Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Review: Contours Express Circuit Training Program

Its a very different type of product I'm reviewing today - a fitness program!

First, let me introduce Contours Express.

Contours Express is an international franchise of gyms exclusively for women.
They have been voted as AsiaOne People’s Choice Award 2010 for Best Wellness Provider, 
and pride themselves on being fun, effective, and efficient.

Now, to be honest, I have never heard of Contours Express before doing this review.
I was initially skeptical, due to the name; how does one achieve express contours?!
We all know it takes time and commitment for exercise to produce effects.
However, upon research, I realise I've been taking it quite too literally. :B

Contours Express does not promise shortcuts to a better body,
but they promise to make your journey efficient.

How?

1. Their branches are located islandwide - easy access in all parts of Singapore.
2. Each session is only 29 minutes - can't say no time for that!
3. They offer personalised fitness training at no extra charge.
4. Workout equipment tailored especially to suit women - no worries of turning out like the Hulk!

Sounds good for a busy person like me, especially points 1 and 2 !

I'm not joking, I've tried to stick to a weekly exercise habit and it's just so hard.
Need motivation and time. :x
So I'm hoping for this session to kick me into exercising.

Now, I've signed up for a session of circuit training.
Circuit training aims to build strength and muscle endurance, via aerobics.
I've heard of circuit training as a trend among celebrities, but havent given much thought about it.

I went to Bedok's branch, which was nearby my workplace. :D
Locker rooms, changing/shower rooms are available if you need it!


I had to fill in a registration form, which other than the basic stats,
also provided me an opportunity to highlight my current lifestyle habits and areas of concerns.
There are 5 main concerns which I was told to rank.
In order of importance:

- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Tone muscles
- Improve flexibility
- Weight loss
- Relieve muscle ache and joint pain.

I like how they would use the information to design a workout personally for yourself.
I also had my height and weight measured, as well as my body fat percentage.

On to the actual workout.

Warm up was 2.5 minutes on the gym bicycle.
#butfirstletmetakeaselfie
#actuallyforreviewguidelines ;p


I proceeded next to the circuit, which was arranged in a rectangle.
Basically, I alternated between on-the-spot movement stations, which helped tone the muscles,
and weight stations, which builds muscle strength. These involved equipment like the leg press.
Each station takes 45 secs, and you are prompted to the next station when time is up.
1 session involves 2 sets of circuits, which is 29 minutes.

Taa-daa! The spacious gym.
I love that it doesnt smell sweaty and all :x
The wooden squares are the movement stations.


After the circuits, I did crunches, oblique crunches and leg lifts.
Followed by a round of cool down stretches.
Done!

It's quite smart, cause movement to each station is synchronized, and no one hogs the equipment.
Plus, each workout session tones and strengthens at the same time, which is awesome!
A perfect balance, so that your muscles wont get too defined and scary :B

My friendly trainer also took my heart rate after the whole session to determine my stamina.

On a side note:
She's really patient, encouraging me on and guiding me on the correct methods.
Thanks to her I realized my posture problem;
when my knees bend, my butt doesnt go out. That's not supposed to happen, LOL.
And she's truly friendly, cause she was saying hi to everyone by their names.
Wah I can't imagine how she can remember :x

Want to know my analysis results?
It actually shocked me a little, because I thought I was fit and healthy enough :x

My BMI is 20.9 : Ideal for my age range.
Body Fat Percent is 33.9% : NOT IDEAL for my age range. Ideal is below 25%
Total Body Water is 50.3% : NOT IDEAL. Ideal should be 55-60%.
Heart rate is 85% : Indicates a weak stamina.

Like omg it's far from healthy ):
I blame my hectic work-school lifestyle.
With the final year of uni and increased workload, I havent exercised properly in more than 6 months

Based on the above, I was advised to drink more water,
exercise at least 3 times a week for optimal results,
and be more conscious of my diet, i.e. no restricted foods, but I have to watch portions.

Death sentence for a glutton I swear LOL.

So, because its going to be a brand new year, I want to make a resolution to improve my fitness level!
Waiting happily for my final university paper so that I'll be done with balancing work and school.
I'm actually going to graduate in Jan 2015, and that gives me more time for myself.
Time to do more nail art, and will try my best to lower em fat levels. LOL.

If you have the same thinking, do try out the free circuit training trial at Contours Express!
This promotion is courtesy of Samplestore.com, and valid till 31st January 2015.

