Ep. #476: What Maariana Learned Beating Cancer and Getting in the Best Shape of Her Life

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Go ahead and schedule your call now. Again, that URL is legionathletics. com slash coaching. Hello my people, I am Mike Matthews, this is Muscle for Life and welcome, welcome. In this episode, I interview Mariana who used my Bigger, Leaner, Stronger program to radically transform not just her physique, but also her career and life and health.

And yes, Bigger, Leaner, Stronger, not Thinner, Leaner, Stronger. Funny enough. She found me in BiggerLeanerStronger via her boyfriend, who was doing BiggerLeanerStronger, and who said, hey just do this with me. She didn’t even know there was a ThinnerLeanerStronger, and I don’t think he did either, and so she just jumped right into it.

Now before that though, before She first got together with her boyfriend, which funny enough, one of the reasons why he caught her eyes because he is in good shape. And one of the reasons why he is in good shape is because he was doing bigger than you’re stronger. But before that Mariana had fallen into just about every health and fitness pitfall ever.

out there. Excessive cardio, very light weight, lifting, inadequate protein intake, inadequate calorie intake and on. And despite working pretty hard for pretty long, the best she was able to accomplish was Skinny fat type of physique that kept her constantly hungry and tired and frustrated. Bigger, Leaner, Stronger changed all of that.

Of course it did, because through the magical wonders of heavy compound weightlifting, proper meal planning, and effective supplementation, Mariana was able to gain a bunch of muscle and gain a bunch of strength, while still being able to fit into the types of clothes she was wearing. In college, which is always fun.

And what’s more, Mariana is a professional opera singer and getting fit has made quite a difference there too. She was surprised, delighted to experience that because now she’s more confident and less nervous on stage and has even noticed improvements in her ability to sing, which is how she. makes her living.

So that’s cool too. So in this first part of the interview, Mariana and I are going to discuss her story and some of the key lessons that she learned along the way, including how to deal with gym intimidation, how to travel the world while she was working without gaining weight and without losing muscle and much more.

Now, why is this important? Part one of part two. I don’t normally do this. The reason is as you’re gonna hear at the end of this interview as we were wrapping it up, Mariana shared that soon after she started Bigger Leaner Stronger, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, I actually knew this going into the interview, but she hadn’t mentioned it up until that point.

So I thought that she didn’t want to talk about it. And I didn’t obviously I wasn’t gonna bring it up myself if she didn’t want to talk about it and it turns out she did want to talk about it and it also turns out that she has a neurobiology degree and an abiding interest in a passion for really self improvement so then we went on to have a whole new discussion along those lines and all in all it was like a three hour discussion it was like a joe rogan podcast and so i figured it’s probably better release this in two parts so here’s part one and part two will follow in the next week or so Hey, Mariana.

Thanks for taking the time to come on my podcast and share your story. 

Maariana: My pleasure, Mike. This is really exciting. I’m excited to do this. 

Mike: Yeah, absolutely. I like these episodes. They’re a nice change from my monologuing or technical interviews. These ones are fun because this is what it really comes down to for me is what impact am I having in other people’s lives is it’s satisfying for me.

So I get to just sit back and bask in the in your success. No, you’re 

Maariana: definitely part of it. And As we’ll find out, this was actually weightlifting. Didn’t just give me the most fantastic body that I’ve ever wanted, but it helped me in so many other areas of my life that I never knew what happened.

So I’m excited to share this with other people. 

Mike: Awesome. Yeah, we’ll definitely get to that. So I think a good place to start, how I like start these discussions is maybe just a quick before and after snapshot of where you’re at. Before you found me in my work and there’s the body composition stuff, but then maybe there are also the other, the things that now that have changed for the better outside of just your fitness, I’m sure you look back and could be, mood.

It could be motivation, productivity, whatever. So where you were at before and now where you’re at. And then I think just for the sake of contrast, and then we can rewind Back to the beginning and go forward from there. 

Maariana: Sure. That sounds great. So we can just listen to your myths about bodybuilding for women.

Cause basically listening to that podcast, I did everything within that. So it’s super frustrating. Cause I did everything that you’re supposed to do. The 15 reps, the flailing, I like calling it flailing when you’re in the gym and you’re just like jumping around and you’re moving the whole time and you’re trying to burn as many calories as possible.

And I had to do these crazy long workouts. I was doing weight training and then I was running on top of it. So it was just super frustrating. Cause anytime I got down in weight to where I wanted what I wanted to look like, my appetite was absolutely crazy. So I would eat. And gain everything back.

And it was just super frustrating. I was always active. So I was like a size eight, 10, but being an opera singer, I want to walk into a room and bam, like people notice me and I wanted this sculpted body. And I was putting in the time I was putting in the work and it wasn’t happening and it was so frustrating.

And so I tried to add more cardio and then I was more exhausted and more hungry. And it was just. for years and years. And I love your book because it’s so science based. And before that, you’re just trying to find any information on any sort of change that you can make to fix it. When I was doing, I was supposed to do the low fat diet, definitely wasn’t eating enough protein because women did need protein.

And also I didn’t want to bulk up. So it was just, it was, All of that mixed together, which was super frustrating. So how I found you was I was singing in Abu Dhabi and I was singing the role of Carmen and I happened to have a friend in from the UK and I said, anyone from Abu Dhabi? And she said, yes.

So I ended up contacting this person because I I didn’t even know Abu Dhabi was a real place. I wanted to know about the culture just because I was representing an opera company so that I would be very professional while I was over there. And it was December in New York. And I said I have a day off.

So do you want to head to the beach? And so this lovely gentleman, Showed up in the lobby of the Four Seasons, and I was like, okay, he has the body I want. That’s what’s going on. I want the girl version of that. And then we went to the beach, and he took his shirt off, and had a six pack. And I’m like, okay, so this is possible.

And I didn’t really, just met him, so I didn’t, You want to be completely obnoxious about his fitness program, but luckily we hit it off. And I’m just that person that always is I’m putting myself out there. I love meeting new people. We ended up meeting in between performances. I was singing next in Dubai for royalty there, which was fun.

But so he wanted to show me around Abu Dhabi. And as he’s showing me around, I’m like hey, how many ab exercises do you do to get that six pack? And he said, I do two a week. And then I knew I was doing everything completely incorrectly. Yeah. So it just, it was so funny. We started talking more and more about this and he had, mentioned your book.

And so I was thinking, okay, this is probably something I can do. And so I ended up reading BLS partly because that’s the book that he recommended. And so he actually came to New York and I’m like, all right, let’s work out together. Cause I had no idea. I don’t know how to do a deadlift or a squat.

I’d been doing, lunges and girly exercises and 800 crunches. So it was really funny because the first day at the gym, I know that you’re into sort of cognitive biases. So I was having this cognitive dissonance. 

Mike: Yeah. Wait a minute, what am I doing? 

