Mystery of weight lost. there are more to it than we think.

mystery solved? May be!

Have you ever think to yourself that the weight lost from a "detoxing" or "flushing" is a result of just passing the stuff that your gut has been holding? or just simply why people are linking detox and weight lost together as if Detox will help you build muscle and burn more fat??? It seems i have found the answer today.

ok admittedly the video is very aged, however, i loved the details and the answer i have been looking for. Detoxing has always sounded too good to be true. I am someone who is on a low carb and high fiber and protein diet. Anyone who knows me will know i will snack on fruits, and my lunch usually is a box of "shrubby" as my boss will call. But I do have problems..... I am very irregular when it comes to doing a number 2.

So this sea salt flush thing sounds too good to be try, but it seems to be back up with a tone of science research. To loses weight (hopefully fat if what was said in the video is true) with out having to break out a sweat or without an ounce of pain. What do i have to loses to try this out? I mean, i can afford salt and water for sure! The best of all, i know i am putting all natural stuff in me, not some mystery pill or liquid with chemical names so long and complicated that i can not even say it!  I think my gut and my liver will thank me for giving it a good wash!

Have a good weekend everyone,

signing out for now

Cuppypowers

xxx

Day 7 of P90X - my way

Day 7

Hello everybody, It is day7 of my P90X program, it’s been going great so far I am not in much pain at all. P90X is not as scary as it sounds, at least for the LEAN version.

After training according to P90X LEAN which consist of :
Day 1.Core Synergistic
Day 2. Cardio X
Day 3. Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
Day 4. Yoga X
Day 5. Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6.Kenpo X
Day 7. Rest or X Stretch

The above 7 days will be repeated for another 2 weeks. I did the following instead of the P90X LEAN

Day 1.Core Synergistic
Day 2. Cardio X
Day 3. Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
Day 4. Skipped the Yoga X (my bad)
Day 5. Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6. Spinning + Kenpo X
Day 7. Body Combat + X Stretch


The reason why I added the Spinning and the Body Combat into the P90X program is that the cardio that has been placed within the training routine is not intense enough for me. I do not break out in a sweat when I do them. For Example. I did Spinning class at the gym at lunch time and did Kenpo X after work. In theory, I should find Kenpo X to be quite challenge to complete since I already completed a workout at lunch, but I completed the work outs and woke up this morning with minimal amount of muscle pain. So I decided I felt energized enough to go to my regular Body Combat class where I had an amazing time and sweated it out for the 2^nd time this week, following the Spinning which I did yesterday. I shall go home tonight and do my X Stretch and my plan for the next couple of week will be as follow:

Day 1.Core Synergistic
Day 2. Cardio X
Day 3. Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
Day 4. Hatha Yoga at the gym (instead of Yoga X)
Day 5. Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6. Spinning + Kenpo X
Day 7. Body Combat + X Stretch

By replacing the Yoga X with HATHA Yoga at the gym, I hope that I will be able to commit to 1hr of yoga a week, like the P90X has designed the program. The benefit is there will be an instructor on hand to help me and that once I step my feet into that studio at the gym, there is no turning back! ( I do not like yoga, i have tried it before and found the exercise to be too slow and very very very painfull!!!! However, I have no intention of give up and it. I am committed to do the P90X as close to the original version as possible.)

I think i want to add a mental note that, i feel if i were to just stuck with doing the Kenpo X and Cardio X alone and if I did not see result after 90 days, I would be very disappointed and cheated on myself (when I know for a fact that the cardio exercise intensity was nowhere near where I am used to..) Moreover, I think it would be rather unfair to the program and Tony for coming up with the program which I am sure is effective to many people out there.

All of the above might change in Week 4 where the P90X program will be changing. I can not wait!!!!

Sorry for being so long winded, hope to hear from you soon
Signing off for now.
Cuppypowers
xxx

Ever wonder how much good stuff you are eating?

Hi everyone!

