
Nothin' But Sweat: Meet Personal Trainer, Massy 'Mankofit' Arias
March 7, 2015 - 8:54 am by Adelle Platon TWITTER
Cutting calories is almost as easy as scrolling through Instagram these days. Thanks to celebrity trainer, Massy Arias (previously known as Mankofit), double tapping a fitspiration on the regular could lead to a healthier lifestyle offline.
After getting familiar with Massy and her Instagram-famous routines for Social Media Week last year, VIBE caught up with the Dominican Republic-born workout shero for her empowering tips on getting (and staying) physically and mentally fit. As a woman who's muscled her way through a male-dominated industry, she's got more than enough to show for it.
My position in one sentence: I change lives.
My MLK moment (Realizing the dream):
I would say the minute I realized that I was breathing and not living. I realized that I needed to make a change or else, I was going to lose my life. So I decided to embark on a journey to mentally feel better, and that’s when I took fitness really seriously.
The hardest project I've ever worked on:
My current dream. It’s still evolving. I think the hardest part is being taken seriously, being that I am young and a woman. In the fitness industry, if you are too attractive then ‘you don’t know what you’re doing.’ Or men look at you because you are a woman and think you don’t know what you’re doing. In fact, I’ve gone to school and studied way too much. Most men are taken by surprise when they get to train with me and see all I know about the body and how much I can “break them” in the gym.
My biggest personal win:
Seeing people that I’m touching and changing their lives. I specialize in individuals [whose] biggest dream is weight loss. A lot of people don’t realize that individuals are far too gone in terms of obesity. I refer to my heavier clients as “more to love.” A lot of it is mental and a lot of them are carrying harshness and personal issues. So when you get to touch them on a personal, one-on-one level, and push through barriers or these things that are holding them back, it’s amazing to see how they change and how their entire lives are transformed, emotionally and mentally.
I’m working right now with an individual, who's one of the senior editors for a magazine. He told me he wanted to have a baby but his weight was coming between him and his wife. After 9 weeks, he became 62 pounds lighter. His wife is around 28 to 30 pounds lighter and yesterday, they sent me a message, telling me they no longer have high cholesterol. This is what I do and this is what makes me happy. You take people and help them achieve their goals, on a physical level, a health level, and a mental level. What you gain is more important than just the aesthetics.
My gym bag necessities:
Foam roller, lacrosse ball and bands
I’m still working on ___________:
Becoming the face of women's health.
Current favorite workout song:
Andy Mineo “You Can’t Stop Me”. He’s someone I’m working with and being that I’m so spiritual, this song spoke to me. In one of the sentences, it says, “Only thing I fear is God and he on my side.” It spoke to me and it’s just a cool song with a nice beat to work out to.
My favorite anti-stress reliever:
Bowling! I can say that I’m actually good! I went bowling yesterday and pretty much smoked everybody. I’m still getting warmed up. I just bought my bowling shoes yesterday so things are getting pretty serious. A lot of people don’t realize that you don’t have to go to the gym to be healthy. You have to find ways of being active that make you happy. Lifting weights is not for everybody. But playing flag football, going bowling, bike riding, going hiking, all these little things can make you active and healthy. It’s about getting out there and spending at least 30 minutes of your time doing some activity. It should be about having fun.
My dating philosophy:
I actually got engaged not too long ago. I’ve been with my fiancé for three years so I don’t know about dating. I would say separating business from pleasure. It's 2015 and we have something nowadays that we didn’t have before, which is the freedom of becoming whatever we want to become. I encourage women to seek knowledge because no one can ever take [that] away from you. Go to school. Get a degree. Learn something. Go out there and do your own thing. Don’t expect things are going to fall in your lap. Don’t be tied to another man for your independence. Be independent. Take care of your future and make sure you are economically independent. You can’t be waiting on Prince Charming to come and sweep you off your feet and change your life.
Someone I consider a mentor-in-my-head:
I look at Angelina Jolie and Oprah. Seeing Jolie and how she’s come from a troubled childhood, submerged in fame. Seeing her transition after she had kids and what she’s doing for the world is something very close to me. Beyoncé, too. She's someone who has kept her integrity. She doesn’t have to be naked, take her clothes off, and do all this outrageous stuff to keep herself relevant. You see her as a mother, wife, performer, actor, singer and dancer. What can this woman not do? And she still keeps it classy.
The definition of a boss:
Having a vision that you protect at all costs. If you believe in something and give your all, there’s no way you’re going to fail. It's maintaining your integrity when everybody is telling you “no" and empowering other people.
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