She grew up doing sports and dancing. She did gymnastics and ballet, even a bit of football. In college, she was also a cheerleader.

But like many young professionals, Belle Rodolfo’s active routine hit a snag as she started to get busy with work.

“And then I just felt too sedentary,” says the beauty editor and writer, now 29.

But when the pandemic hit, her road back to fitness kicked into high gear. She had planned to take up yoga teacher training in 2020; however, she got sick with COVID. It took her months to fully regain her strength.

This year, she finally enrolled in yoga teacher training. She earned her certification in July, and began her teaching practice in August.

What have you been busy with?

This year, I rejoined publishing as L’Officiel set up once more in the Philippines … Also this year, I finally took the leap of faith and enrolled in yoga teacher training … I’m also starting another teacher training. Three years ago I really thought teaching wasn’t in the cards for me.

Have you always been into fitness?

I grew up in sports and dance … I was a bit more relaxed around 2016 because I was really busy with work … And then after that year I just felt too sedentary. I started getting into working out again and never really stopped, only varied in levels of activity.

What’s your fitness routine?

By 8 a.m. I either teach or practice yoga. When I practice on my own, it’ll be a sequence that I’m also teaching. I always practice what I teach because it makes it more embodied.

By 5-7 p.m., depending on what time work ends, I take a class with another teacher, whether yoga or barre. On Mondays and Fridays, I also teach at 7 p.m. On Sunday, I fully rest.

What are your favorite workouts and forms of exercise?

Yoga! I also love barre and Lagree—low-impact, which my knees appreciate, but really amazing results for my body. I love boxing; it’s the only cardio I can really stand. Recently, I’ve been taking up tennis and rollerskating, which now expand the list of cardio I enjoy. I miss aerial hoop the most, though, because it’s the one workout that’s hard to do without a studio class or your own equipment.

How often do you work out?

Probably eight to 10 times in a week because I practice what I teach. I teach that sequence, and then I do my personal practice with my teacher. I also like to take work breaks by rollerskating so I get some sun. I do move a lot.

Where do you work out?

I take classes with my teachers Rianna Gatus and Benedict Bernabe of Beyond Yoga. I also take classes with fellow teachers from my batch of yoga trainees. If it’s barre, I do Barre3. With boxing and tennis, my partner and I have a personal trainer, but it’s kind of hard to do that right now, so safety first. Most of these are at-home situations—we have a little multipurpose space for this.

What are your fitness essentials/must-haves?

A good sturdy mat, my blocks and my foam roller, which is my body’s bestie. I don’t use many apps these days as I love the feeling of a live class. It really hits different.

What’s on your workout playlist?

If it’s yoga, it’ll be something lo-fi … If it’s something more upbeat like barre, I like playing some Lady Gaga and Ariana. For skating, I like moving to funk and disco. Just to really get those roller derby vibes going. Do you stick to a strict diet? I used to really count my calories and macros and meal prep. It was very, very time consuming and something you need to commit to. Unfortunately, I’m not the best cook! I explored meal plans so I was on paleo for a time, and then high-protein low-carb. Now I just eat intuitively.

What do you usually eat in a day?

I’ve changed from being a big breakfast person to just having iced black coffee to get me going. Unless I’m really hungry, my next meal would be lunch. If I want to grab a bite, I just make oatmeal, eat a banana or drink celery plus apple plus orange plus carrot juice. But some days, it could also be some cookies or cake with my coffee. It varies. I need sugar!

What’s off-limits?

Nothing. I just watch the portions, and really loosely. I try not to eat pork, though, and I just naturally lean toward fish and chicken. If I’m hungry between morning coffee and lunch, and there’s cake in the fridge, I will definitely eat that cake!

Do you have cheat days? Saturdays, where I order something really special and delicious or comforting. Since the pandemic, if I gravitate toward what gives me joy, I do so—along with the kindness of not judging myself for what makes me happy. And what gives me joy is dessert!

I also love really good rich food like burgers, cheese, pizza with prosciutto, a bloody steak—just all in moderation. If I go too hard, then I balance it out by clocking in a bit more workout time, and then making sure I eat clean the next day.

What keeps you motivated?

This is hard for me if it’s in terms of more cerebral work … I tend to overthink.

I guess the motivation to move and work out comes more naturally as it’s a space for my mind to just be. If I’m doing cardio, I love how it can really let my mind expand and just vibe. When I’m doing yoga, I love how it challenges me to be in the present and connect with myself. So I suppose, for getting myself moving, I chalk it down to habit, and also that I really like doing it. You really have to want it.

How did the pandemic affect your fitness routine?

It made me way more creative and independent in terms of my own home workout equipment, my spaces at home. I was way more active in the early days of the pandemic.

I was ready to take yoga teacher training in 2020 but I got COVID around September last year. There was around four months of recovery because the fatigue hit me really hard. At first, it was so tiring to even get through something as simple as brushing my teeth. I’d get so winded walking up the stairs. My chest would hurt if I tried to push into anything. Plus it was difficult to breathe normally. I just picked up again in terms of consistency at the beginning of this year.

What are your other fitness secrets?

I believe it’s finding a way to move your body that is sustainable for you—something that you truly enjoy and isn’t a chore for you.

Another one is finding a good relationship with your body and food. I’m not as lean as I was a couple of years ago, but I move just as much, and that’s fine with me.

Also, I want to recognize that being able to commit to a complete fitness and nutritious diet is definitely a privilege. Because I have a full-time job that allows me time for my teaching practice, I do have the privilege of time and most especially the resources that let me access things like my yoga training, boxing and tennis coaches, class passes for barre.

Eating well is a privilege, too, not just in terms of resources but time, if you want to prepare your own meals. When I was way younger and in a different place financially, the way I managed this was, I’d really have to choose between working out at a gym/studio plus make your own meals, or work out at home plus meal plan. It would be hard to commit to both because that wouldn’t be the most practical if you don’t have the privilege to access all the fitness resources.

I have students who mention that they lost their job in the pandemic, and it breaks my heart. But I believe in sharing exercise and yoga (which are separate things!) with all, so I offer free classes once a week for new students or those who are just not in a place right now to spring for full class passes. We could all use some yoga now, really.

What tips do you want to share with people who want to get healthier?

First, have a healthy relationship with your body and with food first. This is something I am also working on. Changing your perspective on what your body “should” look like, “should” be like, makes all the difference.

Also, seeing food as a “guilty” pleasure will just always make you feel bad about eating, when food should give you joy! Remove the judgment, and just be kind to yourself.

Second, find something that you love because fitness isn’t something you do for two weeks and keep the results forever. It’s something you consistently work on every day, even if it’s not the same intensity and same thing every day.

Third, listen to your body. As women and as people who work in inherently outcome-focused environments, we’re pretty much conditioned to minimize little aches and pains, to shrink ourselves for others. But no. I learned in yoga to really listen to your body. Your body’s always rooting for you, and listening to the signals it sends you is important.

And health isn’t just your physique, it’s also how you feel mentally, and how your body is on the inside. Sometimes addressing one little issue will save you tons of time, worry, and even hospital bills versus if you put it off and let it blow up into something more serious.

If you want to learn to be more in tune with your body as you move, come take a yoga class with me! I am @bellelovesyoga on Instagram. INQ