He works hard, both at work and in gym

He works hard, both at work and in gym
Regular workouts give Dr Winston Lee the energy to cope with his heavy daily workload. The gym sessions are the backbone of his fitness routine.
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WINSTON LEE

Age: 33

Height: 1.79m

Weight: 78kg

When he was a teenager, Dr Lee focused on his studies and saw no need for regular exercise.

He was a skinny teenager - weighing 62kg then - and was not bothered by it.

During his national service days, he was pleasantly surprised to discover the joy of regular exercise.

The exercises were tough in the beginning but he gradually got used to them.

"I enjoyed the jogging and pull-up sessions that we did daily," he said.

The aesthetic doctor - he's the medical director of South Bridge Aesthetics Clinic in Chinatown - also realised that regular exercise helped to bulk him up quickly.

He has been hooked on exercise ever since.

Q What is your secret to looking so fabulous?

A A healthy lifestyle, which means avoiding alcohol and tobacco.

I have never been a preener or pruner, but I started to pay more attention to grooming and have gone for facial treatments in recent years.

I guess the reason was the pressure to maintain a youthful appearance as I grew older. Starting my own aesthetic practice adds to that pressure as patients would have some expectations of the doctor who attends to them.

Q Has there ever been a time when you were not fit and fab?

A Yes, I used to be really skinny during my junior college days. I focused so much on my studies that I neglected to exercise. Like many young people, I did not see the need for regular exercise.

Q What made you decide to exercise regularly?

A National service was the game-changer. I bulked up fairly quickly after going through the exercise regimens.

I was motivated by how good regular exercise felt and it became a fixture in my life.

Today, gym sessions serve as the backbone of my fitness routine.

Q What is your diet like?

A I eat regularly and am not finicky about the components of my meals.

I do snack on nuts throughout the day to keep my metabolic furnace burning. I also have a penchant for sashimi, which is rich in protein and unsaturated fat.

Q What are your indulgences?

A I have a terribly sweet tooth, so desserts would rate the highest.

Q How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?

A I actually work horribly hard, but I think that really helps me value the free time that I have.

I spend quality time with my partner, doing domestic chores and cafe-hopping. I also travel.

Q What's your favourite part of your body?

A I would say, my nose. I receive a lot of positive comments about my nose bridge. But I remain bothered by my nostrils.

Q How important is it for you to keep up with your fitness routine?

A Regular workouts give me the energy for my daily work.

Q How has your active lifestyle influenced your family ?

A I managed to get my brother to visit the gym again, after a very long break. I have one elder brother and my parents are retired.

Q How extensive is your collection of sports-related paraphernalia at home?

A I have at least a dozen sets of workout attire, and three pairs of shoes to match them.

I also have various pilates equipment at home, such as the Swiss Ball and the Wunda Chair, which is also known as the pilates chair.

These are courtesy of my partner, who is a pilates instructor, and I use them for stretching and core strength training.

Q Would you go for plastic surgery?

A I have always dreamed of having double eyelids. However, now that the Korean single-eyelid look is in vogue, my plans have been temporarily shelved.

Q Do you think you're sexy?

A I think I look good, but it's all about your frame of mind and having self-confidence, without teetering on arrogance.

FITNESS ROUTINE

Gym sessions at least three times a week, for up to 1½ hours each time. Two of the sessions are done with a personal trainer.

Key focus areas are the large muscle groups of the chest, back and legs.

Bodyweight exercises and handstand practice twice a week at a fitness corner.

Yoga practice at home once or twice a week, as well as stretching and core exercises.


This article was first published on October 20, 2015.
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