3 days to competition

Seems like just yesterday when I started this blog to trace my journey into 2010's Nationals but now I am counting down to the event. The past 2 weeks were crucial - I had to make sure my dieting is geared towards the desired results and follow it religiously. I am on zero-carbohydrate and salt-free phase now and have begun to rehearse for the one-minute posing segment.

Now is the time to do a "before" and "after" comparison of my body by looking at the first pics that appeared on this space and the latest ones below - dated 07 April 2010, just 3 days into the competition.

I have lost my bigg tummy and is now a proud owner of 6-pack abs. Overall I have lost a significant amount of fat and built up a load of muscles. I achieved my desired weight, 65kg. Very soon I would start to take in lots of carbohydrate, right after the weigh-in process, so as to bulk up just before the show. Having deprived myself of sweet, salty and fried food during this prepaion has fueled my taste buds indeed and I can only imagine the feast I plan to have when it is over. For now, having made it this far is my first victory.

So, with my present frame, I am all set to go!

Stay tuned for an after-show "report".

(The 2010 National Bodybuilding competition is held on 10 April 2010, Saturday at the Kreta Ayer Theatre)

.

week 12

It is now exactly 3 months since I began my transformation - a time that I should expect to see significant results. So I retrieved the first few photos I took before my traning and compared them with my latest and ta-da! I am heading towards my goal. Pictures speak thousand words so there you go:

Recap - shots dated 14 December 2009

Latest shots dated 10 March 2010

My fat-laden body has been "replaced" with a pack of muscles that I had worked hard to pile on. I am now into another new phase of my regime - downing 3 litres of distilled water everyday to flush out toxins and balance sodium. Barely 3 weeks before the competition, I will be making some alterations to my diet and workout to prepare myself further. Can't wait for the big day!

week7-9

About 2 weeks ago pre-CNY...

About 2 days ago...

The weeks leading up to Chinese New Year (CNY) had not given me some time to update my blog as I had some tasks at hand such as staff-managing and setting up company agenda. Well I did take some quick snaps so that I do not lose track of my progress. The first few days of the most important chinese holiday were feast after feast. As usual, I would pick food that are non-oily, gravy-minimal and soup-based. My mum knew I am on a strict diet so there would always be some dishes that are catered for me. As for my girlfriend's annual steamboat fare at her parents' residence, I would boil the ingredients or avoid using too much magarine or flavouring on the barbecue base. I managed to keep my weight in check - 73.5kg as of current, keeping to my "gradual weight decline" mission. Six more weeks to go...

week 6

This week kicks off with a little surprise for me as I was featured in the January / February 2010 Muscle Mag (Australian) Issue no. 82 under a special section "Singapore Stage". Every month for the past several issues this page would showcase a bodybuilder who has had a placing at last year's National Championship. I was expecting to see myself a little much later than this but nevertheless it was a good motivation for me when I am smack-dab in the midst of gearing up for the forthcoming competition.

And these are my once-a-fortnight latest shots. I am 76 kg now. I avoid sugary drinks altogether even when I am not competing, with the exception of milo and soya bean milk. This might have accounted for my less bloated look which I am normally able to achieve rather easily. I have lost some fat, slimmed down at the waist and my muscles are becoming clearer gradually. I supposed that even without much scrutinization I am a bit lagging in the abs and back. Hopefully I can see more visible results next time round.

Spent a night at Pulai Springs Resort, Johor Bahru, over the weekend. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this place is popular with both golfers and holidaymakers. Wherever I am, I will make sure that my 6-days a week training never fall out of place. I will check out the hotel gym and swimming pool on the first day before anything so that I know where to head to when I want to workout. I can normally make do with a couple of weights and simple equipment by making some variation to the exercises.

Pulai Springs Resort

It is now 4 weeks into my training. My body is slowing taking the shape I desire. Here are some pictures of my current 76.8kg frame.

Less buldging stomach, slightly toner arms and chest, slightly slimmer waist. My original squarish face is also evident. I look at these pictures every now and then to spot the areas I need to improve on. Now that a month has past since I began my transformation, I am getting stricter with my regime. I am looking forward to the start of my second month!

Vid: Week 1 Training

Week 1 & 2

The pain starts again!

And again.....no pain no gain...

Row and Row and Row

So tired!!!

Legs workout - most torturous

If you are guessing why it has been almost 2 weeks since my last update, you are right if you think that it has been a hectic week to start off for me - adjusting my diet, pushing myself harder for the training, experimenting various ways of acheiving results since this is the first time I have surpassed 80kg in my life, amidst other miscellaneous errands and activities. I work out for an hour every day except Sunday. This is my chosen "off" day but sometimes I may have to swap it with a week day. No matter what I will make it point to save a day to replenish my energy. There is no hard and fast rule on how to attain the best results. Every bodybuilder will eventually discover a befitting regime.

Some noticeable changes....

Slightly toned...

I have lost 2.5kg since I began my transformation. I am starting to lose my buldging belly as you can see in the photographs above. The visible improvement gives me the motivation to press on as I continue to whack myself and resist the temptation to take in gravy-laden food. Fourteen more weeks to go and I am certainly looking forward to my next progression!