SIX FORD MODELS SHARE THEIR FLAIR FOR FITNESS
Photographed by Mike Lewis
Styling: Odessa Paloma Parker
Makeup & hair: Shobana Lakkavally (Judyinc.com)
Models: Andrea Deluca, Jess Adamson, Stacey Boachie, Mike Albertini, Nick Kuzik & Stefan Lawrence (all Ford Models)
Special thanks to Get Spun for letting us shoot in their wonderful gym!
As told to Odessa Paloma Parker
Now that Summer is just around the corner, being more body conscious is unavoidable. While we all have our reasons for working out and eating well (striving for a beach-ready body, for example), the long-term health benefits – both physical and mental – should always be the bottom line in motivating you.
We asked six fitness-savvy models from Ford to show us their moves, and tell us how they like to train!
Andrea DeLuca
What inspires you to work out?
My parents inspire me to workout; they have always had an appreciation for healthy living. My father is a natural pro-bodybuilder and my mom is an avid fitness person, both training for over three decades. I was born and raised in the gym. My desire to have the best and feel the best allows me to achieve a new and better physical condition…I live, sleep, eat, train, and have fun!
It makes me feel good – training empowers me, it’s great for the body, mind and soul.
What’s your favourite exercise or way to stay healthy?
I love to train in the gym, but I also love soccer, volleyball, swimming and hot yoga. My favourite way to stay fit is climbing hills on the treadmill – I love to work my legs.
What’s your favourite healthy snack?
My favourite healthy snack is baked apple slices with a drizzle of agave nectar; the apples get a little crispy and warm and the agave nectar gives a little taste of sweetness. Otherwise, I love steak and potatoes.
Give us three songs that always keep you going.
Katy Perry, “Part of Me”
Flo Rida, “Wild Ones”
David Guetta ft. Akon, “Crank It Up”
What advice can you give to our readers who want to live an active life?
[My advice would be that] it’s not about losing weight or doing it fast; good things take time. It’s about a healthy lifestyle – change [and] clean up your diet, and find exercises you love. Mine are hot yoga, cardio and weights.
Set a goal for yourself and try to achieve it – whether it’s one glass of juice less a day or going to the gym everyday, commit to your promise. The first few weeks or months are transition phases so if you don’t see immediate results, don’t give up; after a little more time and better eating you will feel amazing and see dramatic changes in your life and your body….the more active you are, the longer you will live and the happier you will feel…. Stick to it!
Jess Adamson
What inspires you to work out?
As a competitive runner I train four days a week, 12 months of the year. Even though my competitive season is in the summer, I am inspired to workout throughout the Fall and Winter knowing that the strength and endurance training I do in December will benefit my performances in July.
What’s your favourite exercise or way to stay healthy?
I love doing plank circuits. Whether it’s a side, front or back plank, you don’t need any equipment or state-of-the-art facilities. Planks are a great way to add a competitive edge to exercising with friends. The challenge to last longer than your workout buddy will push both people to get a full body workout for even longer!
What’s your favourite healthy snack?
As a post- or pre-workout snack I love making myself a smoothie. With tons of frozen fruit, yoghurt and juice, they’re the easiest energy boost an athlete could ask for!
Give us three songs that always keep you going.
Queen, “Don’t Stop Me Now”
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”
Calvin Harris, “Feel So Close”
What advice can you give to our readers who want to live an active life?
Exercise should be fun – find something active that you love doing! Whether it’s running, skipping, boxing or Zumba, find a friend and make exercising one of the highlights of your day! If you don’t enjoy your exercise routine, there’s a good chance you’re not going to stick with it. It’s important to keep active in some way each day so pick something fun!
Stacey Boachie
What inspires you to work out?
What inspires me to work out is just the mere fact that I feel great whenever I work out; my workouts act as a “de-stresser” for me. Of course there is also the added incentive that I will look great as well.
What’s your favourite exercise or way to stay healthy?
[It] would probably be a tie between my favourites, hot yoga and running on the treadmill. They balance me out, as hot yoga relaxes me while running really gets me pumped and motivated for whatever else I have to take on!
What’s your favourite healthy snack?
My favorite healthy snack would honestly be broccoli and asparagus.
Give us three songs that always keep you going.
Jay-Z & Kanye West ft. Frank Ocean, “New Day”
Beyonce ft. Andre 3000, “Party”
Young Jeezy, “Way Too Gone”
What advice can you give to our readers who want to live an active life?
Even if being active is not really your thing, I can’t stress it enough – drink lots and lots of water. And try to eat at least one serving of fruits and vegetables every day! There are so many nutrients in both that [just] drinking or eating [them] can improve your health.
Mike Albertini
What inspires you to work out?
The thing that inspires me to work is the after effect of actually working out! Looking great while feeling great about yourself, health [and] fitness-wise.
What’s your favourite exercise or way to stay healthy?
