SHAPE Medical Fitness and Nutrition Clinic

28/10/2025

A friendly reminder from our Nutritionist-Dietitian. Instead of demonizing specific food items and nutrients, know the better forms, appropriate portions and best strategies how to consume them. Be guided by a nutrition professional for a healthy, safe, and sustainable diet!

More than a staple, primary carbohydrate and energy source in our country, below are some of the main health benefits of rice, when consumed appropriately, with some additional facts why personally, rice is my go-to carb source:

1. B Vitamins and manganese – rice is a rich source of micronutrients like thiamin, niacin, and manganese. These are needed to produce energy more efficiently.
2. Magnesium – we can also get substantial amounts of magnesium, a “well-rounded” mineral essential for hundreds of body functions. Some of the most important ones are energy production, sleep, bowel movement, gut health, muscle and nerve function.
3. Fiber – if you want to get more fiber in your diet, eat pigmented varieties of rice. These contain a good blend of soluble and insoluble fiber that supports gut health and blood sugar control.
4. Phytonutrients & bioactive compounds – colored varieties have anthocyanins, flavonoids, carotenoids that are good for the immune system, cancer prevention, and brain health. Black rice also has GABA and amino acid, tryptophan, that can aid in better sleep.
5. Gluten-free – for those of you who are intolerant to gluten, this is one of the most accessible and healthy substitutes.

Being a physically active person who is into endurance sports, I mainly eat rice! This is the best alrernative for me knowing my food sensitivities. It’s been supporting my health well, helping me become fit (do I need to mention my waist circumference & body fat %? 😊 ), w/o the unnecessary deprivation. The only key is knowing how much rice or total carbs your body exactly needs on a day-to-day basis at a specific point in time, depending on your age, developmental stage, health status, fitness goals, eating habits, physical activity and training load.

So if someone gives a general advice to totally stay away from rice, go on a very low to no carb diet to everyone who wants to lose weight or to become healthier, think twice. Check their background & credentials, what they’re up to…some are only trying to promote f
their one-size-fits all diet, quick fix program or unhealthy products. You need to consider safety and sustainability above all.

Again, rice is nice. Carbs are our ally. You just need to ask your Nutritionist-Dietitians how you can consume the best types and the right amounts for you.

01/07/2025

With the popularity of Ozempic for weight loss, understand why nutrition & fitness remain to be vital in weight & body composition management.

24/06/2025

PM or email us, if interested >>>

21/06/2025

Would you risk the possibility of experiencing these if you consult non-licensed "coaches" and "nutritionists"?
> lack of results (wasted time, effort, and money)
> weight rebound (for patients w/ weight/fat loss as goal)
> adverse effects (from nutrient imbalances, deficiencies, toxicities, inappropriate use of supplements)
> potentially more health problems

SHAPE Clinic has licensed or Registered Nutritionist-Dietitians and Certified Fitness Professionals, with Medical Doctors to effectively support your health improvement journey and well-balanced lifestyle.

If you want start properly; take safe and sustainable solutions to your health concerns, contact us:
M: + 0999 946 8981
E: shapeclinicph@gmail.com

OR simply fill out this form and we will reach out to you after:
https://forms.gle/RgdHnfym1RjWt523A

13/05/2025

In this article, SHAPE Clinic's Nutritionist-Dietitian/Fitness Coach Ms. Mabelle Aban, discussed important fertility-support nutrients and tips to optimize your future child's health.

More articles coming up....

What if I tell you that you can influence your ability to successfully conceive, and your day-to-day decisions about what to eat and how you live can partly determine how healthy your future child will be, up to the time that he grows up as an adult?

10/05/2025

SHAPE Clinic’s Nutritionist-Dietitian/Fitness Coach, Ms. Mabelle Aban, RND, RN, CPT at the 1st Phil. Sports Commission Sports Nutrition Day last May 6-7, at Philsports, Pasig City. She talked about “Practical & Sustainable Approaches to Weight Management in Sports” to Filipino National Athletes & Para Athletes and their coaches.

*Photo credits to PSC

15/02/2025

Congratulations to our Nutritionist-Dietitian/Fitness Coach for being elected again as part of PSND Board of Trustees! She will take the role of an Asst. Secretary, as she took the oath last Saturday.