And, to win 15 sessions of circuit training at Contours Express (worth S$299),
simply post a selfie of yourself working out during the trial.

Contest ends 31st December 2014.

I'm crossing my polished fingers and toes too. heheheh.

Have fun and good luck!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Seoul Travelogue: Day Five !

Day Five!

Light breakfast at Isaac before we head off to Myeong Dong for last minute shopping!
Eating in the middle of nowhere again ;p



On the way to Myeong Dong!


Had our breakfast at Bonjuk, which serves Korean Traditional Porridge (juk)
Its like Cantonese porridge, thick and the rice grains are mostly broken down.


There is quite a variety of flavours available.
Some are really the traditional types, like Pumpkin, and Black Sesame. 
We ordered Abalone, Mixed Vegetable, and Oyster with Mushrooms.


Each bowl came with banchan (side dishes) - Kimchi, Anchovies, Chilli Bean Paste and Radishes.


I thought the abalone one was nicest! Couldnt get any huge chunks but the taste was there.
Oyster and mushroom was quite salty.
Mixed vegetable was nice but nothing very special. 

Levon says its sick food. HAHAH.



Cotton candy flowers - so cute!

We went to StyleNanda's outlet in Myeong Dong, where it was super crowded!
What made it worse was the fact that many of the items we wanted was out of stock.
With time to spare, we visited the flagship store at Hongdae.
Thankfully we managed to get most of our stuff, and it was more spacious too.

Received news that our flight was delayed for 7 hours, due to the typhoon.
We were mentally prepared for it, so it wasn't so shocking.
Wandered down the streets near our hotel, and chanced upon Yoogane!

Yoogane specialises in Marinated Dak Galbi - Marinated Chicken, which was stir fried.
One of the best meals we had, and cause of that I was secretly thankful for the delay LOL.

 
 

Lots of cabbage, chicken, and sliced tteokkbokki all stir fried together!
We also topped up with ramyeon and cheese.
Simple ingredients but such a taste of heaven omg.

I'm drooling right now.


Our pretty server!
Bimb asked for permission to take photo, and she thought we wanted to photograph the food.
She was so paiseh and blushed when we said no, we wanted to snap her instead :B

Photo credits to Bimb!

Did a last minute raid of the convenience store!
Hehehe for supper at the airport.

Obviously in love with pudding and the famous milk !
The pudding is super soft and smooth. I got my sister to bring a whole dozen back from her trip :B
And everyone probably knows the packaging of the milk - the banana flavour is famous.
But my favourite is the melon one! 
This one's strawberry, cause its bimb's hahahaha.

Photo credits to Bimb

Last selfie before we board the plane!
Our unofficial Day Six. hahaha.
Actually had many other antics (ahahaha McSpicy Tender Kiss wtf.),
but I'm not allowed to post them..



Gorgeous sunrise! Erms I woke bimb up to see this without thinking . oops !


Safely back in Singapore !


It was an awesome trip with my #newsstandgirls ! 
Packed with food, shopping, and crazy videos.

Five days is super short, due to my stupid leave booking system, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.
And I'm always very touched by the fact that they are willing to rush the trip for me.
They refused to let me fly back earlier myself too. <3 p="">

Hoping for more trips with them in the future!
Still hoping for a clique trip too; but we'll see. :x

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Review: MU Mieux Collagen Beauty Drink

Face masks, facials, beauty treatments.
These are the few methods we ladies commonly use to keep our skin in the best condition.
I've heard of beauty supplements before, but I've never tried it.
Mainly because it's usually expensive, and I worry about the flavour. :x

Sample store has sent me this to try out though.
Let's see how it'll work and taste. :B

MU Mieux Collagen Beauty Drink is a product by MU Nutrition, from Mary Chia.
They recommend a bottle a day, for youthful and supple skin.



Every 50 mL bottle contains 3000 mg of BHN Collagen and 10 mg of Ceramide.
Along with apple extract, Co-Q10, Vitamin E and C, Malic acid, and malititol.

So, why consume collagen ?
Collagen is an important component of the skin, contributing to its structure and density.
Together with elastin, it gives our skin that boing boing bouncy texture. :D
Loss of collagen results in the loss of firmness and formation of wrinkles.
This usually happens to women aged 35 - 55, as collagen production decreases.

BHN Collagen originates from fish.
It has high amounts of amino acids & peptides directly involved in collagen production,
hence it acts to provide nourishment and maintains hydration level in the skin.

