BINGELY BOOKS

TACO! TACO! TACO! THE ULTIMATE TACO COOKBOOK

Hatherleigh Press

Sara Haas

How can you not enjoy amazing tacos and pair it with your beverage of choice? We're loving this cookbook which has over 100 recipes so that you can take Taco Tuesday to the next level! This dish is very versatile and in that vein, you'll find recipes that include your classics as well as twists that include: Chicken Shawarma Tacos, Italian Meatball Tacos, BBQ Skirt Steak Tacos, Grilled Coriander Shrimp Tacos, Cumin Chickpea Tacos, Mediterranean Veggie Tacos, Pork Tinga Slow Cooker Tacos, Sesame Bok Choy Tacos, Cinnamon French Toast Tacos, S'mores Tacos, Yogurt Flatbreads, and many more that will keep your tastebuds guessing.

With its simple to read style, it will encourage you to think outside of the box as your create these dishes and allows you to get a bit inventive as well.

BETWEEN HARLEM AND HEAVEN: AFRO-ASIAN-AMERICAN COOKING FOR BIG NIGHTS, WEEKNIGHTS, AND EVERY DAY

Flatiron Books

Alexander Smalls, JJ Johnson, Veronica Chamber

Between Harlem and Heaven showcases the cuisine of Afro-Asian-American cuisine which has a major influence by the African Diaspora which has impacted global dishes. By illustrating that food transcends borders from a culinary period of time400 years ago, surviving the Middle Passage and its ability to be influences by Asian fare.

With over 100 recipes in this book, the authors showcase how African, African American and Asian foods have culinary intersectionality. This con-fluence of flavors found its way to Harlem. Recipes include mains, sides, sauces, marinades, punches and more than can be enjoyed every day.

LOVE & LEMONS EVERY DAY: MORE THAN 100 BRIGHT, PLANT FORWARD RECIPES FOR EVERY MEAL: A COOKBOOK

Avery

Jeanine Donofrio

Jeanine is known for her flavorful vegetable recipes and has compiled them in a book of more than 100 options that you can include in your next meal. She shares how they can be used in any meal starting with breakfast and ending in dessert.

With an approachable way to work with these ingredients, you'll also learn about eating healthier and being happy doing so. In terms of not wasting what you're working with, you'll learn how you can incorporate cauliflower cores, corn cobs and broccoli stalks.

You'll also find go to additions into your weekly meals like learning how to make essential vegetable broths. You'll also be able to navigate your meals with cooking tips that become your go-to, checking out alternatives for dietary restrictions and is a great bridge between those that are herbivores and omnivores.

Read Athleisure Mag Dec Issue #60 and see Bingely Books in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM

Netflix Originals

Netflix

Netflix Originals brings the story of the Mother of the Blues, Ma Rainey, to showcase how she trailblazed in the industry. Based on the play written by August Wilson. The film where Viola Davis stars as Ma Rainey as well as Chad Boseman's final film as Levee Green, the band's trumpeter. The film tackles artistic control, commercial exploitation, and racism in various forms from systematic to violent.

Most of the scenes take place in a recording studio in Chicago in 1927 where the band shares stories that lets you know about their journey, the lies, truths and how their decisions led them to where they ended up.

FROM NOW

QCode

Apple Podcast

We've been fans of QCode's podcast for awhile now so when we heard that Richard Madden (Bodyguard) and Brian Cox (HBO's Succession) would be starring in this scripted sci-fi podcast, we made sure to add this to our list. The first episode introduces us to the USS Hope a spaceship that vanished for 35 years and then came back to earth. The lone survivor leaves the carrier and is the same age as when he left! His brother, voiced by Cox and is his twin and has a one-on-one meeting with them.

The meeting allows them to reconcile and although it was a pleasant exchange, it turn a bit dark as they uncover information that can threaten their relationship from sibling rivalry, family loyalty, technological advances, the future of space exploration, climate change, human adaptation and how we process time individually.

CATFISH

Wondery + MTV

Spotify

We enjoy seeing Catfish where Nev Schulman brings interested parties together to find out if they are who they say they are, if they are compatible to stay together or if they have other issues that they need to figure out. Nev has also shown us how we can go about protecting our digital spaces and interactions so that we can safeguard ourselves from those that may not have our best interests as heart. If you've enjoyed seeing the movie that started it all and the weekly TV show, you can now listen to some of the most shocking episodes on this podcast.

MTV partnered with Wondery to take some of the best episodes from the TV show and to make it an auditory experience as we navigate those being catfished. As this show just began, we love that Max is in these episodes. In listening to the first few episodes, you can hear the best of the actual show as well as voiceovers to connect portions of the episode in terms of describing the person that they are working with so that you have a full picture on what's taking place.

Read the Athleisure Mag Dec Issue #60 and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | WINONA'S

Winona’s launched last month in Williamsburg, BK. With a nod to this fam-ily owned business with British roots. It has a focus on clean flavors and locally sourced ingredients.

They serve breakfast and lunch in the café with dishes such as Smoked Salmon Tartine with smoked whitefish spread, pickled beets, scallion crème fraiche and everything bagel spice on rye bread; Lamb Meatballs with harissa tomato sauce, feta, labne and cilantro, served with grilled flatbread; and Nduja Grilled Cheese, aged cheddar, gruyere and garlicky broccoli rabe on sourdough.

At night, they transform into a wine bar featuring small plates including Anchovy Toast with pepitas and parsley; Chicken Liver Pâté served with pickled red onion and grilled bread; and Lamb Belly Fritters with mint yogurt and Aleppo dust.

There are also vegan and vegetarian options! For Breakfast, their oat-meal is 100% vegan, as is the avocado toast which can be prepare without the feta, vegetarians can enjoy the Brioche toast as well as the BreakfastSandwich and have the option to add avocado if they desire. For Lunch, if a vegan guest would like the grain bowl, they simply leave off the egg garnish and it is good to go. Vegetarians can also enjoy our Mushroom Risotto and Little Gem Lettuce Salad as well as the Tortilla Espanola which is available all day (tip - this is in their 'secret all day menu' along with the Scotch Egg).

The cocktails are delicious and each have their own little vibe so it depends on what you're in the mood for or what your go to beverage would be. For those who are Negroni lovers and Mezcal heads, the Spice & Smoke - a beautiful marriage of the two - equal parts smoky, bitter with a touch of chipotle is perfect. Right now, their warm cocktails - the Chamomile Hot Toddy and the Brown Buttered Rum - are everything. All cocktails are classic in essence but with a little interesting twist which makes them feel fresh and exciting yet still familiar.

All of Winona's wines are 'natural' and they seek producers who are employing organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyard and low intervention from the time of harvest. They are constantly adding to their growing as-sortments of wine.

Winona's is available on Seamless and DoorDash (and soon on Caviar), people can also order directly from their website for pick up and during week-days. Their radius for third-party delivery apps extends into Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy and Bushwick. In addition, their wines, cocktails and beers are also available to go. Their full bottle list is available to view and order on their website and all wines are priced at retail.

WINONA'S

676 Flushing AveBrooklyn, NY11206

www.winonasbk.com

IG @winonasbk

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | WInona’s in mag.

STYLE FILES | SS21

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see Style Files | SS21 in mag.

CONNECTION MATTERS WITH JEN WIDERSTROM

We've all had many stories to share about this year and looking into next year which is par for the course when it comes to this time of year. Of course with what we have gone through this year as a global community, stepping into 2021 in the most optimized way is definitely something that we're looking to do around the office of Athleisure Mag! That entails a series of efforts that combine mind, body and soul.

We caught up with one of our favorites Jen Widerstrom Celebrity Fitness Trainer, TV Personality, Best Selling Author, Entrepreneur and Fitness Expert who we have enjoyed since seeing her as Phoenix on NBC's American Gladiators, the undefeated trainer on NBC's The Biggest Loser, as a bestselling author and having the ability to take classes led by her in years past. Her approach to motivating people and joining her clients journey in their transformation is no surprise to us!

We're looking forward to taking her 60 day challenge with Transformation Protein beginning Jan 5th - Mar 5th to hit our goals and prepare to be our best selves in 2021. We talk with Jen about how she got into the industry, how she navigated the landscape, the importance of mentorship and being inspired and giving back to others.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We know that you love being able to engage and help people. Can you tell us how you found your way into the fitness industry?

