Life goes beyond the numbers on the scale and your body is capable of so much more! Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is full of inspiration from Singapore leading a healthy and active lifestyle. Dedicated to men and women. Anyone have a recommendation?strike over it again !
Year: 31
height: 1.53m
weight: 46.5kg
Profession: Communication manager
Status: single
food: Like many others, my relationship with food has come a long way. We enjoy good food and drinks from time to time. To improve my running performance, I try to eat less carbs and focus on protein and vegetables.
When I was younger, I thought eating less was the way forward, but now I exercise a lot and realize that being able to maintain a lifestyle while getting the nutrition I need is the most important thing. Starving yourself or indulging yourself in certain types of food can backfire and lead to binge eating.
However, if there’s one thing I find that helps me stay fit, it’s choosing vices and avoiding sugary drinks and snacks. Except for the much-needed coffee, I rarely drink bubble tea.
exercise: I work out about 4-5 times a week, and most of it consists of running, especially when training for an upcoming race. As an avid runner, I run with various running groups such as The High Panters, Superhero Runners, Adidas Runners, Running Department and Happy Pace Club. When I’m not running, I do HIIT, spins, yoga, boxing, and work on other muscle groups at the gym. I am always trying new activities.
Were you active in sports when you were young?
Funny thing is, when I was younger I wasn’t the type to play sports. Many of my friends are pretty surprised that I’m running so much now. As I’ve gotten older, I think my mindset has changed when I was younger when gym classes “forced” me to exercise.
No teacher forces you to complete a workout. Everything comes from within. The overall experience and satisfaction of being determined and consistent enough to start and end a workout on my own terms drove me crazy and said, ‘Hey, this is something I actually enjoy. That’s it!” I thought.
How did you start running?
When I went through a bad breakup in 2018, I was running 2-3 times a week most of the time as a way to organize my thoughts and get some “me time”. , started attending group classes such as spins, boxing, HIIT and yoga. Exploring new activities as a large group was addictive and fun.
However, as I worked out more and more, I found that when I was running on my own, I wasn’t improving as much as I would have liked, or I wasn’t motivated enough to do longer runs (mostly 5km). I noticed that. A friend runs long with me.
So when a friend from a HIIT class invited me to join a running group, I believed and jumped in, joined my first group run and never looked back. As I learned from one running club to another, I realized the beauty of the running community and how everyone motivates and encourages each other. It felt like we were able to speak a common language.
As part of this running community, we know how important it is to be surrounded by like-minded people who share the same passion and provide positive motivation and encouragement to each other. I am truly grateful for the many wonderful friendships I have made through running. 🤍
Running is more than just exercise, it’s become a form of self-care and lifestyle.
Did you get hurt badly?
It was the beginning of the COVID-19 period in 2020 and I was purchasing a takeaway dinner (drinking in was not allowed at the time). At that moment, while trying to stop the fall, I fractured my fifth metatarsal (the left side of my foot). It shows that injuries can literally happen anywhere, anytime.
Tell me more about the recovery process.
As an active person, when I went for my check-up, the first thing I asked my doctor was when I would be able to run again. I was on crutches for at least 2-3 months, didn’t even think about running, and when he told me it would take a long recovery process (perhaps a year for him to fully recover), I walked out of the doctor’s hospital. I remember crying when office.
After the cast was removed, the muscles in my left calf were atrophied due to a long period of inactivity, so my left calf was completely different from a normal leg. It was heartbreaking to see my feet.
Walking with crutches, not being able to walk to the kitchen to get my own drink, and learning how to walk again was a very helpless and humbling experience.
What did you learn from this?
Broken my leg was one of the key milestone experiences in my life and taught me to value simple things like being able to walk and run. I promised myself that when I recovered, I would finish the half marathon and start running again. Since then, he has completed his two half marathons, the 2021 Great Eastern Women’s Run and his 2022 Standard his Chartered Singapore his marathon.
When were you the least confident in yourself?
2018 was a tough time for me, so I think it was just before I started exercising more often. I was procrastinating until I felt like I was done. Then I realized that it was a very harmful mindset and that if you were always ‘ready’ or waiting for someone to accompany you to exercise, you would never get started.
After running and working out, I discovered a fitness routine that worked for me, focusing not just on aesthetics, but on how my body feels after a workout.
Have you ever fought with your body?
So far, I think we are still in the process of developing. Some days I feel confident in my body, other days I wish I had a leaner body. However, I am careful not to let myself fall into the social stigma of a particular body type, and I love my body as it is.
Are you happy with your body now?
Now I am really happy with my body and am amazed at how much I can do for myself (eg 21km run). I consider myself very proud of my body now. All the wounds and broken bones I overcame and that’s what got me to where I am today.
Have you ever received any comments about your body?
I think it’s common to receive comments and feedback, especially from women, especially since social media is used so heavily and the first thing people see is their appearance.
As a petite girl, I often received comments about my height and “I’m not like other girls.” It made me question and compare my body type to others, but as I got older, I learned to admire my body’s petite perks and unique identity.
If you could change something about yourself, would you do it?
I don’t think I’m going to change anything because I always think of it as a journey, but it’s about staying consistent and balanced and continuing to grow into the best version of yourself in all areas of your life, including your fitness goals. I am hoping for
