E SU IS ’S EN M Jun–Jul 2016
Filter Works Production THE TRIO BEHIND OUR PLUS+ ANNIVERSARY VIDEO!
Lean, Fit and Grrritty in Just Thirty! WITH LES MILLS GRIT™ SERIES
Healthy Snacks Trap! DON'T FALL FOR IT!
PLUS+ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:
MD FAKHRI
ISMAIL BRUNEI’S NATIONAL SPRINTER, SPRINTING HIS WAY TO THE 2016 OLYMPICS
USD $3.99 GBP £3.49 BND $5.00
EDITION
LET US SHOW YOU HOW
THAT WILL MAKE YOUR HEART TO SKIP A BEAT
BRUNEI
Tiring too easily during your work out? Why not try building your stamina?
Beating towards World Heart Day TRUE STORIES
Jun–Jul 2016
+Content +Health
6 Are you having healthy snacks or snacks that look healthy? 10 Detoxing Your Body With Easy Recipes
+Fitness
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14 4 Ways To Enhance Your Stamina 18 Les Mills GRIT™ Series (Lean, Fit, and Grrritty in Just Thirty!)
+Life Inspired 24 MdFakhri Ismail Brunei’s 100m National Sprinter 30 Filter Works Production Funny, Witty and Promising!
+Lifestyle 36 The Man That Made a Costly Mistake 38 The Man with Unbreakable Spirit
+Event 42 Muhibbah Colour Run
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+Publisher Info
I
Dear readers,
t is with great pleasure that we bring you our Anniversary issue filled to the brim with inspiring and informative articles. In our Fitness section, we show you how to build muscle effectively and offer a simple routine for you to try. We also provide top workouts to help you shed those excess calories and include all the essential workout wear you need to keep you looking fabulous and motivated while working hard! Thankfully, the superb Les Mills GRIT™ is available at Fitness Zone and allows you to improve fitness and burn energy in a mere 30 minutes for those who are time-poor. In addition to that, we make sure you avoid the mistake of eating what appears healthy rather than what actually is healthy in your bid to live a healthy lifestyle and provide a guide to make detoxing
+Publisher Nexploit Services +Editor-At-Large Plus Team
a breeze. With all this pertinent information, your journey to a fitter, stronger should be easy! This month, we meet the trio behind Filter Works Production who let us in on what happens behind the scenes of their hilarious videos and we are extremely proud to feature Md Fakhri Ismail, one of the few people in Brunei set to compete in The Olympic Games this August in Brazil. The 100m National Sprinter tells us how he started running and how he prepares for this prestigious event. Don’t forget you can follow us for the latest updates @PlusBrunei on Facebook and Instagram, where we post behind the scenes pics and sneak peeks of upcoming features. Many thanks and happy reading, The Plus Team
+Photographer Aron Tan’s Studio Magic Media Sdn Bhd Pg Khairol Hadli
+Marketing and Digital Content Nursadiqin Misir
+Featuring MdFakhri Ismail Hj Mohd Rukaimi Hj Suhaimi Mumtazali Mohd Abdul Aziz Filter Works Production Khoo Chin Kai Ricky Tanglao Abdul Izzat Haji Basri Lau Moi Chee
+Graphic Designer Anna Thien Oleh Melnyk John M. Rey
+Contributors Syazwana Souyono Shelley Ann Busque Swee Ann
+Talent Editor Swee Ann Syazwana Souyono +Proof Reader Monica Lim
All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form of by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of Nexploit Services. Where option is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect the editorial views of the publisher or Plus. All information in Plus is checked and verified to the best of the publisher’s ability, however the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistake or omission enclosed in the publication.
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+Supported by: Ministry of Health (Brunei Darussalam) Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (Brunei Darussalam) Health Promotion Centre (Brunei Darussalam) Fitness Zone Royal Brunei Airlines Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd
+Publisher information Nexploit Services Lot 4169, Kg Serambangun, Tutong TA 2541 Brunei Darussalam
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+Health
ARE YOU HAVING HEALTHY SNACKS OR SNACKS THAT LOOK HEALTHY? W
e live in a fast world where changes are a common thing, and health routines are trending everywhere. We get the idea from various magazines, websites, videos and television ads that leading a healthier lifestyle will change our energy levels, and make us feel more energetic, more lively, more vibrant and overall healthy from all aspects. It is also said to
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improve health conditions and emotional balance, giving everyone the perfect life. These are the reasons why there are a huge number of people trying to improve their lifestyles for the better and they start with the easiest change of all, with food. Now, everyone has a very busy schedule and there is hardly any time to always go for
raw organic materials, so they go into the supermarket and look for the healthier alternatives and pick the items that look the healthiest to them, starting from juices, snacks to peck on and many others. However, even though there are these major changes in health concerns, they still tend to have energy crashes, random mood swings and so on. So are the promises of those adverts a hoax?
Health+ and preprocessing materials that are not in the healthier section of the rations. And while these foods are still inside someone’s system, it is not possible for them to feel the change of having a healthy lifestyle. The first thing to keep in mind when buying organic food items is not to fall for the big words in the packaging of the materials or pick what looks the greenest around the shop. If you are taking the time to change your lifestyle for the better, it is wise to look into the nutritional facts or ingredients used on the package of every item that you buy. It will make such a difference because you can check whether it actually has sugar or chemicals added to the products and that will reduce so many unnecessary toxins entering your body. And the best part about doing this is that after the first few food hauls, you will know which brands produce what kind of food, and so it won’t take you as much time as it took you the first few snack runs. There are also health subscription packages from where they will send you samples of organic food and snacks in a box every month and you can taste them. If you like them, you can re-order that item in a larger quantity.
