FITNESS PROFILE
Entertainer exercises to put balance in his life

By Paula Rath

Tony C., also known as Tony Conjugacion, says his four or five days a week of cross training save his sanity and "afford me balance." Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Name: Tony C. (Conjugacion)

Age: We don't discuss those things, but I've been performing for over 30 years; do the math.

Profession: Kumu hula, vocalist/recording artist, producer/director, actor, TV personality (anchor judge on "Hawaii Stars"), fitness enthusiast

Height: 5 feet 9 inches

Weight: 170 pounds

Body fat percentage: 11 percent. I'm still striving to get to 6 or 7 percent and stay there. Body composition is much more important than total body mass index. Ultimately, the goal is to have a greater lean mass percentage (muscle) than body fat percentage.

Workout habits: Four to five days (of) cross training. If I can fit five days into my week, I'll do cardio (Stairclimber) five days (one hour on three days, 30 to 45 minutes on two days) and work different body parts on all five days, with my weight training averaging an additional 45 minutes, depending on which body parts I'm working. I prefer to use the drop-set method, where one begins a set at the highest weight with 10 reps, and then lowers the weights in two or three more sets with higher reps. I work my abs at least two to three times a week.

When and why I started working out: After moving to New York and becoming aware of the fact that in the entertainment industry, they are not particularly forgiving when it comes to your appearance as they are here in Hawai'i. Aside from that, I was concerned about the heart disease that existed on both sides of my family, and my goal is to ultimately avoid having to become dependent on any form of heart medication and/or therapy.

My good foods/bad foods: I do not believe in diets; what I do believe works in the long run is a permanent lifestyle change. It's pretty simple: When I am a good boy I stick to a high protein, low carbohydrate, low fat regimen.

My biggest motivator: My family and friends.

My biggest roadblock to fitness: The local diet. Hawai'i has such a diversity of ethnic foods and combinations that sometimes you are not even aware of what is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle.

What saves my sanity: Working out! My workouts tend to relieve stress as well as afford me balance.

My next challenge: Maintenance and consistency.

Advice for those in the same boat: Once you make the conscious decision to make a lifestyle change, be persistent. As with many things in life, you will inevitably meet peaks and valleys. Initially, you will see rather quick results, though as time goes on the gains are not as obvious. That's when you need to be even more acutely aware of your body and really listen to it. The key is to not become discouraged.