plus+ women's january - february issue

Jan-Feb 2015

GET THE PERFECT VALENTINE

LOOKEXPERT BEAUTY TIPS FROM AMY G

LOW CARBS, STAY SLIM

NEW YEAR, NEW YOUKICK-START A BETTER YOU IN 2015

FIT, FAST & FABSIMPLE EXERCISE ROUTINES

NORA ABDUL

RAHMAN, HER PASSIONS FOR YOGA

TURNS HER FROM LEARNER TO TEACHER.

FAST AND LEAN

IN JUST UNDER 15 MINUTES!

STRESS-BUSTING YOGA

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+Health6 Should we blame hormones

for our moodiness?Emotional health is strongly linked with the variations in hormone levels

8 How a Workout Can Work Wonders for Your Skin

10 Low-carb, not low-fat, helps you stay slimStop blaming the fat, it’s carbs that destroy your silhouette

14 New Year, New You

+Fitness16 Impact of cardiovascular

exercises on your health stateFor weight loss, there’s no better choice than cardio workouts

18

24

31

Fit, Fast, Fabulous: Philippa Morris

FROM LEARNER TO TEACHERHOW NORA ABDUL RAHMAN TURNED HER LOVE FOR YOGA INTO PART OF HER LIFE

DEL ALFARO:

ON A MISSION

TO STRIVE FOR HER PASSION

JANUARY — FEBRUARY

2015

2 PLUS JAN-FEb 2015

+CONTENT

20 FAST and LEAN IN LESS THAN FIFTEEN! High Intensity Interval Training

28 10 ideal yoga poses to do at home after a long stressful day

34 How to incorporate a Daily Exerice routine with Philippa Morris

36 Simple Workout Routines

+Life inspired18 Del Alfaro:

On a mission to strive for her passion

24 From Learner to TeacherHow Nora Abdul Rahman Turned Her Love For Yoga Into Part of Her Life

31 Fit, Fast, Fabulous: Philippa Morris

+Lifestyle38 The 4 Pillars

of a Healthy RelationshipRespect, communication, trust, and fun build a strong relationship

+Events40 “Just For You” Makeup Workshop

+beauty42 An afternoon of pampering at “Nails & Wax”45 Getting ready for your 2015 Valentine’s Day

How to use 2015 trends to flatter your Valentine’s Day date night.

AN AFTERNOON OF PAMPERING AT “NAILS & WAX”

GETTING READY FOR YOUR 2015

VALENTINE’S DAY

4542

40

“Just For You” Makeup Workshop CONTENT+

JAN-FEb 2015 PLUS 3

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Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form of by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of Nexploit Services. Where option is expressed it is that

of the author and does not necessarily reflect the editorial views of the publisher or Plus.

All information in Plus is checked and verified to the best of the publisher’s ability, however the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistake or omission enclosed in the publication. Plus Brunei Plus Brunei

FOLLOW US ON:

+PublisherNexploit Services

+Editor-At-LargeSimon Keller

+FeatureNora Abdul Rahman

Del AlfaroPhilippa Morris

+Creative DesignerShannon KuOleh Melnyk

Dear readers,A warm welcome to

the new year — and a new format for Plus

in 2015, where you’ll find us now alternating month by month between editions that are dedicated to male and then female readers.

This January edition is primar-ily for women, feature-packed with articles and advice for those of you looking to make a change in 2015, whether it be healthier eating, exercising more or finding confidence in your appearance or relationships.

In this issue, we take a look at how working out can work wonders for your skin, explaining how exercising your body affects the good and bad oils that influ-ence your skin’s condition.

In addition, our guide to car-dio exercise explains the overall health benefits that can be easily obtained from this type of physical exercise.

For those of you looking to be-gin an exercise regime, we have 3 guides this month to assist you. If you’re after serious exercise, but don’t have the time, our guide

to High Intensity Interval Training requires less than fifteen min-utes a day to keep you fit! Whilst if you prefer something slightly less strenuous, then Philippa Morris has some simple workout routines for you, together with some helpful advice for beginners. Thirdly, we feature the benefits of yoga, for those of you wanting a more relaxed discipline.

Inspiration this month comes from Nora Abdul Rahman, explain-ing how her love of yoga motivat-ed her to change her life and be-come an instructor herself. We also have an interview with Del Alfaro, sharing her story of how determi-nation is the key to success.

If you are looking for a gen-tler way to begin making im-provements, then you’ll also find our quick guide to 5 simple steps you can start immediately to begin 2015 on a positive note.

Don’t forget to follow us at Plus Brunei on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and we look forward to reading your com-ments.

Have a fantastic 2015!The Plus Team

+Supported by:Ministry of Culture, Youth and SportsMinistry of Health

Family, Children and Women Sector

Health Promotion CenterFitness Zone

+Publisher informationNexploit Services

Lot 4169, Kg Serambangun, Tutong TA 2541

Brunei Darussalam

[email protected]

+Have a story to share? Email it to

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+For business inquiries and distribution

Email it to [email protected]

+Get interactive with Plus Magazine

+PhotographerJerome Wong

Lily Bong

+ContributorsHelen O’Brien

Amy GKing Seh HorngNursadiqin Misir

Anna AzizShelley Ann Busque

Lily BongAzhar Liew

+PUBLISHER INFO

4 PLUS JAN-FEb 2015

INTERHOUSE COMPANY

JAN - MAR 2015

return ticket to Bali Denpasar

return ticket to Kota Kinabalu

From puberty to pregnancy and then to menopause, hormone levels fluctuate a lot inside

the female body, and the changes in the production of these sub-stances are well documented to triggers physical and psychologi-cal changes as well.

Some hormones influence hunger and satiety, others con-trol the way our body processes the nutrients it receives from foods, and others tell us organ-ism when it’s time to go to sleep and to then wake up. As long as the variations in the levels of hormones aren’t too pro-nounced, they don’t trigger significant changes in our general health and physical or psycholog-ical state. However, when hor-mone levels alternate a lot, then the changes are more than visible.

Take pregnancy for example — the oscillating levels of hormones

can lead to significant changes in the state of the future mother, gen-erating mood swings, cravings, fatigue and other such manifes-tations. We won’t discuss pregnancy right now, but we’ll take a closer look at the hormones that influence our mood.

Experiencing mood swings from time to time is normal and doesn’t make you depressed. Depression is a real and a serious ailment and should not be neglected, so if you constantly feel depressed and it’s not due to hormone changes, it’s recommended to look for specialized help.

SHOULD WE BLAME HORMONES FOR OUR MOODINESS?EMOTIONAL HEALTH IS STRONGLY LINKED WITH THE VARIATIONS IN HORMONE LEVELS

+HEALTH

6 PLUS JAN-FEb 2015

ESTROGEN HAS ANTI-DEPRESSIVE EFFECTS, BUT CAN CAUSE ANXIETY AND MOODINESSHormones are one of the most powerful substances in our body and their effects can vary from one person to another and even from one minute to the next. Profound changes can occur when the pro-duction of hormones increases or decreases too much, and estro-gen — which is involved in sexual and developmental health — seems to have a domino effect on the brain and overall disposition.

Extremely high levels of estro-gen can lead to an imbalance in the internal equilibrium, gener-ating anxiety and tension, and in more severe cases can lead to panic attacks and depression. In women who have significantly low levels of estrogen, hormone therapy can increase energy levels and makes one more alert while enhancing their mood.

THYROID HORMONES CONTROL ONE’S MOOD AND ARE INVOLVED IN WEIGHT MANAGEMENTHormones produced by the thy-roid gland affect the body in a pro-found manner, strongly impacting one’s mood and well-being. A low production of these hormones is associated with depression, and can affect food metabolism and sexual function as well. An underactive thyroid can lead to hypothyroidism, which manifests through fatigue; enlargement of the thyroid gland, permanent sen-sation of cold, dry and coarse skin and hair, memory problems, heavy menstruation, and a hoarse voice.

On the other hand, when the thyroid produces higher amounts of these hormones, the condition is called hyperthyroidism and it

manifests through inability to tolerate heat, muscle weakness and tremor, sleep problems, eye irritation and other vision prob-lems; irritability and nervousness, infrequent menstruation, and weight loss.

