Hosting for SCORE Season 1 & 2
Here are some photos from seasons 1 & 2 of SCORE - an entertainment program about the local arts scene with weekly battle of the sexes challenge between the hosts - myself and my co-host, Jibby - to see which sex is stronger when it comes to art.
I had some of the best memories shooting for this show. It's hard to believe that they discovered me from my blog! I received a casting booking for this show in late 2008 and it was the first audition I ever did for hosting. I got through the first round of auditions and went for my 2nd. Saw some familiar faces in the television industry, and immediately began to think that my chances were slim because I was inexperienced. To my surprise, they called me back the next day and told me I got the gig! I was STOKED! My first time appearing on TV and hosting a show. I was so happy to be given the opportunity and I had a helluva time on the job.
Season 1
Season 2
Hey MTV Asia, when are ya going to give a homegrown, all-Asian girl the chance to be a host? 
Macbook Photobooth
I have to admit, I have over 1000 photos on my Photobooth! It's addictive and makes a fun way to kill time. It's also fun to see how my looks change through the years . . . Let's start with photos taken from 2008 until now...
Chubby days in San Jose...
I had to throw up one of these distorted shots!
I was really skinny during this time - 2009
That was a wig 
I hope that wasn't too much camwhoring for y'all folks
The Face Base
I've been using Shiseido's 'Pureness' skincare range for over a year now and I firmly believe that all Shiseido products are well-suited for Asian skin. However, when my boyfriend introduced me to Estee Lauder's 'Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher', I realized something better did exist.
The conversation started when he got out of the shower and I noticed how fresh and matt his face looked. My immediate reaction was to ask, "Did you put on powder on your face?" I've never dated a guy who would swear by Estee Lauder, or let alone swear by any moisturizer at all, so this was something relatively new to me.
So I tried out the pore minimizing skin refinisher and I found the same love my boyfriend had for it. My skin felt velvety smooth, fresh and shine-free as pores (especially on my nose) were minimized. I decided not to put on any make-up the first time I tried it out to see how it would last by the end of the day. 6 hours later, I was pleasantly pleased to find that my t-zone was not as oily as it usually was and my pores weren't very visible even though I skipped the 2-way cake.
Did some research and found out that Estee Lauder's Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher has received a lot of good reviews and feedback. The only setback that a number of users complained about was the price. I got mine from YesStyle with an additional 9% off as an Elite Club Member. It's US$58.90 for 30ml and US$97.85 for 50ml. It's definitely quality for quantity.
If you use make-up everyday, you should know the importance of a good moisturizer and preferably an oil-free foundation primer. I recommend using Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer (USD$40). It glides on smoothly over your skin and gives you an even finish, so your face won't feel 'heavy' after you've piled on all the make-up on top. It also double as a pore refiner as it is meant to create an invisible layer over your skin to give you a smooth finish.
Check out these before and after photos.
If you can't afford the moisturizer by Estee Lauder, you may stick to what you're comfortable with and try using this foundation primer over it. I read somewhere that one beauty guru would make Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer the only beauty essential she would need if she was stranded on an island - it's all the base you'll need for your face in one.
The Pre-Workout Fuel
I can relate to the aggravating struggle to get off your bed or office desk and making your way to the gym. Even worse, the struggle to keep up with your workout routines while at the gym (this is even even harder when you don't have a personal trainer to motivate you. It's frustrating.
So how do you keep up? The answer: A pre-workout fuel - Caffeine.
Although I am not a huge fan of coffee (Why would I be? It stains your teeth and gives you the jitters...), I do believe that caffeine is a helpful stimulant that enhances your mental and physical performance. Caffeine enters the body and forces the working muscles to utilize as much fat as possible. When you're doing strength and endurance training, it's a challenging effort to keep your mind focused as every rep gets harder. Having caffeine in your system is a pre-workout fuel that provides you with the extra boost you require to complete your sets and push your body to the limits, thus ensuring a more satisfying after-work out feeling.
Most 'fat-burning' diet pills contains caffeine and this was what I took in replacement of a regular cup of coffee to stay awake at the office and still have some energy for Muay Thai.
Lipo-6 is my better alternative to drinking coffee as it does not stain my teeth, it does not give me the jitters either. Results may vary with every individual but so far, both Charles and I agree that it's our essential Starbucks in a capsule.
It is important to know that I don't recommend consuming a pill each day as this allows for the tolerance levels of caffeine to decrease, thus making the body susceptible to caffeine when consumed. It is important for you to understand their caffeine limits. If you have never used caffeine for sporting enhancement, then you are unfamiliar with caffeine's affects on your body. Make sure that you have used caffeine in a variety of training conditions to understand your limitations.
Basic Rules of Thumb That Follows:
FOOD and REST
- Eat a meal within 3 hours before your workout, with at least 15g of protein.
- Eat a meal within 1.5 hours after your workout, with at least 20g of protein. If you can't eat a meal until later, make sure to eat a protein bar / protein shake within 45 minutes of your workout's end, and eat a full meal as soon as you can, no later than 3 hours later.
- Get plenty of complex carbs and veggies.
- Never be hungry, never be full. Ideally you are eating 4 small-medium, balanced meals a day.
- Get 7-9 hours sleep a night.
- Drink 2 litres of water a day, don't be afraid of bloating!
(This article is not intended for any advertising, sale or marketing purposes of the brand(s) mentioned.)
At my highest and lowest weight…
Just a personal reminder to myself. It's funny to look back at my old photos and think "Wow, I can't believe I used to look like that and thought it was okay at that time."