Will there be no changes when you change to a healthier diet? We would like to say no. The reason why so many people back out of the healthy lifestyle choice every year is because they don’t get results, and the reason they don’t get results is because of the lack of information. At first, when trying to go for a completely healthy diet, it is difficult to find
information because all adverts and articles say to go for healthier alternatives, but what these alternatives are is the main reason for confusion. Most food packaging are also misleading when they have bold words that advertise “no preservatives” or “zero calories” in supermarkets because it causes the buyers to think it is a healthy option for them, while it is till packed with sugar, chemicals
The next tip for having healthier snacks is more of a brutal truth rather than a tip. Processed organic and sustainable food are still processed food in a sense and if you truly are going hardcore into this organic lifestyle then you should make the effort to make your own snacks and keep them stored away for when you need them. Wholesome organic snacks made from scratch have the ability to stay fresh for over a week if stored properly in ideal conditions. And this also gives you a reason to spend your weekend evenings in a chilled out homely manner. Last but not least, everyone switching to an organic healthy lifestyle should give themselves some time to visit different organic suppliers and farms to take a look at the effort put into the making of organic food. This helps you learn a lot more about Jun–Jul 2016
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+Health
the kind of food you are having and gives you a better idea of the difference between organic food and normal everyday food. It enhances your knowledge and prepares you for when you are in a marketplace or convention looking for different foods items and snacks to try. Moving into an organic, chemical-free lifestyle is more commitment than anything else, and it needs time and knowledge to undergo this entire process properly. But all is not lost, there are still great food and snack companies that make healthier alternatives for your sake so you can enjoy life more and eat food without the hassle of cooking them yourself all the time. Take proper steps to commit to this change and you will truly feel the difference in yourself.
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+Health
DETOXING YOUR BODY WITH EASY RECIPES
A
large proportion of the population in today’s world is devouring junk food with excess carbs, fats, sugars, chemicals and a lot more that are toxic to our system and yet we are unaware of the effects they have on our body. We go through sudden mood swings, emotional instability, fatigue, and built-up stress, along with other severe health factors. This ends up being quite distressing and yet we don’t confront the reason behind it. Cleansing your body by taking a healthy dose of detoxing foods and drinks will help improve your metabolism as well as cleanse your body from the impurities you have ingested and are storing
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Health+ inside your body. This will help improve your health and make you feel lighter and more energetic throughout the day. Everyone has this idea that detox recipes require fancy ingredients, but it is not so. Detox food can be made easily with things at hand, and it is even easier if you are already sustaining a healthy diet. Here are 5 easy recipe ideas to detox your body, and you can alter them to your liking.
FRUIT WATER Water is the best drink to help you detox your body. But plain water can only be taken so many times before you get bored with the bland taste. To refresh your palate and increase the number of nutrients in your regular drinking water, add sliced fruit to your water bottle, jug or whatever kind of water container you have and fill it up with water. The fruits can be anything fresh and you can change it to suit your taste. This lasts for as long as you take to drink up that amount of water, and you can also make them in different containers in one go and have then
throughout the day. It tastes sweet and incorporates the natural flavor of the fruit in the water.
SMOOTHIES Smoothies need no introduction, we all have had at least one and it’s just as easy to make as it sounds. The only thing that
needs to change is the organic and non-organic bit. Normally we drink smoothies with dairy products in them, which makes them more delicious and creamy, but to change it into a detoxifying smoothie, use only fresh fruits and leaves and water. Some people add coconut water or a plantbased milk into their smoothies
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+Health instead just plain water, to give it that extra flavor. Smoothies are heavier so you can’t always carry one around as a source of hydration, but they are super fast to make and a mere few ingredients can make a big chunky glassful. It also makes you feel satisfied at the end of the day. You can add, mix and match different fruits and berries according to your taste and have it whenever you want.
HERBAL TONICS Herbal tonics require more specific measurements, as it needs the addition of different spices like ginger, garlic, cinnamon and more. However, there are around a hundred different recipes for them, in which case this article will fall short. The most common herbal tonics will consist of lime, ginger, a sprinkle of salt, water (preferably warm) and mint leaves. Tonics make use of different kinds of leaves and spices available on hand, but sometimes they can be brushed up and made more fancy by the addition of some seed oils and extracts which are used in very small quantities and help you in the long run because of their beneficial properties. You can look on the Internet and blend these wonderful fixtures together and have them as a little tonic or medicine at least once a day.
OVERNIGHT BREWS These are quite similar to herbal tonics and the principal of fruit water. Firstly, it requires a jar or container where you can stuff
things into. And these recipes sometimes require a balanced amount of ingredients you put in. Therefore, the Internet will be your best friend in this scenario. The ingredients used in this drink are quite similar to the one before and will require time to infuse its properties into the liquid. All you have to do is cut, grate or blend the ingredients and fill up
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Health+
the container. You then fill the container with a liquid medium like water and allow it to rest overnight, either on your countertop or in the fridge. And in the morning when you have this drink, all you need to do is filter out the solids and have the detox drink in a clear glass.
