She's a fitspiration: Ida Paras

IDA PARAS, 26, Dental Medicine student/Brazilian Jiujitsu Athlete

Every other week, I'll be posting profiles on real girls I consider fitspirations. I pick their mind on personal details like their diet to their preferred brand of sweatpants. It'll be a fun read, and most of all, it could serve as inspiration to get fit and healthy. Today I start with a girl who's close to my heart, someone I've seen to have grown so much in the past few years. She's had her "phases", but I must say that this phase is my favorite. Being a dental medicine student slash Brazilian Jiujitsu athlete, one may ask "how does she do it?" Here, she shares her thoughts on her love for the sport and being a pescetarian.

What is your fitness activity/workout of choice? How did you get into this? How does it fit into your schedule?
I am addicted to Brazilian Jiujitsu (teehee dork!), so basically most of my workouts are usually related to it. My boyfriend introduced me to the sport---until it slowly became our lifestyle. At first it really didn't appeal to me because I didn't think I would be able to do nor have the physical strength and agility required in Jiujitsu---but eventually started to progress, I remember doing my first sweep and submission---I knew I was hooked for life. :D  It's really hard to balance training and school (since i need to be in school for 12 hours/day and then study some more when i get home), that is why i lessened going out at night, to conserve energy for both. On my free days, you would usually find me in the dojo or in the gym with my boyfriend. It helps when your partner shares the same passion with you because like me, he is also a student and struggling with time has become a big part of our relationship. In a way it is good, because it really helps develop discipline and will force you to learn to compromise with each other.

What's your diet like? Give specific dishes you consume daily, brands you love, restaurants you frequent, and where you shop for food.

I am currently a pescetarian so I consume a lot of sea foods, vegetables and grains. I stay away from white rice, and only consume brown or red rice. I try to lessen my dairy intake--although I really really really love love CHEESE and eggs! That is something that I am working hard to get rid off. I am ashamed to say that i tend to forget to watch what I eat at times because of my lifestyle (mostly because of school)---I forget about the amount of carbs that I take during the day especially when I am super busy in school---my weakness is pizza LOL. For food I go for local produce, so I go to the weekend markets (Salcedo and Legaspi), for other supplements I order from The Superfood Grocer -- they have a really good variety of plant based "super foods" such as maca powder, chia seeds, raw cacao nibs, spirulina and coconut sugar. It is really sad that the only health grocery we have in this country is Healthy Options but so far... I have been seeing the growth in health stores here in the Philippines, I hope it continues. My favorite restaurants: Corner Tree Cafe and Pipino... and I go to Gourmet To Go in Rustan's most of the time, they have good quick affordable healthy snacks.

Top 3 fitness/health lessons you can share with us:

1. Always remember: MUSCLE IS HEAVIER THAN FAT---so don't be too weight conscious. So as long as you feel good and you like how you look--- you're good.

2. Animal meat is not the only way to get protein, there are a lot of plant based foods that will give you the same (or even better) lean protein for your body.

3. Go lift that dumbell---you wont turn into rambo, I promise. Us girls don't produce enough testosterone to bulk us up.

What's on your workout playlist? 

HAH! this is embarrassing... it changes a lot depending on the mood--- can go from "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye to "Antidote" by SHM to Notorious BIG to Justin Bieber. Haha yes... it varies as you can see, right now, my pump up music is "Adorn" by miguel--- LOL it's so smooth and sexy.

Workout gear must-haves?

I love Under Armour and Nike -- hehe i like bright things in the gym. For Jiujitsu gi's -- my top 3 are Scramble, Tatami and Shoyoroll :D

Whose body do you dream of achieving? Any fitness idols?

For sure it's Jessica Biel --- for me she has always been so consistent with her fitness and you can see that she enjoys it. She doesn't make a big deal about her workouts but she never seems to get off the habit-- whether she is shooting for a movie or not--she's always fit. Even way back when she was still in 7th heaven---when I saw her in Summer Catch, in that tiny high cut bikini-- I knew I wanted her body.

Stay tuned for next week's fitspiration profile! Hope you enjoyed this post! :) Let me know your thoughts - e-mail kateparas@gmail.com