THE FITNESS ICON WITH DENISE AUSTIN

Growing up, many of us may remember our moms, aunts, babysitters etc having VHS and eventually DVD's of Denise Austin! You may have even started your day working out with her. When it comes to a fitness icon, she is one of them and we loved sitting down with her last week to talk about how she came into the fitness industry, her success with her VHS, DVD and daily TV Show on ESPN - Get Fit with Denise Austin. We talk about her impact in the fitness industry and serving 2 terms of the President's Council of Physical Fitness and Sports and working alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. We also talk about her fitness focuses as well as her work with her daughter, Katie Austin!

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be in the fitness industry?

DENISE AUSTIN: Well, I was a gymnast since I was a little girl and got a full athletic scholarship to college and I went to the University of Arizona and and then I got my degree in exercise physiology and aerobics was just beginning. It was the early 80’s and I moved back to California where I’m from and I met Jack LaLanne, the godfather of fitness and he gave me my first start on television. I loved it so much! I was teaching aerobic classes all over LA at the time and of course at that time, we only had little rooms to teach. There weren’t any big gyms. I taught in racquet ball courts and things like that. We really enjoyed the TV part and I got my own show on KABC LA. I got married and then I moved to Washington DC and started on the Today Show. I then had my own show on ESPN and Lifetime – everything just kept going.

When I was in college, I knew that I could teach some type of fitness with music because that’s gymnastics anyhow. So I just parlayed it into a career!

AM: Wow! Thinking back to a number of us who were growing up when you were starting, we did it with our moms – you had TV shows, VHS and DVDs, you were literally everywhere! Did you consciously think to yourself that you were going to have this brand and it’s going to be something where people are going to say, “oh Denise Austin – that’s a thing?”

DA: Well, not really! I didn’t know the name brand back in the day, 35 years ago! But I loved what I was doing because I was getting letters from people telling me that I was making a difference in what I was doing in their lives. It’s such a fulfilling job and to this day, I do it because I love hearing that it changes them and it changes the way that they feel. They have said that I have saved them, their marriage and I have had people cry and thank me. To know that you are out there helping people just made me want to keep being out there and doing more! I figured out how to keep going and it was kind of a “learn as I go” and I helped create some of this stuff!

I was learning as I was going along and I’d say, “oh yes, I can do a monthly segment on the Today Show – yes I can on fitness!” Then it was like, “yes, I can do VHS.” So it just kept going and I work very hard and persistence did pay off. I’d work on weekends and make appearances. I constantly love what I do so I’m a hard worker so that helped!

AM: Well, that’s an understatement! What was the first time like when you created your first video? You knew you were on a set and its production time. What was that like?

DA: Oh it was a dream come true! I was 27 and it was my first VHS. I was able to film it at the first MTV Studios and they were just kind of starting and I used their sets and I was right here in NYC. I had top makeup people for the very first time and I was like ok – I just did it. I had my routine, but I went for it and I was who I was. It was Rock Hard Abs and Rock Aerobics, I had two VHSs out of it and they were hits at the same time that my friend, Jane Fonda was coming out with her VHS tapes. It was a vary exciting time for the industry because aerobics was just starting in the early 80s.

AM: Did you come up with the outfits yourself? As a young girl doing the workouts, the fun part was seeing the style involved. To this day, there are photoshoots that have appeared in the magazine that have taken concepts off of looks that you wore then and then bringing them into present day shoots!

DA: What I did for Rock Aerobics is that I had a unitard and I said to myself, “this is all about the abs – I’m going to do a cutout.” So I cut out my material around the belly button and I used my pair of scissors to cut out the whole around my stomach so that they could see my abs while I was doing my workout. That’s one of the biggest pictures that I had and I saved all of those items. Now my daughter has fallen into the fitness footsteps now. Thank God I saved so many leggings, high cut up the butt leotards and hot pinks and hot lime green! It’s fun because it’s now all coming back – “let’s get physical.”

AM: How do you keep your energy?

DA: You know what? I’m like this. I wake up like this! Everyone asks my kids, “does your mom wake up like this?” I’m like, “yeah if you spend the night with me, you’ll see! Good morning!”

AM: Your a morning person clearly – what’s your flow like during the day?

DA: Yes! It changes if I’m traveling but mostly I get up, I do like my cup of coffee in the morning. I squeeze in my workout on most days for 30 mintues in the morning. I try to get in my workout. I do lots of online, post, my social media, I answer all my messages, do my email and then I make appearances, give speeches. I eat lunch, I eat dinner – I never skip a meal. I just love food and I eat well. 80% of the time, I eat well and have my treats 20% of the time. Evening time, I'm ready to have my glass of red wine - that is my treat and I enjoy that. I have lots of girlfriends, a great husband, 2 daughters and a huge family. Family means a lot to me and so do my girlfriends. So I do many things with friends!

AM: It’s so important to be balanced!

DA: Yes, I eat most everything just all in small bites as it’s all about moderation.

AM: You served 2 terms on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, can you tell us about the council, how you came to joining it and what were your roles and responsibilities by being apart of it?

DA: It was years ago when President Bush appointed me and Arnold Schwarzenegger was the chairman of it. The appointment was made by President Bush 41, God rest his soul as he was the sweetest man in the world and very fit. I was under Arnold as our chairman and we went to schools all over the nation. It was a volunteer job and we were trying to get kids into physical education at the schools which was really hard and we did appearances and Arnold paid out of his own money in every state we went to. I would lead aerobics to young kids and it was the beginnings of this grass roots for the President’s Council. It was a really fun time because we were trying to get fitness out there during the 90’s so it was a very important time you know. We were trying to change people’s eating habits. We were trying to get rid of some of the sugars in people’s cereals. So we lobbied on The Hill in front of Congress and pleaded with them to make changes for the school to get kids moving more and to get physical education back into the schools. We worked hard!

AM: That council was so huge. I graduated in 1997 from High School and starting in my Sophomore year, in addition to the traditional gym classes, you could have aerobics as an entire class. We also had potato and salad bars at our school. Our school system was seen as progressive and a lot of times, we talked about the fact that because of the council, it allowed our school system to understand that this was so important. I appreciate the efforts that you guys did to make this happen!

DA: Your school system was progressive and it was a lot of work, but I’m glad you had that opportunity available to you! We also made recommendations and guidelines with top doctors which was years of work and I learned so much to be around the brilliant minds of medical, health and wellness. I learned a lot which helped me to grow to teach other people especially women and to this day, I still get on the phone and talk to these top doctors all over the country! I use them as great resources to this day. It was a wonderful time and good networking.

AM: Amazing and you also helped launched the Food Pyramid System as well! How was that and what was it like as this is huge!

DA: I sure did! Well, they worked with nutritionists all over the country to come up with this pyramid guide making sure that the sugars were low and that the whole grains and fruits and vegetables that were at the bottom, took up a lot of our plate. They asked me to be the one to kick it off at The Department of Agriculture in Washington DC in this whole glorious building and it was a huge honor!

