Monday 23 June 2014

Fitness & Health Talk - 3 reasons why you should start working out

As much as I know many of my friends are starting to hit the gym, I know that there are many who are not, whatever the reasons may be. There are many ladies out there who only start considering to do something to their bodies when they encounter health problems, which is why I'm writing about this today. Even before we start seeing problems, shouldn't we already begin to prevent these problems from surfacing?

Working out doesn't mean you have to get your butt to the gym. Instead, you can always start something simple by moving around more than usual. For example, the cliche examples like getting household chores done, getting down one stop earlier or parking your car further away from your destination so you can walk to your destination, taking the stairs instead of the lift up. But well, if you can, just get to the gym, get a personal trainer if you can afford, and learn the basics well and after about 20 sessions, you should be good on your own unless you need the additional motivation.

SO, why should you do yourself a favour and start moving that lazy bum?

1. As mentioned, working out makes you look YOUNGER!
Studies have shown that exercise reduces stress and releases endorphins, also known as happy hormones. And by indulging in a workout/exercise, research has been shown to alleviate most mild to moderate cases of anxiety, and can very quickly improve mood. Try it for yourself! It has worked for me, especially when I go for combat classes!

Also, sweating out during a good workout not only reduces bodyside inflammation and helps regulate skin-significant hormones, but also prevents free-radical damage. When you workout, the tiny arteries in your skin open up, allowing more blood to reach the skin’s surface and deliver nutrients that repair damage from the sun and environmental pollutants. How awesome is that!! It's like a facial session! :D

2. Stand taller!
This is where you would hear me nag "Very very important to stretch pre and post workout because it will lengthen your muscles!". My clients would have been sick and tired of hearing me say this but STILL, I have to emphasise and emphasise the importance and sometimes this happens to me, especially when I don't even have enough time for my actual workout.

Well, nobody has proven by research that working out and stretching makes one taller, but activities that stretch and strengthen muscles at the same time, like yoga or Pilates, can correct bad posture and therefore add height! Oh you will be surprised!

3. Less Visceral fats!
You may then ask, what are visceral fats?
Our body contains 2 main types of fats, Subcutaneous and Visceral fats. Subcutaneous fat is the one you can pinch and is relatively benign. Visceral fats are fats that surround your vital abdominal organs and can be a killer.

Then comes the next question, why is less good?

How about, why are more visceral fats bad? Excess visceral fat fuels low-grade inflammation in the body and is tied to a chain of killer-diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer and dementia. It can also upset the balance of important hormones that affect your skin, hair and general appearance.

So when you workout regularly, your body makes more mitochondria, the cellular engines where aerobic metabolism takes place and it also produces more proteins to speed up the transportation of fatty acids into cells to be burned as energy, and then makes more enzymes that break fats down. So the more enzymes you have in your body, the faster visceral fat can be burned, which will ultimately not only make your body look better, but healthier!

Take courage ladies and gentlemen alike, and stop deluding yourself! It's never too late to start a fitness regime and embark on your fitness journey. If you ever need help or personal training, feel free to email me (limaran@gmail.com) or my husband (jasonjuliuslim@gmail.com if you are too shy to approach me). We will try our best to help you!

Good night everyone! 

Friday 13 June 2014

Lifestyle Talk - Quincy Girls Night Out

Jason and I had our first video shoot for Quincy Hotel last month and it was an awesome experience. You can check out Jason's blog here (http://www.jasonjuliuslim.blogspot.sg/2014/05/our-staycation-at-quincy-hotel.html) for details and here is my favourite photo from our staycation.

So, I actually have interesting news to share because #goodthingsmustshare right?

I got married on 5th Jan 2013 and had my fair share of a crazy night out during my hen's night. The girls brought me to La Villa for dinner, and then we headed to the then-Avalon for drinks. I remembered the night starting really slow and quiet, after 11pm, EVERYONE went wild. Enjoy some of the photos I have!
Dinner at La Villa
The amount of drinks we had and more!
The LUCKY GUYS! Lol!