WARM TEAS Teas are very helpful when it comes to detoxing and they are the easiest to have as well since the tea
leaves are prepared and are packaged nicely for you. The healthiest tea there is green tea, which cleanses your body and helps increase your metabolism rate. Similar to green tea is Earl Grey, which is also very popular amongst those concerned with health. However, there are many other types of herbal and floral teas which you can easily find in grocery stores and all you need is a warm cup of water and patience to let the tea leaves infuse into your drink. Avoid adding unnecessary extra sugar because that compromises the whole idea of detoxing yourself. Jun–Jul 2016
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4
+Fitness
P
hysical exercise and fitness programs are supposed to help you have increased stamina. However, there are a few tips and tricks up our sleeve that you can use to reach your goals a little bit faster. When we talk about an apt fitness program that can enhance your physique and stamina fast, we think CrossFit; it composes of pushups, squats, burpees, pull ups and a handful of other simple, yet muscle aching exercises that can benefit you with faster and long-term results. Increased stamina means that your body’s metabolism rate has
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WAYS TO ENHANCE YOUR STAMINA BUILDING UP THE MOMENTUM
As for building up your momentum doesn’t have unrealistic expectations; start at the very bottom and increase the amount of time you workout in each exercise. Gradually, as you get comfortable with that pace, increase the intensity to keep the workload adequate for your body. For example don’t move from 10 squats a day to 100 the next.
Take your CrossFit workout routine; follow the chart each day by keeping track of how many times you have done one position of the exercises. Each exercise should consist of a resting time and a workout time.
By building the momentum up, we mean to take things gradually by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone every time you reach it. You can increase the amount slowly; for example, after 10 squats a day,
built a high endurance to heavy workouts and you will not get out of breath easily as you have more energy. Let’s take a look at how you can use CrossFit in the most optimal way to enhance your fitness.
Fitness+
you can move on and go through 15 or 20 if you want to push the boundaries and keep building up more and more over the years. In simple terms, increase the amount of time you work out gradually, as well as decreasing the amount of resting period required during the exercises.
STICKING TO THE PLAN
changes possible, your body needs to understand that this workout session is a regular part of your lifestyle and not a one-day ordeal.
BALANCED DIET Healthy food habits are quite important when you are dedicated to a fit and healthy lifestyle and it comes
hand in hand with increasing your endurance for physical activities. CrossFit is a strong, rigid routine of workouts and you need to make sure you are inputting as many calories as the output during the routine. Your body needs to stay nourished and ready for the workout sessions. The CrossFit exercise routine is a muscle building activity and you
Exercising keeps you physically fit and give yours endurance abilities that little push it needs. The CrossFit routine needs to be maintained regularly every day of the week, or according to the time plan you were scheduled with. To achieve greater stamina, you need to stay focused on maintaining your body’s fitness by being regular with your workout sessions without any big intervals. Each workout session sends a message to your brain to change your metabolism rate and elicit other changes in your body. For example, increased production of red blood cells to carry more oxygen, which helps in increasing your stamina. These changes are called adaptations. To make these Jun–Jul 2016
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+Fitness
need lots of energy to continue doing so without getting dragged down by fatigue. The best-proven diet for all kinds of workout routines seems to be an increased amount of protein with a healthy dose of carbohydrates and fiber from vegetables. Those dedicated to fitness also try out organic products more than normal, regular fast food, and pre-processed foods. Saturated fats like margarine, coconut oil, olive oil and others are often recommended more than the use of unsaturated fats like butter in people’s diets. A good, balanced diet will be able to provide the necessary nutrients to the body and help it be light and fit during workouts, helping you achieve better endurance.
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE While food habits are quite important in a CrossFit routine, maintaining your daily activities is also quite important in order to achieve an ample increase in stamina. This means you will need to follow what’s best for your body and brain in order to have a balance in your health. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a spontaneous and active lifestyle.
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Always keep yourself open to opportunities and say yes to different kind of activities. This also comes hand in hand with a fixed routine of when you wake up and when you go to bed, enough to make you stay focused as well as have plenty of time to rest your body from the roller coaster ride it goes through every CrossFit workout session. Taking part in more outdoor activities and other active programs are also found as a positive towards building stamina
since your muscles will be activated in work outside of the workout routine. With an adequate amount of rest, impulses from your brain get to work at a normal and regular pace, maintaining your body’s approach of functioning optimally, and help to adapt to the necessary changes faster. It also increases the endurance of your mental health and confidence level, creating an all round positive impact in your body.
+Fitness
LES MILLS GRIT™ SERIES
FULL NAME: ABDUL IZZAT HAJI BASRI Occupation by day: Administrative Job Passion in Life: Sports Izzat is also a licensed Les Mills instructor in RPM, Freestyle Cycling, Taekwondo, Circuit and Strength Training
(LEAN, FIT, AND GRRRITTY IN JUST THIRTY!)
Quote: “The human body is the GREATEST machine ever created. Operate it wisely!”