I will be writing a weekly review very soon about my first week with P90X. I have been wondering how my eating habits has been since i started the program. I felt puckish all day for the pass coupled of days and whilst i was browsing on the P90X message board i saw that someone was recommending an online Calories journal  .

I checked out the site and is excited to share it with you. The Calorie Journal is not the average journal. After populating the items you have eaten during your day, the program actually turns it into pie charts to show you how much of Protein, Fats and Carbs you have consumed on that day. The list of food available to be selected is very very very extensive, it also shows each item's nutrion details. PLUS it allows you to change the units to something you can understands and recalculate it for you! (i.e. instead of 1fl oz of egg ---> 1 large egg)

It has many other useful charting tools such as measurement, weight goals etc. DO CHECK IT OUT! it takes the guess work out of your road to get fit!!!

Signing off for now. Keep up the good work people
Cuppypowers! xxxx

Meet Melanie, my new found P90X buddie in the US! :)

The Healthy Newlywed: My Weight Loss Story: "From the time I began playing sports in second grade my workouts were planned for me. Finding time for fitness wasn't something I ever had t..."

P90x workouts are designed to destroy even the fittest person..... TRUE!

lol! I was looking at theTeam Beachbody to find out some information about my P90x program and came across one of the fitness adviser's reply to a board member:

From Steve Edwards:

The when say 'can you do two workouts a day' you need to follow this up with a goal. Of course you can, and in a simple sense you'll burn more calories than you will doing one workout of similar intensity. But training effectively is more complex than just working as hard as you can.

The important issues begin with your objectives. One hard workout reduces your ability to do a second hard work. It takes longer to recover from two workouts than one. If you're not recovering you'll overtrain and results will plateau at best. Of course, there are ways to do two workouts and recover. You just need a plan. The most common way people achieve this is be reducing the intensity of their workouts and this may be a tradeoff you don't want to make. It's goal dependant.

In a simple sense you can recover quicker from endurance work. You recover slowly from power work. Hypertrophy, muscle growth, is in between. P90X workouts are designed to destroy even the fittest person. Adding a second workout, unless it's a baseline aerobic workout and short, is going to interfere with your other workout no matter how fit you are. For this to be effective your goals would want to be more endurance-oriented.

Doing one or two workouts per day isn't fitness dependant unless you define what those workouts are what objectives are. There are times for a deconditioned person to do this--perhaps someone who is not fit enough to push their body anaerobically needs to do more baseline aerobic work to get the fitness to, say, do a Power 90 workout. To handle, say, two 90x workouts a day (or do it's doubles program) you need to be fit enough to handle the single workout program otherwise you'd be compromising at both ends.

Signing off for now! Have a good day curious readers!!!!

Cuppypowers xxx

P90X Lean Day0- before

Hello everyone. Here is ME!!! As you might have gathered i have began my P90X program and it has taken me way too long to update my blog here! Sorry to have kept you guys waiting!

For those of you have been following my blog, you might remember that i am a fan of fad diets but i do study and do them by the book. Keeping the same spirt in mind, P90X requires a photographic record of the body of which you have began with and here are mines. I ain't going to cheat on the program nor on myself! The picture are all fine by me as i am a firm believer that a picture speaks a thousand words.

Don't laugh. the poses are the ones on request by P90x!!! and sorry for the "funky" color difference between the shots.....

My P90X

Hello all, apologies for thoses of you who has been back to see that there was no update! work has been crazy and with the Chinese new year holiday approaching, the work load seems to be immpossiable to get done.

My P90x kit arrived at my office on Thursday afternoon. I was super excited to receive it. I wanted to start the program on Friday, but because of my lack of determination to go to bed early, i could not get up in the morning to start the program!

I am, however, glad to report that i have made my start today. I will be posting pictures very soon with my pre-P90x photos here, may be along with so stats. I kicked myself out of bed relatively early this morning @ 10:00am (considering this is my day off and i went to bed the night before at around 2:00am). and determined to do the work out prior to my dentist appointment at 11:45am.

