Singapore #Fitspo of the Week: Maegan Teh

Life goes beyond the digits on the scale and your body is capable of so much more! Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspirational men and women in Singapore leading healthy and active lifestyles. Have someone to recommend? Hit Cheryl up on Instagram or Facebook!

Name: Maegan Teh (@with.maegan)

Age: 38

Height: 1.65m

Weight: 55kg

Occupation: Fitness instructor and fitness studio co-owner

Status: Married

Food: I do not follow a specific strict diet, but I prefer to stick to natural food for nourishment rather than processed or meal replacements. The portion and the choices I put on my plate are important because it will help to keep my energy up and help with my muscle recovery. I will usually stay away from noodles, greasy food and fast food but I do indulge them occasionally. I also love my bread, pastries and rice! I eat them in moderation of course.

Due to my work schedule, I do not have a fixed lunch or dinner break, but I’ll do my best to arrange my meals or snacks according to my schedule to avoid eating huge and heavy meals close to bedtime or going hungry for a long period of time. That is why breakfast is very important for me. Coffee with eggs and toast or peanut butter sandwich is something I cannot miss.

Exercise: Weekly exercise is a must for me. I exercise at least four times a week with a good mix of cardio, strengthening and stretching: Jazzercise (dance cardio), Pilates and aerial fitness. I will also make time to hit the gym or sneak in a quick 30-minute workout whenever I am traveling. In my weekly exercise routine, some days I push harder and some days I take it easy for recovery because fitness ought to be sustainable.

Q: When you were younger, were you active in sports?

A: I wouldn’t say I was very active in sports when I was younger. I would always find reasons to escape Sports Day or sports activities at school if I can. Haha! Exercise was not part of my routine back then; I probably only did it because my friends were doing it. But at least I did try something.

In my younger days I did gymnastics for a couple of years, went hiking and played badminton with my dad occasionally in my teenage years and ran a little in my university days.

What did you get into as you got older?

I stayed away from exercising after my ankle surgery as I was really scared to hurt it again. Even if I did exercise, it was not a regular thing for me. I only started exercising regularly in my late 20s. The initial motive was weight loss, but I experienced the health benefit first before I even shed any kilos. The changes in my body were great.

I felt much lighter, I was less exhausted, my immune system improved and I slept better at night. I used to love hardcore cardio routines and strength training. No pain no gain, right? But as I got older, I learned to listen to my body to sustain my exercise routine. I learned to balance my cardio intense workout with a bit more strengthening, stretches and recovery to minimise the risk of injury. Health and fitness now are like a lifestyle to me.

When did you start doing Jazzercise?

After becoming a mum, I battled with weight loss. I was constantly upsizing my clothes and my weight was giving my ankle a hard time. That was when my husband introduced me to Jazzercise, a programme that offers both dance cardio and strength training in one class. I gave it a try because I always wanted to dance, and of course, the first class wasn’t easy. For the entire hour I looked around and wondered if they were even human beings?

Even though I was struggling in class, the Jazzercise community was very supportive and motivating. They encouraged me to keep going and after a few weeks or months into the routine, I began to get used to the moves and I never felt better! The playlist was great, the community was friendly and the workout was extremely fun. That was when I decided to stay on with the programme and weight loss wasn’t a goal anymore.

What is Jazzercise?

Jazzercise is a dance fitness programme founded in 1969 by Judi Sheppard Missett, a dance teacher in Chicago. Jazzercise blends dance cardio with strength training in a 55-minute class, choreographed to today’s hit music. All routines are designed with both athletic and non-athletic bodies in mind, and one does not need to have a dance background to enjoy the class.

Jazzercise is great for those who love to work out with music. The programme offers a variety of classes, ranging from dance cardio to HIIT, to strength training and even kickboxing and they come with high and low intensity options. Because Jazzercise involves cardio, coordination and strength, one will be able to improve their cardiovascular health, gain a stronger body and have a sharper mind as one stays with the programme.

Fun fact: We do not wear leotards in class and we are not Jazz dance or Jazz exercise.

When did you decide you wanted to start teaching Jazzercise?

