Like many people, Luis Suarez pushed himself to hit the gym after a bad breakup
A decade later, he has the body to show for it, as well as the following. With nearly 90,000 followers on Instagram, Suarez is a popular fitness trainer with clients all over the world
“The cool thing about your first relationship is, you go through your first breakup,” he tells Queerty. “So I was heartbroken and it really made me ask, ‘What do I want in my life?’”
For Suarez, the answer was a lot of activity and sunshine. The L.A. native studied abroad in Brazil and fell in love with the country’s beaches, style and wellness scene. With Latin American roots–his mom is El Salvadoran and his dad is Guatemalan–he’s enchanted with Brazilian culture
A big part of that is food. Suarez never skimps on meals and encourages his followers to eat what they enjoy. Fitness, he says, isn’t just about reaching PRs or maxing out. It’s about enjoying a well-rounded life
“I like to talk a lot about the cultural aspects of food,” he says. “When you’re eating well and exercising, it helps you be more focused and stabilizes your mood.”
Whenever Suarez is in Brazil, he’s at his most content. He recently moved back to the country, living in Curitiba, the largest city in Southern Brazil at 1.9 million people. Known for its pioneering bus rapid transit system and vast green space, Suarez loves its cosmopolitan feel
At this moment in his life, he can’t imagine being anywhere else. “Life happens, you get a little taste. Then 10 years later, life brings you back to what you built before,” he adds
In between activities, Queertyrecently caught up with Suarez to chat about his favorite parts of Latin American culture, staying ripped and why Brazilian guys are so hot. Here’s what he had to say…
QUEERTY: What’s one thing about staying in shape that people overlook?
LUIS SUAREZ: A lot of it is mental. It’s like yoga, the benefits are less physical and more mental. I think when you’re eating well and exercising, it helps you be more focused and stabilizes your mood. Your less “hangry,” you’re not running around, you’re less anxious. It brings stability into your life
You talk a lot about diet. It seems like your point is, you can still eat tasty food and should want to eat tasty food…
I like to talk a lot about the cultural aspects of [food]. I meet so many people from different cultures, and they always have some kind of food tied to their culture. I think having those flavors are good! They are just so many different things you can add. You’re Greek, you’re Lebanese. There are just so many cool things [to eat]
What’s your current fitness routine?
Right now, I’m doing yoga once per week. Bodybuilding is good. I’ve been feeling—being in a new country with new things and different opportunities—I think stability is good. So going on runs in nature is amazing. It’s always these fundamental things that I’ve done. When I was in Hollywood, I would take a run up to the hills on Bronson Canyon. It doesn’t matter where you’re at, how old you get, what city you live in. These things are fundamental. I need to run outside, I need some yoga meditation. Then some bodybuilding.
Brazilian men have a reputation for being very sexy. What makes them so hot?
Everyone is so different! The mix of culture is really cool. People have different features. I also think the style is very cool. When you go to Brazil, you usually see Rio de Janeiro or maybe some of San Paolo or Salvador, which are beach towns. But because I’m in Southern Brazil, it’s more industrial and European, people have really good styles. It’s colder, so it’s like going to San Francisco, New York, the Pacific Northwest. Everyone has good style: everyone has the goatee, it’s just kind of cool. I can’t describe it. You just have to be here. It’s more of an energy. Especially if you find those alternative guys. There’s just an edge to them. It’s very Latino, very urban.
What’s your favorite thing about Latin American culture?
The social aspect of it. The fun part of it. I’m here in Brazil, and I asked someone, “Where do you take the white people from?” All the white people in Brazil are different than the white people in the U.S. And they were like, “That’s because we got the fun ones!” We got the Dutch, the Portuguese. All of these things. What do I like about Latin American culture? The third spaces. You can go there, but you can walk on the street and probably make a friend. “Buenos tardes, buenos dias.” People are open. There are specific cultures and experiences that come together to create that openness. Does that make sense?
Totally! Music is also a huge aspect of any culture–especially in Latin America. Are there any up-and-coming artists on your workout playlist these days?
Yes! One of my favorite current artists is Clementaum. She has a very popular song for Carnival called “VA DJ + FORTY!” She’s a cis woman, but she mixes with all of the trans DJs. She’s actually from Curitiba, which is interesting, because again, it’s very formal and European. But there is this counterculture, and she comes from that. She’s cool. She plays with a ton of queer artists
I like to ask fitness trainers this… what’s the hottest muscle to work out?
Ohh… I think it would be the hamstrings. When you’re laying down, it’s a big meaty piece of your back leg. It’s what gives the legs the view. It’s not just the front part, it’s the back leg. It’s like a little preview to your butt. It’s the hardest [muscle]. I think people ignore it. People do a lot of quads. But [the hamstring] is the bicep of your legs
When you’re notworking out your meaty hamstrings, what do you do for fun?
Cooking is good. But that’s a good question… I’m trying to find a hobby. I’m trying to get back to painting, things that I like to do. I’m trying to take care of myself, work on my business. I’m always trying to push myself out of my comfort zone. Sometimes you just need to grab your stuff and take a weekend trip. Just being impulsive
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