Fitness Talk: Legs workouts

Apologies for the hiatus! I will be back with more health and fitness tips this year! I have been getting a lot of enquiries about legs workout especially for the ladies, so before I add more workouts in, let me share with you some of the ones I had posted on Instagram, in detail.

P.S: Please pardon the quality of videos since they were taken using my phone and edited using a third-party video editor!

This, is a superset of Sumo Deadlifts aka DL (the first set) followed by Stiff-legged DL (the second set). The sumo DL works primarily on the inner thighs and upper butt (glutes) and it is almost like a squat and conventional DL.

Sumo DL:
Start with your legs spread out wide with toes pointing out. Slowly, push your butt back and bend your knees to a squat. Try to avoid letting your knees move inwards. If you find it a challenge to keep your knees pointing out, try pointing your toes out less and focus on pushing your butt back and knees out. At all times, make sure your back is upright and chest up. A lot of emphasis is placed on the hips and legs for this variation of DL.

Stiff-legged DL/Romanian DL:
Also another variation of the conventional DL, the romanian DL targets the hamstrings. Keeping your back straight and chest up, bend your upper body down slowly while pushing your butt back and knees locked as much as you can (you may bend very slightly to take stress off your tendons). Straighten up again and repeat.

Of course, you don't have to do these as a superset. You may also separate the workouts and do them individually.

Dumbbell Bulgarian split squats/Bulgarian Lunge:
Another of my favourite legs workout would be the Bulgarian Split squats. Well, I heard the name came from a Bulgarian weightlifter in the early 1900s so correct me if I'm wrong though. Start with a split squat/static lunges if you are not comfortable elevating your rear leg. Once you are comfortable, elevate your rear leg on a bench or a step and slowly lower your body down to a squat, focusing on your front leg and bending you rear leg too. Make sure your knees do not go too far out off your toes in an awkward position. Then straighten back up, keeping your back straight and upright, and chest up. Try with a pair of dumbbells of a barbell over your back.

I will be back with more workouts and other body parts too so stay tuned! Meanwhile, stay motivated and feel free to email me if you have any doubt. I'm also taking in more clients for personal training so feel free to enquire too!

xx

Fitness & Travel Talk - 5 quick tips to keep fit on the go

One of the many joys of traveling with Jason is the very fact that we both love working out together and it is a must and a priority in our process of planning our itinerary. We make it a point to plan workouts in our trips as much as we can so we do not compromise on our workout routine even when we are not in Singapore. In conjunction with #TravelFit2014 and inspired by the "Hotel Hike" at the Aria Las Vegas, I have decided to share some quick tips on how you can keep fit while traveling.

P.S: Apologies for the poor quality of photos!

Taken last year at Golden Palm Tree Resort, Sepang.

1. Prioritise Fitness!
As mentioned before, you need to first put Fitness into your priority, as well as your travel partner. This way, the planning is in-sync and easier. Well, you don't have to get into a gym (if there is no gym in the hotel you are living temporarily in), you just need to find something to do together to keep the trip an active one. And this depends on where your destination is, of course. Besides going to the hotel gyms or local gyms, there is always rock climbing, trekking/hiking, yoga at the paddy fields, etc. When there is a will, there is a way!

We met Dorian Yates' son last year during our honeymoon!

2. Do your research!
Once you have Fitness into your priority, then the next thing you need is information. As you are planning your accommodation and travel route, find out whether the hotel has a gym, if not, is there a nearest local gym you can go to. Jason and I usually prefer to visit a local gym so we can soak into the local fitness culture but then again, do more research if there isn't an active culture to workout in the gym at your travel destination. Look for trekking or hiking locations and never give up (or email me for help if you need!).

Backdated to 2010 in Phuket when I first started to workout!

3. Bring enough workout attire!

This is actually my favourite part, because I learnt to love dressing up for my workouts over the years! I always make sure I have more than enough workout attire for my trips. That way, I will also feel like it'll be such a waste to bring them back without even using them. So pack your favourite workout attire into your luggages, or you can always shop for more workout attire when traveling! :P

Guangzhou 2013 - during our work&leisure trip!

4. Bring sufficient supplements
Supplements are very important in Jason and my lives because we take some essential ones to make up for those we cannot obtain in our meals daily. The common ones are multi-vitamins, fish oil and probiotics (for me). I understand not everyone takes sports supplement but if you do, like Jason and I, we always pack our daily protein intake when we travel and they usually take up a huge amount of space in our luggage. In a similar way, we try to stay active and workout when we can so we can finish up our supplements before we travel back home. :D

I get my supplements from www.richnutrition.com now! Use 'LA3774' during checkout for an additional 5% off!

Taiwan earlier this year when we visited Jay Chou's gym, we included Edric in our workout routine!

5. Pack appropriate footwear
Whether you are intending to trek/hike or workout in the gym or go for yoga at the paddy fields, do remember to pack the appropriate footwear. In the safest scenario, always pack a pair of running shoes because it will come in handy for most activities indoor and outdoor (though it won't be the best pair for trekking/hiking, it will be sufficient).

The first gym at Fitness First last year when we first arrived at Hammersmith, London during our honeymoon!

Do feel free to hashtag #TravelFit2014 when you do workout/stay active while traveling! Whether it is on Instagram, twitter or Facebook, I hope to be able to motivate more to keep fit and stay active when traveling so join us in this movement! :D

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! 

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!