Singapore #Fitspo of the Week: Barbara Latimer

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: Barbara Latimer (@latimerbarbara)
Age: 27
Height: 1.58m
Weight: 57kg
Occupation: Freelance event host and TV presenter
Status: Attached
Diet: As balanced as far as possible. I generally don’t snack and eat relatively clean, but at the same time I listen to my body and avoid depriving it. If I’m craving a bar of chocolate or box of popcorn, I’m gonna have it!
Exercise: I try to keep it interesting! I make sure that I get my cardio in (be it boxing or going for a run), work on strengthening with weights as well as adding in yoga and pilates to the mix.

Q: What kind of sports did you do through schooling days?

A: When I was really young, I went for karate with my sister and dad. Ironically I didn’t take to it and they continued without me. In primary school, I was big on netball, but in secondary school I decided to mix things up and joined the canoeing team instead.

What other sports did you dabble in as you grew older?

I took up pole dancing for quite a while and it was amazing. But being the klutz I am, it didn’t quite work out. When I returned to Singapore after completing university, I was a blob.

I dove into a bunch of stuff but nothing quite worked. I finally found my feet when I started training with Kor Dynamics in late 2014, and I actually got a taste of what it was like to have my fitness improve.

Your main sport is boxing now – how did you get into it?

At the end of 2015, my best friend was just like, “Hey I’ve joined this boxing gym called Vanda, wanna come for a free trial?” The rest was history. It’s been nearly three years and it’s the longest I’ve ever stuck with one sport.

What do you like about boxing?

Everything. The fact that I get my cardio in and get to increase my stamina without having to run; being able to understand the technique, break it down to a science and successfully execute it; the community it creates, the friendships that build; last but not least, being able to punch something without getting into trouble!

What are your fitness goals now?

Balance. Over the last few years I’ve had a ton of ups and downs when it came to my fitness and health for a bunch of different reasons. My main focus now is to create balance and consistency.

When did you feel the least confident about yourself?

I used to think it was when I came back from university and was fluffy and still getting into it. Nada. Last September I was diagnosed with spondylolysis in my L5. Simply put, a stress fracture in my lower back, something that doesn’t happen in a day because of an accident, but happens over years of
stress on a particular area.

I was in a ridiculous amount of pain and on the most basic painkillers because I was filming in studio full time, and anything stronger would have ensured that I definitely wouldn’t be able to memorise my scripts. I was told I could go for walks and swims, but after nine hours on my feet, I just wanted to lie in bed. That was it – by the end of the year I was a bona fide marshmallow.

How did you overcome it and become more confident?

I’d lost my mojo and pretty much all my will in those four months. It’s like once you get into the (rut) of not exercising and feeling good, every good habit flies out the window. I wasn’t doing much, I wasn’t feeling great, and I hated myself for feeling that way and not being able to do the workouts that I love. Basically a downward spiral.

I had to start from scratch and start from scratch I did. With the help of my physio, the support of friends and family, I gradually got back into it. Slowly but surely I started to see change, I was feeling stronger, I was also listening to my body. I realised that all it took was to take that first step, and that was the hardest. Once I did that, everything else started coming together.

Are you contented with your body now?

No lies, I’m not. I was in studio filming for four months full-time and became a snack monster to keep the energy going. Between that, teaching at Uppercut Boxing and working weekends, I found almost no time for myself, or motivation to workout. I was in a little funk of my own doing, but hey, it happens. At the end of the day, we’re only human. So yes, I’m a little fluffier than I was earlier in the year and thanks to a few repetitive strain injuries, getting back on track is a slower progress. But hey, better than no progress, right?

Do you get any comments about your body?

Of course! Being in the media industry, you’ll always get comments about your body; positive and negative, some subtle and some with no tact whatsoever. But while I may not be super satisfied with my body right now, it’s my body at the end of the day. The only criticism I’ll take to heart is my own.

What are some misconceptions of fitness in today’s society?

That being fit means you’ll end up looking a certain way. No. We all have different bodies with different needs, different strengths and different weaknesses. Find out what works best for you and go with that, and more often than not, you’ll need some help figuring out what that is. Ask for help, there are so many people out who can and are more than happy to!

Who is your fitness inspiration?

Me. I know who I have the potential to be and I’ve been through a bunch of highs and lows. Knowing what I’m capable of and learning that I can continuously grow, drives me.

Why should people make an effort to lead an active lifestyle?

Twenty years ago, the fitness industry was nothing like what it is now. We didn’t have all these gyms and memberships at our fingertips. At the same time, we didn’t have the same array of fast food and transport options either. While people used to eat coffee shop food which may not be healthiest option, they also walked everywhere. Things are different now, and it takes a different approach to achieve an overall healthy lifestyle. All you need to do is take that first step.