Showing posts with label muscles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muscles. Show all posts

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! 

Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Health & Fitness - Women don't get bulky easily

Unfortunately, yet expectedly, I still get a lot of questions when ladies tell me they are afraid to do weight training for the fear of gaining bulky muscles. So after some thought, I decided to put in my photos through the years to prove the fact that 'Women don't get bulky easily!'. Bear with me as I found some really hideous photos while browsing. LOL

Starting from 2008, when I was working part-time in RB (Redbull) as a Wiiings team member (later promoted to Wiiings team leader in 2009). Believe it or not, I was one of the person my girls would contact first when there is a party, or going to have a party. Late nights and alcohol were my good (I won't say best) friends.
2008 - When I first joined RB and Alaina (our BOSS then) left shortly after. I hate those arms with fats protruding at the side. And I still had braces on!
2009 - RB Yacht party. Super skinny-fat, unhealthy eating, alcohol, everything bad.
2009 August - Those ugly-looking arms and bad standing posture with skinny fats. YUCKS!
2010 - skinny, stick-skinny.
2010 - During a friend's hen's night. One of my many skinniest moments.
2010 - Jason used to say my shoulders were so narrow they make my head look oversized. Now when I look back, I know why.
2010 - Okay it was a company dinner and dance and I badly wanted to win dressed up as Lady Gaga. Don't know what got into my head. 
2010 May - Nothing on my back. No muscle. NOTHING, just bones.
2011 January (Sabah) - I started working out like once a week/fortnight. Horrible!
2011 - Another hen's night, I think I was putting on weight then and working out slightly more, about once a week diligently? hurhur.

2012 - THIS time, I was really working out and starting to watch my diet.
2012 - Fast-tracked to MY hen's night. The last time I really drank but prior to this, I have already stopped for awhile (maybe 1 year?). 
2013 - Aside from the other photos some of you have seen, this was after our wedding, after I started blogging.
2013 - When Jason started IG and we were massively posting fitness stuff.
2014 - VOTE FOR ME! http://www.stuff.tv/sg/covergirlsearch/#vote
Okay.. so bottom-line is that I did not get bulky at all. Till date, I have been doing this working-out-5-6-times-a-week for a year, and only good things happened. My hip size went down by a size, shoulders increased a size (maybe slightly more since some size S-es feel tighter, and one particular got stuck and I needed help removing), right now, my body looks more proportionate, no more big head, small shoulders, pear-shaped bottom. ALL THANKS to lifting weights and working out 5-6 times a week and having a well-balanced diet! :)

So everyone, for those who doesn't know, I'M DYING TO BE PUT ON THE COVER OF STUFF MAGAZINE AUGUST ISSUE! So help me by voting for me!

Here are the simple steps:

1. Click here: http://www.stuff.tv/sg/covergirlsearch/#vote


2. Click on the drop-down and look for my name.

3. Type your name and email (multiple emails if you have), and check on the t&c box. Click 'Submit'! Tadah! That simple!

You may click on my profile here (http://www.stuff.tv/sg/covergirlsearch/#show/5) to read my other blog posts on stuff.tv too! :)

Thank you everyone and I'll be back again real soon! PROMISE! :)

Monday, 28 October 2013

Inspiration & Motivation: Something GREAT is brewing..

Very recently, I met up with Jasmine (@jasminedanker if you are not following her on IG yet), it came across to me like a calling when I had to download kik messenger just for her to retrieve my contact details. In the very same week (last week), I met her for the first time. She shared her dreams and passion with me, she told me what she had been wanting to do and could not find the right person to do with, so she decided to contact me.

We met up as soon as we could last week and had a great workout together (though she's much stronger and fitter than I am), we share a lot of similarities. We have the exact same weight, height, BFP, played netball when we were younger, both Roman Catholics, both mixed blood. Well, the major difference is that she studied sports science and had been in the fitness industry for 5 years, coaching, studying and training (and besides the fact that I'm married she's not yet). We clicked right away and started planning our execution plan.

We have great plans and I believe God brought us together for a reason; a mission to help people who needs help, who needs an extra motivation to stay healthy and fit. Our ideas are all over the place now but we will be revealing very soon, once we get everything organized and ready to go public!

Here are some sneaks! Our logo: Why Hapa fitness (@Hapa_fitness)? Stay tuned! :)


Some of the happenings over last week, celebrated Nic's birthday in advance last Friday too! Great Karaoke with the gang, they sing so well! Been awhile since we had such epic sessions, oh yes and that cake at 11.30pm ZOMG.
Happy Birthday Nic!
Some of my meals.

Met Jasmine to gym on Saturday at Gymm Boxx, really helps when there is somebody to spot, correct my form and constantly goes "RELAX YOUR NECK LIMARAN!" (LOL, reason why I have stiff neck ALL the time). We wore pink to train that day, so we remembered to take photos and hashtag #operationpink to do our part for Singapore Breast Cancer Foundation!
Jasmine paid a boy for this photo HAHA
Cooked when we got home and spent a quiet Saturday with baby. Here's our very own chili beef with tortilla chips! YUMMMMSS!

I will be eating all I want (okay not exactly ALL I WANT BUT..) for 4 days (since yesterday) and starting a new diet (which I'll be sharing soon) on November 1st, together with Jasmine. BECAUSE I have completed 10 weeks (11 to be exact, not counting week 0) of Intermittent fasting! Halfway through the diet I thought this didn't suit me, but I wanted to hang in there and complete the 10 weeks so here is the final look (LOL pls don't judge me!).

I started with this OKAY?! HAHA.

Have a great week ahead everyone! Remember to catch us (Jasmine and I) live with regular updates on our IG (@limaranagustina and @jasminedanker) and our new IG account for Hapa Fitness @hapa_fitness! Till the next!