Mommy Ginger
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Need a little help with your Fitness Goals? Check out Fitness Mobil!

I used to be a gym addict. I know that it doesn’t look like it. Haha! When I started working, lost my passion for fitness, and it was all diverted to my work. I never lost the love though for jogging and running. I still run, especially when I need to decide on things and if I need to relax.

Fitness Mobil

Recently, I’ve been contemplating about getting a fitness trainer who can just visit me at home to guide me. I’m not getting any younger and I’m almost in my 40s, but I still want to look good and feel good. I know that I need to lift weights and build muscles. So, when I was searching and finding a fitness trainer, I came across this site called Fitness Mobil.

I decided to interview the founder because the I loved the concept of Fitness Mobil.

Hi, my name is Leandro Cabrera!

My friends call me Andre, and my clients simply call me Coach. I recently got married to the most beautiful and kind-hearted woman I know, my best friend in life, Joy. We tied the knot just last January. I used to work in a gym while offering in-home personal training on the side. About a year after, I saw the potential in the business and eventually decided to take the leap of doing Fitness Mobil full-time. I now have 10 coaches all over the metro and was even able to ask my wife to leave corporate and help me with the business!

I am very humbled to have pioneered the business at the age of 23. Although in-home personal trainers have definitely existed way before I was born, we are the first company of in-home personal trainers. I wish to go nationwide someday and make fitness not only a one-time thing as it is with fads. We want to reach the entire country making fitness attainable AND sustainable for men and women from different age groups and fitness levels.

Interview with Leandro Cabrera of Fitness Mobil

Ginger: Hi Leandro! I really love the purpose and the business that you have! Do you mind sharing with my readers what it is about?

Leandro: Fitness Mobil is an in-home personal training company, which caters to individuals who are interested in working out at home. We are all about convenience and sustainabilIty such that we customize programs based on our clients’ fitness goals, bring the necessary equipment right to their doorstep, offer no lock-in packages and no membership fee. Fitness Mobil has been servicing clients in Metro Manila for 5 years now. It started with just myself and slowly grew to a team of 10 – all of whom are graduates of Sports Science from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Ginger: Wow! Five years! That’s great! Who are your usual clients or who are you trying to get to?

Leandro: Fitness Mobil works for those who prefer to work out in the privacy and comforts of their own homes. We do understand that there are those who want a physical gym to go to with people around them, but we are received very well by those who want to achieve and maintain an active lifestyle, but are very busy. These are usually businessmen and women, moms and executives. They are delighted with the convenience of having the personal trainer bring fitness right to their very doorstep.

Ginger: How did you come up with this idea? What made you decide to start this kind of business?

Leandro: Fitness Mobil started with my desire to reach out to people who may be having a difficult time going to the gym due to their daily schedule and/or location. I myself had days, and still have days, when I don’t feel like working out. Some days, I really can’t due to schedule conflict. But to actually have a personal trainer come to my house for a one-on-one workout session would be so helpful in making fitness happen as it eliminates factors of cancellation. I also felt the need to start a company that people can trust since it is difficult for an individual who is not represented by one to be allowed inside people’s homes just like that.

Ginger: Were there any obstacles that you faced when you decided to pursue becoming an Entrepreneur? What are these?

Leandro: It was definitely not an easy road becoming an entrepreneur. The lack of support from a boss or colleagues, and even the freedom to work at my own pace, all added up to the feeling of being alone. I had to truly be focused and discipline was key. I had to actively seek advice from people who I knew could help me and took things one step at a time. It was difficult at first as I never was taught marketing in school (all the more payroll) but I’d like to think I’m actually starting to get a hang of it! Self-help materials played a very important role in my entrepreneur journey and it does help to ask, ask, and ask!

Ginger: What are the greatest challenges in putting up and maintaining a business in the Philippines?

Leandro: I’d consider paying taxes as the greatest challenge for me as a self-professional in the Philippines. Our country ranks as having one of the highest tax rates in the world and it is painful to finally see profit only to slip thru my hands as a huge percentage of it will be deducted as tax.