INTRODUCTION FOR LES MILLS GRIT™ CARDIO AND GRIT™ STRENGTH
H
igh-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). One of the latest acknowledged form of exercise/training these days that’s being programmed by most Fitness Clubs All over the world! HIIT, more often adopted by young professionals who have busy lifestyles, (let’s not forget the festivities around the corner) and those hard working beings that have little time to spend with their loved ones or even to read a good book, much less commit to being physically active. This results in neglecting their health in the long-term. Little did we know, we would be in the phase in our lives where we struggle to juggle everything well in this fast-paced world we live in; “The Work-Life Balance”. WORK LIFE BALANCE? What does this truly mean? You might have been wondering why you have been hearing this phrase a lot, yet it seems that you don’t pay much attention to it because you are rushing to work or worrying that you might not be able to make it to the dinner with your friends because you are stuck at your work. Even I was surprised when I learned the very simple explanation for the phrase: This concept includes appropriate prioritizing between “work” (your career, ambition and
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what you do to earn some dollars) and “lifestyle” (this includes your personal pleasure, leisure, family and friends, development/meditation and most especially your health). Interesting, huh? So how to begin? Why don’t we “start off” by guiding you while you take baby steps towards a balanced work-life (or, if you’re already managing your time well, kudos to you!) by being smart about how you use your time and by placing high priority in paying closer attention to your fitness and wellness! There are hundreds of existing self-help books and articles to date and you will find (and it may not be that surprising for you!) that “EXERCISING and being PROACTIVE” are some of the most considered key points in living a well-balanced life!!!
INTRODUCING LES MILLS GRIT™ SERIES I would like to talk about Les Mills International, to give us a broader understanding of its history and what it really is (because for me, hearing it for the first time, it really sounded like a kind of Italian spaghetti!). According to a reliable website, it originated from New Zealand and it is a choreographed group
exercise program founded in the early 1980s by a New Zealander, Phillip Mills, who was sports and businessman. To date, the programs have expanded to more than an estimate of 15,000 gyms and health clubs in 75 countries, with an estimated 90,000 Les Mills Instructors worldwide and an estimated seven (7) million participants every week attending Les Mills classes. Les Mills programs vary for different groups of people with different Fitness interests. To name a few, people who love to dance and jive to groovy music, practice Muay Thai and Karate, participate in Barbellbased workouts, improve their flexibility and do Yoga, do Indoor cycling and those into Athletics are some of the most popular ones. Mostly, the aforementioned classes last for 45 to 55 minutes, excluding warm up and cool down. (It is imperative to keep in mind to warm up and cool down to avoid the occurrence of injuries and discomfort.) The GRIT™ Series consists of three different workout sessions: GRIT™ Strength, GRIT™ Cardio and GRIT™ Plyo. Fitness Zone offers most of the popular Les Mills group exercise classes including GRIT™ Cardio and GRIT™ Strength.
Fitness+
LES MILLS GRIT™ CARDIO
GRIT™ STRENGTH,
Revolve and Evolve. This is what GRIT™ Cardio can do. Are you like most people who want to increase speed and maximize your calorie burning process, as well as improve your cardiovascular fitness in the span of thirty (30) minutes? If it is, then GRIT™ Cardio was designed for you! These cardio sessions use a variety of bodyweight exercises to assist you in achieving wonderful results in a short space of time! The classes combine HIIT (HighIntensity Internal Training) with motivating coaches and hip and trendy powerful music that will surely make you explode through your exercise thresholds!
This workout has been designed to not only improve strength but also to build lean muscle. The workout uses barbells, a weight plate, and your own body weight, to offer a full body workout and blast all major muscle groups. Set to energizing music, your coaches will truly encourage you to get the most out of your workout! Now, we get the chance to meet our very own GRIT™ Captains here in Brunei! Let us meet Kai, Ricky, Edmund, Moi, and Izzat and get to know Les Mills GRIT™ a little more! FULL NAME: KHOO CHIN KAI Occupation by day: Physical Education Teacher Passion in Life: Basketball, Fitness, and Travelling Kai is also capable of conducting sports and fitness training, Freestyle Cycling, and FIH Start Hockey Quote: “Do NOT limit challenges. Challenge your LIMIT!” FULL NAME: RICKY TANGLAO Occupation by day: FullTime Fitness Instructor/ Personal Trainer
FULL NAME: EDMUND LIM Occupation by day: Revenue Assurance Manager Passion in Life: Majorly, my passion is inclined to Fitness. Such as sharing LES MILLS programs to as many people as possible by guiding them to use the proper technique during the workout. Other programs: Les Mills Body Pump and Les Mills RPM certified instructor. Quote: “Сhallenge brings change”
Passion in Life: Ricky loves outdoor activities in general. Some of these are hiking, cycling and running Aside from being a GRIT™ Series instructor, He is also a certified instructor for some Les Mills programs such as Body Pump, RPM, and BodyVive Quote: “Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever”
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+Fitness
Who can perform GRIT™? Age Range/ Physical Fitness Level?
Moi: I would recommend it to people who already have a good base level of fitness and want to take it to the next level!
women). GRIT™ is fastpaced and has a lot of high impact moves. The good thing is, there are LOW impact options that are given in a class and best of all, attendees are free to perform at their own pace so everybody can have an intense and efficient workout!
Kai: As for me, I think everyone can do it as long as they have the urge to take their fitness to the next level!! (But of course, except pregnant
Edmund: Yeah, personally, as a Les Mills GRIT™ coach, anybody who has a bit of a fitness training background is suitable to join.
