I mentioned earlier that I would write some more about the Body for Life program that Kathleen and her China friends have been promoting. Body for Life is a bestselling book by Bill Phillips that promotes a nutrition and exercise program which promises to transform your body. The basic tenets are 1) eat six smaller meals instead of three large ones, 2) eat modest and balanced portions of protien and carbohydrates, and 3) make weightlifting an integral part of your exercise routine. The program rejects the idea of eating only protien or only carbs and suggests that the combination of six meals and lifing weights will contribute to raising your metabolism and shaping your body.
I am not going to give a stump speech for the plan, but it does seem logical and we have some very healthy looking friends in Suzhou and Peoria who have followed this plan with obvious success. Kathleen claims to have dropped a dress size and both of us have lost about five pounds so far. I contrast this to years of running long distances and not losing a pound.
To weave the China angle into this story, I am having an interesting experience with my morning weightlifting workouts at the Powerhouse Gym in Suzhou. The Powerhouse is U.S. brand franchise gym, similar to Golds Gym. However, in China, they do things differently, and in this case different is not better. First of all the gym does not officially open until 7:30 AM. I have explored a couple of other gyms in Suzhou and one of them opens at 9AM and the other at 11AM. When I ask them whether they can open at 6:00 AM so I can get to work by 8:00, they employees look at me like I am from another planet. The Chinese, apparently, do not consider an early morning workout to be a normal, natural, or even acceptable practice.
The Suzhou Powerhouse, although, not officially open at 6:00 AM, posts a janitor whose apparent duty is to watch TV until he turns the lights on when they open at 7:30AM. However, he leaves their entrance unlocked at this early hour, so a couple of other hardy waigoren (foreigners) and I walk in and start our workout at 6:00 in the dark. We are apparently free to workout, but I have to use my iPod display to see the numbers on the dumbells! There is also, of course, no music or TVs playing in the gym except for the Janitor's Chinese soap operas.
The final craziness, is that the gym does not turn on the air conditioning, even on these stifling hot summer days when the temperature outside at 6:00 AM is 90°F. It has been so hot these past two weeks, that at the end of my workout and after my shower, I am still sweating too profusely put on my dress shirt. I have to wear a T-shirt instead, then cool off by cranking the A/C in the car for the 30 minute ride to work. I then finish getting dressed in a conference room at the office (thankfully, it has a lock).
I am finding this to be a bit of hardship now that the weather is so hot and after working out for a few days at a beautiful (normal) Gold's Gym in my parents town of Albany, NY last month. Nonetheless, I am determined to maintain my commitment to the weight workouts. I think they are doing me some good. So please let this be an inspiration to you. Any one of you folks in America could easily join a gym that provides a superior and pleasant experience. If I can exercise in China, what's stopping you ?
I am not going to give a stump speech for the plan, but it does seem logical and we have some very healthy looking friends in Suzhou and Peoria who have followed this plan with obvious success. Kathleen claims to have dropped a dress size and both of us have lost about five pounds so far. I contrast this to years of running long distances and not losing a pound.
To weave the China angle into this story, I am having an interesting experience with my morning weightlifting workouts at the Powerhouse Gym in Suzhou. The Powerhouse is U.S. brand franchise gym, similar to Golds Gym. However, in China, they do things differently, and in this case different is not better. First of all the gym does not officially open until 7:30 AM. I have explored a couple of other gyms in Suzhou and one of them opens at 9AM and the other at 11AM. When I ask them whether they can open at 6:00 AM so I can get to work by 8:00, they employees look at me like I am from another planet. The Chinese, apparently, do not consider an early morning workout to be a normal, natural, or even acceptable practice.
The Suzhou Powerhouse, although, not officially open at 6:00 AM, posts a janitor whose apparent duty is to watch TV until he turns the lights on when they open at 7:30AM. However, he leaves their entrance unlocked at this early hour, so a couple of other hardy waigoren (foreigners) and I walk in and start our workout at 6:00 in the dark. We are apparently free to workout, but I have to use my iPod display to see the numbers on the dumbells! There is also, of course, no music or TVs playing in the gym except for the Janitor's Chinese soap operas.
The final craziness, is that the gym does not turn on the air conditioning, even on these stifling hot summer days when the temperature outside at 6:00 AM is 90°F. It has been so hot these past two weeks, that at the end of my workout and after my shower, I am still sweating too profusely put on my dress shirt. I have to wear a T-shirt instead, then cool off by cranking the A/C in the car for the 30 minute ride to work. I then finish getting dressed in a conference room at the office (thankfully, it has a lock).
I am finding this to be a bit of hardship now that the weather is so hot and after working out for a few days at a beautiful (normal) Gold's Gym in my parents town of Albany, NY last month. Nonetheless, I am determined to maintain my commitment to the weight workouts. I think they are doing me some good. So please let this be an inspiration to you. Any one of you folks in America could easily join a gym that provides a superior and pleasant experience. If I can exercise in China, what's stopping you ?
1 comment:
Hi Tony and Kathleen,
I have followed the "Body for Life" program in the past with good success. While I don't agree with the "spin" they put on the requirement to EAS products, the program is sound and if you follow the excercise routine and eating plan, you will see results quickly.
Rachel and I are up for the "challenge". Where do we sign up.
Glad your travels went well and very sad to hear about your Uncle.
XXOO BC
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