Alaska World Milk Day

Press Release

Healthy, Set, Go!

Alaska celebrates World Milk Day on June 1 with a simultaneous milk-drinking activity nationwide; a family charity run in BGC; health and fitness programs in Baguio, Cebu and Davao; and an online milk moustache advocacy project

On June 1, the country will celebrate Alaska World Milk Day for the second time. Spearheaded by the  Philippines’ leading milk company Alaska Milk Corporation, the celebration promises to be bigger and better than the fete last year, which gathered more than 3,000 participants in its fun run and raised the same number of milk products for the feeding program of Children’s Hour and its partner organizations.

This year, Alaska World Milk Day goes nationwide with a simultaneous milk-drinking activity in Baguio, Cebu, Davao and Metro Manila at 7:30 am, projected to gather thousands of participants. There will also be simultaneous fitness classes in the three provinces to encourage individuals and families to start a morning health and fitness regimen: Zumba + power breakfast of Alaska powdered milk paired with champorado drizzled with Alaska Evaporated Milk, pandesal filled with Alaska Condensed milk, and cereals with Alaska Fresh Milk. The power breakfast are given free to participants at the event area as part of the “Alaska Gatas for Breakfast” campaign, which will be held for the first time this year. The campaign aims to get everyone to start the day right with a nutritious breakfast.

This effort to foster a healthy consciousness among individuals and families—through the combination of exercise and proper nutritious—is Alaska’s way in helping the government fight against the increasing number of obese children and adults in the country. According to the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Science and Technology—Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), obesity is one of the most prevalent nutritional problems of Filipino children and adults. At least 16 million Filipinos 20 years old and above, and two out of 10 children are overweight.

In Manila, the same Alaska power breakfast is given to the participants of the Alaska Family charity run that will benefit Children’s Hour, a fundraising organization that encourages individuals and companies for donations of at least one hour's worth of their earnings for programs dedicated to make the lives of disadvantaged children better. Aimed at getting today's children and their parents to get off their couch, leave their gadgets for the day and engage in physical activity, the Alaska Family Run will be held at the Bonifacio Global City. For every participant, Alaska will be donating milk products to the organization for its feeding program.

Everyone is encouraged to join the “Gatas for Breakfast” campaign and help combat obesity and malnutrition in the country by posting their photos with a milk moustache online with the hashtags #alaskaworldmilkday,  #WMD2014, #MilkSelfie and #GatasForBreakfast - especially during the breakfast activity at 7:30 am of June 1.

The Alaska World Milk Day celebration is part of Alaska’s continuing advocacy toward health and nutrition, particularly its Nutrition. Action. Champion campaign. For more information, log on to www.alaskaworldmilkday.com and like www.facebook.com/WorldMilkDayPH

Personal Training in Fitness First

A Personal Trainer is a fitness professional who instructs and motivates you during your workouts. Hiring one will ensure you to attain your goals. Yes, you could work out on your own but with the help of a PT you are sure to be doing the right things in order to be one step closer to that dream body or that weight goal. Fitness First, one of the biggest gym chains in the Philippines, offers that service.

Fitness First Starter Pack

Introduction to Fitness First

Fitness First is a household name when it comes to fitness clubs. You either live somewhere near a branch (if you live in Metro Manila) or know someone who works out here. I have been a visitor or a member to a numerous fitness clubs, especially in Makati, but I haven't been inside one branch of Fitness First until a few days ago. I visited Fitness First Fort for the launch of the Personal Training Micro site (more on this later). My initial impression on the gym is that it looks the same as any gym with cardio machines, free weights and a group exercise room, where the launch was held. One difference is a cycling class room and a free area with the newest fitness equipment like the TRX, medicine balls, bosu balls, kettle bells and free weights. The free weights area is extra interesting for me since I think you could do a number of circuit workouts that is available in the web that you could replicate in that area. It could look like your home gym in your fitness first gym.

No more excuses in Fitness First!!!

For more information on Fitness First, check out their official website.

Personal Training Microsite

On November 4, Fitness First Philippines will be launching the Let's Get Personal Micro site. This website aims for members and non-members to see personal training in a different light. Most people would think that working out with a personal trainer is like joining an army/navy/marine like training with a drill sergeant barking orders but it is not. According to the success stories of personal training in fitness first, their experience are far from that notion. In their stories, they saw their personal trainers are friends who support and push them to their goals. In the website, you could see the PT's stories in the videos section. The trainers featured are from trainers all over Asia including one of our own, PT Ron.

Fit and Healthy Success Stories of Personal Training in Fitness First

Also, the micro site's general purpose is to find you the best possible PT whose expertise matches your goals and your lifestyle. In the site, you are asked a few questions and the system will match you to 3 possible PTs in your area. You will also be awarded one free session so you could see if they are the best fit for you.

URL: http://fitnessfirst-letsgetpersonal.com/

A taste of personal training in Fitness First

After a quick briefing on the micro site, they gave out the questionnaires in that will be used in the micro site and manually assigned us to our PT for the day. The fitness heads assigned me to PT Ronald from Alabang. He, first, showed me the rest of the gym and then, took my measurements using a TANITA machine. He explained the results. Basically, I needed to gain weight. We also discussed my fitness history and my goals. I wanted to work on three things, strength, flexibility and speed (priority ko yung first two). I also worked out that morning so I wanted to rest from lifting heavy weights.

With the rest of the blogger ambassadors

Ronald assisted me with the whole workout. We started with a 10 minute warm up in the treadmill. After which, we started with the workout. We did the 60 minute session in the free weights area. The first series of exercises involved me using the TRX and the bosu ball. Later, we moved on to adding dumbbells in the workout. I was asked to do different exercises for the whole body including TRX pushups, rows, bosu ball squats and many more. Ronald had me working the whole hour with a minute exercise between each circuit. Halfway through the workout, Ronald instructed me to move in a different part of the free weights area. Then, I was doing a mixture of stretching and core exercises, still in circuit style. We ended the session with an assisted stretch for the whole body.

Stretching exercises (Photo by Bee)

I found the session tiring but on point. At the beginning of the session, we discussed what I wanted out of the workout and he delivered. I wanted to concentrate on strength and he had me doing TRX, bosu ball and weights. I wanted to improve my flexibility and he had me doing stretching coupled with core workouts. Lastly, I wanted to work on speed so he incorporated plyometrics with the workout done in circuit style.

Post workout with Ronald

Members who are not achieving their fitness goals and non-members who wants something done should check out the personal training in Fitness First. In connection, they should use the micro site in matching them to a PT so they could work with the right professional who shall be guiding them to their progress.