Preparing to Explore South America as a Digital Nomad

Planning out my trip to South America

Yes, you can say that I have the travel bug right now =) My last trip abroad was during the latter part of 2014 when I went to Southeast Asia for about 4 months, and like I do with all of my travels, I had the most amazing time and gained a ton of new travel friends, many of whom were just like me, Digital Nomads or DM's.

According to wikipedia, a Digital Nomad is someone who uses technology to perform their work and conduct their life in a nomadic manner. As a Full Time Online Beachbody Coach for almost 3 years now, my coaching business is completely online, which means as long as I have a decent internet connection, I can work my business (coach, motivate, and keep people accountable to their health and fitness goals) anywhere around the world, which is one of the things that appealed to me when I decided to make this Beachbody Coaching thing a REAL business, instead of something that most people do, which is treating it like a hobby.

So why can't you leave like right now? Ha ha, oh you know I would leave in a heart beat, but I have some pretty important things to do with my daughter before I take off for about a year. My daughter just started college, and is surprisingly to others, just learning how to drive, and guess who's teaching her? Yup, her Daddy, and I am so blessed to be able to have the freedom to just be at my daughters becking call, thanks to the freedom that I have with my digital nomadic online fitness business =) Thanks Beachbody!  My daughter is doing great, but as you know, college requires a lot of projects and deadlines, so I told my daughter to take your time with the driving and just focus on your education, driving is definitely not more important than her studies. I do have an itch to go abroad, but what's more important to me than travel is my family, especially the well-being of my daughter.

So that's one reason why I haven't left yet, the other is that I am actually in the middle of my P90X Marathon Training. I am actually all signed up for the Walt Disney World Marathon which is in January 2016, so I guess you can say that I will not be leaving for South America until around February 2016. But it doesn't mean that I cannot start preparing for it =).

Mountain Biking the Most Dangerous Road - Bolivia is on my South America list

What I mean by preparing to explore South America, I simply mean that I have started to do some research on some of the most important activities that I plan to do while I am there. And no, I will not have some sort of detailed agenda, but I will have certain things that I will want to do, and here are some of those exciting things:

- Running the Inca Trail Marathon to Machu Picchu
- Huh, pretty much running a trail marathon in each country that I visit =)
- Mountain Biking the most dangerous road in the world in Bolivia
- Exploring the glaciers and hiking in Patagonia
- Sandboarding in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Visiting as many local gyms as I can to continue my P90X workouts

Sandboarding in Chile - On my List!

Photo Credit: 2backpackers

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! I will be posting all of my travel adventures here, so feel free to bookmark my page to get some tips on adventure travel in South America, it's going to be a blast!

Do you have a passion for health, fitness and adventure? I am always expanding my Online Coach Team! If you have some serious goals and are VERY serious about achieving them, then I may have the perfect opportunity for you, contact me here!



The Beachbody Challenge is where it all started for me, start your journey today!

Get a Beachbody Coach Blog Set Up - BLOGGER

Get Your Own Beachbody Blog via Blogger - Blog Set Up Service

One the best things that I've ever done as a Beachbody Coach was getting a blog started. I was never a writer, or someone who knew how to express myself. I was actually one of those people who would just wish that everyone could just read my mind already ha ha, any of you relate? =)

As with anything in life, in order to get to the next level, it was about me getting out of my comfort zone, and doing things that I was not familiar with. I've heard of, and have seen plenty of successful people become TOP COACHES by using a simple blog. I said to myself, if they can do it, so can I, and that's how it all started.

Living a Digital Nomadic life as an Online Beachbody Coach

Why are you starting a blog set up service for Beachbody Coaches?
It all started with me, and then my own coach team, and after that, I actually enjoyed doing it. I began creating quick and easy blogs using the BLOGGER format for my friends and people that I met during my travels, so I decided why not help the Beachbody Coach Community? It doesn't take me long at all to create a simple blog, so this allows me to help other entrepreneurs, as well as helping my own team succeed, and for me, that's what it's all about.

