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Hi everyone…it’s here-it’s here! My interview with The Forbes Riley is complete and I’m eager to share it with you!

For those that are just tuning into Blogfully for the first time; I was given the opportunity to interview Forbes, and though I had to opt out of a phone interview, despite my wanting to speak with her. I was able to communicate and complete my interview via email (I just couldn’t see losing any translations between my ear and the computer- I’m super bad about that). So, without further a due, here’s my interview with Mrs. Forbes Riley:

Hi Forbes!

If you don’t mind,I’m just going to jump right in and roll with the questions since I know that time is but an essence…

First off, I would love to congratulate you on the future 2010 induction into the National Fitness Hall of Fame…this is such an extraordinary honor and it could not have been awarded to anyone more deserving than you!

What was your first reaction when you got the news?

A bit of shock and awe – amazed that anyone noticed — I have made a mission out of finding great fitness products that people can use at home – I have been doing this since I debuted on FitTV in 1992 (we ran for 5 years) and during that time I had the pleasure of seeing, touching and experiencing every fitness and wellness product available at the time. Happily that association lead to my first 5 infomercials working with Fitness Quest, Guthy-Renker, Body by Jake and a bunch of other pioneers in the field. For the past 18 years I have taken many of these fitness products to QVC, QVC-UK and most recently my home is at HSN where I have been able to affect the lives of 100′s of thousands of people through at home, personal fitness and hopefully inspired them to make positive healthy lifestyle choices –

When I first heard I was nominated from my dear friends John Abdo and James Stoxen, I was a bit shocked and overwhelmed – to be acknowledged for something that I love doing is amazing and hopefully it will add a bit of credibility so I get to do more on a bigger playing field….

Its also quite a treat to have my 7 year olds watch their mommy accept an award live — so looking forward to that night!! And of course any chance to honor my mom and dad who are no longer here, but who I feel and experience everyday — I have gotten awards before and it feels phenomenal – everyone should be given some type of award!!

I did a review of your amazing SpinGym on November 6^th and since then, I have been telling everyone about this fitness piece. It just amazes me each time I take it out to use or show yet another person how it works. The fact that it gives up to 20 lbs. of resistance per pull and that it gives you a full upper body workout in as little as 5 minutes—it’s just amazing (to say the least); not to mention, I’m really diggin’ the results I’ve been getting so far.

Renee (one of Blogfully’s readers) Asks: What was the inspiration behind the SpinGym? Did Mrs. Riley live in a teeny tiny apartment that wouldn’t house traditional workout equipment? Did she need something portable to take to the office? Just wondering….

Wish I could take credit for inventing the SpinGym — I did not — what I did was to find a similar product late night in England in the green room at QVC – that product was based on an award winning German Design and they were marketing it a 5 minute office workout. I had a long talk with the product owner at the time and we decided then and there that I was the right person to launch this concept worldwide – I was given the exclusive worldwide rights and the right to change the name (now SpinGym), create all the workouts, do the research, test groups etc and market it as Forbes Riley’s SpinGym – they get a royalty and are over the moon happy with the attention and success this product has had!

Now, how did I know it would be so successful — I have devoted my whole life to finding fitness and wellness products and as a former dancer (with saggy arms), I understood that most of us simply DON’T work out our upper body enough – especially as women – we are doing pull-ups, push-ups and bench presses — when I felt the resistance that you could get with the SpinGym – ease of use, portability etc I immediately began creating the exercise and fitness programs — for me personally and physically SpinGym has completely changed my life – how?? I was beginning to see the saggy underarms and sought to cover-up any chance I could — no more going sleeveless – but I am proud to report that within a month I began to see arms I had only dreamed of and now its been a year and EVERYONE stops me to ask me how I got my “arms” — its ALL SpinGym!

Renee: How would a person with rheumatoid arthritis fare using the SpinGym? Her mom’s hands are pretty stiff at times but she’s sure she would like the compactness and simplicity of the SpinGym if she was able to use it.

