9LIST STORI3S | GUNNAR PETERSON

Read the Sept Issue of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S with Celebrity Fitness Trainer and Director of Strength and Endurance for the LA Lakers in mag.

THE MIND IS THE FOUNDATION WITH RON BOSS

We caught up with Celebrity Fitness Trainer Ron Boss whose clients include: Ne-Yo and Kevin Hart. He shares how he came into the fitness industry, his approach to working with clients, his partnership with Cellucor, how important it is engaging audiences at fitness events, as well as his social media is in order to showcase his brand and vision.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Prior to creating Just Train what was your background before becoming a celebrity fitness trainer?

RON BOSS: I kind of got my start from football. I was always an athlete and my background just always came from sports teams and always being in the gym and competing with myself to be better and to compete with my teammates and starting Just Train came from that mindset.

AM: What was the moment that you decided that in addition to being a fitness trainer, you also wanted to have a brand?

RB: Well for me, it was always about something bigger than myself and once football was one of those things that were kind of taken away from me or that I didn’t excel at it the way that I wanted to, I obviously had to change careers and being very passionate about entrepreneurship, I didn’t want to go to work for anyone. If I did create something, then it would need to be something that benefited multiple people. That’s kind of how we started to build.

AM: How do you define yourself as a trainer and what do you think that people are looking for when they want you to train them?

RB: I define myself as a committed trainer. I approach it from a psychological standpoint and with those that are committed in terms of their long term goals and not a short term one. We’re going to get results, but obviously, the main focus is to mentally challenge people. I believe that if you train the mind, the body will follow. We want to get people to believe that they can do anything at first and that’s really my approach. So, we use competition, we use a lot of reassurance, and also holding them accountable for when they fall short. So using competition and doing this throughout their workouts will build upon the things that they may not be good at.

AM: What methods or modalities can clients expect when they are training with you?

RB: Well you’re definitely going to come and feel like an athlete. That’s one of the things that I love to get my clients to understand that everyone is an athlete. I want you to move a little bit more and to have fun. We’re going to put our bodies into various positions and I want you to do a number of things – not just lifting weights, but to move, and feel good that you can do all things whether it’s lifting, or jumping or running. Having a strong core and all of those things which is why I have an athlete's approach to training.

AM: Which is what we saw when we were going through your Instagram - seeing all of the drills that are like what athletes go through.

RB: You want to make it fun for people and one of the things that you see on TV every day is sports and sports is fueled by athletes who are very motivating not only to young kids, but to athletes who they have motivated us as young people when we were growing up. That’s where we get a lot of our fuel from and thinking back we look to athletes that inspired us and why not try to be more like that by moving more and creating longevity in our body and to look good while we’re doing it?

AM: What are 3 routines that you feel that people should include in their workouts regardless of what their goals are?

RB: Oh haha you’re going to be put me on the spot. I think that plyometrics is very important in being able to move without weight – calisthenics for pullups, pushups and things like that, I obviously want people to do and jump. The third one is core – keeping a strong core. We focus a lot on that as it’s the base of your body and is the center and we want it to be strong. Those are all great things that I like to approach with my clients is being able to move your body weight, move from side to side, plyometrics – jumping and things like that and obviously, the core component for foundational movement which keeps it as the baseline.

AM: We know that you are a Cellucor athlete as you did a session recently at Model Volleyball in Miami, you were recently at The Retreat - FUNKSHION at SXSW - why is this synergy between you and the brand such a great fit?

RB: Well I have been with them going on for 4 or 5 years now. One of the main reasons why it's #1, I appreciated them for the being the leader in the industry and I saw an ability for them with their amazing products that I use and then to have the ability to continue reaching people through energy and motivation. To be able to be at events like that and to spread the knowledge and to be with them as they evolve. To see them focusing on the body builders to the everyday moving people to also dealing with the natural products like C4 with the natural zero energy is incredible to be with people who not only knows that it works, but to push it in order to continue to evolve.

AM: How is that beneficial for you in terms of extending your brand and do you feel you will do more of these engagements?

RB: It's important to have these type of events and partners to gain more exposure and I gain more exposure. We have a really unique message. I am on the go all of the time – they have a product that is on the go and it benefits and tells people that you don’t get to make excuses and you can make time no matter where you are. You’re busy but you can make time. I’m flying all of the time from here to there and you never know what to expect and there is never a reason for you not to train!

AM: The challenges of building a business and growing it can be intense, what are lessons that you learned that have carried you through your business?

RB: Just stay consistent to the plan. It’s not easy – it wasn’t easy. When you’re building a business, it’s always important that you stay and believe in the core mission of where you are trying to go. People won’t understand it, but if you do it and remain consistent and hold yourself accountable with the things that you do good and the things that you do bad – nothing is a guaranteed success, but you have a damn good shot at it to excelling and being successful. You have to define your success in the beginning of the process and if it’s money, it can’t be that, it has to also be other things that continue to motivate you and take you to the next level.

AM: In order to commit to working out and being where you want to be, we know you have a no talking policy when working out - what are 3 must haves of other things that are essential for clients to know when working out with you?

RB: There aren’t three things, there is only one thing – the mind, once you’re ready to go. I don’t care if you’re not a great mover or the best mover – if you’re not mentally ready, to be able to challenge yourself, that’s the thing – the mind. To be able to come out and work out with me, you have to be mentally prepared to challenge yourself to the next level. So, for me its not a three part thing it’s a one part thing. Once you have decided that you want to see a change, no matter whether it’s fitness or entrepreneurship or going to work – when you decide that you want to be the best, it starts with our mind first. So when you decide to work with me, it’s a mindset thing. All the physical components will fall into place.

AM: You train a number of celebrities including Kevin Hart, how did that come about as his trainer who also travels with him, how do you balance that schedule along with your other clients, trainers, etc?

RB: Yeah you know that I have been fortunate enough to build a team. You know, you find a balance. I met Kevin through Ne-Yo, well honestly, I met Kevin back in 2004 when we met at the barbershop so we go way back and I was training another client, Ne-Yo and they are really good friends. Kevin and I just had this energy to continue to build something with one another and we just found ourselves building towards some runs, fitness movements and then it kind of got us to this point.

You just find yourself between that balance of doing what I am hired to do and what I want to do which is again – to building something that is bigger than myself. If it was just about me being a Celebrity Fitness Trainer, that would not be interesting to me for the long term, so we have to get these moments with the Just Train idea, the Cellucor partnerships and the things that we have been able to build along the way!

AM: As someone who travels a lot, what are 3 must haves that you have in your bag that are your essentials?

RB: I keep resistance bands on me all the time. You have to have some good deodorant on you so that you don't get musty! I always like to have a pair of fresh work out clothes because you feel good and you look good. You’re motivated to keep going into the gym to put in good work. Contrary to the last few weeks, I haven’t been changing my clothes very often because I have been in my focus mode. You really want to stay and look good when you go to the gym and you want to build on that!

