Fitness Blog #22 - Cohen Diet: Day 53

Wow, I can't believe it's almost 2 months since I started Cohen. Sorry I didn't update for the past few weeks regarding my progress as I was in Dubai from 12th to 20th April.  

Confession: I let go in Dubai. The food was too good and I was in a festive mood so I just put Cohen on hold. In fact I was so sure I gained a lot of weight during that period so I was surprised to know I only gained 0.8kg when I got back haha. Probably because I still had some restrain in Dubai. I mostly shared meals with Alf. Good thing is I managed to lose the weight I gained  as soon as I got back and even more on the succeeding weigh in.

As of 30th April, I have lost a total of 8.8kg/19.36lbs (11.3kg/24.86lb since my heaviest). I'll take it!!! I know I could have lost more but honestly I am not bothered at all. I am happy I am consistently losing weight every weigh in despite my cheating. I have never posted any weight gain (so far). That is a little over 1kg per week and I am only on my 7th/8th week. If I keep up the pace, by the end of Cohen, I would have lost at least 24kg. My goal weight of 80kg (set by Cohen) is honestly a little too thin for me. I will still keep it in my ticker just so that I know how far away I am from my "goal" weight but I will be happy with 100-110kg. Still overweight, probably even obese by technical standards, but this was my weight before coming to Singapore. I could wear 36 inch jeans that time and a size Large/XL shirt. I am happy with that. I don't think I will ever be thin. Fact is I love food.
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Fitness Blog #21 - Cohen Diet: Day 29

"Wall of Fame" at Cohen Clinic

Week 4 total weight loss: 7kg(15.4lbs) / 9.5kg (20.9lbs) since my heaviest!! Best of all, I have lost an amazing 5.25 inches off my huge belly!!!! #ecstatic
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Fitness Blog #20 - Cohen Diet: Day 22

Week 3 weigh-in: Total weight loss of 6.5kg/14.3lbs (9kg/19.8 lbs since my heaviest)!!!! Yeeeeyyyy!!!
(Delayed post again. This post is for yesterday's weigh in)
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Fitness Blog #19 - Cohen Diet: Day 15

Got busy yesterday that I wasn't able to post this. Last night, I had to cook my meals until Monday since tonight I will be busy packing as tomorrow is my flight to Bali. Anyway, this post is for yesterday's weigh-in. And well well well, I am so crazily ecstatic to announce I have already lost 5.6kg/12.32lbs (8.1kg/17.82lbs since my heaviest) and 4 inches off my belly!!! Wednesday is my weigh-day since it was the day I started Cohen on March 12.
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Fitness Blog #18 - Cohen Diet: Day 8

YEHHHEEEEYYYYYYYYY!!!!

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Fitness Blog #17 - Cohen Diet: Day 6

Day 6 and I'm still alive! Haha. I weighed myself this morning and I am so happy ecstatic with the weight loss! I am waiting for Wednesday to officially announce my weight loss as I want to do it on a weekly basis. Days 4 and 5 (Saturday and Sunday) were the hardest as we had an overnight trip to Kuala Lumpur. This tested my commitment and determination on the Cohen Program which meant I had to pack my food for at least a few meals. Breakfast is the easiest as I always have yogurt + splenda and an apple.
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Fitness Blog #16 - Cohen Diet: Day 3

Ladies and Gentlemen, I. AM. HUNGRY. Hehehe.

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Fitness Blog #14- Fat Sick and Nearly Dead

It's 2013 and I'm sure just like most people, we all resolve to lose weight this new year. It's been a lifetime battle and pretty much a yo-yo experience for me. I must thank my friend Ana Pauline Cruz for introducing me to this documentary about juice fasting. I tell you, I have never been so passionate about a "diet" and I hope this finally is the one for me.

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Hiatus

Wow it's been a while. Apologies for the long hiatus. As if anyone cares haha. I've been pretty busy (obviously), mostly with work, renewal of documentation and other stuff. Last May, I renewed my passport since it's up for expiry on December plus I was up for work visa renewal. I got my passport last June (after a month, ugh) and I finally renewed my work visa in end-June.

It was really a relief to have my work visa renewed for another 2 years. Singapore has been very strict lately with the influx of foreign workers. In fact, some of my Filipino friends got their passes either rejected or demoted to the lower type. I can't blame the government though. I just feel grateful I could stay here longer. Towards the end of this year, I plan to apply for Permanent Residency for the 3rd time.

Anyway, it's been 3 months since I started gym and I'm darn happy I've lost 7kg. Slowly but surely. I've been sick though the past few days due to flu and have been giving in to my cravings but I hope to be back on track.

