Gigi:What made you stick to your resolution?
Luana: Well, after quitting P90X twice before, I opted for a different workout schedule. I wasn't quite sure if it would make a difference to workout in the morning before work instead of at night, but it made a HUGE difference. I'm on my last week of the workout schedule as opposed to the 2 week cut-off the first two times around. But I am positive that were it not for my wonderful boyfriend diving head first into this workout with me I probably would not have been able to get this far.
Gigi:Were you active and ate healthy before?
Luana: Absolutely not. The last time I could actually consider myself active would be in High School when I played soft ball. The mere thought of walking up and down the stairs was enough to make me give up on whatever task I had in mind. haha As far as my diet? Well.. that was just another 4 letter word for me. I remember myself actually saying to a friend of mine once, "The less healthy the food, the better." I've been blessed with good metabolism so I've always taken great advantage of it. Until I realized that sooner or later (more like sooner than later) I would need to be careful what I ate or age wasn't going to be a friend of mine.
Gigi:What has been the biggest challenge?
Luana: Oh gosh. I would say waking up in the morning. I'm a night owl through and through. And to wake up 3 1/2 hours before I had to be at work just so Tony could whip me into shape was a daunting task. But after a little while it became routine. Until I had my lazy days haha. At which point I would workout when I got home from work. It was good to have that extra time in the day to fit in a work out if I had gone to sleep late the night before or something like that.
Gigi: How do you get yourself to work out on the lazy days?
Luana: To be entirely honest ther were days I didn't. And great part of this whole experience was realizing that life happens. There will be days that you can't make up a missed AM workout at night because you have dinner plans or whatever the case may be. I was never severely overweight or obese so it was never a fight to lose weight. I just wanted to be able to say that "I'm happy with myself and my body." So I tried not to beat myself up over missed workouts... too hard lol The guilt trips that my boyfriend gave me also helped haha
Gigi: What's your favorite exercise?
Luana: I would have to say yoga. I mean, here's a workout that doesn't involve weights or bands or even a large amount of space and it TOTALLY kicks your butt. Being able to do some of the more difficult poses brought such a sense of achievement that I haven't really been able to get out of the other workouts. If only my dog would stop showing off perfect downward dog pose I'd be complete. hahaha
Gigi: How would you describe your P90X journey?
Luana: A pain in the ass, arms, back, butt, chest, and legs. Excruciating at times. Extremely challenging. But 100% worth it! Not only for the workout itself, but also because it was a milestone for me as far as workouts go. I stuck through it. Not wholeheartedly, but I stuck through it. And now I'll be able to do the same with anything I set my mind to.
Gigi: What are you health goals?
Luana: Healthy wise I think I'm on the right track. I know I won't ever be able to let go of all the impurities that comes with good food, but it's all a work in progress. Small changes will lead to something monumentous. If only I wasn't such a picky eater. But like Tony says, "Rome wasn't built in a day, and netiher was your body."
Gigi: What's your favorite healthy recipe?
Luana: Gnocchi with zucchini ribbons in a brown butter sauce. YUM! I brag about this dish to anyone that even touches on the topic about healthy eating lol It takes a mere 25 minutes to make and it'll fill you up with a small portion, which has been my biggest obstacle during meals. I found the recipe on Eatingwell.com. The site has a lot of great recipes and good alternatives to your every day dishes.
Gigi:Any motivational quotes?
Luana: "You can dooo it" Rob Schneider in "Waterboy". haha Just kidding.
"The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you apply.” - Denis Waitley
"There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” -Unknown
Gigi: What would you say to the people who have made the same resolution that you made, and failed?
Luana: Don't think of it as failure entirely. Maybe the way you were going about things just wasn't right for you. Try and find the best schedule, workout, and partner (if need be) for you. It's just a matter of finding what's best for you. More importantly, stick with it. I've heard that habits take at least 2 weeks to form so give it your all for AT LEAST 2 weeks. It'll all be easier with time. Small changes eventually add up and when you look back you'll see how much things have changed, and you'll be proud of your accomplishments. Good luck and if you feel yourself falter reach out to the available resources out there, because you're more than likely not the only one on this journey so there will always be a helping hand available.
Check out Luana's health blog journey: http://my2cents-lv.blogspot.com/
