Working a day job and squeezing in a bonding sesh with friends and family can be a challenge. It feels like you won’t be able to set aside some “me time” so you can relax, recover, or even work on your fitness.
Just like any other hardworking Pinay, fitness advocate and entrepreneur Chrissie Torres has a lot on her plate—from running her own healthy snack business, Mana Bites, to staying on top of Diwa Siargao, an eco-house she co-founded in the southern island. These two ventures may keep her busy, but Chrissie knows what she needs to keep pushing forward.
She tells us how leading a fit and active lifestyle is a non-negotiable for her: “I started teaching fitness classes about two and a half years ago and used to teach in studios when classes weren’t demanding,” Chrissie answers when asked how she started. “I love learning about better ways of doing things. I think it’s important to take care of yourself and want to grow as a person. I’ve always been active as a kid, so I know that staying active is great not just for the body, but more importantly for the mind.”
Chrissie isn’t confined to one single routine and changes things up by doing many different workouts such as indoor cycling, HIIT, yoga, and Lagree. But she advises that the key is to be consistent, declaring: “Self-care and fitness should be a part of your lifestyle and not something you try and never do again. You cannot hope to get a strong set of abs by just going to a single class. It’s important to find the motivation to go to a studio or do home workouts. Just remember to keep things fun! A fit lifestyle isn’t sustainable if you’re not enjoying yourself, so it’s good to find something you love to do!”
Since life can sometimes get in the way, we asked Chrissie what kind of workout she’d suggest for girls who can only spare 10 minutes a day. “I love HIIT bodyweight exercises and all you need is a mat or just floor space to do—you can alternate any set of [these moves] and get so much done in that time,” she says.
Here’s Chrissie’s 10-minute bodyweight exercise routine you can do at home or wherever you can.
- Squat Jumps (30 seconds)
- Rest (10 seconds)
- Forward Lunges (30 seconds)
- Rest (10 seconds)
- 30 Burpees or Mountain Climbers
- Rest (10 seconds)
Repeat for approximately 5 rounds until your 10 minutes are up. Note: Remember to pace yourself. Only do as many steps as you can. Don’t push your body too much!
Besides working out, Chrissie also fills us in on her workout must-haves:
1. Insulated bottle
“I need to stay hydrated and it’s best to go single-use plastic free! Gyms and studios usually have a water dispenser around so the water is free too!”
2. Hair tie
“My hair is mermaid-long as of the moment so I semi-panic without this.”
3. Phone
“It’s so many things! A timer, a source for music, the list goes on.”
4. Bluetooth headphones
“If I’m working out in a public place, I love having these on because I get to zone out and focus on what I’m doing.”
5. A set of fresh clothes or an oversized jacket
“Not all facilities have bathrooms for showers but I always like to keep a set ready in case. It saves you a lot of time when you can just shower at the gym or studio. Plus, it feels great to just change out of your sweaty shirt for the car ride home. Huge oversized jackets are also cozy to bring in case you’ve got no time to shower and need to dash out in something functional and polished looking at the same time.”
6. A trusty deodorant
“For someone who runs her own business and tries to keep an active lifestyle, a good deo is a must. This is how Rexona became my go-to deo—it does a good job of protecting me from sweat and odor and I love how it dries quickly. The skin brightening benefits are an added bonus with regular use.”
Chrissie’s go-to deo Rexona’s Natural Whitening Deodorant comes in a new dry serum formula that whitens naturally and also feels instantly dry. With regular use, results may vary. Harnessing the power of nature, it has licorice extracts that provide a gentle yet effective whitening formula for your armpits, while giving the same 48-hour sweat and odor protection.
For more details, follow Rexona on Facebook and Instagram.
