By Arthur Tam
They’re those rare creatures who live among us, preferring pain over pleasure, uphill climbs over downward spirals, protein shakes over fried chicken: the personal trainer. The discipline and mindset it takes to be so pumped on life elude many of us. To help us get into the you-can-do-it attitude, we follow one of Pure Fitness’ most popular and versatile group instructors, Cindy Marilyn, to try to understand her daily exercise-filled routine and get to know her favourite places around Taikoo Place.
First thing in the morning, around 8am, I drink a big glass of water to replenish my body before taking my two dogs out for a walk. Then I come home, down a breakfast protein shake and start prepping for class. I usually have two to three (depending on the day) back-to-back morning classes at Pure in Taikoo Place.
To keep my stamina up, I take short breaks in between my classes and snack on nuts, carrot sticks, chopped bell peppers or my favourite Goji Blush smoothie from Nood Food. Then it’s back to class and once the music starts, I get pumped up again and I tell my students: “If you want to make a change, prove it.”
I wasn’t always active or motivated. When I was growing up I was quite chubby, so I decided to do something about it. I started working out and fell in love with Body Combat classes. And now, for almost eight years, I’ve been a fitness instructor, trying to inspire others with my own experience. I teach pretty much every type of class available at Pure from TRX to Pilates and circuit training to my favourite dance classes.
When I’m not teaching I train on my own and also take classes taught by my peers. And outside of the gym I enjoy hiking all over Hong Kong. But if I’m crunched on time, I prefer my usual route along Mount Parker.
For a healthy lunch in Taikoo Place, my top choice is a light kale and beetroot salad from Simplylife with an iced coffee. I always eat foods with a lot of colour and try to avoid meals that are too oily.
The source of my seemingly limitless energy? I know when to rest. I always try to take a power nap after my morning classes, even if it’s only for 20 minutes. If you’re someone who’s stuck in the office, find a moment when you can put on your headphones, listen to your favourite song while you sip your coffee. Or, do what I do and appreciate the art around Taikoo Place or in ArtisTree. That makes me happy.
To enroll in one of Cindy’s classes, go to hk.pure-fitness.com for the most updated class schedule.
Special Thanks:
Pure Fitness
Pure Apparel