‘20 questions’ is a new Q&A column where we talk to the country’s most intriguing individuals -- including artists, celebrities, academics, activists, leaders, industry players and ‘regular’ people with notable achievements. 

Luna Maya is one of Indonesia’s most popular celebrities. Starting her career after winning a modeling contest in Aneka Yess! magazine in 1998, she has now evolved to become an actress, film director, presenter, singer, fashion designer and entrepreneur. Among her businesses are women’s ready-to-wear Luna Habit and cosmetics Nama Beauty. 

In her spare time, the multi-talented artist also films and uploads daily vlogs on her YouTube channel, which currently has over 1.6 million subscribers. 

On June 15, The Jakarta Post caught up with Luna at Seribu Rasa restaurant in Gunawarman, South Jakarta, after she attended the launch of Re.juve cooler bags. 

Hi Luna. What are you up to these days? 

Nothing much. Just shooting ads, doing talk shows and promoting a web series. 

Wow, it sounds like a lot. With a ton of daily activities, how do you keep fit and healthy? 

My health regime is actually quite simple. I try to eat healthily, exercise and get enough rest each day. 

Do you have a certain diet to maintain your figure and stay healthy?

I used to eat everything. Gorengan [deep-fried snacks], bakso [meatballs], cakes and donuts. I have a sweet tooth. But lately, I’ve been afraid of getting older [laughs]. Honestly. It’s not that I’m afraid of becoming older physically. It’s just that I’m afraid of not having the energy that I have now. 

For some, life’s best moments happen in their ‘20s. But for me, I’ve just begun to feel alive in my ‘30s [when] I realized that there were so many things I didn’t do when I was younger because of my follies. Now that I’m 38, I feel that there are so many things that I still want to do. My energy level is like “Wow!” So, I’m afraid that if I don’t take good care of myself, I will collapse and fall ill. That would be the end of me. 

So, how do you take care of yourself and maintain your energy level in your busy lifestyle?  

I drink juice every day. It’s a habit that my mom has instilled in me since I was a little kid. She used to juice carrots, apples, spinach and oranges for us daily. Sometimes, she also infused [the juice] with ginger, turmeric and beetroot. I used to hate it. Every day, before I went to school, my mom used to chase me around the house to get me to drink it. 

But now I thank her. I mean, look at her now. She’s 70-something, and alhamdulillah [thank God], she remains very healthy and fit. She still drives herself everywhere. 

That’s interesting. What’s your favorite ingredient in a juice? 

Oh, I love them all. Every fruit and vegetable has different benefits for our body. But lately, I can’t live without ginger. So grandmotherly of me, right? [Laughs] I like how [ginger] warms my body. So, if I go to a restaurant, I always ask if they have any ginger and lemongrass drinks. At home, I usually pound a few fingers of ginger, boil them and drink the water. 

Sometimes, I also mix it with the juice that I drink in the morning. It feels “Greng!” [Vroom!]. When I drink it in the morning, my eyes immediately open up. I’ve also read somewhere that [ginger] cleanses the toxins in our body. We may not realize it, but we’re actually surrounded with a lot of free radicals from our smartphones, from the pollution in the city and from the foods and drinks that we consume daily. They’re not very healthy, are they? 

Do you also take vitamins to keep fit? 

I do take vitamins, but not every day. When I have a lot going on, I usually take a multivitamin. But these pills have shells that can impede digestion. So, I try not to take them unless it’s absolutely necessary. 

What about milk? Do you also consume it to keep healthy? 

I’m actually lactose-intolerant. If I drink cow’s milk, my throat produces a lot of mucus, which is awful as I also have asthma. So, I replace [cow’s milk] with almond’s, which my body can tolerate. We really have to know whether what we consume is good for our body and what the impacts are. It’s called mindful consumption. 

Are you perhaps a vegan or vegetarian?

Oh, that’s my mom. She’s been a vegetarian for 40 years now. But as for me, I’m still bandel [undisciplined]. I eat meat now and again. But I’m getting better now. I’m practicing better self-control each day. 

Do you have some tips on how to start mindful eating?

I think it starts by establishing your goal. For me, I want to stay thin. It’s normal for us women, isn’t it? There are a lot of healthy diets, but you have to know what really works for you. For me, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. I still eat rice, but in small portions. 

And when you’re starting on a diet, do it step-by-step. Don’t suddenly cut off your caloric intake. The first three to seven days would be hell. But you have to stick it through. So, it takes a strong commitment. In fact, keeping the commitment is much more difficult than keeping your spouse. [Laughs]. 

