#TRIBEGOALS

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW | LIVING WITH DIABETES AS AN ATHLETE

In this month's Something You Should Know, we're focusing on Diabetes Awareness and how one of NASCAR's stars, Ryan Reed has navigated this disease and continues to advance in his sport, work with his doctor and to loop in his racing team.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We grew up watching motorsports and primarily Formula 1 as our Co-Founder is from Indianapolis and upon entering college, began enjoying watching NASCAR. How did you get into racing?

RYAN REED: My dad raced in NASCAR. I grew up in California which was kind of difference because racing wasn’t as popular there as it is in other parts of the country. There was still quite a bit of racing and of course, I loved it – love being at the track and being like dad. I started racing go carts and by the time I was 10 or 11, it was a lot more than just a hobby and it was something that I wanted to pursue as a career and to be a professional race car driver. I kind of kept climbing through racing and finally got to where I am today, which is a dream come true, being able to race fulltime in NASCAR.

AM: Can you tell us about the cars that race in NASCAR for those that may not be familar with the sport?

RR: In NASCAR, we have big heavy cars with not a lot of tire. So basically, we have a lot of horse power in our stock cars that don’t handle as good so our cornering speeds aren’t as high and our straight line speed is just as high because we don’t have a lot of force.

AM: What your next race?

RR: I have been racing fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for a number of years now so we’re a little past the half way point, about 2/3 with playoffs starting soon. So I'm getting ready for our playoffs to start and our post season. I'm getting ready for our Championship. Our season is far from over as we’re in the back half of it, but it’s in full swing right now and about to get even busier as our playoffs get here.

AM: How many hours do you spend when you’re training in the car versus fitness training outside of the car?

RR: I’d say on an average week, I don't really have that because each track is so different that a test session isn’t really applicable unless you go to that track and test it out. We do have like a Fri practice for a couple of hours, we qualify and then we race. It’s very important because it’s very limited time and our preparation before we get to the track whether the team side is preparing cars and running simulation and we have a lot of technology to set our race cars up and computer based information and as drivers, being in the gym as much as possible is about strength training and a lot of endurance training. Obviously, our races are 2.5 hours long and sometimes longer and having endurance based training is really important for us. We also have simulators that are like a video game, but a lot more advanced than that so that we can practice our craft. That’s something that has come along in the past 5-10 years that has helped everyone to get more seat time during the week.

AM: When were you diagnosed with diabetes?

RR: For me being diagnosed at 17 in 2011, so 7 years ago, I was a little different and it took me a little longer to get back in the car because when I was diagnosed, I was told that I would never race again. I had to find an endocrinologist that works with a lot of other athletes. She was the one that turned things around for me. She showed me a couple of things that I could still follow my dreams and how important it is to work with my doctor. Even today, she is a crucial part in my diabetes management and for sure, a critical part in getting me out there every weekend on the race track.

AM: What makes diabetes a challenge for someone that is participating in this sport?

RR: There is a lot going on that people don’t understand and for us, we have to deal with something that not many drivers have to deal with which is a changing blood sugar level. It’s all about preparation. Know you diet, know your body – use a Continuos Glucose Monitoring System that we can track where our blood sugar is going before the race and during the race as it mounted in the race car and we have a drink bottle with what we need in there if we need to use that. There are all kinds of things that we have that we can use to make sure everything is safe and that we’re as prepared as possible for the race ahead of us.

AM: Do you have to educate your crews that you work with and how does that work?

RR: I have worked with the same race team for 5 years now. My doctor spent a lot of time as I entered the world of NASCAR with Roush Fenway to get with the team and to work closely with NASCAR’s medical team to get them comfortable with what I was doing to get prepared to get in the race car each week. What I was doing while I was in the car to manage the diabetes and to work with the race team and the whole team knows what’s going on and knows a lot more about diabetes now than what they did before I came on. I think that all of that just shows how important my doctor is to my success and to my diabetes management.

AM: You have partnered with Eli Lilly for awhile now to share their Diabetes inititiave - what is that like?

RR: It’s been a cool program to be with as I won at Daytona and wore the Eli Lilly colors. A few years later, I was in the #teamdiabetes stories and people responded well to it. As a race car driver living this high intensity lifestyle that might be a little bit different then what people expect us to be doing and sharing it through the program is great.

AM: What should we keep an eye out for with this initiative?

RR: Eli Lilly will release a cool 5 part series on NASCAR’s YouTube channel and gives people a feel for my story. The Road to Road America is what it is called and you can find out more at DriveDownA1C.com.

IG @DriverRyanReed

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Something You Should Know | Living with Diabetes as an Athlete in mag.

YOUR BODY JUST GOT A CHRISTMAS GIFT EARLY!

We happened to be on our IG feed and saw Sol De Janeiro’s most excited video! We have been fans of all the products for years and we religiously use their Bum Bum Cream which makes your skin feel so soft, has a bit of shimmer and of course, the smell is amazing with the mixture of Cupuacu, Acai and Coconut Oil. We’re obsessed with the scents of Pistachio and Salted Caramel which just a yummie combination.

The large Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream that we have come to love has just gotten better with their newest size and limited edition - dropping today, you can get the supersize version for $75 which is 500/ml. It’s kind of like Christmas coming early and your skin will thank you for it!

5 KICKS FOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE STUDIO

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see 5 Kicks for Inside and Outside of the Studio in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

THE REALNESS

WNYC Studios

Spotify

Albert "Prodigy" Johnson of Mobb Deep passed away from his lifelong battle with Sickle Cell Anemia Blood Disorder last year and this six-part pocast series from WNYC Studios delves into how he got into the music industry, his talent, his fight for his health and the people that loved him that supported him professionally as well as keeping him well.

Throughout the podcast, you hear from Prodigy as well as his brother, former doctors, Big Twins and Roxanne Shante. Through his sicknes, this disease also shaped how he lived, his thoughts on life and eventually it left him to rap and times he battled the disease in order to perform.

Although he was in and out of the hospital to manage the disorder, Prodigy continued to tour in the last decade of his life despite feeling his bones were breaking and that he was on fire. The show takes you on his tours and shows how he navigated hip hop and had a series of people in his life that supported him in living his dream up to his last performance which would eventually begin his final hospital stay in Las Vegas.

S2. SLOW BURN

SLATE

Apple Podcasts

Slow Burn looks at what it was like going through political scandals. Last season, they focused on Watergate and the fall of Nixon from the infamous tapes to those that you may not have been familiar with the scandal who lent their voices to highlighting it.

