5 Things You Can Do For Your Acting Career

Posted on October 15, 2015October 15, 2015 by cindychu

Yesterday was a great day, I had a meeting with my new manager that left me feeling inspired and empowered, and then my friend had a one-woman show at the Comedy Central Stage in Hollywood. I went to it only knowing it was a dark comedy about wanting to die and I left, moved to tears, heart aching, stones in my throat. Another inspiring moment. From the sound of that, you might think, “Wow, actors have it easy in LA!” But let’s clear up some misconceptions. The reason I had a meeting was because my former manager switched career tracks and is doing something else now, and that left me in a weird space where maybe I was still with the same company but with no attachment to one particular manager, which meant I’d feel like I was just that kid who hung around a party wanting to be invited in but not knowing if I was welcome. So I asked for things to be clarified with my new contact and he set up a meeting to get to know me and see about working together. We meshed well and know more about one another now and I’m really excited to move forward with the company now, knowing he knows where I’m at and I know where they are in this whole process.

Michaela Myers’ stage setup for her one-woman show I Am Vertical, performed at the Comedy Central Stage in Hollywood

Actress Michaela Myers

Regarding my friend’s show, her name is Michaela Myers, she’s incredibly smart, funny, gorgeous, and wow, is she talented! I actually just made her acquaintance recently, in the last few months. I had gotten into the improv comedy scene this year and ended up joining a bunch of different Facebook groups for comedy in LA. On one of them, I saw a request for submissions for a new comedic web series, starring women, & written and directed by women, which is what we need more of in this industry! There wasn’t that much information but I submitted and they got back to me and told me they wanted me to read for a particular character, and asked for a self-tape first. After that, they asked me to come in for a callback in person, and I did, and they ended up wanting to book me for the part. Now, most of you already know a lot of these web series are deferred payment. So you have to decide for yourself whether or not it will be a good project to be a part of, or not. I asked for other projects they’d worked on and they sent me some clips, which got me really excited because they were well-produced and funny, so I signed on. Through that whole process, I met so many incredible people, movers and shakers, and good people to know. I added to my tribe. I learned a lot. I got to be a lead on a show, and have that experience, AND make all sorts of new connections. (Read about our webseries.)

A behind the scenes shot from Under the Table web series. Ashaki Ayoka adjusting a light as DP Nathan Krauss scopes out his shot

My co-star on Under the Table, Maggie Monk, took this shot of me massaging Pam with my feet while we were hurrying up and waiting for our next scene

But let’s get back to Michaela. She’s been in the comedy scene. She decided to do a one-woman show and through her network she was able to work with an incredible director to help her put her show together. She made the crowd laugh until our ribs hurt, and then she took us into her deep hole of despair and cry with her, and brought us back to the light of love and laughter. But you know what? She wasn’t even SAG when I started working with her on our web series. Through doing the show (and the producer doing the paperwork PROPERLY) she’s now SAG-Eligible. And she has no representation, but I think after last night, people will be knocking on her door. She has talent. She can write. She can act. She can do comedy, and drama, and dramedy. Even though she didn’t have representation, she was still making her own content and producing for herself, and going out for projects like our webseries, because it’s all part of the experience and process, and all of that can help you become a better artist, a better actor.

Cindy Chu, Michaela Myers, Maggie Monk with their cash on set of Under the Table

So with all of that being said, let’s get back to it. Many aspiring actors take off and move to Los Angeles or New York to make it big and go for their dreams. Many of us don’t have a good network in place or we may not even know what to do when we get there. Here are some important tips that I’ve learned through trial and error and I’m here to share them with you. Here are 5 things you can implement right now.

1) DON’T JUST WAIT FOR OPPORTUNITIES, MAKE YOUR OWN, & BUILD YOUR TRIBE
You’re going to hear this over and over again. Produce your own content. Write. Film. Put it on Vine or YouTube! You can use your actor friends to collaborate with! Consumer cameras and technology have grown so much that you can self-produce professional looking videos pretty easily. Don’t worry if it’s not great to begin with, the more you do it, the better you’ll get.

