Chrissie Torres, Fitness Femme

For Chrissie Torres, fitness and mindful living are inextricably linked. The 26-year old creative has a yin yang of activities that keep her busy – all geared towards living a healthy life. She’s one of Ride Revolution’s cycling instructors, an Ashtanga yogi, creator of all-natural snack brand Mana Bites, and a staunch advocate of lessening single-use plastic.

Here, she gives more insight into staying fit and shares tips on how she incorporates workout time in her travel itinerary.
What inspired you to create Mana Bites?
I’m 100% dedicated to living a mindful life. Going beyond working out, that also means fueling my body with the right things and that’s exactly why I decided to put up Mana Bites. My current diet, and the one I’m actually really happy with, is intermittent fasting. Generally, I try to stay low-carb and stay away from processed food as much as possible.

How did you get into indoor cycling? How would you describe the experience?
A lot of my friends were doing it and so I decided to try out. It’s an exhilarating experience because it’s almost as if you’re dancing on a bike. The music, along with the energetic cues of the instructors, really makes a difference for the entire 50 minutes. What’s great about being part of Ride Revolution is that it’s an awesome family environment and we’re constantly pushing each other to become better and stronger.

Are there any fitness goals you want to achieve within the year?
Currently, I’m working on my flexibility and strength. I was always a student athlete and I ignored stretching and flexibility for the most part and now I really regret having taking that for granted. I’m also currently getting my certification for teaching Lagree Fitness and also finishing my Yoga Alliance requirements for finishing my first 200 hours of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. I’ve recently taught my first yoga class in a studio setting and it was definitely a very different experience.

Do you get any workout done during your travels?
Absolutely 100% yes! I always bring 1-2 sets of workout wear with me to travel. My favorite things to do on-the-go is Ab Ripper x from the P90x series and a series of HIIT workouts. Working out is another thing I look forward to when I’m traveling. I look for a yoga studio or indoor cycling studio in the area, which is also a great way to make friends and connections in a foreign place.

Are there any fitness apps you find useful when you’re traveling?
One app to have for all your needs is definitely YouTube. It’s a boundless resource for HIIT, yoga or even general exercise tips. I like going to Fitness Blender’s YouTube page because they have something for all fitness levels.

Where did you go on your last trip?
My most recent trip was Bacolod. It was mainly a trip to visit Pat’s family.

What was your favorite part of that trip?
Pat’s family has a place just about 1.5 hours away from Silay airport called Pandanan. His family lives at a cozy little area by the beach. We spent the entire first day in a hut on stilts, eating the freshest seafood. The hut stands right above the water and it’s amazing because the breeze that comes in is so refreshing. There were rock formations nearby and other areas to explore.

Favorite Philippine destination?
On the top of my list are Siquijor, Palawan and Siargao. Out of the three, I would have to go with Siargao. I see myself living there in the next few years as I’ve been wanting to move away from the city life for some time now. There is something refreshing about the vibe of the place in general. I love it because you have a beautiful view of the stars at night, several surfing beaches for different levels of surfers and the people are so friendly. I appreciate the fact that I was never served a single plastic straw in any of the establishments. They were all reusable aluminum ones like those I carry around. I see myself helping with the environmental initiatives here in the future.

Favorite international destination?
It would really have to be Kyoto because there are countless things to love about it. You have history, modern comforts and beautiful sceneries all around. It is a city surrounded by nature. I’ve always said that if I didn’t live in the Philippines, I would love to live in Japan. It has everything you need but it has a much more relaxed pace compared to Osaka and Tokyo. I feel that you can connect better with the traditional Japanese way of life here.

Where are you headed next?
Siargao in September and Bohol in October.

Follow Chrissie on Instagram (@chrissietorres).