In six months of Jazzercise, I began to see how my body changed with exercise and found that my ankle issues started to subside. My ankle became much stronger and stable. So, I decided to immerse myself further in the fitness field to learn and to understand better how the body and muscles work.

I took the opportunity to get certified as an instructor when I heard a fitpro from Jazzercise Inc was coming to train us in-person. All this soon turned into my passion to encourage, motivate and help other people to stay active, get fitter and healthier. I started teaching Jazzercise in an established Jazzercise studio in Selangor, Malaysia and back then, getting people to try was not difficult.

When you moved to Singapore, did you face any challenges with Jazzercise?

The challenge is different when you try to start something new in a new place and when it comes to fitness programmes, Singapore is spoiled with choices. But I am very thankful to have a small group of friends and the Jazzercise community from Malaysia, Indonesia and America to help me kickstart this programme in Singapore.

Setting up Jazzercise in Singapore was not an easy journey. We went from one studio to another trying to spread the programme and of course we didn’t really see growth until we moved our classes to Core Collective Anson. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many uncertainties and yes it was challenging for many businesses, but I am glad that Jazzercise is still here. We are now at Refinery Fitness Singapore.

When you were younger, did you experience any incidents that made you feel insecure about yourself?

Yes, I was fat shamed. I was teased about my looks and being fat at school as a teen and it was nasty. I felt like an outcast. It was not fun to go through this at a very vulnerable age! It was very damaging both emotionally and mentally.

But I was very lucky that it didn’t last long. My loving and supportive family and friends quickly stepped in to help me battle through these hurtful words and build back my confidence. Even though I can still remember all the nasty words clearly in my head, those adversities have helped me to accept and love myself more and be stronger as a person.

When did you feel the least confident about yourself?

Growing up in an environment where you have people telling you that “you are not good enough” can be challenging when it comes to building confidence. I struggled with anything that has to do with public speaking and performing. When I first became a Jazzercise instructor it was not an easy thing for me, it is almost like putting up a solo dance performance in every class and I am there to lead a group of fit people (who are probably stronger, more experienced or better than I am)! It was nerve wrecking. I was new, I felt intimidated and there was a lot of “what if (any possible mistakes can happen)” flying through my head.

After a few rounds of teaching, I told myself I cannot conduct my classes this way! If I want to help people to get better, I first need to trust myself. I need to have confidence in myself before I can gain confidence from my clients. So, instead of asking the “what if”, I began to speak positive words to myself and remind myself that, “I can do all things. Slowly but surely, it will happen”. And yes indeed, as I continued to teach, I managed to build my confidence gradually by first believing in myself.

Of course, there will be a couple of hiccups along the way, but it is important to be mentally strong to get back up with confidence again and stay positive. We need to keep moving in order to keep going.

Did you ever struggle with your body?

Kind of, after my ankle surgery, because of the ankle pain issues. If only someone had told me earlier that exercise can build a stronger ankle!

Before I was into exercise, I always had the idea of eating less to keep my body weight low so that I put less pressure on my ankle, and the struggle got worse after giving birth. My body weight was not the only concern.

When my kid was close to two years old, I was also trying my best to look less pregnant and at least be able to fit into my old jeans. I was constantly travelling with my kid back then, so I did not have the discipline to prioritise time for exercise and most of the time I was exhausted. It was hard! Yes, not every mum bounces back fast after giving birth.

Are you satisfied with your body now?

It is my body and I only have one. The size of my body may not be consistent all year round, but I am definitely much better, stronger and healthier than before. I may be satisfied with my body now but that doesn’t mean I stop making goals. There is always room for improvement; for me now is my flexibility and strength, and it is always fun to challenge our body once in a while.

Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle and putting in effort to exercise weekly doesn’t come naturally, but the reward is awesome. It has not only helped me to maintain and sculpt my body but also helped me to solve my ankle issue.

Have you ever received any comments about your body?

When I was in my teenage years, I was called a “muffin tin”. The comments have since changed as I grew older. After choosing to stay with an active lifestyle, the comments I get either “abs” or “you look fit”.

But regardless of what others comment about your body, I think it is important to first love, respect and accept your own body. What that in mind, it is easier for us to work towards our fitness goals.