2) MAKE SURE YOUR REELS/HEADSHOTS/PROFILES ARE UP TO DATE
Take some time to make sure your various casting site profiles are up to date and if you have new footage you can use for your reels, get those reels cut and updated! Did you perhaps fill out your profile with a bunch of skills you don’t actually have? Go through and make sure you didn’t say you can polka if you can’t actually do it! Don’t put stuff on there just to fill your profile up. Keep it clean and concise and true. I’ve heard so many stories of actors being hired for a “special skill” they listed and they show up to set and aren’t able to perform. They not only make themselves look unprofessional but in turn it looks bad for the casting directors, too. You definitely don’t want to burn bridges that way.
Check out my IMDB page to view my recently updated reels.

3) ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT SITES?
For Los Angeles, if you’re doing commercial and theatrical work, you should have profiles on LACasting, Actors Access, and Casting Frontier. Lesser used ones would be NowCasting and Backstage. If you’re self-submitting, I recommend you pay for a year of Showfax rather than paying submission by submission, it’ll save you money to pay for the subscription and be able to self-submit as much as you want.

4) RESEARCH PROJECTS YOU’RE GOING IN FOR
Are you self-submitting? Are you getting audition appointments from your reps? Know who you’re going in for. What genre is the show? What else have they cast before? For those newer to the game, are these people legitimate or is it going to be a crap shoot? If you watch projects the producing/directing team has made before, and they’re indie, do they look like good projects to be a part of? Your time is like money, and you want to make sure you invest it wisely.

5) PREPARATION PREPARATION PREPARATION
Are you preparing as well as you should for your audition? Do you know the story you’re going to tell in the room? Do you know what your character perspective is? Practice with your actor friends and not your dog or boyfriend or girlfriend (unless they’re an actor, hehe) so that when you go in, you’re ready. If you’re bad at improv, get into an improv class (UCB, Nerdist, iOWest, Groundlings, Second City) and start a practice group outside of class. Do some indie shows. If you’re not in an ongoing acting class, get into one. It’s a bad idea to come here counting on making it overnight, because it takes a lot of hard work and talent and acting is just like any other art. You wouldn’t expect an architect to build a solid house on his/her first try, or a photographer to be able to shoot like Mario Testino right away, you’ve got to hone your skills before you can become a master of your craft.

These are just some basic things you can start with, and I’ll be posting more about other facets of the acting industry as a fellow up-and-coming actor. My hope is that I can save some of you time and money and a headache by giving you some real advice that maybe I learned the hard way, so it’ll be easier for you.

We didn’t pick an easy industry, but we’re doing it for whatever reason, so let’s do it well!

What other topics would you like to hear about? If you have any questions or comments, please comment below!

~Cindy

After our last shoot day on Under The Table, all the wonderful cast and crew there that day! I feel so lucky to know them all! Top Row L to R: Jessie Hixenbaugh, Andra Whipple, Reed Burkett, Denise Valentine, Gabriela Varley. Seated on Sofa L to R: Lauren Davis, Cindy Chu, Maggie Monk, Nathan Krauss. Seated on floor L to R: Grace Earley, Michaela Myers, Hanna Bowens, and Pam (also featured in portrait above sofa)

Summertime Sadness

Posted on July 1, 2014July 2, 2014 by cindychu

Just kidding, there’s no time to be sad! This year, 2014, has been off to a decent start with a booking as a rock climber for a health brochure that I mentioned a few blog posts ago, and then my first commercial booking in LA where I got to hold this adorable Asian baby! I got a lot of compliments on how naturally maternal I looked, and I’ve got to thank all the influences I had growing up and babysitting/nannying for so many amazing children. You never know what jobs you’ve had, or skills you’ve picked up will be useful in your auditions. My last job incorporated rock climbing which I do as a hobby sport, I never would have guessed I’d get a job out of it!

