Turo Virta: 1:08

Hey, Welcome back to Fit. Me to a fitness podcast. I'm your host, Turo Roberta, and if you have been around here for a while, you know that I'm passionate about helping you build a strong, sustainable and enjoyable approach to health and fitness, without extremes, without guilt and without burning out. Today, we have a guest who embodies that mission, Ariana Hackman, if I hopefully I pronounced it correctly, is founder of Luna fit, and the health and fitness brand that is taking completely fresh approach to wellness by combining technology, nutrition, fitness and community. So she has built multiple businesses in the fitness space, from a gym to a meal prep company to supplements, and now she's on mission help busy people achieve their health goals with simple, sustainable solutions. And we are going to talk about why half of the American population is overweight and what we can actually do about it, and the truth about popular diets like keto, how many healthy how how to make healthy habits stick when life is busy, and how technology can be used to create healthier, happier life. So whether you are parent, professional, or just someone who is trying to start, who is tired of starting over every Monday? This conversation is going to give you tools, clarity and maybe even a little inspiration to take action today. So Arianna, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited about you, about having you here, was that even close correct what I just said,

Unknown: 2:48

yeah, that was amazing. Thank you so much. That's a great introduction. I'm really excited to be here and to talk to your listeners. I think I can relate very closely to them as a woman in my 40s as well, who's you know been through my own transformations and then also helped others, and hopefully we can give them some good information today.

Turo Virta: 3:07

So those who haven't heard your story yet, could you go a little bit back you have pretty interesting story. So could you take us back to the moment when you decided to pivot from corporate finance to building a wellness empire?

Unknown: 3:27

Sure. So I, you know, like you said, I was in corporate finance for about 15 years and climbing that corporate ladder, and I actually really enjoyed it. I was good at my job, but I had my daughter. Her name is Luna. That's where Luna fit comes from. She's She is behind it all, and she's 10. Oh yeah, she's 10, yeah. So after I had her, it just, uh, it felt so different. I didn't enjoy what I was doing anymore. I hated leaving her every day. Um, has when I had a nanny raising her, and it was just odd. It just felt like that wasn't how life was supposed to be. Um, so after about nine months back at work, I I was like, I can't do this anymore. So ended up leaving the hospital. And I was like, Okay, what in the world am I going to do now? And the only other thing I ever really knew anything about was health and fitness. And so I started Mommy and Me classes, actually wearing my daughter in a mobi wrap and helping other moms exercise, move their bodies, started giving them some nutrition advice of how to, you know, lose that, that baby weight and body fat, and it just kind of went from there, ended up buying a gym and then expanding the gym, and then meal prep and supplements and so on so. But the latest thing our app is really, I think, the most exciting thing we've done in this whole journey.

Turo Virta: 4:52

Oh, what, gosh, I for sure want to ask you about your app and everything, but what kind of fears and doubts you had in making that leap, and how did you overcome Come then,

Unknown: 5:08

yeah, it was terrifying. I literally the moment I did it, I was like, Wait, did I make the wrong decision? But, you know, I thought about all the things that had happened. I actually just by accident, over my time in the healthcare system I worked in, I ended up teaching their employee wellness program, um, and so I was trained additionally on fitness and movement. And I just, I looked back at all of the the things that God had placed in my life, that kind of brought me to a place where I felt like I really could do something different. And I was like, okay, Ariana, this is your moment. You just gotta keep going. But I think it takes a lot of a lot of trust that it's going to work out, a lot of faith in in yourself and just being willing to take those those risks, definitely a big mindset thing. You gotta shift from Okay, I'm going to work every day, and someone's going to give me what I'm going to do to Okay. Okay, here I am. I have no clue what I'm doing, but I'm going to just do the next best thing every day and just try to keep going and build what I can build. So how did

Turo Virta: 6:16

you get started? Like, what was the first step? Like, you said that you had that moment. You started with moving with the moms losing helping them to lose that baby weight. What happened then?

Unknown: 6:29

Yeah, so that kind of started because I went to, like, a support group, a mom support group, and they all seemed like they needed help. Just that's what's what they complained about the entire time we were there. I don't know what to eat, I don't know I can't motivate myself to get moving. I don't know how to exercise without hurting myself. And I was like, Man, I can, I can help, right? That's always, I'm sure, for you too, like, That's always how this starts. It's it comes to you, like, I can help, like I can actually help this person, or these people you know, with with what they're looking for and what seems to be very important to them right now. And so from that, those classes, I did them in a gym, one of the moms that was in the support group that came to the classes owned a gym, and she let me teach these classes there. And we eventually ended up partnering with them and buying into that gym. And then through a chain of events, we purchased another gym and ended up turning that into Luna fit. And then the next step was the meal prep and that came from, again, our clients kept saying, I can't meal prep. I don't have time, I don't know how, I don't like what I'm making. And I looked at the market for meal prep that I felt good about, and I couldn't find anything that I loved. And I was like, okay, I can help. So then came the meal prep. And so each business that we've developed has come from our clients risking and how can we help, and what can we do next? And how can we, you know, further help them in their health and fitness journey. Because, you know, I feel like anyone that's in this business, their passion is making people healthier and get helping them create lifestyle change, right? Not those, not those quick fad diets, not the shots or the pills, but actual lifestyle changes that will help them feel better, age better, and, you know, be able to help them with their actual goals, which is always more than losing weight, you know, playing with their grandkids, fitting in that dress, whatever it is that's actually driving them to Look for that change, feeling better about themselves overall.

