The Metamorphosis Of Trina Liang-Lin

Activist ventures out of her comfort zone to shake up the food industry.

- Germaine Cheong

If you need some #fitspo, scroll through Trina Liang-Lin’s Instagram profile. This lady means business when it comes to her fitness regimen; nothing comes between her and finishing those bent-over rows or dropping huge sets of push-ups.

The results you see have been eight years in the making, the last one and a half of which was intensive training. As the immediate past president of the Singapore Committee for UN Women, and an outspoken champion of social and gender inequality issues, Liang-Lin has sought to better the lives of different communities. Yet, in her busyness, the managing director of investment research consulting firm Templebridge Investments admits she neglected her own wellness – until she received a wake-up call in the form of a government letter.

“Eldershield,” the 48-year-old deadpans. “It’s like getting the national service call-up letter for a guy. I think it’s a bit of a shock for a woman. I thought to myself, I actually have to start preparing for old age.

“By the time Eldershield comes, it’s also at a stage when you become more introspective about life. My mum died at 40. My family has a history of diabetes, so I am at risk. I was pretty fit in school – I played netball and I was in athletics. You just think you’d always be fit. The years of wining and dining catch up.”