In grade school, the era of rampant bullying, I was assigned a seat next to the “crush ng bayan.” A few days later, word got around that he liked someone from our class. Every girl wanted a chance to be near him so it was only normal for all of us to hope she would be that lucky girl. I distinctly remember one girl telling me “Don’t get your hopes up. He’ll never like you. You’re too fat.” Man did that sting.

A few years later, I moved to a different school. During Linggo ng Wika that year, all classes were asked to present plays. In our class, I was assigned the role of a pig that couldn’t jump because she was too heavy. I was so ashamed to come out on stage.

In high school, our play was El Fili. Due to the lack of guys in our class, some girls had to play male roles. I was one of them. There was a part wherein I had to die and be carried out. I overheard one guy saying “I have to carry THAT?! -insert curse here-” Needless to say, I cried in a cubicle that day.

That summer, the summer before college, I vowed to work my ass off till I had none. I deprived myself of food and did a whole lot of cardio workouts. I lost 30 pounds in 3 months.

I took up Mixed Martial Arts the summer after high school in the hopes that I could lose weight before going to college.

When school started, I thought I had lost enough. I thought I had moved past all the teasing and name calling. Well, I was wrong. One day, during what my English prof called “KSP” or knowledge sharing power, a blockmate shared that in the older times people had a different notion of beauty. She said that the plumper you were, the more beautiful you were perceived to be. Then out of nowhere my seatmate called me out in front of everyone. That caused me to crash diet.

As for the gym, this is my routine:

– 10-15 minute warm up (intervals of running 2 minutes, sprinting 60 seconds)

– squats (20 reps with 20 lbs., 3 sets)

– kangaroo jumps (1 min, 3 sets)

– lunges with arm raises (5 lbs per arm, 15 reps, 3 sets)

– spiderman -think planking with sideways leg raises- (20 reps each side, 3 sets)

– mountain climbers (1 min, 3 sets)

– various arm and leg workouts (weights vary from 2 to 15  lbs.)

– abs, abs, abs! (anything but crunches, those NEVER get you anywhere)

– stretching

– cardio (20-60 minutes, depending on how tired I am or how much homework I have to do lol)

I took going to the gym as bonding moments with my siblings. It’s good to have a gym buddy to keep you motivated.

For the cardio, I usually take a class like body combat. If I’m too tired, I’ll just run on the treadmill again. On days that I don’t have much time (mahirap ang buhay science lol), I take a definitions class.

It may sound overwhelming, and at times it is, but whenever I think of skipping that last plank, or skipping cardio altogether, I remind myself of the pain I went through and use that as my source of strength.

For my diet, it’s not really a diet. It’s more of a lifestyle change. I no longer eat white carbs. Since I absolutely can’t live without carbs (figuratively and literally -forgive the science joke), I stick to brown rice and wheat bread. I also include lots of lean meat in my meals. I stay away from everything fried as well as fats. When I’m hungry, I make sure not to look at all the junk food mom has stocked in the room (#laglagan), and I snack on either an apple, grapes, a banana, or nonfat strawberry yogurt. I make baon lunch everyday that consists of one cup brown rice, one cup either steamed unsalted broccoli or asparagus, and one cup low fat spicy century tuna, steamed shrimp, or smoked salmon. I always have a skyflakes fit pack in my bag to munch on in case I get hungry in between classes too.

I’ve learned not to deprive myself because that would just lead to binge eating. If there’s something too good to resist on the table I’ll take a bite of it so I don’t have to keep thinking and imagining how good it would taste.

Lastly, instead of concluding with some emo quote or motivational mantra, I’d like to end on a lighter note. Here are a few of my favorite things to eat that prove healthy food doesn’t have to taste terrible.

1. BREAKFAST – One cup Nestle Fitnesse cereal or Greek Honey Bunches of Oats with almond coconut milk

2. LUNCH (always prepared by my mommy) – whole wheat tortilla wrap, turkey breast, A LOT of romaine lettuce, and a laughing cow non fat cheese slice

3. SNACK – Walter’s sugar-free wheat bread, Peanut Butter Co.dark chocolate dreams, and banana slices

4. DINNER – Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken breast, grapes, and homemade cilantro-lime-EVOO dressing

So yes. You CAN do it. Not to be fit & fab but so you can be healthier AND fab! And since the new year is just around the corner, what better motivation than starting the new year right to a healthier new you!

Happy Holidays!

The new, healthier me.