Passion Profile: Teaching is a gift.
At Barry’s Bootcamp, Natalie Raitano is a veteran and a favorite of the devoted. She’s lived a colorful life of varied careers. I wanted to find out why she purposefully chose fitness instruction as her life purpose.
If you’re a Gen X’er you may remember her beautiful face from the Pamela Anderson series called VIP.
1. When did you start acting and what got you into it?
I didn’t expect to go into acting. I’ve always been a dancer. In the 1990’s, I was on an ESPN show called Hip Hop Body Shop as a dance instructor. I was “discovered” for VIP. I was 33 years old when the show started and it lasted 4 years. I even took acting classes to prep myself for that show.
The ladies of VIP: Molly Culver, Pamela Anderson, Natalie Raitano
2. How and why did you move from an acting career into fitness?
My family was active and my parents had me take all kinds of lessons growing up. I was a dancer, skier, gymnast, runner, and tennis player. I was even a ski instructor at 16 years of age. My father is 77 and still goes to the gym at 6am every morning.
Before becoming an actor, I taught fitness classes. It was at a treadmill class I taught that I met the future founders of Barry’s.
3. You mentioned you love teaching fitness. What is it about that?
Fitness is my purpose, my passion. I love teaching for so many reasons. Being able to teach is a blessed gift. I feel humbled to help others reach their fitness goals, get out of a rut or just lose weight. This is my purpose and passion because I love it and it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like life!
4. What else have you done in your colorful life?
I’ve been an actor, fitness instructor, florist, nanny, waitress, and production assistant (PA).
5. You teach Barry’s and Jillian Michael’s. What do you do in your personal life for fitness?
I do Barry’s 4 x a week. Only Barry’s.
6. What is it about the Barry’s workouts you love?
Fast results, the group and the fellowship. Smartest workout period!
7. On days you are down or tired, how do you motivate yourself? Is there a mantra? A person?
How I feel after working out is what motivates me. I don’t want to feel fat or crazy and that’s what keeps me going.
8. How old are you?
49
9. How have your workouts changed with age?
I need more recovery days. If I do 2 days of Barry’s, I need a day to recover before working out again. I also love to do hot yoga. My favorite place in NYC is called the Lyon’s Den Power Yoga. I try to make it for my favorite instructor on Fridays.
10. What other aspects of physicality change with age?
I’m going through peri-menopause and the hormonal changes have made a big impact on my body. A couple years ago, I found myself moody and emotional about random things. There would be no logical reason for the irritability and I didn’t know what was going on.
It took a good friend, Joey Gonzalez, the CEO of Barry’s, to ask me if I was going through menopause. He had seen similar changes in his mother. I didn’t even realize that’s exactly what was going on!
It is such a hush-hush topic that women never discuss. My wish is for us to talk more publicly about it as it’s a normal part of a woman’s life.
11. Any other physical changes to note?
Besides the mood swings, I have some weight gain that is frustrating. I used to have an 8 pack and now I don’t. (Writer’s note: Natalie still has a body any 20 year old would dream about.) I take anti-depressant medications as well. Since I have never had kids, I am unable to take hormonal supplements during menopause.
12. What would you tell women as a preparation for menopause?
Every woman’s experience is going to be different. Educate yourself. Make sure you are on top of your yearly gyno exam and mammograms. Eat as clean as you can and workout hard.
13. How long have you taught at Barry’s?
Started at Barry’s 8 years ago with 4 of them being in NYC.
14. Why did you leave LA and move to NYC?
My friend and the CEO of Barry’s, asked me to come to NYC to help launch their Hampton’s location.
15. Where are you from?
I’m from a small Pennsylvania mining town called Charleroi.
16. NYC vs LA, tell me the best of both worlds.
In LA, where I spent so many years, I have tons of friends and the weather is beautiful. NYC is for the ambitious. You have to be on your game all the time and I thrive on the energy and drive that is here. There is definitely a difference in ambition in the two cities.
17. You have a reputation for having the best music mixes in your class. What or who is your favorite song/musician you always try to mix into your class mix?
NOTORIOUS BIG!
