​Having a bike never really crossed my mind until I met Sam. He was always cycling everywhere, which made me feel a bit left out when he went off for his rides. I didn’t own a bike, and there was no OFO or any of those rental bikes back then (which people don’t appreciate the accessibility of it).  FOMO quickly made me realise that I needed my own bike!
 
Sam gave me clear instructions not to buy a bike for its colour, so I bought I bought the prettiest pink bike that I could find. In bike spec terms it was like a tank, but I loved it. My first long bike ride was with a bunch of boys who clearly knew what they were doing. I was behind the pack the whole time, having no idea how to use my gears (which weren’t the best anyway), being scared for my life from all the traffic and having rubbish endurance in my legs. I was fit back then but clearly this bike ride put me to shame.

​When was the first time you started cycling?
At 38 years old, I had to lay off running due to plantar fasciitis and picked up cycling. That was when I realised my triathlon dream, which I harbored since I was 19 could become a reality!

Any races you have take part? And how did that go?
Completed my first Ironman at 40 years old in under 13 hours and my second 2 years later in under 12 hours, which I did not expect. I'm also qualified for the IM 70.3 World Championships in 2019 & 2020.
 
Now that you have been cycling for a while, what are some of your guidelines when purchasing a new bike?
The right size, a bike fit to be comfortable for those long rides is important.
 
What’s your favorite cycling apparel brand? From jersey to helmet?
Betty Designs & Purpose.
 
What do people not tell you about cycling?
That falling is part and parcel of cycling, even when  you’re a seasoned cyclist. Be prepared to wake up at ungodly hours of 430am to cycle while the traffic is light and while u may earn the respect from fellow cyclists due to your discipline, work ethic and results. 

When was the first time you started cycling?
Probably back in 2013 , I had a Trek MTB that was a wee bit too heavy but I wasn’t doing the Bukit Timah trails or competitions back then.
Road cycling I picked up perhaps 2015?
 
Any races you have take part? And how did that go?
My first road bike races were part of a duathlon and triathlon back in 2015, placed 2nd and 4th I believed, and then in New Zealand I completed the off-road 60km Lake Taupo.
 
Now that you have been cycling for a while, what are some of your guideline when purchasing a new bike?

• Depending on level of as a cyclist and what you would like to spend , you have to plan a little ahead of you, as you will get more serious to upgrade parts in the future.
• I’d look always at second hand bikes, there are so many on the market in fabulous condition.
• Make sure you have a bike that has parts on the market .

 
What’s your favorite cycling apparel brand? From jersey to helmet?
I wear Odlo as it was sponsored previously , but I like some of the Swiss made  items called Assos,
My gloves are Assos I picked up at East Coast.
Road Helmet Giro and Kask
MTB helmet -Troy Lee
Mountain bike shoes - five ten

What do people not tell you about cycling?
That you should go through a basic course and get to know your bike.  You should also get it fitted, as positioning is important so you don’t get injuries .
 
What’s your advice on women taking up cycling?
It burns so many calories,if that’s what you are looking for. It’s Low impact on the knees, it’s fantastic cardio and it’s as hard as you want to push .
 On a mountain bike,you learn so  many skill sets , it feels like real racing and keeps you on your feet and sharpen your decision making on the course.
Road biking for me is training my mental grit when I am alone and on longer more monotonous rides .I love cycling because you can be alone or In a group.

When was the first you started cycling?
I joined the RCC(Ralpha Cycling Club) in November 2016, but started cycling and exploring the roads and PCNs (Park connectors) since July the same year.

Any race you have take part? And how did that go?
The most memorable was the 100km race in Batam, ridden with one of our club cyclist, Jessica. It was painful, but fun to do it together with a friend. We suffered together and helped each other to finish the race. We were in so much pain, not knowing what we were in for, and physically my feet was hurting from ill-fitted shoes!

Now that you have been Cycling for a while, what are some of your guidelines when purchasing a new bike?
Get yourself an appointment with a professional bike fitter before making that (expensive) purchase! 

What’s your favourite cycling apparel brand from jersey to helmet?
I am privileged to be a Rapha ambassador, and I wear Rapha products - ranging from bibs, to baselayer, jerseys and socks. My shoes are the Rapha Pro Team shoes and they fit my feet like a glove. As for the helmet, I love the KASK Protone. I only own this model, but in several colours.

