Alejandro Chabán has seamlessly built an empire of healthy living, the actor turned certified nutrition consultant has been changing the lives of thousands with his innovation and inspiring Yes You Can!™ Diet Plan. In addition to being one of the youngest motivational speakers in the U.S., Chabán is considered one of the most popular Hispanic celebrities in the entertainment business. He has flawlessly intertwined these two intersecting aspects of his life, to build an exciting and motivational career. Not only does Chabán emphasize the importance of healthy living for all, but he specifically stresses the importance of well being for Latinos. Dr. Oz has referred to him as “the voice of this generation’s weight loss and fitness” and Latin Times was lucky enough to sit down with Chabán and learn about his early life as an obsesses teen, as well as listen to his inspiring message of both emotional and physical wellbeing.
How did you end up in the US? When did you leave Venezuela?
I came to the United States in 2004 to star in a novela. From then on, I made the U.S. my home.
Being that you are from Venezuela, what are your feelings regarding the protests?
I pray for my beautiful Venezuela every day and hope we can have peace in the very near future.
What first pushed you into acting? Did you enjoy performing as a child?
As I child I suffered from very low self-esteem and battled obesity, anorexia and bulimia. Kids bullied me in school, so instead of shining out, I just wanted to be invisible and blend in. However, in the back of my mind I knew I wanted more out of life instead of living depressed and unhappy. So, one day, I decided to say good-bye to the fat kid and began my journey to lose weight. While I really put my health in jeopardy in the beginning, I was fortunate to receive my family’s support and get the right help to find a healthy and balanced way to lose weight. Then, once I had shed some pounds and my self-esteem was a bit better, I gathered the courage to go on auditions and test my talent. When I got my first role, it was a dream come true; it was a testament that I could accomplish anything I wanted to do with hard work and perseverance.
What was your transition like from actor to nutrition consultant?
Although I felt very lonely when I was losing weight, deep inside I knew there were many people suffering like I was. I kept telling myself that if I ever found a way to help someone else not suffer the way I did and to feel great inside and out, I would definitely do it. So, after a few years of acting, I decided to write a book and share my story. Then, something incredible happened: thousands of people from all over the world would let me know how much they related to my experience. They were also looking for a solution like I was and they needed help, information and support. I knew then what I always felt inside: that this was my calling. So, in addition to having the personal experience, I also decided to study in-depth and become a certified Nutrition Consultant.
What first prompted you to become interested in healthy living and fitness?
What first prompted me was my experience battling obesity, anorexia and bulimia. I weighed 314 pounds and could barely live inside my body. I knew there had to be a better way. So, I started losing weight with crazy ideas, starved myself, injected myself with odd liquids, tried 500 calorie diets, little powders you put on food to stop eating, mesotherapy, and even green teas. If it is out there, I probably tried it. But after becoming anorexic and bulimic and putting my health at risk, I began recovering by learning the right way of eating and keeping a healthy lifestyle. Since then, I transformed my body and have been able to maintain it for over 10 years.
What do you enjoy more acting or working on your Yes You Can!™ Diet Plan? Is one more rewarding compared to the other?
They are different experiences, but both allow me to be close to the public, which is something that I love. If I had to pick one, definitely working on the Yes You Can!™ Diet Plan is by far the most rewarding experience I’ve had in my life. Knowing that you’ve been able not only to touch, but also help transform someone’s life for the better is priceless.
Why do you think healthy living is even more important when it comes to the Latino community?
Latinos have the second-highest obesity index in the U.S. Three good reasons for that are that first for us, food equals love, second we love the food that keeps us close to our culture, and finally there’s not enough information out there to help Latinos make healthy decisions within the environment they live and love to experience. That’s why I created the Yes You Can!™ Diet Plan as the only diet with a Latin flavor. It not only teaches people key nutrition concepts in a healthy way, but it includes all types of foods, especially those we Latinos love to eat. This way, we are helping them lose weight and attain a healthy lifestyle without taking away what they enjoy.
Traditional Latino foods can sometimes be rather carb heavy, what are some twists on traditional Latino dishes that can make them healthier?
Here’s where a lot of people get it wrong, so I’ll emphasize it for clarity, IT IS ABSOLUTELY OK TO EAT CARBS! Actually, your body NEEDS carbs. There are two key tricks to eating carbs, first try to eat carbs only for breakfast and lunch and also eat only one carb at a time. So, I know we all love our rice and beans with our little plantains or arepa on the side, but that is the problem. We need to eat the rice OR the beans OR the plantain OR the arepa, but not all of them at the same time! That’s what the Yes You Can!™ Diet Plan teaches and why it is so easy to follow. You can eat bread, pasta, potatoes, tortillas, you just learn to eat them in a healthy way.
What is your favorite piece of inspiration for someone who wants to make a lifestyle change?
There are key four things I tell people to remember when they want to make a lifestyle change. My first piece of advice is if I did it, YOU CAN DO IT AS WELL! I also always remind people to believe in themselves because it all starts from within. Next, don't get desperate, I tell people to take it one day and one pound at a time. We cannot expect to lose years worth of weight within two months. It is a process of willpower, determination and patience. Last, but not least, your worth is NOT determined by a number on the scale. In order for the entire process to start and work, you have to start looking in the mirror and loving and understanding the person that you see in there. You have to believe in YOU! Yes You Can!
Will you return to acting?
I sincerely hope to some day! For now, I am happy and very fulfilled helping everyone say Yes You Can!
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