Daniel Chong talks to Sophie T. about the struggle with his weight and the resolution that changed his life.

BeforeDaniel Chong, 24
Lost 20kg in four months through hard exercise and eating smart

Just like most guys, I am passionate about sports, particularly football. In my late teens, I signed up with the KL Under 21 State Team and trained regularly with my peers.

But on one unfortunate occasion, I injured my knee – and that’s when the weight problems began. After knee surgery, I spent a year in recovery and was unable to keep up with my usual sporting activities like before. My exercise routine was restricted and within a few months, I slumped deeper and deeper into a pit of lethargy and slackness.

I come from a family with a robust appetite for both local and international cuisine and that did not help my situation. In the past, I could work off heavy meals the next day at training, but I wasn’t doing that anymore after my injury. The bingeing and inactivity soon caught up with me and before I knew it, I went from weighing 85 kilograms to 100 kilograms.

Of course, I could no longer fit into my old clothes. I felt extremely uncomfortable and soon had to renew my wardrobe with bigger clothing – a pricey affair and a real hassle!

My sisters often teased me about my weight. I wasn’t bothered about the teasing as much as I felt frustrated about my condition. Recovering from an injury and not being able to do much about it was a frustrating experience, especially for someone who used to be so active. The injury ended up forcing me into a sedentary lifestyle; I was virtually helpless as I watched my waistline expand.

Turning Point

I decided to go hiking with friends one day, and was startled to find that my stamina had diminished so drastically within one year! Fortunately, though, my knee was stronger after physiotherapy, so I decided that it was high time I took charge of my health and fitness again.

Step-by-step, I started working on eating better and getting active. I cut down on rice and other heavy carbohydrate-saturated foods. I opted for healthier foods such as whole grains and stopped late night supper meals.

Then, I started on an intense exercise regimen. During this time, my sisters kept me motivated and spurred me on. They had become fitness enthusiasts after transforming their own bodies through months of working out and healthy eating. In a way, getting back in shape became a family activity. We each had our fitness goals and we worked hard at it; we could talk to each other about the process and exchange tips.

AfterI strongly believe in cardiovascular workouts for weight loss so I started actively running and swimming. My lungs would feel like exploding but I kept going. I did not want to cut out muscle-toning activities completely so I included functional workouts such as sit-ups and push-ups to complement the staple cardio-activities I was performing.

Hello Weight Loss!

It worked. Soon the pounds started slipping away and within four months, I had lost 20 kilograms. To my immense delight, I could fit into my old clothes again – I hadn’t looked this good in ages!

I decided then that I would never trade a fit physique for anything in the world. It felt good to be working out again and eating well. There was nothing magical about my diet, all I did was apply common sense when it came to eating smart – only consume carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index (the measure of which carbohydrates affect our blood sugar levels) and avoid fried foods. I also started consuming more lean meats, fruits and vegetables – that’s it, really. I also realised that it doesn’t cost much to eat healthy; in fact, money is saved by doing away with those in-between meals and suppers.

Getting Muscular

My next step was to get muscle tone. Fitness-conscious Hollywood celebrities like Hugh Jackman were an inspiration to me. I wasn’t too far off from my goal, as my cardio-activity had worked my body-fat content to an ideal percentage that was just right for muscle-toning.

I enrolled as an intern in a local intensive physical training programme and learned the techniques to effective body-building, which is something anyone can do as long as they are disciplined enough. For me, that meant lugging myself out of bed at the crack of dawn – I was extremely committed to achieving my ideal muscular body. Within three months, I graduated from my internship programme and became an instructor myself.

I now weigh a healthy 80 kilograms. I feel rewarded when I think how far I’ve come in my quest for fitness. Just as others have inspired me to work this hard for it, I have inspired others to do the same and build their own bodies.
I know many people are afraid to start working out as the process seems arduous and painful, but all it takes is a simple decision and the will to follow through. I did just that and I have not looked back since.

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