Maariana: Why are we standing next to this weird cage?

I don’t like it. And also just that feeling of, cause I’m a big girl in a way. I’m five, eight. I look like I’m a Norwegian. I look like a Viking. And the last thing I need is to be bigger. And then also I rear really big costumes on stage. So I really was very worried about this. So I actually have a cognitive sciences degree.

It’s one of my college degrees. And so it was good for me because I could be like, okay, so you’re experiencing cognitive dissonance right now. You know how to overcome this, which is to look at the evidence that’s right in front of you and that desire to have that best body over. the desire to stick with your beliefs, which is always a tricky thing to do.

So I started working out doing the three to six reps. And it was amazing. Those beginner gains for women, it’s a little difficult, as luckily for me, since I’d been doing the weight training, I was able to hop into the compound exercises and I loved it. It was so fantastic. And like the mental aspect of it as well I really loved, because I’d been running all this time before.

I’m not a natural runner. And the thing is when you run, like your mind kind of wanders, and sometimes it doesn’t, think about the greatest, Stuff while you’re running. When you’re at weight training and you have to pick up 225 pounds, you can’t think of anything else. And I love that mental break.

I used to get that I was an equestrian. I used to get that when you were riding on a horse, you can’t think about anything else, you’ll get hurt. I know you love Chassette Mahaly’s theory of. Flow, and I’ve always thought that his theory of flow needed bodily harm added to it, because if like you’re in danger, you’re going to focus, 

Mike: so 

Maariana: when you have weight on your back, you’re like, okay 

Mike: I’m sure F1 drivers experienced it to the nth degree.

Lose it for two seconds, then you just fly into a wall and die. 

Maariana: Exactly. Yeah, there you go. I did a venting, which a lot of people don’t know it’s a combination of different things. But one of the things you do is cross country jumping where you’re jumping over walls and you’re jumping over these structures that are fixed.

And so you have to get over them or you’re going to get hurt. And it’s an absolute blast. But you are in the zone completely. So I really liked that with the weight training and that we’ll talk more about where my journey goes after that. But that was just something that I really appreciated. So 

Mike: I think it has a, almost like a therapeutic value, right?

Maariana: Oh, without a doubt, getting out the adrenaline and. That was the most fantastic thing is it lent itself to my opera singing, which is crazy because the opera world, they don’t like working out. They don’t like weight training. The conventional idea is that it’s going to tighten your body. So you want to stay loose, which is ridiculous because no, it’s if you’re using the wrong muscles, like that’s bad singing.

Your strength is your strength. It’s not tightness. 

Mike: Not moving your body is going to result in tightness, just sitting, sitting in a chair all day or at a computer or whatever. That’s what’s going to make you tight. 

Maariana: I can’t tell you how many singers and teachers were like, Oh, you should stop your weight training.

And I was like, and that was even before I was doing like your weight training. 

Mike: That’s funny. 

Maariana: Yeah. Oh my gosh. It’s so ridiculous. 

Mike: Sometimes people also, they mistake muscle tone for muscle tightness. Like I’ve had that with massage therapists that they would just remark like, Oh, this feels really tight.

This must be uncomfortable. I’m like, nah, actually it feels 

Maariana: fine to me. It’s wonderful. 

Mike: Especially if I having a program where I’m training. Everything in my body is getting hit one way or another a couple of times a week. Yeah. Everything is always pumped a little bit, I guess you could say.

Maariana: And that’s the thing. It’s pumped. Like it’s ready to go. It’s excited. Like it’s such a ridiculous thing, 

Mike: but it’s not tightness in, in a restricted sense where now all of a sudden I can’t even touch my toes anymore or something, 

Maariana: yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that’s, if a singer isn’t breathing, then that’s it.

That’s what’s going to cause tightness, not your body actually working together. So for my singing, it was so amazing because you’re working your nervous system. So I remember my first big audition after I started doing your program and there was like this. I was like, Like 8th gear that I could click into and keep control of my body, especially when the nerves hit in that was so fantastic and it was just like so exhilarating.

Plus like my whole body and I mean my abs are super strong now from doing like dead lifts and squats. Obviously now I understand the concept of strong abs, but also my body working together are doing deadlifts and squats and how much. Then your body is just completely primed when you need it. When the pressure’s on, it just, it really, it’s amazing.

Like the difference of my singing, I’m a dramatic mezzo and it gave me, I’m the darker voice. It gave me a more of a darker tone to my voice, which is great. The funny thing is as a dramatic mezzo, we’re supposed to be the big girls. So like sopranos are supposed to be sopranos can be anything. But dramatic mezzo, like we’re the Wagnerian singer walking out with the horns on her head.

Like you expect us to be super big. And so it’s so funny now because I walk into an audition, they don’t know what’s going on. And then I sing, a big, tough Wagnerian aria and they are completely confused. And it’s wonderful because, I’m the shining example of no, that’s not right. And that, you do need to stay in shape and that it will help.

And I think it’s crazy because a lot of my costumes are like 40, 50, 60 pounds. So carrying them around the stage now is a piece of cake. I did an opera this past fall where I wore a hat that was 15 pounds and got its own Instagram post. Cause it’s the craziest hat. It’s awesome. But I’m so glad that it was not an issue.

It was just completely not an issue because of how strong and coordinated my body was. So it had all these extra bonus with my singing. That was so phenomenal. So I really enjoyed that. 

Mike: Yeah, I could totally see that just by having less attention on the effort that it takes to even move around. I’m sure that allows you to focus more on your singing and.

Tap into more of your ability there. 

Maariana: Yeah. And it’s just, when you’re wearing these ridiculous costumes with corsets and everything, it’s so different from our normal clothing that it does feel so awkward. And luckily I can take that away because that will again, cause that tightness because you’re uncomfortable.

So here I am like, it’s not a big deal now. I just have that extra strength that just makes it a piece of cake. So that’s lovely. A lot of good things that came about with it that I really do. And then also my body looks great. Fantastic. And it’s so funny. Now I go to the gym and women come up to me and they’re like, okay, your arms are amazing.

What are you doing? And it’s so frustrating because I’ll start saying I’m lifting 50 pound dumbbells or 55 pound dumbbells. And I see their eyes like glaze over so hard to get past that, the idea of bulking and the idea of, I love that toning. That’s like my favorite. Yeah. Toning. 

Mike: Yeah. Sculpting.

Maariana: Sculpting. Exactly. And then also the funny thing is, in between those sets, I’m standing there resting and I need that rest. And it’s just such a different like concept of when you’re going to the gym. Like it’s so funny. Cause I walk around New York a lot. Obviously like you look into these studios and again, it’s all of this like flailing of I’m trying to burn calories.

