Health, Fitness, and Me

As my online fitness coach, Joshua Kozak (of Hasfit.com), always says, "A winner was once a beginner."

Before you get the JLo or Henry Cavill body, it will take a lot of effort and self-discipline. I'm sure this is not the first time you heard of this. But whatever your fitness goals are: whether it's to attain a svelte or muscular figure or to be physically active and healthy, it is important to have an effective workout regimen. Not only that, there has to be a diet that works for you, too. One that is compatible with your existing medical condition, if you have any. I'm no nutritionist or dietitian. That is one of my aspirations, though. I'd like to take on a nutrition and fitness course. But that is another story.

I began being weight- and health-conscious since I was in sixth grade. Other kids would tease me for my chubbiness. So when I turned 12, I decided to lessen my rice intake. (I think this was the reason why I am the shortest among us, siblings. My youngest bro is almost 6', and the other bro is about 5' 7". My sis stands at 5' 4".)  In less than a month, I lost a lot of weight! I was happy with the result, so I kept on going with the less-rice plan. I loved bread, and our house would always have different kinds of bread from the neighborhood bakers. So every time I'd snack on bread, I would rest for 30 minutes and do my abs workout for the next 30 minutes. Grabe, right? 

To cut a long story short, I continued my less-rice plan. Until eventually, I stopped eating rice for as far as I can remember. I still do not include rice in my staple food. I substitute it with couscous in small portions or Job's tears (adlai). I know. These are not conventional, especially the latter grain variety. But I believe I should invest in my food. Lately, I use oatmeal as my "rice" and eat it with whatever viand there is. It's mostly fish (salmon and milkfish usually). I only eat chicken twice a week and in small portions. The bulk of my meal would compose of vegetables. I eat fruits and nuts as snacks.

Don't get me wrong. I also eat what I crave during the week, but I reserve it on weekends. I have a "cheat" meal and dessert. This is good for your mental health. :-D

Here are some modifications and practices I observe when it comes to my health:

1. Extra virgin olive oil only and use sparingly. I use the air fryer most of the time. No to hydrogenated oils, palm oils, and other forms of oils other than extra-virgin olive oil.

2. Workout at least 30 minutes four to five times a week. I'm currently into HIIT (high-intensity interval training). But I also run sometimes, dance the Zumba, or do some cardio and abs workouts.

3. Go to bed at 10 pm. Ok, fine, at 10:30 pm after watching our favorite K-drama. I try not to use my phone when in bed already.

4. No to sodas and juices that are sweetened. It's a good thing that even as a child, I never liked the taste of sodas. They give my tummy a different feeling, the same way with coffee. 

5. Read the label. Check the salt and sugar content. It's a red flag for me if I see that the salt exceeds the 100 mg per serving limit. As for the sugar, I only take maltitol, erythritol, lakanto, molasses, and coconut sugar. Also, no to aspartame and other kinds of harmful sweeteners. Sugar and salt are important, but these two should be consumed sparingly.

6. Sourdough bread instead of ordinary white bread. Sometimes I eat wheat bread. But with my son's IBS, I now go for bread that is low-gluten or gluten-free. 

7. I cook and bake often. This way, I know how the food is prepared or what the ingredients are. I tend to be choosy in the restaurant, too.

8. Steam, broil, bake, or pan-roast. Fry rarely.

9. Fast food once in a while. It's not our go-to meal.

10. I drink only unsweetened plant-based milk (almond, oat, soy, cashew, etc.). This way, we can avoid carrageenan, BHT, high salt, sugar, lactose, and other ingredients in milk that are not good.

11. To cap the night, I drink hibiscus or lemon-ginger tea. Drink them when you feel that you just had a fatty, oily, salty, or sweet meal. These are good for the immune system, too.

12. Load your plates with different kinds of veggies. Make sure they are good and won't affect any digestive issues. 

13. Hydrate! We keep drinking lots of water at home. I put slices of cucumber or lemon in the pitcher.

14. Since COVID-19 is still around, we take vitamins C and D, Zinc, and for my son, probiotics. I eat kimchi regularly to get my probiotics.

15. I totally removed beef from my diet when I turned 40. Although I eat beef tendons for collagen when I have pho. Pork has been non-existent in my diet since college. But on random days, I eat the pork rind I make (that's like once to twice a year). 

16. The key is always to eat and have whole foods. No to canned goods or those high in preservatives. If we eat it, it's very rarely we do. 

17. The only "junk food" in the house are those snacks that are unsalted or low salt, free from hydrogenated oils, unsweetened or low sugar. I go for 70% dark chocolates as long as it's dairy- and sugar-free. I snack up on nuts, fruits, and seeds.

18. I drink 250 ml. of wheatgrass first thing in the morning before any food or beverage intake. It's a superfood with many great health benefits.

I know, I know! This may look hard to do. But trust me, it was only in the beginning. I must admit, it was not that hard for me. Many of these practices were started since I was young. So there was no withdrawal syndrome. The beef part was hard at first because I used to eat that a lot. My dad cooked a variety of beef dishes because he loved them, too.  

