The Best Group Fitness Activities To Try In Hong Kong

Working out is essential for a healthy lifestyle but on most days, it can be easy to ignore the required regular exercise, especially following a busy day at work. If only there was a way to feel encouraged to work out and have company while doing it, staying active could be much easier. One perfect solution is joining a group fitness activity and Gafencu has found the best ones for you.

Spinning Sessions

Considered a sweat-inducing cardio workout that can get your heart pumped and lead you to drop some pounds, Spinning sessions are a perfect way to implement regular exercising in your life. Besides, spinning classes are always fun given that there is always some peppy song playing in the background with an encouraging instructor guiding you to push the wheels to the beat of the music. A couple of workout studios like Renation, Pure Fitness, Velocity and more offer these indoor cycling classes.

Running and Strength Training Workouts

Midnight Runners is a workout group based in different parts of the world, including a community in Hong Kong. Though the fitness group’s name mentions them as just runners, as their tagline describes, Midnight Runners does more than run. Between their jogs and sprints, they do some strength training. Midnight Runners usually meet up on Thursdays (7:00 PM) at Central and recommend that you come straight to the spot, wearing your workout clothes and shoes, ready to start stretching and running. You can always check their latest workout schedule on Heylo.

Trail Running

If you are a nature lover who loves getting your regular dose of exercising in the outdoors, then you obviously don’t need an introduction to trail running which is typically running on a path that is enticingly surrounded by greenery letting you inhale fresh air throughout the run. Whether it is your first time or you are not new to it, joining a trail running group like the Trail Runners Association of Hong Kong will be a great way to find more people who share the same fitness interests as you.

Also Read: Ultra Formidable – Tenacity of trail runner Igor Gal pushes him to the Peak

Hiking

Hong Kong may be known for its tall skyscraper buildings but it also has some picturesque hiking trails – one of the famous ones being the one leading to Victoria Peak. For those who would love to go on hikes but have not found the company to do so and don’t want to do it alone, then you can always join a hiking group. For instance, there is the Leisure Hike & Simplylife which has formed a hiking community for people of different fitness levels.

Outdoor Yoga

For those of you who love to do yoga, why not elevate the experience by partaking in some outdoor yoga retreats? The perfect start for this is The Hideout, a wellness group that regularly conducts outdoor yoga events followed by brunch. Each session takes place at Mui Wo on Lantau Island but don’t worry the organisation arranges transport facilities for you to reach the spot. Make sure that you bring your own yoga mat and other necessities like water, sunscreen and a hand towel.

Natural ways to balance hormones

When we talk about hormones, often the first thought that springs to mind is reproductive health. But what many may not be aware of is how hormones can, not only affect fertility and reproduction in a women’s body, but also how they directly influence the body’s organ function, processes and mental health.

There are over 50 hormones circulating inside us – chemicals that signal to the body to perform specific processes and functions such as regulating blood sugar levels, metabolism, energy levels and the reproductive glands. Having too much or too little of a particular hormone can result in symptoms such as irregular menstruation, cystic acne, debilitating cramps, hair loss, bloating, weight gain, fatigue and even more serious conditions such as increased risk of cancer, diabetes, anxiety and depression.

It’s also been proven that women are at greater risk for depression than men because of a heightened sensitivity to intense hormonal fluctuations, as stated in a research published in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. So, ladies (and gentlemen), take note: hormone imbalance is not just about PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and the mood swings that come with it, it’s about maintaining a healthy body and a happy mind. Here are five ways to naturally balance hormones in the body.

Exercise & Meditation

wellness-natural-ways-balance-homrones-health-wellbeing-trixie-defin8-gafencu — (Photo courtesy of Defin8 Fitness)

Exercise is often recommended on any road to recovery, both physical and mental, and there is a very good reason for that. According to fitness coach and co-founder of Defin8 Fitness Trixie Velez, exercise releases endorphins, happy chemicals in the brain – and what people often call the body’s natural painkiller – which helps elevate mood and reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

Although stress hormones such as cortisol, DHEA and androgens are important for controlling blood pressure, turning food into energy, and supporting the production of reproductive hormones, overexposure to stress can accumulate in high levels of cortisol that can lead to higher blood sugar levels, weight gain and weaker muscles, anxiety and depression.

