5 Steps You Need To Take To Cultivate A Habit Of Exercising

After undergoing Slim Couture’s TCM slimming weight loss treatment, you’ve taken it in your stride to commit to the diet plan after. Although they might work wonders for you, why not take it a step further by incorporating some exercise into your daily routine?

Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of exercising isn’t merely to lose weight, but to also maintain a healthy lifestyle that’ll have your future-self thanking you down the road. Yet, the hardest part of getting your body moving is, ironically, making the first step. But if you’d like to change that, then here are some tips that you can follow.

1. Set off with the right intentions

The most common mindset to working out is to lose weight. While that’s one of the goals, it shouldn’t be the main one. The thing with exercise is that it’s a slow, gradual process that’ll take time. And to lose weight, there are other habits that you must do too. Instead, think simple: you’re looking to cultivate exercising into a new and lifelong habit that lasts even after you’ve met your goals!

2. Create mini goals that leads to your main goal

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big. But if you’re new to exercising, you’d need to set achievable goals as you progress along your journey. For instance, it can be hitting ten thousand steps whenever you take a walk. And when you achieve these goals, it gives you a sense of progress which boosts your self-motivation. As you hit your goals, that’s the point where you might start feeling bored. At this juncture, it’s great to start stretching your goals to challenge yourself to go further.

3. Work your schedule around fitness

Instead of including a workout session as an afterthought, regard it as a necessary activity that must be done – like how you must go to work daily. Once you consider it as something important, it’ll help your mind prioritise your workout routines! The duration of each session does not have to go beyond an hour. You can even do something small like walking every day, to help establish a fitness routine. In time, you might end up making space for fitness in your schedule rather than putting it on the back burner.

4. Keep track of tiny changes as you progress

Be it a metre more, or even going for an additional five minutes. No matter how small it seems, these small changes can add up to something significant and meaningful as time goes by. It also helps create a foundation for your routine, which you can build on gradually.

5. Vary your workouts

No matter how effective the best weight loss program at the gym or anywhere else is, it’s always good to shake things up in between. If you’ve been participating in high-intensity interval training (HIIT), then you can consider Pilates. Though it’s a 180-degree change from HIIT, this low-impact form of exercise is excellent in building up your strength and endurance. With a wealth of workouts to discover, there’s always room to spice things up along the way.

Practise consistency in the pursuit of your goals

A significant factor that keeps people from exercising is that it seems like hard work, even though it doesn’t have to be. It’s up to you to fill your workout sessions with fun activities, like dancing! No matter what your future goals are, always be kind to yourself throughout the journey.

At Slim Couture, we’re passionate about guiding you beyond the treatment. Aside from the elaborate post-treatment diet plan, we hope this guide is helpful to you to ensure a healthy well-being. And if you’re interested in giving our Divine Slim treatment a try, feel free to call us to book an appointment!

6 Tips To Cut Down On Mindless Snacking During COVID-19

You’re not that hungry, but your mouth is craving to chew something. Subconsciously, your hands reach out for a snack, as you begin munching on them with your eyes zoned to your laptop screen. And then comes lunchtime. By then, you aren’t hungry enough for a full meal, but your appetite isn’t satisfied enough to do without lunch. The moment you’re done with lunch, you feel absolutely bloated.

We’ve all been there. Even in cinemas, we’d be nibbling on a bag of sugar-coated popcorns without realising how much we’re consuming, until the bag is empty. Although snacking is done in small doses, its impact on our eating lifestyle is of a considerable extent.

Mindless snacking can cause an increase in your sugar levels and calorie count. If you want to curb this habit, here are some tips you must be aware of!

1. Have a mealtime plan

The opposite of “mindless” is “mindful”. By planning out your meals for the day, you’re setting an intention of when and what to eat. This reduces the chances of skipping meals, which also reduces the likelihood of snacking mindlessly. And if you have a plan, you’re more likely to be more mindful about your daily consumption.

