When I started training for my first triathlon, I had promised myself that I’d be strict and disciplined with my diet. After the race I’d reward myself with comfort foods that I have not had for several months. Since I am a big a fan of breakfast, I have decided to create a “Magic Bag” series, which I will buy a savory treat every morning, for 7 days, to go along with a cup of energy drink - coffee.

Magic Bag #1

Blueberry Scone!

Magic Bag #2 is on its way!

My triathlon-turned-duathlon (due to oil spillage from a boat accident in San Francisco Bay area) was incredible. After the crash in the biking part, I finished the race with 1:02:04 and was placed at 89th out of 336 participants. I am definitely going back again to do the swimming part.

My buddies at Barrel asked me some questions and put this short interview video together about my training regiment and how I felt for this weekend’s Treasure Island Triathlon. I left for San Francisco on Thursday morning. I’m really excited for my race!

Currently going through tapering stage - efficient and short training period.

Tapering Workout 1:

1. 15 minutes of intervals on stationary bike - 1 minute of flat, medium, and hilly terrain x 5
2. 15 minutes of treadmill - gradually increasing speed up to my racing speed, 7:30 a mile

Tapering Workout 2:

1. 15 minutes of intervals on stationary bike - 1 minute of flat, medium, and hilly terrain x 5
2. 5 1-minute sprints on treadmill - speed kept at 7:30 a mile with 30 seconds of rest on 6.0-speed

more tapering to come in the next few days…

With triathlon only two weeks, I have taken on my final preparation - riding my bike with biking shoes. These biking shoes help me bike more efficiently with hamstrings, and save energy for my quadriceps for running at the end.

First time biking with the shoes, I fell five times in a distance of just five blocks. When wearing a pair of biking shoes, feet are clipped onto the bike and basically tied up (think of snowboarding if you’ve ever had the experience); therefore, to get off the bike, one will need to twist his ankle outward. For a new learner like myself, I was not used to getting off the bike by doing the extra work.

Besides my clumsiness when riding with the shoes for the first time, this pair of Shimano biking shoes feel comfortable on my feet, and they are only $99.99. Shimano biking shoes are durable and comfortable. I highly recommend getting them if you are becoming a frequent rider.

I came across an interesting short blurb in October’s “Men’s Health” issue; Butter is actually healthy for you, if consumed in moderation - 1/3 to 1/2 tablespoon per day. I have not eaten or cooked with butter, unless I dine out, for many years. Since I still love creamy foods, I have decided to investigate the true benefits of eating butter and add a pat of it to my diet. I am a guinea pig to myself after all. Here’s a list of common benefits of consuming butter that I have come across from my research:

1. Great source of vitamins A, E, K, D
2. Contains lecithin, essential for cholesterol metabolism
3. Contains  anti-oxidants that protect against free radical damage
4. Has anti-axidants that protect against weakening arteries
5. A rich source of the vital mineral selenium
6. Has strong anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties
7. Contains conjugated linoleic acids, a potent anti-cancer agent, muscle builder, and immunity booster
8. Protects against calcification of the joints
9. Prevents hardening of the arteries, cataracts, and the pineal gland
10. Source of quick energy and not stored in our adipose tissue

However, there’s catch to eating butter; look for raw butter because pasteurization kills many essential nutrients.

Even with a strict diet day in and day out, I will get my pancakes! With a bit of imagination, I changed some ingredients and made a couple hearty and healthy pancakes as part of my second breakfast at 7:30 AM. You read it right…second breakfast!

Ingredients for the pancakes:
3/4 cups of whole wheat flour
1/8 teaspoon of baking powder
a pinch of kosher salt
1 egg
1/2 cup of low-fat or fat-free milk
a dash of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of canola oil
1 handful of chopped walnuts and cashews

Pear Topping:
1/2 of bartlett pear, slice it into 5 or 6 thin slices
1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder (enhances the flavor without adding sugar)
2 tablespoons of 100% apple juice or apple cider (no concentrate please)

After mixing the pancake ingredients, heat up a skillet with medium heat and pray Pam around it to prevent sticking. Wait about 30 seconds for the skillet to be completely heated, then slowly pour the batter into the skillet to the size of your desired pancakes. Wait until the pancake is golden-brown on one side and flip it over to the other side for another couple minutes until the second side is gold-brown as well.

