Quezon City through Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte joined the Fit Filipino (Fit Fil) National Weight Loss Challenge to promote healthy lifestyle among its city hall employees and community residents. Mayor Bautista and Vice Mayor Belmonte were joined by fitness coaches Jim and Toni Saret during the campaign’s launch held on November 5, 2018.
Mayor Bautista pledged a total of 50,000 pounds weight loss among its city employees, including him, and community residents to build a fitter and healthier city.
During the launch, Mayor Bautista emphasized the importance of having a healthy lifestyle at home and at work. He also said that healthy lifestyle cannot be achieved through proper diet alone but should be partnered with regular exercise as well. He encouraged all city employees to accept the weight loss challenge not only for the sake of achieving the goal of this project but also to preventing the development of non-communicable diseases due to obesity.
During the launch, weight and height measurements of city officials including Mayor Bautista were taken by city nutritionist-dietitians and were followed by a zumba session led by fitness coaches Jim and Toni Saret participated in by city hall employees.
Simultaneous nutritional status assessment of city employees and community residents using body mass index (BMI) were done in the six (6) districts after the launch with the help of the nine (9) city nutritionist-dietitians and community health workers. Community members who participated in the campaign were overweight and obese 4Ps beneficiaries and those interested participants who registered online.
Participants were referred to the city nutritionist-dietitians for nutrition counseling to guide them on how to properly lose weight. Participants were discouraged to undergo fad diets which are highly restrictive diets with unusual food choices that promises a “quick fix” in losing weight.
Through nutrition counseling, participants were informed that achieving the desired body weight need not be restrictive but can be done through balance, variety and moderation in their food choices. In addition, zumba sessions were organized after work hours by the city hall employees as part of their physical activity.
Mixed emotions were seen from the employees and community residents during the follow-up BMI assessment held on December 14, 2018. Smiles of relief were seen from those who have successfully lost weight while the drive to try harder were felt from those who were swayed along with their cravings. The project may have been extra-challenging as it was timed during the holiday season, but the participants still have the chance to lose weight. It will be exciting to know if Quezon City will be successful in achieving the targeted total 50,000 lbs weight loss during the final weight and height taking to be held this January 2019.
The Fit Fil National Weight Loss Challenge is the first and biggest nationwide fitness and wellness campaign promoted by fitness experts Jim and Toni Saret. Fit Fil challenges Filipinos all over the country to collectively donate/lose one million pounds (1,000,000 lbs) aimed towards building a fitter and healthier nation.
(TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
Written by: Ms. Jirah Asa M. Sideco, Nutritionist-Dietitian II, Quezon City
Ms. Sideco is a member of the Regional Nutrition Writers' Guild and City/District Nutrition Program Coordinators of Metro Manila Association, Inc.