This season, they focus on the Impeachment of Bill Clinton which includes a number of the -gate scandals and and of course Monica Lewinsky and the perfect storm that converged to bring all of these activities to light. The show covers the concern of Clinton's infidelities leading to his run for president, various women that were already known as well as how Linda Tripp cornered her "friend" Monica into talking with the FBI when she thought she was just meeting her for lunch.

We go behind the scenes with a number of people who worked with the Clintons as well as those who were on he investigation share their stories (even though Monica herself declined interviews for the podcast). Through the 8 episodes, listeners will revisit the events and see how it was framed.

ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE

Amazon Prime

Agatha Christie's novel is brought back to life again in Ordeal By Innocence. An aristocratic family looks to rebuild their life after the brutal death of their wealthy, philanthropic matriarch. With her death on her estate, the family looks at her adopted son Jack. Family wounds are reopened when a person arrives to provide an alibi for Jack who is accused and convicted of the murder.

When his name is cleared, there is the sobering reality that the murderer is still out there and has the potential to be one of them!

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

AWARDS SEASON | EMMY NOMINATIONS

Another year and another Awards Season! We’re excited to pick out which nominee will be a winner and then to see where we stood when all is said and done. We can’t wait for the 70th Annual Emmy Awards. Make sure to check back to see who won and how close we were in our predictions!

Nominations that are italicized are Athleisure Mag’s predictions, names that are in bold are winners that we didn’t predict correctly and those that are italicized and bold are winners that we predicted correctly.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

The Americans (FX)

The Crown (Netflix)

Game Of Thrones (HBO)

The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)

Stranger Things (Netflix)

This Is Us (NBC)

Westworld (HBO)

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

Atlanta (FX)

Barry (HBO)

Black-ish (ABC)

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

GLOW (Netflix)

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

Silicon Valley (HBO)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES

The Alienist (TNT)

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

Genius: Picasso (National Geographic)

Godless (Netflix)

Patrick Melrose (Showtime)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Claire Foy (The Crown)

Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)

Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale)

Sandra Oh (Killing Eve)

Keri Russell (The Americans)

Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Jason Bateman (Ozark)

Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us)

Ed Harris (Westworld)

Matthew Rhys (The Americans)

Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us)

Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Alexis Bledel (The Handmaid's Tale)

Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)

Ann Dowd (The Handmaid's Tale)

Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones)

Vanessa Kirby (The Crown)

Thandie Newton (Westworld)

Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid's Tale)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game Of Thrones)

Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones)

Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid's Tale)

David Harbour (Stranger Things)

Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)

Matt Smith (The Crown)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Viola Davis (Scandal)

Kelly Jenrette (The Handmaid's Tale)

Cherry Jones (The Handmaid's Tale)

Diana Rigg (Game Of Thrones)

Cicely Tyson (How To Get Away With Murder)

Samira Wiley (The Handmaid's Tale)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

F. Murray Abraham (Homeland)

Cameron Britton (Mindhunter)

Matthew Goode (The Crown)

Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us)

Gerald McRaney (This Is Us)

Jimmi Simpson (Westworld)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Pamela Adlon (Better Things)

Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Allison Janney (Mom)

Issa Rae (Insecure)

Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)

Lily Tomlin (Grace And Frankie)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)

Ted Danson (The Good Place)

Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Donald Glover (Atlanta)

Bill Hader (Barry)

William H. Macy (Shameless)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Zazie Beetz (Atlanta)

Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live)

Betty Gilpin (GLOW)

Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live)

Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)

Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne)

Megan Mullally (Will And Grace)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Louie Anderson (Baskets)

Alec Baldwin (Saturday Night Live)

Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta)

Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live)

Henry Winkler (Barry)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live)

Tiffany Haddish (Saturday Night Live)

Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Maya Rudolph (The Good Place)

Molly Shannon (Will And Grace)

Wanda Sykes (Black-ish)

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Sterling K. Brown (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Bryan Cranston (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Donald Glover (Saturday Night Live)

Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live)

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Katt Williams (Atlanta)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Jessica Biel (The Sinner)

Laura Dern (The Tale)

Michelle Dockery (Godless)

Edie Falco (The Menendez Murders)

Regina King (Seven Seconds)

Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Cult)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso)

Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose)

Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower)

John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert)

Jesse Plemons (USS Callister: Black Mirror)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Sara Bareilles (Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert)

Penelope Cruz (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

Judith Light (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

Adina Porter (American Horror Story: Cult)

Merritt Wever (Godless)

Letitia Wright (Black Mirror (Black Museum))

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Jeff Daniels (Godless)

Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar)

John Leguizamo (Waco)

Finn Wittrock (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

Ricky Martin (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

Edgar Ramirez (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

Michael Stuhlbarg (The Looming Tower)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY TALK SERIES

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)

Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)

The Late Late Show With James Corden (CBS)

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

At Home With Amy Sedaris (TruTV)

Drunk History (Comedy Central)

I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman (Hulu)

Portlandia (IFC)

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Tracey Ullman's Show (HBO)

OUTSTANDING REALITY COMPETITION SERIES

American Ninja Warrior (NBC)

The Amazing Race (CBS)

Project Runway (Lifetime)

RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1)

Top Chef (Bravo)

The Voice (NBC)

OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM

Antiques Roadshow (PBS)

Fixer Upper (HGTV)

Lip Sync Battle (Paramount Network)

Queer Eye (Netflix)

Shark Tank (ABC)

Who Do You Think You Are? (TLC)

OUTSTANDING UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM

Born This Way (A&E)

Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel)

Intervention (A&E)

Naked And Afraid (Discovery Channel)

RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (VH1)

United Shades Of America W. Kamau Bell (CNN)

OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION

W. Kamau Bell (United Shades Of America W. Kamau Bell)

Ellen Degeneres (Ellen's Game Of Games)

RuPaul (Rupaul's Drag Race)

Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn (Project Runway)

Jane Lynch (Hollywood Game Night)

OUTSTANDING TV MOVIE

Fahrenheit 451 (HBO)

Flint (Lifetime)

Paterno (HBO)

The Tale (HBO)

USS Callister (Black Mirror) (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (LIVE)

The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC)

60th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)

Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC)

Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs (HBO)

The Oscars (ABC)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (PRE-RECORDED)

Carol Burnett Show 50th Anniversary Special (CBS)

Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018 (CBS)

Dave Chappelle: Equanimity (Netflix)

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents: The Great American* Puerto Rico (*It's Complicated) (TBS)

Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING INFORMATIONAL SERIES OR SPECIAL

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN)

Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath (A&E)

My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman (Netflix)

StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson (National Geographic)

Vice (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES

American Masters (PBS)

Blue Planet II (BBC America)

The Defiant Ones (HBO)

The Fourth Estate (Showtime)

Wild Wild Country (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED SERIES

Baymax Returns (Disney XD)

Bob's Burgers (FOX)

Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)

The Simpsons (FOX)

South Park (Comedy Central)

OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S PROGRAM

Alexa & Katie (Netflix)

Fuller House (Netflix)

The Magical Wand Chase: A Sesame Street Special (HBO)

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix)

Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES

Jason Bateman (Ozark)

Stephen Daldry (The Crown)

The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things)

Jeremy Podeswa (Game Of Thrones)

Daniel Sackheim (Ozark)

Kari Skogland (The Handmaid's Tale)

Alan Taylor (Game Of Thrones)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A COMEDY SERIES

Donald Glover (Atlanta)

Bill Hader (Barry)

Mike Judge (Silicon Valley)

Hiro Murai (Atlanta)

Jesse Peretz (GLOW)

Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A VARIETY SERIES

Andre Allen (Full Frontal With Samantha Bee)

Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia)

Jim Hoskinson (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert)

Don Roy King (Saturday Night Live)

Tim Mancinelli (The Late Late Show With James Corden)

Paul Pennolino (Last Week Tonight With John Oliver)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Scott Frank (Godless)

David Leveaux and Alex Rudzinski (Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert)

Barry Levinson (Paterno)

Edward Berger (Patrick Melrose)

Ryan Murphy (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

Craig Zisk (The Looming Tower)

David Lynch (Twin Peaks)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (Game Of Thrones)

The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things)

Bruce Miller (The Handmaid's Tale)

Peter Morgan (The Crown)

Joe Fields and Joe Weisberg (The Americans)

Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A COMEDY SERIES

Alec Berg (Silicon Valley)

Alec Berg and Bill Hader (Barry)

Donald Glover (Atlanta)

Sefani Robinson (Atlanta)

Liz Sarnoff (Barry)

Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A VARIETY SERIES

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

Late Night With Seth Meyers

Saturday Night Live

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus (American Vandal)

Scott Frank (Godless)

David Nicholls (Patrick Melrose)

Tob Rob Smith (The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)

David Lynch and Mark Frost (Twin Peaks)

William Bridgers and Charlie Brooker (USS Callister (Black Mirror))

Read from the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

ROCK ON WITH TETSURO ODA

When you're listening to a number of your favorite anime shows, you're probably hearing the music that has been created by Tetsuro Oda - composer, artist, producer, and guitarist. In addition to his love of anime and being a soloist, he is also a huge fan of J-Pop and created a group to continue playing this genre of music and how Rock & Roll is an endangered species in Japan. We took a moment to chat about all of this prior to his tour with his band, Roll B Dinosaur.

ATHLEISURE MAG: How did you get into music and how has your journey been in becoming an artist, composer and producer?

TESTURO ODA: I was like kid who played any instruments like toys. I had been listening to music from radio every day.

AM: How did you become an anime composer and why do you like creating music for this genre?

TO: I think, I've been blessed with opportunities. As a result of taking the offers inspiring me, I have created numbers of anime songs.

I feel motivation to join in anime, because giving me a precious opportunity to compel people to enlarge their joys, excitements and memories with my songs.

AM: What has been your favorite anime show that you have composed?

TO: The theme song of SLAMDUNK: “Sekai ga owarumade ha - Until the world ends”.

AM: You have composed for a number of J-Pop bands, how is this different than creating music for anime shows?

TO: There are basically 2 cases when I am offered for composing anime songs. One is to create songs along the views of anime, another is to create songs upon the characters of singers.

I prioritize, how my songs can complement the anime when I originally compose new songs for anime programs.

AM: How would you describe J-Pop?

TO: J-Pop, to me is like “Makunouchi Bento”, which is Japanese tradition style lunch box containing rice and a variety of side dishes.

It seems deliciously decollated genre featuring “Tasty dishes” regardless of either western foods or Japanese one.

AM: Tell us about Roll B Dinosaur - how did this group come together, are you working on a new album and will you be touring?

TO: Rock’n Roll is now sort of “endangered spices” in Japan. So this “Roll-B Dinosaur” is preservation activity of “Rock’n Roll”. “It’s only rock’n’roll but I like it!” My initial dates for our upcoming shows are Billboard Osaka (Jan 18, 2019) and Nagoya Bluenote (Jan 19, 2019).

AM: When you're not performing or making music, where do you enjoy eating lunch or dinner, do you work out and if so - where and where do you enjoy shopping for clothes?

TO: I mainly enjoy eating dishes in Shibuya, Tokyo near my own studio. I do daily exercise after waking up. Currently, shopping either in Shibuya, or at Amazon.

TWITTER @Tetsuro_Oda

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Rock on with Testuro Oda in mag.

THE PICK ME UP

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Pick Me Up in mag.

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY | YOUR DAY TO NIGHT MUST HAVES

Read more from the Aug issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure Beauty | Your Day to Night Must Haves in mag.

THE ART OF THE SNACK | THE MARKET PLACE

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Snack | The Market Place in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | NEO U FITNESS

Located in midtown, in a 20,000 state of the art fitness hub, Neo U Fitness is not only about housing a number of concepts within its walls, but it is a live streaming and on demand platform for top trainers and brands that make itself available to a worldwide audience. This fitness center uses cutting edge technology to link people to these elite trainers. The focus is to highlight great fitness methods while exposing and growing fitness brands. With a belief in fitness and wellness, both are integrated into the offerings provided.

There are 3 studios where guests can take boxing, yoga, bootcamp, dancing and more. Check out the schedule to see who or what method will be showcased on your date and time of interest. Each room is designed with interchangeable equipment and atmospheric projectors.

In addition to the studios, the cafes come along with premium amenities are available for its guests. There are plenty of showers, daily lockers, and a NEO Cafe serving juices, smoothies and acai bowls.

In a recent class, we enjoyed the lounge area where we were able to chat with our fitness host pre and post class. There is also a boutique to purchase apparel as well. With live streaming cameras available in the studio, Neo U is focused on being the Netflix or Amazon of fitness to truly provide access to their offerings worldwide.

