JC de Vera: Maintains 10 percent body fat & solid abs

Since I Found You is a new romantic comedy television series shown nightly by ABS-CBN. A strong pilot week did not disappoint viewers who enjoyed the cinematic shots of director Antoinette Jadaone, the relatable storyline, the primetime return of Piolo Pascual after a four-year hiatus from nightly soaps, the refreshing comic role of Arci Munoz, and the intriguing character of JC de Vera in the story.

JC’s role as Ginno, the loyal assistant of the big boss Nathan (Piolo), was presented at first as a possible third wheel to the budding romance between the boss and the practicumer Dani (Arci). Recently the plot took an unexpected twist. Ginno is apparently the son of Gary (Michael de Mesa) who actually gave Nathan a break in the taxi business. Nathan bought Gary out eventually when the latter’s gambling worsened which led to more misfortunes. So Ginno is all set to seek revenge for his father. 

We caught JC de Vera in the gym which he still gets to fit in between shooting for the TV series, as well as his weekly Banana Sundae shown Sundays also at ABS-CBN. He obliged us with a sneak peek of his fitness journey. Unlike his primetime character, there are no mysteries and no secrets to this actor’s athletic build.

Philippine Star: You were a basketball athlete in CSA, does that mean that you were always fit? While you never pursued the sport and concentrated on being an actor instead, is basketball still your regular weekly sport?

JC De Vera: I played high school basketball in CSA and yes, proud to say, I’m still fit and active until now. I make sure that I work out twice to thrice a week and definitely a basketball game at least once a week. 

Are you engaged in any other sports? If yes, what and how often do you play?

I try to do a little bit of everything, so I play basketball once a week, I do boxing also twice a month, I run twice a month (5-10k), I do circuit training/strength and conditioning/weights at least every other day if my schedule permits.

What is your exercise routine like?

I limit myself to a one-hour workout. I do HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts. That includes fat-burning exercises, core/abs workout, functional workouts for boxing and basketball. That means 10 to 15 minutes of isolated weights workout, 20 to 30 minutes of circuit training and then five to 10 minutes of ab exercises to finish my routine. 

What is your current fitness goal?

My current fitness goal is just to maintain my body fat percentage at 10 percent and keep my abs rock solid. Though it’s so hard, I still motivate myself every day that I can do it. 

You are a known MMA enthusiast. What discipline are you into in particular? How much are you into the sport?

Yes, I love MMA! I’m into striking. I used to do muay Thai before, but now I shifted to boxing. I even joined a boxing competition once to test my skill as a striker.

What bad habit have you successfully changed for the better recently in order for you to be more fit and healthy today?

I do have a healthy lifestyle. Everything in my life is balanced.  I manage to sleep for seven to eight hours now. I had this habit before where I don’t sleep and eat properly after an intense workout. 

Do you use your social media to inspire people to take their fitness seriously? If yes, how? What are your top three tips in maintaining or improving one’s health and fitness?

Yes, I do share some of my workouts through my IG. Here are my top three tips: Always challenge yourself. Drink lots of water. No pain, no gain. 

* * *

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