What do people not tell you about Cycling?
That cycling does show people’s true colours! When we are riding up mountains, racing on flat roads, your riding etiquette, how you react and behave when you are “suffering”, is a reflection of who you are personally. That being said, no one said cycling was easy! But the suffering brings joy, and the exploration on the bike with friends and loved ones brings unforgettable memories, that we all continue to speak fondly of, in years to come.

What’s your advice on women taking up Cycling?
Start easy, and if you have a friend who is into the sport, do it together, build confidence, support each other. When you are confident enough, join a group, ride together. You’ll realize that some of your lifetime friendships will be made within this community. And most importantly, have fun!

Part two is all about the gears. From helmets, jerseys and padded shorts, the list goes on. Of course most of these are non-essential for cycling but all help to provide comfort during a long ride. Also wearing a jersey, means that you don’t have to carry a bag with you. Cycling jerseys come with all these fancy pockets that can carry the essentials during your ride. Once you have transitioned yourself to taking cycling more seriously and have ogled at all the tight colourful tops from fellow cyclists, i'm sure you will want a pair. 

Cycling jerseys either keep you cool or warm, but high end options will also protect you from harmful UV rays. Their aerodynamic design and materials help reduce wind resistance, which will make you faster. 
 
When I first started cycling, I hated the look of my cycling shorts and refused to wear them, but I soon realised the difference they made. After my first long bike ride, I was hospitalized and needed a minor surgery, due to my vanity of riding with my tiny running shorts.....never again! Wearing padded cycling shorts feels like your sitting on a cloud, even after 50km of cycling.  

If you want to  level up your cycling. Here are some of my basic accessories to have and where to get them from below. Of course the more serious you become, even your socks and sunglasses matters. 

1) Cycling padded shorts 
2)Jersey
3)Helmet (most important)
4)Cycling shoes & clipless pedals

If you do come across any local stores that aren't in this list, do drop me an email. For now enjoy shopping! 

 ​We are a local home-grown company, started by 2 avid cyclists in 2015 under the moniker The Cyclist Mess. We believe in providing affordable jerseys for our fellow cyclists while giving what you deserve - Quality, Comfort and Style. 
Website: https://www.thecyclistmess.com

At Velo Velo Singapore, we are both retailer and proud distributor within Asia for the cycling apparel brands you've come to love. These include Morvelo, DeFeet, Pas Normal Studios, Velocio and Handlebar Mustache from America, Europe, and Denmark. We carry a comprehensive selection of cycling jerseys, bibs, riding skirts, socks, T-shirts and other accessories for the serious, leisure, petite or plus sized cyclist.
Website : https://www.velovelocycle.com

Heat and humidity can be detrimental to one’s race performance, affecting your form severely. It was through his own struggles with heat in triathlon races that set Noor Ashikin Aziz on this mission – to develop the most comfortable and cooling performance wear for triathlon, cycling and running.
Noor searched fervently for something that would help to keep him cooler and when he couldn’t find anything, that’s was when he decided to develop his own line of kits specifically tailored for the specific state of use in Southeast Asia.
This was how PURPOSE was born.
Website: https://purpose.asia/

A firm believer of quality goods and services, the company was  conceived in late 2012 with the aim to assist each cyclist's needs and fellow cycling stores around the globe to cultivate a cycling culture and friendly environment for bike commuting, our mission is to promote cycling to be part of our daily lives.
​Website : https://www.cycleprojectstore.com

Bikeinn, your online cycling shop, we have everything that is necessary depending on your needs. We are a company of cyclists dedicated to helping more people enjoy the benefits of riding a bike. At Performance, we believe we can improve lives and contribute to a better world through cycling. We all approach life with different stories and special experiences that have shaped us into who we are as individuals. Deep down, it´s a love of adventure that brings us together inspires us to push the limits of what we are capable of, and daily rediscover the freedom found when we first started pedaling. Check out our collection and find amazing deals and prices of top brands such as Mavic, Northwave, Sportful, Garmin, Spiuk, Castelli, Shimano, Ortlieb and even more.
Website: https://www.bikeinn.com/

Founded by Simon Mottram in London in 2004, Rapha makes the world’s finest cycling clothing. For 15 years, our products have redefined comfort, performance, and style for cyclists from absolute beginners through to WorldTour professionals.
Website: ​https://www.rapha.cc/ap/en_AU/

So the weather aye! The pollution should never stop you from being active indoors,Be creative, pick 5 exercise or do them all at once, set your timer at 1 min and do as many reps, repeat as many sets as you wish. Feel free to add jump ropes or high knees in between your exercises. Believe me there's no right or wrong exercises, even jumping on the spot for a minute is pretty much a movement. 

