Jake Cuenca: Abs-olutely fit for the role

Good-looking Jake Cuenca stands out in local showbiz for both his good acting skills and his great body. That makes the young actor hot and in demand not only for lead roles but also for modeling and commercial endorsements.

While he’s played various roles on prime time TV, he is best remembered for his mean roles onscreen. I’m not sure if you have noticed, but the convincingly mean actor sports a leaner body nowadays.

The Filipino-Spanish Star Magic talent, who was born December 30 in California, is the complete opposite though in person. He is friendly, kind-hearted, and generous.  We caught him in a photo shoot before he departed for Spain and he obliged us with answers to how he keeps himself in great shape:

PHILIPPINE STAR: Have you ever encountered any weight and fitness problems? If yes, what did you do about it?

JAKE CUENCA: Yes, when I was younger, I was a little bit on the heavy side so when I got older, I decided to play sports more. I was at my biggest when I was into football (during elementary and high school) so I really needed to get into shape. I needed to lose weight.

Do you still have time for sports?

Yeah, I play football at least twice a week.

How did you get into that sport? What other sports are you into?

I started while I was young, my dad taught me. I also like boxing, I do MMA (mixed martial arts), but I’m really more into football, it’s something I really look forward to.

Do you recruit your family and friends to join you?

Yes, definitely. A lot of them are my teammates.

How did your sport help you cope with life?

It releases stress. When I’m stressed out or tired from work, I play football and I feel like I’ve let out the stress. I love football because it relaxes me and at the same time, it’s good bonding for my family, between me and my brother.

How does your sport help you in your career?

It has landed me some endorsements like boxing. I got to do boxing in the Master commercial and I recently did something for a brand that’s coming out. It’s good — because of the sports, people kind of get to know you more, get to know you better and see what you’re really into, aside from acting.

What part of your body are you most proud of? Why?

I think my abs kasi I really make an extra effort to work out my abs. It takes me 30 minutes for one workout. It usually takes me one hour and 30 minutes to work out and I dedicate 30 minutes just for my abs.

What part of your body do you think needs further improvement?

I always think there’s room for improvement with everything. That’s the good thing about working out. There’s always the challenge to look for new workouts so that it won’t become routine or boring.

What is your fave gym exercise?

Well, I try a lot of classes — I do TRX, I cross train and I just constantly introduce myself to different workouts.

Do you follow any strict diet?

Yeah, I don’t eat pork or beef, I only eat fish or chicken and no carbs.

How much sleep do you get every day?

(Laughs.) That’s a big question mark. It depends on work. If I don’t have work, I make sure to sleep at least eight hours.

Any vices?

No. No vices.

Any cheat days?

I have cheat days every three or six months, sometimes I eat steak or I eat a burger.

What food cravings do you succumb to?

I crave the craziest things like tinapa and rice. Just the simple stuff like bacon, but then I have to substitute it with turkey bacon. Sometimes, I crave hotdogs, but I have to substitute them with turkey hotdogs.

What is your regular fitness regimen?

I try to go to the gym every day because I feel more awake. I like to start my day with that. My diet? No pork or beef, just chicken or fish.

Do you take supplements?

Yes, I do but not at the moment.

What are you training for right now?

I’m training for Maalaala Mo Kaya. I’ll be doing a soap. So I needed to lose 10 pounds. Hindi kasi bagay sa character yung masyadong malaki yung katawan; kailangan lean lang (A well-built body didn’t fit the character. The requirement was just a lean body).

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