Fitness has ceased to be simply physical, and now encompasses so many other aspects of our lives. It’s our world view, our disposition, the food we eat, the things we read and much more.
Some even regard it as the foundation of their lives. In a world that engulfs us with work, many now see fitness as a luxury, afforded only by those who are already up in the ladder. A growing number now realize that the soundness of the body and mind are not supposed to be treated as dispensable options and added tasks.
Embracing all the many things that make up fitness and its true importance in our lives, several spaces have transformed themselves so that they can reflect a fuller grasp of what the word really means.
Festival of choices
This very popular go-to place in Alabang may very well be a festival for wellness, with brands and activities promoting total wellbeing ready to be discovered by goers. It’s an accessible destination in South Manila, just beside transport nodes.
Situated at the heart of Filinvest City, the 20-hectare mall has over 700 stores and specialty shops. Among the products sold are brands and services in sports and beauty. Visit the Body Shop, Healthy Options or Nature Republic to add healthier alternatives to your usual items. The mall also has salons and spas for those who would like a pampering.
Festival Mall also hosts Elorde Boxing Gym, G-Force Dance Studio, WiiJump Trampoline Park and Slimmer’s World, four locators that can address your requirements for physical activity quite distinctly from one another. Those who want to train on their own might chance upon fitness finds at the Landmark Department Store or the many different sports houses around the mall.
Those who want to commune with nature have the picturesque River Park, among the newest features of the mall. This enables visitors to hang out by a natural river surrounded with green landscaping and beautiful ornaments. The River Park also offers unique dining concepts, from a coffee shop to casual dining and post-dinner options, complemented by the sight of greenery. It’s a mall that does not scrimp on open spaces, where families can bond or individuals can jog or meditate.
Where business, pleasure and life’s best moments meet
Eton Centris is a one-stop-shop fit for the requirements of the Filipino worker nowadays. It features office and commercial spaces all within a highly accessible area in Quezon City. Offices are near the commercial spaces, which can cater to workers’ cravings for food and inclination to shopping sprees.
Eton Centris is a 12-hectare mixed-use complex with four elements, in particular: Centris Station and Centris Walk, which are commercial spaces; CyberPod, which are workspaces; and Elements, a place that hosts social gatherings. Making the area even more exciting and full of life is its hosting of events that regularly bring all sorts of people together, including pet fairs, concerts and even Masses.
While most people would know the place for its diverse dining options, that’s not all that Eton Centris holds.
With wellbeing among the essential values of the project, it has several offerings for those who would like a pampering or would choose to sweat it out.
In beauty and wellness services, for example, Eton Centris hosts Salon One Express, Belmere Skin Care Center, Skin and Body by Medicard, Lay Bare Waxing Salon and Nail It. For those who want to get active, Gold’s Gym is just around.
Furthermore, the complex has generous open spaces where people may hang out or jog.
An oasis at the heart of the bustling city
Who could forget the Ayala Triangle Gardens? It’s a spot that easily stands out in contrast with the concrete jungle around it. The Ayala Triangle Gardens is a 2-ha landscaped urban park in the heart of the Makati central business district. One can argue that it is the most chill part along the busy stretch of Ayala.
The area has restaurants and cafés for relaxed dining. Friends and families often hang out under the shade of trees. Some read books and spend alone time in the nooks. Other would do wellness activities there at different times of the day, especially during the weekends—from yoga to Frisbee to football, among others. Almost 24/7, people jog around the perimeter of the lot, some even with their fur babies.
Ayala Triangle Gardens is in the process of improvement. With projects set to be finished this year, it promises more spaces to converge. The northern tip will host a 22-story Mandarin Hotel and a 38-story high-grade office tower. When these are launched, so too will new civic spaces be added to expand and complement the urban garden.
Excuses are for the unwilling, so they say.
Those who are determined always find—or make —ways. If you truly appreciate fitness in all of its depth and breadth, there are so many spaces and choices that beckon everywhere, inviting you to take that first step on your journey to wellbeing.