A Women Physique Category Runner-Up on Bodybuilding, Muscles & More!

WORDS LIM TECK CHOON
PHOTOS JASMINE WONG

Jasmine Wong, a wealth planner for Prudential, was named the 1st runner-up in the Women Physique Category of the Mr/Ms Penang 2022 bodybuilding championship. We really appreciate that she manages to take time to speak to us about her training, diet, and challenging society’s perception that muscular women are somehow not ‘feminine’.

WHO SAYS MUSCULAR WOMEN AREN’T ATTRACTIVE? 

Jasmine:
Everyone has different body goals. The most important thing is that you are clear with what yours are and that you are happy with them.

My personal honest opinion is that women who lift weights are attractive. It tones up your muscle and exude confidence. Lifting weights forces you out of your comfort zone. It trains you to be a better person as a whole.

Hence, I would love to inspire more women to be fitter and achieve more success in life. That’s what female empowerment is all about!

HOW JASMINE DOES HER WORKOUT ROUTINES

Jasmine:
I hit the gym after working hours. and I usually spend around 1 to 1.5 hours there, 5 to 6 days a week.

Each day, I train specific muscle groups: biceps and triceps, chest, back, shoulders, and 2 sessions of leg days with abs in between these days.

Rest days are equally important for muscle recovery and letting you come back stronger for the next training day.

Before stepping into competition, I enjoyed Les Mills workout programmes and I also sourced plenty of workout ideas from YouTube. One of my favourite workout selections is by Caroline Girvan.

GETTING READY TO COMPETE 

Jasmine:
I was doing my workouts all by myself before I decided that I wanted to compete. After coming to that decision, I realized that I had many limitations in my workout and training—I certainly wasn’t ready to compete yet!

Fortunately, my husband found me a professional trainer, Lilian, who is a 5-time world champion and a 2-time Malaysian Book of Records holder. Thanks to her tutelage and supervision, I finally achieved the 1st runner-up position in the Women Physique Category of the Mr/Ms Penang 2022 bodybuilding!

Therefore, I would strongly encourage anyone that is serious about competing or even just wanting to make sure that they are doing things correctly—go engage a good coach or personal trainer!

EATING HEALTHY, BALANCED MEALS EVEN WHEN YOU’RE BUSY & ALWAYS ON THE GO

Jasmine:
Food intake is crucial. The whole idea of eating well is important. Complex carbs, lean protein, and good fibre are good selections for a balanced diet.

Food preparation, or food preps as we like to call it, for competition and off season are completely different. Food prep for an upcoming competition must be very precise, as only specific foods are allowed. For off season, however, I try my best to prep most of my meals during weekdays. Oats is my breakfast routine. I’m Cantonese, so soup is a must and the slow cooker is my BFF in the kitchen!

Prep something you like so that your eating habits are enjoyable and hence sustainable. For myself, I add packets of Chinese herbs and chicken breast into my slow cooker overnight, to enjoy a delicious meal next day with brown rice, stir-fried vegetables, and of course cili padi.

Be smart when it comes to food selection while eating out. I’m on the go most days, so I pack my food along with me and eat in the car. Most of my appointments with my clients are done over coffee—Americano is my favorite!—or Chinese tea.

MAKE FITNESS A PART OF YOUR LIFE

Jasmine:
Proper time management according to your personal values is always a key challenge. Most of the time, we struggle to make time for ourselves.

If hitting to gym is tough with your tight schedule, start with 15 to 30 minutes of quick workout at home, 3 to 4 sessions a week.

Once you are used to making fitness a part of your daily routine, you will find it easier to adjust your daily schedule to allocate more time to exercising.

Trust me, you will never feel the same again when fitness is a regular part of your life!