"Pointe" of View - Al Santos, star of Grosse Pointe

Television actor Al Santos gives us his perspective on staying in shape for his sexy role on the WB's Grosse Pointe.

When Al Santos announced his plans to become a model, it was as if the son of Long Island parents had announced his intentions to become a homeless good-for-nothing. After all, he was only 16, but through his professional modeling career, Santos had the opportunity to travel the world and learn about life. "What didn't I learn?" says the model-turned-actor, currently nursing the flu in frigid Manhattan, New York. "I got a reality check on how the world works at a very young age. I realized you have to work to earn money to get ahead in life."

Now 24, the actor--who began his career appearing in commercials--finds himself working 12- to-14 hour days on the set of WB's Sunday night melodrama, Grosse Pointe. (9:30pm ET/PT). The half-hour comedy follows the lives of six young actors trying to adjust to the demands of instant stardom. Santos plays womanizer Johnny Bishop, "a young actor who has the world pretty much in the palm of his hand and knows it," as he explains. "He's basically a hedonist who hangs out and enjoys life partying." Talking with Santos, you can't help but ask the inevitable question: How much of Al is in Johnny? "I'd say a good portion," he laughs, though Santos "kind of lives" with his girlfriend, Danielle, in Manhattan.

Part of his work includes staying in shape for his sexy role. Working out regularly since he began modeling, the 5'11" actor currently focuses on maintaining muscle tone and definition three days a week. "It's a bit more relaxed because I'm not building muscle tone." Pecs and biceps one day, back and triceps another, the 160-pound actor considers one of his varied cardio workouts exercise for the lower body.

"I'll play racquetball for two hours, three times a week rather than going on a treadmill for an hour," admits Santos, who also throws in regular mountain hikes, rock climbing sessions ("one of my newest hobbies"), snowboarding, mountain biking and almost daily volleyball games. "When I'm filming in Los Angeles, I'll rollerblade with my two dogs--a Rottweiler and black Labrador retriever--along the bike path."

Is there anything he doesn't enjoy doing to maintain his well toned physique? "Well, I think I've always been a pretty well-rounded sports guy," he hedges with a pause. "No matter how hard I try, I can't play basketball--and I like the sport. The more effort I put into it, the more I realize I can't do it. I'm not horrible, but ... well, I guess I am."

While he may not be able to play basketball, he excels in martial arts, partly due to his brother's one-on-one instruction. "My brother is a trainer and kickboxing instructor at Crunch Fitness in Manhattan, so he helps me keep on the cutting edge of fitness. Kickboxing helps me train muscles that aren't worked with any other form of exercise. Plus, living at the beach in L.A. and in Manhattan, it makes me feel a little secure knowing how to defend myself."

If we were lucky enough to visit Santos" home on either coast, what would we find in the kitchen? "I'm very much into the saying: What you eat is what you are," explains Santos. "Six raw eggs ... and raw honey--that's how I start my days." Lunch is usually some fish and a green salad, with dinner being fish and rice. "If I go to a restaurant, I'll order cooked fish, but I get a lot of sushi. I don't eat any chicken, but once a month I'll have some red meat ... with onions, peppers, mushrooms and cold pressed olive oil tossed with pesto sauce."

He introduced this diet to cast member Kohl Sudduth, "and he actually liked this eating plan." However, Santos is no purist. "I'll have some cheesecake when I go out or maybe a cookie, but I don't think of the way I eat as stringent," he explains. "If I want something, I'll eat it. Just this morning, my girlfriend and I went to a local deli and I had a cooked egg sandwich."

As far as supplements go, Santos says he doesn't believe in workout enhancements or even medications. "I have asthma and I've been on medicine my entire life it seems, so I try [to] stay away from it as much as possible. I'll get through this cold and flu just like my whole family has."

Bonnie Siegler has been covering celebrity fitness for American Fitness since 1990. Based in Playa del Rey, California, Ms. Siegler is an internationally published writer whose work has appeared in McCall's, Redbook and In Style.

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