Ricky: Everyone can perform really! But I would highly recommend it for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
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Fitness+ Izzat: Literally, everyone!!! It is altered actually, to cater to everyone’s fitness level, from beginner to elite. Inside the class, options are provided for those who have limited range. How often should you practice/attend GRIT™ classes to get maximum results? Kai: Perhaps 3–4 times is good enough, especially for the guys. On alternate days, though! Allow your body to recover from your previous session. Edmund: Hhhmm this is based on the individual, actually. But,
I would recommend two Grit classes per week! Izzat: If you are looking to improve your health, three times a week would be great! Moi: Speaking as a lady, for the women out there, 2-3 times a week is good — combining strength and cardio. Ricky: Yes, 2-3 times a week to improve your fitness level! Personally, what do you think makes GRIT™ unique within other LES MILLS Programs? Moi: After attending any GRIT™ program, you not only burn
ARTICLE BY: Shelley Busque PHOTOGRAPHER: Pg Khairol Hadli
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+Fitness
FULL NAME: LAU MOI CHEE Occupation by day: Fulltime Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer Passion in Life: To change people’s lives through further promoting fitness, making their life healthier and instilling confidence (hot and sexy! hahaha!) Programs: Aside from being a Les Mills GRIT™ group exercise instructor, she also does one-on-one personal training and engages thoroughly in learning her clients’ fitness needs well. Quote: “Fitness is my life!”
calories during the exercise but you also burn calories for hours after the workout! Edmund: Oh my, GRIT™ is HARDCORE! No doubt about that! This is a form of HIIT that will give you results very fast, that’s what makes it different! And this is a training program that’s scientifically proven. Ricky: Hhhhm.. Unlike other good programs of Les Mills, I think what
makes it unique is that for the span of thirty minutes, a short time, you can shred a lot of unwanted calories. Not only that, it gives the “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption” (EPOC) effect! Izzat: I think what makes it unique is the way the program was designed. It has also proven (based on my personal experience) a way of training your WILL. In general, it will improve your overall performance. Even though there are a lot
of ways of doing a HIIT, GRIT™ has its design uniquely based on the moves introduced in every release. We don’t realize it sometimes, but some of the moves are our everyday moves!!!! Kai: For me, as a young adult with a busy lifestyle, I find it QUICK, INTENSE and SUPER FUN!!! After all, prioritizing a balanced work-life status, can be really fun when you include prioritizing good health!
DISCLAIMER: Before participating in Les Mills GRIT™ or ANY High-Intensity Interval Training or form of exercise, not only should you ensure health safety and assess risks, it is also advisable to seek the professional advice of a physician; especially if you have any medical condition, occurring or recurring, most
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especially cardiovascular related. Also, please ensure that any exercise programs you partake in are conducted ONLY by professional, licensed and certified instructors! It is advised to take into consideration to protect your safety. So it is your right to ask these gyms and health clubs.
After you have successfully performed your first HIIT, it is advised by professional fitness instructors and trainers to cool down and it is highly recommended to NOT take a shower right after, and rest for at least an hour. LIVE FIT, LOVE LIFE!
+Life Inspired
MDFAKHRI
ISMAIL BRUNEI’S 100M NATIONAL SPRINTER
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Life Inspired+
W
hile we go about our daily routines, Brunei’s 100m National Sprinter goes about his day unnoticed while he gets ready to proudly represent his country in the international sports arena. MdFakhri Ismail will be participating in the World’s foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating — The Olympic Games. Read through as we go into detail with the Sultanate’s very own king of the sprint. MdFakhri Ismail has his days filled with training and working out. He spends time both at the gym and on the field — six times a week, two sessions a day, sweating it out for the upcoming 2016 Olympic Games, which is set to take place in Brazil this August. When Plus visited him during his training, he greets us with a smile, catching his breath after a 100m run. “Sorry for the holdup, just 15 minutes to go,” he says, referring to his training session. The Belapan Track and Field in Berakas is the place he goes to, to get him ready for the big one. It all started three years ago when his journey began. A far cry from the mundane, this was going to be an
uphill battle. Nevertheless, it was one that made him realize it was what he had wanted all along. “In 2013, I started joining sprint training sessions. In the beginning, I attended training maybe a few times a month — just for the fun of it. Then, I decided to take it more seriously and stepped it up a gear by attending training every day. After more intensive training and by attending every session for the following 3 months straight, I finally got to run my first official race at SKDD (Sukan Kebangsaan Daerah-Daerah). I competed in the 200m,” said the 25-year-old, who is now the local brand ambassador for international sports apparel, Under Armour. At the time, he felt like a newcomer and hence considered himself a “nobody”. Nerves and doubt slowly took a hold and he began to feel that he was not going to be the favored sportsman amongst the group. Fortunately, the doubt was quickly replaced with a much-needed confidence boost when he won the race and bagged his first official win. From that point on, with the Athletics Association and his coach firmly behind him, his full potential started to be recognized. Jun–Jul 2016
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“But it wasn’t then that I decided that I wanted to fully commit to the sport. A few months later, I got selected to compete in the Borneo Games in Labuan. There, I competed in the 200m, 4x100m, and 4x400m. That was my first international race,” he said.
months before. Unexpectedly, I won the race and got my first international gold medal. It was from there that I felt so much joy and excitement plus I was a little addicted to winning, soI decided to take this sport seriously,” he said.
“I wasn’t the favorite and I didn’t think I could win because I only started doing athletics a few
From then on, it was training around the clock, with no exceptions. With the help of his coach,
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who observes and advises him on his runs and techniques, he trains intensively, making sure he gets the most out of the sessions. At the same time, ensuring he avoids any injury. Having other athletes training together also helps him to be more familiar and not get distracted when running with other competitors during a race.
