Bakit ka ba pumapayat?
Ngayon, ‘yan na palagi ang tanong sa akin. Isang buwan lang akong di nakita ng nanay, tatay at tiyahin ko, biglang bungad sa akin, “Payat ka yata ngayon.”
Pati kapag dumadaan ako ng Powerdance twice a month, tanong din iyan ng mga kaklase kong nakita ako nung medyo chubby-chubby ako tinatanong ako ng, “ Bakit ang payat mo ngayon?”
Ang sagot ko, “Hindi ko alam.”
Dahil kapag tinitimbang ko naman ang sarili ko sa weighing scale ko nasa pagitan pa rin ng 125-130 lbs pa rin ang timbang ko gaya nung huli nila ako nakita at 5’4” pa rin naman ang height ko so di ko alam bakit. Yan na rin ang timbang ko for the past two years since 2002. Kapag tinitingnan ko sarili ko sa salamin, andon pa rin naman puson ko, di pa rin naman malnourished ang itsura ko. Malaki pa rin boobs ko at matambok pa rin pwet ko. At hindi payat ang tawag ko sa sarili ko... sexy.* Hehe
*Oo na, makapal na kung makapal pero sino pa ba mag-a-appreciate sa akin kundi sarili ko, di ba??! Walang saysay ang pagbabawas ng timbang kung di ka rin naman confident at di ma-appreciate ang iyong sarili. Therefore, love yourself!
****
When you care about what you do, enthusiasm carries you through. When you are passionate, no one else has to motivate you. – Andrew Matthews, Follow Your Heart (p88).
Gusto ko lang sana pumayat pero little did I know that along the way I would discover my passion.
Back in my undergrad years, all I can think of once I graduate from UP was to take jazz classes in Powerdance. Wala lang, gusto ko lang talaga sumayaw. I saw one of their concerts in UP Theater in 1996 and di talaga ako mapakali. I was awed and enthralled by their movements. It was dance like nothing I have seen before. I just had to enroll. I just had to try it. I wanted to try it. I wanted to dance.
I started weekend Jazz classes at Shangrila EDSA way back in 1999. I’d usually go there on weekends. I just quit my job in an NGO when I enrolled in October of 1999. I was not even sure if the Broadcast Company I was applying for would hire me, I just had to do it!!! It was like if I don't do this now, I might never get the chance to do it. And dancing at Powerdance would always stay where it was that time---in my dreams. I had to start it NOW was all I can think of.
As expected, masusungit nga ang mga teachers! I guess, that's what Powerdance is known for---terror jazz teachers. But terror as they might be, that made me want to look real good on the dancefloor. During my long years of dancing with them, I discovered that they only shout at you 1)so you can hear them above the music 2)if you’re not paying close attention while they’re correcting you while you’re dancing, 3) you’re really not listening and not following corrections, 4) you’re too close to the wall; 5)dahil alam nilang may igaganda pa yan sayaw mo, 6) masyado kang pa-cute, 7) masyado kang mabagal.
Dancing jazz, after all, is a slinkier and faster version of ballet. May konting similarities with ballet in terms of the classical movement but it’s faster, mas malandi, mas close to the floor ang movement. **
**Famous broadway musical on VCD you can borrow from Video City I can think of on the top of my head right now would be West Side Story. This is also one of my favorite Broadway musicals. Look for the part after both the leaders of the gang, Jets and Shark, got killed. I think it’s on Disc 3, ‘yun pinaka-unang song and dance number doon is “Cool,” that’s a very good example of what Jazz looks like. (Or better yet, be on the lookout for Powerdance’s concerts, it’s best to see them live.)
****
If you were this active, do you think it’s possible to lose weight? Maybe this is the reason why I continuously lose weight even if I’m not dancing. I’ve become too active even if I eat just about the same amount---in smaller amounts and almost all throughout the day may nginangata dapat kasi andali kong magutom.
Classes at Powerdance was not taken for straight five years by yours truly. There would be times when I would stop because either 1) I need the money to do something else or 2) I need to go back to doing some of the other activities I've already mentioned in Tumataba ako pero ayoko mapagod.
