The Derek Ramsay guide to 100% sexy

‘You’re healthy if you can feel it, if you can perform well — whether you have abs or not. But it’s nice to get compliments from girls — and even guys. You get these strong, fit guys who look up to you. It makes me more proud,’ Derek Ramsay admits.

MANILA, Philippines - Few men can spark envy, and much less can whip other guys into shape. But, for over a decade now, with his slick, defined abs flashing from billboards and across celluloid screens, Derek Ramsay had singlehandedly built himself the six-packs that sparked a fitness revolution. “I’ve been wired like this ever since I was born. I really like to live an active lifestyle,” Derek shares before going through a list of sports like golf, football, water polo, rugby, and the one he wishes to compete in as part of the Olympic team in the future, Ultimate Frisbee.

“It’s really difficult, (being in) showbiz, to get a schedule where I can focus on this side of me,” he admits. But perhaps losing the fit side of him could have lopsided results for his triple threat of hosting, acting and endorsement careers. Derek continues, “I would lie if I said that it doesn’t work. But did I get the abs on purpose? No. I got this body so I can perform well. But it also has a negative effect, because people tend to think that I’m just here because of my abs. So, I work doubly hard in proving them wrong.”

That’s why Derek started doing research on what he could do, but found he’s been doing it partially wrong. He shares, “I used to believe that it’s all about working out. But if you don’t focus on what you put in your body, it sometimes goes the other way.”

Now, Derek abides by the “70:30” rule, championed by nutritionists and fitness enthusiasts around the world. It simply means having a fit and healthy body equates to 30 percent workout and 70 percent diet. This is at the heart of the new campaign of tuna brand Century Tuna, where Derek enjoys a second lease as endorser of its Lite line.

This program may earn the ire of crash-diet disciples who think that calorie is the root of all evil fat. Derek explains, “If you go to the gym and you work out hard — it’s good. But then, after that you cheat by eating a burger. Or it can go the other way around: you starve yourself so you can burn all that fat. That’s wrong. If you’re working out, you know you’re tearing your muscles, so you need protein to replenish it.”

He adds, “Focusing more on diet — even if I’m at work — really maintains it, and my body reacts faster whenever I perform.”

So, healthful sustenance for him comes from a can of Hot and Spicy Century Tuna Lite, something he enjoys straight from the pop-open can, paired with, not one, but three cups of rice. “I do eat a lot of brown rice for fiber. You need carbs because this is where you get your energy. But I’m not telling you to eat tons of carbs if you’re just going to sit in your office the whole day.”

With a bigger chunk of the fitness formula attributed to eating, it could seem like it’s the easiest and most enjoyable way to a better body. “Basically I have a ‘see food diet.’ If I see food, I eat it. And I do have my cheat days,” Ramsay admits, mentioning his guilty-pleasure meal consisting of three packs of spicy pancit canton topped with a can of tuna and sunny-side up egg. “I also love ice cream, or donuts. But for me, I can cheat more because I maintain my metabolism.”

So comes the hard part. Derek declares like a fitness instructor out for blood, sweat, and tears: “In life, there are no shortcuts. If you want something, go through the whole process. Nothing can beat hard work.”

In his new Century Tuna Lite ad, he is seen doing the rounds of cross fit’s most grueling exercises, perhaps the only way to achieve his muscle-ripped body. But it doesn’t take long before he dispels the myth.

“Cross Fit is a great workout, but sometimes, they go over the top. You can get prone to injury. You have to assess where you are with your health at that moment in time. For me, I stuck to my routine of doing my push-ups in the morning, and 10 to 15 minutes of exercise non-stop. That’s it. It’s all I do. I don’t lift weights.”

Derek prescribes a simple three-tier fitness rule he does at home, that basically jumpstarts his day.  

“What’s most important is I do my routine before I take breakfast so I can burn whatever it is I ate the night before. When I wake up, the first thing I do are three exercises that work over 300 muscle groups. Basically it’s squats, for my lower body. Then, judo pushups, wherein you glide your chest up-and-down as you push up. If you can’t do this, normal push-ups would do. And then, running sit-ups. You do 10 reps each for 15 minutes — no rest, no stopping,” he shares. When he has more time, however, even if it’s just an extra five minutes, he alternates this regimen with one-minute skip rope and two-minute burpees in intervals for a whole 20 minutes. “And then follow it with your breakfast of Century Tuna Lite,” he stresses.

His fitness tips didn’t come with the endorsement contract, but a clear case of common sense. Derek explains, “If you have a slow metabolism and you work out, and then you suddenly gorge, it’s like you’re putting out the fire. You have to slowly feed your system, to work your metabolism or to still get the fire going, so you burn whatever it is you put in.”

Derek also has other ways of kick-starting his metabolism early in the morning. “Drink a tall, cold glass of water. Exercise. And then drink another cold glass of water. It increases your metabolism rate by 28 percent. I tried it and I saw results.” “Not just any ordinary water, though. You should drink mineral water; you need those minerals. If you have distilled water, I suggest just put a dab of rock salt and that’s 90 minerals right there. That way you won’t dehydrate yourself and you’ll look and feel healthier.”

But for all his hard work, Derek still disproves how modern fitness guides claim that a well-defined six-pack is the measure of fitness success. “If you walk around with a six-pack, you’re either dehydrated or you’re a professional body builder. If you see abs all the time, it’s not healthy. You’re healthy if you can feel it, if you can perform well — whether you have abs or not.”

Yet, this doesn’t mean going the extent of letting it all hang loose. Derek points out, “For all the guys with dadbods out there, it’s not healthy. It’s just an excuse to slack up. It’s great that women see beyond the physique. It’s great that they take a person for what they are, when you’re talking about love, passion and all that. But if you really love a person, you’d want them to stick around, right?”

Right, since the best feeling in the world comes with a pat on the back, the lingering second look, or the lustful lip bite that comes with the affirmation of you looking sexy as hell.

“It’s a nice feeling that they look at me as a piece of meat. It’s nice to get compliments from girls — and even guys. Mas nakikilig pa nga ako pag nanggagaling sa lalake eh. You get these strong, fit guys who look up to you. It makes me more proud,” Derek admits.

But at the end of the day, the biggest thumbs-up on Derek’s fitness routine is how he feels inside. He reveals, “If you compare my pictures from 2009, I’ve never been this fit in my entire life. I’m no longer 18 years old, but I’ve never been in better shape.”

“Guys, follow this formula — I guarantee it. If it doesn’t work, come back to me. The 70-30 does work, if you’re really dedicated in everything that you do,” Derek Ramsay raves about the new formula that is taking the fitness world by storm. Photos by JUN MENDOZA

 

Derek’s sexy dossier:

Derek Ramsay talks about everything you want to know about sexy food and more:

Sexiest food: Oh, my God, that’s hard. Oyster, because it’s an aphrodisiac. No! Chocolate syrup!

Sexiest drink: Water.

Sexiest travel destination: Palawan.

Sexiest woman alive: My mom.

Sexiest time of day: Sunrise.

Sexiest music: Soul.

Sexiest article of clothing uou own: Man thong. No, just kidding (laughs)! I love shoes. Shoes!

Sexiest sport: You’d expect I’d tell you Ultimate Frisbee, but no, it’s football.

Sexiest part of a woman: Neck.

Sexiest part of Derek Ramsay: Ugh, my arms!