GLUCOSE RAISES BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AND FAVORS MOODINESSAlternating levels of glucose iThe brain’s activity is strongly influenced by glucose levels, and frequent variations in the levels of glucose in the bloodstream can also lead to emotional changes, irritability and moodiness. Skip-ping a meal can cause the glucose levels to drop too much and this can lead to slower thinking and confusion, low energy levels, mus-cle tremors, blurred vision, and moodiness.

Eating too much sugar on the other hand leads to sudden peaks in blood glucose and can have side effects such as increased irritabil-ity, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness and excessive sweating; excessive thirst, depression, and forgetful-ness.

To keep your hormones under control, it’s recommended to eat a balanced diet, take some daily physical exercise, get enough rest and stay properly hydrated.

DID YOU KNOWThere are several other substances that can affect our mood; some of them are taken from foods and others are produced by the human body. Vitamin B6, for example, and the amino acid glutamine are also involved in mood regulation. Melatonin, the hormone that controls the day-night cycle and makes us sleepy, is linked with depression. Finally, cortisol, the stress hormone, is responsible for weight regulation, irritability, nervousness, fatigue, and moodiness.

HEALTH+

JAN-FEb 2015 PLUS 7

The traditional reasons why health experts recommend-ed regular exercise and

workouts in the first place were largely to do with the proper maintenance of the internal sys-tems of the human body. However, recent studies now demonstrate that a workout not only improves your heart’s health and keeps your muscles and circulatory systems functioning properly, it also has a great impact on your skin’s ap-pearance as well! Let’s see how a simple daily workout can give you the skin you have always desired!

To start, workouts naturally lead to sTo start with, workouts naturally lead to you sweating. While many people consider this as undesirable, sweating is actu-ally extremely beneficial for your skin. Various kinds of toxins stick to your skin’s pores every day and can result in blemishes and pim-ples. Sweat removes these toxins effectively by its smooth flow from

the skin. That is why it is always recommended to take a shower straight after a workout, as it’s vital to wash off these leftover toxins. Sweating thus allows the skin to be cleansed in the most natural way, without the help of any skin care product!

Another reason why a work-out should be on your list is that it tones your bones and inner organs, which also has a positive effect on your outer (and largest) organ, your skin. Firm and strong muscles provide the required support for your skin in terms of tightening and less sagging. Therefore, to avoid loose, hanging fat or unattractive cellulite, which is becoming common these days, it is essential to work out to keep your skin in the best shape.

A workout is also known for boosting oxygen and blood flow to the skin cells. This can prevent

various skin problems such as acne and pimples. Oxygen allows nutrients to disseminate within the blood stream, nuturing the skin in a far more natural way then many expensive skin care creams and lotions, which claim to do the same but often prove futile in giv-ing results. A simple daily workout can also do the same trick for you! Moreover, recent studies show that running on the treadmill for a mere 30 minutes helps to boost brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin, two important chemicals concerned with the anti-aging process.

Ladies usually desire a natural skin glow, as shown in TV commer-cials and movies. As surprising as it may sound, a workout actually prompts the skin to acquire that beautiful natural glow! Basically, once you begin with a regular workout, skin cells also produce essential oils that make your skin

HOW A WORKOUT CAN WORK WONDERS FOR YOUR SKIN

+HEALTH

8 PLUS JAN-FEb 2015

look healthy and fresh. The active circulation of blood and oxygen in the body may make you sweat, but your skin also takes on a natural glow. So not only are you beauti-ful from the inside, you also glow from the outside!

Furthermore, another inter-esting fact to note is that daily workouts can also have a positive psychological and physiological impact on one’s libido; it helps boost your sexual drive. In es-sence, exercise helps to increase your stamina to perform better at physical activities.

Also, let’s not forget the fact that workouts are the perfect means to release stress. An active involvement of mind and body working in conjunction has a pos-itive effect on the skin’s. Studies have shown that stress can cause the skin to react negatively, caus-ing acne breakouts. While hormon-al imbalance can also have such an impact — and is altogether another matter to be dealt with — a workout assists in keeping stress at bay and in obtaining healthy and fresh looking skin.

Additionally, a recent study has shown that taking a regular workout in the afternoon helps you get a better night’s sleep , by encouraging the amount of time you spend in the deep sleep state, as recommended by doctors., This particular sleep encourages the secretion of essential growth hormones, allows rebuilding and repairing of body cells and tissues resulting in that perfect glow that every woman seeks for. It’s literally the beauty sleep that you’re after!

So while most of you might as-sociate workouts with weight loss, maintaining good heat rates as well as eliminating risk of cancer and other diseases, a workout can do wonders for your skin too.

HEALTH+

JAN-FEb 2015 PLUS 9

Low-carb diets have been around for a very long time, but they are mostly known for their par-

ticular names like the Atkins regimen, for example, or ketogenic-inspired eating strategies.

Intensely criticized by some mainly for the fact that they put a lot of em-phasis on protein and fats, yet adulated by others, thanks to fast and durable results, the low-carb diet is back in the spotlight and looks here to stay for a very long time.

It’s not a secret that food has a strong impact on our energy lev-els, mood and general health state. What we eat can make us more prone to disease or on the contrary, minimize the risk of ailments like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, or other such conditions.

But let’s be honest: most of us turn to dieting for weight loss, not for improving our general general health state; and the main reason people love or hate a particular eating regimen is the weight loss results brought by that specific diet.

Therefore, it’s helpful to take a look at the numerous benefits of a low-carb diet and see how it can help not only in lowering your body fat percentage and getting slimmer, but also in improving the functioning of your cardiovascular system and lowering the risk of disease.

HOW TO SWITCH TO A LOW-CARB REGIMEN WITHOUT FEELING ENERGY DEPRIVEDAlthough there are enough studies to support the switch to a low-carb diet, one of the most common problems for people who decide to give this eating strategy a try is that they often feel sluggish and energy deprived in the first few days. This is the so-called “carb flu,” which occurs during the initial carb withdrawal phase.

Carbohydrates favour the release of certain chemicals in the brain that make us feel good, so when you’re reducing

the intake of carbs, the body craves for more

sugars as the brain

is used to the euphoric sensation caused by these.

The key to a smooth transition to a low-carb regi-men is to decrease the intake progres-sively. Start by elimi-nating the junk food

and keeping the complex carbs like whole grains, fruits and veggies in your diet initially. Replace pastries and cook-ies with sweeter fruits like figs, dates or raisins, and keep only dark chocolate as dessert for the moment.

Remove any refined flours from your daily intake and switch from white rice and pasta to brown rice, quinoa, barley, and other such grains. Quit sugary drinks and fruit juices and stick to water, tea and coffee. Once you no longer crave those junk products, you can start to decrease the intake of fruits and grains that provide higher amounts of carbs to lower your total intake to around 30-40% carbs, or to 20-30% of the total calorie intake per day, if you’re comfortable with this amount.

To avoid feeling hungry, increase the intake of protein and good fats and add protein to every meal. Try to follow this regimen for at least 3-4 weeks, and avoid “cheat” days until your body fat percentage decreases. Then when the weight loss becomes more visible, you can either continue with keeping a

low-carb intake or adjust it to meet your

weight goals.

LOW-CARB, NOT LOW-FAT, HELPS YOU STAY SLIMStop blaming the fat, it’s carbs that destroy your silhouette

DID YOU KNOW?

Note that a low-carb diet does not equal a no-carb diet! Carbohydrates contain many important enzymes and biomolecules that play key roles in your body - severely restricting their intake increases the risk of nutritional deficiencies and ailments, so make sure you don’t lower your carb intake too much.

Any diet that recommends one to take less than 30% of their daily calories from carb-rich foods can be classified as a low-carb (LC) regimen. However, the most restrictive LC regimes are ketogenic (keto) diets, which can go as low as 6% carbs and are usually embraced by bodybuilders and professional athletes.

+HEALTH

10 PLUS JAN-FEb 2015

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

Article by: Simon & Anna from Hip and Healthy Photographer: Simon Featuring: Anna

Follow these 5 simple steps and you can start off 2015 feel-ing healthier, more energized

and confident in pursuing your New Year goals!

