by Marilyn L. Antonio
The coming of a new year can bring excitement, hope, and a new outlook on life. For people who consider health as wealth, the new year offers a fresh opportunity to lead a better and healthier life. Proper nutrition and exercise are keys to achieving this goal.
A group exercise instructor in a well-known center in Metro Manila, Marissa Macabasco, underscores the importance of exercise to the body. Exercise strengthens the heart and lungs of a person. It helps lower the risk of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Exercise also changes the emotions. “In doing exercise, the body releases hormones called endorphins which interact with the brain and lessen the perception of pain. Another chemical is also released by the body during exercise called serotonin which relieves stress and makes one happy,” Marissa explains. “Exercise also
delays aging.”
Additionally, when people start exercising they need to be sure they get proper nourishment. “A person who wants to lose weight or wants to be healthy through exercise, must follow the 70/30 ratio. Seventy percent (70%) proper food intake and 30% exercise (or 30 minutes daily walking),”according to Leone A. Soriano, a nutritionist, who works part-time as a gym consultant in nutrition.
Melissa B. Eusebio, wife and mother of three teenage sons shares her experience. “Before I changed my lifestyle, I craved rice at every meal. I was fond of eating cakes and sweet stuff even when I was dieting. I found it hard to do regular exercise for 30 minutes to one hour every other day,” Melissa says. The turning point for Melissa’s change in her lifestyle was her decision to take a part-time job in a health company that advocates healthy lifestyles. “In that company, we were taught proper eating habits and nutrition and learned tips for good exercise.” Melissa said she was also motivated to change her lifestyle because she knew that God gave her a spirit, a soul and a body. “I wanted to have a balanced Christian life,” she explained.
When she wakes up, Melissa drinks 3-4 glasses of water. During breakfast, lunch and dinner, she eats a fist-size helping of fresh fruit first, then a palm size helping of fresh vegetables or half a small bowl of cooked vegetables. Next, she eats a closed fist size of good protein, usually chicken fillet, or lean meat or fish with not more than 3 tablespoons of rice. She avoids oily, fatty, salty and sweet foods as much as possible. When she does eat bread, she eats only 2 small pandesal with homemade tuna spread and lots of lettuce and cucumber. She drinks brewed coffee with less cream and a natural sweetener.
Her exercise routine includes daily floor exercise for stretching and warm up, walking 10 minutes daily, push-ups against the wall. She does Zumba three times a week and alternates it with 100 counts of hula hoops or a 3-minute work out on twister machine. She also does stationery biking for 5-10 minutes occasionally.
Melissa’s new lifestyle inspired her husband Alex to change. Alex followed the eating plan that Melissa had followed. It was hard for him to adjust from being a voracious eater into a disciplined one. For the next two months, he was always hungry because of the decrease in carbohydrates. But he stayed with the eating plan until he got used to it. In addition he avoided fried foods and fruits that are high in sugar. For his daily exercises, Alex does brisk walking for 15-20 minutes, 30-50 push-ups, lifts dumb bells every other day and also plays basketball with their three sons whenever he can.
Melissa shares, “His great reward was the medical clearance from taking medicines which the doctor gave him after a year of monitoring. In addition, his wardrobe changed from size XL
to medium.”
