MTS1978

3 Things:

1. "Innocent Thai women"...... innocent, NOT, simple minded, yes.

If they're simple-minded, how would you describe the clever farangs they seem to be able to take to the cleaners so easily? ... if one is to believe the seemingly endless tales of woe & the gnashing of teeth that fill message boards such as this?

There’s no accounting for a naive absent minded mug – anywhere in the world. Really, there’s no elaborate plot or ingenious plan, or conspiracy to “rip off” the poor old farang. A fool and his money are easily parted – it’s as simple as that..... It doesn’t mean the girl is smart, she isn't hiding anything..... it starts with a bar fine after all.....

That does not preclude her potential as a great partner and companion – so long as the dopey farang manages the situation properly, and doesn’t start behaving like an absent minded adolescent love sick teenage fool...... or alternatively like a whore-master......

3 Things:

1. "Innocent Thai women"...... innocent, NOT, simple minded, yes.

2. I think it should be based on age difference - slap a 20yr limit on it.... 50 to 30..... 60 to 40..... is a lady at 30-40 doesn't know what shwat she's doing..... starting to become a nanny state, huh? The irony that is Thailand......

3. Someones comment that "Thai women desrve thai men"..... as a generalisation, there is a perception that Thai women only marry farang for money...... and yes alot of the time that is true..... but farang women marry farang men for money too, and thai women marry thai men for money too..... that's life. But a significant contributing factor is that farang men generally tend to treat their wives better...... just as thai wives generally to treat us farang men better, than a farang wife would.

The U.S. has a similar rule, Section 212(a)19 of the INA, Misrepresentation of a Material Fact.

Some lots of years ago I got a tourist visa and longterm suspension reversed for a Thai friend based on the interpretation "materialness" of the incorrect info on the visa application. It'd been stated that my friend made baht xxxx per month, were as he only made baht xxx. While the difference in wage was fairly substantial, the U.S. NIV section agreed that they would have issued the visa if he'd stated the actual wage, so suspension lifted.

Sometimes reasonableness prevails.

Mac

OP - well done. Sometimes reason prevails - it appears it was a genuine misunderstanding

Mac - to be honest, the lifting of the suspension was a spot of luck for your friend. Even if you appy to a club-card for tesco's there's a bit at the end of the form that you sign confirming everything above is truthful ...... if a person lies about one thing, then by definition they are a liar and untrustworthy. Malice may not have been there, but the intention to decieve was, I'm afraid.

Most Thais like seafood. You could give her crabs.

SC

Not to go off topic but I find it strange that I have never gotten crabs in Thailand. I got them three times with Western woman (non professional) but never in Thailand. Has anyone ever gotten crabs here? Ya ya I know all the kids get head lice because I used to be a teacher and saw treatment almost daily. So I know lice exist in large amounts here but I have never seen crabs.

Never in my life - anywhere - thank God.

Back when I used to "play" here in LOS, I always found the P-4-P girls were, eerrrmmmmm, shaven...... and pretty scrupulous and thorough in the showering routine..... would that perhaps be a factor..... I'm pretty ignorant in the matter of "STD" type things to be honest (I know carbs are an "STD" per say, but you know what I mean).

Thanks for all the replies - the genuine and comic alike

I don't think going out for dinner, or getting her a night off will be a "gift" per say as she will be missing the opportunity to pick up a punter. She's rather the cash. I'd have to not only pay the bar fine but the "hourly rate" too...... which isn't going to happen on principle. But thanks for the effort in replying.

She doesn't have a kid.

As long as I have spent here, I honestly can't think of anything small that a BG would be pleased to receive.......

I probably just won't bother..... sometimes a half-measure attempt is worth less than none.

Thanks guys.

Think I get the idea.

So - at the moment I can do about 20-30 "reps" of each exercise, then that's it ...... I'm cooked! So, repeating the cycle once, let alone 3 or 4 times in one session is out of the question.

