When you see the ease of how Loo Zi Jia does burpees, it’s hard to believe that she used to be overweight (72kg) in primary school and was in the Trim & Fit (TAF) Club.

Her life changed in secondary school when she played softball and then went onto play touch rugby competitively in Junior College, in university and at the local club level. She then joined the contact rugby national training squad and now the 24-year-old financial advisor is with the rugby national training squad.

“My competitive sports journey had its ups and downs. Three years ago I fractured my hand and I wasn’t able to do any strength training. I did a lot of cardio-intensive training and it made me lose so much weight,” she recalled. “At my lowest weight of 48kg, I felt horrible about my body. It affected my rugby performance a lot and I felt very weak.”

Thankfully, with the help of her coach and a nutritionist, she stopped being fixated on how she was at a disadvantage and instead, found ways to gain lean mass and build the strength she needed for her sport.

It took her a year to gain 10kg and then she faced another struggle – this time she felt she was fat even though she was stronger and fitter. It didn’t help that a bad break-up last December made her feel worse about herself.

Through the healing however, she learnt how to cope and came to terms that if she can’t love herself for who and what she is, she will never be able to feel satisfied with her life.

“In the past, fitness used to be a means of losing weight and also so I can eat more. But now, it has become my source of stress relief and it makes me feel good emotionally and physically. I feel way more energetic after I work out and this is my ‘me’ time,” she added.

“Just remember that the number on the scale does not determine how healthy or fit you are. It is just the quantity of matter you contain, not how much you should matter!”

*This #FitForAll series is brought to you by Rock The Naked Truth x HUAWEI, with the objective of promoting inclusivity for fitness. Fitness is for all and fitness looks different on everyone.

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