And I can see that they’re never getting anywhere. And I was lucky that my boyfriend knew, obviously read your book and was like, when you do all that cardio, you’re actually breaking down all the muscle that you’re building, which now that I understand the cycle of what I was trying to do before and how I could never get ahead, it’s so nice to have that information now and to actually feel, I know you hear this all the time, but to feel in control of my body.

To actually do what I want to do and to sculpt it the way that I want to sculpt it. So there’s the effect of sculpting. The actual sculpting isn’t picking up the three pound weight and, hoping for the best. So no, so it’s absolutely fantastic. 

Mike: Yeah. In terms of numbers. So where did you start and then where are you at now and how long.

Are you now maintaining what you have achieved, several months ago? Cause I often get, the reason why I’m asking you is whenever I post people’s transformations or stories on Instagram or often get people asking, even reaching out from podcasts like these, Oh, how long did it take? If it’s not very specific.

So that’s why I’m asking for the exact details. Cause I know that there are people who are wondering like, okay, so where did you start and how long did it take you to get to what exactly? 

Maariana: I think for me, the way that I think about it is exercise is a lifestyle, so I never was focused on, yeah, you want to see, some numbers increase and some numbers decrease, but for me it was like, okay, so this is my new path that I’m on.

So I started, it’s so funny looking back, like what your weights are now, because they’re your warmup. You remember like how much putting 35s on for doing squats, 35s on each side was like so difficult. So I started out, oh geez, let’s see. So I was at about 30 percent body fat, which was super frustrating.

I’m so glad it’s down now to about 20. And Yes. So I started, so shoulders, I was using around like 10 pounds. Now I do 35 pound dumbbells. I do shoulder press. That is my nemesis. It’s everybody’s nemesis. Oh my gosh. It’s so nice. Unless 

Mike: you have tiny little stump arms then you’re the one who always likes pressing.

Maariana: Since you can’t see me, I have incredibly long, elegant arms. We’re just going to say that. I have 

Mike: long arms. I say they’re monkey arms. My arms are. 

Maariana: I’m a girl. Yes. They’re my dancer arms. So that now I have 25 pounds that literally started with the bar. 

Mike: Yeah. I was surprised to hear that you started with bigger than your strongest one of the, one of the, and there are a number of differences between the books, especially the new third editions.

But in the program, the two biggest differences as far as the workout programs go is one, the men’s program has more. More emphasis on the upper body, not then the lower body just has more emphasis on the upper body than the women’s because the fact is for most guys, it’s going to take them a lot longer.

It’s going to take a lot more work to get the chest and the shoulders and the arms that they want than it is the legs. The legs respond a lot better. Generally speaking, they’re big muscles. You can move a lot of weight, but. Take the pecs are smaller muscles. They usually come with very little development for most guys starting out and are usually stubborn muscle groups as well, for whatever reason.

That’s one that just seems to generally be harder to grow. And so the guys program has you doing a bit more upper body work. Then the women’s program and also the rep range is different because having no, it’s not the wrong at all. It’s just that having worked with many women over the years. So you can tell a guy to start bench pressing in the four to six rep range.

Let’s just say 80, 85 percent of his one rep max, no problem. And for most guys, that’s probably around, I don’t know, a hundred pounds, 135 pounds or something like that. And they just get going. But for women, many women, if they haven’t lifted weights before are struggling just to press. Press the bar for maybe five or six reps, maybe seven or eight.

And so to tell them to, okay, start bench pressing with 85 percent of one rep max is in some cases, it’s not even logistically feasible. So to, to account for that in the women’s program, I’m having them start with lighter weights, still pushing close to failure. So you’re still getting a good muscle building stimulus out of it.

And it’s not 30 reps a set or something like that. It’s just 10 to 12. And then there are some exercise. Differences. I recommend women start with dumbbell pressing instead of barbell pressing for chest in particular, because just of that point that I just had, I’ve seen with so many women over the years that starting with the bar is sometimes even a little bit too much.

So I guess the fact that you probably started out a bit stronger than the average woman, cause I was surprised you were able to jump into bigger than you’re stronger and just do it. 

Maariana: Yeah I grew up on a farm. I think that’s part of it. When the hay truck showed up from Canada and you had to move 200 bales of hay and they had to get going, you moved 200 bales of hay.

You picked up two bales at a time. Being an equestrian, if you’re also always picking up equipment. Buckets of water. Yeah. So I’ve always maintained that strength. And as I said, like before, even though I was doing the 12 to 15 rep range, I was definitely pushing myself. I do have to say though, maybe this is, you might be onto something because the first six weeks I was so sore.

I have never been so sore. But I am very stubborn. So I just went back and kept doing it because I wanted to push and get through those beginner gains like right away. It was so fun to me and because I started getting results so quickly. Yes. It was just so fun to gain that strength and keep pushing myself does, again, for women, it really is frustrating.

It takes a little bit longer to keep adding the weight. But it’s really fun the day with pretty much every exercise now, even bench press, to pick up the 45s and throw them on the barbell and, show up the men just a little bit, just a little, just to keep on her toes.

Mike: Especially if you look at it in terms of relative strength, right? Because you weigh what, like 130 pounds now. So that’s benching your weight for reps, which quite a few guys can’t even do. 

Maariana: Actually, so this is the funny thing. We’ll get into the doctor’s appointments. But when I was in college.

I decided to start running to see if I could actually get down to a size 6 and I did. I weighed, I’m 5’8 and I weighed 135 pounds and I was a size 6 and I was soft. If you want to look like a runner, that’s totally fine. I was not into that. Right now, I actually, this is crazy, I weigh 157 and I fit into the clothes that I wore in college.

during my running phase. If that isn’t like for every woman listening, like that is the dream you can fit back into your college clothes and you look so much better and you look how you want to. And so it’s very funny cause I’m going to these doctor’s appointments now and I step on the scale and they keep looking at me and saying, where are you hiding it all?

Yeah, so 

Mike: I just looked at, I was like, Oh, I misread, I was looking at the little briefing document. I was like, Oh, okay. I misread that. No, that’s great though. You probably have, I’m guessing the fair amount of weight in your bones to I’ll bet you. When somebody’s weight doesn’t make sense, whether it’s high or low, where somebody who’s familiar with weight would guess you to be quite a bit lighter than you are.

I’m on the other end of that. My weight is generally around 195 pounds, depending on what I’m doing with my diet and in the gym, but people. would guess me probably 210, 215, but my weight’s always been strangely low. So I know how that is. I’ve been on the other end of that. Like I remember I was, it was like universal studios or something.

And there was a girl who was manning a booth. I forget what it was. One of the game booths. And she used to be a guest, your weight booth. And if she was off, By I want to say it was no more than 10 pounds. It might’ve even been, yeah, it’s probably 10 pounds. Then you win a prize. And at that time, that was the first point I really got in lean.

I was like 175 pounds, maybe. And you’re like yeah. 

