THE KNOCKOUT WITH BRANDI RHODES

If you don't know Brandi Rhodes, you're missing out on this stunner who embodies #GirlPower and #CoupleGoals. While you get to know more about her through her social, you can catch her wrestling with Women of Honor alongside her hubby Cody Rhodes (as she is apart of wrestling royalty)! You can also catch her this month in the debut season of E! WAGS Atlanta, where she is one of the breakout stars.

In addition to shooting her fabulous editorial for our anniversary issue, we talked with her about how she got into the industry from modeling, her start in the WWE, being in ROH/WOH, her busy schedule and how she maintains her site, Not a Basic B for her fans to get to know her more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us how you got into wrestling and what your journey was into the sport?

BRANDI RHODES: I was scouted by WWE as I was modeling in Miami, FL. They contacted my modeling agency and expressed interest. From there I had meetings and then a try out to assess my athleticism. Then I was offered a contract to come to Florida Championship Wrestling and begin training. The rest is history!

AM: We know you were with the WWE and are currently with WOH - can you tell us about your experiences with both and what you're looking forward to within this league?

BR: With WWE I was an announcer, and unable to wrestle (which is what I wanted to do all along, but once it was discovered that I was good on the mic, I was placed in that position and
unable to transition away from it). In WOH I am of course a wrestler and am able to spread my wings and grow and learn so much! I also am able to work with my husband in ROH which is so
much fun. ROH/WOH allow me to do everything in the realm of wrestling, which is very challenging and fun.

AM: What's it like being married to Cody, who is also a wrestler and is in ROH?

BR: I’m the luckiest woman in the world to be married to Cody. He is incredibly smart, ambitious, handsome and has such a big heart. It’s inspirational to get to work with him in ROH. I learn a lot from him, and I have a front row seat to this time, being the most successful of his career. In Wrestling, many times wives have to stay home and watch their spouses compete from afar. I’m grateful to be on the road with him and able to see some of his most important
matches.

AM: How do you balance your schedules as we interviewed WWE Superstar Natalya Neidhart last year and Danielle Moinet/Summer Rae last year and know that as an athlete, you guys travel a lot to global matches? When your husband is also doing these, how do you connect
and find balance?

BR: We are big on having our fun. We plan our downtime just like anyone else. This month we are looking forward to a long awaited ski trip after heading to Japan for WrestleKingdom, one of the biggest wrestling events of the entire year! But sometimes it’s a trip to Disney or Universal Studios to recharge and connect, others it’s a trip to our favorite movie theater, and other times, we have to find time to have dates on the road! Last week we had to see The Last Jedi, in New Jersey because we were working, but refused to miss out on seeing the movie right when it came out. No matter how busy our schedules are, we can always find time to do things we love together. We make it if we have to!

AM: When we looked through your blog, Not Another Basic B - we were obsessed with your accessories and style - tell us more about your blog, why you created it, and how important is it to you as a creative outlet?

BR: Initially I created Not Another Basic B as a way to express my creativity. I was very bored and just not satisfied in my previous career. I couldn’t control that at the time, but I could challenge myself by creating the blog and the content that I put into it. I loved fashion and often would have people tweeting me trying to find out what brands I was wearing on TV, and this blog made it easier to connect with these folks and get them that information! From there, the blog took off to become more than fashion. I started sharing my travels, things about my
family and my marriage and personal stories as well. Now people look to the blog as a place for everyone. From the fashionista to the wrestling fan, to the traveler! I’m so proud of what it has
become!

AM: How did you become apart of the cast of WAGS Atlanta?

BR: I was living in LA working on another TV project and Casting reached out to my management asking if I would be willing to do a Skype interview to get to know me. I did the interview and a week later was sent over a contract to do the show! It was really fast! I later
found out that I was the last member cast. They were looking for someone who had an existing fan base and presence, and thankfully I have the most loyal fan base and following from the
wrestling world and they are really excited to see me on the show!

AM: We know that the season just started, but would you come back for another season, and/or be open to future reality shows?

BR: There are a lot of factors that come into play when determining what happens next and when. But I am happy to have this opportunity to be a part of the E! family, and for viewers and our existing fans to have the opportunity to get to know us a little better!

AM: How do you stay in great shape?

BR: I train very hard daily! My workouts are 6 days a week and incorporate weight training, interval exercises and plenty of cardio. I’ve found a balance with training, it’s something that challenges me, but also that I enjoy greatly.

AM: What do your workouts look for a match versus just maintaining when you may be in a few days of downtime?

BR: I really don’t deviate from routine when I have a match coming up. I compete pretty frequently, sometimes multiple times in one week, so for me it’s important to stay consistent at all times. In the summer, however, I do tend to add runs into my workouts simply because I love running outside!

AM: What are 3 go-to power foods when you're working out versus 3 splurges when you're treating yourself?

BR: When I’m working out I love a good protein shake, my favorite is from a place called Kale Me Crazy. I’m also very big on tuna packets, because I can take them anywhere and they do the trick! Then I love almond butter. Put it on my toast every morning. Splurge foods: pizza, burgers and any kind of cake. I have a ridiculous sweet tooth!

AM: You travel frequently what are 3 beauty products that you swear by that keep your skin fresh and vibrant?

BR: I always travel with Foreo. It’s a face cleansing device (similar to Clarisonic) but they come in Travel sizes and are so easy to use and keep clean! I also need my Dermologica face lotion
which is lightweight and SPF50! Lastly, I always have a good mask with me, I tend to go back and forth between charcoal and mud masks.

AM: How do you take time for yourself?

BR: Honestly... I watch the Hallmark Channel and HGTV and grab a glass of wine in my big moments of relaxation ha! I’ll take a bubble bath if I’m feeling REALLY edgy :)

AM: What do you wear when you go out for brunch, versus when you're running errands?

BR: I definitely dress up for brunch! A sundress with jewelry and heels in always up my alley. For errands, however, most of the time I am dressed “gym fab” because I’ve either just
come from the gym, or I’m on the way to the gym! Often time that’s head to toe Lululemon or Lorna Jane!

AM: What are your goals this year in wrestling, business, the site, family etc?

BR: This year I’m hoping to chase the dream of becoming WOH Champion! I’m looking forward to taking the blog to new heights this year with some upcoming partnerships! There are a few exciting things underway so just keep your eyes and ears open for me!

AM: What charities/philanthropies do you give your time to?

BR: I’ve always had an interest anything that helps with cancer research. Over the past few years my family has known too many families that have lost kids to childhood cancer. I’m always passionate in that research and spreading the word about ways to help.

AM: Anything else you'd like to share?

BR: The best ways to connect and interact with me! Those are my social pages: @TheBrandiRhodes - Twitter and IG and of course NotAnotherBasicB.com! Aside from that I’d like to wish everyone an amazing 2018! It’s going to be as great as we make it!

Read more from the Jan Issue and see The Knockout with Brandi Rhodes in mag.

SUPER BOWL STYLE 2018

Where are you watching the game and what are you rocking? Show your pride in your hometown and adopted city with some of these cute finds that you can purchase at the NFL Shop as we begin to count the hours until Super Bowl Sunday to watch the Philadelphia Eagles vs the New England Patriots in Minneapolis. Follow us on Twitter as we share our thoughts and cheer on one of our favorite teams - the Eagles (we love anytime we're in Philly). We'll loop you in on the commercials, the scores and everything in between on one sport's biggest nights!

Check out the Jan Issue

MCM X WIZPAK

L-R | Killer Mike of Run the Jewels, 2018 Grammys nominee Rapsody, 6LACK, TI and Jamie Foxx

The Grammys made their way back to NYC for its 60th anniversary. Artists were gifted and have been seen rocking MCM's collab - MCM x WizPak. The exclusive wearable music smart backpack boasts a  breakthrough market technology and fabulous sound quality and made its debut this past weekend. The tech-savvy accessory includes high-quality sound from a 40w 2.1 stereo speaker system with 3D surround-sound technology built inside the backpack and is removable and can connect to any media player through a wireless Bluetooth connection. It has 3-charging ports for up to 14-hours of charge to any smartphone or tablet. In addition to its technology forward abilities, the bag itself embraces the luxury brand's heritage Stark Visetos backpack.

As seen above on Jamie Foxx, Grammy’s Breakout Star Rapsody (only the fifth female nominee for Best Rap Album ever in the 23-year history of the category),  two time nominee  6LACK. Others included  Killer Mike of Run the Jewels, and TI.

Read more from the Jan Issue.

NUDE'S INCLUSION

A few decades ago, when people talked about getting basic undergarments, you knew that you had to have black, white and nude. But the concept of as a number of people with brown skin tones were unable to find a color that matched. Just like beauty brands have begun to conquer what nude means across the color spectrum, this same movement has taken place in footwear as well as lingerie.
nude was relative

We remember a few years ago when we first heard about Nubian Skin - a line that began as lingerie that included shades that matched brown skin tones and was represented by models that also reflect the consumer who buys the line.

After fangirling from afar, we caught up with Nubian Skin's founder, Ade Hassan about the process behind launching this line, how she grew the assortment, being honored by His Royal Highness Prince William with the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and how she takes time for herself while growing her business.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Prior to creating Nubian Skin, can you tell us about your background?

ADE HASSAN: My background isn’t actually in fashion at all. I was working in finance, which had been my career and when I had taken a break from finance, I did consulting for a year. However, while I was consulting in 2011, I had the idea for Nubian Skin and that was the first spark. I didn’t actively start working on the company until May 2013. When I came up with the idea I knew I needed to change jobs and save money, so I went back into finance and it was in the midst of this, that I actively registered the company and really started on getting it from an idea to an actual business.

AM: What led you to create Nubian Skin?

AH: I came up with the idea in 2011, and I had told a friend about the idea. Later that year, she sent me a birthday card that said, 'it's time to start living the life you've always imagined,’ I immediately registered the business.

AM: What were the initial items in Nubian Skin, how has that changed to the current assortment, and what are new items that you can share with us that will be available this spring?

AH:  We started out with our hosiery, essential and lace collections, and we have since added more sizes, a curve hosiery collection, our Africa-inspired collection, Moroccan Nights, a collection of nude shoes including heels and flats, we also did a collaboration with another designer, d.bleu.dazzled, and more recently, we launched our Naked Collection, a new range of intimates in nude tones! We have some exciting things in the pipeline, soon we will be launching our fuller-bust bras, and after that, we have a few exciting ideas up our sleeves, so watch this space!  

AM: In addition to having an online presence, what boutiques is the brand available in?

AH: Our products are available at a range of boutiques, including Nubian Hueman in DC, BraTenders in Manhattan, Suzette Hosiery in Yonkers and Busted Bra Shop in Detroit. We also
have stockists in the UK, Nigeria, Portugal and the French Caribbean. Check out the stockists page on our website for the full list!