2. Prepare healthy snacks

The goal isn’t to completely cut off snacking, but to cut down on it. Rather than consuming sugar-loaded titbits, try healthier superfoods instead! Bite-sized fruits, nuts, dark chocolate, or even vegetable chips – the choice is yours. But of course, it should be done in moderation as well; otherwise, you’d be too full to consume a proper, nutritious meal.

2. Stay hydrated

Often, we snack because we think we’re hungry when in actual fact, it might be a sign that our body is dehydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to reduce the urge to snack. It can also be helpful to add a variety to your mix, like sipping on herbal tea, infused water or detox drinks.

4. Brush your teeth

What does oral hygiene have to do with snacking? Well, the leftover flavours in your mouth might be the reason behind your constant craves for snacks. For example, when you consume something laden with sugar, the sweet taste remains in your mouth that even water can’t cleanse.

5. Consume fibre-rich food

Foods rich in fibre do wonders in controlling the spike in high blood sugar levels. Hence, consuming fibre helps decrease sugar consumption which, in turn, lowers your desire to nibble on sugary foods and snacks.

6. Acknowledge the underlying emotions

Most of us snack mindlessly because of emotions and situations like boredom, loneliness, stress and the like. Instead of eating because of your feelings, try finding other outlets instead. If you’re feeling lonely or sad, you can try talking to a friend or watching your favourite comedy movies. Maybe fill up your time with a hobby anytime you feel bored. Think and try out different activities to deal with your feelings, rather than fill the void with food. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to how you deal with your emotions, and it’ll definitely require lots of trial and error.

It’s always best to be intentional around the food and snacks you consume, especially if you’re aiming for weight loss. And while you keep track of your calorie intake, make sure to burn it off by going for a brisk walk or undergoing the best weight loss program.

At Slim Couture, our TCM slimming procedure, Divine Slim^TM, is a weight loss program suited for you, regardless of your gender and weight. We’d love to help you look your best, as you shine from within with self-confidence! If you’d like to embark on your weight loss journey with us, feel free to give us a call or drop us an enquiry via our website. As we’re still amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we’d highly appreciate if you abide by safe distancing measures, just like how we’re doing our part by keeping our boutiques clean.

Gua Sha: An Effective Technique That Provides Relief

If you’ve visited any beauty brand’s social media platforms over the last year, you’ve probably seen the sleek, smooth and pastel Gua Sha tool. Despite its recent popularity, Gua Sha goes way back.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Gua Sha is one of the most efficient and natural ways of treatment. With the reputation of relieving muscle pain and improving circulation, this traditional Chinese technique involves scraping the skin with a smooth-edged instrument. Read on as we share the different symptoms that Gua Sha may help alleviate the pain of!

Alleviates neck and shoulder pain

When working the usual 9 to 5, you might find yourself with your eyes glued to the computer screen for at least 6 hours. Without proper ergonomic support, the probability of straining your shoulders and neck is quite likely but it can be alleviated with Gua Sha. Gua Sha practitioners will palpate the neck area for muscle tightness and other abnormalities, before applying press-strokes with Gua Sha. It involves a significant amount of pressure, but not as much force as a deep tissue massage.

Reduces engorgement while breastfeeding

Breast engorgement is experienced by many breastfeeding women, which occurs when the breasts overfill with milk. It causes the breasts to become swollen and painful, making it difficult for babies to latch. While this is usually a temporary condition, it can be relieved with the Gua Sha technique, which is effective at reducing engorgement and discomfort.

Relieves headaches and migraine

Sometimes, your migraine or headaches might not respond to over-the-counter medications. Plus, after repeated and regular exposure to certain drugs, our body might develop tolerance – which means that your current dose of medicine might not work as effectively as it once did. In any of these situations, Gua Sha makes for a great alternative!

Decreases liver inflammation

As you might already know, Gua Sha is famous for relieving inflammation. It is believed to address stagnant energy, called “chi”, in the body that practitioners believe to be the reason behind inflammation. Conversely, inflammation is the underlying cause of various conditions related to chronic pain. Hence, rubbing the skin helps break up this energy, which in turn reduces inflammation and promotes healing.