JEN WIDERSTROM: You know, it was such an accident girl! I was always involved in sports growing up and we always had a set of weights in the basement. We still do! Movement was a part of my life and my parents who are in their 70’s have their own garden plot. They grow their own vegetables. Being physical was always present early on but fitness was different. I was working out for performance in a sport or to look good for TV for American Gladiators and stuff like that. What really happened was that I came to LA after American Gladiators in 2008, I said, "I've made it. I am famous, this is great." I was 24 and I was in the greenest pasture right now. The show went off the air and I didn’t have any money to stay. I started teaching classes at this local little fitness studio called Pulse Fitness Studio that’s here in Sherman Oaks. They’re still rocking and rolling. It was great because I could have a free gym membership as I couldn’t afford one in LA and I had no money. I needed to pay my bills and I needed a gym membership.

That was it. I started out of reasons for necessity – financial. Then, I just realized that i wasn’t just about the weight loss but the pride in being able to see the changes and the person that came along with movement. I saw them just being able to open up and just starting to see what a beautiful motivator this was right? The ability to accomplish and to do. Waistlines will always change as that’s a side effect of the real work and when I saw that, I never looked back. I thought, “oh my gosh, there’s an impact here that’s far greater then I have ever given credit for.” Doing the group classes in the valley, turned into doing DVD’s for Men’s and Women’s Health to being a MSN Health person to being on NBC’s The Biggest Loser. I’ve been very lucky and honestly, that’s just where it started.

AM: We remember when you were Phoenix on American Gladiator! How was it to be on such a physical show?

JW: Headline – dream come true! You have to realize that I was born in 1982. I mean we’re talking about Zap, Jazz – these fit strong women and then you’ve got Gemini and Nitro – who’s better than Nitro – Dan Clark was great! I was just obsessed and I always wanted to be a contestant – always wanted to be on the show. I think that I have been a Gladiator 3 times for Halloween. When I actually got to do the show, I really felt that I had made it, I could literally die happy and that I got to do everything that I wanted to be able to do. It was a blast and it was special for a number of reasons. I met some incredible people. Very few times does a cast and production meld so well together. Dave Hurwitz was our producer and he had been doing MTV’s Fear Factor and he was such a class act. All of the people like former MMA fighter Gina Carano, known as Crush (Deadpool, Fast & Furious 6, The Mandalorian) and Beth Horn known as Venom, Valerie Waugaman known as Siren – all the women were just wonderful people. They were great in the industry and everybody was somebody. Hollywood Yates known as Wolf, was a professional rodeo clown. We had stunt people and then there was me. I was like, “I’m a bartender in Chicago.” I had no idea how I got this job and I was excited.

But it was good and there was a lot of pressure! These were live tapings and you didn’t get redo’s. So you’re out there and you’re in the rings with contestants. If they get by you, you look dumb! There was real pressure and there was no faking it. We really got after it so it was a lot of fun, but it was a lot of intense competition – no doubt!

AM: Obviously on the Biggest Loser, why did you like being on this show? Once again, it was great watching you on this show as the amount of care that you gave and the fact that you were an undefeated trainer is mindblogging.

JW: It’s funny because it was a scary show. There was no other biggest show in our field. What I loved about it was the people – my contestants and also those that were on the other teams as well. I realized very quickly that I wasn’t here to fill Jillian Michael’s shoes, to replicate what Bob Harper has done – I had to do me. I mean talk about a formula for life – do you and that’s scary you know. Will you like me, will I be invited to the birthday party? Am I accepted for who I am and what I have shared? I was really scared because I had not been on TV in that way and I had never been in that scenario. The one thing that I knew was that if I put my people first, if they were my focus it would be right. If you ask anyone that I have trained in the decades that I have worked, ask anyone and they would tell you the same that my contestants would – they were my focus and I just knew that the rest would take care of itself. People were able to see my care and my heart and that came across the screen so clearly. I said, do whatever you want with the cameras. I still talk to them every day. I have group threads with all of my teams and we’ll do little challenges like Team Jen versus Team Jen. Colby and Hope Wright (Biggest Loser Season 17), they were contestants on the show and they were struggling to get pregnant before their show and they just had their first child. I love being involved in their lives and when I have had hard days, I can call them and they are truly family to me. That really comes down to the favorite part – the relationships that I made were real and now they’re in their own lives and the effects continue to ripple in their own communities of wellness and being able to inspire others.

AM: How would you define your approach or methodologies that you use when it comes to training your clients whether it’s in person or virtually?

JW: I think that for me, I don’t know when this happened, but at some point health and weight loss got hard and confusing. That happens in media because it’s sales and marketing and people want you to be able to buy their stuff and my approach is, take away the mystery, take away the fear and just really show people, base line health. It’s not very hard to take care of yourself and people get very nervous about failure and I just take the judgement away. There’s no judgment, there’s nothing to be afraid of and I really teach people to be students of the experience and of themselves. I start there because the rest takes care of itself.

Think about a kid learning to do a cartwheel. How many times do they do a cartwheel before they actually get it? They may never get it, but they never stop trying. They’re not judging themselves and I thought that we had to bring that back. The ability to say, “hey, I’m not a failure, I’m learning and I’m trying.” The way that I actually equate it which really helped me is that I used to be really fluent in Spanish and of course, I forgot everything. When I started to teach myself again, I was feeling stupid because my pronunciation was off or I wasn’t conjugating correctly or I said “la” when it should have been “el” – the fear of trying and looking foolish with the language became a light bulb for me with health and weight loss. They’re afraid of looking foolish and afraid to tell their friends that they are doing to do this now – going to the gym. People aren’t looking for you to fail but we get it in our heads sometimes that we are going to look dumb and that the failure is something that we can’t take it – why? Treat it like a kid during cartwheels. Keep trying. I always tell people that the great thing about the wagon is that I always let you back on it! Always! I think my approach is really putting a curiosity, the minds of the students in front to remove the judgment and just keep showing up. We all get stuck. I’m trying to normalize some of those bumps in the road. That’s what gives people the chance to learn. It’s all mental – it’s all behavior.

AM: We’ve had the ability to train with some amazing trainers. What’s your advice when it comes to people finding the person that they want to train with whether in person, via IG or virtually? What should they be looking for in terms of them opening themselves up to someone who will be working with them and directing them?

JW: It’s funny because my opening statement is find someone who doesn’t annoy you - #1. If they’re annoying, you’ll never go back. There has to be a likeability and then the connection will follow. If it’s an in person trainer, do they pay attention to you and do they make adjustments? Do they have a plan for the day? If you say that your knee feels weird and they don’t change anything, that’s a big red flag to me. A trainer is a beautiful job and we are in the service industry. Gunnar Peterson is a good friend of mine and he always says that effort is second. We love serving our people, we love being there and being that support system. So if you don’t have that support, that adaptation to your workouts, really asking how you are feeling – cut and run! You do not want someone that can’t adapt to where your body and your mind is that day. It’s just not possible. Adaptability to you is key, but when it comes to online, you want to find the people that when you leave their page, you feel good about yourself. You should keep going to that person’s workouts. If you leave feeling worse, then maybe don’t follow that person anymore. Since we’re digitally coaching and caring right now – even the challenge, I don’t keep friends that don’t make me feel good. Do the same with the trainer. There are plenty of us out there as Instagram shows you that will make you excited to go to their page and get your motivation on. Whether it’s the music that they play or the exercises that they do – whoever keeps you going is who you stay with.

AM: This summer while we interviewed Gunnar, we were talking with him about the early days of the pandemic and how we were early enough to fill in the equipment that we needed scouring through Amazon and other sites. We talked with him about how he assisted his clients in getting them what they needed. How did you do this with your followers and your clients?

JW: I felt this urge to be available. I was actually going to close all social media this year as a birthday gift to myself.

AM: That will be a delayed birthday gift ha!

JW: Exactly and when the pandemic hit, I was like well I’m a resource I care and I need to be there for them so I made myself available. That’s what was needed. There are millions of exercises on YouTube, social media all kinds of great resources, your magazine – there are all these great things. What people needed more then content was people and community. That is what I had them focus on. I said to find someone that they could be accountable to, FaceTiming, I was doing Facebook Lives 3-4 times a week and doing those workouts. Listen, I’m a good trainer and there are a lot of people that can tell you how to do push-ups and situps, but I’m GREAT at community. I wanted people to be able to know that they had time with me. They show up for you and they move as a result. So while they’re here, they might as well do the push-ups that I was talking about.

