Sun, Sand and Sweat!

Recess week is almost upon us, and with Singapore’s perpetual summer, what better way to relax than to enjoy a day at the beach?

Our very own NTU athletes – Clement Lim, Pang Sheng Jun, Pradeep Ravi and Nabil Ismail – will show you some summer outfit ideas, together with 22-year-old blogger Mong Chin Yeoh (check out her enviable Instagram feed at @mongabong).

From left to right: Nabil, Clement, Mong Chin, Sheng Jun and Pradeep 

Our models also dish out advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle, so read on to find out how to get that beach bod!

Mong Chin

How do you stay cool and fashionable in Singapore’s hot and humid weather?

I try my best to stay indoors and avoid the sun. I carry my favourite powder sheets with me, which are handy to wipe myself down and they remove all traces of sweat and reduce stickiness. I also use waterproof make-up and carry a travel-sized facial mist to keep my skin cool and hydrated. For my outfits, I often opt for sleeveless dresses or tops with shorts.

How do you stay stylish in school?

I usually gravitate towards pieces that are comfortable. I wouldn’t want to be distracted by a top too tight-fitting or anything too revealing as that would distract me from focusing in class. I am a fan of basics because I can easily change up a look with accessories, make-up, or even the footwear of my choice!

What are some of your wardrobe staple pieces?

I love my everyday black bag that I carry to work and school. It has gold accents on it, which really jazzes things up. It is also super versatile and goes well with any outfit – I can bring it to work in the day, and out to party at night without it looking too out of place!

Also, my favourite pair of denim shorts, because they go so well with everything and they live through all seasons.

How do you stay fit? / Do you have a morning routine?

I hit the gym once a week and do some simple workouts at home as well. My morning routine consists of a hearty breakfast and coffee, it’s a must!

How do you maintain a good diet? Do you believe in dieting?

Nope, I personally don’t go on diets and I’ve never thought of doing one. I’ve seen some people go on diets and they became so obsessed with it. Keeping a healthy diet is crucial but that doesn’t mean abstaining from certain foods completely – going to the extremes can be harmful at times too!

I love food too much to give it up so I do my best to cut down on junk food, such as limiting myself to two cups of bubble tea a week or having a salad for a meal. It’s never fixed!

My advice is to just do whatever makes you happy, and you’ll find a more sustainable healthy lifestyle for yourself!

What is your favourite sport? 

I played badminton competitively for 8 years! Apart from badminton, I also enjoyed a little bit of tennis and swimming. But that was in the past and I don’t really play any sports now.

What is your take on self esteem issues?

I feel that as a human being, we are often too hard on ourselves and we are never really satisfied with what we have. I used to struggle with self-esteem issues when I was younger and I saw myself as the ugliest person out there. I hated the way I looked, I hated my acne-filled skin, I hated my hair. But things started to get better as I slowly faced my fears and fixed those “flaws” I had.

I guess till today I’m still struggling with seeing the beauty in me and embracing what I have, but one thing is for sure – knowing my flaws and strengths and making sure to play to my strengths definitely boosted my self-esteem and made me more confident.

Everyone is different and beautiful in their own way and we just need to see and more importantly, acknowledge that.

Do you have any insecurities when wearing more revealing clothing?

Of course I do! Firstly, I think I have a far-from-perfect body and I am not too comfortable showing too much of it.

I am pretty shape-less, so I avoid wearing clothing that reveal areas that I am lacking at (ie my chest). Instead, I like to reveal other parts of my body that I think are better, like my legs, midriff and arms. See, I’m acknowledging my strengths!

How do you stay confident?

I do my best to stay fit and healthy, and I believe confidence will follow suit. Exercising keeps me in shape, eating well makes me feel better on the inside and look better on the outside as well! Other than that, I like to use makeup to accentuate my features, all these help me to stay confident.

Who are some of your style icons and why?

Songofstyle. I like Aimee Song for the way she accessorises herself, I love how she stacks and piles on a ton of accessories and still look so chic and put-together. I also love her casual, laid-back style that makes it so effortless.

Also, YouTuber Amy Pham from The Fashion Statement – I like her because we basically have the same taste! I find myself squealing “wow, i like that” very often whenever I watch her videos and it’s always nice to see how she would style the pieces I would totally wear too.