Both of the above items ticked off, am now sitting at Sake San having some protein and vegetable for lunch. ahhhhhh.... what a way to start my week end :)

Watch this space people!
Signing off for now.
Cuppypowers xxx
89days to go

OMG!!!!!

It's here!!!! My P90x has landed in Hong Kong International Airport today!!!! I am soooo excited to get started!!! It looks like i will be able to start on this Friday as planned!!!! Yeah!!!!

Signing off whilst jumping around for now
Cuppypowers! xxx

The Poptart diet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is just getting better and better!!!!!! Check this out!!!!

Eat sweets, chocolates and loses weight

Interesting theory. check it out. it's all about timing everyone!

So tell me what you think!
Signing off for now.
Cuppypowers xxx

Healthy eating pyramid..... REALLY?

I am approach my health regime from a different angle this time. I am going to work out, build muscles (which helps me to burn more fat) eat less carb and process food, turn the food pyramid upside down and eat the diet that HUMAN APES are suppose to, pretending that we are in a world where grains and fruits are not so readily available.

Why! I hear you ask. I've been thinking, well, if we are suppose to eat pasta, then is it not reasonable to think that you should be able to grow the stuff on a tree or something? Since when humans started having weight concerns? Perhaps it is down to greed and not eating what we are suppose to eat, something that is Man made instead of what the nature has provided for us? Perhaps it's laziness, having jobs in front of a desk, in front of a computer instead of hunting for food?

The scary thing is when you google "healthy eating pyramid" 95% of the pyramids will show that Process Carbs, such as pasta, bread is at the base of the pyramid; the other 4.99999% shows fruits and vegetable, which still turns into glucose; another form of carbs. Yet no one questions if this "Pyramid" is right for you as an individual!

The decision is yours to decide what is healthy eating. Have we all been brain washed to believe what is "good" for us, when we have been going in circles trying to figure out why we are as a species over weight? Especially when I can put a hand on my heart and say i do eat "HEALTHILY" and is working out?

Signing off for now. Have a good one!
Cuppypowers xxx

Withdrawal.....?!?

I went out with my boss last night for dinner and had a tone of desert. Glad to report that i am not experiencing any "withdrawal symptoms" for the high amount of sugar i had last night.

But I am experiencing some muscle pain!!! I have not had muscle pain for such a looooong time i've almost forgotten what it feel like!!!!

As usual, my bf is at work, so i got up at the same time as i would have done so on a working day, took Bobblet (my tiny toy poodle) out for a work and let him say hi to my bf, went back home, picked up my gear and went for some breakfast.

Hit the gym at 12:00pm, did my Bobdypump amd Bodycombat class. Felt great! I was a little tired today admitedly, but the desert from the night before did nothing to how i feel today at the gym! yeppppyyyy!!!!

My goal for the next couple of weeks is to go to sleep before mid night and dirnking at least 8 glasses of fluids a day. I must do everything i can to help my body to adapt to the early hours and physical challenge in advance of P90x's arrival!!!!

Hope ya all are having a good week end. Stay warm for the readers from the US, and stay dry for the ones reading from Austrial. Thinking of you guys!

Signing off for now
Cuppypowers! xxx

I've done it!!!!

I've placed my order for P90x today and it is on it's way to my office. I should be able to start the program in about 10 days! yeah!!!!!

I can't wait!!!!

Cuppy power xxx

Peanut

I came out from my spinning class starving... so i grab myself a large packet of peanut to eat on my way back to work, where i have my lunch is waiting.

Peanut has become my "go to" food/ snack when i am out and about. After all, i am trying to keep an eye on the amount of carbs i am having. Nuts is the most readily available low carb food in hong kong (the cals count is high, but the fat in nuts are considered good fats for you).

A co-worker is also doing a low carb diet. but she has cut out all carbs, and has reduced her size by 1/3 in a matter of 2.5 months. I offered her some peanut when i got back in the office and she replied " i don't do peanut" that made me panic!!! There is only one reason why she would refuse....

