Fitness regime for someone who loves to eat

I have been trying to maintain a fitness regime which involves hitting the gym at least once a week for a 30 minutes cardio session and 30 minutes of resistance training. I started during my university days because I realized I was too fond of eating and I didn't fancy spending too much money on new clothes. Plus the university gym was almost comparable to Cali with little screens fitted into the treadmills and really new equipment. During my last year in university, they even converted a room into a ladies-only resistance training corner where we could train without having to squirm around muscled guys.

After I graduated, it was just a constant search for a gym to work out. I went to ClubFitt previously with the boyfriend and sometimes we cycled around parks. When Dennis Gym opened an outlet in Kallang within walking distance from my place, I walked over religiously every Sunday but it started getting increasingly crowded these days and I often had to wait around to use the equipment. 

Then I started work where I am working now and to my utmost surprise, there's a gym in the office! It's small but it serves. But recently I realized that once a week in the gym no longer works its wonders in keeping me in shape for my clothes. So I decided to try something new...

Yes pilates at home! I've been trying Cassey Ho's pilates work outs for about half a year and I have to say, they are amazing in strengthening your core! You do feel yourself getting stronger as time goes by and it's just so convenient to watch her videos at home and do the exercises. Try all her videos targeting various muscle groups like your core, your thighs, your backs, your arms... the list goes on. I do try her cardio and HIIT work outs too but those are real killers. Somehow it works me harder than my regular gym sessions.

Yay to Youtube! I seriously discover all sorts of interesting things on Youtube these days!

Cycling at Pasir Ris and Gallop Stable

These two weeks I've decided that I needed some outdoor fun and the cooling weather is more suitable for my eczema too so I've opted out of gymming and chose to go cycling in the morning instead. Waking up at 7am on a weekend was terribly hard and it took so much discipline to get myself up and going, but when I finally reached Pasir Ris Park, I did not regret the choice.

Cycling along the beach with wind in my face, fresh air filling my lungs, it's a good way to exercise and to relax after a week at work. Pasir Ris Park is definitely way less crowded than East Coast Park (where I was rudely scolded by a Caucasian because he was riding parallel with his friend who was in my way and I swerved to give way. So much for kindness. Obviously I should have just continued riding since I had the right of way and wait for his friend to collide into me). It's also smaller though so you cannot cycle for a long stretch at a time and can only go in circles around the park. 

While cycling around car park C, i spotted Gallop Stable with their horses and ponies. You can have riding lessons there too, though frankly, the small ring did not seem all that fun to ride in. But still, I'm sure it would have been an experience for us city kids who have lived our lives in automobiles. 

Dennis gym @ kallang

I finally made a trip down to the Dennis gym at Kallang over the weekend to resume my workout. I've been stranded without a gym since forever and have started my weekly runs along Kallang river much to my irritation because my rashes flare up in that heat. So I was extremely happy and excited when Dennis gym started operations at the newly renovated Geylang West CC which is a mere five minutes walk from my house.

I reached the gym at about 1 plus after my sunday brunch and realized that there was only one other user in the gym. In fact in the whole hour I was there, I only saw two other gym users. It costs $5 per entry for the main gym and I was told that I wasn't allowed into the ladies gym unless I signed a membership with them. I didn't so I stayed in the main gym. However, senior citizens can enter the elderly gym with the $5 entry fee.

(Update 21 August 2012: There are slightly more users now, mostly male, but it's never so crowded that I have to queue for the equipment. Some of the staff are quite proactive and take the initiative to help you with the machines if you have any difficulty with them. They are all very nice and friendly, very willing to help.)

The gym is small but very clean. It does not have the large array of equipment that I'm used to back in my school gym or the Tampines ClubFitt gym and most of the equipment would be better suited for male users. On hindsight, I figured that is why the ladies gym is separated from the main gym as the equipment in the ladies gym is definitely more suited for us female users.

Location wise, I would say it's quite out of the way unless you live in the area (like me) and can simply walk over. The nearest mrt station is kallang mrt and the walk to the community center would take another 5 minutes or so. Not that bad if you consider it warming up. As I walked back home to bathe, I did not really notice if there were any shower facilities near the gym.

All in all, I'm glad that there is finally a gym near my house. It is twice as expensive as the per entry rate at Clubfitt and the suitable equipment remains lacking unless I sign up for their membership. However, if I compare the rates at other established gyms, I find the $5 per entry still acceptable.

To get to Dennis Gym by MRT, you can alight at Kallang MRT and take the left exit when you are leaving the station. Walk straight along the road and you will see a bus stop with buses like 31, 21, 26, 961, 985 and 853. Continue walking till you reach the road junction. Cross the road and turn right. Continue walking down along the road, past a row of shops and you will see the basketball court of the community centre. Dennis Gym is on the second floor.

Between my eating feasts

Run through fat days.

Run despite whoever loves you or doesn't.

Run through regret and guilt.Run through frustrations.

Run through loneliness.Run through those blissful days.

Run despite your dysfunctional family.

Run through people drifting in and out of your life.Run through your own fits of self doubt...

I'm currently stranded without a gym which means that I haven't been running in about three weeks. Which sucks. 

My recent bout of rashes also means that I can't run outdoors this month. Which sucks.