AM: What celebrities have worn the brand and who would you like to see wearing it?

AH: Beyoncé and her dancers wore it for the Formation Tour! We’ve also seen it on Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae and Taraji P Henson in Hidden Figures, Jourdan Dunn, Leomie Anderson & Jackie Aina to name a few. We’d absolutely love to see Rihanna in Nubian Skin!

AM: In addition to having a necessary range of lingerie, we love the models that represent the brand as they are diverse in hues as well as body types - how important was having this representation?

AH: It was really important because I wanted women to be able to look at the campaign and see somebody who looked like them, or their mother, or sister. Representation is important, it can be a really empowering thing.

AM: You received the MBE from Prince William last year. What is this, why is it awarded, what it was like to receive it?

AH: An MBE is ‘Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire’, and the list recognizes achievements and contributions of a wide range of extraordinary people across the UK. My award was for fashion, in recognition of my mission to redefine nude through Nubian Skin, and the impact it has consequently made on the industry. It was such an incredible and
humbling experience!

AM: You closed out the year being honored in LA at the Ebony Power 100 as an entrepreneur
in 2017 - who were your favorite people that you met in the room and what did this acknowledgment mean to you?

AH: By far, the highlight had to be meeting Maxine Waters…she is just an incredible person and takes no nonsense. I was really surprised to get the letter that I was to be on the list. It’s an amazing thing to be honoured, because I have so much respect for the publication and the history behind it. Being named with such an amazing group of entrepreneurs was incredibly
inspiring to me.

AM: In addition to your brand's IG page, your personal page really shares what it's like as you continue to build your company from new additions to your line, the life of an entrepreneur - acknowledgments that you have received and more. How important is it for you to share these details and mentor those digitally?

AH: Thank you! I’d never thought of it as digitally mentoring before, as I'm not that great or consistent on my personal page, but it is nice to engage with people and know that there are those who are supporting what I do and care about it. I think it is important for people to see that hard work and grit can go a long way, and though there are definite highs, there's a lot of elbow grease that goes into living your dream.

AM: You're a busy woman who is always traveling - when you're back home in London where is your favorite place to shop, where do you enjoy eating and where do you grab a cocktail? Do you have another city that you frequently visit that you enjoy shopping, eating and grabbing a drink?

AH: I love being home in my flat!! Haha, London is so diverse, I can’t really pick a favourite because there are so many amazing places to choose from, BUT I am very partial to afternoon tea. Two cities I can’t get enough of are Lagos, it’s so vibrant and a lot of fun, and Paris… Paris is always a good idea.

AM: How do you take time for yourself in the midst of your busy career?

AH: It can be difficult to find a balance, but I’m getting better at it. This year, I’m trying to focus on really enjoying all parts of the journey, so if I'm travelling for work, I'm making sure to seek out some time for myself and do something enjoyable. I was speaking to a couple of fellow entrepreneur friends the other week about how taking time for yourself takes discipline. So, I make sure I’m spending quality time with loved ones and taking care of my health by exercising.

AM: What philanthropy or charity(ies) do you support?

AH: I volunteer, and I donate on a monthly basis to my SOAS, where I did my masters, to their education fund. The UK raised tuition fees pretty dramatically several years ago, and I wanted
to do a little bit to make sure that students who couldn’t afford it will still get the opportunity to attend such a great institution.

Read more from the Jan Issue and read Nude's Inclusion in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | VALENTINE'S DAY GUIDE 2018

We've kicked off the new year and already, we're thinking about gifting our loved ones, from our significant others as well as others we have love for. As always, we have some ideas you should keep in mind as we think about Valentine's Day next month!

FOR HER | ATH MAG VDG 2018

We like to think of Valentine's Day as a prep for the Spring with items that you love or will fall in love with! Here's what we have on our list - now you can find ways to hint to your honey
about what you want.

| L'OCCITANE Delicious Almond Body Collection | TWO OF MOST Semicircle Charm | TOM
FORD Diane Sunglasses | ANYA LUST Jessica Cut Out Bandeau Swimsuit | VIRGINS SAINTS AND ANGELS San Benito Grande Ring | ARDEN COVE Anti-Theft Full Crossbody With Chain |

FOR THEM | ATH MAG VDG 2018

Enjoy the day or night together with items that both of you can enjoy! We have a few items
that are perfect ways to include in your day of love (and beyond).

| NEST FRAGRANCES Japanese Black Currant | MOCHIDOKI Mochi Ice Cream | SEMPLI Vaso
Sake Set | SUGARFINA Vodka is Always a Good Idea Bento Box® | MEISSEN Sushi Set, Sushi de
Luxe | TAIKUN Japanese Shochu |

FOR HIM I ATH MAG VDG 2018

We've got a few things on our list for him that he can enjoy on Valentine's Day and the rest of
the year - whether he's solo or you're living for #CoupleGoals - this is what you should get him.

| PUBLIC SCHOOL WNL Reflective Feather Snapback | JOHN HARDY Naga Charm Pendant
with Silver Sheen Obsidian | GUCCI Le Marché Des Merveilles 38mm | ADIDAS NMD_CS2
Primeknit Shoes | MAISON MARGIELA 'Atelier' Print Backpack | UFC X REEBOK UFC Fight Night Conor McGregor Champ Walkout Hoodie |

Read more from the Jan Issue and see Athleisure Mag | Valentine's Day Guide 2018 in mag.

IT'S ALL ABOUT RESOLUTION WITH BILL + GIULIANA RANCIC

When you think about the month of January, it's all about having that clean slate to really get into those activities that will take you to the next level personally, in your career, friends, family and your personal relationship with your significant other. It's about goal setting that we all do, regardless of who we are and what we do.

We sat down with one of our favorite power couples Giuliana and Bill Rancic. We know them from their successful show together that gave us insight into their lives and how they manage running their businesses, their family etc. We know that Bill is an entrepreneur with a number of successful projects under his belt and of course, Giuliana is synonymous with interviewing celebrities on and off the red carpet for E!. Together they are raising their son Duke, involved in an array of businesses that include lifestyle oriented ventures of food, beverage, apparel and more within their portfolio. But just like us, they are looking to optimize their life making key foundational decisions that start with their resolutions, accountability and of course, adding a bit of glamour in all that they do!

ATHLEISURE MAG: How important is it to make resolutions?

BILL RANCIC: I think it’s very important. It’s a way to create a roadmap for what you want in life and where you want that year to take you. If you want to get to the desired destination, you’re never going to get to where you want to and what you want to achieve in 12 months without it.

GIULIANA RANCIC: Bill’s all about the roadmap. And I love that about him. We always say that his .99 solution is a legal pad. He always says that the solution to where you want to be is only
.99.

BR: Well it’s not real until you write it down. 

GR: Well you know, what we love to do is the family resolution – it’s the new resolution. The individual resolutions get broken early as there is a study that says it’s broken by the second week of Feb! But the family resolutions are those that can be written down together and you can help and support one another in terms of sticking to them.

BR: Well that’s what we do so if we’re kind of getting off the path, she pulls me up and if she is, I pull her up. Pretty soon, our son will be able to pull us up, one by each hand!

GR: That’s why you want to set family resolutions.

AM: Tell us about how your family, resolutions and your partnership with Marshalls will allow people to set and keep them as we continue through 2018?

GR: We’re really big fans of Marshalls. You should see me walking through here – I mean everything I’m wearing right now is from here – my shoes too! I love their clothes as they have a lot of high-end products, designer labels at affordable prices, wellness and they’re really focused on family. I don’t know if people really realize how family oriented it is. Everything you need for your family is there. Some store you go to, they have women’s shoes and men’s, but nothing for kids. For us, one of our family resolutions is to carve out a game night. So we do dinner as a family obviously, but what we want to do is to make a dinner and start it from scratch and then play a game. We’re able to do that as we can come here and get our games (I mean I’m talking to you and they’re right there) and then we can get our cooking items here – they have wonderful olive oils, pots and pans. In terms of home they have you covered and they’re very into wellness. They have activewear, foam rollers, fitness gear, even little kid weights.

BR: Our son loves working out with those!

AM: Is Duke a little yogi in training?

GR: No he likes lifting weights!

BR: He loves pumping iron haha. You know that apparatus where you strap yourself in and then go up? He wanted to go in there and do it.

GR: They did it together.

BR: Yes I helped him haha!

GR: In our home gym we have the foam rollers, mats, weights, and things we use at home. He can use them with us as obviously, we don’t take him to the gym with us. It’s fun and he likes to roll on the foam roller and he stretches with daddy on the mat. I buy all my soaps from here, candles, picture frames and I did a lot of them for Christmas as gifts. It’s really a family destination.

AM: What are your resolutions that you are making?

BR: First and foremost, Giuliana and I are going to do dinner at home one night a week with no cell phones allowed. Cook together with our son cooking and having that game night. Making it healthy and that’s the big one – we want to improve the quality of our time together.

GR: Do you know what’s nice about doing it together as a family and having a child involved? The resolution really starts to teach you more than just a resolution, it’s also about keeping it and having that conversation when there are set backs. If we miss a week because of a vacation, we know it’s ok because we can recover and come back from that. These are qualities that he can add into his life.

AM: How can other people adopt this and make themselves accountable?

BR: Well, once again, you have to write it down as it's not real until you do that! It needs to be in places that you see it. For us, I put it on the mirror of the bathroom. So every morning when you’re brushing your teeth, it’s a constant reminder of what you want to do.

GR: Obviously it’s also about having the right products. If one of your resolutions is that you feel like you don’t print out enough pictures (I was actually thinking about this the other day), I
was like, “Bill can we add another thing to the resolution?” We all have a million pictures on our phones and maybe our computers, but do we print any of these out? Where will they end up one day? You want your family and friends to be able to one day open up a book and see these pictures and not have to go looking for your old phones to get them! SO I wanted to make this a resolution to begin printing them out. So every month, I will go online and print a bundle of them out to create photo albums and journaling. So buying a few albums, picture frames, the journal etc – if you buy these items you’ll more likely to follow through. It serves as a great
reminder.

AM: We're in the thick of Awards Season and you looked amazing as you always do – what are you looking forward to?

GR: You know, I love glamour. The red carpet is the time to be glamorous and to wow us! You have to do something different. Red carpets have been around for some time now and have
been popular for the past couple of decades at least. So you've seen a lot of styles and silhouettes.

AM: Absolutely right now, our Style Director is focused on the Grammys as she's styling a few clients for it.

GR: Yes, so you know how it is! I was just trying on my dress for the Grammys the other day and I was like, I want to do something different – should I try a high boot? I never really do that with an evening gown but why not, because it’s about breaking the rules a little bit and changing it up. It’s ok that you’re not “Best Dressed”. I always say that the true fashionista is on the Best Dressed List and The Worst Dressed List as she’s taking chances and not just being safe.

