We are thrilled to feature Liana whose journey at enduraLAB has been nothing short of remarkable. Liana's motivation to join us was sparked by a friendly competition for fat loss and muscle gain among colleagues. Little did she know that this decision would lead to a transformative experience, both physically and mentally. Liana shares her path from being an endurance cyclist to finding a new sense of balance and identity within our community. She delves into the healthy changes she made, the growth she has experienced as an athlete, and the profound impact enduraLAB has had on her overall well-being. Curious to learn more about Liana's journey and her remarkable achievements? Read on! Trust us, her story will leave you inspired and eager to embark on your own journey of transformation.
What brought you to enduraLAB and what did your workout routine look like before joining the LAB? What brought me to Enduralab was my work. A group of us was starting a competition for the most fat loss/muscle gain. One of my colleagues set up Fit3D scans at enduraLAB so we could track the results. I was happy that we were doing it as I needed something to get me back into working out consistently and thought this would be a great start. With that said, I have known of enduraLAB for years now as Isis and I met at Tanglewood years ago and I was familiar with her and Lee's gym.
Before joining enduraLAB I was an endurance cyclist. I trained for about 5-6 days on the bike (15 hours) with a couple of days of strength training. I trained for 100 - 150 mile gravel races and absolutely loved the sport. I loved racing and training but I ended up burning out after two 150 mile races, then I got into a car wreck and was unable to ride for a while and then started working full time. When I stopped riding I felt like I lost part of my identity and wasn't sure what to do for about a year. I do still ride but it is for fun and no more than 3 hours. One day when I can devote the time to train again, I'd love to get back on a team but I am content in this stage of life.
What healthy changes have you made since joining the LAB?
The healthy changes I made were incorporating more protein into my diet. I didn't realize how low my protein and overall caloric intake was. I didn't mean to undereat, but I would get so busy with kids and work, dinner would roll around and I realize I had not eaten much. After working with Isis I realized my nutrition was really off and she helped me make some basic changes, which had a huge impact.
Tell us what you do outside of the LAB and how have you grown as an athlete since joining the LAB?
Outside of the LAB, I am raising three kiddos (15, 12 and 10) who seem to be involved in everything under the sun. I also work full-time as a trauma therapist and a part-time photographer. My work is really close to the lab, which makes it convenient to get to the lab if I am going after work.
As an athlete, I feel I have grown in many different ways. First and foremost, I am physically stronger. That is really cool to see. I have also grown in confidence. I was really timid at first with some workouts and strength exercises but the coaches have been amazing to answer my questions and help me with my form. I have also grown in the sense that I pay more attention to what I put in my body, how much sleep I get and my overall mental health. Not just physical. It all ties together and I want to be well rounded in each aspect.
What is a goal you have set for yourself in the next 6 months?
Goodness, I'm not sure I have an exact goal in 6 months. If I were to say something, it would be to continue to push myself a little more each session. If that is on the bike, the rower, adding an 1lb weight. I want to find where my limits are and then work to push that limit even further. It would also be to incorporate more recovery into my daily routines.
What is your favorite enduraLAB event or program?
My favorite program was the Murph Challenge. I have never done that before and I was able to do it with my oldest daughter. It was her first Murph as well. It was amazing to see how everyone was encouraging me, and my daughter. It was truly a beautiful representation of what I feel you get from Enduralab. People were walking around clapping and cheering you on. I was walking the last part of the mile and one of the guys I workout with came up behind me and said come on, let's go. To be honest, in my head, I was like leave me! I DO NOT want to run. He pushed me to finish strong and ironically, he said I pushed him to finish strong. I wasn't sure how that worked but I didn't question it. I realized in that moment I placed a limit on myself that was unrealistic and I could do more that I gave myself credit for.
What advice would you have for a new person starting at enduraLAB?
If I could give anyone advice it would be to show up, be consistent and only compare yourself to yourself. Don't worry about what others are lifting to the left and right of you. If you can deadlift 50 pounds and that's your max, be proud and work to increase it to 65 pounds! Don't compare your day 1 to someone's day 365. Comparison is the thief of joy.
If we had a workout in honor of you, what would it be called and what would it consist of?
Ha! Any workout on the bike would be my jam! It would be called shut up legs.
Favorite treat meal/restaurant in D/FW? Current read / podcast? Pump up song?
Favorite restaurant: anything with chips and salsa
Current read: The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller
Pump up song: All My Favorite Songs by Weezer
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