MANILA, Philippines — Actor Teejay Marquez shared his secret to keeping a toned physique even while stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 27-year-old told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview that forming abs doesn’t necessarily require dieting or fasting, which he said is a common misconception that even he started out with.
“Before, payat talaga ako at saka talagang hindi naman ako lumaki. Pero ang thinking ko kasi kapag gusto kong magka-abs, gusto kong gumanda 'yung katawan ko, magda-diet ako. Hindi ako kakain. Puro chicken lang, puro protein lang, no rice. 'Yun kasi 'yung thinking ng lahat eh,” he said.
But Teejay discovered when he got a personal trainer that it really depends on one's body type and eating is still necessary to build muscle.
“Kasi 'yung iba, kailangan mong hindi kumain para mag-lessen ka pero kailangan mo rin mag-work out para maging muscle siya. Pero ako kasi since payatin ako, kailangan ko palang sabayan ng kain,” he said.
“Kasi ibig sabihin hindi niya binu-burn 'yung muscle ko kasi meron siyang binu-burn na fats, meron siyang binu-burn na pagkain. 'Yun 'yung nagiging muscle. Hindi 'yung parang payat ka na nga, hindi ka pa kakain, tapos papagurin mo pa sa gym 'yung sarili mo, lalo ka pang papayat.”
Teejay advised healthy eating complemented by regular exercise rather than expecting fast results by depriving one's self of food.
“‘Wag niyong i-deprive 'yung sarili niyo pagdating sa pagkain. Basta 'wag lang sobra at dapat tapatan niyo ng exercise 'yan. At saka 'yung mga good foods 'yung kainin niyo. 'Wag niyo lang gutumin 'yung sarili niyo. Hindi totoo 'yung ginugutom 'yung sarili.” — Video by Efigenio Toledo IV