Cindy Chu holding a cute Asian baby at a commercial shoot

While I heard a warning that summertime is really slow for auditions, it seems the last few weeks have been quite full of auditions for a lot of commercials and indie projects. I’m part of the slew of actors who really dresses for the part, because why wouldn’t you? I want to deliver myself as the full package, ready to work, and fit the image they may have of the character. This means I sometimes buy clothing just for auditions, and keep other pieces around that maybe aren’t my IRL style but may be useful for certain audition looks. This one was for a hip girl, stylish, thrift shop, etc. I wore my glasses just to make myself stand out a little more because they’re a very flattering pair, and my last booking, I had worn them in the callback even though they had me remove them for the tape, they still remembered me for them. If anyone is interested in where I got them, they were from SEE Eyewear. They probably still have a similar style for sale, although I think mine were from 2012. Outfit Details:

Top: Forever 21 (used to be a L/S but I ripped it while trying to do a handstand so I chopped the sleeves off.
Dress: Love 21 (offshoot of Forever 21)
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Boots: Jeffrey Campbell for Free People (I love these boots! Very versatile look.)
Thigh high socks: Free People

Cindy Chu in a grunge/lady/nerdy look for an audition

Here we have a steampunk inspired outfit for an audition.

Cindy Chu in a Steampunk Outfit for Audition

It’s hard to tell from this angle, but I had a pretty nifty undo where most of my hair was in a high ponytail and I curled half of it and teased it, then braided the other half, with a baby french braid from the nape up and around the ponytail base with curls framing the face. I used a 3/4″ curling iron, like this one here. My favorite hairspray right now is by Bumble & Bumble, the blue can.

Cindy Chu’s current favorite hairspray

Outfit Details:

Dress: Love 21
Tights: Target (? old pair I had, don’t remember)
Boots: Same as above

Cindy Chu thinking steampunk thoughts

Steampunk makeup look

Makeup Look:

Lashes: Dolly Wink in Sweet Girly
Foundation: Makeup Forever HD in #118 (applied with a Beauty Blender! So nice! Have to wet the sponge first and squeeze water out)
Shadows/Blush: Smashbox makeup palette
Lips: Lined edges with Urban Decay Confession (discontinued but this is similar), filled with Maybelline Super Stay 10 Stain Gloss in Fresh Fuchsia 110
Eyeliner: L’Oreal Infallible Blackbuster Liquid Eyeliner
Jewelry: Love 21
Flower Clips: H&M

Along with hair, makeup, and wardrobe choices, I’ve also got to stay on top of my physical game. I follow this fit chick Nicole Mejia on Instagram. The reason I follow her is because she has an atypical body type compared to most models you see in catalogs and on runways. She’s petite, and has a natural pear shape with thick thighs. Following fitness girls who have body types that seem more real for me to achieve helps me stay inspired and positive. I also follow some supermodels because they post fun photos, but I know no matter how much I workout, I will never be a lanky 5’10” model type. She has been doing a “Fit & Thick” North American tour, teaching workout classes in different cities across the US, and this photo below was from her early session at the David Barton gym in LA. (It was a super nice gym, btw…) It didn’t seem that hard of a workout during, but man oh man, today and yesterday I got really stiff and sore, and it hurt to walk and to move, period. It was the DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, which meant I ripped a bunch of fibers and they are rebuilding. We did a lot of plyo type moves, jump squats, sumo squats, deadlifts, etc. I did get pretty sweaty!

Cindy Chu and Nicole Mejia at a Fit & Thick tour event

A year ago today, I started my membership at the Bar Method-Marina Del Rey. I signed up with the first month special and then continued on the monthly. While it’s more expensive than a gym membership to Gold’s or Equinox would be, I liked the class aspect, almost like having a personal trainer, and having that made it easier for me to make myself go workout. I didn’t have to think about or plan out what I would need to work on, I just go in and listen to the great instructors. Here I am, a year into Bar Method, feeling pretty fit but hungry for more improvement!

Cindy Chu celebrating a year of Bar Method under her belt!

Here’s a 4 year progression comparison photo.

Cindy Chu health diet bar method before and after

Cindy Chu’s health transformation over the past 4 years.

And the photo below here, shows a row of pics from before I started Bar Method (top) to now, one year later, comparing front, side and back. Not a huge weight differential here, but you can see I toned up and slimmed a bit around the torso and thighs especially. I didn’t even really realize how much everything had lifted and toned compared to before, so I’m really glad that I took progress photos to document it not only for myself, but to help put more info out there for others who are looking for ways to shape up and get healthier.

Cindy Chu Bar Method Results Before and After

Cindy Chu’s transformation from starting Bar Method a year ago to today.