For me, it was an accountability. They knew that I missed them when they weren’t there. They needed people, support, a voice on the other line saying that I am here and that I feel what you’re feeling. That’s really it!

AM: What are your go to workouts that you really enjoy doing whether it’s for arms, glutes, abs or legs?

JW: You know it’s funny. I’m almost 40 and gravity is doing something weird to my body. My butt didn’t use to do that and anyone that reads this will just laugh and nod. Right around 39 ha! So I realized and it really hit me this year and I think part of it was not having a gym as well. I was doing more walking outside, I was in lockdown in Florida and thankfully the weather was great and it was warm so it was good for me spiritually. Man, my butt started to sink, there was a looseness in my arms. So what I really started to think was that weight training has always been in my life. As I said, I had weights in my basement. My go to exercises were those that allowed me to simulate muscle where I didn’t want to lose shape. I’m a big glute thruster person – whether you put a barbell on your hips or a dumbbell or a kettle bell on your lap. There are a number of ways that you can target it as a single leg or a double leg. Glute Thrusters to me especially when done correctly – which I can go into. A lot of people don’t realize that their chin, sternum and pubic bone all need to be in alignment. You want to keep that straight. I will see people who will try to sag their butt down because they feel it hurts their back but you have to keep that constellation aligned. It really loads your hamstring and butt. That’s been such a savior for my backside! I’m like, there you are! I needed it!

When it comes to upper body and what happens because I didn’t have a lot of equipment and people were in this position, I always remember that tempo training has been my go to. I was tempo’ing with the glute hamstring. Even an incline push-up which takes a little weight off of your body just go s-l-o-w. I’m talking, 5 counts down, hold the beats and 5 counts up. Let me tell you that your arms will start to change. It really brought the life back to my body. Using tempo for my arms and even my legs helps. And also, as far as core is concerned, I like having a toned stomach and not like abs because I don’t want to be ripped. But pilates for me, is my go to core work. Any type of pilates, sign me up! It keeps me long and I feel very connected in my lower core, it supports me in my other movements and I just love the shape that my body takes when I am doing pilates and especially in my stomach. So those are my go to’s if I had to pick one for each.

AM: We’re fans of pilates too and couldn’t agree more!

What is Transformation Protein and why did you want to partner with them?

JW: It’s kind of funny as I joked before that I don’t know who made me an expert. I think it’s because I try a lot, I ask questions, I give the truth and I lead people to things that work. Just live everybody else, I have questions! Are these supplements any good, is this product any good, does this company have integrity – just like any civilian looking at products. It was Gunnar – a dear friend of mine. I didn’t have a place to live so I was living in his backyard at his guest house. He’s the man that opens his door and his heart and his life to you and he’s such a great mentor and friend to me and he was working with it. I was really looking for a solution with collagen because it’s an incomplete protein and it’s sold in a way that you have to actually have a supplement with it to be affective and a lot of people don’t know that. I really wanted to look into what that solution would be for someone to get the collegen which is so critical as well as high quality protein. I remember I was at his gym literally just working out and mooching off his protein and I was like, “what is this stuff?” I started asking him and he was like, “this is Transformation.” He gave me the rundown over the summer and I thought that it was great and it tasted good, its plants and when I looked at the combination and the quality of the protein, I thought this is a really incredible thing going on. What company spends the time or the money to give you what your body actually needs. Usually it’s like, let’s take the leftover protein that’s shit and put another label on it and sell it to you by saying that it’s night time protein. The way that Brian Wargula (President/Co-Founder) and Transformation have sourced the ingredients and have found that combination is really some of the best that I have ever seen.

Ask any nutrition pro and I’m a nutrition specialist so ask anybody, they will tell you that there isn’t a better formula combination out there. The fact that there is probiotics – it’s really an all in one package. They have done a great job and they have spared no expense. But when you work with people that actually care, let’s put a ring on it and get married!

AM: We have tried a number of proteins and there are those that we like and those that we can’t get behind so we can’t wait to get ours. But we knew that Gunnar was a fan of it and also you, so we’re pretty pumped to include this in our routines and we knew it was legit!

JW: Oh yeah! I mean I had a hard fall, broke my foot, a week later, I got attacked by a dog and he bit my face. I put on about 10lbs. It was weird my body was just slower, I wasn’t training, I was doing what I could, but it was about getting enough food in. I just didn’t have an appetite and I started back with Transformation Protein and it really helped lean me out. I was getting enough good food in, my body was able to let go of the extra weight and it was critical for me.

AM: We love this 60 day Total Body Challenge and the fact that you and Gunnar are a part of it. Can you give us an overview about what this is and is it true that it’s limited to a set number of people only that can participate in this and why?

JW: Yeah and here’s why. Because I’m one person –

AM: Really? We thought you were 10?

JW: I know! I always keep my promise and what I mean by that is that my word means something to me and I want it to mean something to people that follow and trust me. When I took on this challenge, no one reads my emails, no one signs Jen for me, no one takes calls for me. When there’s quotes in magazines and press releases, those are my words and there is no one writing for me. It’s really important for people to know that when they sign up to work with this coach, they’re getting Jen. These days, there’s a lot of dishonesty around signing up for x,y,z coach and it’s actually not them leading you in the challenge at all. Because it’s me, I thought, what is my capacity to give and help that’s going to be the sweet spot of being able to have as many people as possible to be there without diluting my abilities to be there for everyone. That was that 100 person mark. I wanted people to be able to have me and again, it’s all digital. I’m creating the emails every week, I’m sending the videos, I’m answering the emails, I’m hosting the live meetings, I wrote and filmed every single workout. Part of me is like, “maybe I’m just really controlling and a micro manager.” But, I swear I’m not! This is what people deserve and I take pride in telling people that this is what a real coach does and I want to set the standard for them so that they don’t accept anything less in their lives whether it’s an in person training when things begin to open up or whether they want to do another challenge.

That’s really what it was and the 60 days as a timeframe was intentional! Because we’re after big transformations. We were talking earlier that of course you want to see transformations that’s the visual carrot and of course people are going to lose weight, that’s a blast but the transformation or me is the 6” between their ears and we all know that. I need that for that moment of time. I’ve done other challenges in the past, but I found that they did a 30 day challenge with me and then they signed up for the next one. So I’m like, ah they want more time, they need more time and that’s why we went with that.

AM: When this challenge is over, will people be able to go to other ones or will there be other things that are rolling out?

JW: What’s really great is, I don’t feel that I am separate from Transformation. It’s not like I get a check and do a few Instagram posts. I’m very part of the team. We’re really starting to allow it to be user generated content. People are wanting it to be more support around recipes, nutritionist support – so we’re building it. Putting in the blog that's around it, recipe support, our registered nutritionist that’s there. We want to be in a place that people can trust and come to. There will definitely be more challenges. I feel like I heard a conversation or an email where they said, “the next one,” and I’m like, “guys, I gotta get this one under my belt first.”

What we're doing is we’re kind of taking an approach like a bar. If you think about it as a 1 in 1 out situation. So we will have a waitlist and we’ll run another one and we will have other great coaches as well. It’s something that they have never done before and that’s why they’re really trusting me to take the reigns and runs with it. Based off of what I see in this challenge, I’ll know what I want to do and run with on it. That’s why it’s user generated so I’m not assuming what people want and feel. I need to know so that I can develop from there. You can assure your readers that there will definitely be more opportunities!

AM: We assumed. When you’re preparing to do a transformation whether it’s this challenge specifically or something else, you have to have the want to do it. But how else can people best prepare themselves in terms of maintaining the goal and sticking with it when they are approaching something like this?

JW: The #1 thing is that people just assume that there won’t be any roadblocks or obstacles. You have to make it different and I think we have to think about when you’re driving home from work and you hit a pothole and you say, “oh man, I hope my wheels still on.” We’ve all done that and then when you go home the next day, you know there is a pothole coming up and you remember. What we tend to do as humans is that we don’t want to address or to think about the pothole. So you hit it again and again as opposed to saying, “no I remember this. It was on this street and this street and I’m going to navigate around it.” People have to look at where there are going to be problems as there will be hard days, set backs, days where you pack your food and leave it on the counter – that’s ok. So instead of going into a panic mode and being like it’s all ruined and over, I just expect things to go wrong and I know that it won’t all be perfect. There will be some turbulence and when you know it and expect it, it kind of shocks you less and you can navigate it better. Go in with the interest to be ready for the change and the reality of knowing there will be some bumps. You’ll be ready for whatever comes and to look for them not in a pessimistic view but as a way to learn to adapt and to navigate. It’s a beautiful thing.

