Welcome to the Interview Series! It’s time for my fourth guest, Erika from Stone Cut Bodies. She is someone I have known personally for a very long time and believe in quite a lot. Whenever I need a good kick in the butt mentally and physically Erika is my girl. She’s one of the hardest working people I know and she’s super smart, which makes her an excellent personal trainer and certified weight loss specialist.
“Live healthy, live vibrant, and fall in love with your body. -Erika Stone, Stone Cut Bodies”
1. You are a personal trainer who has been based in L.A. for the last few years, and you deal with nutrition. Do you put together training programs and meal plans for clients who are not local to you?
I actually just started doing this! While most of my clients are local, sometimes they are traveling or I am so they need for me to help them remotely. I mostly do this with the nutrition programs that I can send and then do daily check-ins over the phone and answer any food questions they have via text, email or telephone.
2. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Brush my teeth and tongue, gulp a giant glass of water, and walk my dog. The bad breath most of us have in the morning is the result of bacteria excreting in our mouths all night, so it’s essentially bacteria poop. I think that’s not awesome to swallow, so I like to brush my teeth before I eat or drink anything. After that, water is great to put in your belly first thing in the morning. It helps to flush you out, wake you up, hydrate you and jump-start your metabolism for the day.
3. Is there a workout type or class that you love over anything else?
Obviously I love all types of exercise, but I particularly love running and recently have gotten into biking. I have a lot of excess energy so these help to burn that off while providing great cardio. I am also addicted to hot yoga. It’s like doing yoga in warm butter, and it helps to stretch tense muscles which can prevent injury. It’s also great for strengthening and I love the calming peace it brings to my usually racing head.
4. Since we love to talk fashion and fitness on TMC, what is your favorite fitness brand and why?
I love Lululemon for clothing, and Mizuno for shoes. Lululemon looks great and hugs in all the perfect places, and Mizuno makes a fantastic running shoe. I have pretty gnarly shin splints and Mizuno is the only shoe I have found that keeps them at bay even when I am running longer distances.
5. Name three foods you cannot live without.
Sushi. Salads. Hamburgers.
6. As a trainer what is the number one thing you tell your client?
I have different thoughts and advice for all my clients depending on their goals and abilities, but the most important thing I like to convey is the very real and direct impact fitness can have on so many aspects of our lives. My dad is 61 and he just climbed Mount Whitney (a GRUELING 16 hour hike with 14,000 feet of elevation gain). I know another 61 year-old that has trouble getting up and down stairs because he has been so inactive most of his life. He could have another 40 years on the planet with difficulty getting around! Stay fit! It will affect your quality of life for as long as you’re around!
7. What made you get into this type of work? What is your favorite part about being a
personal trainer?
I have a degree in biology and psychology, and health, fitness and well-being have always been important to me, so it seemed fairly natural to go into this type of work. My favorite part is seeing peoples’ bodies change, and the joy they derive from that. Whether my clients are worried about negative health outcomes or losing weight, it is wonderful to see them reach their goals. Some of my clients drop a lot of weight and simply feel amazing, and others have gone from high blood pressure and cholesterol to a clean bill of health from their doctor. Either way, it is enormously satisfying to help them reach these goals.
You can learn more about Erika and Stone Cut Bodies on her website. Visit and ‘like’ her Facebook page and follow her on Instagram.
SHOP ERIKA’S SUGGESTIONS
Was $49 – Now $19.99 – Autumn Floral Kimono!
