It's been a million months since my last entry. Maybe I've lost some of my readers already. LOL! Tapi takpe. Anywayz, today I felt obliged to at least write a few words in my blog. To many this might be uninteresting... but Alhamdulillaah, recently, quite a few information seekers have landed on this blog looking for "Halal Protein Powder" or "Halal Protein" and other halal supplementation related stuff. One particular user wanted to know whether the halal certification for Prostar Whey has been renewed or not. 

Well, Alhamdulillaah... it has been. And all the products that were certified from 2009-2010 seem to still be in concordance with the 'halal standard' up till now. The products are (which can also be viewed in the certificate)

1. PROSTAR 100% Whey Protein (1-lb [454-grams], 2-lbs [907-grams] and 5.28-lbs [2.39-kilograms])
2. Muscle Juice 2544-Chocolate and 2544-Vanilla flavors (4.96-lbs [2.25-kilograms] and 10.45-lbs [4.75-kilograms])
3. Amino 2002 (300 and 500 tablets)

In all, thank you Ultimate Nutrition for your efforts to get certified and thank you also to IFANCA for keeping up the good work. Hope this info has been useful :) Assalaamualikum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakatuh.

[SORRY, BUT I HAD TO REMOVE THE PICTURE OF THE CERTIFICATION

I AM ACTUALLY NOW ALLOWED TO POST IT PUBLICLY HERE. TO OBTAIN THE

CERTIFICATE FOR YOURSELF, PLEASE EMAIL JBrown@ultimatenutrition.com (Julia Brown)

FROM ULTIMATE NUTRITION]

Updated halal certificate for Ultimate Nutrition supplements... 

which includes the Prostar 100% Whey Protein series.

Yeay! Can use without was-was

(the English translation for was-was is "doubt")

Hmmm... Takde la jauh sangat pun bila dah actually jalan. Normally, I'd drive from my hostel to the lab, which takes ~3-minutes. Sekarang kalu, I think I have to walk to the lab. Takes just around 5 to 8-minutes by foot. Rain or shine... walk mesti mau walk juga. No more spoiling my feet with pressing the paddle (ke pedal?) to the (tak-sampai-pun) metal (ke middle?) ...

Anywayz, I tried walking a few times before... and found that it's quite invigorating once I set myself in at the lab. There's this relaxed feeling while at the same time having more energy than always. Furthermore, I couldn't have picked a better month to start walking... With fasting and all, I hope I could cultivate more good habits as the the holy month passes by.

I have discovered though, that walking requires:

1. A really2 good pair of shoes. Cross trainers or any shoe that has soft and thick soles. Unsuitable footwear can really2 make ure feet hurt;
2. Great deal of care, since cars and motorcycles rarely give a dayem to the rights of pedestrians (but not me la. When I drive I try my best not to hit pejalan-pejalan kaki. Except the not-so-smart ones who somehow try to walk in the middle of the road for no apparent reason); and
3. Payung kena ready senantiasa... the heat and rain can kill ya! For guys, yeah... have to throw away a bit of the macho complex and start using umbrellas during hot and sunny days :P.

This is from what I observed lah. Okes. Plz. do make dua for me so that I continue this effort of mine insyaAllaah. Oraits... Ramadhaan Mubarak!!!

PS:- Missed the days of walking to class at Monash though. It was nice walking many kilometers per day in low humidity and low heat... Maybe that's why I was 68-72kg back then, compared to 88kg now! Hahaha!

Image rembatted and edited from here...

Today, let's take a look at Ayam Kampung a.k.a. Village Chicken (suka hati aku je a.k.a., walhal orang tak penah panggil macam tu pon ye dok? tapi takpe...). Compared to its more unfortunate counterpart the market chicken, the village chicken has a better life before being slaughtered. They are also healthier due to the 'freedom' granted by their owners to wander around the compound of the house (and also kadang2 tersesat pegi compound rumah orang lain) and can go about their business of pecking the tanah. 

As a result of this freedom and tons of healthy activity, the village chicken can be equated to a 100-meter dash athlete, whereas their bred-for-hypermarkets counterparts are comparable to a glutton with almost no life... But at least they are better than human gluttons, because these chickens are coerced into eating tons and tons of food and injected with God-knows-what to make them grow OH so fast. Due to this also, the hypermarket chickens, even though seemingly bigger and healthier, are obese and full of adipose tissue :)

Anywayz... I went back to my wife's kampung recently... and my dad-in-law sembelih-ed a few of his chickens. During the process of 'bubuti' by my mom-in-law (JAVANESE for plucking the chicken's feathers), the chicken's skin was a bit yellow. Hmmm... maybe this was due to it being exposed to the sun so much... jadik ada tan sikit :D But... what surprised me the most was the inner organs (organ dalaman ayam)... You see, when I clean the chicken bought at the local market or TESCO, the inner organs such as the heart, liver, gizzard [pedal ek?] etc. are normally covered with layers and layers of fat.

