Angelee De Los Reyes: Bikini-ready body with a beautiful heart

Crash diets abound because many just rely on a restrictive diet to get into a bikini shape. But one woman who has learned to maintain her crown-winning curves is 2013 Ms. Earth Philippines Angelee De Los Reyes who is currently our entry to another global beauty and personality contest.

Just in her mid-twenties,  Angelee  can already be considered a veteran of beauty pageants (more than a dozen). She has an impressive list of achievements in Mutya ng Pilipinas, Ms. Bikini, Supermodel Continental Queen of Asia Pacific, and Bb. Pilipinas. Her hard work hit a high point in 2013 when she won the Ms. Earth Philippines title. 

Joyce Buryon-Titular, 1985 Bb. Pilipinas Universe and blogger (Adventures of a Beauty Queen), said in her Rappler feature that “(Angelee) did not get her strength and perseverance from winning all those contests. It was losing in pageants that made her stronger. In the year 2010, she joined the Hiyas ng Subic but left the stage as a ‘thank-you girl’ — a favorite euphemism for pageant losers.

“That same year, she was rejected by Bb. Pilipinas. Both were a painful shock to Claudett (Angelee’s second name), who was getting used to getting pageant plaudits. But she did not stay on her knees for long. She got back up and just kept moving on from pageant to pageant. This pageant battle-axe has mastered the trick of improving with every pageant she joins. From her walk to her talk, she just gets better and better.”

We asked her a few questions after her workout routine with her personal trainer. Excerpts:

The Philippine STAR: Did you dream of being a beauty queen since you were a small girl?

ANGELEE DE LOS REYES: I actually never dreamt of becoming a beauty queen when I was young, mainly because I didn’t think I was pretty. Generally, in the Philippines, you’re only considered pretty if you have fair skin. If you’re morena, you’re considered typical. 

So, how did it all start?                                                                                      

It was during my college days when my adviser asked me to be the muse of my class. I initially didn’t want to join, but eventually got forced into it. It worked out well ’cause I won the whole competition. I thought my pageant career would end there, because it wasn’t really my thing.  Then there came a time when money was tight. Studying nursing wasn’t cheap. I figured joining Bb. Zambales could help me alleviate this problem. Thank God, I won! I ended up spending my earnings to complete my studies and I eventually became a registered nurse. After that, one thing led to another really. I was inspired by the people who believed in me. They told me that I had what it takes to be a beauty queen. Not all are given such opportunities. 

What does it take to be a beauty queen?                                                                        

The pageant world entails a lot of high heels and hard work. There were nights when I’d have only two hours of sleep, but when I walk up on that stage, it’s my job to always smile, act happy, and look beautiful. Being a beauty queen, you should have the total package. Aside from your looks, you should have a charming personality, a good heart, and on top of it all, you should be intelligent. Needless to say, achieving all those is not easy. 

How does working out help you in your career?                                                        

Working out makes me feel better, lighter, and sexier. When you work out, it feels like you’re adding hours to your life. A lot of people work out to be sexy. For me, I do it to be healthier and to essentially extend my life. Bonus na lang yung pagiging sexy. (Becoming sexy is just a bonus.)

Do you have a special diet?                                                                                      

I actually eat a lot, but I learned the Paleo diet from my PT in the gym. I admit I don’t follow it religiously, only about 99 percent (laughs)! I really have a good appetite. 

Any tips for aspiring beauty pageant contestants?                                                    

Stay focused on what you want to be. From there, everything follows. 

What valuable lessons have you learned as a beauty queen?                                    

I actually learned a lot. I learned how to value my body and myself in general even more as I age. Aging is inevitable. Aging taught me that I had to work harder to maintain my curves and fitness. Joining beauty pageants ingrained in me the true meaning of beauty: having a sound mind, an engaging personality, a good heart and a healthy body. 

Angelee is now Miss Multiverse Philippines 2015. She is competing in the international reality-based beauty pageant, Miss Multiverse 2015, in the Republic of the Congo. While Patricia Tumulak was supposed to be our representative for this competition, she begged off due to some ailment.  Several possible replacements were considered, but Angelee was the one appointed because of her beauty, wit, and lively personality. “I Am Multiverse” is a reality-based beauty and modeling competition, which will be aired on TV primarily in the USA and 20 other countries.

Forty lovely ladies from all over the world are vying to be crowned Miss Multiverse, the one who is most beautiful inside out. This is a contest right up Angelee’s alley. Asked during the 2013 Ms. Earth  Philippines contest what she could add to beauty of face and body as a criterion in a beauty pageant, Angelee quickly answered, “a good heart.”

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Thank you to Raymond Saldana and Gold’s Gym for this recent photo of Angelee.

Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com