For most people, turning 60 is a quiet milestone.
Chuando Tan would like it that way, too, but the Singaporean celebrity fashion photographer says his friends and social media fan base prefer the opposite.
He has over 1.7 million Instagram followers and 69,000 followers on Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu.
“People make a big deal about turning 60. To me, it’s just another birthday,” the 59-year-old former model says of his upcoming birthday on March 3.
He may be built like a stallion and famed for his Adonis-like physique and age-defying good looks. But, physically, Tan admits feeling his age.
“You start to feel your body is losing energy and steam. You have to push yourself; your body can just let go without you even trying,” he says.
“To me, maintaining vitality is really important for healthy ageing.”
Despite his modest protestations, Tan’s youthful appearance is no accident. It is the result of decades of disciplined habits, starting in his early 20s, when he began modelling and working out seriously after national service.
Contrary to popular belief, he is not a non-stop gym machine. “People think I’m always exercising, but that’s not true. I’m a human being. I get lazy too,” he says with a laugh. There are stretches – three to six months at a time – when he skips the gym and sticks only to light cardio and basic movements.
But one non-negotiable is his diet.
“I watch what I consume and put into my body, which I think is really important,” he says. “That contributes to how well you age and your vitality.”He avoids processed foods, preferring ingredients in their simplest, least altered forms – like beef steak or chicken breast instead of patties, and whole vegetables instead of heavily seasoned dishes.
At home, his cooking is deliberately no-frills: everything into a rice cooker, minimal oil and mostly organic extra virgin olive oil. He uses the olive oil so regularly that he can even take it as a shot, though he usually pairs it with boiled eggs.
His daily staples read like a nutritionist’s checklist: honey, blueberries, garlic, onions – all chosen for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. His indulgence is durians, though he is conscious of not overeating them.
“All these dietary habits have helped me become what I am today,” he says.
On exercise, his philosophy is simple and pragmatic.
He aims for five gym compound workouts a week – comprising dumbbell squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups and overhead presses, and cardio walking on the treadmill. But, realistically, he manages three, capped at about 90 minutes each. At this age, he warns against “ego lifting”, overloading joints and chasing heavy numbers.
Instead, he stresses the importance of strengthening the lower body. “When you cannot walk, everything will just go downhill,” he says. When asked about his plans for 2026, Tan, who is single, half-jokes that he is already retiring.
“I just want to sit down, take a step back and enjoy a healthy life, and do what I like,” he says.
Photography, once his core profession, is now something he takes on selectively. If a good project comes along, he will consider it, but he no longer chases every opportunity.
Tan – who released his Chinese-language self-help photo book In Life, You Don’t Have To Win Every Time in 2023 – hints at a new creative work which he hopes to launch soon.
He is also intrigued by Hyrox, the global functional fitness race popular with younger crowds.
Though shy about joining a community where he does not know anyone, he would love to train for it. “It will be to challenge myself,” he says. “I see it as a personal test of stamina and endurance rather than a competition.”A forecast for the Year of the Fire Horse is that the world will face harsh conditions and natural disasters. However, people born in 1966 will have a fantastic year, he declares.
“That’s what I was told. We will have to see about that,” he adds. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