Everyone has good inten-tions for the start of the New Year, but we all know it can be extremely difficult to put them into practice, whether it be having a complete detox from any overindulgences of the festive season or embarking on a healthier lifestyle all together.

The hardest hurdle to overcome is to initially start your new routine, especially if it’s a profound change in your diet or to join a gym for exam-ple, so we’ve shared five simple steps that you can incorporate immedi-ately with a minimal impact on your current lifestyle. And if it’s simply to detox, you’ll find these steps enable you to do so safely and healthily, with-out being too restrictive and driving your body crazy with cravings.

1. Drink more water

The body is made up of 70 per cent water and needs around 6 to 8 glasses a day to keep it hydrated and help flush out the toxins. Start your day with warm water and fresh lemon and give your body a little time to wake up before having your breakfast. The lemon kick starts digestion and your metabolism, actually alkalizing your pH levels, bring-ing your body back from its acidic state (which can be brought on after a late night’s ex-cess), into a state of bal-ance and repair. An alkaline system helps everything from clearing up your skin, fighting off illness and speed-ing up weight loss.

2. Breathe deeply

We all breathe, but breathing deeply can help your cells work more efficient-ly. Your body is designed to release 70% of its toxins through breathing. Deep

breathing is one of the best ways to get rid of the blood’s waste, carbon dioxide. Simply spend a little ‘quiet’ time each day consciously breathing slow and rhythmically, bringing air down deeper into your lungs. It is a simple trick to get energized and focused. Deep-breathing techniques are extremely effective in handling depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.

3. Move your body

High energy workouts are great, but if you ha-ven’t got the time or in-clination, it’s important to get some exercise into your routine, however gentle. Instead of sitting in an armchair to take that phone call, why not walk around the house whilst speaking? Or even take 5 minutes

to see how many times you can walk

up and down the stairs. Even better, why not go for a short stroll in one of our great parks, or join a milder exercise class such as yoga or pilates — all of these will have a calming, restorative and energising effect on your body. There’s nothing like breaking a sweat to flush out the tox-ins from your body and boost your feel-good endorphins. Exercise isn’t just about having a healthy body; exercise gives you a healthy mind too. Clearing some of that mental clutter and get-

ting in the right headspace will give you a more positive outlook on life.

4. Go plant powered

The liver, the body’s largest solid organ, is chiefly responsible for cleansing the body of toxins that can pollute the system and erode our health and well-being. This means that supporting the function of the liver is usually a very powerful way to give the body an internal spring clean. Choose to have a more plant-based diet consisting of fresh, unprocessed foods. Adding more vegetarian food gives your body a break from all the sugar, salt and nasty additives in so much of what we eat these days and is a great way to reset your system. This will also help you feel more energized and give you much brighter skin.

5. Sleep More

Our bodies need a good 7–8 hours a night to recover and rejuvenate. A lack of sleep is a big cause of ill health in our culture as the time we need so often gets pushed aside in our ac-tive and busy lives. Stress is damaging to our health and lack of sleep tends to increases stress levels. To ensure you have good quality sleep, make

sure you eliminate caffeine at least two hours before bedtime and avoid using your smartphone or reading that e-book just be-fore you put your head down — each of these have been proven to have a detrimental effect on sleep patterns, preventing you getting

to the deep sleep state so import-ant for your body’s recuper-

ation overnight.

If you follow these simple steps, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your body will respond in kind, making you feel a whole lot better in pursuing whatever you desire for 2015…


+HEALTH

IMPACT OF CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISES ON YOUR HEALTH STATEFor weight loss, there’s no better choice than cardio workouts

All forms of physical activity are beneficial for one’s health, there’s no doubt there. However,

the effects of cardiovascular exercis-es are different from the impact of strength workouts, since both aerobic and anaerobic activities have advantag-es as well as drawbacks.

In general, cardio exercises are considered better for weight loss, stress relief, for temporarily boosting ener-gy levels, and simply spending some time in an enjoyable and fun manner. Strength training is recommended for people who prefer workouts that are challenging, are interested in building muscles and for building a more shaped and defined body.

But the benefits of cardio exer-cise are not limited to the previously mentioned aspects. In fact, even light cardio was proven to exert important effects on one’s health and to contrib-ute to overall well-being in a signifi-cant manner.

CARDIO EXERCISES REDUCE STRESS AND BOOST HAPPINESS HORMONESStress can severely affect your health, and with today’s fast paced lifestyle, it’s almost impossible not to deal with stressful events on a regular basis. Cardio workouts can work as a free and enjoyable stress reliever because they can help regulate the production of cortisol, an important hormone in

your body that plays an important role in maintaining bone growth, blood pressure and control of your immune and nervous system.

It’s best though to keep your work-outs to under 60 minutes and maintain only a moderate intensity, as too high intensity exercise can be stressful to the body, which counteracts the posi-tive stress-relieving effects.

AEROBIC ACTIVITIES SUPPORT WEIGHT LOSS AND INCREASE ENERGY LEVELSLight cardio workouts are ideal for a quick energy boost, as the aerobic res-piration that occurs means that despite burning energy while exercising, at the end of a cardio workout session you can actually feel more energized!

Another great advantage of aerobic exercise is that it supports weight loss, forcing the body to use up energy stores from different sources in the body - not only the sugars available in the bloodstream, in muscles and the liver, but also the stored fats. During cardio activities fat is burned in higher amounts than during strength workouts.

For this reason, if you’re looking to lose some weight and you’re not necessarily concerned with main-taining your muscle mass, cardio workouts are a good choice, but an even better strategy in the long run is to mix cardio with strength workouts to preserve muscle mass while losing fat.

BETTER SLEEP, LOWER RISK OF DISEASE WITH CARDIO EXERCISESYou will sleep better if you practice light cardio exercises before going

to bed, as circulation and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells are improved, and toxins are eliminated in a more effective manner. However, try not to sched-ule your workout too close to your sleep hour, as you may feel too energized to sleep directly after the training session.

Besides helping you sleep bet-ter, aerobic exercise reduces the risk of high blood pressure, diabe-tes, high cholesterol and obesity, and helps in regulating the levels of blood glucose and triglycerides. It makes you less prone to cardio-vascular diseases and improves the health of muscles and bones, as well as the lubrication and flexibil-ity of joints.

Cardio exercise fights against depression, encourages a healthier digestion, can contribute to better stability and coordination, and im-proves resistance and endurance. Most importantly, aerobic activ-ities benefit not only your body, but also your mind as they con-tribute to better self-confidence and self-esteem levels, giving you greater influence in your social relationships in a positive manner.

DID YOU KNOW?

The American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults should practice at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, 3-5 days a week or daily, if possible. For improved cardiovascular endurance, the recommendation is 20 to 60 minutes, 3-5 days per week.

You can do cardio exercises without any expensive gym equipment, such as jogging, running and brisk walking, rope jumping, dancing, swimming, skating, skiing, tennis and other racquet sports. practiced outdoors.

+FITNESS


Jen Studio

Wedding photography by

Foodphotography by

commerc ia lphotography

[email protected]

Jerome Wong +673 8189918 / [email protected]

One of th

e

most influ-

ential women

in the world,

Oprah Winfrey

once said that, “Pas-

sion is energy.

Feel the power th

at

comes from focusing

on what excites you.” Each

of us is driven by something.

But only a few are determined

to try to be at th

eir best s

elf

to satisfy these yearnings —

and have an inspiring sto

ry to share.

Especially when it comes to

achieving

fitness, we’ve all se

en and encountered

stories of people who have attained suc-

cessful body tra

nsformations — whether

it be fro

m ’daddy’s belly’ to ‘six-pack abs’; fr

om

a couch potato to a marathon runner, or from

a normal housewife to a supreme gym rat.

So it’s best to

remember that

achieving such results requires

a lot of determination,

dedication and drive.

All fitness suc-

cess stories

share

the above common traits t

o get on the right

track to victory.

When it comes to determination, dedica-

tion and drive, Del Alfaro is one of the hardest

working and approachable people in the busi-

ness. Despite having 11 years of professional

experience in the fitness industry and success-

fully handling one of the most popular in

ter-

nationally acclaimed health clubs in the Phil-

ippines, she hasn’t let success go to her head.

