Body Talk with Gary V.

Oh, yes, Gary Valenciano is sweet and it’s not because he is diabetic who can’t and won’t leave home without his vials of insulin, his disposable needles, his gluco meter (to check his blood sugar) and a can of something sweet (Coke, etc.) which he takes in case he suffers from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, the opposite of hyperglycemia). He’s sweet simply because, well, he’s a basically sweet person, ever smiling, ever jolly, ever hyper, exciting/excitable and ever energetic (he’s Pure Energy, remember?).

Fresh from a nationwide concert tour, Gary V. has recharged himself for a hosting chore with Zsa Zsa Padilla in tomorrow’s Sunday’s (May 1) edition of ASAP which will be beamed live from Cebu and for a mall tour to mark his 22nd anniversary in showbiz (May 3 at Robinsons Manila, May 6 at Robinsons Metro East, May 7 at The Podium and May 26 at Robinsons Galleria).

By now, he should be rehearsing the theme song for Star Cinema’s Dubai, the movie which reteams Aga Muhlach and Claudine Barretto, directed by Rory B. Quintos; and finalizing the line-up for his new album (including How Did You Know which he sang as theme song for the movie All My Life, starring Aga Muhlach and Kristine Hermosa; and the Keith Martin hit Because of You).

That’s one of the three reasons why he’s having lunch with a dozen movie writers. He’s animated as usual, reciting and then singing the lyrics of Break Me, one of the (original) songs he’s writing for the album: No words are left but can be spoken; when every promise has been broken; all excuses I have used in justifying my actions...(refrain) Make me and take me...and never let me go; and hold me and mold me, and if there’s no other way to make me whole then go ahead and break me but then remake me...

"It’s a prayer," says Gary. "I wrote it straight from the heart."

Reason No. 2 is the second leg of his Philippine Tour with his children Paolo, Gabriel and Kiana which first brought them to Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Gen. Santos, Tacloban and Bacolod. This time, the Valencianos will rock Palawan, Ilocos and Dumaguete.

With his condition, how can Gary V. face such seemingly punishing schedule? (Stand by. Answer will follow soon.)

Suffice it to say that the Philippine Tour was so exciting and invigorating, needless to say resoundingly successful, that Gary V. can’t seem to have enough of it.

Any concert with Martin Nievera coming up soon?

"Oh," Gary V. reveals, "we did plan one but we had to put it on hold because we want to have more time to prepare for it. Martin travels a lot and so do I. If we have to do it, it has to be here, not abroad, although we can always do repeats in other parts of the country and other parts of the world."

Singing is the ultimate insulin in Gary V. system. Or didn’t you know?

"I thank my education with Kundirana (the singing group in La Salle where the likes of Ogie Alcasid and Randy Santiago also had their singing debut)," says Gary V. "Our principal told us, ‘Bring joy to others through music.’ And that’s what I’ve been doing since then."

The third reason?

It’s supposed to be "off the record" just yet but I’m giving you a hint: It will be held at a huge venue – Araneta Coliseum again? – to mark his 41st birthday come August.

So how does the country’s most famous diabetic (all of 170 pounds evenly distributed in his 5’11.5" frame, sexy in medium-size briefs and standing tall on size 10.5 shoes) take care of his body?

What kind of (diabetic?) diet do you follow?

"I’ve been given a free diet because since age 14 when I was diagnosed to be Type A diabetic (insulin-dependent), my doctor told me, ‘O, you know na what you’re supposed to eat and not supposed to eat.’ I was underweight, so I had to gain weight. So he put me on a free diet. But he reminded me, ‘From the things you eat, learn from them.’ So I’ve been paying attention to the sugar and sodium content of anything that I eat. But now, I’m more into fruit and very little carbo, hardly any rice. I take whole-wheat bread, not just wheat bread."

What kind of workout do you do?