Conclusion

At the surface, Gua Sha might seem like another popular trend, but there are significant differences when you engage in the help of a professional to perform the treatment for you. As a natural healing remedy, the usage of Gua Sha is completely safe. The rubbing and scraping motions are not painful, and can help to improve the appearance of your skin.

At Slim Couture, we have a team of professionals who specialises in the Gua Sha technique in our TCM Slimming treatment, also known as Divine Slim. As Gua Sha stimulates blood flow, it also helps to promote better metabolism. Coupled with other methods, Divine Slim makes for the best weight loss program that is all natural. From start to finish, you’ll have experts guiding you throughout the process. To illustrate, a comprehensive diet plan will be given to you after treatment to sustain the results of Divine Slim. Drop us a call via our hotline for any enquiries on this program or if you want to schedule an appointment!

Home Workout: 5 Fitness Instructors To Check Out On YouTube

Regardless if you’re back to work or if you’re still working from home, it’s our part to do what we can to stay fit. This means that it’s time for us to get creative in the pursuit of getting our daily fitness fix!

While gyms and fitness centres are already open during Singapore’s Phase 2 re-opening, some people might not feel comfortable going out yet. But staying active is essential in one’s overall health, especially if you desire to lose weight healthily. With your laptop and Wi-Fi connection, roll out a fitness mat and check out either one of the following fitness gurus on YouTube!

1. Emi Wong

Not everyone can have the luxury of spending both time and money to spend hours in the gym. From posting videos of a 10-minute clip on a full-body high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout to short clips on Instagram of exercises you can do with regular household items, Emi Wong believes in keeping both your health and immunity up while staying at home. Even while watching the television, Emi Wong has the perfect workout routine in store for you, meant to strengthen both your arms and shoulders.

2. Joanna Soh

If you’re still transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle to an active lifestyle, then performing rigorous exercises could be detrimental to your joints. Instead, start slow with Joanna Soh’s “10,000 Indoor Step Challenge”. Since walking is a low impact and safe workout, this routine is perfect for beginners. Most importantly, it does not compromise on the number of calories lost! Check out her “21 Days #StayAtHome Workout” playlist on YouTube, which contains full-length workout videos to follow along as you work towards attaining your fitness goals.

3. Blogilates

Cassey Ho of Blogilates has been sharing her exercise routines on YouTube since 2008, so you’re guaranteed to find an extensive range of fitness videos from POP Pilates to PIIT28 (Pilates Intense Interval Training). As you catch your breath while following her movements, the happy-go-lucky Cassey Ho of Blogilates will enthusiastically throw motivational remarks to keep you going. And of course, if you’re find yourself struggling, she’ll remind you why you hit play on her video in the first place.

4. PopSugar Fitness

No matter what stage of the fitness journey you’re at, you’ll find an assortment of weight loss programs on PopSugar Fitness’ YouTube channel! PopSugar Fitness is a holistic channel that offers fitness tutorials, healthy eating advice, workouts routines, and more. Browse through their playlist on YouTube where you’d find an extensive range of videos that are already categorised to ease your navigation. For those who aim to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle amidst your hectic schedule, PopSugar Fitness is worth a try!

5. Cosmic Kids Yoga

Most of us do yoga for flexibility, stress relief, and strength, amongst a myriad of reasons. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you can introduce the world of yoga to your younger sibling, children or grandchildren? That is what Jaime Amor had in mind when she founded Cosmic Kids Yoga! When you think of yoga, the instructor’s soothing voice might come to mind. Through Cosmic Kids Yoga, Jaime Amor lets your imagination run wild as she walks you through various stories such as “The Wizard of Oz” and “Frozen” while incorporating many kinds of yoga poses that are easy for kids to follow.

Conclusion

While doing exercises at home can help you to stay fit, sometimes, getting rid of muffin tops or stubborn fats on your own can be quite a challenge. With TCM Slimming, working towards your ideal body is much more attainable!

At Slim Couture, our Divine Slim treatment allows you to lose weight healthily with long-lasting results, as opposed to consuming slimming pills or crash dieting. Let us enhance your weight loss results with the best slimming treatment for you!