Do you only use Blogger/Blogspot to set up Beachbody Coach blogs?
Yes. There are other blogging platforms, some more professional than blogger/blogspot, but this is what I use, and it has proven to be successful for me, and it works! It's not about how fancy your blog or website looks, it's more about the content, and how people relate to you, and how you promote it. If the TOP COACHES in this business have become insanely successful using the blogger platform, then I think it's safe to say that it will work for you and I as well =).

Check out some Top Coaches below who use Blogger:

2014 Top Coach Melanie Mitro uses Blogger

My own personal blogger blog earns me retail sales and leads weekly! 

2013 Top Coach Lindsay Matway uses Blogger

Lindsay McGuire, Personal Trainer and Elite Coach

What does the initial Blog Set Up include?
- Customized Top Blog Header with your slogan or business name
- 5 Page Tabs (Ex: About Me, Shakeology, Beachbody Challenge, Recipes, Challenge Groups)
- Customized Color and Design to fit your personality and niche
- Online Contact Forms
- Social Buttons for content sharing
- Up to 5 online Beachbody Specific Banners for online retail sales and leads
- Social Network Buttons to connect prospects to your other networks

"I've always been in Introvert, so blogging is a way for me to connect with people on a mass scale"

` Arnel

How much will it cost for a simple blog set up?
- Only $50 delivered in 3-5 business days (one time fee)
- Only $75 if you want your blog up and running within 24-48 hours (Rush Service)
Keep in mind, this is a one-time only set up fee. There will be no hidden fees or monthly charges. After the initial set up, it's all yours!

*I will also provide free blogger tutorials to learn how to begin posting content to your blog. "One on One" advice via video chat is also available from me for a small fee.

All Sites Are Mobile-Friendly

Yes, blogs are perfect for guys too! =)

Do you create other blogs?
Yes, I can do blog set ups for Personal Fitness Trainers, Entrepreneurs, Athletes, Other Direct Marketing Businesses, and World Travelers.

I am ready to get a blog started, what's next?
Contact me directly here, and I look forward to helping you begin building your online business!

GET STARTED NOW!!!!

Being Location Independent as an Online Beachbody Coach 

Become a Beachbody Coach - Get the DEETS here! 

Get access to Online Streaming Beachbody Workouts anytime, anywhere!

813 Fit Club at Curtis Hixon Park - Downtown Tampa

So check this out, 813 Fit Club, a free fitness group focused on getting the Tampa community off the couch using the billion-dollar P90X brand hosts free outdoor workouts every 4th Tuesday of the month at Curtis Hixon Park.

I started 813 Fit Club along with my Beachbody Coach Team early 2011, and it has been growing exponentially every year! What started out as a way to just keep myself and other online fitness coaches motivated during our own journey, turned out to be one of the Top Free Fitness Classes in America according to Shape Magazine, you can read the article here.

Featured in Shape Magazine

813 Fit Club - Top Free Fitness Class in America

Every 4th Tuesday, 813 Fit Club brings in Certified Beachbody Instructors and local Personal/Group Fitness Trainers to host free/donation-based classes to help the community become more active. All other Tuesday Night Workouts are hosted at the newly-renovated Barrymore Hotel just off the scenic Tampa Riverwalk. Donations are definitely not required, and hardly ever talked about, but it is one of the primary ways that our club has remained strong through the years. It's the support of our members that keep our Fit Club strong and on the cutting-edge. Our members are from all walks of life, we have young professionals, students, single moms, athletes, beginners, as well as Crossfit enthusiasts just to name a few. The one thing that you can get from all of our free workouts is 100% support, motivation, and accountability. It's not about competition or who's doing the most push ups. It's about encouraging each other to do more and be more.

813 Fit Club at Curtis Hixon Park

Visit 813 Fit Club - Click here!

Although the workouts are all free, members who decide to get more serious about turning health and fitness into a lifestyle, our team of Coaches provide targeted online fitness challenges to help with specific goals. Whether you want to lose 10-100+ pounds, become a better athlete, bulk up, tone up, or just eat healthier, we have a challenge for you!

Since the Grand Opening in 2011, we have always been focused on helping people live healthier and active lifestyles, and we continue to make that a top priority. If you are ever in the Tampa area, please feel free to join us on a Tuesday Night, we'd love to meet you! Visit 813 Fit Club on Facebook here.