But that’s true. We all like good food, don’t we? But as I grow older, I realize that eating healthily is key to keeping healthy. By eating healthily, I’ll have more energy and a clearer mind. With a clearer mind, I can make better decisions in life. 

So, you never cheat in your diet? 

I’m just human. Sometimes, I feel lazy. Sometimes, I feel sad and need to pamper myself. But I know how to control myself. If I really crave something, I usually eat just a little portion of it. And if I still want more, I’ll say to myself, “Let’s wait until tomorrow.” Somehow, I’ve never had the same craving for the next day. That’s how I control myself. And I believe that giving yourself a self-reward between now and then is also important. 

What’s your usual self-reward in terms of food? 

Instant noodles. They’re just so delicious, both the goreng [fried] and rebus [boiled] variations. So, after achieving something big or having worked relentlessly for weeks, I usually treat myself with a bowl of instant noodles. 

But I find it really hard to control what I want to eat during PMS [premenstrual syndrome]. I always become very hungry and can’t rein in my appetite. And when that happens, I just eat up to prevent myself from getting moody. 

Do you often get moody?

What do you think? [Smiles] I’m actually an introvert. So, I find it very taxing if I have to be around a lot of people. It’s just exhausting for me. 

But your job requires you to be among a lot of people. How do you deal with it? 

Well, like people say, fake it ‘til you make it. [Laughs]. I have to give what people want from me. It’s kinda tiring actually. So, I try to balance it with a healthy lifestyle. If I don’t, I will feel as if [people] absorbed all of my energy. Then I’ll get ill. Then, I’ll get moody.  

What’s your daily schedule like?

I usually get up at around 5:30 or 5:45 am. My alarm goes off at around that time. At 6:15, I usually do some exercise. Afterwards, I take a bath. And when I come out, my house assistant usually serves a glass of juice for me on the table. 

I try to go to sleep before 12. At around 10:30, I’m usually already in bed and watching a bit of Netflix before shutting my eyes. 

What kind of exercise do you normally do? 

Sometimes, I jog. Sometimes, I bike. Sometimes, I go to the gym to do HIIT [High Intensity Interval Training]. I usually exercise between 45 minutes and an hour each day. 

Seven days a week? 

Yes. Well, sometimes, if I’m feeling lazy, six days a week -- or at minimum, five days a week. Minimum. Forty-five minutes to an hour each day is not really that much. I also lift weights, usually 7 kilograms. But if I’m tired, I just lift between 4 kg to 5 kg.  

Have you ever felt so tired that you don’t exercise at all? 

Exercising has become my daily habit. So when I stop, my body complains. When I don’t exercise, I don’t feel like working at all. 

It’s perhaps because exercising prompts the production of endorphins in our body. And when your body releases endorphins, you feel good. It’s like the momentary pleasure that you get when you consume something sweet and you’ll crave for more. That’s the kind of endorphin that I try to get each day. 

Walking is actually also very powerful. I always suggest to my friends who want to start exercising to just walk. They can perhaps do five rounds around GBK [Gelora Bung Karno] stadium. That’s equal to five kilometers. They can also do it by listening to music and connecting to themselves, just like meditating. 

I do [walk] a lot when I’m traveling. When I’m traveling abroad, I rarely take a car. I walk around a lot. And when I get home, I’ve usually become thinner.   

Speaking of traveling, you recently went to South Korea and met with Siwon Choi. Are you perhaps planning a special collaboration with him? 

We’re just friends. We’re just having a silaturahmi [meet up]. I happened to be in town, so I contacted him to meet up. 

You’re also an avid fan of BTS. Are you sad now that they’ve gone on a hiatus? 

Not really. They’re just humans. They’re, of course, allowed to take a rest. 

Soon, you’ll be celebrating your 39^th birthday. What do you think of getting older?

Who says that? [Laughs] But honestly, in my head, I feel like I’m stuck in my ‘20s. I have so much energy and spirit. I want to work more. I want to travel more. 

Back then, when I still had a boyfriend, I had a different focus. Because I had to think of him, sometimes I sacrificed what I wanted for the sake of the relationship. But now that I’m on my own and I know what I want, I can be more selfish. When I’m not feeling like taking a certain job because I want to hang out with my friends, I just do it. My life’s more balanced now. I stay away from things that might create a headache or make me unhappy. Now, I can have a say on things that I really want to do in life. 

So, you feel you’ve made it? 

Hmmm […] Not yet. I feel like I’ve just started. 

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