So, would I be better off doing say 10-15 of each, and repeating 3 cycles, or maybe 10 of each, and repeating 4 cycles? Altogether, it is "more" reps in a single session...... and gradually build up the number of reps per cycle?

Thanks.

4 cycles and building it up is better.

Also there will come a time that you are too strong for these exercises then you need weights. Or other exercises.

I think I'll do it such that I add one per day (one rep that is).

Roughly - at what stage do you think that I will be "too strong" for these exercises? When I can do say 20 reps of each, 20, 40,....... ??? As a guide, so that when I aproach the threshold I can start making plans accordingly. I would imagine exercise suffers from the law of deminishing returns...... the more in shape I get, the less I will weigh, so the muscles will need to work less...... as well as getting stronger in their own right. Am I correct?

Thanks guys.

Think I get the idea.

So - at the moment I can do about 20-30 "reps" of each exercise, then that's it ...... I'm cooked! So, repeating the cycle once, let alone 3 or 4 times in one session is out of the question.

So, would I be better off doing say 10-15 of each, and repeating 3 cycles, or maybe 10 of each, and repeating 4 cycles? Altogether, it is "more" reps in a single session...... and gradually build up the number of reps per cycle?

Thanks.

While generally not helpful, I found myself starting out smiling and ending up laughing quite loudly.

The depth of cynicism (and amusment) from T.V. on this type of topic never disappoints....

Come on guys - get a grip. Its a poxy dog that the owner did not care for properly (or it would not be "playing outside"), and not they have identified an oportunity to financially exploite the situation.

Yeah, the German guy was out of order discharging a weapon in public - the potential for tragedy there is obvious. So slap a fine on him, give him a warning, and any further wreckless behaviour warrants deportation.

I like dogs, I really do...... but when they run around loose they are a nuisance to society, and moreover a danger, particularly small children. Dogs are afforded too many liberties in society, in general - and the <deleted> that rant and rave about their "dogs rights" are just deluded into some ......I dunno...... wierd place in their minds. I live in a nice muban, in Bangkok....... if I were to decide to open all the doors and windows, turn the music up full, then sit on the front porch and howl at the moon then what would happen? I would first be asked to shut up, then made to shut up...... right? However, a dog can do it all day, all night, and nothing is sad or done "because that is what dogs do"? So in the first instance the dog enjoys the right to make as much noise as it likes, but I as a human do not have that right? And secondly, my liberties are infringed upon (the right to reasonable peace and quiet) by a dog? In both instances, the "rights" of the animal supercede that of a human? That is unacceptable - it is not the animals fault, but the owners. Good dog owners do not let their animals behave in such a way - they control them..... and there are many ways to do that. So, apart from noise polution, which is just a nuisance - when you let them roam freely they are free to deficate wherever and whenever they like. Now really, I don't car if a dog pi$es on my car wheel..... but when they $h!t outside my gate, on the footpath, in the park where my kids play, and so on then they create a serious health risk, as aforementioned. But all these things a petty compared to what a "miniature pincher" could do to a 3-4yr old child if it decided to attack them...... much less what a pitbull, or anything bigger would do...... to any of us.

So the moral of the story here is "get a grip" - the German was out of order, yes....... but a bit of perspective here please. Think, have you ever been in a situation where you have acted irrationally....... where you have "snapped" or been over-hasty....... has something petty ever eaten away at your for weeks on end, and your pent up frustration exploded and manifested itself in some silly response? Ok, fair enough - I've never shot anything or been outwardly violent, but I have done things that with hindsight I can see were disprortionate and perhaps harsh........ Germans being Germans, whom I have found to be very direct and to the point, do not tend to "bite the lip" when something is bothering them...... they tend to complain and make their grievence known - I would bet this old geezer complained many times, and not just about the stupid mut pee'ing on the tyres....... and realising how futile it would be to go to the police (since they seem to do nothing about even the most sersious of human rights violations), he just shot the little rat....... so all these stupid sentences that are being prescribed here - please !!!