Clement, Sheng Jun, Pradeep and Nabil

How would you describe your style (fashion)?

Clement: I would consider my style to be very casual, I’m a berms and shirt kind of guy. I’ll throw on the occasional jeans when I feel like it.

Sheng Jun: I honestly feel that fit and correct color combinations are the most important.

Pradeep: Well, it depends on the occasion, but I like to keep it simple with a collared shirt and jeans.

Nabil: I like to keep it simple, usually a plain t-shirt and jeans on normal days. On days when I feel the mood to dress up, my pullover shirts are my go to choice of clothing coupled with different types of hats like berets, fedoras, straw hats or at times just a snapback.

What do you have to say about the stereotype that athletes are always only decked in sportswear?

Clement: I’d say it’s quite true! As long as I’m not going out to town etc, I’m always decked in sportswear.

Sheng Jun: I don’t blame the stereotype. It’s true in a way as I spend 25 hours a week in my sporting attire, and when I’m out of the pool after my morning training, I would wear my afternoon training attire so I wouldn’t have to change again before the next session begins. Therefore, people usually only see me in my sporting attire.

Pradeep: As an athlete I do not conform to that stereotype. Sportswear is generally comfortable and good to sleep in as well. I would say dress for the occasion.

Nabil: I think this is a stereotype that is not entirely accurate, because I feel there are always reasons an individual dress in a particular way. Of course some people are vainer than others but at the end of the day, I feel people dress according to the tasks they have for the day. For instance, on days where athletes have training after classes, they might dress in their sportswear for convenience and on off-days, they may dress in clothes outside the sportswear genre.

As an athlete, a diet packed with nutrition is essential. Where do you eat healthy in NTU?

Clement: I don’t eat anywhere in particular, mostly in the NIE canteen, as that’s where majority of my classes are held. I do try to steer away from fried food though.

Sheng Jun: I have breakfast and dinner at home as I don’t stay in hall so my only meal in NTU is actually lunch. I try to go for foods which are high in carbohydrates and proteins so the economical rice stall works best for me.

Pradeep: I feel that eating at Subway is as healthy as it gets in NTU, since you can opt for more veggies and meat while avoiding too much sauce.

Nabil: The Yong Tau Foo at Koufu is one of my favourite stalls to patronize, and Subway is a close second. But most of the time, I cook my own food in hall, like chicken breast, pasta or eggs.

Besides training for your competitive sport, what else do you do to keep fit?

Clement: Besides training, I partake in Calisthenics exercises with my friends.

Sheng Jun: Nothing else as my usual training already takes up most of my time (10 times a week/ 2.5 hours a session).

Pradeep: Hitting the gym and doing various strength trainings, while my soccer training takes care of the cardio workout I need.

Nabil: I gym on days I don’t have training, and occasionally I go for a run around the campus at night. I love drinking as much water as I can, to keep myself hydrated.

What advice would you give to people who want to start keeping up with an exercise regime?

Clement: Set a goal and don’t give in to temptation.

Sheng Jun: As the saying goes “slow and steady wins the race”. Don’t start off too hard as it may lead to over training and therefore burning out. Start with an exercise regime which you can cope with and slowly progress from there!

Pradeep: Procrastination is your worst enemy. Today is just as good as any other day to start. No excuses.

Nabil: The first few sessions are the hardest, but once you get into the swing of things, it becomes a habit. This habit then becomes an essential part of your daily routine, making it very hard to leave out of your day. This is because most people give up after the 3rd or 4th session, and once you stop, you lose momentum, which is almost impossible to get back.

Do you have any insecurities (body image)? And how do you deal with them?

Clement: I do actually. Especially now that I’ve cut down my training. I feel like my stomach is starting to show. I’m trying to exercise more now.

Sheng Jun: Men think that the bigger they are, the fitter they are. Girls tend to portray that being skinny is the norm. Ultimately, it’s all about balance and being healthy. I never compared myself to others, because I know that as long as I’ve worked to the best of my ability, I am happy with whatever body image that I have.

Pradeep: I tend to gain a few pounds very easily if I stop working out, therefore I tend to keep to my exercise regime without fail.

