FLAB TO FAB

Brad Robinson (pictured) went from 150kg to ripped MMA fighter. The CEO and Co-founder of Ritual Gym, a lauded boutique chain, gives you the skinny on slimming down.

01: THE EASIEST STEP

Keep a food diary. Make a note of everything you put in your mouth, drinks included. You don’t have to stop consuming your favourite things, and you don’t have to show the diary to anyone. But self-awareness of choices is the first step. Look at this list weekly, and you will eventually want to make changes.

02: GET THE BALL ROLLING

Start losing weight – by making your bed. Discipline gains momentum – this will set the tone for the rest of the day. Build a habit loop. It’s science.

03: HIT THE STAIRS

By simply skipping the elevator or escalator, you add a small workout to your daily routine. This really adds up over the course of a year.

04: AND THE QUICKEST TRICK IS…

Sprinting. It works every part of the body. If nothing else, put on decent shoes, and just sprint short distances. It could be 40m, 60m, 80m, your body will tell you when you’re done. Walk back, rest, and repeat, five to six times. That’s it. Ten minutes and you’re done for the day.

05: DON’T SABOTAGE YOURSELF

Don’t start out with huge goals or big numbers that seem impossible to reach. Don’t go cold turkey on chicken rice if it’s your foremost pleasure in life, or aim to lose 10 kilos right off the bat. That’s not how humans work. Ease yourself into these things.

06: PROGRESS IS RELATIVE

The bigger you are, the easier and faster it is to see immediate and large progress. Don’t compare yourself to athletes – that’s reaching for the bucket of excuses and setting yourself up for failure. Age is not an excuse, either.

Robinson’s story

Corporate ambitions and an obssessive streak saw then-managing director Brad Robinson balloon into a 150kg diabetic workaholic. “When you’re successful, an alpha type, no one walks up to you and tells you you’re putting on the pounds,” says Robinson. The spiral continued until the day his first-born son was due – he was almost denied entry into the delivery room as there were no medical scrubs big enough for him.

That was a galvanising wake-up call. Today, Robinson weighs in the 80s range, rocks a six-pack, and has locked horns in white-collar MMA tournaments. How did a suit like him shed almost half his weight in such short order? A competitive nature transferring into a newfound activity like MMA helped, but the focus, discipline and education were the keystones to the drastic weight loss, and Robinson felt an urge to pass them on.

Ritual Gym co-founder and trainer to Robinson, Ian Tan.

And so Ritual Gym was founded: a boutique chain by now lauded for its 20-minute high-intensity workouts that’s been working wonders for executives – particularly those who need to flit in and out within a half-hour. The outfit has grown to four locations in prime areas, and some of Robinson’s high-flying members are bringing the franchise to their home countries, granting it a presence in 5 continents.


FUEL UP

CLEAN EATING FOR GYM RATS

Those who are particular about what they eat would appreciate catering service FitThree, which clearly states the breakdown of carbs, protein, fat and fibre, along with calorie count, in each microwave-friendly meal. The service currently covers mostly fitness centres, so get in the gym, clock in your workout, and leave with two to three days’ worth of nutritious meals. https://fitthree.com

QUICK FIX

Meal replacements just got an upgrade with Lembas, a vegan vanilla-flavoured powder made from oats, soya, coconut, and a mix of vitamins and minerals. Containing a full day’s worth of nutrients which easily dissolves in water, it no longer gives time-starved executives a reason to skip meals. www.lembas.sg

BOTTOMS UP

Stay on top of your hydration game with the Hydracoach Intelligent Bottle, designed to electronically calculate your fluid consumption. Apart from monitoring the total amount of water consumed during the day, the bottle also allows you to set hydration goals. Trackers calculate the amount of water you consume per hour, as well as the time elapsed since your last sip. The California-based company ships internationally. https://hydracoach.com


ALTERNATE METHODS

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