Maariana: And I was 

Mike: like, all right, so what would you guess my weight? And that was her booth. It just got switched over to something else. But for a while, that’s what she was. This is a booth she was running and I’m assuming she was good at it. Maybe not because they switched it out but she guessed like 200 pounds or something.

25 plus pounds. I was like, yeah, a little bit off there. So I know how that goes where somebody looks twice wait a minute, you weigh what? Because there are guys in the office who weigh 195 pounds, same height as me look literally half my size. 

Maariana: No, literally people will say Oh, 140, 145.

Cause you do see the muscle. Strong bones. Okay. That’s my line. I’m using that from you. I have strong bones. I do. I have like wide shoulders. I’m built like an opera singer. So maybe that’s it. 

Mike: But regardless then that’s still strong though. You’re basically benching your weight for reps.

That’s strong. 

Maariana: That’s the cool day too. When you realize that you’re actually squatting or deadlifting more than your body weight. That’s I can lift myself. I think that’s crazy. I love that. I can do that again. Again, cause I. in my gym. Unfortunately, it’s all guys. The regulars are so awesome, but I rarely see women in that area.

And when they’re there, I want to run up and hug them and say, please stay like you can do this. And then I see them throwing on the 10 pounds. I’m like, no but it, no, it’s really fun to To be the serious regulars definitely are doing more weight than me, but I’m in that range of intermediate to advanced, which is so cool.

Mike: Yeah. It’s super cool. Was it intimidating for you in the beginning to start lifting heavier weights? And I guess you said you were doing some resistance training. It’s just, the reason I ask is that something I often hear from women. And I like to ask them when I get them for these interviews is if they were intimidated.

By the process at all, or even getting into the weight section of the gym, and what are other people gonna think? 

Maariana: For me, I was really lucky ’cause this crazy romance where I met my boyfriend in Abu Dhabi and then he came to New York. Yeah. I had to impress him. , there was no, so I was gonna throw in weights and do, do whatever is.

He suggested and I’m lucky he’s in New York every once in a while. So while he’s here, he comes to my gym and I think that made the process a lot easier. I will say it is, it’s frustrating because, I am in a guy’s area, anytime women enter a man centric area, there is more that women have to deal with, unfortunately, than men.

So when he’s not here, sometimes I have to defend my space. Sometimes I do, like one time these two guys tried to bully me out of using a cage. So it is frustrating. That situation was hysterical because the regular guys, they were up so fast trying to like getting my back so they are super supportive.

And I think that is really helpful. That I have the regular guys there and that they’re always super excited. So first time that I put the 45 pound weights for bench press was actually only four weeks ago, I was working in with one of them and I was using 30 fives and I’m like, all right, I want to do 45 and we’re joking that.

When you work out, it’s like osmosis. Like the person next to you is doing more weight and you think you can actually do more. And so we threw on the 45s and I’m like, all right, will you spot me? No idea how this is going to go and cranked out three reps. And he’s I didn’t even, need to help you in general.

I’m very lucky. Cause that Jim does have, just a really nice support system of the guys there. Again, whenever I see a woman, I really want to run over to her and welcome her to the space because I can see sometimes, they are so awkward and don’t know what they’re doing. And it’s so funny. I don’t want to become like the mansplainer and run over and here are clips, put them on so that you don’t kill yourself while you’re doing this exercise.

But every once in a while I’m like, hey, because I can, since I’m a woman, and say hey, can I give you like a little hint that will help you, to try to just encourage them. Any time I see anybody, because I’ve worked out for so long, I’ve been very healthy most of my life. I’ve had some health issues where I’ve had to come back to the gym out of shape.

And I know how hard it is. Unfortunately, like in 2000, I had a really bad case of mono. I was sick for months and completely had to rebuild my body. And that was the point when the three pound weights were appropriate. So it just, anytime I see somebody who’s new at the gym, I just want to like, say to have that sort of presence.

And I hope I do that. Like you’re fine here. This is, the area, like this is for everybody. And luckily again, the men have that. And it’s really cool because being an entrepreneur, I was reading recently a book. This is the answer by Dan Norris. I really liked, I know you’re obviously into entrepreneurship.

I really liked that book. 

Mike: Interesting. I haven’t heard of it. I’ll check it out. 

Maariana: Okay. But he was saying, and actually you had a guest on who was talking about his entrepreneurial book that was called Man Up. In this world, you do feel as like an outcast. And one of his stories, Dan Norris’s stories, is how he started a company with his friends.

And it’s always frustrating as a woman because you’re not part of that inner circle of guys that sort of developed in my gym, which is crazy that I have this rapport with the regular guys there that is completely comfortable. That is, I can ask them questions. I can have them spot me. So knowing that, When I go there now, they have my back in case there’s any shenanigans and that they’re there supporting me.

And the day that I did the 45s, a couple of them knew about my journey that I’ve gone through the last year. They were all cheering. Like it was so fun. So shout out to all the guys at blink on 40th street near Bryant park. Cause they’re awesome. The morning guys, I don’t know how the evening people are.

We’ll see. It’s so funny when you go to the gym at a different time and you’re like, it’s like a new 

Mike: gym. 

Maariana: So yes, if you go there between 530 and 930, you’re good to go. 

Mike: My gym, the early crowd is they’re generally, let’s see, the average age is a bit older. Very nice people. We have a similar, like you get to know everybody and you become a regular and apparently the night crowd though, or the younger it’s just the average age is younger.

And that’s when the douchebags come out basically. That’s probably a common pattern. It makes sense, right? Like some douchebag 20 year old is not going to be arriving at the gym at 6 or 7 a. m He’s going to be like going to bed at 6 or 7 a. m. 

Maariana: No. That’s what the serious people are Yeah, exactly.

Exactly. Plus I think Since I’ve added more weights, those shenanigans have definitely calmed down. So like now it’s really funny cause I can do pull ups, I’d hop on the bar and crank out five pull ups. So funny. I can see it’s like respect like this is unheard of respect among everybody.

I enjoy going to the gym now. I do have to keep, my guard up just slightly if I’m there alone. Because sometimes things will, if someone’s new or not a regular, and I think part of it is just they don’t expect me as a woman to be using that part of the gym. So like the other day there was a new guy who showed up and I was waiting for a cage and he asked the guy in the cage, Hey, how more, how many more sets do you have?

I like 

Mike: that. 

Maariana: And the guy’s she’s waiting. So I’m like, yep, I’m here. Yeah. Like she’s waiting. Yeah. You have to wait for her. I think once you get to those heavier weights and you are dedicated, not even the heavy weights, but you’re dedicated to really working on your body and you’re doing, those legitimate exercises, they’re just, there is a camaraderie that happens.

And I think women also think that people are judging them because people are in our lives unfortunately judging us. So I think women do worry about the gym in that way, but if you’re doing heavy weights, you’re not thinking about anything other than, Oh my gosh, I now have two and a half minutes to rest and then I got to do this again.