So much so, that at the end of things, I have to really really really scrub my hands to get rid of the oily residue. But this kampung chicken... man, the inner organs were so clean and lean, you can find very little fat covering them. Of course not 0% fat la (even bodybuilders during competition have at least 3-5% body fat :P)...  but only the necessary fats :)

Of course, the meat is a bit tougher... but I think when U actually see the process from slaughter to cooking... you wont mind it that much since you know ure eating a healthy bird who most probably lived life to the fullest and to the happiest... compared to their market-fated friends. Okes... Here are a few snapshots... Salaam aleykom.

Papa Chicken

Mama Chicken and her chicks

Chicken accommodation

Bubuti by the expert hands of Hajah Rugayah Darus

After bubuti...

Organ dalaman ayam kampung... 

Gizzard... if ayam market, penuh gila lemak

The other inner organs

Telur ayam (chicken egg) dalam proses nak menjadi...

Some more unexplored land belakang umah mertua

Explored land belakang rumah mertua :)

Today warrants two entries, with this being the second :) Just came back from Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad. Went there to open a (wadiah) savings account so that I can have easy access to my Tabung Haji in case of any emergencies (and yes, insyaAllaah I only use the T Haji money for important matters). I think other than Bank Islam, Tabung Haji also has a partnership of the same sort with Bank Rakyat...

Anywayz...

After waiting more than 30-minutes, my turn finally arrived. The guy asked me for the forms I've previously filled in, my MyKad and my Tabung Haji savings book. Suddenly, his face was in awe. After looking at my identity card, he asked me "Encik bukak akaun sendiri ke?" -- I think he asked this twice! Me being a bit 'blank' about what was going on replied "A ha. Akaun sendiri...". Then his face was in awe again... where finally a hampeh reply came out of his mouth ... "Oh, saya ingat Encik bukak utk anak. Muka lain betui ek dengan IC?"....

I cry.... Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! Dah le dulu during a soccer friendly match the assistant referee labeled me a veteran. Now... a bank teller telling me that I am the father of my own self!!! (btw, it was a 2004 MyKad) photo). Maannn... I have aged so so ungracefully. The late nights, unhealthy food choices, cigarettes and God knows what other bad habits... have finally caught up with me... I am now old beyond my years. Uwaaaaaaaaaa!!! Tu pon dah cukur rambut tu, kalau tak... penuh ngan ubanz...

Tapi bagus jugak mamat bank teller tu cakap macam tu. At least I am getting another reminder and kick in the back-side to get back in shape and start 'living' life!... Ok ok... nanti lepas ni start becoming a healthy person balik. Bring back the glory days of 70-74 kilograms!!! (Almost) visible abs... and a stamina that would make a gazelle jealous. hehehehe... ok ok... Anyone wanna become my personal trainer? :D

2004 and 2010 

(Man... I can really be my own father!)

Weight loss is a very2 nice experience to undergo. But of course, it does not happen instantaneously... Lots of effort must be put in so that the weight melts off. Furthermore, we want the weight lost to be the right weight. That means, you don't want to lose muscle (daging) but instead, lose FAT (lemak of course)...

Anywayz... I would like to show you how I lost weight last night. It goes against all the things I said above. I lost it in less than 10-minutes... wait... less than 30-seconds! And the pictures below are testimonial to my claims!!! Impressive loss of chubby cheeks I'd say, aye?

[ALFIAN... before and after 'weightloss']

Hehehe... ok ok. I know la it's tipu. Just had to puff up my face, shrug my shoulders a bit, lift my neck fat using a bit of the neck muscles, and of course put on a smile that would make Bozo the clown 10-times handsomer.

But anyhow... in reality, this type "con" does happen. For instance, some before and after pics. seen in fitness magazines... can be totally FAKE!!! (the picture at this link is meant to be fake. It shows an example of how before and after pics can look oh so convincing, albeit being fake...)

Some of the pictures are taken on the very same day!!! Try watching BIGGER, STRONGER and FASTER. An expert photographer has even openly admitted this in the mentioned documentary/movie. And some of them even resort to photo editing software (e.g. Photoshop) to make the after shot slimmer. And yeous, the face plays a big role. The main idea is to look extremely depressed in your be4 shot, and give a moral-lifted and happy look in the after pic. Lighting or some professional editing will do the rest :D

Hehehe. Okes. That is all for today... Hope we don't get tertipu by some of those supplement and fat-loss pill pushers who actually use this kind of strategy... Assalaam aleykom!

InsyaAllaah, there will be another friendly football/soccer match tomorrow afternoon/evening :) It's gonna be the Ad-Hoc ANSARA team against I-dont-know-who :) Anywayz, I am just looking forward to a nice game. I as Mr. Veteran will go onto the field tomorrow after undergoing a Freddy Ljunberg makeover :D Hopefully, with this new look, the assistant ref will refer to me as a veteran with a sting. Hehehehe...Okes... wish us luck :D Assalaam aleykom! :D

 

Image edited from source

It's been quite a while since I last put on my soccer boots on. The last time was... man, I don't even remember. It figures though, since my boots were covered with cob-webs after spending most of its post-store-shelf life on my show rack... which must have been an agonizing experience for the poor pair of shoes :P Anywayz...

Got an email from a friend, informing there was a friendly match in town. Since I was back in Bangi, the match in Puchong was totally attend-able! Missed a few friendly soccer matches due to being away in Penang. So now dah in Bangi, kena mau main.