AM: It’s amazing to hear so many things that you have done and been apart of that you didn’t even think about, but that is the cornerstone of what we know today. How are you so humble about that?

DA: I almost forget that I did it! I’m moving ahead so much that I don’t really think about it!

AM: When you think about how you, Jack LaLanne and Jane Fonda laid the ground work for what fitness videos are, various programs etc. They were the precursor to today’s studio and boutique fitness locations.

DA: Oh I just love what I do! I keep going and I just feel that I do look ahead and my focus now is looking at women that are over 40. I have a Stop the Clock Guide – which is a nutrition and fitness guide for women because this age group has women that aren’t really seen anymore. I truly believe that those in this group - we want to be healthy, we want to be attractive, we want to look good and we want to do everything. That’s why I’m here and I want to tell them, yes we can. I have the best exercises to do away with belly fat after menopause. I know how to firm up your arms so that we look good when we wave goodbye. Muscles work wonders on your metabolism and I know through research that it does work. I believe in it so much because fitness is the best preventative medicine that there is. I preach it and I want my women over 40 to hear me, to learn and to not give up! They need to have a positive attitude about it as many women get clogged down with stress in this age in our life but there is so much to look forward to because we live longer now and we want to feel better.

AM: When you look at ages from 40-50 etc the way you work out when you are in those ages is different then when you’re in your 20’s and 30’s – what are the focuses in these age groups?

DA: Well in your 40’s, I still think that women need a lot of cardio to burn the fat. In the 50’s I focus mainly on target toning exercises because that’s when you start to have your metabolism drop during this age. One of the reasons is because you lack good muscle tone. The more muscle cells in your body, they’re active at rest. So the second you start losing muscle tone, that’s when you gain weight and that’s why the correlation between this in your 50’s is so important. I want to save women right away before it gets away from them. That’s why they need to focus on muscle condition which is what the guide is all about. Then in your 60’s, I hit this age group which is why I do more toning of course, but then I also turned it into stability exercises more core, strength training, stretching and balance.

AM: How important is recover to you in terms of working out?

DA: Very important! I take very good care of myself. I do Epson Salt baths now, I do foam rollers in my workouts, I believe in smoothing out my muscles for less stress. I try to once a month get a full body massage and those are just some of the little things that I do for wellness and recovery. I’m a big believer in eating healthy too! I’ve added in my nutrition guide, new recipes that have a lot to do with Omega-3’s as we need those as we age. Also some great healthy fats to make our skin still look supple and our hair looking fresh. So beauty plays a key role in what you are eating. I add a lot of different elements into the recipes that I make. Everything that I make is quick and easy, because if it isn’t easy in the kitchen, I won’t do it!

AM: What are 3 workouts that you think that everyone should be doing regardless of their age or wherever they are in life that are great for their abs, butts and legs?

DA: Absolutely. Always the simple rule of thumb is something for your upper body – a push up. If you don’t want to do it on the ground, you can do it against your kitchen counter or the office desk. It gets the arms and it gets your chest – so that takes care of your upper body. Mid Section, the old fashioned plank or sit-up it takes care of your belly and that whole core. I like to hold it up to a minute or change it up and do different things like bicycles or anything for your abs. For the lower body, squats and lunges for your hips, thighs and butt. If your knees hurt you, just go half way and do many squats. You can hold onto a chair or a countertop to use it for extra support. So you get something for your upper body, your mid section and your lower body.

AM: How many books have you written?

DA: Oh 12 books and I'm writing a book as we speak!

AM: What is that process like for you?

DA: Oh I’m terrible. It’s the worst job of my life because I talk so much that I would rather talk it, then write it. I feel like I am giving a speech to help women and then, that’s how I write my book – exactly like how I would talk it. Then I have to have an editor for English and then it’s a process.

AM: So what projects are you working on?

DA: Well on my DeniseAustin.com site, I bought back all of my TV shows that everyone used to watch and that they have missed. They now have Denise on Demand for their workouts just like they used to! You can time it so that even at 7am you can go to my website and bam it’s there so that you can stream it. Now I’m working on focusing all of my energies on Stop the Clock because it is so popular. We’re doing challenges on that. Recently, we had a 4 day arm challenge so that you could get sexy arms for the summer. So we’ll be doing some new challenges for the month of July so come back to DeniseAustin.com to see that. All of the challenges are free and I do have an online membership that is under $100 for the entire year. Everything that you want from me from my old workouts, new workouts, old shows, new shows, new challenges and an eating plan. If you need a focus on your meal plans I have this for you and if you need to focus on the way that I eat, vegetarian, gluten-free, heart healthy etc. – we have something for everybody!

AM: Do you and Katie workout together?

DA: Yes! That’s another focus I have! Katie Austin is my little daughter – well she is 25 but we do mother-daughter workouts together. She is doing a tour and I am joining her in some of the cities. I’m very excited about that. This is really fun being able to work with my daughter. She teaches me things about Social Media. She’s the one that got me on Instagram – I had Facebook, but now I have this. And then I try to help her on what I have learned in my industry, focusing on good form and little details. You know, I have 2 daughters. My oldest Kelly, is in the music industry, when I would film my TV Show when they were younger, Katie would stand there by the camera and do it with me. Kelly would be out there looking for shells or who knows what! Katie was always watching and I had no idea after college that that was what she wanted to do. So it was so fun that she loved it, is a natural and she learned from years of being there. Everyday – she was even in a workout video that I did years ago when she was 7 for Fit Kids. She had already filmed videos and been on shows for years.

AM: There is something about when you have parents that are in a business that you can see or be around and how it ends up being a part of your career!

DA: Yes so true! My oldest daughter is a Music Supervisor. She picks songs for movies. My husband is a sports lawyer, but he is a music nut! When she was little, they used to put playlists together so it’s like one focused on what his passion was and one focused on what mine was. It’s kind of fun!

AM: In LA, where can we find you grabbing a bite, shopping and working out?

DA: Yes we had been based in Washington DC for 32 years and now we’re in LA – back home! In LA I like Earth Café for food and coffee, it’s one of my favorite stops in Santa Monica. For dinner, I love Scopa, I just went there in Venice it was delicious and it’s Italian! I do eat pasta, but only from good places – why not? Oh gosh, you’ll see me walking on the beach a lot. You’ll see me doing the Strand Walk which is a 5 mile walk on the strand which is like a boardwalk. You’ll see my husband and I play tennis a lot and we go on bike rides a lot too! We bike ride to Happy Hour as I only have one glass!

I love walking in NY and Chicago. The second that I land, I throw my bags in the hotel and I get out and walk. I don't care what time it is, I get out and walk for 30 minutes. It's a great thing to get out and stretch.

AM: We’re all about #TRIBEGOALS. Who are 3 people that inspire you?

