It's 7:30 a.m. and I'm yawning — not an unexpected state I find myself in during the morning, but my location was different than usual. I was on the roof of the Palihouse Hotel in West Hollywood, clad in my effort of athleisure (yoga pants and a long sleeved tee shirt). I was prepped for a morning fitness class with Tracy Anderson as a part of Tropicana's campaign for everyday wellness, Morning Spark. Looking at the mats spread out across the terrace, my first assumption was a calm, morning yoga flow. I was wrong.
Anderson, a celebrity fitness guru, is small but mighty. She introduces herself to the class and explains her teaching method, which involves no instruction from her, but simply following her steps. This way, you're able to focus on the music emotionally, rather than listening to someone instructing you. What followed was a cardio workout like I hadn't experienced ever. Movements influenced by dance and isolated movements focused on the core, legs, and a lead to an overall full body workout. Needless to say, I broke a sweat.
Post-workout, I had the chance to sit down with the gorgeous Anderson herself and ask how she ended up in the fitness industry, her morning routine to start her day right, and of course, what her favorite beauty product is.
"I got into fitness when I had my son. I was in New York studying dance, and I gained 40 pounds. I just thought it wasn't fair that I was working out so much, but no matter what I did I couldn't shake it off," she tells me. It was then that she began to look into a method that would become her namesake to focus on the small muscles in the body and eating healthfully. After 18 years, her method has become popular among women around the world, including major celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez.
Starting the morning right is incredibly important for Anderson. When I asked if she had any tips for skincare, instead of suggesting a product or treatment, she began to talk to me about fruit."I believe in starting the day with fruit before anything else. Whether that means a smoothie or some strawberries. Not only is it a great way to get that morning spark, but it's also done wonders for my skin."
Of course, I knew the secret to Anderson's glowy skin was more than just a handful of berries — I had to know what her favorite beauty product currently is. "I am obsessed with the [ECCO BELLA] day cream. I use it every day, and I cannot tell you how much I love it; it's everything," she tells me.
ECCO BELLA Day Cream, $47, www.eccobella.com
While I'm not sure there'll be many more early mornings on a West Hollywood rooftop in my near future, I see lots of fruit and dancing on the horizon.
Images: Matt Sayles for Tropicana/AP Images; Ecco Bella
