Body talk with Marc Nelson

First, an "embarrassing" confession: I get terribly insecure everytime I get caught in a traffic jam three blocks away from the Sto. Domingo Church along Quezon Avenue where the huge Timex billboards are, lit up at night like a theater marquee, highlighting the beautiful bodies of endorsers Marc Nelson (together with Piolo Pascual and Claudine Barretto).

How could one man be so gifted and other mortals (this one included) not so?

Marc is endorsing the Timex watch, all right, and he does it with body language. With his glistening body, he seems to remind motorists and commuters that it’s time for, well, whatever "errand" you’re running at the moment, personal or otherwise.

Besides Timex, Marc is also "bodily" endorsing in similarly giant billboards placed in strategic points in Metro Manila, among other products, Bench (underwear) which must be selling like the P100 Globe pre-paid cell cards. It’s unfair! How dare Marc make other people feel, sigh, so inadequate and so... "shapeless?"

So when I got hold of Marc on the phone the other night, I didn’t just ask what the time was on his Timex but what his "secret" (if any) is in having such a body to die for.

"Don’t ask me for measurements," Marc laughed when, that’s it, I started asking him his, ehem, vital statistics. "On second thought..."

Did you know that Marc stands 5’11, weighs roughly 170 lbs., wears size 31" briefs (Bench, for sure!) and size 9 shoes?

Then, I proceeded to "extract" from Marc his "body" secrets. Here are excerpts from our body talk:

How did you get such a beautiful body?

"Through lots of hard work and determination. Yeah, that’s pretty much it. The same way anyone gets in shape. Set your mind to it and...go for it! Sacrifice and watch your diet."

Have you ever been fat?

"Have I ever been fat? No, I have never been fat but I have been very, very skinny."

What kind of diet do you follow?

"I watch what I eat but I don’t really go on any diet. I try to eat more small meals each day instead of three big ones. I cut down on carbs, I avoid rice. I don’t take any softdrinks (No wonder he’s not endorsing any. – RFL), I don’t take alcohol. Just water."

How many glasses do you drink every day?

"It depends. I’d like to say that I drink eight glasses but most of the time I don’t. But when I’m working out, I drink more than that."

What kind of workout do you do?

"Iba-iba. I usually concentrate on one major body part when I’m in the gym and then I always finish with my abs. I spend at least three hours in the gym twice or thrice a week – when I’m not busy with work."

How much sleep do you get?

"Again, it really depends. I should be getting eight hours every day but I’m not able to because of work. Oftentimes, I get a lot less."

How do you make up for it?

"I take power naps. Very helpful."

What about nightlife?

"Nightlife? I go out from time to time but not that much. Again, it depends. If I’m not too busy, I attend birthday parties or despedidas or some such occasions maybe four times a week. Otherwise, I don’t go out for weeks."

Vitamins and minerals?

"I take multi-vitamins. I also load up on extra vitamins E, C and E, and zync."

Do you apply anything on your face?

"Moisturizer. I always moisturize."

What about outlook in life? You’re not a worry wart, are you?

"No, no, no. I’m not the worrier type. I’m pretty happy-go-lucky. I like to think that I’m responsible but still happy-go-lucky. I don’t try to complicate my life unnecessarily."

What’s the most vulnerable part of your body?

"Most vulnerable? Well, I get little headaches when I’m under stress."

Which part of your body is your favorite?

"Favorite part? No particular part. I take care of every part of my body."

Any part you want changed or improved on?

"Every part. There’s always room for improvement."

Isn’t it perfect enough?

"No. There’s no such thing as a perfect body. I think one way of keeping in shape is always striving to improve. You should never be 100 percent happy. By the time you’re 100 percent happy, you don’t have anything to work on."

Do you have a love life (after breaking up with Patricia Javier who has remained his good friend)?

"Do I have a love life? Non-existent at the moment. But I’m dating."

Sex life?

"Dating."

Are you vain like most goodlooking guys?

"I may be vain but not overly so. I think everyone is vain to a certain extent. I mean, I don’t check myself in the mirror all the time."

Not to the point of narcissism?

"Certainly not to that point. But vain enough to want to take care of my appearance. If not loom my best all the time, at least look good."

How long does it take you to fix yourself?

"Again, it depends. When I’m in a rush, I can fix myself in 15 minutes. Usually, when I wake up, it takes me half an hour to 40 minutes. I take long showers."

How long?

"Fifteen minutes. A minimum of twice a day."

Do you sleep in the nude?

"No, I don’t. I sleep in boxer shorts – Bench, of course!"

In the billboards, you’re virtually nude. How would you like to go nude in the movies?

"Ahhhh. It’s not me. It’s not something I’m comfortable with. For the billboards, I don’t mind posing in my underwear because I’m endorsing a product. But in movies... it’s not me. I have nothing against it. I have lots of friends who do sexy roles but that’s fine as long as they’re comfortable with what they’re doing."

Name three (local) actresses who have bodies as beautiful as yours.

"Patricia (Javier), of course! Belinda Bright has a nice figure; she works out. And Aubrey Miles, too."

What about (local) actors)?

"Carlos Agassi – without a doubt. Jeff Rodriguez (formerly with Powerboys). A toss-up between Diether Ocampo and Troy Montero – when they’re in shape."

Using body language, how would you tell a girl that you like her?

"Simple. I smile at her!"

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