fruits (such as apricots, prunes and raisins), broccoli, wheat, and peas are also sources of iron.

"What are the benefits of being a vegetarian?"

You may eat more food and lose weight, since vegetables and fruits contain less calories.

You may be less constipated.

You might have more energy.

You will feel better knowing that your diet is not contributing to animal suffering and environmental destruction.

You are also protecting your own health.

Atkins Diet

Atkins Diet, officially called the Atkins Nutritional Approach, is a low-carbohydrate diet promoted by Dr. Atkins.

He found out that eating the right foods and limiting refined carbohydrates could change a person’s body from a carb-burning to a fat-burning machine. This could be useful for weight loss as well as improvements in many weight-related health issues.

Never tried this kind of diet before, but I understand that carbs such as: pasta, rice, white bread, donuts are not allowed to be consumed.

Paleo Diet

Paleo diet, or also known as "Cavemen Diet", is considered as world's healthiest diet. 

It is based upon the fundamental concept that the optimal diet is the one to which we are genetically adapted. 

It is basically adapting the way human used to eat in the paleolithic era, which does not include 'new food' (e.g. grain, dairy) nor the highly-processed and high-calorie processed foods. 

The diet includes: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats; and excludes: dairy, grains, processed food and sugars, legumes, starches, and alcohol.

I am actually considering to adopt Paleo Diet.

My biggest challenge would be eliminating oatmeal, yogurt (even the plain one is not allowed) and gluten-free pasta/pancakes (hiks).

Maybe one day I could do it.

Or for now, I'll go "Paleo-friendly" :))

Anyway..

It is not my part to say which diet is the best and which one you should implement in your life.

Each one has it's own benefits, challenges, and pros & cons. 

But all I can say, before you pick a diet, is..

Know your body first!

Each and every one of us is unique.

You and I might react differently towards certain food, and your body needs are definitely different than mine. "Genetic factors" (from family/ancestors) should also be considered.

Find the most suitable diet that will help you achieve your goals (weight loss, weight gain, muscle gain, or simply "Healthy"), and be committed!

Sources:
Vegan Society
The Daniel Fast
The Mayo Clinic Diet
Vegetarian Society
Compassionate Action Institute
The Paleo Diet

PALEO ORGANIC BAZAAR

14 JUNE 2014

Another exciting health event I went to last weekend, it was the "Paleo Organic Bazaar", that was organized/sponsored by Crossfit Equator, OrganiCrush, Burgreens, Organic Klub, and many others.

This first ever Paleo bazaar was held at the Crossfit Equator basecamp, the Garden Hotel Kemang, on Saturday 14 June 2014, from 8.00-14.00 WIB.

I came here right from the very beginning, with the same people that went to the Health Expo last week with me, Rachel, Mathius, and Indra.

We came at 8AM because we want to join the FitCamp session (crossfit for beginners) with coach Oka (@okavespa).
None of us ever experienced crossfit at any level before, so we were excited! 

Started out with some warming up, we did variations of jumping jacks, mobility moves and others.
After that, the coach divided us into groups of 4, to do AMRAP (as many repetitions as possible) group exercise. 
Each of us has to do a series of activities consisted of: sit ups, squats, push ups, and 200 meters run, trying to do as many reps as possible in 12 minutes.
For me personally, the toughest one was doing push ups! Hehehe.. 
As the closing part of the session, we did some stretching.

For us newbies, it was very fun! 
Even though I'm having sore muscles now, especially around shoulder and triceps areas, I surely want to do this again in the near future.

After the FitCamp session, we attended the first seminar, "The Paleo Nutrition & Exercise Lifestyle" by coach Brian Pandji (@briandpandji), founder and head coach of Crossfit Equator. 
He was explaining about "Paleo Diet", its benefits and how to do it (including list of which food that are paleo friendly and not). He also had two ladies shared their experiences implementing paleo diet, which was inspiring!

Photo courtesy of Crossfit Equator

After the first seminar, we decided to try some of the food sold there as well as having breakfast. Yes, we were hungry! :) 

We started from almond milk. I was very happy to see that OrganiCrush participated in this event. So without a doubt, I bought their 500 ml chocolate flavored raw almond milk (my fave!).

It was nice to finally meet Katherine, the lady behind OrganiCrush, as I have ordered RAM from her since last year. 

For our second item, we bought Burgreens Zoodles, a raw-vegan-paleo "pasta" pesto dish. The pasta was made of raw zucchini, mixed with pesto sauce and mushroom. We all loved it!