NEO U FITNESS

420 5th Ave

NY, NY 10018

IG @NeoUFitness

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Neo U Fitness in mag.

GET ORGANIZED WITH TIA MOWRY

The transition that takes place in August is always an interesting one as many are focusing on the last days of summer and getting ready for fall, some are going back to school (or are involved with little ones) and the clock begins to tick on planning for holiday. As we're all about preparation, we took some time to talk to Tia Mowry about the upcoming season as a working mom, her partnership with Office Depot and upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Back to School Season is like a moment in time where even those who may not be going to school are thinking about their home offices - how important is it to have the important tools to get your work done whether it's going back to school, setting up your home office or just doing a general refresh?

TIA MOWRY: As a working mother of two, you can imagine how chaotic life gets at times. The only way I accomplish all the tasks I need to get done during the day is by staying organized - and the best way to do that is to have fun with it. I usually have endless to-do lists laying around my house, however I just discovered my new favorite organization “tool” – Office Depot’s customizable TUL planner. It’s so cute and comes with a bunch of fun stickers and built-in accessories that make each to-do list fun to create and check off.

When Cree and I go back to school shopping, I can’t help but think about students and families who cannot afford the school supplies they need. I think that having the proper supplies helps students succeed in school and every student deserves a fair chance to succeed in the classroom. I love that Office Depot is committed to supporting education and makes it so easy to give back.

This year, Office Depot has two great ways that everyone can participate in giving back to the community. Their “Give Back to Schools” program lets you give 5% of your qualifying purchase back in credits towards supplies to a school of your choice, or the Office Depot School Supply Drive lets you purchase extra supplies at a local store that will go to a local Title 1 school at the beginning of the 2018 school year.

It’s a great feeling buying all Cree’s school supplies in one place, but it’s even more rewarding being able to give back to support local schools while shopping, and I am glad that Cree is getting that experience at such a young age.

AM: What tools should we always buy to make sure that we can replenish them without having to make another order?

TM: I’m all about pens! I think it is important to always have fresh pens on hand. Nothing is more annoying then writing a note or list or helping Cree out with a project and running out of ink. So for me, I have packs and packs of pens in every color and of course, my favorite – gel pens (especially Office Depot’s TUL retractable gel pens)! For back to school, Office Depot also has these adorable jewel top pencils and windmill pens and I am obsessed! They make writing anything much more fun.

AM: Why did you partner with Office Depot?

TM: Education and giving back to the community are two things I fully support and stand by. Office Depot has been committed to this for over 30 years, so partnering with the company was an easy decision for me.

Office Depot makes it easy for me and my family to send Cree to school with everything he needs, and I know I can rely on them to have exactly what we want –fun and stylish (what Cree wants!) and functional so I know he’ll be prepared for anything.

AM: How do you make lunches fun - do you change up the options, add special utensils?

TM: When I was in school, I used to love opening up my lunch and getting surprise notes from my mom. Every note would be different and would brighten my day. I make sure Cree has something (besides food) to look forward to at lunch, like a note or some cool stickers.

Kids get bored of things so easily, so I try my best to change up Cree’s lunches as much as possible. Whether it’s a different type of sandwich or fruit, I think it’s important to mix it up and provide a variety. It also helps to plan ahead for the week and of course I ask Cree if he has any preferences (this makes it easier on me). His favorite are these yummy turkey meatballs I make so I try to pack those often. The Bentology Bento Box Set from Office Depot makes packing lunches so easy and also fun, and since Cree is obsessed with the Slime lunch box and loves showing it off, I pack the bento box set in it and we’re both happy

AM: Tell us about Tia Mowry Quick Fix and what we can expect to find there.

TM: Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix is all about life hacks that make everyday things that we do easier! Hence the “Quick Fix”! You’ll find recipe hacks, beauty hacks, and Q&A's so my viewers can learn more about my life and family.

It’s really a community that I have created that helps people get through their day to day life easier.

AM: Tell us about projects that you are working on that we should keep an eye out for as we have been fans of your work for years?

TM: I am doing more tv/movies in the future, so keep an eye out for that! Look out for new episodes of Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix as well.

IG @TiaMowry

PHOTO COURTESY | Office Depot

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Get Organized with Tia Mowry in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | SOURCED ADVENTURES

Founded in 2013, Sourced Adventures’ mission is to make the outdoor accessible and affordable to anyone and everyone who lives in New York City. Since then, they have expanded to more than 5 different US cities and now offer a suite of international destinations as well.

Sourced Adventures has its roots in the travel industry. The brand’s founder, Kyle Davidson was an Adventure Tour Guide in a previous life. Now, that same commitment to a great customer experience is embodied by the company’s tour guide feels as a central sentiment within the company culture. The SA Management team now consists of a diverse group of travel professionals with varied experience including the Ski industry and Outdoor Education.

We had the pleasure of attending a recent trip that left NYC and combined yoga in a vineyard, a wine tasting and some free time to enjoy the space as well as to continue drinking more wine. Day trips include your transportation, lunch on site and the opportunity to bring a group with you or to meet new people. Trips leave from two locations in the city earlier in the morning and return early evening which allows you to go home and continue your night.

Sourced Adventures has three main product offerings. The flagship products are local adventure day trips out of several US cities including NYC, DC, Boston and Chicago. The goal with these products is to make it easy for absolutely anyone to escape the city and get into the outdoors. They also have several guided and unguided international trips to destinations such as Iceland, Mexico, Scotland and more. Finally, they work with corporate and private clients to build tailor-made international itineraries or custom corporate retreats.

Feedback is an integral part when it comes to adding new adventures to the offerings at Sourced Adventures. When we attended our adventure, we noticed that a number of people had attended their Hiking and Brewing Program or had planned to do so. According to the Sourced Adventure team, this trip was included due to repeated requests from the community of travelers for a hiking trip to be offered.

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SOURCED ADVENTURES

85 Delancey

NY, NY 10002

www.sourcedadventures.com

IG @SourcedAdventures

Read more from the August Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | Sourced Adventures in mag.

