Feel like a Tellytubbie? Banish belly with jelly!
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesian TV presenter Dewi Hughes and comedian Tika Panggabean have proved the truth of the expression "big is beautiful", and yet many of us find it hard to accept this after years of indoctrination by the Barbie-look brand of beauty.
"I could not be like them (Hughes and Tika)," actress and presenter Dian Nitami admitted recently. "The worst thing about being fat for me was the loss of my self-confidence."
After years of having what she modestly described as "the perfect body", Dian's ascent to the 77-kilogram range after the birth of her daughter in November left the 170 centimeter-tall presenter with an inferiority complex.
"I didn't want to go out, didn't want to meet people. I kept avoiding reporters, was afraid of being photographed," Dian said, revealing that she had gained 28 kilograms during her pregnancy.
But now she is ready to go back to work and confidently showed off her new, improved body, wrapped in a black mini-length dress with a plunging neckline -- all thanks to the Marie France Bodyline diet program.
Receiving free treatment after agreeing to become Marie France's spokesperson in Indonesia, Dian described her relationship with the slimming center as "symbiotic mutualism".
"The contract itself is nothing compared to what I gained for myself, especially the restoration of my self-confidence," she said, explaining that it was as much of a challenge for Marie France as it was for her to get her weight back down to its pre- pregnancy level.
During her pregnancy last year, Dian admitted to having eaten huge amounts of food to give her peace of mind.
Her breakfast usually consisted of a serving of gado-gado (cooked vegetables with peanut dressing), and a serving of ketoprak (uncooked vegetables with peanut dressing), followed by a mid-morning snack of fried rice.
"Lunch would consist of several servings of various types of restaurant food, then a serving of bakso (meatball soup) as a late-afternoon snack," said the wife of actor Anjasmara.
Restraining and retraining her stomach to accept moderate amounts of food took a lot of willpower, "especially stopping my habit of snacking," Dian said. She compensated by eating large amounts of jelly.
"When my dietitian advised jelly as alternative, that's what I kept eating," she said, explaining that she made the jelly herself using low calorie sugar.
Today, after three months of the program, Dian is down to 58 kilograms. Is she satisfied?
"The truth is, I can stop (the program) now, but being the woman that I am, I'm not quite satisfied. My objective now is no longer weight loss, but body contour. I want my legs to be slimmer and my waist smaller!"