My body is a wonder land

MANILA, Philippines - Back in the day, I was a competitive swimmer. I could swim lap after lap, strain my muscles to reach the end before my competitors. Dive into the pool and swim so much that my muscles would give out and I had to be pulled out of the pool because my legs had turned to Jell-O. I enjoyed the pain of sore muscles after a good workout and the adrenaline high of competition. That was then. Now, I consider my walks around the mall as my cardio, and the bags and children that I carry as weights. I have been planning on finding a workout that I would enjoy. I’ve been searching for six years. I thought of going back to swimming, but I now have freckles on my face, and my colored hair cannot survive a chlorine dip every day. I thought of joining my husband in his morning runs, but I only run for emergencies and I don’t like the sensation of bouncing around. What’s a good-intentioned but procrastinating girl like me to do?

Apparently, I am not alone in my never-ending search. The fitness craze going on around the world can’t be called a trend anymore. What used to be a personal, DIY approach has morphed to multi-level gyms, a multitude of exercise options and permanent lifestyle changes. Being fit isn’t in, it’s what’s true and right. Parallel to this movement, a natural need for health and fitness information specifically tailored for women was born. Now, we welcome Women’s Health to our local shores.

“We got feedback of how women were showing interest in Men’s Health magazine. Their husbands or boyfriends would be buying it, and the women would read it, too. That’s why we thought of bringing Women’s Health to the Philippines — to provide up-to-date information on what’s good for women’s fitness and health,” shares Lara Parpan, the magazine’s editor-in-chief. Skimming through the pages, you can see how this magazine can be addictive: health and fitness trivia are scattered all over the magazine. In-depth articles on beauty and exercise are written in simple and clear terms. There is nothing too technical or scientific with their approach. “We are not a medical journal. We tackle women’s health and fitness, beauty and fashion in a factual but friendly approach. Reading the mag is just like conversing with a friend. The best thing about this is that all the information is tailored to a woman’s body and concerns. Men and women have different health concerns: we store fat differently, lose it at a different pace, are affected by workout routines in varied ways,” Lara adds. And don’t we all have experience with this female need to store fat in weird places? What evolutionary purpose does back fat serve? More so kilikili fat? Why do we have insane cravings for specific foods?

I’m thinking of doing yoga now, the mind-body connection intrigues me. I’ve yet to step on that yoga mat, but I’ve befriended a yoga instructor. Maybe with Women’s Health by my side, I can start bridging that gap from wondering to doing and start feeling invincible again.

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The Philippine edition of Women’s Health is available at newsstands, bookstores, and supermarkets nationwide at P125 per copy.