DA: I would say my daughters. They inspire me to work harder to be a good person. They’re watching and as a mom that means the world to me – as my family means everything! I would also say my husband – his loyalty and his integrity to people. I look up to him. In business there are so many, I can’t even just pick one in my industry. There was Jack LaLanne and now I also look up to writers that are really cool like Tim Farris and Dave Asprey.

PHOTO CREDIT | PG 143, 147 + 148 Denise Austin | PG 144 Jaguarps | PG 151 Featureflash |

IG @DeniseAustin

Read the June Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Fitness Icon with Denise Austin in mag.

You can hear Denise Austin's interview later this month 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.

BINGELY STREAMING

1865

Wondery

Spotify

This Wondery podcast takes its listeners to the moment that President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. We are immediately introduced to a cast of characters that are left to grapple with a coup that threatened to shake up the bureaucratic system of power. Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton takes the task of ensuring that those who are meant to run the country stay in play while also ensuring that the line of succession remains intact with Vice President Andrew Johnson becoming President. While maintaining order, he also has to make various concessions as a means to maintain order which includes putting some of his beliefs on the shelf while navigating the interests of the country.

Bending to Southern interests, attempting to greenlight initiatives that involve reconstruction for newly freed slaves, as well as finding John Wilkes Booth, and additional mysteries that surround this actor turned conspirator envelop every part of Stanton's decision making and progress of the US. With all of these issues, 1865 shows how Stanton will betray his friends, his integrity and the very constitution that he is trying to protect under the veil of maintaining justice for the country.

CULPABLE

Tenderfoot TV + Black Mountain Media

Apple Podcast

For fans of To Live & Die in La and Up and Vanished comes a new True Crime story, Culpable. This podcast's focus is on those cases that have yet to be settled and what justice has not been served. We are taken to Mississippi to find out about what has been deemed a suicide by Christian Andreacchio on Feb. 26, 2014. He was found in his bathroom of his apartment with a single gunshot wound to the head. But there is evidence that shows that not only was this a homicide, but a premeditated murder. Host Dennis Cooper investigates this story and probes those who knew him and were with him in his last hours to find out what truly happened in order for his grieving family to finally put the issues revolving around his death to rest.

DESIGNATED SURVIVOR

Netflix Originals

With 2 seasons on ABC, Designated Survivor was saved by coming to Netflix with episodes being released weekly!

The story of lower-level cabinet member, Tom Kirkman who through succession is elevated to President of the United States continues as he continues to ensure that the country stays together. As designated survivor, he continues to navigates threats that are made to the country by those outside of it and even those he works with on his staff. In each episode fans watch as he maintains the balance of continuing to grow within his position while supplying humanity to address the issues that he and the country face each day.

Read the June Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

THE UNDEFEATED WITH LAILA ALI

We sat down with Laila Ali, who continued Muhammad Ali, her father’s legacy in the sport, as well as trailblazing outside of it. As a professional boxer who went undefeated in her career, she held the WBC, WIBA, IWBF and IBA female super middleweight titles and the IWBF light heavyweight title. She is a TV personality and host of OWN’s Home Made Simple, participating in Dancing with the Stars, Food Network’s Chopped as well as Celebrity Apprentice. In our interview, we took time to talk with her about the importance of fitness, nutrition and how we can focus on spring cleaning this time of year.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Can you tell us the moment when you realized that you wanted to be a boxer and eventually parlaying that into TV hosting, nutrition and wellness?

LAILA ALI: So I first saw women’s boxing on television when I was about 17 years old and that was when I first had the idea and desire to become a professional boxer myself. So it wasn’t right away that I took the leap because I was at school full time and I had a business at the time and it took me about a year to start training and once I did, that was it – end of story. Of course I ended with 24-0, 21 KOs and 4 world titles.

So boxing was my first love and I focused so much time and energy on it for about 9 years and then I decided I wanted to retire and to start a family, then I started to think about what I wanted to do next. Right around that time, Dancing With the Stars called and I decided to do the show as it was a great platform for me to show other sides of myself. From there, I just went onto TV hosting and different opportunities. During that 5 year period I began to think about what I was passionate about, what I wanted to do next, and that was really when I came to the conclusion that I really wanted to be able to help other people live their best life. I wanted to help them make healthy lifestyle choices and then I started doing shows such as Home Made Simple which I host, now which comes on OWN every Saturday. I’m able to work with families, make their living spaces amazing, also cook healthy recipes with them out of my cookbook Food For Life and now we’re launching our own product line which is simple plantbased cleaning products. They are available at select Walmart stores and Walmart.com.

So, things have really come full circle, but it was all about really encouraging people to make healthy lifestyle choices and live their best life.

AM: Can you tell us a little more about Home Made Simple’s product extension of cleaning products and why you enjoy using them?

LA: So we have hand soap, we have dish soap, we’ve got laundry detergent, fabric softener, multipurpose spray. It comes in lemon, lavender and rosemary. All of these products are not only safe and affordable, but they are effective and that is the most important thing. I’m all about using products that are good for my family, the environment and Home Made Simple’s products are amazing in that they actually work as well.

AM: We know that you have a number of tips about cleaning your home – especially in a way that keeps it simple, can you share 3 with us?

LA: Now is the time that everyone is thinking about spring cleaning right? We are in my household as well! Some of the things that I like to do is to get my kids involved and what I do is give them a series of chores on a chart. When they have done everything that they need to do, then I reward them. Whatever they are asking me for, I tell them that they can get it once they have gotten all of their stars on their chart. One of the other things that works out really well for me is not to wait for things to pile up. I like to take 10-15 minutes out of everyday to put things in their place. Another tip I have is that whenever you have things that you want to give away or get rid of, clothes that don’t fit anymore – put them in a big bin. I leave mine in the garage and remove them quarterly as it keeps clutter down. Every time you buy things – when you bring something into the household, you take something else out. We all have things in our kitchens and other rooms of the house that can be placed in a bin. I think that when you do that, you’re encouraged to donate items and I think that it’s really good to be able to help those in need or to be able to repurpose those items. That’s how it keeps everything nice and organized. Of course, it's all about using products that you love and that work and Home Made Simple really makes that easy to do with their new plant-based cleaning products.

AM: With it being the Spring and people needing ways to spruce up food options when it comes to supporting their workout, what smoothies and power foods should we think about incorporating into our day to day?

LA: I think it’s very important to be consistent first of all and make sure that you are getting enough rest so that you can do your best workout. Staying hydrated is key! A lot of people don’t realize how important it is to drink water as it enhances your performance, effects the way that you think and it’s really important to do. I like to have a protein shake after I workout. I don’t want to eat and put my body through having to digest food which is more work. I like to have a protein shake and just kind of get everything in and then eat a couple of hours after which is what my routine is.

AM: As someone who I’m sure travels a lot, what are 3 skincare products that you swear by that you enjoy using in your routine?