I somehow manage to remain “lean” pretty much year round, even if I were to put on weight it wont stay for too long. Well this is also due to the fact I’m vain and my workout clothes aren’t the most baggiest of them all to hide all my dough in places.

How do I do this besides just working out? Mind you I only work out 3-5x per week and if I body need rest I give it and I stretch or just play around. Some days my workouts are child’s play some days I go all out. I do not have a set routine that i follow I just do what I think I need to do along the way, so sometimes I do cherry pick my exercise just because I like it. That also explain why my back has more definitions than my shoulders.. hmm

Do I eat junk food and cakes occasionally? For sure more than I actually require sometimes, my friends could validate my ferocious appetite, it also helps I am only 26 and trust me when I was younger I could eat like a grasshopper and still manage to look like those lalangs ( those coarse thin weedy grass swaying with the wind) Being lean and healthy is a lifestyle and should continue as such even after you've achieved the weight you want.


3 TIPS TO REMAIN LEAN
 
1)Monitor what you eat

2)Try new activities

3)Use the mirror and a Food diary

 

3)THINK ABOUT THE RAINBOW.
Go to the grocery store and buy 3-4 different vegetable in different colours, they are not only visually appealing but good for you, trust me!
Here's a list to help you.

Today i would like to share with you a recent article I've read  from Runnersworld comparing the amount of calories burned of running vs walking and how much calories do you exactly burn. Even if you do not own a Fitbit and might be curious, you could do the math yourself but it's best if you do own one and join us on the next challenge which i would talk about more in my upcoming post.

A group of researchers from California State University have just published a new Run v. Walk paper. It’s the best one yet, and it confirms (to a very high degree) the data I presented in 2005, which was mostly based on this paper. Even better, this group of investigators have included the “after burn” in their calculations. That’s a first.

It’s also entirely appropriate. Whether you finish your workout by collapsing on the grass, drinking a smoothie, or taking a shower, your body continues burning more-calories-than-usual until it returns to its basal metabolic rate. These calories are “free,” yet real.

The subjects in the new study were 15 male college students, and 15 female, with an average weight of 156 lbs. One day they ran a treadmill mile in 10:00 minutes; another day they walked a mile in 18:36. Afterwards, they sat quietly for 30 minutes, by which time their metabolic rate had returned to normal.

After signing up and syncing your fitness device (Fitbit), this platform would do everything for you, providing you with,

1)STEPS
2)DISTANCE
3)CALORIES BURNED

This platform is so responsive and its user friendly for everyone that I actually look forward to see if any new challenge is up to take part. 

They are officially launch Rewalkz.Me! To kick start their 1st challenge, they are giving away a Fitbit Surge to the lucky winner in this auspicious Goat Year!  Just walk 10000 steps daily for the next 14 days and you will stand a chance to win a brand new Fitbit Surge!

1) This challenge is only open to 120 RewalkzMe users. currenty there is about 60 slot left, last i checked.

2) This challenge is based on first-come-first-serve basis.

3) Each user have to complete 10000 steps PER day for 14 consecutive days during the challenge period in order to be eligible to be a winner of this challenge.

4) User with the highest step count and fulfill point 3 will win a Fitbit Surge tracker

Feeling the urge to dine out yet you still want to be able to eat healthy? This is part 1 of what some athletes and fit people have in common when they still want to be able to enjoy food while dining out.Contrary to what you may believe, you don't always have to sacrifice flavor for nutritions. If you are not following them on Instagram do click on their user name and throw in a heart or two on their page.

"I would usually go for their chicken breast fillet wrap with lemon &herb dressing, it enhances the taste of the chicken, making it softer and juicier.It is also below 600 calories.”

