UTAH LEE
You’re known for transforming workouts into high-energy, result-driven fitness experiences. How do you define wellness beyond just physical results in your own life?
My philosophy of wellness has never been about chasing an ‘insane’ body. Of course, fitness can transform you physically, but my main focus has always been happiness — you need to have fun and love what you do. Fitness is one of the tools for happiness. To me, wellness is an ongoing process of making mindful choices that help you live well – and also about finding your passion and just doing it.
You work with everyone, from corporates to local communities. What have these very different audiences taught you about motivation and resilience?
I work across fitness, fashion, beauty, lifestyle and creative direction, collaborating with diverse teams and talent. I always try to do my best in whatever I do. When people ask for one thing, I’ll try to give them two. My drive to keep learning new skills means I’m always pushing myself to grow. I think resilience is about showing up, learning from your mistakes and evolving with every experience. I try to live with no regrets.
Animal welfare is important to you. How do pets personally benefit your mental and emotional health?
We adopted our dogs from the SPCA and Catherine’s Puppies, and their unconditional love is something else. Nothing beats the excitement I get when I walk through the door. They’re always happy to see me, whether I’m sweaty, exhausted or looking like a mess. They remind me that happiness really comes from the little things – they’re definitely my living stress balls, and I squeeze (hug) them all the time. We also live close to the country parks, so we often see cows, wild boars, monkeys, porcupines and deer, which I love. I always try my best to advocate for protecting animals and letting them live peacefully. Hong Kong has so many incredible animal shelters, and I really admire the people who dedicate their time and energy to saving animals. I volunteer at shelters as well, and honestly, giving back to the community in general brings me hope — it’s been deeply rewarding for my soul
On days when your energy dips, what are your go-to rituals or mindset shifts that offer motivation?
Nobody needs to be at 100 percent every single day. People often ask me, ‘Do you ever feel tired?’ The answer is yes — of course, I’m human. For some reason, people think I don’t need to eat or rest. I’ve learned to listen to my body more. Sometimes motivation isn’t about pushing harder; it’s about slowing down, resetting and coming back stronger the next day. But if I need a little boost, I’ll put on a dance workout video, and get up and dance
What is wellness to you?
Some days, wellness looks like an intense workout and back-to-back bookings. Some days, it’s a quiet coffee, a dog walk, laughing with friends, doing charity work, or simply slowing down, sitting with my family and watching the sunset. After all these years in fitness, I’ve learned that true wellness starts from within: kindness to ourselves, to others, to our community and to our planet.