Hats off to Kuya Kim

Looking at him now, nobody would think that Alejandro “Kim” Atienza, fondly called Kuya Kim (by followers of It’s Showtime, TV Patrol and Matanglawin, his three shows on ABS-CBN), once landed in the hospital after a mild stroke. He looks as good as new, fit as a fiddle so to speak.

“I have never been as fit in my life as I am now,” claimed Kim. “The stroke was a reminder to be fit. It made me realize that health is wealth talaga. What would I do with family, fame and fortune if I were bedridden or dead? Life is a miracle, all else is a bonus. I have also learned to balance my life, though I spend so much time with work and triathlon training, I am always here for my beautiful wife Felicia and our three wonderful kids — Jose, 10; Eliana, 8; and Emman, 6.”

The mild stroke was caused by a congenital hole in the heart called a PFO or Patent Foramen Ovale. Kim said that 25 percent of the people are born with it and a small percentage of the 25 percent have a hole that will cause a stroke. If one has a cryptogenic stroke or a stroke of unknown origin, the PFO is always a suspect. 

Reminded Kim, “We should have our heart checked for PFO whenever we undergo a general check-up. By the way, a PFO is asymptomatic. You’ll never know you have it until after a stroke. Ouch, ano?” 

After that wake-up call, Kim has been eating healthy and that makes him the perfect choice as Robinsons Supermarket’s “I Love Wellness” Ambassador.

“I have been a suki (regular customer) of Robinsons Supermarket which is just a stone’ throw from where my family lives in the Malate area,” said Kim, “I’m a very satisfied suki. They have the freshest fruits and organic vegetables, and the best eggs.”

Kim follows a low-glycemic index diet, consisting mostly of veggies, brown rice and whole wheat bread. All natural food. Lots of lean meat and organic eggs. No white bread or white rice for me.

“I minimize sugar in my diet, too,” he added. “My meals are well-spaced (but plenty ha!). I choose my food.”

Of course, he works out a lot.

“I’ve been swimming, biking and running six days a week for two years now, and joining triathlons. I joined several triathlons last year including Cebu Ironman 70.3 which was a 1.9-kilometer swim, a 90-kilometer bike and a 21-kilometer run. I finished that for around six hours. I’ll do that again this August. I also signed up for my first full Ironman this December in Western Australia. That’s a four-kilometer swim, a 180-kilometer bike and a 42-kilometer run. I’ve been training at least two hours a day for that. This keeps me slim despite my huge appetite.” 

A multi-tasker, Kim is good at time management.

“My schedule is hectic but very predictable unlike the teleserye guys. I have the whole morning from 5 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to train! I do Showtime daily from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. I take a mandatory afternoon nap in a halfway condo I’m renting, then at 5 p.m. I report for TV Patrol. I tape Matanglawin Saturdays and go on out of town taping at least once a month. My schedule is tight but very, very manageable.”

Any pieces of advice from his doctor on what precautions (medications) to take?

“My precautions are the same as those of any average guy,” said Kim. “They operated on the hole in my heart and I’m not on any maintenance meds. I’m the Normal Joe.” 
Despite his breakneck schedule, Kim devotes quality time to his family.

“I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world. Together with her partner, Felicia put up the Chinese International School at The Fort. I’m so proud of her. She’s Taiwanese by the way. We all wake up very early. Felicia wakes up with me at 5:30 a.m. pre training so we can have breakfast together; the kids join us at 6 a.m. I come home around 7:30 p.m. after my segment on TV Patrol and we get to have dinner together seven days a week. Felicia and I love to eat. We also get to have a dinner date at least twice a week. Quality time. Sunday afternoons are for Felicia and the kids. I do long bike rides or long runs kasi Sunday morning.”

An Aquarian (Jan. 24, 1967), Kim stands 5’8”; weighs 150 lbs.; and wears small-size shirt, medium-size briefs and size-9.5 shoes.

How much sleep do you get per night?

“I sleep at 9:30 p.m. daily. I wake up at 5 a.m. I have to get at least six hours of sleep to be normal. I also need a 30-minute nap after Showtime.” 

Last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“I meditate and pray.” 

First thing that you do upon waking up?

“I meditate and pray. I’ve always been a meditator. I light a candle, I still my mind for 20 minutes.”

Foods that you avoid and foods that you take more of?

“I minimize sweets and I choose my fruits. Though I love mangoes, I control my intake because of the high sugar. I eat lots of apples, I love duhat but the season is ending. If I have to eat chocolate, I choose dark chocolate.” 

How much water do you take per day.

“Six to eight glasses, more when it’s hot or a hard-workout day.” 

Any health habits (food supplements, etc.)?

“I take my daily multivitamins, anti- oxidants and vitamin C.” 

You look so fit. Any part of your body that needs improvement?

“I’m happy the way I am. Felicia is very happy, too!” (Winks!)

What part of your body is most vulnerable?

“My heart. I am very sensitive. I often cry while watching plays and movies. I cry EVERY time I listen to the music of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. That’s how sensitive I am. I think crying is healthy.” 

How do you (and your family) unwind)?

“We love to eat out. Felicia is a foodie and so are my kids. We frequent Tsukiji in Makati and Tanabe in Malate for the best Japanese food. We also love to travel. We’ve been to Africa a few times, Alaska’s inner passage. We are going to Galapagos on a National Geographic cruise this year.” 

Favorite city?

“I love New York and would love to visit it as more often as possible sana if not for my hectic sked. I had fantasies of living there as a Broadway actor or ballet dancer in my halcyon days.” 

How do you cope with stress?

“Triathlon and meditation.”

Favorite hideaway?

“Inside my head when I swim, bike and run. All tri-athletes know this. When you get to the zone, no drug can beat that high.” 

What kind of books do you read?

“I like non-fiction. I have read hundreds of books on my varied interests. Books on reptiles, birds and the natural sciences. Books on meteorology and astronomy and meteorite collecting. Books on contemporary art and art collecting. Books on the modern movement and mid-century modern furniture, books on photography and television arts, books on running swimming and triathlon, books on land-rover and vespas, books on transport history. My choices are very eclectic. Very much like my personality. I panic when there is nothing to read. Thank you, Lord, for the Internet.” 

What kind of movies do you watch?

“I like biographies. The last one I watched was The Social Network on the plane from a working trip to New Zealand last month. I wish I had more downtime to watch more movies.” 

What kind of music do you listen to?

“Eclectic as well. I like old rock like Led Zeppelin, The Eagles and Queen. I also like Electronica. Perfect for working out. Classical and reggae, too. I love The Police and Sting.” 

How many sombreros do you have? How did you start your sombrero collection? And how many pets do you have at home?

“I have six identical hats that I order from a store in South Africa. I’ve worn out at least 12 already in my eight years being Kuya Kim. We have 40 dogs and many, many, many reptiles. These are different breeds of snakes, monitor lizards, tortoises, iguanas, skinks and geckos. I also have a hundred heads of beautiful koi in my pond. I also collect rare frogs.” 

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