LA: I don’t think that it’s so much products or about a routine. I make sure that I clean my skin really well every night. I wash my face and I use a good moisturizer before I go to bed. In the morning I like to clean my face in the shower after my pores have opened up with the hot steam and then I will clean my face. I like to use my Clarisonic because it really gets into those pores really well. So those are tips that I have. Water and sweating are actually amazing for your skin. Sweating out toxins and that comes from working out and drinking water. Beauty comes from within.

AM: We’re all about #Tribegoals and the power of tribes which are the source of inspiration. Who are 3 people that you are inspired by?

LA: Well I definitely have a tribe of people that are around me. I think that every successful person does. It takes a team and nobody is doing it by themselves. My husband is part of my tribe and is my best friend, my confidant. One of my best girlfriends is like my person my go to who will keep it real with me and be honest. I don’t want to have yes people around me. Of course I would also include my business associates as well.

IG @TheRealLailaAli

Read the May Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Undefeated with Laila Ali in mag.

You can hear Laila Ali's interview now on our show, #TRIBEGOALS which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia 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.

BINGELY STREAMING

CHERNOBYL

HBO

What is the cost of lies and the danger of directing a narrative. In HBO's 5 part series, we follow a number of characters who take us through the devastation of the explosion at Chernobyl, how it was handled by employees, how the government went about acknowledging the incident as well as coming to terms with the state of their actions.

At each moment, the viewer realizes that the risk of avoiding issues as they come up results in lost time and increasingly devastating costs. If you enjoy watching the series, you should also listen to their podcast as they explain how the creative team approached filming this miniseries and choices that were made in doing so. This podcast (of the same name) is available wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite shows.

THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR

Wondery

Spotify

Imagine it's the 80s and you live in the Hamptons and everyday you see your neighbor. He's at home and throws parties that a number of people enjoy each year. You realize that the neighbor is a psychiatrist who loves being around celebrities. You also notice that he enjoys a well manicured house that includes greenery, koi fish and more, and the gardener seems very particular about ensuring that these tasks outdoors are completed.

But when a journalist found out through another neighbor that the psychiatrist did not own the Hamptons home and that the gardener was the owner an intricate story unfolds that shows the lengths that the psychiatrist went to in order to embed himself in this and other patients lives to their detriment. In this true story that is extremely binge worthy, you have to keep reminding yourself that this happened.

ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE

Netflix Originals

Ali Wong stars in this Netflix Originals movie will debut on May 31st, we see her as a successful famous chef who is living a life that many would covet. When she finds herself going back to her hometown, she is reconnected with her friend who is a local musician. They have always had a connection that was more then friends, but they have a hard time living in one another's world. The blend of comedy, culture, society and more come together in this tale on love, taking a chance and seeing things for the first time that you may not have previously.

Read the May Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

S1. E11. | #TRIBEGOALS WITH 4 X NBA CHAMPION JOHN SALLEY

On today’s episode of #TRIBEGOALS we talk with John Salley, who had a phenomenal NBA career with 4 Championship rings on 3 separate teams. Post his NBA career, he has been a host of FOX Sports’ Best Damn Sports Show Period, a host on a number of shows such as VH1’s Basketball Wives and Basketball Wives LA, as well as a number of other hosting and TV appearances. In addition, he is known for his philanthropy, activism and his investments within health and wellness. With his focus on veganism as well as the cannabis sector, he has a truly diversified portfolio. I talk with John Salley about his career, his legacy in the game and his transition into his current projects.  

Catch up on your favorite podcast shows at Athleisure Studio.

S1. E9. | #TRIBEGOALS WITH WTA SLOANE STEPHENS

On today’s #TRIBEGOALS we’re chatting with WTA and US Open 2017 winner, Sloane Stephens. We find out how she came to tennis as well as her decision to go pro, her focus this season as she takes on an array of matches, the importance of staying healthy as well as what it was like to represent Team USA in 2016 for the Olympic Games at Rio.

S1. E3. | ATHLEISURE KITCHEN WITH FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE + TOP CHEF JUDGE GAIL SIMMONS

On today’s Athleisure Kitchen, we head downtown in New York’s NoLita neighborhood to The Kitchen Table to sit down with Food & Wine as well as Top Chef judge, Gail Simmons. We talk about her food journey and the array of jobs that she took on in professional kitchens to understand the industry in order to be an effective food journalist. In addition, we talk about her unexpected transition into being a TV personality, how it’s like to prepare for being on the show as well as what’s currently in her kitchen as we continue through the Spring in making new dishes, welcoming guests into our homes for Spring celebrations and what key ingredients are in her kitchen for this time of year!

Check out the latest issue of Athleisure Studio for additional episodes.

S1. E8. | #TRIBEGOALS WITH LAILA ALI

In today's episode of #TRIBEGOALS, we talked with undefeated boxer, Laila Ali who continued her father's, Muhammad Ali’s legacy, by excelling in the sport as well as trailblazing outside of it. Laila embraced being a TV Personality by hosting OWN's Home Made Simple, participating in Dancing with the Stars as well as Celebrity Apprentice. We took some time to chat with her about the importance of fitness, nutrition and how we can focus on Spring Cleaning during this time of year.  

Check out the latest episode on Athleisure Studio’s podcast network

S1. E6. | #TRIBEGOALS WITH ADAM CAROLLA

Over at Athleisure Studio, #TRIBEGOALS dropped their latest episode! When you think of Adam Carolla, Loveline comes to mind immediately. He co-hosted this relationship focused call in show with Dr Drew Pinsky on MTV and you learned a lot of information while having levity throughout the show. He is also known for The Man Show, being a host of a number of TV and radio shows including, The Adam Carolla Project which focused on home improvement on TLC. In addition to appearing on Dancing with the Stars, The Celebrity Apprentice, his voiceover work, his own sangria line known as Mangria writing a number of books and more – his passion for cars is undeniable! Last month, we interviewed Adam at The Chicago Auto Show where he shared where his passion for cars emerged, Paul Newman, working on cars, Exotic EVs and of course his bromance with Jimmy Kimmel.

COMMUNICATION ESSENTIALS WITH DR. V

When it's coming from a place of love and concern, we're all about a straight shooter. We've been team Dr. V since we first saw her years ago on BRAVO's LA Shrinks, where we were introduced to this Clinical Psychiatrist that was never shy to tell you how it is and to call you on your crap! We continued to follow her as she appeared on a number of daytime, primetime and reality TV show spots, including as a host on WE TV's Marriage Bootcamp. We took some time to talk with Dr. V about her job as a Clinical Psychologist, the power and importance of communication, her new book Bad Advice and of course being on Marriage Bootcamp.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We fell in love with you on BRAVO’s LA Shrinks as well as on the The Real Housewives of NJ and on WE TV’s Millionaire Matchmaker and Marriage Bootcamp! Can you tell us how you came to Clinical Psychology as a career and then how you were able to parlay that into you being on Reality, Daytime and PrimeTime TV?

