How I Manage To Stay in Shape While Filming Races Around The World

Filming at Shale Hill Adventure - Vermont

Well, I'll have you know that it's no simple task, and I can't tell you that I stay committed everyday, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I can share with you.

When I travel from race to race, and from country to country, it can get very exciting, but it can also be a bit stressful to my mind, body, and spirit.

EASY EXCUSES

It was so easy for me to say things like:

-  I'm traveling today, so I'll just make this a rest day
-  There isn't enough room in the place that I'm staying so I won't workout today
-  I traveled all day yesterday so I need to catch up on some work
-  I can't find a gym nearby, and I don't want to spend money for an uber/taxi/bus etc to get to one
-  I'm sore today, so I'll just lay in bed

REAL LIFE RIGHT HERE

I'm sure that I'm not the only one making excuses, but yes, its tough but the one thing that I've learned is that if I want to be happy and healthy, and want to be able to mark things off my growing bucket list, that I won't be able to do that if I am fat, sick, and unhealthy. So what do I do? I force myself to get uncomfortable. Is it easy? HECK NO!

MY SECRETS

Let me be upfront with you. There are no fitness secrets out there. It's all about hard work and dedication, and something that most people don't event think about.....finding people who think like you. Yeah, I know...it can be tough to find people to workout with you while you're traveling, but it's not impossible. The first thing to do is just ask people. Huh? Yeah, most people just assume that when people travel, all they want to do is drink, party, and sleep....but I know better because I've met so many people who think the opposite, and all I did was ask.

Interviewing Mr Mouse from Tough Guy - Wolverhampton, England

IT'S ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS

Here are some things that I do to keep me in shape while I travel the world filming races for my cause-related media project:

Learn more about my OCRTUBE Media Project

1.  I take the stairs everywhere that I go, and never the elevator, escalator, or anything that would give me an advantage. Now if I'm at the airport and I'm about to miss a flight, I will get on that fast track thing, but I'm hustling and either running or fast walking, not just standing on the right side watching people walk on the left of me.

2.  When I'm on an airplane or any mode of transportation, I tend to do a lot of calf stretches because my calves can get pretty tight while traveling. So I'll simply straighten my legs (one at a time) as much as I can (benefits of being short I guess), and just rotate my feet, point them up and down, etc. This keeps me moving and my calves loose so they won't swell.

3.  When I have long layovers, I will literally find a small area and do either a short stretch or full body strength and conditioning workout. Sometimes I will pay money to go to the lounge so I can get more privacy, but these people don't know you, and you'll probably never see them again. Plus, you may find someone to workout with you. I've done a quick T25 workout from Beachbody on Demand, and it always just makes me feel good...25 minutes and I'm done.

Hanging out with friends at a hostel in Zurich, Switzerland

4.  Lot's of times I stay at hostels and camp sites. At hostels, there isn't a lot of room especially if you are in a dorm room. So I basically try to look for a nearby gym and ask for a free trial pass, or even find a nearby fancy hotel and pay for a day pass and go to town on my P90X workouts. Working out at camp sites are very easy, there is a lot of space to run and do a lot of body weight resistance workouts. I sometimes will bring resistance bands or my TRX, it all depends if I'm traveling domestic or international. I only travel with one small carry on which can also pass for a personal item. I travel light with only my camera equipment, and a few clothes. Toiletries can always be bought anywhere, so I don't even pack that stuff. I film a lot of races, and just use those free race shirts while I travel, and i'll leave them behind if I feel that it is too much to carry in my pack when going back home. I never pay for check in baggage, NEVER...that's how light I travel =).

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5.  Staying at Airbnb's and hotels are definitely easier and I can never make an excuse to not workout because I have my own room. Unfortunately, because I travel 7 months out of the year, staying at Airbnb's and Hotels are like a luxury to me, it doesn't happen all the time. I will mostly do an Insanity or P90X workout, or simple run on the treadmill. I love it when the hotels have their own gyms, it makes it easier to workout, which I prefer Body Beast workouts at the gym. I do love doing my workouts outdoors, but when I've been outdoors filming races all weekend, sometimes I'd rather just stay indoors.

