I have a fair number of expatriates among my clientele, which statistically makes a lot of sense. After all, there are about 5.3 million people in Singapore, and about 40% of the population is composed of foreign workers. With more than 2 million of them in the Lion City, it would have been a statistical anomaly if I didn’t have expat clients in my work as a personal trainer in Singapore, wouldn’t you agree?
Why Expats Love to Stay in Singapore
We know for a fact that living in Singapore can be expensive, and the housing costs can be outrageous. Drinking and clubbing can also put a dent on our wallets, and lots of foreigners feel that the laws can be just a bit stricter than what they’re used to where they come from.
Yet the expats I know love it here. They love the general acceptance of racial and cultural diversity. They also love the fact that crimes are almost non-existent, and people with children don’t really have to be afraid that someone would be selling illegal drugs to their children. The school system is excellent, and yet the pace of the city is not as frenetic as in South Korea, for example. The food is great too!
Why Expats Go to a Personal Trainer
Talking with my expat clients is very enlightening, although in some ways our discussions seems to emphasize the obvious conclusion that expats and locals tend to have many things in common. When I ask them why they want to undergo fitness training, their answers resemble those given by my local clients.
1. They want to shed unwanted pounds. I do believe losing weight is a worldwide concern these days, with medical experts regarding obesity as a global epidemic. But the desire to lose weight is prevalent among Singaporeans, with almost half the consumer population believing that they are overweight and more than half trying to lose weight. Add the temptation of the local dishes, and maintaining a diet and a trim figure can be challenging indeed.
2. They want to improve their social life. In general, the men want to build muscle and the women want to be as slim as possible while remaining healthy. Every culture in the world has its own standards of beauty, but one thing that’s common here is that a fit physique is almost universally considered an attractive trait, no matter where you come from. And fitness is considerably easier to achieve than getting to look like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie!
3. They want to boost their career. This isn’t just about looking good, although that helps. Endurance and strength should also be improved. Productivity sky rockets.
4. Many want to join the Singapore Marathon. That event is a great way to meet new people since about fifty thousand people join every year. And believe me, very few are eyeing the grand prize. They’re in it for the experience!
5. They want to change their lifestyle to a more active one.
6. Many want to improve their productivity (at work and life)
A lot of expats actually prefer to go to a Singapore personal trainer as opposed to someone who comes from their own country. After all, what’s the point of being in Singapore if you don’t go out and meet other kinds of people? But of course, language barriers can be a problem, especially if you go to one who insists on communicating in Singlish. Fortunately, I can express myself in perfect English (well.. Near perfect), so that’s not a problem with my own expat clients 😉
Coach Sharm, MSc
sharm@gurufitness.com