Merry Christmas, everyone! I prepared this story for the holidays because weight is almost always a hot topic during this time of the year. Also, my simple transformation is probably one of the best things I’ve received this year so here goes.

Let me start with a quick story: Weight has been an issue that I’ve struggled with for years now, and I’m sure that I’m not alone. In my teen years, I’ve always felt that I’m too heavy for my age even though clinic charts say that it’s perfectly normal. By the time that I got to college, I was even called “plus size” during a photo shoot even though my weight never went beyond 120lbs. Apparently, society has a different standard that disregards all scientific measurements and whether or not your weight is still appropriate for your height. Nevermind PCOS, nevermind your health. Think Victoria’s Secret models. That’s their peg! Well, thank heavens for people like Rihanna who are bringing body positivity to the spotlight now. If only that existed during my teen years, I would’ve had a backup against meanies.

Fast forward to 2019, here I am, underweight for a person who is 5’5″ in height. My weight has been fluctuating from as low as 98 lbs to 103 lbs even though I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) which supposedly makes a person gain weight over time. Due to stress and other factors – not eating a lot to “maintain a desirable weight” included, I’ve spent the year within those numbers on the scale until I encountered Architect PH. 

Heavier Doesn’t Mean Fatter

Architect PH, led by Timothy Ngo, is an IFPA-certified online workout and nutrition coach that offers honest guidance and realistic results for their clients. It was them that made me realize that “heavier doesn’t mean fatter”. What started out as a flabby 103lbs body in March 2019 ended with a leaner 108lbs core in July 2019. Today, I’m already at 110lbs and I’m continuously working towards at least 113lbs.

When I started my online coaching with Architect PH, Coach Tim reassured me that gaining weight doesn’t mean I’ll look chubby. With the right food intake and enough workout for my body, we can become leaner and heavier over time. Lo and behold, my body did after 4 months! With extra 5lbs in muscle form, I appeared slimmer (although “leaner” is a better term) but my weight became a few steps closer to my “heavier” target.

My friends who are health buffs call this “good weight” and I’m thankful that they’ve been supporting me throughout the months. It’s a challenging plan but it gets easier through time. Imagine no rice, no pork, no sugary treats, no food that are not part of the plan provided! All for a good reason, though.

How It Happened

Architect PH is a great start for people who can’t seem to find time to go to the gym. Before you go preachy on me, yes, there are people who cannot afford to wake up as early as you can because of their jobs and other responsibilities that get in the way, Brenda.

No need to meet with your coach every week! You just need to chat with them via Messenger or exchange emails about your progress. Through online consultations purely based on honesty and responsiveness to weekly checkpoints, the architects behind Architect PH provide a custom nutrition plan or custom workout plan or both as needed. Mine has been adjusted around twice or thrice a month because my eating schedule at work can be crazy! My meal plan consists of 3 snacks which I have to squeeze in between my day-to-day meetings. Good thing Architect PH finds a way even if I can’t!

Workouts can be done purely at home and at your own pace. I usually do this over the weekend and if I have spare time upon getting home. Most of the time, I’m already way too tired to do anything after hours of commuting!

The tricky part of the plan, at least for me, is preparing meals every morning because it’s hard to find healthy food that are not overpriced in restaurants. My favorites? Chicken breast, corn, quinoa, and salmon. There are also times when I find it hard to eat because I’m already too full! Never did I imagine that this can be a challenge for me, but it was.

If you don’t have time to prepare, Architect PH recently introduced a Meal Plan Delivery Service, which you can also avail with their packages. You can check with Tim or shoot them an email via www.thearchitect.ph/. 

Monthly services include:

• Body Refine Package (P3,899): Nutrition and workout plans, supplementation guides, etc.
• Custom Nutrition Plan (P2,499): Unli consultations, nutrition plan and supplementation guide, etc.
• Custom Workout Plan (P1,899): Unli consultations, workout plan and supplementation guide, etc.

Results

The packages may seem quite expensive but trust me when I say that they’re all worth it if you need guidance and close monitoring. Plus, knowing that you’re paying for the service can give extra motivation for you to do your best so the effort and money won’t go to waste.

At the end of the day, you can be the architect of your own body. To hell with the body shamers. The important part is that you are physically healthy and you’re proud of your body. I finally had the confidence to accept that I have bigger hips and thicker thighs than others because I know that these hips and thighs are now strong enough to take me places that other people wouldn’t dare to go to. My core is also stronger than ever and I plan to be even tougher in the years to come! 😉

You can check my profile via Architect PH’s website if you want to know more about my journey. Let me know if you have other questions about this and I’d be happy to help out! You can get in touch with me by dropping a message via Manila Millennial‘s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page!