Lia Dominici-Bly of Manoa is a dentist with a busy practice. She's also the mother of three boys: Santiago, 20; Scotty, 13; and Nicolas, 8, as well as the grandmother of a 1-year-old.

In 2001, Dominici-Bly entered the Mrs. Hawai'i-United States pageant and won. During the four years before the pageant, she followed a vegan diet and felt she was at her healthiest. However in an effort to lose five pounds for the pageant, she felt she had to eat lean animal protein.

Now she's working her way back to a vegan diet (and cooking separate meals for her family), and she's feeling healthy and fit.

Name: Lia Dominici-Bly.

Age: 44.

Profession: Dentist.

Height: 5-feet-5.

Weight: 112 pounds.

Workout habits: "I do yoga three times a week at home and Pilates twice a week with Zohreh Ellison, who teaches Stott Pilates. I stretch every evening, using the same routine I used to warm up in gymnastics all those years. Pilates has taught me how to have better breathing, better posture and more core strength. I like to cycle with my sons or walk with my husband after dinner, but he prefers to run while I walk."

When and why I started working out: "I competed as a gymnast in elementary school and high school in Panama. I worked out for 18 years in the gym and have never stopped."

My good foods/bad foods: "I eat a good breakfast, a good lunch and a light dinner. ... I eat small portions of grains. I love cashews and almonds and snack on them all day. I also love grapes, apples and pears and I eat an orange a day. I try to eat these raw to ensure I'm getting all the nutrients. I always look for the most colorful foods I can find. I avoid artificial sweeteners and never drink soda.

"The healthiest I have ever been was when I was a vegan/vegetarian, and Ruth Heidrich taught me how to eat that way. I still try to eat small portions of white meat (no red meat), rice milk and a lot of fruits and veggies. I eat carbs because I need them for energy, but I eat them as fruits with only a small portion of bread. Oh, sure I will go to parties and eat ice cream or chocolate or whatever, but then the next day I will try to be vigilant again."

On the bad-food side, Dominici-Bly said she has a passion for french fries, especially the McDonald's variety.

My biggest motivator: "My family. I want to be healthy and live longer with them. But tight clothes are also a motivator. When my clothes feel tight, I watch my diet for a few days. I will never, ever buy bigger clothes. After the birth of my children I wouldn't buy anything until I was a size 2 again.

My biggest roadblock to fitness: "Time. I'm so lucky that my Pilates instructor calls me to keep me on track. Even if I'm really tired in the evening I make myself go for a relaxing walk with my family." Her husband, Scott Bly, is an avid cyclist and former triathlete who enjoys evening runs/strolls with the family.

What saves my sanity: "Our family home evenings and meditation. I try so hard to be fit in mind, body and spirit."

My next challenge: "To learn to relax. I'm so active that I always have something to do. I need to learn to do nothing. We all need to clear our minds and just let things happen. I need to learn to stay still, just to sit for five minutes and do nothing. We have a room in our house that we call the relaxation room and it's just for these quiet times."

Advice for those in the same boat: "Eat right, exercise, don't stress. Take time for yourself. Find an exercise that you like to do or you'll get bored and quit. Also, start your kids young so fitness is a natural thing for them. Make it a habit they will keep."

Reach Paula Rath at prath@honoluluadvertiser.com.