A Tribute to Fathers

When I was a kid, one of the things I was most proud of was being born on the 6th day of my birth month because my tatay (father in the Tagalog dialect) was born on the same day but in a different month. I remembered nanay (mother) saying that we shared a lot in common because we were both born day of our birth months. I didn’t understand her then, but to be honest, I did grow up to be more like my dad.

Tatay spent a hard life earning money in order to raise us but never complained once. He made sure his kids would finish education by working hard in his tailor shop, which he built up for years. He worked with his hands and enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment that went with it. He was a man of few words, soft spoken. His strong character as well as his gentleness and sincerity of heart won him many friends.


Last sunday was Father’s day, and even though my tatay has been gone for a few years now, I can still recall how kind and patient he was. He's always in my heart. How could he not be?

Another dad who made a profound influence in me and my life is my husband. He taught me that life is not just about myself. He taught me the value of communication, of playing time and not just time for work, of interdependence at home. Even with his busy schedule, he finds time to watch a movie, chat, have fun, wine and dine, and exercise with me.

Today most especially, fathers hold a special place in my thoughts. They remind me of the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet "Alef" which means an ox. This letter which stands for strength, a leader, or what is first, is used in the Hebrew word for father (ab or av), symbolizing that a father is the leader or the strength of the family. To all fathers, here's a unique workout which beautifully mirrors you, like the ancient character Alef!


Want to find out more about the rest of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet? Strengthen yourselves and move through the PraiseMoves Alphabetics!

Counter stroke by walking!

Many may think that only old people experience stroke. The fact is, those hit by this sudden disabling attack are now getting younger and younger. I remember a friend who recently passed away at the age of 30 because of stroke. At first glance, you would not think him sick at all.

Usually those at risk are those whose parents have had stroke or heart attack, those aged 55 and above, with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, are smokers or exposed to second-hand smoking, diabetic, overweight, and those with heart disease.

Losing weight after the holidays

Last Christmas, most of us have eaten excessively. A lot of people gained weight and had higher cholesterol level. As a response to bulges and the flabs, many are offering different types of quick fix solutions such as easy-to-take diet pills, various fad diets and costly fat-burning equipment and procedures. But what do doctors simply recommend? Healthy food, a moderate lifestyle, and exercise! Although losing weight may take a while following these simple steps, the important thing is that they are the safest.

Maintaining muscle mass

Puffy eyes for sleepless nights due to jet lag, dead toe nails for excessive walking, dry skin and hair due to extremely cold weather, irregular bowel movements because of foreign types of food in the digestive system - these are but some of the adjustments my body went through during my travel to Paris and Rome! But I am not complaining. I had such a great time strolling, exploring and eating in these wonderful cities!


Although I may have met my daily physical activity level in terms of walking (I think I did more than 10,000 steps a day!), I failed to do my usual load-bearing exercises because I was always on the move. I wanted to make the most of my limited time to see old and new friends in these two very rich cities (historically and culturally speaking). Besides my busy schedule, the winter season was a big challenge for mobility! I initially had stiff hips and legs and poor control over my body movements. I didn’t realize how tough it was to exercise in such a cold environment. But I know that excuses are unacceptable!

Health tips from a linguist

A friend of mine was invited to be a resource speaker for a ministry involvement program in Cebu. She asked me to go with her and be their French language resource person. I did not think twice to say yes because I was interested in the topic which was assigned to her (Cross-Cultural Communication /Language Learning and Worldview). Also, I told myself that I would only teach French for an hour for three days. In addition, I would learn from the experiences of missionaries to different cultures. True enough, the participating students were international! They were even of different ages, educational background and status in life!

Want to get rid of body fat?

There are people who get frustrated because they cannot seem to get rid of fat even with strict diet and regular exercise. Obesity becomes a problem especially when serious medical conditions manifest. Being overweight, particularly among women, brings a high risk for having diabetes, hypertension, and menstrual problems. Obesity can also affect women’s fertility.

What do muscles and money have in common?

When you think about muscles, you don't usually think about money, and when you think about money, what's it got to do with muscles? The truth is, muscles and money share a number of things in common.

What you must know to achieve total health

I just finished reading the most influential book on exercise in my life: “Basic Steps to Godly Fitness.” Crafted with simple instructions and humor, this book was written by American Women’s Fitness Specialist and certified personal trainer, Laurette Willis, the founder of PraiseMoves.

Succeed through words of affirmation

Ever wonder how great achievers succeed in life? Or how the biggest weight losers get started to get to their ideal weight? They start with a goal, and with a goal, they visualize what happens in the future. How? Most goal achievers and fitness trainers I know use affirmations to get what they want in life. They speak to themselves with positive talks, believing things have already happened even before they have.

A gift of healthy life to your mom

When I was young, I never saw my mom do exercises at home. She had to prioritize. She was raising four kids with no nannies and at the same time, was assisting my father in his tailoring shop. Regarding food and nutrition, affordability took the first place. Thus, her 19-inch waistline grew to about 40 and she now has some heart problems.

A great strengthening exercise for Easter

Easter Sunday is almost here! As Christians observe special ceremonies in their local churches that distinguish their holy week, so did I think of celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in my workout. Since “The Cross” is the symbol of Jesus’ crucifixion and Resurrection, I decided to include this PraiseMoves posture in my regular exercise routine.

PraiseMoves: a balanced workout program

In 2008, I learned about a workout program specifically created to cater to all components of fitness. It is called PraiseMoves. It was created by an American fitness professional named Laurette Willis who left behind a 25-year long yoga practice in 2001 to create a fun, Christ-centered alternative to yoga. This is probably one of the best programs I’ve seen which strives to balance flexibility, strength, endurance and relaxation. It even covers all fitness levels!

Components of an Optimum Fitness Program

I used to think that treadmills and weights were enough for one to be physically fit. That was when I still frequented the gym, concentrating more on my cardio and strengthening exercises. It was not long ago when I realized that I was missing out on a few important things. The truth is, when we talk about optimum fitness, we should not only consider the following areas:

Are you a catsup lover?

You can call my husband “The Catsup King.” He consumes a bottle of catsup in just a few days. He cannot do without it with anything fried, grilled, or simply dry food. But what does it have really that makes it appealing?

The Value of Self-Learning

Last year, I enrolled in Basic Fitness Instructor’s Course conducted by Fitphil (Fitness Network of the Philippines). It was a challenging experience to learn about scientific stuff like anatomy, exercise physiology, kinesiology, nutrition, exercise programming, etc. etc. etc. – things alien for a European Languages major like me. For one, I had to memorize the skeletal and muscular parts of the human body.