If there’s one thing Jon Lucas has realized from losing a loved one, it’s that idle time can be especially agonizing for someone coping with grief.

So while fitness is an important part of his personal life and job as an actor, he decided to stop going to the gym after his father died last January.

Staying at the gym for long periods, he said, had become quite an ordeal. In between reps and sets, he would often find himself thinking of his late father, Arturo, and ultimately, his mother, Jean, who passed seven years earlier.

“I haven’t set foot in a gym since. I found that rest periods breed sadness. You have time to be sad. While taking a break, you look at yourself in the mirror, and then your mind starts wandering, thinking negative thoughts,” he told Lifestyle.

But as someone starting to land big breaks on television, both as a leading man and a villain, he knew that he couldn’t afford to slack off with his workouts.

It was then that he discovered the mind-calming effect of cycling.

“You can’t space out on a bike ride, like you might end up doing at the gym, because you can crash or figure in an accident. You’re focused on the road … You can’t think of anything else,” pointed out Lucas, who enjoyed a breakout role as the main villain in the concluded action series “Black Rider,” for which he won the best supporting actor for television trophy at this year’s VP Choice Awards.

“I try take comfort in the fact that I was able to fulfill my promise to my father that I would one day win an acting award,” he said. “I know they’re proud of me.”

Mental wellness

Lucas, a self-described “pandemic biker,” initially saw cycling mostly as a hobby and a cardio workout. Now, he says it was one of the best things that has ever happened to him, as far as his mental wellness is concerned.

It soothed his frayed nerves. It unwittingly reset his body clock, which had been messed up by sleepless and anxiety-laden nights.

“Before my father’s death, I was already eaten up by personal struggles. Before ‘Black Rider,’ offers were few and far between, and every night, I wondered if I should quit acting and find other ways to earn money and provide for my family,” he said.

“But after I took up cycling, I had no choice but to sleep early, because I have to wake up at 4 or 5 a.m. and start my ride when traffic is still light. So instead of wasting hours, staying up all night, and thinking about my problems, I just look forward to my morning ride,” added Lucas, who has two kids—son Brycen and daughter Brionna—with his wife, Shy Ferras.

He typically starts his day with a ride up to Hinulugang Taktak in Antipolo City, a popular destination among recreational cyclists. While he pushes his body—crushing the pedals in the arduous uphill climb on Sumulong Highway—his mind remains surprisingly at peace.

“I feel relaxed. And I feel really good after,” he said.

Dream bike

Cycling also helped put things into perspective. Going around the city on a bicycle, Lucas feels considerably more in tune with his surroundings and the buzz of everyday life.

“On the road, I see people working, trying their best in life. And that inspires me to do the same,” he said. “You don’t have to invalidate your feelings—you can feel sad and scared. But try not to wallow in them.”

His dream bicycle is a Colnago or a Specialized S-Works, which can come with high six-figure price tags. “People always urge me to buy a fancier bike, but I always keep in mind that my family comes first. But if I have extra money, why not reward myself? It’s something that makes me happy,” he said.

That’s why he’s determined to make the most out of the opportunities coming his way as of late.

After “Black Rider,” Lucas was cast as the lead in “Stuck On You,” the new romantic comedy episode of the “Regal Studio Presents” anthology, which airs Sunday afternoons at GMA 7. It can also be streamed on GMA 7’s official YouTube page.

Together with screen partner Faith da Silva, the two play exes forced to resolve their differences to break a curse. “I will continue focusing on my fitness because I don’t want to lose out on projects anymore,” he said.

After all, show biz is still an industry that relies heavily on looks or image. “There were times when I didn’t feel confident because I didn’t like how I looked onscreen,” he said. “It’s part of our job. If you want to play lead, or a villain, then you have to look the part. And I can’t fall back to my old habits,” he said.