My supplement stack

Any body builder or serious gym-goer would know this- you need to ingest sufficient nutrients to maximise your workout result and for overall health and well-being. Personally, I agree with this but I would extend the notion further...ingest sufficient nutrients at the right time throughout the day.

Let me explain. Let's talk about my daily protein intake. I'm about 200lbs so that means I need about 200g of protein daily for maintenance (that's 1g:1lbs and I would increase to 1.5g:1lbs during bulking stage). I can't stomach this much protein over a meal or 3 meals but I'm sure I'm able to do so over 6 or 7 meals. This means I divide the 200g of protein into 33.3g (for 6 equal meals) or 28.6g (for 7 equal meals). Take too much protein at 1 go and the body will immediately process and throw out the excess protein- yes, I'll waste time, effort and money. The idea here is to constantly nourish my body with sufficient amount of protein so that protein is consistently absorbed by my body.

While eating natural protein is encouraged, eating about 30g of protein (amongst other things) every 2.5 hours can be a daunting task. You'll probably feel bloated throughout the day, not to mention tired of eating too. As a result, you'll most likely not enjoy eating and eating can be an ordeal. This is where supplements come in handy. They are easy and quick to ingest. Just pop in a few pills or drink a shake and you would have met the nutritional needs for your meal. Brilliant!

 

Property of Mr Flabby Less

My supplement stack

Below is a list of supplements that I take daily:-

Natural Factors Vitamin C
Get the 1000mg type for maximum potency. Also, insist on the time-release variant so that you are able to receive a constant flow of Vitamin C over a period of up to 6 hours. I typically take 1 in the morning. When I'm down with flu etc, I would take 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening to help recovery. Vitamin C also helps to enhance your immune system.

ONS Opti-Men Multivites
This is packed with vitamins and minerals (1 of the best in the market IMO) and I take it in the morning- Tue, Thu, Sat and Sun. On Mon, Wed and Fri, I take Pharmaton. If there's no Pharmaton, I would take Opti-Men daily.

ONS BCAA
This is an important chain of protein and I take it every morning, and before and after my workouts. It helps with muscle/tissue building and improves recovery especially after a strenuous workout.

Mutant Whey Protein
I use this in between my main meals and it functions as a meal on its own. 30g of protein is taken in mid morning and late afternoon (on non-workout days) or just before workout (on workout days). I thoroughly enjoy the choc taste of this product.

Universal Creatine
Love this supplement as it functions as a cell volumiser and helps with muscle growth. It also enhances strength and is quite evident when you train with weights. I take 5g first thing in the morning and 5g before my workout. The monohydrate variant is the most basic and highly value for money. There are better creatine formulas but they don't come cheap. Matter of personal choice.

Jarrow Formulas EPA-DHA Balance (Fish Oil)
Fish oil (always insist on Omega 3) helps your heart, joint, brain and promotes overall health. However, you need to be aware that not all Omega 3's provide you with EPA and DHA so you'll need to choose wisely. Also, choose the molecularly distilled ones for added quality. I take this every morning for health maintenance purposes.

Pharmaton (With Ginseng) Multivites
This is another product that is packed with vitamins and minerals and I take it in the morning- Mon, Wed and Fri. I alternate this with Opti-Men as I find Pharmaton "heaty" and causes sore throat and acne. This is purely how my body reacts to Pharmaton. Some people do not experience such side effects. If this works well for you, you don't even have to alternate with another multivite.

Miracles of cinnamon and honey

Read this article not long ago on Facebook and I thought it would be good to share in my blog for the benefit of my blog readers/followers...

Scientists of today note honey as very effective medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects which is definitely a plus.Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, when it is taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. It is found that a mix of cinnamon and honey cures most diseases.

Researched by Western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, put it on toast instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol and could potentially save one from heart attack. Also, even if you have already had an attack studies show you could be kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of cinnamon honey strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients can benefit by taking one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken daily even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain -- and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder....who knew?

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol-could be cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses, and it's delicious too!

