MANILA, Philippines – Fitness legends Doctor Bob Delmonteque, 86, and Jack Lalanne, 95, are still buffed and active. Like these icons, plastic surgeon Rene del Castillo Valerio believes in growing younger as one gets older, and hopes to look like them in his later years. He does it the traditional way: diet and exercise.

For a man of the right age (a euphemism for a man in his 50s), Valerio pumps iron at the gym for 10-12 hours a week, and bench-presses 225 pounds after a 12-hour day as chairman of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery departments of St. Luke’s Hospital, its future Bonifacio Global City branch, and Beverly Hills 6750.

“His program is like that of a 25-year-old who’s into bodybuilding. Of course, you assess his limitations—which he doesn’t have,” says Jeremiah Daniel Conde, business development manager and biomechanics expert of Planet Infinity Gym. Conde has been responsible for the hard bodies of Piolo Pascual and Angel Locsin.

Universal grail

He undertook a fitness program 15 years ago for health and image reasons. Aside from dealing with a family history of cardiovascular diseases, he also had to look good for his profession.

As one of the country’s top plastic surgeons, Valerio couldn’t tell prospective patients to have their beer guts zapped if he himself was not in good shape. “You need to walk your talk. I don’t make any excuses. Even if I’m tired after a long day, I still go to the gym four to five times a week.”

Valerio began working out at a hard-core bodybuilding gym, then tried the bigger fitness chains. Although he was fit, he felt he was not progressing. Some gyms had a cookie-cutter approach to fitness which did not fully meet individual needs. Most gyms didn’t impart the correct lifting techniques, the recovery methods to prevent over-training, and proper nutrition.

Valerio’s search for the universal grail of health ended when he joined Planet Infinity at Crossroads 77, Mother Ignacia St., Quezon City. “You should not only take care of your body but also your innermost being,” he says. He believes that the spirit is the most treasured aspect of who we are. To live a purposeful life, we need to become acquainted with the inner self and understand the true extent of our spiritual energy, and use it. Likewise, the body is the temple of the spirit, appreciated for its potential, then maintained.

Planet Infinity fulfills these ideals. “This is a complete gym when it comes to the body, mind and spirit,” says Valerio. Its 24-hour service and proximity to the TV networks has made it a popular gym for actors such as Diether Ocampo.

Planet Infinity was built by the Bread of Life, of which Valerio is a member. On Wednesday nights, he attends the service before he hits a cardiovascular workout. The gym also has a bookstore and library which offers a unique collection of books on fitness. Valerio reads “Body Building 101” by Michael Berg on correct weightlifting techniques, and Don Colbert’s “Seven Pillars of Health” and “Divine Health.”

“Doc Buddy [as Valerio is called] was already in excellent condition in terms of muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility. We made him improve his performance, and he’s got more muscle now,” says Conde who has a certification from the American Council on Exercise, Reebok University, and the SCW Fitness Education for Sports Nutrition. He has trained the likes of Paolo Bediones and Michael V, and conducts fitness workshops.

Mind over muscle

Both Valerio and Conde rebuff the misconception that bodybuilding is a mindless repetition of pumping iron. A bodybuilding program is individualized and well-planned to cover all aspects.

“There’s a mind-muscle connection to it,” says Conde. Focus enables one to utilize the right form and lift more weight, resulting in improved muscle build-up.

Valerio has a split routine wherein different body areas are exercised on alternate days. The program and intensity are changed every eight weeks. His weight training load varies according to the program phases, whether it’s for muscular endurance or strength-building. Rest is provided between days of intense workouts.

“This fitness expert doesn’t prescribe the conventional cardiovascular routine and stretching before lifting weights. “That’s sooo 2000. If you warm up doing the cardio first, you end up with a mediocre strength-training workout and lose 20 percent of your power,” says Conde.

The warm-up is the actual exercise. On a Monday for instance, which is devoted to chest exercises, Valerio starts with rolling shoulder movements then a light set of the prescribed exercise, and build up from there.

Diet is equally important. Valerio has a diet high on proteins with a moderate amount of carbohydrates and low sugar. He eats at least a gram of protein per pound of his body weight each day. He also learned to use a time-released whey protein supplement as a meal replacement when his surgeries go past lunchtime. Whey protein is the best form of protein, which supplies the body with the vital building blocks to produce amino acids for building muscle tissue.

“I had bad eating habits. I would skip lunch and dinner then go to gym. My body was in a catabolic state wherein you are utilizing energy from your muscle. The muscles would atrophy. I wasn’t building muscle,” says Valerio.

Conde explains: “In other gyms, the nutritionists prescribe a low-calorie diet that’s hospital-based. They treat athletes like normal people. Our diet is performance-based. People who work out two hours a day, four times a week are like athletes. Their bodies demand more. We provide a diet plan for an athlete and not just for anyone who doesn’t want to gain weight.”

Valerio eats a heavy breakfast of brown rice with four egg whites, fish, whey protein and vegetables and fruit. He eats chicken or fish for a late lunch, a light protein-rich dinner after his workout, and eschews pork. Planet Infinity’s dining lounge offers low-calorie nutrition packed meals. Valerio’s favorite is a 555-calorie omelet with egg white, chicken, cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms.

Amazing results

Valerio’s diligence has brought amazing results. Conde says his client outperforms the other guys who are a fraction of the surgeon’s age. “He can bench-press over 200 lbs. A muscle head would be benching the same weight, but the average Joe who’s half his age could only bench 60-90 lbs,” says Conde.

When Valerio first joined Planet Infinity, his waistline was 34 despite the gym workouts. His personal best was a 30-inch waistline. “I feel stronger now than 30 years back,” declares Valerio. “I don’t take any hypertensive medication.”

His program has boosted his well-being. Valerio wakes up at 5 a.m. to get ready for surgery at 7 a.m. He’s got the stamina to stand for several hours of surgery. “There’s more flexibility and precision in my surgery. My hands don’t tremble.” Multiple surgeries can be exhausting, leaving a surgeon either irritable or in a rush to finish his consultations. Exercise has provided him the energy to be patient with his patients and to even joke around with them.

Valerio doesn’t believe in making excuses about being too busy to exercise. “If you don’t have the time to go to the gym, you will serve your time in the hospital. That’s a choice that you will have to make.”

Call Planet Infinity at 376-4512.