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My 5 best moments of 2017

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 31 Dec 2017   Posted by Cheryl Tay


And here it is, another year gone by in a blink of the eye and I’m wondering what I’ve done with those 12 months! Every year I find myself saying that, and every year I’m amazed at how time flew by. I like to scroll through my Instagram feed and do a quick recap of my best moments of 2017. And here they are:

 1) Completing an Ironman 70.3 ‘season’

I never thought that I would get this committed to the sport of triathlons. I did my first Ironman 70.3 last November and then I found myself getting more into it. I don’t intend to become a full-time / professional athlete, so I guess this is more like a serious hobby. This year is special because it goes down as the first “full season” I’ve done – 4 local races, 4 overseas races, 4 podium finishes. Whew.

2018 is gonna be a lot more interesting (and painful!) but hey, you just gotta get out there and do what you gotta do. Every race you learn something about yourself, every race you realise more and more how crazy you really are. I still can’t believe I’m doing such a lonely and painful sport, but it’s the tough that makes the sweet sweeter hey! Thank you for all the encouragement you’ve given me 🙂

2) Achieving my first Ironman 70.3 podium

I cried after the race at Ironman 70.3 Bintan because I was happy (first IM 70.3 podium leh wtf), in disbelief (huh is this a dream?) and guilty (’cause I stopped to walk during the run oops). And also, because I screwed up the Danang race, there was a little fear (of failure) too so there’s relief in the mix too.

At that point, it has been a year since I took the step to embark on my Ironman journey, getting a coach in early August last year and committing to the Ironman 70.3 Phuket. So much has happened since then – as you would know if you have been stalking me LOL j/k – and I guess these tears were also part of relieving all the pent-up emotions. What a journey right? And it’s still early days!

I know my timing in other categories/races wouldn’t have made the podium, hence I said I got lucky. Nonetheless, any reason to celebrate is worth celebrating and a PB is still an achievement to me!

3) Initiating the SCSM Women Squad

One of the, or should I say, THE proudest moment for ROCKrunners this year has to be the creation of the SCSM Women Squad. It’s the first ever women-only training programme for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and ROCKrunners is so proud to be spearheading it!!

Over the course of four months, we held monthly training runs, talks and workouts for 200 female SCSM runners. The purpose is to provide a friendly and non-intimidating environment for women, where they don’t have to be afraid of their run pace or experience levels.

We had celebrity yoga instructor Denise Keller teaching us, we had national half-marathon record holder Mok Ying Rong educate us, and we also had our air time on Channel NewsAsia as well as on Okto (for the live broadcast of the race). Look out for a more exciting 2018 Squad!!

4) Moving out to my own place

So, after living with my parents for 30 years (I never worked or lived abroad long-term), I finally decided to move out and stay on my own. I mean, I’ve travelled a lot for work and I’ve stayed in hall during my NTU days, but it’s not the same as fully living on your own.

In July, I moved out and I’ve been loving it. Yes, it means I have to do my own household chores and face more bills every month, but there’s something about independent living that I really, really like. You have your own space and you set your own rules. I realised however, that I’ve become more ‘auntie’ though. For example, I keep asking my friends to keep plastic bags from NTUC/Giant/Cold Storage for me so I can use them to line my dustbins, heehee! I also ask my friends who travel often to bring back the bedroom slippers, because my floor is glossy and I have this no-barefeet policy so I need more slippers for guests. LOL.

Erm, I’m just a 10-minute drive from my parents’ house so I still meet them regularly for meals, but no I don’t feel lonely and I really am enjoying this very much (not the additional bills though).

5) Making the effort to cook (finally!)

For the longest time, I’ve been too lazy to cook. I know how to fry an egg and that’s pretty much the full extent of my list of culinary skills. I’ve often been telling my friends that I will learn how to cook when there’s a necessity, such as when I have kids and I want them to eat healthy. But recently I realised that I could be saving money and also eating healthier just by cooking!

Also, I’m living on my own and there’s NO excuse why I shouldn’t be cooking! My mum used to nag at me for messing up her kitchen, but now there’s no one to scream at me. You know, I didn’t touch the stove at all for five entire months since I’ve moved in?!

