“New Year, New Me” vibes

How a Thor-wannabe went AWOL

Achieve your goals with your TikTok fam?

Social sabotage: “Are you sure you can do it?”

As we inch closer to a new year, will you be putting “losing weight” on your list of resolutions - for the nth time? 

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

Dropping the pounds is a classic New Year’s resolution for many people, but sticking to it often proves challenging. 

Natasha wanted to find out what trips up our weight loss goals, so she turned to the experts, who have seen success stories and epic fails.

On this episode of The Usual Place, she is joined by Mira Azman (@miraacurl), Senior Exercise Experience Coach at Virgin Active Singapore, and Jerome Simon (@jxmonxstar), Senior Club General Manager at Fitness First Singapore. 

The new year usually brings them new clients - it’s a ‘New Year, New Me’ vibe, they both concur - but people have been known to drop out within weeks of signing up.

Mira and Jerome highlight that people often come in with unrealistic expectations.

Like one of Jerome’s clients who wanted the physique that actor Chris Hemsworth had when he was playing Thor within two months. (Spoiler alert: The Thor-wannabe went AWOL after two months). Or Mira’s client who wanted to lose 10kg in a month, despite barely having any exercise experience.

That’s why both trainers say that accountability, whether by working out with a coach or finding a supportive community, can keep one on track. 

Watch this week’s episode of The Usual Place to find out what else these trainers had to say about TikTok trends, unsustainable diet fads and how to shift your mindset to get fit in 2025.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:18 “New Year, New Me” vibes

5:48 How a Thor-wannabe went AWOL

11:58 Can you achieve your goals with your TikTok fam?

30:51 Facing social sabotage - “Are you sure you can do it?”

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#tup #tuptr

As we inch closer to a new year, will you be putting &ldquo;losing weight&rdquo; on your list of resolutions - for the nth time?&nbsp;
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
Dropping the pounds is a classic New Year&rsquo;s resolution for many people, but sticking to it often proves challenging.&nbsp;
Natasha wanted to find out what trips up our weight loss goals, so she turned to the experts, who have seen success stories and epic fails.
On this episode of The Usual Place, she is joined by Mira Azman (@miraacurl), Senior Exercise Experience Coach at Virgin Active Singapore, and Jerome Simon (@jxmonxstar), Senior Club General Manager at Fitness First Singapore.&nbsp;
The new year usually brings them new clients - it&rsquo;s a &lsquo;New Year, New Me&rsquo; vibe, they both concur - but people have been known to drop out within weeks of signing up.
Mira and Jerome highlight that people often come in with unrealistic expectations.
Like one of Jerome&rsquo;s clients who wanted the physique that actor Chris Hemsworth had when he was playing Thor within two months. (Spoiler alert: The Thor-wannabe went AWOL after two months). Or Mira&rsquo;s client who wanted to lose 10kg in a month, despite barely having any exercise experience.
That&rsquo;s why both trainers say that accountability, whether by working out with a coach or finding a supportive community, can keep one on track.&nbsp;
Watch this week&rsquo;s episode of The Usual Place to find out what else these trainers had to say about TikTok trends, unsustainable diet fads and how to shift your mindset to get fit in 2025.
Highlights (click/tap above): 1:18 &ldquo;New Year, New Me&rdquo; vibes 5:48 How a Thor-wannabe went AWOL 11:58 Can you achieve your goals with your TikTok fam? 30:51 Facing social sabotage - &ldquo;Are you sure you can do it?&rdquo;
Host: Natasha Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/8Wav">https://str.sg/8Wav</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a> Read Natasha's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iSXm">https://str.sg/iSXm</a> Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh &amp; Teo Tong Kai
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/5nfm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/5nfm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iptWDheZTbc6UWH19K9Ik">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/9ijX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/9ijX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FaPmmc8vEyCxKmRadKVZo">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/cd2P" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/cd2P&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2w3xb6c1ejhhdXDpghQkBE">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wEr7u&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mQ12S80ZFi9MtpS0oP5Kz">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
Feedback to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wvz7&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2LPvTdnzHsUwHU7VHQNXR8">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
ST Podcast website:&nbsp;<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw11bVm3kZchw4h57yIYmPUV">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/4Vwsa&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3m8aAMNJ7I1x71LUJyga7_">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyB" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/icyB&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Z9ol0eeLYDBOp1ky8QJVI">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
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#tup #tuptr

Synopsis:The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

The Usual Place

Synopsis:The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

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