Ginger: What are three traits that you think an Entrepreneur/Startup Founder should have when starting their own business?

Leandro: Discipline, perseverance, and a lot of grit.

Ginger: Any unforgettable moments or lessons that you learned as an Entrepreneur/Startup Founder?

Leandro: It will not be easy and rewards are not instant. I remember giving up parties/get togethers with friends for my this business of mine. But looking back, it’s all worth it knowing that I chose to focus and build on my dreams then, so I am now able to slowly but surely see it all come true.

Ginger: What advice can you give to other Entrepreneurs?

Leandro: Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. If you have an idea and you believe in it, work in it! But expect that failure will be part of it.

Ginger: Do you believe that everyone should become entrepreneurs?

Leandro: Not everyone should, but everyone could be if they set their mind to it. Some people are content with the stability of employment and if it feeds their family, then I don’t see why they can’t stay there.

Ginger: What are ways that you can do to raise capital?

Leandro: Lower overhead costs.

Ginger: How do you market your products? Growth strategy?

Leandro: We utilize different channels of social media and get exposure in setting up booths in events like Fun Runs. We post reviews from real clients and offer a free trial session first so people can try our service without having to worry about paying for anything.

Ginger: What are tech tools that you use for your business?

Leandro: Nothing beats the good old smart phone!

Ginger: Other things that you want to mention which you think are important?

Leandro: Home training is not for everyone. It may work for some, and may not for others. It all depends on preference. And part of our mission is to break the mindset that limits fitness within the confines of a gym. Let’s think outside the gym!

Thank you so much, Leandro, for sharing and imparting your business knowledge with us! More power to you!

Check out Fitness Mobil!
Website: www.fitnessmobil.net
Email address: info@fitnessmobil.net
Mobile Number: 09178100211
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/fitnessmobil
Instagram account: @fitnessmobil

Identifying Potential Niches in Blogging

If you want to earn from blogging, you need to choose a niche. Choose a niche that you think will be profitable for you now and in the future. Blogging is a lot similar to starting your own business. There are a lot of pain points that you can address via your products and service offerings, but ultimately, you narrow down your choices to those that will make most business sense.

What I have seen in the blogging community is that a lot of them go for what is hip and trendy. I don’t blame them. Business owners are like that, too. A few months back, in the Tandang Sora area, there was at two food parks. Now, when you visit that area, there are around more than half a dozen food parks. But it’s normal to go for things that are already proven, things that are cool, and things that seem profitable. Although, there is always a benefit to being the first mover.

Going back to blogging, a lot of the people I see are fashion bloggers, food bloggers, beauty bloggers, finance bloggers and mom bloggers. It’s great that there are a lot of bloggers who are part of these segments, but there are a lot of other niches that you can start checking out, too (especially if you have the ability, skill and passion for it!). One of the niches that isn’t quite as popular is fitness. I’ve only come across a few fitness, health or sports bloggers.

My friend Allan and I were talking about this. I believe that in order for an industry to thrive, we all have to work together to make this industry enticing. There are lead influencers in the industry like Jaymie Pizarro, the Fit Stop Crew (Amazing work, Jackie, Jeff, etc.!) There are famous coaches, too! But if you want to make the fitness industry something that can generate revenue as a whole, from coaches, to gyms, to these famous bloggers to aspiring bloggers, we need more “movement” in that industry.

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Since we create learning events, we are coming up with a Fitness Blogging 101 workshop, in which you can learn how to make it big in this niche. There are a lot of untapped potential brands who need the help of bloggers that fall under fitness, health and nutrition. So if you want to blog, but still figuring out what topic to write about, try going with FITNESS.

Another thing is that there people are building a lot of gyms, yoga studios, crossfit boxes, etc. A lot of people, too, are considering becoming a fitness instructor. Blogging can make you stand out! Blogging can be a way for you to amplify you message and build your brand. It can also be way for you to build an audience and to build a good base of followers.