Then a friend came over and showed me some basics – how to fry chicken and salmon, how to cook pasta right and heck, it’s actually really easy. I only have a microwave at home, but I got a steamer and that does wonders too. So now I’m cleaning my diet (somewhat) and saving money!

I also realised how therapeutic cooking can be. When I feel moody sometimes, cooking up something I like to eat cheers me up! I hate the washing up lah, but there’s this sense of satisfaction of feeding yourself (and friends sometimes, when they come over). I actually cooked for my friends on Christmas eve when they came over to lepak! Who knew this day would ever come?!

I’m no master chef, but I am still learning, so share simple recipes with me if you have any! Also, after cooking for yourself, you realise how expensive it is to eat out. I found myself refusing to pay $17.90 for a grilled salmon fillet the other day, because I can do the exact same thing (not as presentable but who cares since I’m the only one eating) for one-fifth of the price!!

There you go, these are my five best moments of 2017 and as we enter the New Year, I feel very excited for what lies ahead. I hope you had a wonderful year and may 2018 bring you more happiness and love!! xx

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Written by Cheryl Tay

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    First establishing herself in the world of cars and motorsports, Cheryl Tay is a sports and fitness blogger who advocates living an active and healthy lifestyle. Founder of body image movement Rock The Naked Truth, Cheryl overcame over a decade of eating disorders and is now passionate about helping people with similar struggles. She also has a running club ROCKrunners and a tri-enthusiast club ROCKtri.

    Rock The Naked Truth encourages others to be comfortable in their own skin and to learn that there is more to life than just being a slave to the numbers on your scale. Truly, life has more meaning than just forcing yourself to look good - it's most important to be happy and feel good about yourself!

    Previously...
    > Fitness columnist for Yahoo! Sports
    > Founder of ELITE (fitness competition)
    > Motoring writer for TODAY
    > Columnist for Rev / Run magazines
    > Official photographer for ONE Championship
    > Media manager for Formula Drift Asia
    > PR manager for PETRONAS Syntium Team
    > Business development for Kartright Speedway
    > F1 youth speaker for Singapore GP
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    Boys bailed on us girls so it was just @sarahhy0r1 Boys bailed on us girls so it was just @sarahhy0r1n and I and we decided to take on the hills of the South. Spent all morning grunting and cursing and swearing, hahahahaha!

#cheryltayworksout #triathlon #triathlete #trifit #trilife #trilove #trigirls #getfit #lovefit #fitforlife #fitness #fitnesseveryday #instafit #igfit #ironmantri #ironmantraining #activelife #cycling #thecyclinglife
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#rollerskating #roundandround
    Found this in my archives. A time in 2011 when I h Found this in my archives. A time in 2011 when I had long permed hair and youth (and non existent eyebrows) on my side. Wow. I like my eyebrows better now, thank goodness for eyebrow embroidery hahahaha.

#throwback #nojudging #pastorpresent

📷: @ansonchew
    After setting up @rockthenakedtruthsg, I started t After setting up @rockthenakedtruthsg, I started to learn more about body image and I came to a realisation that the more attractive one is, the more likely he/she is insecure about their body.

You would think otherwise because they have a 'great body' with skinny legs, thigh gap, small waist, "11" abs, nice boobs (for girls), but they are actually not as confident as you think they are.

People would die for these bodies, people are dieting and doing stupid things to get this kind of body, but these 'more attractive' people are actually insecure about the very body society desires.

Why insecure? I spoke to some of them and they cited reasons like: Afraid to lose the body because they feel their identity is tied to their body, afraid they may not look like that one day, afraid they do not look good enough.

So my hope is that everyone will come to accept their body no matter how it looks, and not be afraid to be judged. I mean, who gives these people a right to judge you?

Your body, own it!

#rockthenakedtruth
    No such thing as too pink. 🤭🤭🤭 Queen Bit No such thing as too pink. 🤭🤭🤭

Queen Bitch II always makes me so proud.

