We drove north of the city to film with Tosca Reno, a former fitness competitor and current author, fitness model and mom (I'm not even sure that I've covered ALL of her roles). It's pretty incredible that I've been buying Oxygen Magazine since the early days of University, and had probably read endless columns and seen Tosca's photo demonstrating workouts numerous times, and never thought that our paths would one day cross.
You might be wondering why I'd be filming with a fitness pro if my film's on butts. I've had people say to me: people who do "fitness" (and I guess they really mean cardio and weight-training that trims down) don't have butts. First of all, to me fitness means cardio+weight training... and the latter, I know for a fact, also is great at building muscles as opposed to just toning them. Secondly, though I'm making a film on accepting your booty as is.... I am not advocating being UNHEALTHY!
I think this is an important distinction. I grew up with a very health-conscious family. I think back to the meals of my childhood: cream of wheat or something from the health food store called "bear mush" for breakfast, raisins and panda natural licorice for snacks.... I remember eating yogurt before yogurt had really caught on as a mainstream treat.... I think, in a way, my imposed super healthy diet was too restrictive and resulted in some major candy binges in my "rebellious tween years"... but ultimately, the groundwork was laid out for an awareness of healthy eating.
And I've always been athletic too.... In grade school and particularly in middle school (when girls were beginning to realize they were "girls" and as such, needed to do appropriate "girl" things... such as watching the boys play sports), myself and a couple other "tomboys" would play sports along with the same guys. This was back before I realized that I was more muscular than most other girls... but in sports, this was to my advantage.
Playing sports from a young age has also made me realize that I'm going to insist my children -- sons or daughters -- take up recreational sports early in life and stick to them... especially as they hit puberty. I feel strongly that this allows girls a fighting chance of not developing major body image issues and eating disorders. I can see how an activity like ballet might perpetuate image issues at the age puberty begins... so I'm thinking more along the lines of tennis, soccer...soccer, especially!
Anyhow, in my particular case, I think I started off on the right track and sort of lost touch with my sporty side -- as I already had my body image issues as I entered high school. Case in point: I was the only "bottom heavy" girl on our cross-country running team. Really funny because I totally contradicted the tall, lithe physique generally associated with the sport -- I really had more of a spriter's physique! I also played volleyball (again, breaking the mold as a shortie on the team) but with the bonus of having a killer overhand serve (thank you biceps!) and soccer.... This was also around the time that I'd feel really disturbed when older men would approach me and ask if I "worked out". This was before working out was more commonplace. And I didn't understand what they were referring to. Did they mean lift weights? That would suggest I was a musclebound chick, because only bodybuilders did that (remember, this was the early 90s...) Was it a compliment? What made them think I "worked out"? And how could they tell this about me when I was fulled clothed? It plagued me for a long time... and eventually, I got better about it. I also realized that toned arms, and especially developed quads, hams, and glutes, are hard to hide. They fill out yout clothes in a certain way. My confidence grew even more when I actually started "working out" and realized how easily I could build muscle while many others really struggled to... But anyhow...
I've gone on a major tangent....At least now you know why fitness is important to me ....back to Tosca.
She is a major inspiration to me because she's had THREE KIDS and now in her forties, is at the peak of her fitness... She works hard at it and now wants to share her techniques with other women. Fitness has transformed her life.
It's fascinating to me that she was once a heavier woman who got serious about losing weight and discovered a flatt butt underneath the extra pounds. So, whereas I believe I came out of the womb with a curvy bottom, Tosca had to CREATE hers, through her own hard work and not some doctor's handiwork.
How fabulous is she???
With a face and body like that, she could probably get away with being a diva.... but, she's extremely down-to-earth! She draws you in, you get the sense that she really understands you and wants to sympathize with you. Her "motto" or "tagline" is "I'm always listening".... and it's not a cheesy gimmick. From spending the day with her, I really could see this amazing quality about her.
Although Tosca's got her hands full -- I initially stumbled upon her when I discovered "The Butt Book" -- her book about how to build a healthy butt through a good diet and fitness..... this is just the tip of the iceberg! And as she bounded here and there in between takes during the filming, I realized that this was one woman who could not slow down.... the world is her oyster and she wants to take it all in. Her latest book "The Eat Clean Diet" is selling like hotcakes. Who knows what the buzz will spawn next!
I also got to meet some of the amazing people behind (or probably more appropriately beside and even in front of) Tosca -- her hubby Robert Kennedy, her lovely makeup artist Franca and her competition outfit designer Berns. You really get a sense of a person by the types of people they surround themselves with -- and this group is such a positive, healthy, go-getter bunch!
The best part about the whole day, other than filming an incredible segment, is the fact that I wanted to be healthier by the end of the day. Having spent all day observing her lifestyle, her commitments to healthy eating and training, and the sacrifices she makes, I didn't leave Tosca's feeling like I was guilted into being better with my diet and lifestyle... I was motivated and inspired into being better. And I think this is why so many women are drawn to her and why she'll do well with more seminars and workshops....
Check her out! She's Canadian-born and bred, folks!
Even fitness can be bootyful!
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