MANILA, Philippines ? For actress Ruby Rodriguez who used to weigh 96 kilograms, a shift to a healthy and active lifestyle was key to becoming fit.

?I used to be heavy and after I gave birth like every woman. I even got heavier until I became the size of [an] aparador [cabinet]. I have been called fat in various ways, and some even say, 'Sakay na! [Hop on]', because for them I am like a big Superferry ship,? said the female comedian/television host.

But after joining the recently concluded ?The Biggest Loser? (Asian edition), the TV host said she has since slimmed down to 75.2 kilos and has continued to lose weight by following the 13-week group-workout program dubbed ?Lose Big.?

?Before, I used to believe that only three things were good in life: the illegal, immoral, and fattening. But I dished that since I joined the Lose Big Asia contest. Together with my team, we were in for 13 weeks of fitness regimen. And that is when I learned that a healthy lifestyle is key to losing weight,? said Rodriguez.

Chef Carlo Miguel, one of the finalists of the contest, agreed. Now tipping in at 83 kilos, Miguel said he used to weigh 163 kilos. But, he said, strict adherence to the Lose Big program made him fitter and that he could now enjoy life?s simple pleasures which he could not in the past.

?I used to always have feelings of insecurity and self loathing since I was overweight starting eight years old. As an adult I always feel tired and I can fall asleep while in the middle of a conversation with my wife. And I was always afraid to ride a tricycle because I know I wouldn't fit inside,? said Miguel.

?But over the time I was with my workout group, I learned that moving to the normal weight range is not impossible. By working out as a group, you feel a partnership not only with the trainer but with your teammates who also aspire for the same goals you do,? said Miguel.

Designer of the Lose Big program Dave Nuku, said the fitness regimen was designed not only for obese individuals or those with a body mass index above 25 but also for persons who just want to slim down.

It is ?no magic pill but it is a back-to-basics combination of body exercises and nutrition? tailored for an individual who wants to shed some pounds away or lose half their body weight, said Nuku, one of the trainors in ?The Biggest Loser.?

?Lose Big is a four-step fitness program for two teams, each with eight members. They are introduced to a combination of exercises for flexibility, resistance, cardiovascular and strength training, among others and are told to follow a diet plan as recommended by a nutritionist. The exercise and nutrition program is fit for the person's body and target weight,? said Nuku, who also sits as regional fitness manager for Fitness First Asia.

And by having teammates who have the same starting point as you, it helps reduce or prevent the anxiety felt by someone who goes to the gym alone, said Nuku.

?The fitness program inculcates four values and steps: believe, begin, belong, and become. Believe that losing a kilo at a time is achievable, begin today a healthy lifestyle to enjoy life more, belong to a support group who have the same goals as you while being guided by a team of fitness, health and nutritional experts ? all these three would allow you to become the person you want to be,? said Nuku.

In the first stage, fitness experts determine a person's health and target weight. This is also the time that the trainer sets small goals for the individual, such as losing the first kilo in a few weeks through a combination of exercises such as walking and weight lifting for 90 minutes thrice a week, he said.

The second stage is doing the small achievable goals and building on them such as increasing the intensity of the exercises for eight weeks, the trainer said.

The third stage is when nutritionists offer a diet plan to fit the activities of the person. The food list is intended to guide a person in shopping for grocery and food items that are both healthy and nutritious and have the right amount of calories needed to perform one's daily activities. Quantity and portioning of meals are also included in the list.

?Most people who want to lose weight starve themselves only to eat a heavy meal after and gain pounds over time or by eating only say a pineapple from breakfast to dinner. But this does not have to be if you know how to shop the right food items and that you can eat them without the guilt. By advising them on proper diet, we are empowering people to make a conscious effort to eat healthy and keep fit,? said Nuku.

?Overall, Lose Big program is a progressive educational process that empowers a person to take that step to a healthier body by being active and to make informed choices on what to eat. It is no magic pill but a back to basics strategy that also taps the power of a community to encourage members for a workout and ultimately, to achieve their goal to lose the extra weight,? said Nuku.

?Losing weight is equal to having a healthier, happier life where you can do things confidently, without fear that you might not fit in a tricycle or destroy a chair of an Asian food stall. Doing such small things spell the difference in a quality of life a person has,? said Nuku who helped launch the Lose Big program in the country.