Photographs by Mark Chester Ang
Makeup by Benjie Angeles for Mary Kay Cosmetics
Hairstyle by Hyatt Laurel
Joyce Ann Burton Titular, 44, Bb. Pilipinas Universe 1985, RPN 9 news anchor, voice talent, popular blogger (adventuresofabeautyqueen.com), wife, and mom of two
‘Weight’ problem: Though a regular at the gym, the 5’9” Joyce packed on pounds instead of losing them. In eight years, she slowly ballooned from 157 lbs to a whopping 170 lbs. Yoyo dieting was the culprit, as was overindulging and extending her “cheat” days.
The diet that did it: Dr. Mike Moreno’s The 17-Day Diet, an eating plan involving four cycles of 17 days each that mix up eating habits, thereby tricking the body into burning calories before it can get used to a particular routine. Joyce also practices hara hachi bu, or the Japanese belief of eating until you’re 80 percent full.
Beginning in August 2011, Joyce started Cycle 1 with lean meats (chicken and fish) and veggies; she also ate two fruits a day no later than 2 pm. In Cycle 2, she introduced brown carbs into the diet, eating them every other day, then consumed them daily in Cycle 3. In Cycle 4, dieters follow a very strict meal plan five days a week, but are allowed to eat whatever they want for three meals during weekends. Joyce lost 12 lbs in Cycle 1 and dropped eight more in Cycle 2. Last time she checked, she tipped the gym scale at 138 lbs. “And I never got dizzy, tired, or felt deprived,” she says.
Diet perks: The 17-Day Diet encourages moderate exercise (such as walking, which Dr. Mike does twice weekly with his patients) and has a list of healthy substitutes to combat food cravings. To stave off hunger pangs at night, Joyce ate fruit, and replaced her taste for creamy desserts with yogurt with a touch of Splenda. As for her intense love of red wine, Joyce now only drinks during special occasions.
The downside: Constipation on the first two cycles, from Joyce’s experience. Psyllium husk once or twice daily makes her regular.
Why this diet worked: Even before the 17-Day Diet, Joyce was already into journaling her progress. Through Facebook, she uploaded photos of herself and the food she ate, “to stay on track and for accountability.” She also credits her husband Ron for his unconditional love—even when she was heavier than him at one point. “He never, ever teased me about my weight,” she says of Ron, who himself lost 8 lbs as a result of his wife’s healthy eating. “If there are any husbands reading this, please support your wives!”
Try it: The 17-Day Diet by Dr. Mike Moreno, P799, Fully Booked
LOST 151 LBS!
Victoria Rodriguez, 24, executive assistant, food services division, Rustan’s
The turning point: Heavy all her life, the 5’1 Vada didn’t think she was ever “that fat”—even at 268 lbs. A self-confessed emotional eater, she was also a secret eater, binging on greasy takeout food whenever she was alone. Worried about her health, her family signed her up for the Cohen Diet, a personalized eating program based on a client’s blood work. Results showed that Vada’s blood sugar level was way off the charts. “That scared me,” she says, “because I could actually die and I never thought about it.”
Diet before the diet: Because of her sugar level, Vada had to undergo a transitional diet for a month before actually starting the Cohen Diet. When she was ready in October 2010, she traded fried and fast-food fare for lean cuts of beef and skinless chicken, certain types of fish, shrimps, and non-starchy veggies. In November 2011, she was put on the Cohen Diet’s Refeeding Phase, where healthy carbohydrates and other types of fruit and vegetables were slowly reintroduced into her strict diet. Thirteen months later, Vada was less than half the woman she used to be, dropping an unbelievable 151 lbs. “That’s an entire person and a baby!” she points out, beaming. Days after this shoot, Vada weighed 116 lbs.
Diet perks: Rapid weight loss is a typical effect experienced by Cohen dieters. This all-natural solution to slimming down also corrects imbalances found in one’s blood chemistry, like Vada’s sugar, which has since normalized. And because it prohibits alcohol, Vada has since lost her desire to drink.
The downside: It can be tedious: everything she ate had to be weighed raw first, and bringing baon was a must for the lady who couldn’t just eat in any restaurant. The Cohen Diet also does not recommend starting an exercise program if you haven’t been on one before.
Why this diet worked: Aside from Vada’s iron will, the Cohen Diet offers guidelines and a list of foods in black and white, leaving no room for guess work or gray areas. “If you like rules, it really works,” she avers. “But it’s also flexible because you can be as creative as you want to be with your food preparations, within the given parameters.”
Try it: Cohen Lifestyle Centre, Suite 1006, Medical Plaza Makati, Amorsolo corner De La Rosa Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City, tel. nos. 502-1090 and (0917) 892-6436.
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