Chinggay: Fit, fab and feminine

WORKOUT clothes from Karma. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

Fitness trainer Chinggay Andrada says that, just like the contestants on ABS-CBN’s “Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition,” she also had to go through major upheavals during her four-month stay at the show’s wellness camp in Cavite.

Chinggay had been based in Las Vegas, Nevada, for six years when ABS-CBN called her up to audition for the program in October 2010. She had to resign from her job as an accountant of Station Casinos to do the reality show.

Her husband, Apollo Sebastian, works in a Filipino-owned fitness center called Fasi Sports, also in Las Vegas. They have a 4-year-old daughter named Alidela.

“It’s been a tough journey for me and the family, emotionally and physically,” Chinggay tells Living Stars.

Apollo has been very supportive, though. “My dream job came true because we, as a family, decided to pursue it. I’ll always be grateful to my husband for this.”

SHIRT on the “ABCs of Fitness”. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

Chinggay, the Red Team trainer in “Biggest Loser,” admits: “I was emotionally challenged like the contestants. I was also going through my own transformation. I missed my family.”

She says the show—which will have its finale at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on October 8—is about changing lives. “Everything that happened in the show was as real as it could get. It wasn’t scripted.”

Clothes

“I use a local brand called Karma when I work out. I love the fit. When you look for workout clothes, think of what fits your body,” she says.

Chinggay counsels other women to shop around. “Don’t go with just one brand. There are lots of places where you can find quality work-out clothes.”

THE PARIS ring. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

Luckily, red is her favorite color. “The female trainer always ends up with the Red Team. I’m thankful because I already have lots of red items in my closet. I just had to level it up a bit.”

A red R.I.P.P.E.D. shirt stands for Resistance, Interval, Power, Plyometrics, Endurance and Diet. “Ripped is actually a fitness program that I’ll launch in the country in 2012.”

During the first week of training, she wore red shirts that talked about the ABCs of Fitness. “Act, Believe and Conquer. I always tell the contestants: ‘When you read this shirt, take it in and do it.’”

She’s now choosing her outfit for the finale. “My all-time favorite dress was made by my mom (a retired fashion designer). I had planned to wear it at the finale, but I had to use it during the ‘Biggest Loser Grand Ball.’”

She recalls that her mom designed gowns for some First Ladies in the United States. “She started at the same time as Patis Tesoro.”

Chinggay is a staunch supporter of local designers. “I’ve been a fan of Ino Caluza’s work so for long. I’ve had this pair of Viktor Jeans since 2003 and it remains a favorite. If it doesn’t fit anymore, that means I have to go back to the gym.”

Recently, she got her daughter a pair of Viktor Jeans.

HER mom, a retired fashion designer, made this red dress. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

Scent

She adores Dolce & Gabbana Rose the One.

“It’s not super-strong,” she points out. “It’s not overpowering, but it’s long-lasting. It also comes in body lotion.”

Bag

Chinggay relied on a red overnight bag during her stay at the camp in General Trias, Cavite. “The bag kept all my stuff together at the camp, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Manila.”

Sometimes they stayed there for the night “when the weather got bad.”

Memorabilia

Friend Marc Nelson gifted her with a watch in 1998. “I’m very sentimental. Now that I’m a full-time mom, I get to spend less time with friends.”

Her dream destination is Paris. In Las Vegas, Apollo took her to a restaurant called Paris. While she was eating, he put a heart-shaped box on a dessert plate. “Inside was a ring,” she relates. “He proposed that night.” She considers the ring the “most precious thing I own.”

A gold ring (with a snake design) is from her mom. “Whenever I wear it, I get a lot of compliments.”

SHE moved to Manila with husband Apollo and daughter Alidela to pursue a dream job. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

A ring with colorful semiprecious stones is from stylist Matt Guzon. “I used it for a shoot with photographer Patrick Uy. Matt gave it to me as souvenir.”

Chinggay plans to give each contestant a “pie” bracelet during the finale.

There’s a story behind “pie.” “When my first niece entered college, she had a hard time adjusting.” Her tip to her niece? “Just make sure to have a slice of ‘pie’ every day. ‘Pie’ means Pray, Inspire others and Embrace life.”

Her niece included Chinggay’s advice in her graduation speech.

“In dealing with hardships, you just need a slice of ‘pie.’ I kept reminding the contestants about ‘pie’ at the camp.”

Gadgets

KIDDIE applications on iPad keep Chinggay Andrada’s daughter Alidela preoccupied. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

Her life now revolves around family. “It’s not about me and my husband anymore, but about our daughter.”

Even their laptop and iPad have games to keep Alidela preoccupied. “I’ve been an Apple user for as long as I can remember,” she says. “This iBook is a 2003 model. Alidela now uses it for listening to music and watching movies.”

Footwear

She’s a spokesperson for sneaker brand Skechers.

“This year, Skechers launched its first pair of running shoes,” she says. “It’s lightweight and called ProSpeed. This has improved my run. It’s very efficient.”

She also has a 1-year-old Shape Up. “I’m now in the company of Kim Kardashian and Karl Malone.”

HER fave dress shoes by Michael Kors. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

Chinggay uses Skechers’ Revv Air for boxing sessions. “I love the fit.”

Her all-time favorite pair of dress shoes is by Michael Kors. “It’s the most comfortable pair I’ve ever come across.”

Books

In Cavite, she wrote her observations during the Red Team’s training sessions in a red book.

“I put down everything…all my emotions. A decade or two from now, my daughter will read this journal and would understand why I had to be away for a while.”

A BOOK by by Joe Hyams and her “motherhood” journal. Photo by Jim Guiao Punzalan

She has come across a lot of great books, but “Zen in the Martial Arts” by Joe Hyams is a fave. “It was given by my mentor, Ed Dames. It reminds us that we always have to look for a peaceful way to resolve things.”

One of the best gifts Chinggay has ever received is a journal called “Mother’s Legacy: Your Life Story in Your Own Hands.” She got it when she was pregnant. “In that journal, I write about myself, my family life, what I go through as a mother.”

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