AM: How have you found ways to keep yourself motivated this year and as we head into next year?

JW: Man, good question. I care about where this road goes. I sometimes try to look at the destination and try to find my way back. This has not allowed me to do that. My motivation is that I have to practice what I preach. Am I learning, am I being curious? What’s really been fun is that I’ve learned how capable I am and it’s been a fun experience. I’ve hard weeks and I’ve had times where I drank every single day just like the rest of America! I’ve allowed myself to ask questions like why am I drinking every day this week? Am I bored – am I avoiding something? I’ve really let that motivation that I have in me at almost 40 to know that I have so much more to learn and that when I learn, I get to share! That’s the beauty of it. It’s not about being a public figure, being a celebrity like me, having millions of followers - it's what we do as humans. We get to learn and we get to share. My experience is I get to do this and to share it with other people. That’s the backbone. I love people and I love helping – I love being an everyday hero and that’s my heart. I had to learn the lesson first and I really had to do that by putting myself first. It’s changed my perspective in myself and the confidence that I have in myself as well. That’s the motivation because it feels great and I’m not going to stop doing this. I will tell you though, having people in your life – I’m always better with a teammate. I have a friend that we go on a walk together and she’s in Georgia. We walk and talk and I have my headphones in and we agree that on this time/that day, we’re going. I meet people – online for workouts. I have a few people that I’m potting with, I go in their backyard. I know I need the accountability and the other thing I would tell people if they are struggling to get motivated is create that accountability for yourself. It gets you going, it gives you that support and it’s a great thing to let them be there for you and it’s powerful. That’s what I have allowed the focus to be and it has just changed my outlook on the whole year. I had a great year. I don’t have young children, I’m not going through the school stuff and I feel that that is a whole other experience that I can’t even speak to or begin to understand what parents have been going through or how they have been able to cope. But I had a great year and I have used my time to get so much done personally and professionally. 2021 is going to be an excellent year for me regardless. I think that people need to feel ok in being able to ask for help when they need that support.

AM: Who are 3 people in your life that have inspired you to be where you are today?

JW: You know, I’ll tell you what. When it comes to life, I have won the lottery. I have been inspired by incredible people who have believed in me before it was cool to watch Jen Widerstrom. I’m going to tear up a little bit when I think about it. My parents are just such incredible people – they are incredible people. They have been married for 46 years. I look at my mom, she had a 4 and a 5 year old, 40 years old, pregnant 9 months with my brother and going with a full-time job in the inner city of Chicago, one of the most violent schools that there were. At night, my dad would drive her to Northern Illinois University at night so that she could get her Masters Degree. She wanted to work in higher education. She was so pregnant that she couldn't sit behind the wheel and drive any way and it’s like at least an hour driving each way! It was like, what if she has the baby in a cornfield so my dad’s driving her each way. Her commitment to her, their relationship, their love, their family – she took her finals early so she could have my brother, When people ask me about my work ethic, mom and dad they are incredible and they worked so hard to give us so much for us. We didn’t have a lot of money and we didn’t go on planes, but every year they saved up money to drive us to Florida or to get in the van and go to New Mexico and that’s what we did. It was really special. They still work, they still grow their own vegetables. They are such salt of the Earth and intelligent special hard working people. They inspire me and whenever I think that I have had a long day, I tell myself, “well you’re not 9 months pregnant with 2 kids and a fulltime job trying to get your Masters in night school!”

I think that the people who inspired me along the way. I had incredible teachers, I could just name a list of the teachers. I think back to my 7th grade science teacher, I was an average student, never talking and by the end, I had a 96% in the class and I was in the front. He taught me how to give a good handshake, he taught me how to feel confident in myself. My orchestra teacher Mr. Foley, he encouraged me to keep playing bass. I was playing sports and orchestra wasn’t cool, but he encouraged me to find a voice in music for myself. I look at my college track coach. I was a walk on in the rowing team and I was terrible. He saw me lifting and he said I should be a hammer thrower and I thought he was crazy and yet a year later, I was placing at the Big 12 Conference, earning a scholarship, winning the nationals to compete - he believed in me first! I use them as inspiration because the people along the way - people will say, how did you get here - what was it? It’s always the people. It’s the people that believed and saw something in you when you couldn’t believe it yourself. For me, that’s the legacy that I try to pass through those people.

I had a diving coach Steve Mazzerella – dear friend of mine until he passed away. He taught me how to see things in people and to help them let it shine. That’s what I do and I always joke, the waistline will change, bit it's the heart that I am really after and I know the difference that that will make. I know I can do that same difference and that's where I take it.

IG @JenWiderstrom

@TransformationProtein

PHOTOS COURTESY | Jen Widerstrom

Hear Celebrity Fitness Trainer, TV Personality, Best Selling Author, Fitness Expert and Entrepreneur Jen Widerstrom on our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see Connection Matters with Jen Widerstrom in mag.

THE BACHELOR S25. E1. | MEET MATT JAMES + THE LADIES

If you have yet to see season premiere of tonight’s episode 1, spoilers are ahead! We enjoyed ABC’s The Bachelorette and thankfully, didn’t have to wait too long before seeing The Bachelor which will have its first Black Bachelor, Matt James. The 25th season of The Bachelor is taking place at Nemacolin which is a stunning resort in Pennsylvania. Many of us know him through being best friends with Tyler Cameron from Hannah’s season. In addition, they co-founded a philanthropic platform, ABC Food Tours. Matt also works for CBRE as a researcher here in NYC.

Prior to meeting the girls, it was great to hear Matt talking through the weight of his decisions with Chris Harrison as he talked about being the product of an interracial marriage and how he doesn’t want to disappoint people in whether he will date someone that is white or someone that is black. Talking about race on this platform and having people of color in key positions as The Bachelor and the Bachelorette is just a great way to represent the array of people that we come across every day whether in person or online.

There are some amazing women in this group of contestants where you can see their personalities jumping off the page. Carolyn shares some lavender with him, Kaylah’s entrance with the pickup truck and who can forget Kaili walking with a styling rack of dress options while she rocks lingerie, a silk robe and abs in heels.

After meeting all of the women outside, he’s finally ready to see them all together. Having the prayer to kick everything off was a great touch and it lets them know more about him as well. He also talks about the importance of being mutually vulnerable and being biracial. Matt talks with a number of the women, but of course, Victoria does a double-dip by talking to him twice.

The first impression rose goes to Abigail. A number of the women have yet to have the chance to talk with him but it’s time for the first elimination of the rose ceremony.

On night one, Matt eliminated Alicia, Amber, Carolyn, Casandra, Corrinne, Emani, Kimberly and Saneh.

Each night, we’ll tweet about The Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’re newly obsessed with, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour which is hosted by Rachel Lindsay (contestant on The Bachelor Season 21; The Bachelorette Season 13) and co-hosted by Becca Kufrin (contestant on The Bachelor Season 22; The Bachelorette Season 14) to get their feedback!

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WEEK 1

We’re not going to lie, The Bachelor casting crew found some amazing women that are beautiful, accomplished, passionate and you can see great fits. We think that these 4 women could very well be introducing their families to Matt at Hometowns - Abigail, Bri, Jessenia and Khaylah.

WHO WE’RE PREDICTING WILL BE AT HOMETOWNS

ABIGAIL 25 - Beaverton, OR

BRI 24 - San Francisco, CA

JESSENIA 27 - San Antonio, TX

KHAYLAH 28 - Durham, NC

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THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ABIGAIL 25 - Beaverton, OR

ALANA 26 - Toronto, ON

ALICIA 24 - NY, NY

AMBER 30 - Costa Mesa, CA

ANNA 24 - Chicago, IL

BRI 24 - San Francisco, CA

CAROLYN 30 - Los Angeles, CA

CASANDRA 25 - Newport Beach, CA

CHELSEA 29 - Brooklyn, NY

CORINNE 22 - Pomfret, CT

EMANI 25 - Albuquerque, NM

ILLEANA 25 - NY, NY

JESSENIA 27 - San Antonio, TX

KAILA 26 - Chicago, IL

KATIE 29 - Renton, WA

KHAYLAH 28 - Durham, NC

KIMBERLY 28 - Seattle, WA

KIT 21 - NY, NY

KRISTIN 27 - Jersey City, NJ

LAUREN 29 - Miami, FL

MAGI 32 - Adwa, Ethopia

MARI 24 - Odenton, MD

MARYLYNN 28 - Studio City, CA

MJ 23 - Hudson, OH

PIEPER 23 - Happy Valley, OR

RACHAEL 24 - Cumming, GA

SANEH 25 - Denver, CO

SARAH 24 - San Diego, CA

SERENA C 24 - San Francisco, CA

SERENA P 22 - Toronto, ON

SYDNEY 28 - Nashville, TN

VICTORIA 27 - Los Angeles, CA

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

ROCK THIS WHEN YOU'RE NAVIGATING ZOOM SESSIONS

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see Rock This When You’re Navigating Zoom Sessions in mag.