So if you haven’t considered coming to this workshop, hope you consider it now! Fitness is one of the potential niches in blogging. We look forward to helping you!

Sign up using this link: http://manilaworkshops.com/events/fitness-blogging-101

P.S. You’ll have a free yoga session, too, and free CREDITS from KFIT! 🙂

9 Fitness Applications that We Have Tried

A one hour workout is 4% of your day. No excuses!

We went on a downloading spree of different fitness apps. I guess we felt that the more fitness apps you download, the greater the chances are of becoming the ultimate epitome of sexiness this year. We tried and used all of these fitness applications, and since we don’t want you to waste your phone’s memory by downloading each and every one of them, we will share our review (most of the feedback was from my husband… hehe!).

Adidas Train & Run
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The first one is Adidas train & run. You can create your very own customized running plans. It takes a bit of getting used to, it seems. It works on the concept of blue/green zones during your workout (which I don’t really get). Also, I aside from not the vague functionality, the prompts aren’t telling me to slow down or speed up. The nice thing though about it is that it creates calendar entries for you depending on your plan. It syncs with your calendar, but bit of a hassle when you uninstall it.

Will probably delete that. ???? But hey, Adidas, just bought a new pair. Maybe you need to up your game in the app department.

Zombies, Run!

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In “Zombies, Run!”, you basically pretend you’re running through a post-zombie apocalypse wasteland. You’re a runner collecting stuff and as you listen, there are some story elements. A bit of a disappointment though. We were hoping that it would be more interactive (ie. if I slow down, I get eaten by a zombie) – but it’s not. It’s really just a radio play. Lots of dead air, too, in between. Good acting, execution could’ve been better.

Runtastic

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The third one is Runtastic. I haven’t really used it since my data is Endomondo. I got it on sale, so I will try it out. An annoying thing though is that I bought the app, but seems that I still need to buy the training plans. Meh. It’s how Endomondo’s doing it also though – with a subscription instead. Bought that one too (I think).

Sleep as Android

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The fourth app is called Sleep as Android. I was able to get the unlock at P15 last Christmas! This one’s nice! It’s basically an Alarm clock, but it’ll wake you up when it’s best for your body to wake up (i.e. you’re not in deep sleep). You place it beside you on your bed as you sleep so that it tracks your sleep cycle. It seems to be working but not sure if it’s just some weird placebo effect.

Couchto 10K Running Trainer

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The fifth one is Couch to 10K Running Trainer. It’s basically a set of audio prompts designed to tell you when you should run and when you should walk, based on the Couch to 5K program made by Josh Clark. The app is designed to help you gradually build up endurance to do a 5K/10K while minimizing injury. It’s one do the good ones, so far. Seeing the checks against each day/program is pretty satisfying.

Endomondo

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I’m sure most of the fitness enthusiasts reading this know Endomondo. It’s a darn good app, but what’s a little bit annoying (since I bought this app), I expected the feature set to be available. It seems though that some parts of the app, like the training plan – you still need to subscribe to. It’s around P1000+ per year lang (pretty affordable) but still, I already paid for the app. ???? Come on!

Jawbone

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The 7th one is UP by Jawbone. It’s connected to my Move. The nice thing about it is that it connects to MyFitnessPal, Endomondo, Runtastic, etc – almost all of them. It gets my data from those other sources, also. It motivates me to do 10K steps/day since, otherwise, I have to eat less — it makes a negative calorie (basically I have to burn that much) entry in MyFitnessPal when I don’t reach around ~7000 steps.

Misfit

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This 8th app is connected to my wearable which is a Misfit Shine. It can connect to MyFitnessPal, so it’s pretty convenient. The application/wearable tracks my sleep (when I had light sleep and restful sleep). It tracks my steps via points though which is indicated in that big wheel. The steps and calories are shown below. I love using this because it’s simple to use.