DR. V: You know I knew from a very young age that I was very equipped to solve problems. So I kind of went from the stoop to the screen. As I sit here talking with you, I think about how I used to sit on my neighborhood stoop and solve problems. It was a very working class neighborhood where all the houses were connected – row homes. So it was the kind of place where people would gather out front in front of people’s stoops.

I remember being super young like 4-5-6 and hearing people discuss their lives in very intimate ways! I mean a lot of shit goes down on the stoop for sure! So I would listen and it seemed like people would have this idea that somehow their problems were unsolvable. At a very young age, call it naivete or hopefulness, I never saw it that way. I always thought that the problems could be solved and I would go into my own head and solve the problem.

Like I’d be like, “wait let me tell you how shit goes – this is not a big problem.” I would go inside myself and be like, this is easy guys, it can’t be this hard. By the way, this is very different than giving advice. Because when you’re young, you’re able to use and even when you’re older – you use what’s called Executive Functioning in your brain. It’s when you’re able to re-engineer problems. I think that at the end of the day to get back to your first question, I had a very early development of that in my brain of Executive Functioning and being able to see problems and than rearrange them, which is different then giving advice. I don’t even like to give advice by the way – I stay away from it.

AM: We like that you make that distinction because hearing you say that – definitely is a difference and to do so at such a young age and to understand that is phenomenal.

DR. V: It’s the idea that solutions and advice are different. I think that when you come from it at that perspective, how can we work together to find a solution as opposed to “I’m the expert, I know better than you and you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Fuck that – we can work together and find solutions. I think that at the end of the day, that’s how I got started in Psychology and it was at that young age – I knew I was able to re-engineer my own problems and other people’s problems.

Taking that a step further, I sought after higher education. You had pointed out Clinical Psychology which is different the Counseling Psychology and other forms. Clinical Psychology just means that it’s research based and as a science lover, I love doing research. But at the end of the day, it’s really just that I was dumb enough to take the longer route – that’s really what’s happening! You tack on another couple of years for your dissertation, so a lot of doing the same things, just the degree of Clinical Psychology which is a PHD has more of a research focus where Counseling Psychology has more of a counseling focus – talk therapy. So that’s really the only difference there. I love research, I love doing it, collecting other people’s research. Anyone of those degrees, they can also share that same love of research – it’s just required as a PHD in Clinical Psychology to do the research for the degree.

So how I found myself, I was there on the stoop re-engineering everyone’s problems and I gained enough confidence to tell people what if you did this or what if you did that? And I think that coming from a very working class Italian neighborhood where there was a sense of community, the volume was turned up and we never had enough of anything but love and emotions – I think I developed a way of communicating that I had to be super clear. I had to make my point super clear and it has to land! Because for Uncle Rocky to take in my advice or my solutions – it has to land. Because of that, that was Prime TV talk as it has to land and it has to make an impact. If not, it’s not entertaining or there is no reveal or whatever entertainment words we use.

I think that is how I find myself in front of the screen and I battle on a regular basis – my own shyness. I know it doesn’t come off that way, but I am a very shy person.

AM: We would have never guessed that!

DR. V: Oh yeah! I am incredibly shy and I have had to really talk myself through my own levels of courage. Obviously as I have gotten older, it’s gotten easier as I will be 47 and I am sitting in this bath of “I don’t give a fuck” – but I battle this on a daily basis in front of the camera. I battle this by getting so into the process that I forget that the camera is there. I immerse myself into the person that we are talking to or the project that we are dealing with and I really have to forget that the cameras are there and I am able to cope better with my shyness and I can hone in on the person I am talking to?

AM: How important is communication with the person that you are talking to whether it’s a significant other, a friend etc?

DR V: Well communication defines the relationship. It is the key to every aspect of our lives. Communication, if we were to think of it as our form of expression and creativity, it leaves us room to be able to take in feedback about our communication. Your sense of self expression isn’t my way of self expression. The way that you communicate is not the way that I would creatively do so. The words that you choose, the metaphors that you give and how you choose to communicate with someone else is really quite magical. Communication and how we communicate in the world defines who we are, defines the relationship, defines our friendships and really is the most important ingredient in life!

I don’t like when people say, “that person can’t communicate effectively.” It just means that you can’t hear their message. Communication is co-created. We don’t realize that as humans we help each other feel things. As we sit on the phone with one another, we help each other feel things and this is what sets us a part. We’re almost contagious to each other. Communication seems like it’s such a simple word, but to me it’s more then just that word and it embodies so much more! It embodies the self expression, how you perceive yourself and others – it’s creative. It’s a creative endeavor.

AM: It’s a great point as for years we use to say, “this person isn’t an effective communicator.” One day we thought, we should try to figure out what this person is saying as they are making a point, they seem to believe it, perhaps we’re just not getting it. So we started re-engineering. Hearing that this person said x and then trying to get the meaning behind it really makes us understand what you just shared as they had a different method and that it is a creative process to understand what is being said.

DR. V: Right and then from that place, you’re able to go to where I excel with solutions! You’re able to find the solution. If someone isn’t communicating effectively if we use that word, you’re immediately put on your heels, you’re set off, you’re turned off – when you categorize it in that way. We need to be more curious and ask more questions instead of having this knee jerk judgement. There is nothing more that makes things go wrong then taking a cruise on the SS Judgmental! Once people begin judging each other, things go wrong. When we get curious and ask questions, you’re better able to understand the person you’re talking to. If you’re curious in a genuine and relaxed way – I have been in situations where I was curious but being a bitch and I was asking questions only to hide my annoyance and that wasn’t good! But when you do it genuinely, that person gets curious too and then they relax too!

So when we talk about communication, it’s obviously one of my favorite topics – I see it differently. Usually when people are bringing it up, they mean it in a, “we just don’t communicate well” kind of way. That’s when I say, “we have to ask more questions.” We’re allowed to help each and other. My husband and I have been together for 22 years and I think it was about 5 years in where I would create narratives for him. I would write him in an email, which is a little condescending haha – I’m not going to lie. This would take place during an argument where he would go to his respective work and I would go to my respective work and I would say let me help you. In quotes I would write what I wanted to hear and he would write back, “wow I didn’t know it was that easy as I would have said that to you. I just couldn’t find those words and didn’t know the words you wanted to hear.” This would go on for 3-4 years about what I needed to hear. A lot of people would say, “that’s not genuine – he should know what you need to hear.” But no, not at all. Sometimes it’s ok to help people figure out how to love you. Because that is a creative endeavor. Many people say that men and women have different language styles, but I don’t believe that. I think everyone wants the same thing. Both men and women want to be loved and to love – everyone wants it. How people get there is very different and men aren’t pushed or taught to be emotional leaders, “boys don’t cry” – this sort of toxic masculinity has infiltrated our society to a point where it has stopped men’s growth to express how they’re feeling. Men get this bad wrap for not expressing how they are feeling and women feel like they have to consistently be the emotional leaders or that we’re all emotional brains and we’re crazy – no it’s just that you don’t understand her – she’s not crazy.

