Ramon Hoo lighter, healthier, happier after 60-pound loss

When sickness, blurred vision and bouts of headache entered the room, Ramon Hoo decided that it was time to treat these symptoms of pre-hypertension from the inside out. His holistic commitment saw the chef losing 60 pounds, transforming into a lighter, healthier and happier version of himself.

“What really inspired me to start this journey was probably the will to live and get healthier for my son and myself,” he told Lifestyle. So he went in full force, cleaning up his eating habit and making exercise an integral part of his daily routine. Rising from as early as 5 or 5:30 a.m., Hoo gets in a solid workout in the morning at least six days per week.

According to the fitness fanatic, morning has proven to be a better time to work out because he is revved up and fuelled to conquer the day. And since embarking on this journey, Hoo has worked out on his own, enrolled in a gym, and done variations: ‘Have to keep the muscles guessing’ is his newfound mantra.

“Cardio is a must. I usually jog for about 20 minutes and do a routine of high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises. If I’m in the town that my home gym is in, then I’ll do 30 minutes cardio, typically treadmill, elliptical, followed by HIIT. And then I engage in some muscle-focused exercises. Skipping is always incorporated; it’s a great stress reliever. Exercise usually lasts from 40 minutes to an hour and a half,” he revealed.

Once that mission is over, it’s off to work or day-to-day activities. A firm believer of intermittent fasting, he doesn’t eat until 1 p.m. daily. And from there, it’s all about meal preparation. The practice, he says, is key to maintaining a good diet in your life, so he has cut back on refined starches, fried foods and fast food. His meals these days consist of protein – chicken breast, fish, tuna, salmon and any assortment of vegetables. He also consumes soups, fruits, vegetable dips like hummus and veggie sticks for snacking.

What’s a vision without hurdles to jump along the way? The culinary expert confessed that keeping his food intake in check has been the biggest obstacle in his wellness race. Noting that cravings are difficult to shake, he does allow himself cheat days without going overboard. “If I feel like eating a burger, then I’ll just have the burger patty, no bun,” he said, adding that when it comes to exercise, “Sometimes, my biggest obstacle is the playlist I’m working out too.”

Starting out at 270 pounds. He is currently weighing in at 210. He hopes to drop even further to 180 and make a clean bulk back to 210.

“My body actually feels sluggish when I don’t work out for a day or over a period of time. Weight loss has made me feel more confident mentally, physically and emotionally. People often talk about physical appearance when it comes to weight loss and not focus on the mental aspect. I’m happier than before, doing more, appreciating more and focusing more,” Hoo pointed out. His goal is to have shirtless pictures by June.

The journey to greater you is never easy. But it is certainly worth it. He advice to persons struggling with weight is to just start the healthy process. “Highlight what your affliction is and work to overcome them. If you love eating boiled dumplings, and used to eat three, cut it down to two, then one, then half, then none. This will help satisfy your craving without sending your body into shock.”

He also strongly recommends that you work out with friends, since they can give you that extra push when you think you can’t go further. It helps to invest in good music and a tracker, but it is most important to “...hold yourself accountable and know if you’re gonna drink or eat out of the diet, then you’ll need to work harder to burn off what your relapse was. Most of all, have fun. Don’t watch nuh face or what people say. You’re doing this for you and those butt-naked pics, or whatever other personal reasons you have underlying,” he added.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com