Let me describe to you how my “activities” worked for me. I am not saying you copy this but just to give you an idea that even if I’m still eating ‘not too healthily’, I’m still losing or maintaining my weight:
- Jazz 1 during weekend Oct 1999-Mar2000
- *Stops dancing*
- Takes up scubadiving from May2000-Nov2000
- Occasional mountain hiking side trips from time to time (i.e.climbing Mt. Hibok-Hibok and Mt. Pulag).
- Starts Jazz 1 again three times a week on March 2001-April 2001
- *Stops dancing*
- Goes back to occasional mountain hiking side trips (Mostly daytrips).
- Starts on August 2001 when weight reached 150 lbs and felt desperate about losing weight
- Continuously dances 3-4 times a week.
- Joins recital from April-May 2002 for both Jazz 1-MWF (Beginners Jazz) and Jazz 2-TThSat (Intermediate Jazz). Cannot believe I went to Powerdance 6 times a week!!
- July 2002-stops dancing. Learns how to play soccer in Sunken Garden. Occasional mountain hiking trips (Fun climb with friends at Mt. Batulao). People started to comment that “Ang payat mo ngayon.”
- Nov 2002. Loses job. Have to find funds for dancing.
- March 2003. Have funds, goes back to dancing.
- April – June 2003. Stops again. Decides to enjoy the summer (Goes snorkelling in Puerto Galera).
- July 2003. Resumes dancing.
- August 2003. No funds. Goes back to occasional daytrip mountain hiking and occasional snorkelling.
- February 2004. Had to go back dancing. Don’t know where I got funds.
- April – June 2004. Stops again. Thought I might save up on money. Goes back to football. Tried to row with the Dragonboat Team but failed to attend regularly.
- July 2004. Had to go back. Vows to save money so I can attend Jazz 1 classes twice a month.
- September 15, 2004. Powerdance’s last day in Shang before transferring to Shopwise, Cubao. Saved up money so I could take Jazz 1 on their last day at the Shang. Nanood ng Pro-Jazz class, nakisunod sa bandang side ng dancefloor, nainggit. Maybe would give the class a try one of these days.
****
I just had to go back. I keep coming back.
I am not an athlete nor a dancer in a professional sense. But everytime I return to dancing it’s because sayang yun flexibility ko and I could see muscles building up on my thighs that I didn't know exist. Ang ganda niyang tingnan. I thought they’d only appear on a dancer’s body.
Those weekend classes turned to three times a week when I became really big. Kasi nabasa ko somewhere that if you want to lose weight, it has to be three times a week of aerobic activity. And once you’ve reached your desired weight, you can do it once or twice a week to maintain it.
Pero for me talaga, the weight started to drop off when I started dancing. I was serious on losing weight but when I was there, I seem to forget the weight factor 'cause there were other things I had to worry about. I had to tuck in my stomach and my butt while dancing (the dance term, “pull up”). Then I had to breathe while tucking in my stomach. Then I have to go down on a squat while keeping my stomach in and my butt in (it’s one of the warm ups they call plié, pronouncead as pli’yey, translated as "bent").
Keep your toes pointed. Tuck in that stomach. Look light when jumping. Kahit hingal na hingal ka na, dapat maganda ka pa rin. Huwag mo pahalatang hinihingal ka. Konti pang libog. Konti pang landi. Smile. *sabay hingal* Pero huwag ipapahalata!
From 150 lbs. my weight dropped to 130 lbs now it’s down to 125 lbs.
Pero ang nakakapagtaka, same weight ko yan when I graduated college. Pero mas maluwag na ngayon sa akin ‘yun mga maong ko. Probably lean muscle mass increase. Refer to “Tumataba nga ako!” Remember: Which is heavier: 1 kilo of muscles or 1 kilo of fat? And on your body, which one looks leaner?
And for some unknown factor, pinapansin na rin ako nung mga cutie na taga-UP Mountaineers kahit hindi ko naman sila pinapansin! *joke* Baka batukan ako ng mga kakilala ko sa UPM. Nevertheless, hindi pa rin talaga ako mahilig mag-jogging.
