In the same week that I started my gym training, I also signed up for Shape Run 2009.

To prepare for it, my personal trainer suggested that I go for a run on my own, once a week, in-between my sessions with him.

Eric Goh, my trainer.

For my first run, Eric said I should do at least 45 minutes. It sounded reasonable to me at that time.

First Run — Saturday, 6:30pm

It had been almost two years since I ran, so I started off with a slow jog. I believed 45 minutes wouldn’t be a problem with that pace.

Five minutes into the jog, I was ready to drop dead.

I felt really fatigued. And hungry. I was at East Coast Park. The fragrance of meat being barbequed by weekend revellers taunted me left and right as I plodded along unsteadily like a drunken zombie trying to do a marathon.

The task I had set out for myself began to feel impossible, but I knew that endurance training is really about mind over matter. If your mind says you can do it, your body will do it. Simple!

So my mind constantly gave my body pep talks.

It said, “You can do it. You can do it. Do it. Do it. Do it.”

It told my legs, “Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.”

It told my abs, “Sexy abs. Sexy abs. Sexy abs.”

Every so often, my body would plead, “Can we stop?”

The answer would come back screaming, “SEXY ABS!”

Twenty minutes later, while my mind was still going “you can do it you can do it sexy abs” like a broken record, my legs suddenly stopped jogging and started walking.

My mind was, like, “What the…?! I didn’t tell you to stop!!”

My body gave it the proverbial finger and said, “Nyah!”

Over the next 10 minutes, I start-stopped several times as both mind and body sought to wrest control.

Eventually, I gave up and went home. I was starting to break out in cold sweat. By the time I reached home, I was so dizzy and exhausted that I had to lie down on the floor. I couldn’t move for 10 minutes. I just lay there and breathed heavily.

Later, when I recounted my experience to Eric, he laughed and laughed.

…

Funny meh??

He said it was so funny. And he just wouldn’t stop laughing.

Great. I’ve gotten myself hooked up with a crazy sadist of a trainer.

It’s a considerable challenge to make me go ballistic. Not because I’m mild-tempered, but because I dislike making a scene and because I’m non-confrontational by nature.

I will seethe inside and give you the silent treatment. The only way to make me snap outwardly is to annoy me repeatedly for an extended period of time despite me telling you to stop.

I had a boyfriend who made me angry all the time.

Of course, like everyone else, he had his good points, which was why I was with him in the first place. But his not-so-good points drove me up the wall. He practiced double standards, was overly possessive and was very unreliable.

Continue reading…

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Let’s play a little game today!

I’ll show you photos of celebrities and you guess what’s the one physical feature I admire about them most.

(It know it’s hard cos celebrities tend to have more than one unique, admirable feature, but try, okay?)

Jennifer Aniston

This probably isn’t the most flattering photo of Jennifer Aniston, but it’s a great example of what I like about her. Is that a big hint, or what?

I’m not a huge JA fan. I’ve only watched a few episodes of Friends in the past and I never watched any of her movies. But I’ve always envied her for her __________.

Answer: Healthy hair

I can never understand how her hair always manages to fall in the right way, framing her face perfectly, and still look so healthy and lustrous instead of looking bogged down by styling products.

I have healthy hair, too. It’s so healthy it resists styling products.

Let me tell you firsthand that healthy hair that resists styling products is no use at all.

It drapes over half my face half the time unless I clip it up. But clipped hair that can’t fly in the wind is no use at all, either.

But mine is an isolated case. You do want to try to have healthy hair because it brightens your appearance quite a lot!

Here are some tips for healthy hair that are often overlooked and neglected:

• Don’t use too-hot water to wash your hair. It will strip it of moisture. Cold water is best. If you can’t wash it in cold water, just finish off with a cold rinse to close the cuticles so your hair shines.
• Always use a conditioner after each wash.
• Gently massage your scalp with finger tips (not nails) while shampooing.
• Eating lots of vegetables, fruits and dairy products will help.
• After washing, don’t towel dry your hair violently. Blot it gently and let it dry naturally. I usually wrap my wet hair in a towel for 10 minutes to soak up all the moisture first so that it won’t drip all over the place when drying.
• Don’t brush wet hair. Use a comb if you must.

