The 30-year-old multi-platinum recording artist, like the rest of us, has at one point struggled with weight loss. Moira Dela Torre, however, has finally won her personal battle with it.
At a recent media conference in Quezon City to launch the “Titibo-Tibo” singer as the new face of a coffee drink, she wowed the crowd — arriving in a short, white bouffant dress. She was svelte, glowing and youthful. From afar, you would have mistaken her as a teenager.
As she sat down in front of the press with the executives of BonaVita Philippines, looking radiant in a venue heavily draped in reds, golds and white, the most-streamed Filipina actress revealed her wellness journey.
“When I stopped putting pressure on myself and started allowing myself to just be me, that was when I stopped feeling the pressure [to lose weight],” she said.
Dela Torre was once nearly 200 lbs. and was publicly candid about her insecurities with her weight fluctuations because of how it made her feel “internally.”
But in March 2023, she posted on Instagram her before and after photos, sharing how in just over a year, she had lost 60 lbs. From 180 lbs., she was down to 120 lbs. and has triumphed Hashimoto’s disease, estrogen issues and infertility.
At the mediacon, the star relived her two-year experience with bulimia, an eating disorder characterized by binge-eating before intentionally vomiting to get rid of the food. She confessed that it had worsened her condition.
She also admitted to trying all sorts of fad diets before, from keto to vegan-inspired. But none of them worked. It was when she let go and stopped putting pressure on herself that she began losing weight.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. I know that’s such a cliché thing. But to be honest, how I started losing weight was when I stopped trying,” she said, as she described how her body “calmed down” after she quit the pressure of weight loss.
Dela Torre, however, confessed that the weight-loss journey did not happen fast and that the drive to change happened “from within.”
“Ang daming magagandang change na nagbago (A lot of good changes happened). I didn’t realize this was something I could do,” the former PMPC Female Pop Artist of the Year said.
“My life has changed significantly in the past two and a half years. It’s not just about the physical changes, but the profound healing I’ve experienced within. I’ve evolved since my major weight loss,” she added.
The singer-songwriter professed gratitude for her latest product endorsement, a coffee drink called BonaSlim 15-in-1, the jingle of which she wrote and sang. She was particularly happy with the company’s vision, which she could “relate” to.
“I relate very much with the vision that BonaSlim had. They gave me so much creative freedom. The whole family welcomed me…Ang laki ng tiwalang binigay nila sa akin (They trusted me a lot). I felt it. They didn’t just get me as an endorser, but they really trusted what I could give,” Moira added.
“This is a milestone for our company, as she believes in our brand and our family,” said BonaVita Philippines chief executive officer Jethro Cerezo.
Sales manager Jhederly Masiclat said that the coffee is designed to support an individual’s wellness journey “for a healthier and fitter lifestyle.”
The coffee contains mangosteen, L-carnitine, garcinia cambogia, inulin, senna leaves, Stevia, moringa, barley, ganoderma, psyllium husk, turmeric powder and guyabano. Its makers also claim to not using artificial additives or preservatives.
“To the people trying to lose weight, I want you to care more about yourself,” said Dela Torre, adding that it took her so long to realize that she was beautiful — before the actual weight loss happened.
She then reiterated the importance of self-love — a major contributing factor to her holistic transformation.
“Self-love is not selfish,” she quipped.
Clearly inspired with her 360-degree turn, the former Idol Philippines judge also said that she is currently finishing a new album. Her last album was Halfway Point (Reimagined), released in 2021.
“I’m in a work mood. That makes me feel good about accomplishing things and finishing something I started.”
She will also embark on a world tour, beginning in Malaysia in April, just before touring the U.S. in May and June, with a Canadian leg tour soon to be announced.