WILLOW BARK BEAUTY

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see Willow Bark Beauty in mag.

IN OUR BAG | LOUNGING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see In Our Bag | Lounging for the Holidays in mag.

HOW TO DRESS | PREPPING FOR NYE AT HOME

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see How to Dress | Prepping For NYE at Home in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #60 DEC 2020

ATHLEISURE MAG | DEC ISSUE #60

In this month’s issue as we ring in the New Year with DJ/Producer, Benny Benassi. Our virtual cover shoot took us to Italy as we talked about Benny’s career in music, the process of creating music and collaborating and more. This month, we took a moment with TNT’s Claws Niecy Nash in between completing shooting for the final season of this series. We talk about the holiday season, how she is staying connected with her family and upcoming projects. You can also hear our conversation later this season on our podcast show, Bungalow SK. We’ve always been a fan of Jen Widerstrom’s from her days in NBC’s American Gladiators as well as NBC’s Biggest Loser as well as her approach to working with her clients. We took some time to catch up with her to find out about her latest project, a challenge running from Jan 5th – March 5th with Transformation Protein. We also find out more about what she is working on and how she has maintained her positivity during these times. You can hear the full interview on our podcast show, #TRIBEGOALS later this season. We catch up with Chef Brandon Collins, the North American Mustard Sommelier of Maille to find out about the historic roots of the brand, how it’s made and how it can be used beyond being a condiment. You can also hear our conversation in full this season on our podcast show, Athleisure Kitchen. We’re always up for taking some time with ourselves with a glass of wine. We took some time to talk with Joey Wölffer who continues the legacy of running and maintaining creative inspiration to make such wines as Summer in a Bottle and more at Wölffer Estate Vineyard. While we’re enjoying the holiday season and looking forward to the beginning of the new year, we talk about how we can get on the best financial path with Grant Sabatier.

This month, EDM DJ duo, NERVO shares 9 songs that we should listen to in this month’s 9PLAYLIST. BRAVO’s Top Chef Season 14 winner, Chef, Restaurateur + TV Personality, Brooke Williamson shares her favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S. One of our favorite features that appear in our Dec as well as our Jan issues is known as NEW YEAR, N3W YOU: THE GOOD, THE ADD and THE BUZZ where our celebs share their thoughts on this year and what’s coming up for next year (we do have spots for the Jan issue). This month, we talk with Celebrity Makeup Artist, Author and Founder of Jones Road Beauty – Bobbi Brown, International Racing Drive and winner of the 2020 ELMS, 2020 WEC and 2020 Le Mans 24 Hour Winner – Phil Hanson and Celebrity Fitness Trainer, Entrepreneur, TV Personality and Author – Jen Widerstrom.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Alfie’s Bar + Kitchen. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Winona’s in Brooklyn and CITYROW. This month’s BING3WATCH looks at one of our favorites, HBO’s LOVECRAFT COUNTRY. As always, we have a number of our roundups that include our favorites in an array of categories that are timely to the season.

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag.

THE BACHELORETTE S16. E13. | TAYSHIA'S FINALE TO THE FINAL ROSE

If you have yet to see episode 12 spoilers are ahead! Tonight is the finale for ABC’s The Bachelorette begins with where we left off with Ben making his intentions known. Tayshia grapples with what she should do in this situation. She offers him the opportunity to come to the rose ceremony so that she has time to think about what she wants to do.

At the rose ceremony, the guys see Ben and are surprised to see that he is there. She pulls Ivan aside and lets him know that their religious differences are too much for her to want to continue with him.

Now that she is down to Ben and Zac, they are going to meet Tayshia’s family. First impressions seems to be great, but of course it’s seeing how Ben interacts with both of her parents that lets us see more about him. He acknowledges where he went wrong which both parents appreciated hearing from him.

Now it’s Zac’s turn and as we’ve liked him from day one, it should be interesting to see how he is embraced. Zac’s approach to talking with her parents and being open and honest is great to see how he lays it out as well as saying positive things about how her parents raised her. It was another great date.

While Tayshia has been thinking, her father came back and wanted to fill her in on the family’s thoughts about Ben and Zac. He wants to make sure that she makes the right choice so that she won’t have to deal with what she did during her divorce. Tayshia shares how involved her dad was in the aftermath of the divorce and feels the weight of the decision that she will need to make between the two.

Zac and Tayshia have a dancing date and you can tell that she’s still thinking about her father’s words. Zac notices, but continues to be as sweet as he always is. During their night time date, they talk about the day and she shares her fears. Zac lets her know that commitment has been essential to his sobriety and the concept is important to him and he loves her. She leaves their date feeling great.

The final date is with Ben and we hear her say that her heart is not with Ben and she knows what she has to do. She sends Ben home. When she meets Chris Harrison in the desert, she has a bit of a moment. Chris asks her if she is ok and happy. She says that she is, but she is also nervous. Zac heads over to see her and is nervous, understandably.

This season of The Bachelorette has come to an end. It’s always fun to share recaps after each episode and to chat with you on Twitter during the episodes (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what we think! We’ll be back on Jan 4th to do the same for The Bachelor.

Each week we will let you know who our faves were last episode and if we’ve changed up since.

We also suggest a podcast that we’re newly obsessed with, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour which is hosted by Rachel Lindsay (contestant on The Bachelor Season 21; The Bachelorette Season 13) and co-hosted by Becca Kufrin (contestant on The Bachelor Season 22; The Bachelorette Season 14) to get their feedback!

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LAST EPISODE

Last night, Ivan and Zac continued through Hometowns and we were left with a cliffhanger on whether Ben would be included. We still hope for Zac to get engaged to Tayshia.

TONIGHT

Hometown dates with Ben, Brendan, Ivan and Zac were fun to watch. We’re pleased that our prediction practically from the beginning of Zac being engaged took place!

THE FINAL ROSE & NEWLY ENGAGED

ZAC

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THE BACHELORETTE’S CONTESTANTS

BEN, 29 - Indianapolis, IN

BENNETT, 30 - NY, NY

BLAKE, 29 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

BRENDAN, 30 - Milford, MA

CHASEN, 31 - Walnut Creek, CA

DEMAR, 26 - San Diego, CA

ED, 36 - Pittsburgh, PA

EAZY, 29 - Dallas, TX

IVAN, 28 - Dallas, TX

JASON, 31 - Rutland, VT

JAY, 29 - Langhorne, PA

JOE, 36 - North Woodmere, NY

JORDAN, 32 - NY, NY

KENNY, 39 - Chicago, IL

MONTEL, 30 - Boston, MA

NOAH, 25 - Tulsa, OK

PETER, 32 - Everett, MA

RILEY, 30 - NY, NY

SPENCER, 30 - San Diego, CA

TYLER, 27 - Morgantown, WV

ZAC, 36 - Haddonfield, NJ

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

THE BACHELORETTE S16. E12. | FANTASY SUITES

If you have yet to see episode 11, spoilers are ahead! Tonight, ABC’s The Bachelorette begins with everyone getting ready for another key week, Fantasy Suites. Tayshia talks with JoJo about what to expect during this week. First up, Ivan gets his date card. They have an ice bath date where they will see how long they can kiss each other and to break the record. Of course, Chris Harrison pops in and lets them know that this is more then a date, it’s about breaking the world record. Not only do they do the date, but they also break the record and continue for another minute! During their dinner, Ivan talks about when he knew he was falling in love with her and apologized for not telling her sooner and she says that she has been falling for him too. They wake up the next morning and catch the sunrise. Ivan comes back happy about the date and shares portions of it with the Zac and Brendan. As happy as he is, he realizes that she will have experiences with each of them.