Reiterating Velez’s point on physical activity, Belinda Koo, founder of boutique spinning studio The Art of XYZ explains that light exercises that focus on breath work such as Yin Yoga, (contrary to Yoga exercises that focus on strength and muscle building) target the core, yet is a great way to “embrace softness” and train ligaments, joints, bones, deep connective tissues and the flow of energy in the body. “People often associate Yin exercises as weak but it is important to make time for stillness to cultivate peace of mind. I find it even more effective to incorporate guided meditation with sound therapy, such as singing bowls, which can help with relaxation, balance the Yin and Yang energy and reduce stress levels”, says Koo

Nutrition

When it comes to hormonal imbalance, it’s not often that we are quick to change our diet to improve mood swings and fatigue. However, the thyroid glands responsible for producing thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) hormones control the body’s metabolism – aiding the process of transforming food to energy and keeping the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs functioning properly. Registered dietitians and nutritionists believe that diet is integral to hormone health, especially for regulating your gut health, which in turn positively influences mental health.

Adding protein like eggs, fish and chicken breast to help regulate energy and appetite, while nutrient-rich and high-fiber carbohydrates such as quinoa, broccoli, cauliflower and kale can help stabilise blood sugar and cortisol levels. Sources of healthy fats such as avocados, flaxseeds and nuts can help curb hunger pangs and help you feel satiated for longer and resist the urge to snack.

Natural Supplements

wellness-natural-ways-balance-homrones-health-wellbeing-glowagen-gafencu — (Photo courtesy of Glowagen)

Aside from food intake, supplements can also help fill the gaps in your nutritional intake. Especially with the increase of time spent at home during the waves of Covid-19 pandemic, deficiency of vitamin D (yes, vitamin D is surprisingly a hormone) can affect how effectively the body regulates the concentration of calcium in the blood, which has been linked to regulate energy metabolism.

“Women today are juggling it all – they work and take care of their families. Although self-care is a growing trend, sometimes the reality is that there is not enough time in the day to spend time on ourselves,” says Rebecca Chung, founder of beauty and wellness supplement brand Glowagen. “It’s important to incorporate supplements into daily life as they help keep the body balanced, countering the effects of stress and exhaustion, such as increased cortisol levels, early on-set collagen loss, faster ageing, and conditions that affect the skin and metabolism.”

Acupuncture

Reproductive hormones particularly estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are what regualtes the menstrual cycle, the reproductive and urinary tract, heart and blood vessels, as well as the health of our bones, skin, hair, brain and more. “In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the belief is that hormone balance is closely tied to the balance of Yin and Yang”, says TCM doctor Ruth Lee. “Acupuncture can effectively help treat hormone imbalance and regulate menstrual cycles, improve blood flow, reduce abdominal cramps and stress, as well as promote reproductive organ function”, she chimes.

Most cases of hormonal imbalance can be treated by diet and lifestyles changes, with a judicious use of western supplements as well as Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture treatments. However, before you alarm yourself by checking off symptoms based on Google or WebMD, it’s advisable to first consult with a doctor who can take the appropriate blood tests to measure your hormone levels to serve as a clearer framework of how to regulate and maintain your optimum hormone levels.

(Text: Roberliza Eugenio)

All is Well: Founder of Caelum Greene, Charlotte Tsuei shares her vision for a more mindful world

Despite the long days and headaches that come hand in hand with a growing business, Charlotte Tsuei oozes vitality and positivity from every pore. The founder of premier athleisure and wellness brand Caelum Greene shares her vision for a kinder, more mindful world…

You founded Caelum Greene in 2016. Could you tell us about the brand?
Caelum Greene is a premier athleisure and wellness lifestyle brand. We aim to promote conscious consumption and curate the best products for our increasingly mindful consumers. We started as an independent boutique on Hollywood Road in 2016, then opened several pop-up shops all over the city, before relocating our flagship store to Landmark in Central two years ago.

Wardrobe by Rochas, consigned by HULA

In a nutshell, our name encompasses everything that we do and stand for. Caelum is the Latin word for heaven and Greene is a double entendre: first, the colour that represents our hope for a sustainable utopia, and secondly, the name of someone who personifies that vision – Caelum Greene is basically every single one of our customers.

How does Caelum Greene contribute to the sustainable market?
Some might say that the most sustainable solution to reducing our waste is abstaining from shopping altogether. If not that, the next best thing is buying what already exists from second-hand or rental platforms. Though that is absolutely true, there are still other ways to shop for new things and have good intentions – that is where we come in.

We work with brands that sustainably source materials and practise eco-friendly and carbon-offsetting manufacturing. Some of our brands extend their practices beyond environmental concerns into more socially-focused agendas such as fair wages and partnering with local talents and female-owned brands. Internally, we hold ourselves to the same high standards that we expect from our vendors. We reuse, repurpose and recycle as much as possible and source eco-friendly materials for everything from the fit-out of our brick-and-mortar store to our packaging.

