Life is on the scale and your body is capable of so much more. Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to Singapore’s inspiring men and women living a healthy and active lifestyle. Anyone have a recommendation?strike Cheryl over it Instagram again Facebook!
name: Megan Te (@with.Meghan)
Year: 38
height: 1.65 meters
weight: 55kg
Profession: Fitness instructor and fitness studio co-owner
Status: marriage
food: I don’t follow any particular strict diet, but I prefer to stick to whole foods rather than processed or alternative foods when it comes to nutrition. Serving size and choice are important as they preserve energy and aid muscle recovery. I usually avoid noodles, greasy foods and fast food, but I do eat them occasionally. I also love bread, pastries and rice! Eat in moderation, of course.
Although my work schedule does not include fixed lunch and dinner breaks, I try to adjust my meals and snacks to fit my schedule to avoid eating large, heavy meals near bedtime or staying hungry for long periods of time. I will do my best to do so. period. That’s why breakfast is so important to me. Coffee and eggs, toast, or a peanut butter sandwich is a must.
exercise: Weekly exercise is a must for me. I have a good mix of cardio, strength and stretching to get him working out at least 4 times a week. Jazzercise (dance cardio), Pilates and aerial fitness. I also make time to hit the gym when I travel, or sneak in a quick 30-minute workout. In my weekly exercise routine, fitness has to be sustainable, so some days I train harder and other days I relax for recovery.
Q: Were you active in sports when you were young?
A: I can’t say I was very active in sports when I was younger. If possible, I always find a reason to run away from sports festivals and school sports activities. Haha! Exercise was not in my routine at the time. I think I just did it because my friend was probably doing it. But at least I tried something.
I did gymnastics for a few years when I was younger, sometimes went hiking or played badminton with my dad when I was a teenager, and did a little run during college.
What have you been obsessed with over the years?
After my ankle surgery, I was really scared of getting hurt again, so I stopped exercising. Even when I exercised, it wasn’t something I used to do on a daily basis. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I started exercising regularly. My initial motivation was to lose weight, but I felt the health benefits first before losing weight. The change in my body was amazing.
I feel much lighter, feel less tired, have a better immune system and sleep better at night. I loved hardcore cardio and strength training. If there is no pain, there is no gain, right? But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to listen to my body and maintain my exercise routine. I learned to balance intense cardio training with a little more strengthening, stretching and recovery to minimize the risk of injury. Now health and fitness is like a lifestyle for me.
When did you start jazzercise?
Since becoming a mother, I have struggled with weight loss. I was always getting a size up and my weight was putting a lot of strain on my ankles. Then her husband introduced her to Jazzercise, a program that offers both cardio and strength training in one class. I’ve always wanted to dance, so I gave it a try, but of course the first class wasn’t easy. For an entire hour I looked around and wondered if they were human.
Even though I struggled in class, the Jazzercise community was very supportive and motivating. They encouraged me to keep going, and after a few weeks or months of doing this routine, I started to get used to the movements and it didn’t make me feel better. The playlist was great, the community was friendly, and the workouts were a lot of fun. That’s when I decided to continue with the program and losing weight was no longer the goal.
What is Jazzercise?
Jazzercise is a dance fitness program founded in 1969 by Chicago dance teacher Judy Shepherd Missett. At Jazzercise, he combines dance his cardio and strength training in a 55-minute class choreographed to today’s hit music. All routines are designed with both athletic and non-athletic bodies in mind and you don’t need to have dance experience to enjoy the class.
Jazzercise is perfect for those who like to listen to music while working out. The program offers classes ranging from dance cardio to his HIIT, strength training and even kickboxing, with high and low intensity options. Jazzercise includes aerobic exercise, coordination and strength, so sticking with the program can help improve cardiovascular health, give you a stronger body and a sharper mind.
Fun fact: we don’t wear leotards in class, we don’t do jazz dancing or jazz exercises.
When did you decide to start teaching Jazzercise?