The game was taxing... for me that is. Being inactive for sooo long took its toll. My quadriceps hurt like hell during and AFTER the game, and I got 'pancet' faster than usual. But Alhamdulillaah, my cigarette slowdown of 1-cig per day (max 2 kalau tak terkawal :P) seems to be paying off! Even tho I got pancet, I still managed to play the match until the end... with recovery between 'pancet' sessions being satisfactory :D

My team, which was represented by ex-MRSM students, went up against an Indian team from I don't know where. We finally lost 5-1 (or was it 6-1?), but what do you expect from a group of overweight oldies.... :P hehehehe.

Ok. Which brings me to the topic... oldies :) After the game, as usual everyone shook hands and thanked each other for a good match. At the very end, the linesman (assistant referee) came up to me with a smiling face. Why was he smiling so widely? I was thinking that he wanted to praise me for playing well... but that was very2 unlikely since I played like a sack of sand with legs with skills comparable to a 4-year old :P Anywaz, he eventually reached me. He shook my hand and smiled.... which was a very2 polite thing to do... and then, he also showed great respect, which was very2 weird.... Did he think I was Mawi? Hahahaha!!! Laast sekali... he delivered his message... "Oh... bagus juga. Ada veteran..." ....

Uit? Tercengang dan Terkedu was my initial reaction... but quickly cover-line with a soft counter smile. I was labeled a VETERAN!!!?? Uwaaaaaaaaa!!! Man, I have grown so old I reckon. My gray hair must have been the obvious give away that I was.... 40? Body weight also didn't help as an 86 kilo guy will not like look youthful. Hehehehe.... Hmmm... A veteran... Anywayz... itu lah ceritanya. I am now a veteran. At 32.5 years old (still trying not to mention 33 :P), I am already a veteran. Lepas ni balik UPM, if wanna play football/soccer, I will join the veteran's team.... Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

Itu lah ceritanya :D heheheh. Selamaat.

* I realized some people arriving at this blog post while searching for the price for the Elken Bio Pure (Ken2) filter. We bought ours at RM2989.92 - RM124.58 X 24-months using easypayment (Maybank Credit Card)...

I was kind of (happily) surprised actually, because it took quite long for our external filter to finally change color to cekelat... And a good brown color it was too, after comparing with the new filter (please refer to Figure 1.0 - macam tulis tesis pulak, ada refer to figure figure ye dok?)

ELKEN ni pon pandai. They only sell the filters in a 3-set combo. There's now way you can buy only one as the standard set comes in three. You're supposed to change the filter every 3-months, so they say. Anywayz... the whole set costs RM30... so RM30 for 9-month's worth of filter kira OK la ye dok?

Okes. Anywayz... below are some pics... including figure 1.0 of course :D Selamaaat n tq for reading....

Assalaam aleykom WBT

figure 1.0 - Cekelat and White external ELKEN water filters

figure 1.1 - Far-view shot

figure 1.3 - They call these things rackets! Makes sense tho :)

figure 1.4 - Now, that's white :D

figure 1.5 - ELKEN water filter... bayar ansuran bulanan thru credit card EZPayment

[UPDATED 17th January 2010 - Still no answer from mypotein.co.uk. Maybe they need to contact the people in charge of the certifications. They did reply to my initial email and agreed to provide the certs for each of the products I queried about (which was almost ALL of their protein products). Anywayz, I guess we'll have to wait to see whether the halal protein powder, halal whey protein, halal protein shakes and in all, ALL the halal supplements are indeed halal :) But I reckon, insyaAllaah they are. Just need paperwork to make sure :D]

Assalaam aleykom :) Again, this is a post regarding a (possible) halal protein source. Was looking thru the Internet about how some people found my blog... apparently some people from some parts of the world found this blog by searching for "halal protein powder". Hope it's been of some help to all of you. InsyaAllaah I intend to add some more resources for the benefit of the people out there on the lookout for halal protein shakes/halal protein powder/halal whey protein or what ever else halal in the supplement world :D

Today, after playing around with FEEDJIT and also doing some searching of my own, I stumbled across a website called MyProtein (website http://www.myprotein.co.uk). It seems that they offer an array of halal products, including halal protein powder, halal egg white powder etc. They even label the products which are supposed to be halal with an orange (or is it dark yellow?) circle containing an 'H' in the middle.

(A snapshot from http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders/protein-powders/: V = veggetarian, H = Halal and K = Kosher)

At the moment though, I am still unsure whether the products are really halal or not. I've emailed them just now... just to make sure where they got the certification from. If indeed the awarding organization is ok, then Alhamdulillaah, another halal protein supplement seller is found :D But unfortunately, only for people in the United Kingdom lah (and also some other countries in Europe to which they deliver)...

So now let's just wait for their reply. Will update later insyaAllaah :D

[click on the image to view at Amazon.com]
(Previous post was also about the same issue...)

