Beauties and the beach

MANILA, Philippines - Practical. Pro-active. Passionate. These three words embody the core of Women’s Health magazine, according to editor-in-chief Lara Parpan when asked to describe the now one-year-old publication.  From its launch in April last year and 12 issues later, Women’s Health Philippines has gone a milestone in motivating women to take control of their physical and emotional selves.  Lara has always envisioned that Filipinas are ready for a magazine with a strong bias on health and fitness.  For its first anniversary, Women’s Health returned to Boracay with the 2nd Beauty and the Beach event.  The success of the magazine launch in 2009 made them come back for an encore.  April 10 and 11 marked a fun and fit weekend at the beachfront of All flip-flops, Station 1, Boracay.  In keeping with the theme, the ladies were set to sweat it out in various activities like yoga sessions, dance workouts, barefoot run, and an ATV ride around the island. 

Listen To Your Body

Beauty and the Beach day 1 started with sunrise yoga.  The yoginis (females who practice yoga) or aspirants at that, contoured and stretched their bodies as they achieved those rather challenging poses. Yoga instructor Girlie Alcantara shared the importance of exercise for muscle tone and strength and for detoxing and de-stressing, over all. Shortly after, the girls shimmied their hips to the tune of Indian-inspired music. I signed up for this particular activity and personally experienced the so-called dance Bollywood bliss.  Along with 40 other women, we felt very Jaiho and Slumdog Millionaire with the jumping from one leg to the other and swinging of hips from left to right. Dance guru Marlette Besa said that Bollywood is a full-body workout that emphasizes the cardio and promotes good posture.  And for the more daring chicks, the cardio striptease was a sure hit where they discovered their sensual side while firming up those legs and glutes. Model and Fit&Fab host Karen Pamintuan joined the activity and found it very sexy and energizing.  

Believe It, Achieve It

Smart and healthy is the new sexy.  Being smart about your lifestyle definitely leads to a healthier you. Day 2 was kicked off by a barefoot run around the island organized by Takbo.ph and followed by an ‘80s dance retro workout.  Participants (for the latter) even showed up, complete with big and puffy colored wigs reminiscent of the 1980’s era. They just beat it, beat it, beat it!  In between activities, Dr. Loverna Suratos, dermatologist and PR chairman of the Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS), reminded everyone of skin hazards and proper care.  Did you know that sunscreen lotion should be reapplied 15 minutes after sun exposure? So keep the SPF-something always handy!    

Finish The Race

Women and health are two equally supreme words — put them together and you get the perfect source of nutrition information and sustainable fitness regimen.  Beauty and the Beach host and deejay Hilary Isaac of Jam 88.3 adheres to the Women’s Health objectives.  She reads the magazine from cover to cover and uses it as her guide to living the healthy lifestyle.  “It has to be a conscious choice to be healthy,” she adds.

Actress Rachel Lobangco, together with her friends, also joined the two-day event and confessed that it was a unique workout experience.

Everyone who joined went home with exciting freebies and bagged new gal pals, too.

Beauty and the Beach combines the elements of regular exercise, proper diet, and discipline plus the fun while you’re at it — the true mark of how busy women work under pressure and prove that whatever we visualize, we surely materialize.  

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Happy first anniversary, Women’s Health! A heartfelt gratitude goes out to Joven Plaga, an employee of the Ambassor, for retrieving my lost mobile phone. I salute you, Sir, your honesty is admirable.