Julia Montes opens up on body image, self-worth, and life with Coco Martin
Whenever actress Julia Montes wants to shed a few pounds, she skips the weighing scale and simply tries on a dress one size smaller. For her, it’s a gentler, more encouraging way to track progress without the pressure of numbers.
“This is actually what I advise people,” Montes told Lifestyle in a recent interview. “Your weight doesn’t always reflect your actual progress, especially if you’re doing strength training. You might even gain weight as you build muscle, that’s the tendency. So when you step on the scale and see the numbers go up, you get discouraged and think, ‘This isn’t working. I might as well stop.’ It’s better to set a goal like fitting into a dress and saying, ‘I want to finally wear this.’”
One wellness habit Montes swears by is her daily hourlong walk. “When I walk, it also becomes my time to meditate and thank God for all the blessings,” she said. “Walking in the garden in the morning is my ‘me’ time. I don’t listen to upbeat music—mas senti ako sa tugtog. I prefer calming, relaxing tunes because they help me think. I usually set a timer for 30 minutes to an hour, and I often don’t even notice the time until the alarm goes off.”
She’s an early riser, usually up by 4 a.m. “Waking up early helps me get so much done. It’s hard at first, but once you get used to it, it really makes a difference,” she said.
Part of her morning routine includes taking apple cider vinegar (ACV), which has helped ease her frequent bloating and constipation.
“That’s one reason I used to gain weight so easily. I couldn’t burn fat properly or move my bowels regularly. There were times when I’d go on a diet and work out, but I’d lose weight much slower than my friends. It was really frustrating,” Montes admitted.
“My management would say things like, ‘Why aren’t you slimming down yet? By now, you should be this or that weight.’ It put so much pressure on me. But when I started taking Swiss Proli, it really worked for me,” she declared.
She’s not just the face of Swiss Proli Lean Gummies but also one of its partners, alongside Pinky Tobiano, Juancho Robles, and Mac Merla. The gummies are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO—ideal for a variety of lifestyles.
“It helped flush out the toxins stuck in my body,” she said. “Taking it goes hand in hand with walking. I don’t pressure myself to jog or run. I just make sure to walk for 30 minutes to an hour every morning and combine that with some weight training.”
She’s also tried various approaches to wellness over the years. “I’ve tried everything—calorie deficit, OMAD (one meal a day), even intermittent fasting (IF),” she said. “But I’ve realized IF no longer works for me, especially since I don’t eat breakfast. Also, everyone is built differently. OMAD worked for a lot of people I know, but it didn’t work for me. It’s hard to maintain and I get the worst acid attacks, so I really need to eat. What works best for me is eating small but frequent meals.”
Balance
Montes admitted her routine isn’t always what most would call “perfectly healthy,” but she values balance above all.
“There are times I reward myself with pizza or chips,” she shared. “I’m not into depriving myself of cravings. I just try to eat properly and avoid bingeing—because once you stop and lose your momentum, it’s really hard to get it back.”
As for balancing her love of food and cooking with staying fit, Montes has found a rhythm that works.
“‘Di naman dapat bawal kumain,” she said with a laugh. “When I was younger and would eat at buffets, I’d fill my plate with everything. The only difference now is, before I’d eat everything on the plate. Now, I’m okay with just tasting a bit of each dish. What’s important is to not deprive yourself.”
Cooking is also a source of joy and discipline. “I love cooking for my family every day,” she said. “When you see me eating out, that’s my reward to myself. But when I cook, I often lose my appetite because I get overwhelmed by the taste. Most of my dishes are slow-cooked, so I start in the morning and finish by afternoon. I taste them throughout the process, so by the time I’m done, I’m not hungry anymore.”
As a public figure, Montes has long been vulnerable to body shaming and the familiar “tumaba ka” remarks. She credits her partner, actor Coco Martin, as her biggest source of confidence.
“Mahal ako ni Coco kahit mataba ako,” she said with a laugh. “There was a time I kept asking myself how I could slim down, especially since in our industry, women are expected to be a size 2. Just the thought of it made me tired. Coco is a big factor. He always makes me feel beautiful. That’s where I chose to focus.”
She added: “I know what worked for me might not work for you, and that’s a problem we have in society. I’m just grateful I have someone who reminds me of my worth. He helped me rebuild my confidence. Sometimes, I catch myself saying, ‘Oo nga, ano?’”
Fans have been delighted to see Montes and Martin becoming more open about their relationship, something she acknowledges.
“It’s not that we don’t want to share with our supporters. We’re just very private people. Even with our friends, we’re not that vocal. It’s not intentional; we’re just naturally shy,” she explained.
“With Coco, I feel incredibly lucky. He’s really the ideal partner,” she continued. “People always say how handsome Coco is, but honestly, he’s ten times more attractive because of how caring he is. He takes care of you from the moment you wake up until you fall asleep. He’ll give you everything—even just to keep you from doing chores.”
