Tabla de contenidos para April 2017 en Shape Singapore

I never regret working out. It helps me feel more relaxed after a stressful day at work, and it’s the best way to start the weekend because after a good sweat sesh comes a delicious brunch. Food is definitely motivation to get moving! Your mind and body sees positive changes with regular exercise too, like better heart health, increased muscle tone and more energy to get through the day, just to name a few. And let’s not forget that post-endorphin rush, your natural happy pill. The list of benefits goes on, but being human, it’s easy for us to get bored and lazy at times. Which is why this issue is bursting with a variety of activities to try if you need a change of routine. Turn to this month’s…

Food stains on your clothes are such a downer. Sometimes the spots linger even after an intensive wash. The next time they’re stuck, try this old-but-gold remedy: Mix two to three parts baking soda with one part water, till they form a paste. Rub it on affected areas, leave for 30 minutes, then rinse and scrub the stain off or put the garment into the washing machine. To remove tougher, older stains, leave the paste on for an hour or two. Make sure the clothing’s colours are fade-proof before applying the paste. Yes, you’re welcome.…

Minimalist running kicks have been all the rage for some time. And we totally understand why. The second-skin feel is attractive, and many say that such shoes boost your overall performance. But if you’ve always been using regular trainers, transitioning from more cushioned models to a pair that mimics running barefoot can be a huge shock to your running style. The solution? Footwear that has the best of both worlds. This means it has additional cushioning while maintaining some of the principles of minimalism, such as increased flexibility and lightweight materials. A PLUSH RACER Shoes that fits this description to a T is the Skechers GoRun 5 . The use of 5Gen cushioning technology ensures that the soles are ultra responsive and comfortable, while the sock-like uppers fit like gloves,…

Meditation isn’t just about unwinding your mind – it also may be exactly what your body needs to get fitter faster. “When you start a workout with meditation, you’re able to zero in on the present moment, which allows you to move with intention, so you can give your best effort,” says Holly Rilinger, a Nike Master Trainer and Flywheel Master Instructor in New York City. That means you’ll be in the zone and get more out of every sweaty second. But that laser focus may fade as your reps add up, making it likely you’ll start to slack off, sapping some of your workout’s sculpting and energy-boosting pay-off. That’s why Holly created Lifted, a workout class she leads at Bandier’s Studio B that begins with a meditation moment and…

Finally, scientists have discovered a key to making that exercise habit stick – choosing one cue to get you going, according to new research in the journal Health Psychology. In the study, the thing that predicted a person’s success in maintaining a fitness routine was locking in a consistent signal for when it was time to lace up – like, say, pegging your run to the first thing you do after reading the morning news. Even if your class of choice constantly varies (yoga today, Crossfit tomorrow), or if your start time isn’t precise and relies on something like seeing the last person in your family exit the front door in the a.m., having a trigger will help put you on autopilot to make the workout happen.…

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Leafy veggies such as spinach, parsley and collards may help you go harder in your HIIT workouts. When exercisers consumed nitrates–chemical compounds that are highly concentrated in these greens three hours before a sprint cycling routine, they experienced a blood-flow boost to their muscles while they worked out, research in Frontiers in Psychology shows. After five weeks of pre-sweat greens, the cyclists increased their fast-twitch muscle fibres – the ones that help you to run fast, react quickly and jump high. “The more of them you have, the easier it is to sustain short bursts of all-out effort,” says sports nutritionist Jim White.…

No pain, no gain, right? Not when it comes to a massage, says Jeff Matthews, managing director at spa consulting agency Spa Foundations. It’s always best to tell your therapist the truth and say something if you’re gritting your teeth through your spa sesh or you risk getting injured. “While massages should stretch you, they shouldn’t hurt you,” says Jeff. When in doubt, follow this rule of thumb: “If you’re flinching or resisting the masseuse’s movements, she’s probably using too much force.”…

