Called as a Pig now a Prince

Pig to Prince Journey: James Penalosa fits in his old pants with a waistline of 42! now he enjoys waistline of 30 and regularly mistaken as a Hollywood superstar! ;-)

Have you ever imagined yourself being on television competing for the Biggest Loser? Or do you already consider yourself as big as those contestants wanting to shed a lot of weight? Sometimes you have to experience the realities of life before you could make a choice to build that change happen. Obesity is a never ending lifestyle issue in our society and this has hit me in my school age years. If you could just imagined how my mom suffered from buying me new clothes all the time because I got bigger and bigger every school season. Reaching up to 250 pounds in my early college years that made me experienced bad prom dates, horrific fashion styles and people making fun of me as “Mr. Piggy”. Way back, I wore a double sized extra large shirt and a waistline of 42. I used to eat big meals, 5 times in a day normally with bowls of rice alternating it with junk chips and liters of soda. Sleeping, watching television on the couch and eating a lot of junk are my hobbies. What a life isn't? Until I realized that I needed to work on my physical looks. I started doing personal researches on weight management, training in the gym and eating a healthy diet for several months. Honestly, there were a lot of times that I almost gave up and got hopeless in losing that bulge. I kept on following those exercises on fitness magazines to get that 6-pack abs but it did not work at all. Many people questioned my determination to make it happen but all I can say now is that I have proven them all wrong. Confidence in myself taught me the drive to reinvent a new me. As I become more discipline in the way I live now, I can shout to the world that goodbye “Pig” and hello “Prince”.

Hey that's Mr. Piggy!!!!: Few years back, weighing 250 pounds, waistline of 42...double size extra large shirt..eating more than 5 times in a day with bowls of rice and tons of soda...ahhh what a life!

In our pop culture that looks up to the essence of beauty and fitness, most of us want to become Hollywood like versions of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie or Tom Cruise but the question is...Are you ready to make that bold change and be fit like them? You can hire their trainer, Hollywood's top fitness master Gunnar Peterson or hunt for Pinoy Biggest Loser's coach Jim Saret but I guess that it would be far from reality unless you got money to spare. Successful body transformations of supermodel Tyra Banks, tv icon Oprah Winfrey and movie hunks Taylor Lautner, Ryan Reynolds are just few celebs that got bodies to die for in Hollywood and locally, we got Piolo Pascual, Anne Curtis, Iza Calzado, Derek Ramsay, Aljur Abrenica, Georgina Wilson, Sam Pinto and even Raymond Gutierrez who made our heads turn because of their transformed fit physiques. As weight problem increases over the years globally, fitness and wellness has become a trend that gave birth to gym centers and new sports. Also because of this rising popularity, fitness programs are now in demand worldwide.

Heart of a Champion: American Fitness guru Chris Krueger made global recognition through his fitness video blog and book. Chris' program assures everyone that wheter your skinny, fat, weak or got bad genetics you can achieve the body of your dreams for as long as your determined to make it happen.

In the U.S, First Lady Michelle Obama have been very vocal on her campaign towards health and fitness that has influenced many Americans to start having an active lifestyle. In line with this awareness many fitness experts have authored weight loss programs in various techniques. Chris Krueger is one of them who inspired many through his video blog and book called, Heart of a Champion. It's a training and nutrition program that requires only 35 minutes a day of exercise and with right kind of food intake; you get your desired body in less than 70 days even without taking any supplements. Chris in his childhood described himself as weak and skinny then got really fat as he aged. He has learned a lot about fitness from many great trainers and strength coaches including a former coach of the Bulgarian national team. During his college years he transformed himself from a thin kid into a strong, muscular and confident man. After college, Chris had a terrible back injury in his lumbar spine and almost had zero mobility that resulted to unhealthy eating for many months and made him very fat. When he was sufficiently healed, Chris started again his program and from then on he has been helping people around the world in achieving great body transformations. The program assures that everyone can transform and achieve body of their dreams whether you're skinny, fat, weak or got bad genetics for as long as your determined to make it happen; leading you to a true and straight path to an incredible life of health and fitness.