She can regularly be found roaming inside

her club (Fitness Zone), chatting away and cre-

ating a small, fun environment w

ith everybody

she crosses path with. “It’s easier to build

rapport with the staff and members. That

way, I can have rational thinking and partake

in their concerns whenever they approach me,

thinking I am a regular employee in the club.

I don’t want to

create an intimidating kind

of atmosphere.” Having the down-to-earth

personal approach, she never lets the position

get to her head. “Some members do get sur-

prised whenever they find out that I’m

the Club

General Manager!” – A position which she said

she prefers to retain.

We’ve all gone through low and high

points in our lives, so it’s

important to

re-

member the lows often help us in determin-

ing what the possibiliti

es are, depending

on our courage and willingness to turn

these into the positive outcomes we tru

ly

desire. As we continually work through

these temporary dips, we build confidence

and pave the road for moments of enjoy-

ment and meaningful accomplishments.

After hitting a partic

ularly low point

in her personal life back in 2011, Del con-

fessed that she resorted to unhealthy eating

habits, stopped exercising, and gained

an overwhelming amount of weight,

stating “It’s really hard to start and renew

yourself again, but I’ve always believed

that we don’t have to give up —

it’s never over until you give

up! The universe is bal-

anced and every FEATURING:

MS DEL,

PHOTOGRAPHER: JEROME WONG

+LIFE INSPIRED


DEL ALFARO:

ON A MISSION TO STRIVE FOR HER PASSION

ARTICLE bY: SHELLEY ANN bUSQUE

One of th

e

most influ-

ential women

in the world,

Oprah Winfrey

once said that, “Pas-

sion is energy.

Feel the power th

at

comes from focusing

on what excites you.” Each

of us is driven by something.

But only a few are determined

to try to be at th

eir best s

elf

to satisfy these yearnings —

and have an inspiring sto

ry to share.

Especially when it comes to

achieving

fitness, we’ve all se

en and encountered

stories of people who have attained suc-

cessful body tra

nsformations — whether

it be fro

m ’daddy’s belly’ to ‘six-pack abs’; fr

om

a couch potato to a marathon runner, or from

a normal housewife to a supreme gym rat.

So it’s best to

remember that

achieving such results requires

a lot of determination,

dedication and drive.

All fitness suc-

cess stories

share

the above common traits t

o get on the right

track to victory.

When it comes to determination, dedica-

tion and drive, Del Alfaro is one of the hardest

working and approachable people in the busi-

ness. Despite having 11 years of professional

experience in the fitness industry and success-

fully handling one of the most popular in

ter-

nationally acclaimed health clubs in the Phil-

ippines, she hasn’t let success go to her head.

She can regularly be found roaming inside

her club (Fitness Zone), chatting away and cre-

ating a small, fun environment w

ith everybody

she crosses path with. “It’s easier to build

rapport with the staff and members. That

way, I can have rational thinking and partake

in their concerns whenever they approach me,

thinking I am a regular employee in the club.

I don’t want to

create an intimidating kind

of atmosphere.” Having the down-to-earth

personal approach, she never lets the position

get to her head. “Some members do get sur-

prised whenever they find out that I’m

the Club

General Manager!” – A position which she said

she prefers to retain.

We’ve all gone through low and high

points in our lives, so it’s

important to

re-

member the lows often help us in determin-

ing what the possibiliti

es are, depending

on our courage and willingness to turn

these into the positive outcomes we tru

ly

desire. As we continually work through

these temporary dips, we build confidence

and pave the road for moments of enjoy-

ment and meaningful accomplishments.

After hitting a partic

ularly low point

in her personal life back in 2011, Del con-

fessed that she resorted to unhealthy eating

habits, stopped exercising, and gained

an overwhelming amount of weight,

stating “It’s really hard to start and renew

yourself again, but I’ve always believed

that we don’t have to give up —

it’s never over until you give

up! The universe is bal-

anced and every

set back bears with it the seeds of a come-

back.”

Eager to know more about her dedication,

we asked Del to elaborate on her drive for suc-

cess:

How long did it take you to achieve desirable

results and how do you manage to maintain

them?

Nobody has ever gotten a desirable fitness level

without putting in a huge amount of hard work,

and even if you get there, there’s maintenance

to be done. One day, when I glanced in the mirror,

I realized that I was startin

g to dislike the per-

son I saw. I had to start something to renew

myself. It actually took me about a year of hard

work and dedication to get desirable results

and to get back in shape. You have to treat your

body as a temple. Treat it with respect.

What motivated you to keep on going?

Our actions are pushed by motivations

and goals — for me I guess, one reason that

has influenced me to stay motivated is the peo-

ple who don’t believe in me, those who un-

derestimate me. Show them what you’ve got.

You won’t be where you are if you’re not great!

How can you associate success with perse-

verance?

I have always believed that successful people al-

ways tend to make it on tim

e — because they

make time. Whenever I e

xercise, I am perse-

vering to make my allotted time — No ex-

cuses! I set goals and I see to it that I m

eet

them accordingly. Time really matters.

Once it’s passed, you can never take

it back.

What are your key exercise

and health tips?

I see to it that I spend at least

two hours exercising

per day. I prefer doing

so in the morning

when I teach group

exercise classes

(Les Mills RPM,

Body Pump

and Easy

Step), ensur-

ing I have

a bal-

ance of disciplines — cardio, strength training,

mind and body exercise. When it comes

to eating, I don’t deprive myself. Eat smart

in the sense of including greens in your

meal at least once a day, and eat frequent

small meals. And overall, a

lways keep

your eye on the goal! Focus is required,

so have it — make your obsession

your profession.

Whatever your goals

may be, wherever your

journey may take you,

and if you always ex-

ude a positive atti-

tude and have people

around you to serve

as your support

system — then

you cannot fail

in your plans!

Live Fit,

Love Life!

LIFE INSPIRED+

JAN-FEb 2015 PLUS 19

FAST AND LEAN IN LESS THAN FIFTEEN!

HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING

I t’s so easy to think with our busy modern lifestyle, full of distractions, that

there’s simply no time in the day to squeeze in an exercise routine. And yet, to keep our body functioning well to cope with everything, we have to encourage ourselves that there has to be NO EXCUSES when it comes to being physically active.

High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) is an easy to follow program that requires less than fifteen minutes a day to keep you fit — perfect for busy, always on the go people, helping you get into shape and keeping your heart pumping anytime, anywhere — even in the corner of your work area!

Warm-UpEquipment: Skipping rope

Time Required: 3 minutes

Perform for a maximum of 3 minutes. It can intensify your heart rate for a maximum fat burning workout!)

Tip: Invest in a good skipping rope. You can keep it in your workplace locker, under your desk or in your car. This is a good on the go cardio workout tool!

Squats (40 repetitions x2 sets)Time Required: 5 minutes or less

º Stand straight while you’re on your heels which are slightly wider than hip-width apart.

º Slightly turn your feet outward.

º While keeping your knees over your toes, sit back (you can use a wall to support your back or to maintain proper form). Move up and down while squeezing your buttocks. Cross your arm forceps (in front of your chest) and move forward to maintain balance.

º As you master the proper form and procedures, you can increase your speed to get an intense heart rate. Hence, it is advisable to have a resting period of 10 to 15 seconds before proceeding to the next routine.

1 2

+FITNESS


Overhead Press (30 repetitions x 3 sets)Equipment: Dumbbells

Time Required: 5 minutes or less

º Place each dumbbell in both hands and keep your hands at your sides (This is your starting position). Raise them overhead with an upward, straight form. Stand on your feet, placed shoulder width apart.

º Maintain proper form by standing with your knees straight and with your chest pointed in an outward direction. (This is also good practice for having a confident look!) Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are extended overhead. Lower your arms to the sides of your shoulders and repeat.

º You can maximize your workout by performing air squats**. (It’s like squats, but with throwing you hands up in the air.)

º Repeat until you have reached the target amount of repetitions and sets.