You’re not looking around and judging anybody. Yeah. So I think there’s just this mutual respect when you get to that point. Definitely. 

Mike: Of course. I’d say, I guess being judged, any of us would find that uncomfortable, but ultimately It doesn’t have to affect us at all. Actually, people can think whatever they want.

They can say whatever they want. And there’s a male version of everything that you’ve just explained where guys can be equally dismissive of other guys who are new to weightlifting, who aren’t very big, aren’t very strong, don’t really look like they should be there. Probably not the same. I would say it’s again, it’s just like a dismissal, like point of maybe the guy didn’t know you’re waiting or maybe he’s just a dick, but that same thing happens to guys as well.

If you’re a, if you’re just a dude who’s new to lifting and you’re, you’re just like a normal thin guy. You don’t really, you don’t look like you’re really going to assert yourself and say, Oh no. Like I’m next. That kind of stuff happens. It’s the dominant Oh, I’m the alpha. Like you can go after me, bro.

You know what I mean? 

Maariana: I think it was seen. It’s very funny when And my boyfriend is here. So he is like you on the leaner side. Obviously you can tell he’s strong, but we’ll go onto the benches and he’ll pick up 90 pound weights to do an incline bench press. And the other guys on the benches just leave.

And I’m like, honey, devastated. Five guys right now, especially on a Friday when they’re in there doing their chest workout, to go out later cause they want that muscle bloat and Oh, it’s so funny. I love Fridays at the gym with guys. Because they’re all on the benches doing incline looking at themselves doing this.

Terrible thing to say, looking at themselves doing chess, but it is, or at least at my gym, there is that phenomenon that happens 

Mike: Friday night, any gym in a metropolitan area. Yeah, there’s a lot of, there’s a lot of like chest and bicep pumping going on. 

Maariana: So it’s just, it was so funny because he picks up those heavy weights.

And all the guys left and I’m like, Oh, sweetie, you just completely devastated a bunch of guys. They’re not going out now. They’re going to stay in.

So I think, yeah, I think that’s the case.

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That’s essentially 10 percent cash back in rewards points. So again, the URL is legionathletics. com. And if you appreciate my work and want to see more of it, please do consider supporting me so I can keep doing what I love, like producing podcasts like this. Do you travel a fair amount for your work or otherwise?

Maariana: I definitely do. 

Mike: And how have you made that work? Because that’s obviously an obstacle. 

Maariana: Yeah. I don’t think it’s that challenging in general. I find a gym in February. We were in Spain and we went skiing for part of our vacation, but the other part we were seeing my boyfriend is half Spanish.

So we’re seeing his family. So we got a gym membership for the couple of days and went in there for mornings while we were there for a week. So I think if you usually I can find a gym in whatever town that I’m in. If not I know you were in Italy this summer. I was performing there in this, oh, lovely town.

Mike: Where in Italy? 

Maariana: So I was in the Marche region, between Rome and the Adriatic Sea. And I highly recommend it because it’s absolutely beautiful and it’s a third of the price. of any of the tourist areas. So there, luckily we’re in a valley. So every morning before rehearsal, I would go for an hour and a half walk, like a hike.

So it was at least like using my legs cause it was mountainous region and it was Italy. So it was horrible because there were sunflowers everywhere and vineyards and lilacs and like I would walk around and every corner was absolutely stunning. So it was absolutely beautiful. It was a lovely workout.

And then, I do my pushups. in my room or do lunges. Usually I’m away for two to three weeks. And so if I maintain, then when I come back to the gym, it’s usually not a big problem. I actually think you should rename your book, have the perfect body and go away on vacation and never gain any weight.

That’s, you have to shorten it a little bit, but that would sell to everybody because that’s what happens. That’s the crazy thing. We go to Spain, if we’re going on vacation, we indulge. We don’t overindulge, but we definitely indulge. Sometimes when I’m performing, after performances, I’m hungry.

So it’s okay, how do I regulate my food so that like I can eat something after, but I don’t overeat. I think that’s where a lot of opera singers get into trouble. Cause you finish your performance. You have a lot of adrenaline. You’re also really tired. So it’s like the worst combination and you’re hungry.

So you’re going to overeat. For me, I always want to set up my future self for success. I think that’s so important. So like in New York, even if I’m going out to dinner, it’s so easy. You just go online and check out the menu beforehand and you decide on something that afternoon. It’s. Two, three o’clock when you’re not hungry for me, that works.

Because then if I go to, I don’t really drink much, but I go to restaurants. Sometimes I’ll have a glass of wine and then you’re chatting with friends. You’re more likely to order the fattier, more caloric dish, as opposed to something like, if you’ve already made up your mind and you’re like, okay, I’m having a salmon with salad, you’re going to stick with that.

So I have a plan and I have go to recipes that I always have. Either at home, if I’m working from home or when I go away. And actually that same trip in Italy, there was a, an insult to call it a deli, but this mini food store across from me and I became friends with the owner. And so I’m like, Hey, I need this food at this time.

And he would make me my meals. I did have a kitchen there, but it was hard to food shop there. So he made my meals. And so it was so much easier. Like you just come up with a plan each time. 

Mike: It’s a matter of being resourceful and just thinking about it a little bit and being like, okay, how could I make this work?

Maariana: Yes. Yeah. And when I’ve gone on tour, I’ve brought food with me. Like I used to do touring companies in my twenties with an operetta company. And so I brought a lot of food with me and then I always had something to eat. And in general, you can find healthy stuff on a menu. It’s hard at that moment.

I know sometimes to make that commitment that okay, I’m not going to order that indulgent dish. But also the funny thing is now I can eat so much more like back in the day when I had that crazy appetite. Now my appetite is so much more regulated, which again is helpful for what I then had to go through.

So it’s just, it’s easier to make those decisions. And now when I like indulge, if I have a piece of chocolate or I have some ice cream, I have a small portion and it’s really filling. So it’s just a lot easier with much less of an appetite and I’m having more protein and I’m, Oh, by the way, too, I cut out my breakfast.

That was one of the biggest changes I made was I ate after I worked out. And the only reason I can do that, we call it The magic drink, which is your pre workout drink. 

Mike: Pulse. Pulse for anybody wondering. Yes. 

Maariana: Pulse is phenomenal. And like literally sometimes if I go to the gym and I’ve forgotten my water bottle with my pulse, I will go home and get my pulse and walk back to the gym.

That’s how much it just gets me over. Cause again, I grew up on a farm. We ate really early and we started chores really early. So that was a big. change for me. Yeah, my pulse in the morning after a workout, I have some protein, but I’m not really hungry till 10 30 11 and then I can have something small and then a normal lunch.

So I’ve cut out a meal already, which then I can use those calories like later on in the day. So it’s much easier. And then I was surprised like cutting wasn’t that difficult. So once I started weight training, I did notice like I was getting a little bigger. And so it’s okay, it’s time.

