3 Tips To Look Your Best Even After Chinese New Year

3 Tips To Look Your Best Even After Chinese New Year
Happy Chinese New Year to all my readers! It’s interesting how many of us prep ourselves for this period by cutting hair, buying new clothes, spring cleaning the house and going for facials etc. As people say, new year, new look.
While it’s a great time to enjoy the festive season with family, friends and food, do remember we all still need to look our best even after Chinese New Year. In fact, we should all make an effort to look our best 365 days in a year. 
Here are 3 tips on how you can glow day after day. I personally practise these tips myself. Hope you find them useful.

Tip #1: Limit Intake Of Fried Foods
 
We all love our fried foods. Honestly, fried foods just taste better as everything is so crispy and golden brown.
 
Wait. But do you know fried foods clog our arteries?
 
I’m not trying to scare you but it’s true. Imagine our arteries are drainpipes. And one day our drainpipes get clogged up. Well, this is a likely scenario because of the buildup of saturated fats, cholesterol and trans fats from all the fried foods over the years. Unlike drainpipes where we can pour baking soda down them followed by a drainpipe cleaner, it is virtually impossible to do the same with our arteries.
 
Once the arteries get blocked, that can impede the flow of blood to our vessels.
 
Fried food soaks up the oil it is being fried in. This increases our bad cholesterol. What makes it worse is that we are unable to ascertain how many times the oil has been used and reused to fry foods. Reusing oil for deep frying, again and again can create free radicals which are carcinogenic.  
Fried foods also make us fat which is a double whammy. Think of the painful process of having to lose weight thereafter.
 
Well, I know as human beings, we have our own weaknesses and temptations when food is concerned. After all, Singapore is a food paradise. 
 
If you really love your fried foods, limit the intake to once a week maximum. Do explore other forms of food choices like grilled, baked or sautéed instead. You will then discover a whole universe of other food choices you never knew existed before.
 
 
Tip #2: Keep Your Stress Levels Low
 
Singapore is a stressful society to live in. In our constant pursuit to be number one in almost all fields, something has to give. And that often comes in the form of stress.
 
It is impossible to eliminate stress. But it is definitely possible to learn how to keep your stress levels low so that both your mind and body remain in tip-top condition.
 
Life should not just revolve around work. There is so much more one can do. I often share this with my participants that the best form of relaxation is to find an activity you enjoy doing. It can be a game or sport. Double the fun by roping in your family member or best friend.
Personally, I keep my stress levels low by exercising. Exercise has become an integral part of my lifestyle. I find something is lacking if I were to miss my workouts or runs. 
What I do is to make an appointment with myself for ‘me’ time. I schedule it down in my handphone. And when the reminder sound peeps, I’m off to the gym. 
I cannot possibly finish extolling the benefits of exercise but chief of it all must definitely be the release of endorphins (what many people term ‘happy hormones’) to the brain post-exercise.

Your mind is clear, your body feels good after perspiration and your footsteps feel lighter. 

 
Tip #3: Start An Appropriate Skincare Routine
 
Now that you have nourished your body and learnt how to relax your mind, it is time to do something for your exterior.
 
And there is no better way than to start an appropriate skincare routine. 
 
Regardless of your gender, your face is the first thing someone notices about you. Remember that some of your most vital non-verbal cues such as the smile and eye contact are situated on your face. You can’t possibly greet someone by looking down at the floor.
 
Before you start shopping around the beauty counters in the shopping malls, you need to first know your skin type. 
 
For those of you who have attended my personal grooming workshops, you will remember that there are different skin types such as normal, dry, oily and combination.
 
After you have analysed your skin type, you can then proceed to buy a skincare set that suits both your needs and budget. I would advise you to go for the basic skincare comprising a cleanser, toner and moisturizer. Remember, using the wrong skincare products is detrimental to your skin as it can cause a lot of skin issues.
 
Your skin is like a piece of paper. Constantly weathering by the harsh elements without any form of protection will only help hasten the ageing process.
 
Now who wants to look old, wrinkled and dry? I’m sure nobody wants to.

Just make an effort to incorporate all three of my tips into your daily life and I’m positive you will be glowing day after day. Here’s wishing everyone good health, happiness and success in the year of the fire monkey =)

looking_good_tips_lionel_lim