Ok, so this actually happened before Mr Kuala Lumpur 2010. A good friend of mine, Adrian Tan, Mr Singapore 2006 aka "Singapore's Most Good-Looking Bodybuilder" (nickname given by a peer of mine) handed me some tips of how to prepare for my competition better.
So here's a list of tips from Adrian Tan that I've received that very day. Most of these tips don't just apply to pre-contest bodybuilders only but anyone who is seeking to lose weight.
#1 Keep your protein intake high
I thought my protein intake was high when I was dieting. My daily intake was 250g a day, which is 1.67g per pound of bodyweight in my case. Adrian recommended that I bump it up to 2g/lb. Taking such amounts of protein will ensure that one retains his or her hard-earned muscle. 2g/lb of bodyweight has been the protein intake standard for dieting bodybuilders. However, for someone who is not as lean as I was (9-10% bodyfat) when I consulted Adrian, try 1.8g/lb as a guide for your protein intake because more fat means less muscle and less muscle means less protein needs.
#2 Big Weights = Big Muscles
Here's another tip to maintain muscle mass while dieting. Don't abandon big movements such as bench press, barbell rows, squats, deadlifts, military press and upright rows when you're trying to lose the blob. If you do, you'll lose some precious muscle mass too. Plus, perform low-rep sets for the same reason too. Adrian noticed a few of these exercise missing in my workout programme and advised that I added them back in.
#3 Drop Water Three Days Out From Contest Day
Did you know that all of us have a layer of water under our skin that covers our muscle definition and make us look fatter? When you watch people on infomercials somehow miraculously lose 1-2kg of body weight in half an hour due to some "innovative" product, it's actually this layer of water that the test subjects lose, not fat. And you will gain back those 1-2kg when you drink water. Yea, so sorry to those of you who actually purchase those products. BUT, if you guys have a bodybuilding competition, photoshoot or beach outing coming up and you want to look your absolute best for that day, cutting back water 3 days from that day could help reduce that layer of water. Four and five days from D-Day, drink lots of water, up to 8 litres, then, reduce it to 3 litres, 2 litres and 1 litre on the day before your competition/photoshoot. But remember, this is approximation and you should always use your instincts to tell if you're getting too thirsty for your own safety.
#4 Practice Your Posing!
So this tip is for competitive bodybuilders only. But the principle applies for every athlete or anyone who is going to perform on stage - practise your performance before getting on stage! Here's Adrian pacing me through the compulsory poses.
And in case you missed it, here's my Justin Bieber Baby posing routine! :D
So here's a list of tips from Adrian Tan that I've received that very day. Most of these tips don't just apply to pre-contest bodybuilders only but anyone who is seeking to lose weight.
#1 Keep your protein intake high
I thought my protein intake was high when I was dieting. My daily intake was 250g a day, which is 1.67g per pound of bodyweight in my case. Adrian recommended that I bump it up to 2g/lb. Taking such amounts of protein will ensure that one retains his or her hard-earned muscle. 2g/lb of bodyweight has been the protein intake standard for dieting bodybuilders. However, for someone who is not as lean as I was (9-10% bodyfat) when I consulted Adrian, try 1.8g/lb as a guide for your protein intake because more fat means less muscle and less muscle means less protein needs.
#2 Big Weights = Big Muscles
Here's another tip to maintain muscle mass while dieting. Don't abandon big movements such as bench press, barbell rows, squats, deadlifts, military press and upright rows when you're trying to lose the blob. If you do, you'll lose some precious muscle mass too. Plus, perform low-rep sets for the same reason too. Adrian noticed a few of these exercise missing in my workout programme and advised that I added them back in.
#3 Drop Water Three Days Out From Contest Day
Did you know that all of us have a layer of water under our skin that covers our muscle definition and make us look fatter? When you watch people on infomercials somehow miraculously lose 1-2kg of body weight in half an hour due to some "innovative" product, it's actually this layer of water that the test subjects lose, not fat. And you will gain back those 1-2kg when you drink water. Yea, so sorry to those of you who actually purchase those products. BUT, if you guys have a bodybuilding competition, photoshoot or beach outing coming up and you want to look your absolute best for that day, cutting back water 3 days from that day could help reduce that layer of water. Four and five days from D-Day, drink lots of water, up to 8 litres, then, reduce it to 3 litres, 2 litres and 1 litre on the day before your competition/photoshoot. But remember, this is approximation and you should always use your instincts to tell if you're getting too thirsty for your own safety.
#4 Practice Your Posing!
So this tip is for competitive bodybuilders only. But the principle applies for every athlete or anyone who is going to perform on stage - practise your performance before getting on stage! Here's Adrian pacing me through the compulsory poses.
And in case you missed it, here's my Justin Bieber Baby posing routine! :D
:D
#5 Keep Chicken Breast As Your Main Source of Protein
The breast is leanest part of the chicken and also the part with the most protein. A 300g breast with all visible fat removed contains 70g of protein and only 5g of fat! This, along with the fact that chicken meat contains complete protein (it has all the essential amino acids you need) makes it the perfect protein source for dieting!
So there you have it, tips from Mr Singapore 2006 himself. And of course we can't miss this chance to take a few shots with him.
Want to learn from Adrian yourself? Well, you're in luck! Few days ago, Adrian launched his gym at Orchard Road. What's the name of the gym? The Gym At Orchard. No, I'm not joking. That's really its name. Adrian has invited Pei Xin and me to try out his gym and I can't wait to do so! Too bad I'm still in Kuala Lumpur for now. :( Anyway...
Check out them photos of the gym!
Look at that classy washroom!
Dumbbells!
Ooooooo yeah, they even have 60kg dumbbells! Any one of you dare to use it?
Singapore drama lovers and World Cup fans, you have no more excuses to not work out now!
Where boys become men.
For more info about The Gym At Orchard, click here to visit their website!
Or click here to join their Facebook fanpage!
And since we were at Orchard Road (before it got flooded), we might as well enjoy ourselves! No $$$ for Gucci or Prada though. Just some camwhoring on the streets!
Haiz... Too bad the Youth Olympics has no bodybuilding event...
#5 Keep Chicken Breast As Your Main Source of Protein
The breast is leanest part of the chicken and also the part with the most protein. A 300g breast with all visible fat removed contains 70g of protein and only 5g of fat! This, along with the fact that chicken meat contains complete protein (it has all the essential amino acids you need) makes it the perfect protein source for dieting!
So there you have it, tips from Mr Singapore 2006 himself. And of course we can't miss this chance to take a few shots with him.
Want to learn from Adrian yourself? Well, you're in luck! Few days ago, Adrian launched his gym at Orchard Road. What's the name of the gym? The Gym At Orchard. No, I'm not joking. That's really its name. Adrian has invited Pei Xin and me to try out his gym and I can't wait to do so! Too bad I'm still in Kuala Lumpur for now. :( Anyway...
Check out them photos of the gym!
Look at that classy washroom!
Dumbbells!
Ooooooo yeah, they even have 60kg dumbbells! Any one of you dare to use it?
Singapore drama lovers and World Cup fans, you have no more excuses to not work out now!
Where boys become men.
For more info about The Gym At Orchard, click here to visit their website!
Or click here to join their Facebook fanpage!
And since we were at Orchard Road (before it got flooded), we might as well enjoy ourselves! No $$$ for Gucci or Prada though. Just some camwhoring on the streets!
Haiz... Too bad the Youth Olympics has no bodybuilding event...