So for me at the Golden Globes, for instance, it wasn’t a traditional hairstyle and I was like, “let’s do a knotted ponytail”. It was just fun. I do 6 big red carpets a year and I’ve done that for 15 years – you do the math, but my point is, I have done a lot of hairstyles to change it up. So resolution, I said I’m going to do something different at each one that is a departure – so I’m hoping to see that also translating to those walking the carpets this season.

BR: It gets you out of your comfort zone and I'm putting it on the list.

AM: So how is it living in Chicago?

BR: I’m from Chicago and I love raising our son there and having four seasons. And the people – it’s something about the Midwest, it’s hard to articulate it. When they see someone that is lost, you stop and say, “hey can help you get to where you’re going?” It’s pretty cool and people have great work ethics. The winters there are great character builders. It’s a great
character builder for mommy!

But I think that Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the world. We have world class museums, the lake front is spectacular and we live across the street from one of the greatest beaches that you could ask for – 6 months a year and then food! We own a handful of restaurants there.

AM: When are we getting an RPM in NYC?

BR: Hopefully soon!

GR: We’re looking at our next one and we have an announcement coming up soon. But we’re looking at NY, LA, Dallas, Nashville and a few other cities. I’m not from Chicago and am from the East Coast – from Maryland. Even I have embraced Chicago wholeheartedly, and for our son, it was just a deal Bill and I made. We have been married for 10 years, together almost 12 –
that was our deal from day one before we got engaged. We wanted to raise our son in Chicago and it’s been great.

The other day at school, our son was asked what Mommy’s job was and he said, “she’s a singer.” I was like thank you – he has no idea that I am a TV host and a reporter. He just knows that I love to sing and we sing together at home, we have a karaoke machine and microphones. So he doesn’t think that Mommy is on TV interviewing celebrities – he just thinks that I sing. He says, "we sing together and we have a band." It's really cute.

AM: What other projects are you working on that you can share?

BR: We just launched Giuliana Prosecco with our partners Terlato Wines (a luxury wine importer with over 80 global brands). Most importantly trying to be a great dad!

GR: Yes he’s a great husband and a great dad – great friend. We have so much fun together. It’s so important as time is so precious. Bill always says that you have to reverse engineer your life. Start at the end and work your way back. What will you say that you wish you had done more of versus what you would have done less of. You will never say that you wish that you had less time with your family or your kids. You’ll probably never say that you wished that you spent more time at the office for work. We’re really trying to use the past couple of the years and those coming to have a great family foundation and to nurture that.

We’re working on a couple of other things we have the wine, restaurant and I have my clothing line on HSN.

BR: We have a project we’re launching together as well – soon.

We'll have our eye on Giuliana throughout Awards Season as she reports Live from the Red Carpet on E! to see the array of looks for each show and how Giuliana continues to change it up on the carpet as well.

PHOTO COURTESY | PG 108 + 112 Courtesy of E!, PG 110 Photo by Stuart Ramson/Invision for Marshalls/AP Images

Read more from the Jan Issue and see It's All About Resolution with Bill and Giuliana Rancic in mag.

AWARDS SEASON 2018 | GRAMMYS

Above are our favorite looks from last night's red carpet for the 60th Grammys that took place right here in NYC. We will keep you up to date on what these artists wore, who styled and more.

Common 

Read more from the Jan Issue

SUMMER BODIES ARE MADE IN THE WINTER

Last month we introduced our readers to Dr. Greuner, a cardiovascular surgeon who has a passion for fitness. The response was so great, we thought that he should have a column to share various elements of fitness to get to where we want to be. This month we're focused on
kickstarting our workouts and are taking our lead from Dr. G!

ATHLEISURE MAG: With the notion of summer bodies being made in the winter, what should a work out week look like for men vs women to get great arms, legs, abs and butts?

DR.GREUNER: I’ve always stressed that there are two separate components to the look most of us want to achieve, and they should be targeted in two different ways. For toning and shaping, strength exercises are crucial. To put that hard earned, toned, and shapely muscle front and center for the summer's revealing ensembles, diet is absolutely crucial to lose any fat that might overshadow what lies beneath. To lose the weight, simple arithmetic is all it takes. You must eat less calories than you burn. A simple BMR calculator, or devices such as a FitBit are crucial to estimating what you burn daily, and I use these routinely. The mistake we see sabotaging diets most often, however, is an underestimation of the caloric count of foods. Things like sauces, dressings, and alcohol can foil an otherwise valiant effort at weight loss, and that is why I recommend on diet days, that you prep your own meals, so you have a firm grip on it.

When it comes to shaping, compound movements are not just the most efficacious in building muscle, but also in terms of improving function. For arms, dumbbell or barbell bicep curls are one of my favorites. Simple to perform, and work very well. I typically do 6 sets of 10, or to failure with strict form. For triceps, my faithful move is the French press, 6 sets of 10. It’s an easy exercise to do well, and form fails minimally with fatiguing muscles.

For legs, NOTHING beats the old-fashioned squat. 4 sets of 10. I typically follow that with 4 sets of weighted lunges 10 reps, each side. Trust me, simple but effective. This works well for your butt, as It is a direct extension functionally of your legs.

For abs, I work this muscle group 2-3 times a week, as opposed to most others once weekly. This is because your abs have a higher percentage of fast twitch, or endurance fibers, and recover quickly, but typically don’t require as much training as the other muscle groups at each
session. They are constantly under tension stabilizing your body. For advanced athletes, I recommend 6 sets of hanging leg raises, 10 reps, but this is a very difficult move to do correctly. For those of you that are newer to this, I typically recommend 4 sets of incline leg raises, followed by 4 sets of crunches, each for 10 reps. Simple and strict is the key to isolating these muscle groups.

Remember, If it isn’t uncomfortable, you aren’t stimulating the muscle to change. Get out of your comfort zone, you will thank me for it later.

AM: For those that may have slipped into not working out during the holiday season, how can they get back into putting this into their routine?

DR G: The easiest solution is to grab a partner. That is a quick way to ensure that you have an obligation to meet your schedule, or hear about it later. Other incentives include signing up for
work incentives, or competing with fellow employees if your job has a plan. In my company, we use Fitness Amigo, and award rewards to those that “win” their fitness goals.

Lastly, make a mental, or physical picture of what you want to obtain, and make sure you see it constantly to drive you. Other options include, entering a competition that mandates you get in
shape, or a self-awarded reward once you hit your goal.

My workouts change from mostly outdoor in the summer to mostly indoor in the winter. I take part in activities such as martial arts and group classes. I'll present some of my favorites in a future article, but some classes that provide a competitive environment, such as Flywheel that allows you to compete with you classmates, is always an impetus for me to push harder.

AM: For those who like working out outdoors who don't enjoy doing it in the cold, what would you suggest for workouts?

DR. G: Winter is the time I pick to explore new classes, and activities, and even pick up a new sport. I'll go into detail about these in a later story, including my pros and cons about each, but briefly some of my choices this year included:

1. Boxing and martial arts, including classes such as Rumble, Work Train Fight, Dogpound, and others, as well as true sparring one on one with some of the most talented coaches in NYC. Be
careful, it’s addictive!

2. I’m an avid cyclist in the summer months, so spinning classes are a mandatory part of my arsenal. In general, I prefer Flywheel given the objective power data they provide and the ability to compete with classmates.

3. Circuit training with weights, which is a constant part of my regimen.

4. Boot Camps such as Barry’s Bootcamp, one of my favorites.

5. Flexibility work such as Pilates, yoga, and capoeira.

6. Climbing walls are a great way to simulate the outdoors.

7. Other typically outdoor sports such as parkour are now omnipresent in NYC.

AM: How beneficial is a couple or buddy workout and how do you stay on track with this as it can also have distracting effects?

DR. G: Its crucial for me that my partner is as fitness inclined as I am, or its unlikely to work. Sports occupy so many categories of benefit in my life, from psychological, to meditative, to performance, that it’s absolutely mandatory for my overall well-being, and having a partner that is so inclined can be one of your best motivators to staying healthy. Everything is easier when your best friend is there beside you! At the same time, distraction can be an issue if one of you is self-conscious or less motivated. You can see this two ways…a chance to coach each other to be better, or as a roadblock. Decide early, and act accordingly.

AM: How long do you feel it should take to start seeing results and how do you think you should go about tracking these areas for proper motivation?

DR G: Although it may sound terrible, often the heavier you are, the longer it takes to see visible results as the layer of fat on top of muscle is thicker. Talk about an incentive to stay lean! Although you won’t see the results immediately, you will lose weight and increase function quickly, typically within a month if you put a significant effort in. The leaner you are able to stay, the less time it takes to see distinct results as the layer of fat covering your muscle is much thinner and disappears with less effort. The take home message? Keep lean, allow some discrepancies here and there, but make your hard work last with lifestyle changes that make the task less and less daunting with each coming year. It’s absolutely possible to enjoy your life, and still look great. Moderation is the key. I look forward to giving more guidance about doing just that in future articles!

We're excited for upcoming articles that Dr. Greuner will share with our readers at Athleisure Mag, and are looking forward to his future contributions! Make sure to follow him on IG @Doctor.DavidGreuner to see what he's up to and where he's working out.

PHOTOS COURTESY | Dr. Greuner

Read more from the Jan Issue and see Summer Bodies Are Made in the Winter in mag.

THE GEM OF MIAMI

With the holiday season upon us, we wanted to share one of our favorite luxury jewelry designers with our readers. Our Style Director has included pieces in shoots in this publication and we sat down and talked with Miami based, Buddha Mama which is created by Nancy and is also designed by her daughter Dakota. The brand is the perfect mixture of fine jewelry, dramatic pieces and wellness. We found out about how they are inspired to create luxe pieces, what they do during Art Basel that took place earlier this month and how they give back.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We've been fans of the brand for years, but tell us how Buddha Mama was created and what are the inspirations behind the pieces?

BUDDHA MAMA: My mother Nancy started stringing Mala’s for her local Buddhist center to help raise funds and it sort of took off from there. To this day we still donate a portion of monthly proceeds. The inspiration comes from everywhere, travel definitely has a strong influence on our collections. Different architecture and symbols appreciated in other cultures, these are things that inspire us to keep creating and share what we love.

AM: Who is the Buddha Mama girl or boy?

BM: We never really know how to answer that question. It seems like it can be just about anyone, whether you are drawn to the beauty of a mandala pendant because you know of the
meaning or you just appreciate the piece. I wouldn't say we have one specific client, there's certainly a range of people we've come across.

AM: How do you decide what pieces are a part of each of the collections that are in the line?

BM: Depends on the collection. Some pieces are placed in certain collections due to gemstone colors, others are specifically created - such as our Lantern pieces for the lantern collection. Our auspicious collection is by far our largest, with everything from mandalas to flowers, skulls and cross pendants.