Earlier this month, I was in Manila and Cebu for a short 4 days. The trip was mainly for the Cebu townhouse turnover. Yey! I'm a homeowner! :-P Huge thanks to my Mom really. She has really helped a great deal, not only financially but more importantly by physically going to Cebu to handle all the admin stuff prior to turnover and minor renovations with the townhouse after the turnover. I love you Mom! :-)

I'll be broke for the next 8 years to pay for the monthly amortization haha, unless we get the place rented out. Either way, it's a great investment. I'm happy my mom influenced me to make this investment :-)
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Fitness Blog #10

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Fitness Blog # 9

3KG. 

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Fitness Blog #5

Someone commented in my blog asking what's happened to the last "F" for "Fitness"? I wanted to bitch slap her and say "Mind your own effing business!". Then I realized I have really taken the "fitness" aspect of this blog for granted. Zach also told me why do I bother paying hundreds of dollars a month for my gym membership when I'm not using it. Darn it, I didn't have an answer to that.

I read this article that Oprah wrote on how & why did she allow herself to gain back 40lbs when she was in tiptop form just 4 years ago. It really comforts me to know that even one of the richest people in the world has the same insistent problem as mine. Weight Problem. I always tell myself, if I were rich I probably wouldn't be fat because I could hire my own chef, have my fat sucked out, have my own personal trainer, etc etc etc. But I guess even Oprah finds it difficult. And like Oprah, I also gained back 40lbs (18.18kg) in the past 3 years.

So staying true to what I wrote in my 2009 resolutions, I will try my darndest best to keep fit this year. After some prodding from my cousin Aileen, I bought a new mountain bike. Just a cheap one but it works. In the past 4 days that I've had it, I've already biked 15kms twice. One time even up and downhill. And I've also gone to the gym twice last week. Ha! Now who's the man?! hehehe.

Credits to http://www.flickr.com/photos/goatsfoot/2519275714/

Singapore has got to be the most biker-friendly country in the world. There are bike-parking terminals in all MRT stations and some towns even promote sharing of sidewalks for pedestrians and bikers. That's besides the fact that road conditions here are perfect with no single pothole in sight. Plus, there are mountain biking trails and park connectors everywhere. I love it!

So biking is our new hobby! Aileen & Bill's wedding is coming up real soon, in 5 months actually, and that's another good reason for all of us to look our best. So please allow me some headstart before I start documenting my weight and pictures again, hehe. God I hope it works out this time. Please pray for me! :P Read more on "Fitness Blog #5"!

Fitness Blog #3

I have had the flu for 5 days now so I haven't had the strength to go to the gym. Over the weekend, (after I whipped that uber-delicious lasagna) I had fever, sore throat & body ache (can you imagine?!) for 2 days. Because I had a deadline, I still went to work on Monday & Tuesday. But I took leave today because I really need some rest. More so, I don't think its a good idea to spread the flu at work.

Yesterday, I saw the doctor to get an MC chit (here in singapore, you have to get a medical certificate even if you're just 1 day sick - sorry but i think that's crap. In Manila, you only need an MC if you're sick for more than 3 days). So while I was at the doctor, I might as well ask her why my flu is taking so long and it doesn't seem to get any better. Well, of course I had to exaggerate so she would give me my pass from work. It did get better coz I didn't have fever anymore but my nose was still really clogged. So she said flu normally lasts 7-10 days (whew!). Then she started asking me questions (in a funny accent, not the normal singapohlean accent, I think she grew up in the US) about my medical history. Then she gave me this scary thought that, just to be on the safe side, I go through a blood sugar test just to make sure I'm not having symptoms for diabetes. WTF!!!!???

Since I just had my lunch that time, I asked if I could come back tomorrow to have that prick on my finger to test my sugar. Honestly, I'm not scared that I'm diabetic. Because for the past 3 or 4 weeks I have stoppped eating rice, snacks & what have you. I eat a lot of veggies, wheat and multi grain. My blood sugar MAY be elevated but I don't think Im diabetic (Of course, I have to convince myself).

So wish me luck guys. Hope this turns out well. And I hope it's just a really terrible flu.

Oh and by the way, despite my lack of attendance at the gym, I still lost weight hehe.. Just a few grams though. But weight loss is still weight loss.


Starting Weight as of June 30 - 121 kg
Weight as of July 9 - 119.2 kg
Weight as of July 16 - 118.5 kg

"No Pain, No Gain" Read more on "Fitness Blog #3"!

Fitness Blog #2

So it's been 10 days since I started this fitness blog. Last week, I was able to visit the gym 4 times. This week, I've already gone once. There's this fat burner pill that I took called Lipo 6X advanced formula. It was so advanced that it gave me insomnia. I don't think I'll ever take it again. I was seriously pissed the next day going to work tired and lethargic. I've always had problems with these pills, there was a time before I took Hydroxycut and I had the same insomnia problems. I think there's too much caffeine in these pills. If I'm not mistaken, around 1000mg per pop.