My dedication to being good to my body began way back. But to be better at it began when I was diagnosed with hypertension at 38. People who know me were shocked because they know I am a healthy eater and physically active. My cardiologist said that it's due to genetics. Both of my parents have heart and blood pressure issues.

I also remember the Biblical point of taking care of our bodies. I am a vehicle to do God's work while I am alive. This is also what He gave to perform the calling and the job that He has given us. 

I tried a vegan diet also. I do that from time to time. But what I find sustainable in the long run is the Mediterranean diet. I am making it a lifestyle. It's easier to follow, and most of the food in it is readily available. 

Anyway, whatever floats your boat! What's important is the effort you put in to make a healthy version of yourself. Sometimes I fall off the wagon. There are days when I want to just be on the couch, watch Netflix, and eat whatever I want. But that does not mean I should stop. I stand back up again and push with a healthy lifestyle. 

I am two kilograms away from my ideal weight. The good thing is, it's been like that for a long time and does not go up. It is hard to shed it off. But I'm not giving up.

Arm yourself with information, consult the experts, and be friendly to your body. It's the only one you have. There is no better time to be strong than now.

(What do you think of my experience? Share your diet thoughts and comments below, please.)

   
 

Friends: The Reunion in the Eyes of a Devotee

Where is Gunther? 

"My eyes! My eyes!"

Borrowing Phoebe Buffay's famous line, my eyes had both tears of laughter and of sadness as I watched Friends: The Reunion. It was a long-time longing. As Friends "devotees," as we call ourselves, my husband and I set aside what we were doing that day to catch the premiere streaming of the show. When the pandemic kicked in last year, we had a Friends marathon at home to divert our attention from the health crisis. (That and K-dramas.)

Watching the reunion, I felt as if the past started coming back. I recalled the time when I would hurry home from work in Makati to catch the show. It was a terrible feeling if traffic was bad because it would mean I would miss an episode. We did not have cable TV, so I was relying on its free-TV airing on TV5. Eventually, I collected all 10 DVDs that I left in the Philippines. Sadly.

I appreciated the fact that the cast never got tired of their friendship. Recalling their beginnings and how they quickly rose to fame after a season, it is truly the magic of their authentic bond that made the show legendary. I could relate to what they were going through at that time. I am a Generation-X young pro when Friends' influence was at an all-time high. The real adulting was happening back then. I could identify with Monica, being obsessed with order, tidiness, and competitiveness. But I also felt what Rachel had to deal with when it comes to being independent, cutting the umbilical cord from her parents. I love Phoebe's humor and her inclination to music (guitar, like me!). I used to imagine myself and my posse living under one roof. It happened, but not for a long time. It was fun. Like what the show said, there will come a time when you truly have to be separated. Instead, we satisfied ourselves by spending many Saturdays and Sundays together, cooking together, watching together, playing games together, sleeping over, all in one home. 

The acting credits belong to the gang. They gave justice to the roles and put them to life. But the whole idea, the lines, the concept, and the casting, were perfectly executed by the brainy writers. I saw some table-reading and brainstorming sessions from one of the many Friends videos online. I am impressed at how they made things excellently from start to finish. Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Kevin Bright were brilliant (and that word falls short of the best description).

During the reunion, I am deeply touched by the man-on-the-street interviews they did. These are common people who have been impacted by the show. One of them talked about being in a deep depression with suicidal tendencies but was comforted by Friends. Yes, the actors and the writers do not know us on a personal level. But the power of the medium they used to effectively touch the lives of the audience is noteworthy. 

If there was one thing I would like to see in the reunion, it would be to have more extrapolations. They talked about it at some point, predicting what they are now after 17 years. But it would be great to see them acting it out or doing table readings with new funny three-minute dialogues. This is to see them throwing witty lines at each other while proving that the charisma has not vanished all throughout the years. Also, the spin-off, Joey, was not mentioned. I was hoping that somehow, Matt Le Blanc would say something about it even as a joke.

I was expecting other big-named guests such as Bruce Willis, Jon Favreau, Ben Stiller, Winona Ryder, Elle Macpherson, and of course, Brad Pitt. When I saw Justin Bieber's, and Cara Delevingne's names, I wondered about their connection to the show. Then after seeing many reviews online, I learned that Justin Bieber is a big fan. I do not know about Cara Delevingne. Nevertheless, the line-up was OK. The BTS part was a bit disappointing with their very minute appearance. The director forewarned us in a Tweet, though.

I was also hoping that they did not cut James Michael Tyler's, aka Gunther, part in the special where he appeared only via Zoom. He almost did not have lines early on in the show's 10-year run and was only given some lines during the later years. In the reunion, it was like history repeating itself.  

All in all, it is still best to have a reunion, albeit short. The fanatic in me would never be satisfied and wanted to see more of the group. But it is still OK. 

So here I am channeling my inner Phoebe. I was inspired to study Smelly Cat's chords and made this video for this reunion season. This version is dedicated to all the street cats roaming around my former village. Never had one because it is smelly (my inner Monica speaking here). Hahaha! 

Cheers to the Friends: The Reunion special! It has awakened the sleeping giant of a fan in many of us.