This week we interview Singapore Nuzest advocate Pearlly Luo.

We discuss how Pearlly has incorporated Nuzest into her fitness lifestyle and how this has evolved over the past few years to become more performance-focused.

Scott Larsen: So welcome today we're here chatting to Pearlly today, and we're talking about all things Nuzest. Pearlly has been with Nuzest for a number of years now, she has been taking the brand and really evolved in her advocacy work with Nuzest. We want to really understand about her story, how she uses it with her and her family and,  everything that new this brings to her. So thanks for coming on Pearlly.

Pearlly Luo: Hi, everyone.

Scott Larsen: So when we first started working with you, I understand, you really were interested in the brand already taking it and your Instagram wasn't huge to begin with, but it's just exploded over the last few years. So it'd be great to understand how you came to find Nuzest and how it's evolved for you?

Pearlly Luo: I think, first of all, Nuzest is a product that I really enjoyed. I first discovered Nuzest when I was looking around for a plant based protein, mainly because I didn't like the taste of whey and also, I didn't digest whey very well. When I take whey protein, I tend  to feel very bloated and full all the time and I didn't like that feeling. So as I was shopping around for a plant based protein, I chanced upon Nuzest and from then, I've never really looked back, because I feel like it has a great flavour and also  my body digests it really well. Most importantly, it mixs really easily in water. Most of the time, I am really busy and I I don't have the time to come up with elaborate recipes, so what I was looking for was really a protein that could dissolve in just plain water and ice and use it like that.

Scott Larsen: So let's talk a little bit more about your journey. Before we jump into the taste and all of the aspects you love about Nuzest. I know that when you started, you were doing a lot more gym workouts and there was a different focus of your Instagram.  That has really transitioned over time. Can you tell us more about that?

Scott Larsen: A lot of people are concerned  as we get this question a lot from ladies specifically, about putting on huge muscle. Maybe you can share your story about how it's worked for you over time and the comparison of how it works for you as an endurance athlete now, as opposed to someone who was recreationally doing more gym for the weight loss and maintenance.?

Pearlly Luo: Originally I used to be so afraid of protein. You know, when you walk into the nutrition shops, and you see the huge tubs of, of protein, you think that, oh, if I eat protein, I'll be a huge as those tubs. So I was always steered clear of those and it was only after I did more research and I understood that it's actually pretty hard to gain muscle. You know, and many times when people take protein, as well when they are very high in carbohydrates, as well as additional protein and additional fat, that's when you gain not just muscle but also fat, if you were to really work hard in the gym, you know. If you're able to have a holistic approach to training, and you have fixed goals, then if you were approach it scientifically, I think it's really quite easy to to adjust your intake and adjust the training, so that you can look the way you want to look. 

Scott Larsen: And that's a great outcome that you've had over the time. Having that realization that these are components to fitness and components to lifestyle that you've put together.   I know that when you got started with Nuzest, you actually tried to sachet and I want to take this moment to say in the description box below, Pearlly has a landing page and you can request your own free Nuzest sachet if you're living in Singapore, or Hong Kong. So go ahead and have a look at that description box, you can put your details down, and we'll send that out to you for free. So moving on, you also let your family have Nuzest. Just tell us a little bit of how your family uses Nuzest? 

Pearlly Luo: Originally, it's quite funny how we started. My son actually saw me shaking up a protein shake and he asked me what that was?  I told him that it's a Nuzest protein shake. He then asked me why I take it? I told him that I take it because I want my muscles to recover and when my muscles recover, I'm less likely to be injured. So when he heard my description of what protein does for me, he wanted a bit of it from himself too. So I told him, okay, well, really right, hold your horses. There's a special one for kids. And that's when I introduced him to the kids good stuff. It not only has protein, but it also has a bunch of various minerals and vitamins that are really essential for children's growth. For my son, I keep it simple, so I don't create any elaborate recipes. I just really mix it with water and ice and he's perfectly happy with that.

Scott Larsen: So I know you work extremely hard. Do you ever use Nuzest as a meal replacement? Because this is another question we get asked all the time. So for me, I do. How about yourself?

Pearlly Luo: I get asked this question a lot also. So my answer is a Nuzest shake contains less than 100 calories. I'm somebody that expends lots of energy. I do long distance training once in a while, two times a week actually. So for me, I need a lot more calories than that. So I wouldn't consider it a meal replacement. In fact, it is a meat replacement for me, because for the amount of energy to expend, I actually do require a lot of protein to recover and see really for my body to heal itself. But if I were to take all that protein from meat, then I will be taking a lot of meat.  And withj that meat, comes a lot of other hormones and fat and stuff like that. Or if I will take it from plants then it's also really hard. So I found that for someone who is really strapped for time, and I don't have that much time to sauce, for ingredients and meal prep all the time. I really need something that is really fast and that can supplement my protein meats within minutes. Yeah, so to answer your question is not a meal replacement for me, but it's a meat replacement.

Scott Larsen: There are a lot of flexitarians really doing that. They're blending their lifestyles and sometimes eating a heavy meat meal or replacing it with a high quality vegan protein. So this is really common and it's happening more and more. Now we get down to what is your favorite flavour of Nuzest, Clean Lean Protein?

Pearlly Luo: My favorite flavour always changes. Originally, it was vanilla matcha and then it was coffee and then it was strawberry. Now I have gone back to vanilla.

Scott Larsen: Are you just a person that likes the variety of different tastes? Or why do you feel like it changes all the time?

Pearlly Luo: Not really. I think it's because I don't have a strong preference for flavour. Most of the time when I take the Clean Lean Protein, I take it together with Good Green Vitality. 