AM: What charity/philanthropy are you involved in?

BM: We donate a portion of proceeds to Kristi House in Miami, which is a center for sexually abused and trafficked women and children. As well as Tibet House in New York.

AM: During Art Basel, do you do anything in conjunction with this event?

BM: Usually Nan and I are pretty busy creating new collections for the COUTURE Show in Vegas but we always attend at least a few Basel events. Miami is always a blast in December and we try to enjoy as much of it as we can!

AM: How important is Art Basel to the Miami scene?

BM: It’s incredible. One of the main areas for Basel is called Wynwood and it’s literally unrecognizable from just a few years ago. I feel that Art Basel is important because Miami has always had an art and graffiti scene- maybe not like New York but it was always present. To
now watch it expand and get its recognition, it’s great.

AM: With the holidays coming up, what can we look forward to in terms of great gifting options from the brand?

BM: We have a daintier collection that is great for gifting! Also of course our special one of a kind pieces are always a hit.

AM: Where are your favorite places to eat, grab a cocktail and to do yoga/meditation in Miami to keep on our radar?

BM: Macchialina’s on the beach for great Italian. River Oyster Bar in Brickell for amazing food and drinks. For yoga we’d have to say Dharma Yoga Studio in Coconut Grove.

Read more from the Dec Issue and see The Gem of Miami in mag.

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY | NEW YEAR'S EVE PREP

It's all about prepping for NYE. We believe in having great foundation with coverage for diverse skin tones, essential brushes, an array of lip shades and to add volume for sexy hair.

| IT COSMETICS Heavenly Luxe™ You Sculpted!™ Contour & Highlighted Brush #18 | BED HEAD Wave Artist Tourmaline Ceramic Deep Waver | STILA COSMETICS Sheer Delight Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick | INGLOT COSMETICS YSM Cream Foundation |

Read more from the Dec Issue and see Athleisure Beauty | New Year's Eve Prep in mag.

FROM LA WITH LOVE, GIA MANTEGNA

When you grow up in a creative family, you get to try your hand at a number of things to find out what works for you. Gia Mantegna grew up in the industry and has been acting since she was a kid, is a singer and in addition to her roles, can say that she has been able to spend quality time on set as a fellow actor with her dad, Joe Mantegna in the nail-biting series, Criminal Minds.

We sat down with Gia to talk about how she got into acting, what it's like to be on Criminal Minds, playing dramatic characters with a twist, her new show that is available now on CW Seed, what's going on with her music and some of her go to places in LA as well as when she's here in NYC.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did the acting bug hit you?

GIA MANTEGNA: I started acting at a really young age in school. I think I was about 11 when I started theater and that’s kind of where I got the bug. I had obviously grown up in the business
because my dad is an actor.

AM: We’re huge fans of him!

GM: Yeah, yeah me too! Growing up around that environment and being in that industry it was just something that was second nature to me. And I was like, "when is it my turn?" Being the second born child and always wanting attention, I was known for having this personality and having a need to be heard. The only outlet for that was to sing and to perform - so that’s how it started. Then after doing theater, I started working in film and going to TV and auditioning. It hasn’t stopped yet – knock on wood.

AM: What are some of the roles that you have been in?

GM: My first big gig was a Christmas film called Unaccompanied Minors which was a film directed by Paul Feig. He did Bridesmaids, The Heat, Ghostbusters (Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy) etc. That was my introduction into really working in Hollywood. It was such a great experience working with Paul and the cast. That was a fun role for me and I have done a lot of
spots on TV.

I’m really drawn to the darker roles naturally. I am a positive person, but I love those really weird roles. I did a role on Perception where I played this girl who swallowed knives and it was a strange one, but I loved it. Now comedy is where things are going for me which I also love because it’s harder and comedic timing is hard to do. The dramatic roles come easier to me but
comedy is where I am falling into and where the world is going, it’s nice to laugh a little bit.

AM: How much has your father been an influence on your roles and how has it been also appearing on Criminal Minds with him?

GM: YES oh my gosh. I can’t watch Criminal Minds – I live alone with a cat!

AM: When we travel, it’s always on as a marathon and we get sucked in, but we have to have a buddy and the lights on to watch it!

GM: Oddly enough, I never worked with him on the show. When I first auditioned for the show, I was 17 there was a different actor playing my father and I never had any scenes with him. Then one day, the writers came to me with an idea where my character came back with Aubrey Plaza’s character as they wanted two strong female characters to come back to shake up the
team. Aubrey and I came out to do it and I didn’t have any good dialogue with my dad, but there was this scene where he pointed a gun at me which was really exciting as that is always fun to work with a family member holding a gun in your face. I mean when is that going to happen? Hopefully not. But it was great because I have worked on a number of shows, but Criminal Minds – that cast is such a tight-knit group, they’re a family. They get along and it’s
been running for so long which is a testament to how great it is to be able to step into that show for a few weeks. It was the greatest gig in the world and to be able to hang out with my dad for a bit. The character was fun too as she was psychotic!

AM: Tell us about CW Seed and how we can watch it?

GM: A lot of networks have digital platforms as I think that they are trying to compete with Netflix and things like that. CW Seed (shows you can catch: Riverdale, Original Dynasty) is CW’s answer to that. It’s their digital platform where they create new media and they also run shows that have already been out on the website. You can watch on their website or their app.

Our show, Life After First Failure has myself and Breanne (who plays my best friend on the show), we received the script and we loved that there were two strong female characters
shaking things up – we fell in love with it. We did 3 episodes in Portland and CW Seed ended up breaking it up into 6 episodes - to make it more palatable for the audience.

The way it seems to be going is that it’s all about quick easy content for quick gratification. At first, I was a little disappointed, but it’s the way that things are going now. I like longer episodes, but the younger generation is easily bored and when they’re bored, you lose your audience. But the character was so much fun to play and it was different and new. Honestly, it was one of my favorite people to play.

AM: Is there a second season coming out?

GM: In a perfect world, yes – the hope was that the network would see that there was a strong response to it – but they’re kind of new. So a lot of it has been left to us and social media has really helped in terms of campaigning for the show. We definitely want to come back to do more episodes – right now we’re not sure so we want people to watch and tweet to request more episodes.

AM: We know that you are also a singer can you tell us about how you started that and what your plans are?

GM: I was always singing at a young age. My parents threw me into everything soccer, piano, saxophone etc. Singing stuck with me – my sister and I took lessons at a very young age. Both of my parents have a musical background and it was just one of those things that I always kept in my back pocket, but I was too scared to use and then it got to a point that I really wanted to do a show so I got a producer and a band and we put it together with a show at The Whiskey in LA. It was so great, but there aren’t really any plans as I was starting to work on an album and then acting picked up, but it's always something I go back to. Right now, I record things and sell them to shows and just kind of do it as a hobby.

PHOTO COURTESY | Scott Bonnie

AM: What is the genre?

GM: It ended up being a rock show when I was at The Whiskey. But the song I’m most proud of, ‘I Won’t Wait’ it’s alternative/electronic. It has a cool vibe to it as I’m inspired by Banks and Tove Lo - just I love that electronic ease and fun. But when I get back into singing, I want to do a lot of oldies covers as I listen to a lot of 70s music. I love Top 40, but I’m inspired by that era. I have been listening to a lot of THEM (Van Morrison’s old band) lately and I thought it would be really fun to do a lot of covers of music that my parents grew up with as that's what I listened to growing up.

AM: What is your personal style when you're going out for brunch versus when you're having a night out?

GM: It doesn’t change – it’s always the same – I’m all black everything – it makes doing laundry very easy. I always dress for winter or fall – I wear Doc Martins all the time, I live in them. I love skinny jeans and a baggy sweatshirt on top. I love jewelry which allows me to go a little crazy and I love makeup! My sister and I went to makeup school just for fun and my sister was really into it – she has autism and is really high functioning, but my parents didn’t want her to go alone so I went as her pal and I ended up loving it. I love playing with makeup looks and it taught me what I could do with makeup – so it’s all about the accessories.

AM: How do you take time for yourself in the midst of your busy schedule?

GM: It’s interesting as an actor, you’re your own boss and there is going to be downtime so you’re always trying to stay proactive. I do piano as much as I can to stay with my music.

I do meditate - big meditator. I tried running for 5 mins. - it was horrible, but I really love yoga. There is a huge yoga culture in LA - which I know is everywhere as well. But I have been doing
yoga for so long that I just do it on my own and I just do it in my trailer. Now that I have this amazing cat in my life, I love meditating and doing yoga at home. I don’t do any high impact – I
don’t. I can’t do it because I have this really weird jaw issue which is a severe form of TMJ where I have to get injections in my masseter muscles. So when I do anything high impact the stress goes to my neck and my face and then I have to go to the Chiropractor and it becomes this whole thing. Everything is low impact and easy – I walk a lot and although LA is not a walking town, I live in West Hollywood so I can do that.

AM: What charity/philanthropy do you do?

GM: Because my sister has autism, I have always been involved in that as it has been a big part of my life and to give back to the community. My family and I do not support Autism Speaks as they have paid celebrities to do endorsements which makes sense, but many don't know what they're talking about and funds have gone to the CEOs and very little of the money is going to autism research. More grassroots organizations is where we go and my dad does a lot of work with veterans so anything that involves them and the military, I am all about it. Autism is big for me and there isn’t one that I champion specifically.

PHOTO COURTESY | Marco David

AM: What's on your playlist?

GM: I’ve been listening to a lot of THEM, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan – I went to a concert of his last year and it was so great. I just really love him. Let me grab my phone out. I love Tove Lo and Banks of course. A lot of oldies - OH - Roy Orbison - he's the best for the holidays - I really love his stuff and I have been getting obsessed with Chris Isaak again. OH Tom Jones is my
go to when I'm getting ready, I go to Spotify, put in Tom Jones and listen to everything. It gets crazy and my dad makes fun of me and asks, “why do you listen to my music?” I love it and everything coming out lately now – it’s cool to vibe out to in the background, but I don’t connect with it and it’s not inspirational to me.

AM: When you're in LA, what's 1 place you work out, 1 place you eat at 1 place you shop? What version do you have for that here in NYC?

GM: The answer to most of those questions is home, home, home haha. In NY, I go to McSorley’s Old Ale House - I was just there last night with my mom and my sister. So only in NY
would this take place, we met these two guys where one had just broken up with his wife and one with his girlfriend and they wanted to recreate this picture that they had taken when they were with them at the same bar a few years prior! One ex was blonde and one was brunette and we re-created the picture.

In LA, people are very "don’t talk to me," but in NY it’s so different and they were from Orange County. It was hysterical and the picture was identical and I even arranged everything on the table the same way. McSorley's is my go to.

