Page 37 - Demo

www.MOSTmag.com || MOST FITNESS || 37MFM: As an actress, where do you see yourself in the next five years?VO: Happy! The best thing I%u2019ve learned as I%u2019ve gotten older is to stop trying to plan my life so far ahead. I have big goals and dreams but there%u2019s no time limit on when I expect them to happen anymore. Life is so unpredictable and I%u2019m way happier when my main goal is to remain happy. Because if I%u2019m happy, that means I%u2019ll be successful, healthy, and my family and friends will be the same!MFM: In your free time, what are some of your passions and hobbies?VO: I love writing, running, hiking, doing occasional arts and crafts, and anything with my family and friends.MFM: What is it like living in the big city of Los Angeles? Do you think that you have additional pressure on yourself since you live in a hub with so much activity going on?VO: I love it here! The weather is great, the lifestyle, my friends, work, etc. Living here doesn%u2019t really give me any additional pressure. Maybe the industry I work in can but that can happen anywhere. I%u2019ve really come to love Southern California.MFM: What role does fitness play in your life?VO: A huge part! It%u2019s an everyday thing for me. It just makes me feel good. I honestly feel off if I miss a workout. It%u2019s a way of life for me. I%u2019ve learned so much about myself and truly how strong I really am (mentally). Now I%u2019ve gotten into running marathons and that%u2019s my new hobby! I love food so I%u2019m lucky I really enjoy a good sweat session!MFM: What is one tip that you can give MOST Fitness readers to help them stay in shape?VO: Take the stairs! I say that because I really think it%u2019s about small DAILY goals that will help keep you on track, then weekly goals, monthly, etc. Make fitness work for you every day by making small changes like taking the stairs (Unless I have groceries, I rarely use the elevator at my complex) and then find ways to make it fun. When we actually enjoy doing something it%u2019ll stick longer than if we don%u2019t. Like to dance? Try Zumba or a dance class. Prefer to be outside rather than the gym? Go on a hike or sunset jog. Fitness is about life. Make it worthwhile!MFM: What%u2019s your daily diet look like?VO: Well, I%u2019m a little stricter when I%u2019m working but everything in moderation! I don%u2019t deny myself anything (for too long). I try and do the brown rice and quinoa if I%u2019m going to rice/pasta. I do lean meats. And I usually just drink water. My go to %u2018celebrate%u2019 food is pizza and any dessert so I let myself have it once in a while. My weakness is carbs and sugar, so that%u2019s about everything! Ha! Ha!MFM: Fitness, as well as life in general, involves a lot of failures and success, what is your advice for overcoming some of these failures?VO: Failure is defined as %u201clack of success%u201d. But when? In that moment, right? So that %u201clack of success%u201d doesn%u2019t mean forever. Use it. Let it ignite something in you that you%u2019ll never be back in that moment again. Because you won%u2019t. It%u2019s done. It%u2019s in the past. Try again, and again, and again until you%u2019re happy. Until YOU make that %u201cfailure%u201d into YOUR success. You are always in control. Take charge and succeed away!MFM: Can you tell me a little more about some of the charities that you work with? Do you have a personal connection/reason for involvement with any of the charities you work with?VO: One of the charities I work with is called %u2018Best Friends Animal Society%u2019. The reason I got involved, because like many people out there, I too bought my puppy from a puppy mill. I was ignorant to all the things these people were doing and I searched for my dog online. I bought her off a site promising this or that from all of their different animals. I wasn%u2019t aware what these sites were doing and how mistreated the animals are. I want to help educate people like me who didn%u2019t know or who may think they can%u2019t find their perfect pet at an adoption site. I love my little 9 year old Yorkie, Myli, and I wouldn%u2019t trade her for the world but I%u2019ll never support a puppy mill ever again. There are too many homeless pets out there and they%u2019d give anything for a family. If you%u2019ve been thinking about it, don%u2019t make the same mistake I made by supporting puppy-mills and please adopt!