MANILA,Philippines - He has always considered himself the ?ugly duckling? in the family, compared to younger brother Michael who was the Alaska milk model.

If he was, then Fred Uytengsu―former Philippine team swimmer, Ironman/Triathlete, CEO of Alaska Milk Corporation and owner of PBA Team Alaska Aces―has certainly transformed into one seriously sleek swan.

Most men turning north of 40 consider aging a natural excuse for all those love handles and beer bellies. Not Uytengsu who, at 45, still manages to turn heads in his Speedo trunks. Before fitness and sport lifestyles became a fad, Uytengsu?s search for new athletic challenges already had him getting into triathlon, training with the Chris Carmichael System (cycling champ Lance Armstrong?s coaching team) to co-founding Polo Tri, one of the largest Philippine triathlon teams to date. Composed of about 50 members, the group trains almost daily to keep itself race-ready yearlong.

Uytengsu?s strict 15-hour workout schedule would probably exhaust the average 20-year-old. On weekdays, his average workout starts at 5:30 a.m. and averages one and a half hours. On certain days he will even add a second workout at lunch. ?I usually swim twice a week and try to run and bike at least three times a week,? he reveals. ?Weekends are reserved for a long bike ride on Saturday and a long run on Sunday. Once in awhile, I also add a short run after the long bike.?

Credit Uytengsu?s current lifestyle to his having witnessed firsthand how his father?s heart condition made life difficult. He subconsciously adopted a healthy lifestyle that allows him to run a business, keep a solid family life, maintain an active social calendar and follow a workout regimen that keeps him fit and fab.

So if you?re thinking of jumping into a pair of Speedos, check out Uytengsu?s training program first for inspiration:

Sunday Inquirer Magazine: When did you start triathlon training? Why did you get into it?

Uytengsu: I did my first triathlon after college in 1983, and did a few triathlons in Manila when I returned to the country in 1985. I took it up again in 1998 when I felt I was getting out of shape and had added a few extra pounds and a couple of inches.

SIM: Describe your workout regimen. Do you work with a coach or follow a specific program?

Uytengsu: I used the Carmichael system for a couple of years and then switched about a year ago to Lifesport, which is run by Lance Watson (who coached Simon Whitfield from Canada to an Olympic gold medal at the Sydney Olympics). I met Lance at a training camp in Kona, Hawaii and we got along very well. It makes a big difference to be coached personally by someone who has coached Olympic and Ironman champions. Of course, this entails a greater time commitment from me.

However, I try to balance my time commitment to triathlon by imposing a 15-hour workout limit per week. That means I also have to be realistic in my performance expectations.

It is also important to vary workouts. Some days are focused on intervals, which entail shorter distances at higher heart rate levels, while other days mean going for longer distances at lower heart rate levels. I also follow a periodization program which usually means two weeks of harder workouts followed by one week of a lighter load to let your body recover and build up. As you age, recovery becomes a more important part of training. So someone who is in his 20s will have a different program compared to another in his 40s.

SIM: What?s your diet like?

Uytengsu: Because of this training regimen, I burn a lot of calories. This means I also get to eat a lot, which I enjoy. I pretty much eat a healthy diet, avoiding most fried foods, eating a lot of pasta, chicken and seafood. I believe you should not deprive yourself but indulge every so often. Fortunately for me, I don?t really have a sweet tooth.

SIM: Compare your fitness level at this time against the other times in your life.

Uytengsu: Aside from my competitive swimming days in the ?70s and early ?80s when I was training up to four hours and swimming up to 18,000 meters a day, I would think that I?m in better shape now than when I was in my thirties.

SIM: What?s the most challenging part of the triathlon for you?

Uytengsu: Because of my swimming background, I usually have a good start and I also have a decent bike ride. But I need to work on my running as this is key to finishing strongly.

SIM: What are the highlights of your triathlon career? What?s the biggest challenge?

Uytengsu: I suppose finishing my first Ironman about five years ago was one of the highlights. I struggled through that race because I did not really understand how to train and I had not run longer than 10 kilometers because of an injury. My wife, Kerri, was really my encouragement and inspiration as she kept telling me I could do it. I also finished third at the CEO challenge at Ironman Australia in 2006. And I competed in the SEA Games test race with several top triathletes in the world a couple years back. It was a rush to come out of the swim leg with some of them but I got dropped in transition. I guess I can?t complain considering they were half my age.

SIM: What motivates you to push yourself?

Uytengsu: I suppose it is an inner calling. Training for and racing in a triathlon is not something someone else can push you to do. You do it because you want the challenge. More and more people are looking for a challenge like this instead of playing golf or tennis. In the last couple of years, we have had more than 30 people join our polo tri team and they are in their 30s and 40s. I guess they have that same inner voice urging them on.

SIM: Did you grow up in a family that was already ?health conscious? or did you develop this as an adult?

Uytengsu: As a child, I first started playing baseball until I was 9, and then took up swimming. I focused on swimming through my childhood and through college. Along the way I had the privilege of being on the Philippine national swim team and the University of Southern California swim team. I wouldn?t necessarily consider this being health conscious as much as I consider it an athletic lifestyle. I trained four hours a day, six days a week and 50 weeks a year for 13 years.

SIM: What tips can you give parents who want their kids to be ?health conscious? but not overly obsessed about their weight?

Uytengsu: I think the key is for parents to encourage their children to be more active instead of staying home watching TV or playing video games. They also need to educate their children about healthy foods (especially milk!). Diet alone does not make one healthy but exercise without proper food is also not the solution.

Of course, not everyone is athletically inclined so that?s where the focus on a healthy diet is key. If the children are not outside playing or participating in sports, at least they can mitigate obesity by watching the types of foods they eat.

SIM: Is keeping a healthy lifestyle harder now in Manila compared to 20 years ago?

Uytengsu: I?ve been home 23 years now and clearly the types of foods that are available to us now are much better than they were in the mid ?80s. However, the pace of life has also become more hectic with technology increasing the demands at work and the expectation that you must respond immediately. So this is where the discipline to exercise comes in.

At the end of the day, it depends on what you want to prioritize. Anything is possible if you make the effort.

SIM: What practical advice can you give someone who has budget constraints on healthy eating and keeping an active lifestyle?

Uytengsu: Buy fresh local vegetables and seafood. Cook it by grilling or steaming without adding a lot of fatty sauces.

SIM: What?s the best compliment you?ve heard about your looks?

Uytengsu: That I look like my eldest daughter (Ashton, 21) or my brother.

SIM: Have there been occasions when you?ve given your son/daughter some parental advice about looking good? What advice was this?

Uytengsu: Practice good hygiene and don?t worry about how you look on the outside. It is what you are on the inside that matters most.

SIM: Can you name the men and women that you find attractive despite their being over 50?

Uytengsu: Sean Connery. OK, I guess he?s the only guy I think is a man?s man but that?s because of ?007.?