****
Two years ago, while I was watching one of Powerdance’s concert in CCP, one of my teachers approached me. She asked, “Kelan ka magpro-Pro-Jazz?!
Lingon ako sa likod, tingin sa kanan, tingin sa kaliwa, isip-isip ko, “Ako ba kausap niya???!”
Ang pangit ko kaya magsayaw! Well, I probably think that way sometimes because I never get to see myself dance. But I do get the feeling when I have danced beautifully. It's the time when I feel I just don't care and kebs pa kung pangit ba ako o maganda sumayaw basta masaya ako. The feeling of being unattached to results and just giving it all.
She even added, “Grab the chance! May mga sinabihan na nga ako dati na ituloy nila mag-Pro-Jazz and tingnan mo kasama na sila sa concert!
That time this wasn’t really registering in my brain. I mean, she’s kidding, right? I dreamed of dancing with them but that was just a dream.
Now I think about it, maybe she was not kidding.
(This ends here, for now...)
----------
Disclaimer: This is not to say that everybody should be dancing. You can try and maybe you might like it but the keyword here is: To lose weight, you need to try out an activity that you could stick to and would really, really love doing. At least, yun ang sa experience ko.
Losing weight (if that’s you’re goal) is not impossible. It can be hard but it is not impossible. At oo, matagal siyang proseso kapag minsan. Hindi ora-oradang mababawasan ka ng timbang.
And I see a lot of comments, “Eh ano kung mataba?” True. Pakialam nila, di ba? If you don’t want to lose weight, then, don’t! It’s that simple. Walang pilitan.
But if you wish to lose some of the weight and gain a lot of the self-confidence, this is partly what I did. It worked for me. Maybe you need to try out what works for you best. Pero hindi niyo kelangan kopyahin ang ginawa ko. Just get pointers then work on your own goals. Go on and do your own research, maraming available na weight loss tips dito sa internet. At sa haba nito, sana nasagot ko yun tanong sa akin ng mga kaibigan ko dito sa peyups kung "bakit nga ba ako pumapayat".
Nga pala, starting Oct 10 or 11, 2004 Powerdance will be holding classes in Shopwise, Cubao.
*Also appearead on peyups.com last Oct 4, 2004.
Pati kapag dumadaan ako ng Powerdance twice a month, tanong din iyan ng mga kaklase kong nakita ako nung medyo chubby-chubby ako tinatanong ako ng, “ Bakit ang payat mo ngayon?”
Ang sagot ko, “Hindi ko alam.”
Dahil kapag tinitimbang ko naman ang sarili ko sa weighing scale ko nasa pagitan pa rin ng 125-130 lbs pa rin ang timbang ko gaya nung huli nila ako nakita at 5’4” pa rin naman ang height ko so di ko alam bakit. Yan na rin ang timbang ko for the past two years since 2002. Kapag tinitingnan ko sarili ko sa salamin, andon pa rin naman puson ko, di pa rin naman malnourished ang itsura ko. Malaki pa rin boobs ko at matambok pa rin pwet ko. At hindi payat ang tawag ko sa sarili ko... sexy.* Hehe
*Oo na, makapal na kung makapal pero sino pa ba mag-a-appreciate sa akin kundi sarili ko, di ba??! Walang saysay ang pagbabawas ng timbang kung di ka rin naman confident at di ma-appreciate ang iyong sarili. Therefore, love yourself!
****
When you care about what you do, enthusiasm carries you through. When you are passionate, no one else has to motivate you. – Andrew Matthews, Follow Your Heart (p88).
Gusto ko lang sana pumayat pero little did I know that along the way I would discover my passion.
Back in my undergrad years, all I can think of once I graduate from UP was to take jazz classes in Powerdance. Wala lang, gusto ko lang talaga sumayaw. I saw one of their concerts in UP Theater in 1996 and di talaga ako mapakali. I was awed and enthralled by their movements. It was dance like nothing I have seen before. I just had to enroll. I just had to try it. I wanted to try it. I wanted to dance.
