Greggy H. Romualdez

Fitness programs and activities need not be limited to the confines of the gym, health club, exercise classes and endless pavement pounding. Various sports and outdoor activities that will have your heart racing and endorphins flowing are just waiting for you to take them on. 

Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus- 2019 (COVID-2019) at the start of the year, gyms and fitness centers have been the perfect breeding ground for contracting a viral, bacterial or fungal infection, if one is not careful.  After all, it is a place where exercise equipment and bathroom facilities are shared by strangers. Saliva droplets, moist bathroom surfaces, moldy mats and benches pose the risk of infection for a plethora of diseases.

The benefits of lifting weights as part of a fitness regimen are countless. From increased functional strength to lifting your mood and improved aesthetics, a weight training program is a step in the right direction. Sure, the weights room can be quite intimidating for a newcomer with all the machines, contraptions and whatnot. 

In a recent radio interview, Acting Philippine National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa bared that 46 percent of the country’s 190,000 strong police force are either overweight (37 percent) or obese (9 percent), with 54 percent at their ideal body weight. This, as he ordered PNP members to get in shape, even warning obese and overweight members that they may not get their promotions if they fail to lose weight.

Having survived the holiday feasting, we begin to pick up the pieces as we begin the year 2020. Our resolve is strong to make this year the one in which we meet our fitness and body goals. Yes, we survived the string of parties that involved binge-eating and drinking, and came out of it alive with a renewed determination to get in shape in January.

Twenty-nineteen, the year that is over and done with. Whatever failures and disappointments we may have had, we leave behind as we start anew. It’s 2020 and we are determined as ever to get our health and fitness goals on track. As we take in new knowledge, we also learn from past mistakes. Here are four of them that we should avoid this New Year.

Food is the human body’s fuel. Picking the right food, in proper quantities is essential for us to perform our daily functions. 

Oftentimes it’s the snacking that does us in. Sure, we manage to have a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, but when snack time comes around, we binge on chips, processed snacks, sugar drinks, cakes, pastries and just about everything that comes our way.

Vision is certainly one of the most dominant of our senses. Waking up in the morning ushers in our use of sight. Our daily activities, including our respective fitness routines depend heavily on our sense of sight.  

Lately, my Facebook news feed has been flooded with sponsored posts promoting Detox Footpads. I have heard of this product some years back and by all indications they seem to be making a comeback. In an era of quick health and fitness fixes, this product does pack a lot of appeal.  

If you live in Metro Manila, a good conversation starter would be to ask how many hours a day someone spends in traffic. 

Here’s the scenario, you’ve been relatively inactive for quite some time and decide it’s time to get your fitness game back on. 

Once again, we try to bust some myths that you may have heard in the course of getting to your fitness destination. Now what’s wrong with fitness myths, anyway? First and foremost, we have to be in possession of the proper knowledge in order to execute our fitness objectives.

Building a muscular physique does not come easy. Hitting the gym a few times, lifting weights here and there will not make it happen. It’s a process that involves sacrifice, consistency and hard work. For those still willing to do what it takes, here are some rules of muscle-building to live by if swole is the goal.

We embark on a fitness journey to be better versions of ourselves. We walk into a gym or weights room with the expectation of walking out a stronger, physically improved specimen. At times we are sidetracked by fatigue, injuries or conditions which prevent us from grinding out a workout.

Many of us who commit to a healthy lifestyle will do what is necessary in pursuit of our commitment to ensure that we live healthy, productive lives for as long as our physical and mental faculties will allow. We exercise regularly, are mindful of what we eat, effectively manage stress and limit or avoid things that may adversely impact our health.

An overlooked aspect when chasing one’s fitness goal is the need for adequate rest and recovery. While for the most part, we focus on exercise and nutrition, just as important is the need for our bodies to reboot in order to be in tip top shape for the next day.

IN the blink of an eye, summer has left us and we now have to contend with the wet and largely unpredictable rainy season. 

So you’ve decided to start pumping iron and go for a more muscular look. Or perhaps your chosen sport requires you to bulk up to be more competitive. Lifting weights has countless benefits for both men and women. On top of this would perhaps be the aesthetics aspect.

AT 7 feet and 2 inches tall, Kai Zachary Sotto is the tallest Filipino basketball player of all time. The 17-year-old has made a good account of himself in the international basketball scene, consistently averaging in double digits, while representing the national team in various Fiba age group meets. 

SEPERATING fact from fiction is an integral part of embarking on a life of fitness, or achieving your fitness goals, whatever the case may be. We are bombarded with all sorts of information, not all of them helpful, some just blatantly wrong.

At one point in our lives, we’ve been admonished by an elder to sit or stand up straight and avoid slouching. As it turns out, here happens to be wisdom in these words. Proper posture after-all, has been proven by science to have positive benefits on our health and well-being.

IF like me, you hate missing a workout, you’d be all too familiar with that feeling of disappointment of finding out the gym is closed—or when you are out of town for work or vacation and find out there isn’t a a gym in sight. Sure, our bodies need to rest and recover every once in a while. But you do need to stay consistent and find ways to get that pump when your body needs it. Personally, I prefer to work out even while on vacation. This helps offset the natural tendency to overeat and overindulge while on vacation.

