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When Terri Cheong failed the premedical check for a blood donation drive in January due to high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the Singapore-based finance executive decided to take charge of her health – and her life. “I realised how unhealthy and unfit I had become. I had let my health slip. Something had to change,” she says. There had been many signs that change was needed. Aged 54, she found walking and climbing stairs exhausting. “I couldn’t stand up from my beanbag without help. In February 2024, while on a family holiday in Japan, I was with my nephew in a park, and we had to climb massive, never-ending stairs. I was tired and breathless after climbing one flight,” she says. She had also endured a nagging pain in her knees for years due to her excess weight. “I had neglected my health for years. I worked long hours, worked late nights, did not exercise and slept five hours at night on average,” she says. She had nightly heart palpitations and has a family history of high cholesterol, so she was put on medication to manage these. She underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy procedure in 2017 to remove fibroids in her uterus and began having hot flushes after the surgery – the onset of menopause. “I kept gaining weight after that,” she says. Her weight peaked at 83kg (183lb) in December 2023. Attempts to lose weight in the past by following fad diets, taking meal replacement supplements and doing intermittent fasting had failed. “I lost 3kg to 5kg every time, but never felt ‘healthy’ and soon put the weight back on.” A cousin introduced Cheong to a local gym in Singapore, and she began strength training with personal trainer Sheena Chia three times a week. She also did two 20-minute cardio sessions. The main challenges were working around her limited mobility and managing old injuries. She made great progress in improving her strength, movement quality and confidence, says Chia, who focused on exercises such as lateral pulldowns, split squats and incline hip extensions. Cheong also began walking 14,000 steps daily – mostly during her lunch hour and after work, when she would walk to a railway station two stops ahead to catch the train back home. Three months into training, Cheong’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels had fallen into the normal range, and she took less medication. “From taking medication every day, I now take it every other day. And I was able to donate blood for the first time in August 2025.” Chia also changed Cheong’s diet, putting her on a calorie-deficit diet of 1,200 calories a day in the initial phase and slowly moving her up to her maintenance level of 1,700 calories a day. “Our focus was on helping Terri make smarter food choices that she could sustain long term,” Chia says. From a low-carb approach, they gradually reintroduced carbohydrates to better support her training and recovery. “In the past, I ate whatever I felt like, whenever I felt like. I love bread, pastries and have a sweet tooth,” Cheong says. “I would have two slices of white bread with peanut butter or kaya [a sweet, creamy spread made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar] for breakfast. Lunch would be fried noodles, fried rice, heavy on gravy and sauces, and dinner would be stir-fry vegetables.” That is in stark contrast to her current eating habits. For breakfast, she now has overnight oats and Greek yogurt with blueberries and strawberries, coupled with a handful of almonds, pistachios and cashews. Lunch and dinner is chicken breast, white fish or salmon; veggies such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage; and brown rice or whole grain pasta. Snacks include nuts, Greek yogurt, apples and protein bars – and an occasional treat of sponge cakes. “When I dine out with family or friends, I am mindful of the portions and choose dishes that are grilled,” Cheong says. She has eliminated sugar, white flour, processed food and fried food from her diet. “I am aware of what I eat. I have learned how to count my macros. Unlike my previous attempts of going on diets, I don’t feel ‘hungry’ any more,” she says. Cheong lost 19kg in seven months, her weight falling from 78kg in February to 59kg in September. Her body fat dropped by 14.7 per cent over the same period, from 33.9 to 19.2 per cent, and her waistline shrank by 26cm (10.2 inches). “Following a calorie-deficient diet was the hardest part. There are sacrifices one has to make to achieve the goal. I cut down on eating out,” she says. “The support from my cousin helped me stay on track. She was my go-to person when I felt frustrated. She would prep meals for me over the weekend, accompany me for walks and share her knowledge of nutrition and diet. Having someone who understood me and stood by me made all the difference.” Seeing her results inspired Cheong to stay focused and disciplined. “I was losing weight every week, I could lift higher weights and felt stronger and fitter. “I recall my initial assessment session … where I could not perform split squats, my knees were weak, I was unable to balance and felt lightheaded.” She now does split squats with a 10kg weight and is working towards doing her first pull-up. “I have more energy and vitality. I feel proud of myself for pushing my boundaries. I now know that if I put my mind to it, I can achieve my goal. I never would have imagined being able to lift the weights that I currently lift. It is exciting, yet also daunting.” Friends and colleagues who had not met Cheong for months were surprised at how much weight she had lost in such a short time. “My friends commented that I look like what I used to 20 years back. My coffee baristas, where I get my daily morning fix, complimented me on my transformation. It feels incredible,” Cheong says. “I don’t feel tired raising my arms when I wash my hair, I can climb stairs without being breathless. I sleep better, have more energy and a new-found confidence. “It is not only about losing weight and looking good, it is the feeling of being healthy and gaining strength, regardless of your age. “I see people at the gym who are 60-plus, lifting weights heavier than [I do]. They look fantastic and healthy. Age is not a limit. If you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.” Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.