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also is said to clear stomach ulcers from its root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of boiling water to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

RASPY OR SORE THROAT: When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin Infections.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour beforebreakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.

BAD BREATH: People of South America, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in the morning so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing.

iHerb.com- delivery via DHL

I've been ordering lots of stuff from iHerb.com (so far over 10 times) and if my orders are >4lbs, I would split them up into <4lbs each. 

Why the magical weight of 4lbs? 

Well, for orders <4lbs, I'm able to use Global Priority Mail by DHL and the delivery charge is only USD4 flat per package. This is the most economical way of shipping your online purchases to Malaysia. The down side is that delivery can take up to 3 weeks long. For non-urgent stuff and if you are willing to wait, it's not really a down side and 3 weeks is no biggie so long as your package arrives.

For orders >4lbs, you'll need to split your orders into <4lbs each to be eligible for Global Priority Mail by DHL. Otherwise, you'll have to use DHL Express or UPS, which delivery charges correspond with the total weight of your package.

Just last week, I ordered a few things for my family from iHerb.com and the total weight was slightly over 7lbs...7.1lbs to be exact. I wanted to break my online purchases into 2 <4lbs packages and pay a total of USD8 flat for both packages but being a curious cat, I decided to check how much I would have to pay to have them delivered via DHL Express.

"Wah, only USD11.27?!?! Excellent!!!"

I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't much. USD11.27 for shipping and handling charges for delivery via DHL Express. With a small difference of only USD3.27 (or approximately RM10.50), I could receive my online purchases within a week and not the usual 3 weeks. Why didn't I try this earlier? It's a such no-brainer. 

Immediately after I'd confirmed my orders, I was sent an email by iHerb.com with a DHL Express tracking number. I was thoroughly impressed when I clicked on the tracking number as it actually showed me every step/process that my package went through before arriving at my intended destination. There was even a record showing "delivery attempted, recipient not home". That was very professional of them. I was thoroughly impressed. My package arrived after 8 days of making the online purchases.

Surely there's a twist to this nice and dandy story. Well, yes :-)

I'd to pay an additional RM46.20 to DHL for the delivery. WTF?!?! RM10.50 + RM46.20 = RM56.70. If I'd split my orders into 2, I would have only paid approximately RM25.60 (USD8) for delivery charges. That's more than double! Sigh... 

So, let that be a lesson to me. From now on, it'll just be orders <4lbs per package. Global Priority Mail by DHL is afterall the most economical way of shipping your online purchases to Malaysia. No point reinventing the wheel. Why fix if it ain't broken?

If you would like to give iHerb.com a try and order something from them, please provide my referral code QUW344 when you make your online order. You will receive an instant USD10.00 off your first purchase of USD40.00 and above or USD5.00 off orders below USD40.00.

Whey protein

Whey protein plays an important role in my daily diet. Don't get me wrong, it is not used to replace my main meals. Instead, I use it between my main meals and before I hit the gym. On workout days, I would have whey protein shake at 11am, 4pm and before my workout session at about 7pm. I only consume twice on non-workout days, i.e. at 11am and at 5pm.

Whey protein is high quality, natural protein that is rich with amino acids and is important as it helps to restore protein in your muscles. When you workout, protein in your body depletes and whey protein provides the requisite amino acids to prevent muscle deterioration. On non-workout days, whey protein helps to build mass and repair your muscle tissues to promote muscle growth.

 

Other benefits/uses of whey protein are as follows:-

1. Strengthens immune system
2. Promotes bone health and overall well being
3. Used to speed up healing of wounds or burns
4. Used in weight management diets

 

 

An interesting point to note is that although protein is also found in other foods such as meat, soy and vegetables, whey protein is proven to have the highest absorption (digestion) levels compared to these alternative foods. 

As a word of caution, although whey protein is a natural food, too much of it carries risks. Extremely high use of whey protein can overload the liver which can cause serious problems. Moderation is always recommended. 