NEXT STOP, TOKYO WITH DAGMARA WOZNIAK

This month's cover is a 2 X Team USA Olympian, Dagmara Wozniak who won a Bronze Medal in fencing as a member of the Women's Saber team. With the the Olympics a little less than 2 years away, Athleisure Mag is excited to turn our attention to the upcoming summer Olympic games that will take place in Tokyo 2020. Our shoot took place at the Manhattan Fencing Center where she has trained with her coach since 2005, and we talked about her goals for the upcoming season, what drew her to the sport and the importance of bringing positivity to the game.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When we met you at your shoot, you made a great analogy to what fencing is - can you share with our readers?

DAGMARA WOZNIAK: I look at fencing as a sport with three different weapons (Epee, Foil and Saber) and you specialize in one because the tactics and training is so different in an of itself. I compare Saber, the one that I do as the Sprinter of the sport. If you look at the sport like Track & Field you have sprinting, hurdles and marathon, it’s completely different. You may have some athletes that do both, but you’re working on specific techniques for the sport itself which is very similar to fencing. People think it’s one sport and that we just change weapons, but it’s like 3 mini sports within the sport. It differs by target area, differs by tactic, and differs by training, so it’s very specific and different then what most people think.

AM: What drew you to fencing initially and then the discipline of saber?

DW: I actually started off with the original weapon which is Epee when I came first. My dad just took me to a fencing class one day and it was at the Polish Cultural Foundation and I think it was more to keep me busy and to help me practice the language as my coach was Polish. It was an after school program kind of thing and I did it once or twice a week and I just started falling in love with it.

AM: What did you like about it after you started playing in the sport?

DW: I liked how different it was. People laugh, but I was definitely a tomboy, still am and beatng up kids and not getting in trouble was great. I did karate before that and I had a lot of fun with that. I had friends who were in it with me and when I had to go up to get a new belt or whatever, they would say, “don’t hit me too hard.” I was very ready to go all out. There is something on the line, “sorry we’re not friends right now.” The whole aspect of combat sport is just very appealing to me and I liked it a lot and it’s challenging. One of the things that I have grown to like about it is that there’s a lot of unpredictable factors. You might know what someone generally does and let’s say they are having a bad day or they’re fencing much better than they have ever done before, you need to be able to adjust to things like that. So the fact that you’re not sure how someone is going to necessarily compete, you can make a plan, but that’s not what’s going on and you need to adjust or you are going to lose.

So not to take away from swimming or track and field, but the ground is never going to move from you, the water is never going to dip and become a crazy wave. It’s the fact that it’s really a battle against you and yourself. And fencing and combat sports is a battle against you and yourself and you have the variable of someone else who also has a brain and can adapt to situations and make mistakes as well and capitalize on your mistakes. I like the cliché way of explaining fencing that it’s a physical chess game and it’s spot on. I love that about it.

AM: So what was the moment that you went from enjoying this personally to realizing that you could compete professionally and go to an Olympic stage?

DW: It came very late for me I guess! It was only when I qualified as an alternate for the Beijing Olympics that I even thought about it because people said that that would be my next step to go to the games and I would say, “you’re crazy.” But in the end it was like, if I wasn’t gunning for the Olympics then why the hell was I training so hard? For me it was the whole idea of wanting to be the best and doing something that I was good at and I loved it. I was nev-er upset or felt forced that I was going to practice – I was excited. The losses were so personal for me that I would cry for hours and keep telling my mom that it would never happen again, but even though it did – I was just driven to it without having a goal. I just wanted to win and that was the first goal. But then when I was graduating highschool, I had some teachers that were like, “you know what’s next – the Olympics,” and I was like, “no my God, don’t push it.” But shortly after that, my coach was like you should start thinking about it and I thought, “wow I didn’t know that this was possible for me.” Once my coach and I kind of made a plan, it was up from there.

AM: Your first trip to the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008 was as an alternate, how did that affect 2012?

DW: I qualified in 2008 as a replacement athlete and the only way that I was able to compete is if someone from my team got injured. That didn’t happen and they got the Bronze medal and because I never set foot on the actual playing field, I went home with nothing. I remember a lot of people were saying that that was as far as where I could potentially reach and what was I expecting and why I was so  upset. They kind of wrote me off from ever being an actual Olympic athlete and I told my mom, "I was there for the experience and I saw how it was and these next 4 years it will be different.” I made sure that I made a plan that was going to get me there as an actual competing athlete. So qualifying for the team for the Olympic Games in London 2012 was a highlight and so much more meaningful because of the people that said I couldn’t do it.

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“But in the end it was like, if I wasn’t gunning for the Olympics then why the hell was I training so hard? For me it was the whole idea of wanting to be the best and doing something that I was good at and I loved it.”

— Dagmara Wozniak

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AM: We know that you have a 4 year gap between each Summer Games. There are a number of championships and tournaments that you do in a given period of time to get onto the team for your sport (the process is different for each of the Olympic sports). What is that snapshot like for you in terms of qualifying when you are getting into the next Team USA as we’re looking for The Road to Tokyo 2020?

DW: Right so there are many sports that just went to one competition closer to Rio and it could be as soon as just a month out! But that’s just what they are used to and it’s a completely different stressful situation. For us, it’s a year long process so when we start the actual Olympic year, we go to about 10 International competitions where we compete and we get points based off of that. Because now, all the team events are allotted under one big medal, before in 2012, our team event was rotated out so the IOC didn’t allow all of the events to compete at the Olympics so 2 of the team events – all of the individual team events were there so that’s 6 events and then we only received 4 team events the - relay. So in 2012, Women’s Saber got rotated out and we only got to qualify individually. In 2016, we had the opportunity to qualify as a team and we did. It’s a different qualification process, but now we have team events for everyone which is amazing and everyone has the opportunity which is more chances for Team USA as we’re doing well right now and we can bring more medals home, and it’s great for fencing, the sport and the development.

The qualification process is different. We go to competitions, we get points based on how high we rank and it’s the first 4 teams that qualify automatically and then to finish the bracket it goes by zone!

AM: So your Olympic year would start summer of next year. But yet, you are still doing championships and competitions leading into that.

DW: Yes.

AM: You’re having a well deserved rest.

DW: Right. Our season typically started in Oct and then we have 1 competition every month. It was ok, but then I felt like it never gave me an opportunity to necessarily peak. Now, they're giving us quite a bit of an off season which is going to let us have more competitions condensed together, but right now there is an opportunity to kind of change the training style, to change the schedule and to be able to capitalize physically and mentally and then just to ride out how much work you have put in through the season. You won't feel the need to play catch up and your peeked and you're ready to go.

