FITNESS TOK—a hashtag rabbit hole dedicated to health and well-being that you can fall into within the confines of the social media behemoth TikTok— leads to a cacophony of voices. From gym rats teaching viewers how to prepare low carb meals for the entire week to physical therapists fixing common aches and ailments with simple body movements to more than a handful of people professing the benefits of meditation and crystals, the variety is impressive if not overwhelming. Scroll enough and you might land on that of dietician, writer, and nutritionist Jo Sebastian.
Several reasons might make you do a double take and park at her account: for one, Jo is bald, a bewildering fixation for a few people in her comments section (“It’s so random, I already know I’m bald”). For her, it was simply a way of supporting a cancer-stricken sister going through therapy; she is also happily encouraging you to partake of (gasp) fast food, albeit with some adjustments; and, finally, she would almost always end every video with the same mantra: “Remember, you always deserve to eat.”
Unlike countless others, Sebastian doesn’t want to just catch your attention, she wants to do what the other half TikTok (the half that doesn’t stop at entertaining, titillating, riot inciting, or aggravating) wants to do: educate.
“One of my biggest principles as a dietitian is I want to empower people with knowledge,” she says, “not straight up ‘do this do that,’ but knowledge about what they can do... you can be more independent and make these food choices on your own.”
STOPS AND STARTS
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Vogue Philippines.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Vogue Philippines.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
NEW LIGHT
What does body inclusivity for men look like in 2024? One individual speaks about plus-sized representation, identity and personal style.
rhythm NATION
Choreographer and creative director GIL DULDULAO sees the world in the fusion of dance and music.
SPEED OF LIGHT
In a constantly moving world, how do we capture fleeting moments?
WIND & WAVES
Young inventors LOUIE VILLALON and PATRICK DE GUZMAN want to make a positive impact on the Philippines' energy crisis
THE BLUE PRINT
Fresh off his first runway show, NICOLO PEREZ charts a future in fashion guided by high school sketches and childhood dreams.
HOME coming
The de Vera beach house in Pangasinan is an ode to mother, to lovingly collected objects and the stories they contain.
screen to SOUL
Throughout history, humans have tried to rationalize the meaning behind the ties that bind our relationships.
VISION SEEKER
It's DAVID CASH's metaverse, we're all just living in it.
AUTHENTICALLY ARTificial
Whether you like it or not, AI and Art are now starting to come together. asks the questions in all our minds.
how are YOU?
The answer to this often-loaded question lies in science-based strategies designed to help us understand ourselves better.