The Reader

Repost for my peers(50+):Healthy lifestyle

My friend is confused on reading my blog and my Facebook because it appeared to him that cycling is my job and not just a hobby.Thank you my friend for your concerns;I am still earning a living doing engineering and management work but I write more on my cycling and walking than my work.What I write more is not what I do more.To be honest,as I grow older,cycling is more interesting than engineering and project management.

The reason I wrote more on cycling and walking is to create awareness to my readers and friends of the importance of healthy lifestyle.When I crossed 50 years old( afew years ago),I began to see more and more of my peers and seniors getting sick prematurely.My observation is that many of us eat too much and do little exercises.So far,I have yet to see any of my friends or kampung folks die of starvation!

Nowadays,I do my morning walk 2 times a week and cycle with my friends 2 times a week.It is now embedded into my weekly life style and thank God for it.We can start but to keep going we need friends so that they keep us going and make our lives more interesting.Now,I belong to two cycling groups-Putrajaya Easy Riders and Putrajaya Urban Riders.As part of my little contribution to the cycling community,I was co-opted into the committee members of Putrajaya Inter Parks Ride(PIPR) organised and sponsored by Perbadanan Putrajaya.The last PIPR was attended by more than 1000 cyclists!

via adib.typepad.com

Lately I heard a few sad news about my friends falling sick.What is fated is fated but many of us are still dancing on the road leading to personal health disaster.We eat too much and exercise too little and we could not be bothered what we eat as long as we enjoy the food!

To my personal friends,I have stopped smoking almost one and the half years ago ,exercise regularly and struggling to to eat less every day.Let us try to live a healthy lifestyle.With the grace and rahmah from Allah swt,the only 'medicine' I take daily now is my cod liver oil capsules.

Photo Note: four on the left are my friends in their 50's.One on the right most is my son.

Another morning walk @Taman Saujana Hijau,P11,Putrajaya

Just look at the view.Beautiful isn't it?.One round on the other loop is about 3km.To really sweat,try another round of the inside loop~hilly slope of about 2km.It is just behind the Police Station P11.I bet it is good both for your heart and legs..

When our well runs dry..

‎"We only know the value of water when our well runs dry".Similarly with our health...when we get sick,then only we appreciate the value of our health when it is gone.Knowledge comes with the meaning..

No matter how old or young we are,we must have undergone some form of illnesses when we felt sick or not as our normal selves.No body wants to be sick but all of us gets sick sometimes.How did you feel when you get sick?Not nice and sometimes horrible.When we are healthy,we forget that we are enjoying our health-just like the air we breath.We only realise it when it decreases or being taken away from us.

When I landed at the hospital for three days many years ago,I planned what I would do when I get well.When I got well,I forgot what I wanted to do when I got sick!That is what we are-in most cases.After going through many of these scenarios,I have learnt something to value what I have and not  chasing of what I don't have and make the best of everything of what was given to me,insyaAllah.

In most cases,many of us failed miserably to learn any lesson from what we see,we hear and even we personally experienced.To improve what your lessons learnt,just write down in your daily  journals ...It would be a very interesting reading over the weekend,every week.

Let's be extra careful when it comes to our health.The wise says: Health is the Crown Jewel of Wealth!

 

Foot care!

Whatever you are driving (or even flying or cycling),the last 100 metres or less must be done on foot;unless you are the kings or queens a few decades ago or on your funeral!All of us must walk to our destinations-even in our own houses.

First,let me thank Allah for His mercy on me for having healthy and fit legs and feet!I knew the pains when I suffered arthritis many years ago..

Lately,owing to my cycling and brisk walking activities I began to notice more of my legs and feet.Without them,our mobility will be grossly affected  even if you can afford a Rolls Royce.Previously,I never bother about them(legs/feet) unless I get sick.How about you?Sound familiar?

For those above 50 like me,I suggest you read this link.It is about taking care of our feet.When I look down at my feet{no puns intended},I was wondering how my feet were suffering carrying my over-weight bodies daily for the last 20 years!What have we done to take care of them?By the way,can you see your feet?

Okay,enough said.The photo shown above is a mini sock I bought to wear when I am at home in the morning or when I go to masjid.To reward my feet for job well done in the last two years,I am going to buy them  a nice pair of Clarks sandals today.

Below is a photo of a shop selling shoes.May be I should go into shoes business like Nike.

 

Yes,heart attack is a silent killer!

