Body weight and diet in the Philippines

[Old55]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

I feel the schools could do more to help - in my son's case the PE lesson was usually a dance class pre-covid.  They should be outside running around, playing a sport of some kind as we did when we were students.  They have the facilities. just not the motivation.  Even walking here is considered a pastime of the poor who cannot afford a car!

Great point HK! Team sports are badly needed in Philippines. Not only for the exercise but for learning discipline and working together for the benefit of the group. 

Admittedly there are areas one can't safely walk very far but even very poor Filipinos will hire a trike or trisikad (spelling?) instead of walking 100 yards. Simply lazy IMO. 

[Freebie]

2 hours ago, hk blues said:

Even walking here is considered a pastime of the poor who cannot afford a car!

In total agreement with you...I have a two hour walk daily  and there are regular people I pass who sometimes suggest I take a taxi or some other mode of mechanised transport whereas Im walking for the enjoyment of walking ( plus maintaining my 14,000 steps per day ) and obviously keeping blood pressure down by doing so .

In a country where walking is deemed to be a punishment for being poor, theres not much chance of the nations children ever getting fit and  not fat.

[hk blues]

54 minutes ago, Old55 said:

Great point HK! Team sports are badly needed in Philippines. Not only for the exercise but for learning discipline and working together for the benefit of the group. 

Admittedly there are areas one can't safely walk very far but even very poor Filipinos will hire a trike or trisikad (spelling?) instead of walking 100 yards. Simply lazy IMO. 

 

6 minutes ago, Freebie said:

In total agreement with you...I have a two hour walk daily  and there are regular people I pass who sometimes suggest I take a taxi or some other mode of mechanised transport whereas Im walking for the enjoyment of walking ( plus maintaining my 14,000 steps per day ) and obviously keeping blood pressure down by doing so .

In a country where walking is deemed to be a punishment for being poor, theres not much chance of the nations children ever getting fit and  not fat.

We've all seen examples of jeepneys stop/starting along the way as people get off every few yards.

Yep, walking is an activity here that seems to bemuse locals.  My wife, son and I have a 45-minute walk every evening (my son's classmate tags along now which is great) and it's a good way to get exercise at the same time as spend time as a family and talk.  

[baronapart]

9 hours ago, hk blues said:

I feel the schools could do more to help - in my son's case the PE lesson was usually a dance class pre-covid.  They should be outside running around, playing a sport of some kind as we did when we were students.  They have the facilities. just not the motivation.  Even walking here is considered a pastime of the poor who cannot afford a car!

When we are at her family home in the province my wife will gather the neighborhood girls together and play Chinese Garter (kind of a high jump-jump rope combo). My wife is in excellent shape for 33 so it provides motivation for me to stay in shape, too. I follow mostly a keto diet and it has a big positive effect on how I feel.

Edited April 20, 2021 by baronapart

[OnMyWay]

6 hours ago, Freebie said:

plus maintaining my 14,000 steps per day

What are you using to track your steps?  My wife had bought me a cheap fit band a few years ago, and it does not seem to be working now.  I wanted to start tracking my movement again, but I don't want to buy a really expensive one.

Weird coincidence today.  My wife and I left the house to go to the mall, and I was looking forward to a walk there.  When I got in the car, my left arm felt like it was missing something.  Like back in the day, if I forgot my wristwatch when leaving for work, I would feel naked and like something was out of place all day!  I told my wife about the feeling and wondered why it popped up.  She said she used to be the same with her watches, going to work, etc.

Maybe this was a sign that I need to buy a fit watch?

 

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by OnMyWay

[graham59]

We also try to get out for some exercise each day... 

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, graham59 said:

We also try to get out for some exercise each day... 

I see why. Not much else you could do there 

[Jollygoodfellow]

When I first moved to the Philippines over the first year I lost quite a bit of weight. Now over the last year I have put on quite a bit again. Probably from my new job I took once lockdowns begun.

I became a Tanduy and coke tester. Someone has to do it to ensure there are no bad batches.

[baronapart]

3 hours ago, graham59 said:

We also try to get out for some exercise each day... 

G. You are living the dream. 

[Balisidar]

Think I'll "weigh" in on this topic as well.😀

I can relate to the attitude that many Filipinos have about walking as my wife and I take an hour long walk every morning.  Seems like she's always explaining that we are doin it for exercise which seems amusing to many of them.

Also the Filipino love of sweet foods has a lot to do with the obesity problem here.  And too many carbs.  Since we started our garden we have a lot of excess produce that we've tried to give to my wife's family.  At first they didn't want to accept it.  In fact one niece who is pretty portly said "Uncle, only poor people eat vegetables".  Which of course blew me away since they ARE poor.  But after some convincing and talking about healthy eating we talked some of them into accepting our excess produce.  

We also have a few nieces we have helped by taking to the dentist.  I remember having lived here in the 1980's that I was always struck by most Filipina's beautiful smiles so just from that time to now many things have radically changed and not for the better.

Edited April 20, 2021 by Balisidar