#rockthenakedtruth #cheryltayworksout #triathlon #triathlete #trifit #trilife #trilove #trigirls #getfit #lovefit #fitforlife #fitness #fitnesseveryday #instafit #igfit #ironmantri #ironmantraining #activelife #cycling #thecyclinglife
    Wooooo managed to get some speedy action (on a wet Wooooo managed to get some speedy action (on a wet track which made things so slippery) thanks to @audisingapore! Oh my back and arms... how did I use to race those kart endurance races 10 years ago? 🤣🤣🤣

#audisingapore #gokarting #aging #motorsports #motorracing #karting #kartracing #vroomvroom
    Had so much fun at the @grityardsg x @jyanyogastud Had so much fun at the @grityardsg x @jyanyogastudio collab event today where we got to do a combo of HIIT then acro yoga, an opportunity to try 2 types of workouts in one session, to see how fitness can be translated across different activities!

I wanted @jyanyoga to base me just for ONE photo, but she ended up sending me into several moves, which scared me a little but with the help of @branstands, I got into a few poses so now I have a few photos to share. Yay!

To more of such collabs!!!

📷: @_yaops_

#GRITYARDSG #jyanyogastudio #acroyoga
    HELLO 2021! Thank YOU for being here with me thro HELLO 2021!

Thank YOU for being here with me through my journey of life, as I grow and progress. You, my IG fam, are a significant part of support network! Happy new year everybahdee!!

😘😘😘🥰🥰🥰❤❤❤

P.S. Let me know what kind of content you want to see more from me?

#happynewyear #2021
    My favourite 9 photos of 2020! Even though this ye My favourite 9 photos of 2020! Even though this year took us down different paths, it has still been a very fulfilling year for me and I am grateful for everything that I have - my health, my family, my work, my friends, my sports.

Here's a quick recap of how my 2020 went:

1) Kicked off the year with @rockthenakedtruthsg's 4th anniversary with a track relay event that had 100 participants, supported by Moulmein-Cairnhill CSC

2) Spent a weekend at integrated fitness resort Thanyapura Phuket for @teampurpose's inaugural retreat

3) Passed my Class 2B test and bought a motorbike (Honda CBR150R)

4) Raced in the Ironman 70.3 Bangsaen, my only race for the year

5) Appointed Editor for @runsg

6) Got my own wakeboarding gear, woooo!

7) Opened up about my Pruvit journey and how it has changed my life, as well as shared about the benefits of ketones

8) Did lots of live stuff like IG live workouts for @100plus_singapore and also a live FB launch for @theragunsg

9) Did my second strategically nude shoot with @ivanjoshualoh for @rockthenakedtruthsg

10) Had the privilege to work on key campaigns with brands like @aveenosg, @huawei.sg, @jaybirdsport, and also produced virtual content for Moulmein-Cairnhill CSC and Sengkang East CSC

11) Ran the second edition of @100plus_singapore's OUTDO YOURSELF 2020 programme and trained 5 individuals @tngying @bec010 @reneetee72 @channelweng @angmo_kantang for the @sgmarathon Grand Finale

12) Created content with and for homegrown brands @teampurpose and @grityardsg, implementing several key launches and initiatives

13) Collaborated with @our.braletteclub, @goyathelabel, @standsg, @sloggisg, @huawei.sg on campaigns for @rockthenakedtruthsg

14) Started going into video production in the role of a producer and helping to produce videos

15) Got a new car - traded my 5yo VW Golf for a Honda Civic

16) Revamped my humble bachelorette pad, which is now so cosy and feeling more like a home

Thank you to all who have continued to support me and believe in me, both in the personal and career space. The year has turned out differently from planned, but it still turned out good!

How has 2020 gone for you?
    Following my house revamp, it's now time for some Following my house revamp, it's now time for some deep cleaning. Since I've moved in 3.5 years ago, I've not done any deep cleaning so there is definitely work to be done heh.

The @surecleansg professional cleaning team came over to work on my home and I was so impressed with their cleaning! (You know you're upping your auntie level when you get excited seeing things get cleaned and get intrigued by these fancy cool machines.) You can swipe to see the before/after results!

For my bachelorette space of 600 sqft, they sent a team of 3 who worked on the place simultaneously. Altogether they took 4 hours for the Home Deep Cleaning and Disinfection; sofa and mattress cleaning are add-ons to the package. 

They also have their own products, like their own Germclean disinfectant that has silver ion technology and 24h residual disinfection and can last on surfaces for 30 days, which they used on my home AND you can purchase to use too.

Quote 'CHERYLTAYSG' to get 15% off with min. spend of $250 before GST. You can book on sureclean.com.sg!

