You probably sent off 2016 with debaucherous nights of partying and tons of alcohol. Now it’s time to pay your dues. If you feel like you need to refresh yourself and get back in shape, here are 10 ways to help get you back on track.
Try going vegan
There are a couple of restaurants that serve less-than-typical, and not to mention delicious, vegan food. Make your way to Real Food, a little vegan restaurant chain that produces organic food at South Beach. Our recommendations are the pasta with oil of oregano ($14.80), curry soup noodles ($12.80) or the barley mushroom burger ($13.80). Alternatively, you can also try Tiong Bahru Bakery’s 100% vegan coconut “bacon” sandwich.
Gluten-free is in
Going gluten-free is the next big thing, and more places in Singapore are offering gluten-free dishes. Tiong Bahru’s Open Door Policy has extended the gluten- and dairy-free treatment to their famous Sunday brunch. Some of the highlights are the (healthier) version of English breakfast: smoked bacon, sausage, tomato, beans, a well-cooked sunny side up with house-made gluten-free focaccia ($28) and spicy chorizo poached egg ($26). Or you can get gluten-free delicacies at Kitchen by Food Rebel’s new Food Rebel Fridays, like rendang-sauced patatas bravas ($9) or their egg frittata stuffed with shitake mushrooms and arugula ($12.50). Just so you know, they also offer affordable organic wine from Alsace, Rhone and Loire Valleys and other boutique wineries.
If you really must indulge, have froyo on your cheat day
If you are craving for some sinful desserts, frozen yogurt may just be a healthier choice. But don’t fill your cup to the brim; instead, top it up with fruits, and keep the sweet toppings to a minimum. There’s a bunch of new froyo joints that’ve hit the city recently. Check out Kokopanda for some healthy Korean soft-serve froyo and ice cream, Yogurtland’s huge selection of froyo (currently there’s eight, which rotates every three weeks) that’s made from fresh Californian milk or go for something new at Husk Singapore, which serves up coconut water-based froyo (fun fact: they’ve aptly named it froco).
Eat healthy snacks wherever you are
Food Matters
Yes, even at the office (especially, at the office since you’ll be spending most of your day there). If you have to sneak in a snack during office hours, there’s an increasing number of healthier options in Singapore that you can get delivered right to your desk. Delivery services like BoxGreen have a variety of granola, nuts, chocolates while MadeReal customizes a box of six healthy snacks that are free of MSG, artificial coloring and high-fructose corn syrup when you complete a quiz for your preferences on their website. And for lunch, don’t settle for the nearest char kway teow stall just because it’s convenient. We’re really into Food Matters, which delivers healthy, nutritionally balanced lunches to your office, complete with detailed nutrition information and plenty of yummy local options.
Going for a run can be burdensome, but not these fun ones
Marina Run
If running is your religion, then you must be excited for the tons of runs happening in 2017. You can look forward to mingle with other trainers at the first-ever Pokemon Run in Singapore, or join Run for Light 2017 to raise awareness and funds for Guide Dogs Association of the Blind (you opt to join a blindfold walk, in which the organizers will waive off $10 from the registration fee).
Try out Virgin Active’s high altitude classes
You can’t miss out on a spot of obligatory fitness at the new and fancy Virgin Active. The famed fitness chain’s second club at Tanjong Pagar offers altitude training, whereby the studio will “acclimatize” to conditions of up to 3000 meters above sea level. It’s known to improve your overall body’s cardiovascular and respiratory system, and allow you to recover faster from workouts. It even increases your fat burning rate!
Pick up a new sport
Sick and tired of being on the land for sports? Well, it’s a good time to learn a new water sport, especially since Singapore Wake Park resumed operations after a two-year hiatus and a change in management. Riders can wakeboard, kneeboard and cable-ski thanks to the three-state-of-the-art overhead cable systems available at the facility. The new cable system sees six towers, six evenly-spaced carriers and features various obstacles for the more seasoned rider to flaunt their skills. And thanks to the new floodlights that have been installed, you’ll be able to make the most out of the day and ride well into the night. Try to get tempted by the park’s cafe bar, Coastal Rhythm, which has diet-destroying dishes like battered otah sticks or their mac n’ cheese.
Sweat it out at a trampoline park
Photo credit: Bounce Singapore
And it also makes for a fun workout instead of lifting weights and running on a treadmill at a gym. The 24,000 sq. ft Bounce Singapore is located at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard was modelled after an urban playground and features 28 interconnected trampolines. Activities include basketball, “running” up and down a wall, dodgeball, an obstacle course and more. They’re currently offering a promotion on their 45-minute fitness class that’s said to work your core (they’ve slashed it down by half to $120) from now till Feb 28. If you are looking for something more challenging, try out their X-park—an adventure challenge course for your inner ninja.
Sign up for a yoga class
Pure Yoga
There are so many places out there offering yoga classes, from big names to boutique start-ups. Some studios you can try are Bikram Yoga (Katong) for the classic Bikram yoga; Masters’ Yoga Sadhan for some stress-busting yoga and their challenging Wall Rope Yoga which supposedly increases flexibility and lets you enjoy inverted poses like handstands; and Yoga Inc., which has retro touches inspired by Chinese pop culture, and offers classes for all levels—starting from basics, hatha and yin, to more advanced sessions like core, flow and hatha 2.
Take a walk on some heritage trails
If you’re looking to just get started with some light exercise, Singaporean-made app LocoMole has 12 curated walking trails with full instructions, planned activities and estimated time. Options include cultural walks in Little India, Chinatown, Joo Chiat and guided nature trails in Pulau Ubin or Gardens By The Bay. For each point on the trail, there are descriptions, historical backstories and some challenges and rewards. After visiting the Singapore City Gallery, for example, you can take a little quiz to see how much you learned. Need further convincing? You can do it for a good cause. LocoMole also just launched Exploring Singapore for a Cause, where the 12 designed trails are tied to a charity foundation that you will learn about as you walk. The first one is on January 14, which begins from Clarke Quay Central waterfront space and ends at SMU School of Accountancy, and the focus is on Make-A-Wish Foundation. Admission is free.
