First Race Registered

I thought my first race would be The Men's Health and Shape Night Run 2012 on the 14th of July. But when I finally decided to register after coming back from Umrah, registration was closed. Naturally, I was disappointed but there's always a reason behind everything that happens, a friend said. It's clear that I wasn't ready for any race in the near future. I certainly will not be ready for a race in July, which is next month.

On Saturday 16th of June, I reached my target distance of 10 km in running after slowly increasing from 3 km, 5 km and 7 km. I was aiming to achieve the goal by end of the month. One can achieve anything if one puts determination and effort into it. It's all in the mind, the body will adapt. In the meantime, I have totally changed my objective from losing weight to achieving a running (and later cycling) distance. I started off weighing 90 kg when I began my "keep fit and healthy" journey. I am currently at my lowest weight in a decade, 83 kg. Yes it's only 7 kg but it makes all the difference.

Yesterday I bought myself my first road bike, a Boardman Air Pro C. Initially, I was recceing on Pinarello brand. It's assymmetric frame is aesthetically pleasing and beautiful to look at. However, the brand is a bit too pricey for a beginner like me. A friend said, "It'll be like driving a Porche without a driving license". It so happened there was no bike within my budget at Cycleworx. It was fated that when I came across this shop The Bike Stop which apparently do Boardman , a UK brand. So I decided to check it out. I had seen Boardman bikes from its website http://www.boardmanbikes.com/ and they look stunning. This silver blue road bike immediately caught my eyes. It sounded corny but it was love at first sight.

Today, the day after I bought my first road bike, there's a chance to use it in a race. The Powerman Malaysia 2012 duathlon in November 2012 is open for online registration today. So as to avoid disappointment, without much ado, I signed up for the Sprint event, 5.5 km run , followed by 32 km bike ride and 5.5 km run to finish off. So now I have got myself into a commitment, to race. I will need a lot of help from friends in the Gaited Community (a FB page for runners) to train for the event because it will be my first race ever!

Which step have you reached today? Currently I find myself at the fifth step (out of eight) "I'll try to do it". Let's see if I could reach the pinnacle eighth step when I can say
"Yes, I did it!"

Portion Control

Back to the grind. I am back from Umrah. I have fulfilled my obligation to my Creator and hoped He accepts it from me. Now I am ready to finish what I have started, get fit and healthy! It took me almost 10 days to fully recuperate from the aches and pains of the journey with rest and massage before I am ready to hit the treadmill again. I started with a 2 km brisk walk which took 30 min. Gradually I progressed to running 5 km in 30, 27 and 25 min within one week. Then I increased the distance 1 km every other day. Now it's good to know that I can last the distance of 7 km continuous running at 5:20 pace. My aim is to run a 10 km distance by end of the month at 5:00 pace. I usually put a 1 degree incline to imitate running outdoor on a treadmill.

Oh! I needed the calorie burn. I actually gained 2-3kg after Umrah. It's not a surprise at all because of the Nasi Arab, roasted chicken, lamb briani and thick mango juice drink I consumed. The most satisfying feeling was I had consumed lots of Zamzam water whilst I was there. They say only in the Holy Land of Makkah one can survive only on dried meat and water, Zamzam water. Amazing! So to achieve my weight goal I started eating healthy again. Drink lots of water, portion control and six regular meals (3 main, 3 snacks) will become my routine again.

It has been almost a month since I came back. I have lost the weight I gained. In fact, I am at my lowest weight ever in almost a decade. It's an encouraging sign. The fasting month of Ramadhan is just around the corner. I got to stick to my healthy eating and exercise regime and I will achieve my goal before Eidul Fitr, when the festive binge starts.

I leave you for now with an interesting articles below about portion control. Although this article is directed more to those with diabetes, everyone could benefit from the message it conveys. Anyone who is overweight, anyone who wants to take control of their weight or anyone who wants to change to a healthy lifestyle.

10 Easy Ways to Manage Portion Sizes

With the introduction of Michelle Obama's healthy eating initiative "My Plate," keeping calories in check by controlling portion sizes is making headlines again — and while keeping an eye on how much you eat is important for all Americans, it's especially vital for the 8 percent of the population who have diabetes. “Portion control is important for blood glucose control and weight control,” says Dietlinde Wolter-Nitta, RD, CDE, a nutritionist and certified diabetes educator at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y. For someone with type 2 diabetes who is also overweight, simply losing some pounds can lead to an easier time controlling blood sugars and possibly less need for medication.