Turo Virta: 8:30

And is there like anything, anything, all these things, what you what you have built, have the how have these kind of different vendors shaped your approach to health? I

Unknown: 8:45

feel like every time I start something new, it brings on more challenges, which, you know, challenges develop growth. So it definitely helps growth as a leader and a business person, but I think it also always gives me the opportunity to learn about something new. So I knew a lot about, you know, exercise, but until I actually started personal training, I didn't know as much as I know now. And I always feel like when you're teaching someone else something, or you're starting something new, you have to learn more to get there. And so when I started the meal prep company, I knew a lot about nutrition, but I went, you know, so much deeper into nutrition and macros and what types of meals actually help people lose body fat? And, you know, I just learned so much more, and then into cooking, and we actually develop a lot of protein foods. So for me, a lot of the snacks out there are more higher in fat than in protein, even though they're called protein snacks. So, you know, I create products for the kitchen and recipes that are actually higher in protein and still taste great. We have a line of protein bites that people go go nuts over, and just things like that that will actually help people in their journey. But it's all that learning experience and then into the app. I mean, I didn't know anything about technology. I'm actually a late adopter of technology. I always wait until the last minute, but when I started getting into tech, you know, now I know something about coding. I know something about how we put all of this information together in the app, how people use apps, what would actually help them stick to a goal? You know, they're connected to their phones all day. So how can I take that dedication to their phone and help them turn that into something healthy?

Turo Virta: 10:33

And what is, what do you think like that? What is, what are the main like, how the technology is helping people? Because I, I feel like now there is that the AI, it's everywhere. It's amazing tool, if you use it correctly, and basically all information, like access to all research, coaching programs, workout programs, meal preparation. It's everything is everyone's, you know, fingertips like, you know, you can just take your phone, ask health advices, whatever. Advice is from Ai, or there are apps basically for every single thing. So, yeah, yeah. I think, yeah, sorry, go ahead,

Unknown: 11:20

sorry. I think you know what we've done is kind of what we've done in our businesses is we've given people simple lifestyle habits around movement, nutrition, working out, hydration and sleep. And so we took all of those five pillars and we put them in the app in one place, so that they don't have to go to three different apps, so they don't have to be missing something when in there. So I think the first thing is putting everything in one place. We're making it fun. So there's a lot of, you know, animations that are very funny in there, and we have a whole reward system where you get achievements and points, and you can spend them in the marketplace. People like to feel like they're achieving something, especially if the scale might not be moving. Okay, what else did I achieve today? Did I hit my step goal? Did I hit my water goal? Like, okay, I did something good, you know? And I think that helps encourage them so rewarding them for every step in the process, I think helps. And then, as you mentioned, AI, we're actually releasing a new version in a few weeks, it's going to basically have myself and my husband as AI coaches, and it'll take the framework of what we do in our business. So when you go to chat GPT, you can ask anything, but there's so much information out there, what you get back is just a mix of everyone's information. So we're actually saying what we have had success with our clients. That's the advice that you'll get from us as a coach in the app as well.

Turo Virta: 12:52

Yeah, no, that is, that is amazing. Like, was it, like you said, I feel exactly the same way. Like, of course, there is, like, a very much like, it's kind of a better version of Google. Like, how it was couple of years back, like that. You know, when you Google something you might get, you will get always answer. But if that answer is actually helpful, or is it actually good one it was, it might be leading you to some blog post earlier. Now, it's kind of same thing. It's just, in my opinion, it's just a better version of Google and, like more accurate version, so you can, but, of course, still less mistakes. But with this new tools like that you can, you can actually use your voice, your what you are teaching and adding that those kind of tools, like, if you have, you have built a course like, like, I know, and then you can search basically what you are, how you would say it, and what is, what is your take on it, and get, actually that answer, because there is so much things that you might even, not even like most of the clients, I think they don't even know what kind, what kind of questions they should be asking

Unknown: 14:06

Exactly. I totally agree. I think most of the time they've been so overloaded with information and they don't know what's right and what's wrong that you're I think you're totally right. I don't think they know what to ask anymore. And as fitness, health and fitness professionals, I think that's why they come find us. Yeah,

Turo Virta: 14:21

no, absolutely. And it's, it's, it's like, because I know you have worked with like myself, with so many people that you know, you have pretty basic pattern like, what, in which order questions what kind of things they need. Like and I love that, like you said, that it's focusing on those kind of actionable goals, because I are very few people who scale is, for example, you mentioned scale earlier that it's going faster than people think. It's because it's almost always going to be that progress is going to be slower than people would like to see. But when you have something to celebrate, like those kind of actionable wins, getting better earlier, drinking your water, hitting your protein, call whatever that goal might be. And that is then when the time is passing, the time is working for you and not against you, because ultimately, until you don't quit, it's only matter of time before you reach your home

Unknown: 15:28

exactly, and anything right? And in business and in weight loss, whatever it is you're trying to achieve, you'll eventually get there if you keep working at it, and you become consistent rather than trying to be perfect. I think that's the big mistake in health and fitness, is people think it's all or nothing. And it's not all or nothing. It's, you know, it's a balance in between of, you know, some days you're going to hit your goals and you're going to be amazing, and other days you're not. But if you don't quit, when you have those bad days and you keep going and doing your best, you'll eventually get there.

Turo Virta: 16:02

Let's talk. Because I, I. Kind of related for this. It's like the state of health today, like, was it in America? It's, I think it's even or it is a lot situation is worse than here in Europe and or in Italy. But like you said, that around 50% of Americans are overweight. Why do you think that this has become such widespread issue.