My boyfriend was like, so now I will introduce you to cutting and what you have to do and monitoring your calories. 

Mike: See, that’s so important to know that okay, it’s not the weightlifting that is the quote unquote problem here. It’s simply that you’re gaining muscle. And that means now the, that for the look that you want and for any women listening to just picture.

20 percent body fat in my experience, having worked with many women over the years, that’s where most women are happiest. That’s where you look lean and athletic. You don’t look too shredded though. You don’t lose your femininity. You still have curves, but you look like an athlete. That look though also requires an above average amount of lean mass, because if you don’t have enough muscle, you can have a low body fat level.

But then you have that kind of skinny fat look. So you have to have both. But if you have the muscle and you allow your body fat to go too high, and by too high, it’s really a subjective thing. Too high for you. There is a point where you’re like, I just look too big. And guys, we would just say, Oh, I look fat.

And girls probably say the same thing, but that’s the, it would come with that bulky connotation. Women would think that guys wouldn’t, they’re trying to look bulky. That’s like a positive thing for the average guy. But it’s that point of understanding that Because many women, they make the mistake of they start doing some resistance training and they start gaining some muscle and they gain some strength.

And then they start looking a bit bigger than they want to look a bit, quote unquote, bulkier. And then they just stop the resistance training and they just go back to like starvation and cardio. 

Maariana: Yes. So that was me for Before I met you, that was that cycle. It’s so frustrating. So for me, it’s just finding that that getting that definition.

So that sort of dictated how much I was cutting. I have to ask you is triumph for men or is that for men and women? 

Mike: That’s a good question. It’s for men and women. No. But because that’s not entirely clear, actually. And it also speaks to a, another point, which I’ll get to in a second, but with triumph, we’re actually splitting it.

We’re going to have a version specifically for women. That’s on the website. You’re going to have to select, do you want it for men or do you want for women? And the formulations are going to be quite different because by doing that’s going to allow us to. to get very specific on the doses of vitamins and minerals because the average woman weighs quite a bit less than the average guy.

And so it needs less of certain things. The average woman needs to supplement with iron, for example, whereas guys don’t. And then even in the additional ingredients on top of the vitamins and minerals, we’re going to be tweaking those to make them more specific to men and women. And that also leads me to an issue that we’re addressing, which is that currently, Legions, the products look hyper masculine.

They look bodybuilder ish. I’ve heard from quite a few women over the years, just, you just were sharing their first impressions, which were, Oh, that’s probably not for me. That was that’s stupid. If I’m not of them, of me, that’s not even think of that. Cause I totally get that where these are black bottles.

And in some cases, the text has a lot of these products look like they are more for guys than women. And look for. specifically for bodybuilders. So we’re going through a whole rebrand redesign to make the packaging more gender neutral, look more premium, just like a premium supplement as opposed to a hardcore bodybuilding supplement.

So that also I think is going to just help with questions like that, because I’ve, again, I’ve heard from quite a few women, like You know, , should I be taking any of this or is this just for bodybuilder guys or? 

Maariana: The thing is, so since my boyfriend was taking it, I decided to take it too. I was doing the man program.

Yeah. 

Mike: You might as well take the man supplements, whatever. 

Maariana: Yeah, exactly. I’m like it’s working for you. Don’t change it too much. So the interesting thing is I definitely took it while I was cutting, to make sure I was getting all of my nutrients. You can’t change it that much because it’s phenomenal for your nail growth.

Things that men don’t need to care about or know, but for any women out there who are listening, Triumph really is really good for your fingernails, if you want long nails. Which helps because a couple of negative things about doing this is because I do deadlifts, I have really rough hands. 

Mike: You don’t use gloves.

You just let your hands 

Maariana: Luckily, my boyfriend thinks it’s, adorable because he’s doing the same thing. So at least I have like nice fingernails. 

Mike: You grew up on a farm, so you could say that. 

Maariana: Exactly. Yeah. So the thing is that was cool. Cause during cutting, I’m nervous about cutting that many.

It wasn’t that many calories, which actually, again, is surprising. I cut out like 250 calories a day for a couple of days. Then went back up to what I was my maintenance and then back down and to see like this weight just come off. And at the same time, my fingernails are growing. Cause also that’s just a sign that like your body’s healthy.

So I knew like my body was safe. So that, yes. Okay. So now the mystery has been solved. I was thinking that as I was taking like 

Mike: yeah, no, I understand. It’s supposed 

Maariana: to be doing. 

Mike: It is formulated for both men and women in that like the vitamins and minerals are dosed with the intention for both men and women.

So nothing is too high for women. And then in the 14 additional ingredients, none of those are specifically for men and women. And actually, most of them are staying. We’re just going to be swapping a couple that we think that we like. But we have a women’s formulation, then they’re also, there are a couple additionals that it would make sense to include specifically for women.

That means that we could, it’s also because that formulation was designed, I want to say, Three or four years ago, as the scientific literature has continued on. And as more and more research has been done, Curtis is really the guy who heads up all of this. And I also, and he works with a scientific advisory board.

There are just, there are ingredients where he’s yeah, four years ago, I really liked this ingredient, but now I really like this other one more, so I think we should swap it. And so we’re just making. Across the board upgrades. And that’s going to include putting some stuff again, specifically for women to help with menstruation symptoms, to help with cramps and stuff.

There’s something going in for that to help with libido and also hair, skin, and nails. And 

Maariana: you already got the nails. So just whatever that is, don’t change it. 

Mike: Yeah. So how long did it take you to go from about 30 percent body fat to about 20%? 

Maariana: I would say about six months. 

Mike: Nice. 

Maariana: Yes. 

Mike: Did you run into any obstacles along with anything that where you had to change what you were doing?

Maariana: Not really. I had a knee injury and that was nagging and that went away. So that was good. It really was just these mental hurdles of I don’t see a lot of women doing this weight. Can I do this weight? Okay that guy’s doing it. He’s going to help me out. And again, it was just really the beginning of that fear of bulking up.

And once that’s taken away, then it was just just learning and picking up more weights and advancing and the enjoyment of then seeing, I remember what time I was, so I’m pear shaped and I was doing bicep curls and all of a sudden, like I could see my Delta and I was. Thinking, Oh goodness, I have a new muscle.

This is really cool. Then I thought, Oh my gosh, but my hips have gone down. And then I quickly turned to the side. I’m like, all right, my butt’s still there. Okay. We’re good. Like I still look like a girl. So it’s this weird, like transformation. Cause it is it’s like watching grass grow.

All of a sudden you’re like, Oh my gosh, I have a really nice lawn. This is fantastic. Cause I put in the work. And so you just notice those things. And I think those really motivate you. And again, I’m not sure how much this is for guys, but for girls putting on those outfits that you’ve always wanted to wear, walking for me, walking into an audition and knowing that I’m already knocking their socks off by walking in and looking like completely fit, completely against what a stereotypical opera singer looks like is so much fun.