Up next, is Zac who’s excited to spend time with her. They create lifesize canvases where they will use their bodies to spread the pant. They also have a daydream about what their date could be like. As it turns to night, Zac realized he needs to tell her that he is falling in love with her. Tayshia shares that in her conversation with his mom, she learned that he didn’t want to have kids. He lets her know that he said that for years as a way to safeguard himself, but now he realizes that he wants to have a full life and not just being a cool uncle. He also tells her that he loves her. She then says that she is in love with him (she also told Ivan that she is falling in love with him as well). Another Fantasy Suite card is presented and of course, they take it. Zac comes back and makes a very low key recap of his date which is a nice way to handle the obvious elephant in the room.

Brendan gets ready for his date. They make their way to Neil Lane! We’ve seen that Brendan has been getting a little nervous about being with her and it makes us wonder what else might be going on with him that he has yet to share. We do know that like Tayshia, he has been married before, but is there something else going on with him? This date actually lets us get to know more about Neil as he shares how he attends the Bachelor/Bachelorette reunions and how he has been involved in so many couples’ lives. Brendan shares that there are parts of him that still needs time to heal and grow while they are at dinner. Just like that, Brendan heads home.

The next morning, Rachel pops in to catch up and to see how Tayshia is doing. She shares how Brendan’s Fantasy Suites went. Rachel just lets her know to follow her cut. Meanwhile, Ben heads over to Chris’ place to let him know that he would like to tell Tayshia how he feels and he doesn’t even know what he is asking for - but he has to try.

As Tayshia prepares for the rose ceremony, Ben tells her this and Tayshia becomes emotional at being blindsided by him being there. The episode ends with her talking to production saying that she doesn’t know what to do in this moment. This all leads up to tomorrow’s finale.

Each night, we’ll tweet The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

We also suggest a podcast that we’re newly obsessed with, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour which is hosted by Rachel Lindsay (contestant on The Bachelor Season 21; The Bachelorette Season 13) and co-hosted by Becca Kufrin (contestant on The Bachelor Season 22; The Bachelorette Season 14) to get their feedback!

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LAST EPISODE

Ivan, Brendan and Zac made it through Hometowns. We felt that Zac would propose to her and that she would accept.

WEEK 11 (TAYSHIA’s 8th)

This week definitely made it a twist! Brendan says that he couldn’t continue with her due to his own broken-hearted issue from his ex-wife. Ivan and Zac had succesful Fantasy Suites with her and it’s interesting to see where this will go. Ben is back - but we don’t know if she will let him stay or not (so we are leaving his image slightly filtered)! We’re still cheering on Zac and feel he will propose to her as well as get a yes!

WHO’S LEFT

BEN

IVAN

ZAC

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THE BACHELORETTE’S CONTESTANTS

BEN, 29 - Indianapolis, IN

BENNETT, 30 - NY, NY

BLAKE, 29 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

BRENDAN, 30 - Milford, MA

CHASEN, 31 - Walnut Creek, CA

DEMAR, 26 - San Diego, CA

ED, 36 - Pittsburgh, PA

EAZY, 29 - Dallas, TX

IVAN, 28 - Dallas, TX

JASON, 31 - Rutland, VT

JAY, 29 - Langhorne, PA

JOE, 36 - North Woodmere, NY

JORDAN, 32 - NY, NY

KENNY, 39 - Chicago, IL

MONTEL, 30 - Boston, MA

NOAH, 25 - Tulsa, OK

PETER, 32 - Everett, MA

RILEY, 30 - NY, NY

SPENCER, 30 - San Diego, CA

TYLER, 27 - Morgantown, WV

ZAC, 36 - Haddonfield, NJ

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

STYLE FILES | SS21

Read the Nov Issue #59 of Athleisure Mag and see Style Files | SS21 in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | NORMANI

Read the Nov Issue #59 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Normani in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

SCAM GODDESS

Earwolf + Team Coco

Spotify

We've followed Scam Goddess for quite a while, but it was seeing the podcast's host Laci Mosley sharing her insight on scams on a recent episode of ABC's The Con which looks at scams that are known and unknown that intrigued us even more. After hearing her commentary of The Varsity Blues Con, we began listening to her show which breaks down a variety of cons in this true crime genre with her comedian guests that appear on the show.

Each week, she talks about the scam of the moment, digging deeply into the scam of the week and then looks at the historical ones and how they have manifested. They even share anecdotes of scams and rackets that they engaged in and the lessons that they learned and why they no longer doing them.

GHOST TAPE

QCode

Apple Podcast

As we have navigated quarantine, we got to know about the immersive audio-focused podcast network, QCode and have shared a few of their shows on previous Bingely Streaming inclusions. This month, their latest Ghost Tape dropped and we're hooked with-out a doubt.

If you enjoy military conspiracies with a sci-fi component, this show is something that you will enjoy. We are introduced to a cast that is in the throws of grief as well as being confused about the circumstances of how Tessa Dixon'sgrandfather died. Her desire to know more about his unexpected death sends her to signing up for the military to be able to under-stand more. Along the way, she comes across a tape that creates havoc on the lives of anyone that listens to it.

This tape takes over aspects of her life and puts her in a scenario of being accused of killing a fellow soldier. In addition, her psychiatrist in an attempt to help her listen to the tape and begins his own journey with it. He also realizes that not everything he is being told by military staff is in fact true. As we navigate the death of Tessa's grandfather and her charges - we get closer to what this podcast is all about.

DEAD EYES

Headgum

iHeart Radio

We've all been in an interview scenario where we thought we had the job, had to go back and maybe it didn't go as well as planned. In Dead Eyes, actor Connor Ratliff tells us about auditioning for HBO's Band of Brothers and his excitement for getting one of the minor roles. Although they had seen his tape, his agent calls him suddenly and asks him to come back into read in front of the director, TomHanks as there is a concern that he has "dead eyes." Although this audtion happened 2 decades ago, this podcast explores those who were connected to this show, Tom Hanks or, Connor. We get to hear his conversations with the actor who ended up playing his part - Adam Sims (Lost in Space), the actors he would have worked with Ron Livingston (Office Space and Sex in the City TV series) and Stephen McCole (Rushmore and Outlander) and friends Seth Rogen (Steve Jobs and Neighbors) and Bobby Moynihan (The Secret Life of Pets and Saturday Night Live). In the second season, we continue to delve into this story and to see if we ever get to hear Tom weigh in on what happened.

Read the Nov Issue #59 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

THE PICK ME UP

Read the Nov Issue #59 of Athleisure Mag and see The Pick Me Up in mag.

UNSTOPPABLE WITH TRACY TUTOR

As our long time readers know, a number of our cover photoshoots have taken place in phenomenal luxury residences here in NYC as well as other locales around the country. So it's no surprise that we love reality shows that focus on luxury real estate. The OG of these programs includes BRAVO's, Million Dollar Listing. Both NY and LA focuses not only on the housing market in those cities but also follows the brokers to understand what their lives and interactions are like as they are closing multi-million dollar deals.

Tracy Tutor is the first female broker to join the cast of Million Dollar Listing LA. Her no-nonsense ability to wheel and deal, put her clients in check when needed and her belief in empowering those around her comes through the screen every week. In addition, her understanding of the industry due to her years of work within residential as well as her work with her father, Ronald Tutor of Tutor Perini on the commercial side of the business makes her someone you enjoy watching. While she has had successes in her career, and in the show, we saw her navigate divorcing her husband and being a mom of 2 daughters. We took some time to catch up with Tracy to talk about her work, balancing being a mom, how she has embraced fitness into her lifestyle and what she thinks about the current market in these times.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have enjoyed seeing you on BRAVO’s Million Dollar ListingLA by shaking it up as the show’s first female multi-million dollar real estate broker, with your industry know-how, business savvy, and amazing outfits! We know that your father is a noted civil and building contractor, Ronald Tutor, I’m sure that you were aware of the industry from a young age but, what was the moment when you realized that you wanted to work in real estate?

TRACY TUTOR: The truth is, that it was not at all what I had planned. I was an actor and had studied theatre in college. After a couple of years of auditioning post-graduation, I realized that I didn't want to wait around for someone to tell me I had gotten the part. I knew I was good at selling myself, so it wasn’t much of a stretch to sell houses. Candidly, I knew I could sell anything, so I’m glad I picked a product that happens to have the highest return on my investment.

AM: Prior to focusing on residential real estate, what was your path in this industry and what is it about residential that speaks to you?