2 things – first I sell SpinGym Jr. which is half the weight and resistance pull of the Original SpinGym but still provides a great upper body toning workout – second she should cup the entire SpinGym ring in her hands rather than put in individual fingers — I have a dislocated finger for the past few months and find I just constantly change up how I hold the rings AND tell your mom, I have a quadriplegic (not para, quad!!) gentlemen who loves my SpinGym and has just figured out how to make it work for himself because he understands HOW important it is to keep the muscles of the upper body strong!!

As some of my readers may know; I was recently diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease- Stage 3, Type 1 diabetes and other such ailments. Shockingly, I am 5’7”, 145 lbs and bare a BMI of 21. It’s hard, sometimes, to motivate myself in terms of staying fit, eating right and obviously – keeping up with my health. What tips can you give us about staying motivated? How do you keep up your energy and stay focused on what you want?

Couple of tips -

1.Up you nutrition — no matter WHAT you are eating its not healthy enough — so juice, add enzymes and nutritional supplements to your smoothies – eat as organic and raw as you can — stay away from the sugar!!

2. Try a visit to the Optimum Health Institute in Austin Texas — amazing for revitalizing and empowering you on every level from physical to mental to spiritual — its not expensive, all meals included and its life changing~

3. Love what you do — I wake up every morning with the mantra I am here to inspire people — have I touched and motivated enough people – and it gets me going to do more, be more, serve as an example etc

4. Have someone to love in your life — I didn’t have children until I was 42 — they are a blessing, a joy and everyday its no longer just about me — they just get me going and the hugs in the morning and the cuddles at night are just the topping on the dessert!!

Renee: Who are you named after? Forbes is a very powerful, unusual, unforgettable name!

Thank you asking about my name — bit of a long story for now – let’s just say its a family name and meant a lot to my them!! Proud to carry on the tradition and I married Mr. Tom Riley

…enquiring minds want to know; well, mainly me …Of the many endeavors you’ve experienced in your life (commercials, infomercials, TV appearances, etc.); is there one moment you wish you could be given a “do-over” for? Why?

My first reaction is so say “no do-over’s” because I might not have ended up where I am today – I am very happy with my family (2 beautiful 7 yr old boy/girl twins), hubby of 15 years – together 19 flourishing career – home on the water in Florida etc….but then I remember my frustrating years in NYC struggling with my acting career, weight, acne, men etc etc One day I got a call from John Avildson (Oscar winning director of Rocky) and he was casting Neighbors with John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd — I had auditioned several times for the female lead (I had been on Broadway, starred in with Christopher Reeve, starred in some independent movies and some soap opera work etc) and he was trying to be polite — he said something like, “Look we all like you, believe you’d be great in this film etc – but you need to lose 15 lbs” — I think I hung up the phone and just binged on doughnuts – don’t ask why – just couldn’t get my head around the weight issue — kept thinking if I was talented and pretty enough who cares how much I weigh yada yada — and then I am reminded of the Jennifer Aniston story of how she had to lose 15 to get Friends or even Carol Alt at the beginning of her modeling career was told to lose 15 — I just couldn’t –wish that I could have — the role went to Cathy Moriarty.

For the road…I have one final question for you:

Can we expect to see a lower body gym piece in our future?

I have LOTS of new exciting products on the horizon- innovative lower body fitness and so  much more!! Will definitely keep you in the loop – and thank you so much – hopefully you like my answers!!

Forbes,

   I loved every one of your answers and I thank you so very much for taking the time and answering them for us. Thanks, also, for giving us a little peek into your life. Rest assured, I’ll be here waiting for the next product to emerge and you can bet I’ll be first in line to try it!

You are such an incredible person and I’m just thrilled to have been given the opportunity to speak with you. I wish you well in all of your future endeavors and hope to have this opportunity again in the future.

Blogfully yours,

Barb

To everyone- If you’d like to leave a question, post a comment or say hi to Forbes; feel free to do so. In my review for the SpinGym, she did come by and leave a comment a couple comments. You never know what question, you ask, that might catch her eye- she might even answer it for you…I hope you enjoyed my interview and thanks so much for reading!

Related posts:

1. Gathering Questions for my Interview with Forbes Riley
2. SpinGym by Forbes Riley-Product Review
3. Willow- Interview with Julia Hoban
4. I’m all for the Holidays, but now that it’s over- OMG!