Namita Nayyar:
You are a world-leading media personality, model, and brand ambassador. How do you manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional lifestyle?
Elizabeth Nguyen:
Wow, thank you for that intro! If you say it like that, I might even wonder myself!! In all seriousness, I can manage this crazy lifestyle because I’m simply just taking it one day at a time. It all just happens. I’m definitely living and learning at the moment. What I love about my career is that you will never know what tomorrow will bring to you. You might book a modeling campaign for a well-known brand and have to take a last-minute flight to get to your location. Or you might get invited to be a brand ambassador at an important event that following weekend. So I definitely have to be prepared and have my “working game face” on all the time! For me, working, shooting, and collaborating with different brands is a huge passion of mine. So working definitely doesn’t feel like work and more like fun. Enjoying yourself in the process is definitely how I maintain this multi-dimensional lifestyle.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Elizabeth Nguyen:
I don’t have a specific workout routine at all! The only rule I follow is to simply just be as active as possible—and that can be going on daily walks with your dog, dancing, playing basketball, hiking, having some fun at the beach, cleaning your garden, or just simply anything. I believe doing different activities every day is the key to actually maintaining your routine. It challenges your body and brain to work for different muscle groups, and it makes “cardio” so much fun! It really doesn’t feel like “cardio” or working out at all so nothing feels forced, which is what I love about incorporating different activities!
I also make sure to stretch daily to keep up with the flexibility that I developed from figure skating. Lastly, maybe once in a while, I visit the rink for figure skating practice and to catch up with childhood friends. This way works for me, and I hope for others as well! Don’t over-stress about working out, and simply just enjoy doing activities you love!
Namita Nayyar:
Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Elizabeth Nguyen:
Funny because no I don’t! Lots of people would assume I have a strict eating plan and workout routine but I simply just don’t like the rules and feel of any sort of restriction. For my diet, I give myself no rules except
1: everything in moderation. I don’t cut out any specific food group – carbs, protein, fats. I used to before and that’s when I was plant-based for over 6 years! I ate this way for my health and for the environment.
After around 3 years into this lifestyle, my health went downhill. I lost the majority of my hair, was extremely pale & cold all the time, felt weak, and my nails became too brittle to even open my own water bottle. I kept it going for another 3 years, but finally, my doctor told me to incorporate all types of food groups again due to being extremely malnourished. But don’t get me wrong, lots of people thrive eating plant-based, and the majority have actually healed their diseases and health problems.
For example, my friend healed her Hashimoto’s disease from eating plant-based! So eating plant-based does work for others, but it just wasn’t for me. My health and feeling my best are important to me since my active lifestyle of being an athlete and modeling requires me to. I eat everything and every food group in moderation, and that’s what works for me. And I do believe in all the amazing benefits of eating more plant-based, so I try to incorporate it whenever I can! My diet advice would be to do what works best for you! And also, I don’t eat “strictly healthy” at all because I just let myself eat whatever. I love to cook and bake, so the majority of my food is home-cooked and home-baked comfort foods that I enjoy. Anything home-cooked or home-baked that my mom and I make at home for the family is considered “healthy” to me.
Also, I do make a killer blueberry muffin bread recipe and a delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe that is to die for! And don’t forget to mention, my simple home-cooked is definitely crave-worthy! I might have to spill some recipes or think about creating a cookbook in the future!
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