I keep resistance bands, fresh outfits and some deodorant to make sure that I smell good!

AM: We love that your Instagram shows you working out, including videos of you and Kevin, people that you have met who are inspiring and just you when you're just hanging out - how important is social media and having this well rounded presence to your business?

RB: I’m just so fortunate to have social media right now to be able to spread a lot of messages to get up and do more and move more. Physical fitness has been a by-product of that to challenge people to that part of the life. Social media has been a great way to be able to reach so many different people in so many different walks of life. It’s very interesting to be a football player and then for people to be able to come and find you – they say, “man where can I find you?” and then you give them your Instagram and then they’re like, “man, my boy on Wall Street – he follows you.” What’s the chance of that and it’s cool when they say that their mom follows me and it’s like “oh shit” – social media is a really great tool to do that!

I don’t know why they are following me, but I want to be a source of good energy and social media has been able to provide me that and I want to be able to create good content to be able to motivate people. It inspires them that they are able to train and do great things as well as being able to live and have fun! It’s not about being one dimensional. I don’t believe in eating a certain way, I like to enjoy life, take vacations – whatever it is. But social media has been able to allow me to show that life is not one dimensional. You don’t have to just wake up, go to work, go to the gym, sleep, wake up and do it all over again.

AM: We are all about tribes and those that inspire us to be our best selves - who are 3 people that you look to in your tribe as sources of inspiration?

RB: I’m inspired by my family number 1 as an overall. The people that I am around – Kevin inspires me just because you can’t become complacent! The third person is myself - if that’s ok to say! When you look at who you are and where you came from and that there is more that you can give as you know where you have been and where you can continue to push that ball forward.

AM: When you hit the gym, what songs are on your playlist at the moment that you enjoy listening to?

RB: Aww man! I’m kind of all over the place these days! I like R&B, a lot of slow jams then I go to a lot of old school 50 Cent’s “Get Rich Or Die Trying”. Man, I go to A-list R&B, I don’t know, it just depends on the mood. Sometimes I’m really in a sweet mood and everybody says that I am not a sweet guy because I don’t smile much but actually, I’m the opposite! So, I’m really a nice person and listening to slow music makes me happier.

AM: When it's time for a bit of down time and you're not focused on clients and your brand - how do you take time for yourself?

RB: I take time for myself by going to the gym actually. Really thinking about things and sometimes I just need to sit down in a room or in my office and think about my thoughts. I like drives. It sounds corny but sometimes I like to just get in the car and just think about and look at things that I want to achieve and accomplish and it just helps me to refocus!

AM: Tell us about your style. What's your go-to's for working out, going out, around town and lounging?

RB: Just Train apparel is amazing and I wear it a lot! There are some other brands that are really cool – Alo Yoga has some really cool men’s stuff that came out recently and that’s kind of my loungewear. I’m really simple as I like comfortable t-shirts and pants when I go out at night. I love Jordan 1’s as it’s kind of one of my favorite shoes – I have a number of them as well as some exclusives that are really cool. A nice kick will make a whole outfit look 10X better.

AM: In the city that you're based, where can we find you grabbing a drink or meal, working out and to go shopping?

RB: I’m based in LA so when I’m shopping, I like Nordstrom, it’s one of my favorite department stores because you can get really expensive stuff although I am a middle kind of guy so I like to get really nice t-shirts and things like that. In LA, you’ll find me at a restaurant called Leo & Lily a lot. They have a homemade breakfast. There is a new spot called Mister O’s for a good brunch on a Saturday morning – it’s really incredible there and is owned by the people who own Bull Steakhouse.

I have a Just Train gym here in LA that has really cool equipment that influencers can come in and use. A lot of trainers in this industry don’t have the equipment or place that they can go to where they can train their clients as well as to build content, to my partners over at XD Fitness Equipment, they built this whole gym facility that is super cool so that people can come in and be as creative as they want to be to film content. So I love to go there and if not, I am at Equinox in the Valley just kind of putting in some work. I like the space of creativity to kind of do what I want and to just throw shit around!

PHOTOS COURTESY | Ron Boss + The Retreat FUNKSHION

IG @JustTrain

Read the March Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Mind is the Foundation with Ron Boss in mag.

You can hear Ron Boss' interview in April on our show, #TRIBEGOALS which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast shows.

S1. E7. | #TRIBEGOALS WITH RON BOSS

On this week's #TRIBEGOALS we caught up with Celebrity Fitness Trainer Ron Boss whose clients include: Ne-Yo and Kevin Hart. He shares how he came into the fitness industry, his approach to working with clients, his partnership with Cellucor, how important it is engaging audiences at fitness events, as well as his social media is in order to showcase his brand and vision.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

CREATING SUPERHEROES WITH LACEY STONE

When you think about it, as many people as there are on the planet, the world is very small and here in NYC with so many different people, there aren't that many degrees of separation between you and someone else - even if they are on a completely different coast or continent.

We respected Celebrity Fitness Trainer Lacey Stone's craft, hustle and approach to fitness and seeing her on E! Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian. Since have her in our feature, NEW YEAR, N3W YOU, our worlds collided again right before the holiday season to talk about her partnership with Core Power Protein Shakes by Fairlife, her approach to training her clients, the miracle that is the human body, owning our super hero and her new partnership with The Wall, which avid readers of Athleisure Mag will remember from our Athleisure List feature from a few years ago. For our Athleisure Studio podcast listeners, there are portions of this interview that were included in Lacey Stone's episode of #TRIBEGOALS, which was released earlier this month and there are conversations in this issue that were not part of the podcast as well.

As the Jan issue is focused on New You, we knew that we wanted to bring the necessary tools and resources to kick your year off right. As we analyze how we will be adding new things into our workout and areas we want to target for our physical goals, we also need to be aware that we have to replenish our bodies, which is where Core Power Protein Shakes by Fairlife comes into play. Recovery is an important tool to bring back nutrients and nourishments into your body so that you can optimize all of your efforts, the brand's release of this new product is available now with flavors that include Banana, Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla. It is lactose free and has 26 grams of protein! With the first ingredient being filtered milk - there are no powders, artificial flavors or additives in it so you can enjoy a silky, smooth, and creamy taste while enjoying dairy protein with natural casein and whey, which is an essential to recover after a workout.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have interviewed a number of Olympians, celeb fitness trainers, athletes etc and we just launched one of our new podcasts, The Road to Tokyo 2020 where we talk to athletes that are working on their Olympic run from their training as well as recovery and other events taking place in their lives. We also have #TRIBEGOALS, which is all about changemakers sharing about their tribes and those that they are involved in, how they started and lead a variety of fields.

We find that in speaking to athletes and those who enjoy working out, our conversations tend to go into not only the work- out, but the pillars of recovery from those that are physical like foam rollers and pain management tools, to those that are consumables, so this is definitely a great topic to cover for our readers of Athleisure Mag, as well as those listeners who listen to our shows on our multimedia podcast network, Athleisure Studio! As we get older, you need to start implementing to replenish your system as your body will continue to do what you want it to do, but you also need to make sure you are giving it the proper nutrients as well. You feel the difference when you’re not properly nourished. When did you know that you wanted to be in the fitness industry?