I asked the question and she said "you know that a peanut is not really a nut, right?! they behaves (what it does to your body) more like a root vegetable. i.e. potatos"

I WAS SOOOOO SHOCKED!!!!

From now on, i will be cutting out my peanuts! no wonder why i am not losing much weight!!!!

For thoses of you are keeping an eye on the carbs, stay away from the peanut!

Signing off for now
Cuppypowers xxx

Addiction - fad diets

Hiya.

I am one of thoese girls who would try "diets". You know the latest most talked about thing, a very good example the Atkins.

But I would never do a fad diet without doing the reading. I am actually dyslexic and has great difficulty in reading. When I decided I want to do the Atkins diet, I’ve put the effort in and read the book.

Did it work? Yes it did for me. Did i find it easy? HELL NO!!!!!!

I sometimes ask myself “did you really need to go on diet? You mean you don’t know why you are fat?” and my answer is: NO. I know why I am fat

My friends would occasionally ask me about my experience with the Atkins diet and my honest answer would be, yes it worked for me, but I recommend that you first read the book, understand the science that goes behind it. It worked for me, but that does not mean it would work for you.

From my years of “dieting”  i have come to the conclusion that there is a certain food group which I am addicted to which is making me fat. Unfortunately, when it comes to eating items from this food group, there is no stopping or self control. I am sure you guessed it right, I was addicted to carbs. Especially refined manmade carbs. I was hooked on bread, cakes and biscuits. I will only stop when there is no more to eat.

Since I began my work out in Nov, I virtually cut out 95% manmade carbs out of my diet.

I hear you ask:

Was it easy?  NO, Hell no.

Do you miss it? YES, I DO. I miss the texture, the variety, and taste, everything about it.

If you have reached your target weight and is at a point where carbs are allowed in your diet, would you have it?

My answer is, yes and no. I have not cut out all carbs out of my diet. I am still eating my vegetable and fruits. I am still eating my potatoes. I do occasionally have the odd desert, but to reintroduce bread, cakes as a regularly item in my everyday food list? I will think twice, three times about it!!!! I LOVE the freedom that I now have when it comes to refined cards. I do miss it, but love love love the feeling that  i am dependent on it, i no longer think about it when i pass a coffee shop or a bakery!!!

I encourage you to look at your diet and the fad diets that you might have been on. Figure out what worked from each fad diet and what didn’t.Learn from the since that goes behind each fad diet; they will allow you to eventually come out with your very own version.

Signing off for now.

Cuppypowers xxx 

New year, new challgen

I have been training hard for the pass couple of months and about 3 weeks ago, i began looking for something new to keep my body and fitness level ticking. I happens to be surfing on youtube and was looking at fitness related videos, that was when i noticed alot of people were posting their fitness success with a program call P90x

I am pleased to share with you that today i took the P90x fitness test, and i have passed the minimum requirement. I am officially qualify to do the P90x program.

However.... i am experiencing some technical issues with my videos... so i can not start until it will play on my net book!

My plan is to do P90x before i go to work, if i start no later then end of this week, i should be able to complete the 90 days program before my sister's wedding on the 21st April 2011. What a grate way to celebrate the completion!!! P90x is known for its intensity and effectiveness. I am very excited to be getting going with it. No question that i will be posting updates on here so that you guys can keep an eye on me.

Watch this space curious readers! Very soon there will be an official "BEFORE P90x" post. I will be proudly announcing my start date. From than on, there will be another weightin on day 30, 60 follow by the "AFTER P90x" post.

Wish me luck, and keep your fingers cross so that i can start the program soon.
Signing off for now

Cuppypowers xxx

Cholesterol - it's ok to eat eggs and seafood!!!!

