FROM MINDFULNESS APPS TO DIET HACKS, HAWAI‘I’S GROUNDED GURUS HAVE A WEALTH OF WELLNESS KNOWLEDGE TO SHARE.
PHOTO BY HA’A KEAULANA/PRODUCED BY JUICE AGUIRRE
Professional surfer
“Hawai’i makes it so easy to be active and enjoy the outdoors. We are truly blessed to be raised in such an amazing place,” says Oʻahu’s professional surfer Alessa Quizon Holloway (@alessaquizon). “I love to be in the ocean and enjoy our beautiful beaches, whether surfing, swimming, or cruising on the sand.” With surfing being a family sport passed down through generations, she started surfing at four and competitively at 11 years old. “Surfing has become such a big part of my life and health. It became a lifestyle I consistently live every day,” she says. “I try to have a well-balanced lifestyle in everything I do. I try to work out every other day and get a surf in between off days. I follow a healthy diet but of course, enjoy all the guilty pleasures in moderation.” You’ll find Quizon Holloway mostly outdoors—from surfing, going on hikes, playing tennis, swimming, she’s down for anything that will make her break a sweat!
WAKE-UP TIME: 7:15 a.m.
BREAKFAST: I don’t eat breakfast
DIET: Fish and poke bowls
DOPPELGANGER: Haven’t come across one yet
NEMESIS: Stairs
ESCAPE: If not the ocean, first shooter video games
WEAKNESS: Stairs, recently sprained my ankle
UNIFORM: Oversized shirts and clothing
HOTEL/SPA: The Conrad Hotel, Osaka, Japan
WORKOUT: Core full body HIIT
LAST MEAL: Sushi
WORKOUT OUTFIT: Anything lululemon
WORKOUT PLAYLIST: From SZA, Kehlani, Mitski, 21 Savage to house music
WORKOUT BUDDY: My husband
BEST ADVICE: Never give up, don’t stop going until the wheels fall off
STREAMING NOW:Normal People
DINNER: Sushi or ramen
SOULMATE: My husband
BEDTIME: 10 p.m.
ON MY NIGHTSTAND: My Oura charger and a Nintendo Switch
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE:“Forgiveless” by SZA
BEST WELLNESS TIP: You can do everything in moderation
PHOTO BY @MARISSAPHILLIPSPHOTO
Regional fitness coach at Orangetheory Fitness Hawai‘i
Edwin K. Watt (@ekaydub) proudly represents his local roots, having being born and raised in Honolulu. “Living in Hawai’i my entire life inspired me to appreciate the unique range of workout routines, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. The diverse environment inspired me to have a different approach to fitness and wellness,” he says. “I always strive to embody and incorporate “Aloha Spirit” through wellness. Wellness can be very intimidating and misleading in many ways, but by having the Aloha Spirit approach, I can create a welcoming, good-spirited and positive environment for all things fitness.” At Orangetheory Fitness Kaka’ako, where he coaches the early morning classes, his goal is simple: work hard, be safe and have fun. For the past year, you can also find Watt hosting events as a lululemon ambassador. “I am fortunate to have the opportunity to widen my range of individuals and communities to impact and help them find the same passion in fitness that I have. And Let’s face it, who doesn’t want to look good while breaking a sweat in lululemon gear?”
WAKE-UP TIME: 4:30 a.m.
BREAKFAST: Oat bars or cereal
DIET: Preferably organic
DOPPELGANGER: My pup, Harlow
NEMESIS: Gluten
ESCAPE: Music
WEAKNESS: Brownies
UNIFORM: OTF Coach shirt with lululemon shorts and a hat
HOTEL/SPA: The Prince Hotel and Spa U‘ilani
WORKOUT: Orangetheory
LAST MEAL: All you can eat sushi
SUPPLEMENTS: ath organics
WELLNESS APP: Oura ring
MENTOR: Coach Adrienne
WORKOUT OUTFIT: lululemon and Hoka shoes
WORKOUT PLAYLIST: EDM Bangers
WORKOUT BUDDY: My girlfriend
BEST ADVICE: See the positive in everything
PHILANTHROPY: Special Olympics Hawai‘i
MANTRA: Don’t stop when you’re tired. Stop when you’re done
STREAMING NOW:Untold on Netflix
DINNER: Furikake Ahi
SOULMATE: My workout buddy
BEDTIME: 9:30 p.m.
