originally from HealthToday Online: http://staging.healthtoday.net/dispcp.cfm?cty=4&filename=vina.htm
Active Vina
Perpetually in motion Vina Morales isn't the typical, by-the-book health and fitness buff. But one can't argue with success. By Gina Abuyuan-Llanes There's no better way to remind yourself how important it is to be fit than to be in proximity to someone who is. Vina Morales--singer, actress, TV host--has that effect on people. It's almost impossible not to look at her body and compare it to your own, and wonder how many hundreds of bicep curls and crunches you'll have to do to catch up. It's a lazy Monday afternoon and we're at the Celebrity Sports Plaza tennis courts, where Vina occasionally practices with Philippine team coach Elmer Arcega. Standing around, waiting for her, we catch a blur in white. It's the petite dynamo herself. While others would've walked, she runs--and hardly has to catch her breath. While others would have opted for a classic shirt to hide a bulge here and there, she dons an athletic bra top to show off her magnificent abs. "I feel great!" she says. And she looks it. Vina admits she's no gym rat and that she eats anything she wants. You look at her and you think she's either joking or extremely lucky. But she is neither. Just stay active. That's the secret behind her perfectly chiseled body. Even as a young girl, Vina found herself drawn to exercise. "I was never the type to play with Barbie dolls or to play house. I played boys' games. I was always an active kid." Nowadays, when she isn't playing tennis and attending her once-a-week ashtanga yoga class, she's doing crunches on her own at home or working up a sweat rehearsing her high-energy production numbers in her weekly TV show, ASAP. On top of all that, she holds provincial concerts and is even gearing up for a U.S. concert this month. No diets Before the great triceps and washboard abs, Vina was just like any other teenager eager to get rid of her baby fat. "I wanted to have good abs, I was so conscious of my body," she says. So at 18, she went to the gym for the first time. She started doing crunches. She toned her muscles. Eventually, her whole body followed, and it was more than just wanting to look good. She wanted to be fit, to be in a sport, to feel good about herself. And for the next eight years, get into sports she did--first there was golf, then tennis, then flag football (she had to give up the sport because of her hectic schedule), then scuba diving, then target shooting, then horse back riding, then volleyball. "It's important that I swich from sport to sport or else I'll get bored," she says. "People always ask me how many times I go to the gym or how come I have a body like this," Vina says. "I just work out at home. You can do it at home." She also doesn't have a personal trainer or a formal exercise program but asks around for guidance and tips. Although her yoga classmates are all vegetarians and traditional fitness buffs would frown on indulging in sweets, Vina eats meat and chocolates. "I'd rather work out or play sports. With dieting, you'll just go hungry." Staying focused Vina's determination and focus to keep her body in shape is remarkable. Her motivation is simple: "If you want to look good, you have to work at it. You feel good, you get more confident, and you strive to work out harder. Then people compliment you. This just makes you even more confident." She has been enjoying the benefits of exercise--boosted levels of endorphin, the feel good brain chemical released after a good workout, heightened stamina and energy. But it wasn't all fun, especially at the start when she still had to go the gym twice a week to do aerobics or tae bo. "You get frustrated sometimes, especially when you can't attain what you want with your body." To fight off the blues, Vina focuses on her goal. "I wanted muscles, so I worked out. I didn't care about what other people say as long as I'm happy with what I'm doing and that I have the body I want." And when physical exhaustion sets in, she keeps going by chanting her mantra: "You can do it, girl! You can do it! You can do it!" Not just the body A person's attitude towards exercise is molded in childhood. Active children--or children of health-conscious parents who encourage them to be physically active--are more likely to be mindful about their own health when they mature. And while some may slack, some never forget, even when the comforts of a sedentary life tempt and tease. "Decide on an activity or sports that you like to do, that makes you happy," says Vina. "That's why I'm always switching--I like to try everything and see what I like. Nothing and no one can make me stop exercising." When work and personal problems stresses her out, it is exercise that relaxes and calms Vina. "Physical activity really helps me forget my problems." Of course, spending time with family and friends is always important, she adds. But it isn't only her body that Vina keeps in shape. "I spend time alone, read the Bible and pray. It's not just about the physical, you have to exercise your spiritual life, too." Original material is provided by HealthToday. Disclaimer: This information is of a general nature only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional health advice and no person should act in reliance on any statement contained in the information provided and at all times should obtain specific advice from a health professional. To the extent permitted by law, MediMedia Limited, their employees and agents accept no liability (even if negligent) for any injury, loss or damage caused by reliance on any part of this information. All rights reserved.