#sureclean #homecleaning
    Who can say no to ice cream or froyo? And when it Who can say no to ice cream or froyo? And when it has NO SUGAR ADDED, that's even better.

@yolesingapore has opened their newest outlet at Vivocity and the ice cream and froyo served all have NO sugar added! Soon, the rest of the outlets will follow suit.

But hey, don't use this as an excuse to go mad on the toppings ya!

Use 'CHERYLxYOLE' to get $1 off their NO SUGAR ADDED ice cream and froyo at Yole Vivocity from now to 31 December.

P.S. the photo wall damn cute!

#yolesingapore #yolevivocity #nosugaradded
    Someone came over today and made himself very comf Someone came over today and made himself very comfortable on my couch whilst watching Bee Movie for the 100000000th time.

#spotthehuman
    Not shown in picture - my pink socks and pink bicy Not shown in picture - my pink socks and pink bicycle. 🤣🤣🤣 Only one way to spend Christmas, all decked out in pink for a 160km ride. MERRY CHRISTMAS everybahdee!!

#cheryltayworksout #triathlon #triathlete #trifit #trilife #trilove #trigirls #getfit #lovefit #fitforlife #fitness #fitnesseveryday #instafit #igfit #ironmantri #ironmantraining #activelife #teampurpose #purposeasia #cycling #thecyclinglife
    Home revamp completed! 🥰🥰🥰 I've been spen Home revamp completed! 🥰🥰🥰 I've been spending a lot more time at home this year, which gave me the push to make some improvements to the house so I can be more comfortable at home.

It's been 3.5 years since I moved in, but I've mostly just treated this as a house, somewhere to stay, and not really put the effort to make it a home home.

When I first moved in, I wasn't keen to do up the house much because I felt that I might get married one day and move out, so why bother to spend money? So I only added a counter to separate the kitchenette from the living area, and set up my bike trainer next to the sofa.

These made the house quite cluttered and it just got messier and messier over the years as I accumulated more stuff, and was often too tired or busy to clear up. I mean, it was just me and I don't invite friends over, so I let the mess manifest.

Finally, I decided to revamp the place and I'm glad I did!

I got rid of the counter, built cupboards and shelves into the walls for more storage space, got zip blinds so I could convert the balcony into a usable space, did vinyl flooring over the original glossy floor which is hard to maintain (and I was wearing bedroom slippers all the time), and got a dining table set that doubles up as my work station.

The result is amazing! I wish I could say this was a DIY project, but no, I engaged the services for the various things I did... after taking time to source for the best deals with value and quality!

The home feels like a home now and this might sound strange, but having more physical space actually has a calming effect on me and psychologically I feel better!

If you have any budget home decor ideas, please share! My only decor ideas are multiple stuffed toys and Hello Kitty memorabilia lol.

Now I'm looking forward to hosting friends at my revamped space I call home!

#homesweethome
    One good thing about the frozen meals from Not Jus One good thing about the frozen meals from Not Just CarrotSticks is that you can take it straight from the freezer into the microwave oven. In just 5 minutes, your plant-based meal is ready!

The plastic sheet will peel off by itself once the food is heated, so all you need to do is peel it off and you're good to start eating.

I've tried all 3 meals and they taste good! The Thai basil chicken and the beef rendang are quite spicy, but I'm terrible with chilli so it should be fine for you.

You can order online at notjustcarrotsticks.com and use SOCIAL20% to get 20% off all products (limited to one use per customer only).

You can also purchase them exclusively at Bukit Timah Plaza NTUC Finest and Parkway Parade NTUC Finest for the month of December.

#plantbased #notjustcarrotsticks #sp
    [GIVEAWAY: 3 x visors from @greybyortenhill] Some [GIVEAWAY: 3 x visors from @greybyortenhill]

Sometimes, all you need is just one accessory to make your look cooler. Cue my Super.visor from @greybyortenhill! I love how it goes well with active wear, outdoor wear, beach wear... so long as you're in the sun, it completes the look.

I'm giving away 3 visors (of your choice) to 3 people. They have the half (which I'm wearing here) and the full, and a few different colour options. My favourites are the gold (seen here) and the rainbow.

