Health & Water Talk – ICE MOUNTAIN Sparking Water

Not a personal fan of carbonated soft drinks, I do know many clients and friends out there who can’t seem to take carbonated soft drinks out of their diets. I realized that there should be a solution to this issue, but I cannot simply tell them to stop drinking carbonated drinks and switching them to plain water immediately!

ICE MOUNTAIN Sparkling Water

ICE MOUNTAIN, the No. 1 brand for bottled water, has just launched a new flavoured sparkling water. And I really love how the entire objective is to get young female adults like myself who are health conscious to drink ICE MOUNTAIN flavoured sparkling water by convincing them to opt for a guilt free, great tasting and refreshing beverage as a replacement to carbonated soft drinks.

ICE MOUNTAIN SPARKLING WATER is a good alternative to carbonated soft drinks and is a lot more exciting than the usual plain sparkling water as it comes in 2 flavours - grapefruit and lemon.

So I always had problem drinking water, really. And I decided to bring the sparkling water to the gym and drink it post-workout and throughout the day.

I really like how the sparkling water tastes very refreshing, considering the fact that there is no sugar added, zero calories, no colouring, no artificial sweeteners, and of course, a lot more affordable compared to other sparkling water in the market – only $1.20 at the supermarkets. There is also a hint of fruity flavour – lemon or grapefruit which makes it super tasty!

Personally, I cannot even tell which flavor is my favourite because both taste very refreshing and are unique and yummy! Well, go ahead and try for yourself if you like! ☺

Health Talk - Infuusa

Coming from someone like me who doesn't have the habit of drinking water regularly during the day, Infuusa came in handy when I was sent the 2 different flavours to try!

What is Infuusa?

Infuusa was started with the simple goal of creating drinks that taste great, are natural and are good for health. Wei, the founder, who is a product designer by day and spin instructor by night was frustrated by the lack of choice in exercise hydration while teaching class; there wasn’t anything besides plain water or sugary sports drinks. To solve his own problem, he created a caffeine-free cold-brewed tea that could be made easily with just cold water. Just pop a sachet into a water bottle, shake and drink in minutes. This method of making tea or infusions – is known as cold-brewing. Cold brewing not only better preserves antioxidants; it also gives the resulting infusion a sweeter taste compared to hot brewing. It's perfect for on-the-go hydration for me at the gym and I conveniently replaced a good portion of my daily water intake with Infuusa!

The Quadberry Flavour
With four different types of berries and apples, this combination gives you a powerful anti-oxidant punch while you hydrate during exercise, or at any time of the day. Just pop a sachet into a bottle, give it a good shake, and let the flavours infuse naturally within minutes.

Ingredients: Apples, hibiscus petals, elderberries, blackberry leaves, rose hip shells, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries

Lemongrass Ginger Flavour
Lemongrass Ginger contains zesty lemongrass with a touch of ginger to spice things up - absolutely refreshing when consumed cold after a yoga or pilates class. This is also a perfect remedy to soothe aching muscles, Gingerol, the active ingredient in ginger, has anti-inflammatory properties It's also 100% organic.

Ingredients: Organic ginger, organic lemongrass,organic liquorice root, organic spearmint

I started with quad berry flavour and love it so much I bring it with me everywhere I go!

I drink my second sachet (Lemongrass Ginger) after my workout so it helps to soothe my muscle soreness and also assisted with my bloating problem too!

Want to give it a try? Purchase yours today on www.infuusa.com and simply quote 'ala10' for an additional 10% off orders above $25! Also, follow @infuusa on Instagram and get latest updates and news on Infuusa!

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!

Health & Nutrition - Health & Beauty Tips

I hope the week is going fine for everyone. I'm back to share 5 quick health and beauty tips, as promised! Will share more along the way too.

Tip #1: Put a slice of lemon in your everyday water bottle.

Try to drink your water warm if you can. Having a tinge of sour in your water actually has a lot of wonderful benefits! Here are some.

- Improves your immune system

- Aids digestion #truestory

- Cleanses your system

- Freshens your breath

- Helps to detox your body of toxins

Tip #2: Drink green tea.

Green tea helps to boost your metabolism! Try replacing your daily coffee with green tea instead.

Tip #3: Cup of black coffee for your pre workout energy boost.

Personally, I find it difficult to quit coffee. So, I'm making full use of this caffeine-addiction to fuel my workout sessions. I used to have a cuppa mid-day but I replaced that mid-day cuppa with green tea and have simple black coffee (no sugar no cream) before my workouts. How black coffee helps?

- Accelerates fat loss 

- Improves focus and performance

- Decreases muscle pain

- Makes me perspire more

Tip #4: Try Accupressure Therapy.

I tend to have quest stomach after meals so this really helps soothe it! Use your index and middle fingers to press down on the groove between the tendons that run from the base of your palm to your wrist. Keep massaging and pressing it down for 1-3 minutes. Really helpful especially when you have to sit down for a next 4-5 hours after lunch everyday.

- Relieves queasy stomach after meals

- Detoxify your body for better health and beauty

Tip #5: Avoid alcohol.

Okay, people who have 'grown up' with me will know that I used to drink and party more, especially when I was still working for RB. Since I embarked on this fitness journey, I have managed to stay alcohol-free and I'm very happy and proud about it. My friends have all given up persuading me to even take a sip. Alcohol is toxic to your body and the thought of having it flowing in my body disgusts me (no offence). Alcohol reduces your body's ability to burn fats up to 73% and ultimately cause weight gain. 

So, I'll be back with more tips!

Here are some updates in photos from the last week and past few days.

Soupspoon with Jasmine last week

Simba the cutie!

Simba enjoying my company. HURHUR

Love how versatile this pair of Olsen oxfords is! Get yours from Love, bonito!

Close-up of Love, Bonito's Olsen oxfords.

Again here, http://www.lovebonito.com/3675-olsen-oxford-shoes.html

Outfit for Love, bonito's Tea Party last weekend

With the bosses and the rest of the girls 

Rachel & Viola - The inspiring owners of Love, bonito

Sweet Nicole, thanks so much for all the trouble!

Pretty Charmaine & April 

Designed by Julien Fournie, thanks Love, bonito!

Selling these 2 mascaras urgently so do email or comment if you would like to purchase from me! I unboxed both last friday to try and realised it doesn't work on my stubborn lashes! 

Good night everyone! I hope you enjoyed the tips! Till then! :)