We would often see gym goers clutching a plastic bottle, vigorously shaking the contraption, then triumphantly chugging down the liquefied contents during or after a workout.

At around the age of 25, peak muscle mass and strength usually occurs for most individuals. Give or take a few years, this is the period where strength athletes or even weekend warriors will experience the height of their muscularity, along with their ability to move serious weight.

HAMBURGERS have always been synonymous with beef. What fast-food burger chain has not made the claim that their patties are made with 100 percent pure beef? A thick, juicy and savory hamburger is comfort food for a lot of people. And those beef patties are an excellent source of muscle-building protein.

WITH the current summer heat registering record highs, the risk of dehydration runs high for both sedentary and active individuals.

We all know that physical activity perks us up and imparts joy. Think of the endorphins—those happy hormones our bodies release when we go out for a run, lift some weights or play sports with friends.

While there is no clear, available data on the number of vegans in the Philippines, they seem to be growing in number judging by the number of people I know who have embraced veganism. For purposes of clarity, veganism is adopting a lifestyle of not eating or using animal products.

BATTLING the bulge is a constant struggle. Sometimes we think we are doing all the right things but continue to pack on the pounds. Here are five reasons why you may be gaining weight.

IF there’s one body part that will be the basis for judging an individual’s fitness level, it would have to be well-defined abdominal muscles. 

ASK just about anyone what their fitness goal is, and most will say that it would be to lose body fat. Most of us, especially those approaching middle age, would want to be trimmer, leaner versions of ourselves.

The gym or health club is a place where like-minded people congregate to meet their fitness goals and strive to be better versions of themselves. We may be motivated by different reasons, take on varying workout programs and exercise philosophies.

We often get into the health and fitness lifestyle later on in life during adulthood. It is when we are mature, thinking adults that we are sensible enough to get into some kind of fitness program. After all, it is never too late to embrace a life of fitness and improve our health.

SIGNING up for that gym membership is a step in the right direction. We are stepping up to the plate ready to take a swing at our fitness destiny. Cardio machines are in placed, weights are ready to be re-arranged and the exercise classes seem interesting enough.

When it comes to lower-body weightlifting exercises, there is perhaps no move that is more important than the squat. 

Finding the motivation to hop on a program and sticking to it with consistency is an excellent way to begin our respective fitness journeys.

TOWARDS the end of the year, buffet tables are filled with long lines, with significantly less warm bodies in the gym.  It’s a cycle we all know too well. Endless feasting in December, then we resolve to lose it all and get in shape starting January. Or do we really?

Loads of chocolates, boxed cookies and those specialty cakes are being passed around this holiday season. After all, who wouldn’t appreciate those delectable sweet treats amid all the merrymaking? In fact, giving away food items has been a default setting for some of us makes things a whole lot simpler, except, of course, when the recipient is someone who embraces or is trying to embrace the fitness lifestyle.

THE holidays are upon us and the struggle to battle the bulge is at fever-pitch. We know the drill only too well. Give up the good fight in December and promise ourselves to get fit when the new year begins. But do we ever?

We try to work out and follow an exercise program not only to look good but to have an enhanced quality of life where are able to stay active and pursue activities that require a certain level of fitness as we age—traveling, trying out new sports and outdoor activities, keeping up with our kids and grandkids.

WE are all too familiar with the benefits of drinking adequate water and staying hydrated. It is clearly established that we need to drink water on a daily basis for our bodies to properly function, more so if we engage in exercise and strenuous physical activity.

Lifting weights and getting on a fitness program is certainly a good idea for adults. From gaining functional strength to enhancing our mood, to improving sports performance and making us live longer, the benefits are endless.

It is easy to imagine that as we lift weights in the gym, sweat pouring out, fully focused on coming to terms with those difficult sets, which our muscles are growing with every repetition that we grind out.

One thing is perfectly clear when it comes to sculpting your dream physique: our muscles need adequate amounts of protein in order to grow.

LATELY I have noticed the resurgence of ads—mostly on social media—of products and contraptions that lavishly promise six-pack abdominal muscles in just a  few minutes a day. Simply attach the device to your abdominal area, flick on a switch for a few minutes a day to burn away the fat, then voilà! Ripped abs on demand. Then there are the magic pills, the creams, the ab- crunch machines and whatnot.

The gym is indeed a wonderful place where magical transformations take place. We go for a variety of reasons; to be healthier, transform our bodies, train for a sport, or to simply sweat it out and be active.

Building muscle is a process that entails a combination of weight training, proper diet, supplementation and, just as important, proper rest periods.

Your body-transformation routine was off to a rip-roaring start. After signing up for the gym membership and lifting weights, you see some initial gains. You’re looking better in a tight shirt. You’ve improved, yes, but somehow you’re stuck with those initial gains and can’t seem to take it to the next level.

Carbohydrates have suffered a bad rap. Often pointed to as the macronutrient responsible for making people fat, Filipino weight watchers have resorted to cutting down or eliminating carbohydrates, particularly white rice, from their diets as they attempt to lose weight and shed excess fat.