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As a child, Disney princesses were my inspiration, with Ariel from The Little Mermaid being my absolute favourite. So when my parents took me to watch a Disney On Ice show for the first time, I was in awe. The characters glided gracefully on the ice and made ice skating look easy-peasy. But I learnt recently that ice skating is far from simple when I attended a masterclass conducted by the cast from The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice. The show ran from March 15 to 19 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. I was a little intimidated the moment I arrived for the class; the majority of the participants could move around comfortably on the ice. It didn’t help that I never learnt how to skate. In the past,…

Turns out lying is bad for your health – true story! Research from the University of Notre Dame found that when participants fibbed less over a 10-week period, they reported big improvements in their physical and mental well-being. And, yes, this applied to telling fewer white lies as well. Honest volunteers suffered fewer headaches and sore throats, and felt less tense or melancholy – probably because of reduced guilt and stress. “We found that the participants could purposefully and dramatically reduce their everyday lies, and that in turn was associated with significantly improved health,” says lead author Anita Kelly. Two simple ways to do this? Stop exaggerating stories and quit making false excuses for being late.…

Bored of your exercise regimen or want to turn things up a notch? This month’s special section features three workouts with different end goals. We’ve got a routine that includes meditation and high-intensity interval training so that you energise both your mind and body. If building muscle is your priority, then the plan that helps you pump things up in all the right places will be of interest. All you need is a watch and two kettlebells and… you’re set. You might also have heard about the benefits of foam rollers, which essentially lengthen and loosen your muscles. We’ve got a workout that incorporates this piece of equipment so that you can combine self-massage and strengthening in one. But first, turn to the next page where experts offer tips to…

Being strong will fire up your metabolism and confidence like nothing else, says trainer Adam Rosante, the author of the e-book Strong Body Guide. “And the more strength you possess, the easier every activity you do becomes,” he says. To get you that “I’m invincible” high, he designed this routine to pump up the three key components of strength. First, there’s maximal muscular strength, or the greatest force you can muster in a single contraction (think of it as the most weight you can press, squat and so on in a single rep). Then there’s muscular power, which is your ability to produce strength quickly (as in throwing a medicine ball as far and as high as you can). Last, there’s muscular endurance, which is your ability to exert force…

If you’re on a mission to get stronger, focus more on muscle fatigue than dumbbell weight, new research in the Journal of Applied Physiology says. Whether exercisers lifted heavy weights for eight to 12 reps or lighter ones for 20 to 25 reps, as long as they hit the point of muscle exhaustion each set, they had about the same strength gains over 12 weeks. Since both groups maxed out their muscles, regardless of the amount of weight they lifted, they used all their muscle fibres, says study author Sara Oikawa, which is key to building strength. Whichever weights you choose, do reps until you can’t go one more with proper form. “ Any tips to turn me into a morning - workout person” - ADRIANNA , 24 Consistency and…

1 DEVELOP A SMART TRAINING PLAN My trainer from Asics mapped out this routine to get me ready for my marathon: Start the week with interval training, then HIIT and a jog, followed by a steady long run and a mid-distance tempo run. At the end of the week, I feel completely zonked out. This sequence is representative of what the body goes through during a marathon, and trains me to deal with exhaustion. 2 LISTEN TO YOUR BODY No matter how good you feel, don’t push yourself too much. Doing this can cause you to fall sick or get injured. I learnt it the hard way. During a training run, I clocked 21km instead of 17km as scheduled. The next day, I came down with the flu. It’s better…

• APPLES KEEP YOU (AND YOUR GUT BUGS) STRONG AND HAPPY. Your gut bacteria help regulate your digestion, immune system, weight and mood, and apples boost the population of the good kind, a recent study found. That’s because the fruit (especially the Granny Smith variety) is a great source of the type of fibre that fuels these microbes, so they produce fatty acids that keep your colon healthy and prevent chronic disease, says study author Giuliana Noratto, a food science professor at Texas A&M University. • THEY MAKE YOUR HEART EVEN HEALTHIER. Eating two medium apples a day could lower your levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) by up to 24 per cent in just six months, according to a Florida State University study. Apples are particularly high in…