LACEY STONE: I was an athlete my whole life and it was so organic to me. There is a basketball court near my hotel and I can’t even... I’ve been in NYC for three days on this tour and when I have downtime, I love going to some shoots. I can’t believe that all my shots were going in and I still had it! So I always played sports and then I moved to New York when I was a kid and I tried to work at MTV and I just kind of saw what it was like to not be able to wear sneakers anymore. As a production assistant, I saw how unhealthy people were so I got a side job to work as a trainer at Equinox and I saw what you could be in the fitness industry before it was anything. It was right at the beginning when they were starting to sponsor us as Nike athletes and I thought, this is it. I knew I could make an impact in this industry because it was so organic. A lot of what I saw at the time – there were no HIIT interval classes. I was one of the first HIIT interval classes. I couldn’t really go to the beat and everything was dance.

Coming out of dance, they were taught to look the part and I was never trained to look the part. I was taught to be the athlete so my body had to be a weapon, not pretty. I was like, the women in this industry need to understand that it’s not about how you look, but it’s about how you feel and how strong you are. That’s what I have stood by the whole time and that’s why this is so organic because women don’t realize how strong they are. So when I kick their butt and compliment them, they’re like, “am I?” And I’m like, girl, you’re waking up at 5am, putting on your superhero leggings, coming to me to let me kick your butt in a way that you didn’t even know that I would, and then you’re kicking butt in the office – especially here in New York or in Chicago, and then you’re going home and cooking dinner and making sure the family is taken care of, the husband – whatever and there’s kids as well. So you guys have to take care of yourself, you have to eat – women forget to take care of themselves. Not only with the food, but their heart.

AM: We loved seeing you on E! for Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian – you have a whole psychology element to how you train your clients. Do you find that draining as a trainer because you're fixing the body and then you're getting into the mind with that inter- play?

LS: Sometimes it can get really emotional and people have different issues. But it is really rewarding to watch someone’s eyes go from “I can’t” to “I can”. Not only in the gym, but outside of the gym, because I am trying to create superheroes. I am – in the sense of knowing how powerful you are. A lot of times when people are blocked in how hard they can run on the treadmill or how much they can lift weights because they don’t think that they are strong enough, I go back to what happened to you – who told you this? It doesn’t happen as much with men as they are like, “I used to be like this and I am going to go back to this” and when my clients cry – everyone cries who works out with me – everyone does. I have been through a lot and I can look at someone’s eyes and see that there is something there. So I will ask them what is going on to find that motivation that will help them through the rest of their life and finding that thing that is making you not believe in yourself.

It’s the moment that I feel like I have changed them when I can get to that point. Yes there is a lot of stuff that goes on with someone when you get there and there is a lot that happens after that point as well. Right now, I am dealing with someone that she is so scared of the release that she is having that it’s making her want to hide again with the pain that she has had. The more that you repeat a negative pattern, the more that it becomes a reality and you get addicted to the chaos and you don’t even know how to live without it. I majored in psychology in college and I believe that fitness starts in the mind before the gym. So the answer is, it is draining at times but there is draining in any job and I feel that my skill set is different than other trainers that I have been able to help people change their body and I have been fortunate to help people get through divorces, deaths, quitting jobs and making companies. We're finding that now in launching my virtual training platform that it is a competitive market. Everyone is launching one and if you want to write what’s the future of fitness? Virtual – beyond – beyond. People are coming up to me saying, "can we use your body and the way you speak and put it in AI and make you show up and walk around?”

AM: Absolutely, if you have a trainer that you like, being able to have that access and their voice in your head while you workout without them being there is huge. It motivates you and encourages you to continue your process.

LS: Yes and there are sensitive suits with sensors so that when you wear it while working out, you can feel my hands on you. It’s all about algorithms which is why you’re able to open your phone with your face. There is an algorithm that senses your face for your nose, mouth and eyes. So these suits sense the algorithm of shoulder, it’ll be a process, but it will happen sooner than people think. My point of differen- tiation than other trainers is for me to get into this for this side of fitness. I believe that emotional health is the most not talked about thing in the world. You’re supposed to be tough, you’re supposed to handle your life, you’re not supposed to have feelings of insecurity or doubt and if people do – especially in New York if they sense it, they say, “I see the blood. You’re done.” I want to help people make themselves healthy. They can tell me and if I am out of my depth, we will go to a therapist, but tell me where your weakness is and let’s work on that and not have it get in the way of your fitness, your relationships and in the way of you.

AM: Wow. So for you, what are 3 routines that you do for yourself that you enjoy doing whether it's for your fitness or the entire mind/body balance that are your cornerstone for getting you from day to day?

LS: I have the 3 pillars of your life which is personal, professional and physical. Those are the 3 things that make a human being. What is personally happening? Who do you surround yourself with – the truth? Do you surround yourself with trends and all of that or people that don’t believe in your magic? Life is a superhero movie there are evils out there and they can take you to the darkness or you can be the superhero that continues to show up and be the light that doesn’t allow it to takeover you, which the more people that get taken over, the harder it will be for us to succeed. So personally, what’s going on with my relationships and my family? I am always working on bringing goodness to them so that I feel good with what’s going on.

When I wake up, I play, Sia’s The Greatest – that’s my alarm. “You’ve gotta have stamina – uh oh – I’ve got stamina,” you know that’s one of the lines in the song! Professionally, what are you doing? Is it lighting you up and a lot of people didn’t figure that out at a young age and that’s something that you have to be good at. You’ll have to find something else that lights you up in your life. Physically are you injured – do you take care of yourself? What are you putting inside of your body to make you succeed?

Everyday, I try to get an A to create balance in those categories. Somedays maybe I don’t do as well in one category, but at least I know that I am doing my best everyday. I train people to do that. When you do that for a week, you feel amazing and imagine if you did that every single day. Every time I fall down in my career, I remember the people that I have trained and how I have told them that they have to get up and it makes me do it or otherwise it would make me a phony – and I’m not a phony!

AM: Wait are you writing a book? The force that you are with the honesty –

LS: Let’s write a book!

AM: It’s just amazing because what you are saying is applicable to just life.

LS: That is my point of differentiation and that is what I am trying to communicate to people more. As you know, the landscape is changing very quickly and trying to figure out how to make it happen. No one reads anymore – maybe we do, but things are based on an image and a copy and it has to be short and powerful when it’s on Insta- gram. You have to hit people at their heart, which I am good at. Yes I want to make people feel like they can do it – I’m working on it! With the virtual platform I am working on it in terms of writing a book.

AM: In terms of recovery, what are all the things that people should be doing – especially women?