ON MY NIGHTSTAND: JBL speakers, Saje essential oils, and my charging stand
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE:“Larger Than Life” by Backstreet Boys
BEST WELLNESS TIP: Move with intention
PHOTO BY BRIAN DANIELS
Co-owner and lead instructor at Body Balance Hawai‘i
“Wellness is where happiness and good health intersect. My approach to wellness is to address it from all the different areas of life: physical, emotional, relationships, community, and professionally,” says Kashmira Gandhi (@kashmira08), Body Balance Hawai‘i (bodybalancehi.com) co-owner and lead instructor at the new studio at Ala Moana Center in O‘ahu. She fell in love with exercise when she became a mom. “I started giving myself one hour away to sweat and focus on just me. That gave me both physical and emotional strength, friends, and a way to recharge,” she says. “Ultimately, I wanted to help people find that same joy.” This certified personal trainer’s favorite class to teach is BodyCycle, but her focus is on feeling great and connecting with other humans rather than just losing numbers on a scale. “Fitness is so much more than exercise. It heals our hearts when we’re sad. It challenges us when we’re bored. It’s an escape from all the everyday stresses of life and becomes the ‘me time’ that we all need. That’s why teaching is still my favorite thing to do in the world,” she says. “We have so much fun dancing on our bikes, laughing at my (terrible) jokes, and working so hard we come out dripping and proud of it. My goal is for people to leave every class feeling accomplished and like they just danced their hearts out at the club… even if it is 9:30 on a Monday morning!”
WAKE-UP TIME: 6:30 a.m.
BREAKFAST: Coffee with almond milk, greek yogurt and granola
DIET: Everything except red meat and mangoes
DOPPELGANGER: Salma Hayek on my best day
NEMESIS: None
ESCAPE: Big Island
WEAKNESS: Cookies
UNIFORM: Leggings and a tank top
HOTEL/SPA: Romer Waikiki Hotel
WORKOUT: BodyCycle
LAST MEAL: My mom’s Indian food
SUPPLEMENTS: Collagen
WELLNESS APP: Zero
MENTOR: Ashley Erickson in San Diego
WORKOUT OUTFIT: Leggings, sports bra and Tiem cycle shoes
WORKOUT PLAYLIST: Mostly hip-hop, mashups and EDM remixes
WORKOUT BUDDY: My BB Ohana
BEST ADVICE: Do what you love and love what you do
PHILANTHROPY: Spill the Tea Cafe
MANTRA: Life is short. Don’t waste it
STREAMING NOW:Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with my two boys
DINNER: Sushi
SOULMATE: Asher and Zachary (my boys)
BEDTIME: 11 p.m.
ON MY NIGHTSTAND: Candles, lamp, hair ties, journal
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: I need a whole playlist!
BEST WELLNESS TIP: Find an exercise that fills your heart with joy and keeps it pumping. Do that more
PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN BOLLE
Wellness instructor
“My approach to wellness is an integrative approach,” explains wellness instructor Justin Bolle (@jstnsvision). “I focus on a holistic model, where I’m examining all aspects of what makes us human.” Born in Texas but raised across the continent and Hawai‘i, this Honolulu resident takes into account all things that bring him joy. “I know that my best wellness routines happen outdoors, a culmination of sunshine, exercise, and social connection. However, this may not be the case for my clients, who mostly practice within their home gyms,” he says of his private practice serving the Ward Village area. “I think it’s important to look into lifestyle, psychosocial, the physical body, the mental and emotional aspects of who we are and the energetic or spiritual parts of ourselves.” He offers healthy methods of both stillness and movement that impact well-being—yoga, strength and mobility training, meditation, intentional breathing, and mindfulness—to meet personal lifestyle goals. “The best way to stay motivated is to find a practice that resonates with you,” he says. “We all have to find what works best for us. We can only do that by keeping an open mind and exploring the opportunities in front of us.”
WAKE-UP TIME: 5 a.m.
