Category: Benchmarks

Welcome to Phuket Fit’s weight loss and fitness blog. I’m your host, Aaron Rowland. I’m a 27-year-old writer from Los Angeles, California. At my heaviest weight eighteen-months ago, I weighed in at 160 KGs.  I’m here at Phuket Fit to lose weight, improve my fitness and have the adventure of a lifetime. I’ve been here ten months so far and I’m staying indefinitely. My favorite exercises are the bicycle crunch and the medicine ball slam. Tire flips, suicide planks and burpees give me nightmares.

Blasting Fat, Building Muscle

In weight loss, each week present a new challenge. Things that worked the previous week might not in the following one. Weight can also vary for a variety of factors. Water retention, fat loss, muscle gain, having just eaten or taken a trip to the restroom, etc. As I mentioned last week, it’s important to track more than just the number on the scale whilst losing weight. It’s important to take into account a variety of objective and subjective measurement tools to most effectively monitor the changes your body is making. Over the next few weeks, I’ll explore some of these ways.

Trekking Up Big Buddha

If you come to Phuket Fit for weight loss or fitness, you will quickly learn about the Big Buddha hike. Every Tuesday morning, in the Bodyfit class, a group of 30-40 Phuket Fit guests hike up a steep 4.2 KM hill in Chalong to Phuket’s Big Buddha landmark and temple. At less than a 5 KM run, some might underestimate how difficult it can be. With steep hills and sometimes-sweltering heat, some beginners can take well over an hour to finish. Prior to my Week 15 weigh-in, my personal best time up the hill was slightly over thirty-eight minutes. This week, though, I was able to trim forty-five seconds off my time for a personal best of thirty-seven minutes and fifteen seconds. Fitness tests like this can be a great way to assess progress when trying to lose weight and improve fitness.

The End Of Week Sixteen

I step on the scale looking forward to a big number. That’s how it has always worked in the past. If I gain weight or plateau one week, I’m typically rewarded the next with a big number. Unfortunately, that isn’t what happened this week. It’s official. I’ve hit a true plateau. That means the next few weeks will be a big shake-up. I’ll be throwing out the old playbook and writing a new one. New kinds of fitness and activity, new meal plans. I’ve also changed the scale’s setting to read in LBS instead of KGs. It’s easier for me to help track my progress that way, having grown up with the imperial measurement system.

What’s Up Next?

Later this week, I’ll be introducing you to DJ Tank. He’ll be working with Phuket Fit to lose weight and he’s a really interesting character here on the island! He’s got a long way to go, but you can see the determination in his eyes. Also, check back next week to how I’ve changed my weight-loss system and see if it helps to improve my weekly results!

Have a great week of weight loss! If you set your mind on it, I know you can do it!

Welcome to Phuket Fit’s weight loss and fitness blog. I’m your host, Aaron Rowland. I’m a 27-year-old writer from Los Angeles, California. At my heaviest weight eighteen-months ago, I weighed in at 160 KGs.  I’m here at Phuket Fit to lose weight, improve my fitness and have the adventure of a lifetime. I’ve been here ten months so far and I’m staying indefinitely. My favorite exercises are the bicycle crunch and the medicine ball slam. Tire flips, suicide planks and burpees give me nightmares.

What Changes Are Important?

As I move through this weight loss journey, I’ve noticed that the scale can be quite unpredictable. Up a small amount one week then down a big amount the next week, it can be tough to determine success or progress utilizing just that one number. Over the next few weeks, I’ll try to start introducing other benchmark measurements to help track my progress. While muscle growth might prevent a large number on the scale one week, things like body measurements or fitness tests could provide a clearer picture in terms of general progress. This next week, I’ll explore the weekly Big Buddha run and how tracking your time on that each week can be a great way to track success.

Active On The Weekend

Every Sunday afternoon, Phuket Fit has a weekly trip to O2 Beach Club. It’s a great chance to socialize with other guests from Phuket Fit, as well as get in a fun Sunday workout. They have water polo nets set up in the pool, as well as a volleyball court. There’s always a large group of Phuket Fit guests in attendance, so it’s never hard to get a game going. Everyone is welcome, just talk to Joey in the Phuket Fit office if you are interested in coming. I’m there most weekends, so definitely come on down and join in the fun!

