Sports reporter and fitness instructor, Billie Capistrano, shares her experience on keeping fit amid quarantine

You may have spotted Billie Capistrano on TV at one time or another. She's been a familiar face around cameras and sports events for years now. The young reporter—who's also a senior instructor at Ride Revolution—has been actively making her health a priority since her college years. Now a professional, she shows no sign of stopping. "Fitness has been an integral part of my life and it’s been something I really value and enjoy," she shares. 

While other people may find themselves demotivated due to the lockdown, Capistrano reveals that she's been doing her best to get through the slumps and ruts brought on by the pandemic. Below, we asked her some of her top tips about how to get through this pandemic and come out stronger for it. 

Read more: Fitness Focus: Shape up with Fitness Instructor Celine Encarnacion

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: Instagram / @billiecapis
Tatler Asia
Photo: Instagram / @billiecapis
Above Photo: Instagram / @billiecapis

You’ve spent a lot of time doing sports reporting and also around athletes as a result. Has this affected your motivation to exercise and stay fit?

Definitely! My athlete friends, the athletes I’ve covered and interviewed, they’re all such inspirations to me. It’s amazing how much resilience, discipline and motivation they have. They put in the workday in and day out and the results are incredible, that’s why it pushes me to do the same.

What are your fitness goals and which workouts have helped you achieve them?

Right now, I’d say that I’m just focused on feeling good about my body and not really trying to reach any particular fitness goal — just maintenance for now. Of course, I just want to be healthy, happy, and strong.

However, at the start of the year, I signed up with my Coach, Lon Santos, and he helped me prep for a beach trip. I treated it as a mini-experiment, just to see how I could transform my physique, and it was such an incredible experience. Really challenging, but I had so much fun throughout the whole process and got to understand my body more. Lifting weights and indoor cycling at Ride Revolution helped me transform my body.

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: @billiecapis on Instagram

What is your usual fitness routine?

When gyms were still open, I did a five-day split plus my indoor cycling classes. Right now, things are a little bit different given the situation we’re in. Aside from teaching Ride Revolution classes four times a week at home, I try to work out at least three to five times a week, and get my steps in 10,000 steps a day! Not too strict now since I don’t have that much gym equipment (I really just have dumbbells and bands, but we make it work!)

Do you have a special diet that you follow? 

I don’t have a really strict diet right now! I just try to be mindful of what is put into my body. My stomach is really sensitive, too, so I can’t really eat a lot of dairy, red meat, fatty, and oily food. On a normal day, I’ll eat rice, potatoes, chicken, and fish. But of course, not all days are the same! I don’t deprive myself of the food I want to eat because I love food too much. My mom is the best cook, so I can never say no to her cooking. It’s all about balance and knowing what works for your body.

See also: Quarantine Routine: 5 Popular Arm Workouts On Youtube

Tatler Asia
Above Photo: @billiecapis on Instagram
Tatler Asia

What does it take to be a fitness instructor?

A strong desire to motivate and help people. Lots of patience with yourself, too. You have to be passionate about what you're doing. Not all teaching days are going to be good, but you live, learn, and keep getting better!

How do you motivate your students/others in general when they feel tired or unmotivated?

I’d be a hypocrite if I said that I’m always motivated because I’m really not especially in this third lockdown. I really think it’s all about being kind to yourself and giving yourself the little breathers that you need. It’s okay to take a step back and it’s fine to be back at square one [as long as you] come back stronger.

How did you stay fit amid the quarantine?

Eating food that I know is good for my body, doing workouts that make me feel energised, happy, and strong. [Also], teaching Ride Revolution classes and being surrounded by such an amazing community, plus giving myself time to rest and reconnect with the people that matter.

Read more: Intermittent Fasting: Is It Truly Effective For You?

 

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