After I had my audition today, I stopped for a quick lunch at one of my new favorites, Huckleberry Cafe in Santa Monica. They use a lot of locally sourced ingredients and make their own fresh almond milk, so they have the best almond milk lattes I’ve found so far in LA. I paired it with a long-line caught tuna salad. Portion control is something I’ve worked on for health reasons in the last couple years, and this salad was pretty big. If I eat until I feel full, then I’ve usually overeaten and then feel bloated. Now I try to stop after I’m satisfied, and then just eat again when I feel hungry. This salad here was in a pretty big bowl, so I ate half and took the rest home.

Cindy Chu enjoyed this healthy meal from Huckleberry Cafe in Santa Monica, CA. Line caught tuna salad and a fresh almond milk latte.

Oh, today I finally saw my old co-star Kate Boyer while at my audition, she was at the same place for a different audition. She was just as gorgeous and nice as always. She’s got a film coming out soon, Hollidaysburg, which I actually auditioned for one of the parts in. Look her up! She’s so lovely, inside and out. She told me her mom reads my blog, so shoutout to Kate’s mom! You did a wonderful job raising an amazing gal. Here’s Kate’s Instagram feed.

The Lovely Kate Boyer, Actress and Stunt Woman Extraordinaire

Well, my summertime goal is to find a theatrical agent or a manager so that I can actually start auditioning for all the jobs that I don’t have access to for TV/Features. I’ve had postcards made for mailings, and some cute mini business cards from Moo (click the link to get 10% off, if you need some biz cards or postcards!). What do you think? Hopefully I’ll have a good update for you soon regarding representation!

Cindy Chu’s Moo Postcard

Thanks for reading, and hope you all have a wonderful 4th!!!

xo,

Cindy

Spring Growth

Posted on April 3, 2014April 27, 2014 by cindychu

Spring is officially in full bloom, well, at least here in sunny Southern California! Even the tulips are blooming in the colder states like Michigan. My career is also starting to bloom, or so I hope! In the time since my last post, my episode of Those Who Kill finally aired on A&E, although the series was pulled after the first two episodes. It will now return on Lifetime instead. My featured role as a Model in Limo on abc’s Mixology also aired recently. Here are some screen caps of my appearances:

Cindy Chu on ‘Those Who Kill’

Cindy Chu on ‘Mixology’

I also booked my first commercial job in LA, appearing as a rock climber in a print ad. Here I am with my fellow models.

Cindy Chu, rock climbing, stronghold, la

Rock Climbing print ad at Stronghold Gym in downtown LA

This week I started a 4-week audition technique intensive class at the ever popular Margie Haber Studio. I’m studying under Courtney Burr and our first session went great! Can’t wait to go back tonight and learn more.

I’ve been attending workshops and manager meetings, and I hope to sign with either a manager or theatrical agent in the next few months. Hollywood is a tough egg to crack. Self-esteem and confidence are always good things to work on in this industry, especially, and I am feeling more of both after working on a photo shoot recently…

My photographer friend Mioara Dragan (who works between Detroit and LA) was in town for LA Fashion Week last month, and we found this contest for Free People, where they would select a photographer, stylist, and model to come to NY for a photo shoot, and we wanted to do something for it. We decided in some of her spare time we would style some shots and I would play the model. I was stunned with the results! She captured me in the way I imagine myself at my best, not knowing I could ever appear that way in real life. Here are the images, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Maybe I’ll stop scoffing now when people ask me if I model. 😉 Oh, and if you’re in need of some head shots, or a wedding photographer, or whatever your needs are, she is incredibly talented and I highly recommend her.

Alright, those are my big updates for now! My Macbook is about to die so until next time.

xoxo

Entering the Year of the Horse

Posted on January 29, 2014April 27, 2014 by cindychu

A happy belated 2014 to all of you, my dear readers! I hope you have all been having an exciting year so far, although I know much of the US is suffering through one of the most terrible winters in decades, and definitely in my lifetime. I am thankful every day that I moved to LA before this winter, as I really hate being cold.

ACTING STUFF

Anyway, I’m still on the hunt for a theatrical agent or manager in Los Angeles, which is proving difficult. I’d prefer not sending out thousands of postcards, and am reaching out to people I know who may be able to put me in touch with their connections. I know I can do the work, but it’s a matter of finding people who believe in me.

