Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The Struggle

Before I start with my post, let me tell you my body is in total revolt of what I'm doing to it and I'm also not in a great mood! Well, not entirely anyway and it's all because I'm blooming hungry! And it's not like I don't have food or the time to eat. In fact, it's not even like I've not eaten at all, I have, mind you but I'm still darn hungry. And you wanna know why?

Well, from my previous post most of you would know that I've been fighting this yo-yo battle with trying to lose weight. Before anyone starts making fun of me for being a fatty, I am far from being a fatty (and no offense to any fatties out there, ok ... LOL!), it's just that I'm not particularly satisfied with the way I look (then again, who is, ya?).

And as of Sunday, wifey and me decided that we're going to go the way of the cows. No, we're not going to eat grass and neither do we look like cows, well, not entirely anyway ... hehehe ... We've both been eating way too much good food and it's beginning to show in our bodies and we're not too happy about it. We both feel older than we look and it's not a good feeling.

So wifey decided that it's time we put our foot down and start on the road to being healthy 30 and 40 years olds. We've been talking about going on a diet for ages and it has all been talk, talk and more talk while our bodies deteriorate each day while debate about it. The fact that we're not getting any younger also adds to the equation.

Being typical Malaysians, our staple of food consists of rice (which I absolutely must have), meats and all kinds of fried and fatty stuff. And most of the time, after our dinner, we'd both feel like little sumo wrestlers, so puffed up and hard of breath. And the fact that we sit on the couch like slobs after dinner and watch TV doesn't help at all. It's really an absolutely uncomfortable feeling.

So, since Sunday, we've started eating nothing but salads which we've made ourselves. We're both trying to cut down our rice intake and refrain from eating too much meat and all those oily stuff. I wasn't really too keen on eating nothing but greens cos I am a rice and meat person and not having that combination for dinner is going to make me one grouchy and very hungry man.


But I decided to join her in her quest to lose weight and be healthy seeing as how if both of us do it together, we can motivate each other which would make things easier. Or at least I thought it would be easy. I've not eaten rice for 3 whole days now! I've just being surviving on our home made salads and to be honest, though I may be hungry and slightly moody from eating only a fraction of what I'm used too, I must say I feel so much less bloated than I did 3 days ago.

This is actually the first time I've ever gone so long without eating a single grain of rice or meat and for a person who eats huge amounts of food, I actually surprised myself. I'm not a person who likes salads or vegetables all that much and when we first fixed our salad dinner which consisted of the usual leafy green stuff, baby potatoes, eggs, onions, tomatoes, croƻtons, and bacon bits, I wasn't really looking forward to it. In fact I think I even told wifey that I don't think that is going to fill me up at all.

But surprisingly, it tasted bloody good and though it may not have really filled me up, I finished every single bit of it. I practically licked the salad bowl clean ... LOL! But that was the first night and it was tough the next day cos even during lunch, though my mind and stomach were screaming for rice, I refrained from touching it or anything close to that. In fact, all I ate was a homemade tuna sandwich and a small little dumpling.

I'm still hungry like a wolf though. And some of you wonderful people are not helping at all by posting sumptuous and mouth watering pictures of absolutely yummy and delicious food in your blogs. You guys are evil I tell you .. LOL! Have mercy for a guy on a diet, will ya!

I know it's going to be a long and difficult road for me to keep this up but eventually I suppose my body and system would get used to eating much lesser food. So from now on it's going to be nothing but healthy food and maybe once a week, we MIGHT just indulge in a little something as a small reward for both of us :D

I'm not sure if we really can keep this up but since we're doing this together it does make the transition from eating too darn much to eating healthier all that much easier. But it isn't easy I tell you, with all the glorious and wonderful food out there, the temptation to sneak in a nice huge plate of chicken rice or nasi lemak (rice steamed in coconut milk, a local favourite) is just too great.

Well, I can't wait for dinner tonight which will consist of homemade chicken or vegetable soup (I'm not sure which) and probably toasted French loaf (which I need to stop by and get some on the way home), potatoes, some sausages and more salad of course ... LOL! I just hope I can survive till then though. And yes, Adrian, I'm giving up my precious banana leaf rice from now on if you're wondering. I wonder if Sri Paandi (this restaurant we used to go to) serve salads?

This had all better be worth it and once some results start to show, I had better be looking like some hunk or something! ... hahaha ...
.

38 comments:

  1. Yay!! 1st commenter.. wahahaha

    Like dis, I also want to eat grass... err, I mean salads for dinner. Gerenti selim in no time! LOL

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  2. LOL~!! I'm guilty of being one of the evil bloggers posting up pics of glorious food! If it makes you feel better, I get hungry looking at those pics myself! And I haven't eaten rice since Saturday!

