Before and After : Weight Loss Photos

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It’s inspiring to see before and after photos of people who have lost weight. Take for instance Five stars who went to fat and back like Janet Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Anna Nicole Smith, Nicole Richie and Jared Leto. Janet lost a whopping 70 pounds:

Janet’s secret is not lipo, not starvation, not gastric bypass. A few months back, Janet signed up for a healthy gourmet delivery service called Fresh Dining, a company that is becoming Hollywood’s new thing.

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There’s a similar service in Makati that prepares the [tag]Southbeach diet[/tag] and delivers it to your house. I know of a couple who ordered this diet plan. It cost them 20,000 pesos (roughly $400) every 15 days. God, it’s way too expensive. The result. They didn’t lose weight and I think even gained some poundage. So much for Southbeach diet.

My weight management plan was based on South Beach diet which I prepared by myself. Nothing fancy or expensive. It worked combined with daily exercise at the gym. At the age of 48 years old and afflicted with diabetes, I ‘ve achieved a [tag]weight loss[/tag] of of 30 pounds over a period of 4 to 5 months. I have 10 more pounds to lose.

So here’s my before and after pic:

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Sports in the family

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badmintonSports should have been one of the children’s activities. Yes, there were swimming classes but no volleyball, soccer, softball or basketball. Sure, L kicked her way to Kung fu lessons while M  took rock climbing and fencing during the summer. I think the reason I didn’t encourage contact sports was because I was also brought up that way. All of the siblings studied piano lessons and my mother didn’t want our delicate hands to be injured. So in the same manner, I also discouraged my girls to take up sports that had the highest risk of injury to their hands. “Sports is the only thing that we lacked.” Not that my kids are ungrateful. They appreciate me for the arts and crafts, ballet , piano, voice, theater and the light sports lessons. It’s just their bodies needed more physicial exertion.

Oh well , mommy is not perfect and besides they can always start something on their own like badminton or tennis. It’s never too late. The only consolation I can offer at the moment is membership at the fitness gym. Team spirit may not be present during the exercises but bonding with their mother and the other members can be just as rewarding.

Belly Dancing Mama and Daughter

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bellybells1.jpg I told my daughter , Lauren ” Did you know that [tag]belly dance[/tag] was taught by mothers to their daughters for easy childbirths?” She raised an eyebrow. I added, “At least you’re learning it now while still single“. Lauren rolled her eyes. She decided to tag along with me last week for belly dancing . Ahh, we had so much fun. After the belly dance session, she went to the “Girl Shoppe” at Market! Market! and bought me red hip scarves with coins while she got the purple for herself. This morning was our second session. The second time around is so much easier . Belly dancing reminds me a bit of the “hula” or “hawaiian dance” which was the craze for pre-teens in the late sixties. I know how to sashay my hips like a graceful hula dancer. But belly dance is different.

The dance’s movements teach you to focus on moving one part of the body, and make muscles and limbs toned yet flexible. One learns to control body movements, restricting them either to the upper or lower body. In “shoulder shimmies,” for instance, only the shoulders, arms and chest should move, not the waist or hips. Source

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Disabled for 6 months

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If I narrate the whole story on how I fractured my leg, perhaps “Maalala mo kaya?” (weekly TV drama series in ABS CBN) might get hold of my story. Hah, as if. A few close friends and family know the bittersweet story of how I fractured my leg. During those days, my life was like a series of sappy TV soap drama. Anyway, ten months ago on July 2005, I fractured my right leg (the tibia) and dislocated my ankle. I tripped in a pavement which curved irregularly. I slipped and then heard my ankle crackle (literally sounded like firecrackers) and broke my fall on my hand. My foot dangled like it was a separate appendage from my leg. The ankle protruded. The first thought that entered my mind was “there goes my exercise”. I held on to my leg with excruciating pain and tried to align my dislocated leg to my ankle. Although I had a car, it was useless for me to drive. Alone, I brought myself to the ER of Medical City. How naive I was! I thought a cast up to my thighs would fix the fracture in no time. That freaking cast was so heavy that I had to lift it in order to move around. In so much pain. Two days later, I was whisked to the emergency room because an operation was needed immediately.

