Training for that Hot Bod, Miss Body Beautiful, Miss Singapore International 2011

Chérie Wellness Volume 2

Never in my wildest dreams I thought would be possible to be crowned Miss Singapore International 2011 2nd Runner-Up and also, clinch the prestigious subsidiary title every woman dreamed of, Miss Body Beautiful.

After several weeks of training and fervent preparations at Aileron Wellness, a members-exclusive gym, I was well-prepared and in tip-top condition to kickstart Miss Singapore International 2011 held on 2nd of July 2011.

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As mentioned in my previous Chérie Wellness series, I have been working out diligently on the Power Plate®. Power Plate® uses breakthrough technology in training and conditioning, ideal for muscle toning and muscle activation. Due to my knee and ankle problems, I’m advised to avoid dynamic movements so as not to aggravate my injuries. Incorporating isometric exercises on the Power Plate® machine helped to strengthen and tone up my muscles around the knee for better support and with higher muscle activation, I achieved longer and leaner muscles.

Photo Credits: StudioBe . Benjamin Huang Photography

Acceleration training on the Power Plate® machine makes the body feel as though it weighs more every time acceleration forces increase, making the workout more efficient and effective. Don’t be fooled by the tiny movements done on the Power Plate®, you will definitely feel the burn during the workout. My friends, Ben, Caren and Chun Wee joined me once at the gym to try out the Power Plate® machine.

Here’s what they said,

“I found that 45 sec longer than a lifetime.”

“The super-acceleration from the machine set at high intensity level made a simple Squat exercise incrementally tough.”

“My thighs were aching after one set, whilst normally I can go through a couple of sets without issue.”

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With my full commitment on working out at least 3 times a week at Aileron Wellness, I managed to tone up, achieving a lean bod and inches off my body in less than 6 weeks.

Like what Owner of Aileron Wellness and Master Trainer, Keith Tan said, “The epitome of health and fitness lies in having a healthy lifestyle and making exercises a way of life. It is not an option.” I aim for healthy not skinny. Working out has really improved my confidence level and boosted my self-esteem especially on stage. I’m really satisfied with my transformation and my fitness experience at Aileron Wellness where I’m exposed to different cutting edge fitness tools. I would strongly recommend this members-exclusive gym to those who desire a beautiful body at any age in achieving that enviable physique. Thank you Aileron Wellness and your wonderful team of trainers, Keith, Eddy and Andrew, for making my dream come true, taking flight in fitness and achieving that beautiful body.

Body Beautiful At Any Age

Cherie Wellness Volume 1

Boost your health and improve your physical appearance with the right exercise regime. Whatever your age, it’s never too late. The first step to getting a beautiful body is learning how to love it. Accept what you can’t change and what you can. Fret not! You can change a lot! You need to have a goal, start by working towards it and constantly improve. For example, your basic shape. You can’t change your basic shape but you can improve it by working with weights and wearing the right outfits to enhance your body type. For those who are shortchanged vertically, you can appear taller with a good posture. Confidence is key! Standing tall makes one look kilos lighter and years younger.

For the record, I’m not a believer of slimming/diet pills, liposuction, diet tea or any other forms of concoctions to lose weight. I personally feel that it is only a once off thing. What happens after you have lost weight? I wouldn’t want saggy, sallow skin or experience side effects after taking them. Aim for healthy not skinny.

I’m sure you’ve been told exercise stimulates “feel good” endorphins and that naturally puts you into a happy and positive mood. Exercise boosts blood circulation, delivers oxygen and nutrients where you need them most. If you’ve been working out and not seeing changes to your weight, perhaps it’s time to consider personal training. That’s one good reason to get that gym membership!

Recently, I signed up as a member of Aileron Wellness where I experienced workouts like no other at Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa, a members-only gym situated in the heart of Sentosa.

For those who have been religiously following my tweets @Cherielee01 (please do!) or foursquare, would know that I’ve been visiting Aileron Wellness for about 2 to 3 times a week since 17th of May.

There, I’m led and guided by certified trainers who are equipped with up-to-date training methodologies and furnished with state-of-the-art equipment. I believe that I am one step nearer in achieving my main goal of a toned silhouette in less 6 weeks. My personal trainer created a fitness regime for me, taking into consideration of my lifestyle, fitness goals, metabolic rates, body type and injuries, to give me maximum results in the fastest time.

