5 Minutes with Allan Wu (@wulander)

Om Ambassadors are our brand ambassadors: leaders in their own community who champion the Om & Away brand and exemplify our mission and ethos both in person and on line. This week, we chat with Allan Wu (@wulander) about fitness and travel.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name is Allan Wu and I have been an actor and a host for quite some time.  However, my true passion has always been in being healthy and staying fit.  I have two children who are growing up too fast and I hope to instill the same core values of wellness in them and my friends so they take care of themselves and their bodies to live a healthy, fulfilling, and meaningful life.  

2. What is your wellness/fitness routine? 

I have always enjoyed being active and being outdoors since I was a child, and I continue to make the time and effort to work out and stay healthy.  Each week, I like to go running and swimming a few times along with going to the gym.  If I can round up some friends, then I’ll get together with them to play basketball.  Of course, that probably won’t happen as much due to the recent pandemic so I will just focus on exercising by myself.

3. Where is your favourite travel destination? 

My work has afforded me the privilege of traveling to many locations that I believe I would have never visited on my own.  This includes many places that are not necessarily classified as popular tourist destinations.  Therefore, these travel experiences have really shaped my perception on society and the world we live.  That being said, I really enjoy going up the mountains in Hokkaido, Japan, for a snowboard trip or beach holiday to the Maldives.  And of course, I always make an effort to head back to Los Angeles to see my family and relatives.

4. What are the places or retreats you would recommend to people for a travel wellness experience?

I believe people enjoy going to somewhere a bit more rustic and tropical so locations such as Bali, Phuket, and Koh Samui are a great place to congregate for a travel wellness experience.  The island life is very relaxing and invigorating at the same time.  Furthermore, the guests won’t need to pack too much because the weather is always warm.  

5. Why do you think it’s important to prioritise your health and wellbeing and how do you keep this at the forefront when life starts to become overwhelming? 

I never realised the importance of being healthy until I was maybe a bit older.  For me, I just simply enjoyed playing sports and being active when I was young.  It was only after college did I begin to take more of a proactive approach to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle..  For me, prioritising health and well-being has become very important because I would like to set a good example for my children and the people around me.  Also, I have seen the many positive effects of making an effort to stay active and healthy, especially when life does become overwhelming.  It’s a great way to deal with stress and tension by simply taking the time to exercise.

6. Everyone’s idea of self-care is different, please tell us about yours? 

Self-care begins with taking care of ourselves from the inside first.  What we see on the outside and what we do with our physical being is simply a manifestation of our mental health and discipline to prioritise and care for ourselves.  It take a lot of effort to adopt and maintain a regular and consistent workout regimen.  However, I know that we will be rewarded for the time and effort we invest into taking care of our bodies and health.  

7. What is your personal ethos? 

“Great things never came from comfort zones.”

8. If there is 1 wellness tip you swear by, what would that be? 

With the plethora of exercise options available in this day and age, we should all take the time to try and find something something we enjoy doing.  Only with passion for doing it will we be inspired and motivated to continue on this fitness journey.

You can follow Allan in his fitness journey and everyday life here!