AM: What is your training like when you’re preparing for a typical tournament, an Olympic one and then just maintaining in general?

DW: I don’t necessarily treat the Olympics any different then any other competition. I just think that you can’t treat it differently because of the environment because that is when you are going to put the pressure on yourself and I know that there are differences as there are more people, there’s more press and more points – everything that’s for sure. That’s why going into the Olympics for London 2012 which was my first time competing, I told myself that I wasn’t going to do a lot of interviews because we don’t usually get a lot of that stuff usually during the competition and I know that that’s at least how I work as an athlete as I would get distracted by trying to give everyone a story and all of that. I felt that if the result was going to be there, then people would want to talk to me after.

I focus on preparing just like I would for any other competition. I know that a lot of people function better when they are exposed to something for the first time. I’m not going to say beginner’s luck as they go in with no expectation and for me, it’s the opposite I put more expectation in when I am doing something for the first time. Now if I qualify for Tokyo which I am very confident that I will and that it’s going that way.

I feel more confident the more times that I have been on the Olympic stage.  Through loss, through heartbreak, through everything all together it’s learning experiences that make me stronger.

AM: What does your workout look like?

DW: Right now, I’m not fencing so I am taking a small break from that, but I am working with my trainer on capitalizing on endurance. Fencing during competitions lasts throughout a whole day. There is a lot of stop and go! You compete and sit around for an hour and a half, then compete and sit around for another hour and a half. Not necessarily until you get into the finals you win and keep going and you have about an hour and a half and maybe even 2-3 hours before the next match. So it gets tedious in terms of keeping up the endurance, the stamina and the focus. What we have been doing right now as you can’t really simulate an actual competition, but we have been training really early in the morning, I have been doing a lot of crossfit lately and catering more to fencing specific stuff. I’m not going really crazy with the weight, but focusing on building short muscle and fast push muscle – going down and up. I am driving really fast up and again focusing specifically on what will benefit me and my sport, but at the same time, having the intensity of the class and the timer. The repetitiveness is all there and that benefits me. I like to change things up when I feel that I am pushing myself a little too hard. There was a good portion of the time that I was doing pilates with the reformer and some mat work. What’s great about fencing and in fitness in general. Your body is always changing whether you’re in your 20’s, 30’s, a women, a male, come down with a sickness etc – there are so many things that are constantly changing. I never really like to stick to something all the time and kind of plateau. Keeping the body not in a rhythm in terms of a workout which is why I like crossfit so much as there is always a way to challenge yourself. It’s not more weight in terms of taking more time if there is a 12 minute gap, so maybe you get less rounds in or you put less weight and you gauge how many rounds you get in and next time you can keep the same weight and just try to push how many things you can do to fit in the time frame.

I like pilates, I was spinning for awhile but it’s about more sport specific stuff. Making sure that the right muscles are firing.

AM: What are three go to foods for the gym and what are your splurges?

DW: You say splurge foods and it’s the first thing that comes to my mind! I love donuts – I have loved donuts forever and if you give me one, I can’t resist. The homemade ones are amazing. I love how pretty they are and how creative they can be. I’m not a fan of cupcakes or cake, but donuts – yes donuts are my thing. It’s first, second and third. I can’t choose ha!

My go-to in terms of what I’m eating when training. I like protein shakes. They are something that I definitely include post workout as a meal replacement. There is a company I like, Athletic Greens and they are safe for athletes to use and they have dehydrated greens that you can throw in your smoothie as well or in your shakes and it’s easy on your stomach and doesn’t have a metallic aftertaste like most of them do. I’m all about safety and a clean sport. Having a trusted product like that makes me feel great and since I started using that which has been awhile now – maybe a year. I have really decreased how much coffee I have been drinking. I love the taste of coffee but sometimes I forget when the last time was that I had it because the proteins and the greens give me so much energy. Thats what I'm about.

Clean food yes – I think I’d have to say that I am a Paleo/Ketogenic diet – obviously not Keto like what people are doing out there limiting carbs etc., as I think after what I have read a lot about as athletes, it's not the best things especially for women. But keeping high protein and high fat and carbs is something that I have found has given me the optimal training and recovery.

AM: We enjoyed shooting at the Manhattan Fencing Center. How long have you trained here and do you have responsibilities there as well?

DW: There aren’t necessarily responsibilities, but I do think of it as a helping hand in terms of talking to my coach about athletes and my opinion. I am more of a mentor. My fencing gym is my second home. I’m a big stickler for organization, cleaning up after or organizing the lost and found and even small tasks. I love to be respectful of it and take care of it. I hope that others do the same.

I’ve been with my coach since 2005!

AM: Beyond your sport, what else are you interested in doing?

DW: For me, I feel like I have definitely gotten involved in and interested in clean eating and watching documentaries about processed items that are in our foods and how we are slowly killing ourselves with the items that are in our foods. Like a bunch of fries that are really filling is $1 but healthy vegetables for a little snack pack is $6 or $7. A family that can’t really afford too much will go for McDonald’s and fast food stuff. It breaks my heart that there are all these monsters in our country that are destroying food. So healthy food has been a huge working area for me. I love learning about it and I am very intuitive with my body. The second I eat something, I can feel how upset my stomach is and I know it's not good for me. It sucks because donuts have a lot of sugar, not just in terms of weight gain, but it upsets my gut bacteria and I am in tons of pain. Just seeing that I want to spread the knowledge because even healthy peanut butters are actually not healthy. People think that they always have to work out and work out to do so 2-3 times a day to get to whatever your fitness is, but there is so much that can be achieved through diet and what you put into your body. I’m passionate about that.

In terms of athlete preparation, I would like to be a strength and conditioning coach myself and it has become dear to me. Not necessarily just for fencing. I think being able to compete at the highest level mentally and physically – I may not always do it, but being there and known what it takes, and having that knowledge because of my experience, I would like to take that step and prepare those athletes that want to take it to this level and if not higher.

AM: You travel a lot. What have been your favorite places?

DW: I get that question a lot and people are always surprised at my answer. I have fallen in love with Belgium. I’ve never said that I could retire and live in Europe but it’s the first place I went to when I was like, I could see myself living there in terms of the food, the culture, the people are so nice and the architecture is beautiful. There’s a coffee shop and then there is a castle around the corner, you don’t get that in the United States. It’s very interesting to see that kind of setup. This past summer, we had a training camp in Japan before our World Championships in China and I have to say that Japan is such a cool place. The people are so cool and it's just a different world over there! I enjoyed my time in Japan and you know, my heart is in Cuba and I love that place and it's the top three of where I would love to go to.