This is me at my heaviest (55kg):
And lightest (44kg):
This is me now (52kg):
I'd like to point that I may not look as chubby now as when I was 55kg even though there's only a 3kg difference because I've been weight training so bear in mind that muscle weighs more than fat. Ideally, I'd like to be 48kg and up my strength and tone up by doing more resistance and weight training. This is my 2nd week in the 'Explode' program. I'm feeling great but my clothes could definitely fit a lot better!
Pacaya Volcano Eruption in Guatemala
May 27, 2010 - Pacaya volcano in Guatemala Erupted
In January 2008, I went on my first backpacking trip to Guatemala in Central America for a total of 10 days. It is by far the most intense and exciting trips I've had. I barely spoke any Spanish and only had about USD200 to last me a week - which turned out to be a real treat. I stayed in cheap hostels for about USD5/night and met a number of other backpackers from all over the world who were really friendly and outgoing - that helped a lot.
I must say, climbing an active volcano in Guatemala and being the only female tourist sitting in a chicken bus filled with about a ratio of 4:3 male to female Guatemalans WAS not just an unnerving experience, it was almost suicidal. Who would have thought that very volcano would erupt 2 years later...
This is the Pacaya volcano in Guatemala 2 years ago before it erupted. Taken from my hostel in Antigua. Sometimes you can even see smoke coming out from the top of the volcano. Yup, it was still active when I went up there!
Poking fun.
My guide. He took a group of about 10 people (including me) up to the volcano. Pacaya rises to an elevation of 2,552 metres (8,373 ft). It wasn't an easy climb at all! Mind you, what he's standing on is hardened lava and underneath it is 1250° Celsius of hot lava!
Sitting on the igneous rocks (hardened lava). The climb took about 6 hours - we started at 730am and ended at about 1pm.
It was worth the thrill. However, I still find it hard to believe that Pacaya volcano erupted recently. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones from the disaster.
I'd really like to climb Mount Kinabalu next.
Gaining 10lbs In…
As I've mentioned before, I've gained 10 lbs since I started an office job in January as it had been a constant struggle trying to keep up with work, blogging, modeling and my usual workout routines. I found myself too tired after work to go to the gym although at least I still made it to muay thai classes every Tuesday and working out on one of the weekends. It just wasn't enough. All the unhealthy snacking and occassionally drinking coffee to keep myself awake after lunch time took its toll on me.
You might say 10 lbs (5kg) isn't much. Hey, that's only about 1kg gained each month? If I kept going at that rate, would I be 12kg heavier by the end of the year?
Probably.
And what do I have to say about that? HELL NO. I wasn't going to let that happen. Work was going well (although at times was quite challenging) and I couldn't ask for a more fun bunch of colleagues but I realized it was a lot harder to juggle my full-time graphic design job, modeling and blogging. I enjoyed doing these things the most but it wasn't balancing the way I had hoped it to. I want to dedicate more time on my blog and learn more about health and fitness so I can share it with everyone. It's something I enjoy doing and see myself doing in the long run. So, I resigned from my full-time job and my company has now hired me as a freelance designer so I am now able to be more flexible with my time.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying you have to quit your job if you think you've been gaining weight just because you're desk-bound. That isn't the main reason why I resigned anyway. During the first 3 months, I was still going to the gym 3 times a week and eating healthily. I was adamant about drinking coffee because it stains your teeth and is so bad for in so many levels (I'll share more on this soon). I'd pack my own lunch sometimes and made sure I didn't have to consume it with my eyes still glued to the computer. Like I said, work was going well. But what happened with me? I got complacent. I got lazy and I started not to like my daily routines. When your mind has decided on something like that, you know you're going to do a half-ass job - not with work, more importantly, with your life.
My eating habits were terrible. 'Just 1 packet of cream crackers' turned out to be 'Aw man, I just had 3...'. I stayed up until 2, sometimes 3am because I needed some down time after getting home from work to catch up with friends or download new music for my workout playlist. The extra 10 lbs didn't show up immediately of course. My jeans started to feel tight and uncomfortable at first and then I realized it felt better to leave it unbuttoned after a while.The first signs of trouble. Always. Take. Note...
I don't have a weighing scale at home and rarely do I ever weigh myself at the gym but just 2 weeks ago, I became curious. And yeah, that's how I found out. It was almost like finding out you're pregnant (no, I've never actually experienced this but I would think it'd be similar emotion). I couldn't believe it!
Just to prove my point, here's a photo of me in my ideal weight taken in Oct/Nov 2009:
And this is me, now:
It may not be a dramatic change to some people but it's not a good change for me and I am extremely unhappy about it... 
Anyway, enough with all the oh-my-god-I-can't-believe-this-is-happening... What you need to know and what I, ultimately, would like to share is what needs to be done NOW. Over the next 12 weeks, I'm undergoing my workout split 1 - which is called the 'Explode' program. No, I do not have the desire to look like the governor of California. It's called the Explode program simply because... it sounds cool.
Some basic rules of this program on my next post. Hang in there 
Power Over Cervical Cancer Part II
Singapore's Top Female Bloggers Come Together At House @ Dempsey To Learn More About Cervical Cancer.
Here are some photos from the event:
Do visit http://www.pocc.sg/pledge to show your support for this cause. I encourage all women to go for a vaccination to protect ourselves from HPV and cervical cancer. Read more about POCC and spread the word today.
Chasing the sun across the globe, starting from Singapore to California, Florida, and now Kuala Lumpur.
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