AM: We were going to ask about the difference in love languages between men and women. But we like hearing how you were able to articulate what you said and what you wanted to hear reminds us that when we're talking to our significant other, we’ll say that we know you said x, but what I actually here is y. This makes the conversation a lot longer to break down the components of what’s said vs felt vs what we should do.

DR V: Right it becomes a creative endeavor. When you’re saying what you heard and what was felt it actually entails a vulnerability. So not only are you attempting to have better communication, but your partner is learning about you, who you are, what makes you tick and your deepest vulnerabilities which invites them to do the same. When we talk about men and women and their differences, men are not able to show their vulnerabilities as a society. They are uninvited to that party usually. So when they get with someone who is an emotional and has a creative expression of how they use language and are able to communicate what you feel, these men are like, what the fuck?

I have so much empathy for that struggle and form of expression and I don’t believe that we’re talking in different languages. Everyone knows what it’s like to be sad, hurt or to feel vulnerable and both men and women feel that. It’s how we express those emotions that matter.

AM: With us being firmly in the New Year, a lot of people are looking at their resolutions, being their best selves etc. What is the best way for people to optimize their lives without feeling the pressures of changes that may not have taken place or come out the way that they had hoped?

DR. V: Wow well patience is it’s own kind of confidence. It takes patience with other people and ourselves to attain goals. It’s a trust in your self and in the process. If you have fallen off of the wagon or have fucked up, it’s never wrong to start again. It’s always right to start again!

AM: So you released Bad Advice last fall. What led you to writing this and tell us more about this book!

DR. V: Look, I was just tired of hearing things repeated back to me – bad advice. Theories are very important! How we walk through the world and how we define our world is through theories and words. If those theories aren’t correct and are in fact, scientifically wrong – where does that leave us? I was inspired to write this as I’m just irreverent in general and I love to punch holes in things. I just got tired of hearing these one liners that seemed to have blown up even more so on the Internet like: “Just be yourself”, “You can’t love anyone until you love yourself”, “Expectations lead to disappointment” or “Follow your bliss” – it’s like birds flying! Because we’re passing around this bullshit more and more, I got curious about it. Is it really true that you can’t love anyone until you love yourself? Is that true? In the event that you need to hear, just be yourself – does that help? Is it helpful? Do expectations lead to disappointment – is that true – I got really curious! I found these statements and of course, I have my own hypothesis. I collected pieces of Bad Advice that enjoy the shit out of me and I debunked them in the book with heart and humor and it’s a super fun read. It’s one of those books where my hope is you get done reading it and you say, “you’ve never thought of it that way.” Then I have done my job as an author. My favorite books were always those that I would close them and be like, “Oh my God I never thought of it that way – that is so interesting.” You’re able to affect how people view the world.

AM: How long did it take for you to put that together?

DR. V: I would say that while the writing process was 2 years, it’s a lifelong project for me. There were so many pieces of Bad Advice that I didn’t include that I am still collecting them.

AM: Will there be a part two?

DR. V: Yes! I feel that I have been doing this my whole life. I am a very curious person and I always ask myself, how do I know this to be true and forget about bad advice – I’m just curious about the world. What we know – how do we know this to be true and forget about bad advice. Who is the messenger – who is saying it, why are we saying it and who is coming from? I ask myself things like this all the time.

AM: How can someone identify when bad advice is being given to them?

DR V: When it denies your humanity. When it denies what you feel. For example, “Nobody can make you feel bad without your permission” – that’s a chapter in the book. That is like the worse advice that I have ever heard. I get it. My mom used to say it to me when people would make fun of my name. We say it because we want to help people but what it does – I mean when was the last time you gave someone permission to hurt your feelings?

AM: Um never!

DR. V: EXACTLY! Like I will give you permission to hurt me? It doesn’t make sense. So when it denies your humanity and how you’re feeling then you know it’s bad advice!

AM: You’re so right. I mean I can see why we say it because we’ve all heard it from other people who meant it from a good place. But when you think about it, it’s kind of taking a knock at you and you’re internalizing it!

DR. V: You’re right and so for a split second, you’re put in a an area of denial and those emotions come back double fold because you’re trying to hold back from what you really feel. When it comes to relationships, “you can’t really love anyone until you love yourself.” Look, we are meant to love people that is what humans do. So you’re going to love people and your self doesn’t give a fuck about what you think of you. It also creates a “series of events” first I love me, then I love you it implies that love is linear and it’s not – it’s co-created. But we hear love yourself and we’re all the while being conditioned to self hate! Self hate is very real, but the concept of self love – no one tells you how to love yourself. Do you know why? It’s because it’s impossible to love yourself the way that you would love someone else because it’s not supported by brain circuitry. You’re going to love other people and that’s just what will happen – it’s what we do. It denies your humanity – you will love people regardless – you may not love them well, but that’s not what we’re talking about.

AM: How do you prepare for your work on WE TV’s Marriage Bootcamp, especially with all of the different personalities that are involved? How do you ultimately get them to the relationships that they desire?

DR. V: Well bigger personalities require bigger jolts. They require different methods. So, the goal of Marriage Bootcamp is to provide a cellular experience which jolts the system. What I love about the show is that my goal isn’t to keep the couple together. It’s my hope, but it’s about choice. Is this the person that you should be with? It’s about re-engineering that problem – is this the person for you? With all the evidence given to you over the last 10 days, do you want to be with this person? It’s about giving the couples the information they need about themselves and the relationship and asking them to make a choice.

My hope is that they do, but then again staying together is not always the right choice. It may be that they need to live a part. This is what I love about the show – our stakes aren’t in whether the couples stay together, but that the right choice is being made for the person and the couple.

How I prepare for the show, well before those 10 days, I get a lot of sleep. I don’t sleep for 10 days!

AM: We’ve been a fan of the show for years, but we can only imagine how it must be to be there in your position. With such big personalities how do you take the space you need so that you can do the best work for them?

DR. V: Well I’ll tell you. I have been in the field for – I started volunteering at Mt Sinai at 20 – I’ve been doing it a long time, 25 years. You really do learn how to separate yourself and it came naturally over time for me. I know when I need to restore myself and when I begin to become a judgey asshole. I’ll say wow, “I really need to take a break because this person is really getting on my fucking nerves!” Because you can’t help people if you can’t find something to love about them. That is the truth. You have to find something about them that you love and that you like. If you don’t like them – you can’t help them. It’s an incredibly professional and profound thing to admit that this person is tapping into something in me that I don’t like. I need to take a step back and to restore myself and grow from that. That’s what I love about the work because I am consistently growing and being pushed to my own limits season after season after season. I love that – whatever field can I grow and learn in a fun and chaotic way haha!