Unknown: 16:31

I think, I think it's a few things. I think people's work, work has changed a lot. I think that so many people are sedentary in their job. So I'll even use myself as an example. When I was personal training and coaching classes, and first started my business, I was on my feet all day, you know, 12 hours a day, I was pretty much on my feet. Now that I've transitioned more into business, I sometimes will only have 4000 steps at the end of my day, and I'll have to actually purposefully get those steps, whereas before, it was coming naturally. And I think most jobs here, people work really long hours, and they sit all day, and then they're tired because they're not feeding themselves properly or drinking enough water. And so they go home and they some more. And so I think the sedentary lifestyle is one reason. I also think that our food is not the quality that it used to be. Think even you know, healthy, nutritious food has lost a lot of their nutrition in the way that we're farming and doing things now, and a lot of our processed foods. You know, you'll see things on social media, the difference between a label, let's say, over in Europe, versus a label here, same company, same product, but different ingredients, because the things that are allowed here are so much worse than what's allowed in other countries. And then I think the last thing that really happens is a lot of medications are pushed, pushed here. So the United States is the only country where pharmaceuticals are advertised on television. Every other country you go to your doctor, he prescribes something here, every other commercial on television is for a pharmaceutical. So people are going to their doctors and asking for medications. And that's very, very backwards.

Turo Virta: 18:15

Oh yeah, yeah, it was. It's, it's kind of, instead of preventing, it's always like that, you know, you would do something against that. You don't need medication. They are already selling you the solution when you have the problem, like, and that is, I think it's often forgotten a little bit. And also, like you mentioned, that lifestyle change, that is, that is huge. Because if you think, like, an hour, like, of course, everything, everything, if you look what is how things are made, like it's everything must be comfortable that you you need to do less steps, you need to walk less. You need to everything is basically in reachable, within your fingertips, that you don't need to move. It's everything should be just comfortable and kind of that working yourself that kind of, it's because it's, it's not that's not selling. It's honest truth. It's, it's not selling. Like if you have a if you have a solution, you know, for example, weight loss, you have a solution. You are selling that. You know, you have a workout program and nutrition plan that, but you have to cook yourself your meals, and then the other solution is promising test, just that you get the same results 10 times faster. And all you need to do is to take that pill and it's it's not. You don't need to be. It's pretty obvious what most of the people are going to choose,

Unknown: 19:46

yeah, yeah. And the unfortunate thing is, like, there is no magic pill, because if there was even I would take it. I mean, I'm, I'm not crazy about, you know, having to, having to cook all my food and working out three times a week, and, you know, trying to be active when I'm, you know, working in my businesses and raising my daughter and doing all those things, like, it's, it's hard, it's, it's hard to do the right thing. But the problem is, is there is no magic pill, and people here are just being fooled, basically by that industry telling them there's a quick fix when there's really not. And I think between the long term effects of taking some of those things will be very negative on people's bodies, and when they stop taking it, unless they've changed their lifestyle, it's all going to be a negative cycle, and they're going to be worse off than they were before. And you know, if people use it correctly, so if they're using it as a boost, and they're also making the lifestyle changes that go with it, I don't have a problem with it, but if you're just taking shots or pills and you're not doing anything else, it's it's, it's going to end up hurting you, and that's really sad to me, because that's not how it's advertised. Of course

Turo Virta: 20:54

it is. It is honest truth. It says that so many people like you know, what I what I have seen is that that many people like they talk to talk themselves like. Most of the people our I would say almost all people know that you would need to do kind of lifestyle changes at the same time. But then, you know, you start taking some pills or shots, and then it comes like that. Okay, I should be doing this, but then on the practical side, like you might forget, or people will forget on are not going to follow those lifestyle changes at the same time. They just remember to take pill, and then everything else is like that. Okay? I maybe I start to do it tomorrow, and and then at some point, you are in a point that, okay, now you would like to try it by yourself or or without medication, without pills. And that's the point like that when you haven't had that experience how to actually do it in a real life. That's when all those results, what you have got, you probably gonna end up in a worse place than even getting those results in a short term.

Unknown: 22:04

Yeah, yeah. I totally agree and that, you know, it is a skill set that you have to build. You know, it's a skill set to be able to be disciplined enough to, you know, work out when you need to drink water, get your steps in, eat a healthy, you know, balanced diet. But I do think people make it a lot harder than it has to be. Yes, you have to change things, you know, yes, you might have to do a few things that you aren't as excited about as first, but I found that once people get into it and they see the results, and they feel so much better, they actually enjoy it. And it really is a lifestyle that I think that most everyone would enjoy if they got to, you know, someone that could get them to where they've developed those skill sets and they were able to to use them, because you do feel so much better, look so much better, have so much more energy and capabilities, even your your mental I know capabilities at that point are improved, you know, by by making the right choices every day.

Turo Virta: 23:01

So if you you mentioned couple things already, but if you could give five simple fitness tips to prevent all these diseases and things to happen. What would they be?

Unknown: 23:15

Yeah, you know, it goes all around the five, the five pillars that we put in the app. So the first is no less than six hours of sleep a night, somewhere between six and eight hours of sleep, sleep, I think, is really the silent killer, and it's the thing that people think that's okay that they're not getting because there's like, I feel great, but it it doesn't work that way. Your body is is not happy when it doesn't get enough sleep and rest and recovery time. So sleep is a big one. Getting your steps in. Try to aim for seven to 10,000 steps per day. Make sure you're at least being active. If you're not just going for a walk, are you swimming? Are you playing pickleball? You know? Are you doing something that's active and getting your body moving every day? Um, next is make sure you're getting your protein in. So if you're getting enough protein in, we we always tell our clients to try and aim for about one gram per desired body weight. If you get your protein in, everything else becomes a lot easier, because protein keeps you full, it gives you good nutrients, and then you fill that in with, you know, healthy carbs and fats, and you're in a good place. Next one is hydration. Making sure that you're getting at least half your body weight in ounces of water every day is a big one. A lot of people are dehydrated and they don't know that. That's what's making them feel tired and hungry. And so Staying hydrated is big one. And then the last one is working out, you know, trying to do strength training at least three times a week, and it doesn't, you don't need two hour gym sessions, if you can just get in 30 minutes, you know, of some sort of lifting weights, or some sort of impact workout three times a week, you'll, you'll be feeling really good, and you'll be in a good place. So those are kind of our

