Week 10.5: Diary

My brain’s shot to hell from staying up at the wake. This is probably as much as you’d get from me now.

Bone Dry Days: 47 (since 12 Feb)
Bet Days: 45/60 (since 14 Feb)

Achievements

Front Day: Did it, but it wasn’t easy. My weak points are my arms and quite possibly upper back. How to put it all together?

Back Day: Didn’t do inverted rows because it’s blocked up by furniture. Did the 5kg run over 1.25km instead. It’s great bicep isometric exercises. I think I’ll include it in my Back days.

Running Day:  Did not run. Staying up late attending to funeral matters made me too zonked to do any running.

Goals

Dates: 1-3 Apr

• +1 to Push Up Routines (23 X Standard; 21 X Inclined Push Ups)
• +2 to Slope Runs 

Training Routines

Dates: 28-30 Mar

Front Day

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Squats
2. 5 X Reverse Lunge with Shoulder Presses
3. 10 X Arnold Presses
4. Isometric Sumo Squats (30 sec)

Unweighted

1. 22 X Standard; 20 X Inclined Push Ups

Back Day

4 sets 

1. 6X Lizard Crawl
2. 10 X Straight-leg Deadlifts
3. 10 X 2-armed Dumbell Snatch 

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Shrugs + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 10 X Back Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep

Unweighted (4 sets)

1. 20 X Inclined Push Ups  
2. 6 X Pull Ups
3. Isometric holds (10 sec)

Runs

1. 5kg runs (1.25 km)
   Timing: 10:54; Total: 1.25 km; Speed: 6.88 km/h; Ave rest: 0 sec
2. 2.5 km + Slope Runs (2x 0.38 km)
   Timing: 0:0; Total: 2.5 km; Speed: ?.?? km/h; Ave rest: 0 sec
3. 2 min of Skipping Rope

Nightly

3 sets

1. Planks: side & front & back (30 sec)
2. Stretches

KIV

1. 15 X Single Leg Calf Raises (+10 Double Leg Calf Raises)
2. 10 X Single-leg Deadlifts  (18.5kg)
3. 10 X Inclined Inverted Rows;  6 X Single-arm Inverted Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep

Week 10: A Death in The Family

Strange how a death can bring together so many people in so short a time.

My grandfather died just yesterday from old age.

We knew that he was going soon, so we recalled everyone who back to Singapore. My brother came back from half a world away, a cousin from Taiwan, and an uncle from Phuket.

They all arrived within two days. An astonishing feat considering that they would usually hem and haw at coming home (yes, Singapore is home no matter what folks say). Not many of us have visited or looked after my grandfather much before his death.

Now he’s gone. Whoosh. In three month of almost continuous slumber. There were many red, teary eyes and my mother went slightly insane at his death (that’s because she looked after him in his geriatric years). For once, it felt like a family, united in a common purpose – but it took a death to bring us together.

Bone Dry Days: 44 (since 12 Feb)
Bet Days: 42/60 (since 14 Feb)

Achievements

Didn’t manage to revert to Week 9: Training Routines because of my grandfather’s death and funeral. Instead I’ve carried on with my Army Days routine as much as I could.

Front Day: Completed.

Back Day:  Completed. Except for Pull Ups.

Running Day:  Not done.

Goals

Dates: 29-31 Mar

Revert to Week 9: Training Routines.

Training Routines

Dates: 25-27 Mar

Front Day

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Squats
2. 10 X Shoulder Presses

Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. Isometric Sumo Squats (30 sec)

Unweighted

1. 21 X Standard; 19x X Inclined Push Ups

Back Day

4 sets 

1. 10 X Straight-leg Deadlifts
2. 10 X 2-armed Dumbell Snatch 

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Shrugs + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 10 X Back Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep

Unweighted (4 sets)

1. 10 X Inclined Inverted Rows;  6 X Single-arm Inverted Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 19 X Inclined Push Ups  
3. 3+6 X Pull Ups