AM: Where can we find you eating and shopping?

DW: The things that I love about Jersey City and Hoboken is that there are a lot of boutique places in terms of clothing that you can find great stuff and I'm not into labels, but when I do shop for that, I love All Saints - they're rugged and raw with colors that aren't too bright. I love denim with raw materials in terms of dressing up. So I love jean shorts and a black tank top which is my go to. I'm about comfort while still being able to express myself.

There are a lot of cool cafés here. Recently, my boyfriend and I got interested in some refreshing drinks, cheese and meat platters which I love. There is a place called The Archer which has a great selection of this. Down by Grove there are a lot of cool restaurants. We don’t go out too much because we try to just focus on eating healthy and when we go out, I love outside dining and the gardens. There is a lot of that here and it’s fun to jump around.

AM: Do you do any philanthropy?

DW: I find myself getting involved with the athletes in my club and giving advice. I have worked one on one with girls in my club. The pressure of being a female athlete and it’s interesting as everyone always deals with their problems and I don’t necessarily showcase what is going on with me as I  have gone through some troubled times. When they talk to me and say, "how do you seem so calm and confident?" I'm like, "woo you have no idea! That's so far from the truth." I am a thankful that I come across that way and everyone is dealing with their issues and I try to impart some wisdom on the girls and the guys at the club.

I talk to my middle school in Avenel, NJ and I have done a few high school talks in terms of setting goals and how many times that people have come and said I couldn't do something. If you listen to what people say, you're just going to dig your own hole and never crawl out of there. Especially when you're doing well, people seem to have more things to say. I think I did a lot of listening to those people for a long time and at 21, I thought that I had it all figured out, by 26 I thought I knew more and now at 30 I'm like, "damn I'm so far from when I thought I did have it figured out!" Life is a constant learning experience and being able to walk away from people that aren't good for you and are negative – I just get involved with the kids at my club. I have had the harsh talks with other coaches on what I am capable of and am supposed to do but when you follow your own plan, that’s when you can really blossom!

AM: What are your goals for the Summer Games?

DW: I’ve set the goal of coming home with 2 gold medals for individual and the team. It’s that goal or no goal for me. Maybe it’s my last time competing or I go another 4 years, who knows. I’m doing everything I can now and not looking back to say shoulda, coulda, woulda and I have a new game plan now. I don’t have injuries, there are a lot of things that are different then when I was training for Rio than how it is now. I may not be the kid that went to every Olympics and medaled in every one, but I have the opportunity to go out there and do some damage with an individual gold medal and team gold medal - even if it's one time. That's very important to me and that puts the icing on my cake in terms of a career.

IG @DagmaraWozniak

Listen to our conversation with Dagmara Wozniak on an upcoming episode of The Road to Tokyo 2020 on Athleisure Studio, our multimedia podcast network.

Read more from the August Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Next Stop, Tokyo with Dagmara Wozniak in mag.

SUPPLEMENTS YOU SHOULD TAKE TO STAY FIT AND HEALTHY

Supplements You Should Take To Stay Fit and Healthy

Supplements and vitamins have been excluded in the discussion of quite some time in people diet. The most affected gender is the men who do not consider discussing the useful supplements and vitamins to use. The ladies have a wide variety of probiotics to choose from supporting their health concerns. There are very minimal probiotics available in the market today available for men to use.

In case you are suffering from digestive problems, or other irregularities consider using the supplements daily since they will be of great help. The shops and other online platforms can be very useful to access the supplements but choosing the supplements to help you can be very challenging.

BioSchwartz Advanced Strength Probiotics

It was formulated by doctors who wanted to build a perfect combination of strains and active cultures. It is an excellent choice in case you have all round digestive issues. The probiotic has been advanced and features innovative formulas to resists stomach acidity. No refrigeration is needed when storing the probiotic; it is straightforward to store the probiotics in a cool and dry place. There are many health benefits enjoyed including the certain potency that is set up to the expiry date, and it is more effective than other probiotics in the market.

Dr.Formulated Probiotics

The probiotics support immune and digestive system health in a significant way. Also, it is straightforward to store it since it does not require any refrigeration. The probiotics are created explicitly for men specific health and colon benefits. It is considered to shelf stable since it is packed in a pack of thirty capsules to be taken daily. Many people can use the probiotics since it is soy free, gluten free and dairy free; a vegetarian can also use the probiotic as it will have no side effects. It is straightforward to use the probiotic since you can follow the usage directions as they are written on the label.  OGLF have performed in-depth research on probiotics and used all of the supplements mentioned, to see what they recommend for men, see their editor's choice here.

Dr.Tobias Deep Immune Probiotics

It is primarily designed to boost the immune system health. It is very essential for any person who wants to know if the probiotics they are consuming is safe to use. The acting formula is very effective, and it is created with the high quality ingredients. The healthy immune system is boosted by the probiotics giving essential bacteria in the immune system. It is tested by the medical researchers globally and proven very fit for consumption. Any person can use the probiotics since they have no side effects on the user.

Garden Of Life Raw Probiotics

There are specifically made for men health benefits in both the digestive system and overall prostate. It has a very comprehensive formula of minerals, vitamins to promote the wellness of the body. It is comfortable to use to avoid the risk of having constipation. The main vitamins supply is provided by raw fruits and vegetables which are very rich in vitamin content.

NYFW SS19 | Prabal Gurung

One of our favorite shows this season from NYFW SS19 is Prabal Gurung which was a feast for the eyes and incorporated an array of athleisure looks throughout their runway show. Above, our 3 favorite looks within a show that included models: Bella Hadid (above), Winnie Harlow and Gigi Hadid.

Check out the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

NYFW SS19 | CHRISTOPHER LOWMAN

We’re always down for a little love for Olympic style and Christopher Lowman’s NYFW SS19 show showcased an array of looks within it’s theme of The Glorious Olympics which pays homage to the 80’s - complete with rolled up socks.

See the latest issue of Athleisure Mag

NYFW SS19 | NONIE

Our favorite 3 looks from the NYFW SS19 Nonie show are above and the full video is below.