We also had a taste on their hazelnut spread, a healthy substitute of nutella. It was very yummy and healthy :)

Other than that, we also bought strawberry and cacao raw bar from Elevate, made of fruit and nuts. 

note: only the bars are paleo, the bread was not paleo

Tried the bar later on that day, it was not only delicious, but also fulfilling! Unlike the so-called-healthy-but-full-of-sugar energy bars sold in stores, these bars are naturally sweetened by fruits, so it was a guiltless one ;) 

After having happy tummies, we attended the other seminars, which was the "Grow Your Own Vegetables and Fruits" by ibu Ida Sofiati (@ida_amal) from Indonesia Berkebun community, and "You Can Cook Delicious Paleo Dishes" by Italian chef Jacopo Magueri, owner and head chef of Piccola Italia (@jacobmaugeri).

Ibu Ida was sharing not only the ways to grow our own veggies and fruits, but also its benefits, which was including the possibility to avoid cancer.

Cooking demonstration by chef Jacopo was also very interesting. Speaking fluent Indonesian, the Italian chef demonstrated how to make two paleo dishes, which was frittata with avocado dip, and spiced mango dessert. They were easy to make, but still flavorful and healthy. 

And just before we left the bazaar around 1PM, I bought some brisket from "Up In Smoke" guys, Justin (@jboysumu) and Zach. The meat was soooooo juicy and tender, and very delicious!!

Overall, attending this bazaar surely was a fun yet educating experience. 

Personally, I am happy to know that at least I'm currently on the right track.

I hope there will be other similar events in the near future, as we need to promote healthy lifestyle.

8AM FitCamp participants with coach Oka (left, upper row)

Kudos to the organizers! 

For more info, you could contact/follow the Paleo Organic Bazaar crews:

• Brian Pandji - Crossfit Equator: @brianpandji
• Nursanti Wibisono - Organic Klub: @organiklub
• Ida Amal - Indonesia Berkebun: @ida_amal
• Chef Jacopo Magueri: @jacobmaugeri
• Oka Tripambudi - Crossfit Equator: @okavespa
• @OrganicBazaarID

HEALTH EXPO 8 JUNE 2014

Last Sunday, there was an expo held, "Health Expo 2014" organized by an online healthy grocery store, Club Sehat.

Being a health enthusiast, I was excited to go.
So I went with few friends who are getting into this "healthy lifestyle" thing, Rachel, Mathius and Indra.

After finished church (it was Sunday, church is a must ;)) the four of us had lunch first before heading to the expo. We all had salad! It's either influenced by the fact that we're going to a health expo, or we are trying to be healthy (LOL!).

The expo was held on Advent Hall (Gedung Pertemuan Advent) on Jl. MT Haryono, only from 11.00-17.00 WIB.

It was actually not a big expo, not like those expo in JCC or Balai Kartini. 
It was a relatively small expo. But we found what we're looking for, healthy food! :))

They're basically selling healthy food and cooking/baking needs, just like on their online store. 
Items sold were including: chia seeds, quinoa, multigrains, almonds (whole and sliced) and other nuts, cashew butter, oats, dried fruits, and (what I was looking for the most) various milks: almond, hazelnut, and multigrains. 

We also had the chance to learn a bit about Kangen Water. 
They showed us a little demonstration on the acidity/alkaline level of daily consumed water, and what kind of water that we should be consuming. Moreover, they also showed us different kinds of water that we could produce by having the machine, and the benefits of each kind (e.g. beauty water for a clear skin and strong acid for disinfectant etc.).

That's about it. Since we were a bit late (lack of information), we didn't get the chance to join the seminar. 
We didn't get the chance to try some of the food that they're selling, like Hainanese chicken rice, cendol, desserts, etc. (which I believe they're using healthier ingredients).

What I bought at the Health Expo: 
organic unsweetened almond milk (2), all natural hazelnut milk sweetened by brown rice (2), rolled oats, chia seeds, multigrains, sliced almond, and mushroom stock (natural food flavoring).

Honestly, they're not cheap. But I know I'm buying good stuff for good health, so I'm happy nevertheless. 
Gonna make good healthy food out of them for sure!!

Looking forward to going to another health expo!!  


For more information regarding:

Club Sehat Healthy Grocery Store
www.clubsehat.com
To order, email to: clubsehat@gmail.com

Kangen Water:
Jonathan Rheinhard T - Enagic Independent Distributor
gisbian1826@gmail.com
0878 7641 7720 / 0812 9735 6676

FYI, 

there will be a Paleo Organic Bazaar this Saturday 14 June 2014. 

Interested? 

RSVP quick!