BREAKFAST: Giant water, black coffee, sometimes fresh Papaya
DIET: I don’t subscribe
DOPPELGANGER: When I was younger, Ashton Kutcher
NEMESIS: Late nights and tequila
ESCAPE: Beach 100%
WEAKNESS: Tacos, “Not a robot verification”
UNIFORM: Athletic apparel, lululemon
HOTEL/SPA: Who doesn’t love a sauna?
WORKOUT: Strength training, yoga asana, restorative yoga, myofascial release and foam rolling
LAST MEAL: MR Porterhouse, broccolini, a basket of white bread and butter, and a bottle of red
SUPPLEMENTS: Multi-vitamin and salt
WELLNESS APP: IG and Youtube
MENTOR: My yoginis who inspired and helped me grow; Mindy Nguyen, Cecilia Ryan, Stephanie Pearce, Katie Mecklenburg
WORKOUT OUTFIT: 5-7” shorts and a tank top
WORKOUT PLAYLIST: From ratchet to a motivational upbeat workout mix
WORKOUT BUDDY: Fellow yoga practitioners
BEST ADVICE: Lead with your heart and walk with intention
PHILANTHROPY: Mental health matters
MANTRA: It’s all good
STREAMING NOW: Something between a documentary, Australian comedy and martial arts
DINNER: Early
SOULMATE: Somebody with a lot of patience
BEDTIME: Between 9 and 10 p.m.
ON MY NIGHTSTAND: My most prized possessions
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE:“Following El Sol”
BEST WELLNESS TIP: Find balance in your life, examine the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your present life. Heal from past traumas to show up in the present today, no matter how challenging the journey becomes.
PHOTO BY ADAM JUNG PHOTOGRAPHY/MAKE UP BY MARIAH MELANIE
Founder of So Good and fitness instructor at BURN Collective
“Hawai‘i’s beautiful landscapes, weather and ocean not only inspire me but make it easy to embrace an active lifestyle every day,” says Oʻahu’s Moani Hara (@moanihara), founder of fitness enhancement equipment line So Good (sogoodactive.com). “So Good isn’t just about fitness—it’s about embracing a lifestyle that empowers you to be your best self, inside and out.” Her approach to wellness centers around proper nourishment and staying active to feed both physical and mental health. You can join this NASM-certified personal trainer and fitness instructor at BURN Collective (@burncollectivehi), where she strives to motivate others along with herself. “My personal wellness takeaway from being a fitness instructor is that working out is not only empowering but an amazing form of self-love! The smiles on our member’s faces and the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment everyone feels at the end of every class are so rewarding for not only me but our entire community!” Up next, Hara is launching a Move So Good fitness app, an extension of its free online fitness classes currently on the So Good website, featuring a dynamic combination of strength training, pilates and cardio HIIT—with new drops every Friday. “Together,” she says, “I want to make every workout—and every moment—so good!”
WAKE-UP TIME: 6 a.m.
BREAKFAST: NO DIET: Plant-based/fish
DOPPELGANGER: Jessica Alba
NEMESIS: Cheese
ESCAPE: Netflix
WEAKNESS: French fries
UNIFORM: Activewear
HOTEL/SPA: Four Seasons Resort Lanai
WORKOUT: Strength training
LAST MEAL: Cauliflower Shawarma from Istanbul
SUPPLEMENTS: Seed, Multi Vitamin, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Creatine
WELLNESS APP: Move So Good
MENTOR: Alana Ayat, Cydney Chu, Maria Chase
WORKOUT OUTFIT: CSB, Alo Yoga
WORKOUT PLAYLIST: Hip Hop
WORKOUT BUDDY: ME!
BEST ADVICE:“Less is more,” from my mom
PHILANTHROPY: Women Speaking Out Hawai‘i, Assets School
MANTRA: Be graceful in everything. In anger, in sadness, in joy, in kindness, in unkindness, retain grace with you!
STREAMING NOW: Point Break, Fool Me Once, Vanderpump Rules
DINNER: Stir-fry
SOULMATE: Hubby
BEDTIME: 8-10 p.m.
ON MY NIGHTSTAND: Water and cellphone
THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE:“Man I Feel Like A Woman,” Shania Twain
BEST WELLNESS TIP: Be kind to yourself, be intuitive and listen to your body
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