When it gets scary looking in the mirror and seeing flabs all over, the only way out is a serious plan. In this edition, The Filipino Times, gives you the options and some success stories.
DUBAI: Binging on a bag of chips with soda, chocolates, cakes and ice creams on the side; and eating out over four times a week – routines are, indeed, hard to break. But when you get out of bed one morning, pass by the mirror, and saw someone from the corner of your eyes looking just like you but seemed not because you haven’t noticed those flabs till that very horrifying moment, you only have two ways to go: denial or kick the habit and seriously take up a diet plan.
A straw poll conducted by The Filipino Times has revealed that while there has been an unsettling trend among Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as regards eating idiosyncrasies, there is equally a good number who have taken the road to fitness.
TFT found out that at least six of 10 Filipinos have been remiss with their physical exercise; another five of 10 said they have been meaning to do some running but couldn’t find time; still another 6 of 10 said they regularly go to the gym or do some evening jog after work.
Salient points
But before that, some salient points seem in order: Global insurer, Zurich International Life (ZIL) has conducted a survey that showed the average resident of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is considered overweight.
The ZIL study based its findings on body mass index (BMI) – calculated by dividing a person’s weight vis-a-vis the height – and which, in the UAE’s case stands at an average of 25.6. According to the survey, 47.5 percent of UAE residents were overweight, having a BMI of between 25 and 30; another 13 percent were obese.
BioMed Central, online publisher of free peer-reviewed scientific articles, noting that approximately 65 percent of UAE’s population are “economic migrants,” attributed ZIL’s findings to “emerging evidence suggesting that expatriate populations from low or middle-income countries that migrate to high-income countries absorb the lifestyle and eating behaviors of the host country.” Dr Arabelle Lijuaco- Berto, Internal Medicine Specialist at The Medical City – Dubai, said most Filipinos in the UAE are gaining weight because of the accessibility and convenience of fast foods which are usually high in fat content; the sedentary nature of work; and the accessibility of the transportation system which require minimal physical activity.
Lack of exercise due to the inconvenience of inexpensive outdoor exercises such as walking, jogging, biking during the hot and humid summer season, is also a factor she said. “People should keep in mind that there are a lot of serious complications such as stroke, heart attack, diabetes, arthritis, and ever cancers in being overweight or obese,” Berto said She stressed that the ideal diet for one who wants to lose weight is where he or she can enjoy healthier food options and maintain it. “There is a variety of vegetables and fruits in the UAE which are also inexpensive.
We need to choose them over the unhealthy fast foods and junk foods which are notoriously linked with obesity. Drinking water instead of unhealthy sodas and synthetic fruit juices is also a way to significantly minimize unwanted calories,” Berto said.
Zap the flab
As studies have shown, an increasing number of Filipinos are starting to alter their diet and lifestyle to zap all that flab. A very timely “fitspiration” would be former Quezon City councilor and actress Aiko Melendez who lost 22.6 kilos in less than a year, after joining a non-invasive weight loss program with renowned beauty specialist Marie France.
In one of her recent media interviews, Melendez, 40, shared that whenever she’d go to the mall, people would approach her and say, “Hoy, ang taba mo. Mukha kang aparador (Hey, you’re so fat. You look like a closet.),” which made her feel insecure. So, she said, she vowed to lose weight. Melendez said she had tried all kinds of diets, among them South Beach, After 6, and Atkins. She said she even took diet pills, but nothing worked. Melendez said she likewise had liposuctions in various parts of her body — arms, back, legs, tummy. When asked about the secret formula, Melendez said that it all boils down to diet, gym workouts and, probably the most important of all, determination. Melendez went under strict supervision of medical doctors. From weighing 88.4 kilos, Melendez is now 67 kilos. From a 34-inch waistline, Melendez is now back to a more defined 28 inches. She said she aims to lose some 15 lbs. more.
Success story
Another success story is that of Jhandz Redubla, 32, who is working as business development coordinator at a hotel in Khorfakkan. Redubla said she came to Dubai in 2014 weighing only 48 kilos. After just a few months, Redubla said she gained seven kilos. It didn’t stop there.
Redubla found herself weighing 68 kilos in just over a year’s time living in Dubai. “Gaining 20 kilos in just a year – that’s insane! I fixed my diet and followed a more active lifestyle. Thankfully, I am now back to 55 kilos.” she said. “It is more about health issues. I feel like my immune system is weaker when I’m heavier. I guess it’s because I’m heavier na nga tapos madalas na masakit lagi paa ko and mabilis na ako hingalin. May pagka-outdoor person pa naman ako.
I love running and trekking, so when I gained weight medyo nahirapan na akong gawin yung mga yun,” Redubla said. “Another motivation to lose weight are my clothes – they were not fitting me right, anymore,” she added. As she doesn’t have the time to go to the gym, Redubla said she watches Zumba videos on YouTube and follow a restricted diet plan given by their hotel culinary director. Redubla said climbing the stairs instead of riding lifts is also helpful. She likewise jogs around the nearby corniche.
Diet plans
Military Diet – The Military Diet, a three-day-1,500 calorie plan, is a fast way to lose up to 4.5 kilos a week. The meal plan is composed of select fruits, bread slices, crackers, meat, tuna, coffee or tea and a scoop of ice cream.
GM Diet – The General Motors Diet or GM Diet is a seven-day feeding plan that helps you lose up to 4.5 kilos to 7.7 kilos in a week. It not only reduces weight but puts the body through a detoxification process. This is because the content of the plan is mostly water (six to eight glasses a day) fruits, vegetables, milk and soup.
Cohen Diet – The Cohen diet is an individually adapted weight loss program that is based on gender, age and blood test results. Judy Ann Santos and Bea Alonzo were just some of the few Filipino celebrities who have undergone this diet. This is a six month program that requires a little exercise because of the low calorie intake; eating out is discouraged because of the ingredients used in the food.
Taking on a diet plan should be taken with caution. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), in releasing a report on 15 of the most popular diets, cited long-term health risks, saying, “Some weight-loss diets may result in nutritional imbalances, specifically excess protein and salt intake, insufficient intake of fibre, iron, magnesium and vitamin D.”
The ANSES said these imbalances can lead to health problems. Health experts also say that one of the major recurring effects of food deprivation and exclusion, irrespective of the diet, is paradoxically weight regain, or even overweight: the more an individual diets, the greater the propensity for weight regain, leading to a yo-yo effect, particularly if the person is not physically active. “When we take in less food as fuel, our body deals with this reduction by slowing down to conserve energy.
Metabolism is lowered, reducing the rate at which calories are burned. Within 24 to 48 hours of beginning a calorie-restricted diet, metabolic rate decreases 15 to 30 percent. By contrast, when our body takes in more food than it needs as fuel, the metabolism speeds up and burns calories more quickly,” ANSES said in its report. Meantime, Dr Joey Villanueva, medical practitioner, said there is a lack of evidence supporting if diet plans are safe.
He said many physicians and dietitians still feel safe advising their patients to follow a balanced diet which includes protein, fat and carbohydrates on low amounts but with more frequent meals. He said low calorie intake, coupled with high physical activity, is still the safest way of losing weight. “Filipinos must feel guilty when they just sit down for eight hours at work or at home. Eight hours of inactivity must be supplemented with 2 hours of activity and then you’ll lose weight,” he told The Filipino Times.