Turo Virta: 24:58

five, yeah, oh, very, very good points. I can only agree. And it's, it's basically those, what most people like. It's you might if you mentioned about protein sleep. Like, you know, if you are not, and I always track those things, at least for a short while. Like, like, if you don't know how many steps you are making, look, how many steps you are making, look, actually, if you think that you are eating a lot of protein, track protein. Like people know that they should be eating protein, they know that, okay, I'm eating protein. But there is a huge difference if you know that you are eating some protein, or if you are actually hitting those calls you mentioned, because it's it require, requires a lot of work and becoming aware of those things, like your sleep, protein intake, amount of steps you are actually telling because it's so easy for us to talk ourselves and say that, Oh, I'm doing okay. I'm active, but I don't actually know what, how many steps I'm doing, how much protein I'm in. Eating, and it all starts there.

Unknown: 26:10

You're so right. Yeah, I think just as humans in general, I think we tend to underestimate and overestimate things. And you're right. You're totally right. Tracking is key, and you don't have to track long term. I don't think especially in nutrition, if you, you know, if you just track for, you know, a few weeks until you learn what it means to get, you know, 130 grams of protein in a day, you know. And you know what it means to I find a lot of times with women, we tend to graze, right? We're making our kids lunches, we're eating their leftover snacks. And all of those calories tend to add up, and you don't realize how much it adds up to by the end of the day, unless you're tracking it. So I do think that that is a, is a big thing. You're totally right. Yeah, no,

Turo Virta: 26:55

and it's, it's like, it's, it's not tracking is just, it's not the diet, it's just a tool like you, if you your goal is to become wealthier, you are probably want to track your finances, like how much you earn, how much you spend, and it's the same thing with the nutrition. It's the same thing with your steps. It's the same thing with your workouts. If you are actually tracking your workouts that you are seeing that are you actually getting stronger in your workouts, or so are they bringing results, how much water you are actually drinking, or if you are just drinking some of course, you don't have to do everything, like the rest of your life, but at least for a short period of time that you see where you are at this point and when you feel that this is now, it's already like kind of autumn Automatic I will get even like it's not getting perfectly in every day, those hitting those calls, but that you get close to your goals, you will do so much better in general and actually receive reach those goals, what you are aiming

Unknown: 28:02

for. Yeah, and I think that's the great thing about and why I think the app is such a such a great tool, is because you can track all of that there. And if you have a fitness tracker, it'll even connect to it. So I think it's so helpful you know that it's all in one place, and you can see where you're short and what you need, and it gives you goals, and it'll adjust your goals based on kind of you know who you are and what you're doing and how you're doing. So I think that makes it, makes it really useful when you're trying to get healthier and create a lifestyle habit.

Turo Virta: 28:37

Yeah, and then I mentioned that tracking those things, it's not another diet. It's not like either you do it or if you don't do so, there is no like a food rules, like in some other diets, like in in a Keto, for example. And that is, like many people, they believe like that keto is the answer and how I know you, you are not also you are not a big believer of keto, so why? Why do you think that keto isn't for everyone, and what would work better instead?

Unknown: 29:16

Yeah, so I think for keto, first of all, I think keto is just a remake of the original Atkins. It has very similar principles. Maybe it's a little more modernized, but there was a lot of research done on the Atkins diet, very high fat, low carb that, you know, it your internal organs don't love it over time. You know, they it doesn't. They don't really enjoy that over time. It kind of maxes them out. So I don't think it's good for you internally. And I do believe that any any diet, any nutrition plan, you can lose weight, right? Calories in, calories out. If you're in a calorie deficit, you're going to lose weight, and especially when you restrict food groups, usually that will happen. But I also have found with you know, all of the clients we've worked with that two things make a nutrition plan better as far as long term results. One is that it's sustainable. So a lot of people that do keto eventually want to quit. It's not something that they want to do for the rest of their lives, especially because it's so restrictive. And so that, for me, makes any plan not great, because as soon as you quit it, you're back into that yo yo dieting cycle, because you're going to stop and you're going to go back to your old habits, and you're going to gain any weight back, plus, usually a little bit more than what you lost. And then two, we've just found that the most successful way to lose body fat is, you know, I call it moderate protein. Some would consider it high protein, moderate carb and low fat. So we tend to favorite carbs over fats as far as losing body fat, and it's also, to me, it trends more with the way people want to eat. Yeah, so no one wants to eliminate carbs from their diet. You look at alcohol, everybody wants to be able to have a glass of wine. Well, that's a carb. You know, it's the closest thing to it. It's not going to mimic anything else, you know, they their kid has a birthday party. They want to have a bite of cake. That's a carb. So when you look at just the daily lifestyle, things that happen, typically, those center around carbs, not fat. So if you have a balanced nutrition plan that allows you to fit those things in, I feel like it's just much more sustainable over time. Yeah, do you? I mean, how do you feel about keto?