Glorious garlic

Garlic is one of my favourite spices. From garlic bread to garlic chicken and from garlic naan to plain old simple garlic with soya sauce as condiment for Chinese dishes, I thoroughly enjoy its savoury (some say pungent but I beg to differ) aroma and taste. Of course, right after a feast filled with garlic, I always make it a point to suck a sweet (usually hacks) to mask the wonderful camel breath! ROFLMAO! :-)

Garlic has medicinal properties and below are some key reasons why you should try to include some garlic in your diet:-

1. Reduces total cholesterol including LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels;
2. Reduces blood pressure;
3. Promotes the efficient transportation of oxygen to organs by blood cells;
4. Decreases oxidation of cholesterol and formation of blood clots;
5. Prevents atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) that may lead to heart attack/stroke;
6. Has anti-bacterial properties;
7. Acts as a natural blood cleanser/detoxifier; and
8. Prevents cough and cold.

It is widely believed that cooking/heating garlic can destroy many of its medicinal properties. As such, the best way to enjoy garlic and to reap its full benefits is to eat it raw together with your salad or with soya sauce as condiment for your meal.

Don't worry about the smell as it won't kill you (but it might just kill the people around you when you speak! guffaw!) ;-)

Since the benefits are far too great to be ignored...please GO FORTH & GARLIC! :-P

iHerb.com

I was busy working when I received a message on Whatsapp from Wifey...

"Check out iHerb.com!"

"Huh? What's this all about? What herbs do they sell? Are you suggesting I take some herbs? Safe or not?"

Wifey later explained that it's a website based out of USA that sells amongst others health supplements, foodstuff, supplies for babies and kids etc.

"I read it's cheaper than buying the same stuff from our local stores."

"Real or not? What if our order doesn't reach us? Let me do some research and check out the site."

The landing page of iHerb.com was minimalist. All items sold are listed clearly and without any frills. Since I've just bought whey protein from EGOnutritions.com and I needed to stock up on creatine and BCAA, I clicked on these 2 items.

"Cool! These are brands that we cannot find here in Malaysia! So many to choose from! Wow!"

I spent some time reading the product descriptions (especially the expiration date, can't be ordering if the expiration date is just around the corner, right?) and compared various products etc. I even took out my trusty Excel sheet to calculate the unit cost of each item after conversion from USD into RM (it required some minor tweaking to accommodate currency conversion).

"Price is very affordable, even after including shipping charges! Hmm...very tempting!"

Could my online purchase go MIA?

I was worried my online purchase might go MIA and with that I would lose some money in the process. Also, I was worried about having to pay additional customs import taxes when the products arrive in Malaysia.

"If you seriously want to give it a shot, perhaps you can consider ordering something cheap. That way, you can test whether you end up having to pay customs import taxes when it arrives."

"Yeah, I guess so..."

iHerb.com offers 3 shipping methods to Malaysia:-
1. DHL- Charges based on total weight of products shipped. 6-day average delivery time with possible extra delays/expenses due to customs. Offers tracking information.
2. UPS- Charges based on total weight of products shipped. 6-day average delivery time with possible extra delays/expenses due to customs. Offers tracking information.
3. International Airmail- Free delivery for orders over USD40.00. 1-4 weeks delivery time. Average delivery time to Malaysia based on feedback from existing customers is 9 days. No tracking information.

Accordingly to iHerb.com, international airmail deliveries are reliable and are a favourite shipping method for iHerb.com's customers in Europe and Asia Pacific. Also, chances are high that there will not be any additional customs import taxes. In the event of customs import taxes being charged upon arrival of the products ordered, the purchaser shall bear the same.

I selected the following products at iHerb.com:-
1. Optimum Nutrition, BCAA Caps, Mega-Size, 1000mg, 400 Capsules- USD24.62
2. Universal Nutrition, Creatine, 1000g- USD26.61

Total damage (including international airmail charges of USD4.00) is USD55.23, which is approximately RM172.72 (USD1:RM3.1272).

"This is not a lot of money. I don't mind giving it a shot..."

