From 42 to 32-inch waistline: Richard Gomez shares fitness journey
MANILA, Philippines — Actor-turned-politician Richard Gomez came to a point when he had to give away pants with 36-inch waistlines – unfortunately, not because he lost weight.
“Kasi I reached a point na ‘yung mga 36 kong pantalon, ipinamigay ko na eh,” Gomez recalled at his and Aga Muhlach’s recent launch as new Century Tuna ambassadors. “Eh kasi lumaki na’ko, naging 38! Tumitingin na ’ko sa 39, 40!”
Gomez, fondly called as “Goma,” recalled that his battle with the bulge began when he became mayor of Ormoc City in 2016 and was re-elected in 2019.
“Ako, I was mayor, and when you’re mayor, bibisita ka ng mga barangay, people will feed you, lots of food! At ‘pag inoffer ka ng food ng mga constituents mo, s’yempre ‘di mo naman pwede sabihin na ‘Hindi ako kumakain ng ganyan.’ It’s just proper that if they serve food, you eat. And that’s how I gained weight,” he explained. “Dumating ‘yung time na I don’t look good anymore, but I have to eat pa rin.”
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He reached an epiphany when his daughter Juliana took a photo of him working out with his wife Lucy.
“When I take a look at it, para akong may kettlebell dito,” he said of his tummy in the photo.
As a new Century Tuna “Superbod,” Goma had to undergo at least 10 months of fitness training, which included playing badminton three times a week and visiting the sauna to help burn excess fat and toxins.
After 10 months, from weighing almost 250 pounds and a waistline that even reached 42 inches, Richard proudly declared that he lost four inches. He now fits in pants with 32- to 34-inch waistlines.
At the time of his launch as a “Superbod,” he proudly declared: “Today, 32 ang sinusuot ko!”
“Sabi ko, ‘If I lose weight, then I’ll look better, and I’ll feel better.’ And I am feeling much better now,” he asserted.
The real destination of his fitness journey, however, is not to only lose weight, but ultimately, to improve his overall wellbeing.
“More than looking good, it’s really feeling better. If you’re feeling better, you’re feeling healthier and stronger.” — Video by Deni Bernardo
