Lisa Johnson is the owner of Modern Pilates Studio and a prolific blogger and [tweeter] on the subjects of health, wellness, and environmental topics.  She is a wonderful representation of the modern, stylish woman:  a combination of fashionable, intelligent, healthy, and ambitious.  I’m very pleased to have interviewed her for Fashion, Evolved.  To learn more about Lisa, visit her [Studio Website] and her [Blog].

1. What drives your passion for physical fitness?

My DNA! I’m programmed to move & help people and owning a Pilates studio has been a great combination of those two sides of my personality. Pilates is really well-suited to perfectionists and I definitely have a strong dose of that in my character too. My fitness blog is really just the conversations I have with my clients and instructors. What’s new in fitness? What’s a good solution to a certain health problem? How do we all eat healthy but with flavor? I keep my passion fresh by trying new things all the time, lately I’m into hooping. But I’ll try anything, yoga, kick-boxing, roller skating, golf, whatever looks like fun, I’ll give it a shot. Fitness should be play time, not a chore.

2. What are the biggest health and wellness challenges facing the modern woman?

Life! We are all the “everywoman” aren’t we? We’re Moms, professionals, wives, cooks, and handy-women. Rosie the Riveter has nothing on us. Women today can get way to overwhelmed with their to do lists and forget to schedule time for themselves. Being consistent with exercise and eating habits is the biggest obstacle women have to overcome to stay healthy. Without a consistent fitness routine & healthy diet we’re looking at all of the top health problems of obesity, diabetes, heart issues, etc. In my house we have a saying, “happy wife, happy life.” That’s what I say to my husband when I need to go for my run. He knows it’s his turn to pick up the slack.

3. What is it about pilates that you find so beneficial?

It’s the variety and the specificity in Pilates that is so awesome. There are over 650 exercises to choose from so every workout can be completely different. Getting into a fitness rut just doesn’t happen with Pilates, there are always 20+ exercises you can choose from for any given body part. It’s also very specific. I can isolate pretty much any muscle in the body. If you’re stronger on one side than another; I can fix that. If I need to strengthen a specific knee muscle; I can. Need to stabilize a shoulder; no problem. So structurally you wind up so much stronger and balanced. The fact that your muscles are toned and look amazing is really just a side benefit.

4. How would you describe the physical ideal for women?

Every woman has the “ideal” picture in their head of what they want to look like. It’s a blend of one of the happy points in their life and Hollywood standards. Try to ignore the Hollywood allure and focus on you as a healthy, thriving person. For me it’s the healthy place I was two years ago, my studio was thriving, my husband and son were happy and we had just hit a wonderful milestone of buying a new home. We’ve had some stress over the past couple of years and my weight crept up. I got frustrated with eating my stress this summer and finally chucked my bad habits. I’m almost back to where I was and I have to say my happiness levels have gone up quite a bit. The stress is still there but it’s much easier to deal with now that I’m feeling healthier.

5. What are the most important factors for women to consider regarding nutritional choices?

Calories and nutrients. How can you get the most bang for your buck with the fewest calories? Focus on fruits & veggies, keep the starches in the whole grain range and consider protein to be a side dish, not a main event on your plate. The formula I always use is 50% fruits & veggies, 25% starch and 25% protein. If you fill up your plate accordingly you shouldn’t have a weight problem at all. Anything more sophisticated than that and I recommend you talk with a doctor or nutritionist about your specific needs.

6. What advice do you have for women who want to lose weight?

You have to think about in minutes of movement. If you want to lose weight at a moderate weight you need to move 150 to 250 minutes per week. If you want to lose weight a little faster, then you’ve gotta commit to over 250 minutes per week. This is cardio. This is sweating, huffing, puffing, need to take a shower cardio. You can not count a stroll around the mall into your total.

You also have to think about what you’re eating, of course. If you need structure then I recommend a diet plan like the Sonoma Diet or Weight Watchers, otherwise go with the plate formula above and you’ll see the weight start to come off. In general to maintain your weight, figure 11 calories per pound per day. Once you figure that out subtract 500 calories from the total and the weight will start to slide away.

7. How do you think the fashion industry influences the way women regard physical fitness?

Two words, skinny jeans! That sent everyone to the treadmills and the arc trainers didn’t it? The fashion industry has definitely moved towards a more fitted look in general and if you want to stay stylish that means your fat has no where to hide. I also think some designers have had a real impact in how women treat their bodies. Donna Karan has set a fabulous example of healthy living through yoga and Stella McCartney has influenced untold fashionistas with her vegan lifestyle.

8. Describe your personal style.

Clean cut and simple. I love a fabulous black dress with some vintage jewelry. I’m actually a pretty dedicated greenie and I’m always looking for great green pieces to put into my wardrobe. I’d say I buy about 50% eco-friendly and 50% other. I’d like to get to the point that I buy all organic but I think that might be a few years away. I like Matter Yoga for organic workout gear and I like Doie Designs and Stewart Brown for casual clothes.

9. Tell me about one outfit that you own that makes you feel spectacular when you wear it.

My Doie Design black bamboo shirt with peace silk trim with my Paige jeans in a dark wash (more eco-friendly). Some vintage drop earrings from my grandma and a great pair of black flats I picked up in Paris. I’d wear it to an artist opening at the ICA Boston, a great modern art museum on Boston’s waterfront.

10. What are you most proud of about starting up your own studio?

By far the sense of community that’s been created, it has been so rewarding to watch people become friends. All of us, instructors and clients, have gotten to know each other over the years. Three of my closest friends started out as clients. We look forward to seeing each other and celebrating our little victories. You just can’t beat that. I think that’s the coolest thing ever.