UPDATE (2011): ULTIMATE NUTRITION EXTENDS IFANCA HALAL CERT FOR ITS PRODUCTS

Assalaam aleykom WBT :) Just received the reply email from the representative at Ultimate Nutrition. The question was about whether or not the other flavours of their Prostar Whey Protein line (both the 100% Whey Protein and just the plain Whey Protein) were halal. I have to say that, the representative responded in lightning speed time :D Thank you very2 much for the excellent customer service (even tho I am not a customer, yet... :P)

The questions and answers were:

QUESTION-1:
It seems that in the certificate you gave me, it says that halal certification is only given for the Prostar 100% Whey Protein (both 2 and 5 pounds). I was wondering,... does this certification cover all the flavors? (e.g. choco, vanilla, natural etc.)...

ANSWER-1:
No, only the natural is covered at this time.

QUESTION-2:
Another question is regarding the product itself. It seems that in Malaysia... EGOnutrition is selling Prostar Whey Protein, and NOT Prostar 100% Whey Protein. Are these actually the same products? Because if so, then the halal certification should cover both.

ANSWER-2:
The Prostar Whey Protein is our old formula, and it was previously covered by Halal at the time of it’s production, we have since released the new Prostar 100% Whey Protein as a replacement. The old certificate is attached for the original formula.
(You can view the certificate for the old product below...)

Well... there you have it :D

Now at least we know from both Ultimate Nutrition and IFANCA that only the NATURAL-ly flavoured PROSTAR 100% WHEY PROTEIN and also the PROSTAR WHEY PROTEIN are halal protein for  consumption. Other flavours... as of now... I think we can consider to be doubtful... or to be safe... just simply haram :) I hereby declare (for myself lah... based on my research) that consumption of Halal Protein Powder... specifically Halal Whey Protein Powder is possible, Alhamdulillaah... with the presence of such products from Ultimate Nutrition :D

I found out that you can get the product on Amazon.com. Below is the link... just be sure to double check it's the NATURAL flavor and not the other flavors.

Anywayz... hope this information has benefitted everyone. Assalaam aleykom WBT :) Let us all work together to provide resources for halal protein/halal whey protein/halal protein supplements... insyaAllaah.

Took to the tracks this morning... and man, did I feel the effects of long-term inactivity. It's been too many months since my last workout... let it be cardio or weights! Man... I am really2 unfit.

The last time I checked the scales, I weighed in at 84-kilograms! This was of course after Eidul Fitri. Now I should be 0.5 to 1 kilo lighter... Or am I? Nonetheless... I am still unfit. And the aches and pains in my quadriceps (thighs) and lower-leg muscles (what are they called?... calves?) are clear proof that I have once more turned into a slob! ... sob, sob... :'(

Anyway... I don't wanna say that AGAIN... I will climb back on that horse. The horse has long gone... it has left me once and for all. All that's left are these legs. Not a four-legged mammal. But only these legs that Alhamdulillaah... Allaah has blessed me with :D

And it's these legs that must start feeling the pain again if I wanna go back to at least 75kg. Man... seems a very2 long way to go. 9-kilos from where I am right now.

.. Hmmm.... jauh gak tu!

And the aches that I am still feeling right now... hours after my jogging session (which lasted some 20-minutes but with only 4-laps of the 800-meter track completed)... are still apparent... which is making me dread the next running (or climbing, cycling or elliptical-machining) session... How can this be? How can this make me lose 9 kilo of grams!!!

Arghh!!! Man... the times we are in today (this is where I start blaming people who created machines...). The paradigm has really really shifted. I personally blame it on the industrial revolution. Hehehehehe... Humans used to work hard for a living. And I really2 do mean work hard. Physical labor... that was the way to go. Eat what you grow... and burn what

you eat at work. Results? Naturally occurring 6-pack abs... Furthermore, it was 'cleaner' and more 'honest' food back then. Nothing from a tin can with sprayed vitamins in it. Now... you can even get tuna-sambal-cili-api in a can... and also MILK that can last almost A YEAR!!! (what do they put in those cartons I wonder...) But nonetheless... that's the world we live in today. The winds of change has come... so I guess we must just glide to where the breeze takes us.... Or should we?

As for me-self... I must fight this pain. The pain from cardio due to long-term-inactivity I mean :) So that one day... it will just be a lactic-acid story of the past :D Hairul Azwar Hashim (http://www.trikidz.com.my/) ought to know what I'm talking about, for he faced a very similar problem once... but that was like 15-years ago when his tummy was bigger than his beard...

(this is Hairul Azwar btw... before and after pic :D notice the 'tembam-er' version on the left... and after metamorphosis on the right... way to go mamat!!! This mamat is one of my continuous inspirations and hope... that a healthy lifestyle is still very2 attainable... :D)

Anywayz... :D

I will hopefully still run. Pain pon pain lah. This pain will come again the next time... but with the pain must come perseverance... then lama lama... pain pun jadik la gain :D And that's the time when victory is at hand... for when pain dissipates... and slowly dissolves into the wind of change... the era will dawn. The era of... the TROXI KING!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

(dah sewel PhD agaknye tulisan aku ni. Tapi takpe... ok. Have a nice day everyone... and tq for reading...)

Assalaam aleykom WBT.