Runs

1. 2.5 km + 5kg runs (2 X)
   Timing: 0:0; Total: 2.5 km; Speed: 0.0 km/h; Ave rest: 0 sec
2. 2 min of Skipping Rope

Nightly

3 sets

1. Planks: side & front & back (30 sec)
2. Stretches

KIV

1. 15 X Single Leg Calf Raises (+10 Double Leg Calf Raises)
2. Slope Running (4x 0.38 km)
3. 10 X Single-leg Deadlifts  (18.5kg)
4. 5 X Reverse Lunge with Shoulder Presses
5. Isometric Lunges (30 sec)

Obituary: Grandfather

He died relatively quick, after 1 month of sleeping in the hospital. That’s a lot better than my grandmother and he’s been around for 98 years. Now that’s a record.

Week 9: Back to the Army

It’s back to the army for the next two weeks.

Surprisingly it’s not as bad as I thought it’d be. After all, it’s just the army and camping out in the open . But that just means that I’ve to bring my work to camp to do. Most of which are just blog posts and a covering letter for interviews. 

Bone Dry Days: 35 (since 12 Feb)
Bet Days: 33/60 (since 14 Feb)

Achievements

Front Day: Combined squats with Arnold presses to get a full body workout. Also I wanted to try it out to save time on sessions for next week. Doubled my isometric weights to see if I can take it (yes I can). I’m still breaking up my workouts over the day and exercising bit by bit. 

Back Day: Pain and soreness in the back of knee again. I’m sticking to double leg workouts and stopping lunges for now.

Running Day:  Slow!

Goals

Dates: 21-22 Mar

It entirely revolves around double lower-limbed exercises. Keeping the weights as is until I’m comfortable with it. Need to work harder on core and hamstrings.

Training Routines

Dates: 17-19 Mar

Front Day

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Squats with Arnold Presses
2. 5 X Reverse Lunge with Shoulder Presses

Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. Isometric Lunges (30 sec)
2. Isometric Sumo Squats (30 sec)

Unweighted

1. 20 X Standard; 18 X Inclined Push Ups

Back Day

4 sets 

1. 10 X Straight-leg Deadlifts
2. 10 X 2-armed Dumbell Snatch 

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Shrugs + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 10 X Back Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep

Unweighted (4 sets)

1. 10 X Inclined Inverted Rows;  6 X Single-arm Inverted Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 18 X Inclined Push Ups  
3. 3+6 X Pull Ups

Runs

1. 2.5 km + 5kg runs (2 X)
   Timing: 20:29; Total: 2.5 km; Speed: 7.32 km/h; Ave rest: 0 sec
2. 2 min of Skipping Rope

Nightly

3 sets

1. Planks: side & front & back (30 sec)
2. Stretches

KIV

1. 15 X Single Leg Calf Raises (+10 Double Leg Calf Raises)
2. Slope Running (4x 0.38 km)
3. 10 X Single-leg Deadlifts  (18.5kg)

We Can, Singapore

Every so often, we bash Singapore and Singaporeans with incredible amounts of vitriol. Just read the comments in The Online Citizen.

From wn.com

I’m guilty of that as well.

But every so often, I come across posts that talk about the good things in Singapore. Most of it is written by expats – I can see your eyes roll up already –, but there are truths in them and I’m struck by how we take it all for granted.

Here’s an example:

– 3$ lunches that don’t include hotdogs

– dragonboating OUTSIDE all year round

– perma-tan

– affordable massages

– taxi uncle talks

– “can” and “cannot”

– “hmmm…it’s a long weekend, where should I fly to? The beach, the jungle, a cool Asian city…”

Yes, this little red dot (and sometimes her leaders) could do things better, but let’s not can ourselves, can?

Source: Things I will miss about Singapore when I move back to Canada

Week 8.5: Gymming from Home

Why do we join gyms? Some folks don’t have the equipment, some need guidance, some want to socialise, while others associate exercise with gym and nowhere else.

