Ensuring a Future

Being in comics one thing is for sure: I spend a lot of time just sitting down in front of a drawing table and computer. That part of my body getting the most exercise are my fingers. I’ve put on a lot of weight ever since the late 1990s. I think I topped at around 91 kilos sometime in 2010. Look at this. This is me at my fattest during one of the conventions:

I started to recognize back then that I needed a change of lifestyle if I ever want to be healthier and be around longer. I started using less salt and sugar in my food. I dramatically decreased my intake of pork and beef. I started to generally eat much less. I didn’t starve myself, of course. I just started eating smaller portions. We stopped having pizza and other stuff delivered for snacks completely. No more midnight snacks.

I also started to regulate my work hours strictly. I would work only up to 12 midnight or at the very most 1am. I no longer went on all nighters. I had to get my 8 hour sleep every day. I’d probably take 6 hours at night and another two in the afternoon.

Exercise is my one last hurdle. Because I’ve developed a really bad knee, running/jogging is out of the question. Even walking for long periods of time is out of the question. I might start using a cane very soon. Holy crap. If I do I’ll make sure it will be one kick ass cane. With snakes and everything. I went ahead and got a pedal exerciser, something prescribed by a physical therapist, which I now use everyday.

Right now I’m down to a more manageable 76 kilos. I never veer too far from it anymore. I’d still like to go lower than that. 68 kilos is probably a more ideal weight for me. Because I lost all those pounds, I’ve actually stopped snoring, which is great. It’s something I was always deeply conscious of whenever I would sleep over at friends’ places.

I do still eat meat maybe once a month. I still eat everything actually, but in strict moderation. Mostly it’s just fish and vegetables and chicken. Fruits are awesome, but even that I’m told by my doctor that I need to keep in moderation. I love mangoes and melons. Those two are my favorite fruits of all time.

This is me today:

Me and my childhood friend Dan Yatco. Photo by Benjie Jacinto.

I feel better than I did a few years before. Which is great. I have to be around to keep working, keep writing and drawing. I just really have a lot more stories to tell.