Two days back, I was wondering what to eat for iftar/break-fast/bukak posa/berbuka puasa :) Thinking punya thinking punya thinking... then I realized that the oven's rotisserie (golek) function udah agak lama tak digunakan. So... I thought... what da hey, let's cook some spinning chicken :) But, how to cook it? I didn't even have a bird at the time also...

Again, thinking punya thinking dan thinking lagi. Then I just decided to run up to TESCO (~25 mins drive, one way). Buy a chicken, and then just cook it rotisserie style. But still, I did not answer the question "HOW to cook the bird...". So before pushing off to Tesco, I surfed the net for a while to look for the simplest yet relatively delicious (by my subjective tongue that is) recipe. Stumbled upon http://bbq.about.com/od/chickenrecipes/r/bl50630a.htm. Hmmm... Garlic-Lemon Rotisserie Chicken. I could do that! Jotted down the recipe and drove off like the wind :)

If you tie it nicely, it should look something like this during the 'spin'. Of course mine is not as neat. I took this pic. from http://wendihiebert.com/2008/06/12/putting-a-spin-on-chicken/

Bought a few lemons (only needed half a lemon though), some onions (which I ended up not using cuz the recipe actually didn't call for it), tissue paper (again, not in the recipe), the chicken of course and a whole bunch of other stuff. I think U know what hypermarkets do to you... U end up buying more than you need :P

Anywayz... got back at around 6++pm. Dah dekat nak berbuka. But still tekad, cooked the chicken anywayz. Followed the recipe (accidentally missed the oil rubbing part...), prepared the dry rub and tarus, rotisseried that bird :) The recipe called for SWEET PAPRIKA... but aiyo, banyak expensive ooo paprika kat Malaysia. So, I just put in some chili powder plus some sugar. Closest I can get to sweet paprika I reckon. Hehehehe...

Okes... at 180-200 degree Celsius, at around 1.5 hours ++... Alhamdulillaah. The chicken was done. But at the same time, it was almost 8:30pm. Hehehehe. My wife n sister in law were also waitin' for the chicken... and alhamdulillaah, in the end it was worth the wait :) Ok jugak this recipe. And I beleive that if it were done by more experienced and more delicate hands (macam tangan perempuan which is lagik lembut dan penyabar), insyaAllaah lagik sedap :D

In all, I recommend this recipe to anyone yang nak buat rotisserie chicken... or even baked chicken. Hecks, the dry rub tasted like it had MSG in it! And I think that's a compliment to any chef-wannabe who doesn't use MSG! LOL!

Okes... That is all about chicken a.k.a. ayam. Tq for reading and happy cooking.

(there is an updated topic regarding Ultimate Nutrition's Halal Protein Powder... Please read it here)

Assalaam aleykom WBT :)

I was searching thru the Internet, as well as asking people at IFANCA regarding the Halal Whey Protein. From my searching, I think besides relying on IFANCA's halal certification, we can obtain the answers from the manufacturers of Whey Protein products... but of course, the 'right' sort of questions need to be asked :)

A few months back, I got into a bit of an argument of whether the GNC Pro Performance Whey Protein was a halal protein or not a halal protein supplement. Since they don't have halal certification for that particular product... I had to ask the manufacturer (GNC, USA). From them, I obtained this information:

• No animal rennet (or other animal based enzymes are used) during the Whey extraction process.
• The equipment used for the production of the GNC Pro Performance Whey Protein is the same equipment used to process other products that has animal derived ingredients. But, these equipments are thoroughly washed between processes.

Final Verdict? For me... since there's the equipment issue... to be safe, I treat it as haram. But again, if there is any other hukum (ruling) saying other wise, I'd appreciate the input and feedback :D Anyway... continuing my post....

Ever since my GNC Pro Performance Whey Protein case, I started to get a bit careful when even considering buying protein products, especially because the manufacturers are mostly (if not all) non-muslims. So, before even buying the product, the best thing to do is to ask :)And one thing might help also... get the Product Code before you ask the manufacturer, as manufacturers normally check based on product codes (for GNC at least).

Some useful questions that I could think of:

1) Is there any animal derived ingredients used to make the whey protein?

• Asking this way, might be more understood by the manufacturer. Because, for one thing... if you know some animal 'parts' were used... there is a high probability (maybe even 100% probability) that the animal ingredient is non halal. This is due to the fact that the manufacturer is normally non-muslim, so if any animal ingredients are used, they would surely not have followed the Islamic way of obtaining it (by first slaughtering and then deriving).
• But then again, there are some differences of opinions regarding this issue. I will not discuss it here because my knowledge in the field is almost non-existent! :D

2) What sort of enzyme, agent or catalyst is used during the extraction of whey from milk?

• As some may know, whey is the by product when making cheese (if my memory serves me correctly). But anyhow... in order to extract they whey from the milk (to make cheese), a catalyst is used. It can either be animal based (enzyme), or fungal based. If it's the latter, then Alhamdulillaah! But if it's the former... then most probably it would be haram, as, again, mostly non-muslims are doing this process. And I highly doubt that the animals are slaughtered properly before making use of these enzymes (I think they use something called RENNET... which is derived from the inner stomach lining of calves... You can check this further by surfing the net)
  

3) Is there any alcohol involved during the whole process?