AM: Everytime we see that you’re back for another season we’re like she’s still hanging in there!

DR. V: Haha Dr. V is still alive! It’s funny because when people are put in a therapeutic environment when they may attack me or say something to me – I feel their pain. They are really talking to pieces of themselves. I feel like I have a deep empathy for that.

As a side note. You know what’s funny about Marriage Bootcamp? That show is so fucking crazy and YET when I watch it on TV – they actually make the drama LESS! They don’t even need to make it more dramatic like a lot of reality shows do. They don’t edit it a certain way to make it more dramatic. I was there – I know that that was way more intense than what they are showing. I think that is what has made the show last for 13 seasons, because the drama is already there. So they don’t have to do much!

You get to see some of your favorite personalities in a different light. Like Brandi Glanville on Marriage Bootcamp was not the same Brandi Glanville on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. People who follow her and love her got to see her in a different way and that’s amazing to me.

AM: You’re based in LA – where do you love grabbing a meal/cocktail, working out and going out for a little shopping?

DR. V: Let me tell you – I love a good diner! I’m from Philly – I did my education in NYC and there is nothing to me that beats a good diner. Kitchen 24 in Hollywood is open 24 hours. I can go there and get egg whites and feta. If I am working late and I need to wind down, I can get a margarita at 3am in the morning – it’s the best place on earth – it’s like my mother’s kitchen! There is nothing like a good diner.

I love to cycle and I feel that at my age it’s so great because you’re not compounding your joints. I’m a big SoulCycler and I do that 2 times a week. For shopping, I love style but I’m not much of a shopper. I’m not one of those women that get up and say, “I’m going to go shopping.” I can’t handle that, but I do love shopping online. I don’t have to shop, they just send shit to me, “we think you’ll like this.”

AM: Are you a beauty girl and do you have 3 must have products that you enjoy using?

DR. V: Ok I want to tell you that I recently decided to go from a rose kind of color to more of a peachier color for my face, lips and eyes. I’m completely obsessed with Stila Cosmetics that has these Liquid Eyeshadows that are glitter! The Bronzed Belle for brown eyes and a little olive skin is so gorgeous! Girl, I got the small one - the travel one and I keep it in my purse – that’s how much I love it! That’s my shadow and I like that it is so glittery and pretty. I’m obsessed with MAC’s Spring Sheen Shimmer Blush and it’s the most beautiful, peachy shiny and luxurious look!

AM: We love a peach moment!

DR. V: I know! Peachiness adds a beautiful alive and awake color. The right peach shades just are natural but then you’re wearing makeup. Then I just recently changed from Chanel’s Foundation to Santees – no. 280 and it’s beautiful! I know you said 3 but the 4th one popped into my brain – so you know it’s the winter months and you want a little color on your face. I am in love with La Luxe The Face and it is an illuminating and self tanning drops. It can be placed in any moisturizer or even an exfoliant that you put on your face at night – you can control the color with the amount of drops you put in. I love that you can just have it in your moisturizer. I use it as night and I get up and I love that I wake up with color on my face! It’s beautiful and one of my favorite products!

AM: We believe that your vibe is your tribe from a #TRIBEGOALS perspective. Who are 3 people that you look to for inspiration?

DR. V: I find that people in my immediate environment are inspiring. When I am feeling unlovable and I can think of nothing good about myself, I turn to my husband. There is so much unconditional love I can turn to him and he is able to help me see me through his eyes. That is a really beautiful thing when you can count on someone to recenter you. Then, the hopefulness of children. I have a 10 and 12 year old boys and a 2.5 year old daughter. The hopefulness of kids is just so inspiring me and when I am feeling a little cynical, I hang out with them! That spark of hopefulness is boom right there! I am also 1 of 5 so I have a few sisters and one brother and there is nothing like the love that a sibling has! No one can get under your skin or build you up like a sibling. I feel that as I have gotten older, I have relied on my immediate relationships to bring a sense of purpose, meaning and fulfillment and I’m really happy about that. I value these relationships with my life!

IG @Doctor_V_

We enjoyed chatting with Dr. V and you can hear this interview at Athleisure Studio, our podcast network with one of our latest episodes of #TRIBEGOALS. Enjoy wherever you hear your podcasts including Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast.

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Communication Essentials with Dr. V in mag.

S1. E2. | Athleisure Kitchen with Chef Marcus Samuelsson

We’ve been a fan of Chef Marcus Samuelsson for over a decade starting with enjoying his Deviled Eggs at Red Rooster in Harlem! We’ve enjoyed seeing him on Food Network when he’s judging Chopped or seeing him on BRAVO’s Top Chef. Whether he’s releasing a cookbook, or opening additional restaurants, we know that Marcus is always creating innovative dishes that are focused on phenomenal taste, dynamic flavors and comfort foods that we need. In today’s episode of Athleisure Kitchen, Marcus cooks us a meal that we should make for date night, talks about his formula in opening as well as finding the perfect locations for his restaurants and the importance of Harlem Eat Up, his food festival that highlight his city, chefs and music of the neighborhood.

To see the meal that Chef Marcus Samuelsson prepared, check out the video below check out the interview in Athleisure Mag’s Feb issue!

S1. Ep5. | #TRIBEGOALS with Al Horford

Over at Athleisure Studio, we just dropped our latest episode of #TRIBEGOALS. In the NBA we're now midway the season which means All Star Weekend just took place. We’re excited to have the chance to discuss with Al Horford of the Boston Celtics a 6 x All Star to talk about his passion to play the game, mastering his position and who has inspired him in his tribe to be as successful as he has been.

S1. Ep 1. | Athleisure Kitchen with Chef Brooke Williamson

The latest episode of Athleisure Studio’s culinary show, Athleisure Kitchen just dropped today with Chef Brooke Williamson.

When it comes to culinary competition shows, BRAVO’s Top Chef is one of our favorites. We enjoy the quick fire challenges, restaurant wars and watching competitors navigate across the show. We also like finding out about their restaurants and often seeing them re-appear on future seasons or other shows. On season 10, we were introduced to Chef Brooke Williamson, who came in second only to come back in season 14 - to win it all! In addition to these accolades, she is the Co-Owner and Co-Chef at The Tripel, Playa Provisions, Hudson House Bar, Da Kikokiko, Small Batch Icecream and Triplikit in Southern California. We find out more about her creativity, how she got into the industry, how she keeps fit and it all together.

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.

BINGELY STREAMING

FYRE

Netflix

Debuts 01.18.19

It seems like at any given point, there is a festival of some sort. Groups plan on attending these music events from where they will stay, what attire they will bring, enjoying performances and of course, to capture the perfect Instagrammable moments. When the Fyre festival hit the Internet, everyone saw a number of the world's top models and influencers who rocked swimwear and enjoyed a number of activities that were on an island estate formerly owned by Pablo Escobar.