Ceramide aids in the retention of moisture in the skin.
Vitamin E boosts cell regeneration, improving scars, acne and wrinkles.

Co-Q10 is the famous antioxidant used in many skin products, and Vitamin C is also an antioxidant.
Antioxidants inhibit free radical damage to cells.

Apple extract and malic acid combats photo-ageing by retaining moisture and stimulate metabolism.
Maltitol, a synthetic sweetener, adds to the flavour and has low effect on glucose levels.

Now when I saw apple extract I was kind of excited, because apple doesnt sound so bad!
Hoping it will mask the fishy taste of the marine collagen, and it did.
In fact, it tastes just like apple juice.
Not too sweet and slightly tart.

Interested to try it for yourself?
You can purchase a box of MU Mieux Collagen Beauty Drink at $88 (usual price $108),
and also receive a complimentary collagen facial, worth $185.

Simply call 1800 250 2001, and quote my name
'SxL Jaslynn Ng' and 'Sample Store Exclusive' to reserve your box!
You can use the hotline to book your facial appointment too.
Your box will be redeemable at Mary Chia/Urban Homme outlets.
This promotion is valid from 1st Feb to 31st March 2015. :D

Hope my review has been of help!

Fanatics Inc. - With a pop of blue

[Advertorial]

An introduction: Fanatics Inc. is a US-based online retailer.
They specialise in officially licensed sports merchandise,
running the e-commerce sites of major professional sports leagues like NFL, MLB and NBA, etc.

Being from Singapore, I haven't had the opportunity to be at a baseball game,
which is reportedly a very American experience, together with legendary hotdog stands at the stadiums
Maybe I'll have a chance one day?

But moving on from that, I was told to imagine, what would I wear to the games?

I had a selection of MLB hats as an inspiration for my sports luxe outfit.
Its an impressive collection, with caps & beanies of all teams in the Major League Baseball universe.

This is what I came up with! Courtesy of Polyvore.
On a side note, omg Polyvore is so fun to use. :D

With a pop of blue.



I chose a New York Yankees Knitted Beanie - I love the simple monochrome color scheme.
And the pom pom on top. :D

For the main outfit, I chose similarly monochromatic items.
And decided on shots of cobalt blue for the accessories - my favourite color!
I always need a trusty bag and comfy shoes.
Then of course, nail polish, cause #nailaholic. :D

My style is usually casual, comfy, and simple. I hope you love the outfit as much as I do!

If you're a sports fan, Fanatics Inc. is a good place to get your game day outfits.
No kidding, they have everything under the sun.
Not just baseball, from NASCAR to soccer, and even college teams.
International shipping is available. (:

Friday, December 19, 2014

Pok's 25th Birthday!

Pok's birthday! Again, he had no idea where we were going.
Tricked him into thinking we were going back to Snow City wahahaha.

Transformers Exhibit! 

I can't determine if the dino's smile is bigger, or pok's.







Actually the exhibit was quite boring, probably more suitable for kids
There are toys and displays, but only Bumblebee and Optimus Prime are life sized.
An interactive laser maze was quite fun, however we could only try it once hahaha.

Dinner at Butterscotch!
It's a halal cafe which me and pok have been itching to try.


Butterscotch Cafe
Blk 164 Bukit Merah Central 
#01-3625
Singapore 150164

Opening hours:
Tues - Sun: 10 am to 10 pm
Closed on Mondays
Last order at 9 pm



Surprised birthday boy with a Chocolate Rainbow Cake - $7.90 (if I didn't rmb wrongly)
The ganache was nice, slightly bitter like dark chocolate, but the cake was dry, so meh.


Truffle fries - $9
Yay to skinny fries and truffle taste!
Boo to lukewarm fries which quickly became cold. 


Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows - $6.50
I was quite annoyed that they served colored marshmallows.. like seriously it made the chocolate very weird.
The strawberry and lime flavours totally distorted the taste.


Brioche French Toast - $14
With caramelized bananas, turkey bacon and maple syrup.
Pok said it was yummy :D


Smoked Salmon Egg Benedict - $16
Eggs had flow and the brioche was nicely buttered.


One of their signatures - Butterscotch Souffle - $14
Unfortunately, it disappointed us because it had an overly eggy taste.
Too jelat until we couldn't finish it.


Our mains made us happy, but on the overall, its not a cafe we would make a return trip for.
It was honestly too overpriced, especially when some of the dishes were so lackluster.

Nevertheless, yay we're happy for such a simple celebration :D


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