• IFANCA has a guideline I think... regarding permissible amounts of alcohol in food. You can check at the IFANCA website at http://www.ifanca.org.
  
• But normally, I don't think any alcohol is involved to make Whey Protein. But I can't be sure about other products. It won't hurt to ask though :D

4) Since you (the manufacturer) say that the enzyme being used is not of animal origin, is the whey protein product being processed on the same equipment used to process other products that contain animal based ingredients?

• I relate this question with my GNC Pro Performance Whey Protein. At first, the manufacturer told me that they used fungal based enzymes... which made me happy! But after asking about the equipment... unfortunately they use the same equipments that they use to process other products (that has animal derived ingredients).
  
• Again I state my stand that since the same equipment was used... I consider it haram. Because I am afraid of some 'contamination'. This is my stand...

Well... these are some questions that I had to ask. And alhamdulillaah... the manufacturer answered. But of course, you need to give them the complete detail of the product at hand (in my case, the Product Code and Product name). You can get these info from the store... in my case GNC Live Well. :)

I hope this post (for those who have found it), can be of some help. InsyaAllaah, if we strive hard enough, and ask the right questions... we are able to avoid the haram products and supplements.

I have come to know about one protein powder... from ULTIMATE NUTRITION (refer to my previous post...). But again, I only see the halal certification for their NATURAL flavor. They have other flavors such as chocolate, vanilla... and... others I guess. Maybe some more research needs to be done :)

Anyway... hope this has post been of use.

Jazzakallaah Khair.

Assalaam aleykom WBT.

Since my last post about Ultimate Nutrition's Halal Protein Powder, I've been receiving queries from friends asking me what the powder is for? Today insyaAllaah, I will try to answer that question based on my limited knowledge and some experience :) But here and again, I would like to advise Muslims, if you would like to use protein powders, make sure there's a halal certification stating that it is indeed a halal protein supplement... And don't take the word of any sales representative... as they are only working at their respective stores. They have a sales quota to fill, and some just might not be ethical enough to tell customers the whole truth (but a great many just don't know :P)

Ok... here are 2-reasons why people might wanna use protein powders :)

(there might be other reasons as well...)

1. As a (inferior) substitute for natural food

If any of you realize, on the containers or boxes of such products (e.g. Protein Powder, Glutamine, Meal Replacements etc.), there will most definitely be the word 'SUPPLEMENT'. Well, that's exactly what protein powders are for :) Supplementation! But, I'd like to view it more as a substitute... hence changing the term to 'SUBSTITUTION' :D

Why I say this? Well, because mainly that's what the powder is ultimately for. As a (natural) food substitute :) Instead of gobbling down a grilled chicken breast, U drink  a protein shake :) Instead of having an omelet, you make your own protein drink!

(of course, substituting the same amounts of protein grams per serving).

So, what's all the hype about athletes, bodybuilders and fitness experts promoting protein powders (among other products)? In reality, there're actually no 'magical' attributes attached to the powder. Seriously. Even though manufacturers will say that their protein powder produces better (OR BEST!) results in terms of muscle growth, or even nutrient absorption... all of this is more hype than truth! If there was even something 'special' about these powders... they are actually more inferior to natural protein sources (e.g. chicken/turkey breasts, fish, meat, soy etc.). This is due to the fact that protein powders are a processed type of food, and most of the time, artificial flavours are added (e.g. Splenda, for sweetness). Even the ones claiming NATURAL flavours can be a bit misleading, as the 'natural-ness' of those flavours themselves are actually artificial during the making! :P

If you get protein from natural sources like egg-whites, chicken breasts etc... then u're (almost) sure of getting the best deal, insyaAllaah!

(I say almost, because nowadays, so many animals get antibiotic injections, and other stuff put into their systems before ending up 'fit' for the slaughter house)

2. Convenience

This is the main reason (I think la...) why many people prefer protein powder. How is it convenient? Ok... let me explain some more, in the context of a beginner, amature or even pro bodybuilder... or even an athlete for that matter :)

Ideally, even for us normal people... it would be best to eat 5-6 meals per day. Of course, not using the normal portion we take eating out lah! Kalau camtu, jadik Obisiti Nurhaliza la!!! This is how these people eat... 5-6 complete meals per day :D

Anyway, a bodybuilder la kata kan... eats 5-6 and even up to 8 meals per day! And in every meal, normally there needs to be a balance between carbohydrates and protein. Carb you can get from pasta, potatoes, bread etc. Protein you can get from (like I mentioned) poultry, meat, egg whites (or egg substitutes like egg beaters... tapi xde kat Mesia!!!) and even diary products like skim milk or low fat cheese.

But for someone to cook 5-8 meals per day... that is a gargantuan task ye dok? I personally tried doing so during my fitter days (:P)... but as a lazy bachelor (at the time), I had to look for an alternative protein source (cuz its the protein that you normally have to cook). One that is more convenient and not on the dairy list, as I am lactose intolerant. So, I decided to go for a protein supplement :) Jadi, instead of cooking my other 2-3 meals (I did not use protein powder in all my meals la... muntuoh nanti :P), I just had a protein shake or protein based smoothie :) Tu dia... senang!

