In an interview with MEGA Active, fashion models Cassandra Laforteza and Mika Reins share the workout routines they use to achieve results for both mental and physical health
Models are no strangers to a hard workout. And though the industry is most known for its strict expectations on dieting and weight loss, PMAP models Mika Reins and Cassandra Laforteza prove that the outlook on fitness is now more positive and attuned to health. This pivot in mindset is reflected in the way these models exercise, which is focused more on the healthy balance between physicality and embracing mental health. Read ahead for what these two have to say about their workout routines.
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Cassandra Laforteza
For Cassandra, her routine comes in two parts: Weightlifting for the first half of her week and then pilates for the latter half. Depending on her schedule, she devotes at least two to three days for weight workouts, followed by another two to three days for pilates. This way, she says, she gets to relax with pilates workouts after strenuous days of weightlifting.
When it comes to weights, she focuses on doing arms, glutes, and leg workouts, but avoids lifting anything too heavy so that her arms don’t bulk up too much. Her workouts also last a minimum of one hour each. Interestingly, Cassandra began weightlifting when she joined SuperModel Me Revolution as one of the Philippine representatives in 2021. Currently, her personal trainer is beauty queen trainer Angelo Mendez, who guides her through weight training at Gold’s Gym. She also gets coached by Yzah Umlas, a bikini athlete champion.
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Pilates, on the other hand, is a mind-body exercise that is great for building strength and improving flexibility and posture. It is also an exercise that people can do with or without equipment, so Cassandra prefers doing at-home pilates over going to studios. She finds that she prefers pilates over yoga because it’s more effective in toning her abs and glutes as well.
According to her, it took about two months after she started this precise schedule to see positive results. On top of that, her workout routine gives her the perfect opportunity to de-stress and be in a better mindset. She also credits that on top of improving her mood, going to the gym lets her brainstorm better ideas as a business owner.
Mika Reins
Actor-model Mika Reins is also big on fitness, which she somewhat looks at as the best friend that she wants to see every day. “My goal is to feel good, feel alive, and be more energetic—not to get thinner or to get toned,” she clarifies. And with her hectic schedule as an actor with often 24-hour tapings, she feels she needs the exercise to help her prepare for them mentally and physically. So, what does she do to stay on top of it all?
Mika says her workout routine comes in two halves, too. One half is more on the chill and mellow side, which comes in the form of barre, while the other half is more hardcore, which she accomplishes by indoor cycling. With barre, she describes it as a mixture of pilates, ballet, and yoga—and all these help her to calm down and feel more at peace, all while exercising her core and building more stamina. On the hardcore side of things is indoor cycling. She takes part in 45-minute spin classes because she likes the music and how she gets to push her limits to feel the burn.
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Notably, she goes to Barre3 Manila for barre sessions, and Ride Revolution for spin classes. According to her, these two types of classes complement each other well in a single week, and are intrinsic to her “girl therapy,” which she says is her method of clearing her headspace. With these in mind, Mika also repeats to us a quote she had seen in one of the studios: “Workout because you love your body, and not because you hate it.”
At the end of it all, Mika also emphasizes the importance of mental health, bringing awareness to the topic in light of her friend’s unfortunate recent passing. “Mental health is something you have to take care of every day. We can’t ignore it. It’s something you have to address, especially if your friend is going through something,” she ends.
Featured Image: MIKA REINS (via Instagram)
