1. She Fasts
Shutterstock
Banus’s meals revolve around protein. “I fast until about 10 or 11 a.m. because normally, I like to work out in the morning," she says. "So I will do a green juice from a company called Garden of Life. And then I get some solid food in around 11, and that’s anything that has to do with protein, like oatmeal or eggs or even some turkey. It’s important to have carbs in the morning, so I complement that with some toast and a little bit of juice. For lunch, I usually have my heaviest meal. I have an obsession with rice but white rice is really bad for you, so I’ve been transitioning into doing brown rice with a healthy amount of protein, whether that’s plant-based protein or chicken or turkey. And then for dinner, I try to have a substantial meal but not as much as lunch. Spinach is my favorite, so I do spinach and chicken or any type of protein."
2. Skating Outdoors
When gyms were closed during COVID, Banus had to switch up her exercise routine. “I’ve been going to a program that has outdoor, 45-minute, spaced out classes, so I go five times a week in the morning,” she says. “Sometimes if I feel I didn’t get a good enough workout, I’ll supplement that and do a little more at home. I love to go skating around my neighborhood. It’s a really good total body workout, really good for your core. I also like to do Insanity [on beachbody.com] at home. It’s very much a challenge, so whenever I feel I need to get my butt kicked, I do that.”
3. Miami Girl
Banus is grateful for her Miami upbringing. “The upbringing I had was very diverse and I was fortunate to be able to grow up with so many different types of culture and Latinos, being exposed not only to the customs and traditions of my country, Cuba, but also to others such as Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Peru,” she says. “I had so many friends who were Nicaraguan, Honduran, and it was beautiful. Miami is a melting pot of Latinos, and not just Latinos but people from all over the world.”
4. Fitness Rules
Shutterstock
Banus has some good fitness advice she lives by. “Make sure you stretch your body before every workout,” she says. “It’s really important for your muscles to gradually warm themselves up so you don’t tear them in a bad way. Drink water. It’s not only important for your muscles but for your bones and joints. Even if you don’t have equipment, use a towel or a chair or your body weight. Start small. Ten minutes, five minutes, one minute. You did one minute today, maybe tomorrow you’ll do two.”
5. Latina Role Model
Banus is proud to represent her culture on a major daytime soap. “I’m really proud to be playing a Latina on daytime television for 10 years,” she says. “Portraying Gabi Josephina Hernandez to the best of my abilities, being able to go in there and meet so many amazing people and learn from so many people, but also to carry just Latinas in general for little girls that would be able to watch the show and say, ‘There’s somebody on there who looks like me and speaks Spanish,’ means a lot. It’s really nice to carry that for Latinos in general, for being somebody whose mother is from a really terrible communist regime in Cuba, who came to this country to become a better person and provide for her family, and for me to be the first generation is really amazing.”
Nadia Bartel / Instagram
Shutterstock