Turo Virta: 31:37

No, I, I, my opinion is, like, I'm not a big believer, big fan of it anyways, and what I'm really against, like, like, you mentioned it little bit that, you know, if you you have those kind of food rules, like, obviously, you if your goal is changing your body composition, it's it comes down to calories in, calories out, like, and, of course, like, a resistance training. But if you have like, you make these kind of food rules, of course, for someone, they are easier. You limit your something like either it's going to be lower carbs, lower fat, obviously, I think that it should always be relatively high in protein. Rest, basically, until you hit your calorie calls. Doesn't matter that much. But if you make these kind of rules like that, you are limiting meter. Simplest ways are like limiting your eating times, limiting your carp intake. And if you can't imagine to follow these rules, let's say five years from now, it's not gonna it's not matter of if you're gonna make it. It's matter of time before you're going to quit? And because it's, it's, it's not going to be sustainable. So and then, what is the point? If you are, you are able to like, of course, it makes you happy. Feel great if you go for Quito for first, let's say, three months, you lose a lot of weight, you get your close to your goal, or even into your body weight call, and then after that it you start to crave carbs, you start to go back to your old habits. And like you mentioned, you are going to gain everything back. So what is the point of of doing it like of course, you get the short win, and maybe you try to lie to yourself that now I'm, I'm, I'm doing these changes, I move more. But ultimately, diet is something that if you whatever you decide to do, like, what I what I have seen, that works kind of the best and gets the best results like that. First step for me is always to look where you are at the moment, becoming aware what you are currently doing like without changing anything. That is my always, is that most of the people, they know what they should be doing, but if you are, you start where you are at the moment, and then you start to look where you could be changing. Could you be adding something? Could it be adding or swapping? If you have, if you don't have any protein in your breakfast, could you be swapping? It could be simply different, like some plain, for example, just came to my mind. A conversation I had yesterday with one of my clients is says that he's he was having a you could just a regular plain, yo court at the breakfast as the diff. You would be just swapping that for higher protein. You could for Greek. You could screw something like that, and you will be like, let's say you have it 150 grams, 200 grams. And a regular one has three grams of protein. You swap it for Greek. You could you have 10 per 100. So it's 1415, grams. Over there you are. You are adding more protein without actually even changing something, what you are eating. So this kind of, this kind of habits and looking where you are, like, I, I'm I'm like, of course you have to, at some point. You have to say, learn to say, No. Also four things. But often, for me, what works the best is making sure that you are eating enough of if it's going to be protein, if it's going to be fiber, but those things, when you have enough protein, enough fiber, then everything else, automatically you are eating less something else, because they are keeping so you so much, feel so much fuller. And that is my take. I'm not if somebody says that, you know, I really don't enjoy eating carbs. I never want to eat them, then I said, Okay, if you really can imagine to do it for 10 years from now, go for it. I would. I'm not the person. But if somebody is like, not active at all, sitting all day in office and, you know, feels amazing, and have been doing keto for years, I don't have issue with that. But in general, yeah, I'm not a big believer.

Unknown: 36:02

Yeah, exactly. I do think that you have to, you know, meet people where they are. Or if you have someone that that's how they want to eat, I'm like, okay, you know, no, no problem. Like, you can eat that way, but I totally agree it's only if they're going to keep eating that way forever. Because you're, you're so right, like, there's no point in starting something that you're not going to keep doing. That's why I'm so against, you know, diets. I think you should be on a nutrition plan that you can stay on, yeah, because, because diets, I mean, they have the word die in it. I always say that I'm like, Who made that work? But it's not something that that people enjoy. It's not something that people want to do long term. So, you know, if keto is is their eating plan, and that's how they're going to eat forever, that's very different. But I've never, I've never met a woman in her 40s, at least, that doesn't want to eat carbs. Maybe that thinks she shouldn't eat carbs, but not that doesn't want to. So,

Turo Virta: 36:51

yeah, Me, neither. I very, very few of them who doesn't want it's a different that maybe they are not eating at the moment because they know that, or they think that they have to eat this way to be able to lose weight. But honest truth might be totally different than that. That is like for many women, it's such a relief. Like you said, What? What you're saying that I can eat, actually carbs that I haven't had fruit for decades because, you know, I thought that it's high in sugar or something. And those kind of things, what happens in coaching, they are like that. Wow, is that they know, of course, it's there is there is like, if you have always heard that things are this way, and you have thought about it that it's like this, and you haven't honestly given the chance for something else and trying like that, because most of the like, especially women over 40, they have had like that. They have that experience like I don't know if you are struggling with weight in your 40s, very few women are like that. They are turning 4045, and starting their first ever diet at that date. So true story. Yeah, they, most of the women, have had some own experiences in the past, and often it comes from maybe in their 20s, early 30s, things were working, and now then, all of sudden, you are kind of in a situation that same things they didn't, they are not working anymore, like and then, then having that courage to try something different. Because maybe, maybe 20 years ago, what was working, what was at the time, was maybe it was avoiding carbs, maybe it was avoiding fats, going for a run. And now there is some coaches telling you that you should eat high protein, go for do strength training and walk, but no, like, really hard cardio workouts. And, yeah, I totally understand it's, it's, it sounds like that. Wow, this how this is not working for me. I need to burn more calories and and if I eat carbs, I can wait drastically so it's, it's, it takes a lot of trust and courage to something different.

Unknown: 39:15

Yeah, it's a big, it's a big mind game, you know, it's, um, it is. I mean, even, even I, like, I used to do a lot of cardio, and, you know, you need, you need something for that heart health. But I did. Used to be able to run a few times a week and pretty much eat whatever I want and not have any problems. But, you know, even, even I have to shift things. And it has been a big mind mindset shift for me to come into that lift weights, get your steps in. You know? I mean, obviously eat healthy, but I think the fitness shift is actually the biggest thing for me, because I've always eaten carbs. Never been one to give up food groups. But the fitness shift that I've done over the past several years of, okay, I'm not doing hard cardio, I don't need HIIT classes. I need to lift weights, you know, progressive overload, and get my steps in, and that's really all I need now. I'll tell you my cardio right now is terrible, so I could probably get a little more in, but, I mean, it's for weight loss and weight management. It's not, it's not the key, which, you know, you know, women were told, everyone was told for years that cardio is the key, but it's definitely not so and but that is a big mindset shift, just culturally, I think for a lot of people around fitness, and it's a good one. I think that, you know, we're giving out the the real information now of what our bodies crave,

Turo Virta: 40:42

yeah, and it's not like cardio, of course. It's important for your heart health for many, many, longevity for many things, but it's just shouldn't be the main driver for weight loss.