Life Inspired+
Training hard has never been an issue for Fakhri. He said his eating and sleeping patterns also play an important role in replenishing his energy. “I eat three meals a day. From now until the Olympics, my meals are provided by The Energy Kitchen every day for the next three months. The Energy Kitchen prepares a balanced
diet full of the required nutrients, which helps me recover properly and also replenishes my energy to prepare me well for my training sessions,” he said. “Sleeping wise, I have a strict eight hours a day and I usually have a short one-hour power nap before my afternoon session,” he added.
Words of encouragement and support from loved ones also play a big part in his emotional well being. “My family and friends give me support. Their words of encouragement and the fact that they have never opposed the idea of me being an athlete, says it all. Just looking at them or having them by my side motivates me and that is all the support I need
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from them,” he said proudly. Youths who want to play an active role in contributing to the country’s positive future should take up a sport to balance academics and their physical well-being — by getting involved at a young age. “It helps to minimize stress, keeps you healthy and fit and also helps to keep you away from doing things that can negatively affect your life and the people around you. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t focus on your academics, what I mean is, academics and sports complement each other. When you find balance in doing both, you’ll find that it has a positive effect on your life,” he said. “You will find that you will have a broader choice of careers. You will be able to further your studies with a sports scholarship somewhere in the near future and you might be the first person to get an Olympic medal for Brunei,” he concluded. Don’t be modest, Fakhri! We will see in August!
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FEATURING: MdFakhri Ismail ARTICLE BY: Swee Ann PHOTOGRAPHER: Aron Tan’s Studio
+Life Inspired
FILTER WORKS
PRODUCTION FUNNY, WITTY AND PROMISING! 30 PLUS Jun–Jul 2016
Life Inspired+
F
ilter Works Production (FWP) came to life a year ago, marking their territory with short films for Bruneian hearts. From drama to horror to comedy, the trio continues to impress the viewers with their fresh ideas. Find out more on what they have to say. Please introduce yourselves. Zainal — I’m Zainal Bostaman, I’m 28, coming 29. My role in the production is mainly that of a writer and actor. Sometimes producing and also directing. Oh! And officially, I’m the spokesperson. Aaqiil — Hi, I’m Aaqiil Ahmad. I’m 25 years old. I can say I’m the allman show! Actually, all of us do a little bit of everything. So I also partly help out with the videography aside from acting, producing and directing. Faiq — My name is Faiq Ali. I’m 25. I’m basically the man behind the camera. I’m the Director of Photography and editor. We actually have another member but he is currently in Japan doing his discovery year. He’s a UBD student. But as of now it’s just the three of us. How did filming start and how did you discover your team? Zainal: Aaqiil and Faiq are cousins and they’ve known each other for a long time — actually since they were born! Faiq has an impressive background in photography and videography because he also does weddings and commercials. He basically has his own company. Aaqiil: Before FWP, we did videos for fun. Nothing serious. It was like a, “Let’s post it up on YouTube!” kind of thing. Faiq: Our passion for this started when we joined the performing arts. Over the years, we developed this passion for “living the stage”. We love the attention! Aaqiil: We’ve been involved with SEEDS since it started because our cousin founded that company. That was in 2009. At the time, we were actors and in charge of the kids and now we’re stepping it up. We’re now in charge of organizing the team. We started making videos when we got the proper
equipment, just a camera without the proper microphone and lighting. Over time, we started investing in stuff bit by bit.
was a funny guy and I thought it would work. And it wasn’t a bad idea! All three of us talked and by the following week, we registered.
Last year, when we were in a restaurant, we were just sitting and out of nowhere we thought, why not start a company?
Zainal: We actually registered as an actual company and we were like — “We ARE serious!”
We stayed up until 3am asking ourselves, should we or shouldn’t we? We then started thinking about names. By the second week, I contacted Zainal and told him we needed someone to help out with the scriptwriting. I heard that Zainal
How do you keep the relationship amongst you strong? Looking at both Zainal and Faiq Aaqiil: “We ARE best friends right?” I would say that there are times when we get on each other’s nerves Jun–Jul 2016
PLUS 31
+Life Inspired but we handle things quite well. The saying goes, you are good friends when you swear at each other. If you say nice things all the time, it just means it’s not a real relationship. Zainal: It helps that we actually do mostly comedy. And when we are doing the comedy shoots, we have so much fun. We’ve had to do retakes because I was laughing so hard. Yeah! It helps if we have fun anyways. Aaqiil: I can say our relationships are strong — all of us together. Is it harder to get started or keep going? Zainal: I think for me it’s harder to keep going because when you start, you don’t have a lot of expectations. The more you produce, the more feedback you’ll get. People like your videos and people praise you for your creativity, it’s like a positive pressure. We have to produce at least the standard we set in the past and sometimes it gets to you. Aaqiil: After the finished product, we have doubts as to whether everyone else will like it too. People would say we like your videos, can’t wait for the next one. Zainal: You’re only good as your latest video. You just have to keep producing. Sometimes, it’s the momentum. When the video is well-received, we want to make another one. But some days you look at it and think… how come no one is watching it and that’s hard as well. Faiq: It also depends on what people want to watch as well. Zainal: That’s the thing we can’t control. We just have to do our best and the crowd will decide whether it’s what they want to watch or not. So, for me, it’s harder to keep going. It’s a different set of challenges. What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your filming? Faiq: Always have a lot of back-ups! Videos, tapes and audio. Not just do one clip but do multiple clips. When everyone is satisfied, move on to the next scene. You will only find out during editing if there’s noise or distractions that weren’t supposed to be there. So, that’s a lesson we’ve learned.
