Azmir Abdullah shares his weight loss success story with us.

Azmir Abdullah, 32
Lost 15kg in six months by eating healthy, hiring a personal trainer, and sticking to his exercise plan.

I’ve been overweight most of my life, and my lifestyle was to blame. I never watched what I ate – my food intake included a lot of fatty, oily and rich foods (which also didn’t help my health) – and I never exercised. The more important factor to note, though, is that I didn’t put much thought into how I looked and what I did to my body.

BeforeUp until June last year, I weighed in at a hefty 82 kilograms (181 pounds) on my five foot eight inch (173 centimetres) frame, putting me in the ‘Overweight’ category when calculating my Body Mass Index (BMI).

While all I’ve known is what it’s like to be overweight, I always imagined what I would look like if I were slim, but never did anything about it.

I was always lethargic and would sweat copious amounts even with the slightest activity or within minutes of being out in the sun. If I attempted to go for a jog, I would be out of breath after a short distance.

But in June 2008, all that changed. I was given a book called The Abs Diet. I never gave it much thought until I started reading it on the way back from a business trip to Korea. I started reading at the Seoul airport, and didn’t stop until the plane touched down in Kuala Lumpur. I read the entire book in one sitting. I was suddenly seized by this eager excitement to prove that I, too, could achieve my ideal weight and shape just like others mentioned in the book.

I then asked myself, “Why not give myself this weight loss challenge?” I decided I wanted to achieve this goal before the New Year and I vowed to start 2009 with a “Bang!”

The book made me realise that it was time to turn over a new leaf and begin a new lifestyle altogether. I decided enough was enough, and implemented my fitness programme (using the tips from the book) immediately.

In a few weeks, I began losing weight, but mainly from eating healthier (less carbohydrates, more protein). The best move I made was in July, when I enrolled with GetActive, a private personal training studio, and hired a personal trainer, Amy Loh. I decided that if I wanted to lose weight and build my physique, I should do it safely and with proper supervision.

Amy took charge of my training and scheduled a proper workout programme for me. I only had to tell her my goal and target weight (a toned, slim body at 65 kilograms) and we got to work immediately.

My lifestyle started to change. I worked out three times a week – this usually consisted of 30 to 60 minutes of cardio training followed by an hour of weight training. My workouts would also include a lot of abdominal training (crunches, reverse crunches, bicycle crunches, etc.). Sometimes, if I had the time, I would attend yoga and Pilates classes on top of that.

My eating habits changed. I was eating more meals – six a day – but in smaller, healthier portions. I was disciplined and stuck to the diet plan the best that I could regardless of what situation I found myself in. I was good in cutting out junk food and sugar from my diet and said goodbye to soft drinks and chocolate.

AfterI was very much into my programme, and didn’t actually notice any difference in my body shape until Amy put me on the scales and measured the inches lost. When I saw the difference, it was an amazing feeling – I felt elated and extremely happy to know that I’d actually achieved something that I’d only dreamt of up until that moment. That was a huge boost in my self-confidence and I felt very pleased with myself.

Another major improvement was my posture. I used to have a slight hunch (particularly when sitting down) but I found I was walking straighter and taller.

Between July and September, I lost about 11 kilograms and, since then, I have focused mainly on muscle building and toning, and have lost another four kilograms. My goal is now slightly different; instead of losing weight, I’ve changed my programme to regain some weight as muscle mass.

In the last three months, I have not been able to work out as often as I’d like due to my involvement in a theatrical production. But surprisingly, probably because of my higher metabolic rate since starting my fitness programme, I was able to burn off most of my excess calorie intake, despite less time working out.

Now that the production is over, I’m back on my diet and workout programme. I plan to join a self-defence class and might take up dancing, too.

Losing weight takes determination. I maintained my weight loss vision and kept thinking about how I wanted to look come 2009. That and the thought of living a long and healthy life, was more than enough to keep me going. It may sound like a cliché, but it worked for me.

Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds. It was tough at times. But I stayed focused. There were times where I felt lazy and uninspired. When I was on my last leg (literally) on the treadmill or multi-trainer, I would visualise how I would look with a hot, trim and fit body, and that made me go on. So, for those who are attempting to get fit too, it helps to keep your ultimate goal in mind at all times!

Finally, I’d like to share a quote with readers who think that it’s too difficult for them: “If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you’re right.”

PHOTOGRAPHY:
Shawn @ Blink Studio
MAKEUP & HAIR:
Sheena for Barbara Bort
CO-ORDINATION:
Phoon Chi Ho & Nick