Filipino pop culture has also evolved over the years too. Most youngsters are now bound to be more different by putting fitness and wellness as part of their lifestyle. As we adapt to these bold moves in our way of living, finally I have discovered a breakthrough that made my fitness goals a dream come true. Proudly Filipino made, Eat More Exercise Less program in the Your Dream Body Come True fitness book has a goal of positively changing one's life physically, mentally and emotionally that shapes the perception of health and fitness into a new meaning. Filipino born, U.S educated Edward Mendez finished with a degree of nutrition and sports science in University of Maryland, College Park in Baltimore creatively conceptualized this program for many years working on extensive researching and surveying. This guy who now looks like Superman used to be “Mr. Piggy” too.

Today's Superman: Filipino born, US educated Edward Mendez is the face of Filipino fitness and wellness. Edward's breakthrough program of Eat More, Exercise Less in his Your Dream Body Come True book is a total must have.

He believes in that fitness is making a great positive impact on our nation however despite of modern fitness equipments many gyms provide, many are still out of shape and dissatisfied with the results misleading to “eat less, workout more” idea. Through simple formulations of proper nutrition and training found in this program, Edward visualizes that nice bodies are like Ferrari cars on the street where people admire and respect you for having something that others cannot just acquire. The program reveals that the secret formula of becoming fit are 70% nutrition and 30% exercise. A rule that he strictly followed that gave him impressive results in just few months.

Adapting those insights from Chris and Edward, I started up shaping myself into a new me. My fitness routine are composed of weight training (excuse me Derek?), boxing (move over Pacman, you want a good fight with me?), running (Lydia De Vega still there maam?) and eating a lot! Yes you heard it right! Eating many times but in small meals every after 3-4 hours. Chicken meat, tuna, wheat stuff and loads of veggies are part of my diet. Drinking water in exchange of sodas is also a must. Keeping the body fueled with right stuffs (high protein and low carbohydrates diet )continuously after 3 to 4 hours will restructure body cells positively and helps body burn fat by increasing metabolism. I also included doing capoeira, a Brazilian dance art once a week (hey Rafael Rosell..Daniel,Matsunaga, you want a showdown? :). In my spare time, I run around the park or even inside my place. After all of these activities, once a week I get to enjoy a “cheat day” ( I just love Sundays!) where in I could eat anything that my heart desires as a reward for myself in healthy eating and exercising. This exciting “Pig to Prince” journey has given me control over my diet and training capacities having the best tools to mold and sculpt my body however I wished.

Advice from the Prince: Aim to become a champion, as Gold's Gym Tamer El Guindy said "The strongest part of a body builder is not his arms,legs,back or chest but the determination of his heart and soul that makes them champions."

So next time, don't be too overwhelmed insanely on those chiseled guy or thinned waist babe on fitness magazines. They show you all exercises to get that body but still results on you looks far different. Always remember that being in shape must have a mixture of good food, right exercise and positive attitude. Losing weight is such a challenging task. Determination and choice of happiness are the keys to make it all happen! All of us are born to happy so find things that would make you one. If being fit and healthy are the answers then go for it. No material thing could be more rewarding than fulfillment. I lost weight because this is my choice to fulfill a dream of being a champion. I have put my heart into my goal and at last I have made it. For award winning body builder and two time Mr. USA and Gold's Gym director Tamer El Guindy, he said that the strongest part of a body builder is not his arms, legs, back or chest but the determination of his heart and soul that makes them champions. Champions have an uncontrollable desire to pursue a goal against all the odds to become an inspiration. So if you think that you look like a pig today then don't worry too much who knows you might be the next prince looking just like me who now happily wears a medium size shirt, waistline of 30 and regularly mistaken as a Hollywood superstar next to Brad Pitt or better yet a coverboy of the next Men's Health issue. :-) How about a Bench Body billboard? Let's find out soon :-)

James Penalosa is an awardee of Coca Cola Philippines Coke Zero's Resolution in 2010, an awareness campaign on positive living promoting health and fitness. James photos are courtesy of Juaquin Flores;
 Edward Mendez and Chris Krueger images are from their fan pages.

Follow and Tweet James Penalosa www.twitter.com/jamescuenca;
 Click Like on http://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Penalosa/181185675233951
Checkout Edward Mendez's http://www.yourdreambodycometrue.com/
Checkout Chris Krueger's http://www.tscheartofachampionprogram.com/