I started weekend Jazz classes at Shangrila EDSA way back in 1999. I’d usually go there on weekends. I just quit my job in an NGO when I enrolled in October of 1999. I was not even sure if the Broadcast Company I was applying for would hire me, I just had to do it!!! It was like if I don't do this now, I might never get the chance to do it. And dancing at Powerdance would always stay where it was that time---in my dreams. I had to start it NOW was all I can think of.
As expected, masusungit nga ang mga teachers! I guess, that's what Powerdance is known for---terror jazz teachers. But terror as they might be, that made me want to look real good on the dancefloor. During my long years of dancing with them, I discovered that they only shout at you 1)so you can hear them above the music 2)if you’re not paying close attention while they’re correcting you while you’re dancing, 3) you’re really not listening and not following corrections, 4) you’re too close to the wall; 5)dahil alam nilang may igaganda pa yan sayaw mo, 6) masyado kang pa-cute, 7) masyado kang mabagal.
Dancing jazz, after all, is a slinkier and faster version of ballet. May konting similarities with ballet in terms of the classical movement but it’s faster, mas malandi, mas close to the floor ang movement. **
**Famous broadway musical on VCD you can borrow from Video City I can think of on the top of my head right now would be West Side Story. This is also one of my favorite Broadway musicals. Look for the part after both the leaders of the gang, Jets and Shark, got killed. I think it’s on Disc 3, ‘yun pinaka-unang song and dance number doon is “Cool,” that’s a very good example of what Jazz looks like. (Or better yet, be on the lookout for Powerdance’s concerts, it’s best to see them live.)
****
If you were this active, do you think it’s possible to lose weight? Maybe this is the reason why I continuously lose weight even if I’m not dancing. I’ve become too active even if I eat just about the same amount---in smaller amounts and almost all throughout the day may nginangata dapat kasi andali kong magutom.
Classes at Powerdance was not taken for straight five years by yours truly. There would be times when I would stop because either 1) I need the money to do something else or 2) I need to go back to doing some of the other activities I've already mentioned in Tumataba ako pero ayoko mapagod.
Let me describe to you how my “activities” worked for me. I am not saying you copy this but just to give you an idea that even if I’m still eating ‘not too healthily’, I’m still losing or maintaining my weight:
- Jazz 1 during weekend Oct 1999-Mar2000
- *Stops dancing*
- Takes up scubadiving from May2000-Nov2000
- Occasional mountain hiking side trips from time to time (i.e.climbing Mt. Hibok-Hibok and Mt. Pulag).
- Starts Jazz 1 again three times a week on March 2001-April 2001
- *Stops dancing*
- Goes back to occasional mountain hiking side trips (Mostly daytrips).
- Starts on August 2001 when weight reached 150 lbs and felt desperate about losing weight
- Continuously dances 3-4 times a week.
- Joins recital from April-May 2002 for both Jazz 1-MWF (Beginners Jazz) and Jazz 2-TThSat (Intermediate Jazz). Cannot believe I went to Powerdance 6 times a week!!
- July 2002-stops dancing. Learns how to play soccer in Sunken Garden. Occasional mountain hiking trips (Fun climb with friends at Mt. Batulao). People started to comment that “Ang payat mo ngayon.”
- Nov 2002. Loses job. Have to find funds for dancing.
- March 2003. Have funds, goes back to dancing.
- April – June 2003. Stops again. Decides to enjoy the summer (Goes snorkelling in Puerto Galera).
- July 2003. Resumes dancing.
- August 2003. No funds. Goes back to occasional daytrip mountain hiking and occasional snorkelling.
- February 2004. Had to go back dancing. Don’t know where I got funds.
- April – June 2004. Stops again. Thought I might save up on money. Goes back to football. Tried to row with the Dragonboat Team but failed to attend regularly.
- July 2004. Had to go back. Vows to save money so I can attend Jazz 1 classes twice a month.
- September 15, 2004. Powerdance’s last day in Shang before transferring to Shopwise, Cubao. Saved up money so I could take Jazz 1 on their last day at the Shang. Nanood ng Pro-Jazz class, nakisunod sa bandang side ng dancefloor, nainggit. Maybe would give the class a try one of these days.
****
I just had to go back. I keep coming back.
