Massy Arias

THE DIGITAL FITNESS INFLUENCER

How to Live an Overall Happy Life! For all who are learning to love the strength and ability of their bodies – have no fear, Massy is here!

She inspires over 2.6 million followers daily. Massy’s beautifully vulnerable story speaks to the healing that she found at the gym in her battle with depression. Based in Los Angeles, Massy is raising her daughter with husband Stefan, who is also in the fitness industry. Using her online platform to represent a new breed of powerful woman, she is changing our perspectives on fitness. Let’s not forget how we love her funky happy dance moves on her Instagram’s @massy.arias!

Massy Arias has an impact on the fitness world by inspiring over 2.6 million followers daily. Massiel “Massy” Indhira Arias, is the certified trainer and charismatic leader behind the health and fitness movement. She is shaping health and wellness across the world, as she also eloquently shares her expert advice in Spanish and English. Online she openly shares that fitness saved her life. Massy’s bold and inspiring story is of as a young woman who came to the United States from the Dominican Republic at the young age of 13. From feeling out of place and far from home, not speaking the language, to overcoming an emotionally abusive relationship, her active wellness approach played an integral role in her healing. Massy’s beautifully vulnerable story and her battle with depression inspires on multiple levels. “Exercise was a drug to cure my depression,” she says in her documentary online.

Based in Los Angeles, Massy is raising her daughter with her partner who is also in the fitness industry. She uses her online platform to represent a new breed of powerful woman and is changing our perspectives on fitness, no matter the circumstances. This dynamite Latina also won the 2016 Hispanic Heritage Award for Wellness as a result of her passionate and acclaimed successes. Her confidence is endearing and her smile equally contagious. Let’s not forget her funky happy dance moves on her social media posts…what’s not to love about this new mom and superbad fitness influencer? For all who are learning to love the strength and ability of their bodies – have no fear, Massy is here! In this exclusive interview, Massy Arias gives readers a thoughtful insight to the woman behind it all. She gives her inside perspective with L.A. STYLE’s Editor in Chief, Christine Andreu. Visit MassyArias.com to join the revolution and @massy.arias and @mawarriors.

Massy shares 10 Things that Women Should Know

1. Advice for Mothers & Beginners: “It’s about progress, not perfection. Start with what you have,” she explains. A few minutes is enough, you don’t need an hour to workout. Bring exercise into your life. Integrate it with your lifestyle… I recommend that beginners should just try new things. Find something that you enjoy. Putting someone in a gym-like movement might not be something that they like. Experiment. You never know what you are going to enjoy. Movement can be done anywhere and anytime. Fitness is not a one size fits all thing; forget about everything that you think that you need to do to startup. Anything that you start that is new is going to be hard, but if you enjoy it, you will stick with it.”

2. Why are women intimidated at the gym? “Because women don’t know what to do. Women are intimidated by all these machines and muscles. My recommendation is to think, ‘Do you think these people are looking at you?’ You have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. The more women that we see us being role models, and being active, I think makes women less scared of getting out there.”

3. What is your online training program like? In my online training program, I approach it the same way I approach my life. These programs do a whole 180. Not only do you get my workouts, but you also you get nutrition, and we teach you how to cook. Food is healing, food is yummy. It’s about having a healthy relationship with food and a realistic relationship with fitness.”

4. The benefits for moms: Working out is amazing, it’s a tool that I use to beat stress. I didn’t experience any of the pregnancy side effects as a result. Exercise is pivotal.”

5. Standards to measuring success: “It’s how you feel! That’s how you should measure it. If we are measuring success based on what society tells us is successful, this is the main reason why women feel so unhappy. Society shows us that we have to be perfect. Even the way women are portrayed in magazines. They are perfect, photos are touched up, cellulite is removed, the waist is taken in. The moment we stop thinking what society tells us is successful, that’s when you start appreciating everything in your life. I measure my success in how happy I am.”

6. Philosophy on Social Media and Insecurity: “No one can make you feel insecure unless you allow them to. Recognize that there is real life and a social media life and that people only share their best moments on social media. You have to love yourself enough so that no one can make you feel insecure. At the end of the day, you are the only one making those insecurities in your head. At the end of the day, no one can touch you unless if you allow them to. Recognize your worth as a woman. It’s a matter of changing your perspective as women and acquiring self-love… I am in the business of empowering women.” Tell us about your approach to showing skin. “I don’t need to show myself as an object because I am a business woman. I don’t need it to gain attention, love, or money. I have a lot of eyes on me. I want to be that example, to show that my life is not perfect on social media. My life is going to empower other women and they will pay it forward. I live my life as though in 20 years, when my daughter sees me, she will be proud.”

7. You can heal yourself with food. “If I could change a law, I would change how we approach health here. We are a power country; we should have universal insurance. We are in the business of making money by treating symptoms, not curing the disease. My own mother has had more side effects from the medicine that she takes, so I am healing my own mother with the food that she eats.”

8. The solution to food (and enjoying rich food in your culture): “It’s not what you eat, it’s not the food that is causing the problem – it’s how you cook it. When we learn to create balance with nutrition and make the food healthier, and add activity to that, you can enjoy your culture in a conscious way.”

9. The Future: In the next 5-10 years, her plans include television appearances and cookbooks. “I see myself on a bigger platform, impacting people positively, bringing education, and expanding my brand,” she confides. “I want people to remember me for doing something positive, changing lives. I want my daughter to be proud of me when she grows up.” Massy recently acquired True Supplements, a holistic plant-based brand and supplements company that originally created a line for her. Now she is busy developing more holistic products that are safe for pregnant women, breastfeeding moms, NCAA athletes and pro athletes. “Essentially it is a family product with natural and safe ingredients for everyone. I am relentless with this brand because I believe in it.”

10. Secret celebrity clients: Massy does not boast of her celeb clients online, however, she shares that LaLa Anthony was one of the best clients she has ever worked with – her first celebrity client, and one that provided reassurance aplenty that she was doing a good job. “I don’t necessarily want to be known as a celebrity trainer.” Massy has worked with Kelly Rowland, Jose Reyes, Adrienne Bailon, and many professional athletes.