To make the pear sauce, put the sliced pears into a small pan and sprinkle them with cinnamon powder. Second step, pour the apple juice or cider into the pan, then cover it up with a lid and let the pears simmer for about 5 minutes. Check the pears every two minutes and give them a little shake. The key to make the sliced pears soft and sort of sticky like syrup is to keep to fire low and condense the liquid inside of the pan.

At the end, top the pears off with two tablespoons of low-fat or fat-free yogurt, now you got a perfect plate of healthy carbohydrates, proteins, and a small amount of essential fats.

I hope you don’t have to settle for the boring buttermilk pancakes with high sugar syrup anymore. Pancakes will be healthier and taste even better if you can just use your imagination and creativity!

She is only 5′3″ at the most. She has gotten into several accidents and hurt her left knee severely. But she is there Mondays and Thursdays at 5:00 PM sharp and ready to workout. She is my first client since I start working as a personal trainer. She never complains about her knee pain; she worked through an extreme discomfort the other day. Whenever I take the treadmill speed up a notch, she always takes on the challenge enthusiastically. Regardless of how tough I am on her sometimes, she has been a great client and she has done more than what I can ask her.

Here is her program…see if you are up for the challenge.

• Front Kicks: 1 x 10 each leg
• Side Kicks: 1 x 10 each leg
• Dynamic Calf Stretch:  1 x 10 each leg
• Hand Walk: 6
• Sumo Squat to Standing: 1 x 8
• Arm Circles: front and back, about 2 minutes total
• Torso Twist: 10 each side
• Treadmill: 5 minutes of walking - incline at 3.0 and speed at 4.0
• Front Plank: 30 seconds
• Alternate Dumbbell Chest Press: 15 lbs, 1 x 10 on a stability ball
• Legs Curls: 1 x 10 on a stability ball
• Military Shoulder Press: 10 lbs, 1 x 10 on a stability ball
• Side Lunge: 1 x 12 each leg while holding 2 lbs medicine ball with straight arms
• Dumbbell Diagonal Chop: 5 lbs, 1 x 12 each side
• Backward Lunge with Twist:1 x 12 each leg
• Dumbbell Diagonal Lift: 5 lbs, 1 x 12 each side
• Ball Chop with Twist: 1 x 10 each side
• Cardio (same as above)
• Modified Push-Ups: 1 x 13
• Hip Lift: 1 x 12 on a stability ball
• Modified Diamond Push-Ups: 1 x 13
• Hip Lift: 1 x 12, squeezing a stability ball
• Stretch Cord Lat Pull: 1 x 15
• Curl to Press with 1 Leg on BOSU: 1 x 8 each leg
• Full Body Crunches: 1 x 15
• Cardio (same as above)
• Static Stretch for Cooling Down

I am…
crossing Queensborough Bridge at 5:30 AM tomorrow and running towards Manhattan.

As you might have already known, I am a huge breakfast fan. My biggest, fattest, and sweetest meal is breakfast. Many of us know the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast. However, many of us also choose not to have breakfast for various of reasons: no time, not a good cook (a pathetic excuse, everybody knows how to pour milk into a bowl of healthy cereal and peel a banana), trying to lose weight (I hope you are not one of them because skipping breakfast does not help you lose weight…at all), waking up too late, or simply don’t like breakfast (lier, and I will prove it to you.)

