Hats off to Kuya Kim
As his fans know, Kim Atienza wears many hats — animal lover, TV host, wellness buff, weather reporter, etc. But his No. 1 favorite ‘hat’ is that of being a family man. ‘I love every moment of it,’ he says.
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 wakeup 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 90kilometer 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 30minute nap after Showtime.”
Last thing that you do before you go to sleep?
“I meditate and pray.”