This thing called "Body Relativity"

We are all born with a particular weakness, and in my case, it's a two-word thing called "Color Theory".

Despite being involved with the visual art scene in my youth, color is a concept I continue to struggle. Luckily, with the help of several blogs and persistent, I was able to scratch beyond the surface to understand it.

Now, you may be wondering why I'm babbling about colors, where in fact, my topic is all about Body Relativity. 

The gist of color relativity is simple- context affects how color is perceived. 

Body relativity is an idea I coined-The environment affects how a person's body is perceived. 

Environment does not restrict itself to the physical environment, but also includes people; their biases; and how they perceive a person's body should be. 

Now, again, you must be wondering why I'm babbling about body relativity. 

It's simple. 

The other night, a friend complimented how good I looked. Several days later, another friend wondered what happened to my body (and based on how I interpreted her body language and the statement... she was shocked how my body had changed and asked if I got married... i got a negative vibe from her). 

It suddenly clicked to me that everyone has their own notion of what my ideal body should be. And that notion is what matters. 

If the present appearance doesn't conform to their notion, they will willingly voice it for me. If the present appearance does conform, they do not tell me anything at all. 

It's meaningless to continuously meet another's notion of you. We meet thousands of people in our lifetime and it is tiring to conform to a thousand of expectations. 

The joy of walking

I hate traffic. What I hate more is being trapped inside a crammed jeepney vehicle while waiting for the traffic to flow.

If I just wore rubber shoes, I'd walk home.

Well, I'm wearing ballet flats right now. I think I can walk!

On September 6, I spent a productive one hour walk home.

A one hour walk is better than being stuck in traffix for 45 minutes.

It just feels... good for the body.

Cesar Millan once said that walking is vital for dogs. Why can't it be vital for humans too?

Simple Movements for Simple Fitness

I can't believe I'm saying this. 

I stopped going to the gym. 

I think squatting with improper failed injured my knee. 

At this rate, I decided to go back to the basics. 

Bodyweight exercises. Walking. Pushups. Hanging from my push-up bar, biking on my stationary bike while I read... 

I'm aimig for small and easy changes. Sustainable ones. 

I just hope that one day, my efforts will compound over time, and when I look back, my mantra was worth it.

I admit: I took up weightlifting because I believed it was the fastest and easiest way to lose fat and shape my body. 

But I can't do weightlifting forever. I don't want to pay for a gym membership forever. I just want to enjoy the outdoors and see what my body can do. 

Just like how I used to do as a child. 

"Earth Gym", as I fondly call it. The world is my gym and playground.. simple movements for simple fitness

Progress with push-ups

Finally!

In 2013, I couldn't a single push-up.

I decided to train my body and start with 10 knee push-ups.

When I could do 20 knee push-ups, my friend told me to do one push-up.

Just one.

I can remember the day I did it. It was a hot afternoon. I had finally pushed myself from the ground.

Finally!

My next challenge was doing 2 consecutive push-ups.

So I trained again. After 4 weeks and once a week weightlifting, I could finally hit 4-5 consecutive push-ups.

And then I stopped. I went back to someone who couldn't do a single push-up.

Then this year, I decided to male fitness a part of my lifestyle.

I went back to the gym and lifted weights.

On July 27, I gave myself another shot.

Prior to that date, I had been doing 5 sets of 5 reps of pushups. Couple that with  benchpressing 25 Ibs for almost a month, I was able to break my record!

7. 10. 7. 10.

34 pushups!

Finally!