LS: It’s really important for them to think about taking care of themselves, and women don’t. If you’re kicking butt and many women are thinking of wanting to lose weight, you want to fuel your body so that it can be successful. If it’s operating at a deficit it’s going to break down mentally or physically. You know it! I see it over and over again. That’s why I suggest people use this and it sounds like a commercial and it’s not, but I wasn’t really sure. You know you get a product and you’re not really sure, but for me, I try it out for a while before I agree to work with it.

I started with the milk by Fairlife and I said, “I don’t know Alex” – who is my manager. I just threw it in my bag and I’m a busy human. So I’d drink it and I was worried because of every- thing that they say – milk will it bloat me? What will happen and it didn't - it gave me a surge of energy and you start believing the media as well, al- though I know know what’s right and what’s wrong and I would drink it and feel a goodness about my body and it brought me home to the truth of – I’m from Wisconsin and I was like, this is what it tastes like, it’s pure and not watered down. It’s good, silky, creamy and you need to fuel your muscles after working out and you just need to fuel yourself. So I suggest - which is scary for women to eat. What I deal with, is people that are so confused by everything out there, which is why I try to be truthful so that people believe me. Sleep – what are you doing guys? Sleep and water – the toxic environment of what your body is around means that you have to put the good things in balancing it out – the evil and the good.

AM: What does this partnership with you and Core Power Protein Shakes by Fairlife look like?

LS: Basically, it’s just me being a part of their team and doing events that we are working with them on. We want to get the product in people’s hands and introduce them to why it is important. We can’t go into details now as we’re still in the beginning stages, but if you think about it – we want to get to people’s Core Power which is what we have been talking about. It’s not just the physical, but the wholeness of the human being.

AM: What is the best approach for those that are going into the holiday season as you want to enjoy the parties and events taking place, but you also want to be in a good place to get back to hitting the gym after the season is over. How can we enjoy the season and place ourselves in the best place for meeting our goals without feeling like we have to miss the season?

LS: I think that women work so hard and don’t take care of themselves and during the holiday season, it’s a time to get connected and to reconnect with yourself, your spirit and the loved ones that you have. You need to think about going home and having sweet conversations and saying, “I’m sorry that I wasn’t here this year, but I’m here now and let’s make the most as well as to remind you how much I love you.” That’s the time to do that and you know you’re going to have to go back to war, but right now, we're at peace and let’s do that and remember how far we came. Whenever I go home, I like to drive to my highschool in Wisconsin where I was the star basketball player and just sit on the court and say that I took all of this and did something with it. If you didn’t do things with it then why – why did you stop the thing that made you feel special? Take the time to bring it back so that you have this fullness. People underestimate the human being which is made of neutrons, electrons and protons. We’re energy – we’re a miracle – how do we breathe? We’re all this special thing – our parents came together and created us and people need to take a moment and come back to that and fill up your energy and take the time to slow down and think. Don’t focus on what you need to lose weight – just focus on staying steady, go on those walks with your family, cook together healthfully…

AM: In terms of the methodology, you have some trainers that feel that if you are a certain body type, then there is a prescribed workout that you have to do or only do this over here. What’s your focus when you are working with people – is it set or individualized?

LS: It’s individualized, but for everyone, it’s back to basics. The more you do something the more you repeat something the better you will get at it – negative or positive. So, I try to see what’s the thing that I can tell that they dig. I’m good at all the different kinds of modalities so I have yoga, dance, HIIT, cardio because I want cardio and to find the fit for each of my clients. Let’s say you’re sedentary, we’re going to walk before we run. I think the best workout for losing weight is that there is an intermediate, beginner, advanced level to all programs that I do in person or online. HIIT gets your endorphins up and energy – it raises your spirit which when you feel it you want to do it again and again and it becomes addictive.

AM: Who are 3 people that impacted you - maybe there were 3 moments in your life that were hard, but they really impacted you as a source of inspiration whether you knew them or didn’t know them?

LS: I’d say my college basketball career with my coach. She was incredibly charismatic and she had a great marketing mind. We were in Maine and a top 10 basketball team. How do you recruit people to go to a place where snow is up to your knees? She was so charismatic where she drew an audience. You wanted to play in front of a full crowd. She would say that she wanted to use this as a platform to help kids and to create basketball camps so she could be a millionaire and that people would come to participate. I was like, who are you and not that money is everything, but I thought it was amazing how you can think to be a businesswoman in sports. There weren’t that many successful female coaches at the time.

Equinox, when I started where fitness wasn’t where it is today. They were innovators and they created the boutique industry and the teachers there were inspiring. I have had so many different things there.

Then my ex-wife, being in LA and facing my fears. I had been in NY where I had created this amazing business that was dedicated to helping people, teamwork and creating a legacy – I was signed by Nike and leaving NY - I did it all for love – for what my core said to do. The she left me within a couple of months and my friend died, and not having Equinox anymore and losing everything and being like, “what do I want again?” and having the time to do that. Kind of starting to drink too much and starting to be depressed and I got a little suicidal. I lost everything and I thought that everything that defined me – I started my program of professional, personal and physical – don’t drink, workout hard, let’s see if I can save myself. I did – I created the 8 weeks to change program for others that were going through a similar need to have a comeback – it became successful. Khloe Kardashian noticed me – a new trainer coming from NY to LA – do you know how many trainers there are in LA? I stood out immediately and they picked me for the TV show and I said, “thank you ex-wife,” had it not been for you destroying my life that it catapulted me to a point in my life that I could create a virtual platform and got a manager that is amazing that has helped me to be able to speak and be here back in NY in my time – it’s full circle. Signing with brands that I can speak authentically about them and just being the light that if I can do it, you can do it!

AM: You were on the first 2 seasons of E!’s Revenge Body by Khloe Kardashian and we remember the moment when we saw you as we had been following you years prior to being on this show and as we had you in one of our NEW YEAR, N3W YOU segments a few years ago – we were so excited to see you there and sharing your brand on that network! Will you be on the 3rd sea- son as well?

LS: I’m not coming back for the 3rd season, but I will be back for the 4th season. It was an interesting series of seasons and I have a few things going on currently and I’m kind of happy the way it came about as I wouldn’t have had time. You get so caught up on being on a show and the time it takes to be on that show that you don’t have time to develop other things. Everything I do is what I tell you. It’s a stepping stone to where I want to be.

AM: We just saw that you have partnered with The Wall! Tell us about this studio, why you will be teaching classes there and what drew you to coming there?

LS: Jason Wimberly, the founder of THE WALL, and I have been friends from afar for years. I've watched his career blossom and I have so much respect for all he has done. THE WALL recently opened and he offered to partner with me and my Trans- formative Comeback Camps. These camps included heavy lifting, HIIT, and cardio/ dance drills 2x/ week. The other big part of camp is doing 3-4 spin classes/week. When Jason told me my camps could live at THE WALL and I could teach my own signature spin class called STONEcycle. It was a no brainer. I had been working at Flywheel and leading my camps at a gym called Lockbox. When this offer came about it was too good to be true. Now all my programs could live under one roof, his. I'm soooo excited to be a part of The Hive and Jason's vision. Keep an eye on us, there are big things on the horizon. AM: What are the classes offered that you will be teaching there? LS: I will be leading My Comeback Camps which include - 8 Weeks To Change, 1 Month Mission, Reboot (2 Week Training Camp), and STONEcycle.

