I read about celebrity fitness experts all the time. On a
regular basis, some muscle-bound man or woman trainer poses with a
muscle bound man or woman celebrity promising us the same results if you
just buy his/her book, protein drink, or some pill or potion.
Potentially dangerous exercises are taught via videotapes
and on websites without reliable medical research. Routinely I see patients who
get hurt performing exercises the wrong way or who experience side effects from
supplements that are not FDA approved.
Then enters the gorgeous, talented and “shredded” AJ
Johnson. A vision of perfect health from her skin tone to her physique – and
it’s all the result of her hard work, dedication and spiritual beliefs.
When I contacted AJ, she was doing what she does on a
regular basis – educating and teaching others about healthy living. Let’s meet
AJ Johnson and find out how she has been successful not only in her acting
career, but as a life coach to many celebrities and non-celebrities.
AllHipHop.com: AJ,
where are you?
AJ Johnson: I’m
in my in car in Chicago and I pulled over in front of the John Hancock Center
to talk to you for as long as you want. [laughs]
AllHipHop.com: What’s
happening in Chi-town?
AJ Johnson: I am here for a number of things, but primarily
I’m doing a seminar and fitness demonstration at the Lake Shore Athletic Club
and an “Explore the Flavor of Health” event with Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) who
I’ve done a lot with over the past year or two.
AllHipHop.com: I’ve never heard of that AJ. Tell me a little
more about GSK and this event.
AJ Johnson: “Explore the Flavor of Health” is a health fair
sponsored by GSK, which will be held at the YMCA on 63rd and Stoney
here in Chicago. I am on GSK’s Multicultural Council and I have been very
active with them. Last year I did some promotions for their newly released
weight loss medication Alli. I have been combining their mission with my
mission, coming together for ultimately a bigger mission, which is to promote
healthier living, to teach people about their bodies, and to be an advocate for
the health and wellness of others by just being me!
AllHipHop.com: You mentioned the over the counter drug Alli®
which can help us with weight loss. Do you think over the counter medicines
like this are a cop-out for weight loss?
AJ Johnson: Ultimately, you have to modify your
lifestyle. Nothing beats good nutrition, exercise, and proper rest. Using Alli®
is an aid, but not a substitute for modifying your behavior. What are your
thoughts on Alli® Doc?
AllHipHop.com: In combination with exercise and diet, it’s a
great drug. Alli® is safe and if the
patient understands how it works, the benefits of weight loss and maintaining
that weight loss can be significant. So, how did you get in to this health
thing AJ? I mean, many of us are
familiar with your wonderful roles in movies like The Inkwell, Baby Boy and
House Party but, I have to admit, I
had no idea you were so involved in health, wellness and personal training.
AJ Johnson: Doc, a lot of people did not know. I encourage
you and the AllHipHop family to become a participant in my wellness movement. Check
me out on the web at www.theAJzone.com
and learn more about what I do. I also want to correct you on one thing,
however. What I do is not training individuals, but it is advocating healthy
living! Most people think its just
fitness because of my physique and that’s a compliment, but it is really
healthy living.
You cannot do this without a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
Consistency, having a great nutritional program, loving life, being disciplined
and not procrastinating are what I am all about. These traits carry over into
every facet of my life, and as much as Hollywood has given me a platform, my
Hollywood friends started coming to me for help asking me how they could be as
happy and as energetic as they saw me.
AllHipHop.com: Wow! That’s what’s up. But, for those old and
new fans of yours who don’t know, let me list for them a few of your clients: Terrell
Owens, Stevie Wonder, Damon Dash, Gabrielle Union, Boris Kudjoe and his wife
Nicole Ari Parker, and John Singleton to name a few. You have some heavy
hitters on this list. Some people would
think that you would only “train” females. And by the way, how do you train a
Terrell Owens?
AJ Johnson: Doc,
there you go again!
AllHipHop.com: What?
AJ Johnson: Using
that word “training.” The people at my
company don’t even say or use the word training. I mean look at the list! How
do you train Gabrielle Union to do anything? How do you train Stevie Wonder to
be more dedicated? How do you train T.O. to run faster? These are individuals
at the top of their games looking for something more than just better
performance.