 “ When I feel like eating semi clean when I have no food packed, I’ll get the butterfly chicken breast. It comes in a generous portion and hey I  get to track my macros too!” 

Mr Prata at Tampines st 44 also serve my favorite chicken fajita wrap which is also at the top of my list.

”Double up chicken for me and i would pick a different sides to suit different dieting phase. They serve fries/corn/steam vegetable etc"

"Anything from The Daily Cut and restaurant that serves Salmon sashimi."

"Beast sized meal, which is simply 2 portions turkey and 1 portion steak on brown rice, Taste fantastic even without any condiments.'

"This food joint offer variety of base/deli/vegetables that you could choose from and customize your own salad, i would eat anything with smoke salmon in it!"

Like you, I eat aimlessly  when I’m on vacations, ice cream of every flavor, pastries ,second serving of everything and desserts that  I can barely pronounce its names but I know if I never eat it now, I’m never going to get the chance when I  am back, and if like something I would basically eat it everyday for the entire trip, I remember Japan, I ate red bean cake every 2 hours, in Paris I had a tart in all sort of flavor in every bistro I stepped into, Geneva’s chocolates, don’t even get me started. Thailand, it was street food, I felt bad for the vendor so I bought what they sold, in Las Vegas all I wanted was tacos , and the list goes on.  

There is no secret in weight gain like how there is no secret in weight loss, firstly my main advise is not to be to extreme and cut out everything and go into a strict-diet mode, there is no need to be ashamed if you still enjoy a piece of chocolate or 2 during your tea break or if you decide to share an ice cream with your other half. I know a lot of women out there, they come back from their holidays and the first thing they do is go on a juice cleanse, trust me its not a very smart move, from a scientific point of view on how your body would react. There are better time to do a cleanse, but not right after a holiday. Imagine if you have not train for a marathon and decide to do a marathon tomorrow, how would your body react? 

those bars was the size of a bread loaf!

So here are 5 tips on how to get you on track!

Drink Water.
Being on a plane, a different time zone and another country, we forget to hydrate ourselves. Water also helps us to sustain our hunger since our body can't differentiate between thirst and hunger, aim for 8 oz of glasses per day, if you have not read the benefit of water, if you don't like water, click here for tips to make it taste better.

Bring Lunch to work.
Obviously if you bring food to work, you would know what you're eating, for a matter of fact you would save money and nothing is healthier than home cook food, unless of course your bringing chili crab to work, replacing 1 meal with home cook food could help you cut down calories.

Track your Activity.
Did you know our phone are so smart this days! Not only does it allow you to make phone calls and video call your mates half way across the globe, it allows you to tract your steps! since all of you own a phone, I am sure, even my niece who's 7 carries an iPhone. Download specific apps to help with your progress  and no you don't need any fancy gadget, your phone does it all!
here are some Apps that are pretty fancy!
Runtastic Pedometer Step Counter & Walking Tracker for apple users or click here for Android users.
There are so many out there, feel free to Google. 

Add some Resistance Training.
If gym is not your thing, use your body! add squats, push up, jumps, lunges, dips for 10-20 minutes before engaging in your usual cardio session.  The more muscle you have, the better your body is capable of burning fats and increase its capacity of calories expenditure throughout the day, that is why I lift weights.

Do not skip meals.
Especially breakfast, skipping meals throw your blood sugar level all over the place. At the end of the day you would eat a bigger lunch or dinner, trust me on this, happens to me all the time when i skip breakfast, man i eat dinner for 3, I could relate to this meme.

Lastly, always be positive and  give credit to small improvement! lets get it straight you are going to have to work just as hard when you took to lose that 5 pound but hey you know what, at least you have a goal, you know what you want and with the right set of mind, you would be able to overcome anything , your weight is just a minute detail of your life, so if today went bad after lunch, make sure dinner is better, i believe in you.

In every gym I've been to, a swiss ball is always presence. Of course u could do more than just sitting down on it. While performing any exercise on a swiss ball, its best to keep your mid section tight therefore you do not feel any pressure on your lower back. 
This two exercise is a little tough but challenging nonetheless, try it at the end of your workout, 3 sets of 10 slow and controlled repetition.bam