Weight Challenge - Going lean means going green?

Picture taken from http://www.angry-associates.com/store/product_scales_celeb.html

In the news everyday, we hear the industry and government officials clamoring the need for everyone to go green in order to save the world - to provide a better future for our children. Even on a personal level, my family and friends are also calling for me to go green - eat more fruits and vegetables for the sake of my 'world' - my health!

For the first 17 years of my life, my maximum weight hovered between 50 - 56 kg. Too thin some people say, so I made a drastic measure by drinking a lot of milk and working out in a gym, and voilla! I have gained about 10 kg of muscles and nothing else. And no matter what I ate or drink at that time, my weight pretty much stayed between 65 kg and 68 kg. I was known as the 'food compacter' - two whole chicken in one eating session. No problem! Four BK Double Whopper with cheese - literally a piece of cake!! I can eat for hours at a buffet at KFC or at Chinese restaurants. All those food ever did to me was give gas and nothing more because by the next day, my tummy was flat again. I always wondered back then how could anyone be overweight.

Now and for the last six years or so, I can no longer do those amazing feat of gluttony that once embellished my reputation. I eat much less than before even though I do have my foot binges here and there (3/4 quater of a chicken can make me throw up already) but the outcome is humongous! My waist has grown from 30" to 42" and my BMI has gone from normal to obese in the last six years. My weight was getting dangerously close to the century mark. The remarks and comments I am getting from friends and families are hurtful and so was the effort of climbing stairs. Enough is enough!

I have decided to take up the 'green' challenge by eating more fruits and vegetable. But planting more trees or reducing deforestation, or in my case eating more fruits and vegetables will not be enough to slow down the increase in carbon dioxide or in my case increase in body fat. Mankind also needs to learn to reduce its dependencies on oil and coal for energy and so must I on oily and fatty food. However, the main thing I need to do is to stop the metaphors and get to the point - I need to increase my metabolism rate. Here are 7 Things To Do To Boost Your Metabolic Rate according to Korr Medical Technologies' website:

• Build Muscle Mass - I am doing that now as I have just recently joined the fitness center at my work place.


• Do Not Skip Meals or Drastically Reduce Your Caloric Intake - Err oops! Did I forget to eat breakfast again?


• Increase the Amount of Protein in your Diet - Yeah! I started eating lots of fish today.


• Aerobic Workout 3 Days a Week - No problem there!


• Increase Movement in Daily Lifestyle - I am heading in the right direction because I have started taking the train to work instead of hitching a ride from a colleague


• Go For an Evening Walk - Doing that when I walk home from the train station.


• Get Adequate Sleep - Hmm .. that means I have spent less time on blogging.

Anyway, I have just started this program on the 31st of January (first day at the gym) and I need to lose 9 kg until March 24, 2008 in order for me to get to the first milestone. if I make it, my secret Santas will hopefully reward me handsomely, otherwise, I need to find time to get three separate gifts for my secret Santas instead.

I don't need luck .. I just need the perseverance to complete what I just started. I will update my progress regularly through Gimme20 website. The snapshot of my accomplishment can be seen on the left side of this blog.