Queen’s Birthday

This last Monday, camp was closed for the Queen’s birthday. That’s no excuse not to get a good workout in, though. Even when camp is closed, there are countless fun and healthy ways to enjoy an active day. Swimming at the beach, wakeboarding, and hiking Big Buddha are just three of the many ways to stay active near Phuket Fit. Even jogging the road is a popular activity at all times of the day. I’d recommend getting an early start, though. In wet season, the temperature can still get really hot. Always bring water and electrolytes with you, even if you don’t think you’ll need them.

The End Of Week Fifteen

I step on the scale, not sure what to expect. It’s always tough to follow up a big loss with another great number. Unfortunately, that’s true for this week. I’ve pretty much stayed the same moving from 105.3 KGs to 105.6 KGs. I can’t be too upset after a great week like last week, but I am started to get concerned that my weight loss is starting to stall. If next week’s results are similar, I’ll need to take a hard look at drastically altering my diet plan and exercise routine to something new, that will hopefully shock my body back into losing large numbers. I’m still down over 45 LBs in fifteen weeks, but I don’t want to slow down now.

What’s Up Next?

This week will be more of the same. I spent another great Sunday at O2 Beach Club with our Phuket Fit crew and my workouts have been pretty similar to past weeks. Check back on Friday for an interview with another fantastic Phuket Fit guest and check back next week to see how my journey is going!

Have a great week of weight loss! If you set your mind on it, I know you can do it!

Welcome to Phuket Fit’s weight loss and fitness blog. I’m your host, Aaron Rowland. I’m a 27-year-old writer from Los Angeles, California. At my heaviest weight eighteen-months ago, I weighed in at 160 KGs.  I’m here at Phuket Fit to lose weight, improve my fitness and have the adventure of a lifetime. I’ve been here ten months so far and I’m staying indefinitely. My favorite exercises are the bicycle crunch and the medicine ball slam. Tire flips, suicide planks and burpees give me nightmares.

Back Into A Routine

Fresh off my weeklong detox and ready to train full-time, I decided it was time to get into my usual routine. Body fit in the mornings, a light breakfast, cross training in the afternoons, a healthy lunch, and then a few hours of rest before a small dinner. Doesn’t sound all that exhausting, but trust me, it can really take it out of you. The classes at Phuket Fit are intense and require a great deal of rest and recovery to prevent injury or muscle fatigue.

Getting Stronger

On Saturday, I took another trip to the wake park with friends and did some wakeboarding. It had been well over a month and a half since my last experience there, and I could really tell a big difference in my strength and ability. Over 5 kilos lighter and a good deal stronger, I was able to get a lot further on the course and found launching off the dock to be easier than I previously had. It was such a good experience; I even treated myself to a couple drinks afterward at a beach club.

Knowing When To Slow Down

When you’re training 5-6 days a week, multiple times a day, it’s important to listen to your body. If your mind says “stop,” you might be able to push harder and test your limits. If your body tells you to stop, on the other hand, it’s important to do so. Overtraining can quickly lead to injuries and illness. It’s a lot better to miss a class because you feel to sore or exhausted to participate, than it is to spend weeks away from training due to mistreating your body.

The End Of Week Twelve

I step up on the scale and discover I’m down 0.8 KGs (1.7 LBS) this week. While its not as high as my usual weekly total can be, I’m thrilled to be losing weight at a steady pace, now that I’ve returned to my pre-detox routine. I was definitely worried that my body might be resistant to burning fat after a week of super-clean eating, but that’s clearly not the case. If I can keep going at the pace I am now, I should definitely be at my goal weight of 85 KGS (187 LBs) by the end of the year.

What’s Up Next?

This last weekend was the monthly BBQ beat down, which often means alcohol and poor food choices are on the cards. They certainly were this time. What that means, though, is I need to work extra hard this week to make up for the extra calories consumed. Can I burn them off and have another great week on the scale? I guess we’ll see next week! Until then…

Have a great week of weight loss! If you set your mind on it, I know you can do it!