IN TODAY’S WORLD WHERE life is spent speeding through the fast lane, stress is normal and fast food takes the place of home-cooked, healthy food, staying fit is a tall order.
So how does one escape the unhealthy route and head toward the path to well-being, even in small but significant ways? We talked to some athletes from the country’s top universities and asked for some tips in order to help 2bU readers achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Chris Tiu, 23 Shooting Guard and team captain, Ateneo Blue Eagles Course: Applied Mathematics (second degree)
Describe your regular day. I go to class in the morning, then plunge into three or four hours of training in the afternoon. Our training consists of weight lifting, jogging and ball practice.
What does your diet consist of? Basically it’s a balanced meal. I eat meat, fish, veggies and rice.
What are your no-no’s when it comes to food? Fatty food is definitely a no-no for me. Eating oily food has a bad effect on my game.
What benefits can one get if he/she gets into your sport? Your whole body will be developed. From shoulders (because of shooting) to upper body strength down to the legs (because of the heavy sprinting up and down the court).
Do you have any mantra or philosophy that you live by as an athlete? Avoid anything that will not be beneficial to you.
Regular or diet soda? I don’t drink softdrinks.
Advice for people who want to get fit: Getting fit and healthy is a lifestyle. You don’t get there overnight; it really takes time. You need to eat right, avoid staying up late, and once you get there, you have to maintain it.
Denise Tan, 20 Setter, UST women’s volleyball team Course: Communication Arts.
Describe your regular day. I go to class early in the morning then training at around 9:30 am, which will last up to four hours. We do a lot of stretching, push-ups, sit-ups, jogging and ball warm-ups before a scrimmage.
What does your diet consist of? My diet includes a lot of rice, since I need a lot of energy to burn, together with meat and vegetables.
What are your no-no’s when it comes to food? Definitely no pies, cakes and chicharon for me.
What benefits can one get if he/she gets into your sport? Upper body strength will be developed, including the shoulders and triceps, since we do a lot of spiking and blocking.
Do you have any mantra or philosophy that you live by as an athlete? Perseverance. Tiyagaan lang talaga. You need to be patient since you have to learn a lot of things like spiking, jumping, etc.
Regular or diet soda? Regular
Sinful craving? Cakes.
Advice for people who want to get fit: You cannot compromise exercise. You should have the discipline to work out regularly, like exercise 30-45 minutes a day. And you should really watch what you eat.
Luica Dacanay, 22 Team captain, UP women’s swimming team Four-time UAAP women’s MVP and two-time UAAP Athlete of the Year Course: BS Family Life and Child Development
Describe your regular day. After classes in the morning and early afternoon, I go through a three-hour training starting at 5 p.m. Our training includes jogging, weight lifting and an eight-kilometer swim; that’s around 320 laps.
What does your diet consist of? I just eat three complete and balanced meals a day and make sure that I don’t get hungry in any way, because it will really have an effect on my conditioning.
What are your no-no’s when it comes to food? Oily and fatty food. It’s okay for me to take some sweets once in a while, since I get to burn them quickly.
What benefits can one get if he/she gets into your sport? Aside from the discipline, you will get to develop your abdomen, your shoulders and stamina.
Do you have any mantra or philosophy that you live by as an athlete? You’ve got to love what you’re doing. Feel your sport and have fun.
Regular or diet soda? Diet
Sinful craving? Cakes.
Advice for people who want to get fit: You have to be disciplined if you want to get fit,and avoid fatty food. A balanced diet is the key.
Martin Villaflor, 21 Goalkeeper, De La Salle men’s football team Course: Behavioral Science
Describe a regular day. Our training is M-W-F, 6-9 a.m. and we do a lot of stuff in our training. We jog and do full sprints; being a goalkeeper, my coach puts me into situational drills where I would have to stop the ball from different angles.
What does your diet consist of? For breakfast, I eat a lot of rice with meat or tuna. For dinner, I just take more fruit and light food. But my diet varies depending on the season. If it’s off-season, I could practically eat anything, but come December, which is a month before the UAAP starts, I go back to my regular diet. Taking supplements is also important.
What are your no-no’s when it comes to food? Donuts! Chocolate, maybe once a month and definitely no softdrinks.
What benefits can one get if he/she gets into your sport? Whole body development. You learn how to dive for the ball which demands quickness, your quadriceps and legs will be developed, and your upper body will be strengthened since you will get hit with the ball more often (if you were to become a goalkeeper).
Do you have any mantra or philosophy that you live by as an athlete? Die for the ball. Fight now, and die later.
Regular or diet soda? I don’t drink sodas.
Sinful craving? Sisig, bulalo and lechon!
Advice for people who want to get fit: Eat more fruits and vegetables and try to jog every other day to keep those love handles away.
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