In LA, I go anywhere although there is this cool Australian bar called The Eveleigh. Serafina just opened in LA so I love that – they’re on Sunset. I work out at home in LA so I just go outside as there is so much hiking you can do and I want to try boxing. For shopping, I am all about ASOS – they have great stuff, affordable and they always have black options. In NY it’s anywhere.
I’m obsessed with shoes, so any shoe store. I love Opening Ceremony and I love Soho in general. Evolution is here and I love them, we have something similar in LA called Necromance, but I haven’t bought anything. Where am I going to put taxidermy squirrels?

My God mom has a store in Toluca Lake near my parents house called Pergolina and she has these beautiful taxidermy animals which she gets from Necromance. Her store is where I get my jewelry and I wear these bracelets all the time. But I’m not a big shopper – I’m an eater – I love to eat. My mom has a restaurant in Burbank called Taste Chicago.

AM: Wait we have heard of Taste Chicago!

GM: I know a lot of people think that it’s my dad’s, but it’s my moms!

AM: Which one is from Chicago?

GM: Both – my whole family is from Chicago and here. We’re here because one of my family members just bought a house in New Jersey. We’re the only ones in LA. We needed to bring Chicago to LA.

AM: So what are we ordering at Taste Chicago?

GM: Chicago dogs, Sicilian Pan Pizza, Deep Dish, Italian Beef, everything – it’s hard core. You don’t go there to get a salad, you go there to work! But I actually prefer NY style pizza haha but I go there for the Italian Beef.

PHOTO COURTESY | Marco David

Read more from the Dec Issue and see From LA with Love, Gia Mantegna in mag.

NERVO YORK

We end our year the way we began it - with NERVO, but this time, in addition to our interview, we hung out with them right before their Lavo NYC show to shoot the International EDM DJ duo. Liv and Mim have been traveling, DJing around the world, releasing new  music and continuing to connect with their fans.

We brought them to Grammy winner and music icon, Desmond Child's home (we have an exclusive interview with Desmond following this interview), which was the perfect location for this shoot. We talked with them about what they're up to, who they've been working with, where they'd like to perform, their upcoming show for NYE at the W in Miami and what festivals you'll see them in during 2018.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We kicked off the year with an interview with you ladies and it's only fitting that we close it with you as well as you're gracing our Dec cover - what has been a snapshot of this year from what you were up to personally, musically, - whatever you wish to share.

NERVO: We have had a year of absolute madness. Lots of great things going on that we just need to pinch ourselves sometimes. We also are just doing our best to keep our heads above water and enjoy the little moments you know… We think all touring artists or just busy people, in general, are the same. There’s a lot of pressure mixed with a lot of adrenaline filled moments. It can be a lot sometimes!

AM: You ladies are multiple threats as you're DJ's, producers, songwriters, composers, models, brand ambassadors, etc., so it was only fitting to have you shoot in Desmond Child's home
- can you share some of your projects that you did this year or next year?

N: Tell us about it - Desmond Child is a total legend. What an honour to be shooting in his home! Love how we decked his house out.

So… We released a bunch of music this year, including a few collabs - one with New York based band Sofi Tukker and some others with more dance artists like DVBBS and Danny Avila, Oh, and then there’s the collab we wrote with Cheif Keef which was pretty special! We have been touring mainly Europe for the summer, but we also have our residency at Omnia in Las Vegas, which gets us over to The USA about 16 times a year.

We have a bunch of new songs in the works which we are focusing in on now. Quarters 4 and 1 are always for making new music and that means touring a bit less.

AM: What's the process like when you're creating your music and how is it different when you're creating something for another artist?

N: We’re more relaxed when we make music for others or even for a collaboration. Something about it being less pressure. When it’s your own record suddenly you feel like people are going
to hate on you if they don’t like it. It’s a part time job blocking out that noise!

AM: How do you go about finding inspiration for upcoming projects?

N: We are constantly inspired. To be honest we don’t have enough time to not be inspired. We have so many unfinished ideas that we just need an extra 2 days a week to finish. We must be
ADHD or something.

AM: What is a NERVO Christmas like - do you make it home to Australia for the holiday, do you guys cook and what gifts are you looking for this year?

N: It’s pretty low key and is the same every year. We have a huge lunch in our family home in Melbourne, then we all go to our Aunty Mary and Uncle Max’s home for more food, and then we
eventually pass out around 10pm with belly’s so full that we couldn’t dream of eating dinner! Leftovers are eaten for the next 4 days or so. We are Italian/Australian so there’s always SO
much food!

AM: This NYE, where are you playing and what about 2018 makes you excited to ring it in?

N: We are playing Miamiiiiiii! At the W Hotel. We can’t wait!! Miami is just the best for New Year's Eve. We think we might hang around a few days and have some beach time and Cuban food.

AM: What's on your playlist at the moment that gets you up and moving?

N: Massively inspired by what Jax Jones is doing at the moment. Sampling Booka Shade and flipping it into a 2017 anthem! Go JJ!

AM: Where are some festivals/cities that you'll be hitting this year that we can expect to see you performing at?

N: We are playing Tomorrowland in Belgium again. Always a yearly highlight! We are also playing Creamfields in South America. And of course, everyone can catch us at Ushuaia in Ibiza and Omnia/Hakkassan in The USA for our residencies.

AM: What is a gig that you would like to do ie. Super Bowl Half Time show, that you have yet to be asked to do but want to check off your bucket list?

N: Probably Coachella. It’s such a great festival and one of the only ones we have never been asked to play at. We don't think they like us. ha! Maybe we're too bubbly or mainstream or
something... We dunno. But we have been to the festival and it's such a great vibe. Always perfect weather.

AM: You're rocking a lot of fun styles throughout our Dec cover shoot, but what is your personal style when you head out to play a set for NYE versus when you're hanging out?

N: We like to dress things up when we play a gig. We love body suits, lycra, face jewels, creepers, teased up hair, more is more. When we are hanging out we’re a lot more chilled and casual - for example we are loving the Fenty clothes that we wore in the shoot for our travel/studio days!

AM: You guys travel a lot, what are your 3 musts that you take with you no matter what city you're rocking in to feel like you're at home?

N: Iijin snake skin silver and gold shoes (for Liv), Hairspray (for Mim), and our laptops (for both of us).

AM: The Winter Olympics are coming up and we're fans of curling, what teams/sports are you cheering for?

N: Ooohh we’ll have to check it out!! We do love to ski so that’s something we would like to watch. Does Australia even have a team? If Australia is competing then we would have to go for
them but if they don’t then we would go for Italy because that is where our parents were born :).

NERVO YORK CREDITS

COVER + PG 14 | FENTY X PUMA Blocked Track Jacket + Blocked Taped Track Pant | OUTDOOR VOICES Sport Bra | FENTY X PUMA AnkleStrap Sneaker | FENTY X PUMA Monday Cap | FRAME Le Original Patch Jacket |

FENTY X PUMA Hooded Zip Front Leotard | FENTY X PUMA Printed Bra | RUBEN GALARRETA Legging Harness |

PG 16 | BLACK MILK Fatale Dress | LAGOS JEWELRY Black Beaded Caviar Bracelet | ARTISTS' OWN Wrapped Bracelet, Charm Bracelet, Watch + Hat |

PG 19 | MCM Shearling Bag | ARTISTS' OWN Bra, Shorts + Scarf |

PG 20 | SPLENDID Racerback Turtleneck Sport Bra | ELIZABETH ACKERMAN Palazzo Palm Pants | DIANA ROSH FUR Olive + Blue Fur Coat | LOVE KNITZ Hat |

PG 21 | DIANA ROSH FUR Multicolor Coat | HAT ATTACK Arm Warmers | MIRA RAE Velvet Leggings | MCM Shearling Hat |

PG 22 | ROMPLY Blush Wrap Romper | HAT ATTACK Hat | LAGOS JEWELRY Ring | ARTISTS' OWN Bra |

PG 25 | ROMPLY Navy/Gold Tapestry Romper | NINA JEWELRY Swarovski Bangle | MCM Polke Backpack in Starry Eyed Bunny | ARTISTS' OWN Marcher Jacket |

Athleisure Mag readers know that a number of our shoots take place in luxury apartments that have yet to be released to the public or are being sold. We tend to maintain the privacy of the homeowners; however, this shoot was perfectly aligned as it took place at Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated songwriter/producer Desmond Child's home!

He is one of the most accomplished hit-makers, having written and produced more than eighty Billboard Top 40 hits spanning five decades including "Livin' On A Prayer”, “You Give Love A Bad Name”, “I Was Made For Lovin' You”, “Dude Looks Like A Lady”, “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” and “Waking Up In Vegas.” From Aerosmith to Zedd, his genre-defying collaborations also include Bon Jovi, KISS, Motley Crew, Joan Jett, Cher, Michael Bolton, Cyndi Lauper, Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Meat Loaf, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Sia, Mickey Mouse and Kermit the Frog, selling over 500 million records worldwide as well as downloads, YouTube views and streaming plays already in the billions. His upcoming autobiography LIVIN' ON A PRAYER: BIG SONGS BIG LIFE with David Ritz is scheduled for release the Fall 2018. Desmond Child was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008 and serves on its Board of Directors as well as the Board of ASCAP. In 2012 he co-founded the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and serves as its Chairman/CEO. He is also Chairman of The Fountains of Musica Foundation, who’s mission is to complete Alan LeQuire's aquatic bronze masterpiece MUSICA located at the entrance to Nashville’s Music Row.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It was an honor to shoot in your beautiful home and NERVO was very excited to see that they were in your apartment. Please share with our readers about how you got into the music business and whom you have worked with.

DESMOND CHILD: My beautiful mother, the late Cuban poet and Bolero composer Elena Casals, was always writing her romantic and soulful songs at her old upright piano on the dairy farm in Hawthorn, Florida, where I was born in 1953. At that time, I didn’t know that most people don’t write songs as a natural expression of the ups and downs of ordinary life. I would sit on my mother's lap at the piano and bang out long unrepeatable classical sounding improvisations. As soon as I could sit upright, she would make me play for her bohemian friends sitting around on the floor smoking and drinking during the Mad Men era when that was actually still good for you.

Not being able to afford a gift, I wrote my first official pop song titled “Birthday Blues” at the age of 15 in 1968 as a birthday tribute to a beautiful girl I was trying to impress named Laura
Stern. After that, I never looked back and kept writing songs all the way into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, where I was inducted into in 2008. That only took 40 years. ;)

ATHLEISURE MAG: Your home is awesome and there were so many elements that were amazing, but we all enjoyed your piano - when did you decide that you would have these notable talents sign your piano, and are there signatures that you have yet to get, but still
want to have in there?

