You can usually find Lucy Liu playing a fierce fighting female that kicks bad-guy booty in movies like Charlie\u2019s Angels and Kill Bill.\u00a0 But did you know that when the camera stops rolling, she hits the gym to get her own butt kicked by her Pilates instructor?!\u00a0 You may think that Lucy was in her prime back in her twenties, but she says, \u201cI\u2019m smarter, stronger and more confident than I was in my twenties\u201d\u2026\u201cI know who I am now, and I\u2019m more accepting of myself.\u201d\u00a0 She also comments how Pilates has changed her body for the better and even made her aware of muscles she never knew existed.\u00a0 As her new role on the CBS show “Elementary” takes off, she is more motivated than ever to stay healthy and fit.\u00a0 In the March 2013 issue of FITNESS the magazine, Lucy opens up further to discuss just how she is accomplishing her fitness goals.<\/p>\n
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What was the toughest training you have had to do for a movie role?<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cCharlie\u2019s Angels because it was eight hours a day, five days a week. I thought I was fairly fit when I started, but I wasn\u2019t. The kind of moves we were doing with all the kicking\u2014oh my god! I couldn\u2019t even lift my legs afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the pressures to look a specific way or be a certain size:<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cPart of being an actress is that people are going to judge you whether you gain or lose weight\u2014it\u2019s just sort of a given. But I\u2019ve never had issues with food. When I was growing up, my family didn\u2019t have a lot. So if there was food, I was going to be eating it!\u201d<\/p>\n
Who keeps you motivated?<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cA group of five of us, friends and friends of friends, got an email chain going and we all set goals: an ideal weight, inches we wanted to lose, eating habits we wanted to adopt. We\u2019d email saying, \u201cI ran today\u201d. Or \u201cI ate this,\u201d and we\u2019d share recipes. Then we\u2019d celebrate by going to a show or taking a group Pilates class when each of us reached our goals. We also celebrated mini milestones along the way to keep our motivation up.\u201d<\/p>\n
What was your goal?<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cTo lose the five extra pounds I\u2019ve had for years, which I did. It may not sound like a lot, but for my height, it makes a big difference. And doing it with a support group of my girlfriends made it easier.\u201d<\/p>\n
Talk about how you meditate to keep your Zen<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been meditating twice a day for about two years now and it\u2019s like saying a prayer. It\u2019s helped me so much! It gives me a feeling of comfort and safety. You realize that you can live and work and do all the things you need to do. It makes me feel like I\u2019m part of a bigger plan, and that\u2019s a very nice feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n
On how Pilates has transformed your body and body image<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cPilates and running help to clear my mind and they really strengthen me. Pilates has engaged my core and made me feel more confident in that area. I don\u2019t have long legs so I\u2019ve never said, \u2018Oh, I love my legs.\u2019 But I feel like they look longer and feel better than they ever have with the combination of Pilates and running.<\/p>\n
How do you fit in an exercise routine with your crazy schedule?<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t always, but I can do Pilates at home with a ball and I have a treadmill. I run while watching Downton Abbey, and I\u2019ll increase the speed a little at a time, decrease it, and then raise it again. Each time I\u2019ll say, \u201cJust another 0.2 miles.\u201d I\u2019ve found running is the fastest way to lose weight.\u201d<\/p>\n
What are your healthy, go-to food options and snacks?<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I\u2019m exercising, I\u2019m not as prone to eating sweets and junk because I tend to feel really good about myself and my body feels good, so I don\u2019t want to ruin it. I have only juice before noon, usually bananas with berries, and I bring grapefruit or green juice to the set with me. If I\u2019m really hungry I might have a breakfast burrito with spinach, a fried egg and tomatoes. For dinner I usually have fish with steamed vegetables or a salad. But I also eat pasta with pesto or veggie pizza because when you\u2019re standing all day that\u2019s a workout, and sometimes you need to carbo load.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you are interested in learning more about Lucy, her Pilates routine, or what\u2019s on her iPod for workout jams, grab a copy of the March 2013 issue of FITNESS!<\/p>\n
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