What I do for them is coach them; I’m a life Coach! I just let them know that there is a”better”
for all of us. And as great as they are in their careers, there is a “better”
that everyone can be and we need to strive for that “better” and live life to
the fullest.
AllHipHop.com: Did anyone thing or person motivate you to be
so lively and energetic?
AJ Johnson: I lost my mother to cancer and literally
witnessed my father on his deathbed. I
don’t like losing things that I love. My dad would write a saying to me in
every birthday card. Before his salutation of “Love, Daddy,” he would write, “Dance until the lights turn off.” I honestly thought the first time I saw it in
my birthday card, that he meant for me to close the club down. [laughs] But what I realized was that there was a much
bigger message in that statement!
AllHipHop.com: What do you mean?
AJ Johnson: The much bigger message, which is tattooed on my
ankle in French is to simply “Live life to the fullest!” Basically, I’m going
to close it down everyday and I don’t mean the club either!
AllHipHop.com: Cool! Your energy is making me want to
exercise now! So what’s an average day in the life of AJ?
AJ Johnson: Doc, I
have to send you back to the website, www.theajzone.com. Everything I do is there. The website is
written in first person, and I have a team that helps me tremendously to
continue to build and grow the site as well as keeping the information current.
The site provides my clients and visitors with tools that will make them happy,
healthy and energetic!
AllHipHop.com: And you update your portion of the site how
often?
AJ Johnson: Weekly, daily:- it just depends what’s going on
and there is a lot going on! There are
so many sections on the site that can help us. I discuss what motivates me,
provide daily words, wellness plans, and success stories. You name it, and if
it has something to do with maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle, The AJ
Zone is addressing these very things.
AllHipHop.com: What about stress? Actress, life coach,
marriage… How do you do it all?
AJ Johnson: First of
all, you know I’m not married. [laughs]
AllHipHop.com: Hmmm… Then I still have a chance
AJ? Need to tone up a little… (doing pushups between words)
AJ Johnson: Doc, you are a mess! [laughs] I try to avoid
stress. Stress… that’s the killer. As
African-Americans, we’ve got high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, just to
name a few, and we are dying earlier than other ethnic groups. One of the
things you said to me was you were sick and tired of young people dying from
preventable and treatable diseases. Well, so am I! I don’t want to go anywhere, and I don’t want
people I love to die as a result of unhealthy living.
No, my parents are no longer living, but I learned a lot
from them while they were alive. All I’m doing is accepting my life purpose and
the mission God has given me to help other people with what I’ve learned. This
is not a job to me, this is a lifestyle. The reason you have not seen me in
movies lately is because I have been traveling, spreading the message about
healthy living. It’s very obvious that our country is about to experience great
changes and I want to be a part of that change, especially when it comes to
health. I also want to do it stress free!
AllHipHop.com: How do we make changes in our lives? How do
we get started?
AJ Johnson: Start small. I started with some minor lifestyle
changes and over time they became not just routine, but essential for living. I
am excitedly living naturally now.
AllHipHop.com: All natural? Come on AJ! Not an occasional
burger from a fast food restaurant?
AJ Johnson: Yes Doc, all natural! All the health care
products, hair care and skin care products are all natural- not chemical,
completely natural.
AllHipHop.com: That
is great and studies support that living natural is better for our bodies. What
advice would you give to young people who have a sense of invincibility and
think that they are exempt from health problems?
AJ Johnson: First of all, none of us are invincible or
exempt from health problems. We can, however, reduce our risk of some medical
problems and live better lives. The most general and important message I can
give them is to truly believe that there is a “better” and that the “better”
comes from the choices one makes.
AllHipHop.com: You have given us all some great information
today. Is there anything else you would like to add before we bounce and I head
to the gym?
AJ Johnson: My final words to AllHipHop and to you Doc would
be to love yourself. None of what I’m
saying will do any good if you don’t have self worth.