Coming to terms with yourself

Name: Ng Wan Ling

Age: 29+

Occupation: Works at ActiveSG Training Centre

Struggling with stress management and having inconsistent eating habits is something most of us are no stranger to. This week, we feature Wan Ling, who through her struggles, decided to change her lifestyle through understanding how her body works.

"I was caught in a rut of one dimensional thinking; standing on the weighing scale and thinking simply about how to lose weight," shared Wan Ling when asked about some of the struggles she faced in her personal fitness and wellness journey.

Besides struggling with weight issues, she was also juggling bad eating and screen time habits, as well as bad stress management. Due to her weight issues, she was also very averse to standing on a weighing scale, which indirectly affected her self-esteem and confidence.

Growing up in a family culture where family members grabbed convenient food items from the supermarket saved a lot of time but in the long-run, it was not ideal as those food choices were not the most nutritious and weight issues slowly crept in.

The Turning Point

Wan Ling came to realised that she had to put a stop to all these mindless eating, such as snacking without prioritising nutrients.

FIND OUT: How to eat better

"I was struggling with weight and mindlessly eating non-stop. I also took a long time to figure out what homeostasis and the endocrine system were and to make positive changes to my lifestyle and habits," said Wan Ling.

A routine day in the life of Wan Ling nowadays consists of exercises in the morning and listening to her body if she had overexerted the day before. She is also more conscious of what she eats and reads food labels more conscientiously. She is also beginning to understand the importance of micronutrients.

Moving forward, she is hoping to prioritise recovery between workouts and not overexert the same joints repeatedly. She is also aiming for better nutrition and rest time for her body.

Wan Ling had this to say when asked about advice for others who are looking to rediscover or discover their own fitness journey: Firstly, set realistic goals, be consistent and remember that knowledge is power. The main aim should be towards better health and not towards the numbers on the weighing scale. Oh and never be bullied by a weighing scale and don't oversimplify your struggles. Instead, face up to them and conquer them head on.

"When starting on similar journeys, it's important to not be too extreme or expect quick fixes and have patience through the process." She added.

Read also: Keep on moving

Wan Ling has already taken the first steps on her fitness and wellness journey. What about you?

Share with us or tag us on instagram @activehealthsg and #betterbeatsperfect if you think someone else should be featured on Active Health!