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I. Eat. A. Lot. and I do mean a lot, A LOT. Before I met them, I eat more than 6 full meals a day, snack on something almost every hour and to top it off, food tasting events which require me to consume large amounts of food in one setting. Oh no, I’m not complaining, I’m just telling you what my normal eating habits are and I think I scared the daylights of them when I first told them about it.

Also, I’ve not been exercising for almost 2 years due to an existing injury on my knee and ankles (MediaCorp drama 泳闯琴关 No Limits, doesn’t count as it is only intensive swimming for about 2 months). On a side note, I consume food in moderation. I’m not saying that I eat 6 plates of Char Kway Teow a day or feast on cupcakes every hour. My favorite type of food is Economy Rice or what most people known it as, Cai Fan. I usually have less rice, 1 fish, 2 meat and 2 veggies (includes tofu, eggs and/or green leafy vegetables) in each serving.

Practically nothing much changes after I’ve met them, except for the fact that it is advisable for me to consume only 1700 calories each day according to my height and weight and the given time frame of less than 6 weeks. It varies individually on a case to case basis. Besides, research has also shown that eating less calories a day is one of the best ways to extend life since many of us dig our graves with a knife and fork.

You can also check out your maximum calorie intake by downloading HPB Calorie Tracker if you’re using an iPhone! Before I started training I didn’t really count my calories, but now I do and I realized there isn’t a huge difference to the food I eat except I need to snack way a lot lesser. The best thing now is, I’ve substituted my snacking time with exercising at Aileron Wellness! My trainer alternates my training sessions between resistance and cardio, to tone the silhouette and to burn fats for overall weight loss respectively.

I must say that I can see a difference physically after a few sessions!

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For this Chérie Wellness series, I will be posting up pictures of the food I eat (very frequently on twitter) and also, show you the various types of exercises I’ve been doing especially on my best friend and lover, Power Plate®.

Power Plate® machines helps to increase circulation and oxygenate blood flow, leading to a decrease in toxins in the body which causes a reduction in the appearance of cellulite! Yes, cellulite! I’ll tell you more about this genius in a separate post! Make exercising part of your daily life and not something you do when you are free. I’ve learnt the hard way, maybe it’s time for you (lazy bums) too! Like what my personal trainer, Keith says, “the epitome for health and fitness comes from changing your lifestyle and making it a way of life, not an option.“

To really burn calories, you will want to get your heart pumping and break a sweat! It is definitely true that you pay to get tortured in a gym but look at it on the bright side, it is only at the beginning. Your body will undergo the various changes and you won’t feel the cramps after proper conditioning. Interested to find out more? Follow my wellness journey on attaining a beautiful body now!

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Food for Thought: Keep in mind that a cup of granola can have up to 600 calories. Start your day with a cup of high fiber cereal which has about 120 calories!

Personality Style Report

The DISC system of assessing personality characteristics is based upon the work of Dr. William Marston, one of the foremost psychologists of the twentieth century. Dr. Marston extensively studied the characteristics, patterns and responses of thousands of individuals and as a result developed an assessment to measure four important behavioral factors. The factors he selected were Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance, from which DISC takes its name.

Personality Online Assessment for Cherie:

A very creative person, CHERIE is often willing to seek out new solutions to problems. She is self motivated and will often work at a fast pace to accomplish her goals. CHERIE likes new challenges and she is usually able to make decisions easily, even under pressure.

CHERIE will usually test ideas against proven standards in an effort to be inventive; and can be very creative as she identifies new solutions to problems. She is an original and creative thinker, but acts in a rational way to make sure desired results are achieved in an orderly manner; although she is not afraid to “break the mold” if that appears to be the key to a solution.

CHERIE takes a flexible approach in her dealings with others and she is willing to pursue different avenues to maintain good relationships. While she is patient and will not usually rush, CHERIE is not afraid to actively seek new solutions if previous methods do not fit the current situation.

A thoughtful, caring person who likes to be around others, CHERIE is one who appreciates relationships. She enjoys being involved in social functions, but does not usually care to be the center of attention. CHERIE seeks balance between personal and social time, and enjoys a quiet evening with a few close friends as a good mix of the two.

After attending this sponsored training by my company, I am officially a certified DISC trainer :)