To take part, follow my IG and @greybyortenhill, and tell me in the comments below how you will wear this, eg. what outfit will you match this with, where will you go with this etc.

I will choose the winners by Sunday 2359h!

#supervisor
    PERIOD FATIGUE. Besides belly bloat, water retenti PERIOD FATIGUE. Besides belly bloat, water retention, moodiness and junk food cravings, the other thing I struggle with, during PMS, is the fatigue. The fatigue is real!

I find myself needing to sleep more, getting tired more easily, and even after sleeping more, I still feel tired?! What is this! Do you feel sluggish too?

Also, in the few days leading up to day 1 of the period, your athletic performance is likely to be affected so don't be hard on yourself if you don't find yourself hitting your targets or doing weaker than usual. You might want to chill a bit prior to the period, OR, manage your expectations and don't let it affect you mentally when you don't perform at the level you're used to.

Interestingly, I read that the body is the strongest in the first few days of the period! But with the heavy flow and the cramps, it's hard to feel pumped yknow.

Whatever it is, I continue to exercise through my period. You just gotta manage the intensity, effort and expectations!

P.S. Wearing the @teampurpose x @zachbitter running singlet in XS that is lightweight and comfy, and the women's high waisted 4" running shorts in M that is great for the no-thigh gap so you don't get abrasion from the bunching up of shorts between the thighs.

P.P.S. The gap on my medal holder is supposed to be for the 3 major races I signed up to complete in 2020 - Challenge Roth, Berlin Marathon and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand. It will be filled eventually I believe - a part of me is like, whew the pain will come later; whilst another part of me is like, damn I wanted to get the pain over and done with. Either way, it's akan datang (Malay for coming soon)!

#cheryltayworksout #triathlon #triathlete #trifit #trilife #trilove #trigirls #getfit #lovefit #fitforlife #fitness #fitnesseveryday #instafit #igfit #ironmantri #ironmantraining #activelife #teampurpose #purposeasia #cycling #thecyclinglife
    When you think of a plant-based diet, some of you When you think of a plant-based diet, some of you might visualise eating carrot sticks, celery and cabbage, but there's more to a plant-based diet than just vegetables.

Not Just CarrotSticks offers plant-based frozen ready meals that are filling and nutritious. They go straight from the freezer to your plate in just 5 minutes so you don't have to worry about thawing. So convenient!

With both Asian and Western choices, the meals are 100% from plants, meat-free, vegan and halal. They also have a Fibre+ range for additional fibre and vitamins to help with digestion. Each meal costs less than $10 and can be kept frozen for three months. No MSG and preservatives are used as well.

If you wish to try, you can order online at notjustcarrotsticks.com and use SOCIAL20% to get 20% off all products (limited to one use per customer only). You can also purchase them exclusively at Bukit Timah Plaza NTUC Finest and Parkway Parade NTUC Finest for the month of December.

#plantbased #notjustcarrotsticks #sp
    The only time you should look back is to see how f The only time you should look back is to see how far you've come. Live a life without regrets, or at least try to. There are some incidents or experiences which you wish you could have avoided, but everything happened for a reason. It led you to where you are today. Learn from these and be better. You can always be better.

#pumasg
    BELLY BLOAT TALK. Hiiiiiiiii who goes through this BELLY BLOAT TALK. Hiiiiiiiii who goes through this every month? About 7 to 10 days out from the period, the tummy will bloat in ways that make you feel uncomfortable.

Clothes don't fit or you look "terrible" in some. You wonder if this is gonna be permanent. You question your body because not all your friends get it. You hate being a woman suddenly because of this monthly affair. Your boobs hurt. You keep craving for junk food.

Damn, this bloated belly can really affect your confidence. But hey, you're not alone! WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER.

I put on almost 2kg of water retention during the period and I have trouble fitting into some of my shorts and tighter tops. And then I have this habit of stroking the round round tummy and once I was subconsciously doing it outside, and this random guy said to me, "Pregnant ah?" I was so stunned I just smiled at him and walked away quickly.

But you know what? It's just temporary! Hang in there ya. Any remedies for reducing PMS water retention and bloating? Share please!

P.S. This photo is only the start of the bloat - it's gonna get bigger lol. Didn't stop me from walking around Sentosa with my tummy out though hahaha.

#PMStroubles #bellybloat
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