**AIR SQUATS (OPTIONS TO MAXIMIZE THE WORKOUT)

Triceps Push-Up (20 Repetitions)Equipment: A Workout Rubber Mat (Optional)

Time Required: 5 minutes or less

º Put your hands on the ground directly aligned with your shoulders in a plank position. While planking, your feet are slightly few inches apart. Turn your hands out slightly.

º Straighten your body behind you. Keep your feet as close together as possible, and always keep your hips low (butt level). Bracing your core and glutes will help you maintain a proper form.

º To keep your spine in a straight position (and avoid an occurrence of injury), the push-up should be led with your chest, not your head. And at all cost, avoid looking up; just keep looking forward.

º (Option: If you’re a beginner, you must first perform it on your knees to avoid discomfort)

1

1

12

2

23

3

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Burpees (15 repetitions x2 sets)Time Required: 5 minutes or less

Kick your feet back so that you are in a push-up plank position. Keep your hands firmly laid on the ground to support your upper and lower body.

º Press your chest lower like when you are doing a push-up. Bring your chest back up.

º Kick your feet back to their original position.

º Stand up, and then jump (as high as you can) into the air while touching or clapping your hands together. Your arms should be in a straight position overhead.

º Repeat until the given amount of time. If you are a beginner or are out of shape, start with 5 burpees in a row.

After performing this intense HIIT workout, it is recommended that you NOT take a shower immediately afterward to avoid any harmful effects on your body. This is because once your warm body comes in contact with water, the colling effect causes your sweat pores to contract, locking away all the toxins inside. It is better to wipe off the sweat off from your body to remove toxins as soon as possible, whilst letting your body cool down naturally before heading to the shower.

And remember, if you have any existing medical issues, especially if they are cardiovascular related, it is highly advised that you seek consultation from a registered physician before performing any strenuous physical activities to prevent harmful injuries.

Always make time and focus in the moment. You will never get what you have always wanted unless you have the courage to start! Always keep in your mind: hard work never fails to pay off! Live Fit, Love Life!

WORKOUT ROUTINE BY: JAMES MALGAPO (SEVEN YEARS IN FITNESS INDUSTRY)

WRITTEN BY: SHELLEY BUSQUE

PERFORMED BY: MISS DEL

1 2 3 4 5

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FROM LEARNER

TO TEACHERHOW NORA ABDUL RAHMAN TURNED HER LOVE FOR YOGA INTO PART OF HER LIFE

Article By: Azhar Liew

Nora Abdul Rahman is a former education officer & corporate manager, now turned yoga instructor. Dedicating nearly a decade to study-

ing, travelling the world and meeting other yoga guru’s — whilst bringing up 3 children at the same time — she is constantly seeking to enhance her yoga knowledge to new dimensions. Nora is a qualified yoga instructor and is currently working to getting certified in prenatal yoga.

When was your very first introduction to yoga?

I had my first yoga class when I was in Singapore in 2005 and I was surprised that after the class, I ac-tually enjoyed it. I had some misconceptions about yoga as I was into high impact exercises before then. The first class I took made me curious about yoga and everything from that point was self-taught, mostly from reading books. In Brunei at that time, yoga studios were almost nonexistent so I had to learn overseas.

When did you decide to dedicate yourself to yoga personally and professionally? At what point did you decide that you wanted to teach?

It wasn’t difficult to start and dedicate myself to practicing yoga. I would find myself on my yoga mat and just doing some poses for 15 minutes, as yoga practice at home doesn’t take a lot. The growing love for the practice eventually led me to pursue a yoga teacher certification in 2006 in Singapore and KL. I remember teaching my first class coming home after my certification; I was literally overwhelmed with the number of students who wanted to try yoga as they have heard such good stuff about it.

During those next few years, I continued to learn from other teachers overseas, trying various forms of yoga, and observed the way they taught, in order to help me brand my own teaching style.

I have also furthered my certification in prenatal yoga for expectant mothers in June of this year.

+LIFE INSPIRED


Featuring: Nora Abdul Rahman

Photography: Jerome Wong

LIFE INSPIRED+


Why do you think some may feel intimidated by yoga & how can they overcome this?

People normally feel intimidated by things they are not familiar with or don’t understand, so this is normal. There are also mis-conceptions that only fit and slim people can do yoga, and that it is for the young, flexible and agile.

Yoga is for everyone, from the little ones up until those in their golden years. People who lack physical exercise, lead a sedentary lifestyle, or are prone to stress — they are the ones who need yoga. It is gentle yet strengthening at the same time. It is also not all the physical effects that people experience, it is also the emotional effects — they feel calmer, more relaxed, can think clearer. A lot of the feedback we get from students is also that they sleep better!

So, just take the first step in asking a certified teacher. Ask ques-tions. Try a class! And most importantly keep an open mind.

In other forms of physical activity, one can progress by an in-crease at some level: if someone jogs, he or she can log extra miles. If someone likes to lift weights, he or she can increase resistance or repetitions. Since yoga basically combines body, breath, mind and spirit — how can someone gradually increase progress in each of those four areas?

It’s really no different from any other form of sport in terms of progress. One just needs to practice, ideally 3 times a week with a teacher. What you will see in 3 months after consistent practice is:

º Breathing is the essence of yoga practice, without it, it is just a stretching exercise. You will be more conscious of your breath every day and you will learn how to use the breath under stressful situations. You become saner!

º The breath also teaches you to be more aware of your imme-diate surroundings, helps you to take a step back and slow down. This is good for people who likes to multi-task. They will find this challenging.

º Your core is strengthened, your back is less prone to aching

º Improved flexibility on the hips, legs and spine.

º Improved blood circulation. You will literally find a rosier glow on your face! Especially after all the upside down poses!

º Improved digestion. Lying on our tummies provides a sooth-ing massage for the internal organs.

What do you find rewarding about being a yoga instructor?

To see students who come from day 1 and see them progress in their practice. That beam I see in their faces when they have reached the full expression of a pose is amazing.

Also to see students laugh when they fall — they learn not to take themselves too seriously. Yoga really is very humbling.

Our readers often have diet and lifestyle questions, and how those two components are integrated into yoga practice. What advice and resources can you provide?

I am a firm believer of eating in moderation. I don’t live a non-meat lifestyle because I choose not to. But having said that, as you get deeper in your practice, you start to be more con-scious what you take in your body and learn what helps you with your practice and what doesn’t.

+LIFE INSPIRED


LIFE INSPIRED+


10 IDEAL YOGA POSES TO DO AT HOME

4 DOWNWARD FACING DOG

Begin with all fours on your hands and knees. Slowly lift your knees off the floor, lifting your hips up to the sky, creating an upside down letter ‘V’. With the spine long, legs can be bent and straightened if they are comfortable. Relax shoulders, create broad upper back, and soften the elbows while planting the hands down to the floor firmly. Breathe for 5 breaths, keeping face soft.

Benefits: stretches spine, back of the legs, gives the heart a rest.

3A. GATE POSE

Come on your knees. Extend your right leg out to the side so that the foot and knee is in one line with your hip. Extend your left arm up on an inhale. As you exhale, bend over your right leg, keeping your legs strong and stable. Relax your shoulders. Hold for 5 breaths.

Benefits: stretches the side of the body, opens shoulders.

B. SUPPORTED PLANK POSE

When coming out of the pose, place the left hand on the floor so that the left wrist and left shoulder is in line, still planting the right foot on the floor creating a long strong line from the armpit all the way down to the side of the right leg Repeat other side.

Benefits: strengthens arms, belly and legs.

2 EAGLE ARMS IN SEATED POSE

Still seated with legs crossed, have your arms bent in front of your face at 90 degrees, place right elbow on top of the left, cross over until your palms touch. Hold for 5–10 breaths. Repeat other side.

Benefits: releases tightness in your upper back and shoulders.

1 SEATED FORWARD FOLD, LEGS CROSSED

With your legs crossed comfortably, sit tall to lengthen your spine. Have your fingers in front of your legs on the floor and walk your hands away as you fold forward to a 45 degree spine. Relax your shoulders. Hold for 5–10 breaths.

Benefits: releases tension in lower back.

Release, walk your hands back and sit back up nice and tall.

