First name: Alec
Last name: Varcas
City: Wolcott
State: CT
Age: 24
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 175 lbs
Profession: Actor currently in ’50 Shades! The Musical’ Off-Broadway.

Follow Me
Twitter: @Alec2austin
Instagram: Alec2austin

When did you start working out?:
Around 2009, but I didn’t start seriously working out until the summer of 2011.

How many days a week do you work out?:
I like to workout about 6 days a week.

How long is your average workout?:
My average workout is usually around an hour and a half, but sometimes longer. Some days I try to focus on about 2 muscle groups per workout. I superset exercises switching between the muscle groups to keep my body moving and my heart rate up, but not totally exhausting my muscles and giving them proper rest time between each set. More recently have been incorporating body weight, stability, and range of motion exercises into my workouts. I realized that although I was starting to see results in the way I looked, my body was just getting stiffer and bulky. When I started adding body weight exercises and testing my body in different ways, not only was I looking more aesthetic, but I was also gaining better control of my body as a whole.

Favorite muscles to exercise:
My Chest. I love working out my chest because I never had one when I was younger. I have seen decent growth in my chest since I have started working out, but I still see a lot of room for improvement. Any time I get a chance to pound out a good chest exercise, I feel great because I know I am really working toward reaching my fitness goals.

Least favorite muscles to exercise:
Shoulders. I have a bad rotator cuff that tends to hurt when I lift weights, so I have to be careful when doing shoulder exercises. Because I don’t want to injure it further, I usually am too afraid to really push my limits with my shoulder exercises.

Do you have any fitness goals? If so, what are they?:
I have a ton of fitness goals. I always set small fitness goals to reach in a short amount of time and when I reach those goals, I aim for something even a little more difficult. Right now I’m trying to do 3 consecutive handstand pushups without using the wall, get my max bench press up to 250 lbs, get my deadlift and squat both to 325 lbs, and increase my flexibility.

Do you have any fitness inspirations? If so, who are they?:
I have many fitness inspirations. You will get to see many of them each Friday for my ‘Feature Friday’ topic, so keep an eye out for them.

What supplements do you take or recommend?:
I usually take whey protein and mix it with skim milk or water after I workout. I also take casein protein before I go to bed. Right now I am tossing around with different pre-workouts to find out which one I like the best, but I try not to use preworkout if I don’t need to. I also like to take one multivitamin and fish oil after breakfast.

Can you give a brief overview of your diet?:
My diet isn’t as strict as most people think it is. I do not compete and for my job I just have to make sure that I am toned. As ling as I have 10% body fat or less, I am in the clear. With this said, I try to eat healthy when I can, but I definitely have a cheat meal once in a while. My general rule when eating is to make sure I am getting an adequate amount of protein and I am taking in healthy carbs. I need a lot of energy throughout my day, so although I do take in a good amount of carbs, I use a lot of it up as energy either at the gym or while Im performing on stage.

Do you have any workouts that you specifically like, that you believe are very affective?:
I really love some of my core workouts that I do. I have experimented with different workouts people have showed me and have even altered them to make them work a little better with my body. I will show them to you over time on this blog so stay tuned. I also really enjoy handstands and other body weight exercises. I want to push my body to the limit.

How much cardio do you do? (Per day or per week):
I have been playing around with the amount of cardio I have been doing. Right now, I am doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) about 3-4 times a week.

Do you have any tips for people who are trying to reach their fitness goals?:
Do your research! I am creating this blog to really help people reach their fitness goals, but the more research you do, the better. Also, just working out will not help you reach your fitness goals, DIET is just as, if not more, important than going to the gym. Lastly, stay motivated! Many people have a hard time staying motivated because they don’t see their beach ready body in the first few weeks they exercise. It does not happen over night. Losing weight and building muscle takes a lot of hard work and time, but finding something that will help you stay motivated will help you reach your goals. For some, having a workout buddy that will drag them to the gym helps them stay on track. For others, it is posting pictures of the body they want around the house or even on the boxes of foods they know they shouldn’t be eating. Whatever it is, find what works for you!

Do you have any other things you would like to say? (Comments, suggestions, etc)?:
Do not be scared to try something new. Remember that everyone starts somewhere. I have talked to many people that are not happy with their bodies and the main reason they don’t go to the gym is because they are scared. They are scared people will judge them and they are scared of trying something new. DONT BE! There is nothing but respect for people at the gym, because by being there and putting in the effort, we all know that we are working toward a common goal of bettering ourselves. Also, don’t be scared of trying new types of workouts either. Recently I started going to gymnastics classes to help my tumbling for an audition, and now I go just for the amazing workout. I have never had a better whole body workout than the one I get after a 45min-hour gymnastics lesson (I usually cant walk for days). Have you ever wanted to try Yoga, Pilates, Karate, Swimming? DO IT!!! You will regret it if you never tried. My mom started Karate in her 40’s and got up to a second degree Black Belt! It is never too late to try something new and get in shape!

Mini Bio:
My name is Alec Varcas and I am currently an aspiring actor in the Off-Broadway production of “50 Shades The Musical!” in New York City. In the past few years, I have decided to take a turn in my life and really focus on bettering myself, from my nutrition, to my exercise regime, to my overall lifestyle. It has not been an easy journey, but I have seen much progress in myself ,and would like to help motivate people who are looking to do the same in their own lives. Although, I am not a certified personal trainer or nutritionist, I am now considering pursuing a profession in these fields. The advice I give is directly from my own experience and from my constant research I do. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have by emailing me at corestrengthalec@gmail.com