Too fit to quit

A new class of innovators is redefining health, fitness and influencing. But what drives the originators of #fitspo themselves? NICOLAS EDWARD CHOI, UTAH LEE, INEZ LEONG, VIVIAN MA and MOONIE CHU talk to about their motivations, their messages and their u

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Fencing since the age of nine, Nicolas

Edward Choi has the sporting experience of someone two decades his senior while his calm demeanour is the opposite of what one would expect from a seasoned combat sportsman. Choi, now 28, chalks this up to frequent high-pressure performances in exceedingly intense environments.

Intrigued by a sport he had not been exposed to before, Choi chose to pursue fencing as an extracurricular activity in primary school. It soon became a family affair as he and his sister were both selected as juniors to represent Hong Kong. “People call fencing the chess of sports,” he says.

“I love that.”

In 2010, Choi qualified for the Summer Youth Olympics, where he finished ninth. Then, at the age of 19, he qualified for the

2012 Summer Olympics in London. “The Olympics never crossed my mind,” he says. “I had represented Hong Kong at the

Youth Olympics but the ‘real’ Olympics seemed out of reach.”

Indeed, competing at the Olympics would be daunting for anyone. But for the youngest fencer to ever represent Hong

Kong, the pressure was enormous. “The atmosphere was electric, but I definitely lacked big competition experience,” Choi says. He didn’t, however, let this bring him down, receiving a Hong Kong Potential

Sports Star Award upon his return home.

Choi explains that in sports micro movements can be the difference between a win and a loss, but in life his message is simple: everyone should be allowed to pursue opportunities outside of their “thing”. “In sports, sometimes the assumption is that when you retire as an athlete, you become a coach and then you become management and so on,” he says, “But there’s a lot more to me than just sports and I want to spread that message.”

Recently, Choi has been sharing his interests – including a longtime passion for fashion – and life beyond fencing with his 30,000 Instagram followers. “People seem to be paying more attention to athletes nowadays, maybe because [we] have a healthy image,” he muses.

When it comes to his future goals,

Choi wants to continue to express himself and spread a message of positivity. “Working out makes you happy so I want to spread happiness,” he says, “especially in these hard times.”

No talk of the Hong Kong fitness landscape is complete without mentioning Utah Lee. With her tough-as-nails workout ethic, sculpted figure and signature blonde ponytail, it isn’t hard to see how Lee has earned her status among the city’s fitness elite. A fitness and fashion icon, both on Instagram and off, Lee is simultaneously Nike master trainer, dancer, model and mother of two.

Unlike most athletes, Lee was not exposed to fitness when she was young. She worked in fashion before helping out as a receptionist at a friend’s gym over 20 years ago. Her introduction to the industry came when she was asked to use her background in dance to lead a class. At the time, Lee says, a fitness culture didn’t exist, particularly for women.

Lee – who recalls regularly being asked, “Why are you in a gym?”– believes the urban setting and hectic work schedules native to Hong Kong contribute to a less active society. “Exercise is not very accessible here,” she says. “We don’t grow up with the concept of working out, whereas children from other countries are encouraged to be outdoors.”

As the first female Nike master trainer in the city, Lee has inspired a shift in attitude. “When fitness and training started gaining traction, it was all about lifting as much as you could and running until you couldn’t anymore. I wanted to change that.”

The world of fitness has now expanded to include wellness, mental health, fashion and even beauty. Lee strives to express herself not only through her classes, but also her signature style, a fitting nod to her days as a fashion designer.

“Back in the day, fitness fashion didn’t exist,” she says, laughing. “I would show up in crazy things like ripped jeans with chains hanging down, did my hair, just to teach a fitness class.” The rise of athleisure wear has blurred the line between fitness and fashion, bringing exercise to the forefront of people’s minds, whether they’re athletic or not.

Lee points to her children and her mental health as her motivators. Being able to laugh at yourself is an added bonus, she says. For Lee and her family, being away from tech is the key to a healthy lifestyle. “People’s lives now revolve around social media; I don’t think that’s a good thing,” she says. “I don’t want my children comparing themselves to strangers online.”

Every inch the unstoppable fitness influencer, Lee is ready to take anything in her stride. “I’ve always joked that I’m difficult because I challenge people to think differently. It’s a change in thought that inspires change in your life.”

You might assume all models are most comfortable in a dress and heels, but for

Inez Leong workout gear and running shoes are home. Leong began running as a means to an end – to maintain her figure – but over time it became a different thing entirely.

Starting out unaware that running was a sport in and of itself, Leong suffered from frequent injury. Her aha moment came after running her first half-marathon in Norway. The striking scenery she encountered along the way fuelled her, but she was left unable to walk properly for a week afterwards.

“It was a great experience, but the run itself felt never-ending,” she recalls. “It took me two hours, 21 minutes. But that was what motivated me to improve; my personal best is now one hour, 45 minutes.”

After committing to running the Tokyo Marathon the following year, Leong threw herself into training and sought course after course to understand and improve her form. Describing running as a “test of endurance, a form of meditation and extreme concentration”, Leong is adamant that it isn’t just about the running. “Running is

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