Food, fitness and heavenly bodies

"I give them advice on how to eat each day and amend their training plans according to how much and what they eat. Diet can help you lose weight, while training is aimed at making your body look better."

Members are getting more information than ever before about eating and exercise "but that does not mean that by themselves they can put that theory into practice", he says.

"I put training plans together for members according to their needs, whether it be losing weight or gaining muscles, and pairing that with proper eating advice."

Sometimes, before a member starts training, Yu asks Yuan Meng, chef in A Plus Fitness' canteen, to prepare a meal for the member to be eaten once training is over.

Yuan, who used to work for five-star hotels as a chef, says he started working out two year ago, losing about 35 kilograms by combining that with healthy eating.

"I've tried many light salads, but they lack flavor, and I reckoned I could do something better. So I took the job as a chef here. Anyone wanting to lose weight can cut back on how much they eat, but it's wrong to stop eating."

At the canteen, Yuan says, he continues to learn about nutrition and devising new dishes. He wants to dispel the common misconception that if you are dieting you are limited to eating the likes of boiled vegetables and chicken.

At A Plus Yuan likes to get out of the kitchen when he has the time and talk with members, even giving them training advice.