How Camille Prats overcame being ‘too lazy to workout’; options for strong immunity
MANILA, Philippines — As a mom of three kids - Nathan, Nala and Nolan, actress and TV host Camille Prats-Yambao got her hands full. Even so, in between her everyday morning show and taking care of her kids, she still has time and energy to workout.
She admitted that this was not the case pre-pandemic, when exercise was only based on her mood and not part of her lifestyle. Like many people, Camille professed that she also had many excuses before hitting the gym.
“I would do all kinds of workout just to be able to say that I was able to do it but not really the quality workout you know na nahihirapan ka. So this pandemic, my husband and I got into fitness and one of the people who pushed me to push harder was my husband because pre-pandemic he doesn’t workout. Whenever we talk about it, he thinks he’s healthy, he thinks he’s alright. Up until he started losing weight and gaining muscle as compared to his photos from before and that’s when he realized na ‘I wasn’t really fit pala before’.”
Camille, too, thought she was healthy enough that’s why she was not religiously working out before.
“I thought I was fine, I was happy in that state,” she confessed.
But ever since noticing positive changes in her stamina and weight loss due to regular exercise, working out has become a habit for Camille and her husband.
She admitted that people were “shocked” with her transformation because of the big difference.
For those who also want to start their fitness journey but often find themselves too tired or not in the mood to do so, here are Camille’s tips:
Take it slow
“Don’t try something instantly,” Camille enthused, “Start things by trying out first and just level up once you get used to it – to not stress your body.”
Find a good motivation to get you going
According to Camille, what make her and her husband committed to sustain their fitness lifestyle is to be strong enough to be there for their kids for as long as they can.
“Even when you feel like you don’t like it, even when you feel lazy or not in the mood. And sometimes, you can even come up with an excuse that you’re busy… but you know what? It’s just about making time for it. If it matters… then you will really make time for it,” she said.
“When the mindset started changing, we wanted to be healthy for our kids, we want to wake up so energetic, pwede sila mag-demand ng playtime. We want to give our all to them and also not feel tired whenever we do it.”
What to look for in virtual workouts
Being intentional about movement sounds like a big leap, but sticking to a physically active routine is all it takes to give you the benefits of quality sleep, faster metabolism, strong bones, immunity and a stable mood. Dietitian-nutritionist Cheshire Que’s advice is “Look for a virtual home exercise that you enjoy to get you started. There are tons of options that you can find on YouTube that require a small amount of space with little or no equipment required.”
Her suggestion? “Consider activities that build strength and endurance to enhance muscle building, as well as, online functional fitness training with a professional to provide the body with strength for activities of daily living, such as bending, twisting, lifting, pushing squatting.”
If you’re experiencing uncontrollable pee or can “barely hold’ urine when laughing or exerting effort and bearing down, remember that these are red flags for having weak pelvic floor muscles.
“Add Kegel exercise, especially for women, to help strengthen the pelvic floor or the group of muscles that give you proper control over your bladder and bowels. This practice also prevents a condition known as stress incontinence,” Cheshire explained.
Here’s how to do it:
- Make sure that the bladder is empty, then sit or lie.
- Tighten the pelvic floor muscles, hold tight and count three to five seconds.
- Relax and hold for five seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Don’t forget to breathe during the process.
Did you know that UTI can be an indication of a compromised immune system, especially if it’s recurrent? “High levels of the stress hormone cortisol will lead to a compromised immune system. When this happens, the consequence would be increased susceptibility to infection from virus, bacteria or fungi," Cheshire said.
Commit yourself
“Focus yourself in what you want and commit to it,” Camille advised at a recent virtual conference.
“The commitment is really the key to the changes that happened to me… Maybe it was really about committing to working out, really doing quality workouts, devoting 30 minutes to 45 minutes of your time each day.”
Make it a priority and not just work out depending on your mood, she reminded.
“But for me and my husband, we made it our top priority like for each day, we get up, we get dressed and we go down to our garage and we start working out. So that’s how we start our day.”
Have a support group
“Don’t worry about what other people say. If they don’t support you, then maybe they’re not the ones you should be talking to with the change that you wanted to do in your life,” enthused the actress.
“If you’re easily swayed by negative comments, then you might not be committed enough.”
Take turns with your partner in taking care of the kids, the household chores, etc. so you still have time to work out, she added.
OK to put it off tomorrow
“Don’t overwhelm yourself too much with things have you to do. If you can’t do it, that’s fine, there’s still tomorrow. So don’t put too much pressure on yourself also,” she suggested.
Mobile banking, said Camille, helps her fulfill her financial obligations on her own terms without worrying about the usual banking hours. Whether it be through transferring funds during a shoot, paying bills in the middle of her workout, or maximizing her UnionBank Online goals feature in her own personal time, she shared how the usual adult responsibilities don’t have to chip away her personal time with herself and her children.
