For Juan Morales, ambition and discipline go hand in hand with a deep appreciation for the simple things in life. Having spent years playing semi-professional football before turning his focus to fitness, modelling and advertising, he has built a life around movement, competition and constant growth. Yet behind the athletic physique and the confidence in front of the camera is someone who values tranquillity, authenticity and staying connected to himself. For Yummy 12, Juan opens up about ambition, body image, sport, self-confidence and his first nude shoot, reflecting on what it means to pursue a dream without losing sight of who you are along the way.
The images are cropped/made safe for online purposes, full images available inside Yummy Issue Twelve
Photo story by sasha olsen, INTERVIEW BY Adrian Gomis Exposito
An Interview with Juan Morales
AGE. If someone who had never met you before came across you on an ordinary Sunday, away from the gym and photo shoots, what would they discover about you that they might not normally see?
JM. I think they would discover that I’m quite calm and simple. Outside of work, I really enjoy the ordinary things in life.
AGE. You grew up closely connected to sport. Do you think your personality was shaped more by your victories or by the times things didn’t go as you expected? What does sport mean to you?
JM. I think more by the times things didn’t go as I expected. In the end, those are the moments that teach you the most.
AGE. You played semi-professional football for many years. What part of that Juan is still present in the man you are today? What made you decide to end your football career?
JM. The discipline and the desire to compete are still there. I stopped because of my age and because I could no longer dedicate the time it required.
AGE. Today, you divide your time between the gym, modelling and advertising. Do you feel that you’re still looking for your place, or do you have a clear idea of where you want to take your life?
JM. Right now, I’m clear that I want to find a good agency that will give me opportunities to work and continue growing in this world.
AGE. You work surrounded by people who are constantly trying to improve physically. What have you learned from observing the relationship people have with their own bodies?
JM. That everyone has a different relationship with their body, and that it’s not all about how you look on the outside.
AGE. You often talk about thinking big and being ambitious. What has been the moment when you’ve had to convince yourself the most that your dream was possible?
JM. I’ve always believed in myself, and I believe in myself more and more every day.
AGE. Ambition is often confused with always wanting more. For you, what is the difference between being ambitious and losing sight of who you are?
JM. Being ambitious means wanting to grow without stopping being yourself. When you stop enjoying things or no longer recognise yourself, I think it becomes something else.
AGE. You practise very different sports. What do you find in movement and physical activity that you can’t find when you’re standing still? Do you have a favourite sport depending on the occasion?
JM. I really like that feeling of being active. I practise different sports depending on the moment, but if I had to choose, I would always choose working out.
AGE. You’re still very young, but you already have a fairly clear idea of the future you want to build. Is there anything you’re afraid of losing along the way while pursuing that goal?
JM. I suppose losing my peace of mind and the simple things I enjoy now.
AGE. When was the last time you surprised yourself?
JM. Constantly. I’m always discovering something new about myself.
Quick-Fire Questions
AGE. Three words that define your personality.
JM. Ambitious, calm and consistent.
AGE. An activity you never get tired of doing?
JM. Working out, whatever the sport.
AGE. A place where you completely switch off?
JM. At the beach, looking out at the sea.
AGE. Mountains, beach or city?
JM. Beach.
AGE. Training alone or with someone else?
JM. It depends on the day, but usually alone.
AGE. A song that always manages to motivate you.
JM. I don’t have one in particular. It really depends on the moment.
AGE. What is the first thing people notice when they meet you?
JM. I suppose my physique, although I hope they eventually discover that there’s more to me than that.
AGE. A little quirk you have?
JM. Touching door frames as I walk through them.
AGE. What does enjoying the present mean to you?
JM. Not thinking too much about what’s coming next and enjoying what is happening in the moment.
AGE. What personal challenge would you like to overcome one day?
JM. Completing a triathlon.
Unveiling His Yummy Side
AGE. Without overthinking it, what does the word “yummy” mean to you?
JM. Something you feel like enjoying without thinking about it too much.
AGE. The photos you shot for Yummy 12 with Sasha Olsen convey a sense of confidence and intimacy at the same time. What was the experience like for you, and how challenging was it to find that version of yourself during the shoot? Was this your first nude photo shoot?
JM. It was a new experience for me. Yes, it was my first nude photo shoot, so I was nervous at first, but I gradually relaxed.
AGE. Every production has its unexpected moments. What was the funniest or most surreal moment of the shoot?
JM. The cold outside, haha. It wasn’t exactly the most pleasant part.
AGE. Your body is part of your work, but it’s also part of the way you live. How do you make sure it always remains yours rather than becoming something that belongs to other people’s gaze?
JM. By trying not to forget that my body belongs to me first and foremost, before it becomes part of my work.
AGE. There’s a difference between feeling attractive and feeling desired. Which of the two sensations are you more familiar with?
JM. Attractive… or at least I think so, haha.
AGE. Posing with very little clothing forces you to leave many insecurities behind. What did you discover about yourself during this shoot?
JM. That insecurity is often more in your head than it is in reality.
AGE. When someone looks at you with desire, are you immediately aware of it, or do you prefer to think you’re imagining things?
JM. I think I notice, although sometimes I prefer to pretend I don’t.
AGE. Which part of your body do you think says the most about who you are, even before you say a single word?
JM. My legs.
AGE. What does someone have to do to capture your full attention without even touching you?
JM. The way they behave in general. To me, that says a lot about a person.
AGE. Is there a fantasy or idea that people project onto you because of your physical appearance that has absolutely nothing to do with you?
JM. That I’ve always looked like this, or that it’s all genetics. There’s a lot of work behind it.
AGE. They say true chemistry isn’t always about physical contact. What makes someone impossible for you to forget?
JM. For them to be a genuine and loyal person. That’s difficult to forget.
A Final Note
AGE. Beyond professional success, what kind of man would you like to become over the years?
JM. A man who remains ambitious, but who hasn’t lost his essence or his way of enjoying life.
AGE. If you could speak to the fifteen-year-old Juan for five minutes, what do you think would be the first thing you’d tell him?
JM. To trust himself more and be patient. Everything comes with hard work.
AGE. When someone thinks of Juan Morales ten or twenty years from now, what would you like them to feel before they even remember your work?
JM. That I was an authentic person and that I enjoyed the journey, not just the result.