AM: We could chat with you all day as you have so many words of empowerment and motivation!

LS: I love this stuff – if you got something out of it, then I love it. AM: It’s like, mental hydration listening to you. LS: Oooo ok or mental recovery …

AM: Haha yes. When you were talking about the fact that you could be a strong person, but even that person needs to be refueled. We have a respect for your career, the fact that what you say on your platforms and how you approach things is exactly like who and what you are now, it’s refreshing as there are a number of people who they are not the same as their brand and it’s a mess. It’s always great to see the authenticity and to see that from you.

LS: Same – same.

IG @LACEYSTONEFITNESS

PHOTOS COURTESY | Lacey Stone

Make sure to follow our new multimedia podcast network, Athleisure Studio and specifically our show, #TRIBEGOALS. You can get the latest episodes when they drop by following and listening to us on your preferred listening platform (Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, etc.). You can hear the full interview with Lacey Stone now on #TRIBEGOALS.

Read more from the latest Athleisure Mag, Jan Issue and see Creating Superheroes with Lacey Stone in mag.

S1. Ep 2. | #TRIBEGOALS with Lacey Stone

We’ve been aware of Celebrity Fitness Trainer, Lacey Stone, for a number of years! She has parlayed her talents as a celebrity trainer on E!’s Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian for the past 2 seasons of the show. We sat down with Lacey to talk about how this basketball player became interested in becoming a fitness trainer and how she catapulted it into taking on celeb clients, working with various fitness methods, how she inspires others as well as who inspires her. In this podcast of #TribeGoals, we get the scoop on a number of upcoming projects and the importance of body, mind and soul when you’re making changes in your life whether it’s meeting a fitness goal or taking other important steps. This episode of #TRIBEGOALS is brought to you in part by Core Power Protein Shakes by Fairlife and was recorded live at Brookfield Place.

Check out #TRIBEGOALS on Athleisure Studio, Athleisure Mag’s multimedia podcast network.

NEW YEAR, N3W YOU 2018

Our second annual NEW YEAR N3W YOU is back as the next year is around the corner. It's time for some of our favorite friends to share THE GOOD, THE ADD and THE BUZZ that they're looking forward to for 2018!

PHOTO COURTESY | Marco David

GIA MANTEGNA
ACTRESS
+
SINGER

PHOTO COURTESY | James Clark

THE GOOD

I’m really excited about Life After First Failure. We filmed it in the spring and it came out a few weeks later. It was a really positive experience – great cast and crew. It was great to be a lead on the show in a new platform. I was really proud of it.

Another positive thing which is also a negative but they go together – it’s women speaking out, coming together and talking about the sexual allegations. Regardless of what happened, it’s an amazing movement that is happening in our industry and it’s kind of giving a lot of power and confidence
to women who didn’t have it before. I think it’s making parents aware that they have to teach their children to speak up, be bold, be independent and don’t let a man push you around. It’s great for all women. I mean, I go into these auditions all the time and it’s
usually men. Male directors, casting directors
and it’s this weird pseudo safety bubble that we have now where you can’t get away with it anymore. It’s a terrible time for men to be in the industry but a great one for us.

My sister is really good, she’s an artist and has had a lot of shows – her works have been showing in a number of art galleries across the Northwest in Seattle, Sacramento and I’m proud she’s pursuing it.

THE ADD

I think my singing is something that I want to get back in focus on. I want to perform, work with a band and be creative. As an artist I want to continue to create content.

I want to learn how to embrace social media. I have rejected it for so long as I didn’t want to do it and I wanted to be mysterious but I have learned, it’s part of the job! How many followers do you have, what’s your aesthetic – so many things around it and I always felt that it had nothing to do with me but now
I know that that’s not true. I have to embrace it and figure out what my voice is. I worked with 16 year old on Life After Failure and she had a million followers on Instagram and she was an influencer and it was interesting to be introduced to that world that I knew nothing about. Now I know how important is to use that platform to get the word out about the show and to use it in a responsible and positive way. So in the New Year I want to use it without focusing on vapid selfies and to keep it creative, inspiring and to learn about me in a connected way.

THE BUZZ

There’s nothing coming out just now as Life After Failure is out so it’s a little slow with the holidays and all the things that are going on so it won’t happen until after the new year when everyone is back in the office. But I will be sharing socially when everything is
able to be shared. But LAF is available now and we're the newest show, it's free, funny an a quick/easy watch - it's cute and you can throw it on.

---

See our celebs weigh in on their N3W YOU I as they prepared to ring in 2017!

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CAT CORA
CHEF
IRON CHEF
PERSONALITY
+
RESTAURATEUR

THE GOOD

I got engaged to my fiancé Nicole and gained two sons, two more wonderful parents, a brother, sister-in-law and 3 nephews. Now, Nicole and I have 6 boys between us. This year my mom went into remission for cancer after a long 4 1/2 year battle. My family is healthy and I am personally happier than I have ever been.

Professionally, Nicole became CEO of our company. I was on Fox’s “My Kitchen Rules”, was on 4 magazine covers, created two new shows for 2018, opened my 10th restaurant, “Wicked Eats” in Brooklyn and began working with Team USA. I also did a lot of philanthropic work around hurricane relief,
fire crisis and other needs around the world. We have so much coming out in 2018 so stay tuned.

THE ADD

Our culinary/lifestyle line and running the New York Marathon.

THE BUZZ

In 2018 we have new shows that we are launching including, an animated show. We are also launching a culinary line and a new cookbook. But most importantly and the most exciting, I’m getting married to Nicole in April 2018, with our 6 boys by our side.

---

PHOTO COURTESY | Sophy Holland

HOLLY RILINGER
CELEB FITNESS TRAINER
+
NIKE MASTER TRAINER

PHOTO COURTESY | Matt Doyle

THE GOOD

I released my first book and I’m pretty darn excited and proud of it! LIFTED is a 28 day program designed to strengthen your body, focus your mind and elevate your spirit. Whether you are a trained athlete or simply trying to take your first steps, this book is
important. Meditation, exercise, goal setting, nutrition and visualization are just a few topics I’m excited to share with my readers.

Another amazing thing that happened to me in 2017 is love. I met my girlfriend and am madly in love. I think it’s important to mention that this happened on the tail end of a professional disaster. I took a position that wasn’t for me and at the time it felt like a huge failure. In hindsight, that “mishap”
allowed me to find balance in my life. It was the first time in 8 years that I wasn’t married to my work. I learned more about myself last year than I did in the last eight years.