What was built as a luxury festival ended up being an epic disaster that left guests stranded and confused. Netflix's Fyre documentary shows how Billy McFarland looked to launch his musical booking app with the festival and partnered with Ja Rule. In addition, we see other vendors and team members that worked with him to bring his vision to light.

Throughout the documentary, viewers watch the mounting problems that forced the venue to change, push decision makers to consider unsavory decisions to bring water to the event and more. Billed as, "The Greatest Party That Never Happened" - you get the benefit of a bird's eye of all the details that led to this avoidable disaster.

LIFE ITSELF

Amazon Prime Original

Fans of NBC's, "This is Us" are aware of Dan Fogelman, who also directs this Amazon Prime movie, Life Itself. This film focuses on a young couple (Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde) that begins as a college romance, to marriage and the birth of their first child. With unexpected twists along the way, this story is a multigenerational love story that spans decades as well as continents that includes NYC in the US and the Spanish countryside. Interestingly enough, everything is connected by a single event throughout various lifetimes.

THE ROAD TO TOKYO 2020

Spotify

Athleisure Studio

Our avid readers have enjoyed reading our previous 36 issues. Over the holiday season, we launched Athleisure Studio, our multimedia podcast network for Athleisure Culture which has a number of shows within its slate. Our programming focuses on the inspirations, stories and shared moments with athletes, designers, artists, celebrities, entrepreneur changemakers creating dynamic impact.

What does it take to be an athlete that dedicates years to making a national team and to compete on a global stage for the coveted medal that defines their career. We all enjoy watching the Olympic Games whether it’s a sport, a specific athlete or just getting into the competitions. Before they hit the stadium, there are years of work, drive and focus that take place with countless training session, coaches, and qualifying competitions. Athletes come from various backgrounds and walks of life. They sacrifice their lifestyle, homes, jobs and personal life to prepare for and win these monumental moments and leave a lasting legacy.

The Olympics is a registered trademark of the International Olympic Committee.

Read more from the Jan Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

INTRODUCING BUNGALOW SK

These days, your calendar is supercharged and you find yourself having to pencil in when you need to breathe! As we’re always moving and grooving between our offices, home, studio and out, we could all take some moments to spend time and hear from our faves in pop culture on what they’re up to and how they keep it together as well.

Hosted by Kimmie Smith, a Celeb Fashion Stylist, Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director of Athleisure Mag and Host of a number of shows in our multimedia podcast network, Athleisure Studio. When you plug into Bungalow SK, you’ll get to hang out with those that regardless of their background, are juggling their busy lives and have words of empowerment to keep us motivated through our day.

S1. Ep 3. | #TRIBEGOALS with Sara Happ

When it comes to lip care brands, Sara Happ finds a way to tackle the need for smooth and supple lips while having fun packaging! Sara Happ’s line sells on QVC, in Sephora and partners with other brands that showcase it’s fun lifestyle side. Fans of Sara Happ and her brand are drawn to her fun pastels that have covetable flavors. On today’s #TribeGoals, we find out how she grew this brand, gained loyal followers that have included an array of celebs and how she has grown her tribe. In addition, we’ll find out how she has gained inspirations from other tribes as she continues to elevate the brand to the next level!

INTRODUCING ATHLEISURE KITCHEN

Whether we’re eating solo, grabbing a meal at lunch or Happy Hour, having a date night or heading to brunch at our favorite spot - farm to table, fast casual, gastro pubs and fine dining places didn’t just pop up on their own. Sometimes we’re cooking from recipes that we inherited from our families, often we’re making and enjoying a dish as recommended by voices of the culinary world. The world of food is nuanced and those that add to its colorful language have a story that directed them to creating their culinary point of view and styles of cooking, their presentation, and how they have strived to envelop and expand their professional brand. In Athleisure Kitchen, we sit down with chefs, restaurateurs, general managers, and food personalities to share how your favorite sweet and savory meals came to your neighborhood and these tastemakers impact and extend their reach in and beyond the food world.

S1. E1. | The Road to Tokyo 2020 with Natasha Hastings (400M Diva) - US Track and Field

We all have our favorite sports and Track and Field is definitely one of ours! We’re excited to kick off our inaugural episode of The Road to Tokyo 2020 with Natasha Hastings, otherwise known as the 400M Diva! She has participated in a number of World Championships and meets, and she has represented her country with gold medals at the Olympics in Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016, and she is now making her plans for Tokyo 2020. We find out about her drive and career on and off the track, as well as finding out more about her beauty line and her upcoming marriage to retired NFL athlete William Gay.

BINGELY STREAMING

VANITY FAIR

Amazon Prime

Season 1; Debuts 12.21.18

This classic novel created by William Thackeray comes to Prime Original as a 7-part miniseries that focuses on an orphan girl that climbs the social ladder of English society in the Georgian era.

Her mobility takes place in a post Napoleonic defeat. Becky Sharp is focused on rising above her station regardless of the consequences and social implications that may take place in doing so.

Every movement that drives her forward creates an entrance into King George IV's court as she breaks the hearts and fortunes of those that happen to fall between her and her ultimate ascension.

REMASTERED WHO KILLED JAM MASTER JAY

Netflix; Debuts 12.07.18

Musically speaking, there are a number of mysteries involving the deaths of great artists, musicians and performers. In 2002 at the age of 37, Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC) was added to this list. Friends and family of this artist have toiled over the DJ's unsolved murder. In Netflix's docu-series, ReMastered, each episode analyzes these deaths and in the latest installment (the first episode looks at Bob Marley's attempted assassination and the second looks at the political evolution of Johnny Cash) they investigate, "Who Killed Jam Master Jay?"

This show looks at his rise in the music industry in the 80s with Run-DMC along with interviews of those who were impressed and inspired by his work. But it all comes to a head when the series focuses on his murder when his individuals were buzzed into his Queens recording studio and moments later, they opened fire killing the hip-hop legend.

Theories of how this happened includes, looking at witnesses that were intimidated, security cameras that were tampered and more. As someone that was known as a peaceful force in the industry, the idea of having so many unanswered questions that have resulted in a lack of justice for his friends and family and no convictions is perplexing.

GLADIATOR

Spotify

Wondery

The Boston Globe's Spotlight Team sits down and investigates football's Aaron Hernandez as he climbed the ladder from high school sports in Bristol to playing with the New England Patriots and hitting the stage of the Super Bowl. But as quickly as he moved closer to his epic dream, he found himself a convicted murderer years later.

The investigative team looks at the story of Anthony Hernandez's life through the crimes he committed and how football via brain damage may have contributed to his violent behavior. Were his sexual interests in a masculine football culture also an element to how he approached his life? Did elite coach interests trump his needs when he wasn't ready to participate as a mature adult despite his skills? The podcast shares new documents as well as audio about his life, death and what has taken place since.

See more from the Dec Issue of Athleisure Mag and read Bingely Streaming in mag.