in her shoes

What a Singapore-Based Celebrity Fitness Instructor Wears to Work

Liv Lo on travel, yoga, and life with Henry Golding.

Photo: Gabriela Herman
Photo: Gabriela Herman

Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding is a model, actor, and BBC presenter, but he’s not the only multi-channel celebrity in his marriage. Golding’s wife of two years, Liv Lo, is a fellow TV presenter and the founder of a fitness program, FitSphere. Her classes combine light weights with yoga for a quick workout that can be done anywhere. (You can stream them on the FitSphere site as well as ClassPass.)

The 33-year-old Lo grew up in Taiwan. In Tokyo for college, she was scouted by an agency — coincidentally, the same one that represented Crazy Rich Asians star Sonoya Mizuno. Post-modeling, Lo transitioned to a career in entertainment and began practicing yoga, which led to her interest in fitness instruction. On a quick trip to New York to teach a sold-out class at Dancebody, Lo talked to the Cut about her hectic life traveling the globe, her life with Henry, and why she doesn’t believe in following trends.

Photo: Gabriela Herman

On her everyday shoes:
I typically ride my e-scooter around town, so I stick to wearing sensible shoes that cover my toes for safety. In my bag I’ll stash kitten heels in case I need to change. I’m 5’8” and I don’t like to tower over people in 4-inch heels unless I’m working the carpet or on stage. But my job also requires lots of traveling, so a typical day might involve being out of town. I always make it a point to pack at least four pairs of shoes or more — I hate not having the right shoes to go with an outfit.

On what she wears on a night out: I’m all about being comfortable in my skin. If I had to choose between showing cleavage or a dress that requires me to go braless, I’d rather do the latter. That said, the one detail I’m crazy about is material! Silk and velvet shine under a spotlight and feel extra glam. I really loved this silk Dior slip I wore to an event, and also the velvet Ralph Lauren dress I wore to a recent black-tie gala.

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On what she wears on a regular Monday:
If I’m not traveling and I’m in Singapore, I’ll always try to exercise. It’s my favorite way to start the week, so you’ll see me in my Reebok workout clothes getting my sweat on before changing out to zip around town to meetings and coffee dates. Because the weather is so warm, my go-to is a crop top and high-waisted denim culottes that I can dress up with a blazer or down with a bomber.

On her personal style evolution:
I like to describe my style as “casually confident with a gentlewomanly twist.” You won’t ever see me in a pencil skirt, but I love a good pair of pants and a blazer. Whether I’m teaching a class or on the red carpet, I want to be comfortable. That said, I do dream of wearing something extravagant one day to the Met Ball or to a major awards show.

I’ve learned I don’t look the best in all-black — I can basically wear every color but that. It’s dull and washes me out, so I guess I am not so emo. I’ve been lucky to have worked with fashion from a young age and been able to work with brands I love. Now I look for ones that are luxury with a conscious-forward approach. The world is changing and I believe fashion needs to follow suit.

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On finding balance:
Every day is so different! This year I was traveling at least twice a month, so keeping up with fitness, running a business, and marriage has been a balancing act. I’ve learned how to be disciplined but not regimented. If I can’t make it to a workout that day, I am not going to stress about it. It’s why I created FitSphere — I want the flexibility to exercise with whatever pocket of time I have available that day. I’m a social being and I need quality time with friends too!

On an average day:
I believe in heart-aligned eating which means doing what feels right for my body. That means I do 12–16 hours of intermittent fasting — I aim for eight hours of sleep with some fasting on either end. But I do make it a point to eat three meals each day. Then I’ll add in a workout before switching gears to what I call “work from bed” which is really just being on my computer. I make sure to do a social-media post plus add in some stories, although some days I’ll need to memorize a script or prepare to host an event. Scheduling for me is the key to being productive.

On who she’s thinking about when she gets dressed:
I dress for my husband and to feel good. If Henry doesn’t approve of an outfit, I won’t wear it — in fact, I’ll probably get rid of it altogether! That said, I prefer to match classic pieces instead of dressing according to a trend. Short hair may or may not be in, but who cares? Maybe I inherited this Chameleon nature from my modeling days, but I love to reference many people when I’m dressing myself. Dua Lipa, J.Lo, Kiko Mizuhara are just some of my inspirations.

On the challenges of her unique job:
I’m my biggest motivator but my line of work is quite physical. There’s traveling, teaching, and TV hosting — all of it requires lots of behind-the-scenes work and prep for one moment, one class, or one Instagram. Living healthfully is my lifestyle choice and it’s a great job to have, but I do get physically exhausted and I’m super sore at times. I need to give myself time to recoup after finishing a major project, otherwise I can burn out. I’m working on building a team around me so I can develop further.

On traveling and packing:
I am horrible! I leave my bag open and throw things in as I remember. Sometimes I create a list and I’ll have a glass of wine while packing my heart out two hours before. Often it’s not a simple trip since I’ll go places at least for a month at a time. I have to remember everything from jewelry to lingerie to my passport. That said, I’ll never go abroad without a bikini (even if it’s winter!), face masks, and my 2L refillable water bottle.

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What a Singapore-Based Fitness Instructor Wears to Work