Excess poundage

Pear-shaped. That's the typical Filipina's silhouette. And if one's bone structure takes on this shape, no amount of dieting and exercising will make her pelvic bones shrink.

But then, if you find yourself huffing and puffing too much after walking a couple of blocks -- or if your lifestyle has you seated for hours at a time -- limbering up may do you good. If you're a Manila resident, biking on the streets is not really viable (unless you live in a secure neighborhood). Find a way to clock in even just 15 minutes of exercise everyday (you can start with taking the stairs more often) and you're on your way to fitness. And watch what you eat! Cut down on softdrinks and fast-food fare (the oily stuff), load up on fruits.

The ticker up there could give your quest for fitness a nice push. Weight loss seems to be the common goal -- a ticker for weight gain was nowhere in sight.

By the way, I heard from my mom that there was a planned nationwide transport strike for today. If it pushed through, I hope those affected are safe.