Actress-chef Judy Ann Santos enjoys a party of five with her husband, television host Ryan Agoncillo, eldest daughter Yohan, son Lucho, and daughter Luna. She ensures she keeps active and eats healthy to keep up with the demands of a busy life. Judy Ann reveals her secret to feeling good.

"I've been detoxing lately. Hindi naman regular but it's part of my monthly routine. To feel better. Siyempre hindi naman na tayo bumabata. So as much as possible kung saan parte mo kayang mag detox when it comes to health mas doon ako naka-focus. Clean eating and proper sleep," said Judy Ann when asked about her state of health during the launch of her endorsement for Alaska Milk Corporation in McKinley, Taguig City, recently.

(I've been detoxing lately. It's not regular, but it's part of my monthly routine. To feel better. Of course, we're not getting any younger. So, as much as possible, I detox for health reasons. Clean eating and proper sleep.)

"Ang goal ko is hindi para pumayat. Naging bonus na lang yun. Pero siyempre naging masaya ako sa pagpayat. Nagfocus talaga ako sa goal ko na to feel lighter. Naging positive yung energy ko, maging kalmado ako in what I'm doing so I'm also more on fruits, juicing, organic greens. There times pomelo lang ako the whole day. So kailangan ko talagang gawin siya as part ng life ko otherwise baka may gout na ako ngayon. Gusto ko rin bumalik sa pilates because may issue with my back," she said.

(My goal is not to lose weight. That was just a bonus. But of course, I was happy to lose weight. I focused on my goal to feel lighter. My energy became positive, I became calm in what I was doing, so I focused more on fruits, juicing, and organic greens. So, I need to make it a part of my life. Otherwise, I might have gout now. I also want to return to Pilates because I have an issue with my back.)

Judy Ann, 45, said her regular day begins around 5 a.m. as she prepares food for the family.

"Maaga ako gumigising mga around 5 a.m. and I make the kids baon and Ryan's baon for work. And then I go about my day. Inaantok na rin talaga ako ng hapon. Mga around 8 pm. pa-good night na kami kasi ang haba ng araw nila eh. So kailangan nila ng mas mahabang pahinga.

(I wake up around 5 a.m. and cook for Ryan and the kids. And then I go about my day. I'm sleepy in the afternoon. Around 8 p.m., we say goodnight because it's a long day for us. So they need a more extended break.)

"Kasi kapag nag-e enjoy ka sa pagiging nanay, hindi mo talaga iisipin ang sarili mo not until may maramdaman kang masakit sa katawan mo. Hanggang therapist mo na ang magsasabi na kailangan mo ng tutukan ang health issues mo. Ako naman kami as family of five at nadi-distribute ko yung oras ko sa kanila," said Judy Ann.

(When you enjoy being a mother, you don't think about yourself until you feel something painful in your body. It's not until your therapist says you must focus on your health issues. As a family of five, I can distribute my time among them.)

Judy Ann said she's relieved she finished taping for the Philippine adaptation of her upcoming series "Call My Agent."

"Napuyat ako lately while making the series. Pero ang puyat sa akin parang tatlong araw ko na gamutin. As we age, mas nakakatulog na ako ng payapa ng walang tulong ng kahit ano. I feel lousy kapag kulang ang tulog. Kapag bata ka, you look forward to a night out, hanging out with your friends. Ngayon, yung hanging out, gusto ko andyan na ang kama ko. Tutoo pala yun. Dati kasi kapag mga tito at tita kausap mo, parang OA. Tutoo pala yung sinasabi nilang inaatok na sila at hindi sila nagbibiro. May oras minsan na alas otso pa lang inaantok na ako."

(I stayed up late while making the series. But staying up feels like three days of treatment. As we age, I can sleep more peacefully without the help of anything. I feel lousy when I don't get enough sleep. When you're young, you look forward to a night out, hanging out with your friends. Now, hanging out, I want my bed to be there. That's true. Because it used to be when you talked to uncles and aunts, it was like OA. It's true what they say: they're already sleepy and not joking. Sometimes, I'm already sleepy at eight o'clock.)

