Title: Cycling for Health Part I

I decided to write this because based on what I going through and results I've obtained, I hope can give other peoples in same situation like me some pointers. End in mind is for those lazy pricks out there, it is time for exercises, there is no excuses. Like once a doctor said to me : "if you really want to exercise, you can wake up at 4am in the morning to get it done, don't tell me you don't have time"

I picked up cycling when I given the warning letters from doctors ( yes, you read it right, is plural ), that I need to do something for my health over the years.
First warning letter received around 7 years back, some facts about myself:
Sex : Male
Age : 37
Health indicators that went over the roof:
--> Hypertension Type I (taking medicine but never under control, BP always higher than 120/80 )
--> Cholesterol 7.5 ( HDL + LDL )
--> Is a smoker
--> Having gout attack twice this year, that need medicine injection ( before cycling )
--> Body weight is overweight by 27 kg, if I based on BMI value of 25 for my height and age.
--> Chronic headache, at least 3x per month, but can settle easily by popping 2 Panadols.

Over the years, I acted like most middle age man that is not exercising (but only have one real reason = lazy) :
--> giving tons of excuses: tired after long hours work, need to take care of kids, family days...blah...blah
--> don't do annual health check ( chinese said : no eye see )
--> avoid seeing doctor, a good doctor sure will lectured me although I just go there for flu or coughing
--> lying to doctors saying I do exercises, just no so frequent ( trust me, doctors know you're lying, I learned from hard facts from a doctor )


I start made exercises into weekly schedule this year Feb after a serious gout attack, first two months just go to gym 5x a week, each time ~45 mins. Doing mostly free weight lifting, didn't do a lot of cardiovascular exercise. Followed crash diets for my meal plan, something like, only take 1/2 bowl of serials with 200ml of milk for breakfast, taking only vegetables and rice during lunch; few biscuit and cup of coffee sum up my dinner. ( I didn't take exact food every day, the key point is I take much less calories than my body needed daily, you should get the idea. Crash Diet).

I only lossed ~ 1kg in two months period, because those just take one apple or few biscuits dinners often lead me to have 2 packs of instant noodles at 11pm because the starving made me can't sleep. I even woke up at 2am few times because of empty stomach. Beside that, I don't see I gaining any muscles as well, especially those easily built up area such as bicep. I said to myself, I can't continue like this, to get back in shape should be hard, but not torturing myself, I die from hunger in one year time instead of die at 50 year old due to heart attack.

This is when I do some online research how can made things easier, what I find out:
1) Crash diet is a big no-no if no professional guidance. And if a crash diet is recommended, that person should be Obese Category III kind of body weight

2) Not enough food equal not enough nutrients equal no muscle mass gain. Crash diet just won't cut it

3) Increase one body metabolism rate is a effective way to burn body fat, the process to get there is through exercises; aerobic, weight lifting, running, swimming etc. AND eat enough foods ( enough foods mean we still watch what kind of food put into our mouth, but, portion can be generous or eat until we feel full. Nasi kandar, nasi lemak, chay kuay teow that sort of oily stuffs still can't consume 5x per week )

4) Exercises intensity need to be high enough, those walking 3 km per week or just run 1 km per week, go to gym 1x per week that kind of granny exercise intensity won't help. When I say high is sort like 5 km run 3x per week, 1 hour gym time ( please don't treat gym like kopitiam ) 3x per week etc.

5) Find a exercise that you love to do, this is to able us to sustain our motivation over long period of time ( of course can't said I love to ski, brothers, please remember we live in Malaysia, exercise still need to based on where we live )

6) For those in bad shape, cardiovascular exercise is important ( a lot of people misunderstood this term, cardiovascular exercise is not a walk in the park or go out running 5km everyday. Cardiovascular Disease. ) Cardiovascular exercise mean we need let our heart pump at certain heart beat per minute through exercises we do, hence trained our body deliver blood more efficiently. Again varying exercise intensity is a key word here.



I realized now that what I've done for first two months is not effective method ( I won't use the word "wrong", I put a lot efforts but have minimal result ). At that time, I noticed my neighbors is cycling around our apartment. When I chatted with them, I shocked to find out that they pedaled ~40km round trip just to have breakfast in other part of Penang. They even cycle to work. (Pardon my ignorance, I like most malaysian for my generation, we abandoned bicycle as a transportation method the moment we get our L license for motorcycle). The part they cycle to ate breakfast stay in my head for long time, I keep asking myself am I able to pick up cycling as the exercise that I needed. I have some sweet memory with cycling during my teenage years.

Finally, I take the plunge to buy a bicycle (a Mountain Bike) for my exercise need and few others advantages throw in (I have to justified why I need to spend few thousands Ringgit for a bicycle):
1) cycling is consider low impact exercise beside swimming, it is suitable for "old man" like me, more over, my left knee have ACL operation few years back, and tendency to have lower spine disc slip, I try to avoid those sports that need reflexes movement such as badminton, basketball etc.

2) although June 2008 petrol price hike doesn't really affect me, but I do see some of my friends suffered due to this. So, a transportation doesn't need fuel sound like a good idea. For those greedy trust fund managers that speculating commodities prices, you can go to hell. I find a way to reduce my money go to your pocket starting now.

3) Everyone need to spend some time on transportation to/fro from work, cycling enable me to turn unproductive traffic jam time into productive time ( cycle time = exercise time ). I almost spend same amount of time with my family during weekday night time. This is great.

Cycling for Health Part I end.

By Woei Tong.