Mechanics
1. The Moda Plus Onine Model Search is announced and launched via the Moda Plus Facebook site
2. Candidates must have a FB account and become a fan of the official MP-FB page as well as a friend of the MP Model Search Page (personal page)
3. Candidates must post on the wall of the MP Model Search FB with a maximum of three (3) profile shots of themselves alongside details (Full Name, Contact Number, Email, Occupation, Company, Age, Vital statistics).
4. Before posting, verification must be done to ensure validity of entry. Each applicant must submit only one entry or else disqualify herself from the Search.
5. The MP Model Search FB serves as the official INBOX of all entries.
6. The entries are then posted onto the wall of the official MP-FB fanpage.
7. The entries are posted to generate votes in the form of “Likes”.
8. The top 8 entries with the most number of “Likes” are the finalists.
9. From 8 Finalist, Management will select top 3 as winners and new image models of Moda Plus.

This is valid from Jun 21 to Aug 15 only. https://www.facebook.com/modaplus

“sugar alcohol” posted this reply to my repost about Chinese Diet Pills. I’m posting her reply in its entirety:

These circulating posts about (the original) Zhen de Shou is direly misinformed. The original contains traces of Sibutramine, while the fake ones contain Ephedra. Sibutramine is also known as Meridia or Reductil. It’s an approved prescription substance for morbidly obese people (BMI of 30 or over). (Ephedra, on the other hand, is banned in North America and Europe.)

The term, by the way, is appetite suppressant — not depressant. (Depress = to lower; Suppress = inhibit). Sibutramine is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for giving you the feeling of satiety. To put it simply, when your brain releases a neurotransmitter, it “recollects” the excess; hence, the word “reuptake.” Sibutramine works by preventing the reuptake of serotonin (and also the reuptake of norepinephrine). Since the serotonin is not being “cleaned up” from your brain system, there is a resulting flood of the said neurotransmitter in your brain.

Sibutramine is said to mimic the effects of amphetamines (aka “meth,” “shabu”), because meth works by forcing the production of serotonin. Either way, whether a chemical is there to “squeeze out” serotonin or “block its drainage,” the point is, you have more serotonin in your brain than usual.

Regarding norepinephrine, it’s released in tandem with adrenaline or epinephrine to give you energy in times of stress. It’s part of the fight-flight response mechanism.

With these two neurotransmitters combined, you get some (if not all) of the following effects: loss of appetite, anxiety, high blood pressure, palpitation, trouble sleeping, euphoria, headache. The list is long. (Side effects sound familiar?) There are the fortunate few who experience only one or two side effects and experience them mildly.

Anyway, for those people who are experiencing fatal side effects, here are some of the probable causes:

1. You drink ALCOHOL. You have to be a SOBER party pooper because Sibutramine is contraindicated in people who can’t give up alcohol.

2. You are hypertensive / have high blood pressure.

3. You have hyperthyrodism.

4. You or your family has a history of: heart / coronary disease. // Existing damage on heart valves, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, serious arrhythmias, previous myocardial infarction

5. You have liver/kidney disease.

6. You have epilepsy / get seizures.

7. You have bleeding / clotting problems.

8. You have glaucoma.

9. You have gallstones.

10. You are anorexic or bulimic.

11. You are suffering from depression.

12. You are taking other drugs that also affect the serotonin / norepinephrine levels in your brain such as antidepressants (e.g. Prozac, generic name Fluoxetine, is an SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor).

13. In general, if you are sick and on medication.

14. You have been taking it (Zhen de Shou / Sibutramine) for more than one year.

15. You take more than one pill in 24 hours. (Recommended dosage of Sibutramine: 10mg)

16. YOU ARE NOT OBESE.

17. Oh. YOU TAKE ILLEGAL NARCOTIC DRUGS.

ALSO: When you stop taking Sibutramine, you HAVE TO WAIT TWO WEEKS before taking it again.

Anyway, I know people who take this and are perfectly alive and kicking. I suppose it’s because they’re in peak physical condition and have a clean genetic history. They also do not take more than one pill, and they buy the original.

Research well. Get your facts straight. Look at credible books and websites. Ask a doctor.