TT: Residential sort of fell into my lap, after making the decision to stop pursuing being an actress. Residential is about an emotional connection but it’s still a business. I love the marrying of the two! As we know, emotion and business (one is not quite like the other) so when you are able to navigate between the two, that is what excites me.

AM: As one of the top agents at Douglas Elliman Beverly Hills within their Sports & Entertainment division. You’ve represented noteworthy brands, iconic architects, consulted for luxury five-star hotels as well as serving as a US Ambassador for the Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences in Dubai – just to name a few. How has it been juggling all of these roles, projects and opportunities?

TT: I always say if you are not striving for something new and pushing yourself, you are just surviving.

AM: What is your process when it comes to deciding on upcoming projects that you and your team will participate in?

TT: I rarely turn down a project, but when I do it will be about one of two things.

1. Unrealistic price expectation.

2. Ego. I think ego is the toughest to get beyond. I have learned how to get around unrealistic sellers and price, and have many have strategies to get around that in most cases, but ego....well, at my age, Idon’’t have time for it.

AM: Tell us about how you joined the cast of Million Dollar Listing LA and why you felt that this was something that you wanted to do with your brand?

TT: I was on season 9 showing a property of Josh Altman's and we were able to put a deal together on the listing. During the course of shooting, we had great chemistry on screen together. After the show aired, the producers approached me and asked if I had any interest in discussing joining the cast. The rest is history.

AM: What is it like filming each season with you and your team as well as with the other brokers that are also in the cast?

TT: It is a lot of work for all of us. Remember, we already have full-time careers and the show generally shoots for 12 months, so there are days where a normal 10 hour day becomes a 13 hour one. It is hard to juggle the clients and shooting, but we get out there and do it because it is the best marketing tool we could ask for and we are all grateful for it.

AM: One of the things that we have enjoyed watching you on the show is how you speak your mind, you demand more and how you’re not willing to settle. Have you always been this way and how can one get that mindset when they are in their boardrooms in their life?

TT: It really is about fear, isn’t it? That is what truly holds us all back from achieving our highest potential. I have always had the instinct to challenge the system and push back. But to be truly good in the proverbial “boardroom” you have to embrace fear every day, feel and acknowledge it and then put it away so that you can trust your instincts to guide you when you need it the most. If you can’t hear what your gut is telling you because there is so much noise and insecurity in the way, then you can’t win the room. It’s that simple.

AM: How important is it to you to empower women to own their space, handle ego and deflect power plays?

TT: I love women. I believe we are the stronger sex. Period. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually. We have unfortunately for centuries been told we are the weaker sex, so believing in our power, doesn’t come naturally to us. I love that discussion and reminding women that they are all lions, they maybe just haven’t heard their roar yet. We should listen to our intuition more. It’s our greatest gift and trusting it, learning how to use it to our advantage and giving it a real voice is what separates us from our male counterparts.

AM: What led you to creating your best-selling book, Fear is Just a Four-Letter Word: How to Develop the Unstoppable Confidence to Own Any Room?

TT: I knew that I was lucky to have the platform representing women on a show dominated by men. I was hyper-aware of my industry and felt particularly passionate about sharing my experience as a woman in this business.

AM: Do you think that you will continue to write additional books in this area?

TT: I think the next one might be a more personal journey. Who I am in business is greatly affected by my personal experiences. I want to take my own advice to be fearless enough to talk about it.

AM: What words of wisdom do you have for women who are navigating their careers?

TT: Read my book and don’t let anyone tell you what you are capable of. Only you can define that.

AM: How do you balance the demands of a full career, filming, being a mom of 2 girls and your personal life – how do you take time for yourself?

TT: I forgive myself every day for the lack of perfection and I am honest. I am stretched as most working moms are; add in a divorce and the desire to have love in your life again and you have to be forgiving. I schedule time to not do anything. I mean really. I will say I am booked on a Sunday so that I can have that time to do whatever I feel like doing and sometimes that is absolutely nothing and it is fantastic.

AM: We know through the show that you went through a divorce while still having a very full schedule. How did you take going through this process and putting those emotions into focusing on health, fitness, and wellness?

TT: I don’t think that divorce propelled me into health/wellness and fitness. I think owning my truth and finding happiness within myself propelled me there.

AM: What is your preferred method that you enjoy to do when working out?TT:I love to mix it up but what I have found with my body now is that I don’t try to kill myself with anything too high intensity. I love weight training because you have to be mentally strong to push up weight be-yond your comfort zone. I like that challenge. It’s a time where I don’t think about work or friends or family or stress. I focus on my goal for that hour and give it 100%.

AM: Our readers are always looking for routines to add into their workout. What are 3 workouts you do for arms, 3 for abs, and 3 for glutes that you do?

TT: Arms: when I am walking on the tread-mill (which I do 5 days a week for an average of 45 minutes,) I carry 3 lb weights and do arms. 4 sets of 30 reps of each exercise:

o Curls

o Tricep kick backs

o Bicep extensions

o Shoulder press over head

ABS: 3 sets of 30-45 seconds each – upper ab first:

o Slow bicycles

o Toe touch with 10 lb db

o Suitcases

o Then lower – grab a pilates ball and place under small of back

o Out an inch and in an inch

o Single leg toe taps with ankle weights

o Both legs toe taps

Glutes: 4 sets of 20

o Hip thrusts with band – warmup

o Hip thrusts with 20 lb ball on hips

o Barbell squats

o RDL’s

AM: 2020 has been quite a year to navigate from COVID-19, social justice and the election to name a few. How have you been dealing with this especially as a parent of children?

TT: Let’s just say that I am welcoming 2021 as are my children.

AM: In terms of the real estate market, what do you think the impact of COVID-19 will be as we close this year and transition to 2021?

TT: Despite a couple month shutdown, we have rebounded quickly and I anticipate a strong 2021.

AM: What is your advice for those that are debating on whether they should buy a personal home or even one for investment purposes?

TT: Interest rates are at an all-time low and that gives someone attempting to get into the market strong buying power. So my advice is get out there and speak to your banker or financial advisor and discuss your options.

IG @TracyTutor

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 119 + 120 Matt Sayles | PG 123 Tracy Tutor |

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THE BACHELORETTE S16. E11. | TAYSHIA + THE ROAD TO HOMETOWNS PART II

If you have yet to see episode 10 spoilers are ahead! Tonight, ABC’s The Bachelorette begins with Tayshia thinking about Hometowns. Chris Harrison meets the guys and lets them know that they need to come up with fun dates that will let Tayshia get an idea of what it would be like to be with them. In addition, they are looped into who from their families will be there as they have also gone through testing and quarantine to be there to share this experience.

First up is Brendan which the two have had a great connection since day 1! Their date included carnival games complete with prizes and his niece being on the date. As we get to the evening, we finally meet Brendan’s brother and his sister-in-law. You can definitely see his connection with his family and how they are so close. While chatting with his brother Daniel, he lets her know that he would be ready to marry her.

Zac brings a NY inspired date and teaches Tayshia how to be a NYer so he teaches her how to hail a cab, they ride in their cab Flinstone style and they come to a bagel and coffee stand that is by a “brownstone”. They hop back into the cab and enjoy a slice of NY pizza and then they have a backdrop of Central Park. It’s such a cute date and feels very NY in the most simplest and epic ways possible. His brother gets down to business and asks her the hard questions. Zac’s dad lets her know that he is uncomfortable with the situation but is comfortable with her. Although his dad wouldn’t go through this process, he can appreciate that Zac’s smile says that there is something there. Zac tells his mom that although he has always said he didn’t need love or to have kids, he now realizes that he does and it’s because of Tayshia. Zac also thanks his mom for her strength and that it is a big reason why he is alive and can navigate through life.

Ivan introduces Tayshia to Filipino cooking and they get to bond on this fun date. Ivan’s parents are direct and sweet. They advise her on having the right conviction and doing what needs to be done if she intends on Ivan being her husband. Both parents are impressed by her. They also give him a reality check in leting him know that this would not be a process that they would go through! We finally meet Ivan’s brother! The love that he has for his brother and how he is inspired by how he raised his daughter is something that you can see as he speaks.

We finally come to the last date with Ben. Her date entails rollerblading in “Venice” and going to the “beach.” Seeing them transport themselves to another place and just being able to have a natural conversation is a great thing to see especially because he has been one of the mysterious contestants. Although his family vibed well with Tayshia, we’re bummed that he didn’t tell her he loved her.