your morals, your story, as you see it

you have the right to state it and i respect that

just as i do, and i say the guy is a cowardly anti social dick who whilst being an anti social dick broke the law, and maybe some child's heart too

if that's OK with you, so be it.

its a measure of the kind of person you are

I love animals, all of them. That is why I don't "inprison" them. That is why I don't have a big dog like a golden retriever, locked up in my garden (which is quite big) all day long - because they were bred to run and retrieve, not sit at home and bark! When I retire some day, and move to a rural area, where I can take a dog out regularly etc. then I will have one...... until then. My "morals" are not cluttered with opinions or emotions, per say....... and if you think you can measure a man by a couple of dozen lines of text, then I think you may be over simplifying not just me, but te human psyche. So please keep your narrow mind sanctimonious judgements to your self - while not directly stated, they are clearly implied.

I will juxtapose the preceding paragraph by saying this. By the tone and context of the posts you have put up so far, I doubt very much that you would let your animal run around on the street, where it may be hurt by a passing car or a nutter with a gun, or a pack of soi dogs..... or where it might cause harm to others...... I would infer from same that you care for your pets in a responsible way. And that is my point exactly - the person who owned the dog in question is responsible, and mostly to blame for this incident. In the first instance, if they had maintained proper control of the animal, it would not be running around the street now would it........ Dogs are smart animals, but they are just that..... animals...... they do not have deductive reasoning etc. ..... the owners are supposed to do that on their behalf.

I ask you this - had the old man had a heart attack from the stress of the dog pee'ing on his car, would you have the same level of sympathy for the death of a human, due to the neglegence or indifference of the dog owner - or would you in some way say that the dog had a right to pee there, the owner had the right to let him, and the old man was just over reacting! Answer that, honestly, and then point the finger of judgement as to whom has the moral prioities in order?

you ask me to keep my judgements to myself but ask me to respond to yours anyway?

so i will, if the German guy had died of natural causes, however related it was to a dog pissing on his car it might be, why would i care?

i have nothing against Germans, in fact i was very sad to hear that the German polar bear Knut died yesterday aged only 4 years old

personally i find that news infinitely more upsetting

OK - hats off..... you've made me smile, not frown .......... seriously, that's not sarcasm.....

Quits ???

Hi All,

I just discovered it is one of the girls birthdays at a bar I frequent.

Just to put it in context, there is nothing "sexual" going on, and we both know there never will be (well that's in my court I suppose, but there won't).

She none the less is very good to me, know's my drink, makes sure service is prompt etc. and keeps me company when she's not oterwise "busy".

So, I'd like to get her a small inexpensive gift..... a little "thank you" sort of thing, just to acknowledge her birthday.

Any recommendations? She'll be 23.

She see's herself and presents herself as sort of "classy" (the irony, I know) rather than short-skirt-trashy.

Thanks in advance.

OK - so I am following these instructions for various exercises.

With regard to crunches, the istructions say "Perform three to four sets of 20 to 25 repetitions three times per week." could someone explain to me what they mean by that? Do they mean to do 3 sessions a week, and it each session do a total of 60 to 100 crunches (i.e. 3x20 to 4x25). So should that be done all in one sitting? So, lets say my regime comprises of:

Crunches - three to four sets of 20 to 25 repetitions three times per week

Leg Raises - three to four sets of 20 to 25 repetitions three times per week

Push ups - as many repetitions as possible for three to four sets twice per week

Standing push ups - 20 to 25 repetitions for three to four sets twice per week.

So, in one session, I understand I should do:

25 x crunches, then 25 x leg raises, then (say) 25 push ups, then 25 standing push ups...... then crunchs, leg raises, push ups, standing pushins, ..... then crunchs, leg raises, push ups, standing pushins again...... and possibly one more if I can manage it?

And I should do this 3 times a week.

If that is correct, is there any benefit to doing it every day except one set in the morning and one set in the evening?

Thanks in advance.

