Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve - Tinnitus

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The latest trip to Ayer Hitan Forest Reserve in Puchong is my first hiking trip this year.  Since the slip disc incidence in Sg Chilling, I switched back my weekend exercise to brisk walking and swimming.  I enjoy swimming as it helps  to strengthen my back.  In fact when I go to the gym these days, I don't miss doing the physio routines that I learned from the physio team in Subang Jaya Medical Centre.   Thank God, I am in much better condition now.  However, I don't think I am ready for major hiking trip! 

Now, I added another health condition to my present state.   The medical condition is called tinnitus, the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound or in short a ringing or similar sensation of sound in the ears!  I always hear hissing, buzzing and whistling sounds in my left ear.  It made feel imbalanced and caused me to have headache.   Since that incidence I have been on MC for 4 days.  

What I learned from this trip, the noises from the jungle help to neutralize whatever sounds that I had in my left ear.    I felt so relaxed and the buzzing and hissing sound were gone temporarily.  As of today, the sounds were still there and I really hope it's not permanent.  In the meantime, I always put on my earphone to listen to nature sounds to help me neutralize the cricket's sounds in my left ear! 

KL'S BIGGEST LOSER - Update #1

First Update on KL's Biggest Loser:  Two weeks since its launch, this is our first update.  Loser #1 - lost 700g, Loser #2 - gained 1kg and Loser #3 - gained 2kg!  Apa dah jadi?  The blame is on year end celebrations that didn't end up until the first two weeks of the new year.  Beginning of the year is the continuation of year end celebrations with free flow of delicious foods and drinks.  It's no exception for Loser #1.  However, a few days prior to weighing day, he attended a free seminar and he skipped all the meals (coffee break and lunch)!  He came back to the office joining other colleagues having salad instead for lunch! 

Other than skipping those foods that are rich in fats and carbs, he also did his exercise regularly.  He worked out on Cross Training machine that burned around 150calories at any one time for 3 days a week.  And he did his brisk walking/jogging and swimming over the weekends! 

The challenge is how to reduce more weight and when we reach the target, it's the biggest challenge of all; how to maintain it?  It's really about moderation and taking the right amount and types of foods.  It's always about less carb and fats; and more fiber and protein!

Loser #1 has also started his breakfast diet on muesli!  It's a very healthy breakfast and the oat content and other fibers helped in bringing down cholesterol level.  Stay on for more updates!

Online News

These days, it's so convenient to look for news and information; there almost isn't anything that you can't find on the internet.  I used to take pride the fact that I don't read newspaper.  It was true as I hate turning the pages of newspaper to go through the news that I hate on murder, rape, robbery, etc.  If I were to read news, I'd want to go straight away to the sections that I am interested in, namely business, technology, health & fitness and sports.  With the latest technology, I can be alerted on the latest news via twitter on my blackberry.  I'd just need to scroll down the news items and choose the one that I am interested to read. 



I also have the options of subscribing to the international news via the free applications.  My two favourite news channels/magazines are Time and MSNBC. It's all on my palm these days and I really don't have to read newspaper anymore.  Instead, I'd just read the online version! 



How about social networking?  It goes without saying, with the proliferation of smart phones of various brands, it's now social networking on the go (mobile social network). No wonder more than 39% of Malaysians are connected to Facebook these days, that accounts for more than 9 millions population of this country.
The above is my latest status update.  Happy Thaipusam!

Mount Marapi Bukittinggi: Update #1

1. I am very excited about the trip to Mount Marapi, Bukittinggi.  So far, I have got 6 people confirmed their participation.  It's just a nice number as I don't want to have that many people in the first place.  
2. So far, one person has already booked his ticket.   As for me, I'll do that either thsi week or next week, the latest.  
3. As for the itinerary there, I just 'copy and paste' the email from the tour agent in Padang as below:

DAY 01. PADANG – BUKITTINGGI  - MT.MARAPI CLIMBING ( L, D )

You will be met and greet service at Bandara International Minangkabau, then we take you to local restaurant to have breakfast ( Optional ), after that we drive up to Bukittinggi on the way stop at Anai Valley Water Fall and Nature Reserve, arrive in Bukittinggi  check in to your hotel choice. Late at night 11 PM transfer to Koto Baru Village for climbing Mt. Marapi.

DAY 02.MT.MARAPI -  BUKITTINGGI   FREE & EASY ( B, D )

Pickup from Koto Baru Village and transfer to your Hotel.

Day time free on your own leasure.