Unknown: 40:56

Yep, exactly, yep. So what do you like

Turo Virta: 40:59

you mentioned about this? This kind of mindset changes from long term success. Instead of chasing those quick fixes. So what, how do you help people developing that kind of mindset or or what are your best tips?

Unknown: 41:17

Yeah, and I think that's the hardest part of being a health and health and fitness is you think that you're getting in it to teach people and felt about fitness and nutrition, but really you end up teaching them discipline and how to make different choices and how to actually enjoy having a different lifestyle, and that's all in their mind. I think that first of all, you have to have someone that really wants it. You can't actually help anyone that doesn't want it. And I'm sure we've all tried. We've all had those clients that are like, oh, I want this, but they don't listen, and they don't do anything that you ask them to, and you can see how averse they are to change. And I think those are the ones that you know that are the hardest to let go, but someone has to want to change first. But if they do want to change, I think it really comes down to giving them small steps. So that's when you go back to, you know, the five simple habits, and maybe starting with one at a time, and, you know, adding them in as they go, and making, I love what you said about have them find out where they're at, right? So how many steps are you currently taking a day? Track your food for a day so you can see what your calories are, and then taking that baseline and saying, Okay, I need you to eat more protein at breakfast. That's your first thing that you're going to do for the next week. Okay, I need you to, you know, go for a 10 minute walk every day. It's your second step, and really just helping them add on and and enjoy those changes, and feel the differences that they make. And, you know, help them see results, to help them create discipline. Because all of this is about discipline. It's not about motivation. I do not wake up motivated every day go to the gym or eat my meal prep. So, you know, I mean, I think if we have a, you know, a big goal, something short term it can motivate you to do things, but long term discipline is the key across your life if you want to make any kind of change, no matter what it is. And so I think giving people small wins is the way to wrap their minds around it and making sure that they're not telling themselves they can't do something. So, oh, I, like you said, I can't eat bread, I'll gain weight, you know, I can't lift weights. I'll get bulky, helping them kind of debunk those things and show them like, No, you can do this and you can do that, and this is going to the actual result, and giving them the small wins to build trust, right? You need that trust so that they'll do the crazy things that you're telling them to do, because some of it does sound crazy to them, but you're like, I promise I've got you,

Turo Virta: 43:52

yeah. And it takes, it takes a lot of courage, like, to trust like someone like fitness professionals. You know, there are many, many coaches like, maybe you, your me, we would talk differently. But then there is someone else who is saying that, no, here is the meal plan. This is what you need to follow. And you know, someone is saying that it's, it's all about cardio or or you don't need to strength train. And then, you know, other coaches telling that approach is a little bit different. I don't want to, I don't, I don't, I don't do any meal plans, I learn you how to actually enjoy, like, learning to make different receipts. But if you like, the issue with what I have with the meal plans is that, of course, they, they might help in the beginning, they might help in like, of course you will get results. Like, if you're all calories, like you said, either it's, it's simple way, but also, is it? The question is always that, are you going to do this the rest of your life? Are you able to do it for next 510, years? And if the answer is no, then maybe you should consider some other option, and actually learning things would work for you if it's going to be meal prepping, learning how to make healthy, delicious meals, taking steps. What you feel like that? Okay, this doesn't feel that it's too much, because ultimately, it's, it's all about learning to keep promises you make to yourself. Because that is I. I think I feel like that is the biggest issue. What I what I see is that you know, you we start always, or many people start motivated, and then, you know, you make promises that I'm I'm going to work out five times a week. You make these kind of stupid rules that it's kind of we come back to all or nothing, that it's if it's not going to be the five times or three times a week, it's not worth of it to do two times or one time or or if I can plan my meals perfectly for full day, or I went off track on Friday evening. So what is the point and gained weight? What is the point to getting back on normal habits on Saturday, because I start over on Monday, and it's all these kind of changes. What then? What makes like test keeping. Those promises, what you make to yourself, and if you can promises, then you have to make smaller promises for yourself and start from there,

Unknown: 46:16

yep, yep, making it a priority, basically, and understanding its importance. I think people really underestimate the value of their health. So, you know, I appreciate, you know, having muscle and looking a certain way, and because of the industry I'm in, you know, I maintain, you know, a certain look, but it's far beyond what you need to be healthy. But if people understood what their goal should be. So what's your goal? You don't, you're not trying to get on a stage, right? So like, what is your goal that's healthy? So setting a realistic goal for themselves, not an Instagram model, because you're not, if you're not going to go be an Instagram model, then you don't need to maintain the body fat percent of an Instagram model. But then also understanding that for me, like more than anything, now, I do this because I want to age well, I want to have a quality of life, and I think people don't see you know that that's a big deal, like you only get one body and one life, and you're going to hit an age, and if you keep up the habits that you have that are making you unhealthy, you're going to hit an age where you're just miserable all the time, and you're going to have so many health issues that your quality of life is going to be really Bad. And that's for me, what I want to avoid. I want to I want to age well. I want to have a good quality of life, you know, up until, you know, my last days. And that's what people need to understand about health, is it's not for today, it's for, you know, all of your tomorrows, and making it a priority is really important.