The men head to the rose ceremony and Ben tells Chris that he loves her and of course, Chris asks if he told Tayshia. He admits that he didn’t and hopes that he has the chance to tell her. Brendan, Ivan and Zac are given a rose. Ben’s undoing is the fact that he kept his thoughts to himself and didn’t let her know what he was thinking. When she walked him out, it seemed like she was trying to give him another chance, but he just couldn’t formulate the words. We definitely can’t wait until the 2-night finale to see how everything ends up!

Each night, we’ll tweet The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns (it will be interesting to see how Hometowns will take place - we’re assuming families will be quarantined) if we were choosing right now! We will also say who we think should take it all. Poor Brendan has responses that are deemed inconclusive which makes Tayshia hesitant. Zac answers that he has cheated on someone which makes Tayshia uncomfortable. Riley is asked his name to set a baseline and the red bulb goes off!

We also suggest a podcast that we’re newly obsessed with, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour which is hosted by Rachel Lindsay (contestant on The Bachelor Season 21; The Bachelorette Season 13) and co-hosted by Becca Kufrin (contestant on The Bachelor Season 22; The Bachelorette Season 14) to get their feedback!

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LAST EPISODE

Ben, Ivan, Brendan and Zac made it to Hometowns We felt that Zac would propose to her and that she would accept.

WEEK 10 (TAYSHIA’s 7th)

Hometown dates with Ben, Brendan, Ivan and Zac were fun to watch. We’re doubling down and cheering for Zac to propose to her as well as to get a yes!

WHO’S LEFT

BRENDAN

IVAN

ZAC

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THE BACHELORETTE’S CONTESTANTS

BEN, 29 - Indianapolis, IN

BENNETT, 30 - NY, NY

BLAKE, 29 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

BRENDAN, 30 - Milford, MA

CHASEN, 31 - Walnut Creek, CA

DEMAR, 26 - San Diego, CA

ED, 36 - Pittsburgh, PA

EAZY, 29 - Dallas, TX

IVAN, 28 - Dallas, TX

JASON, 31 - Rutland, VT

JAY, 29 - Langhorne, PA

JOE, 36 - North Woodmere, NY

JORDAN, 32 - NY, NY

KENNY, 39 - Chicago, IL

MONTEL, 30 - Boston, MA

NOAH, 25 - Tulsa, OK

PETER, 32 - Everett, MA

RILEY, 30 - NY, NY

SPENCER, 30 - San Diego, CA

TYLER, 27 - Morgantown, WV

ZAC, 36 - Haddonfield, NJ

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

THE BACHELORETTE S16. E11. | TAYSHIA + THE ROAD TO HOMETOWNS PART II

If you have yet to see episode 11, spoilers are ahead! Tonight on ABC’s The Bachelorette we get right into it with the impromptu 2 on 1 showdown which has a rose on the line between Bennett and Noah. She talks with both of them in the same setting and is shocked by their level of petty. She then talks with each one privately. In talking with Bennett, he explains that he doesn’t question her integrity and intentions. It seems like she sees his side. Then she talks with Noah and explains that she thinks that he is the common denominator. He defends himself by stating that he was given a “gift” by Bennett and he just wants her to know the kind of person that Bennett is. She says that she will think about it as she needs to be able to focus on finding a man and not being in between their petty drama.

After deliberating, Tayshia explains that she can’t give Bennett the rose and walks him out. When she comes back, she lets Noah know that this is not a win for him and she’s not giving him the rose right now, so he will have to wait until the ceremony. She continues to meet with the guys so that she can focus on the guys that she wants to continue her journey with. In addition to Bennett who was sent home earlier in the evening, Spencer, Demar and Ed are also eliminated.

After a crazy night, JoJo comes by the guys place and lets them know that Hometowns will be next week and she will be meeting with their families. Ben also finds out that he will have a 1-on-1 date. They will hop on a scooter to find their date location. They navigate themselves around the resort to end up enjoying a drink and chatting. She still feels that she is trying to figure out what makes Ben tick and at that moment, she doesn’t know if she would give him a rose. But with a dinner coming up, she will get her answers to make their path clearer than it is at the moment. When they sit down to dinner, Ben explains that he attempted suicide twice and that he owes his sister everything as she saved him, even though she has no idea that this happened. He also shares that he went to therapy and was intentional about it so that he could be the best person that he could be. Connecting over his vulnerability in sharing this story made her feel close to him and he received the rose as well as a moment in enjoying their private concert.

The group date includes Zac, Brendan, Ivan, Noah and Riley. Blake finally gets what he wanted - a one-on-one date with Tayshia. Nothing says date-time like a polygraph test. JoJo also lets them know that Tayshia will also be taking this as well. Answers that the detector deems true will have a green light bulb, those that it finds false are red and if the detector can’t tell, then the orange bulb will light up. Clearly, when she meets up with the guys after the group date, she has a number of questions. First up is Zac! Tayshia will not tolerate cheating and Zac admitted that he had. This is triggering for her and she addresses it as that is why her marriage ended. Zac admits that it was his first girlfriend in 6th grade - so it’s nice that she knows the full story and makes us like Zac even more for her. Brendan explains that as someone who had been previously married that he’s excited about her meeting his parents, but he also wants to make sure that whoever meets them is someone that he knows will not make them feel negative. Riley who even got his name wrong is the one we want to know more about. Apparently, he is sitting on some serious secrets that due to the proximity of Hometowns he has to loop her in on. He lets her know about his family and why the name change took place as well as his family issues. She is so impacted by the guys that she lets them know that she will hold off on giving the rose as it wouldn’t be right to do so and wants to think about it. She leaves the party feeling great and sees Bennett waiting at her place. He pitches himself and lets her know that he loves her. Next week, we’ll be treated to 2 nights (Mon and Tues) of The Bachelorette.

Each night, we’ll tweet The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns (it will be interesting to see how Hometowns will take place - we’re assuming families will be quarantined) if we were choosing right now! We will also say who we think should take it all. Poor Brendan has responses that are deemed inconclusive which makes Tayshia hesitant. Zac answers that he has cheated on someone which makes Tayshia uncomfortable. Riley is asked his name to set a baseline and the red bulb goes off!

We also suggest a podcast that we’re newly obsessed with, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour which is hosted by Rachel Lindsay (contestant on The Bachelor Season 21; The Bachelorette Season 13) and co-hosted by Becca Kufrin (contestant on The Bachelor Season 22; The Bachelorette Season 14) to get their feedback!

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LAST EPISODE

We cheered on Ben, Ivan, Brendan and Zac. We felt that Zac would propose to her and that she would accept.

WEEK 9 (TAYSHIA’s 5th)

When it comes to Hometown’s we think that it will be Ben, Brendan, Ivan and Zac - but we still think Zac will find love.

OUR HOMETOWN PICKS

BEN (Copy) (Copy)

IVAN (Copy) (Copy)

BRENDAN (Copy) (Copy)

ZAC (Copy) (Copy)

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THE BACHELORETTE’S CONTESTANTS

BEN, 29 - Indianapolis, IN (Copy) (Copy)

BENNETT, 30 - NY, NY (Copy) (Copy)

BLAKE, 29 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Copy) (Copy)

BRENDAN, 30 - Milford, MA (Copy) (Copy)

CHASEN, 31 - Walnut Creek, CA (Copy) (Copy)

DEMAR, 26 - San Diego, CA (Copy) (Copy)

ED, 36 - Pittsburgh, PA (Copy) (Copy)

EAZY, 29 - Dallas, TX (Copy) (Copy)

IVAN, 28 - Dallas, TX (Copy) (Copy)

JASON, 31 - Rutland, VT (Copy) (Copy)

JAY, 29 - Langhorne, PA (Copy) (Copy)

JOE, 36 - North Woodmere, NY (Copy) (Copy)

JORDAN, 32 - NY, NY (Copy) (Copy)

KENNY, 39 - Chicago, IL (Copy) (Copy)

MONTEL, 30 - Boston, MA (Copy) (Copy)

NOAH, 25 - Tulsa, OK (Copy) (Copy)

PETER, 32 - Everett, MA (Copy) (Copy)

RILEY, 30 - NY, NY (Copy) (Copy)

SPENCER, 30 - San Diego, CA (Copy) (Copy)

TYLER, 27 - Morgantown, WV (Copy) (Copy)

ZAC, 36 - Haddonfield, NJ (Copy) (Copy)

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.