Recently I did a great agent showcase with Actor’s Advantage, run and organized by Shane Russeck. It was an interesting experience. All the actors checked in and got their time slots, and then the five agents were in the room, and when it was your turn, you went in, performed, and walked out and you were done. I haven’t heard anything but I know that sometimes these lead to work for some actors. Here’s the website if you want to check out an event. If you go, tell them I sent you!
Actor’s Advantage Showcase

In other acting news, there’s a great new trailer out for Those Who Kill, in which I played Nancy Yuan for the premiere episode. You can click through to the really scary trailer here. My friends Kate Boyer and Jordan Trovillion, both actresses I’ve written about before, can be seen in the creepy trailer. Kate is the one running away from the serial killer and tied up in a chair, and Jordan is dead in a dumpster in a quick flash. The show will premiere on A&E on March 3!

My shoulder was featured (body doubling) for a split second on the premiere episode of Rake, starring Greg Kinnear. When I went in for doubling, they had me working some lines with the actors and Sam Raimi, who directed that episode, very kindly upgraded me to cast for my work. I wish I could have auditioned for the actual role, but my turn will come. Anyway, I am incredibly thankful to Mr. Raimi for his kindness. That is the second time I’ve worked in a “background” role and been upgraded, which is very lucky indeed! When I worked on Red Dawn, I agreed to go in as background with a very high likelihood of being upgraded, and it went through so I became that police station screamer. (BTW, you can view Red Dawn on Netflix!) 🙂

I’m still very much enjoying my classes at the Ruskin School of Acting in Santa Monica, and we are moving from emotional prep to scenes with emotional prep, which we will be performing as our one year graduation showcase.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

I was recently googling myself as I am wont to do now and then, (purely for career reasons!!!) and saw a photo of mine that was posted on the Bar Method blog by none other than Burr Leonard, the creator of The Bar Method! That was pretty neat and also made me feel more inspired to go to my Bar classes to get even more results.

Burr Leonard demonstrating moves at the bar

Cindy Chu Actress/Blogger

Since the holidays have come and gone, I had also gotten really into rock climbing to the detriment of my Bar routine, but it was still exercise!

Cleaning up leads and anchor, then rappelling in Red Rock Canyon outside Las Vegas, NV

But then, I used the holidays as an excuse to eat a lot more than I normally do, and after the new year, I wanted to rededicate myself to my health and fitness, and so not only did I restart my habit of going to Bar a few times a week at minimum, along with walking and cycling, and other activities like paddle ball or hiking, but I also signed up for a 30 Day Challenge through DailyHiit! They have a lot of great routines you can do at home with just a few simple exercise tools, and the workouts are High Intensity Interval Training (hence the HIIT) so are more efficient than spending an hour at the gym doing random exercises, meaning the workout videos they’ve been sending have been just 12 minutes! Here’s a photo of my halfway point progress:

Day 15 progress photo of 30 Day Challenge from Daily Hiit

As you can see, the differences are very subtle. What I notice the most is a more defined linea alba which is that center line down the stomach, a tendinous stretch on the abdomen splitting the two sides of muscles. I hope there will be even more change come Day 30!

I know I posted about my hair care awhile back, too, and the Shiseido Tsubaki shampoo/conditioner is still working wonders and my hair is so much softer than before, which is helped also by the Aquasana carbon shower head filter I installed. Since I often do need to style my hair for auditions, I’ve got some great recommendations on styling tools, too. I received an amazing blow dryer for Christmas and it dries my hair so quickly, and keeps it very smooth, and I can adjust it to no-heat, as well. It’s the Elchim Ionic and is a pro level tool.

Elchim Ionic

I also am extremely satisfied with the Hot Tools curling iron I bought last year. The 1″ size is perfect for creating beachy and classic waves, although, the 1″1/2 might be nice for softer waves. I got the 1″. I usually spray some of the Bumble and Bumble Does It All styling spray in for heat protection.

BB does it all styling spray

Hot Tools Ceramic Marcel Curling Iron

Styled using the Hot Tools 1″ Ceramic Marcel Curling Iron

I had a lot of fun last night self-taping myself for some roles, and did a quick change in between, and I’ll leave you with this funny image of me. Signing off until next time! And please make sure to watch Those Who Kill when it comes out March 3!!!!