Get the 813 Fit Club Workout Schedule Here

Not from Tampa? That's ok =) Simply contact me here, and I can assist you and provide you with some information on some of my upcoming online fitness challenges. Looking forward to helping you achieve your goals!

Coach Arnel

See you soon! 

Interested in Beachbody Coaching? Click here!

Start a Fitness Journey Today - Free Coaching from me!

How To Get P90X Certified

Me and P90X Creator Tony Horton

First of all, if you didn't already know, P90X is not just an in-home extreme fitness program. I actually do P90X everywhere! It doesn't matter if I am at home, the gym, at the park, or in my hotel room, I can do P90X. Especially with P90X on Demand, as long as you have access to the internet, you can KILL the workouts anywhere.

Be part of a Billion-Dollar Brand! - Get P90X Certified! 

So this post is primarily for people who would like to get P90X Certified but have no interest in becoming a Beachbody Coach, which in my opinion is pretty weird =). But hey, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you are a Personal Trainer or Group Fitness Instructor, then you know how effective it can be to offer your clients some options, so P90X is just another option.

Get P90X Certified and take it to the Gym:

But here's the thing, P90X is everywhere! Everyone knows about P90X. The company Beachbody spends over a million dollars to advertise P90X. What does this mean to you as a Personal Trainer or Group Fitness Instructor? It means that you do not have to advertise or try to sell people on the idea that it works, they know it works!

Get Insanity Certified here:

Here is what's included in the LIVE P90X Instructor Workshop:

- 1 Day live instructor workshop

- Comprehensive digital P90X LIVE Instructor Manual

- Continuing Education Units/Credits:

NASM .7 CECs

ACE .7 CECs

AFAA 7 CEUs

4 canfitpro (FIS and PTS)

How much is it to become P90X Certified?

It's $249, but if you are a Team Beachbody Coach, you will save 10%

Do I have to be a Team Beachbody Coach to get P90X Certified?

Absolutely not, but it will definitely help you. For more information on becoming a Beachbody Coach, please contact me directly here. 

I'm ready to get P90X Certified, what now?
It's very simple, just click on the banner below =)

Get P90X Certified - Teach P90X at the Gym

FREEDOM as a Online Beachbody Coach

Quality Time with my daughter anytime I want =)

FREEDOM, what does this mean?

According to Wikipedia, freedom can be described as "the power to do as one wants". It says absolutely nothing about money or materialism. When I decided to become a Beachbody Coach back in late 2010, I had no intentions to build a full time online coaching business. The only thing on my mind was to save a ton of cash on Shakeology while I was going through this brutal P90X Challenge that I talked myself into. At the time, I was working 3 jobs at about a hundred hours per week, and unfortunately, I was still broke, so having the opportunity to save money was something that I was always searching for. 

Let's fast forward to present day (2015). I am happily involved in building a team of success-driven leaders and I currently have almost 3,000 customers with those numbers growing dramatically every single week. I have an unbelievably fast-growing organization of almost 30,000 coaches under my coaching business, and I haven't had a job in almost 3 years. I guess you can say that I have FREEDOM.

Spending my life with people who matter most to me

Now, I don't say this to brag, that is definitely not in my personality, I say this because I am thankful, very thankful. I am thankful for everything that has happened in my life, the people that I have met, the trials and tribulations that I continue to go through, and most importantly, the opportunity to be able to pursue something that I am truly passionate about while helping others. 

Over 5 years ago, my life was completely different. I drove a Range Rover that I couldn't afford, wore $100 T-shirts, and drank almost every night. These days, I am happy to sleep in a tent, and instead of spending my hard-earned cash on fancy hotels and VIP bottle service, I spend most of my online coaching income on staying active with the people who matter most to me like my family and my amazing coach team. I travel the world on the cheap looking for adventure (not luxury), and give money away to great causes along the way. I guess you can say that this health and fitness company Beachbody has completely changed my whole outlook on life.

Beachbody Coaching allows me to explore the world on my own terms!

Crossing the border from Laos to Cambodia

Freedom to me is exactly what it is, "I do what I want, when I want, anytime I want", but here's the really cool thing about what I do...... I can also share this amazing opportunity with others so that they too can experience the freedom that they want for themselves, and for me, there is no other industry or opportunity out there that can provide that.

