Body Talk with Marc Nelson

You didn’t notice that Marc Nelson went “missing” for about a month, did you?

Well, it could be because he was omnipresent on TV as co-host of Dyan Castillejo on the late-Saturday-night ABS-CBN show Sports Unlimited and in his many commercials, the latest of which is Kenny Rogers Roasters (KRR). “I choose dishes cooked in a healthy way,” Marc justifies his decision to endorse KRR. “I avoid junk food as much as I can, and opt for roasted and grilled rather than fried food. It fits my lifestyle. I eat more chicken than anything else. I’m allergic to seafood.” Try it.

Anyway, I know that Marc shot (I’m sure “risky”) scenes for AXN’s The Amazing Race Asia 2 which starts airing next month. Asked where he and the other contestants went and what they did, Marc begs off. “I cannot. I signed a $5-M confidentiality agreement. To find out, you have to watch the show.” Mark it.

If you recall, it was Marc who kicked off this broken “Body Talk” series in 2003 and, not surprisingly, he gets the most number of nods from the almost 200 “body talkers” so far, in the “Name three guys/gals you think have bodies as beautiful as yours” category.

“Is that so?” Marc is flattered. “I’m excited!”

Marc hasn’t grown taller nor heavier since then. He still stands 5’11”; weighs 165 lbs., with a trim 31-inch waistline; and wears medium-sized briefs, medium-sized shirts (“SM always”) and size-10 shoes (“SM always”).

What kind of diet do you have? What are the no-no’s?

 “I try to avoid too much fatty food. I have no problem with sugar because I don’t have a sweet tooth. A little bit here and there is okay. I like the Kenny Rogers muffins. Salt? I don’t usually add salt to food. With the Kenny Rogers chicken, you don’t really have to add anything.”

Any favorite food?

“Apart from Kenny Rogers? Yes, oatmeal. I take it with cinnamon and honey.”

Do you eat three big meals a day? Or, as most doctors advise, six small meals a day taken every three to four hours?

“Oh, you know that, huh!”

Oh, yes. That’s what my doctor, Wilson Lim, told me.

“Good. It’s working, ‘no?”

So what do you usually have for breakfast?

“Oatmeal with cinnamon and honey, which I myself cook.”

For lunch?

“It depends. If I’m going to the gym, I take something heavy for me to burn during my workout. Maybe a large bagel, maybe pasta or something with a little more protein. After working out, I take another meal, high-protein.”

And for dinner?

“Usually chicken and maybe some salads.”

Snacks in-between?

“Yeah. Depends on what I feel like. But I try to stay away from junk food, but I don’t cut it out altogether.”

What about vegetables and fruits?

“I like a good salad and I do love fruits. I like apples, oranges, grapes, mangoes and bananas which are good especially after you work out.”

What vitamins and/or minerals do you take?

“Some multivitamins, some antioxidants and CoQ-10.”

How much water do you take per day?

“Two liters (equivalent to about 10 glasses).”

Soda?

“Nope.”

Coffee?

“Occasionally.”

Teas?

“I used to drink tea a lot but not anymore.”

Juice?

“Occasionally, but it has to be fresh. I love cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice, calamansi juice and, siempre, dalandan juice.”

How much sleep do you get per night?

“I try to get eight hours but realistically, I get only about six. I’m a late sleeper. I turn in at around 2 a.m. and wake up at around 8 a.m.”

What’s the last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“Check my e-mail.”

What’s the first thing that you do when you wake up?

“Take a shower.”

Are you a pillow person?

“Not much. I sleep with only two pillows, both placed underneath my head.”

You don’t have an extra pillow to hug?

“None. I have only two.”

Not even a “warm” pillow?

“A human pillow? How I wish!”

Favorite sleep wear.

“Boxer shorts and T-shirt.”

Do you sleep in the nude?

“Occasionally.”

Oh, if you are with somebody?

“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!”

With the air-con turned on full blast?

“Yeah. I want it real cold because I always sleep covered with sheets.”

How often do you work out?

“I try to work out three times a week. If my schedule is tight, I do so only once a week. Two hours each time. I work out at Gold’s Gym.”

What part of your body is your favorite?

“My brain, of course!”

Is it functioning well?

“Ah, from time to time. Every now and then I have to give it a kick start, especially in the morning.”

Part of the body which is most vulnerable.

“My heart. Yes, my heart!”

You look perfect. But is there any part that needs some improvement?

“Hmmmm. My skin. I need to tan.”

Oh, aren’t you afraid of the sun?

“Of course, not! I love the sun. I can’t be afraid of the sun in my line of work. I’m an outdoor-sy person.”

Do you apply anything on your skin? Moisturizer, maybe?

“If I’m in the sun, I always wear sun-screen.”

What part of a girl’s body do you look at first?

“The face. If you’re talking about parts from the neck down, it’s the butt.”

You have nice teeth. How often do you visit your dentist?

“I haven’t visited him for six months now. Maybe I should —­ tomorrow.”

What about your dermatologist?

“I should go more often but my schedule doesn’t permit me as often as I want to.”

Are you the type of person who runs to your doctor at the slightest appearance of a symptom, imagined or real?

“No, not at all. I probably should but I don’t. I visited my doctor the other day and it was the first time in about a year.”

How’s your outlook in life?

“Just be happy and make other people happy.”

How do you cope with stress?

“I try and kick back and relax whenever I can. When I’m in Manila I relax at home with friends. We watch movies, play cards, play games. Or I go to the beach and just chill out.”

How do you pamper yourself?

“I travel. I love to travel. Starting next year, I want to travel more often.”

Favorite hideaway?

“It’s somewhere in Palawan.”

Favorite sport?

“Kite-boarding.”

You’ve been to so many cities. What’s your favorite?

“Oh, I’ve been to more than 40 countries and my favorite is the Philippines. It has been my home for years now. My favorite city is right here in the Philippines — Davao City.”

What about your love life? Do you have a girlfriend?

“Sadly, none.”

How many have you had so far?

“In the Philippines? Just two.”

Do you have a girlfriend in each of the 40-plus countries you’ve been to?

“No naman.”

How’s your sex life?

“Gee, good question. I’m not sure; I can’t remember. It has been a long time that I’ve had one.”

Nightlife?

“I would go out occasionally but not as much as I used to.”

Name three guys you think have bodies as nice as yours.

“Rovilson Fernandez, a Pinoy raised in the States, who’s my teammate on The Amazing Race Asia 2. He’s insanely fit. Gerard Butler (star of 300). Daniel Craig (the new James Bond).”

And three women...

“Jessica Alba. Can I say Jessica Alba three times? Okay, Jessica Alba, Jessica Alba, Jessica Alba.”

Using only body language, how would you make a woman know that you admire her?

“Very easily. I look into her eyes and give her a smile.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])