Turo Virta: 47:48

So what? What would it be for someone who is really busy and or having a children? What would be the first step to prioritizing that wellness without feeling overwhelmed?

Unknown: 48:05

I think you definitely can always get your water in. That's something that no one can argue with. Care what your job is, how busy you are, you can always stay hydrated. I think you can always take a couple of small walks a day, even if I have a I have a walking pad at home, because, you know, once I go home, I can't, can't leave, so I have a walking pad, and I'll work, or I'll watch TV, you know, or I'll do stuff on my walking pad, because that's a commitment I've made to get my steps in. So I think you can always get some improvement in your steps. And then, you know, the nutrition piece for me, like one of the I started the meal prep company because I had so many clients asking, but I also started it because I needed meal prep and didn't have time to do it. And I understand not everyone can afford to pay for meal prep, but you can do some very simple things in a very short amount of time, involve your kids in it, you know, have them help you in the kitchen, teach them healthy lifestyle habits, so our next generation is healthier. So it's really, it's never that you don't have time. It's that, it's that it's not a priority, you know, I just to be really straight. I run four businesses. I have a 10 year old, you know, I I'm very, very busy, but I fit these things in, because they've become a priority in my life, and the better I feel, the more I can help my family, help my daughter, help my clients. And I think when you put it into perspective, it it also makes a big difference in what you're willing to commit to.

Turo Virta: 49:42

But isn't that like, if you you thought you said it so well, guys like, course that is, that is also for you, like, because it's balancing everything, what is going on, family business, your own health, it's, it's, you know, it's pretty hard to kind of be on top of each of thing. Like, usually, maybe it's if you have those three things, like a business, family and and your own health, it's maybe you can set top priority for two of them, and one is going to be kind of on maintenance or something, because if you try to get in three of those things, it's very, very hard, and it's for most people, it's unrealistic. So how do you personally, is it? Is it? Because what I hear from many people, it's like that, you know, I don't have time for myself. So is it? Is it selfish to take time for your own health? Or how do you balance it?

Unknown: 50:42

That's never selfish. I don't think. Because, again, I don't think if you if you don't take care of yourself, then you can't take care of anyone else, and eventually, especially at a time in your life. So my parents are aging right now. So if I was unhealthy, it would be a lot harder for me to take care of them. You know, if I'm unhealthy, it's a lot harder for me to take care of my daughter. So I never think that taking care of yourself is selfish, but I do think. That you prioritize different things on different days. So like, I don't, I don't work out every day. I honestly go to the gym to actual get get lifting workouts three times a week. Even me, who's a fitness professional, I can't make it more than three times a week, but on those three days, whatever days they fall on, that's my priority first thing in the morning, while other mornings, it's my business and then. So I do think that what you said makes a lot of sense. I think you pick your priorities, but they might be in different orders every day, and that's okay, because, again, it's it's consistency over time that you're trying to achieve. So I've worked out three times a week, every week for a really long time, and so my consistency over time maintains what I need to maintain. It's the same thing with any habit that you put in, like, I don't, I don't get my sleep every night. You know, I don't. It's not an every single day hitting every single bowl. I do think that's unrealistic for anyone that you know is is busy, but just consistently hitting those goals over time. And you know, making things count. I don't have my step goal every day, but you know, on a day that I have time to jump on my walking pad at home, I jump on my walking pad at home. I think, I think giving yourself Grace while also making sure that you're thinking about your goals and you know when you can hit them is really what's important.

Turo Virta: 52:35

Very true. Very true. So talking about little bit about your Luna Fit app, I'm curious to know, like or she I heard you have said that that 80% of fitness abusers quit in 30 days. Why do you think that happens? And how is Luna fit different?

Unknown: 52:57

You know, I think it's with anything that people start. They're excited about it, and then they start it, and then they're like, oh, I don't want to keep doing this. I think the, you know, the there has to be something that keeps them engaged. So I think we've, we've made it simple again, everything's in one place. It's an all in one app. I think that it does a lot of things for you. So with our new release coming out, you'll be able to even like voice everything like you'll be able to talk to the coach, so you don't even have to type anything in. You can have a conversation on the way to work. If you have a question about your fitness plan, you know, it connects to your wearable. So if you have a wearable, it'll track things for you. So I think we make it as easy as possible, but then we make it fun. There's you know, personality in the app. If I if I can say that you know, you know, you're able to put so much in there, humor and encouragement, and it's basically like a personal trainer that's with you all the time. It's the same thing that we give to our in person clients, but not just, you know, three times a week for an hour. It's they can, you know, ask us questions all the time. They can engage with us all the time. And then the rewards, I think people, they want to know they're doing good every goal they hit or get close to. They want to feel like they did a great job. And they want to get that, that little dose of, you know, dopamine of, Oh, I did a good job, you know, I accomplished something, no matter how big or small it is. And I think combining all that into the lunar app has really made it something special and will help achieve kind of the goal that we have of, you know, helping America become healthier. It's a it's a big passion for me and I, I know that more people would do it if they had the right tools.