Starting Weight as of June 30 - 121 kg
Weight as of July 9 - 119.2 kg

1.8 kilos (3.96 lbs) is not so bad but not good. Maybe because I ate so much when mom was around hehe.. but its better than not losing any at all. Slowly but surely. My target is to lose at least 13.6 kg (30lbs) by December. Just in time for the holiday feast hehehe.

"No Pain, No Gain" Read more on "Fitness Blog #2"!

Fitness Blog #1

Biggest Loser has got to be one of the most inspiring reality shows on the telly. I remember I loved to watch this show so much while lying on the couch with a bag of chips... hehehe. But kidding aside, if you've seen this show it's just amazing how the horizontally-challenged people transform to almost-model like beings.

So what better way to channel this inspiration but to create my own "biggest loser" challenge. My weight has always been the biggest tribulation in my life. I don't think I ever remember being thin, as in "normal" thin. As far as my memory can recall, I have always been "horizontally-challenged". Or to put it bluntly - Fat, Obese, "Baboy", "Tabachoy" or however you want to call it.

The biggest setback of being fat is being judged by the way you look. People would immediately label you as a "pig" with no self-control, irresponsible, couch-potato, lazy, boring, etc etc etc. I have heard it all. Some (or a lot of) people tend to forget that beneath the layers upon layers of fat is a human being - just like any other person with feelings, intellect & the need to belong. But you can't blame them. The painful fact is that this world is superficial. We are judged by the way we look. Be it in the workplace, school, etc.

I am doing this challenge now more for my health and for myself - not for anyone else. I am pushing into my 30's and sooner or later I know I'll get sick if I continue with this sedentary lifestyle. More so that diabetes, heart disease & cancer runs in our family. Most of my family is fat, being fat is actually in our genes, but this is not an excuse to remain fat your whole life. It only means you have to exert twice or even thrice the effort.

So enough of the melodrama. Let's get down to business :)

For the past week and a half I have tried to avoid eating rice. For breakfast, I have skim or low-fat milk with whole grain bran cereal. For lunch, I bring a whole-grain sandwich to work & buy fruit. For dinner, I just eat at home - maybe another sandwich, yogurt & oatmeal cookies for a snack (the low fat one, c'mon give me a break I need a treat or else I'll end up binging hehe). In this way, I save money AND cut down on the food intake.


Last night was my first gym session. 4o mins of cardio & around 20 mins of weights. As the days progress, I will have to do more cardio and do more weight-training. Every week from here on, I will document my weight. Every month, I will post new mug shots.

So brace yourself coz posted below are my BEFORE pics hehehe. Please be aware that the pictures are graphic and for those with weak stomachs, kindly turn away from the monitor. hehehe

Don't tell me I didn't warn you!! :P

Front View - Full Body

Side View - Full Body

Close-up - Face (I don't seem so happy.. :P)

STARTING WEIGHT: 121 kg

Official Start Date: June 30, 2008

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My Nth Attempt to Fitness at California Fitness

Today I enrolled at California Fitness with my friends Rye & Zach. I was actually a member at Gold's Gym and Fitness First in the Philippines so might as well try a different club. After a year and 3 months and a staggering 10-kilo weight gain here in Singapore, I decided to join a fitness club. And also to fulfill the purpose of the last "F" in this blog - my lifelong struggle for Fitness.

2 years ago I managed to lose 54lbs (24.5 kilos) in a span of 2 years. The first 24 lbs in the first year at Fitness First then the last 30 lbs at Golds Gym during the second year. I can seriously say these were the best days of my life since I felt so f*%king goodlooking hahaha... Honestly, people would be so shocked to see me and wouldn't even recognize me if I were sitting beside them. I felt healthy, full of energy and just beaming with confidence.

Gone were those days.. Sigh... So before I gain back all the weight I've lost I finally decided to do something about it. Hopefully, by putting myself to shame and posting it on the net, I would take this challenge seriously.

We got a very good deal at $53 a month for a 2-year membership. The trick in dealing with those uber pushy sales consultants is to tell them "this is my budget, take it or leave it". But I guess it did help that there were 3 of us signing up. Seriously, all those membership fees, processing fees and bullcrap fees are just, well, bullcrap. Don't fall for that trap. When they tell you it's the last day of their promo, tell them you weren't born yesterday. haha. Just kidding. Though I really admire their determination. Can you just imagine how hard it is for them to put on that act.

So here's to food blogging and fitness.. Goodluck to me.. Ugh Read more on "My Nth Attempt to Fitness at California Fitness"!