Come on guys - get a grip. Its a poxy dog that the owner did not care for properly (or it would not be "playing outside"), and not they have identified an oportunity to financially exploite the situation.

Yeah, the German guy was out of order discharging a weapon in public - the potential for tragedy there is obvious. So slap a fine on him, give him a warning, and any further wreckless behaviour warrants deportation.

I like dogs, I really do...... but when they run around loose they are a nuisance to society, and moreover a danger, particularly small children. Dogs are afforded too many liberties in society, in general - and the <deleted> that rant and rave about their "dogs rights" are just deluded into some ......I dunno...... wierd place in their minds. I live in a nice muban, in Bangkok....... if I were to decide to open all the doors and windows, turn the music up full, then sit on the front porch and howl at the moon then what would happen? I would first be asked to shut up, then made to shut up...... right? However, a dog can do it all day, all night, and nothing is sad or done "because that is what dogs do"? So in the first instance the dog enjoys the right to make as much noise as it likes, but I as a human do not have that right? And secondly, my liberties are infringed upon (the right to reasonable peace and quiet) by a dog? In both instances, the "rights" of the animal supercede that of a human? That is unacceptable - it is not the animals fault, but the owners. Good dog owners do not let their animals behave in such a way - they control them..... and there are many ways to do that. So, apart from noise polution, which is just a nuisance - when you let them roam freely they are free to deficate wherever and whenever they like. Now really, I don't car if a dog pi$es on my car wheel..... but when they $h!t outside my gate, on the footpath, in the park where my kids play, and so on then they create a serious health risk, as aforementioned. But all these things a petty compared to what a "miniature pincher" could do to a 3-4yr old child if it decided to attack them...... much less what a pitbull, or anything bigger would do...... to any of us.

So the moral of the story here is "get a grip" - the German was out of order, yes....... but a bit of perspective here please. Think, have you ever been in a situation where you have acted irrationally....... where you have "snapped" or been over-hasty....... has something petty ever eaten away at your for weeks on end, and your pent up frustration exploded and manifested itself in some silly response? Ok, fair enough - I've never shot anything or been outwardly violent, but I have done things that with hindsight I can see were disprortionate and perhaps harsh........ Germans being Germans, whom I have found to be very direct and to the point, do not tend to "bite the lip" when something is bothering them...... they tend to complain and make their grievence known - I would bet this old geezer complained many times, and not just about the stupid mut pee'ing on the tyres....... and realising how futile it would be to go to the police (since they seem to do nothing about even the most sersious of human rights violations), he just shot the little rat....... so all these stupid sentences that are being prescribed here - please !!!

your morals, your story, as you see it

you have the right to state it and i respect that

just as i do, and i say the guy is a cowardly anti social dick who whilst being an anti social dick broke the law, and maybe some child's heart too

if that's OK with you, so be it.

its a measure of the kind of person you are

I love animals, all of them. That is why I don't "inprison" them. That is why I don't have a big dog like a golden retriever, locked up in my garden (which is quite big) all day long - because they were bred to run and retrieve, not sit at home and bark! When I retire some day, and move to a rural area, where I can take a dog out regularly etc. then I will have one...... until then. My "morals" are not cluttered with opinions or emotions, per say....... and if you think you can measure a man by a couple of dozen lines of text, then I think you may be over simplifying not just me, but te human psyche. So please keep your narrow mind sanctimonious judgements to your self - while not directly stated, they are clearly implied.

I will juxtapose the preceding paragraph by saying this. By the tone and context of the posts you have put up so far, I doubt very much that you would let your animal run around on the street, where it may be hurt by a passing car or a nutter with a gun, or a pack of soi dogs..... or where it might cause harm to others...... I would infer from same that you care for your pets in a responsible way. And that is my point exactly - the person who owned the dog in question is responsible, and mostly to blame for this incident. In the first instance, if they had maintained proper control of the animal, it would not be running around the street now would it........ Dogs are smart animals, but they are just that..... animals...... they do not have deductive reasoning etc. ..... the owners are supposed to do that on their behalf.