After 6 months of Jazzercise, I started to see how the exercise was changing my body and my ankle problems were starting to subside. My ankle is much stronger and more stable. So I decided to immerse myself further in the field of fitness to learn and better understand how the body and muscles work.
When I heard that Jazzercise Inc’s Fitpro was coming to train us in person, I took the opportunity to get certified as an instructor. All of this quickly turned into my passion to help encourage, motivate, keep active, and keep other people healthy. I started teaching Jazzercise at a long-established Jazzercise studio in Selangor, Malaysia, and at that time it was not difficult to get people to try Jazzercise.
Did you face any challenges with Jazzercise when you moved to Singapore?
When it comes to trying something new in a new location and when it comes to fitness programs, Singapore has plenty of options. However, I am very grateful to a few friends and the Jazzercise community from Malaysia, Indonesia and the United States who helped me start this program in Singapore.
Establishing Jazzercise in Singapore was not an easy journey. We went from studio to studio to spread the program, but of course it wasn’t until we moved the class to Core Collective Anson that we saw real growth. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty and certainly has been difficult for many businesses, but I am happy that Jazzercise is still here. We are now at Refinery Fitness Singapore.
Did you experience an event in your youth that made you feel insecure?
Yes, I was fat and embarrassed. When I was a teenager, I hated being teased at school for my appearance and being fat. I felt left out. It was not fun going through this at a very vulnerable age. It was emotionally and mentally very damaging.
But I was very lucky that it didn’t last long. Loving and supportive family and friends quickly stepped in to help me combat these hurtful words and regain my confidence. I still remember the hateful words vividly in my head, but the adversity made me accept and love myself more and became a stronger person.
When did you feel the least confident in yourself?
It can be difficult to build confidence when you grow up in an environment where people tell you that you’re not good enough. I struggled with everything related to public speaking and performance. When I first became a Jazzercise instructor, it wasn’t easy for me. It’s like putting on a solo dance performance in almost every class and I’m there to lead a group of fit people (probably stronger, more experienced, better) than me)! It was nerve-wracking. As a newcomer, I was intimidated, and the “what if[possible mistakes can happen]?” raced through my mind.
After a few classes, I told myself I couldn’t run the class this way. If you want to help people get better, you have to trust yourself first. Before you can trust your clients, you have to be confident in yourself. So instead of thinking “what ifs,” I started saying positive things to myself and telling myself, “I can do anything.” Slowly but surely it will happen. And indeed, as I continued to teach, I was able to gradually build my confidence by first believing in myself.
Of course, there will be some hiccups along the way, but it’s important to be mentally strong in order to bounce back with confidence and stay positive. To keep moving forward, you have to keep moving.
Have you ever struggled with your body?
After the ankle surgery, it seems that there was a problem with the pain in the ankle. I wish someone had told me sooner that exercise could make your ankles stronger!
Before I started exercising, I always had the idea of eating less to lose weight and lessening the strain on my ankles, but after giving birth, that struggle became even worse. My weight wasn’t the only concern.
When my child was nearly two, I was also doing my best to look non-pregnant and at least wear old jeans. At the time, I was traveling with my kids all the time, so I didn’t have the discipline to prioritize time to exercise, so I was exhausted most of the time. It was hard! Yes, not all moms recover quickly after giving birth.
Are you happy with your body now?
It’s my body and I only have one. My body size may not be consistent all year round, but I am definitely much better, stronger, and healthier than before. You may be happy with your body now, but that doesn’t mean you should stop setting goals. There is always room for improvement. For me now is flexibility and strength. It’s always fun to challenge your body once in a while.
Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle and making an effort to exercise every week doesn’t come naturally, but the rewards are great. Not only has it helped me maintain and shape my body, but it has also helped me with my ankle problems.
Have you ever received any comments about your body?
When I was a teenager, I used to call them “muffin tins.” My comments have changed as I have grown older. After choosing to continue with an active lifestyle, the comments I receive are either ‘I have abs’ or ‘Looks healthy’.
But no matter what others say about your body, I think it’s important to love, respect, and accept your own body first. With that in mind, it will be easier for you to work toward your fitness goals.