Double duty

xox,

Cindy

My Body, My Craft

Posted on December 4, 2012October 6, 2015 by cindychu

So in my last blog post, I said I would make one about my weight loss! Here is a side-by-side photo comparison of me in 2008, when I wanted to lose weight and took some before photos, and last night, after going for a run. This was when I attempted P90X or something like that… The difference here is about 30 pounds. I feel that it’s quite obvious, but what you think may differ. All I know is that at that weight, I wasn’t comfortable with my body. I’m much happier today with where I’m at physically. This is the lead up to the title of the post, “My Body, My Craft.” Take a look below:

Obviously, I could use some more exercise in my life. What I want to emphasize here is that the majority of my weight loss has been through DIET ALONE! Yes, I get some physical activity in my side job working at a restaurant and walking around town, but I don’t do a lot of cardio. I HAVE been doing pushups, pullups, pressups, squats, lunges, crunches and such. But not even that often. I know. It’s a work in progress! But the reason why I titled this post the way I did is because as an actress, it’s important that I look my best for my type of casting. I don’t want to be the chubby, funny Asian friend. I have always played the ingenue, and that’s the casting I want to develop further. In order to do that, I’ve got to work for it, and get myself in the best physical shape I can. I’m beginning an exercise program and if I can get some results, I’ll post photo updates. But anyway, what I CAN tell you about today is the diet portion of my fitness journey.

The key to my 30 pound weight loss has been a SLOW CARB DIET (SCD). I decided to follow this diet format after my friend Justin drastically changed his body in the time I took to travel around the world. (I was gone for 4.5 months!) In that time, he dropped from about 180 to around 145lbs, and went from wearing a size 36 to a 30 in pants. He’s about 5’8″. Those are some pretty significant losses. Even though I saw how much he had changed and how great he looked (even though I didn’t think of him as fat before!!!), I really didn’t want to hear about how he did it. It seemed like his diet was no fun when we went out to eat. But as we were housemates, I saw firsthand how he was eating, and slowly, he introduced me to the basics, and eventually, I became receptive to the idea of trying it. It was then that he created the Three Week Challenge with me. He guaranteed that if I followed the SCD for THREE WHOLE WEEKS…I would see some results. I kind of harumphed at the idea, mentally noting that I had been about the same size for several years now and that my body just wanted to be this size, basically mentally defeating myself. And so I began, simultaneously doing the 10-day Zumba challenge, and recording all my measurements each morning. I’ll go into more details shortly. Anyhow, at the onset, I tried on a bunch of pants and dresses I had in my closet but hadn’t worn for years because they were too tight, and yep, they were still too tight. Some of the pants could not be buttoned up, as in there were a couple inches of gap between the button hole and button because I was too wide for them. My bulges. At the end of the 3 weeks, I literally couldn’t believe it, but the pants that had been too tight were now…a little bit loose? Could this be? In three weeks, I lost about 10 pounds, and 1 inch off my waist. In the time since, I’ve lost a little bit more, and am now sitting around 128lbs, give or take a couple, and my measurements went from 40/29/40 to 36/25/36. Alright, so I got a boost from doing the Zumba challenge at the same time but, you can expect similar results if you’re already working out regularly but have that last 10 plateau to get past. Diet is so key here.

Another before & after, September 2011, compared to July 2012…

Okay, so let’s get into the nitty gritty details of the diet. Of course if you have any sort of health issues, you should speak with your physician before attempting this. I’m not a doctor or trained dietician, this is simply what worked for me. And if you want, you can do your own Three Week Challenge. My best friend has dropped also from around 180 to 145, and she’s about 5’5.5″. She couldn’t be happier that she asked me about the diet and stuck to it once she decided to join me in my fitness journey. As a breakdancer, breaking has gotten easier for her with less mass to move around. She doesn’t need to worry so much about spraining her hand anymore, which was an issue when she was heavier. And she’s so hot now! Not that she wasn’t before, but she got hotter! 😀 Oh yeah, the measurements…I weighed myself at the same time every day and measured around the thickest parts of my upper arms and thighs, both sides, then bust, waist and hips. I kept a chart on my dry erase board, and also entered measurements into this great little iPhone app, called WeightTrack. It charts your progress for you and is nice for referencing to see how quickly the weight is coming off.

