Abs-olute power

MANILA, Philippines - You didn’t think those well-sculpted abs in the Century Tuna ads were just for summer, did you?

“The biggest misconception we have when working out is that we only have to look great during summer. What they need to understand is that it is a lifetime commitment,” shares Century Pacific Food Corp. general manager Greg Banzon. With his lean and mean silhouette, this triathlete could’ve been the prime poster boy for the leading tuna brand’s newest campaign. But behind the scenes, his team decided to focus instead on this season’s hottest celebrities.

“If we can do it, why can’t you?” muses Century Tuna’s newest endorser Jessy Mendiola. Joining her is drama heavyweight Paulo Avelino, teen dream Elmo Magalona, and unlikely prince charming James Reid, all causing a commotion in an already traffic-crazed EDSA with their searing new billboard. 

You might assume that these stars’ looks are ensured by expensive aesthetic treatments, topnotch workout regimens and specialized diets to match their million-peso superstar status. Yet they note that getting a ripped body really requires discipline, and a little bit of math. 
“I observe the 70-30 ratio, which is 70 percent diet, 30 percent exercise,” says Magalona. In addition to exercise and diet, his full-packed schedule includes taping hours, recording sessions and meet-and-greets.

“I bring an exercise mat on the set, so every lunchtime, I do my crunches, eat, then probably take a nap,” says Avelino, whose new primetime program keeps him doubly busy, while demanding that he stays in flawless shape. 

For Reid, the restless boy-next-door seen in blockbuster hits and viral endorsements, fame took its toll on his once-active lifestyle. “I started sports when I was really young, so it gave me the foundations I needed to keep fit. But right now, with my busy schedule, I get to go to the gym less. So it’s mainly dieting,” he shares.

These 20-somethings are very aware of how much is on their plates — in more ways than one. Magalona says, “I don’t really have time to go to the gym every day so I’m more focused on what I can eat, what I’m allowed to eat. It’s good carbs in the morning or for lunch, and I don’t eat carbs after 7 p.m. because it’s harder to burn at night.”

On the carb tip, Reid adds, “I don’t eat rice. There are much better carbs you can replace it with, for example cereals, sweet potato, wheat bread. Wheat bread, Century Tuna, some lettuce and tomato — it’s the perfect combo!”

With only 184 calories a serving, a can of tuna is also loaded with diet-friendly benefits that can whip our midsections into shape. “Vitamin D and Omega 3 are cortisol busters. They allow the body to process insulin better, and the benefit is really a flatter tummy,” explains Banzon. With 69 IU of vitamin D in a single 100-gram serving of tuna, you can kiss basking in the early morning sunshine goodbye when opting for this health wonder; while Omega 3, long-revered as the good fat heart-guardian, also lowers blood pressure, as well as risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes.

“If you don’t eat clean, and you work out a lot, you won’t get the same goals you aspire for,” adds Jessy Mendiola. “I’ve learned to control my portions. During tapings, whenever I get hungry at midnight, I just snack on Century Tuna. That’s the key to a good diet. You are not supposed to go hungry or starve yourself if you want to achieve a fitter body.”

Avelino, on the other hand, jogs regularly and enjoys rock-climbing. “When you go rock-climbing, you need to trek for several kilometers before you actually get to a boulder you can climb. And it’s just so convenient to bring an easy-open can of Century Tuna to have when you get hungry,” he says.

After snagging showbiz’s topmost royalties for celebrity endorsements last season, it was hard to imagine how Century Tuna could follow those standard bearers Anne Curtis and John Lloyd Cruz. “The Philippines has a lot of very good-looking talents with strong endorsement following,” notes Banzon. “But these people have stories. They didn’t look like this two to three years ago. James Reid was thin, Elmo was a bit chubby, Paulo was evolving, and Jessy was a bit voluptuous. That was the main criteria. People have seen them grown up, and that’s what we were looking for, their transformations.”

The new Century Tuna “ABSolutely Summer Ready” campaign is one that is less aspirational and more inspirational, as these celebrities still have fitness and diet goals to keep them going.

“I need to work on consistency and maintenance. I’m really having a hard time with discipline since I like to eat sweets a lot,” shares Mendiola. Says Elmo Magalona: “Even when you get used to having a diet and going to a gym, you still crave the other good food out there, the occasional sweets or pasta. I just want to eat healthier this year, and I want to put more effort into going to the gym.” His newfound physique has since inspired many other summer billboard campaigns.

The goal for Avelino is “to lose more excess fat and to have a better, stronger core.” Perhaps a healthier heart is part of his process as well. And for Reid, it’s something closer to reality. “As long as we eat healthy, as long as we feel healthy, that’s what matters. Getting muscles and everything is just a bonus. But being healthy is what matters. So my goal is only to maintain. I’m happy with what I have right now, and there’s no going back,” he says.

Having a tight rack of abs is what fitness buffs dream of, and these inspiring endorsers make it look more achievable than ever.

“It’s not really so much a goal as a lifestyle,” says Reid. Adds Mendiola, “If you are healthy, you are happy and it shows. That’s why we are fit, we want to be happy. It’s a choice.”