Chelsea Manalo details how she prepared for Miss Universe 2024 with a healthy mind, guided physical training

If there’s a healthcare and training tip Chelsea Manalo swears by, it is shifting one's mind to a positive outlook. She believes that this practice can infuse her dedicated workouts and mindful practices with inner strength and poise — and the rest will follow.

In an interview with GMA News Online, the Philippine bet talked about how she prepared herself before flying to Mexico for the much-awaited Miss Universe 2024 competition, detailing how she embraced a wellness journey that nurtures both her body and soul.

The physical preparation

Chelsea didn’t go on a strict diet for her physical preparation and instead focused on carb loading because her body tends to slim down fast. This nutrition strategy involves consuming a large amount of carbohydrates through food intake to help increase the body's energy levels.

Guided by her gym coach, JD Andaya, she continued eating whatever she liked and focused her workouts on her torso, back, shoulders, and legs.

“Sabi niya ‘You just eat what you want kasi ‘yun ‘yung kailangan mo.’ Lalo na ‘yung protein, meat, pero minsan hinahaluan ko din kasi ng kanin. I can never go and have lunch with no rice. I also love sweets pero lagi niya rin ako nire-remind to still workout and very consistent naman ako don,” Chelsea said.

According to the Filipina beauty queen, she prefers her physical training that way, especially since she knows she cannot restrict herself from eating, which is one of her hobbies.

“And I think this is also about time for anyone who also wants to join pageantry to understand na you really don’t have to go onto a strict diet, you know? You can still eat whatever it is that you want, pero important din kasi na you’re working out," she said.

"And if they do that, balance, you’re not just helping yourself maintain a really good posture, but you’re helping your mental health at the same time kasi iba ‘yung mabibigay sa ‘yo when you’re working out. Healthy ‘yung mind mo, healthy pa ‘yung body mo."

The Bulakenya beauty makes sure that she goes to the gym twice a week, with each session lasting an hour.  She also prioritizes resting her body whenever she feels she needs it.

During her pasarela or pageant walk trainings, she makes sure to stretch her legs, hips, feet, and torso well to avoid injuries.

“Of course, we’re walking, but in heels. Girl, your whole muscle in your legs has to be stretched. It needs to be prepared,” she said.

Aside from her workouts, Chelsea also rewards herself by doing things that she likes, such as walking outside, saying it gives her happy hormones and also helps her mental state.

Mental health and mindfulness

Chelsea is someone who lies between introversion and extroversion.

Like many introverted people, she also gets burned out whenever she has full-on schedules, but she’s also a naturally curious person, which she calls a “healthy problem” for her.

“I’m very curious sa mga tao, ano ‘yung story nila, so when I try to meet new people, I try as much as I can to listen first what they’re going to say to me, then I speak up,” she said. “And when we’re in events, it’s so hard for them (team) to pull me out kasi I just cannot stop engaging with people. So, siguro reason din kung bakit nabu-burnout was ako din ‘yung may kasalanan, not other people.”

And when she gets peopled out and her social battery depletes, Chelsea makes sure to take a breather.

She recalled a mental health seminar that she attended while competing for Miss Universe Philippines, where she learned breathing exercises.

“The tip is to always inhale, exhale, four seconds, hold it in, and then exhale four seconds. Don’t try to catch your own breath, you have to take it slowly kasi you are helping your organs, your heart, and your mind to relax din kasi it’s hard when you’re consistently talking, meeting new people,” she said.

When it comes to handling anxiety, Chelsea’s advice is to just embrace it.

“Love your anxiety! Come on, do it. It’s important na you know you’re about to cry kasi sometimes, crying doesn’t show weakness that you have anxiety. It shows strength. Kasi you’re releasing it. ‘Pag kinimkim mo siya, dun lalo kang mahihirapan. It can trigger so much, then it leads to depression,” she said.

One of the things she does to deal with anxiety is to find a person she can talk to, including her parents. She also takes quiet, prayerful moments to recharge herself.

As for rest, Chelsea shared that she loves to sleep and she's not one to skimp on it.

“I love to sleep, so when I wake up and then I feel like medyo kulang pa ‘yung pahinga ko or if I know hindi enough ‘yung rest ko, then I try sa mga events ko or shoots ko to take a little nap, short naps, ganiyan. But if I do have like a full-on rest, it’s when my shoots finish early, ‘yan, magpapahinga na ako. After ko siguro kumain, sleep na,” she said.

Loving what she does is also something that helps her sustain her momentum moving forward.

She reminds herself to be grateful at all times, especially since her reign as Miss Universe Philippines only lasts for a year, and perhaps another year on top of that should she win the international crown.

What Chelsea learned about preparing for pageants, though, is that it is easier to train the physical body for competitions over the mind.

"Siguro, ‘yung personality, isa ‘yun sa medyo mahirap i-train, so try to embrace what you’re doing, why you wanna do it. Kasi ‘yun naman ‘yung laging sinasabi eh. ‘Why do you want to win? Why do you want to win Miss Universe?’” she said.

Sharing her training and health care tip, the beauty queen underscored the importance of having a positive mindset and a clear understanding of one's purpose.

"Helping your mind to shift to a positive outlook is already a good health care tip. If you don’t see it in a good light because maybe meron kang gusto mo lang na advantage, you want to do this, this, this, medyo it will not reflect you, how you should be like in the stage or how you are presented with other people. They won’t feel your authenticity," she said.

"Mentally, if you’re already healthy, you know your ‘why,’ you know what you are here for, then that’s the best tip I just want to give.”

Chelsea is already in Mexico for Miss Universe 2024.

She will vie for the country's fifth Miss Universe crown on the coronation night on November 16 (November 17, Philippine time). The Preliminary and National Costume competitions are set for November 14.

Chelsea was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2024 in May, making her the first-ever Filipino-Black American candidate to win the national title.

— CDC, GMA Integrated News