Check out our latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

THE ART OF INTERIORS WITH NATALIE OFFICER

This month, we made our way to an immersive launch of Cafe, A Matte Collection which included a new collection of appliances and finishes that could be customized to truly make your home your own. At this event, two concepts were presented a clean white focused design which reminded us os a french provencial look and a very cool modern copper style that was oh so New York. This concept was created by the Louisville based interior designer, Natalie Officer of Natalie O. Design. We talked with her about how she transitioned from the fashion world to interior design, how she works with her clients to create their vision, her attention to detail and her favorite spots in Louisville.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell Athleisure Mag about your background and how you went from fashion to interiors?

NATALIE OFFICER: Fashion is a tremendous place to cut your teeth. It invites you fully understand textiles, the process of creating, and the actual viability and sustainability of style. Working with large national and international brands and how they dance with the wholesale and retail side of existence was tremendously insightful. In this life, if you are lucky, you eventually strive to create something of your own. Something that reminds you of what you are made of. When I left fashion, my then boyfriend and now husband and I jumped into renovating large greystone homes in Chicago; a very expensive and educational "side hustle". After completing the third large scale project, other builders were approaching me to design their developments and stage their properties. Much has been learned since then - gains, losses, and hard lessons. Coming out on the other side of nearly 15 years of study, and seeing Natalie O Design provide for my family, other creatives, and innovative people has been a dream that is finally being realized.

AM: What is your process when approaching a design process?

NO: As a student in Fashion Design, you learn first to appreciate the "hand" of fabric. Years ago, a Couture German instructor impressed upon me the importance of that tactile sense, as well as the "finish" quality of our work. So, we start with the textiles and then back into the space.

AM: How do you obtain inspiration for creating transformative spaces that speak to your client?

NO: Over time, my process has evolved. It started with images, and visual reference goals, really from the time I was a kid. I would eagerly await magazines to arrive in the mailbox. As time has passed, the use of images and over exposure of certain trends/thoughts has complicated this process and lent to industry "sameness". So, I have returned to the trusted inspiration of hand and textiles, along with a bit of an archeological dig into each clients need, life travels, and personal stories. You can find such environmental inspiration all around you. Travel, touch and a good ear are really the big winners in design.

All the qualities of a quality love story.

AM: Tell us about your firm Natalie O’Design what was the nexus to launching it and what is its design ethos?

NO: We are comprised of four people. We listen. We teach one another. Empathize in the journey, and grow. Inspiring one another and our clients all the while.

This has long been our creed:

To inspire others to be their most authentic selves, in their homes and daily walks.

AM: We were blown away by the Cafe event. We love the fact that in addition to the design showcased, the Cafe products, the personalized/customized experiences and great food, that Louisville was also showcased. How did you become a part of this event and why did you choose the design angle to creating your vision of a space that included the products and finishes of your “rooms”?

NO: 'Twas really an organic blend, and that always works the best.

Our partnership came organically from the design and development of the customizable Cafe line, developed internally by Maggie Ballinger. What we have expressed in our brand identity was desirable to the concept, and we were honored to be contacted to participate as the designers of the Matte Black Kitchen for Cafe.

The copper hardware was a driver of course, but really we simply took our vibe and parlayed it into "lifestyle" influences. The venue and map of New York City and the Bon Ton tile hand-made in Minnesota gave a wonderful splash of activity in the space. We coupled it with the use of Maharam fabrics and the mix of forged copper, linen, and hand thrown ceramics on the table.

Of course the Lucas Pete lighting made our heart skip a beat.

AM: The space you created was stunning. Can you tell us about the tiles, countertops etc that were in your space as you had so many stories that really brought this to life.

NO: It is part of our brand to utilize small brands, started concepts, and to work with people who still answer the phone. We utilized Caesarstone and the natural deep emerald Nuvalato stone as our countertop surfaces, and built in the copper Rohl sinks, pairing them with the beautiful and attainable faucets from Cincinnati's own Signature Hardware. Each piece and placement from the tile to the table scape, thought through collectively by our team. I spent almost 8 hours piecing together the mural wall, knowing each tile and tone was integral to highlighting the items.

A list of vendors used in the space:

Maharam Fabric
Helen Levi Ceramics
Crate & Barrel
Bon Ton Designs Tile
Signature Hardware
Rohl Home
Haute Living
Lukas Peet Lighting
Williams-Sonoma
Food52
The Shelter Collection
Industry West
Yield Design
Sertodo Copper

AM: Are there any celeb projects or large products that are public that you’d be able to share that you have worked on?

NO: In true creative fashion, we trip over the word celebrity. As we treat each of our clients with very high regard, and are ambitious about making them feel like a true celeb. Recognizable names? Perhaps not. But, our local coffee go to, Please and Thank You, has honored us with design partnerships on two shops. Certainly eye candy for the masses to view. Julie Metzinger, a dream client, is probably our favorite celebrity home featured to date. Our visions resonated so much she ended up joining our team. We are breaking the mold here in Kentucky and humbled by the work coming to us from across the country.

AM: In Louisville, where would we find you grabbing a bite/cocktails, working out and shopping?

NO: The bright and clever cafe Naive, conversing with artists and makers at our Hope Mills studio space, getting pizza at MozzaPi, spinning records and grabbing cookies at Please & Thank You, local vibes at Bean coffee shop, looking through thrifts and antiques at Mellwood (when we’re not driving outside of town to secret locations), celebration dinner and drink at Butchertown Grocery and Lola, Circe + SWAG for gifts for ourselves and others, EP Tom Sawyer State Park for running on local limestone.

AM: As a wife, working mom and a business owner, how do you take time for yourself?

NO: My studio time is my "me time". Loving my work is really something therapeutic to me. Otherwise... sleep.

AM: How do you give of your time from a philanthropic standpoint?

NO: Relationship and community are built through service, and being on the receiving end of kindness and others generosity in our own lives, humbles you to the importance. It is important to our team to work with nonprofits and philanthropic forces. We are excited to be partnering with the local Fund for the Arts for their spring fund raiser, through our design work. Our long time relationship with friend and founder of Hope Scarves, Lara MacGregor, has helped to yield personal growth as well as mission growth in the organization. They are now a major contributor to Metastatic Breast Cancer Research in our local area, and nationally. What is good for the soul is good for others.

 IG @NatalieODesign

Read more from the August Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Interiors with Natalie Officer in mag.

NYFW SS19 | ICY PRESENTS: SUPERNOVA

Our favorite 2 looks from the ICY Presents: Supernova NYFW SS19 show is above and the full show is below.

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