I seriously thought I would die. Being diabetic and with a heart condition, the operation was delayed until I was cleared for operation. Around 8 screws were nailed into my ankle and tibia. It felt so much better although I was still in pain. Do you know how hard it is walk with one foot? I wasn’t allowed to put weight on the right foot for 6 weeks. I had to learn how to use the crutches before leaving the hospital. We bought a wheelchair and built some ramps around the house. Taking a bath involved 2 monobloc chairs: one for my casted foot and the other for me to sit and bathe myself. Fortunately , my husband is the type of person who knows how to take care of the sick. He doted on me like a sick baby, not complaining if I had to wake him in the dead of the night to get the bedpan.

I was in my neon-green fibercast with heels for 8 weeks but I managed to entertain myself by going to the malls or restaurants. Most of our malls are disable-friendly and of course, I got a special parking place. I frequented Shoemart Makati because the 7th floor parking area of Park Square leads straight to the Ladies Section. Supermarkets like Metro Supermarket in Market! Market! even had wheelchair cart. Moving around in a wheelchair wasn’t that bad at all so long as there is a caregiver and driver to bring you around. People threw sorry glances but it didn’t bother me. I knew my disability was temporary. Whenever I visited Medical City’s Rehab Center , I notice a lot of patients who suffered serious nerve damage such as stroke victims. I knew I was going to get well so I focused on my physical therapy.


By November 2005, I was using only one crutch. The scar on my right leg looks unsightly but it is a reminder of God’s divine intervention. Today, I have a slight difficult in going down the stairs but I can walk for longer distance now. Looking back at my disability, it was an opportunity for me to take care of myself. Even if I could not walk without crutches, I continued my stationary cycling for cardio exercise. I lifted weights to strengthen my arms. I followed a healthy diet. I worked on a new online business that gave me income opportunities. Meditation kept me in a serene mode. I turned stumbling blocks to stepping stones in improving myself . It was during this period of my life that positive changes in our family life evolved.

Sometimes pain can enlighten us. This pain leads and guides us into better choices for our future.

In fitness and in health till…

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fitness firstButch signed up at Fitness First today. One disdavantage of having a lifetime membership is one gets complacent and postpones visiting the gym. That’s what happened to my husband’s lifetime membership at Slimmer’s World. He’s been a member since the early 1990’s and barely uses it. I’ve been a member of Fitness First since May 2005 and I visit the center everyday. It’s like I have to take advantage of the services and facilities because I pay 2,300 pesos ($45) every month .

After we kissed and made up after our spat, he thought of transforming his negative energies into physical workout. I think he got envious of my transformation and happier disposition. He also noticed that my arms are stronger now. Hehe, I wonder how he noticed. Was it because I carried more grocery bags?

fitness first
After our workout, I feel refreshed and bubbly. He seems to be eager to go out of the gym because of his hunger pangs. I never get hungry after a workout.

hubbyHe grins at me because he has a craving for “Gonuts Donuts“. His silvery hair glistened as I took this photo. Hubby has premature gray hairs inspite of the fact that he is two years younger than me. I barely have any white hair. He reminds me of American Idol contestant , Taylor Hicks. Unlike Taylor Hicks, hubby only got his premature gray hairs in his mid -thirties.

butch
Anyway, “Gonuts Donuts” have a lite version which contains 1 gram of sugar and lesser fat. Hubby orders 3 lite donuts for me. How sweet. My sweet tooth is always wrecking havoc on my weight loss management. I still think they contain evil carbos which stimulate my fats to become even more resistant to weight loss. How can I resist?

Swirling my way to Belly Dancing

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TurqSpin.gifI’ve been dying to join a [tag]belly dancing[/tag] class ever since my daughter first introduced the idea to me four years ago. Finally after signing a petition, Fitness First The Fort launched “Belly Dancing” wednesday classes. I was late for the 10:00 AM class and ended up watching the women move their bodies to Egyptian music. How exotic.

I caught up with the teacher at the locker area and she said that I can still catch up. She’ll bring colorful hip belts next week for only 700 pesos ($14.00). It costs 750 pesos in Market! Market!

I was brimming with excitement and teased my husband.

“And once I learn the rudiments, I can practice belly dance in front of you.

My second daughter overheard me and shrieked, “I didn’t hear that! How disgusting!”