I have been eating a lot of eggs lately because frankly that is the easiest breakfast you can make for yourself if you are keeping an eye on your carb intake. I have been eating so much eggs for the pass couple of months to start to worry about my cholesterol level. So i have done a little bit of research. This article talks about it's okay to eat eggs.... but it got me thinking, how do you reduce your cholesterol level naturally, without having to consume carbs such as Oats (research suggest that oats can help to remove cholesterol from your blood stream). This is what i've found

You don’t need to avoid eggs and seafoodSome foods are high in cholesterol but are fine to eat in moderation, as long as your overall diet is low in saturated fats. For example:

• Egg yolks – a single egg yolk contains 200–250mg of cholesterol, which is almost the uppermost recommended daily intake (300mg). However, reducing egg intake is probably not important for healthy people with normal blood cholesterol levels.
• Seafood – prawns and seafood contain some cholesterol but they are low in saturated fat and also contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Seafood is a healthy food and should not be avoided just because it contains cholesterol. However, avoid fried and battered seafood.

Foods that may lower cholesterol levels
The most powerful food for lowering LDL cholesterol is polyunsaturated oil (for example, sunflower or safflower oil). Some studies have suggested that eating oats and legumes may lower LDL cholesterol. Food components like saponins (found in chickpeas, alfalfa sprouts and other foods) and sulphur compounds (like allicin – found in garlic and onions) may also have a positive effect in lowering cholesterol levels.

Hope you have found the information useful. So Eggs are green light for me!!!
bye for now.
Cuppypowers xxx

Source: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Cholesterol_explained

Weekend slip....

Hello everyone. I hope you all had a good weekend, a big apologies for those who came back to check and did not see an update!

It has been a cold and difficult week end. I felt alone and cold. My bf has been very busy at his new job for the pass couple of months and i have not seen much of him. We simply have not had the chance to spend any quality time together. I finally broke down in tears at his work on Sunday lunch time.

I worked out for a couple of hours on Saturday and took Sunday off as my rest day. My ass was aching from the bodypump and bodycombat class from the day before. I wore a workout crop top for the first time in ages. The amazing thing was that by wearing it, it actually made me work extra heard! I could not help but staring at my own stomach (which is beginning to really flatten out).

Eating wise, i have done pretty well this weekend, but i did have a little binge with the nuts on Sunday night. Oh well, could have done worst with binging with process food!

I shall be updating you with a little create i have been keeping from you. It's my new challenge for yr 2011.
Watch this space curious readers!

Bye for now!
Cuppypowers xxxx

Yummy Scrmmy Starbucks drinks Under 200 Calories | Starbucks Coffee Company

Out of all of the coffee houses Starbucks has always been my favorite another we have in hong kong is called Cafe Habitué. My all time "go-to" is their De-cafe Mocha. The only thing is, the yummy, rich, energising drink does not exactly fit in with my healthy eating. More than often, it's laced with chocolate syrup, caffeine (obviously) and more sugar. I happens to come across this article from the Starbucks official site when i was reading a piece of internal mail from a co-worker and wanted to share with you the more calories conscious drinks available. Enjoy the drink with minimum amount of damage!!!!!

Delicious Drinks Under 200 Calories Starbucks Coffee Company

Happy drinking!!! :)

Signing off now.
Cuppypower xxx

I NEED positive energy

Today is not such a great day.... feeling exhausted and sleepy. does not want to work out. really want to give up.....somebody please pull me out of this hole!!!!!

No one came to pull me out, so i convinced myself to stick to going to the gym and i will feel much better afterwards.

Indeed i felt a lot better after a Bodycombat & Bodypump class. After gymming and a hot shower, i headed to have some dinner. Temptations are high today to go for a desert; but i told myself i am feeling the way i do today is probably due to all the additives i have been having a couple of days ago when i ate all those yummy, scrummy process goodies.

I have managed to resist having dessert (i try to save the treat to once a week) i hope i am not going to loses my ground when i get home....

In case you are wondering what is it that i had dinner, on the right is seared tuna salad, the picture below is wague beef.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me guys, i will let you know if i managed to keep my eating in check tonight!

I hope you are having a wonderfully wonderful evening. Speak to you all tomorrow :)

Signing off for tonight.
Cuppypower xxx

The stats are in!!!!