I ask you this - had the old man had a heart attack from the stress of the dog pee'ing on his car, would you have the same level of sympathy for the death of a human, due to the neglegence or indifference of the dog owner - or would you in some way say that the dog had a right to pee there, the owner had the right to let him, and the old man was just over reacting! Answer that, honestly, and then point the finger of judgement as to whom has the moral prioities in order?

Come on guys - get a grip. Its a poxy dog that the owner did not care for properly (or it would not be "playing outside"), and not they have identified an oportunity to financially exploite the situation.

Yeah, the German guy was out of order discharging a weapon in public - the potential for tragedy there is obvious. So slap a fine on him, give him a warning, and any further wreckless behaviour warrants deportation.

I like dogs, I really do...... but when they run around loose they are a nuisance to society, and moreover a danger, particularly small children. Dogs are afforded too many liberties in society, in general - and the <deleted> that rant and rave about their "dogs rights" are just deluded into some ......I dunno...... wierd place in their minds. I live in a nice muban, in Bangkok....... if I were to decide to open all the doors and windows, turn the music up full, then sit on the front porch and howl at the moon then what would happen? I would first be asked to shut up, then made to shut up...... right? However, a dog can do it all day, all night, and nothing is sad or done "because that is what dogs do"? So in the first instance the dog enjoys the right to make as much noise as it likes, but I as a human do not have that right? And secondly, my liberties are infringed upon (the right to reasonable peace and quiet) by a dog? In both instances, the "rights" of the animal supercede that of a human? That is unacceptable - it is not the animals fault, but the owners. Good dog owners do not let their animals behave in such a way - they control them..... and there are many ways to do that. So, apart from noise polution, which is just a nuisance - when you let them roam freely they are free to deficate wherever and whenever they like. Now really, I don't car if a dog pi$$es on my car wheel..... but when they $h!t outside my gate, on the footpath, in the park where my kids play, and so on then they create a serious health risk, as aforementioned. But all these things a petty compared to what a "miniature pincher" could do to a 3-4yr old child if it decided to attack them...... much less what a pitbull, or anything bigger would do...... to any of us.

So the moral of the story here is "get a grip" - the German was out of order, yes....... but a bit of perspective here please. Think, have you ever been in a situation where you have acted irrationally....... where you have "snapped" or been over-hasty....... has something petty ever eaten away at your for weeks on end, and your pent up frustration exploded and manifested itself in some silly response? Ok, fair enough - I've never shot anything or been outwardly violent, but I have done things that with hindsight I can see were disprortionate and perhaps harsh........ Germans being Germans, whom I have found to be very direct and to the point, do not tend to "bite the lip" when something is bothering them...... they tend to complain and make their grievence known - I would bet this old geezer complained many times, and not just about the stupid mut pee'ing on the tyres....... and realising how futile it would be to go to the police (since they seem to do nothing about even the most sersious of human rights violations), he just shot the little rat....... so all these stupid sentences that are being prescribed here - please !!!

Just an update (this is turning into a "Blog" - LOL).

I'm about 10 days since I started making any kind of real effort and I'm down from 85kg to 82.8kg.

I shall continue to add these updates..... so far, it has shown to me that by including a little bit of exercise in your daily routine, and makeing small cut backs and easting a little more of the right thing, and less of the wrong thing (and a little bit less all round) then even a busy office worker with very little spare time can infact improve their health and fitness, even if it is by a small margin

I've tried to do longer cardio sessions, as others said...... though I am not managing to do them as often (about every other day).

I continue to do as many crunches and pressups as I can, every day (almost - I skipped it yesterday).

In stead of getting a bike, I walk between my office and the train station (about 1km each way).

Stopped order pisset portions, and trying to avoid what I envisage as the "worst" thai dishes (fried noodles)

Eating a slightly smaller dinner, and eating more meat and veg (as a percentage) than rice.

As others have pointed out - as the weight goes down eat kg will get harder and harder to loose, need more and more effort from me in terms of exercise espcially and diet.