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Laughter is the best medicine

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Even just the expectation of a mirthful laughter involved in watching your favorite funny movie has some very surprising and significant neuroendocrine/hormone effects. That’s what this paper “”Beta-Endorphin and HGH increase are associated with both the anticipation and experience of mirthful laughter,” stated. Earlier experiments showed that viewing a favorite funny video can offset symptoms of chronic stress, which can suppress various components of the immune responses, particularly those related to anti-viral and anti-tumor defenses.

No wonder my body seeks comedy shows. My hubby knows me better now that whenever the American Idol season starts, I watch it with the anticipation of great entertainment. Naturally, laughter ensues when singer-wannabes become delusionary. Hehehe.

He enjoys hearing the sound of my shrill laughter. Every night, my family and myself watch the “Jacks” Comedy channel and the late night talk shows of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” .

What I miss the most are the original jokes of my brothers, Oscar and Ruben (bless their souls!). My family of origin loves to laugh and I thought it was normal to have loud laughter and noise during dinner. Yes, I grew up in a noisy family where song and dance followed after dinner. Good thing our house was located in a huge lot and neighbors were far apart. It came as a culture shock to me when I married a husband whose family was let’s say…quiet. Not much humor. So when my second daughter took after my family’s genes , my hubby often warned her to lower her voice in front of his mother. Oh boy! That used to cause marital conflict. But that soon came to pass after I set my foot down . There is nothing wrong with laughter during appropriate times.

“Why do you think Reader’s Digest has claimed that ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’ for so many years?”

Hubby has now learned to laugh along with us. There’s nothing like a family who laughs together.

Losing weight after 40

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According to this article, on Childhood obesity problem:

“Global fattening” poses an equal threat to global warming, according to obesity specialists.

Overeating has resulted in 20,000 children suffering from so called “adult onset” or type-2 [tag]diabetes, not previously seen in children, while more than 400,000 have impaired glucose tolerance, a pre-diabetic stage which puts them at sharply increased risk of the condition.

A year ago, I was borderline obese at 163 pounds. Today, I’m 129 pounds. I lost 34 pounds in seven months. Aside from health reasons, I decided to lose weight because I love my girls. I don’t want to set myself as a role model of a mom who turns obese in their forties. Most of all, I don’t want them to acquire diabetes.

I sound like some advertisement of a weight reducing salon or [tag]diet pill[/tag]. Hehe.

So at 163 pounds , I looked like this :
(don’t you just love before and after pics)

I’m not too proud of the fact that I became borderline obese but if you’re struggling with overweight problems at past 40 years old, there is hope. I’m just showing these pics so that you won’t give up.

At 163 pounds, May 5, 2005 at our wedding anniversary
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If I don’t look too fat there, here are more fat pics of me


At 129 pounds November 2005
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What did I do?

1. Enrolled at Fitness First. I go to the gym almost everyday.

  • 30 minutes of treadmill or cardio activity
  • 30 minutes weights

2. Southbeach diet with a twist. I ate whatever was served on the table.

  • High protein diet for 2 weeks
  • Ate only fruits and natural carbohydrates after 2 week period
  • Avoided breads, cookies, cakes and desserts

3. Since I am diabetic, I take snacks in between meals. Snacks are usually high glycemic foods such as nuts.

Let me tell you how frustrating it was to lose weight during the first few weeks. Inspite of the strict diet and exercise, I lost only a measly 3 pounds for the first two weeks. The fat cells just refused to burn. The forties are indeed the troubled years because for some reason my body doesn’t want to obey me anymore. After the birth of my two girls, and in my early 30’s , I lost the pregnancy weight gain in a few weeks.

But I thought eventually these fat cells would start burning. My concentration was focused on having a healthy body. I also decided not to weigh myself until someone would say:

oy, you lost weight.

And that didn’t happen until 3 months later. I was excited. I squealed with delight. Finally someone outside the family (your family won’t notice because they see you everyday) noticed. When I weighed myself, I saw that I had lost 20 pounds. Finally…

Now there is a twist to my weight loss story. I fractured my leg on July 2, 2005. But I’ll talk about that in another entry.

My endocrinologist wants me to lose 10 more pounds. Ahh! That is my next project because losing the next 10 pounds is even more difficult without getting hypoglycemic.

And I’m not exactly in my early 40’s.