"I can do any workout as much as I want to but I have to rest; I need time to recover. For the past 27 years, I’ve been injecting myself with insulin two to three times a day and check my sugar level many times a day. My routine goes like this: Mondays I play basketball from 6 to 8 in the evening; Tuesday morning I bike from 8 to 11 in the morning; Wednesday is my rest day; Thursday I bike or play ball; Fridays and Saturdays I have a concert."

What vitamins/medications do you take?

"Wow! I take ABS, an energy-booster capsule, Squalene, multi-vitamins and many others. I don’t take any medication for my diabetes, just insulin."

How much liquid do you take a day?

"I should take a lot of water. I mean, a lot! I can take diet drinks but I hardly do. Same with carbonated drinks."

How much sleep do you get per night?

"I need more of it. But right now, I get about six to eight hours. I also take power naps."

How do you cope with stress?

"I pray. Or I work out. Or I listen to music, mostly instrumentals. Very soothing, very relaxing! Inspirational music, such as hymns of the morning, hymns of the evening, hymns of grace, hymns for the wounded heart – all instrumental."

How do you pamper yourself?

"If I have time, I go to the beach. But I’m so busy that I can’t have time for that now. Now, I pamper myself by simply sitting in front of a TV set and watching a good film. I do get a massage once in a while, home service."

What part of your body is your favorite?

"My legs. They are not big but they’re strong and hard."

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

"The eyes."

What part of your body is most vulnerable?

"My head. When I’m under stress, I get this headache on one side of my head, usually the left side. Migraine, you know. It usually happens when I’m rehearsing for a concert and I get off balance." (Note: Regine Velasquez used to suffer from headaches, too, and once had an attack while onstage, collapsing as soon as she stepped off-stage.)"

What part of your body do you think needs a little improvement?

"My stomach. Because I usually inject insulin around my stomach, I get, you know...I think I should do crunches more often these days."

How’s your nightlife?

"Nightlife as in going out? No, I don’t go out."

How’s your love life?

"Great!"

And your sex life?

"Just as great! That’s a good question because, you know, a lot of diabetics’ sex lives suffer due to erectile dysfunction. Luckily, I don’t have that. My sex life is satisfactory."

So you and Angeli can have a baby (your fourth if and when) anytime you want to?

"She cannot anymore because of her bad back. Scoliosis, you know. She’s got two metal rods in her back."

Are you vain just like most goodlooking men (you know, do you love looking at yourself in the mirror)?

"You know, sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and I tell myself, ‘My God, you’re 40!’ I have to admit that I get a bit vain sometimes, especially when I have this new outfit and I’m ready to perform. I’d tell myself, ‘Come on, Gary, just go out there and show them!’ You know."

Does it take time for you to fix yourself?

"Yes. When I come out I want to be comfortable with myself and it takes time for me to feel comfortable. I try one shirt on and then I take it off. Change. Then, I try another one and take it off again. I keep on changing and changing. I have to be comfortable."

How long do you stay in the shower?

"Not too long. First thing I soap is my hair before the rest of my body. I dry myself and that’s it. I brush myself and spray some cologne, The Dreamer by Versace."

Do you smoke?

"I used to."

Do you drink?

"I cannot."

What’s your favorite sugar-free snacks?

"It’s not a snack, it’s a cake, a pie. It’s called Coco’s. An apple pie."

Your favorite sugar-free drink?

"Coke Light and stuff like that. Sarsi Light. Royal Light. Sprite Light. They are all sugar-free."

Favorite fruit?

"Sineguelas."

Name three men you think have beautiful bodies.

"Scottie Pippen (of Chicago Bulls). Diet, Echo and BJ (Bernard Palanca) of The Hunks. My God, they eat like crazy but they don’t put on weight."

And three women...

"With me, I’m more into the face than into the body. I can name only two, Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman."

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

"I nod. Or give a friendly smile, just to let her know that I appreciate who she is and what she is. You know what, it’s usually the second look that kills. The first look is surreptitious. But the second look is... patay! ‘Yon na!"

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