I went to the gym twice yesterday. A bodypump class at lunch and a spinning class after work. I also went for my first Body Composition Analysis in a long time. The special scale is by Inbody, the version i was using was much older version. The report didn't look any where as funky, but it was informative, if you are a gym member, it is highly possible that you will be able to get a report free of charge, a word of advice would be you might get hassled by Personal Trainers....

Just a little bit more back ground of Body Composition Analysis for those that are interested... for those who knows already, please bear with me! The special scale requires you to stand on it barefoot on the scale, whilst holding two sensors in your hands. The Scale than send some magic wave through your body and calculate how much body fat, muscle, and water etc. in your body. The scale takes into account your gender, age and height.

So my status are as follows:
Height: 160cm
Age: 29
Weight: 56.7kg
Soft Lean Mass: 37kg
Body fat: 17kg
Percentage Body Fat: 30% (28% being Normal)
Nutrition Status: Protein, Fat, Mineral are all Normal
Upper Lower Balance: Arm: Underdeveloped    Leg: Normal
Right Left Balance: Arm: Balance    Leg: Balanced

My fluid diagnosis are normal for my arms, trunk and legs, however there are more fluid in my legs. The report suggest that in order for me to maintain this weight, i require the same amount of work out and to consume 1,293.6kcal per day. my BMI is 22.2kg. The report suggest that i am to bring my weight down  by 3.5kg and reduce my fat content by 4.7kg, and gain 1.2kg in muscle

Fitness Score: 74 Points

All very interesting stuff by standing on a speical scale for less than 2 mins!!!!

My 1st reward

I am not sure if you are like this. I am one of those people who is very generous towards family and loved ones yet will feel guilty in spending any sort of $ on myself.
So back in Nov; I decided to motivate myself in sticking with the new fitness regime, i made a promise to myself that if i continuously go to the gym for 5 days a week for the entire Nov, i will get a second pair of trainers which i can leave at my office..... Big gym bag and rush hour on a double decker bus is no fun in hong kong. Of course, Nov came and gone and I did achieve my goal for Nov, i put off the purchase until the new year.

I finally got a grip on myself and told myself that i should treat myself better and should not feel guilty. After all these were on sale, only HKD369 and i worked it out that if i were to use it for the next 300 days, that would make it HKD1.23 per day/ workout!!!!

I think that if you set yourself achievable goals for any health/ fitness regime or even work, then surely it's only right to set rewards that are non food related, something that is a little "luxury", something that "is a want, not a need" to motivate yourself to stick with it!!!!

Like my blog, i am doing this fitness regime for myself, i want to help myself to achieve my goal. I hope you will be inspired to do what is needed so that you will achieve your personal goal in 2011.

All the best and signing off now!
Cuppypower xxx

Rewinding to the night before....

Hi there, happy new year everyone and I hope you are feeling good today, or at least the hangover is not so bad! A quick tip to help you survive the hang over; drink sports drinks. The special isotonic in sport drinks are more effective in hydrating the human body in comparison to water. Anyway, a hangover is just a reminder of what a good night you had the night before!!!!

I wish all of you all the best in 2011 and that you will have the energy, luck and support from family, friends and co-workers to help you achieve your goal in 2011!!!!

I've talked about my low carb diet before, i want to share with you this is what most of my meals look like (well, at least for the past 2 months).

I went to Roka to have my last dinner for 2011, the 1st picture is one of my favorite, their fresh tofu. What followed next was a selection of 5 raw fish. aka sashimi

Since it was new years eve, in stead of drinking, i budget some "eating quota" for an awesome desert from Sake San, a newly opened Japanese restaurant in Soho......Pumpkin Penna cotta. Ok. ok. not exactly low carb by any means, surely, for new years eve, it does no harm in having a dessert! Especially i went for a Bodycombat class during the afternoon!!!!

All was well until i got home and pigged out with my bf with stuffing my face with cookies. Don't ask how much.

Signing off now!

Cuppypower xxx