DAY 03. BUKITTINGGI – BATU SANGKAR – PADANG    ( B, L, D )

After breakfast, we then check out hotel, after that we drive you to Batu Sangkar on the way stop at  Hj. Rosma Embroidery, Kiniko Coffee Milling after lunch at local restaurant we proceed to Padang, arrive in Padang city tour visit Muara Padang Beach, Old Harbor, Siti Nurbaya Bridge, Old Padang Town and Padang market, after dinner at local restaurant check in to your hotel choice

DAY 04. HOTEL – AIR PORT ( B )

After early breakfast, we then check out from the hotel and transfer to Airport and tour is end.

Mount Merapi, Bukittinggi, Padang, Indonesia

We are planning a hiking trip to Indonesia to climb Mount Merapi, Bukittinggi, Padang from Jul 9 - 12.  I am short of 1 person and I'd like to invite those who are interested to join us there to leave a message here.  It's 4D 3N and it costs about RM900 for full package that includes flight (have to book yourself), accommodation, meals, transfers and hiking fees. 

Taman Rekreasi Raja Lumu

I am still suffering from my slip disc.  And I am in no mood of doing any hiking exercise.  My weekends are filled with swimming activities instead.  My two favorite swimming pools are located in Shah Alam, they are MSN and PADE swimming pools.  I will go swimming with one of two of my friends. Anyway, I don't mind going swimming alone.  When I swim, it's not the time for me to play in the water.  It's another exercise of which I target to do 20 laps on Olympic size swimming pool.  That's 1 km!

 

Last Saturday, I decided to go to Taman Rekreasi Raja Lumu for a brisk walk. That's the most I'd do these days; brisk walking!  I have been here once and this time around I decided to document the trip with some pictures.  As for the location, from Shah Alam mosque, head down to the round about and take 3 o'clock turn.  The park is on the right side of the road, make a U turn further down the road.

It's a beautiful place.  However due to its vicinity to housing area, it's full of mosquitoes.  I'd go with long sleeve shirt and long pant if I were to come here again.   

At the peak of the park, we reach the mausoleum area located next to the State Secretarial Building Complex. 

Enjoy the pictures.  They were all taken using my Blackberry device. 

KL's BIGGEST LOSER

1. These days a lot of people complain that they have put on weight and they are struggling to lose it.  Once we enter the work life, our lives changed dramatically.  We no longer move about that long and our desk bound jobs chain us to our desk and thus sedentary lives.  It's all  about rest, work and eat on a daily basis. 
2. And the food intakes have also changed when we enter the work life.  To majority of us, we don't get to eat home cooked foods anymore as we are at the office during day time.  We have our breakfast, lunches, dinners and high teas at restaurants near our offices.  Typically, they are all carb laden diet.  We can't get healthy foods that easily here in KL.  Even if we can, it's normally more expensive than the usual local breakfast, lunch or dinner.   
3. Therefore, it's no surprise that we put on weight easily.  Even when we exercise, we can't seem to get rid of the bulging tummy. I am no exception.  Why is it so?  I am not an expert, however it's all about the calorie intake.  How much can we exercise to lose a kg?  1kg is equivalent to 3,850 calories per week or 550 calories per day. Can you burn it by exercise alone? No way! We are all busy executives and we are not super fit to endure 1 hour or more on treadmill. 30 mins of treadmill will burn about 200 calories.
4. So, how to lose weight? The answer to that is a combination of diet and exercise.  Perhaps we can exercise 3 days a week and burn around 200 calories (that’s 600 calories weekly) and more rigorous exercise during weekends to burn 500 – 700 calories (hiking, jogging, swimming, etc). That means the exercise will burn about 1,300 calories. And we need to reduce the calorie intake by another 2,550 calories less a week (that means about 510 for 5 days consecutively). 510 calories is quite easy right? Perhaps, no more heavy breakfast, perhaps instead of full serving of rice for lunch, go for half serving (not even half serving) and perhaps can skip dinner on alternate day.
5. With that note, I am pleased to launch KL's Biggest Loser (what a name!).  A campaign for me and two other usual suspects to lose weight.  And I'll monitor and update here.  Good luck to three of us!

Enjoying Roti Canai The Small Hiker's Way

I have a weird way of enjoying my roti canai.  I haven't been eating the curry that comes together with it since I know how to enjoy it my weird way!  I think the reason I like it this way is because I have sweet tooth!  And I must say, it tastes really nice at the same time! 

 The ingredients are roti canai, condensed milk (not in the pic), nutmeg powder and cinnamon powder! 

 Put a generous amount of condensed milk on the roti canai (Alamak, terlebih banyaklah pulak!)

 Sprinkle generous amount of cinnamon powder and 5 or 5 sprinkles of nutmeg powder.  When did I begin to enjoy roti canai this way?  I really have no idea and all I know is I am not the only one. 

Roll it (macam kueh ketayap!) and it's ready! Try it!

My daughter loves it too!

Happy New Year!