GOING FROM FLAB TO FAB

Power98 FM DJ Darren Wee, 26, wears many hats as an active social worker, a brand ambassador for Puma, as well as the drummer and songwriter for local rock band MONOCHROME. It was his love for music that made him work towards a career as a DJ.

Most people cringe when their enlistment letter arrives in their mailbox. To some, it signifies two years of freedom taken from them. But there are those who take it in their stride to make the two years of National Service (NS) a fruitful experience.

For me, it was an arduous journey - sort of like when you go for your first driving lesson.

There is the fear of things unknown, horror stories that you hear from those who went before you, and the thought of being solely responsible when the rubber hits the road (no pun intended).

But as it is with driving, everything becomes much easier once you get the hang of it.

I used to weigh a whopping 85kg due to my diet and sedentary lifestyle. And that didn't bode well for me in NS initially. With my ever-increasing waistline and my BMI (Body Mass Index) surging through the roof, I was probably the perfect model for the artwork of Fernando Botero.

Then the day came when I put my foot down and decided that it was time to do something about my weight before it came to a point where I measured myself in tons instead of kilos. Those who have tried to lose weight know how difficult it is. And it was especially challenging for someone who had no experience or prior training whatsoever.

I watched my diet and exercised daily. In the beginning, I could run only 600m but I kept at it and the distance slowly increased.

In the end, I lost 25kg in a span of six months.

The reason? Discipline, determination and focus.

The most important thing that I learnt during my NS days was discipline - one of the SAF's (Singapore Armed Forces') seven core values and something I hold close to heart.

Discipline isn't just about good conduct. Discipline also translates into endurance and focus; it becomes the main driving force when you set a reasonable end goal for yourself.

And if you go at it with the right attitude, discipline helps you in other aspects of your life outside the SAF.

It ensures that you carry yourself with proper decorum. It helps you excel in the office and meet deadlines and sales targets. It helps you scale greater heights. And most importantly, it helps you balance work and play so that your life can be in order.

On my ORD (Operationally-Ready Date), I was glad that I had completed my two years and come out a brand new person.

Not only was I happy that I had finally passed through the rite of passage, I was pleased that I had picked up valuable skills I could apply in my everyday life.

"Discipline isn't just about good conduct. It also translates into endurance and focus, and if you go at it with the right attitude, discipline helps you in other aspects of your life outside the SAF."
- Darren Wee