Celebrity Life
Angie Ng: Fitness, Babies, and Hopes for the New Year
Former lawyer, model, spinning and boxing instructor and now mother to a wonderful one-year-old baby boy, Angie Ng opens up about the challenges of raising a child in a pandemic, how she copes with stress and her hopes for the New Year.
How was 2020 for you personally?
It was a difficult time for the whole world. But for me, it was really a time to spend with my family and just recoup. We wanted to be closer to nature, so we moved out to Stanley, which is really nice. It just feels very different from my life pre-pregnancy, if that makes sense. There are nice beaches, we’re away from everybody, and I can spend time with my son and watch him grow and change.
Moving to Stanley had been on the agenda for a long time — we wanted to be somewhere with more space and that was slightly closer to nature. We looked at different locations until we found somewhere we loved. With the virus, too, it was good to move away from things a little. We’re right by the sea, there are trees and plants, and the air is fresher. You just don’t feel as if you’re in Hong Kong.
You’ve worn many hats — lawyer, model and fitness instructor. Was this always the sort of life you imagined for yourself?
I never thought that a lot of the ventures I’m lucky to have been involved in could have happened. Law was a conscious decision. And, you know, modelling just somehow came along, and the more you do it, the more you’re exposed to different things and opportunities. It really is about making the decision to do something new and challenge yourself. I was lucky to be given these new opportunities. I was scared in a lot of situations, obviously doing anything new is often scary. But it’s all been very rewarding to learn different things, to be exposed to new skills and just continue to grow.
Was fitness always important to you?
Always. It goes hand in hand with what I do as a model. I’ve always loved going to the gym and exercising, and when given the opportunity to learn to be an instructor at XYZ, I just said to myself, “Why not? What harm could there be?” It gives you a different angle when communicating with people. You know, when you’re an instructor you’re also a performer, but at the same time, you’re also very close to the clients and in sync with them, as opposed to being a model where you are just performing.
That feeling of community in the fitness world is the reason why people enjoy going to group classes, right? That community will always feel like my community, even if I’m not there all the time. Even the cleaners would ask me about my child. And it’s such a nice feeling to have. I think the fitness community does breed this more than the fashion community.
What else do you do aside from boxing and spinning?
I also like lifting weights — I think lifting weights and toning up are so important. That and doing some form of easy yoga are my go-tos at this moment.
How do you find balance in life? What do you do when stress gets to you?
There are always a million thoughts going through my head, things to do with work, with my baby. What I like to do is to sit on my balcony and focus on my breathwork. I let these thoughts come to me and I catch them, I acknowledge them and then I let them go. I’m looking at a tree, I think it, catch it, I let it go. I have this call with Prestige, with you. I think about it, I let it go, and I'll keep doing this until there’s nothing to think about any longer. I’ve thought about everything I’ve had to think about. Then I’m just left with me and myself. Does that make sense? It’s helped me slow down and appreciate 2020 when things have been stressful and uncertain.
Can you share a little of your own pregnancy and childbirth experiences with us?
I wanted a natural childbirth for my son, so in the very beginning I didn’t want to take an epidural. But the thing is, my son was quite large and he had a very big head. It's often said that people with a fitness background have an easier time with childbirth. I can tell you that’s not true at all! After two hours of constant pushing you become really tired. I was pushing my hardest and looking at the doctor, asking if it made any difference and she would say yes, but my husband was shaking his head. In the end I had to take an epidural.
Were there any challenges you faced raising a child during a pandemic and how did you overcome them?
It's inevitably been a challenging time for all of us. As a mother, I've felt increasingly worried and am constantly trying to find the right balance between having my son at home and safe but still letting him go out and play with other children, to experience nature and attend classes. Then there’s the challenge of getting the baby/toddler to wear a mask or protective hat, which has become the norm nowadays.
What are your hopes for 2021?
2021 for me is the year to explore and learn more, as well as to focus on self-awareness and development.
The post Angie Ng: Fitness, Babies, and Hopes for the New Year appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Getting to Know Model Angie Ng
In Prestige Online’s “Getting to Know” series, we ask our favourite personalities what they’re like outside of work -- and get a little more personal.
If you live in Hong Kong, chances are you’ve seen Malaysian model Angie Ng at the hottest fashion parties, in ads at MTR stations, on television and maybe even in your gym studio -- she's one of the faces of Lululemon and also a trainer at boutique boxing gym Lights/Out). Between shoots and training, we caught a quick moment to find out what Ng is really like when she’s not in front of the camera.
What’s your normal weekend like?
I usually go to the gym and do a class, and then teach boxing on Saturdays. That’s a chill weekend for me. I’ll also hang out with my loved ones and friends.
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What’s on your playlist?
I’m obsessed with "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus. I love the swagger tone with the hip-hop edge.
What would you normally order at a bar?
I don’t drink much so I usually really do get water. But if I'm feeling it, I love sour cocktails or plum wine.
What is a favourite pastime of yours?
Naps and boxing.
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Tell us something not many people know about you.
I'm really into tap dancing. I’ve been dancing since I was young -- I did modern ballet but my favourite is tap dancing. I love the beats and just the swag of tapping away. There's so much joy in it!
Who’s the last person you called?
James, my boo. We talk to each other almost every day at lunch time.
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What was the last meal you had?
Soup and dim sum! I love me some hearty soups and Chinese food.
Show us a recent photo of you!
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What’s your guilty pleasure?
This changes from time to time but right now it's Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Upcoming travel plans?
Somewhere tropical! Bali maybe, and then a trip to Europe in the summer.
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Describe your perfect Friday night.
I am loving my home time these days … dinner, sweats and movies.
Name one beauty item that you can’t live without.
A good deep cleanser. With my work, I have makeup on all the time and it's so important to clean the skin thoroughly after a long day with makeup. The pollution doesn’t help, either.
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Tell us one thing that’s on your bucket list.
To go on an Africam safari. I want to see natural beauty that the world has to offer!
The post Getting to Know Model Angie Ng appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.