A few days ago my TIKL shoolmate passed away due to heart attack.He was about my age~late 50's.Yesterday a schoolmate from SDAR came to my house and he told me he got a mild heart attack a few weeks ago.One valve was reduced 90% and the other two about 30%.He is 50 years ago and every time I meet him,he looks healthy as any man could be.By weight, his BMI is less than 25.A week before the heart attack he felt some chest pains on his right chest and a week later,he fainted during the heart attack.Luckily,he told me he was sent to hospital within 6 hours to prevent any blood clot and later he undergone a procedure at IJN.These examples are enough evidences for me to believe that heart attack is a silent killer AND we must take time and make a real effort to look after it.Here are two postings I wrote a few years on physical heart and another on our spiritual heart i.e our qalbu.Below is what I did for my heart this morning..

The Promenade of Putrajaya

Since I have been cycling in Putrajaya more than two years ago,my dear friend Kol(B) Tuan Haji Azudin Othman Fuad had shown me many interesting places that were hidden from the normal people like me who came to Putrajaya in our cars.One subject matter that I wish to share is the promenade along the Core Island.

These beautifully landscaped and well maintained promenade runs more than 20km(my estimate) around the Core Island.I have been around it a few times with my bicycle and lately I also walk.By walking I see more beautiful flora and sceneries.The thing that really bugs me is that not many( I mean less than 20 people) walk or cycle around the promenade on any day,including weekend.

When I go to walk or cycle at FRIM,I saw droves of people going for a walk at Rover's Trail and cycle up to Bukit Hari(Steroid Hill).To cycle at FRIM,I have to pay entrance fee but it is free at Putrajaya!My question,why are not many people walk and cycle  in Putrajaya???Why are there many people walking/running at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa and Lake Garden?The map above showed what my son and me did a few weeks ago.Below is a few photos of some nice places you can see and walk along the promenade.May I invite your family and friends to walk or cycle here-and I bet you will love every step of the way...

Not only beautiful promenades that one can enjoy but we can enjoy the parks.Well,that is another story for me to blog..

 

 

Just for my record..

This is my best 8km walk(+ a bit of short runs)so far...hope to do better on the race day 26th September,2010.My age{58} falls under senior veteran and I must complete a 7km route in 90 minutes.That is why I am training to get the longest distance in 80 minutes.

Another photo from Floria,Putrajaya

Floria 008
Originally uploaded by Adibi

While roaming the various  beautifully landscaped gardens on show at Floria Putrajaya yesterday.I saw a man using a torch light to add light while taking photograph of this pitcher's plant(on the right).He was using a Nikon on a tripod and me- a compact camera set on macro mode! What a big difference and surely the output will be different as well...

To my pleasant suprise, there were at least half a dozen men with big cameras and big lenses lurking around the gardens.Below is my a sketch of a Bird of Paradise.By the way Floria is open everyday until 18th July,2010

 

BMI Chart:Where are you on the chart?

More info here. I am over-weight,need to shed about 6kg more to be okay.

1st Qtr Review: Personal exercise

Beginning this year, I began to take some interest in jogging because I was impressed by my friend's istiqamah to walk every other morning to improve his health and to reduce his weight.So,I started to do some brisk walking as a cross training to my regular cycling.My time spend on jogging increased very fast.This took a toll on my cycling...

Lately,it appears that my main exercise is walking and cycling is my cross training.By the way,I enjoyed both cycling and walking.

Months       Jan    Feb    March Total

Walking      4.78  19.79 59.81 84.38km in 17 hrs

Cycling    126.94  96.72  70.3  293km   in 33 hrs

Looking at the total time spent about 50 hrs,on average  I spent more than one hour every other other in the last three months for my personal exercise.Looking back many years ago,I only do my one hour walk every Sunday! As they say,it is better late than never.So far, it has done a lot of good for my personal fitness and to some extend my weight reduction.

To my peers in their late 50's,Walking is the easiest and cheapest exercise that we can do.Just get out of the house and walk.To make more fun,we can walk at nice gardens and hilly parks/resorts.

When it comes to personal challenges and speed,cycling wins hand down as compared to walking-not to mention adrenalin flowing while doing fast and tricky downhill on a mountain bike!On safety side,walking is very much safer.Since I wish to enjoy both walking and cycling,I have allocated 3 walking and 2 cycling activities every week.

Yesterday,I visited my 78+ years of neighbour.Three years ago,he got some knees problem ,so he stopped cycling for three years.Now,he got more illness as a result of his lack of exercise.