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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Monday, January 10, 2005

FITNESS PROFILE
He kicked bad eating habit, now focuses on exercise

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

You might think a heavy-metal bass guitar player would be a hard-living rocker who parties all night and sleeps all day. That couldn't be farther from the truth for Bryce Goo (kicking, at right) of Palolo. Goo plays bass guitar for Stigmata, a Honolulu rock/heavy-metal band — next gig, 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Jan. 12 at Bedrock Café — but fitness and health are his priorities.

Bryce Goo gets aerial with Luke Kanehire. Being a rocker doesn't necessarily mean being a slacker.

Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

In addition to being a musician, he is a student at Kapi'olani Community College and a waiter at a Fort Shafter restaurant. And he recently earned a second-degree black belt in tae kwon do and a first-degree black belt in hapkido.

In spite of a busy schedule, Goo has managed to lose 30 pounds by altering his diet to include more veggies and fewer meats and carbs.

Name: Bryce Goo.

Age: 21

Profession: Student/musician/waiter/martial artist

Height: 5-feet-10

Weight: 190 pounds (target weight: 180 pounds)

Workout habits: Martial arts and weight-lifting

When and why I started working out: "I was 13 when I started lifting weights. ... I wanted to get stronger for when I played basketball. As the years went by I stopped playing basketball and just enjoyed lifting weights for my health and as a hobby. When I reached the age of 16, I met my friend and now martial-arts instructor Roy Kwon. I found out that he did martial arts, and I wanted to learn from him."

My good foods/bad foods: "I love my meats, so I try to balance myself with chicken breasts and lean meats with little fat. I also try to snack on fruits instead of candy and other junk foods. The hardest thing for me ... is to stay away from the fast foods because it's so easy to drive up to a McDonald's and order a Big Mac ... to fill me up."

My biggest motivator: "I am a very competitive person ... especially with myself. I always look in the mirror and say, 'Man I gotta work out harder tomorrow.' That usually keeps me straight."

My biggest roadblock to fitness: "A lot of times I give myself too much credit and say, 'I worked out hard today; I think I'll treat myself to some junk food.' "

What saves my sanity: "The people I hang out with are healthy people, so it's easier to stay healthy because they aren't always eating things like pizza and other bad foods in front of me and tempting me."

My next challenge: "Drop another 10 pounds and keep it off."

Advice for those in the same boat: "Cut back just a little on the meat and rice and add a little more veggies, and let's not forget about getting in some exercise that you ENJOY. That is the most important thing."