A B

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8 BRIDGE POSE VARIATION

Lying down with legs bent, feet and knees are hip distance apart. Slowly on an inhale, lift the lower back off the floor and slide the block under the lower back. Resting the lower back on the block. Shoulders relax on the floor, keeping neck soft. Slowly lift the right leg up, hold for 8 breaths. Repeat other side.

Benefits: stretches chest and spine. Can help reduce anxiety and fatigue.

7 SEATED FORWARD FOLD

Sitting tall with legs out straight in front of you. Sit bones firmly on the floor. Engaging the abdominals, fold over the legs until the stretch feels good at the back of the legs and lower back. Gazing forward. Hold for 5 breaths.

Benefits: stretches legs, lower back, soothes the mind.

6 A. HEAD BEYOND KNEE POSE.

Seated on the floor, extend your right leg in front of you while bending the left. Sitting tall, engaging the abdominals, exhale folding forward, keeping spine long. Hold for 5 breaths.

Benefits: stretches legs, opens the hips and lower back, soothes the mind.

B. SEATED TWIST

Release from the head beyond the knee pose, sit tall, lifting the left knee up, foot down. Hugging the left knee to the chest, twist the upper back, gazing past your left shoulder, making sure your ’sit bones’ are firmly rooted on the floor. Engage the abdominals. Hold for 5 breaths.

Benefits: releases tension in the upper and lower back. Twists help to detox the body.

Repeat 6a & b.

5 LUNGE WITH SHOULDER RELEASE VARIATION.

From the downward facing dog, step the right foot so it lands next to the right hand. Engaging the abdominals as you lift up. Bring the arms behind and place the hands on either side of the elbows, bring the shoulders back, opening the chest. Stay for 5 breaths. Repeat other side.

Benefits: strengthens the legs, hips, opens shoulders.

AFTER A LONG STRESSFUL DAY

A B

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FIT, FAST, FABULOUS: PHILIPPA MORRIS

A GLIMPSE INTO THE RISE OF A RUNNING COACH, FITNESS INSTRUCTOR AND CROSSFIT ATHLETE

BY: HELEN O’BRIEN

LIFE INSPIRED+


Coming from a background in aerobics and fitness training, and as a life-long sports enthusiast, I was pleas-antly surprised in coming to Brunei, to find that there was a wealth of sport and fitness activities on offer. Noticeably, Bruneians seem to have taken to running with great zeal. As an on-again, off-again runner

myself, I braved the heat in my running shoes and began taking part in some of the many running events being or-ganised around the country. I heard that there was a running clinic being held on Monday evenings at a local track, so I ventured along to see what it was all about.

I found a small group of people, of all sizes and races and shapes, committed to improving their fitness through running. I found Pippa, the lean-looking trainer with a stopwatch and whistle as her weapons of choice for get-ting these people up and moving. Round and round the track we went, slogging it out until our legs and lungs could do no more. We did planks and press-ups in the fading light, and went home tired but pleased with what we had done. We wouldn’t have pushed ourselves half as hard if not for Pippa!

PHOTOGRAPHER: JEROME WONG

FEATURING: PHILIPPA MORRIS

+LIFE INSPIRED


JUST WHO IS THIS LADY?Philippa (Pippa) Morris is a 33 year old Australian national who has lived in Brunei for nearly eight years, having come here as a young bride and former air hostess with her pilot husband. They have made a comfortable life for themselves, and now have two small children. Pippa’s road to fitness began after the birth of her second child.

Like many women, Pippa found it difficult to lose the weight gained during her two pregnancies, and couldn’t shift the last ten kilos. She started eating better, took up running, and enjoyed it so much that before long she was regularly competing in 10km events, and then half marathons. Her weight dropped to well below what it had been pre-pregnancy. In 2012 she posted a personal best time of 1hr 51mins for 21kms. The same year, she undertook a course through Fitness Network Australia to gain certification as a personal trainer, set up her own online-based fitness company, ‘fitfastnfab.com’, and entered into the world of an emerging sport, CrossFit.

CROSSFIT: JOURNEY TO SEOULFor those unfamiliar with the sport, CrossFit is a relatively new sport, founded in the United States in 2000. True to its name, it involves a challenging combination of high intensity interval training, weight-lifting, power lifting, gymnastic, bodyweight, running and plyometric exercises done to a set ‘workout of the day’ or ‘WOD’. CrossFit fran-chise gyms have sprung up all over the world, including in Brunei, and competitive CrossFitters vie against each other for time, reps, and weight lifted.

Pippa trains under Michael Mogard, Brunei’s own ‘Fit-test Man in Asia’ and manager of Reebok CrossFit 673 in Berakas. To her own admission, she became somewhat addicted to the sport. Her body shape changed dramatically, going from a typically thin runner’s build, to a stronger, more muscular frame. She set herself the goal of competing in the Asian Regional CrossFit Games, pushing herself to her best with her oft-used motto (borrowed from Australian fitness guru Michelle Bridges) “JFDI — Just Freakin Do It!”. In order to qualify for the event, she had to place in the top 45 women in Asia. Competitors are ranked according to their performance in online WODs over sev-

eral weeks, and in March this year Pippa qualified in 37th place. In May, accompanied by her supporter husband, she flew to South Korea for the Asian Games. Her target was to place in the top 20 open women. Competition proved tough however, and while Pippa was somewhat disappointed in her final placing of 27th, the experience over that weekend was eye-opening in seeing what oth-ers in the CrossFit world were doing, and the incredible abilities of the top competitors.

PAVING THE WAY FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOWHaving achieved her goal of making it to the Region-als, Pippa has since become more involved in her on-line business, and in making a healthy, fit lifestyle a reality for her clients. But as any competitive athlete knows, it is not easy to slow down, and while her main focus is now on others, she still has the time and en-ergy to continue her own training and performance; recent achievements include 7th female placing in the 2014 Larian Hari Keputeraan half-marathon with a time of 1hr 58mins, and placing a very close runner up in the ‘Beast of the Southeast’ CrossFit Competition held here in Brunei earlier this month. She lives true to a favourite quote by Babe Ruth, “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up”.

More often than not, you will find Pippa at the RBRC track, where she holds her regular running clinic and bootcamp fitness classes. In addition to these, she has also established a 12 week weight-loss and fit-ness programme. People who sign up for the ‘Fit Fast Fab Challenge’ receive not only regular training ses-sions with Pippa, but online workouts, nutrition advice, healthy recipes, and inspiration through related articles and research posted on the website. Pippa is proud of the success she has seen amongst her clients; one woman went from “I’m not a runner” to complet-ing a half marathon in less than a year; another trains consistently, has lost several kilos in weight, and placed third in the veteran women 12km category of Pusat Ehsan’s ‘The Run’ in June this year.

As for myself, I have no doubt that Pippa’s running clinic has helped improve my times. In 2014 I have run personal bests over 1500m and 400m, and can compete in longer distance races with greater ease and confidence.

Coach Pippa: truly an inspiration.

LIFE INSPIRED+


1Don’t start too big — Set your-self small goals and go with that. If you can’t manage

20 minutes in a day start with walking out the door for 5 min-utes. Don’t think... just do! By the time you turn around and walk home again, at least it will have been 10min.

2Learn to run — seriously, this is the best way to get fit, burn calories and lose

weight. It is something that ev-eryone can do and you don’t need any special equipment. Get some decent shoes and get out the door. I have started all my clients off with a run-walk method after I followed the Jeff Galloway run-walk-run method to get me started several years ago. I recommend it to everyone!

3Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. If you want to see results in both fitness

and health, you need to get uncom-fortable. Add high intensity bursts into all your cardio sessions. In-stead of starting slow and building up speed, get it in early! Do your high-intensity cardio early in your workout and taper off to a slow finish to burn more fat.

4Use your home. Many of us have homes with stairs; I used to set a timer

for 5 minutes and see how many times I could get up and down the stairs in that time. Rest, then go again! Not a lot of time or space required and can be done in front of the tele or when the kids are asleep. Another great idea is to use bodyweight movements that don’t require a lot of space; jumping jacks, running on the spot, high knees and of course, a big favourite of mine, skipping! Set a timer; do 30 seconds as fast as you can,

rest for 30 seconds. You can make it as a long or short a workout as you like, it will all count!

