'Food is neither good or bad': Celebrity fitness coach shares food color coding concept

MANILA, Philippines — Food is seen as either good or bad, depending on the season.

On Philippine holidays such as Christmas, it is the most well-prepared, ready for binging all throughout December to January.

But afterwards, food becomes a taxing subject for those who are trying to lose weight due to holiday binging. 

For fitness or habit coach Culver Padilla, food per se is neither good or bad.

He should know as he himself has maintained a healthy lifestyle with more than a decade of being physically fit. His portfolio not only includes his own well-defined and fit body, but also of his celebrity clients that include Iza Calzado, Denise Laurel, Ria Atayde and Arjo Atayde. 

He talked about keeping fit, which includes eating well, during Philstar.com's visit to his gym, Awaken Gym, in MetroWalk, Pasig City. 

"The teaching is simple — it doesn't label food as good or bad. We see food as eat more, eat some and eat less," he explained. 

"We color it that way. When we see food, you color it. Color green is eat more. That's carb, protein and fat. The yellow ones. May mga pagkain na okay pero less healthy. The last would be the red, ito 'yung eat less hindi sila healthy," he added. 

Culver, or sometimes called Coach Kel, said that the foundation of this concept is farm-to-table or as natural as the freshly picked or harvested food one can eat as possible. 

The coach also shared the portions he observes and shares to his clients. 

"We also try to do the 80-20 approach: 80% green, 20% flexible, the latter you allow the yellow ones. You just don't eat green. It's unsustainable and it doesn't make you healthiest. Mentally no," he stressed. 

The coach shared there is a schedule they follow when observing this food portion, which depends on an individual's lifestyle. 

For example, some can observe the 80-20 rule every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then they can indulge on Thursdays. Come Fridays and Saturdays, the 80-20 rule is observed again and on Sunday, one can have the 80% red or yellow food groups and 20% green food groups. 

"Para hindi naman nega ang dating like cheat day. Reward mo naman sarili mo," he said. 

Apart from this, he also shared the importance of