#SHOWBIZ: Derrick Monasterio: Fit body is 20 per cent workout, 80 per cent diet
In a recent interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer, Monasterio, 29, said: "For me, having a fit body is 20 per cent workout and 80 per cent diet. Even if I don't lift weights for two months, as long as I eat well, and do stretching and cardio, I would still feel good."
He added: "Healthy food need not be austere in flavour. Monasterio however prefers his meals flavourless because he is used to such food preparation.
"It's just that my body has got so used to my minimalist approach to eating, that the mere sight of fatty and indulgent dishes already make me feel full."
He loves eating boiled chicken and cauliflower.
"Four years ago, I got so engrossed in CrossFit and weightlifting — rigorous training under three coaches — that I entertained thoughts of becoming a professional weightlifter.
"I grew so big and muscular that it made finding suitable roles for television tricky."
The actor takes a pre-workout drink every morning, lifts weights and dumbbells in the morning and runs at night.
"When you prioritise your fitness, it will reflect on your mood and the activities you do after. You feel more energised. That's why I get annoyed when I don't get to exercise," he said.
"I'm a hard worker, when I see someone lifting heavy weights, it inspires me to go for something heavier and test how much pain I can endure."
Monasterio is best known for starring in the Filipino murder-mystery series Slay — where he plays a villain for the first time.
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