Health Buff

DEAR CHINGGAY,

I’m fond of wearing sleeveless tops and short skirts. Unfortunately, my legs and arms are flabby. My friends say I don’t have "K"! What should I do to tone these problem spots fast! Help!!!

Caie Gonzales, 20

Dear Caie,

Most of us aim for toned and "sleeveless-friendly" arms. But there is no such thing as spot reducing. So therefore engage in activities which involve the whole body. In your case, since you are concerned about your arms, consider activities, which involve them. Running is one. With a cardio-vascular activity in mind, complement it with exercises working the arms: your biceps (the front of your arms) and triceps (the back of your arms). Consult a personal trainer at your gym. Have him or her show you a bicep curl, a tricep kickback, and my favorite a tricep push-up. The last factor? Feed your body right. Look into what you eat.

Chinggay

DEAR CHINGGAY,

I have been on the heavy side all my life. Up until a few weeks ago, I was taking Bangkok pills to lose weight. However, I noticed that since I stopped, I began to regain the pounds I lost really fast. What should I do?

Anina Lim, 19

Dear Anina,

I’m not familiar with the history of Bangkok pills. But I do know that the human body should be treated as naturally as possible. When it comes to weight loss nothing beats living a healthy lifestyle. As for your concern, I can only say that it may be that your body adapted to the ingredients of the pills, and when you stopped taking it, your body reacted. It maybe that your body kicked back to the original cycle of the fat only to melt away with regular exercise and a healthy food plan. Losing weight for most of us seems to be an easy task but keeping it off becomes the challenge. My challenge to you now Anina is to approach weight loss the natural way regular exercise and a healthy food plan. Let me know how you are doing.

Chinggay

DEAR CHINGGAY,

I get to the gym at least thrice a week. Everybody says that when you exercise, you’ll feel more active and rejuvenated. I feel the exact opposite. I feel more tired and haggard these days. What am I doing wrong?

Mico Buendia, 22

Dear Mico,

First, congratulations in dedicating three days out of your week to exercise. As for feeling tired and haggard after exercise, I can’t quite say why without knowing what type of workout you are doing. Are you eating enough? When you are more active, your body craves for more food. I’m hoping you are complementing your workouts with a healthy food plan. Are you getting enough sleep? As you have decided to include regular workouts into your schedule, your body now craves for more rest. Lastly, are you doing too much all at the same time? How are you dividing your workouts?

Chinggay