So I think once you get that momentum, it really helps. I’m very lucky because I do have my boyfriend as a resource that I can keep asking him. For information, if there’s something that I’m something with programming, I know you have like your coaching program 

Mike: and also for people listening, there’s also over at legionathletics.

com on the blog. There’s probably close to a thousand articles at this point. I’ve recorded a lot of podcasts, so that’s a great resource too. If you don’t have someone you can go to, or if you don’t want coaching or if it’s not in the budget. And then of course, people can also just email me anytime to Mike at most life.

com. It might take me a week or so to get back to them, but they will get an answer. 

Maariana: I sent your Tom Brady podcast to a friend who was asking about nutrition. And I said, listen to this has some just very solid information for people about nutrition. There’s so much I was reading an article a few months ago about, so my generation had the food pyramid.

And there was actually a woman who was behind the food pyramid, a nutritionist. It was very controversial because she said that she actually thought the U. S. government sent it out to the highest bidder. And after it came back to her, once it was sent to the Department of Agriculture, and all of a sudden there was 8 to 12 servings of grains, they actually took away some of the servings of fruit and vegetables.

And no mention of low fat dairy because the dairy Department didn’t want that out there that there was something negative with dairy. So for so many of us, isn’t that crazy? It’s like crazy and she said oh this is going to lead to Diabetes heart disease weight gain, which is exactly what it did And then actually her and I were talking as well about the harvard scientists That were paid off by the sugar industry to say fat was bad.

So that’s the thing is this really low fat diet of a lot of grains doesn’t get you. I know I did it for a long time. It doesn’t get you anywhere. There’s no mention of the amount of protein that one gram per pound body fat. And it’s so funny because I will say that to women and they’ll say, isn’t that tough on your body to process that much protein?

And I’m thinking you just complimented my body for looking so healthy. Meanwhile, you’re questioning what I’m doing. 

Mike: But it’s just, there’s so much bad information out there and you have so many supposed experts. A lot of the bad advice has come from doctors who are mainstream and are either Ignorant or just dishonest and are just driven by the need to sell the next thing.

A lot of that comes down to just sizzle. 

Maariana: Yes. Oh, without a doubt. Yeah. It’s super frustrating that they’re, how, that’s why I sent her the podcast. Cause I said, look, he’s going to give you every single study behind why, what he does works. So you’ll know why you’re eating this way rather than just making that guess.

Mike: Yeah. Yeah. And as far as the grains point, just to add that, I think it is, it makes sense. I look at grains as supplementary. So I look at the foundation of my diet is protein is vegetables is fruit, more vegetables than fruit, simply because that’s generally how it should be. It’s not that it’s bad to eat quite a bit of fruit, but two or three servings of fruit a day and about double that of vegetables is probably pretty ideal.

And then healthy fats specifically. Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated with some saturated, but I like to emphasize monounsaturated in particular. And then that only gets you so far with calories though. And especially, I need to eat somewhere around 3000 or so calories, maybe 2, 800 calories a day to just maintain my body weight.

So I need more calories. Where am I going to get those? Okay. Let’s add some more carbs and that could be grains. It could be legumes. That’s normally where I go. I go, I like oatmeal. So I’ll eat oatmeal or Do rice dishes or even some bread as well. Like I like pita bread, so I’ll have some pita bread every day.

But that’s the, really the last thing that I’m adding into my diet. And I think that’s just a tip for anybody listening that when you’re setting up your diet, if you look at it that way, depending on how many calories you have to work with, when it comes down to okay, what grains and supplementary carbs am I going to be adding?

You might not have much left. If you’re a woman and you’re cutting, for example, you might, you after covering the major. Points of your protein and your vegetables and your fruit and your healthy fats. It might leave a serving or so of supplementary carbs, but that is, I think a good process to work through.

And then when you’re in maybe in a lean bulking phase, you might be having several servings of supplementary carbs a day. 

Maariana: Yeah. I actually really liked the word. That’s a very nice way of classifying it. What’s important first. And then the carbs. Oh, that’s very interesting. Yeah. I like it. I’m going to tell her that.

Mike: Did you run into any hunger or cravings issues when you were cutting? 

Maariana: No. In fact my boyfriend would like to thank you because I’m much less hangry when I’m hungry. So 

Mike: it’s interesting how that changes. I experienced the same change when I got my shit together years ago. 

Maariana: Yes, he’s definitely, that’s been wonderful because I knew I was angry, so you’re aware, but just, yeah.

When your body’s like craving this food all the time because you’re working out so much and you’re like, and you’re not having the protein and you just want more carbs and more carbs. And then when you switch your diet and Sometimes I’ll be working and then I realized I haven’t eaten lunch and it’s 3 30 like that never happened Before it was usually okay.

When’s my next meal as soon as I finish a meal college Especially it was so frustrating because I was so active when I was younger That then I went to college and the freshman 15 hit I was thinking, Oh my goodness, because I used to be a dancer as well. How do I work out three hours a day? Cause that’s what I used to do or horseback riding, hours a day.

And so I would try to go to the gym for almost two hours, but I was doing a neurobiology degree and an opera degree. Like you can’t do that. It’s not going to happen. I needed that energy to study. I needed that energy to sing. And it was I just remember being so frustrated and that’s why I turned to running.

And then, again, I got all soft. So I didn’t like how I looked. Yeah, so just, oh, it was very frustrating. So I’m glad, it’s so amazing to just be in control of your body finally, and to do what you need to do. And then also to take some time off and know when you come back, you don’t have to rebuild as much as you thought you would have to.

Or you. That it is amazing when you go away for three or four weeks and you really don’t gain the weight back. That’s wonderful. That is definitely a selling point. I think you need to put out a bit more. 

Mike: It’s true. It’s the big hook. It’s true. 

Maariana: Getting your that’s what I say to people. I’m like, you get your best body and you go on vacation.

You don’t gain weight. Yeah. What else do you need in life? 

Mike: And does that get people’s attention? 

Maariana: Oh yes. Yes. Without a doubt. Cause you want to go on vacation and have fun and you don’t want to come back and then it’s you 

Mike: also don’t want to have lingering feelings of guilt because you feel like you ate more than you should or be worried about what might happen if you do eat a bit too much.

And by understanding, so there’s, I think there’s The straight physiological side of you have a body now that burns quite a bit more energy than it did a couple of years ago or several years ago. And then there is that you also now understand the fundamentals of dieting. And so you’re just instinctively going to make better food choices.

And you already mentioned a few things where you’re, even though you’re not maybe too concerned about your calorie intake, you’re not accidentally eating like 6, 000 calories a day or something. You’re just more flexible. In what you’re eating, you are able to keep things reasonable and keep things under control.