Thanks all!

Thanks.

I'll get one over the weekend!

I saw a post saying a lot of Thai food has MSG and sugars but that is easily remedied by ordering without those additives. The boiled chicken, khao man gai, is a good option. Does anyone have any other good healthy options? If i eat noodles i always order them dry, without soup and tell them not to add any MSG too.

I speak ok Thai and the local restaurant knows me. I used to say please no sugar and msg (in thai of course) and how many times they just forgot not to put it in. Just happened to much because they work on automatic. Just imagine doing that in a restaurant you dont frequent every day the chances of getting the right stuff is even lower. You know how Thais love to please but just do it the way they are used to.. so dont get your hopes up.

I just make my own food and when i go out eating i accept that those things will be in it but i almost never eat out anymore.

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of "not eating out"..... and working in an office with 200+ people and one small pantry / fridge, bringing in my own "packed lunch" ain't an option either really..... it would probably be warm and rotten by the time I got it to the office anyway!

Khao man gai is a great dish - however it seems quite oily to me? Particularly the oily rish thats cooked with chicken broth. Its really tasty though. But ordering just the chicken? So what do you say? gai mai ow khao, sai pak dwai? Something like that??? ......... see, I'd need the whole breat and half a cucumber and half a head of lettuce / cabbage to satisfy me.

I'm assuming noodles are one of the worse things a fella could order? The couple of places that I frequent just put the boiled noodles in a bowl, add whatever meats you want and crispy garlic, then with or without water...... and you add the falvour yourself from the krung broom...... should I assume there has been 20 tonnes of msg and sugar added? If no msg and sugar, then is that a reasonably healthy lunch?

The rate of weight loss......... well the law of deminishing returns applies - I'm aware and prepared for it. I know some people get on the scales once a week..... but I do it daily. I expect to see myself go up and down a few hundred grammes...... I expect to see 85.0 - 84.6 - 84.7 - 84.3 - 84.0 - 83.4 - 83.8...... a downward trend...... I don't get excited when I dip alot nor do I get disheartened when it spikes a bit...... but I find it good to keep track, and generally when Ive been good I see dividends..... when I have been bad (pub) then the next morning I'm down but the folliwing I'm up 0.5kg...... so it keeps me in check...... i need the routine and discipline. I also keep an eye on the inches..... I wear the same belt most days, so when I notice when I can almost move down a hole, and when I finally do...... so with the exerecise I will be trimming up and in doing so I know the increased muscle mass will offset the fat loss, a bit.

Regarding the loose skin thing............ thats GREAT I was quite worried about that when I watched an "I'm too fat" program a few weeks back. I am no where near that bad, but still, I was a little worried.

Hi All,

Thanks again for all the replies.

Since my last post, I have:

• Stepped up the cardio (slowly) and now manage about 2.6-2.8 km in about 22 mins - not every day, but literally as often as possible.
• Continued with the crunchs, press ups, etc.
• Slowly cutting down on portion sizes. Its difficult to find other things to eat - I have a healty apetite and am not shy to diversifiy ...... but in the absence of choise, cutting down is the next best thing.
• Tried to stay out of the pub, but had to go twice fo unavoidable work related engagements.

So, I am down about 1.5kg or so in a week - which I am quite pleased with considering the relaitvely small changes I have made, and the 2 trips to the pub in 1 week. I have one more function this week, another at the end of next, but apart from that I am clear...... so by continuing to step up my excercise routine, and ocntinuing to improve my food intake (in terms of substance and quantity) then I am hopeful to continue to see gradual and sustainable results.

The one concern that has just come to me is that if I loose 5-10kgs over say the next 3-6 months..... will I be left with an apron of loose skin hanging down over my belt line? If so, is there anything I can do to avoid this...... that would be even more disgusting than m'boobs and beer belly. To stress - 6 PACK ABS ARE NEITHER AN EXPECTATION OR OBJECTIVE.

