Gineb Macalinao was given the screen name Lovely Rivero because of her beautiful face. In the 1980's, she was considered a very promising young star. But when she turned 17, lovely married a businessman and declared herself semi-retired from showbusiness.
Over 20 years later and at the age of 40, Lovely says she is in a good place. Seperated amicably from her husband and with two adult children, she works fultime in her ex's business and still dabbles in showbusiness although not on a fulltime basis.
Best of all, the lovely Lovely is slim and svelte after reaching a nightmarish weight of 145 pounds last year.
"I've gone through liposuction twice in the past but I wasn't happy with the results. I normally weigh 110 pounds but I reached 145. Even my daughter was urging me to lose weight." she explains.
"Salamat po, doctor" is a showbiz slang that usually refers to those who have undergone cosmetic enhancements to become more attractive.
Lovely is one happy member of the"salamat po, doctor" brigade after undergoing full body liposuction under board certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon and body sculpting expert Dr. Claudine Roura. The actress, who is also hypertensive, recalss that the procedure, which was done in November, Look eight hours to finish.
"I had the lipo done beacuse I was too heavy and I couldn't exercise because of my hypertension. I don't like working out. I love to eat and diet pills don't work with me," says Lovely, was skinny as a child and teenager but started having weight problems after giving birth to her first child, now 23 years-old.
From stick-thin to wel-rouded
During her first pregnancy. Lovely ballooned to 170 pounds. Even after giving birth, she still weighed 160 pounds, a far cry from her normal fighting weight of 110
Thus, the stick-thin child grew up to be a bit hevy,perhaps still slimmer compared to other women her age, bit still not thin enough to be hppy and healthy.
Another challenge for LOvely is that she is petite and has big breasts, factors which can make a woman look heavier.
The public can be cruel
Lovely also admits she was hurt when people she didn't know would made snide remarks about hr weight upon seeing her in person.
"The public can be very cruel sometimes. I realized it wold take a long time for me to lose weight so I opted for liposuction, hoping this time things would work for me." she says during an interview at Roura's Contours Advanced Face and Body Sculpting Institude at Paseo de Magallanes Commercial Center,Makati City.
Lovely continues: "It was frustrating to buy clothes. Nothing would fit, at least not the clothes that I like. Dressing up become a struggle.I didn't want to look matronly even if I am already 40.Even my kids say I should lose weight."
She says that having liposuction is her way of jumpstartinga lifestyle change.Roura is closely minitoring Lovely's progress and even asks her what she eats and what exercise she does.
"Dieting is not easy."says Lovely "I like to cook I can't resist desserts.Now, I am trying to reduce my portions because I don't want to undergo liposuction again."
Contours offers high-definition lipostructur,a cutting edge procedure that is said o be better than traditional cosmetic surgery methods.It is the only center that is certified by Vaser to perform the procedure in the Philippines.
The technique focuses on the preccise removal of superficial and deep fat round muscle groups to enhance the visibility of underlying musculature.
"I am really happy," says Lovely."I will not deny that everything was aching after the liposuction but it was worth it."
Please Click here to request more information from Roura DermSurgery.