I took in a deep breath, then exhaled...and then I proceeded with my online purchase. My fingers were tightly crossed...

This time around, I made sure I double checked my orders and delivery details to avoid my previous fiasco! :-P

I waited and waited and waited...and my products arrived after about 2.5 weeks of making the online order. Here's the kicker...I didn't have to pay any customs import tax! :-)

Property of Mr Flabby Less
My ordered products arrived with 2 free gifts

Like me, if you would like to give iHerb.com a try and order something from them, please provide my referral code QUW344 when you make your online order. You will receive an instant USD10.00 off your first purchase of USD40.00 and above or USD5.00 off orders below USD40.00. I didn't get to enjoy any discount in my first purchase as I didn't have any referral codes as reference. Please don't make the same mistake ya...

I know I'm SO going to make more online purchasers from iHerb.com!

Online shopping is so easy and convenient!

EGOnutritions.com

I'm in the market to replenish my supplements, especially protein (down to my last week's servings) and the best way to research is via the internet.

"Hmm...lets see whether there are any good deals in the market..."

If you have read my earlier posts, you'll notice I'm a VIP member of GNC. So why not buy from GNC since I've certain privileges (usually in the form of discount)? Nah, change is always good. Who knows, I might just get better deals than what I'm currently enjoying at GNC. No harm getting a bang for our buck! :-)

Having been a VIP member of GNC for many years (since 2004 if my memory serves me well), I know the prices of protein supplements sold there. So that becomes my benchmark for comparison.

I would typically go for whey protein. As a tip, divide the cost of the bottle/packet of protein by its weight and compare the price per pound. In addition, you'll also need to compare the number of servings and protein content for each serving. No point buying cheap whey protein (low price per pound) when you need to double up the serving for the same amount of protein, right? We need to shop intelligently.

I remember seeing the EGOnutritions.com outlet in Subang Parade the other day when I went there for my cardio workout so I decided to check out their website.

Briefly, EGOnutritions.com is Malaysia's first and largest online sports nutrition company that distributes a wide range of sports nutrition products, bodybuilding/gym attire and fitness accessories. Do check out their cool website at EGOnutritions.com.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out they have over 40 brands to choose from. In addition, since they offer free shipping for orders above RM250 within Peninsular Malaysia, I can easily shop online! Plus, all orders sent by courier is guaranteed a free sample or gift!

"WOOHOO! Time to shop!"

I immediately zoomed in on their range of whey protein.

"Wahlau eh, so many to choose from!" I was impressed to say the least...so spoilt for choice!

Once I've done my calculations (in an Excel sheet of course...I'm afterall in corporate finance so this should come at no surprise, right?), I compared all available whey protein products and selected the most affordable and value for money option...the Mutant Whey (hopefully I don't turn into one after consuming it! *chuckle*).

At RM176 for 5lbs, the Mutant Whey is the most value for money whey protein at RM35.20 per pound! Notwithstanding the affordability, this whey protein is pretty good. Each packet contains 63 servings (or RM2.80 per serving) and each serving contains 22g of protein. In addition, this product contains numerous amino acids so it has the right mix of essential nutrients for muscle building/maintenance. It goes without saying this was my whey protein of choice and I ordered 3 packets!

A representative of EGOnutritions.com called me 2 days after I've made the online purchase. She wanted confirmation on the products ordered and delivery address/time. She also explained that after receiving my confirmation, they'll proceed to ship my order from their warehouse and the same will reach me the next day.

Yes, indeed the products arrived the following day...but there was a twist!

A Mandarin-speaking lady called me on my mobile, "Hello, is this Mr Flabby Less?"

"Yes, speaking."

"Did you order supplements from EGOnutritions.com?"

"Yes, I did. Have you delivered my order to my house?" I assumed it was from EGOnutritions.com and they had difficulty locating my house.

"Err...actually your order was delivered to my house..."

I almost fainted! "Huh? My delivery address is 23, Jalan ABC, SJ wor..."