20/01/2025

Aside from known gastrointestinal side effects, there is a need to caution on muscle and bone mass loss. Studies show an ave. of 13.9% decrease in muscle mass and 25-39% decrease in fat-free mass during the duration of obesity treatment. There are new researches which say that this particular type of muscle mass loss is something that cannot be countered by resistance training.

To ensure safe & sustainable fat loss, as well as a healthy body composition, consult a Medical Doctor, Nutritionist-Dietitian & a Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Coach.

Ref: Prado CM, Phillips SM, Gonzalez MC, Heymsfield SB. Muscle matters: the effects of medically induced weight loss on skeletal muscle. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2024 Nov;12(11):785-787. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00272-9. Epub 2024 Sep 9. PMID: 39265590.

This is so alarming 🚨 Read more: https://trib.al/525RnaN

14/01/2025

When is the best time to exercise? This is one of the common questions that I get from clients and the audience during talks. Any form of exercise which considers the right type, duration, frequency and appropriate intensity, done regularly at any time provides a long list of health benefits.

If the question is the BEST schedule to get the maximum benefits, recent studies are pointing to these, depending on your health goals:

FOR WEIGHT AND FAT LOSS - MORNING
Based on what we know so far, morning may be the best time to exercise for fat loss; specifically, consistent early morning exercise, for increased metabolism or energy expenditure and lower energy intake. This is also based on how exercise timing aligns with the circadian clock and body functions.

FOR SPORTS PEFORMANCE BOOST-- AFTERNOON
Latest researches show that time of the day is one of the key factors that affect athletic performance, To help OPTIMIZE training performance, it is better to exercise in the afternoon. Some references say 2-6PM; while others highlight 5-6PM, for peak muscle function and athletic performance; as it aligns with the circadian rhythm and “muscle clock,” as well as its potential influence on injury prevention.

Note: Consider the time of actual competitions. So for sports type where actual competitions are not usually held in the morning, coaches may want to consider scheduling training at a later time.

References:
Heishman, Aaron D.1,2; Curtis, Michael A.2; Saliba, Ethan N.1,3; Hornett, Robert J.2; Malin, Steven K.1,4; Weltman, Arthur L.1,4. Comparing Performance During Morning vs. Afternoon Training Sessions in Intercollegiate Basketball Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 31(6):p 1557-1562, June 2017. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001882

Schumacher LM, Thomas JG, Raynor HA, Rhodes RE, Bond DS. Consistent Morning Exercise May Be Beneficial for Individuals With Obesity. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2020 Oct;48(4):201-208. doi: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000226. PMID: 32658039; PMCID: PMC7492403.

Willis, E.A., Creasy, S.A., Honas, J.J. et al. The effects of exercise session timing on weight loss and components of energy balance: midwest exercise trial 2. Int J Obes 44, 114–124 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-019-0409-x

01/01/2025

Happy first day of 2025! Have you set your goals yet for this year?

We have some clients and patients, despite the crazy, busy month of December, managed to schedule and show up for their follow up and initial consultations. Come the first few days of the new year, they are somehow psyched up and everything is more or less in place. There is a structure or system that can start simple healthy habit-building activities.

This system is composed of a set of habits, a form of accountability, and concrete steps for you to get closer to a goal one day at a time. Of course a good plan for nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle improvements is one that is simple, realistic and enjoyable. At the end of the day, we want things to be easier and less overwhelming; we also want to be consistently motivated, with some flexibility that will allow for adjustments and redirection, if needed.

Lastly, seeking professional guidance is the first crucial step to be able to do this. Go see your doctor, a nutritionist-dietitian and fitness coach.

It's not too late to plan! If you need help on this, simply click this on link and fill out the form: https://forms.gle/LGwyRM9AZRs7ffX46

01/01/2024

How many times have you set new year’s resolutions and ended up breaking them? Resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something, but how do you start and make it sustainable? Beyond writing resolutions and manifesting, you need to target realistic goals, determine feasible solutions and make concrete plans. Plan for building healthier habits. Take small steps and start with the basics.

Below are the top 3 new year’s resolutions based on a recent global survey. Added are some examples of details that you would need to think about and plan for to finally turn your resolutions to something that is truly life-changing. This is what we usually discuss with clients during consultations as they jumpstart a healthier lifestyle.

Lastly, one of the important prerequisites to a great and prosperous year is a healthy body, so taking care of it should come first.

Cheers to a healthy and happy 2024!

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas and cheers to a healthier, fitter and better new year!