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Zainal: Sometimes we have to remind each other to do extra clips — just in case. Because when we’ve done 4 hours of shooting, it’s easier to say, “Let’s move on to the next scene” because we’re in a rush or tired. So, we have to push each other to do backup shots. Tell us more about your filming. How do you keep it fresh and original? Zainal: We have a system. Every time we make each other laugh with an idea, we put it all on Evernote, which we share between the three of us. We usually have a long list and we say, “Yes! We need to film this A.S.A.P. because if it stays in there longer, it becomes like a cold case in a police department.”
We then formalize a schedule — two times a week for shooting. Sometimes, we come in and we have an idea, for example, the Indofood film. We wanted to do fast cut clips. That was the idea. We started shooting and that was it. We didn’t think about how to make it funny. It was during shooting that someone said you know what would be funny? If you dance while draining the noodles. And there were the unintentional ones as well but we just roll with it. It makes it original and fun. What makes a film great for you? Are there any certain qualities that you keep in mind during the process of creating a film? Aaqiil: I know that good acting and a good script are essential. I
Life Inspired+
would say that the quality of the video itself is quite a major thing. How it is shot and how it is edited. How the final product will show. Not shooting just for the sake of shooting a video. It’s the interaction in the film — the shooting of close ups of what the person is actually doing. This is the quality that is going to be expected every time a video is shot. Zainal: Yea basically the acting, the cinematography, and at the same time you need the material to be relatable. As filmmakers, do you need to worry about what audiences want? How do you overcome the wants of different viewers? Aaqiil: I think first and foremost, we video it because we find it
funny and we find it fun. We want to try different things. It depends on what we like and from there, we see how the viewers find it. For the most part, we try to experiment, we have a good idea, we talk about it and then we film it. Faiq: We do ask friends for feedback. They kind of bounce the ideas back. Zainal: In terms of research, we ask ourselves, does it make us laugh, does it makes our closest friends laugh. If it does, then maybe the audience will too. What films have been the most inspiring to you and why? Zainal: I’m a big Disney fan. The latest ones have a good story, comedy, and a heartfelt message. There are moments of laughter, moments
of knee-jerk emotions and drama. Good storytelling, for me. Aaqiil: For me I would say the Pixar film, “UP”. Everyone likes a good action movie but I like the drama that comes with a movie. The opening three minutes brings a lot of emotional feedback from me. It was so powerful and it just showed in three minutes! Faiq: I think I’m more into sacrificial kinds of film. The movie Armageddon still gives me goosebumps! INTERVIEW: Filter Works Production ARTICLE BY: Swee Ann PHOTOGRAPHY: Aaron Tan’s Studio
Jun–Jul 2016
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+Life Inspired
FEATURING: Abdul Khabir Zainidi ARTICLE BY: Syazwana Souyono
34 PLUS Jun–Jul 2016
+Lifestyle
THE MAN THAT MADE A COSTLY MISTAKE E
veryone’s been guilty of missing a hospital appointment or forgetting to take pertinent medicine or vitamins, but most of the time we just shrug it off and hope to do better the next day. Well, for Hj Mohd Rukaimi Hj Suhaimi, 36, his negligence over two years ago led to very severe consequences that he is still recovering from to this day. On the second day of Eid last year, Hj Mohd Rukaimi suffered from breathing difficulties and was taken to Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital (RIPAS) that was when the doctor told him the shocking news; he was suffering from heart failure. His heart was functioning at a little over 20% and his other organ functions such as his lungs and kidneys were also deteriorating. This resulted in him spending the next two weeks of the Syawal festivities recuperating in hospital. The most tragic part of his story was that all of it could have potentially been avoided. In 2014, Hj Mohd Rukaimi was referred to RIPAS for hypertension but due
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to his work and other commitments, the appointment slipped his mind and he went on with his normal routine. Unfortunately, missing out on a whole year of hypertension medication caused a huge strain on his heart as it had to overcompensate by pumping harder and the lack of oxygenated blood reaching his other organs led to them failing to function optimally. “When I got charged into RIPAS, they (the hospital staff ) checked my file and scolded me for not coming to get medication for my high blood pressure. They said I was lucky, and that if I had come in a week or so later it might have been too late,” Hj Mohd Rukaimi shared, adding that high blood pressure was a condition prevalent in his family history. In his defence, he genuinely did forget about the appointment, “I work shifts, sometimes in the morning and sometimes at night, so I completely forgot. I didn’t do it on purpose! I know some people choose not to take medication out
of shame, especially those who are still young.” Before his diagnosis, Hj Mohd Rukaimi was like any other young man, hanging out with his friends, trying out the latest eateries or carrying out physical recreational activities like going to the gym and playing football; he was also a freelance photographer, snapping memorable moments at wedding events. Eventually, he often found himself feeling short of breath and had difficulty sleeping, especially during the fasting month. While hiking and jogging, he felt that he got fatigued more easily but he assumed it was either due to his weight or maybe the fact that he was just unfit. After receiving appropriate medication for his hypertension, Hj Mohd Rukaimi has turned over a new leaf and now takes better care of his diet, only indulging in relatively unhealthy meals once a week. He also participates in a programme with several other patients with his condition aimed at improving their heart function by doing light exercises that