THE ADD

I believed 2017 would be the year I started something new; a new chapter in my life. I’ve found great success as a trainer and coach, released my first book and was featured on a network television show; all great accomplishments, but to me, all catalysts for
something bigger. I’ve hired a personal coach named Sonni Talant who will mentor me and help me navigate this amazing new year. Big things are coming!

THE BUZZ

Expect to see me training and speaking in cities all over the country. Also, get ready to work with me wherever you are. I will be more accessible to more people all over the world. Streaming content, workshops, online coaching watch for it all. I’m also a big fan of the body positive movement after working
with Aerie and The All Woman Project. It’s time we all exercise more self love and acceptance. This will be a big part of everything I do in the new year.

---

See our celebs weigh in on their N3W YOU I as they prepared to ring in 2017!

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PHOTOS COURTESY | NBC Universal

TELLI SWIFT
E! WAGS ATLANTA

THE GOOD

2017 has been an amazing year for me! I’ve launched my website – complete with an online store and blog, and I’m currently working on an app that teaches you how to get the life you want, including your dream man! The app features daily empowerment quotes, my favorite recipes, fitness tips, live chats and videos, and so much more. I’m also expecting a child with my significant
other so I really couldn’t ask for anything more!

THE ADD

I’m still working on my app content which won’t be available until 2018. It’s a lot of work being pregnant, managing a household, taking care of your family, and being a business woman – but at the end of the day everything must be accomplished and will get done!

THE BUZZ

I have a number of significant events to come in 2018! My baby shower will be in January, my baby is due in early February, and my man (WBC Heavyweight title holder since 2015 - Deontay Wilder) fights at Barclays Center in NYC on March 3rd! We will also be building and buying a home by the lake for our growing family, so there is much more to come! Plus I can't wait to check out the first season of our show, E!'s WAGS Atlanta, when it premieres in January. 2018 is a year I’m definitely looking forward to!

Tune-In to the season premiere of WAGS Atlanta on Wednesday, January 3rd at 10p ET/PT on E!

Read more from the Dec Issue and see N3W YOU in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG'S JUNE ISSUE IS OUT!

And we're live! The June issue is ready and we're so excited to unveil that we have Vicky Jeudy from Orange is the New Black on the cover! She plays Janae Watson in this Netflix show which goes live on June 17th and we enjoyed shooting with her. This issue also has a number of celebrity fitness trainers including Ky Evans and Tony Horton. We also have an indepth interview with Kevin Kerslake Director/Executive Producer of AS I AM: The Life and Time$ of DJ AM. Make sure to flip through the digital issue now!

Read more from the Jun Issue

In Step, Layla Luciano

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May 2016 Cover

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May 2016 Back Cover

MAY COVER + IMG 4 | Crossfit Sport Bra REEBOK | Legging ALO YOGA | IMG 1 + 2 | Lingerie Set HANRO | Karma Color Bracelets SEQUIN JEWELRY | Tree of Life Bracelet MOIRA ANN DESIGN | Lariate Layered Necklace STERLING FOREVER | IMG 3 | Lingerie Set + Kimono HANRO | MAY BACK COVER | Sport Bra + Graffiti Legging REEBOK |

Our May cover is graced by Layla Luciano, a celebrity fitness trainer based here in NYC who has not only been noted as one of the city's hottest trainers, and also was one of the stars of Bravo's Workout New York and is the Co-Founder of PACT PARK! We sat down with Layla to find out more about her, the show and what she is working on!
 
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to work in the fitness industry?

LAYLA LUCIANO: I have always been extremely active and full of energy ever since I was a kid. I played basketball, baseball, did track and field, gymnastics and martial arts. I started martial arts when I was 5, and because I was so dedicated, I earned my first degree black belt when I was only 11. When I received my black belt, I started assisting teaching classes for the children's program and I loved it! In high school, I volunteered to teach for my karate dojo to blind and visually impaired students. These experiences truly made me fall in love with teaching, and so when I went to college, I majored in elementary education. When I started student teaching in NYC public schools in Harlem, I thought I would automatically fall in love it. I fell in love with the kids, but not the curriculum system. I also saw all of the kids’ unhealthy eating habits, their school lunches and the fact that they only get half an hour of recess. Kids naturally have so much energy and need to burn some of that off throughout the day in order to really concentrate on school work! Instead of continuing on to teach the K-6 curriculum for NYC public schools, I started my own after school programs and summer camps for kids fitness. I taught a Latin dance program and a karate program, but the underlying idea for both of these programs was teaching my students the importance of building healthy bodies and lifestyles! I always knew I loved helping people better themselves, so two years later I continued to share my passion for fitness by developing and creating my own classes at various NYC fitness studios, including bootcamp, pilates and kickboxing.

AM: What areas do you feel are your expertise within fitness?

LL: In terms of training techniques and working with clients, because I'm fluent in a variety of workout styles, I feel like I'm very good at creating programs for clients so that they see the changes they want to see and they never get bored! I'm also very good at teaching two groups at once, like I did at Barry's Bootcamp for over 4 years.

AM: What's your style when training clients and where have you been an instructor in NYC?

LL: My style is tough love, but fun. I will make you work hard and push you to do so!  I've been an instructor at NDG Fitness, SLT and Barry's Bootcamp.

AM: We are fans of Bravo's Work Out New York, what was it like to be in the cast?

LL: Filming Work Out New York was definitely a rollercoaster ride. Some days I loved being in front of the camera, and some days I would be so tired from teaching, training clients, training myself and filming all day that I was cranky and over it! I was excited to share about my life as a fitness professional in NYC with a very different upbringing than most. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of how much editing could be done to manipulate any situation. As a fitness professional who wants to motivate and inspire, I feel like there were some aspects of my life that were highly dramatized that even made me a little uncomfortable watching, since it wasn't truly me (more like Layla multiplied by 1000).

AM: Is there another season for you/the cast and who from the show do you hangout with?

LL: We are still waiting to find out! I still hang out with Courtney, because we are from the same crazy person planet so we understand each other :P

AM: We know that you and Jay have your own studio fitness, tell us more about PACT PARK!

LL: PACT PARK is a high intensity, but low impact group fitness experience. The unique workout combines boxing and MMA strike training on a Nexersys machine that calculates strikes, accuracy, power AND friction training on a Lynx board, which concentrates on mobility, balance, control and coordination, using body weight training to maximize form, speed and power. PACT means Proprioceptive Aerobic Cross Training. Proprioceptive is about body awareness, knowing exactly what you're doing not by seeing, but just doing. The aerobic cross-training is by going back and forth between the Nexersys machine and the Lynx board. And a Park is just a fun place!

At PACT PARK, we give you metrics and data from the Nexersys machine to help you progress and give you results to improve your body & mind! You get a great release being able to hit the machine. We are also focused on training your body safely on the Lynx board because you're not jumping, you're sliding, which helps strengthen your joints and ligaments in a low impact manner. And on the machine, the pads give a little resistance when you punch them and are safer than hitting a punching bag.