So,I know there are many girls out there who are getting hitched and Congratulations on your engagements! Now you will need to start planning for your Hen's Nights with your favourite girls so here goes!

Quincy Hotel is having a package for you girls! Here are the perks:
  • 2 Studio rooms
  • All-club benefits (food provided for you all day)
  • One-way limousine transfer (4 passengers)
  • One bottle of Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial
  • Gourmet chocolates
  • Free entry for 4 sets of 1+1 to The Butter Factory
  • Complimentary drinks for 4 at the Art Bar @ The Butter Factory
  • Late checkout the next day till 3pm
Price: Early bird special at $698++ (for first 30 bookings)
Usual price: $798++

You can read more about the terms and condition here!

I'll be updating on my short trip to Bali next so stay tuned and till then!

Monday 2 June 2014

Fitness & Beauty Talk - 5 tips to look younger

I know this is rather shameless but those who know me will agree that I do not look my age at all. And of course, #goodthingsmustshare! So I decided to reveal my secret, not like the previous post but REAL secret to looking younger. Ladies (and gentlemen), sit up straight and read well! :P

Tip 1: WORKOUT!
I can never emphasise how important it is to workout and the results actually show on your skin and your physique! I'll be doing a separate entry on how important working out is and why you should kickstart your fitness journey but in short, working out relieves stress, increases your self-confidence and improves your skin's radiance in the long run!

Tip 2: Eat clean and drink up!
Admit it, you know how true it is when they say, "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!". Eating clean and healthily can give you younger-looking skin. Healthy food promote good cell growth and can eliminate harmful free radicals and toxins in your body. Just because of this simple reason, your skin will regain its natural glow and suppleness. Make sure there is a good mix of greens, protein and carbs in your meals. Of course, do not forget to drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day to stay hydrated!

Tip 3: Care for your skin!
Now this is the reality, people judge you by your first impression. Therefore, caring for your skin is very important. Make sure you cleanse your face well regularly and exfoliate 2-3 times a week. Remove your makeup thoroughly and double cleanse if you have to. Wash your face after working out and most importantly for those with dry skin like mine, keep it moisturised and massage it well! Here are some of the products I use and I don't really believe in sticking to a particular brand anymore, because I believe your skin knows better than the brands do. I have a couple of different brands for the same purpose and I use them according to how my skin feels that day. I focus on correcting my skin tone recently, apart from the hydration.

Tip 4: SUNSCREAM!
Stay away from the sun unnecessarily if you can! Unfortunately for me, I coach and train my clients in the sun sometimes so I don't have a choice but to use sunscreen. I love looking tanned and I cannot really stand my skin colour looking yellowish whenever I get fairer so it's even more crucial for me to use sunscreen. Ladies and men alike, this is a TALL ORDER: USE SUNSCREEN! Because you will only have yourself to thank when you get older! 

For those with oily skin, I suggest that you don't use anything too milky. Get a water-based or gel sunscreen which will produce a cooling effect on your skin. I think Neutrogena has rather good ones so check out Watson's or Guardians! For those with dry and combination skin like mine, it's a little more tricky because you cannot go for too moisturising ones, yet gel or water-based ones may not be moisturising enough. This is what I use! I recently got mine replaced when I visited Trinity Medical Centre so do your skin a favour and get a good sunscreen. 

Tip 5: Hang out with younger friends! (FOR REAL)
I'm serious! I hang out with a lot of younger friends and they make me feel younger at the same time! Of course, as much as laughing makes you get wrinkles (in the long run), feeling happy, smiling and laughing when you are out with your friends will release happy hormones and laughing helps increase blood flow around your face, making you look and feel younger! Go ahead and laugh till your jaw cramps and teary-eyed! :D

SOME of my younger friends (I have more), who never fail to make me feel young! 

There you go! I hope I shed some light on some of you and for those who needs an extra push to kickstart your fitness journey with me, feel free to drop me an email! 

Good night!