There comes a time when some of us realize a change is needed. And when that happens, we paint a picture in our minds of the ideal version of ourselves. For many of us, moving on from that point becomes the hardest part. Diets can be easily waved away; going to the gym easily delayed for another day. Sometimes, a workout routine without any purpose other than losing weight just isn’t enough. In times like these, a light shines the way for some special individuals in the form of passion and inspiration.
READ: From 143 to 127 Pounds (and counting): 10 Weight Loss Tips from Someone Who’s Actually Done It
Here are three stories of people whose passions became their purpose, and who let their purpose become their passion in the end.
The Dancer
“When you want something—imagine that you already have it. Claim it.
Nothing is stronger than the power of your mind.”
— Luigi Aimes Tan
Before committing to an active and healthy living, Luigi Aimes Tan was your typical chubby-since-birth type of person. He had a bubbly and friendly attitude that masked the self-esteem issues he had because of his body image. Prayers were spent wishing to be thinner, buying new clothes were dreaded embarrassments, and rejections were the expected from his crushes. When his third grade teacher declined to include him in their dance group because of his weight, that was when he fully realized that he wasn’t chubby. He was fat. Obese. “Class 2, to be exact,” according to Luigi.
Fast forward to some years later and Luigi persevered his passion for dance until he made it into their dance varsity. His reputation? The fat dancer.
“Due to my weight, I couldn’t do the stunts and slips.
I wanted to do the choreography the way it was supposed to be executed.”
Luigi also developed health problems because of his weight. At 23, he was diagnosed with gouty arthritis—a disease common to elderly people. This was what finally pushed Luigi to make a change in his lifestyle.
In 2014, two years after graduation, he began with prayer and imagining a leaner version of himself. He prayed for discipline and strength, while finding the cheapest ways to lose weight. He started jogging around his school, UP Manila. Then, two laps at UP Diliman’s Academic Oval. Then five! Eventually, all of Luigi’s hard work paid off.
“Uy, Aimes! Ano ginawa mo? Ang payat mo na!” “Huy! May iniinom ka ba?” “Anong sikreto mo?”
These comments made Luigi’s days and pushed him to work harder. Soon, he also reaped the rewards of being able to wear whatever he wanted, enjoying going to work in his uniform, and, most importantly, being a better dancer. From a a whopping 260 lbs, he dropped to 160 lbs. From April 2014 to October 2014, he lost 100 lbs through sheer determination and a thrifty mind alone. Nowadays, he only has to work to keep his weight in check.
“I feel good. I feel confident. But what’s most important, I am happy.”
Luigi’s top five tips on losing weight:
- Paint a picture of your goal self.
- Remember diet and exercise go hand in hand.
- Don’t settle with one exercise.
- Have cheat days!
- Don’t think of it as a diet. Think of it as a lifestyle.
And, Luigi’s final tip:
“…the real secret in shedding those extra pounds is finding that sustainable motivation to keep you going even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.”
The Triathlete
“I did have the habit of not stopping to eat until I get the feeling of being nauseous because of fullness.”
— Allen Sta. Maria
Life wasn’t too hard on Allen. But he had the bad habit of eating until nauseousness, which led to his 207 lbs weight. Acknowledging this problem was what prompted him to go to the gym and start working out. No one actually pressured him to lose weight. It was all his own choice. Mostly.
During an event, he met this girl. While chatting and having drinks, she showed Allen pictures of her during the time she was overweight and shared stories on how and why she lost weight. She said her reason was that guys would dump her because she was overweight.
“I also had a crush on her that was why I was interested in her stories. I can really see that she was very passionate about working out and getting fit.”
