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We sat around the table enjoying an incredible prepared vegetarian meal.  Fourteen of us were staying in a beautiful home overlooking Secrets Beach, on the island of Kauai.  We had come for a week of yoga and fun with Steve Ross and Tom Morley. It was the yoga retreat I had been waiting for.  My two favorite instructors in my most favorite place.

That first night, as we savored the delicious (and nutritious) meal, we couldn’t help but notice that Steve Ross was eating his own concoction, that appeared to be just mixed lettuce and avocado.  Apparently he mostly just consumes smoothies and fruit, so this was a feast for him.  As we dug into the amazing zucchini lasagna (zucchini noodles, roasted tomato sauce and some ricotta cheese), one of the guests said to Steve, “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

His reply, “I’m not missing it,” got my attention.

For most of my life, I had a piece of toast with breakfast.  Sometimes with an egg on it, sometimes with almond butter, sometimes just dry cinnamon raisin toast, to go with my smoothie.

Of course, it was always the “good” bread like Ezekiel sprouted grain or spelt bread.

None of that long-shelf-life, preservative laden stuff for me! No way! I was always careful to choose whole grains, or better yet, sprouted grains.

I also “believed” in breakfast within an hour of waking.

In fact, I was absolutely sure this was the best way to lose weight and be healthy.

Hundreds of my clients got in amazing shape following my principles, and this was always the first rule.

I knew this was the best way.

People often ask me how I became a celebrity trainer or how I ended up working with most of Hollywood. I usually just give the easy answer:

Cindy Crawford was referred to me by her NYC trainer, Radu.

He was a big deal at the time and I had worked for him for about 2 months before moving back to LA (I’m California girl).

Cindy called shortly after my move as I was beginning to build my business in LA. She also referred her model girlfriends and her then boyfriend, Richard Gere.

Cindy was amazing! Not only was she beautiful and super nice but she was one of the most consistent clients I’ve ever had (and my girls are consistent).

Cindy had a standing 10am M,W,F appointment for 10 years!

She was also always good with the food. Not obsessive, and constantly doing cleanses, just consistently eating clean with an occasional piece of pizza or glass of wine.

It was through Cindy that I met Dr. Barry Sears the creator of “The Zone”.

I used that plan for many years, finally giving it up when I was creating Hot in a Hurry.

Lauren Holly was the first client to take me on movies.

We had less than 4 weeks to prep for her movie Turbulence. The results were so awesome that both her and her then boyfriend Jim Carrey starting taking me with them on location. That’s when it seemed I was on speed dial for any agent or manager needing an actor in shape in a hurry. They knew not only would I deliver, but the results were sustainable through a 6 month shoot which is not easy.

At this time, I was about 10 pounds heavier than I am now.

As is common with trainers, I was putting their needs above my own. I felt “lucky” to have these amazing clients and couldn’t say no. I loved working with them. I would hear other trainers whisper “why her”. “She’s not even in great shape!”.

Truth was, I couldn’t even articulate why I was having the success I was.

Obviously, I knew how design a program that worked, and I constantly went to seminars and workshops (still do) to learn more but my clients didn’t yo-yo like others.

I could deliver results 2,4 or 6 weeks even though other trainers thought my programs were too easy.

It took me years to understand my superpowers.

Malcolm Gladwell helped a lot.  I had done my 10,000 hours.

I could read bodies really well.  I had lots of experience.

But the woo-woo part is that I feel energy and I’m intuitive. I could never say that before. Sometimes, I didn’t know how I knew things. I just did. Now I am able to trust it more and it doesn’t sound as weird as it used to.

I still read all the new diet and fitness books and I have a couple trainer conferences coming up but I know that what I do is much more than my resume. So much more happens in a workout with me, than just working out. I am there to change their body and improve their mood. I want them always to feel better for having seen me.  Hence my motto, “You are just one workout away from a good mood!”

Talk soon.

Love and Lunges,

Val