What path did your career take and how did it lead you to starting a business in wellness?
While most of my experience is in fashion, wellness has always been a big part of my life. I have been an avid yogi and a certified yoga instructor for more than a decade. After graduating from the University of California, my first “real” job was at a yoga wear company called Zobha. When I moved back to Hong Kong in 2012, I joined Christian Louboutin’s merchandising team for Hong Kong and Southeast Asia where I spent a few years learning a different side of the luxury fashion business. After that, I moved to The Pure Group as Regional Retail Manager for Asia-Pacific.

Throughout my career, seeing first hand the impact of our consumption patterns sparked my desire to create something that positively impacted the community in a way that I knew how: by merging two of my biggest passions – fashion and wellness – while drawing from skills and experiences that I already had. Thus, the idea of a Caelum Greene was formed. To be honest, the brand came to fruition a little earlier than I had thought it would in my career – everything happened at the right place and the right time. It’s been an exciting experience having been able to merge the two, and for the last five years, this has been my life.

What were some of the challenges you faced when starting your own business?
As with everything else, getting started is the hardest part. When all your ideas are nothing but an Excel file and a PowerPoint slide, convincing people to work with and fund the company is an uphill battle. On top of that, there always seemed to be constant fires to put out, such as late deliveries, disgruntled customers, water leakages, going over budget: the list is endless.

One challenge that I am still working through is finding the balance between work and personal life. For example, when we opened our first store, I had to fly out the following week for my wedding, and then on the opening of one of our pop-up stores happened to be scheduled just three weeks after I gave birth to my daughter. I’ve had to learn to be extra mindful about when to switch off work mode and stay present with my loved ones. But what’s helped me get through all the difficulties is the love of building something I truly believe in and the rewards of working hard with a community of people who share our vision.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you’re particularly excited about?
We’ve been excited all year about the opening of our new location with New World Development at The Forest in Mong Kok, and in the summer, we will be launching our first ever collaborative collection. We’ve partnered with local sustainable brand to create a capsule luxe lounge collection comprised of eight versatile pieces that can be worn from day to night – whether you’re going out to brunch before a workout or having cocktails at happy hour, or even just to look cute lounging at home.
Work projects aside, I am also cooking up baby number two, as we speak, who will be joining our family in the autumn.

What does your average day look like, and how do you like to spend your downtime?
I wake up at 7am and start the day with meditation. I like to move my body in the morning with yoga and on some days, I do some weighted movements. My daughter and I always have breakfast together before she goes to school. I try to get my biggest pieces of work done then, before I pick her up at lunch, followed by more work, meetings and store visits in the afternoon. Even though my husband and I have different work schedules, we make it a point to have dinner together as a family. My evenings usually end with Netflix on in the background as I get through my e-mails and personal admin work, which is, believe it or not, my way of relaxing.

Although I don’t get a lot of downtime, when I do, I like to be out in nature, whether it’s taking my dog on a hike or going sailing every other weekend – if not every weekend – to explore remote beaches and islands.

If you won a US$10 million lottery, what would be the first big-ticket item you’d purchase?
Right now, we have a monohull sailboat which I would love to upgrade to a performance catamaran. The biggest item on the top of my bucket list is to take a year off with my family before the kids are in high school, and sail around the world. I’ve always been pretty outdoorsy and my husband loves doing adventurous things, so sailing is the best compromise for us to enjoy being out in nature as a family.

Thank you.

Interview by: Roberliza Eugenio
Photographer: Jack Law
Videographer: Kingsley Lau
Art Direction & Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Make up & Hair: Heti Tsang

Stretch Master: PURE Group’s Almen Wong on yoga’s myriad benefits

Once a stalwart of Hong Kong’s film and fashion scenes, Almen Wong, co-founder of PURE Group, found a new calling as a yoga instructor and ambassador…

You’re a veteran of Hong Kong’s fashion and movie scene. How did that happen and was that always what you aspired to do?
Actually, I never had any plans to join either industry. I was already working in the garment industry and merchandising business when it all happened by chance. Growing up, I was an absolute tomboy, so I enrolled into a modelling course to learn to be more feminine. Once I finished that, I placed my CV with a few agencies, and I ended up being called for a casting with Elle Magazine. I landed the job, and after that very first fashion shoot, the fashion editor took a shine to me and I wound up signing several jobs with them.
I never thought I could make it a full career, but I continued for about seven or eight years. I also landed my first movie role then, and I went on to work with other amazing actors and directors after that.