Hotel Gym Workout - Body Beast

6.  When I travel and stay at places for a long period of time, I tend to explore and find out where the best outdoor parks are. Some of these parks have great running trails with fitness equipment along the running path. I've found other parks to have some amazing outdoor gyms for as low as $1. Being outdoors is definitely what I love the most, so I will always prefer an outdoor park over an indoor gym any day.

7.  You'll be surprised of how many free group fitness classes are out there. I will simply google free workouts and find all kinds of free group fitness classes to attend. Most of these are donation based but it's always worth it. Get a better workout and run to the class instead of using public transportation.

8. When I am out sightseeing or exploring, I try do everything myself instead of using a tour guide or tour company. For one, you save a lot more money, and you will see a lot more because you will be on your own time, and not the time set by the company. Now because you will not book through a company, you may have to look for your own transportation, you may get lost, and you might have to hike longer etc. But if you want to see things off the beaten path, and get fit at the same time, then DIY travel should be on the top of your list.  I normally choose tours or activities that keep me active such as Volcano Hikes, Walking Tours, Bike Tours, and Surf Trips etc.

Concepcion Volcano Hike - Nicaragua

9.  Lastly, if I cannot workout for some reason, or I am literally just being lazy, the least I can do is make sure that I am eating super healthy that day. I mean it's always a good idea to eat healthy all the time, but I'll admit, when I travel...I enjoy eating the local foods and an occasional beer or wine. It's ok to live your life, but remember...you only have one life and one body, so take care of it and moderate the junk foods.

10.  I lied. One last thing. I am part of of an online community of people who I coach. Now even though I coach these people with their health and fitness, it doesn't mean that I am anywhere near perfect. My online community inspires me, motivates me, and keeps me accountable while I travel. They are a constant reminder of why I decided to become healthy and fit in the first place. They remind me that coaches aren't perfect and we need help too. It's so important to find the right people to surround yourself with, and an online accountability community at your finger tips will do the trick, that is if you make it a priority. It's like having you're own personal gym and motivators (cheer squad) everywhere you go. If you need to be a part of one, ask to join my group, it's always free =)

AND THAT'S ABOUT IT

Traveling and getting fit is only difficult if you make it difficult. If you use my tips above as a guideline, it will help your travels be a lot more enjoyable, and you won't miss out on a lot of EPICNESS because you were too out of shape to make it up the mountain.

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Safe travels, and I hope to see you somewhere around the world.

Filming in Monterrey, Mexico

What's On My Facebook?

My Coach Page

I've visited Boston a few times, and it is one of my all time FAVORITE historical cities to visit in the USA. Lot's of American Past-Times, and unless you were born under a rock, most of the world knows that FACEBOOK was founded just a hop, skip, and a jump away in neighboring Cambridge, MA at the prestigious Harvard University. What a brilliant dude, that Mark Zuckerburg!

Kirkland House - Harvard University

Where Facebook was born

I took my family to Cambridge last year, and I gave them a little tour of the campus. Just walking around, and bumping into SMART ASS (no really, they're pretty smart ha ha) students, who some of them may one day create "million to billion dollar enterprises", it just mesmerizes me.

My family and I ate at Mr. Bartley's near Harvard Square, it's a cash-only local burger joint with entree names originating from unique Instagram hash tags, pretty cool! This place is definitely a "must-eat" place if you are taking a break from your health, nutrition and fitness regime =) That's why I was there, I was taking a break LOL.