I do a bit of everything, but I enjoy long distance walks or running the most! In general, keep yourself moving .
What’s your favourite healthy snack?
Grilled veggies and boneless skinless chicken breasts!
Give us three songs that always keep you going.
Lady Gaga, “Marry The Night”
Dragonette, “Let It Go”
Skrillex & Wolfgang Gartner, “The Devil’s Den”
What advice can you give to our readers who want to live an active life?
Instead of watching tv, take a step out your front door. There are thousands of possibilities – [even] something simple, [like] joining a sports team.
Nick Kuzik
What inspires you to work out?
I feel terms like “working out” or “exercise” can convey activity in an unflattering light. When I think to myself, “Oh, I still have to go work out today”, it begins to sound like a tedious chore. Even though I love activity, I can find myself dreading the gym.
I strive to adopt a more stimulating and engaging mindset about activity and leading a healthy lifestyle than just “working out” regularly. Getting yourself amped about activity is probably the most difficult and most crucial way to avoid the apathy and disinterest that often sets in when starting a new fitness program. Keeping it fresh and finding new ways to physically and psychologically challenge yourself is key to keeping up that motivation to stay fit. If you are experiencing that overwhelming feeling that maybe getting in shape or staying in shape is more trouble than it’s worth, I’ll let you in on a little secret: Even the fittest person you know feels the same way, and felt the same way when they started out. As corny as it sounds, it’s just a matter of pushing on through it. As soon as you do, you’ll see how even a little bit of activity can go a long way towards improving your life. The more you exercise, the better you feel about it, and the more you exercise! It’s a classic positive feedback loop. The “fitness bug” is very real and notoriously hard to shake once you’ve caught it.
What’s your favourite exercise or way to stay healthy?
Health and fitness are funny things. They can both have so many definitions depending on whom you ask. A linebacker’s idea of fitness and health is likely quite different from a dancer’s.
I enjoy a lot of different activities to stay fit, as I believe that the best way to stay fit is to stay well rounded (I feel it’s more fun that way, too). If I were to classify myself though, I am definitely a runner at heart! Running around downtown Toronto has become one of my favourite summer activities. It’s a great way to explore the city and at the same time keep wicked fit. Especially if you’re new to it, running can seem pretty boring. One of the best things about running in a city like Toronto is that there’s a ton to look at and think about while you’re out there. I always make a mental list of neat places and things when I’m running to come back to and enjoy with friends later on. I can’t even count how many times I’ve just run out the door and lost track of time and direction and somehow wound up back home two hours of running later with a big smile and matching sense of accomplishment. If you’re new to running and/or fitness, I think city running is a great place to start! Just be sure you have a general idea of where home is, and don’t forget to look out for cars and bikes!
What’s your favourite healthy snack?
It depends on what I’ve been doing! Generally my after-activity snacks follow a similar structure. I’ll go for something high in complex carbs such as whole grains, vegetables, and some fruits, and high-quality lean protein like that in chicken or lower-fat dairy (quinoa is a great source of both protein and complex carbs, an especially useful staple for vegetarians/vegans).
My favourite quick after-activity snack would probably be fat-free greek yoghurt with assorted berries and fruit with some granola or oats thrown in. Add some vanilla and a touch of stevia or agave to sweeten things up a bit and you’re set! It’s super simple and it’s got a ton of good quality protein and carbs, which is exactly what your body needs to re-fuel and re-build tissues.
Give us three songs that always keep you going.
Metallica, “Fuel”
Steve Angello, “Knas”
Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Around The World”
What advice can you give to our readers who want to live an active life?
Pardon the clichés but the more I get involved in the world of fitness, the more I find the following to be true:
It’s never too late to start. There’s no reason to be embarrassed if you feel you’re late to the party. If you feel out of shape or un-skilled that’s okay, that’s exactly why you’re trying to improve. There is no shame in that; in fact, the courage, willpower, and discipline required to improve yourself is something to be very proud of. If you’re afraid of people passing judgment on you because you’re inexperienced or insecure about your body, just remember that the type of people who would judge you are probably pretty insecure or just plain small-minded. Do you really care what someone who would willingly make you uncomfortable has to say? You’ll probably find you never really needed their endorsement anyway. Haters gonna hate. I know it’s a funny little phrase but it helped me get to where I am and, if I’m being honest, I use it all the time.
Stefan Lawrence
What inspires you to work out?
[The movie] 300.
What’s your favourite exercise or way to stay healthy?
Skipping. Also, I try to remember to breathe deeply throughout the day.
What’s your favourite healthy snack?
A big sack of nuts. Protein? Amazing source of antioxidants? Aaah yeah…
Give us three songs that always keep you going.
Wiz Khalifa, “Work hard play hard”
Escala, “Requiem For A Tower”
Stromae, “Je Cours”
What advice can you give to our readers who want to live an active life?
Get a rival. Incorporate some friendly competition to amp up intensity and to motivate.