My Fitness Pal

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The last one is called MyFitnessPal. Almost all of the food I eat is on the app! It even has a barcode scanning function which makes entering the exact amount of calories super easy. It even has this yummy chicharon one my officemates brings — Chicharabao (chicharon from Carabao). I scanned the barcode and it was there. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!

So that’s it! Here are all the apps that my husband has!

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Take note though, he plans to remove the following: Runtastic, Adidas, Zombies Run. Runtastic is redundant with Endomondo. Adidas is redundant with all the other ones I’ve already started with. Zombies Run is not compelling enough. ????

Again most of the views in this post are that of my husband and I share most of his views! I tried out the apps in his phone, too, and I completely agree with him. Hope we encounter better apps soon! For now, I think I’ll stick with my Misfit, Endomondo and MyFitnessPal apps!

PS. For those who want to try becoming a fitness blogger this year, check this out (http://manilaworkshops.com/events/fitness-blogging-101)

write-your-way-to-fitness

One the Way to being a Strong Mom: Hunt & Gather Nutrition and Fitness Lifestyles

I can’t believe it that I actually stuck to my diet and exercise routine for the past week. Hey, that’s an accomplishment for me! Wait, let me get my “accomplishment notebook” and write this down on page one… haha! Just kidding! But seriously, to all my beloved readers, I would assume that not all of us can keep a fitness routine nor follow 100% healthy diet (I used to cheat and munch on chips while blogging!).

I promised myself that I would be a strong mom when the year 2016 ends. Speaking of Strong Moms, my couple friend TJ and Em Sulit from Hunt and Gather are having an event called Strong Moms: Mothers’ Day Festival at Glorietta 3 Activity Center on May 7 and 8, 2016.

I totally agree with their aim of providing us and our families information and choices to truly live healthy lives through proper food choices and exercise! Amen! I don’t know about you, but I plan to stay in this world long enough to see my daughter’s grand kids.

Zeeka Fashionista with Flowers from Hunt and Gather

#ZeekaFashionista with Flowers from Hunt and Gather

Thanks, Hunt and Gather for the lovely flowers!

So what am I doing differently now? I will share what I do, but this doesn’t mean that you should follow it. The reason being is that I feel that each one of us has a body different from others, so what works for me may not necessarily work for you.

gyming!
I wake up earlier every day (6:00 am) and go to the gym to run.
I normally wake up at 7:30 or 8 or even later than that and I realize that I don’t get to work out anymore, because I feel like I have so many things to do and accomplish that I would rather spend time doing those things. Waking up earlier made me feel more relaxed.

I drink more water now.
I hardly stand up when I’m in front of the computer and that’s bad. I am more conscious now of taking mini breaks and more importantly, of drinking water.

I take breaks and just hangout with my daughter. 
Nowadays, we go swimming, we go malling — we do a lot of things together. I make it a point that when the clock reaches 6 pm, I try to stop working and resume again after my daughter sleeps at night.

So there, these are just some simple things I do to be a strong mom!

So, will I see you at the Hunt and Gather event? Thank you for these amazing products!
hunt and gather

For more information on Hunt and Gather, please go to this link: http://huntandgather.ph

Bringing Sexy (and Good Health) Back with F45 Training

I’m thinking of reformatting GTV. First of all, I think I won’t have the budget to continuously pay for my production team and secondly, I feel that I have so much more to give if the episodes aren’t scripted. I can be my wacky, weird self. If you get to know me in person, I am a serious, all-business and no-nonsense kind of a lady, but there are a few times (oooh, alright… maybe more often that I can remember) when I totally don’t make any sense. Hihi! My friends can attest to that.

Anyway, my point is that the lives of the people that you read online are just a part of REALITIES that they have. I’m not saying we’re all fakers, but obviously, our blogs are not “on” 24/7, if you get what I mean. We cannot constantly monitor everything that we do and share everything with the public. We chose the fun, inspiring and amazing part of our lives.

