Life is more than the scale, and your body is capable of so much more. Yahoo's #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspiring men and women in Singapore who live healthy and active lifestyles. Is there anyone you can recommend?strike Cheryl On top of that Instagram or Facebook!
name: To Shirin (@fortyceilings)
Year: twenty four
height: 1.61m
weight: 50kg
Profession: senior spin instructor
situation: attached
food: Two meals a day – a heavy breakfast and a light dinner. I don't follow any diets or food restrictions, so I eat everything in moderation.
exercise: I teach about 10-16 spin classes a week. In his free time, he enjoys dancing and cross-training, including BFT (Body Fit Training), Pilates, and Bally's.
Q: You have a background in dance.
A: Yes, I grew up as a dancer and started dancing at the age of 5, receiving professional training in Latin ballroom dancing and then transitioning to street styles such as street jazz and hip-hop. But other than dancing, I didn't exercise at all, and I usually ate more than I could consume.
By the time I graduated from junior high school, I still didn't have the strength. In the NAPFA test it took him 18 minutes to complete 2.4km. Because you walk the entire route and don't run at all.
I only got into fitness when my mom signed me up for personal training at a gym as a present for my 16th birthday. But at the time, I didn't see fitness as a lifestyle, I just did it to lose weight. I started seriously enjoying sports after I met a friend who started doing taekwondo as his CCA in junior college and worked out regularly.
What have you become more passionate about as you get older?
As I got older and started working part-time to earn some extra money, I started using GuavaPass (formerly ClassPass) to try out boutique fitness classes everywhere. I tried bouldering, calisthenics, boxing, spin, yoga, and meditation, but I always gravitated towards spin.
You're really into spinning.
My friend was a regular at one of the few spin studios in Singapore back in 2016 or 2017. At the time, the rotating scene was a very small and new concept, so I went into it with no expectations at all.
I enjoyed it more than I expected because it reminded me of dancing. I realized that spinning is like dancing on a bicycle. The loud, lively music coupled with the guidance of a very motivated instructor made it feel like a really healthy club session. I felt a sense of euphoria every time I took a class, and that's when I realized I was hooked.
When did you decide to become a spin instructor?
I became a spin instructor at Absolute Boutique Fitness Studio in 2018. I initially worked there as a front desk staff member and wanted to be as close to my passions and hobbies as possible with easy access to workouts before and after my shift. Shortly after I joined the company, there was an audition for instructors, so I didn't know if I was a good fit, but I wanted to try it right away.
Since my training period begins at the same time as my first semester at university, I was faced with the dilemma of not being able to manage both at the same time. I knew that if I wanted to become a spin instructor, I would likely have a hard time adjusting to school, but I passed the audition and felt like it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I decided to take the offer.
How long do you plan to teach?
I don't think I'll be giving up on this path anytime soon, and even if I find new career opportunities in other industries, I'll still choose to teach fitness on the side if possible.
Aside from the extra money, being a fitness instructor also allows you to improve your own personal fitness because you need to hold yourself to a certain standard in terms of stamina, physique, and endurance in order to be trusted and respected by your clients. You can remain accountable to your level. .
My current plans are to continue teaching spin and further my studies towards a Masters in Law in late 2024. I plan on juggling both at the same time while studying, just like I did during my undergraduate studies.
Did you experience anything that made you feel insecure about yourself when you were younger?
I vividly remember being a 13-year-old teenager. He found a shirt he really liked at a store and asked his girlfriend's friend to tell her about it. But her response shocked me. Not that you can fit into it anyway. ”
When I was 15 or 16, a friend once commented that my calves and thighs were the same size. I became very anxious and frustrated because there was nothing I could do about it. My calves were naturally more muscular than other girls' because I was trained in dance from an early age. I think that's when I started becoming conscious of my appearance.
I also have sensitive skin and have struggled to live with confidence despite suffering from acne for many years. It got really bad to the point where I was afraid to leave the house because I was scared of how people would judge me based on my appearance. Of course, after incorporating lifestyle fitness into my routine and years of seeing a dermatologist, things have gotten better, even though I still get occasional skin irritations.
But now I don't care at all because I realize that my worth and self-worth is not based on my appearance. We cannot control others' first impressions of us based on appearance, but in the long run, we do not control others' first impressions of us based on how we speak, behave, and carry ourselves. You can control how you recognize it.
When was the last time you felt least confident?
From 2020 to 2021, I suddenly had severe acne again, which lasted for a year, and even after seeing various doctors, it didn't get better. Thankfully, since it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, I wore a mask and didn't have to show everyone my true face.
I also appreciated that my loved ones supported me and constantly reassured me that people wouldn't treat me differently just because I suffered from acne. I also had close friends who shared the same issues as me, so I created a small support group and found comfort in knowing we were not alone in our struggles.
Have you ever struggled with your body?
I really struggled with my weight from when I was a teenager until I was 18 or 19 years old. I found myself fluctuating a lot. I wasn't fat, but I was chubby. I lost weight quickly, but then gained it back quickly. As a young, impressionable girl, I was so exposed to social media's negative influence on unrealistic body image goals that I resorted to simple, unhealthy weight loss methods like fasting and purging. It couldn't be helped that I could hardly wear one-size-fits-all clothes.
When I lost weight and started getting compliments, I felt like my “efforts” were being recognized and I finally felt like I was meeting society's beauty standards. But as soon as you recover and just enjoy your food and feel happy, the weight will quickly come back. It's a death cycle because people, especially the elders in my family, tend to associate a lean body shape with “looking good,” and a healthier, meatier body shape with “being fat and uncomfortable.” I think that's how it was.
I was stuck in a deadly cycle of starvation and purging for years until fitness became part of my lifestyle. I think it also helped that younger generations started paying more attention to diversity and inclusion. It helped me understand that I can never fully satisfy anyone, and that I will never be happy if I continue to pursue what others want from me. Be satisfied with yourself.
As the years went by, I began to notice that the places I shopped only sold clothes that were smaller and cut smaller. Clothes should also be tailored to me, not me trying too hard to fit in. Combined with a change in my mindset and fitness becoming a lifestyle rather than a tool to lose weight, I realized that not only was my physique healthier, but my head space was also healthier.
When I was younger, all I wanted to do was lose weight. As I get older, I want to be slim and toned. Going back to the comment made to me when I was 16 about my thighs and calves being the same size, I now consider it a compliment. Because it means you've worked hard for muscular definition.
Are you satisfied with your body now?
Yes, but I am always aiming to improve my muscle mass and become more toned. I am happy to be who I am and am truly grateful for this vessel that has allowed me to experience so much of life. I think it's really important for people to understand what their body does for them instead of focusing on how good their body looks to other people. .
Society's beauty standards are changing every other day, and there's simply no way to keep up. All that matters is that my body is healthy and able to support any activities I choose to participate in.
Do you have any comments about your body?
Now, honestly, no. I think as you get older, people generally tend to hide their comments, even if they do express an opinion about you. But it's always good to be confident in your own skin and understand that everyone's perception of beauty is different.
The only person's opinion I should care about is my own. And if you can't afford to think positively about your body shape, you know you need to do something about it.
But if I'm already trying my best, or already satisfied with my current situation, what other people think about me, how others perceive my looks and physique? I realize that I can't control it. And I don't worry about things I can't control, so I just let it go.
If you could change anything about yourself, would you?
No, it's not. Whatever happened to me and to me, it shaped me into the person I am today. A version of me that I am happy, satisfied with, and proud of. If something had changed in my path, I might not be where I am today.