And which then I think it gives you that ease of mind, maybe where then you can enjoy whatever it is that you’re eating, which may also contribute to not having to eat as much of it. 

Maariana: Yeah, I know. I completely agree with that. To have this. Immune. All I do now is just follow my normal pattern of how much I’m hungry.

Like it’s so easy now. It really isn’t. And the thing is too, if I’m like, okay, I want to cut a little bit, then I can do that for a little bit. I definitely, even when I’m cutting, I don’t feel as hungry as I used to feel. It’s much easier. I can just follow my hunger patterns completely. Like my body wants to maintain itself.

Mike: Yep. And one of the major physiological reasons why the body is Appetite of mechanisms work better. The fitter you are, it just has to do with insulin sensitivity. As your body becomes more responsive to insulin’s signals, that means that you are naturally going to feel fuller after your meals, and it’s going to also impact that.

The levels of hormones related to hunger and satiety fullness, which are ghrelin and leptin. And there’s some interface there between insulin sensitivity and the ghrelin and leptin system. And then there’s also your body becomes more sensitive to. Leptin, which induces feelings of fullness, there’s stuff that’s going on internally where your body’s various different systems really, exercise positively impacts every important physiological system there is, but particularly related to appetite.

And so then it makes it even easier to. Eat intuitively, so to speak, and just to go based on, Hey, I’m hungry now. And then you have some simple, for example, that if you’re going to have a bigger dinner at night, you already know that you’re on vacation. You already know that you’re hungry. It’s lunchtime.

You are going to have a serving of protein. You’re gonna eat some vegetables and that’s it. And that’s going to fill you up. And even though you’re not paying attention to calories. You are instinctively just going with the flow with your body, where you’re eating foods that are filling foods and nutritious, you’re stopping.

You’re not, the point of being stuffed. You’re just eating to the point of being satisfied. So then. When you are going to intentionally push it a bit further, you are going to stuff yourself here and there. It’s just in the scheme of things. You just don’t really see the impact. And I don’t know about you, but I’ll even naturally feel.

So if I eat a larger dinner and then I’ll just be naturally less hungry the next day. If I just go by how I’m feeling, I will instinctively just eat less the next day. 

Maariana: That’s absolutely the case. It’s so fantastic. Cause again, it’s that sense of just your body is doing the right thing that it’s supposed to be doing.

Instead of this like craving and being hungry, because once you’re hungry, you’re in this, state of unrest and you want to fulfill that. So to actually be able to not be hungry for your body to do what it’s supposed to be doing, it’s a very calming sort of feeling in a way, because you’re, you’ve optimized your body.

You know that’s the case and you look fantastic. So So that’s part of it too. And the other thing too, is if I want to indulge, sometimes I do, but also right now my body looks so good. So nothing tastes as good as looking in the mirror. That is just the case. I think for women, when they get over that hump and they’re like, Oh my goodness, there is that, do I really want that chocolate cake?

Because this could add to it. So many calories that there, there could not be consequences with the one piece of cake, but you just, if you make, again, setting your future self up for success, if you constantly make that decision I don’t need that. Think about for a month, if you cut down on dessert, how many calories that would be?

Will be like, what are the things I do in New York is anytime I can, I use the stairs, always use the stairs and my friends make fun of me. 

Mike: Yeah, that’s a good idea. That’s a good tip. I’ve shared with, I’ve mentioned that a number of times just to increase looking for simple ways to increase general activity is just smart.

Maariana: Yeah, actually. And when I go, when I work at different opera companies and they do offer housing, I usually say no. Then I find an apartment. That is walking distance from the theater or from the rehearsal space, because it’s so important to just get that little bit of extra walking in. I’m so used to doing that in New York that once that cardio is taken away, it is difficult.

It’s not tons of cardio, but, probably is about a half a mile to a mile a day of moving around. That definitely adds up. Think about over a year, if I’m walking upstairs as much as possible, usually if it gets to six floors, I’ll take the elevator, but under that, I take the stairs and I like over a year that has to add up to something.

So all those like little changes can make such a big difference. 

Mike: Yeah. Walking’s great. If we’re looking at it just from an energy burn perspective, you’re going to burn a couple hundred calories an hour of walking. And that’s also a good traveling tip that I’ve shared a number of times when you’re on vacation is do a lot of walking and then you really can eat a lot of food and you will see no difference.

Really? 

Maariana: Yeah. The bummer is here. People say that to New Yorkers Oh, you’re going to walk a lot while you’re there so you can eat more. And you’re like, no, I already walk a lot. Yeah. 

Mike: It 

Maariana: doesn’t translate quite as well, but yeah, no, that’s definitely the case. 

Mike: Yeah. When I’m, I don’t go to New York often, but I’m there.

When I really travel anywhere, I like to go and see things. I’m not, I guess the other option is like shopping, which that’s my wife prefers to do, but I prefer not to do that. So I’m out walking a lot. And although actually funny enough. So Sarah, she used to be more into shopping than she is now because now she can just do it all online.

And she can order whatever she wants and it’s free shipping. And then she can try it on and send it back. So now when we travel, although we don’t travel much, she, because previously when we were younger, it would be like, okay, she wants to go shopping for two hours or something. I hate shopping, particularly on vacation.

So then I would go, all right, I’m just going to go look at buildings. I’ll go to museums. I’ll go look at things now. That’s less the case because she just does all her shopping online. But by walking, on average, I would say when I’m on vacation, I’m probably Walking three to five hours a day, and that’s a lot of calories.

Again that’s like a thousand to 1500 calories that I can just eat basically and know that I have a big buffer. 

Maariana: Yeah, no, that’s definitely the case. The nice thing is when I’m performing or vacationing in Europe, usually they’re walkable cities, obviously, so that does make it easier. But any time that I can set myself up in the States, with just adding that extra walking in.

It makes such a difference. Definitely. And just especially to like for me after performance, walking home from the theater, like you start working out some of that adrenaline. So it’s just a calming effect rather than get in the car and then get to your apartment and now relax. And then you’re gonna, you’re more likely to eat, I think anyway.

Mike: Yeah. Yeah. For me, that would also, it’s mess with my sleep. I’ve learned that if I am Stimulated up to the point of going to bed. I’m probably going to wake up six times. I actually, as I’ve gotten a little bit older, that’s been, it’s not the case when I was younger, but as I’ve gotten a little bit older, I need to take a little bit of time to relax and make sure that I’m actually like sleepy ish by the time I go to bed, or I’m probably not going to sleep.

Maariana: Yeah. Yeah. No it’s actually, it is. That’s a tricky thing after performance to get some good rest. So you hope that sort of the exhaustion takes over from the adrenaline. 

Mike: Yeah. I can imagine. Hey, Mike here. And if you like what I’m doing on the podcast and elsewhere, and if you want to help me help more people get into the best shape of their lives.

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