Succeeding in her slimming journey is one of Mariel Rodriguez Padilla's achievements in the past year that she's determined to continue in 2024. "I feel more confident. I feel happier because I can buy the clothes that I want. I feel I look better in pictures," she exclaimed.

While the TV-event host and digital creator made the decision to slim down for herself as she's "big on self-love," she pointed out that her husband Robin Padilla and their two daughters Isabella, 7, and Gabriela, 4, are her biggest motivation.

"Because I wanna be beautiful for my kids, I wanna be healthy for my kids," she said during the 38th anniversary celebration of Marie France, a slimming center known for non-invasive fat-loss treatment. "When I started Marie France, I was not only heavy but I was taking medicines. Naka-high blood maintenance ako eh, magfo-40 pa lang ako. (I was on high blood pressure medication, though I was only pushing 40.) I wanna live long and I wanna spend time with my kids."

Mariel then looked ahead to the time when Isabella and Gabriela have grown up and will celebrate their respective 18th birthday with a debut party, which usually has a program honoring the celebrator. "Pag nilabas 'yung pictures no'ng bata sila, 'Ah, maganda 'yung mommy nila.' (When their childhood photos are shared during the program, guests would say, 'Oh, they have a beautiful mommy.) I want my kids to have a mom they can be proud of."

So far, she's succeeded in losing six inches around her waistline and a few more in other parts of her body, including her arms. Marie France's resident physician, Dr. Regie Layug, explained in a separate interview with DAILY TRIBUNE at the same event the significance of their celebrity endorser's progress: "Inches is the indirect measure of your fat loss. Fat is denser. It can't be detected through weight. If you lose weight, it doesn't mean your fat is trimmed down. If you slim down, it means your fat also trimmed down."

Success story

Mariel, who became a housemate before being tapped as a co-host of several seasons of ABS-CBN's defunct reality show Pinoy Big Brother, clarified that she's actually on Season 2 of her slimming journey. She first embarked on it back in 2018, or about two years after giving birth to her firstborn child, Isabella.

She went on admitting that Season 2 "is so much harder" because she's a bit older now and her lifestyle has changed a lot with the arrival of second child, Gabriela. "I gave birth in 2019, right before the pandemic. When the pandemic hit, I was just at home. I was breastfeeding. There was no need, no pressure for me to feel that I need to lose weight. Whenever I'd look back at that time, sabi ko [I said to myself], 'Oh, my gosh, sobrang laki pala talaga (I was really so big)."

She confessed, "Many times, I wanted to go into 'yung mga (those) trends, mga injection trends, diet trends. But the thing about Marie France is, they're a whole team. You have a nutritionist, you have a doctor, you have a consultant. So, everyone is there guiding you. They just keep telling me, 'Trust the process.'

"And I did. I'm so glad I listened to them. Yeah, finally I started fitting into my old clothes again. Nakakapag-sleeveless na ulit ako. Five years akong hindi nag-sleeveless. So, happy. Hindi pa ako nakakapag-cropped top. Pero may progress naman. (I can wear sleeveless clothes now after five years of not doing so. I still can't wear a cropped top. But there's progress.)

Mariel shared how she found the time to faithfully follow her slimming program: "I go when my kids are in school. Yes, naka-schedule pa rin (everything's on schedule). Kasi (Because) I'm still a mom first. So I bring my kids to school first. So they're there, and that's when I go to Marie France. That is my treat for myself. I call that my 'Madam time.'

"I feel it's parang naka-cater for me. One, I don't like working out. If, for example, may two hours ako na free, iwo-work out ko pa ba 'yun, e pagod na pagod na nga ako in life? Iwo-work out ko pa, lalo akong mapapagod. Hihingalin ako, papawisan ako. E ayoko nga ng mainit. So, perfect sa Marie France, malakas ang aircon. (It's like catered for me. If have two hours of free time, would I work out when I'm already tired? I would get more tired. I would gasp for breath and sweat out. I don't like hot places. Marie France is perfect because it has a powerful air conditioner.)

"I get to sleep while I'm losing weight. Imagine that! The treatments are all non-invasive, so no downtime. I can still carry my kids…The machines, the team, they will do their part. But the other part, there's still you. You still have to have the discipline and commitment. You have to commit talaga. Ako, three times a week, no fail. It's really about consistency."