In March, we started doing 30 minute pop up classes at Hub Seventeen in Lululemon Flatiron on 17th St. and 5th Ave before the studio itself opens to create some buzz and have people try out the new workout! We will continue these pop up classes throughout the summer until we open our first permanent location in NYC by Fall 2016 as that's the priority right now!

AM: For those who want an amazing booty this summer, what 3 workouts can we do?

LL: Understanding the three main parts of your booty will help you understand the movements you need to make in order to work it in every possible way for the perfect shape all around! Hip thrusters for optimal hip extension for the gluetus maximus. For gluteus medius and minimus fire hydrants with ankle weights and lateral band walks (with the band around the ankle).

AM: What's your personal style when you're at the gym and then going out?

LL: My gym style is the same as when I'm teaching a class or training a client because I usually go from one to the other. I love my sports bras to be a bright pop of color with sexy straps (like the Lululemon Free to Be Wild bra). I love tight tank tops that are either cropped or go just past the belly button (I usually end up cutting all of my tank tops to that length if they are too long). I love playing with different bottoms especially since I'm an ambassador for Carbon38. I get to try out all different designs and styles! When I'm going out I love to really play dress up since I live in workout clothes all day! My going out style is very sexy, but trendy.

AM: How did you get into aerial? how did you get into it?

LL: When I was about two years into my fitness career teaching bootcamps, lifting weights and doing boxing and muy thai, I felt like I was missing something. I've always loved competing in kata at my martial arts tournaments. Kata is a detailed choreographed of movements and strikes with a goal to internalize the movements and techniques so they can be executed and adapted under different circumstances without thought or hesitation. Competing in kata in tournaments was almost like a performance since you are judged on technique, style, balance, timing, and verisimilitude! I love being a strong, badass but I was missing the combination of that with style, grace and performance. That is how I discovered aerial three years ago!

AM: From the show, we can see that you have a great sense of self, are comfortable in your own skin and are able to speak your truth without reservation. How did you get that sensibility?

LL: I was born and raised in NYC (that alone will make you tough) with a strong, loving mom who truly taught me to love myself and that is how I was raised it wasn't until I start- ed modeling towards the end of high school and into college that I become very self concious. At that time my particular look was "too exotic" and I had "curves" (which is an
outrageous statement because when I look back at pictures of myself from then, I was so
skinny...I just had a little wider hip!)  As tough as you are, comments like that over and over again start to get to you. When I started com paring myself to other models, that's when I realized this world wasn't healthy for me and I found myself again through where I started, fitness! Everyone wants to look good but make sure you are also doing it for your health and for the good feelings you get when you make yourself better and stronger!

In Step, Layla Luciano fashion editorial was shot at The Colorado (201 E 86th St) and Pure Barre (1325 Lexington Ave) on the UES in NYC.

Read more from the May Issue

Escaping My Shape

I always felt that when people chose their workouts it was based on their needs as well as a way to tap into their energy. My vivid memories of exercise include watching my mom work out to Denise Austin, Glad and a number of the 80’s stars. Aerobics, the step and squats were a part of my routine from high school through college as I loved the movement and that feeling – who doesn’t love a retro Jane Fonda moment? Towards the end of college, I met the Elliptical and I was hooked. As I transitioned to NYC as long as there was an elliptical – that’s the only gym equipment you would see me on for 45 mins to an hour. At home, I would do routines that focused on squats (loved them) and crunchies. For the last few years when it came to various workouts, I sampled the trends and methods like I would a flight of wines and beer. It didn’t bother me that I wasn’t committed to them – as long as I kept moving.

As a woman who has always been comfortable within my own skin, like many I have always had areas that I would love to tweak; however, I felt that there were things that were clearly off the table due to genetics. As the Co-Founder/Style Director of Athleisure Mag, I love how we showcase fashion, style, fitness, beauty and more within the athleisure lifestyle. Whether I’m visiting designers, on set for shoots for this publication or others or going on air – I always end up being in conversations about health, mindfulness and balance. It’s always interesting to see what’s out there and to try it out. At the beginning of this year, I decided that I would focus on certain areas in terms of my fitness. I was about 2 weeks in when I was connected with Exude Fitness and its CEO, Edward Jackowski, Ph.D., one of the country’s leading motivational fitness experts and best-selling author of Escape Your Shape (Simon and Schuster). A number of celebrities have graduated from Exude Fitness including Brooke Shields, Tina Fey
and more.

Prior to my first session, I was sent his book, Escape Your Shape, which breaks down our bodies into four shapes Hourglass®, Spoon®, Ruler® or
Cone®. With that said, these types have workouts that are geared towards each shape (as well as itemized no-no’s for each body type). Not surprisingly, I knew that I was an Hourglass. I also learned through the book that my sampling of various workouts wasn’t about being aware of
what was out there, but my way of saying that the methods weren’t helping me in my goals. Therefore, I would try it out for a bit and then move on. Frustration would set in and I would simply go back to the elliptical and squats - as I felt that that was benefiting me (although now I know this doesn’t work for me in terms of the goal of a leaner lower body).

When I arrived at Exude Fitness at Bliss Spa, I had already filled out a form that looked at my medical history, my goals etc., and I kept in mind the Hourglass focus. I had circled one of my goals that simply stated toning in all areas. I thought it was a reasonable answer and who wouldn’t want to just have it all. The next 20 minutes of working with Edward showed me that without even reading my answers he accurately identified areas that I wanted to improve upon. He also dispelled myths that I believed to be true (ie., having larger thighs is hereditary so it’s not something that I can really do anything about). As we sat there, he charted what we were working towards from reducing inches to losing weight as well as to benchmarks. Hearing that in 6 weeks I would see one series of results and that by July (right before the holiday) – I would hit the goals, I was shocked.

Just in case I had any more concerns on whether this was possible, Edward had me do one thing that made me a believer. I hadn’t been able to touch my toes standing up in a very long time. I chalked it up to having poor flexibility as I got older. Within a few stretches on the same day upon meeting Edward, I was able to touch my toes (sometimes when I am working on a workout and am challenged, I stop and touch my toes to remember that something I didn’t think I could do – I can do without effort).

Just in case I had any more concerns on whether this was possible, Edward had me do one thing that made me a believer. I hadn’t been able to touch my toes standing up in a very long time. I chalked it up to having poor flexibility as I got older. Within a few stretches on the same day upon meeting Edward, I was able to touch my toes (sometimes when I am working on a workout and am challenged, I stop and touch my toes to remember that something I didn’t think I could do – I can do without effort).