I can work anywhere and not be location dependent - complete freedom!

Work with me

Do you need more happiness in your life? Do you want to be more healthy? Do you love helping others? Is FREEDOM important to you? If all of these are true, then boy do I have something to share with you =) Looking forward to meeting you! Message me =) 

Coach Arnel

Start a health and fitness journey today, choose your challenge now:

XTERRA Blackwater Triathlon - 2015

XTERRA Blackwater - August 2nd, 2015

So if you're going to ask me if I competed in this event, then the answer is no I did not =) I went out to this event to support my brother Fermin Banawa and his friend Jeremy Cooper. It was their first-ever triathlon event, and I was just as excited to watch them, well...I think they were a lot more nervous than excited, well....nervous-excited, you know what I mean ha ha.

Watch Xterra Blackwater Video Below

This Xterra Blackwater Triathlon was a National Qualifying XTERRA XPS race which included a 800 yard swim, 13 mile mountain bike, and a 3.75 mile trail run. The event was hosted and organized by Soml Racing, a local group in Pensacola, Fl dedicated to promote fitness, highlight athletic and volunteer achievements, and to encourage espirit de corps among rescue swimmers, their families, and their friends.

The location was set at the Blackwater River State Forest, hence the name "Xterra Blackwater" a place that I am very familiar with,  I frequented Blackwater Park Bear Lake with my family growing up. Lots of canoeing memories =)

Take your TRI Training to the next level with Beachbody Performance

Get the Club Performance Pack Now - CLICK HERE!

(Online Streaming Workouts anywhere plus Performance Hydrate and Recovery)

Anyways, I created a quick video for the event, as my main purpose as an Online Beachbody Fitness Coach is to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. And what better way to film, motivate, and inspire others to live better, and TRI something like an XTERRA event. Enjoy the video, and don't forget to subscribe to my channel to get more videos on fitness, travel, and adventure races.

XTERRA Blackwater - Bear Lake 2015

Arnel Banawa is an Online Fitness Coach, World Traveler, Adventure Athlete, and a very proud Father. Connect with him here.

Stay active my friends! 

Beachbody Performance for Athletes! TRI it now:

Gator Mud Run 2015 - GoPro Hero4 Session Review

I bought the new GoPro Hero4 Session a few days ago and tested it at the Gator Mud Run in Waldo, FL. The event was hosted by the Trojan Race Series and was held at the Waldo Motorcross Park.

Gator Mud Run - 2015

First and foremost, I am a GoPro Enthusiast! If I am not recording my P90X workouts on my iPhone, I am religiously using my GoPros! I was a little hesitant at first to buy the new GoPro Hero4 Session because it is a little less quality than the Hero4 Black, but I decided to give it a shot.

Just a few differences between the Hero4 Session and the Hero4 Black:

-  The Session has a 8mp camera versus a 12mp that comes with the Hero4 Black
-  The Session is waterproof to 33' while the Hero4 Black can go to depths of 131'
-  The Session shoots high quality 1080 max, while the Hero4 Black goes up to 4K
-  The Session comes to you fully waterproof, while the Hero4 Black requires a waterproof casing
-  The big difference is the SIZE!

What I like most about the GoPro Hero4 Session:

-  Easy one button control. Turn it on, and it starts recording. When you stop recording, the camera automatically shuts off. This saves me so much battery life!
-  It's already waterproof and rugged, no casing required!
-  Can be used with existing accessories.
-  Dual mic system front and back. If the wind is blowing in the front, the camera automatically will begin using the rear mic....BRILLIANT!

Yes, you lose some quality, but it works well with what I'm using it for. I really have no need to shoot 4K, but I would definitely love the camera to shoot 12mp like the Hero4 Black, I think it eventually will. I'm happy with it, and I would definitely recommend it!

So do you want to check out the obstacle course racing video that I created with my new GoPro Hero4 Session? Check it out here:

Gator Mud Run 2015 - Waldo, FL

Watch more OCR Videos - Click here!

Need to kick your Obstacle Race Training up a notch? Check out the Beachbody Performance Line! NSF Certified for Pro and Collegiate Athletes: