FROM FLAB TO FAB

Contrary to popular belief, not all Manhunt Singapore finalists are born this way, blessed with “super-genes” bestowing them dashing good looks with sculpted Greek-God-like physiques, complimented by out-of-this-worldly high metabolic rates and everlasting athletic drive and commitment. Truth be told, you’d be surprised to learn that many of them were actually average joes like many of us out there, either skinny and lanky or flabby and overweight, before they embarked on their metamorphosis journey that made them the hunks they are today!

One such outstanding example would be our next interviewee, Contestant No. 9 Wilson Lau. Presently pursuing his degree in Computer Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic, our youngest contestant this year at only 20 years old, is far from the typical mental image of a computer geek with his current 1.87m stature and 80kgs buffed up physique! But what truly astonished us was our discovery of how he lost 8kgs through sheer discipline and determination, transforming him from flab to fab!

Find out what sparked off his desire for his life-altering transition, as well as how you just might be able to catch a glimpse of him in an upcoming MediaCorp blockbuster drama, and more through our personal interview with this budding health and fitness business entrepreneur who lists Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump amongst his idols in the business world for having the willpower and courage to pursue their dreams in the face of adversity.

Congratulations on making it to the Top 20 in Manhunt Singapore 2012! What would you like to say to your fans for their support and Facebook “Likes” that helped you make it to the finals?
Being relatively new to the media, modelling and entertainment industry, I understand that I still have room for growth in terms of exposure. I am very grateful for all the support that my family and friends have shown me, and deeply appreciate every single “Like” that I have received from my fans via Facebook! In fact, I’m pretty close with my fans, and often keep them in the loop on upcoming events where they might be able to come meet and support me, as well as update them on my personal progress throughout this competition.

In this present day and age, with the gradual acceptance and integration of the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) community into our society, how do you personally feel about having GLBT fans amongst your fans and supporters?
I strongly believe in the freedom of personal choice in life. Every human being should have the right to live their lives their own way, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. With regards to having GLBT fans, honestly I don’t regard them any differently from my other fans, and enjoy chatting and interacting with them as I would with all my fans. However, I do draw the line when it comes to any overt invasion of personal privacy or inappropriate behaviour from fans, no matter whether they are GLBT or not.

I’m sure your fans and supporters would definitely like to get to know you a little better on a more personal level. Can you share with us some of your favourite things?
i) What do you enjoy doing most in your spare time?
It is my personal quest to strive for excellence in all aspects of life, whether be it health & fitness, wealth & ambition or inter-personal relationships. I’ve often seen many people who consciously made their choice to neglect or sacrifice one or more aspects in their pursuit of another aspect. But what is the point of being wealthy or having a successful career when you don’t have the health and fitness, as well as family and loved ones to enjoy the joys of your success with? Hence, I am determined to beat the odds in working towards building a well-rounded and balanced successful life for myself, preferably in the health and fitness industry.

So to boost my knowledge and further motivate myself in this pursuit, during my spare time, I enjoy reading self-enrichment books, particularly those that relate to business and investment. I am especially inspired by Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump’s personal struggles towards success. Their steadfast mental determination, positive attitude in “never giving up” in spite of countless failures, and dedication in following their dreams is truly deserving of our admiration and emulation. These are invaluable skills and lessons that are not taught in school, but you could definitely learn from and apply them in your life for many years to come.

ii) Any fave TV shows?
I am not really a huge fan of any TV shows in particular, but I do watch some local and Hong Kong drama serials occasionally. MediaCorp’s “阴差阳错” (Zero To Hero), as well as TVB’s “封神榜” (Gods Of Honour) and “On Call 36小时” (The Hippocratic Crush) are just a few that comes to mind of the ones that I quite enjoyed watching.

iii) Any fave movies?
“The Dictator” was hilarious. Unfortunately, it’s already ended its run in our local cinemas, but I’d definitely watch it again when it comes out on DVD.

iv) What are you currently playing on your iPod/playlist?
I’m very much into Japanese rock bands like X Japan, Galneryus, Nightmare and Gazette, as I dig their unique musical style and am impressed by how their rhythm really stand out when compared against the rest of the other music genres. I am also a fan of Western rock acts like Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold (A7X).

Another favourite musical genre of mine would be R&B songs by artistes such as Pitbull or DJ Kzee. I usually compile my playlist based on songs belonging to this genre that I’ve heard and liked during clubbing. I also enjoy playing these songs during my gym workout or my runs, as the upbeat tempo adds an extra boost to spur me on in my regime.

v) Any fave recipes or food? Would you say you’re a good cook?