Turo Virta: 54:43

Yeah, this is I love. The fact was, I feel like that. Most, most people, they forget to celebrate themselves like because it, it feels like that. Of course, I'm drinking my water. Of course I'm that it's it wasn't that much. Of course I have to do my workout. But if you never celebrate them, because most of the people, they focus only, then that negativity side like that. You know you miss, you did two workouts and missed the third one. You are not happy, or most people are not happy about those two workouts, but they are pissed off with themselves that they miss the third one and not celebrate those two. So even, even it's a it's a small way, some kind of recognition doing those kind of hard things, like working out, getting your steps in, like it don't need to be something food related, but some small recognition, like for me, for example, it says that drinking my favorite protein shake after my workout, it's my small way to give myself like a pat on the back, and as that now I did it. I deserve something, but it's not like, of course, I'm not going to eat like five ice creams, but something what gives you, gives you little bit like kind of joy also, and recognition that you have done those. Things so, yes,

Unknown: 56:08

yeah, making it enjoyable,

Turo Virta: 56:09

yeah. What? What is your vision the future of fitness tech in the next, let's say five to 10 years,

Unknown: 56:17

I I think there'll be a few shifts. I say, I think, I hope. I think my biggest hope is that I think a lot more real information is coming out there. So, like you and I have very similar philosophies on, you know, what people should be doing to lose weight. And most of what I mean, I'll say, I don't want to say all I'm very big because, you know, someone comes after you. But really, all of what we're saying is backed by science now, like it's legitimate, I think there was so much false information out there before that, I think it was really hard for people to do the right thing because they didn't know what the right thing was. And I think there's this trend towards truth now. And even you know, a lot of the medical community is coming around and giving you preventative advice, rather than, you know, just trying to teach everything as you know, sickness, it's like, what if our health care system was around preventing things around sunlight and nutrition and exercise? And so I love that trend, and I hope that continues, because I think that will be a big help. And then I do think that, you know, fitness apps and AI and all of those things. I think it's really going to revolutionize fitness by making it more accessible to people that can't afford a personal trainer or a program or don't have the time to commit to going into a fitness facility for an hour three or four times a week. I think the accessibility of fitness and coaching is going to become, you know, so much, so much bigger. And I love those two trends, because I think that they'll really help that 50% number come down, and maybe for the first time in many years, we'll see, you know, a healthier population, you know, more Jetty in our population, and it kind of gives you hope for for the future at that point.

Turo Virta: 58:17

Yeah, no, I hope especially for, like, I have pretty much same thoughts. I think that AI, it's going to change so much, like, of course, it's not going to take need of coaches away, as you still need, but AI is going to make everything and so much easier accessible, like it's not going to be so pricey anymore, so for more people can benefit from from those things, and I really hope that it comes like you mentioned, instead of treating already diseases, what you have, that it would become more like preventive and also from government sides that you know you would they would support, like, I don't know how it is in states, but at least here in Italy, you don't get, for example, if somebody is coming to, like, in some other countries, I'm from Finland. I know that in Finland, they already use that kind of system that, you know, if somebody signs up for, for example, group sessions, they get money from government or from their employer, like they get from their company, 50 Euro, 100 euro, whatever per month to actually join for some Fitness Program. And here, at least in Italy, it's like that you get only money if you have already, like some medication or or you need to go to physiotherapy or something that when you have already that back pain. But instead of treating it, supporting more that preventive side already, and that, I think, would do very lot in our space.

Unknown: 59:49

Yeah, I really hope that that is more of the trend. And that's, you know, you're starting to see more corporate wellness here, where, you know, companies are paying for their employees and things like that. We actually, we're actually going to explore that market with the app, because a lot of things that happen is here, they'll give them money to go get a gym membership. But we know how many people actually use their gym membership? You know, big box gyms are literally built on the fact that hundreds of people pay and only a few come in. I mean, that's literally their business model. So I think give putting something in their hands that's actually going to encourage them to stick with it and use it and do it is going to be something that really helps.

Turo Virta: 1:00:27

Awesome. So our flew quickly by. I would like to finish this always with some quick fire round and just a few last questions. And so just the answer quickly and first, let's get started. And is your more morning routine in three words,

Unknown: 1:00:53

get my daughter to school. Workout two, I got to get my daughter school and workout

Turo Virta: 1:01:03

one. Health meet you. Would you wish? Would. Disappear forever.

Unknown: 1:01:10

One Health food,

Turo Virta: 1:01:11

health meat. Like meat,

Unknown: 1:01:15

oh, um, but you need cardio to lose weight. Hate cardio,

Turo Virta: 1:01:22

all right, uh, favorite workout when you are short on time. Um, um,

Unknown: 1:01:32

her body takes less time. Just pick 1111, body part, three exercises. You're good.

Turo Virta: 1:01:38

One book, podcast or mentor that has changed your life.

Unknown: 1:01:46

Um, oh, that's a tough one. Alex hormozi his books and I was in his program for a while. Oh,

Turo Virta: 1:01:56

nice, nice, awesome. So let's if someone is listening right now and feel stuck in their health journey, what's the one thing you would like to do? Then today,

Unknown: 1:02:11

we actually have a little, a little gift for them that talks about the five simple tips and kind of how to implement them. They can go to Luna fit journey.com if they want to download the app and check it out and or see what else we do. If they're in the Central Florida area, they can go to lunafit.com and see everything that we do. So if they're wanting to start their health journey, definitely check out Luna fit journey.com and, you know, follow us on social Luna fit universe to see everything we're doing.

Turo Virta: 1:02:43

Would you mind sharing your social medias, like where people can connect. And I will add all these links to show notes, but if you share it,

Unknown: 1:02:52

yeah. So our Instagram and Tiktok and YouTube is all at LUNA fit universe.

Turo Virta: 1:02:59

Awesome. Thank you so much for joining Arianna, and if you want to connect with Arianna and learn more about una fit. I'll make sure to link all those websites, apps and social channels in the show notes so you can check it all out and see how her approach might fit into your life. And if you're listening right now and you took something valuable from today's conversation, please take 30 Seconds to share this episode with the French who could use little motivation or tag both Ariana orona fit and me on Instagram to let let us know your favorite takeaway. So thank you so much, Ariana and talk to you.