P/S – November 2008, USA — The FDA recalled Zhen de Shou products because of undeclared amounts of Sibutramine (not written in the package). Sibutramine is a regulated substance.

Remember that Sibutramine still has side effects. If you really want to lose weight by taking medication, it is a must that you consult a doctor first and don’t forget to give him your entire medical history.

I’ve only seen the movie version of Hairspray (the one with Ricky Lake) and I enjoyed it a lot because it’s fun and size-positive. When I learned from Lorna that there’s going to be a stage production of Hairspray here, I became excited. Initially there were plans of getting International Size Acceptance Association Philippines (ISAAPH) as a sponsor of some sort but it didn’t push through because of lack of communication. Still, I and ISAAPH are rooting for the production. I encourage everyone to watch the musical because it is truly enjoyable. Read on the know more about Hairspray.

HAIRSPRAY is about Tracy who wins a spot on the local TV dance program The Corny Collins Show. The big girl with big hair and big dreams becomes a teen celebrity overnight. Soon Tracy finds herself pitted against the show’s reigning princess for the title Miss Teenage Hairspray 1962. Based on the John Waters film, Hairspray is the winner of eight Tony awards including Best Musical. It was recently made into a hit film starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and Queen Latifah.

It is directed by Bobby Garcia, choreography by Cecile Martinez, sets and costumes by Gino Gonzales, lighting design by Shoko Matsumoto and Musical Director Archie Castillo conducts FILharmoniKA. It runs from Nov. 14 to Dec. 7 at the Star Theatre, CCP Complex. Tickets are on sale now by calling Atlantis Productions at 892-7078, 840-1187 or Ticketworld at 891-9999

If you are Filipina, plus size, and want to become a model, send the following to Ms. Ailsa Ongkeko:

• 1 close up picture
• 1 whole body picture
• personal information

You can email the requirements to ailsaongkeko@yahoo.com

Martha Sta. Barbara, a Filipina blogger, posted an entry about the dangers of Zhen de Shou and Ballerina. The two are diet pills from China which have become popular in the Philippines because they’re cheap and results are immediate. I’m reposting her entry with her permission.

‘I Lost 30 lbs. In 1 Month! Now I’m Dying!’ – The Truth Behind The Truth

BALLERINA, ZHEN DE SHOU, GOODLINESS, LIGHT SOME, MODELLING, BANGKOK, XENICAL, BLAH BLAH BLAH. ANO PA BA?

Shet. Ang daming diet pills. Nagkakatalo lahat. Andami ng ginawa’t naimbento. But I’ve never tried something as EFFECTIVE as Ballerina and Zhen De Shou.

In Zhen De Shou, I lost 8 pounds in a week. Yung kinain ko from june- september, nawala ng one week nung october.

SHET ANG SEXY KO!!

San ka pa diba? Exercise pa kayo diyan eh natulog at gumising lang ako ng isang linggo, payat agad ako. diba?

Pero buti na lang hindi ako tumagal sa pagte- take nitong mga ito. Kung hindi hindi lang ako payat. PATAY pa ako.

Let’s start:

ZHEN DE SHOU- This is a weight loss capsule. It promises to cut 10 pounds off your weighing scale in a matter of 7 days. Sounds interesting right? Well, it’s made up of selected and powerful herbs to make you lose weight and all.

Do I interest you now in buying a pack and trying it yourself?

Wait until you get to the site that draws you into the pit. http://zhendeshou.net/

BALLERINA- Not anyone can become a ballerina but you can achieve their beautiful fatless bodies with this pill. Guranteed to make you lose almost 20 pounds in a matter of 1 month (5 pounds in a week). Well, ain’t that long to achieving a ballerina body eh? Why don’t you try it yourself? Not yet convinced by me? Check out their site and jump into the pit. http://www.ballerina-slimming.com/index.html

I’ve tried Zhen De Shou and I must say, it really worked. One week and Zhen De Shou is all I needed to get back to my old, slim body. I had to stop because my supplier’s supplier won’t have stocks until next week so I have to wait. In the course of a week without taking the pills, I have experienced BURNING pains in my stomach and to heal the pain, I must eat so much food. And the result, I doubled the weight I gained before I took the pills. A friend of mine taking the same pill experienced the same thing. And mind you, these pains occur almost every hour! So imagine, I have to eat TOO MUCH food every hour!

