Apparently it actually takes two months to build a habit (and not 21 days, which is a popular misconception). This means you need to power through until at least February before your resolutions start to feel like second nature.
It seems daunting to think about those two months, half of which is probably going to be spent forcing yourself to head to the gym in the morning. A lot of willpower will probably be involved in saying no to another slice of lechon. But really, the hardest part is to just start. Once you know where you’re heading, it’s easier to stay the course.
So, here’s a little nudge to help you get started. We’ve thought up some common resolutions, and given some ideas and contacts on how to kickstart your change. We get it–it’s hard to make resolutions last beyond New Year’s, but the idea is really to take it one day at a time.
Start Exercising.
As probably the most common resolution out there, getting into a real fitness habit is actually a real challenge. There are so many options in the city now that you’re bound to find something you’ll enjoy enough to do on a regular basis.
If you’re looking to find some peace amidst a frenzied routine, try yoga. YogaHub is a favorite spot for their wide range of class offerings, and the helpful teachers they have onboard. Love Yoga World helmed by the bubbly Mary Deen is also a great option.
Those who want great legs and a stunning derriere can try out spinning. Zink is a great spot to try out the sport, with their state-of-the-art bikes, almost psychedelic lighting system, and the exuberant Zalde Berdon. Even if you don’t feel like getting on the bike, there’s HIIT and dance classes to keep you on the move.
Back when I was working out practically everyday, I found myself drawn to the more intense, always changing cycles of Crossfit. At Crossfit Pintados (now Southside Fitness), I reveled in the high intensity workouts, even the movements could only be described as painful. And being a little short on the attention span, I liked that the workouts were different every day. Other options to really give yourself a hard push are FITCAMP, StayFit and EPIC.
Go On A Diet.
We’re all guilty of this–vowing to go on a diet, and then buckling as soon as a slice of cake is put in front of us. Healthy eating is just one those resolutions that are so hard to keep–especially when you have all these delicious, indulgent dishes in front of you.
Thankfully, a lot of people in Cebu have spearheaded a movement–healthy food can taste just as good, and at times even better, than the junk we so guiltily indulge in.
Photo from the Diet in a Box Facebook page
Meal delivery services take the hassle out of having to prepare meals for yourself (we list down some of our favorites in this post). Even the of-the-moment Keto Diet can be delivered straight to your doorstep through Diet in a Box‘s Keto Go option.
For it to be truly sustainable though, you need to learn how to make these dishes yourself. The Lazy Chef’s Chip Lopez offers cooking classes for plant-based eating through the Kairos Loft. Trust us, if anyone knows how to make vegetables taste amazing, it’d be Chip.
Be More Creative.
The New Year often brings with it the sudden desire to make a change in your life, or at least start on something you’re more passionate about. If you’re looking to break into the creative field, or even to just get a flash of inspiration, Create Cebu’s Criss-Crossings is the right place to start.
Scheduled on January 12-14 at Crossroads, Criss-Crossings is all about creative convergence, with programs and talks on everything ranging from animation and photography, to music and crafts. The event is all about building on Cebu’s creative talent–young businesses are given a chance to learn from more seasoned personalities, and to share their ideas.
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Elizalde Berdon has a favorite word, and he isn’t ashamed to share it. “Yummy. As in, spinning makes your body healthy and yummy,” he laughs.
The word often comes up in the middle of one of his spin classes, where his upbeat energy never falters despite nearly an hour of furiously pedalling on a stationary bike. The statement is certainly true–Zink’s close-knit community of loyal patrons are visual proof of the benefits of spinning, and the enthusiastic atmosphere has visitors constantly coming back.
“When we conceptualized Zink, we always wanted to make it fun and take away the work in workout,” Zalde recalls, and he adds that the reason so many people enjoy this particular exercise is because it’s considerably inclusive. “It doesn’t require you to know how to dance, be strong enough to lift weights, or know how to box. You are just sitting on the bike, pedalling, and following the instructor’s cadence and resistance.”
Considering he has turned spinning into one of the hottest workouts in the city today, it’s surprising to learn that Zalde actually has a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of San Carlos. “I started spinning five years ago,” he reveals. Before then, he had been working out regularly at a traditional gym. “It looked intimidating to me, but I was curious about the people shouting during the classes and how they were drenched in sweat whenever they left the cycling room.”
Soon, he developed a passion for it, but didn’t realize that was the beginning of something much bigger in his life. “I never imagined that I would become an instructor, but there was a scarcity of cycling instructors, so I trained and passed. I remember one of the reasons I did it was so I could work out for free, and not have to pay my monthly membership,” he adds with a laugh.
From there, Zalde continued his education, like training with Les Mills RPM for international certification. “I wanted to level up and equip myself to become a better instructor and a credible coach,” he shares. “I became an advocate of the program because it’s one of the most efficient group exercises. Can you imagine–riding on a stationary bike and being able to demolish 500 to 700 calories in around 40 minutes? The cardiovascular benefit is awesome, and you feel energized and happy after each workout.”