By the way - someone posted about not eating cheese burgers and to eat Thai.......... I do eat Thai and have done for a long time.

Thanks,

MTS

Ok, so while not 100% effective, it would seem the various devices are of some use. As far as I'm concerned, if it caught 50% of the little buggers, that would be 50% less bites that I or my family would get. I've got a carrefour near me, and a makro not so far away - anyone got a brand or model name for their device?

The tennis racket zapper things are great, but to be honest I am quite proficient at killing them if I see them, thai style, by clapping The wife is even better - but it is the ones you don't see that are the problem.

In terms of creams - I've been using a cream called "Antergan". It contains Hydrocortisone Acetate and Mepyramine Maleate. I've found it quite good, better than tiger balm and all that stuff...... but it isn't great either. Can't remember how it got perscribed..... think the mrs just asked the pharmacy explaining the other cream was crap and they said "try this". So, I'll give the others a try. thanks.

Hi All,

I live out in the Bangkok Suburbs, in a private muban in a detached house. We really make a huge effort to keep doors etc. closed, and we practically run in and out the door. But every once in a while one inevitably gets in. I suppose between my wife and I we physically kill 2 or 3 each day. Its like they are hanging around outside the door waiting to come in...... and they are so small obvisouly you will not see every one.

I particularly suffer from the mosquitos. Just one bite usually swells up to the size of my thumbnail, or bigger, and drives me insane with the itch. I do not know how, where, or when - but I currently have 7 "hives" where I have been bitten - ranging from the back of my neck, to my arm, my inner thai and my foot! Yet I have seen only 2 mosquitos in the house over the last 3-4 days. I am a magnet for them!

Anyway - I am wondering, what is the best machine that I can get to help eliminate the little sods! I am thinking I would get 4 of them. Put one at the front door, one at the back, and one each in our bedroom and the kids room. I would intend to let it plugged in 24-7 and to be honest I really don't care what other "innocent" creatures it might trap.

Please help a farang in need!

MTS

Thank you so much everyone for your replies.

I know alot of what has been said can be googled - but I am afraid I just don't "trust" the web and it is intentionally generalised and generic...... It is much more reassuring and and feels much more tangible when it comes from one person, directed to another person, in the context of my actual details....... to be fair, my situation is very different from some 25year or 55 year old 120kg couch potato. So its good to get some still generic but targeted and subjected specific advice.

There is a lot of information here - some of it conflicting, although I don't think any of it is "wrong".

At this stage, my goals and objectives are not to get "rock hard abs" or "stone chiseled pecks" or anything of the sort. I am conscious of my belly wobbling and my tits bounching when I walk down the street, and I want that sensation to stop..... I want to get into a healthy BMI range and have a bit more energy and spring in my step. If I loose 10% of my body weight, I will of course be carrying around 10% less weight, and so that in itself will help..... and combined with better fitness, a healthier heart and lungs etc., then I'll b quite happy with that...... to start. Maybe then (if I stick with it) I will get the bug and start chasing the abs and all that.

Gym - well there are two obstacles to that: (1) is cost, and (2) there are none near me - I live in the suburbs, and going after work in the city is difficult to reconcile with family life. If that is what I need to do, then so be it...... but for now I would like to try some home basics and improved diet and see where that takes me.

Diet - really, I find it hard to eat "low carb" foods...... there are not many restaurants near my office and the ones they are there serve the usual thai offerings..... which is bascially something with rice or something with noodles...... and I can only imagine what they add to it - from MSG, salt and suger, to god knows what...... there are one or two things on the menu, but generally there isn't much to choose from. Help or other peoples experience on this issue would be great!

So - I am going to research the couple of fitness programs that were mentioned here such the 5BX etc. and I will look at trying to do 30 min cardio sessions. People are of course right who pointed out that 2.4km is 1.5 miles (not 2!)...... so maybe if I walk to the end of the muban, then run back, then walk down and run back again - that will be abou 5km and should take about 30 mins...... does that sound better?