'Call My Agent'

The last time Judy Ann appeared in a teleserye was in the Kapamilya drama "Starla" in 2019. Juday makes a TV comeback with a series that tackles showbiz controversies. Erik Matti directs it.

"Finally we're done after 10 months of filming. It's an enjoyable project, and I'm excited for everyone to see it because it's different. It's different because it shows the real story of what's happening inside the industry. Hindi lang kami basta gumawa ng series. Nakakatuwang panoorin yung mga kausapan ng managers, mga artista.

(Finally we're done after 10 months of filming. It's an enjoyable project, and I'm excited for everyone to see it because it's different. It's different because it shows the real story of what's happening inside the industry. We're not just making a series. It's fun to watch the conversations involving managers and actors.)

"Hindi ko naman masasabi na lahat ng mapapanood ninyo dito ay actual na nangyayari sa tunay na buhay because it's quite unfair. Most of the scenes are exaggerated na dahil fictional siya and it's a series. Pero may iba na may pinaggalingan talaga ng ibang kuwento," she said.

(I can't say everything you can watch here is happening in real life because it's pretty unfair. Most of the scenes are exaggerated because it's fictional and it's a series. But some are based on real-life stories.)

Asked if she had inputs on the series related to her personal experience in showbiz, Juday laughed and said: "Wala. Baka sa susunod. Yung mga nangyari rito matagal ng nangyari at yung mga taong involve sumakabilang-buhay na yung iba. So minsan napagtatawanan na lang yung situation. These are situations that people have learned something."

(Nothing. Maybe next time. The things that happened here happened long ago, and the people involved have passed away. So sometimes, the situation is just laughed at. These are situations in which people have learned something.)

Judy Ann also said she's having second thoughts about managing her children's career.

"Okay na aking i-manage ang sarili ko. With my kids, I don't think I would love to step on that part kasi baka maging iba. At this point, I would still allow them to decide if they would endorse products. The last decision would still come from them. Ayoko silang pilitin. So if you see my kids endorsing something, they want to do it.

(It's okay for me to manage myself. I would not love to step on that part with my kids because it might be different. At this point, I would still allow them to decide if they would endorse products. The last decision would still come from them. I don't want to force them.)

Judy Ann said of her three children, she could feel her youngest daughter, Luna, enjoying showbiz more.

"Kung meron man, parang nag-eenjoy si Luna. Si Yohan sobrang seryoso sa pag-aaral at mahilig sa sports. Si Lucho naman sa football. So si Luna ang may pinakamaraming oras to play around, getting dressed up or makeup time. Pagdating sa shooting days, I ask them what days would you like."

(If anything, Luna seems to be enjoying herself. Yohan is very serious about studying and loves sports. Lucho is into football. So Luna has the most time to play around, get dressed up, or have makeup time. On shooting days, I inquire about their preferred schedule.)

At the launch, Judy Ann and Alaska created a five-minute, 5-ingredient Alaska SustansyaYUM gravy recipe that the kids will enjoy.

“Alaska products, including Alaska Classic Evaporated Filled Milk and Alaska Classic Sweetened Condensed Filled Milk are made of real milk,” explains Ms. Star Estacio, Marketing Director of Alaska Milk. “They have the delicious taste and nutrition that real milk offers, so by simply adding them to everyday dishes, you’re serving your family something that’s not just undeniably yummy but even more masustansya . With Alaska, napakadali talagang gawing SustansyaYUM ang pang araw araw na pagkain. Kahit simpleng  homemade gravy na pang-partner sa favorite fried dishes ng mga bata. We created a 5-minute, 5-ingredient Alaska SustansyaYUM gravy recipe that moms can easily make at home to elevate the usual fried chicken, fried porkchop, etc. that they make for their kids.  Adding milk to dishes is the ultimate Alaska cooking hack.”