So, as you can see... convenience :D

In conclusion... these are among the main reasons why protein powders are consumed :) It's not because they have super magical powers. Some companies and individuals claim that these powders can be a catalyst for weight loss! Others claim the higher absorption rate allows for faster muscle repair and faster muscle growth. Whoaa... I mean... these claims are more to drug effects than magical food properties :P You can get these effects from consuming (or injecting to put it more accurately) anabolic steroids! But from protein powders... Hmmmmm.... Don't think so. Even if you train like KING KAMALI or MARCUS RHUL, protein powders alone will not be of any great help!

Anywayz... hope this has been of some valuable info for everyone :D Plz do comment if you have any. Selamaat :D

(there is an updated topic regarding Ultimate Nutrition's Halal Protein Powder... Please read it here)

ANOTHER UPDATE (2011): ULTIMATE NUTRITION EXTENDS IFANCA HALAL CERT FOR ITS PRODUCTS

Assalaam aleykom WBT. In one of my previous posts, I blogged about my row with GNC Malaysia regarding the halal status of their GNC brand Whey Protein powder. Back then, I was told that the GNC Whey Protein powder was halal by the sales person, when in actual fact, the IFANCA halal certification that GNC has (they do have halal cert btw) did not cover that particular product. So, in short, there is no sure say that GNC has any halal Whey Protein Powder under their own brand name. To be safe for dunya and akhirat, just assume GNC has no halal whey protein or even any halal whey protein supplments for Muslims. This only relates to the GNC brands that is.

But a few days back, I was chatting with one of my friends. She was asking me about protein powders... and about which brands are halal protein powders. As for myself, I was sure that Herbalife had some halal powders, but due to Herbalife being a Network (multi-level) Marketing company, I reckon their prices would be a wee bit expensive than the others (I think la... if any Herbalife reps terbaca this post, please do correct me... cuz kalau betul murah than competition, then I oso want to buy :D).

But other than Herbalife, I was not sure... ada ke tak yg halal. My fren had a tip however, that there was another brand... Ultimate Nutrition. They have a line of Protein Powders that has halal certification! Walaweh! Kok ada halal cert! after checking, I found out that it was true... because it was stated on the IFANCA website also! (http://www.ifanca.org). The product's name - PROSTAR WHEY PROTEIN NATURAL *the flavor is natural that is... (View the halal certification my other post).

This is good news, as I think many Mulsims out there are looking for halal alternatives. So, for those of you looking for halal protein powders or a halal protein supplement, either for supplementary purposes, or as a more convenient way to get your protein intake (for pre or post workout meals for example), then I think, Prostar Whey Protein is the answer. The website however only states that the NATURAL flavor has halal certification. There are also other flavors e.g. Vanilla and Chocolate. But sepatutnya lah... these should be halal also (I think... don't take my word for it. You might wanna email ultimate nutrition.... DONT EMAIL the distributors. Get it straight from the horse's mouth! :P).

Okes. In case anyone else has info on other halal protein supplements... please do tell me... as this info can be shared for the benefit of the Muslim (or even Kosher) community :D

Selamaaat :D

click image to view @ Amazon.com

click image to @ Amazon.com

It's been 2-fitness programs, and 3 main fitness books since 2001. I was 84kg when I started with Body For Life (http://www.bodyforlife.com). Managed to get down to 74 in two months ++. But succumbed to various 'worldy' temptations... shot back up nearly 80kilos...

Then a few years after that, followed MuscleNow. Alhamdulillaah. Best program ever. Wen't from 80's to 68! This was 2003-2004. The program had a good balance of cardio (aerobics) and weights (an-aerobic) excercises/workouts. But the problem was, again, in the 'programee'. After 2-months... decided to reward himself, and went back up to 70's. Unfortunately... never went off the reward binge :P Never resarted the program... for at least 2-3- months. Aiyaa... tak boleh jadi. Musti instil some discipline into my mind.

Went back on MuscleNow. Managed to get into an almost lean physique... constantly at 73-74 kilograms. Was in the best shape of my life! Eating 5-6 square meals per day. Doing cardio on the treadmill, stationary bike and also morning jogs were routines. Lifted weights 3-5 times per week as course prescribed.

BUT!

Again... fell off the horse and this time... third time 'un'-lucky. When you keep falling off, it gets harder and harder to climb back up. I think it's because you know the level of work that needs to be put in in order to succeed.

Like to maintain a good physique... it's not just to eat well (never use the term DIET by the way), and also not just to excercise correctly... Yes, these two things are of utmost importance! But with the absence of discipline, and the understanding that it's a lifestyle change (instead of a programme), success will be just a thing of the past (whcih now when I look back, seemed like I never obtained it :'( ...).

So something needs to be done... again. But this time, the mentality has to evolve. Paradigm shift? Mind over matter? :P

Back to the title of the post... Walking and jogging. Dulu2, saya berjoggin sakan. Buat style interval training. 20-minit lari atas treadmill atau balapan.