For the past 2 months, I’ve gymmed at home. Mostly because I’m cheap and I don’t want to pay gym fees.

Image from sandersonj3 

All I have are dumbbells. So I did loads of presses, squats and lifts. For exercises like Inverted Rows or Pulls Up, I thought I needed specialised equipment.

That is, until I applied myself to finding alternatives. For Inverted Rows, I simply hung from the underside of my staircase landing. For Pull Ups. I reached up to the side of a staircase step and pulled myself upwards.

The point? When working out from home, it’s just a matter of finding out how to make use of whatever’s around you.

Bone Dry Days: 31 (since 12 Feb)
Bet Days: 29/60 (since 14 Feb)

PS: I’ll join a gym eventually. Probably when I hit 25 kg per arm or if I get a full-time job.

Achievements

Front Day: Dropped Bicep Curls from Arnold Press. Whenever I increase weightage, it’s as hard as heck. I might continue working at this weight for 2 more sessions.

Back Day:  My work outs were spaced throughout the day. Morning for core and deadlifts. Afternoon for everything else. Didn’t quite complete my Inverted Rows because I wanted to run before the rain fell.

Running Day:  Meshed it together with my Back Day because I had to de-wart my sole the next day. Harder and slower running after my earlier workouts. 

Goals

Dates: 17-19 Mar

My last session before I head back into the army for 2 weeks. I’ve to figure out how to train during reservist. Wah lau.

• +1 to all Push Ups (20X Standard; 18X Inclined)
• +1 to 5kg Runs (2 X)

Training Routines

Dates: 14-15 Mar

Front Day

3 sets

1. 6 X Lizard Crawls (4 X to and fro)

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Squats
2. 5 X Reverse Lunge with Shoulder Presses
3. 10 X Arnold Presses

Weight: 18.5 kg

1. Isometric Lunges (30 sec)
2. Isometric Sumo Squats (30 sec)

Unweighted

1. 19 X Standard; 17 X Inclined Push Ups

Runs

1. 2.5 km + 5kg runs (1 X)
   Timing: 20:10; Total: 2.5 km; Speed: 7.4 km/h; Ave rest: 0 sec
2. 2 min of Skipping Rope

Back Day

4 sets 

1. 10 X Straight-leg Deadlifts
2. 10 X 2-armed Dumbell Snatch 

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 18.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Shrugs + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 10 X Back Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep

Weight: 18.5 kg

1. 10 X Single-leg Deadlifts

Unweighted (4 sets)

1. 10 X Inclined Inverted Rows;  6 X Single-arm Inverted Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 17 X Inclined Push Ups  
3. 3+6 X Pull Ups

Nightly

3 sets

1. Planks: side & front & back (30 sec)
2. Stretches

KIV

1. 15 X Single Leg Calf Raises (+10 Double Leg Calf Raises)
2. Slope Running (4x 0.38 km)

Week 8: You Are What You Eat.

A friend of mine eats breakfast and snacks on “bird food” (a mix of oatmeal and other stuff) all day long. He’s lost quite a bit of weight now. But that’s his goal – to lose weight. 

Image By permanently scatterbrained

I want to stay at 85kg (I think that’s my weight, my weighing machine’s a little wonky). So I eat more. Not big meals, just more frequently.

Breakfast: egg sandwich + coffee

Lunch: Whatever’s cooked for me

Mid-day snack: Egg sandwich + Orange (or fruit)

Dinner: Whatever’s there

Supper: Whatever’s there or just some fruit.

As you can tell, I’m not very picky about what I eat. Mostly because I work from home and eat whatever my family eats – vegetables, fish, rice. However, I swear by eggs. They’re quick and cheap source of protein. It’s $0.40 for 2 eggs which gives you 12g of protein!

Bone Dry Days: 29 (since 12 Feb)
Bet Days: 27/60 (since 14 Feb)

Achievements

Front Day: Did it!