5Ditch the excuses why you can’t get in your workout and apply

the Fit Fast Fab (FFF) 10 min rule. Tell yourself you only have to do 10 minutes, if you really want to stop after the 10 min-utes — you can. I’ve come to learn however, most people will carry on and complete their workout!

6Use compound movements to get “more bang for your buck” — Compound exer-

cises utilise multiple joints with free weights. Using more muscles at once and burning more calories.

Examples are those shown in the photos: Squat Presses / Single arm dumbbell snatches / Lunges with bicep curls

HOW TO INCORPORATE A DAILY EXERICE

ROUTINE WITH PHILIPPA MORRIS

WHAT DO I DO?! MY OWN CARDIO:I love to run! From never believing I could run 10km, I have come to really enjoy the half marathon dis-tance. I currently train six days a week, three of those at ReebokCrossft 673 and the rest on my own or with my FFF girls. I try to do a little bit of running each day and I love high intensity training, so always incorporate it into my training. The only exception is on a long run training day, where I am more interested in distance than speed. That said — I always love to sprint the last few hundred metres just to see how much I have left in the tank!

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SIMPLE WORKOUT ROUTINES:

Remember to do a gentle warm up first.

5 min Circuit — repeated twice.

1 min of each exercise — no rest between movements

2SQUAT PRESS — AS MANY

AS POSSIBLE IN THE MINUTE

1HIGH KNEES — FAST AS

YOU CAN GO

Start standing, squat down, keeping chest up then push back up into a standing position, pressing weights overhead at the same time.

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5 30SEC PLANK ON FOREARMS / REST 30 SECS

4 PUSH UPS — AS MANY AS POSSIBLE IN THE MINUTE

3 STEPPING LUNGE WITH BICEP CURLS — AS MANY AS POSSIBLE IN THE MINUTE

Step 4 Lunge with bicep curl, left leg

Step 3 Step back to standing position. Repeat with left foot.

Be sure not to swing the weights. It should be a very controlled movement

Step 2 Step forward with your right foot, curling weights up at the same time

Step 1 Start with feet together, dumbbells by your side

This is a great circuit to utilise nearly every muscle in your body. The idea is to keep moving! It can also be repeated, as many times as you like — 3/4 rounds would be a GREAT conditioning workout.

TIP FOR BEGINNERS:

Alternatively, for those just beginning in their exercise routine. Do the same exercises but in a 30 sec on / 30sec rest basis.

Another idea would be to set the timer for 10min and see how many times you can make it through a round:

º High Knees x 50 Reps

º Squat Press x 10

º Lunges w/ curls x 10

º Push Ups x 10

º Plank x 30s

Step 1 Push up starting position: Start with hands slightly wider than shoulder width, keeping body in a straight plank position. Lower yourself to floor, or as low as possible without dropping form. Can also be down from knees.

Step 2 Chest to floor.

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THE COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST DIVORCE RATES ARE:

º Belgium, 71% º Portugal, 68% º Hungary, 67% º Czech Republic, 66% º Spain, 61% º Luxemburg, 60% º Estonia, 58% º Cuba, 56% º France, 55% º USA, 53%

Starting a new relationship is always exciting, especially if you’re the type who loves

new beginnings and novelty in general, but once the initial romance is gone, you realize that it takes more than nice talks and long walks to build a lasting bond.

A healthy and strong relation-ship means more than spending enjoyable time with your signifi-cant other, as the great majority of couples have to overcome chal-lenges and problems even in the

first stages of their relationships. It takes time, effort, energy, involve-ment, openness, communication, and the desire to share everything; all your feelings, fears, thoughts, and dreams with your beloved one.

You can’t build a solid foun-dation for your relationship overnight, but if you follow some unwritten patterns and work to-gether with your lover to build the correct pillars of a healthy relation-ship, then chances are you’ll live happily ever after.

The 4 Pillars of a

Healthy RelationshipRESPECT, COMMUNICATION, TRUST,

AND FUN BUILD A STRONG RELATIONSHIP

+LIFESTYLE


RESPECT

Your partner’s feelings and stories, chal-lenges and failures, are just as important as yours. Listen to him or her when they’re speaking, and show respect for their opinions and choices. Don’t push things to uncomfortable limits, but be patient and show respect towards their thoughts - even when they’re not similar to yours.

Don’t be a judge; instead, try to understand your lover’s perspective by trying to get into their shoes for a minute and analyze the situation from their angle as well. Accept them for the person they are, and don’t try to change them. Respecting a person means respecting their personality with both the pluses and the flaws.

On the other hand, don’t forget about self-respect. Don’t compromise yourself for the sake of your loved one, and don’t give up on your desires and dreams just to keep your relationship alive or calm. Learn how to communi-cate in a mature and rational manner, and to manage conflicts in a respectful way to avoid hurting one’s feeling when there’s no need to be rude.

COMMUNICATION

Communicating means more than speaking. It involves listening as well, so if you want to communicate effi-ciently with your partner, listen to him or her without judging and don’t give pieces of advice unless they’re request-ed. Do state your opinion, but avoid try-ing to impose your morality and opin-ions on your loved one.

On the other hand, avoid speaking when it’s not necessary. Sometimes it’s better to think 100 times and to speak only once, as this gives you the chance to analyze your words, to reconsider your attitude, and it can save you from a lot of drama! Communicate effectively instead of engaging in small talk or unnecessary conflict. By Listening and giving your feedback in a respectful way, you’ll find you can discover your partner through their words; giving them the chance to talk about the things they love.

TRUST

Trusting your partner means trust-ing their choices, their decisions, and their tastes even when they’re

different from yours and your in-tuition “tells” you that you’re right. To really trust your loved one you have to embrace vulnerability and understand that he or she is by your side because they love, respect and trust you.

Mutual trust is built in time, so do your best not to cheat on your lover, and avoid making accusations and speculations. If in doubt, ask for an explana-tion, but in a respectful way. Once you get an answer, trust your partner. Be encouraging and supportive regardless of your lover’s past experiences and fail-ures, and try to be their best friend as well.

FUN

For a healthy, long-term relation-ship, learn to have fun together. Work out together, as exercise makes you both healthier and happier, and gives you an engaging way to spend your spare time. Of course it also helps with self-es-teem and makes you feel more beautiful and more desir-able. Therefore, exercise can also strengthen your mutual self-confi-dence and make your relationship stronger.

Take part in events you both enjoy, but also give your partner the chance to spend time alone with his or her friends as well. Re-lationships shouldn’t equal isolation and living only for the two of you a healthy relationship gives space for each partner. It’s not wise to break all

your old friendships, so do your best to have time for yourself and your friends, and give your partner the chance to enjoy some time alone as well.

You need to maintain and shape your identity and personali-ty; don’t change completely for the sake of your loved one.

A long-lasting relationship requires kindness and acceptance, empa-thy, compassion, a real connection, and warmth. It takes effort and the conscious decision to support your beloved one regardless of the cir-cumstances. To make sure your re-lationship lasts for your entire life-time, learn to enjoy time together and time apart, to share laughter and fun, to solve conflicts in a re-spectful manner, and to share all the goods and bads with your sig-nificant other.

LIFESTYLE+


Have you ever won-dered if you’re wearing too much or too little

makeup for work, casual outings, or even for a date night? Prep-ping for any of these can even be fun and easy, especially when you know some professional skin-care and makeup techniques.

On the 7th of December 2014, a makeup workshop took place at the Kaleidoscope gallery, hosted by Lily Bong and her team, featur-ing makeup artist Grace Cheong, where she shared some quick, hid-den secrets to looking confident and well groomed in any situation.

The workshop event was sepa-rated into 3 sections, starting with

the basics on skincare, covering how to take care of your skin and ways to beautify it.

This was followed by a makeup session with a “New Year, New Look” theme. There was a live model demonstration, which helped show participants more details in every application step when doing their own makeup back at home.