(Ulang... sampai lah abis 20-menet)

1. Minute-1: Slow pace... relax

2. Minute-2: Up a bit, but still without panting too hard

3. Minute-3: Up one more gear... kasik push sikit. Run faster sang troxion...

4. Minute-4: 60% power...

5. Minute-5: 75-90% power... tapi slalu dalam area 75-85 la :) (Macam pernah ukur je :P)

Awal-awal, memang besh. But, I think the main problem... when I restart my fitness regimes (each time)... I will bantai myself to a pulp. Push maut2 sampai tercungap2. In the end... tak look forward to another cardio session (lari2 tu cardio la tu...).

Same as weight. Tarus nak take each set to failure... Did not try to enjoy the thing first. End up, malas nak buat lagi next time.

Final result... jatuh dari kuda... lagi dan lagi dan lagi.

But I have not lost hope yet. The fitness horse is still there. Waiting for me to make the 'healthy' decision to change my lifestyle :) Insya-Allaah... after panjat-ing Bukit Jambul with my fren Azrul, motivasi tu dah mai balik. Alhamdulillaah, yesterday oso, I did some cardio in the wee hours of the morning. But... did not do intervals. I decided to take it slow. No minute-by-minute effort-percentage increase. This time... I started with a walk. Then walked faster... at one point, chose to jog slowly. Dalam hati memang ada perasaan suruh laju....

"Laju sikit la wehhh.... kena potong ngan mak cik pak cik tuuu... ish..."

(which happenned... ada pak cik sorang tu dok jogging laju gilos kat balapan USM semalam)

But I think I've learn my lesson la. Slow slow. Like my triathlete fren Hairul Azwar Hashim kata... lari tu biar seronok. Aku sekarang tengah nak lajar kasik seronok la ni mamamammat! :P heheheh.

Orait... Harap2 kali ni tak la macam dolu2. InsyaAllaah, I want to do it again... to be fit again. Not to be this 81-84kg (my current standing :P) of flab. Kena kasik tukar (Bak kata India dalam Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu... "Sudah tukar kaaaa?").

Orait... :D insyaAllaah. Assalaam aleykom WBT :D

Another way to lose those extra pounds is of course, to climb the nearest hill in your area. Even though already living in Penang for two years, I never really explored the place. My life basically revolves around USM, Tesco, The Penang Bridge, and Nibong Tebal (and also the occasional Queensbay Mall and Sunway Carnival Mall visits avec mon famille). So when I was asked to follow a friend climb a hill nearby... I was very2 'ON' for it :)

Was introduced to this hill by our friendly neighborhood Anak Jantan Melaka :D Hehehehe. Mr Azrul invited me to climb up Bukit Jambul. I knew there was a shopping complex named like that... but neven thought there was actually a hill by that name that you could climb... Since this was gonna be my first... hill climb... I was ecstatic! :D Furthermore, Azrul kata ada anak2 tangga. What better way to scale a mountain than to use a stair case! Hehehehe... And get a good cardio workout while you're at it :) Was this gonna be like Batu Caves? (x pernah naik Batu Caves lagi btw)

Anywayz, I knew the climb was gonna make me pant. But clearly, I underestimated the whole thing. I tot it was gonna be fast and simple. But the jungle-track like path proved to be a surprise for me. The steps were nothing liek Batu Caves. They were interleaved with stones and gravel... The slopes were STEEP and unforgiving... I wasn't only getting one hell of a cardio session... my quadriceps (front muscles of the legs) were also SCREAMING for rest! Aiya, never knew it was gonna be this intense! 

But I stood the course. I wasn't gonna flop on my first try. So I kept at it, with Azrul being my jungle guide :) The both of us stopped a few times (for a few seconds) along the way. Just enough time to breath in some fresh oxygen to regenerate our cigarette-smoke laden lungs :P Man, this is more than what I signed up for... but I'm not complaining though. It's more of a joyful surprise :D I was actually loving doing aerobics exercise... hehehe. Selalu jogging or stationary bike. But this was way better... plus, got a bit extra with a little bit of muscle training involved. Cuz those steps really2 isolate the quads...

Cutting things short... Finally reached the top. There was a mini-gym up there, with some basic amenities such as a  water cooler, a toilet (I think) and some of those yellow-red metal exercise machines. The view... wallaweh... Marvelous! So nice one. Can see houses, Queensbay Mall, the sea and also the Penang Bridge. Wish I had a DSLR with me. hehehehe. 

Annywayz, overall memang puas. Satisfied abish naik Bukit Jambul. I will be looking forward to another cardio climb. And next time, insyaAllaah I will be ready. Kot2 buleh ikut style Cik Fazot kita, yg naik turun bukit tu sampai 3 kali! Sriouuusss... Syabbash Fazot :D hehehe.

okes.. Layan gambau :D   (pics in no particular order)

 

Azrul trekking far in front

Oh... tangga lagi... where is the peak? Nak cacak bendera ni...

Main entrance... looks nice...

Rubber Tapper wuz ere...

Big and steep steps start with this set of very2 small ones

Sun set overlooking Penang Bridge..

Yellow-Red Metal Excercise Machines

Alpyan Troxion taking a breather

Going down... bahaya jugak. Have to really2 take care of where you step

Dua lembaga di dalam hutan...

Houses, far off hills etc.