Back Day: Did it! Got rid of lunge to high knees and put in 2-Arm Dumbbell Snatches instead.

Running Day:  I’m faster when I’m not running up and down slopes. My dewarted sole aches a bit but not a big deal. Started running a little bit with 5kg weights. It’s tougher than I thought especially after the 2.5km run.

Goals

Dates: 14-16 Mar

• +1 kg to weights
• +1 to all Push Ups (19X Standard; 17X Inclined)
• +1 to 5kg Runs (2 X)

Training Routines

Dates: 6-8 Mar

Front Day

1. 6 X Lizard Crawls (4 X to and fro)

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 17.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Squats
2. 5 X Reverse Lunge with Shoulder Presses
3. 10 X Bicep Curls to Arnold Presses

Weight: 17.5 kg

1. Isometric Lunges (30 sec)
2. Isometric Sumo Squats (30 sec)

Unweighted

1. 18X Standard; 16X Inclined Push Ups

Runs

1. 2.5 km + 5kg runs (1 X)
   Timing: 19:55; Total: 2.5 km; Speed: 7.53 km/h; Ave rest: 0 sec
2. 2 min of Skipping Rope

Back Day

12 mins; 4 sets 

1. 6 X Lizard Crawls (4 X to and fro)
2. 10 X Straight-leg Deadlifts
3. 10 X 2-armed Dumbell Snatch 

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 17.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Shrugs + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 10 X Back Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep

Weight: 17.5 kg

1. 10 X Single-leg Deadlifts

Unweighted (4 sets)

1. 10 X Inclined Inverted Rows;  6 X Single-arm Inverted Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 16 X Inclined Push ups 
3. 3+6 X Pull Ups

Nightly

3 sets

1. Planks: side & front & back (30 sec)
2. Stretches

KIV

1. 15 X Single Leg Calf Raises (+10 Double Leg Calf Raises)
2. Slope Running (4x 0.38 km)

Week 7.5: Back Again

Did my first full workout since shutting down last week.

I’m a little stronger than I thought possible, although 17.5 kg/arm is f**king hard to press. But it’s good to know that I can do it and continue with my workouts.

In other words, I’m back biatches!

Bone Dry Days: 25 (since 12 Feb)
Bet Days: 23/60 (since 14 Feb)

Achievements

Front Day: 70 minutes to complete this workout. Lifting 17.5 kg per arm is much harder than I thought, and I took longer breaks in between to psyche myself up. The last 2 reps of my Bicep Curls to Arnold Presses became just Arnold Presses. The Isometric exercises were harder especially for the last 10 seconds.

Hopefully, it’s just my body readapting to lifting heavy shit.

Back Day: Done. Still feel a twinge in my right knee. I’m definitely stronger at these back routines. I should add proper pulls up into the mix. The ones that I’m doing right now consists of me hanging from the staircase and pulling myself up. It’s not easy at all.

Running Day: KIVed slope running in favour of just running non-stop. No pain. Just waiting to do it again next week.

Goals

Dates: 10-11 Mar

Pushing back to my normal training routine. But giving the run a day on its own. I’ll see how my sole feels after it’s been de-warted.

• +1 to Single-Armed Rows (7X)
• +1 to all Push Ups (18X Standard; 16X Inclined)
• +1 set to Lizard Crawls
• +8 to Pull Ups

Training Routines

Dates: 6-8 Mar

Front Day

1. 6 X Lizard Crawls (4 X to and fro)

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 17.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Squats
2. 5 X Reverse Lunge with Shoulder Presses
3. 10 X Bicep Curls to Arnold Presses

Weight: 17.5 kg

1. Isometric Lunges (30 sec)
2. Isometric Sumo Squats (30 sec)

Unweighted

1. 17 X Standard Push Ups; 15 X Inclined Push Ups

Runs

1. 2.5 km + KIV Slope Running (4x 0.38 km)
   Timing: 21:22; Total: 2.5 km; Speed: 7.06 km/h; Ave rest: 0 sec
2. 2 min of Skipping Rope