DC: It was a random day, and I was walking down 57th Street, and when I got to the Steinway showroom, I looked through the window and saw this gorgeous Steinway D lit up like it was on a stage. I went in, sat down at it, and it seemed to just play itself. I ended up buying it on the spot, but I had to put it in storage for 2 years while my apartment was being renovated. When the time finally came to move-in the piano, I had to hire a crane to lift it up on its side in a massive wooden crate and slip it through the living room window.

It was an incredible feat that tied up Fifth Avenue traffic and pissed-off a lot of people.

As soon as I started doing writing sessions with top stars or important visitors, I would ask them to write their names in the piano along with the date. It started to get crowded in there and some names are completely unrecognizable, so I guess I will have to create a map of the stars to keep track of them all.

These are the names I would love to have in the piano: Joni Mitchell, Sir Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Sade, Imogen Heap, Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons, Beyonce & Jay Z, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry.

AM: Are there projects that you are working on that you can share with us?

DC: I am just putting the finishing touches on my auto-biography - LIVIN' ON A PRAYER: BIG SONGS BIG LIFE with David Ritz. I hope to release in the fall of 2018.

AM: What is currently on your playlist?

DC: I only play two records ever… AMOROSO by Jaoa Gilberto, produced by my dear late friend Tommy LiPuma, and Sade’s epic LOVE DELUX. Over the past 5 years I’ve added Concha Buika’s
rare but exquisite albums. Any other music I hear is by accident.

AM: With New Years Eve just around the corner, what's the perfect playlist that we should be creating to celebrate the end of 2017 and the start of 2018?

DC: Any of Amy Grants 5 Christmas albums. Amy is my husband Curtis’ favorite artist of all time…. It just ain’t Christmas without Amy Grant.

We enjoyed finding out more about Desmond Child and his home which is currently on the market. We sat down with Louise Phillips Forbes of Halstead properties to find out more about 1215 Fifth Avenue #8CD as well as the neighborhood it resides in.

ATHLEISURE MAG: There are so many great aspects to this apartment, from its layout to the INCREDIBLE views of Central Park - what can you tell us about this property?

LOUISE PHILIPS FORBES: What’s not to envy in this exceptional home?! It’s a full-floor combination apartment with panoramic views of Central Park that are breathtaking year-round, and an abundance of custom designer details like art-deco moldings and Venetian plaster walls. The grand and expansive formal living room is an entertainer’s dream with four large picture windows (manufactured by Hope's) facing west, high-beamed ceilings and a statuesque
wood-burning fireplace. Plus, the spectacular views carry through to the formal dining room. A peaceful retreat, the master suite also showcases the Central Park views and features superbly crafted built-ins and an oversized walk-in closet that resembles a luxury boutique. You can escape to the spa in the elegant Vitrolite tile and Terrazzo master bathroom with a deep soaking tub, double sink vanity, walk-in steam shower, and heated floors. But it's the park views that will transport you to another world. A culinary delight, the eat-in chef's kitchen is the heart of the home with an open design that includes a substantial casual dining/living and media area. Kitchen highlights are the sophisticated Terrazzo countertops, abundance of pantry storage cabinets, and high-end appliances. A coveted laundry room holds the side-by-side and full-size Miele washer and Asko dryer with a sink and storage. To top it off, there is a new state-of-the-art Lutron lighting system and Crestron integrated surround audio system with built-in
speakers all through the apartment. Two oversized bedrooms and a second full bathroom complete the home with through-wall AC's in every room and great closets throughout. It’s pretty close to perfect!

AM: What amenities are offered in this building for residents?

LFP: A pre-war treasure, the Brisbane House at 1215 Fifth Avenue was developed and built in 1928 by distinguished journalist and columnist for Hearst newspapers, Arthur Brisbane, and designed by the renowned architectural firm Schultze & Weaver. The beautiful 16-story limestone-and-caramel-brick building boasts an elegant lobby and full-service amenities, including 24-hour doorman, live-in superintendent, private courtyard, fitness area, central
laundry room, personal storage, bike storage, and pet-friendly attitude.

AM: Tell us about the neighborhood that is directly around this building and what neighborhood is this considered?

LFP: A premier residence nestled near Carnegie Hill, this elegant gem is conveniently located across from Central Park and along Museum Mile with easy access to world-class exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum, and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, among others. Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue
beckon with high-end boutique shopping and fine art galleries, plus there is an abundance of distinguished restaurants, charming cafes, gourmet grocers, supermarkets, Equinox Fitness
Club, the 92nd Street Y, and many popular retail destinations.

AM: For those that are interested in purchasing this unit, how can they find out more information?

LFP: It would be very easy to call this stunning apartment home given the grandeur of the rooms, designer details throughout, and abundance of Central Park views! To schedule an appointment, simply contact me directly and I will be happy to give you a private tour and discuss the purchasing details. You can reach me via email at lphillips@halstead.com or at 212-381-3329.

AM: Where can readers find out about additional properties that you represent?

LFP: Visit my website and click on the tab for “My Listings”. You can view pictures, 3D floor plans, and videos along with detailed descriptions of each property I’m working with from
downtown to uptown. The available homes range from a three-bedroom loft apartment in Tribeca to a 6-story grand townhouse on the Upper East Side.

Read more from the Dec Issue and see NERVO YORK in mag.

NEW YEAR, N3W YOU 2018

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

PHOTO COURTESY | Marco David

GIA MANTEGNA
ACTRESS
+
SINGER

PHOTO COURTESY | James Clark

THE GOOD

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

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

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

THE ADD

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

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

THE BUZZ

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

---

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

---

CAT CORA
CHEF
IRON CHEF
PERSONALITY
+
RESTAURATEUR

THE GOOD

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

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

THE ADD

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

THE BUZZ

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

---

PHOTO COURTESY | Sophy Holland

HOLLY RILINGER
CELEB FITNESS TRAINER
+
NIKE MASTER TRAINER

PHOTO COURTESY | Matt Doyle

THE GOOD

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

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

THE ADD

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

THE BUZZ

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

---

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

---

PHOTOS COURTESY | NBC Universal

TELLI SWIFT
E! WAGS ATLANTA

THE GOOD

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

THE ADD

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

THE BUZZ

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

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

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

ATHLEISURE MAG | HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2017

We're in the thick of the holiday gifting season which starts pretty much after Thanksgiving and continues well into the first few days of January. In Athleisure Mag's Holiday Gift Guide 2017, we are focusing on a number of gifting lifestyles to consider from Cocktails, Food, Fitness, Sexy Little Things, Traveling, Wellness and Beauty - just a number of the topics that you'll find in our monthly issues! In addition, we have added some of our favorite editorial photoshoots that have taken place this year and that you've seen in our issues.

THE COCKTAIL LOVER | ATH MAG HGG 2017

Every home should have a bar cart and options that include great ready made cocktails as well
as an interesting spirit that is a great conversation starter. We have some tasty items to gift
friends and family.

| JONATHAN ADLER Ultra Bar Cart | OL' MAJOR Bacon Flavoured Bourbon | WEST ELM Marble Bar Tools | ANTHROPOLOGIE Gilded Rim Stemless Glass | HALF-SEAS Paloma Sparkling Cocktails | VAMPIRE GOURMET Bloody Mary Cocktail with Vodka in a Can | BUSHIDO Way of the Warrior Sake in Can |

THE BEAUTY STOCKING | ATH MAG HGG 2017

Beauty products and stocking stuffers are the perfect pairing and we have a few that we wouldn't mind finding in our this holiday season.

| JURLIQUE Rosewater Balancing Mist | SOL DE JANEIRO Catch the Bum Bum Wave | ARTIS
BRUSH Fluenta Oval 7 | MAN RAY FOR NARS NARS Love Triangle - Impassioned | SMITH &
CULT Kings and Thieves | BIOLAGE 3Butter Contol System Day Cream |

THE FOODIE ON THE GO | ATH MAG HGG 2017

Whether you're snacking at home, at the office or on the go - we love culinary gifts that allow
us to try something new. We suggest some of these tasty finds.

| HIC OLIVE OIL Hic Collection - Aegean Olives | BETTER THAN COFFEE French Roast | PARMCRISPS Oven Baked Snacks | MANUKA HONEY CHOCOLATES Mint Dark Chocolate | SANAIA APPLE SAUCE Lychee | BLOUNT BOWLS Coconut Chicken and Noodle Bowl |

THE TRAVELER | ATH MAG HGG 2017

Travel takes on a number of forms from trains, planes and automobiles. Whether you're keeping
it local or going beyond your geographical borders - here's what you can gift your traveling
friends and family on your list.

| MAVEN Car Sharing Service | MEAT CRAFTERS Skinny Salamis | LIBERO FERRERO GI Dopp Kit | MONDAINE Helvetica No1 Light Fall 2017 | VICTORINOX VX Touring Expandable 2-in-1 Carry-On Duffle | LIFEWTR Bottled Water | CANON PowerShot G9 X Mark II |

FITNESS GOODIES | ATH MAG HGG 2017

We're constantly adding to our fitness kit. This is the bag of items that we always have on hand that work with whatever studio fitness we feel like doing as the mood strikes. Here's what we're gifting this holiday season!

| DRISOUND Premium Headphone Covers | STELLA MCCARTNEY Red Hot Yoga Shorts | OUTDOOR VOICES Athena Crop | TOE TALK Mind Body Sock | DOPE Melonaid | REEBOK
Combat Glory Hoodie |

WELLNESS GIFTS | ATH MAG HGG 2017

Sometimes you just want to kick back and relax. We have the perfect wellness items that are on our list when adding to must have self-care options that will get you though cabin fever and "me time".

| ANYA LUST Champagne Bath Gift Set (Candle, Bath Bomb and Whipped Body Butter) | VIM
+ VIGR Compression Socks | BERNARDO Miami Shearling | WE ARE KNITTERS Downtown
Snood | TIVOLI AUDIO Model One Digital Bluetooth Speaker Radio | FLEUR'T WITH ME Athletic Mesh Inset Hoodie |

SEXY LITTLE THINGS | ATH MAG HGG 2017

When it comes to all facets of your life getting gifted, you can't forget a few sexy little things to add to your closet. We have some great options to add to your boudoir (oh and others who are on your list).

| KARL K/ikonik Tie Gloves | BUDDHA MAMA 20K Mandala Necklace | CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Rouge Louboutin Velvet Matte | BIJOUX INDISCRETS Maze Collection - Head Piece | JIMMY CHOO Viola 110 | PARFAIT LINGERIE Marion Non-Padded Underwire Bra and Hipster in Lapis
Blue |

HOSTESS GIFTS | ATH MAG HGG 2017

You can't forget your host/hostess whether you're coming over for a fabulous dinner, they plan events that you enjoy attending or they're gracious to have you at their summer or winter homes. Don't come empty handed!

| IITTALA Kastehelmi Tealight Candleholders | CHILEWICH Dahlia Coasters Set of 6 | ROYAL
COPENHAGEN Fluted Contrast Mug | IRONWOOD Baguette Miter | ALESSI Pill Box Chestnut
| NEUHAUS When Neuhaus Meets Single Malt Whisky Luxury Gift Box |

Read more from the Dec Issue and see Athleisure Mag | Holiday Gift Guide 2017

COACH SS18 CAMPAIGN

Yes it's getting colder and we're just at the beginning but that doesn't mean that we're not planning for the warmth of SS18! Coach just dropped their global campaign for Spring 18 which was created by photographer Steven Meisel who brought fashion stylist Karl Templer, creative design by Fabien Baron, makeup by Pat McGrath and hair by Guido Palau. The campaign includes the brand's bags, RTW, footwear and watches. You can see a short film of the brand's outtakes across it's digital channels. 