    You should take protein shake, Nick! Whey powder is really good if you're on a diet! You can get at GNC but quite mahal la.. But I can say it's really worth it.

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  3. Nessa - Yay, you're the first commenter :) Keep it up ... hehehe ...

    Urmmm, no guarantee yet that eating grass is going to work la. I mean, those darn cows eat grass and they're still fat! LOL!

    But I'm so darn hungry right now. I can practically hear my fat belly rumbling! ... hehehe ...

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  4. I hate veggies too Nick... but since in my 30's and fast approaching 40.. I've been forcing myself to eat some at every meal... no fun.. but have to keep up the health..you know..

    Good luck with your diet.. and here's looking at a hunkier you?? lolzz

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  5. Good luck on eating healthier.... remember to eat every 2-3 hours so you don't get too hungry and brown rice is good for you and filling!

    Keep up the good work.

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  6. Good luck on the diet, I'm n one myself and the first few days are the hardest. What I wouldn't give for a cheeseburger and fries right now.

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  7. Is that your pic? Hehehehe.

    Hey, I'm a fan thong, I cannot go a day without rice! Besides, I have gastric.. (hehehe, all the excuses) But YES, I wanna be strict to myself la. I wanna REALLY go on a diet! >.< I wanna lose weight too!!

    PS: Good luck on your salad eating! :P

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  8. Keep it up Nick! Soon you will be full of energy and raring to go!

    I'm constantly watching my weight and veg and salad intake. As much as I can be a piggie and enjoy the naughty things in life, I feel far healthier and look far better when I control my eating.

    You can do it!

    (By the way, you best not look at my latest post!)

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  9. Hei Nick I'm so interested to read this post.. Well, I'm a Dietitian actually..

    From the way u put urself on diet its seems like rice causing people gaining weight.. No Nick, its not true..

    For weight reduction regime, we have to back to the basic of healthy eating.. I'm sure u had read a lotta diet book which we as a Dietitian called it as a fad diet.. Sure it promising a rapid weight reduction but once u stop practising it you will regain much more weight.. Believe me!!

    So now the very basic of reducing weight are:

    1. Emphasize only on 3 main meals. Snacks in between are not recommended..

    2. If you felt hungry, snacks only on fruits and vegetables..

    3. Cut off sugary foods and drinks..

    4. Reduce consumption of fatty, fried and oily foods..

    5. Smaller amount of foods.. Measure amount of food taken each time..

    6. Aim to lose only 2-4 kilos per months.. Excessive weight reduction within a month may harm ur health.. Weigh yourself only once a week..

    7. Do excercise.. 30-40 minutes per session for at least 3 times/week..

    Diet alone didnt help much.. Do excercise as regular as possible!!

    So Nick, I really hope this may help you..

    Too much vegetables consumption will leads to constipation once you stop practicing the diet..

    Too much protein consumption in a way to reduce carbohydrate intake really harm ur health like kidney stones, osteoporosis and etc..

    To low CHO (carbohydrate) consumption may leads to diuresis and finally ketosis and coma..

    So Nick, it's up to you.. For further info, consult with Dietitian..

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  10. Lady Java - LOL! That's one reason why I'm actually going through with this diet. I'm getting a little bit big around the waist area ...

    Yeah, here's looking at a hunkier me soon! LOL!

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  11. AB - Thanks, I'm going to need all the luck I can get to keep this up. Brown rice, huh? Ok, I'll try that :D

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  12. Syura - LOL! Yes, you're one of those culprits! You haven't eaten rice since Saturday? Ok, that makes me feel so much better ... hehehe ...

    When you say mahal, how mahal? I'm willing to try it. In fact I'm willing to try anything to survive this diet ... LOL!

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  13. Tammy - Yeah, the first few days is a killer. My whole system is not used to the way I'm eating now that I'm constantly craving for good food!

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  14. Cindy - Hahaha, no la Cindy, that is definitely not my picture. I look a hundred times worse that that :D

    Fan thong ... LOL! Guess I am one too la. I've always loved rice and not having it makes me weak. But I'm determined to stick to this diet. Whether I'll survive or not is another matter la ... LOL!

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  15. the world according to me - Thanks for the encouragement. I'm hoping the soon comes even sooner.

    Don't tell me you've got pictures of food for your latest post? I think I'll wait till I've eaten and then check it out ... LOL!

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  16. Freddass - Wow, a bona fide dietitian, this must be my lucky day :D

    Well, with the huge portions of rice I eat, I am positively sure it's one of the main reasons for my weight gaining issues.

    Thanks for the tips, I'll be sure to follow them as best as I can :)

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  17. Diet? Oh man, I love french fries, barbecues... I hate vegetables! I don't know how I would behave going on a diet.

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  18. i will post more cake pictures just for you nick..haha being evil me.

