‘It was difficult, I’ve been hiding’: Aga Muhlach recalls ‘eating disorder,’ depression

MANILA, Philippines — ‘90s matinee idol Aga Muhlach acknowledged that the public saw how he has evolved not only as an actor, but from a heartthrob into a "dad bod."

Behind the camera, Aga confessed that his life has not always been as “gwapo” or handsome as his fans perceive him to be.

“From the ‘90s to 2000s to 2010, 2015 ‘yung mga katawan namin. That was history, ‘no?... ’Yung pagiging payat at muscle-muscle ko nu’ng bata-bata ako, was never natural. Kaya siguro nu'ng nag-semi-retire ako, hindi ako nag-diet because I wasn’t naturally fit. Kaya siguro medyo chubby ako…” he professed at a recent press conference announcing him and Richard Gomez as new Century Tuna ambassadors.

Answering a question from Philstar.com, Aga recalled how from virtually thin, he gradually became overweight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Then 2017, when I went back, I did ‘Seven Sundays,’ I was overweight then. Pero ang overweight ko dati was 210 (pounds). I was able to break it down to 170. From 170, naging 180, then dahan-dahan naging 200, and then pandemic, ‘yan ang sumira sa buhay ko. Ayun na nga, umabot ako ng 260,” he shared.

He blamed his excessive weight gain on binge eating: “Nagkaro’n kasi ako ng eating disorder for a while. Yeah, oo, talagang binge ako nang binge, binge nang binge. So minsan, hanggang ngayon, lumalabas pa rin ‘yun…”

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines “binge eating” as a “disorder” that happens “when you eat a large amount of food in a short amount of time and feel you can't control what or how much you are eating.”

Did Aga lose showbiz offers when he became overweight?

“’Di naman, ‘di naman umabot sa gano’n kasi ako na mismo, like seven years, nag-stop talaga ako,” he said.

More than in his career, the extra pandemic pounds took a toll on his mental health.

“But ako na mismo ang hindi nagpapakita. May mga nag-ooffer. Ang daming offers. The offer is always there pero ako na mismo ‘yung umaalis. Sabi ko, ‘I cannot work. I cannot’,” he said.

“It was difficult. I’ve always been hiding. I could have been busier if not for my weight… Sumobra ang overweight ko. I hit 260 but I’m supposed to be 170, so not nice! I don’t advice anyone to follow that – no!”

In this dark hour, he turned to the Lord and found an answer.

“That time, I was really so depressed so I prayed, ‘Lord, tulungan N’yo po ako para gumaling.’ Tapos, dumating ‘yung offer (ng Century Tuna), ‘Aga, solusyon, papayat ka na!’…” he recalled.

For 10 months, Aga went through a rigorous fitness training and lost 50 pounds in the process.

WATCH: Aga looks back on fitness journey

“When I was younger, I was taller,” Aga quipped, “Siguro ‘yung weight na dinala ko for how many years, binaba ‘yung height ko. Two hundred sixty pounds ang inabot ko! So sa amin, napakalaking bagay ang nangyari ngayon,” he said of his fitness journey as new Century Tuna “Superbod.”

More than just getting his 30s body back, among the biggest benefits of losing weight, he said, is that it renewed his zest for life.

“And it really changed my perspective now sa katawan ko, ‘no?... So now, I’m down to 200. I have 30 to go! ... I’m so happy with myself now! There’s no insecurity sa’kin. Right now, I’m happy where I am. I’m happy and excited where I will be!”” he declared. 

Thanks to his fitness journey, he realized that he cannot reach the next level of his career and life goals if he is not agile enough because of his weight.

“Mahirap magtago sa buhay lalo na sa katawan natin. Malayo, marami pa tayong ma-aachieve kung well-preserved ang katawan... Sa dating katawan ko, hindi ako nag-oover-promise because I always lack appetite talaga,” he shared.

“Sa’kin, it was really enough of that hiding. Enough of those promises that next year, you’d start doing it… Just do it now. Start now!” he advised everyone also thinking of embarking on a fitness journey. 

“It’s a lifestyle really. So you really have to change your lifestyle.”  — Videos by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo

RELATED: Richard Gomez, Aga Muhlach reach dream to become ‘Superbods’ in their 50s