Lifestyle+ gradually increase in difficulty. In less than a year since his diagnosis and hospitalisation, he has improved his heart function to 60% and hopes to continue his healthy lifestyle to restore his heart to full functionality,although for now, he still needs to restrict some of his activities. “Sometimes my friends invite me to go hiking or go to the gym but I have to say no due to my heart problem. It’s hard because I really want to join them sometimes but since the doctor said I can’t do anything too strenuous, I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Hj Mohd Rukaimi confided. He’s still waiting for the doctor to give him the green light to go hiking since it was once his favourite pastime, but he’ll wait patiently till then. “My advice, especially for teenagers and young adults out there, is not to be ashamed of taking medication, especially for hypertension. High blood pressure can be hereditary and it can affect anyone, regardless of age. I was diagnosed with hypertension when I was 33-years old and I know sometimes people may make fun of you or you can feel self-conscious,
but that medication could lower your risk of other diseases.” Hj MohdRukaimi said, “Also, take good care of your diet. I know there’s a lot of new restaurants
and meals out there that’s very tempting and we always take the ‘just for today’ approach but do try to eat healthy meals most of the time.” FEATURING: Hj Mohd Rukaimi Hj Suhaimi ARTICLE BY: Syazwana Souyono PHOTOGRAPHY: Magic Media Sdn Bhd
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+Lifestyle
THE MAN WITH
UNBREAKABLE
SPIRIT 38 PLUS Jun–Jul 2016
Lifestyle+
W
hen things start to take a turn for the worst, you have two options: let the pain and resentment consume you or rise up and make the best out of your situation. For Mumtazali Mohd Abdul Aziz, 53, the first scenario is unacceptable. He was diagnosed with coronary artery disease back in 2001, putting an abrupt stop to his active and adventurous lifestyle but motivated by his family and dedication to his work, Mumtazali persevered. Even though the father of six has gone through hell and back, and despite his debilitating condition, he still manages toradiate positivity and spread wisdom. Mumtazali made headlines recently for being the first person in Borneo to have successfully received a Left Ventricle Assisted Device (LVAD) back in 2014.To date there are only four people in Brunei fitted with the device, which aids the heart in distributing blood to the rest of the body. The device requires the patient to carry an external battery pack at all times to power the pump, which introduces complications with making sure the environmental conditions suit the device such as making sure it’s protected from the rain and extreme heat. At night, the device is plugged into a machine that powers it while the patient sleeps. “At first it was quite troublesome and it took some getting used to but now it’s just a part of my life. My family has been very supportive, even my kids know how to work the machines now!” Mumtazali said. Prior to receiving the LVAD, Mumtazali was fitted with a pacemaker back in 2007, then an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), which causes electrical pulses to control arrhythmias. Before his diagnosis, Mumtazali led a highly active lifestyle;he dominated in track and field, played hockey and sepak takraw, but his true passion was football. The seasoned striker had his talents discovered at a young age, being selected to represent Brunei in the under-18 team for the Piala Razak tournament in Kuala Lumpur back in 1982 and as he got older he began participating at district level, playing for his hometown, the Belait District. “My friends are often surprised to hear about my heart condition since I was very much into sports, but it just goes to show that heart disease can happen to anyone if we fail to pay attention to it.”
Besides sports, Mumtazali was also fond of the outdoors, which made him love his job as a government officer involved in organising youth excursion activities such as camping and kayaking as it allowed him to be close to nature. He even experienced working in Temburong for six years of his career but this obviously created problems due to his heart condition as he would get recurring heart attacks. “While working there (Temburong), I had to be taken to hospital a number of times. I’ve been transported to the hospital by helicopter, boat, car; I’ve gone through air, land and sea!” Mumtazali exclaimed with a hearty chuckle. The story of his diagnosis is a tragic one as it happened in an environment he was truly comfortable in — the football field. “It was very strange because I usually play for 90 minutes straight but this time after about 15 minutes I started feeling dizzy and light-headed. My wife took me to Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha hospital and that was when the doctor broke the news.” This marked the end of Mumtazali’s active days and at one point he was bed-ridden and he thought he would never be able to walk again because he felt too weak to do so at the time but eventually with time and great determination, Mumtazali now walks freely with his battery pack in a nifty little backpack. Now he is still trying to get accustomed to his desk job which is immensely dull considering he used to enjoy doing the strenuous activities outdoors for his job role. His diagnosis did however bring about a positive change in Mumtazali’s lifestyle, “One thing that I’m proud of is the fact that I quit smoking. I had been a heavy smoker since the age of 15 but since my diagnosis, I completely stopped.” When asked if he had any advice for members of the public out there, he had this to say, “I would advise everyone out there, regardless if they’re young or old, to take care of their diet and stay away from cigarettes to avoid developing any heart diseases.” Mumtazali would also like to express his deepest gratitude to His Majesty’s government, especially the Ministry of Health and Gleneagles Jerudong Park Medical Centre, as well as all the nurses, doctors and officers, who have painstakingly worked to manage his condition and cared for him throughout the years.
FEATURING: Mumtazali Mohd Abdul Aziz ARTICLE BY: Syazwana Souyono PHOTOGRAPHY: Magic Media Sdn Bhd
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