When photos of her wearing a two-piece swim wear surfaced on the pages of a showbiz magazine recently, Bea Alonzo was perturbed. Not because she felt that her right as a woman was violated but because she feared that the release of such sexy photos could preempt her upcoming movie “And I Love You So” under Star Cinema.

As much as the news of her two piece bathing suit surprised her, she was more elated that her colleagues from showbiz praised her. The first time she even heard about it was from “E Live” hosts Luis Manzano, Toni Gonzaga and Mariel Rodriguez, also her friends, who called her about it. Long time screen partner John Lloyd Cruz was also vocal about her “two-piece-debut” as he talked proudly of her on television.

And why wouldn’t she be on a two-piece swimsuit? She has all the rights to parade her 15-pound slimmer body, after she shed off the excess fat from her “I Love Betty La Fea” days. Bea was just proud that when her latest film called for that scene – she bared her new physique wholeheartedly!

“I’m working on reinventing myself again. You’ll be seeing a different Bea in this movie. I want to become a woman so I can offer something new to the people,” Bea revealed.

For Bea, losing weight was an ordeal. Her success was a combination of her workout, her discipline and the people around her who have encouraged her all the way to win her battle with the bulges!

“At first I did yoga towards the end of ‘I Love Betty La Fea.’ I’m actually very thankful to Star Cinema for allowing me to get in the set after lunch leaving me enough time for my yoga classes. Nowadays though I don’t have time for my yoga because our playdate is nearing… when I went to the ‘Hearthrob Concert’ ‘Tita’ Mariole Alberto of Star Magic, who is a health buff watched over what I eat. She would always order for me,” shared Bea of her weight loss experiences.

Bea also attributed her success in achieving her sexier look to her director Laurenti Dyogi.

“My director kept telling me that I was fat. I guess that helped because he knows me very well. He knows how to motivate me in our scenes and in my personal life. So I guess that triggered me get serious and lose weight. He challenged me again,” she related.

Bea even described director Laurenti Dyogi as his guardian angel.

“Every time I needed him in my life, he is there. When I need a drive, he gives that to me. It was reminiscent of what happened nine years ago when I thought I couldn’t do ‘Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay.’ But he showed me that I could,” she recalled.

So what other benefits did losing weight had for Bea Alonzo?

“I was able to wear again my clothes that I wore before when I was doing ‘One More Chance.’ I went back to my old size. But I still continue with my diet. I don’t want to get fat again because it’s hard. I know though that I won’t get stick skinny because I’m big boned but I don’t want to get fat again,” she stressed.

Bea is keeping private though her real weight. She is admitting though that she is still working hard towards achieving her ideal weight. Her goal is to workout the parts of her body that needs conditioning or toning. She is even taking up dance classes and when time would allow her, she would hit the gym for more serious workouts. In terms of her diet, she’s adamant about so-called “intense diets” because Bea feels she could faint from it. Hers is just for maintenance so she won’t get fat again.

“Right now in terms of fashion or what I wear and the way I speak to people, I could say that I have less insecurities. Actually if I’m more confident now, it is not because I lost weight, it is also because as you age, you get to know your worth and what you can do in life. You also know your value as a person,” she expounded.

Is she ready then to be a cover of men’s magazines?

“No men’s magazine covers for me. I really admire the women on the cover of these magazines. They’re so comfortable with their body. Right now, I’m just focused on acting and my movies… I could pose for fashion magazines but for a men’s magazine no. I’m not that comfortable with my body. I can model clothes but to be men’s eye candy, no,” she exclaimed.

Regarding “And I Love You So,” Bea also pointed out that there’s more than “sexiness” in the said movie. She said that her intimate scenes were done beautifully and were really needed for the movie. She was also very comfortable acting alongside her leading men Sam Milby and Derek Ramsay.

Bea Alonzo has just signed a three-year, three-movie deal with Star Cinema!

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