Alright, so here are the basics to the SCD. Our commandments, so to speak.

For SIX days a week, one must NOT consume, meaning NO-NOs:

DAIRY (MILK, CHEESE, YOGURT, BUTTER, CREAM, ETC. A SERVING OF COTTAGE CHEESE IS APPARENTLY OKAY, JUST DON’T OVERDO IT)
SUGAR (THIS INCLUDES FRUIT JUICES, FRUIT, DRIED FRUIT, CANDY, SWEETENERS, YES–PUT DOWN THAT DIET!!!)
CARBS (BREAD, PASTA, OATMEAL, GRANOLA, RICE, ETC.)

But what you CAN consume in those six days, and for each meal, YES YES’S:

PROTEIN (SERVING OF MEAT, TOFU, EGGS, NUTS, ETC)
VEGETABLES
LEGUMES (BEANS BEANS BEANS! DON’T HAVE TOO MUCH HUMMUS, THOUGH…)
RED WINE (WHILE IT’S RECOMMENDED TO ABSTAIN FROM ALCOHOL ON THIS DIET, A GLASS OR TWO OF RED WINE A NIGHT IS OKAY, BUT YOU SHOULD STEER CLEAR OF WHITE (SUGAR) AND BEER (CARBS, SUGAR)

And then the best part of this…there’s that ONE day of the week left…where you don’t have to follow the diet one bit! You can pig out and have anything you’ve been craving all week. So go have that cookie, and a pint, and a pizza, or an ice cream cone! It’s your CHEAT DAY.

I personally found it helps to cook some meals in advance, like a veggie tagine, with some beans, and eggs for protein, or throw some meat in the tagine sauce. Soups are great. Eggs in the morning with veggies and black beans…Chipotle’s a good place for lunch, just get the burrito bowl without any cheese or sour cream!

I will testify THIS diet WORKS! Results. I achieved them. And so can you.

Feel free to post questions you might have and I’ll try and answer them! 🙂 Altogether, the friends I’ve gotten to follow this way of eating have lost more than 100 pounds, when their losses are tallied. Anyone up for the challenge? Come back and post your results every week or in three weeks! You may fit into that pair of jeans in the back of your closet again! I just put on my old prom dress from high school when I was home for Thanksgiving!

Needlestick!

Posted on November 26, 2012April 27, 2014 by cindychu

Some of you who are following any sort of Michigan film news will already know that Needlestick, an upcoming indie thriller to be shot in December, was recently approved for the Michigan film incentives.

Big congrats to Steven Karageanes, writer and director of “Needlestick”! We met years ago when my short “Qing Lou Nu” was screening at the same film festivals as his “Pink Slip”. I was fortunate enough to attend the auditions for Needlestick on Saturday. My wonderful and talented friend Jordan Trovillion is already cast in Needlestick and you can view her in the awesome trailer here.

I’m really excited to see more projects finally starting up in Michigan again, and just wanted to share Steven’s good news with the film community! Whoever they cast, I hope the project is a giant success!

I hope everyone had a great weekend post-Thanksgiving! Here’s a pic of me in my high school reunion outfit. Wheee, dressing up is fun. I gotta be honest, it felt pretty good showing up and knowing that my hard work with my diet paid off and that I felt really comfortable in my own skin.

I’ll blog about my whole diet later in its own thing for those of you who are interested. It’s pretty easy, but does require a few changes and commitment! But I’m living proof it works! Just take a look at me a year ago.

Look for my weight-loss post later this week!

Have a lovely week, friends!

xoxo,

Cindy

Red Dawn: At Long Last!!!

Posted on November 19, 2012April 27, 2014 by cindychu

Viva Red Dawn!!! It’s been a long journey, but Red Dawn is finally being released as a holiday blockbuster this Thanksgiving! I’m so excited to see it finally premiering, and I’ll definitely be taking my family to see it on Thanksgiving Day! I already had confirmation from friends that my name was in the credits and that they saw my scenes! WHooooooowheeee!!!!!

For now, enjoy this wonderful trailer:

Look how tall I am! In my Red Dawn costume with some of the other ladies.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and goes to see Red Dawn! Let me know what you think! And sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated. I’ve got a few more things to post about soon so look for more in the coming weeks.

Shine your inner light,

Cindy