Manage your mind, emotions
It’s no secret that depression and anxiety have been on the rise since the pandemic. As resilient as we are, our minds and emotions have been the target during this crisis.
“The body affects the mind and the mind affects the body, that’s why paying attention to our mental health is a crucial step," said Cheshire.
Thankfully, there are little things we can do that make a great impact on our mental hygiene, such as yoga and pilates. “(Apart) from leaving you sweaty and centered, yoga helps in becoming more present, mindful, and calm," she said.
Cheshire also noted that another low-impact option that has the same dramatic effect in improving the mood and balancing the brain chemicals, (namely serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins) is pilates.
“Doing pilates provides a distraction from negative thoughts, releasing stress, and enhancing mindfulness.” And it turns out, activities such as meditation, journaling, coloring, cooking, gardening, or other related activities, help to conquer anxiety, anger, and even depression.
“Remember that chronic stress not only impairs the immune system, it can also make us more susceptible to infections and other illnesses when left unmanaged,” Cheshire added.
Eat healthy, drink supplements for more energy during exercise
According to Camille, it is okay to take medications for painful body parts “if that’s your excuse not to exercise.”
She also recommended taking vitamins and food supplements to give you the energy to exercise.
Don’t like to take your vitamins? Don’t fret because Camille, too, used to not drink hers.
“When COVID happened, I realized that we really need to take care of our body, up our immune system and our body,” she explained as reason on what convinced her to finally take her meds.
“I realized that all these supplements that I’m taking, they’re really helpful. They really give me the energy that I need. S’yempre, they’re there to keep my immune system high… I feel protected and strong. Dapat palakasin ang mga katawan natin, apart from eating healthy, drinking well and being active physically.”
The following are the vitamins she takes from the label she endorses, Puritan’s Pride, available nationwide in select Watsons stores and online at Lazada, Shopee, Zalora, BeautyMNL and Watsons Online:
- Vitamins C and D and Zinc for stronger immunity
- Omega-3 fish oil for heart health before working out and to make her energy last longer
- Collagen for beautiful skin and to prevent hair fall due to exercise
- Calcium for strong bones and joints
- L-Carnitine for added fat burn during and after workout
Other options for stronger immunity:
Kim Atienza: Exercise not enough
Entrasol Platinum with Procare formula is an adult nutritional supplement that can help fulfill an adult’s daily nutritional needs for protection, healthy aging and recovery coupled with proper diet, healthy lifestyle and exercise. Its formula allows adults to get more nutrition with its high protein,vitamin D and calcium combination that helps maintain muscle mass and bone strength. Its high fiber that content helps optimum nutrition absorption. Its high vitamin C, E and Zinc with MCT helps optimize the immune system. Its 75% whey protein helps muscle growth. The formula also contains nine vitamins and six minerals and folic acid.
In a pre-marketing surveillance conducted in 2020, it showed that with daily supplementation of Entrasol Platinum, patients recover faster. From an average of 14 confinement days, COVID-19 patients who were given two servings of the brand a day were reportedly discharged after 10 days only or 53% earlier. Forty-three out of the 68 patients, or 63% enrolled in the program, maintained their weight and 23 or 34% out of the 68 patients gained weight. This means that the brand may be used to assist in supporting the nutritional needs of critically ill and hospitalized patients and even people recovering from illnesses and surgeries.
Available in two flavors, Chocolate and Vanilla at 200g and 600g, the brand is available online in Lazada and Shopee and in all leading drugstores, groceries and supermarkets nationwide.
Kalbe International, a leading nutrition health manufacturer in Southeast Asia, tapped Kim “Kuya Kim” Atienza to be its first brand ambassador to help promote the company and its newest nutritional powdered milk drink. Healthy and fit at 50+, Kuya Kim is active, sharp and with a strong sense of service. For Kuya Kim, achieving and being more during the time of pandemic and at 40s and beyond is challenging yet possible.
“Healthy habits, exercise and right nutrition is important. But sometimes, it is not enough. That’s why we need an adult supplementation that can meet our body’s nutritional need," he said.
Fuel up with plant-based food, beverage
Many studies prove that if we want to enjoy a healthier, fuller and more vibrant life, consuming more plant-based food will do the trick. However, don’t get confused as it won’t mean foregoing meat or animal products entirely. “In essence, this meal plan emphasizes whole food, unprocessed to minimally processed food. The idea is also to include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts, with minimal consumption of animal products,” Cheshire explained.
And since food and fluid are also important to maximize the results of your workout, Cheshire reminded to fuel up before and after a workout.
“If you want your body to perform at its best, it’s going to need fuel. Carbohydrates supply the body with the energy it needs to enable you to maximize your workout. Combining carbohydrate and protein after a sweat session replenishes glycogen stores, repair and build muscles.”