Then I came across a friend who was once fat then she seemed to have lost 15 pounds off her in a matter of 1 1/2 months. She is so thin! I’m even fatter than her! I asked her secret. Then she introduced me to her friend, BALLERINA. These blue pills that look like frenzied metamphetamines. It came along with a diet plan, that I followed religiously for 2 weeks. I was advised to pop one 30 mins. before each meal. one of its effects is it will dry your throat so you have to chug down water, that would cleanse your body so you’ll shit like hell, releasing toxins, and making you lose weight.

Well, I was getting the results. In a matter of 2 weeks, my craving for food decreased, my throat is always dry, which I didn’t like. It doesn’t matter! A friend and my hubby noticed that I was shedding some pounds. YES!! These effects might be irritating but you have to make sacrifices if you want better results! In a month, I’m good in my tight fitting, daring, belly revealing clothes again!

MONDAY, 1:30 PM, CHOCOLATE KISS CAFE

I was enjoying my weight shedding. And I’m planning to continue. Right after I popped a capsule, my phone beeped, it was my mom. Here is our conversation:

Mama: Tita ***** is dying. Stop taking those diet pills. We suspect that this caused her cancer.
Me: Shet??! When was she diagnosed with cancer?
Mama: A week ago. Na-diagnose siya, tapos binigyan ng gamot. Pagbalik for her treatment, stage 4 na daw cancer nya. Multiple organ failure na.
Me: Eh ilang stages ba ang cancer?
Mama: 4. Dasal na lang ang kailangan niya.
Me: Fuc*.
Mama: You better have your liver checked. You were taking these before di ba? You don’t know, baka biglang lumabas effects niyan.
Me: Eh 1 week ako nung first brand, then 2 weeks nitong recent. So bale 3 weeks pa lang ako gumagamit.
Mama: Maski na. Baka mamaya may damage na palang na-inflict yan. Tapos kakalat. After some years, baka mamaya malaman mong mamamatay ka na pala. At gaga ka. tina-try mo pa lahat.
Me: Scary mae.
Me: When did she start taking the pills?
Mama: 3 years na.
Me: Anong brand?
Mama: Yung de su de su ata yun tsaka ballerina.
Me: Zhen de shou kasi.
Mama: Whatever.
Me: Eh ginawa na pala niyang snack yung gamot eh kaya pala.
Mama: She’s following naman daw the instructions.
Me: Ow.
Mama: Tell your friends. And wag na wag ka nang bibili nito. Ever.
Me: Ok. Send my love to tita *****. I’ll pray for her.

“It’s dead on arrival at my desk.”
– Mississippi House Public Health and Human Services Committee Chairman
Steve Holland (D – Plantersville) concerning Mississippi House Bill 282

Link:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080205/NEWS010504/802050377/1001/news

ISAA would like to thank all of you for your participation in this activism
effort. The Mississippi lawmakers heard you loud and clear! Ding, dong, the
bill is dead!

ISAA would also like to thank NAAFA and COFTA for their participation in
bringing attention to this ill-advised bill.

—
Allen Steadham, Director
International Size Acceptance Association
E-mail – directisaa@gmail.com
WWW – http://www.size-acceptance.org

I agree with most of what she said except for the BMI part. The BMI chart is still being debated about since it was popularized by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company to categorize people as insurable or not.

How to have a fit and sexy body
By Mitch Felipe
Philippine Daily InquirerPeople, especially women, think that to be sexy, one must be thin. Regardless of effects, most people will do whatever it takes to attain what they perceive as society’s idea of a desirable and acceptable body.

The obsession with thinness is becoming quite extreme with unhealthy psychological and physical consequences. Some strategies people use to achieve a thin body include extreme dieting, over-exercising, use of pills, unnecessary surgeries and intentional stress.

But what does it really take to be fit and sexy. What should be done to reach that goal?

Develop the right motivation.

According to the article “Dying to be Thin,” published in Personality and Psychology Bulletin, the disordered eating behavior and body dissatisfaction, especially for women, stem from the power of social pressure and the effects of media.