Is there any shoot that remains close to your heart?
Honestly there are so many, but the one that made the biggest impression on me was that first shoot for ELLE Magazine. I didn’t know what was expected for me, it started at 6am in the middle of summer and we were shooting heavy fall and winter apparel for the upcoming season. It was such an effortless process, though, and an entirely new experience for me.

What drew you to yoga then?
I’ve always been a very active person. I love exercising and exploring new sports to spice up my fitness routine. Yoga was one of those things that I tried out for fun, and I just fell in love with it. The interesting thing is that although I was pretty proficient with other sports, I really struggled with this. I could only do about 60 percent of the poses, and it was quite a shock to me. I kept going back and trying it repeatedly because the challenge of mastering the stretches was very enticing.

“Yoga was one of those things that I tried out for fun, and I just fell in love with it”

What then led you to co-found PURE Group?
It was always in the back of my mind that after my modelling and movie career, I wanted to have my own gym or fitness centre. So, it was quite a coincidence when Colin, who is now the CEO of PURE Group, approached me to start a fitness and yoga studio in Hong Kong. This was actually what led me to start yoga teacher training, firstly because we struggled to find properly qualified teachers locally, and also because I wanted to better understand what was to become a core aspect of our business.

Can you share three ways that yoga can help a person’s wellbeing?
Yoga helps to improve our flexibility, strength and balance. Through the asana practice, which is the yoga posture practice, you stretch your bones and ligaments, while also stretching your internal organs. All this helps to keep the body healthy and generate blood flow to place where you normally wouldn’t reach. It’s really good for overall wellbeing.
Hong Kong is a particularly fast-paced, stressful city to live in, and it’s important to keep exercising to boost your immune system and mental wellness. Yoga is a great way to achieve all this.

How has Hong Kong’s perception of yoga evolved over time?
In the past, not that many people knew about yoga. But ever since PURE Group introduced it to Asian countries – and Hong Kong in particular – they have started coming to practice and experience the benefits of yoga through their own bodies. They’ve realised it’s not just a bunch of stretching exercises, but also a means of boosting muscle strength and mental health as well.
When we started our first yoga studio about 18 years ago, we probably had classes of just 20 people. That grew to 50 students, and then we branched out into different locations… Now, we’ve expanded to 40 branches across Asia, which is fantastic. We still want to continue to foster a better and broader awareness of yoga, though, and help people understand it’s a great fitness tool for everyone, no matter their background.

How does Hong Kong’s yoga scene compare to its international counterparts?
Hong Kong is such an international city. We actually react to many new trends extremely quickly, be it fashion, make-up or fitness. We were one of the first cities to accept yoga and locals here actually incorporated this practice into their daily lives quite early on, so we’re very similar to the developed markets in Western countries.

“Online yoga classes at PURE have surged in popularity with the onset of Covid-19”

What does an average day for you look like now versus pre-Covid times?
Before the coronavirus pandemic, I was pretty much wholly involved with studio classes, interspersed with occasional video shoots as online tutorials for our students. Covid-19’s arrival, though, heralded lockdowns and closures, but there’s a saying that when a door closes, a window opens, and that really applies to PURE and my work.
Nowadays, my daily routine is equally split between studio and online classes. We had already started setting up a digital platform to provide an additional means for our students to practice yoga, but now we’ve really ramped that up with multiple digital lessons each day. It really is the best way to reach students who prefer to practice at home, or cannot attend session in person due to various reasons. These online classes have become super popular, and we’re looking to expand our programmes in the near future!

Other than yoga, what other hobbies do you like to indulge in?
I love doing outdoor activities with my husband and kids, particularly hiking and water sports. I actually just did some stand-up paddle boarding yesterday with my husband. Mountain biking is also another hobby, though I tend to do that abroad as Hong Kong’s trails are slightly more advanced than my current capabilities…

Finally, if you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
I’ve been spending more time with my mum recently since her house is currently being renovated, and where I live in the Mid-Levels is actually where my mother had her first job. She was born during the ’30s when Hong Kong was really experiencing difficult times, and at the tender age of 12, she was already working as a nanny. I want to travel back to meet her at that point, and to tell my mum to hang in there, and that she will eventually have a great life with four daughters who will spoil her rotten.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Fashion Styling & Art Direction: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Venue: Marvellous Suite, W Hong Kong
Wardrobe: Versace, Giuseppe Zanotti, Dolce & Gabbana