From ‘fat’ to fit
Tagged as “fat” in his childhood, Leo Celles grew up thinking he would never be fit. It didn’t help that he loved to eat, especially junk food, which he consumed as a reward for just going through the day. He hated to do any physical activity, so much so that he made all possible excuses to skip his physical education and Citizens Army Training classes in high school.
“I was already obese in college but I reached my peak when I started working,” says Celles, who’s now a strategic planning director at the advertising agency Ace Saatchi & Saatchi. “With my entire days spent inside the office, I grew to 220 pounds.”
Looking back, he tells Lifestyle he always wondered what it was like to live without all the excess pounds weighing him down. But he was too “lazy and embarrassed” to go on a weight-loss program.
“I always had a reason to stay in my comfort zone,” he explains. “In fact, I was already resigned that I would die obese.”
He then goes on recalling an uneventful day in 2004 that turned out to be the turning point in his life. While spending a typical weekend at his favorite hangout Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan, Celles, then 24, noticed something that he never paid much attention to before. It was a branch of the Fitness First chain of gyms located just behind a popular McDonald’s branch.
Fitness journey
“It was hope at first sight,” Celles says in reflection. “I don’t know why but at that exact moment, I sincerely felt my life was about to change.”
Without hesitation, he enrolled in the gym, never mind that the membership and personal training expenses were worth more than half of the “modest salary” he was getting at the time.
Going to the gym was not only draining physically but also financially, he said. So, he had to make his fitness regimen work. He committed to working out every day straight from work, giving his all each session. He also started watching his diet.
All his efforts paid off. After just a month, he lost 14 pounds. Another three months later, he lost an additional 36 pounds. He lost a total of 80 pounds to achieve his current toned physique.
Reaching his weight-loss goals has given Celles a “great sense of achievement and newfound confidence” about himself and what he’s capable of doing.
“For the first time, I was able to buy clothes that I liked that fit me,” he says. “But the greatest validation would be relatives and friends who I hadn’t seen for a long time telling me I was a ‘fitspiration.’ Even that alone makes all the blood, sweat, tears, and pesos worth it.”
He makes it clear, though, that there were “bumps and cracks” along the way as he went on his 20-year fitness journey. At times, he admits, he gets the “bukas na lang (I’ll do it tomorrow)” blues.
“But I’ve remained committed to always pull through and never let go of myself again and never let down everyone who rallied behind and believed in me,” he says. “In the end, I am really just a testament that if I could do it, anyone could.”
For those aiming for similar results, Celles stresses that “desire is not enough” and “commitment is key to making it work,” with exercise and diet as the two main focus areas.
He adds, “There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for this so you have to find a regimen that suits you best, something that will challenge you, but at the same time, something you could sustain and retain as an integral part of your lifestyle.”
Additionally, “Start easy, then gradually work your way up in intensity as your body begins to adjust and cope. But as you increasingly challenge your body, don’t forget to be kind to yourself.”
To help you stick to your fitness regimen, Celles says try not to “peg your success with others’ progress,” as “we have unique fitness journeys, so stop comparing.”
His other reminders: “Have rest and cheat days. But don’t overdo it so you don’t waste your gains. Don’t beat yourself up every time you fall off the wagon—it happens to everyone. Just pick yourself up and jump right back in.
“Be safe. Don’t compromise your health and well-being to maximize and speed up results. This is not a race.
“Finally, after reaching your goal weight and figure/form, don’t let up on your fitness regimen. All that you’ve worked so hard to achieve can easily slip away if you simply sit on your laurels.”
Fitness is a commitment that needs to be incorporated into your lifestyle to make it work and to ensure its benefits stay. It’s okay to give in to temptation sometimes but don’t let it be a habit. Stay focused on your goal and constantly seek to achieve greater heights as you hit milestones.