If you want to have your ideal body, you should have the right type of motivation first to be able to maintain your weight and free your mind from stress.

You should lose weight because you want to be healthy, you want to feel good about yourself or you want to have more things in life, not because of pressures from your environment.

The right types of motivation will make you undergo a healthy, moderate and balanced process to achieve fit and sexy mind and body.

Aim for a normal weight and fat percentage.

It is definitely fine to be slim but not underweight, which is having a body mass index (BMI) below 19. Normal BMI ranges from 19 to 24.9. Body mass index can be computed by dividing your weight in kilograms by twice your height in meters.

Make sure you also aim for a normal fat percentage. Fat percentage values can be established by using a body fat analyzer machine or a fat caliper, which is usually available in fitness centers and hospitals.

For women, the normal, healthy range of total body fat percentage is 20-27 percent; and for men, 13-17 percent.

Adore yourself.

Some people tell you how good you look but you do not believe because you have low self-esteem. The perception of sexiness is also psychological, not just physical.

Stop comparing yourself to others. If you feel good about yourself, you will feel content about the way you look, and it will show regardless of what people say.

Always strive for improvement and balance. If you think and believe that you are always improving yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually, then you will become more confident about yourself.

I read this awhile back on Philippine Daily Inquirer.

It’s easy to read newspapers nowadays. With their pages chock-full of ads, you’ll finish reading even before you exhale.

It’s not difficult to become beautiful either. If you believe the ads, you can be the official Philippine entry in the Miss or Mister Asia-Pacific/ International/ World/ Universe contests this year. Who knows how many awards we will win?

Every loyal Filipino consumer living outside the Tabon Cave faces a daily onslaught of ads for health, beauty and wellness products. From TV, radio and print to balloons and the Internet, the attack shows no sign of abating. An army of whitening creams, soaps and lotions, hair-straightening shampoos, hair-softening conditioners, and hair-stiffening gels are fighting over our hard-earned money. An artillery of services is pounding our senses numb (weight-loss programs, mezo-therapy, diamond peel, liposuction, hair removal, wrinkle removal, wellness and spa treatments, 3-in-1, 6-in-1, all-in-one). The beautiful thing about this war is that Dawn Zulueta is leading it.

The Filipino has always been meticulous about personal hygiene and beauty. Pigafetta first noted this when he and his group came upon the islands. But the present fad goes beyond hygiene. It smacks of mass hysteria.

Before, only posh stores like Rustan’s sold beauty products. Now, even Liana’s supermarket sells them. Back then, you could count with your fingers the really beautiful people gracing the local papers. Nora Aunor became the messiah who brought hope to millions of brown-skinned masses. But the fascination didn’t last long; Filipinos really desire a “mestiza” look and businesses are listening. So it won’t be long now before the next Ms Philippines is a former house help. Or the next Bench models come from members of Fejodap.

AUSTIN, TX – The International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA) opposes
and condemns Mississippi House Bill 282 (
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2008/pdf/history/HB/HB0282.xml), proposed
by Representative W. T. Mayhall, Jr. of District 40, which is “an act to
prohibit certain food establishments from serving food to any person who is
obese.” In the unlikely possibility that this legislation actually passes,
it would allow restaurants to refuse service to anyone with a Body Mass
Index (BMI) of 30 or more. The bill does not specify how restaurants should
check for BMI but it does state that “the State Department of Health shall
monitor the food establishments to which this section applies for compliance
with the provisions of this section, and may revoke the permit of any food
establishment that repeatedly violates the provisions of this section.”

“This bill is wholesale legalized segregation based on weight,” said ISAA
Founder and Director Allen Steadham. “It tells restaurants to choke their
own business while discriminating against potential patrons. It is obscene
and shows to what extent the obsession over obesity has reached. This
clearly steps over a line and should be called for what it is.”

ISAA recommends that the public contact the Mississippi legislature (
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/members/hr_membs.xml) and urge them to
oppose this bill and Representative Mayhall to urge him to withdraw this
bill.

