Valeria Vyushina: “You don’t need to chase the number on the scale, you need to live a high life”.
Beauty, mom, fitness trainer, businesswoman and popular Instagram-blogger Valeria Vyushina gave an interview for Woman. Valeria talked about her path in sports, fitness marathons, attitude to diets and realization of the most unusual desires.
Valeria, tell us, when did sports come into your life?
It so happens that sport has accompanied me since my childhood. From the age of 4, I was professionally involved in artistic gymnastics, then ballet. At the age of 14, I was drawn to the gym. I started my training as an amateur, but over time it grew into a way of life and later a favorite job.
How did it happen that you became a coach, started blogging and inspiring thousands of women to build the body of their dreams?
It didn’t happen all at once. After school, I completed my master’s degree in economics. But one day I woke up and realized I wanted to work in television. So I studied to become a journalist and got a job at one of the TV channels. She worked as a journalist, then as a Russian news anchor. In 2014, when Maidan started, the program was closed and I left television. After that, I decided to try my hand at the restaurant business. Opened a restaurant. But since I didn’t understand any of it, the business failed. And I sold it. Then there was a period of self-discovery. As a result of which I came to something that I never got bored of, which is fitness. I signed up for a course. First one, then another, then another, then another. Since I had an athletic background, the training came fairly easily. Gradually this sporting element drew me in completely.
I started working as a private trainer, then a trainer at a fitness club. There were a lot of clients and I realized that I needed to open something of my own. That’s how my first studio came to be. At the same time, I started blogging. That said, I had absolutely no intention of becoming a blogger. I was just filming workouts and people started coming to me from Instagram. I had to expand. That’s how the second studio came to be. At the same time, she started taking classes online. But then the pandemic struck, quarantine and we had to close everything down.
You are now leading classes and fitness marathons online. Tell me about them?
My marathon is called “The Last Skinny.” I decided to start it up just in the quarantine period last spring. Nine thousand people participated. It was a tremendous responsibility and experience. There were two other people on the team with me at the time, and we were on our phones 24 hours a day. But I want to say, it was a very cool and soulful project. To this day, many girls who met in chat rooms are still friends, meet in their cities, and even socialize as families. I’m so happy about that.
I don’t have a goal for a person to lose 20 pounds in a month. Because it takes a huge toll on your health, your psyche, your skin. I’m in favor of making sports a way of life. To change people’s consciousness, to realize that it is not necessary to count every calorie, it is not necessary to chase the figure on the scale, it is necessary to live in a high.
Tough coach, why that’s what you call yourself why do you call yourself that?
I’ve always had a tough stance on sports. Since I’m a sports fanatic myself, all the girls who come to my workouts don’t chat, we don’t take selfies with them. We’re working. I can yell when I need to. Not because I’m mean, but because I’m results-oriented and my people don’t slack off. And if I see that a person is lazy, he did not stay with me. That’s how I’m a tough coach (smiles).
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I can see that you in love with sports. How can others love him in the same way?
First of all, you need to choose a competent coach. Second, set a goal for yourself. But it has to be more than just a number on the scale, you have to like yourself in the reflection in the mirror. For example, choose a revealing swimsuit and set a task to go beautiful in it on the beach. I personally, when I feel myself relaxing, look at profiles of successful athletes, fitness trainers. They inspire me to hold the bar and get better.
Unfortunately, I often notice that in our country there are a lot of girls who are demotivated, who are not supported by their families. A lot of people get better from abusive relationships. And that’s why my marathon has a special chat room where we connect with these girls, where everyone shares their stories and supports each other. Girls see that they are not the only ones like this, there are tons of such stories. So, another piece of advice is to look for like-minded people. Those with whom you will easily and enjoyably become more beautiful and healthy together.
How often have you yourself practicing? The foundation of your training this?
I do crossfit, weight training. I have a lean body build, so I need to eat a lot and exercise a lot. I usually do 3 – 4 workouts a week. But if there are any contraindications, a cold, then I reduce them to a minimum. Because exercising during this period will not be good for you. I always tell my clients – the extra we’ve gained over the years, so if necessary, you can hold off for a week. And then start again with renewed vigor.
In your posts, you’ve been you’re pretty tough on dieting.♪ why ♪?
