Lisa Gallo, 21, Student at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Why do you exercise daily and eat healthy? I love the feeling of being young, healthy and fit and wouldn’t trade that for anything.
How long have you been exercising and eating healthy? Almost four years.
Do you compete? Tell us about that. I compete within myself. Before I started working out on a regular basis, I couldn’t even run one mile without stopping. I signed up for a 5K with about four months to train and I completed it! It was a huge accomplishment for me.
Most challenging aspect of maintaining a healthy diet: The temptations of unhealthy food. I come from a huge, Italian family and almost every holiday or get together is based around food – pasta, sausage, cheese and sweets. I absolutely love chocolate, so it can be hard to resist.
Most fun aspect of exercising: The feeling I have after a great workout. I feel like I can conquer anything!
Most rewarding aspect of exercising: My confidence level actually exists now. I have more confidence in everything, from job interviews to meeting new people!
Who inspires you when you’re feeling weak? My best friend, John, who is a personal trainer, inspires me. If I’m getting bored with exercise or find myself lacking motivation, he teaches me something new and pushes me to that next level. Also, he believes in me.
Your must-have equipment for exercising: Kettle bells. I absolutely LOVE creating new kettle bell workouts!
Advice for others who’d like to get started: Listen to Nike and “Just Do It.” The hardest part is getting started, so start slow and work your way up! Don’t forget to push yourself – you’re capable of more than you could ever imagine.
Favorite training song: Oddly, the dub step genre, like Skrillex, really gets me fired up.
Favorite healthy food: Greek yogurt.
Favorite not-so-healthy food: Chocolate chip cookies, especially the ones from Publix bakery!
Most embarrassing moment while exercising: When I attended my first Zumba fitness class, I realized we had an audience peaking through the glass windows the entire time. I was so embarrassed, but it was a funny experience!