Representative W.T. Mayhall
Home: 662.393.2069
Cell: 901.734.9540
Email: tmayhall(at)house(dot)ms(dot)gov <tmayhall@house.ms.gov>

ISAA strongly suggests that the public exercise courtesy when contacting
Representative Mayhall and the Mississippi legislature.

ISAA was created in 1997 with the mission to is to promote size acceptance
and fight weight-based discrimination throughout the world by means of
advocacy and visible, lawful actions. ISAA has a philosophy of self-respect,
maintainable fitness and encourages healthy food choices.

Address questions or comments to ISAA Director Allen Steadham at
directisaa(at)gmail(dot)com <directisaa@gmail.com>

Here’s a nice article I found on Manila Standard online.

Every crunch of that potato chip is like heaven.

Every gulp of that soft drink quenches every trace of your thirst.

However, every bite of that red meat and every piece of fruit that goes to the trash bin becomes the trigger that magnifies your chance of suffering from malnutrition.

Yes, now is the time to take notice. Now is the time to put your food regimen on hold and realize that your unhealthy diet is not only endangering your health but your children’s as well.

The Doña Elena Cuisinera Club is calling out to every man, woman and children to lessen (with the eventual hope of completely stopping) the intake of junk and fatty foods.

But how do they plan to make their voices heard, you ask? Well, if you think a new reality show is on the wraps, then the answer would be no. These cuisineras also have no plans of posing a 5-min “Get the Right Kind of Diet” video clip on YouTube. Instead, our cooking femme fatales are going the classic way of do-it-or-else strategy.

Reality bites

According to Doña Elena, obesity rates in the Philippines have skyrocketed by 400 percent within the last 10 years, a figure that largely affected children aged 5 years old and below. “We have 10 million Filipinos who have a diet almost entirely comprised of junk food. To make things worse, 41 percent of our population consumes no fruits and vegetables at all,” said Prof. Luchie Callanta, the official nutritionist of DECC.

DECC also attributed the obesity-rate increase to unhealthy lifestyles as instigated by either the parents or the people left to guard their children. Bags of chips, carbonated beverages, candies, oil foods as well as leniency on granting children long TV and video-game hours contribute to the unhealthy patterns that eventually pollute their young minds. Relaying a strong sense of discipline to the children is one of the basic ways to safeguard the health of your kids, Callanta said.

Callanta added that another objective of DECC is to turn every Filipino into becoming a cuisinera or a person who celebrates life through healthy eating without sacrificing every Pinoy’s penchant for tasty and delicious cuisines.

First things first

The club acknowledges the fact that a sudden turnaround from your usual and typical ways would be like entering a crash diet: it is bound to fail with consequences that are set to hit you hard in the face.

Since what your children eat ultimately becomes the most significant factor in drawing a sound mind and body, the club suggests that the parents must slowly get into the habit of using olive oil in their everyday cooking.

Olive oil naturally has oleuropein, which prevents the arteries of the heart to harden. It also contains oleic acid, which lessens the effect of a gene that activates a cancer cell called oncogene. The many benefits of olive oil come in dozens and one of these is its ability to curb high counts of blood sugar, something that many Filipinos suffer from.

Furthermore, encouraging your children to engage in physical activities also aid in warding off several risks that come with irresponsible health management.

The reluctant health buff’s manual

The Doña Elena Cuisinera Club also plans to unveil a new book titled 21 Ways to a Healthier Life as part of its aim to provide the Filipinos a more detailed program to lead and live a healthier life. The book contains several classic Filipino recipes given certain healthy twists to allure not only the adults but the choosy children as well.

Staying true to their stand, these cuisineras are on the prowl to target every Filipino’s proven weakness: food delicacies. The club stated plans of regularly holding cooking classes every month all over the Metro.

This way, they would be able to effectively deliver their guidelines on healthy cuisine by providing ways of interweaving interesting delicious twists to ordinary recipes.

However, DECC reiterated that the goal’s success rests entirely on the individual’s drive to stay fit because at the end of the day, every man is left alone to fight against temptations of über-tasty junk foods, ice-cold canned drinks and what-have-you. — Anna Margarita Pambid

I think DECC may be right about the sudden rise on obesity rate. The fast food industry in the country has been steadily growing.