Back Day

12 mins; 3 sets 

1. 6 X Lizard Crawls (4 X to and fro)
2. 10 X Straight-leg Deadlifts
3. 5 X Rear Lunge to High Knee (per leg)

Exercises (3 Sets)
Weight: 17.5 kg/side

1. 10 X Shrugs + hold for 10 counts on last rep
2. 10 X Back Rows + hold for 10 counts on last rep

Weight: 17.5 kg

1. 10 X Single-leg Deadlifts

Unweighted (4 sets)

1. 10 X Inclined Inverted Rows;  6 X Single-arm Inverted Rows + hold for 5 counts on last rep
2. 15 X Inclined Push ups 
3. 3 X Pull Ups

Nightly

3 sets

1. Planks: side & front & back (30 sec)
2. Stretches

KIV

1. 15 X Single Leg Calf Raises (+10 Double Leg Calf Raises)

Scissors Cut Rice: Hainanese Curry Rice

We love our mixed vegetable rice.

It’s like Nasi Padang, just Chinese-ified and a lot sloppier. It’s good, cheap and best to drown lunchtime woes in.

This post is about an offshoot: the Hainanese Curry Rice.

Hainanese Curry Rice from Scissors Cut Curry Rice

Hainanese Curry Rice stalls specialise in lor bak (stewed meat), pao cai (stewed cabbage), fried pork chop and chicken curry.

My first brush with Hainanese Curry Rice was at Maxwell Food Centre. The selection of food was small compared to other mixed vegetable rice stalls. Regardless, I pointed here, there, above and across – ending up with all of the above specialities, crowned by a thick, gooey layer of curry sauce.

I dug into it.

My fork placed meats over rice and spooned into my mouth. It was good, hearty fare. Just flavours stripped down to its essentials and fit to revive working stiffs.

At least, just enough to get through the working day.

 
Close up of Hainanese Curry Rice from Scissors Cut Curry Rice

Get your Hainanese Curry Rice at…

China Street Curry Rice
Address: Stall #01-68 Maxwell Food Centre
Review at Foodie FC

Scissors Cut Curry Rice
Address: 659/661 Geylang Road, Off Lor 35

Scissors Curry Rice
Address: Corner of Jalan Besar Road and Kitchener Road
Review by MakanTime

Nasi Padang in Singapore

In 2006, I spoke to the owner of Warung M. Nasir.

He said, “The only way to eat Nasi Padang is to mix it all together. I don’t know if we’ll ever change how we’ll eat it.”

Nasi Padang at Warung M. Nasir

Nasi Padang is a mishmash of different vegetables and meats accompanied by rice. I remembered having it in Indonesia, a takeaway where a paper cone was filled with rice and topped with whatever we wanted: Banana flower curry, Beef Rendang, thick, chewy pieces of Tauhu in black sweet sauces, elegantly fried chicken slathered with minced green chilli and perfect sunny-side up eggs.

In the travel time from restaurant to hotel, the juices, gravies and curries had seeped into the rice. When we unwrapped  the paper cone, we got an incredible flavourful mess of meats and vegetables amongst fluffy rice grains.

Nasi Padang at Warung M. Nasir

Singapore has Nasi Padang as well.

Some of which touted good food, like Warung Nasir’s Beef Rendang; some of which are authentic, like Minang House in Lucky Plaza; most of them being more Malaysian than Indonesian.

But the best part never changes.

We eat our Nasi Padang all mixed together; rice, gravies and whatever vegetables and meats that we fancied – just like my packet of Indonesian Nasi Padang.

Where to Makan

Warung M. Nasir
Address: 69 Killiney Road
Tel: +65 6734 6228
Daily: 11.30 am to 9.30 pm
Read HungryGoWhere review

Minang House (Lucky Plaza)
Address: 304 Orchard Road #02-04 Lucky Plaza
Tel: +65 6887 4702
Read SweetRings’ review