The woman I call Inay

No, she’s not Inay Pilita Corrales. But she’s my inay, Inay Kristine, a woman I look up to, a woman who has been my inspiration. She helped me achieve the body I always dreamed of. She started as my aerobics teacher, then became my personal trainer, and then, most importantly, my friend, my Inay.

Her full name is Kristine Advincula Yu. She has just returned from competing in the US where she won five awards. I told her, "Inay, ako pang-local lang, ikaw, pang-international." I am so proud of her. She has defined and redefined how a woman can and should be. She is shorter than I, but, oh my, what a body! She is a work of art. She is my Darna, my Wonderwoman, my Barbarella!

It felt funny interviewing someone I already knew very well, someone I see everyday, but then I was eager and excited. I felt like a fan interviewing her idol.

Jacquilou (J): How long ago were you 138 lbs.?

Kristine (K): After I gave birth to my daughter in 1991, I was a housewife cooking, eating, sleeping when my baby was sleeping. So I gained weight.

J: Why did you decide to workout?

K: A couple of times I asked my husband, "Mataba na ba ako?" And he would say, "OK lang." Kinulit ko pa rin siya. This time he said, "Masaya ka naman, di ba?" Well, that meant I was fat. I already felt ugly. None of my clothes would fit. I was already using my husband’s shorts and had difficulty buying clothes. I even reached a point where I had to lie down to close the zipper of my pants. I told myself kailangang mag-exercise na ako. So I headed for the gym. Nag-aerobics ako. Once a day, sometimes twice a day.

J: Were you active when you were younger?

K: I played volleyball, was a cheerleader, was chairperson of the dance club at school.

J: How did you become an aerobics teacher?

K: I enjoyed attending aerobics classes so much and people in the gym were telling me I could already teach. So I told myself, ‘Kung magtuturo ako, papayat ako, kikita pa ako.’ I started teaching in 1992. I taught at Ramada Hotel, Shape, Slimmers and SPA. I only stopped teaching in 2001.

J: How did you get into personal training?

K: I was teaching aerobics at the SPA when a client approached me and asked if I could help her lose weight weeks before her wedding. Of course that lady lost weight, and fit into her wedding dress perfectly, and she kept thanking me. That’s when I realized I could be a personal trainer.

J: What did you do to further your studies as a personal trainer?

K: I reviewed for the American Council on Exercise and took the exam for International Sports Sciences Association in 1999. I took as many as 15 seminars and upgraded my studies again in 2001. You have certain units to maintain every two years, otherwise, you have to take the exam again. Every year, I attend the IDEA FIT, a World Fitness Convention which I will attend again this July, to cover the units I have to maintain.

J: How did you get into body building?

K: After I lost weight and became even more thin, I wanted to go to the next level. I became critical of myself. I would read magazines like FLEX. One day, I saw a picture of Karen Voight. She was like the next Jane Fonda. She had all the cuts, the definition in the right places and I wanted a body like hers.

J: When did you decide to compete?

K: A body builder, Boyet Andaca, saw me once and said, "Alam mo, mag-body building ka na." Coming from him, it was such a compliment. That was 1997. In 1998, I competed locally.

J: Who are your idols in body building?

K: Ms. Olympia, Linda Murray and Rachel McLeash.

J: Is there an age when one has to stop competing?

K: No. This is one sport that the older you get, your muscles mature and that means mas maganda ang condition mo. There is a master’s category for ages 40 to 60.

J: What were the titles you won this year?

K: Fourth at the Unlimited Women’s Lightweight Division, National Physique Committee of USA Inc., in Anaheim, California; fifth at the Unlimited Women’s Lightweight Division, NPC, in Oakland, California; fifth in Figure Short Class, NPC, California State Championship; fourth Unlimited Women Lightweight Division; and first in Novice Women lightweight Division.

J: What excited you the most in the competitions you joined this year?

K: The Figure Competition where you don’t have to be as rippled but you have to have the symmetry. Those who compete are sexy, have the breasts, the height. I was the shortest, didn’t have big boobs, but placed fifth which I wasn’t expecting. I was very happy I did.

J: What is your advice to women who want to get fit?

K: There is no right time or age to start getting fit. When you make that decision, it has to be for your health first. Looking good will follow.

J: Any advice to women who want to get into body building?

K: First you have to be focused. Then you have to have self-discipline and self-determination. You have to enter it with your whole mind and soul and you will excel.

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Definitely, this woman has the focus, self-discipline and self-determination. She has excelled not only here but internationally as well. She is a champion!

This is the second year I will host Kristine and Louie Yu’s Body Building Championship. For those interested to join, it is called "Iron Man and Iron Maiden 2002 Body Building Championship" and will be held on Sunday, June 16, AFP Theater, Camp Aguinaldo. Call tel. no. 882-0304 for inquiries. Registration and weighing in is at 8 a.m., June 16.

For Iron Maiden, there are three classes: Lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight. For Iron Man, novice (one class open weight, for first-timer competitors this year who have not won any major title), six weight classes in Iron Man–paperweight, flyweight, bantamweight, lightweight, welterweight, and open weight.

For Junior Iron Man, (one class, open weight) for 23-year-old men and below. Master’s Iron Man (one class, open weight) for 40-year-old and above.

First place winners get sculpture trophy, P5,000 in cash and gift packs; second to sixth placers get sculpture trophy and gift packs. Tickets are at P300 and P500. Sponsors are GSM Phones Inc.; Panasonic Cellular Phones; YSA Skin Care Center; Shell Canvas; Cutting Edge; Twin Peaks; House of Phil. Ceramics; Goldilocks Bakeshop; Trans National; Health Express; Sta. Lucia Mall; Ironpinoy.com; Hardwear; Victor’s Catering; and Blue Sky Crackers.

To you Inay, you have been my source of inspiration and you will always be. Thank you for your unselfish time and dedication. If there is anyone who is most proud of you, that’s me.

I’m so lucky to have you as my personal trainer, but even luckier to have you as my friend, my Inay!