1 Don’t share We’re talking about towels – specifically, those you borrow over the counter at gyms. Go ahead and take the bath towels if you must, but pack along your own face towel when you can. The towel’s fibres can trap nasty bacteria and transmit germs if not cleaned thoroughly. Also, the idea of someone else wiping his or her sweaty face into the towel before you is just… no. 2 Be sun-ready You want to be sun-kissed, not sunburnt, and definitely not sun-damaged. We love heading outdoors as much as you do, but UV rays are still one of the biggest culprits when it comes to premature skin ageing (pigmentation spots, wrinkles, dull skin... the list goes on). Always aim for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has at least…

What mask you choose to use really depends on your skin and lifestyle. You’ll definitely see results! I never used to get compliments about my complexion. I had combination skin and my nose was often dotted with blackheads. It was only around three to four years ago when I developed a strong interest in Korean beauty and skincare that I started paying more attention to what I was using on my face. My skin started clearing up, and I didn’t get breakouts anymore. But the biggest change of all probably came when I discovered the wonderful world of face masks. Fast-forward to today and I often get people asking me what I do to maintain my skin’s glow. The truth? I use a face mask. More accurately, I use a…

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Even if you’re in killer shape, chances are you have a workout weakness you’d love to beat. Instead of giving up on triathlon training, taking child’s pose over a headstand, or cursing your jump rope while you trip through double-unders, pinpoint the source of your hang-ups to craft a success plan so you can get faster, stronger and leaner. “With the right approach, your body can adapt and increase its capacity for performance,” says Maren S. Fragala, the director of Athlete Health & Performance at Quest Diagnostics. Follow these tactics to make your breakthrough. Get your form down As you aim to ramp up your strength training or mileage, proper form becomes critical. “If you have poor biomechanics, you’ll use more energy because you’ll be working at a higher intensity…

REST A FEW MUSCLES Devote two or three alternate days a week to intense training. Know what muscles your workout is hammering the hardest, and make sure that whatever you do the next day leaves them mostly alone. For example, if you did a WOD with back squats, you could swim the next day. If you went for a long run, try yoga. RECOUP ON THE GO Low-intensity exercise can actually help your body repair, thanks to increased blood flow to damaged muscles. Turn your rest day from a Netflix binge into an easy, low-intensity session with something like a short, comfortable jog or a slow 30-minute bike ride to brunch. BE A YES WOMAN You need to have some consistency in your workout routine to lose weight and build…

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS: MacRITCHIE TRAIL You’ll get… A rugged trail with a breathtaking view. The terrain is pretty rocky, and some areas can be quite steep. Take note that you may lose your phone signal at some points along the trail too. MacRitchie has one of the harder and longer trails, but the view you get at the Treetop Walk is worth it! However, the bridge is narrow, so you’ll have to walk in a single file. We took the Terentang Trail to the Treetop Walk. There’s a barricade at the junction of the trail, so it does not look accessible, but look out for a small sign at the side of the barricade that indicates the name of the trail. Difficulty level Estimated distance and time We started our…

This is something your skin will want to drink up: liquid skincare. According to experts at Fresh, water-based formulas have the least amount of emulsifiers, allowing them to penetrate deeper into skin to seal in moisture. Joining the brand’s iconic Rose Face Mask is the new Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner ($69) that contains real rose fruit extracts to soften and moisturise skin. This alcohol-free toner also has a base of soothing rose water to reach deep into your dermis. Apply this to prep skin before moisturiser, or soak a cotton pad with it and place on dehydrated areas for three minutes as a targeted treatment.…

Nearly half of women with thinning hair would give their life’s savings for a full mane, research finds. Luckily, you don’t have to. An array of options, from product switches to over-the-counter remedies, is now available. Discover the causes of hair loss, plus smart solutions that will get you on a path to fullness. Make some styling tweaks A simple shift to your hair routine could be all you need. Priority No. 1: Limit braids, too-tight workout ponytails and extensions. And however unhip ye olde scrunchie may be, use it to keep your hair off your face while you exercise, says dermatologist Dr Doris Day. A scrunchie puts much less stress on your follicles than even coated hair bands. Celebrity stylist Ted Gibson, of the eponymous New York City salon,…