My Fat Loss Journey

It is just a story about the war between FAT & me and i would like to tell about my little experience gained on fat loss with workout since 2016. So, let me start with my body changes from the age when I was having much active time to limited active time. 

Skinny Lean Uncle J

I started breakdancing when I was 19 (Year 2006~2013). I was really in "good shape" and being lean at the time when I spent most of my time on dancing (although I was not doing really good in dance actually). So I looked like this when i was a bboy and when I was really small and lean =D

Flabby Uncle J

At the age of 24, I slowly reduced my active dancing time due to work. Being a salesman, I spent time in office sitting at working desk, spent time driving "sitting" behind the steering wheel, spent time sitting down meeting clients eating and drinking. Having this kind of lifestyle most of the time, my ass was getting lazy to dance and being active.

When I was 25, I still went for dance practice twice a week instead of 4-5 days practice per week at younger age. However, I did not realize my body was getting plump and still believed that I could rip if I dance more WHEN I had time. So, did I make my move?

Slim but Beer Belly Uncle J

I made my decision to focus more and being more committed to my new job as a project manager in interior renovation when I was 26 because I would need to work at random time at night or even holiday. Furthermore, I was getting really lazy to get my ass moving whenever I was home from work. But I did try to lose some fat by having new interest in fitness workout. In 2013, I started to go for fitness center and paid membership with zero knowledge.

Not bad right? I changed new hairstyle! 😄😄😄. Working out of town for projects, I had very few friends there and my time became a lot more after working time. Therefore, I paid for gym membership to force myself to go for diet with exercise during free time. BUT, I could not stay long in this condition after the 6-months projects end.

DAD BOD Uncle J

In year 2014 and 2015, I was like giving up myself. 

1. The number of drinking alcohol in week kept increasing.
2. Zero Exercise.
3. Heavy food and drink at anytime.

"Welcome bro, you were joining the Dad Bod trend". I have never been this fat and I was totally looked like a father at my age of 27-28 while I was not married yet.

Yes. Can you still see some shadow at my abs? This was how i comfort myself with some good lighting and keep flexing when taking photo. The fact is I was fat, really fat, really really fat.

In the years, many comments about my body shape around:

"Bro, you are sooooo fat now!"

"Wow, you are getting healthy!"

"You must be having a good life now!"

"Hey fatty............"

"How cute are you, round and short!"

"Uncle J is soooo fat"
"Uncle J why are you so fat already?"

These comments were seriously making me sick. I hate these! I don't like these!

I don't want to be called a fatty! I don't want to look fat! Do I really have to look like this for the rest of my life? 

Body Types

There are quite a few of body types being called as trends but there is no standard on describing the body shape.
In those few years, DAD BOD has become a trend. What is DAD BOD? "Dad Bod" is a male body type that is best described as "softly round". It's built upon the theory that once a man has found a mate and fathered a child, he doesn't need to worry about maintaining a sculpted physique. Having a "dad bod" is a nice balance between working out and keeping a beer gut. (ref:Urban Dictionary). And I just don't know why it has become a trend and some ladies find it attractive → Maxim- Woman find the 'Dad Bod' more attractive (2/11/2016. 

By the way, fitness body was getting common in my circle and I always saw posts about fitness, going to gym, workout, or etc in my social media feed. of course there are also quite a numbers of celebrities making a trend and inspiration with their ultimate body transformation. I believe some movies are really inspiring all the time such as:

I believe most of the Chinese or Asian know about this movie. Aren't you? Alright. If you know nothing about this, you will find this in YouTube and see some scenes at Unbeatable Movie Montage. It seem like it is a normal movie about MMA. But the cast in the movie has become a trend in Chinese market and their names have even become a term to describe body fitness. Why? It is because one of the actor is very famous in Hong Kong and he proved that he could make it to transform at the age of 45. From a comedy actor to dramatic, from a normal body to fit, he made himself transforming throughout the years, and I idolize him very much for so many years!

Of course I don't want to be in that Dad Bod forever! I need to make a change!
So the first step to make change is: Take your first step out! Take your first STEP OUT! TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP OUT!

Year 2016 - The beginning of the war between FAT and Me

In my personal opinion at that time, my belief on fat loss is as following:

1. Exercising and sweating are the best way to lose weight. ╳
2. Weight loss equals to fat loss. ╳
3. More abs workout will cut away the beer belly. ╳

At the first quarter of year 2016, I used to do push-up & crunches at home. I weighed 69kg but height is 163cm. The heaviest weight I have ever had. There I heard a lot of comments that I was very very fat during the time. I swear that I really need to do something about it. 

March 2016

My target was very simple: I want to slim down my waist. No more beer belly please!

I started to look around at my friends and tried to learn from their method to keep fit.

The most common suggestion to me is JOGGING.

Arghhh... I hate jogging because of my bad stamina. But many say it helps weight loss. So I keep doing by running slow for 20-30 minutes every time, 2-3 days weekly. At least I did something.

HIIT workout was quite a trend at the moment and it is still popular nowadays. One of the person who make it famous for Malaysian is Jordan Yeoh , a Malaysia fitness trainer whose videos are spreading wild in Facebook because of his look alike with Jay Chou. So I decided to follow this method and did it at the small gym room average 3-4 days per week.

May 2016

Basically there was no change at all 😭😭😭 

Most probably it was because my food intake was still really heavy and my workout was not intense enough. By the way, my strength and stamina were getting better. My arms were a little toned. That's all.

I really had to do something because I was stuck there. And I did research online and study again on workout to lose weight. So based on my simple and simply studies, I told myself a few points:

1. Weight loss doesn't mean fat loss! I need to know more about fat-burning.
2. Result comes slow at first few months because I workout to boost the metabolism. My metabolism had been slow because of inactive lifestyle and ageing. Speeding up metabolism will help to burn fat.
3. Sweating doesn't equal fat-burning.
4. Abs workout helps building six-packs, but you have to burn away the fat at your abs to see them.
5. Food intake is a key. 
6. Weightlifting burns more fat than jogging/running.

OK! All I need to do is: Be consistent, be patient, keep doing.

After 6 months of doing home HIIT workout, lifting weight in small gym room with very limited equipment, jogging at treadmill after workout, my friend started up a business and open a gym Underground Fitness Malaysia and it's at my neighborhood. I took a membership and force myself commit to it!

Welcome back to life in gym after 3 years, hopefully it is not a 3 minutes passion!

August 2016

I told myself: "I am not fooling around this time! I really have to make it! Once I started, I will not stop!"

I have been going to gym more frequent, averaged 90 minutes-120 minutes, 4-5 days per week. I spent time studying more on weightlifting and workout to burn fat. I have been spending time going to gym after dinner time which is the only free time for me after working hour. It is really tiring and killing me actually. But I still keep going because the will in my heart is getting stronger.

October 2016

November 2016

Some friends feel that I have gone mad and some said I am kind of boring person spending most of the free time at gym after dinner. But why you want to slow yourself down when you are about to reach your target? It wasn't the best, but at least I am on my way. 

January 2017

March 2017

Maybe it doesn't seem to be much different in your view, but I feel slightly better with getting rid of my beer belly. Of course my journey would not be as inspiring as others that a person transforming into 'bodybuilder' or perfect type of body. However, I would like to tell that, it is just a matter of DO it or NOT, and I will always try my best to keep doing. I still stick to what I mentioned earlier, "I am actually looking for a slimmer body, no more beer belly please!"

Everyone keep fighting. Trust yourself. Result may not come very soon, but good thing will come if you keep doing the right thing. Be passionate and patient 😃😃😃