Stuart Vevers, Coach's Creative Director looked to Keith Haring for inspiration for this collection and partnered with Artestar, the agency that represents the late artist exclusively. "With Coach Signature... we've taken the familiar and subverted it with a downtown attitude - the unexpected juxtaposition feels very much for today."

TRUFFLE BEAUTY

When you say truffles, you think about how they pair well in butters, salts, popcorn or you favorite steaks. But did you know that in beauty, this leaves your hair and skin so soft? Here are our faves.

| SKIN & CO Umbrian Truffle Hand Cream | MMXV INFINITUDE Universal Facial Treatment | PHILIP B. White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo |

ON THE FIELD WITH ASHLEY BUSCH

When you think about elite sports that involve grace and agility, polo comes to mind. We had the opportunity to chat with Ashley Busch, who not only plays polo for the US team, but she is also the global brand ambassador of the United States Polo Association as well as a model for Wilhelmina. We chat about her career, how she balances her life with her husband and NASCAR driver, Kurt Busch, as well as her new swim line that will make its debut in 2018. 

ATHLEISURE MAG: How did you get into Polo and how did this culminate in you becoming the face of the United States Polo Association (USPA) as their global brand ambassador?

ASHLEY BUSCH: I started riding at age 5 where I showed Hunters. When I was 11, I went to a polo school that was in Middleburg, VA. After my first lesson, I fell in love with Polo and have been playing for the past 16 years. As far as the brand ambassadorship with USPA, I previously have done several campaigns for them, in the past, as the brand likes to use actual polo players because it represents authenticity. After building my relationship with USPA and gaining notoriety as a female player, they decided to choose me as their first ambassador.

AM: What are takeaways that you have from Polo that can become keys to living a quality life day to day?

AB: The commitment it takes to be a competitive polo player can be parlayed into several aspects of daily life. Such as physical fitness, motivation, consistency, nutrition and learning that you "win some and you lose some." 

AM: Tell us about the US Eastern Circuit Polo Team.

AB: The US Eastern Polo Team was a team that myself and a few other American players brought to England to play against the British Armed Forces where it was a series of 3 tournaments played at Sandhurst Military Academy, Coworth and Guards Polo Clubs. The US Team was able to defeat the British. 

AM: We love swimwear and want to know more about how this became your passion and how you came to collaborate with La Isla's Founder and CEO Enrique Sanchez-Rivera.

AB: Another passion of mine has been fashion design and I used to collect swimwear. Enrique is a fellow polo player and has his own swimwear line called La Isla. He also does private label manufacturing, so after speaking with him about the highlights of being involved in design and swimwear, we decided to work together.
 

AM: What can you tell us about this upcoming line and will you be showing at Miami Fashion Week this year?

AB: I decided to create my own brand and hired his company to do the private label for me. I don't want to give away too many details about my upcoming line, but it will be similar to the Aqua Bendita swimwear line. My line will have a variety of price points and will be made for all shapes and sizes. My goal is to be showing at Miami Fashion Week. 

AM: A portion of the proceeds will go to which causes?

AB: I haven't selected which causes, as it may be a different one each season or may choose several causes to divide among. Hospice, Children’s Hospital, Cancer Research, Humane Society, Horse Welfare, our Military, etc. are all causes I am passionate about!
 

AM: How is it juggling your busy schedule as a model, USPA Ambassador, designer and the wife of NASCAR champion, Kurt Busch?

AB: It is definitely a lot to juggle, but Kurt and I have a commitment to make time for one another, family and friends. My tip to all trying to juggle a busy schedule is to try to take each day with a positive mindset and fresh start.

AM: Clearly, health and fitness are important to you, what are your go-to foods that you enjoy eating for energy?

AB: Depending on what the day may entail my foods may change. I try to look at food as fuel and how my body responds to it. I enjoy high protein meals that include veggies and quinoa or other high protein grains. Snacks include protein balls & protein shakes, apples with natural peanut butter & yogurts for when I need a fast option. I also avoid alcohol for optimal energy before games and trainings. 

AM: With the holidays coming up, many people want great arms and legs which look great in cocktail dresses - what would you suggest adding into your routine in terms of working out?

AB: My trainer, Molly Deaton, is doing lots of bodyweight exercises with low weight. We always start with variations of plank to warm up along with pull-ups & pushups. She has me do something different things each training session, but we use the TRX a lot along with isolated holds for abs and legs. If you are looking for some great toning workouts check out some local classes that are offered in your community. It is a great way to work with a professional who can help you achieve those goals and have fun while getting in shape!

AM: Are there any other fitness methods that you do? 

AB: I've recently gotten into Air Silks. It is probably the hardest workout I've ever done but is so much fun. Kurt and I also enjoy working out together. 
 

Read more from the Nov Issue and see On the Field with Ashley Busch in mag.

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN X STAR WARS

In a galaxy not so far away, Christian Louboutin who is known for not only making covet-worthy shoes but also putting his own take thematically in shoes sat down Disney and Lucasfilm to create heels for the four leading ladies of The Last Jedi - Rey, Admiral Holdo, Captain Phasma and Rose Tico.

Rose Tico

As a maintenance worker in the Resistance, her design includes utilitarian details, as told by the block heel surrounding an inner stiletto, and a sandy ribbon ankle strap reminiscent of the color of her uniform.

You can bid on these shoes from now to December 20th with benefits going to Starlight Children's Foundation, which supports critically ill children in hospitals, on behalf of Star Wars: Force for Change.

Rey

This shoe features a leather wrap ankle strap inspired by the belt on her costume. The translucent straps are a nod to "her Jedi powers and the Force she embodies," the brand said in a statement. The tiny blue brass hue on the heel is a tribute to her lightsaber.

The winning bid for each of these shoes which are signed by the designer AS WELL AS the Star Wars actress isn't all that they will receive! The winner will receive an additional pair of shoes and a chance to visit Lucasfilm headquarters, tour the studio, and view a special screening of The Last Jedi in San Francisco on January 16. (travel and accommodations are not included.) The bids currently range from $2,000 to $3,250, but the packages have an estimated value of $10,000 each. There is another item that is being added to the auction on Dec 9th and will be unveiled at the movie premiere (they will be guarded by a pair of Praetorian Guards clad in glossy red armor). The shoe is inspired by the film and Louboutin's extreme Ballerina Ultima heel.

Captain Phasma

This silver style showcases sleek lines and metallic color scheme. The criss-crossing straps imitate the curves of her armor.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in theaters on December 15.

Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo

This regally plum pump is inspired by the Vice Admiral who rocks lavender hair in the film. The drapery on the shoe mimics the fabric of her costume.

GET THE FACTS | LOW BEAUTY

The world of makeup artistry is ever changing from following trends, making new ones and seeing what exists within the cosmetic and skincare industries. We had a chance to chat with Karim Orange on celebs that she has worked on, her about new line that she has collaborated with via Vapour Organic Beauty, being a Low Beauty Makeup Artist and what that means in a world where we are navigating green, non-animal tested products, sustainable as well as other products.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background and how you became a Makeup Artist.

KARIM ORANGE:I have been a professional make up artist for over 25 years. When I was younger I always loved the beautiful girls in the magazines with makeup on. They always looked so happy. I started as an assistant to another celebrity makeup artist. We worked on over 100 videos a year in the early 90s. My big break was touring with Mary J Blige. After that I beat out 23 other make up artists for my spot at The View. This is where I received my two Emmy nominations.

AM: Who are celebrities or projects that you have worked on that we would know?

KO:  I worked on The View and with artists like Jay Z, Nas, Sean Puffy Combs,  Lauren Hill, Rosario Dawson, Goldie Hawn, Mary J. Blige, Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, The Dixie chicks, Deepak Chopra, I've even done Donald Trump's makeup. 

AM: How did Inner Orange come about (from it's name, your partnership with Vapour etc)? 

KO: Vapor Organic Beauty and I have been working together in different capacities for over five years. I have always respected them as a brand because they have always been inclusive of all shades. The name Inner Orange is of course a play on my last name. I find that orange, the color, usually makes people feel excited. The sun has hues of orange, changing leaves have beautiful tones of orange. Some amazing foods are orange. Orange makes you glow. Inner Orange is about glowing strong in whatever-you do, and the colors in the collection reflect a 'glow strong' attitude.

AM: What products are currently in Inner Orange and what are your plans for this portion of the line in terms of extending the product range? 

KO: Inner Orange currently consists of two collections. The first collection is called Spark and it's for light to medium skin-tones. It consists of peachy and soft gold neutral tones. The Crave collection consists of warm burnt orange shades and rich chocolate browns. It is more for medium to darker shades. Inner Orange will continue to develop with Vapor Organic Beauty. You will see the addition of seasonal colors and products to support the crave and spark collection, giving you more possibilities. 

You will also see additional products under the Inner Orange umbrella. The next product is a synergistic essential oil blend called Inner Orange, which will be available in January on the Inner Orange website. 
 

AM: When we talked with you at the event, you explained that you're a Low Beauty makeup artist - can you explain more about what this and misconceptions that people may have on this title/category?

KO: Over the years I have seen the words clean, green, organic, sustainable, natural all used to describe more conscious personal care products. These are the words that I have used to describe personal care products. Recently, I have thought about what it is that I do. What it is that I would like to teach women. It became a concept that I have personally coined to describe my practice which I call 'Low' Beauty. It's very easy for the average person to understand. Everyone likes things in life that are low! Low mortgage rates, low-risk activities, low pesticides in food.

Low beauty is three basic steps and rules, that I try to follow.

*As a makeup artist, I try to use the minimum amount of products to get maximum results. When I teach a woman how to do their make up I try and make it as simple as possible. If she is currently using 10 products I try to get it down to five or six. 

*I also try to introduce products with low undesirable ingredients. 

*Lastly I try to pick products with low carbon footprints. Sometimes the low carbon footprint part can have shades of grey. 

AM: How did your journey to being a Low Beauty artist come about? 

