The secret to successful weight loss starts from home

According to clutter expert, Peter Walsh, diet doesn't work.

You keep saying you want to lose weight but you can't discipline yourself with a proper diet. You say you would exercise and yet you spend time in front of the TV munching away junk food and carbonated drinks.

Peter Walsh believes the secret to successful weight loss is focus on how, why and where you eat, which is our home.

When it comes to clearing clutter (the fat in our homes) it isn't about the stuff itself, it's about the life you want to live. The same is true for losing weight: It's not about the pounds, it's about living the life you deserve in the body you want.

Using his expert techniques honed from years as a clutter expert and organizational consultant on TLC's Clean Sweep, Peter helps you address how the clutter in your kitchen, your pantry, and your home is directly related to the clutter on your body and negatively affects your ability to lead a full and healthy life. This book shows you how to clean up not just the spaces where you eat, but the routines around them: from planning meals and shopping to dinnertime rituals.

His book Does This Clutter Make Your Butt Look Fat? is still not available in our local bookstore yet. By the way, Peter Walsh has just been featured on Oprah yesterday's show.



I did a lot of cleaning and throwing unwanted things during spring cleaning before Chinese New Year. I must start making it a habit during every weekend from this year onwards if i seriously want to lose my extra pounds.

Obese Santa Claus

I was listening to Fly FM's Big Bang Breakfast show a couple of days ago and the DJs discussed about what is considered fat. Is Queen Latifah considered fat? Is Santa Claus obese?

Since X'mas is just around the corner, I'll take Santa Claus obesity as my topic today.

Since Santa is a favourite Christmas icon among kids and adults, some people suggested that we should have a slimmer Santa to send healthy message to everyone during this holiday of the year.

Well, perhaps the animal activists too might think it's time for Rudolph and the rest of the flying reindeers to have a breather from pulling the heavy sleigh with the obese Santa on it.

With the climate change in North Pole, perhaps one day, Santa might consider to lose weight.

mckenna can make me thin?

Most people might not have heard about Paul McKenna. Well, he might not be as popular as motivational gurus like Tony Robbins or Zig Ziglar, but I've read two of his books (on the left) already. There are also mind-programming CDs which comes in free along with the books.

Unlike Tony Robbins and others, McKenna's writing is simple and practical. If you are a reader like me who wants to be motivated but in a short and simple way, McKenna is the man.

I don't think any book ever motivated me to do something drastic but McKenna did. After reading his book Change Your Life in 7 Days and listened to his CD for two weeks, I actually took part in the Amazing Mall Challenge organized by AXN channel. I'm always a quiet and shy person. So taking part in competition is too huge for me to handle. And not enough of that, I participated in a treasure hunt early this month.

In work, I've started to do sales and presentations. Now that I publish my own books and create my own educational programme, I need to make cold calls and meet people to create sales. Small steps but a huge different in my life.

And a couple of days ago, I managed to grabbed McKenna weight-loss book I Can Make You Thin at the Big Bookshop sale in Atria shopping complex, PJ. Books are quite cheap at this book-sale, way cheaper than in MPH. Imagine you can get this book at RM19.90 compared to RM62.90 at MPH. Unlike other thick weight-loss book, McKenna's book is 'thin' and yet practical and I think rather applicable for overweight people like me who doesn't eat consciously. After listened to the CD for a couple of days, I seem to began to change the way I eat, slower. According to McKenna, his system will work in at least 2 weeks time. I just make sure I listen to the CD every day and see some changes soon.

You can get the two books at the Big Bookshop sale. Warning: don't expect too much from the book sale. You don't find a lot of popular titles there.

my simple weight-losing plan - week 3

To be honest, I stopped exercising since last Thursday. So it has been a week now and I have to admit that I do not have the discipline. Perhaps my friend, Cindy, is right. I did not say how long I want to do this and what is the ideal weight I want to achieve. However, I do not want to pressure myself with commitment. I just want to do it and have fun with it.

Luckily, I maintain my weight for this week. Perhaps it's my diet and pressure due to exam and work.

Hopefully it's not going to rain again this evening. I really miss jogging at the park. It's enjoyable to see the same faces every evening; the same group of kids playing, aunties chatting about their kids, uncles jogging and maids walking the dogs.

my simple weight-losing plan - week 2

I've lost 3kg (that's equivalent to 6.6lbs). That's quite an achievement for me as I'm not the "exercise person".

Although I did not continue doing sit ups (I hated it so much) after the second day, I did jog and walk everyday without fail. And yesterday, I replaced the jog with cycling as I was in A Famosa Resort. Luckily I've started this exercise thing last week and have the stamina to cycle up and down the slopes at the resort.

I believe it's going to be a lot easier this week as I do enjoy eating salad although it means that I have to eat the same thing for lunch and dinner everyday (I've been tapao-ing Garden Salad minus the popcorn chicken from KFC everyday). I thought it would be cheaper to make my own salad but I've been to a couple of places here in PJ and I've decided that I won't eat any vegetables that are not fresh. I have been eating light meals like vegetarian meehoon for breakfast. Also I have been drinking lotsa water and low fat milk instead of my usual soft drinks.

I've never have so much self-discipline before in my life especially when it comes to eating and exercising. But I'll just do it for the sake of losing a few more pounds.

(My friends have been very supportive too. And now I don't get to join them eating out at mamak because they don't invite me anymore!)

my simple weight-losing plan

Week 1
Yes, I was influenced by the reality show "The Biggest Losser", currently shown on 8tv every Saturday night.

My strategy will not be that extreme (the guys in TBL worked out 24/7!). Check out my simple 5 steps plan:

1. Jog/walk for 30 minutes in the morning and repeat in the evening.
2. Do at least 50 sit ups per day.
3. Eat salad for my lunch and dinner.
4. Drink lotsa milk, fresh juice and water instead of carbonated drinks and my favourite Milo.
5. Sleep at least 6 hours a day.

My weight on Monday (starting this week) was 85 kg (by the way, I'm 5'7"). So the next time I'm going to weigh myself is next Monday. Hopefully I can shed a few kilos by then.