Liv Lo Spills All Her Fitness Secrets For A Healthier Body And Mind

FLY Entertainment Artiste, Liv Lo is the Taiwanese born TV-host and certified yoga instructor that counts her husband, Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, among the hundreds of thousands of fans she has amassed through her Instagram, and FitSphere, her very own fitness app. Liv is funny, down-to-earth, and takes a holistic approach to fitness and health that is evidenced by her beautiful glow. We want in!

BAZAAR speaks with Liv to find out how she keeps fit and healthy, even with her busy lifestyle:

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You’ve practised yoga for over a decade. What keeps you motivated and wanting more after so long?

It’s interesting, yoga kind of just found me in the beginning but it doesn’t mean that because I started when I was 20 I’ve been practising every single day. It’s been there as I’ve needed it. Yoga is a very personal experience, it’s a personal journey and it’s been that constant in my life. I always turn to it to find what I need whether it’s stability, balance, to process emotions, to ground myself, to stretch or to work on my physical body. I guess that’s what keeps me motivated, it’s that my practice keeps evolving and that my intentions keep evolving with it.

Tell us more about your fitness routine! What are your fitness goals for 2019? 

I’m 33, so my routines have definitely changed. I’ve gotten stronger and more agile over the years, and have a lot more ability to perform as an athlete. I’ve loved sports but I was never a professional. Once I did start to learn about fitness, I realized that it can be such an empowering routine in your life. It can enable you to do so much with your body in your day-to-day.

For 2019, my fitness goal would be to develop my practice further. I want to keep myself healthy and fit enough to be able to travel, practice and teach. My current regime includes taking spin classes, F45, and boxing. I use ClassPass when I travel because it’s a really great way to discover new studios without having to commit to buying a whole course pack. Of course, I also do yoga for self-therapy, especially after a long flight because it’s really important to stretch. I get a lot of lower back pain after sitting for so long so I really need that core strength as well.

Are there any apps you use to keep track of your fitness goals?

I use ClassPass as a great way to track my fitness goals because it tells you what classes you’ve been to and how much you’ve done. I also track my day-to-day steps on the Health app on my iPhone and it’s great because it works even if I’m not wearing my Apple Watch as it stills tracks my steps and how many flights of stairs I took. Of course, when I wear my Apple Watch, it tells you your heart rate and recovery, so it can give you an idea of how fit you are based on how long you take to recover. I definitely love that I can do that. For mental health, I use Insight Timer for my meditation which is a free app. I also use the native Activity app on Apple Watch and with GPS I can actually see my routes if I launch an outdoor run or outdoor walk workout which is really cool. Of course, I also use FitSphere, especially when I travel, and have it bookmarked on my phone. When I want a quick workout, I don’t want to think about it, and all my programs on FitSphere are either 10 minutes or 20 minutes. If I have a lot of time I can do a whole yoga class but if not I will just do a quick episode and that’s perfect for the day.

Is Apple Watch a part of your fitness routine? How is it incorporated into your daily life?

Liv: Apple Watch is definitely part of my fitness routine and it’s incorporated into my daily life. I wear it for my fitness classes but also use it as a way to stay off my phone. Since I can see my messages on my wrist, I don’t have to look at my phone all to know when something important comes up, or reply. Thanks to the Breathe app, I remember to take those one-minute pauses throughout the day to just take a moment and meditate. I find it helps to really relax and calm myself. Fitness is not always physical, it’s mental as well. I find Apple Watch really helps with that.

You launched FitSphere in 2017. Tell us all about how it came about, and what inspired your fit-yoga platform.

I launched in 2017 to take my brand with me on the go, so I could be more transient. I took all my knowledge from the 2.5 - 3 years I had been teaching at Yoga Movement and put it into my first 12 episodes FitSphere First HIIT Yoga program. The people that are on FitSphere are those that lead busy lives and they don’t have a lot of time to get to a class, but want to develop a personal practice. I find a lot of people are turning to digital means because now, we don’t have a lot of time. It also means that even if I cannot do it physically, there are a lot of ways to teach and reach everyone. I have a lot of students in the US, in the UK and in Australia. With FitSphere, I’m able to connect with so many more people all over the world.

Who should try FitSphere and why?

FitSphere is for anyone who is interested in yoga but also in a little bit more. Whether you are a seasoned yogi or someone who is a beginner, I would recommend you come and Fitsphere, if you are looking for something new. We have meditation episodes as well, and episodes that focus on building flexibility. It will help you incorporate more knowledge into your routine, and take your practice on the go.

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Is there a special diet you adopt? What does Liv Lo eat in a day?

I don’t adopt a specific diet that I promote, meaning I don’t want my followers or people who practice FitSphere to follow any particular diet. There is a big myth that intake equals out-take or that you need to burn these many calories in order to lose weight. There’s just not any balance in that because there it’s also mental and very emotional as well. Even though I wear my Apple Watch, I don’t depend on it for my calorie burn as satisfaction or as a reward.

Honestly, I eat what I want in a day and what I want is definitely a healthy balance because I do workout and I am in touch with my gut and intuition. I know what I need to fuel my workouts so it’s a very holistic approach. My philosophy has three simple rules. First, eat as natural as possible and avoid processed foods. Secondly, a little bit of portion control, so you should eat to the amount that you are just full enough and satisfied. No binge eating. Thirdly, lots of vegetables. I redesigned my food pyramid so that vegetables are at the base of it. Pretty simple, and I try to incorporate these rules into everything I do.

What is your beauty routine? What are your top 5 tips for healthy, glowing skin?

Exercise is my first tip, it helps my skin glow because when you are healthy on the inside, your organs are healthy, your blood is flowing and sweat helps your skin detox so that definitely gives you glowing skin.  Number two is nutrition, what you eat is very important for your hair, skin and nails. Definitely avoid food that is processed or too oily, and go back to my food principles.I also always wear sunscreen and especially with global warming I cannot imagine how strong our sunscreen is going to become. But I try to use natural ingredients in my SPF so look out for things like Zinc. Number four is definitely water. I drink at least three litres of water a day, especially when I exercise. This is key for having good body function, as it helps to detox. Number five would be confidence. The more confident you feel, the more beautiful and glowing you’ll become, and you’ll radiate that happiness and joy towards yourself.

What is a common misconception about “Liv Lo” as a public figure?

Maybe that I work out all the time? I work out maybe 3-4 times a week but I’m very in tune with my body. If I’m working or travelling I can’t always work out, and I’m ok with that.

Are there any sportswear brands you go to in order to look chic as you work out?

I’ve been a Reebok brand ambassador for the last 2.5 years so everything in my wardrobe, shoes, socks and outerwear/athleisure is all Reebok. They are not necessarily as streetwear as other brands but they are certainly high performance and I love that their apparel is suitable for any kind of workout. Les Mills is what I wear when working out with more weights, cardio and body pump. I love their new PureMove Bra. I’m sticking to Reebok Women for sure as a brand and there are a lot of really great products to look forward to, like their environmentally friendly shoes. They have a shoe made out of corn coming out soon and I’m really looking forward to future launches.

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