| NEW & IMPROVED |
| JEL Has Kept The Weight Off, And Other Habits Have Gone Up In Smoke |
Now, three years after AW's cancellation, Luciano has kept the weight she lost off --"I've been a size 2 for a couple of years now," she smiles--and is taking steps to be healthier than ever. "I quit smoking in January," shares Luciano. "It was pretty easy--this time. The last time I quit, I was pregnant and it was for my son. So, after I had the baby, it was harder to keep that commitment because it was for him. But this time, it was for me." Luciano attributes her smokin' success to three things: Zyban, the patch and sheer will power. "When I finally decided to do it, there was no question. My doctor's like, 'You don't even want one?' I'm like, 'It's not even a thought.' A couple of times, out of physical habit, it will strike me as, 'Oh, this is when I ... oh, I don't smoke.' One time, I got really stressed out--I had a bad day, and it was during the first week I quit -- and I said, 'I am going to treat myself and have a cigarette.' And I stopped because I realized that that wouldn't be treating myself. It would be a mean thing to do to [my body]." One of the biggest surprises for Luciano is that smoking has become a real turn-off to her. "When I walk by people and they are smoking, it makes me want to throw up. I never thought I would feel like that because I loved, honestly loved, smoking," she admits. "I would never tell someone not to smoke because that's not the type of nonsmoker I want to be, but it truly makes me nauseated. It's actually great because whenever I quit before, I would hang around smokers and be like, 'Please blow it in my face. Ahhh, that smells so good!' Now, it's like, 'Yuck.' " Besides having happy, healthier lungs, Luciano experienced a few unexpected benefits since she quit smoking. "I can taste things a lot more, and food tastes really good," she laughs. "When I couldn't taste, I ate more, so it's easier not to eat as much. And I can smell things again!" Thanks to the revitalized taste buds and a few years of healthier eating under her belt, Luciano has found that her food preferences have started to change. "I used to be a fried-food freak," she notes. "And I still like it, but I love broiled things now." In addition to broiled fish and grilled chicken, Luciano loads up on fresh fruits and vegetables. "I could sit down and eat green beans and spinach for dinner -- and breakfast," she laughs. "And summer is great with plums, peaches, strawberries and apricots. I pretty much eat fruit and Jersey-corn all summer long." But that doesn't mean chocolate is completely out of the picture. The actress insists that moderation is the key to any weight-loss success story. "As I have gotten older, I realized that you can have a little bit if you want. When you diet and tell yourself you can't have it and that you have to wait three months to eat whatever it is, then three months later, you eat tons and tons of it." she shares. "I eat pretty healthy most of the time. I try to think about what's going in as something that supplements my body and tastes good. And every once in awhile, I'll have a little chocolate chip ice cream, a piece of chocolate or french tries," Luciano prefers to do away with strict guidelines when it comes to an exercise routine, too. "I get a lot of exercise, but I don't exercise," she says. "I have a 5-year-old son, so I'm not a couch potato, especially since we live in California, where there's great weather to do things all year long. My son and I love to go to the park, and we have a pool, so we swim a lot. I'll go on walks with my dog for a couple of miles a few times a week. I'll do crunches when I think about it, anywhere between 300 to 700. Not on a daily basis, but a couple of times a week." Just like everyone else, the toughest obstacle for Luciano, is getting started. "It's hard getting out the door [laughs]. Once I go out and do the walk, I feel incredible. But getting out the door, well, maybe I'll pay the bills first, or maybe I'll check my e-mail. Then, it's like, 'Get out the door!' But when I get out, it's great! My dog's all happy, I'm all happy. I just have to keep thinking, 'I am really going to like it once I get out there.' " To those who are trying to lose weight or adopt a healthier lifestyle, Luciano urges them to keep at it. "Eat slowly and chew things a lot. I used to gulp my food, and then, all of a sudden, I was three times as full as I should have been. I think if you are paranoid about food and count everything, it puts too much stress on you. The key is being aware." # |
SIDEBAR: SWEET SURRENDER |
by Melissa Scardaville