KO: My journey as a low beauty make up artist came about by trial and error. Using minimal products came about on a tour with Mary J Blige. At the time, Mary had her own makeup kit that I was using. Somehow her make up kit got left behind at the last venue. That night I had to do Mary's make up with a few products. It taught me how to be a minimalist. Also working on The View (live television), where you have no extra time for extra products, confirmed my minimalistic approach. 

The need to use products with low undesirable ingredients came about through my personal nightmare. A lipstick that I had been using every day for years sent me to the emergency room because of a sudden allergic reaction. I didn't wear lipstick for almost 10 years after this. I also started making the connection between women and autoimmune disease and what we put in our bodies. There are so many women that have reactions to something they have been using every day. The body one day says that's enough, and makes the immune system go haywire. I was lucky that my reaction happened on the outside of my body immediately. I was able to stop using the product, a lot of women are not so lucky when symptoms happen internally. 

The low carbon footprint aspect can be a bit overwhelming. While I understand that sometimes companies can't do everything right, they should still make an effort not to intentionally incorporate practices that are wrong and harm the earth or animals. They should support sustainable practices and know every element of their manufacturing. 

AM: There is a growing conversation among many about the need to transition a number of beauty products from those that are chemically based to those that have less as well as those that have not been tested on animals.

What products swaps do you suggest for mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, foundation, eyeshadow, cleansers, toners, moisturizer etc. Are there any products that you suggest that people continue to use that may not be Low Beauty oriented but are safe to use?

KO: You're trying to get me in trouble with this question (lol). I believe in education not scare tactics because I'm a magician, not a preacher. I encourage women to switch three products first - their lipstick because they eat it. Their body lotion because your skin is the biggest elimination organ in the body, and your nail polish because the nail beds are so porous and traditional nail products are so toxic.

Let's also remember that I am a makeup artist and I love makeup. I still follow the trends and products in traditional makeup. I have to relate to any woman that comes to me for a consultation. I have to understand what she is using and why.

So, if you come to me as a virgin when it comes to owning cleaner versions of beauty products, I'm going to be very gentle with my recommendations. My first step is to educate you and get you out of any lipstick that has toxic ingredients. With that being said if you're addicted to your Dior Show mascara (which I know is fabulous) I'm going to say enjoy it and tackle other things (first things first). 

Here are some of my favorite products (yes they all fall under Low Beauty lol)

Mascara: Mineral Fusion and Gabriel Cosmetics 

Eyeliner: Zuzu Luxe (they have a ton of fabulous colors and shades, for both eyeliners and lip liners). 

Lipstick: Any color you love that's nontoxic. 

Foundation: I love Vapour and Mineral Fusion in liquid formulas. (they offer so many varieties and formulations). I also like Au Naturale sticks and ZuZu Luxe for powder. 

Eyeshadow: Most mineral shadows are ok. Just make sure they are not made in a country that tests on animals. Also, try and find some that contain no FD & C Dyes. 

Cleansers, Moisturizers, Toners: Try brands like Indie Lee, Kimberly Sayer, Dr. Hascka and Even Healy. All of these brands are amazing.

Read more from the Nov issue and see Get The Facts | Low Beauty in mag.

TURN ON THE LIGHTS

"You can't know where you are going, until you know where you have been." This quote always seems to take on more meeting when we find out the varied paths that people get to where they want to be. We sat down with Lights (Warner Bros Records) to find out how she got into the industry, her upcoming tour next year, her new Skin&Earth album, which also includes a series of comic books, her favorite travel destinations and how she defines balance as a songwriter, performer, wife and mother.

ATHLEISURE MAG: How did you get into the music industry – tell us a little bit about your journey.

LIGHTS: That’s a loaded question! I started out having no idea about how to get into the industry and I don’t think that anybody does. And there really isn’t one specific way to do it. I
think at the beginning, I had a pretty skewed view of how it was to be done and how it would pan out. I did music because I loved it and I started writing songs when I was 11 – I had my little
8-tracks and I started producing when I was 13. By the time I was 15, I had multiple albums of music and at that time, it was before MySpace, Peer Volume or YouTube and there was no place to put it. You actually did have to have a way in. So I enter contests like songwriting
contests, local singing contests and stuff – just to see what would happen.

Randomly, my way in came. My mom worked at Walmart. She was an employee, so you could be in the flyer. We took a picture which they selected and we had the opportunity to be in
the flyer. The photo I sent in had me with a guitar and they picked me. They came to my town and shot some pictures of me and a few other locals for the Walmart flyer. I got $30 and modeled their turtleneck – it was great. So the makeup artist said, “oh the picture that you sent in with you in the guitar – do you actually play?” I was like, “Yeah, I have a whole EP.” I was like 14 or 15 at the time. So he asked me to sing for them and I did a Mariah Carey song in the trailer and he asked me to bring the EP by his hotel, which I did and then he brought it to his friend who was in the industry that happened to be coming into the area later that summer for a
festival and he ended up becoming my manager. We worked on the music for a couple of years and then shopped it to the labels and then a couple of years later, I got a development deal with Sony and then I made some connections in the industry and 2 years after I was dropped from the development deal, I got signed to publishing which is songwriting for TV shows as well as working on my own music with sessions with other writers.

At this time MySpace came along and that’s when I was able to put my stuff up and everything changed. It wasn’t the label that launched my career but an online platform that allowed other
people to have access to me. Then Old Navy used a couple of my songs in their campaigns and that is when other people found out about me and then I got signed on from there at 19 with Warner – everything went from there!

AM: We never figured that Walmart would play into this story!

L: You never know where your break is going to come from! The most important thing is to do what you love and to take the opportunities that present themselves. You never know where it
will lead to! With that said, many people ask me what way they can get into the industry and I tell them that they have what they need right in front of them as the access is online to get your music out there!

AM: We’re beyond bummed that we missed your show here in NYC earlier this month, but what can we expect when we go to a Lights show and what kind of music is it that you are doing?

L: It’s really about putting my shows into a story arc and that’s even more imperative now with the comic that comes with the record as we will be implementing that into the next tour. It's an emotional journey and it starts out energetic as I want to make sure that everyone is comfortable and singing along. My favorite part is to see that in a show and then I like to break it down to more of an intimate tone and then end it on a high note. Set lists are always really well thought out. People should come ready to dance and ready to sing and of course there are cool lights – literally, which is really cool.

AM: What is your personal style in terms of dressing at your shows versus out and about with you and your family?

L: It’s interesting how I dress for a show isn’t too far from how I dress day to day, it’s just more amped up. It’s more extreme and over the years, I have come to know that how I dress really affects how I walk and how I am on stage. I need to feel empowered and I need to feel like a woman. It’s somewhere between Lara Croft from Tomb Raider with short shorts and big boots – I always wear big boots and big socks even in the summertime. I love a crop top that channels my whole Anime Manga face with the bright hair. I like a little spice of fantasy mixed in with a bit of a warrior.

AM: Obviously you are extremely talented, how did the comic book into this portion of your music as well?

L: I have always loved comics and have been reading them for years. I think that comics, like music is one of those forms of entertainment that all the fans want to become the creators.
Once you read comments you want to make it, you want to try it – to create the content. I have always wanted to do it and it has been a dream of mine for a long time. Part of that dream has
been wanting to see out in that world a music comic project, by a woman. It just didn’t exist and there were a few things here and there and even with dudes, it wasn’t that common. So I
wondered, when is a girl going to do this? One day I was like, “why can’t it be you – get to your computer girl!”

I shrugged off the fears of not knowing how to do it as I think that is one of the major factors that holds us back from doing what we want to do because we feel that we don’t know how
to do it. I just taught myself how to do it! I did the research, I got the books - went online and watched webinars and tutorials and I just had to start from somewhere. I have seen my dreams come true in putting this together over the last year. It’s just been amazing. I did a lot of work – I write it, draw it, render it, color it, package it and ship it! I send it to the publisher and it’s from my heart and mind and it’s so cool to see it all come together!

AM: That is so cool so do you go to Comic Con with this?

L: Yeah! I have always gone to Con as a fan and last year I was at Toronto Fan X which I have gone to for 10 years as a fan. This year, I was there as a guest with a professional pass and people were CosPlaying as my character! It was so awesome!

AM: This is so inspiring and once again, we’re bummed that we didn’t see you tour!

L: Well, when we came through the fall last year, it was a shorter set as we were supporting Paris but next Feb/March when we come through, it will be a full production experience and a
full set! It will be directly related to the comic.

AM: Obviously you travel a lot, what are some of your favorite places that you love going to?

L: Oh one of my favorite cities to go to is Amsterdam! Everywhere you look is an Instagram shot – it’s so scenic and there are flowers all over the place. It’s gorgeous and I have even more of an appreciation for it especially doing the comics – as an artist now. You have to do studies and backgrounds in art and lighting. I’ve noticed things in the environment that I would have never noticed before like the way a shadow falls – so you notice your surroundings more and Amsterdam is one of those cities that everywhere you look it’s picturesque and inspiring. Another area is Mexico – I love the beaches and it's one of my favorite places in the world.
I grew up traveling and last year, my husband and I went to Thailand and explored the jungles and then we went to Tokyo – that trip itself was a bit of a catalyst that made me really want to
do the comic and a month later I was drawing!

AM: We love Tokyo, being there really changed the way we looked at things for sure!

L: I know – when I got there I was like, “I want to do music and have it played here – how can I make this happen?” So, we have Giants in four different languages and Japanese is one of them!

AM: This holiday season, are you doing a lot of performances, will you be doing festivals for 2018?

L: Yeah it’s going to be a festival summer this year I think and our tour is 2.5 months in the spring with the festivals in the summer and then touring in the fall. The final issue of the comic comes out next month and then we will be packaging it into a graphic novel and then will tour on that in comic shops which will be some pretty cool stuff on that as well.

AM: Clearly your busy, how do you take time for yourself – are you a yogi – what do you do?

L: I do a bit of that. It’s all just balance. I’ve learned a lot over the years and still have a lot to learn about getting work done and taking time. I mean it’s not about saying I’m going to work here this week and then take time out here on this day. There was a time in my life, that I thought that was the way to do it. Instead it’s more like, today I am going to work 4-5 hours and then have dinner with my kid or spend some time tonight to do whatever. Everyday is in
front of you so you need to take the time daily you need to do the work but you need to take the time. I mean life moves and we spend so much of our time waiting for life to happen and
it’s right now and we need to enjoy it while getting stuff done.

AM: What would you like to share with Athleisure Mag’s readers that you may not have been able to share?

L: I’d say check out the album …… it’s my Opus and the greatest thing that I have done so far and I’m proud of it. Listen to the music on its own, read the comic on it’s own and then do so
together – it’s a totally augmented experience and check out the Instagram page @SkinAndEarthWorld – it’s a map of the world from within the comic and its interactive - click through the various accounts and explore the world and go to different locations and find hidden song clips. It’s just a fun way to experience the world without having to pay for anything right now.