According to psychic Chat Alejandro, “last year’s catastrophes and mass destruction are but a sneak preview of the dark days ahead.” She said that we should expect more earthquakes to come, volcanic explosions to occur, drought to sweep across the country if El Niño returns to the Asia Pacific, plus heavy monsoons and flash floods. In politics, another mass uprising is to be expected. And as if it’s new, she predicted a worse state for the Philippine economy.

Even Jojo Acuin’s prophecies were not-so-good at all. To him, the seeming confusion about the roosters’ sexual identity in Chinese astrology will reflect on the events to happen this year. 2005 could exhibit traits of two kinds of roosters, one of which might be gay, or one that looks and acts male but is actually female at heart. If the traits of both roosters are to combine, it would result to “a year of fickleness – agreeable one moment, changing its mind the next, and going back on whatever has been agreed on”. Moreover, whoever between the male and the gay rooster prevails, both roosters signify limited success this year, considering the rooster’s limited ability to fly.

It seems that at the start of every year, the Filipinos hear the same old negative predictions from the same old local fortune tellers. And the Year of the Wooden Rooster is not an exception. Isn’t it an extra burden for the people to learn that every year of their lives is yet another annus horribilis? I think the problem lies in the fact that the future of our country is usually presented as though extreme poorness and extreme wealthiness are the only alternatives, leaving behind the reality that we are located somewhere along this continuum.

Wouldn’t it give us quite a lift to think that not only the bad things are to stay this year, that bright things also await us? The bright things I am referring to do not necessarily point at serious aspects as politics and economics; these are lighter issues but are equally satisfying on a personal level, if achieved.

I now activate my “prophetic power” and announce my gut feel that weight loss programs or measures are here to stay in this year dubbed as the “Isang kahig, isang tuka” year.

We Filipinos are basically a food-loving people. Every so often, family gatherings are held and the most delicious recipes are prepared by the excellent cooks in the family. Eating is one of the bonding activities of many families, especially if you come from a big clan – literally and figuratively. I am one of those who do.

“Shucks, ang taba ko na!” or “Shucks, tumaba ako!” is a common lament among us students in CMC, especially after summer breaks, sembreaks, and Christmas breaks. We can’t help it; it really feels good to eat.

Yet most of the time there still emerges the question: Why can some thin people eat without gaining weight, while many overweight people remain heavy no matter what they do? I myself asked the same question, and I am sure a lot others also did. It pains to think that although you are about the same height and close in age (this case is for girls), “the lucky other” can eat whatever she wants and never gain a pound, even if she is a much more voracious eater than you have ever been. I blame the obese genes for most of our early battles with the bulging stomach and the many annoying layers of the bilbil.

Thank heavens there are various existing weight loss programs or measures which aim at putting an end to the moans of the not-so-slim people. Liposuction is definitely not an option for the not-so-rich and teenagers like us. These affordable weight loss measures include the Belly Dancing, Yoga, Pilates, and the South Beach Diet.

“Oriental Dance,” or the correct name for the exotic art of belly dancing, became popular to Filipinas late last year through the VCD of sexy showbiz personalities Regine Tolentino and Andrea del Rosario. It originated in the Middle Eastern society as a dance of celebration for the whole family. Unlike the treadmill which is very boring and repetitive, belly dancing has a certain degree of playfulness and sensuality that sparked Filipinas’ interest in it. You can swivel those hips and whirl those waists at an almost superhuman speed, wearing those bras, mysterious veils, and belts made of camel tassels as accessories. Plus there are lots of steps you can mix and play around with. Have you ever noticed that Beyonce, Shakira and Alicia Keys have somewhat been employing belly dancing steps in their music videos?

“Doing belly dancing gives me fulfillment because I learn the dance, I learn the steps, and at the same time I am losing weight,” says Lala Ilao-Dinglasan, a 28-year-old instructor at Baila! Universal Dance and Fitness Studio, which she co-owns in Alabang. She graduated in 1998 from the Broadcast Communication Department of our dearest college and was a member of the UP Pep Squad.

One doesn’t necessarily have to enroll in a dance class and buy the modern-day costume of belly dancers; busy students like me can just buy a VCD of belly dancing and execute undulating moves wearing comfortable clothes.

But if you think you weren’t endowed with the gift of graceful dancing, then maybe Yoga and Pilates are the fitness trends suitable to you.

With Pilates (“yoga with movement”), not only the body but also the mind is fully engaged in the process. The abs, hips, buttocks and lower back work together to achieve the desired output. It is the best to do if you want to release excess tension, especially those brought about by academic stuff. And the good thing is, like yoga, pilates does not cost you much. An entire routine can be done using nothing but a mat; meaning, you can reap the benefits of pilates without the guidance of an instructor. You can do it at home with the help of books, magazine articles, or with a video. The conventional crunches that we know are a skill in pilates. What is nice about pilates is that any improvements that result will come from within, illustrating the concept that you are fully accountable for yourself.

Yoga and pilates test one’s muscular and mind abilities; the South Beach Diet or SBD tests one’s ability to exercise food portion control.

Developed by South Florida-based Dr. Arthur Agatston, SBD claims that dieters can “lose weight, banish cravings, shrink your belly – without ever feeling like you’re hungry”. It claims you can lose up to 13 lbs in just two weeks, as what happened to broadcaster Korina Sanchez, a self-proclaimed SBD dieter. As a health-promoting diet, “it is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein and it does not omit any major food group,” says Nadine Tengco, who has become the foremost local authority on the SBD. Meals eaten by SBD dieters are basically expensive, yet Tengco notes that home-cooked Filipino food can be as good even if it is rice-centered.

SBD-inspired everyday Filipino meals may include chicken or fish stuffed with tomatoes and herbs, grilled lean meats, soups like nilaga or sinigang using natural instead of instant souring mixes, steamed fish, kinilaw, and the use of low-sodium seasonings.

Losing weight is a common concern in our society of food-loving people. We have become more health-conscious, aside from the pressure to look pleasing in the eyes of our friends and the public. Nowadays, the measures utilized for achieving a slimmer and healthier body have become so immense. This is because of the tension or stress to stay fit and the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. After all, while racing along with our personal and professional responsibilities, we want, among other things, to stay healthy and to look good. Plus, wouldn’t it be nice to have sexy bodies as those of Angela Velez, Maureen Larazzabal, Beyonce, or Pamela Anderson?

The road to good health definitely is treacherous and spiked with dangerous detours, but through sheer will power, discipline, and determination, we can manage to junk our bad eating habits. More than having the right diet or exercise, it is more important to have the right attitude about food and eating. As students, let us avoid the habit of watching TV while sitting on the couch and munching junk foods. Having midnight snacks should as much as possible be avoided, too. We must learn how to stop when we’ve had enough. I sometimes have this feeling that when I pass a bakery, I suddenly have to have ensaymada or Spanish bread, even though I already ate breakfast ten minutes ago. Or I am sitting in a fast food, see a plate of lasagna or baked mac go by, and want some at the very moment, even though I am in the middle of a good meal.

We must not motivate ourselves because of fear, or punish ourselves for not looking the way we want to. Positive motivation and gentle reinforcement will do the trick.