In general, anything called by the word diet is shown to people who have medical conditions. When it is the doctor who prescribes the diet. Other people don’t need a diet.
A lot of people misunderstand the concept of proper nutrition. It seems to them that they should eat one buckwheat and nothing else. In fact, proper nutrition, is a perfectly delicious, balanced diet that simply does not contain fatty, fried, smoked. All the things that lead us to obesity .
Therefore, diets are unnecessary. They undermine people both mentally and health-wise. For example, I have clients who are treated by a gastroenterologist and a psychosomatologist after the Dukan diet. Because it really hits the nervous system and the whole GI tract.
What foods would you recommend introducing into every girl’s diet? And why them?
Definitely avocado because it is the fruit of youth. For example, a girl works out a lot, eats right, but has a tummy. The stomach is 90% of nutrition. There may just not be enough healthy fats in the body. You can get them from avocados. Also in the diet should be red fish, flax seeds, nuts, vegetables, greens, buckwheat and any cereal. Carbohydrates, that’s our energy. If you don’t eat them, you won’t have the energy to just physically move around. It’s also important to get protein from meat. Chicken, veal should be if there are no contraindications.
Do you often write about caring for the environment? How long ago did the topic of conscious consumption start to bother you ?
My daughter encouraged me to do it. She came home from school one day and said she wouldn’t use plastic bags anymore. That’s when I first thought about it. And I decided I had to set a good example for her. We started to study this issue, we watched many topical programs together. For example, the detrimental effects of plastic on marine life. It is indeed very important to realize that the future of our planet is in our hands. And everyone should take small steps to save it.
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What are the rules of mindfulness have you already implemented in your life?
For example, when we buy coffee, we don’t take disposable cups, we drink from our own cups. I also purchased fabric bags – shoppers. Not only are they eco-friendly, but they are also very comfortable. Other than that, I try to sort the trash. But there is a huge problem in our country – lack of sorting bins. So, my sorted garbage goes into the general containers, and then it all gets mixed up and ends up in the landfills. I wish it were different.
In one in one of his posts you wrote that you’d like to bite the head off a bass. And you’re calling of subscribers not to be embarrassed their desires. What most unbelievable desires you’ve already realized come true?
Very often we have unrealized desires in us, and sometimes very stupid (laughs). But then again, they seem silly to some. And you just want to do it. But you’re afraid that some Galya from the neighbor’s driveway will say that it’s wrong, they didn’t do it that way before.
I personally have had a lot of weird and varied ideas since I was a kid. In realizing them, it was always my mother who stopped me. But my point is, if your actions don’t harm those around you, then basically I encourage you to do what you want to do. Regardless of any judgment from the outside. And yes, it makes me want to bite the head off a perch (laughs). I have a photographer who is used to my craziness. For example, we recently did a photo shoot with a mouth octopus. I conceived it at a time when there was a lot of heath in my life. It’s very symbolic. The octopus is known to be a creature whose tentacles are not connected to the brain. And the message here was – don’t be an octopus, let your tentacles, i.e. your tongue, always be in contact with your brain, think what to say.
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I also love spontaneous traveling. For example, last summer my friends and I broke away and went to the Arabatska arrow. It made me want to see Rose Lake. Spent 14 hours on the road, but what we saw was worth it. So, it’s not always my desires that are weird (laughs).
Also, we traveled Ukraine a lot last year. For example, we visited the Acton Canyon. This year, too, they’ve already put together a program. There will be lakes and castles and lots more to see. So, keep an eye on my Instagram (smiles).
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How do you see your life in 5 years?
In fact, I wish the pandemic would end so I could open an offline studio again. But to be honest, with all the events that have been happening in my life lately, I try not to wish. I live for today, here and now. There’s a saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” So, I don’t fantasize that far.
Lastly, share 3 interesting facts about you that no one knows:
Despite all my openness with the follower community, there are still some interesting and funny facts. One, very few people know that I have a brother. He’s nine years older than me. Two, I once broke my leg sledding down a hill. But I didn’t find out about the fracture until an hour later when my leg started hurting and I couldn’t walk. Before that, it was fun to keep going downhill (laughs). And third, I wanted to surprise my friends by doing a somersault. While performing it, she hit herself and passed out. And she gave everyone a big scare.
Text: Eugenia Vlasenko
Photo: personal archive of the heroine
