Lately, I have been getting more and more fitness related questions from friends and social media. The most popular questions are the typical "What is your workout?" and "What do you eat?" Actually, more questions on my diet than the workout and some even questioned me how am I able to stay lean and still eat normal food!
Well, I keep my 'diet plan' very simple and it works for me. I never count calories and macro. On weekdays, I eat as clean as possible, but on weekends, I eat normal food. Too much food restrictions will not work because I'm a foodie :) However, I'm also doing all the necessary training to burn the excess calories. It is all about finding the balance and constantly reviewing and making the necessary adjustments to meet the lifestyle and fitness goals!
Looking back from the early days of my Get Fit Journey (28 months ago), I can divided it into 3 phases in terms of the diet and types of training.
- Inception to month 18th - Performed 100% body weight exercises because I didn't go to the gym. I workout in the park or any clean floor. Major workouts are dips, pullups/chinups, pushups and squats. I workout 3-4 days per week with no diet control what so ever.
- Month 19th to 23rd - Perform 70% body weight exercises and 30% free weights. I started to workout in the company's gym 5 times per week. I also started to control the food I take and reduced the sugar and high sodium intakes. I also skipped dinners few times per week. Basically, I practiced "caloric deficit" on weekdays to lose body fat.
- Month 24th to 28th - Perform 60% body weight exercises, 20% free weights and 20% machines. I workout 5 times per week with 1 optional active rest day. Eat clean on weekdays and normal food on weekends. I have the most muscles mass gained during this time frame because of the extra loads/weights. At the same time, I was able to reduced more body fat due to more consistent clean diet. The end result is more ripped physique.
Below are the typical food I eat on weekdays:
For breakfast - 3 boiled eggs; instant oats + bran + sesame powder in hot water; 1-2 slices of bread with PB/jam/olive oil spread; coffee.
For lunch - salad with canned tuna in water OR red beans/green mung beans puree; fruits; sweet potato. Below is my typical lunch salad with my favorite Kwepie Roasted Sesame Dressing.
For dinner - vegan mixed rice; soup; or salad.
For supper - 1-2 times per month on weekends.
* I don't take any protein and muscle enhancement supplements.
That said, what works for me may not work for you! I'm able to burn a lot thru my type of training. Genetics also play a huge role. Your body may react different, and have different results. If you want my opinion about cardio vs resistance training in terms of fat loss and toned physique. My answer is RESISTANCE TRAINING!