My Chubby Face :)

My Chubby Face 🙂

Like for instance, in my case, I don’t often share about my insecurities when it comes to the way I look. I hate having pictures take, less having my video taken, because I feel my face is too huge. I look fat. I feel I have humongous “braso” and I have weird looking feet. I wish my nose were shaped differently. There you go! I have said everything that I needed to say, but it won’t change anything, so I decide not to talk about it.

I also don’t show you or mention that I have been sick (I literally felt that I had pneumonia already) for the past month. I have this really bad cough, but I haven’t had the time to go to the doctor. I also feel soooo unhealthy. This is why two weeks ago, I started eating healthy. I started going on a diet. It seemed so long ago since the last time I felt healthy and sexy (I think it was January of this year during my boudoir shoot: http://mommyginger.com/2015/01/perfect-gift-hubby-valentines-day-boudoir-pictures.html)

Bringing Sexy, but more importantly, "Healthy" Back!

Bringing Sexy, but more importantly, “Healthy” Back!

I also stated getting my groove back when it comes to exercising. I used to be a gym rat, but with managing my businesses and all, I haven’t had enough time to go to the gym. But since I feel soooo unhealthy, I decided to start working out again.

I got an email from 45 Training recently offering 3 FREE Trial Classes. One Saturday, I decided to go and successfully managed to bring my husband with me. I think I was successful since F45 was really just three blocks away from where we’re staying so he agreed to come with me.

F45 Training at BGC Stopover

F45 Training at BGC Stopover

When we got to BGC Stopover, we went straight to the third floor where F45 Training was. We were equipped with a towel and a bottle of water. I came in my gym clothes (just like the one I’m wearing the picture above). The gym was a huge open space with a lot of equipment — some of which I have seen before and some totally unfamiliar.

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There were also a big sign on what type of class we were joining and in some sections, there was an LCD panel that showed different types of workouts that was part of the session (check out the screen situated on the upper left side of  this picture).

We were greeted by a really courteous trainer. I believe his name was Fred Tembrevilla. Fred explained to us what was going to happen. He told us that the name of the session that we were attending was Hollywood. Hollywood is a 60 minute, high intensity interval circuit around 27 stations that will put your strength, core stability and cardiovascular endurance under the brightest of spotlights! Oh, so that’s why it’s called Hollywood. I just got it now, while retyping the description in this picture!

F45 Schedule of classes

We went through the training and yes, it certainly showed me that I was unfit! Haha! We, my husband and I, got to do just one round of the training. We were given a break in between rounds to which we could not “break” from. I really enjoyed the training though, even it if it was just a round (for us).

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What I liked about F45 Training was…

  1. The trainers were constantly checking form and looking around to see how everyone was doing. They had three trainers on the floor, which was superb!
  2. We were constantly motivated. They would say, “good job” or “you’re really doing great there”. They’re not like those psycho trainers that we often times imagine.
  3. The exercises really targeted different parts of your body. Usually, the day after, it would be my thighs that would always hurt, but lo and behold, it was actually my triceps and back that hurt! I was happy because it was the good kind of pain (the one that tells you that you’ve finally used them after decades).
  4. You are free to work just within your limits. You are free to stop when you don’t feel well. F45 Training offered and environment that encourages you to go on (no pressure at all).
  5. Perfect for moms, like me, since you can go at your own pace. It’s also perfect for beginners because the coaches are really adamant about keeping the right form.
  6. They have schedules that would fit your schedule! (dang it! Can’t use that one as an excuse!)

So there you have it, folks! That was my assessment of my first class at F45. I think I will go again next week. Let’s see! My strategy is to build up cardiovascular endurance first via the treadmill before I go for my second trial class. To avail of the trial classes, just sign up in their site and it automatically gives you the three classes for FREE!

The site is http://f45training.ph/. I will monitor my progress also for the next months. I plan to really be healthy and prolly sexy come December, so that I can eat and gain all that weight back again. Haha! Oh, the cycle of life!