Lastly, the event finished with a hair styling session. Grace

shared basic knowledge of scalp and hair caretaking tips. Proper hair conditioning is important, as there are ways to help improve it and let your hair grow health-ier. Great hair leads to gorgeous looks!The event was a great success with over 25 participants including students, makeup artists and individuals passionate about improving their looks. The make-up workshop lasted for 6 hours in total; with 4 hours of Grace and the team sharing and demon-strating beauty tips, followed by 2 hours of actual hands on ex-perience for the attendees.

Although the session was pri-marily about sharing the styl-

ist’s talent and skills with the par-ticipants, overall it was more about spending a great Sunday afternoon together, with everyone getting to learn new things from one another.

“JUST FOR YOU” MAKEUP WORKSHOP

Written by: Lily Bong

+EVENTS


ABOUT LILY AND THE TEAMWhether it’s to keep up appearances or to save hours of painstaking photo editing work, Lily and her team are avail-able to dispense the tips and tricks of the makeup trade, “We believe that looking good makes you feel better, we are here to help you turn these good feelings into a more positive self-image. This, in turn, will allow you to approach life’s challenges with confidence and determination.”stated Lily, add-ing“We’re all modern ladies. We have to know how to dress ourselves, how to make ourselves feel good every single day. We are here to present more makeup workshops — Just for you.”

EVENTS+


With over 6 years of ex-perience in the beauty business since be-

ing established in 2008, Nails & Wax has earned a reputation as a perfect spot for anyone looking for time out to indulge themselves. Specialising in manicures, pedicures and waxing services, this beauty parlour aims to provide a luxurious and rejuvenating retreat for anyone looking for some special pampering.

Stephanie Yi, the founder of Nails & Wax, graciously invited a member of Plus+ magazine to come and ex-perience their services, so I cheerfully accepted for some restorative treat-ment on my battered nails, which of course come from long hours working on the magazine!

I arrived to be promptly greeted by a very friendly member of staff, Arlene, who sat me down on a com-fortable black futon and went on to explain about the classic man-icure treatment that I would be re-ceiving. And so began my journey of relaxation…

The first step of any manicure is of course to decide on the desired finish, so I was soon presented with a tray filled with a huge assortment

of tiny bottles of nail polish from which to select — I was so excit-ed with so many colours on offer! My selection was greatly helped by Arlene’s guidance and sugges-tions of particular shades to go with my clothes and physical appearance, plus whether I preferred a single colour or a design — and we soon settled on a striped pattern in vibrant orange and red.

If you have no prior experience with manicures or pedicures, then the classic treatment is highly rec-ommended as it suitable for nearly all nail types and cuticles. This began with a thorough cleansing and disin-fecting of my hands, before trimming and filing of my fingernails and cu-ticles to get them perfectly shaped for my chosen colour and design. The process was surprisingly com-fortable given the amount of work required to bring them back into

shape, with the clearly experienced beautician making the entire pro-cess seem effortless — it was such a joy to see my nails looking good again, even before the polish!

The beautician then applied a cuticle softener and let it settle in, all the while making pleasantly light conversation. After the mys-terious elixir had worked its magic, she had me dip my hands into a bowl of delicately rejuvenating water to soften my hands further in prepa-ration for the one of the best parts of the treatment.

After the application of a delicate-ly rose-scented hand lotion, Arlene proceeded with a hand massage for the next five minutes, where I was thrust into a state of absolute

AN AFTERNOON OF PAMPERING at “Nails & Wax”

+BEAUTY


tranquility as she expertly circled my hands at a gentle pace.

The massage was over almost too soon, but then came the fun part, as she brought back the nail polish I had picked out and the design pattern was perfectly applied to my nails.

The final step of the luxuriant process was the application of cuticle oil to help avoid dryness and also to protect the delicate work.

I was absolutely delighted with my treatment and at this friendly and professional establishment and would like to offer my sincere gratitude to the staff for providing such a wonderful and relaxing experience.

ABOUT NAILS & WAXNails & Wax are open daily at the Airport Mall, 1st Floor, Unit 25 in Berakas.

For more information, visit:

www.instagram.com/nailsnwaxbrunei

www.facebook.com/nails.and.wax

From Left: Stephanie Yi, Zhao Yue and Lily Bong

Mo

del

: Zh

ao Y

ue;

Pho

tog

rap

her:

Lily

Bo

ng

BEAUTY+


Be Featured on Plus+ MagazineShare Your Photography Skills


Be Featured on Plus+ MagazineShare Your Photography Skills


Getting ready for your

2015 Valentine’s Day


HOW TO USE 2015 TRENDS TO FLATTER YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY DATE NIGHT.By: Amy G

Make-up and Hair: Amy G

Model: Kirsty Loh

BEAUTY+

USE A FLUFFY BLENDING BRUSH. BLEND BACK AND FORTH, FOLLOWING THE CONTOUR OF YOUR EYES, UNTIL YOU GET THE RESULT YOU LIKE.

TAKE A TAPPING BRUSH AND USE “BLACKHEART” TO DRAW A LITTLE EYELINER UNDERNEATH YOUR LOWER LASH LINE.

USING YOUR FINGERTIP, DIP IT INTO THE “DUST” COLOR AND APPLY IT TO THE CENTER OF YOUR EYELIDS AS WELL AS THE INNER CORNER OF YOUR EYES.

APPLY EYE SHADOW PRIMER FROM URBAN DECAY ON BOTH THE UPPER AND UNDER EYE AREA. THIS HELPS YOUR EYE MAKEUP STAY ON ALL NIGHT LONG.

USE YOUR FAVORITE BLACK EYELINER TO GENTLY WING YOUR EYES. THE “CAT-EYE” LOOK IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HERE. IT IS FLATTERING AND ROMANTIC, JUST PERFECT FOR THIS SPECIAL HOLIDAY LOOK.

DIP A BIT OF THE “BLACKHEART” COLOR AND APPLY IT ON THE CREASE OF YOUR EYES. STARTING FROM THE OUTER CORNER OF YOUR CREASE, CREATE A TRIANGLE SHAPE AND STOP RIGHT UNDER YOUR CREASE.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. I am going share with you how to get ready for your 2015 Valentine’s Day date night using NAKED3 by URBAN DECAY. I am starting with my “no makeup-makeup look.” For more details on how to get this look, check out the PLUS+ Magazine November 2014 issue.

1PRIME 2UPPER EYE

5CENTER HIGHLIGHT

3BLEND

6LINER4LOWER EYE

Amy

G

+BEAUTY


TIPSApply color “DUST” from NAKED3 on the center of your lips after completing the steps above for a 3D sexy ombre result.

Finally, wear your favorite hairstyle and dress to complete the look. Hope you enjoy this look and have a great Valentine’s Day with your special someone or even if you are rocking it solo!

CURL YOUR EYELASHES AND APPLY MASCARA. DON’T FORGET YOUR LOWER LASHES. WAKE THEM UP FOR YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY!

PUT ON YOUR FAVORITE FALSE LASHES.

LINE YOUR LIPS WITH A LIP PENCIL. BUT HOW, YOU ASK? LET ME SHOW YOU. DRAW AN X ON YOUR CUPID BOWS AND ON THE LOWER CENTERLINE OF YOUR LIPS. IF YOU WISH TO HAVE YOUR LIP COLOR LAST LONGER, FEEL FREE TO USE THE SAME LIP PENCIL TO FILL IN THE REST OF YOUR LIPS.

OMBRE LIPS IS A HUGE TREND FOR 2015, IT IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE

LIP STYLE, TOO. MY LIPS TODAY ARE INSPIRED BY THIS LIP STYLE. APPLY

“NAKED DOLLY” BY TOO FACED ALL OVER YOUR LIPS. FOLLOW WITH A

THIN LAYER OF “LSS634 LOUISIANA” BY NYX. FINALLY, APPLY “SATIN” BY MAC IN THE CENTER OF LIPS ONLY.

THEN, USING YOUR FINGERTIP, GENTLY BLEND IT TOWARDS THE

OUTER PART OF YOUR LIPS.

7LASHES

8FALSE LASHES

9LIP PENCIL

10LIPSTICK10LIPSTICK10LIPSTICK

BEAUTY+


Be Featured on Plus+ MagazineShare Your Healthy Recipes


Be Featured on Plus+ MagazineShare Your Workout Routine


plus+ women's january - february issue

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