Nabil: I feel insecure about my upper body sometimes. To combat this, I put in extra effort into working out my other body parts so as to take the attention away from it. Instead of letting this affect me negatively, I use it as a source of motivation to improve myself in that particular aspect and other aspects as well.

Having to juggle the responsibilities of school and the pressures of being an athlete is no easy feat. How do you strike a balance between your intensive trainings and your family, social and academic life?

Clement: Just remember there’s a time and place for everything. For example, when I’m training, I give it my all. Nothing else is on my mind. Same goes the way for my studies as well. I try to eat dinner with my family every night and spend at least one of the days on the weekend with my family.

Sheng Jun: It’s all about time management really. On a typical day I wake up at 4:45am, go for morning training from 5:30am to 7am, have breakfast while driving to school, have school from 8:30am to 2pm, rush home for a quick 45-minute nap, train again in the afternoon from 4pm to 7pm, have dinner at 7:45pm and then have my social and family time before sleeping at 10:30pm. Nearer to the exams, I’ll do eight training sessions instead of 10. I took a gap semester this year though (Year 2 semester 2) so that I could focus on SEA Games. By having such a hectic schedule, I have also learnt that it is still possible to strike a balance between these aspects without sacrificing any.

Pradeep: It is pretty tough to cope with everything, which is why I try to manage my time well and set my priorities straight. Weekends are always good for a catch up with friends and spending time with my family.

Nabil: I don’t feel pressurised when I’m involved in my sport, as I see it as a form of escape from my academic responsibilities. Regardless of my workload, I will always find time to squeeze in a session of an hour or two, which actually helps me to be more focused when I return back to my work. As for my family, I try to complete all I need to do during the week so that my weekends can be kept for them. Socially, most of my friends are my teammates, so our timetables are actually in sync and we have plenty of time to hang out. For those that aren’t my teammates, I try to have my daily meals with them to catch up, or have study sessions together.

Who are some professional athletes you look up to and why?

Clement: Michael Phelps. Because he has achieved what no other athlete has been able to achieve at a single Olympic game.

Sheng Jun: I look up to Russell Ong as he has always been a big brother to me. I’ve been bullied last time when I was a rookie in the 2009 SEA Games team but he backed me up when nobody else did. My respect for him grew over the years and ever since then, I followed his footsteps and became strongly against bullying as well.

Pradeep: I look up to David Beckham a lot because even though he is one of the greatest former soccer players in the world, he manages to stay quite humble. I don’t know any other player who played harder and was more passionate than Beckham.

Nabil: David Beckham is one of my top role models, because of the way he is able to balance his football career, modelling career, his entrepreneurship endeavours, but most importantly, his family. Michael Jordan is another role model of mine, because although he was rejected over and over again in college, and was dropped from the team repeatedly, he came back stronger every single time. This is a quality I feel is missing in many of our young athletes today.

On Clement: Men Flannel Printed Long Sleeve Shirt: Uniqlo, $39.90; Men Twill Shorts: Uniqlo, $19.90; Others: Model’s own.

On Nabil: Men Denim Printed Long Sleeve Shirt: Uniqlo, $49.90; Men Chino Shorts: Uniqlo, $29.90; Others: Model’s own.

On Pradeep: Men Geometric Printed Short Sleeve Shirt: Uniqlo, $29.90; Cotton Singlet: H&M, $9.90; Men Twill Shorts: Uniqlo, $19.90; Others: Model’s own.

On Sheng Jun: Men Geometric Printed Short Sleeve Shirt: Uniqlo, $29.90; Men Chino Shorts: Uniqlo, $29.90; Others: Model’s own.

On Mong Chin:

Outfit 1

The Eden Bikini: Kitsi, $32.90; A Boho Life Crochet Beach Dress: Tea For Three, $28; Light Blue Ripped Cut-Offs: Tea For Three, $27; Midas Heeled Sandals: Her Velvet Vase, $38; Others: Model’s own.

Outfit 2

Luna Dark Grey Necklace: Tea For Three, $10; Agence Romance Pantsuit: Her Velvet Vase, $34; Midas Heeled Sandals: Her Velvet Vase, $38; Others: Model’s own.

Outfit 3

The Siren One-Piece: Kitsi, $39.90; Ari Embellished Cuff: Her Velvet Vase, $24; Georgina Maxi Skirt: Preenk, $59.90; Others: Model’s own.