Looking at Carrie Sim’s daily schedule makes one wonder how she still manages to get six hours of sleep in a day. Carrie is a dedicated marketer at an up-market hotel in the day, who typically finishes work after 7pm in the evening. But “work” doesn’t end there; she wears many other hats when she’s off-duty. After work, she manages a female-centric lifestyle e-zine, The Cambelles, which she co-founded, and also maintains a blog, which she uses for her personal branding.
Her after-work hours are typically spent churning out articles, reading up on content creation and marketing, managing her social media presence, meeting potential partners for her personal projects and discussing creative ideas with them, spending time with friends and attending media events.
Like most women in their 20s, her weekends are not spared and only when she finds time, she exercises, sleeps, and spends quality time with her family.
“Trust me, it takes a bit of time management. I’m still learning the ropes!” muses Carrie.
But the strong focus on her personal goals means that sacrifices have to be made. And in her case, she finds that she has less time to spend with her friends, loved ones, and significant other.
The challenging transit from teenhood to “adulthood”
“I put on weight a lot easier and it was much harder to see immediate results through exercise and healthy-eating habits,” says Carrie.
She finds that she gets hungrier when she feels stressed at work or in her personal commitments, and it doesn’t help that she tends to withdraw when she’s going through a crunch, because she faces more inertia to go for a workout. She is also consuming “richer” food as she has more spending power than when she was a teen.
“Inertia is definitely real. Being aware of my mental and emotional state and how it plays a part in my physical well-being is imperative these days. I realise that if I don’t keep myself mentally strong, I won’t be able to live and work productively.”
Learn from the experts
We spoke to nutritionists from Marie France Bodyline to understand how we can cope with the demands of being in our 20s, just like Carrie.
- If you put on weight easily and find it hard to see weight loss results: Understand your body type so weight loss can be a lot easier and more effective. You want to make sure you’re losing fats, not muscles. A Marie France Bodyline consultant will be able to help you identify your body type and make recommendations accordingly. Speak to a professional and get a free consultation and analysis of your body type.
- If you struggle with time management and don’t get enough rest: Inadequate sleep might be partly why Carrie is seeing lower energy and easier weight gain. Sleep is very important for our health and without sufficient rest, we tend to put on weight on the tummy and waistline. Besides affecting the way we look, weight gain at the waistline is often caused by high percentage of visceral fat, and it can affect a person’s cardiovascular system, and health of vital organs such as the liver. No matter what your age is, we recommend you to have at least 7.5 hours of sleep every day.
- If your diet is causing you to see thicker waist and heavier bottom: Be more conscientious about picking lower fat food; Carrie admits that she has been choosing “richer” food since she started working. To kick start this resolution, try to avoid fried food and food that are doused in gravy. Also, say no to processed food, which are usually high in sugar, salt or fat – ingredients used to preserve food – they are the key culprits to weight gain. Instead, focus on foods that contain calcium, fibre, folic acid, and iron, such as broccoli, figs and celery. These essential minerals will help the body reach its health potential.
This is part of a special series of articles in conjunction with International Women’s Day. We interview women of all ages and walks of life about their womanhood journey. Nutritionists and consultants from Marie France Bodyline will also share with us the changes women face at every age, what advice they have for each body, age and lifestyle needs, and hopefully, through these intimate sharing, you’ll be able to see a reflection of yourself and gain some insights on how to make your life and appearance better. Check out our introduction article to see all the interviewees we have spoken to, in their 30s, approaching 40, and 50s.
As you stay tuned for the next story, remember that regardless of age, your diet will always form an important part of your lifestyle, speak to a nutritionist for advice. You can also find out what’s your ideal BMI and receive a free consultation on weight management accordingly.
This article is brought to you by Marie France Bodyline.