Based on personal observation, quite a few of our local delicacies available in the hawker centres, food courts and restaurants can be very oily and unhealthy, so whenever possible, I try to cook my own meals to reduce my oil, salt and MSG intake. One of my personal favourite signature recipes is turkey sausage topped with shrimps and eggs, garnished with Romaine lettuce, and dressed with one of the healthiest salad dressings, Dijon mustard.

vi) What are some of your fave hangouts?
Like many young adults my age, popular night spots like Zirca, Helipad, Zouk and Phuture are some of the hip and happening locations that you’re likely to spot me and my friends clubbing at.

vii) Any fave gadgets? What is it about this gadget/s that appeals to you?
You might think that because I’m pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering that I would obviously be a “techie”, but I’m not. Ha, ha, ha… Brand names, model numbers and detailed specifications don’t really matter to me. As long as the gadget is able to fulfil my basic requirement of internet surfing, and comes with a music playlist function, that’s more than enough for me.

viii) Could you share with us a lesser-known interesting fact about yourself?
Could you tell that I’m someone who is really stubborn? Or to term it more positively, I can be extremely persistent. Yeah, it’s next to impossible to try to influence me to think otherwise once I made up my mind. And oh yeah, I can actually play the electric guitar quite well since picking it up 3 years ago, but that’s really nothing new if you know me personally.

Might we have seen you anywhere before (e.g. print or TV ads, acting parts in TV shows, other pageants or fashion or beauty related competitions, sports events, etc)?
I’d be really, really impressed and amazed if anyone managed to recognize me from my past freelance modelling assignments!

However, if you’re into local drama productions, there’s a chance you might spot me in one of the upcoming series “中计” (Tricked), acting alongside veteran actor Chen Shucheng! I don’t have any lines in the show, but it was an invaluable experience, which hopefully would lead to more acting opportunities in the future!

What made you decide to take part in Manhunt Singapore 2012?

I learnt about this competition from some of my friends and thought while I am still young, it would be interesting to venture into another arena besides academic learning, computer engineering and business, and gain some exposure and experience in the media, modelling and entertainment industry, instead of being stuck in a rut doing the same thing day after day.

Before enrolling in this competition, what was your impression of Manhunt Singapore 2012 like? Now that you’re a finalist, has that impression changed?
In my opinion, Manhunt Singapore has always been a very professional and well-organized competition and I’m glad to say that my personal experience as a finalist has proven that my initial impression was spot-on.

You’ve received numerous compliments on Facebook, praising your well-toned physique in the Manhunt Singapore 2012 photo shoots. Were you always this hunky since young? If not, what inspired you to build up your physique? How did you do it?

Physically speaking, it definitely has not been an easy journey getting to where I am today. I remember weighing in at a hefty 88kgs at my heaviest back when I was 16. Having just ended a relationship then, I was more determined than ever to lose the extra pounds and create a leaner, healthier, more confident and better me!

Recognizing that I have a low metabolism rate, which causes me to burn fat at a slower pace, I paid extra attention in stringently monitoring my diet, and stepped up my efforts in my fitness regime. I would run and sprint for 3 kms five to six times weekly and began hitting the gym with a passion, and before I knew it, people started to notice the difference in my appearance and complimented me on my weight loss efforts!

To be honest though, I am still not satisfied with my present physique to date and hope that through the course of this competition, the positive pressure and healthy rivalry would give me the extra push to attain greater heights in my physical transformation!

There is often the impression that good looking individuals tend to shun or discriminate against others who may not be as aesthetically pleasing in looks and physique. To what extent would you agree with this statement? What is your personal stance on this issue?
All I can say is “do unto others as you would have others do unto you”. In this world, there will always be someone who is better than you, whether it’s looks, physique, or other attributes, so before you judge someone else for being inferior to you in terms of those attributes, think about how you would feel if someone else were to judge you in the similar capacity. Having experienced first-hand how arduous the journey towards weight loss can be, I’m always willing to lend a listening ear and encouraging words to those who are also striving for a fitter and healthier lifestyle.

On the Miss Universe and Miss World annual competitions, emphasis is often placed on promoting world peace and helping the needy who are facing issues such as hunger, poverty and sickness. If given the choice to make a difference, what social cause would you want to champion? Why?
As the song lyrics go, “heal the world, make it a better place”, that would be my wish if I had the ability to effect a global change. There are several under-developed countries where medical treatments are either not advanced enough or even not available at all, and their people and children are suffering as a result. If only we had adequate resources to reach out and aid the less fortunate, the world would be a much better place.

On a closing note, were you surprised when you first learnt of this Manhunt Singapore Alumni group and were invited to join it in Facebook? How do you think the group is working out so far? Do you have any suggestion on how we can make both the alumni group as well as this blog better in time to come?
It was quite a surprise for me to discover the existence of this alumni group. I mean, wow, I’m amazed to see that the alumni actually includes contestants from as far back as the 1993 competition! Personally, I think it’s a great avenue for past contestants to get reacquainted with their fellow finalists especially if they have lost touch since then, recount memories as well as share photos of their past experiences on the competition, and check out how the competition has evolved in recent years.

From what we’ve seen of his awe-inspiring metamorphosis from flab to fab, we’re sure that with his hard work, determination and perseverance, Wilson will have no problem making his dreams of becoming an all-rounded successful health & fitness business entrepreneur a reality!

We’re one quarter through our interviews with our Top 20 finalists! Check back with us real soon as we bring you more insightful and revealing interviews!!!

Photos Credit:
Beam Artistes (www.beam.com.sg)
Marcus Mok Photography (http://www.marcusart.net/),
Milk Photographie (http://www.milkphotographie.com/index.php),
and Wilson’s Personal Photos