"Yes, this is Jalan ABC, SJ...but my house number is 30."

"I'm so sorry! I think I must have provided the number of my own home located elsewhere and the street address of my parents' home! 23, Jalan ABC, SJ is my parents' home address...Aiyo, paiseh only!" I was so embarrassed to say the least!

"That's ok. Can you come pick it up this morning? I'm home at the moment?"

"Sure. I'll arrange. Thanks for informing me and I apologise for the mix-up."

I immediately called my parents' home and got Mummio to help.

Mummio said, "House 30 is right opposite our house la!" We had a good laugh! *ROFL*

Here's another good laugh! *ROFL*

After the call, I quickly logged into my EGOnutritions.com account and checked on the delivery address. Yup, I made a booboo on the delivery address. I can't believe it! I immediately changed the delivery address from #30 to #23 so that there won't be any booboo in future.

All in all, my order arrived after 3 days of making the online purchase. It was an interesting experience *ROFL* and I'm pretty sure I'll be ordering more supplements from EGOnutritions.com.

MENTAL NOTE: PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK THE DELIVERY ADDRESS!!! :-P

Supplements for shoulder injury

As mentioned in my previous post, I've sustained a Shoulder Injury while working out not too long ago. I've since stopped lifting weights and focused on cardio training (various cardio machines and sometimes I include a dose of M100s to spice it up!).

Although my left shoulder has improved since completing the 4 tit tar therapy sessions at Oriental Tit Tar, I find that my left shoulder still feels tender. I need to be careful whenever I move or swing my left arm as I do not want to aggravate the injury or cause a relapse. I sure hope this is not paranoia...

I bought some supplements yesterday with the hope of aiding and speeding up my recovery.

Since I'm a VIP member of GNC, naturally GNC would be my preferred store.

Having done my research before visiting the GNC store at Bangsar Village, I knew what I needed to get to help my busted shoulder ligament.

My shopping list consist of the following products:-
1. Triple C Timed Release (Vitamin C), 90 Tablets;
2. Triflex (Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM), 240 Tablets; and
3. Calcium, Magnesium & Zinc With Copper, 180 Tablets.

Property of Mr Flabby Less
Supplements purchased to aid recovery of injured shoulder

Why these supplements? What are the benefits? Let me share below...

Vitamin C

• Plays an important role in ligament repair;
• Needed to form an important protein called collagen, which helps make ligaments and tendons;
• Plays a major role in the maintenance and repair of cartilage;
• Helps block harmful free radicals from causing further damage and thus encourage ligament repair;
• Reduces risk of diseases;
• Promotes overall immunity; and
• Delays premature aging.

Glucosamine

• Natural ingredient used to produce various macromolecules (e.g. proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans) that are essential for building/rebuilding of tendons, ligaments and cartilage.

Chondroitin

• Important supplement to pair with glucosamine;
• Helps form proteoglycans for building/rebuilding of extracellular matrix of connective tissues, such as ligaments, tendons and cartilage;
• Aids in pain relief; and
• Reduces swelling and stiffness in joints.

MSM

• Helps in joint and bone conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis;
• Contains sulfur and responsible for the flexible bonds between amino acids in the formation of connective tissues; and
• Aids in pain relief.

Calcium

• Helps muscle contraction;
• Supports maintenance of bones and teeth; and
• Reduces risk of osteoporosis.

Magnesium

• Supports maintenance of bones and teeth; and
• Reduces risk of osteoporosis.

Zinc

• Essential for growth and development and various processes in the body;
• Stabilises the structures of proteins and cell membranes;
• Helps rebuild damaged tissues; and
• Aids wound healing.

Copper

• Supports maintenance of bones and teeth;
• Reduces risk of osteoporosis;
• Helps rebuild damaged tissues; and
• Aids wound healing.  

Results (both +ve and -ve) of ingesting supplements can differ for everyone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these will work for me. I'm seriously looking forward to hitting the weights section of the gym again!

Why so "kan cheong"? Vanity factor mah...:-P