Although I was a little sore my first day as I had touched muscles that I hadn’t before, I was excited to get a workout program that was tailored to me for my body type. That night, I had a program that included minimal equipment (you can’t go wrong with 2 lb weights, a jump rope and a 4 lb bar). Within my routines, I have options for days that I do yoga or when I’m traveling and am unable to be on a stationary bike. Everything is thought out so that you can optimize your workout to reach your goals. In addition, he is only a phone call or an email away. Another key portion of Exude Fitness is the care that is taken to matching each person to a trainer. It’s not just about ensuring that you’re form is right or that you are increasing
your workout – it’s also about matching a personality that creates a relationship. Through the past 6+ weeks, working out with Fun Lee has been a treat as she knows how I have advanced within certain workouts that were previously a challenge, she knows when I can do a little more and keeps mixing it up – but she also makes me feel really comfortable in general. She also acknowledges my commitment to the process and that I am genuinely blown away by the results.

When it comes to results, I have to say that I saw toned areas throughout my legs pretty quickly and well before my 6 week target, I was pleased with the transformation that happened and of course with working out within what works for my body, it’s easier for me to push forward even through portions that are still a little tough. As Edward says, the “results and motivation are directly linked to each other - and the more results you see, the more incentive you have for continuing to exercise.” At the end of the day health, fitness and aesthetics are the core benefits to exercising and when these are met through picking, “the right exercises and activities that are based on your body type” – going back to sampling an array of
workouts is not even an option. For the past 25 years, Exude Fitness has studied and analyzed the aesthetic effects of exercise and holds the
world’s only medically-proven and patented exercise program based on body types - as he is the pioneer and innovator of this method. I’m pleased to share that I will check in with you on my results and findings with my training with Exude Fitness and even outside of the magazine, you will be able to see more about what they are doing throughout the website. As Spring makes everyone think about their fitness levels again (just in case some of you made those resolutions at the beginning of the year), I want to share with you Exude Fitness and its body types, as well as some key notes about each.

KNOW YOUR BODY TO GET TONED
No matter whether you’re an Hourglass®, Spoon®, Ruler® or Cone® (although these body types are genetically predetermined) it’s understanding your type that will allow you to work out your problem areas and to adjust your workout plan. In terms of diet, I can only speak to my plan, I really have not been restricted from any food; however, it is about when I am eating it. I have always been one that doesn’t eat breakfast, has a light lunch (depending on what’s going on it’s a salad) and then a larger meal for dinner. A nugget of truth came when Edward said that my larger meal should be lunch as that is when I need more energy and my lighter meal should be a salad. When you think about it, it makes sense and as we’re moving
into the summer, having this simple, yet effective advice will definitely be welcome. As someone who loves potatoes, learning that I don’t have to break up with it but can simply enjoy them during lunch with one cheat evening with them are just some of the examples of why this method works with your lifestyle.

To properly identify your shape, it’s simply a matter of seeing where your weight (which includes muscle and fat) is distributed on your frame. Once you know your shape, you’re able to make the proper adjustments. Most women are Hourglass and Rulers, while most men are Cones and Rulers; moreover, your height or weight doesn’t determine which body type you are. It’s also worth noting that if you are vastly overweight, you may have a hard time seeing what your true body type may be. It’s best to follow the Hourglass workout until you begin to reduce your weight to see where you are. At that point, you can assess your type and begin targeting the exact workout for your true body type.

HOURGLASS

* Carries weight in both the upper and lower body; however, slender at the waist
* Significant difference between the circumference of your chest and waist (or between hips and waist)
* Your body reflects a balanced and curvaceous appearance when looked at in the mirror.

It’s worth noting that those that are this type tend to look lighter than their actual weight and tend to gain most of their mass in the thighs and backs of arms.

BEST EXERCISES

* Jump Rope (this has become my new friend)
* Stationary biking with light to moderate resistance (when I am not accessible to a bike, I walk in non-inclined areas)
* Upper body exercises with light weights and high repetitions

EXERCISES TO AVOID

* Step classes (I gave a sigh on this one)
* Spinning
* Kick-boxing (another sigh)
* Elliptical (this took a moment for me to mark this passing)

THE DETAILS

As an Hourglass, my purpose is high reps (at least 25 – 50 repetitions for each exercise), low resistance and low weights for both upper and lower bodies. As my body slims down and lose weight and mass, I can then increase resistance and weight. Regardless, I have to continue high reps for each exercise.

THE GOAL: Trim upper and lower body.

RULER

* You’re straight up and down with very few curves due to equal body proportions
* Little difference in the circumference of your chest, waist and hips
* You gain weight around your midsection

It’s worth noting that those with this body type do not bulk easily, have less hamstring flexibility then Hourglasses and Spoons and have a tendency to lower back pain.

BEST EXERCISES

* Yoga, stretch/calisthenics classes, Pilates on machines
* Full sit-ups without locking feet, upper and lower abdominal crunches and leg outs
* Jogging with incline, step classes, spinning, lunges and squats

THE DETAILS

Those who are within this shape don’t have to avoid any exercises! If you are overweight and are looking to lose, then you need to use a moderate
resistance/weights until your reach your ideal weight!

THE GOAL: Focus on trimming your stomach/ mid-section which will make you a little curvy.

SPOON 

* Your lower body is considerably larger than the upper body
* You carry most of your weight in your hips, thighs and buttocks
* You gain weight from the hips down
* When you look in the mirror, your eyes go directly to your lower body Spoons tend to have a weaker upper body and thicker thighs, knees, calves and ankles.

BEST EXERCISES

* Jumping rope with a speed rope
* Push-ups

* Standing knee to opposite chest

EXERCISES TO AVOID

* Squats, lunges and ankle weights
* All stair climbers/steppers, Elliptical and cross trainers
* Spinning

THE DETAILS

For a Spoon, it’s all about high reps and low resistance for all lower-body exercises and moderate to high resistance for all upper body exercises. For those that are overweight, the resistance should not be too high for the upper body either.

THE GOAL: A trimmer and more streamlined lower body and to have a stronger upper body so that you have a proportionate look.

CONE

* You carry most of your weight in your back, chest, arms and stomach
* You’re more slender from the hips down

* The upper body is considerably larger than the lower body

Cones tend to have weak abdominal muscles and they experience some back pain.

BEST EXERCISES

* All lower body exercises that have moderate to heavy weights and/or resistance
* Walking or jogging on incline
* Upper body exercises with lightweight and high reps

EXERCISES TO AVOID

* All upper body exercises with moderate to high weights/resistance
* Kick-boxing moves for the upper body
* All exercise classes with hand weights or weighted bars heavier than 2 lbs.

THE DETAILS

Although Cones tend to avoid abdominal and lower body exercises, they are essential to do to become proportioned. The focus here is high reps and low resistance or weighs for the upper body with high resistance and moderate to heavy weights for the lower body. In addition, Cones that are male tend to struggle with giving up heavy weight lifting for their upper bodies. They need to switch to push-ups, dips, chin-ups or upper body routines that use lower weight and higher repetitions.

THE GOAL: Getting a trimmer, less bulky upper body and strengthen the lower body to achieve better symmetry.

Over the next few months, I will check in with you on my progress as well as share additional items that are going on with Exude Fitness.

by Kimmie Smith