Shaping-up tips from Miss Universe finalists
Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI), headed by Stella Marquez, herself a beauty queen, has produced world-class beauties including Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz, 1970 Miss International Aurora Pijuan, Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran, 1979 Miss International Melanie Marquez, and 2005 Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman.
The Bb. Pilipinas 2013 pageant had a larger-than-usual turnout of applicants. More than a hundred are participating in three screening dates this February with the final screening on Feb. 16 at Gateway Suites. This year is really special because Bb. Pilipinas is celebrating its 50th or golden year.
Three titles are up for grabs: Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2013, Bb. Pilipinas-International 2013, and Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism 2013. Coronation night on April 14 will be shown live on ABS-CBN.
What makes this “50 Beautiful Years†celebration more meaningful is the successive victories of recent Bb. Pilipinas winners such as 2010 Miss Universe 4th runner-up Venus Raj, 2011 Miss Universe 3rd runner-up Shamcey Supsup, and 2012 Miss Universe 1st runner-up Janine Mari Tugonon.
In this season of pageants, we asked these gorgeous ladies for their fitness insights.
PHILIPPINE STAR: What is your most major fitness or health challenge ever? How did you handle or overcome it?
JANINE TUGONON: I have to strictly lose weight and go on a diet for Miss Universe. I persevered with discipline, thinking of my responsibility to the Filipino people and wanting to win the crown for them.
SHAMCEY SUPSUP: I don’t exercise. I don’t like to eat protein. I love to eat rice. I had to change all these habits. I had to follow my trainer!
VENUS RAJ: I wanted to achieve a well-proportioned body, which is at par for international competitions. For this, I did core and weight training with a personal trainer.
How do you keep fit while traveling?
JANINE: I follow a strict calorie diet of nutritious foods . . . and I resist tempting, “bad†foods (laughter).
SHAMCEY: I was given an exercise band by my trainer, and I always followed the exercise program he gave me in Brazil (venue of Ms. Universe 2011) and Colombia (training site prior to Ms. U).
VENUS: I do the exercise program that my trainer gave me and, of course, the diet they gave since I eat a lot.
How much time do you need to physically prepare for a competition or major project? What do you do?
JANINE: Three months. Strict diet, mainly fruits and vegetables, coupled with physical activities. Ballet, badminton, and weight training with a very patient trainer.
SHAMCEY: Preferably six months, especially for a person like me who is not active at all or does nothing but eat and sleep (laughter). I have to strictly follow the diet and the exercise routine, and follow the instructions of my strict trainer.
VENUS: I need at least two to three months of strict training and eating the right foods.
“Muscled but feminine, va-va-voom body†is what kinesiologist and personal trainer John Cuay calls it. “The standard now is to have a muscled but feminine look,†he clarifies. Even the most serious workout will fail without the proper nutrition, so John teamed up with nutritionist Cristy Marasigan.
Venus and Shamcey both have no gym experience. They are also both rice lovers. Janine, on the other hand, having joined Bb. the year before, was not a newbie in terms of diet and exercise programs. What these three beauty queens have in common though is their focus and commitment to do their best for their country.
While already physically gifted, each had unique physical weaknesses that John had to assess and improve. He recommended a lot of cardio workouts or running three to five miles a week, especially in the morning. The program included weight training thrice a week and a session of Pilates weekly to strengthen the core and lengthen the muscles. When they miss personal training, they join a definitions class that incorporates light weights and high repetitions.
In John’s mind, these women were winners even before they bagged their international titles because they had the discipline, determination, and proper mindset. They all wanted to win for the country, not just themselves. John is extra proud of Shamcey, who gained about 10 pounds of pure muscle in the right places, including a six-pack abs. Janine prepared intensely and was in the gym most often. She developed her posture and proportion.
Cristy admires the commitment of Janine, Shamcey, and Venus to their eating plans. They were requested to eat rice sparingly and even replace it with salad or vegetables. Carbs came in the form of high-fiber cereals, root crops, and fresh fruits. Sugar was, of course, regulated as in no candy, no desserts. The most forbidden was actually starvation! They were not allowed to skip meals and were even encouraged to eat snacks or small meals every three hours. Healthy snacks included boiled sweet potatoes, fruits, whole wheat crackers, nuts, protein shake and the like. Hydration in the form of at least eight glasses of water was required. Other liquids, especially alcohol, were avoided.
Last but not the least, eight hours of beauty sleep daily was prescribed. As workout intensity was not only physically but mentally exhausting, sleep was the best time to recover and build. For John, it meant the difference between the program’s success and total burn-out.
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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.