Harvard Square

Ok, I might've gone a little overboard on my burger =) 

Mr. Bartley's - Harvard Square

As my tattooed server whipped around the corner to serve me my big fat burger, I was already planning to take a photo to share on my Facebook. As I was trying to take this gastronomic photo of this MASSIVE creation of awesome sauce, I was also multi-tasking and being strategic on what my caption would be before actually posting it for the whole world to see! Wait a minute....should I even be sharing this on my Facebook timeline as a Beachbody Coach...I mean, aren't I an online fitness coach? Well, YES I AM =)

What might my friends and customers think of me? Will I be labeled as some sort of hypocrite for promoting a healthy and fit lifestyle, while posting a gigantic burger similar to the size of the TITANIC?!?!

Wait it minute, it's my Facebook page, and this is how I relate to people. I am not PERFECT, and neither do I represent myself as someone who doesn't make mistakes (or cheats on a meal every once in awhile). This is what I was thinking about when I was portraying myself as an iPhone Food-Spotting paparazzi guy, and asking THEE question......should I post this or not?

NEVER, NEVER POST NEGATIVITY, ONLY RELATABILITY 

I can't really remember what I decided to do, but as someone who has built a small fitness-related internet company primarily through social media and Facebook, it's sometimes difficult to know what to post, and what not to post, all of this... from a business stand point, and protecting a brand.

If you do not own a business, then you probably won't even understand where I am coming from, let alone care about what I'm even talking about, and that's ok too =)  I mean, if I didn't have an online business, my Facebook page would probably be a lot more private and only open to close friends and family. It took me awhile to open my life with people online. I'm naturally a very private person, and I'm pretty sure that a lot of you could relate, BUT  "get this"... anyone who has a business, with the intentions of being successful, it is almost a requirement to incorporate Facebook/social media into everyday business marketing strategies. Am I right?

Get FIT with Facebook

As I started learning more about social media, and the power behind running a business using Facebook, things began to open up for me, but now it was all about juggling groups, LIKE pages, and those annoying group chats, I absolutely hate those group chats, stop adding me please =).

GETTING TO THE POINT
Since building my brand as a Beachbody Coach and Online Entrepreneur, I have grown from managing my main profile page to multiple Facebook pages. It was MASS CONFUSION in the beginning because I didn't know where to post certain things, when to post, and how to post. Again, this is from a business standpoint with emphasis on building a brand built based on integrity, and long term success.

I have since been able to learn how to categorize my pages and target the posts to each specific niche. So right now, you're probably really confused, sorry about that, no not really sorry, I had to learn all of this too =)

BUT HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT ON MY FACEBOOK:

- MAIN FACEBOOK PAGE, this is as personal as I get on social media. On my main profile page, I share the five things that I am very passionate about: family, fitness, entrepreneurship, obstacle racing, and travel. This is the BEST place to get to know me, other than coming to one of my family reunions or coach retreats. If you ever do come to one of those, I promise that you can try some of my parents authentic filipino cuisine, that's only if my Mom likes you =).

Within those 5 passions, I narrow it down even more to just Family, Beachbody health and fitness, and Travel.

- MAIN COACH PAGE, this is where I mostly share my health, fitness, and wealth-building related posts, as well as some motivational and inspirational quotes. If you want more of this type of content, I highly encourage you to follow my blog here since that is the main source for the shares on this page.

- OCRTUBE MEDIA PROJECT, this is about 100% obstacle course racing. This page is dedicated to my cause-related media project, making a difference, and also where I share other content from other reputable sources within the obstacle racing industry.

OCRTUBE.com on facebook

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT

If you connected with me for reasons such as P90X, Obstacle Racing, or Travel....then now you know where that content will be readily available. Either way, it's great to meet all of you, and hope to see you somewhere around the world!

Start a Fitness Journey - Online Accountability Groups Now Forming 

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Getting Fit with Facebook

Getting Fit with Facebook

I know what some of you may be thinking right now, "how in the heck can facebook get me fit?" Well, you're not the only one =) I was pretty oblivious to the concept, but after about 4 years of learning the in's and out's of this social network according to health and fitness, I have accomplished more than I've ever thought possible, and to think that Facebook started from a small college dormitory at Harvard University.