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  19. I should be watching my weight too because I can't go to the gym at the moment. It's a lot harder to do that now the weather is getting colder. Hopefully you are more successful than me.

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  20. Cidao - I love fries and barbecues too unfortunately for now at least, I'm going to have to stay away from it.

    And if you'd probably feel irritable and cranky just like me should you go on a diet! LOL!

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  21. Deana - LOL! Yeah, that's evil! As it is my stomach is growling like crazy right now already ... hehehe ...

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  22. I really applaud your efforts! By now, your stomach would have shrunken, that means from now on, you will feel satiated faster. Eat smaller meals lah. Don't torture yourself.

    But sorry, I can't stop posting food pics cos I am not on a diet. I probably need to lose more weight than you do but...maybe I will start my diet tomorrow :-)

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  23. Gypsy - Well, so far I've lasted 3 whole days and that's sort of like a record for me. I don't know if it's going to be successful or not but I'll keep everyone updated over here ... hehehe ...

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  24. BT - LOL! Yeah, you do post some pretty mean food pictures that has me salivating all over!

    I'm just waiting for the time when my tummy will require smaller portions of food but it's still the initial first few days so it's really an effort to keep this up at the moment!

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  25. All the best in your quest Nick!! I really salute you...I've been wanting to go on diet..but it has been "later" and "later" excuses since I gv birth to Ethan which is almost a yr ago!! hahaha...

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  26. OMG Malaysian food is probably the fattiest of the lot, but the yummiest too. Hehehe But yeah, rice is the killer. I was a kinda chubby back in high school and that's how I lost the weight. Lose the rice!

    Good luck to you and wifey on yer dieting!

    God, I hope JC pulls it off tonite! Hahaha

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  27. Tsk Tsk Tsk...oh boy...I wonder how long this diet is gonna last (that's me goading you to take up the challenge to prove me wrong)!!

    I can only wish you all the best but you know what...carbs come in many forms...like bread and potatoes too...and if you think sausages are a source of meat well bud...they also contain a lot of fat too...

    But banana leaf rice...well that for one is parbolied rice which contains less starch and then if you eat a vegetarian meal...well that says it all doesn't it....vegetarian...equal to a salad...except cooked...so don't go dissin my banana leaf meal LOL

    Okaylah...keep up the good work but remember if you are doing exercise you do need carbs or you are gonna cramp up bud!! :)

    Cheers bub! :)

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  28. Aunty J - Thank you :D I've been putting this off for far too long already so this time, I'm going to stick with it all the way through ...

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  29. Rozella - You have that absolutely right! All that fried yummy food are simply mouth watering ... but also totally rich in fat! LOL!

    Back when I was a teenager (ages ago) I could eat tons of rice and not out on a single ounce of weight. It's only when I turned into my 30's that I've had a see saw battle with my weight.

    LOL! I think JC will be okay la tonight, but if he isn't, you know who's going to be the first to rib you about it, ya? LOL!

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  30. Adrian - Ok, ok, I shall not diss of your banana leaf meal, you know how much I just love Sri Paandi, right? But I am getting older and the health is more important than good old banana leaf rice.

    Don't worry bud, I haven't ditched carbs altogether la, I may be stupid but not that stupid la ... hehehe ...

    I'm just cutting down on my rice intake. I feel so darn bloated after eating all that rice that it makes me so blooming lazy to do anything at all.

    And I've felt much better and healthier the past 4 days than I did in my entire lifetime ... hehehe ...

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  31. Hi Nick!!!
    So long no visit!!
    I found out something about eating less and being hungry all the time. Over time, your stomach size actually shrink that it hold less food, so you get fill up rather fast. Oh yah, if you persevere, your appetite will decrease too!
    So, hang on!!!

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  32. Jen - Glad to see you here, it's been a while.

    Yeah, I'm waiting for my stomach to shrink and start asking for less food. I hope that happens pretty soon before I go crazy ... LOL!

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  33. Well, it kinda depends on the weight.. Mine is retailed at Rm292 for 5lbs. The brand is EAS. 100% whey powder.. :D

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  34. The best diet-method they say is to not eat carbo after 6 pm. So, a barbecue or a chicken curry wouldn't ruin your diet if you have it at lunch, lol!

    Hehee, who can live with salad. I can't but it's good to have it with something heavy, not just salad alone.

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  35. Syura - RM292?! Whoa, that is steep la ... But if it's good, it's worth the try. Thanks for the info :D

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  36. Marlene - Well, I'm finding it really tough to just eat salads alone, so I've been adding some chicken to the equation ... hehehe ...

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  37. Hi Nick, are u still going strong or have u given in to the temptation already? :)

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  38. Marzie - I'm proud to say that I've kept to diet so far and I'm absolutely happy about it :) I haven't touched a single grain of rice for 8 days now!

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