Weigh and Measure Your Food
Many people — with or without diabetes — have trouble estimating portion sizes. Weighing and measuring food can help. “We can’t be healthy if we eat everything put in front of us, and weighing and measuring teaches us appropriate portion sizes,” says Jill Weisenberger, RD, CDE, a certified diabetes educator and writer in Yorktown, Va. “If you don’t eat the proper amount of carbohydrates at your meal, expect your blood glucose to shoot too high or, if on certain medications, to drop dangerously low.”

Use Visual Aids
How much is a portion, anyway? It's hard to tell in this era of supersized foods. Twenty years ago, the average blueberry muffin was 1.5 ounces and 210 calories. Today, most muffins are 5 ounces and 500 calories. A bagel used to be 3 inches and 140 calories, but now is 6 inches and 350 calories or more. Use a food scale wherever possible. When eating out, you can estimate serving sizes by comparing them to familiar objects — for example, one cup is about the size of a tennis ball, and one serving of meat, which is about 3 ounces, should be the size of a deck of playing cards. A serving of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal should equal the size of a small computer mouse.

Read Food Labels
It’s easy to grab a big bottle of juice and chug it down without thinking — and without reading the nutrition label first. But it’s important to read food labels carefully when monitoring portion sizes. Start with the calorie count, but then look beyond that. Many beverage and food packages contain more than you might think. What seems like a single serving might actually be two. And if it contains two servings, the number of calories in the container must be doubled as well. Food labels can also be useful pieces of information for sugar and carbohydrate counts, both of which are important to monitor when you have diabetes.

Avoid All-You-Can-Eat Buffets
Common sense should tell you that all-you-can-eat buffets are a bad idea for everyone, but especially if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. With big plates and the ability to endlessly refill them, portion control becomes a losing battle. If confronted with this type of dining experience, vow to use only two plates. For better portion control, choose low-calorie, low-carb foods like shrimp and raw veggies for the first plate, says Weisenberger, and follow your usual meal plan for the second.

Use Smaller Plates
Buying smaller plates or using a salad plate instead of a dinner plate are good options for people with diabetes because this is a tangible portion control method that’s hard to circumvent. Be sure to fill half your reduced-size plate with vegetables or salad, one-quarter with a starch food, and one-quarter with protein. This is a great way to monitor portion sizes and trick your eye into thinking you’re eating more because the plate will look fuller.

Get a Doggy Bag
Asking for a doggy bag when eating out is an easy way to practice portion control. With so many restaurants taking a bigger-is-better approach to portion sizes, you’re left to rely on nothing more than willpower for portion control. Taking leftovers home is a good idea, but don’t wait until the end of the meal — ask your server to package half your entrée before it makes it to the table or cut it in half yourself before starting to eat to remove temptation. Sharing a meal with a friend and ordering an appetizer instead of an entree are other possible ways to avoid overeating.

Write Down What You're Eating
Besides helping monitor portion control, keeping a food log has another benefit for someone with diabetes. “By recording your intake and your blood glucose, you will learn how foods affect your blood glucose,” says Weisenberger. You’ll need to measure your blood glucose in pairs for this to work. “Measure just before eating and two hours later,” she explains. “If you do this often enough you will know the best foods and portion sizes for you.”

Stay Away From Supersizing
Supersizing is a supersized danger when it comes to portion control. Avoid it at all costs. The average soda today is 20 ounces and 250 calories — compare that to 20 years ago when it was 6.5 ounces and 82 calories. Don’t get carried away with bigger portion sizes just because it’s a good deal for your wallet. Your waist and health will pay for it, especially if you have diabetes.

Watch the Beverages
Another reason to say no to sodas is their notable lack of nutrition. Many beverages tend to deliver empty calories, an enemy of people with diabetes. “Avoid regular sodas and juices as it’s better to eat your carbs than drink them,” says Wolter-Nitta. “Beverages don’t satisfy hunger and they raise blood glucose very rapidly. Choose water or diet beverages instead.” If you occasionally indulge in a regular soda or juice, read the label for the portion size information and practice portion control.

Don't Be Afraid to Snack
People with diabetes may cut down or eliminate snacking to practice portion control. However, this isn’t always necessary. “Snacking can be a critical part of a diabetic’s diet,” says Timothy S. Harlan, MD, medical director of Tulane University Medical Group in New Orleans, author of Just Tell Me What to Eat: The Delicious 6-Week Weight-Loss Plan for the Real World. “It can help control total calorie intake, control cravings and overeating, and help keep blood sugars stable. However, it’s important to check with your diabetes nurse educator or dietitian.”

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes-pictures/10-easy-ways-to-manage-portion-sizes