So facebook is definitely not a gym, BUT for most people, it's a "connecter" of people. The brilliant online platform brings people together from all over the world.  It doesn't matter if you're from Nepal, or if you workout or not, if you're a Doctor, or a Personal Trainer......facebook has changed the way we communicate and network with each other.

So how does this tie into getting fit? I'm glad you asked, here is how you can GET FIT WITH FACEBOOK:

-  FITSPIRATION,  "Fitness Inspiration" comes in all shapes, colors and sizes. Most of us, or at least the ones who will admit it, we all follow certain people on Facebook who either motivate or inspire us. I know I have a good handful of people who I follow because they always have some amazing, positive posts. Sometimes when I just don't feel like working out, or I'm having a bad day, these people motivate me to get off my ass up and go to work. Facebook is totally mobile-friendly too, so you can get inspired anywhere! Here's a suggestion that may help you with getting more fitness and positive inspiration.....get rid of the toxic people in your network! You don't need it in your life. The more inspiration you get, it is more likely that you will be motivated to hit the gym, or kill a workout at home.

-  ACCOUNTABILITY,  This is a big one! We all know that if we don't have anyone to keep us accountable to our health and fitness goals, then eventually we will fall off the wagon, I've been there! Facebook has many fitness support groups specific to certain areas such as: Crossfit, Obstacle Racing, P90X, Paleo, Yoga, Clean Eating...you name it, there is an accountability group out there. The cool thing about this is that, it's all FREE! If you are not into accountability groups, then I would highly recommend that you simply choose an accountability partner from your network. This person should know exactly what your goals are, and you should know his/hers too. It's all about supporting each other 100%. The idea is to stay connected and post messages to each others timelines or direct messages every week to make sure that each of you are staying on point to your fitness goals. Set some workout days together (online or offline workouts), trade clean eating recipes, and maybe start a challenge together!

Message me to join my FREE Fitness Accountability Group - Click here!

-  CHALLENGE GROUPS,  This is not just about accountability, it's more about challenges and real results. Facebook Challenge Groups gives you an opportunity to meet other people who have similar interests as you. Fitness Challenge Groups are all the rage right now on Facebook. No gym, no worries. A Fitness Challenge Group can give you the same camaraderie, motivation, and of course accountability that you can find in any gym environment. There are video chats, and even online workouts! I know that when I did P90X for the first time, I would not have been able to stay motivated if I didn't have an online challenge group of people motivating me and keeping me on point. Unlike some free accountability groups, the challenge groups sometimes require a small investment. Regardless, the challenge is real, and it is set up to get you the best results possible because of the amount of commitment that is there versus a group that is just free. Whenever there is money on the line, that's when people take their health and fitness a lot more seriously.

One of my current Online Challenge Groups on Facebook

What is the Beachbody Challenge? Click here!

-  CONNECTIVITY,  Facebook is all about networking and staying in touch. Connecting with people is as easy as saying, "hey, are you on Facebook, let's connect!". I've done this many times! It doesn't matter if you are at your kids soccer game, a obstacle race, the gym, or traveling....facebook is there to help you stay connected with the people that you meet. So the next time you meet someone who inspires you, motivates you, and is just a downright positive person, then I highly recommend that you connect with that person on Facebook, because the more positive you have in your life, the better your life will be, and that is important to get the motivation that you need to live a healthy and fit lifestyle.

-  INTEGRATED APPS, There are a lot of fitness apps out there that you can integrate with Facebook such as Nike Run, Runkeeper, and more. The cool thing about these apps is that when you synch it with Facebook, your friends can LIKE it, and depending on the app, it will motivate you with notifications such as clap or hoorah while you are running or training. Just another way Facebook can get you fitness motivated, and inspired to keep going.

So there you have it! Facebook is not just for gossip, drama, and non-productivity. Facebook can be used to your benefit and can really help with your health and fitness goals, it's all about connecting with the right people. Interested in joining one of my Online Fitness Challenge groups? Message me, and I'll be happy help you.

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