Scott Larsen: What flavors do you mix for that, or what is your best combo?

Pearlly Luo:  I feel that the best combo is Nuzest Wild Strawberry Clean Lean Protein and Good Green Vitality.

Scott Larsen: Yes. There's a hidden gem there. I think for me, it's also my favorite and whenever we do events, we we certainly mix those together. So I think if you haven't tried this strawberry and Good Green Vitality, you should definitely get into that. How about your son? What's your son's favorite flavour?

Pearlly Luo: Definitely the chocolate? For sure.

Scott Larsen: Yeah. We do see that in Singapore. Of course, our chocolate Kids Good Stuff is loved by so many kids, I guess because the chocolate really make sure the taste is complete. So we do see that as a trend. So I'm always curious, you have such a big following, what is one common question that you always get with regards to protein?

Pearlly Luo: A big proportion of my following are actually female. About 80% of my followers are female and they're like me, either working woman, mothers, full time mothers, ladies in our 30s and 40s. The most common question, aside from how to get  abs, is usually, why do I even take protein? And I completely relate to that question, because for many years, I never thought that anyone needed protein, unless you were going to the gym to build humongous biceps, which I didn't want at a time. So only when I started to research more, I was more aware of what protein does for our bodies and I realized that everybody needs protein, a diet.  It is an important macronutrient, especially for people who don't get enough of it in our daily diet is can be quite useful to use a protein supplement. So originally, I used a protein supplement, because I was reducing red meat and meat in general on my diet.  I found it difficult to get meat from plants. I mean, it's possible to get protein from plants, but I was really busy and I needed something that could fit into my busy schedule. Then, as I progress in my training, even for now I do quite a bit of endurance training, I train, I run and cycle at least five times a week. So with that, I expend a lot of energy and if I were to consume sufficient protein through natural sources, it might mean that I'm taking a lot of meat, or it's just a lot of food in general and I find it it can be quite hard to digest. I truly just need something to supplement my my protein needs. So really, protein isn't just for people who are trying to build muscles, but also people who requires supplements who need to replenish the energy that they expended through intense training. At the end of the day, protein is required for your body to sufficiently recover and, and  heal itself. Yeah, so the main reason why I did protein is really so that I can recover faster, better and in the long run, be able to perform better.

Scott Larsen: I think you've really touched on some very big topics here. But just to just to dig in on the meat side, a lot of movies have come out recently Seaspiricy and Cowspiracy, if you want to go back a little way, a lot of people are focused on reducing meat out of the life. A lot of people are not going to go vegan or going to go vegetarian, I think they're in your place. So I'm not surprised that that is a massive question on your Instagram. But there's a second thing that you didn't touch on, but I know it is impactful for your life and that is for aging parents. As we get older, we definitely degenerate in our muscles. This is something I need to explain often is that  you should take protein and increase your protein over time, in order to slow down that degeneration. So again, it comes back to recovery, it comes back to keeping the muscle you have, as opposed to losing it.

Pearlly Luo: Yes, exactly. I'm very in tune with this because my parents live with me. So they do change up their diet quite a bit as age. My parents are super activity, they still do resistance training, and they still lift weights and walk a lot in my Dad cycles. So I they do see the importance of protein as well. So really Nuzest is not just for myself, but my partnership with Nuzest, it's very impactful for not just me, but the whole of my family.

Scott Larsen: And it is safe. A lot of people ask me, is it safe to eat a lot of protein?  I often tell people, if you're willing to have beans on your plate, then you're also okay to have a protein shake every day, just as that supplement just as that base. So I think there is fear and misconception that, as you rightly said that this is just going to bulk you up. So many guys out there wishes that was true, but it's unfortunately, it's quite a fallacy.

Pearlly Luo: Yes, and I think my philosophy is never to let a myth or a fear stop me. So I have a suspicion or something, I think the best thing to do is really to go deep into the research and to find out whether the myth is true or not, whether my fears are founded or not. Yeah, and I feel like it's really important to approach things scientifically. There is a ton of research out there and it's just there for us to discover.

Scott Larsen: The great thing is, with that research being so accessible these days, it really is a test of you. Because I know that you ran a test earlier this year, we don't need to say what it was, but it didn't work for you, but it does work for me. So not all tests are equal and there are many ways to slice the cake, in this case, shake a Nuzest. So we we want to make sure that you are doing what you need to do and what's right for you. So it's great that you put yourself out there, you're fearless, and it comes through in what you're putting out as well. So is there anything else you want to leave with us? Like we said before, you can get a free sample. Pearlly's landing page is down below.  Maybe you want to share with us your Instagram tag and any other updates that you have coming up that you want to share?

Pearlly Luo: So maybe get a look at my landing page.  I actually not only have a link for the free sachet, but I also have a long story of my fitness journey, how it started, how I got into it in the first place and what motivates me to continue on my fitness journey. I think for this year, I have a lot of new goals and aims.  I'm quite excited for what the rest of the year brings and I hope that you will find some useful resources on the Nuzest website also. In the meantime, if you want to stay in touch, or you want to just chat and discuss more on fitness or nutrition or anything on health. Feel free to DM me at my handle, which is just @pearllyluo.

Scott Larsen: Do want to share about some of those goals that you have for the back half of the year or you want to keep them secret and private for now?

Pearlly Luo: Hmm - I think Ill announce them on my IG page.

Scott Larsen: Perfect. But we'll catch up with you I'm sure later on in the year. None of us are traveling, so we have a lot of time.  All the best on the year. Thank you for coming on today and thank you for being an amazing Nuzest advocate.

Pearlly Luo: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

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