The building muscle in order to increase metabolism etc. makes sense to me - and a bit of extra strength cannot hurt. So I'll do that.

Is it better to do the exercise at night, say about 8pm or in the morning before work / breakfast.

People mentioned about how some find it easier than others to loose weight. When I last tried, I droped about 5kg in about 3-4 months, and to be honest I put very little effort into that - just cut down on food, and did a few sit-ups / push ups every night before bed. So, I think I'll be able to loose it ok once I start. But this time I want to improve fitness too - as a seperate (although directly related) objective.

I am not adverse to professional help, in any form - I just wouldn't know where to look or ask..... especially in Thailand where it is harder to know what is "good" for you in terms of foodstuffs..... so a professional with local knowledge in that area might be a good idea. Recommendations?

I did the fat-calc test thingy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage) and I am 24.69%........... which puts me 0.31% under the "obese" catagory...... It ain't much, but its a start!

So, I am off to summarise the info herein - in the interim if anyone wants to add anything else, it is greatly received.

Thanks to everyone.

How do you calculate (10.8 x gender)?

Gender:

Male = 1

Female = 0

Hi All,

I am 32 years old, 174cm tall, and about 84-85 kg (68.5" x 185lbs). That's a BMI of 27.9.

I don't consider myself to be "fat" per say, but I am certainly over weight. I have a "chunky" build (I had a 6 pack and a 16" neck when I was 18yrs old) - so I "carry" weight better than average - nonetheless I should be about 75kg if I wanted to come in at the very top of the healthy BMI range - that means I need to loose about 10kg (22lbs) or about 11-12% of my body weight. That is my goal. I have no ambition to look like Arnie - 6 packs and all that malarky, but I would not complain if my physical appearance was al least slim(ish). My first priority, by a large margin is health, but as I say I wouldn't mind looking a bit better either.

I carry most of my excess weight (I think) around my belly and chest.

I drink a bit too much, and I maybe I eat the wrong things too - but by far and large I think my biggest flaw is that I do not exercise. When I'm not rushing, I walk from the BTS to the office, and v.v. - which is about 1km each way. This is clearly not enough, not only for weight loss but also for fitness. So I have resolved to start working out a little bit at home. This is to comprise of:

• Fast walk / jog around the muban. It is about a 2.4km (2 miles) lap. I've done twice, and it took about 15-17 mins. I timed my pulse afterwards and it was about 150bmp.
• Sit-ups (crunches), press ups, and leg raises - I've started doing this 30/20/20 reps respectively, per day. This is about as far as I can go until it hurst and then pushing myself for a few extra.
• Altogether, from taking my first step - to catching my breath after the walk/jog, to completing the Sit-ups (crunches), press ups, and leg raises, it takes about 30 mins.

So - I am reading about work outs etc. and as with anything on the net, all the free stuff has something to sell, hidden in there somewhere. But generally, that are saying that for improved fitness and weightloss, one should aim for 3 sessions of exercise, 3 times a week, and each time should be 30 mins @ a maintained 131BPM i.e. (220bpm-age)*70%. From that, I am reading that the cardio section of your workout should be 30 mins long. To be honest, I would rather exercise for 30 mins every day @ 15 mins cardio and 15mins resistance exercise (crunches, push-ups, etc.). I find running, cycling, etc. very boring and in the past I have struggled to maintain motivation, because I just find it so boring. Moreover, a 30 min daily workout is easier for me to work into my schedule. I feel like I am more likely to keep up a daily 30 min routine than I am to do 1hr, 3 days a week.

So, with all the above in mind - I would really appreciate peoples opinions. To reiterate, I would be lying to say that I would not like to be rid of the m'oobs and belly, but my first concern is to improve my health and fitness. FYI - I have been reducing the frequency and duration of visits to the pub, and I have been trying to cut down on the carbs (rise, noodles, and potatoes) in favour of more salads, veg, and protient. But the main point of this thread is to evaluate the effectiveness of my fitness regime.

Many thanks,

MTS