Okay, next!

Hayden Panettiere

When I watched her in the first season of Heroes, I thought she was weird. Something about her body proportions were a little off-kilter. And she had a funny botoxed look in her face.

But late into the next season, her look started to grow on me and I found myself admiring her beauty despite the teenage acne apparent in her close-up shots.

So, what is it about her that stands out the most?

Answer: Healthy skin

She’s famous for her healthy, glowing skin. I suppose her youth helps a lot. Maybe some of it is makeup. You can achieve a glowing look with makeup.

The one time my skin glowed was when I did my first Xbox photoshoot.

The makeup artist used a bronze highlight to give me a fake glow, haha. But it’s a look I haven’t been able to recreate on my own because I don’t have the necessary tools (nor skills).

But I’m working on getting naturally glowing skin. For example:

• Steam your face once a week to get rid of impurities and dead skin.
• Exfoliate gently after steaming to complete the cleansing process, avoiding eye area.
• Use brightening or hydrating masks. A good time would be after steaming and exfoliation.
• Clean and moisturise face regularly. At least twice a day.
• Avoid oily food and sweets. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits and drink lots of water.
• Try to be asleep between 10 pm and 2 am because that’s the time when your body regenerates.

Stephen Chow

Stephen Chow looks very different these days, compared to when he first became popular as a young comedy actor.

But one thing seems to have remained over the years. What is it?

His younger days:

Answer: Friendly face

Maybe it’s that association with being a comedian that gives him that “friendly” aura. I don’t know.

My face is not friendly unless I smile. Well, I can’t help the way I look. And, obviously, there are no tips to having a friendly face since I think you just have to be born with it. Of course, you could try smiling a lot or changing your hairstyle or wearing blue to put people at ease.

I tried to find a friendly-looking photo of me. This was taken two years ago, lol.

If you let me play with your Wii, I’d be friendly! ;)

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is one of those celebrities who has everything. There’s nothing about her that is wrong. Everything about her is outstanding, right down to her heart of gold.

I love her pelvic tattoo. Beside the huge cross are the words “Quod me nutrit me destruit”. It’s Latin for “What nourishes me, destroys me.”

Apparently, it covers an earlier tattoo of a little dragon which she got while drunk in Amsterdam long ago.

So, what is it about her I love besides her tattoos?

Answer: Sporty physique

I totally adore her in Tomb Raider. I wish she’d do more action movies!

My physique is nowhere even close. Er… I’m working on it lah!

Tips (that my personal trainer are forcing upon me):

1. Cut all fat and sweets from diet. O_o
2. Don’t eat carbohydrates after 6 pm.
3. Do cardio exercises three times a week (like running).
4. Hire a personal trainer to torture you 2-3 times a week.
5. Drink lots of water.

You must know this is leading up to somewhere. So smart, you.

The Watsons You Awards is here! Individuals with unique, outstanding features are wanted to receive these coveted awards.

There are eight categories you can choose to participate in. Male and female residents of Singapore aged 18 and above are eligible.

The categories are:

Healthy Hair — For hair that gives you confidence throughout the day.

Fit Figure — For the body that is taut, toned and full of energy.

Flawless Face — For a face made amazing with makeup magic.

Healthy Skin — For a skin that glows with health and radiance.

Friendly Face (Female) — for the face that speaks the universal language of friendship.

Friendly Face (Male) — for the face that speaks the universal language of friendship.

Sunny Smiles — For the smile that lights up the room when you walk in.

Sporty Physique — For the body that loves exercise and the great outdoors.

The winner of each category will receive:

• S$2,000 cash
• 1 year modelling contract with GLOW magazine
• 1 year supply of attractive product gifts

To get an idea of what kind of product gifts you might expect, here’s a list of this year’s sponsors:

Main Sponsors — Sunsilk, Bio-essence, ZA, Vichy, L’oreal, Gillette, Oral B, Ebene

Co-Sponsors — Clairol, Phyto, Huiji, Slimspa, Rimmel London, Revlon, Mentholatum, Himalaya, Olay, Sato, Nugeno, Quan Neng cool men, Colgate, Pearlie White, Ocean Health, Kwai A Day

Now, the important details: How to take part?

