The skinny on 2010

MANILA, Philippines - Another year, another resolution with one of the most common being “Lose weight!” (yes, it’s on my list too). And while the sad fact remains that not all resolutions will be met with resounding success, YStyle will help you find inspiration with a list of the best celebrity body changes of 2010. So take your cue from these stars, both foreign and local, and make 2011 the year where you shape the body you want — for real.

Not about to be left behind, local creative industry mainstays — from designers to photographers — also had their share of impressive weight loss in 2010.

Patrice Ramos-Diaz, designer

Lost 14 pounds

The game plan: Sometimes, some things other than vanity prompt people to lose weight. For Patrice, hitting the big 40 made all the difference.

“I was predisposed to hypertension and would always get a headache around my nape area after a game of squash. My cardiologist said my cholesterol was borderline high and blood pressure higher than normal,” she shares.

With her medicines in tow, she decided to lose weight for the better. Her hubby enrolled her in a gym and she went to her friend, dermatologist Dr. Aivee Aguilar-Teo, for extra help. She adds that she also went to a naturopath to help cleanse her body of toxins.

She admits that after the holidays, she’s gained back a bit of weight but she’s on her way to shed it off yet again. Her best advice for looking good? “(Dieting) should be for health reasons, while the part about looking good as a result is a cool bonus.”

Raymund Punzalan, creative director and managing partner, Team Manila

Lost 80 pounds

The game plan: Going from 265 pounds to 186 pounds and losing six inches in your waistline is no easy feat. Being a visual person, Raymund would always see skinny architects and designers in his inspiration books. Also, being in the design and fashion business, it bothered him that he could hardly fit into off-the-rack sizes. Coupled with health reasons, this prompted him to trim down in 2010.

He enrolled himself in the Cohen Lifestyle diet, an individually-based eating plan that uses your personal body chemistry to tailor-fit your diet for you. The eating plan triggers the body to naturally shed fat and toxins.

It wasn’t easy but he says that most of the battle was mental, “You have to be 100-percent decided to be successful at losing weight. I came across the following quote while listening to an audiobook about business: ‘Those who aren’t millionaires, aren’t yet decided to be millionaires.’ It really stuck to my mind that’s why I applied it to my diet plan.”

Though he’s come a long way, Raymund still plans to shed 20 more pounds within the next two months. His motivation? “I believe that being healthy is a sign of success in anyone.”

Wesley Villarica, photographer

Lost 75 pounds

The game plan: Another Cohen Lifetsyle diet success story, Wesley is seeing the whole world from a new perspective. Similar to Raymund, the talented photographer felt the pressure to shed the poundage as an industry mainstay. Deciding to make a change for the better, he got himself hooked on the Cohen Lifestyle diet. And then shed the pounds away, the right way.

“It’s really a liberating experience,” Wesley shares. “I feel so much healthier now.” His advice to those who wish to diet? “Consult a doctor first. Then when you choose a diet, stick to it.”

Kelly Osbourne

Lost 50 pounds

The game plan: The reality rocker child shocked the world yet again — this time not with her druggie ways but with a killer body that she revealed in the November 2010 issue of Shape magazine. The Osbournes star lost 20 pounds during her stint in Dancing with the Stars late in 2009. But as she started gaining back the weight she lost after the show ended, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

In an interview with Shape, she revealed that her mother, Sharon, hooked her up with trainer Sarah Hagaman and the three began their workout by taking long hikes a few times a week in the Hollywood Hills. Nowadays, she and her girlfriends have graduated to plyometrics. She also started eating healthy, adhering to a strict diet that had her curbing her chip-and-soda addiction.

With a better handle on eating and a new confidence starting to creep in, Kelly eventually lost 30 more pounds in 2010, finally landing at a healthy 112 pounds. She shared that she doesn’t want to lose any more weight and has added some of her favorites back into her diet, indulging in pizza, cheese and cookies on occasion. Her words of wisdom? “It’s true what they say: diet and exercise really work!”

Jennifer Hudson

From size 16 to size 6

The game plan: At 28, Jennifer Hudson is at the top of the world. With a Grammy in one hand and an Oscar in the other, she topped off of her list with the birth of a baby boy in August last year. The American Idol alum wowed the world when she trimmed her figure down five sizes with a strict adherence to Weight Watchers and with a visit to the gym five times a week. The songstress, now a Weight Watchers spokesperson, shared in Instyle Makeover magazine that Weight Watchers is not a diet but is instead a way of living that teaches you better skills.

Having reached her desired weight, Jennifer admitted that she can now eat ice cream occasionally, something that her fiancé, David Otunga, is thrilled about. “I don’t want to lose any more weight, and you’re never going to see me skinny,” the Dream Girl star told InStyle Makeover magazine. “I think this is a good, natural size for me.”

Sara Rue

Lost 50 lbs pounds

The game plan: The Rules of Engagement star has always been known as a chubby comedienne. But nowadays, Sara is sporting a slimmer figure thanks to Jenny Craig. In an interview with People magazine, she shared how she has learned to control portions and eat healthy. She’s also become a fan of exercise. Whereas before walking her dogs around the block would be too much, she now clocks in 45-60 minutes of cardio five to six times a week. She’s even training for her first half-marathon.

Slimming down from a size 14 to a lean size 6, the funny star is now getting to enjoy activities never used to interest her. Shopping for a wedding gown for her upcoming wedding in spring this year to fiancé, teacher Kevin Price, she shared with People, is now an exhilarating experience for her.