I’ll be the first to admit that I have my “off days”. These are days when working out feels like an absolute chore, and I find myself coming up with excuses to swop exercise for, well, just about anything else!
I’ll be the first to admit that I have my “off days”. These are days when working out feels like an absolute chore, and I find myself coming up with excuses to swop exercise for, well, just about anything else!
One thing that motivates me to stick to my fitness regimen is checking out the Instagram accounts of my favourite influencers. These include celebrity yoga teacher Kino MacGregor (@kinoyoga) and Hong Kong-based yoga enthusiast Lindsay Jang (@lindsayjang). More than just good lookers, Kino shares heartfelt quotes on life as well as advice on doing yoga poses correctly, while Lindsay’s Instagram posts are relatable as she also opens up about her life as a mother-of-two and entrepreneur.
Because we all need a nudge to exercise sometimes, we’ve got not one but two stories on motivation in this issue. Turn to pg 22 to read The New Rules of Motivation, which covers scientifically proven tactics to help you achieve just about any goal. Mind Over Body (pg 76) is also a good read, as it provides tips on overcoming any mental roadblock that might be stopping you from sticking to a workout routine.
On the subject of motivation, I’ve mustered up enough of it to start running, just in time for Shape Run 2016 on July 24. Running was my go-to exercise since I was in junior college. I used to run several times a week and enjoyed participating in races too – 5km, 10km, 21km, I’ve done them all. Injuries in more recent years forced me to rethink my fitness regimen, which is more yoga-, barre- and HIIT-focused these days. I’m so glad I’ve started running again, because like cover girl Jade Seah says in her interview (pg 26), there’s no feeling in the world like a runner’s high.
I hope the Running Special we’ve put together (pg 47) will be as handy to you as it was to me. We’ve got the best sports bras for different types of runs, essential pre- and post-run stretches, an all-round conditioning workout that will help you run faster, and more. Enjoy flipping through this special section, and if you’ve signed up for the Shape Run, I look forward to seeing you there!
