Virgin Active's Head of Product Rue She on pushing herself too hard and how to stay highly motivated every day
Rue shares tips on staying motivated and how she balances her workouts with baking healthy eats, walking her dogs and more on her fitness routine.
Striking a balance in life may be as simple as carving out time regularly to indulge in an activity of your choice. Yahoo Life Singapore chats with personalities who share their passion for a sport or wellness activity they enjoy, which helps them take on the world with zeal. This series will inspire you to find an interest that will add that sparkle to your life. And should you feel inspired by the personalities, Yahoo Life Singapore helps set you on your way to your wellness journey with some relevant items.
We chat with Rue She, who has over 25 years of experience in the fitness and wellness industry. As Head of Product, Southeast Asia at Virgin Active, Rue ensures world-class group exercise programmes, personal training and product experiences. She is passionate about helping people make positive changes in their physical, emotional and mental well-being through movement and music. Outside of work, Rue enjoys her own fitness routines and spending time with her husband and adopted dogs. She is also interested in experimenting with different ingredients, whipping up healthy yet delicious meals to complement a wholesome lifestyle.
Yahoo Life Singapore: What is one sport, fitness or wellness activity you love, and how did you get started?
Rue She: There is no one wellness activity I focus on, rather, a collection of things I do daily/weekly. Besides a 6-day training routine consisting mainly of high-intensity interval training and lifting, I adopt a balanced wellness lifestyle that complements my training.
My wellness routine includes the following:
- Be in bed by 8:30 pm, avoiding any digital devices.
- Wake up daily at 4 a.m. and spend 5 to 8 minutes in cold plunge while listening to music and podcasts, meditate and practise breathing to get my headspace for the day ready.
- Spend time with my 3 dogs walking them before dawn.
- Start training at 6:30am.
Besides my dose of workout and recovery, I firmly believe that nutrition is a key element to sustain what I do. As such I prepare my own meals and additional healthy bakes such as energy snacks, which ensure I get the good stuff while finding relaxation through a hobby like baking.
On weekends, I love getting Vitamin D by sunbathing, reading and perhaps a yoga or Sound Bath session.
What are its benefits and what do you love about it?
I love that I have a consistent routine and plan which I can stick to on a daily/weekly basis. It sets me up for success and pushes me to do what I love. The benefits of such a routine are long-lasting, allowing me to perform optimally both at training and work.
How often do you indulge in it and with whom?
I often indulge in healthy bakes and meal preps with my husband. During my free time, I also bake homemade dog treats for our three dogs. Good food brings happiness to our souls.
Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented and capable than you know.Rue's life philosophy.
What gear/attire do you need or wear when engaging in the sport or wellness activity?
For HIIT:
A good metcon shoes
Breathable crop top
Nike Free Metcon 5 Women's Workout Shoes
Sculpt Cropped Tank Top for Running and training
For Weightlifting:
Adidas Dropset 2 Trainer
Wellness activities:
Bikini in cold plunge
Normal workout gears or lounge wear when using hyperice (devices for recovery)
Were there times when you did not feel up for the fitness activity? How did you psyche yourself up for it? Any tips on staying motivated?
Of course, there are times when I will not feel up for my training at 6:30am especially during the premenstrual cycle. Instead, I will take a pre-workout and have a good protein shake to get me going and tell myself that I will feel great and strong after. After all, it's mind over body.
Sometimes, I also put on a good tune to uplift my energy or listen to motivational podcasts to get me going. Some tips that I use to stay motivated include: i) staying goal-oriented, and ii) choosing to be around like-minded individuals.
How do you prioritise keeping yourself injury-free during workouts?
Always listen to your body and do constant check-ins to address any discomfort. I also ensure a good warmup & mobility routine pre-workout to prep the body alongside supplements that complement my meals for better muscle recovery and performance.
Every 2-3 times a week, I include the use of recovery devices such as massage guns, foam rollers and infrared-sauna blankets.
Some tips that I practise are:
Wellness recovery
Staying hydrated at all times
Getting sufficient hours of sleep
Post-workout recoveries
Was there a period in your life when you felt let down by someone or felt that everything was going against you? How was it like then and how did you bounce back?
I wouldn’t say it’s a dark patch in my life, instead I would think it’s a setback which made me stronger from the experience.
This happened more than 10 years ago when I was training for an international filming session for Les Mills Bodypump. As one of the selected presenters in Auckland, New Zealand, I wanted to ensure that I was well-prepared and could present myself, Singapore, and Asians well. Perhaps I was too zeroed in and included a really high volume of high-intensity training in my daily routine, too much for my body to take.
To prepare for the filming and to ensure I was at peak condition, my training focus shifted to a vigorous training plan with increased frequency for 3 months leading up to the filming date. The filming was a success, but my body took a toll and was in a very unhappy state as I pushed too hard with a mind-over-body mentality during the months of preparation.
I remember that during one of the other filming schedules in Auckland, I tore my right knee lateral meniscus and had to undergo an operation when I returned to Singapore.
As a fitness enthusiast and professional, this was a big thing. The injury meant that I had to slow down and find different ways to train while coping with ways to recover and rehab. I was a mixed bag of emotions as I am highly objective-driven, and not being able to do what I know best from a training perspective just didn’t sit well with me. But it was also this time where I recognised that I had to do what is necessary for my body to recover well by taking things slow and focusing on recovery.
My activities then changed to being focused on being disciplined and consistent in basic stability body weight exercises, foam rolling, stretching and mobility. I also made adjustments to my meal plans and included good supplements to nourish my body overall as it is a big part of the recovery journey.
Sharing good tips and positive vibes to lift anyone who needs it. Everyone needs positive inspiration in their lives.Rue on being an inspiration to others.
The experience, however, taught me something valuable. It is not just about going harder and stronger all the time, and it is equally important to recognise that our bodies need to take the appropriate time to recover with slower mindful movements and curated nutrition for an overall performance. Besides the balance of working out hard and recovering well, I came out of this much stronger than before, with a shifted mentality and learning how to cope with my emotions during times when things did not go according to plan.
What’s the most common misconception about this sports activity?
One common misconception about working out is that longer equals better, but the beauty of a HIIT routine is that you don’t need to dedicate hours of your day to training. The whole point of a HIIT class is to push yourself to your limits during shorter time intervals. Sometimes, an intense 30-minute HIIT workout can do more for your body and health than an hour of steady-paced workouts.
Share with us one thing you learnt from this sport activity or what you wish others to discover about it.
You can train at your optimal but balance it with a good amount of recovery and meals in proportion to your output in order to sustain a long-term longevity towards your training and performance goals.
What’s your life philosophy you stand by?
Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented and capable than you know. Never stop exploring, be open to learning new things in life.
Never stop exploring, be open to learning new things in life.Rue on her belief.
As an inspiring fitness personality, what is one way you inject positivity to the public?
Sharing good tips and positive vibes to lift anyone who needs it. Everyone needs positive inspiration in their lives. Have fun in the things you do. Walk the talk and talk the talk.
Can you recommend any tips or tools for tracking progress and staying accountable?
Tracking devices to track your activities
For Workouts - test your benchmarks throughout the period of training
Snap workout progression pictures as pictures don't lie
Use body composition machines to understand your base level and progression
See how your clothes feel as you progress
Engage a personal coach for proper guidance and tracking accountability
Suunto Race Titanium Charcoal
Renpho Body Fat Scale Smart BMI Scale Digital Bathroom Wireless Weight Scale
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Malaysia's first Asia's Next Top Model rep Melissa Th'ng on the secret to staying positive
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Naomi Yeo on how sound bath meditation pulled her through her insecurities and jealousy
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