It’s no surprise, then, that people have integrated spinning into their fitness regimen, and Zink makes the experience even more fun with their neon lights and impressive sound system. Zalde shared that spinning has been a long time coming, but admits it took him a while to find the right timing and opportunities to do it. “Zink was not something I strongly wanted to do,” he admits, sharing that he knew it would be a challenge to find cycling instructors in Cebu. “It was only last year that I was approached by someone whom I had never met before, and he showed me the big picture. He pushed me to build our own brand, train the instructors and build it in Cebu, maybe expanding to key cities in the Philippines and even globally after. The magnitude and potential of his vision immediately swept me away.”
That vision is coming into fruition–Zalde now has a team of dedicated instructors who are as upbeat and passionate about spinning as he is. Zink also offers a variety of other programs, such as TRX and HIIT, and Zalde developed two fitness programs that already enjoy a good success rate. “One is called Body by Z. It’s a 40-minute group exercise that strengthens all body parts using kettle bells, dumbbells, TRX suspension training, medicine ball and stability ball. It’s a compounded routine that targets at least two body parts in a movement, which makes the workout more efficient,” he explains. “ZINK BODY BLAST is the newest program we just launched. It’s like circuit training, where all members attending the class do metabolic exercises together with very minimal recovery. The primary goal is weight loss, so it’s explosive and intense.”
It’s exciting to see that the landscape for fitness in Cebu has remarkably improved recently. “Gone are the days when our choices were limited to traditional gyms which have the equipment and a separate room for group exercise. Today, you have so many choices, from studios that specialize in functional training or Crossfit, and even the highly niched ones like aerial yoga, pole dancing, and the like,” Zalde says. “Instructors now also make the effort to be certified, and continuously take courses to update and upgrade.”
All this is good news for Cebuanos, who can now find the best exercise program to fit their lifestyle. For many, though, that program will have to be spinning at Zink. After all, who wouldn’t want a body that is, as Zalde puts it, yummy?
]]>The tricky part about resolutions, though, is actually keeping them. So while there are lots of ways to go about it, one way of making sure you stick to new fitness regime is to find one you actually like. Here’s a guide for the uninitiated, and for those looking for something new.
CrossFit
Crossfiters doing overhead squats (Photography by John Ong/Zee Lifestyle)
What it is: The sport of fitness: Constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across board time and modal domains. Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms (“boxes”) include a dynamic warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity WOD (“workout of the day”) and cool-down.
Perfect for: Those who are easily bored and need variety.
It is never boring. Each time you go to the box, you get a different workout that challenges all your muscle groups and all aspects of your athleticism. It is also a short, sharp workout that you benefit a lot from. I have joined all sorts of group workouts in the past, and I’ve never seen as much results as I do now. – Brenda Magno
Where to go:
- CROSSFIT SUBTERO
- Unit 2, Jamestown, Mantawe Ave., Mandaue
- CROSSFIT PINTADOS
- F. Cabahug St., Mabolo
High-Intensity Interval Training
Zach Elisha Go doing HIIT (Photography by Oliver Echevarria/Zee Lifestyle)
What it is: A cardiovascular exercise strategy alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. It promotes strength, balance and performance.
Perfect for: Those who want a total body workout.
Right from the door, it’s different—devoid of equipment, treadmills and machines. Training has become like praying, an activity that you can do anytime, anywhere, even alone. – Zach Elisha Go
Where to go:
- EPIC PERFORMANCE & FITNESS
- Block 88, Oakridge Business Park, Banilad
Yoga
Rose Hennessy strikes a Yoga pose (Photography by Adrian Yu/Zee Lifestyle)
What it is: A low-impact physical exercise that involves holding stretches. It requires meditation and breath work, and develops flexibility and balance.
Perfect for: Those who want to keep calm and carry on.
The reason I love yoga is because I can practice anytime, anywhere whenever I feel like, as all I need is a quiet and small space. My previous workouts were purely physical, whereas yoga is a more calming, relaxed exercise with the same benefits. – Rose Hennessy
Where to go:
- YOGAHUB CEBU
- Banilad Town Centre and Raintree Mall
Spinning
Spinning classes at Zink (Photography by Men On Point/Zink)
What it is: Indoor cycling is a cardiovascular workout that involves aerobic exercise on a stationary bike. It’s a low-impact workout designed to increase one’s endurance.
Perfect for: Those who want to have fun.
Let’s be honest—spinning isn’t actually easy. The bursts of high speed and additional movements, along with the constant cycling, are enough to make you feel more than a little sore the next day. What makes it so enjoyable (and more doable!) is the energy of the people pedaling next to you—with the loud music and changing lights, it’s a workout party that anyone would want to get into! – Shari Quimbo
Where to go:
- ZINK
- Banilad Town Centre
Pilates
Susanne Cobonpue doing Pilates (Photography by Ezekiel Sullano/Zee Lifestyle)
What it is: Pilates is a fitness system said to have developed from yoga. It puts more emphasis on the core, as well as lengthening the body and centering the spine, using exercise machines.
Perfect for: Those who like to stay focused.
The very controlled, slow and precise movement throughout each exercise is what makes it different from other physical activities. I like the large variation of exercises because it never gets boring. We do a different routine with several variations every time. Everything is tailored to my needs. I leave the studio always tired, and sometimes exhausted, but also extremely relaxed and elated—which I didn’t feel with other workouts. – Susanne Cobonpue
Where to go:
- PILATES FIT
- LGF, City Sports Club