My brother, Scott, is one of the breakfast skippers. He skips breakfast because he wakes up late or is often unmotivated to cook. Many of us would love to have breakfast before heading out to work everyday. One of the reasons that I do not ever skip breakfast because I look forward to it. If you have a family, practice taking turns with your spouse or other family members waking up in the morning and cook a meal for the household. Trust me, waking up in the morning would be easier if you are expecting a nicely cooked meal. If you are single like myself, figure out your favorite type of breakfast food and have enough of the supplies to last for a week. Many people skip breakfast because they often do not have enough food stored to keep them excited about making the meal. I always keep at least half a gallon of milk, six eggs, half a loaf of whole grain bread, 6 bananas, 6 oranges, a tub of plain fat-free yogurt in my fridge to ensure myself a decent breakfast every morning. Boiling an egg, pouring a glass of milk, and peeling some fruits take me 15 minutes. If I can do it continuously for many years while being able to get to work or classes on time, I am confident that you can manage your time efficiently and have breakfast too.

Today, to show my brother that making and eating breakfast could help him wake up earlier and give him the necessary fuel, I threw together a simple breakfast menu with steamed vegetables, low-sodium ham and egg sandwich, and sliced fruits. I spent a total 30 minutes on the meal. Scott was on his feet and ready to go by 7:30 in Sunday morning…an unusual time for him to be up on the weekends. We were able to exercise for an hour in the morning as well. Scott felt great for rest of the day and looks forward to our next breakfast together. So, try my advice, eat breakfast with your family or treat yourself with something you love…look forward to breakfast like a kid looks forward to Christmas presents. Join the breakfast club with me!

The breakfast I promised my brother, Scott: Low-sodium ham and egg sandwich, vegetables, and fruits. He will be making me breakfast next week.

I was a rebel growing up; I’d go to the left when my mom said to go right. But I’d always listen to her when she told me to finish my veggie and fruits. Now I thank her for the effort for turning me into a healthy and knowledgeable person when choosing my foods. Fruits are essential to our daily diet; vitamins, minerals, and fibers…you name it, they have it. For those of you who is looking for alternatives for brownies and cakes as desserts or snacks, here are six fruits that I eat on any given day (yes, I do eat up to six types of fruits everyday) to replenish myself after rigorous training, fight hunger, and boost my immune system. By the way, these fruits are all year around and cheap…your body will be lean and thin while your wallet stays fat.

Eating apples can prevent lung and colon cancer, memory loss from aging, and cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases. Although the old wisdom, “an apple a day, keeps doctor away” stays true, but researches have recommended eating two to three apples a day to get the most benefit and nutrients.

Consuming bananas can prevent high blood pressure, coronary heart diseases, ulcer, regulate heart function and fluid balance, and help build stronger bones. Especially for the ones who exercises like a maniac, a banana helps you keep your brain function by providing electrolytes lost from sweating profusely.

Oranges help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, have anti-inflammatory properties, increase immune system, and destroy free radicals from damaging DNA and causing cancer. A cup of freshly squeezed O.J. does the trick too.

Pears are full of vitamin C that can help us get rid of free radicals, promote cardiovascular and colon health, and prevent vision deterioration because of its high content of vitamin A as well.

Ever wonder why French cuisine is made with a lot of butter, but French people have less heart disease cases comparing to Americans? Well, grapes are known for their heart disease prevention because of its resveratrol, a type of flavonoids, that keep the heart muscles soft for blood circulation. Therefore, researches have suggested that drinking a glass of red wine, the darker red the better, like French people can promote healthy heart function. But don’t go on dipping everything in butter and slamming several glasses of red wine down now…everything in moderation please.

Cantaloupe is one of the best fruit choices because of its high content of vitamin A to maintain or improve vision and vitamin C to fight germs and diseases. Plus, a bite into the soft and melting texture will keep you happy and guilt-free.

Ok, fruits are great for you. But I am not asking you to eat a whole basket of them everyday. Fruits generally have high sugar content, which can make you fat if you don’t burn enough calories each day from exercising to compensate the amount you eat. I am also not asking you to run on the treadmill until drop-dead so you can get your vitamin dose. All I am trying to convey here is that don’t skip your fruit platter just because of laziness. Fruits are great for everyone if consumed in moderation.