As we navigate the torturous waters of this modern-day viral war, we realize the importance of adapting to a new, home-centric way of life. Work from home may be the #newnormal from hereon. Work out from home may also be the new way to stay physically fit and healthy, as we find ways to stay ahead in this battle.

For triathletes, work out from home starts with indoor bike training. Working out on a smart bike trainer is the ideal system setup even inside a limited area. Girls Run For Breakfast (GRFB) buddy Gem Padilla-Thomas has a wonderful setup in her condo where she trains with her hubby Nick as they virtually cross their triathlon finish lines together.

For less intense athletes, there are many online classes to make training more fun. All you need is a well-ventilated workout space, and of course, strong Wi-Fi. Since the training is indoors, there’s no need for a mask. Running indoors now beats outdoors, as running with a mask really hinders breathing.

I miss our Friday runs with the GRFB girls. Even if breakfast was always longer than the run, we still got in a bit of workout. Luckily our head coach Ani de Leon-Brown offers several bike classes and she heavily trains with her Ironman champ Dan Brown. She enjoys training at home because she can watch over their two cute kids even on long, virtual bike rides.

Last year, the Browns set up a little gym so that their kids would have their own private playground. The garden is small but they were able to put in monkey bars, a rope ladder, rings and a small climbing wall. These competitive parents also use the monkey bars as well for their pullups.

To add some business, they recently put up a disinfecting business called Savepoint Laguna (tel. 0906-2010988; email [email protected]) and we are part of the Savepoint Philippines/Global Family, which has developed an excellent system of disinfecting establishments, be they private or public areas.

Triathlon outfits on sale

Coach Ani and fellow GRFB Doray Ellis shared with me the exciting big sale of Amira Athletics Fitness (@amiraathetics on Instagram for all the styles), a cool line of cycling and triathlon outfits. They are offering 40-percent off the retail price, so shop online now! If you can’t train right now, just get on a bike trainer and take a selfie wearing one of their outfits, and pretend to work out for the Gram!

Doray is even busier now during the quarantine. Before the pandemic, she started coaching young kids and teenagers with her Get Coach’D Academy. I bumped into her and a group of students in Balesin Island Club last month. She told me that she has started cooking yummy Hainanese Chicken Rice (tel. 0999-9979772).

Whatever the fitness level, it is important to work out daily for at least 30 minutes and work out constantly. Doray told me to start with a jump rope as a good cardio warmup. Follow the program with light weights and high reps, but once you get stronger, it’s good to invest in some weights like dumbbells and kettlebells.

Quarantine has brought out bakers, painters and sewers out there, but also numerous fitness buffs have joined the new entrepreneurs. Monica Altura (MoniCrafts, tel. 0917-8956260) started making handmade, artisanal sourdough bread, and you can order them plain or with add-ons like cranberries and seeds, olives and herbs, and cheese and herbs. Her latest creation is rum cake. I would like to also order her artisan soap soon.

Another baker in our GRFB gang is Raeanna Cranbourne. Rae started Cranny’s Kitchen (@crannyskitchen on Instagram) during lockdown and has added so many homemade baking goodies as well as bread, bagels and mango chutney.

The only exercise I have been getting lately is shuffling mahjong tiles between games, although I recently tried out the online dance classes of Studio 808 (@808studioph on Instagram). I was able to organize a dance party with the studio for my upcoming birthday, thanks to studio owner Sophia Coyiuto. The disco theme party will be for the benefit of Sisters of Mary.

Zumba in Balesin

I’m also looking forward to joining the Zumba sessions with Zin instructor Robby Caguimbal in Balesin Sept. 25-27. The Aegle Wellness Center is continuing their Serenity Series Balesin with Robby’s Zumba + Wellness Weekend. All are welcome to join this fantastic meld of Aegle’s medical treatments and wellness exercises to come up with a holistic weekend that really boosts your immune system.

Serenity Series Balesin includes a three-day, two-night stay at the Balesin Island Club’s beautiful villas, round-trip airfare, new coronavirus disease antibody tests, daily breakfast, Aegle treatments worth over P38,000, starting with a physician consultation followed by body composition analysis, an autonomic nervous system stress response test, direct micronutrient analysis, light therapy, a choice of local fat-reduction treatment or face therapy and a choice of IV immune boost drip or hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

I also love the thalassotherapy included in the package, which is only available in Balesin. All guests of the Serenity Series go home with a 30-day supply of Aegle’s Immune Booster Pack supplements.

Of course, the highlight of the Serenity Series Balesin weekend will be the Zumba sessions with Robby “ZIN Rob” Caguimbal. What could be more fun? A little sunshine, the fragrance of the ocean breezes, exciting dance music, and the moves of ZIN Rob to make us forget our quarantine issues. (Email [email protected] to join the Aegle Serenity Series Balesin.)

Let me end with a shoutout for the virtual beauty event of Rustan’s Beauty Addict to celebrate the eighth anniversary of Rustan’s Beauty Source. This upcoming #RustansBeautyAddictFaceForward virtual launch party is happening on Sept. 3 at 4 p.m. via Facebook Live. Get a lot of promos and deals by joining the virtual event. (Register at bit.ly/RustansBeautyAddict2020.)