I am not an athlete nor a dancer in a professional sense. But everytime I return to dancing it’s because sayang yun flexibility ko and I could see muscles building up on my thighs that I didn't know exist. Ang ganda niyang tingnan. I thought they’d only appear on a dancer’s body.
Those weekend classes turned to three times a week when I became really big. Kasi nabasa ko somewhere that if you want to lose weight, it has to be three times a week of aerobic activity. And once you’ve reached your desired weight, you can do it once or twice a week to maintain it.
Pero for me talaga, the weight started to drop off when I started dancing. I was serious on losing weight but when I was there, I seem to forget the weight factor 'cause there were other things I had to worry about. I had to tuck in my stomach and my butt while dancing (the dance term, “pull up”). Then I had to breathe while tucking in my stomach. Then I have to go down on a squat while keeping my stomach in and my butt in (it’s one of the warm ups they call plié, pronouncead as pli’yey, translated as "bent").
Keep your toes pointed. Tuck in that stomach. Look light when jumping. Kahit hingal na hingal ka na, dapat maganda ka pa rin. Huwag mo pahalatang hinihingal ka. Konti pang libog. Konti pang landi. Smile. *sabay hingal* Pero huwag ipapahalata!
From 150 lbs. my weight dropped to 130 lbs now it’s down to 125 lbs.
Pero ang nakakapagtaka, same weight ko yan when I graduated college. Pero mas maluwag na ngayon sa akin ‘yun mga maong ko. Probably lean muscle mass increase. Refer to “Tumataba nga ako!” Remember: Which is heavier: 1 kilo of muscles or 1 kilo of fat? And on your body, which one looks leaner?
And for some unknown factor, pinapansin na rin ako nung mga cutie na taga-UP Mountaineers kahit hindi ko naman sila pinapansin! *joke* Baka batukan ako ng mga kakilala ko sa UPM. Nevertheless, hindi pa rin talaga ako mahilig mag-jogging.
****
Two years ago, while I was watching one of Powerdance’s concert in CCP, one of my teachers approached me. She asked, “Kelan ka magpro-Pro-Jazz?!
Lingon ako sa likod, tingin sa kanan, tingin sa kaliwa, isip-isip ko, “Ako ba kausap niya???!”
Ang pangit ko kaya magsayaw! Well, I probably think that way sometimes because I never get to see myself dance. But I do get the feeling when I have danced beautifully. It's the time when I feel I just don't care and kebs pa kung pangit ba ako o maganda sumayaw basta masaya ako. The feeling of being unattached to results and just giving it all.
She even added, “Grab the chance! May mga sinabihan na nga ako dati na ituloy nila mag-Pro-Jazz and tingnan mo kasama na sila sa concert!
That time this wasn’t really registering in my brain. I mean, she’s kidding, right? I dreamed of dancing with them but that was just a dream.
Now I think about it, maybe she was not kidding.
(This ends here, for now...)
----------
Disclaimer: This is not to say that everybody should be dancing. You can try and maybe you might like it but the keyword here is: To lose weight, you need to try out an activity that you could stick to and would really, really love doing. At least, yun ang sa experience ko.
Losing weight (if that’s you’re goal) is not impossible. It can be hard but it is not impossible. At oo, matagal siyang proseso kapag minsan. Hindi ora-oradang mababawasan ka ng timbang.
And I see a lot of comments, “Eh ano kung mataba?” True. Pakialam nila, di ba? If you don’t want to lose weight, then, don’t! It’s that simple. Walang pilitan.
But if you wish to lose some of the weight and gain a lot of the self-confidence, this is partly what I did. It worked for me. Maybe you need to try out what works for you best. Pero hindi niyo kelangan kopyahin ang ginawa ko. Just get pointers then work on your own goals. Go on and do your own research, maraming available na weight loss tips dito sa internet. At sa haba nito, sana nasagot ko yun tanong sa akin ng mga kaibigan ko dito sa peyups kung "bakit nga ba ako pumapayat".
Nga pala, starting Oct 10 or 11, 2004 Powerdance will be holding classes in Shopwise, Cubao.
*Also appearead on peyups.com last Oct 4, 2004.
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