At 25, Solenn Heusaff isn't the type you'd expect to thrive on a bug-infested island, battling it out with strangers for the win on Survivor Philippines. But this French-Filipina designer, model, and VJ showed that she's as gritty as she is glam in the celebrity edition of this reality show franchise.

But given this sexy Survivor's success, it can be difficult to imagine that she wasn't always the fit and fabulous female she is now. In the cover story for the November 2010 issue of Women's Health Philippines, Solenn shares that she used to be a fat kid.

“When I was 13 years old, I was 5’1” and weighed 65 kilos (nearly 150 lbs.),” she told Women's Health. “I was called ‘Free Willy,’ ‘Shamu,’ and just about every whale character. I was 13 and stupid, so I lost weight in a very bad way.”

But, Solenn says, “Now I’m 25 and I’m smarter.” With a little help from friends Isabelle Daza and Georgina Wilson, she now follows a fitness routine, which she shares in WH's cover story. She's also more committed to caring about and for her well-being, a challenge she refuses to back down from.

But then again, determination is something we know Solenn has got in spades. “Anyone can do anything, if you set your mind to it,” she says.

But we can't all be fighting for survival on a faraway island. So Solenn has provided five tips on survival that hold true no matter where you are:


1. DON'T PANIC

Take a deep breath. Keep your calm and wits about you.


2. NO FOOD? FIND WATER!

Hydrate yourself to keep your body healthy. Water keeps you full longer so you end up eating smaller portions.


3. DON’T GIVE YOUR ALL

Protect yourself—don’t show your vulnerability. People always disappoint.


4. PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF, BUT...

Be careful and tread lightly. Don’t dump your mess anywhere.


5. DON’T GIVE UP

Exercise mind over matter. If you believe you can do it, you will. Push yourself to your limits.



To read more about Solenn, her fitness routine, and her experiences as a Survivor Philippines castaway, grab a copy of the October 2010 issue of Women's Health Philippines, out now.


(Photo by Philip Sison)

Page 1 of 1

COMMENTS