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A #HealthyRivalry For The Ages

Over the years, Kin Mun (mrbrown) and myself have sort of egged each other on to do stuff. Some good, some dumbass.

When he used to work for an agency, he used to drive a car and didn’t get to exercise much. I took him to run at the NIE track twice a week, knocking the wind out of him each time while denying my own health by smoking a cigarette after each run.

Almost ten years and one major health scare each later, we’re still trying to nag each other into keeping healthy. Both of us don’t take any sugar in our drinks, and we haven’t had any soft drinks for years – in fact, I think if you made me drink a soda pop now, my eyeballs would pop out.

We’re both family men, and we get our kids to eat as healthily as possible too (though sometimes the stuff at kids’ parties can’t be avoided). I remember Kin Mun telling me: You need to get healthy cos you wanna be able to run after your kids when they’re able to run.

I used to play rugby in school and in my 20s – well enough to play for a club in the NSW suburban competition – but with changes in work environment, family commitments, sporting activity of any sort has dropped off my radar completely.

Up until last week. Naomi got me an introductory pilates session which eased me back into exercising. At first I thought, ah, chicken feed lah. How hard can some stretching be?

The answer is still biting me in every muscle group after two sessions. Boy am I unfit, and boy, do I have a long way to go before I catch up with my old friend who’s fit enough to cycle all over Italy.

I’ve also been on an alcohol fast for three weeks now, and as a friend who’s doing the same puts it, it’s been refreshing. I’m not as sluggish as I was, and two kilograms simply melted away in my first week.

So people, if you haven’t already done so, go online to http://bit.ly/HLIsgBM and collect as many rivals as you can – and make them do the index. The more of your friends/rivals complete the index, the higher you’ll jump up the leaderboard, which currently stands at a mere 42 rivals.

Come on, Facebookers of Singapore! You can do better than 42! You have a gazillion FB friends each! You’re giving up a chance of winning prizes, some more:

The prizes! The prizes!
The prizes! The prizes!

 

Here’s Your Chance To Get Away (Stay)

The Healthy Lifestyle Index Rivalry Leaderboard as at 11 April 2013
The Healthy Lifestyle Index Rivalry Leaderboard as at 11 April 2013

Taking a break does wonders for your physical and mental well-being. Even without taking on a spa package at the hotel we stayed at because it was, how you say it, frikkin’ expensive, the knots in my neck and upper back dissolved after one full night’s sleep (it came back after my son insisted on being carried on my shoulders at the aquarium, but nair mind lah, hor?)

So by pure coincidence, one of the top prizes of HPB’s Healthy Rivalry campaign is a Stay In Shape package for FOUR (worth $3,000) at the Amara Sanctuary Sentosa. I say again, the stay is for FOUR people! Not two, but FOUR. You can double date! And you don’t even have to fly there!

All you have to do is get as many rivalries going as possible. Issue your friends a challenge, and get them to take the Healthy Lifestyle Index, and watch yourself climb up the leaderboard and WIN!

MTL! DO IT NOW! http://bit.ly/HLIsgBM

EYES ON THE PRIZES:

Grand Prize – $3,000
•Amara Sanctuary’s Stay in Shape retreat for 4 pax ($880 nett, $440 per pair) (Inclusive of GST & Srv Charge)
•4 Fitbit Zip ($420)
•2 pairs of Creative Culinaire healthy cooking class ($400)
•$200 worth of World of Sports vouchers for sports apparel/ shoes per pax ($800)
•$75 worth of NTUC vouchers for healthy grocery shopping per pax ($300)

Second Prize – $2,000
Espa Executive Stress buster X 2 ($823.9 nett for 2)
•2 Fitbit Zip ($210)
•1 pair of Creative Culinaire healthy cooking class ($200)
•$200 worth of World of Sports vouchers for sports apparel/ shoes per pax ($400)
•$120 worth of NTUC vouchers for healthy grocery shopping per pax ($240)

Third Prize – $1,000
•Espa Sports Wellness X 2 ($706.20 nett for 2)
•$150 worth of World of Sports vouchers for sports apparel/ shoes per pax ($300)

A Healthy Rivalry Gets Serious

I have to admit I haven’t been faring too well with food choices lately.

I have a penchant for junk food at rehearsals and script meetings, and the recently completed Kumar show probably saw me put on a couple of kilos because of the curry puffs, fried chicken and other assorted fried foods.

A post-show party did me no favours either. (Sorry housekeeping!)

I’m good to go now – on a proper, healthy diet consisting of more vegetables than meat, with less oil, less carbohydrates and less volume.

As far as the rivalry between mrbrown and myself is concerned, I think I have some ways to go before I catch up. But plans are in the works: My wife is scheduling regular pilates classes, and I am spending more time on my feet in the office instead of being seated (it also prevents you from checking Facebook, so you get more done in a shorter time).

The bicycle will come out of the storeroom soon, as I work myself up to a decent level of fitness to be able to ride to work and back.

Everyone should think before they do anything, and whenever the chance arises, take the healthy choice: stairs against escalators/lifts, walk against a short bus ride.

Better yet, start off by doing the HLI at http://bit.ly/HLIsgBM, pick as many rivals as you can, and stand a chance to win prizes up to $3,000.

There’s a new leaderboard feature on the Index as well. Go check it out! The more people you refer to do the HLI, the more chances you have to win prizes.

Rivals In Health

Screen Shot 2013-03-19 at 11.03.38 PM

So mrbrown and myself took HPB’s Healthy Lifestyle Index, and he’s beat me 7 to 6. But that’s cos he’s got like 20 bicycles and I’ve got one that I seldom ride.

OK, of course there are many other factors involved. Put a bit of fun into it, pick a rival and do the HLI together. If you need further motivation, there are 30 Fitbit Zips (worth $105) to be won by the first 30 people who take the Index via this link: http://bit.ly/HLImbmm

It’s quick, it’s easy, and you’ll be done in no time – leaving you with ample opportunities to trump your rival. Follow us on our blogs (mrbrown.com and miyagi.sg) as we duke it out.

(Note: The HLI works only on all platforms, but it’s best experienced on a desktop. The rivalry thingie works only on desktops)