Recruitment Phase
May 15 to June 10, 2009: Make any purchase at Watsons, then submit your photo with a short writeup through the online registration form.

Voting Phase
June 18 to July 1, 2009: Members of the public can go to the Watsons You Awards website to vote for their favourite candidate.

Voters can win prizes too!! (Eight lucky voters who voted for eventual winners can win product hampers and Watsons vouchers!)

Announcement Phase
July 30, 2009: Winners will be announced at the Watsons Health, Wellness and Beauty Award (HWB) gala dinner.

For more information, you can either visit the website or pick up the Watsons You Awards information leaflet from any Watsons store. There is a $5 discount coupon in the leaflet which you can use! (T&Cs apply.)

Well then, get going! You don’t have to be a great beauty or chiseled hunk to have unique, outstanding features. This award is a celebration of the individual. So, determine your most unique feature(s) and send those photos in now!

ALL THE BEST!!

Muscle Girl

My biceps and triceps et al are showing! (When I flex.)

I am no longer merely a skeleton. I am now a skeleton with muscles. Woohoo.

Skeleton:

Had a second photography session at the gym today. Will show muscle photos soon.

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Makeup

Sometimes, when ladies put on makeup, we make mistakes. We get smudges or uneven eyeshadow or joker smiles.

(Not really, that last one.)

Fixing mistakes does not always involve wiping them off. Because we might end up wiping off foundation and creating an unsightly patch. So, we cover up mistakes with more makeup.

Sometimes, the cover-ups make it worse, so we try to cover up the cover-ups by covering them up with even more makeup.

Then we run out of time and have to leave home.

That’s why we sometimes look like we have too much makeup on.

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No Fat

I just got bluffed into buying the worst-tasting thing in the world.

Was shopping for yoghurt and not finding my favourite brand, so had to settle for something different.

One auntie was promoting a new yoghurt. I decided to try it. It claims to have 0% fat.

It tastes like starch with flavouring. I think my tongue keeled over and died.

I don’t trust low-fat/no-fat food.

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Smell

My fingers smell heavenly. I had a Subway sandwich earlier.

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Betrayal

Why do people pretend to like you and they act like they’re so happy to see you but they badmouth you behind your back every opportunity they get?

I don’t need these people to tell me they don’t like me. Just don’t pretend to like me.

And don’t make unfounded accusations.

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Senility

The last two times I brought my laptop out, I forgot to bring my USB modem. Today I remembered my modem but I forgot my mouse.

Yesterday, I went to drums class without my drumsticks.

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Faces

I woke up this morning feeling depressed.

It’s one of those days when all the little things that niggle at your life suddenly rear up and scream for attention in unison.

It could be a tiny thing like that scratch on the corner of your mobile phone that’s been bugging you.

Or you didn’t like the way your hair looked when you woke up this morning.

By themselves, these trivial things don’t matter. Life goes on, so what?

But there are days when all these trivials decide to gang up and crowd your amygdala (the part of the brain that controls emotions) all at once, rendering you helpless and handicapped without reason.

You know you’re feeling depressed but you don’t really know why, so you search deep within yourself to ascertain the cause.

The answer comes back: “Cos you forgot to wash your favourite top last week so you can’t wear it today.”

And you’re, like, “What the hell?”

Why should anyone get depressed over that?

More answers come in:

“Cos you overslept by half an hour today.”

“Cos MRT commuters are so inconsiderate.”

And you’re, like, “Get out of here.”

You can’t comprehend the depression because the still sane part of you believes there is no reason to be depressed just because your room is a mess.

Yet, the soul has suddenly lost the ability to cope with trivials, the way an Aids victim has lost the ability to fight biological afflictions that are normally negligible.

When days like this happen, you want to curl up and die. But the annoyingly sane part of you says no, so you get out of the house and life goes on.

And then you spend $4.50, sit in a quiet cafe, and you blog.

And you blog about something entirely different from what you set out to blog about in the first place.

Damned brain.