A large part of why we go to the gym is to keep our health in check. We want to improve our quality of life by staying fit, improving our functional strength and, of course, looking good.

THE temptation to lift the heaviest possible weight is greatest when you hit the gym with your ego in tow and wish to impress those sharing space with you in the confines of the health club.  But is that the best way to go?

It may have been well meaning advice passed on to us by our elders, a friend, relative or acquaintance.

Say the words US Marine and the image of a tough, muscled soldier who eats nails for breakfast comes to mind.

The long and lean fitness model look. Male or female, most of us aspire for this. That look of long, toned muscles that aren’t too bulky or too skinny equals body goals for an overwhelming majority. I often hear of people saying they are lifting light weights in order to achieve that toned and lean look. This school of thought is pervasive and has often been repeated, even by fitness trainers.

THE term “getting juiced” or juicing up” is bodybuilding slang for using anabolic steroids to build muscle mass, enhance athletic performance, or both. But, this rather unhealthy practice, which research has shown causes far more negative effects that greatly outweigh its benefits, is not the subject of today’s column.

IT’S a vicious cycle indeed. After the feasting in December, we resolve to look good in time for summer. With enough grit and hard work, it is likely that we hit our targets. But sometimes, we fall off the mark and come up just a bit short, or sometimes miss the mark by the widest of margins. We’ve given it our all, but sometimes, we just can’t seem to hit that sweet spot. But why? Here are some possible reasons:

Excess body fat is the most unwanted thing in this world. Ask anyone what their fitness goal is and, chances are, it will involve losing or burning fat. It is so reviled that no one ever thinks about what happens to it when we lose it. Good riddance, we say.

YOU’VE had your morning coffee and healthy power breakfast. Next on the day’s agenda is to finish off that killer workout. After all, it’s summer and you need to double up to look good for that planned beach trip.

Some people have avoided lifting weights, fearing it may make them look too big or bulky, when what they truly aspire for is a long and lean model-type look and not that of a bodybuilder.

IT’S summertime and we’re once again in a rush to get in shape to look good at the beach. As we strive to avoid certain food items that will obviously derail our fitness goals, some items on the menu may not seem to be as harmful, but may nonetheless derail our quest for ripped summer bodies. 

ARMING ourselves with the proper knowledge is a crucial component of living out a life of fitness. On the opposite end of the spectrum, embracing erroneous information may hinder us from reaching our fitness goals.

That first step may, indeed, be the most difficult one to take in successfully embarking on your fitness journey.

SNACKING, for the most part, has been perceived as the bad guy. When we think snacks, instantly our minds conjure images of bags of chips, doughnuts and various processed foods. Indeed, unhealthy snack habits have led to weight gain and obesity for a lot of us.

FOOD is primarily fuel. We are able to function on account of what we put into our bodies. An integral part of meeting our respective fitness goals is making proper nutrition choices in support of what we hope to achieve.

Before undertaking an exercise program, most especially one that will involve cardiovascular exercises, such as running and cycling, among others, it is important to understand the concept of monitoring our heart rates—or the number of times our hearts beat per minute—in order to help us achieve our fitness objectives and exercise in a safe manner.

WHAT exactly does it mean to be fit? Are there universal measures that determine whether one deserves to be labeled a fit individual?

In all likelihood there’s that friend, relative or colleague you know who managed to shed a considerable amount of weight through intermittent fasting.

And so a new year begins in our fitness lives. We are given three 365 days with which to sweat, lift, jump, run and stretch—toward making amazing transformations. We owe it to ourselves to turn into better, fitter versions of the person staring back at us in the mirror.

The year 2017 may, or may not have been the year we achieved our fitness goals or sculpted out our ideal bodies. The desire to be fitter, better versions of ourselves is something ingrained in each and every one of us. Then comes an avalanche of varying priorities fighting for space in our lives, leaving a fitness program in the backburner.

The season of giving and feasting freely hands out excess pounds and extra inches around our waistlines. Even the most disciplined among us will sometimes have their knees buckle and occasionally give in to a night of overindulgence.

WE are thick into the season of endless feasting. This is quite evident from the all too familiar yuletide carols being blared out at malls and other public spaces. In the weeks to come, this will become all too apparent as our pants begin to tighten from attending all the parties and indulging in the Christmas treats sent our way by friends and well-wishers.

THE benefits of cardiovascular exercise, such as running, swimming and walking, among others, are widely known. From helping us live longer to lifting our mood and helping fight off various diseases, cardio is in no need of a barker to harp on its positive effects on the human body.

The joy of that occasional sweet treat will, more often than not, make us break out into a smile and give us that unmistakable sugar rush.

FRENCH fries, doughnuts, processed cakes, pastries, biscuits and deep-fried foods—there is no argument that these go-to goodies are certified palate pleasers. Comfort food, if you may, to many of us.

You’ve finally decided to take on the task of working on achieving that dream physique. The gym membership, the perfect diet, the training schedule and those wicked kick-ass trainers.

We are all for expediency. Balancing our busy schedules with various obligations may leave us little time to pursue an exercise program and reach our fitness goals.