It’s no secret that Ina Raymundo remains to be one of the sexiest women to grace show business. And her appeal just becomes more inspiring with age. But what not a lot of people know is how she’s managed to stay fit (and maintain her 27-inch waistline!) in her 40s and after giving birth to five kids.
She’s no stranger to weight gain. When she was pregnant with her first child back in 2001, she recalls gaining about 40 pounds. It was her husband Brian Portunak, who encouraged her to hit the gym. Thus, her love for fitness began.
Aside from her commitment to having fun while exercising, she swears by a fitness secret that does not involve the gym: portion control.
Easier said than done, right? But the fitspiration mom actually makes it sound fun!
photo: Ina Raymundo Instagram
Education is key
She starts by making sure she knows what to eat.
“My number one tip talaga is to educate yourself on what to eat,” she told PEP in an interview.
Then, she makes sure she gets a maximum of 1,200 calories per day.
“We should only be eating a certain amount of food talaga. Kasi talagang ang nangyayari, we are eating more than what we should be eating. Iyon yung number one mistake.”
Emphasizing her point, she said that not working out is not the real cause of weight gain.
“It’s because you’re eating way too much. Kasi yung ideal is 1,200 to 1,400 per day or 1,500 kapag nagwu-workout ka. If you know yung mga tamang pagkain, you can eat na mabubusog ka, satisfied ka nang gano’n lang. Kasi kapag sinabi mong 1,200 calories, ang konti lang no’n di ba?”
For instance, she says, drinking a smoothie or fruit shake might seem like you’re skipping the calories but you’re actually already eating a full meal without feeling full. Some shakes pack about 400 calories!
photo: Ina Raymundo instagram
Eating right doesn’t mean eating less
To stick to her goals, Ina splits her 1,200-calorie goal into six small, but full meals: breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and a midnight snack.
“Well-balanced yung diet ko that even when I don’t work out, name-maintain ko yung ideal na weight na gusto ko. I eat six full meals, hindi yung three huge meals.”
Ina also isn’t a fan of supplements or protein shakes, like most gym buffs.
Yes, she eats both white and brown rice, but measure it strictly so she can stick to one cup per meal. The same goes for her fruit intake; one cup will suffice. She swears by eating more fish and chicken breast.
She also believes cutting down on carbohydrates, avoiding sugar and upping her vegetable intake has helped her keep fit through the years. Portion control has improved the hands-on mom’s overall well-being.
“You will not be hungry, you will feel good,” she advises.
In case you were wondering, she does indulge, too! Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, she allows herself to “eat what she likes.” But from Monday to Thursday, she strives to be a “healthy eater.”
“Siyempre, you cannot eat fried food every day, ‘di ba? It’s fattening and it’s bad for your heart, pero once a week, when you crave, okay lang yun. Balanced talaga, it’s awareness, and being conscious na ‘okay, tama na ito. Everything in moderation. Kailangan talaga matututo ka mag-‘no’ na kapag sobra-sobra it’s bad for you.”
sources: PEP, GMA Network
READ: Celebrity mom secrets on how to lose baby weight
