A.J. Johnson's NEW ZONE

The actress turned wellness coach on living your best life today.

By Tiffany White

The jump from actress to celebrity wellness coach was not intentional for actress A.J. Johnson. In 1985 she postponed medical school after graduating from Spelman College to pursue her first love — dance. She moved to Los Angeles with a goal was to dance in a Janet Jackson video, but she winded up acting alongside Laurence Fishburne and Tisha Campbell-Martin in Spike Lee's School Daze. Since her debut, Johnson has appeared in other films such as House Party, Sister Act and Baby Boy, but now it's Johnson's healthy lifestyle that's taken front row.

Johnson founded The AJ Zone, a business designed to promote wellness living, and has celebrity clients that include Gabrielle Union and Beyoncé. Members can join via her website where they'll get full access to Johnson's tips for healthy living, such as advice on fitness, nutrition and even spirtuality. Members can also access the member's-only forum and can enter to win a personal visit from Johnson herself. Her website has several testimonials from people who have slimmed down, shaped up and revamped their lifestyle thanks to Johnson.

The host of VH-1's From Flab to Fab fitness competition, Johnson also created a wellness segment for the WE channel called Savvy, has discussed health issues for the American Cancer Society and Curves International, and makes several radio and TV appearances on the topic of healthy living. Currently on a promotional tour with GSK pharmaceuticals, the company that produces ALLI, the first FDA approved, over-the-counter weight loss pill, we sat down with Johnson to get a taste of what it's really like inside her zone.

AMBERmag.com: How did you transition from actress to fitness guru?
A.J. Johnson: I won’t say that I transitioned from actress to wellness because I am still in the middle of my plan (ooops, God’s plan), a plan to create a brand and then market that brand. I don’t know if the ultimate marketing will include more films or owning a healthy living TV network, but I learned early to stay out of God’s way when it comes to my planning. I will say this: I decided, after seeing Angelina Jolie in Laura Croft: Tomb Raider and [seeing] the franchise she was creating, that doing one film and hoping for another while you’re still shooting the first one was the plight of a black actress. That truth scared me. I wanted more ownership, and my father reminded me of its importance daily!! Ownership became my focus.

AMBERmag.com: You're a fitness coach to the stars, but who was your mentor/coach?
Johnson: A fitness coach, for the most part, focuses on fitness, sometimes suggesting diets along with their workout guidance. I am a wellness coach — the difference is large and important. As a wellness coach, my focus is total and complete healthy living, starting with mind and spirit — fitness just happens to be a component. Before I created THE AJ ZONE, I was touched by a few people: [actresses] Alfre Woodard and Cicely Tyson touched the artist in me while working together on one of my first projects. They taught me that being a respected artist was far more fulfilling and important than being a popular flavor of the month. Billy Blanks [creator of Tae Bo] touched the athlete in me. As his student and substitute Tae Bo instructor (on the [down low] between films), I watched his commitment to helping people and his undying energy toward life. My spiritual flexibility was nurtured through watching Susan Taylor [former editorial director of Essence], reading Paulo Coelho [author of The Alchemist] and Iyanla Vanzant [author and inspirational speaker], and through studying Oprah and her journey.

AMBERmag.com: When did you start The AJ Zone, and what was your main goal behind it?
Johnson: I never take credit for starting THE AJ ZONE. Alfre Woodard, Julia Roberts, Tisha Cambell-Martin, my three sisters of Destiny's Child — all of them; they are the true founders. I was simply living my healthy [life], reaching for my best me without excuses and with unwavering focus. Each of them came to me at different times, with different goals, having noticed my health and asked if I could help them live in my zone — the company was born. My confidence in the company came during my press tour for Baby Boy. When the journalists asked me three questions about the film and ten about my healthy living commitment, I knew there was something more for me to do. My main goal in creating the company was actually selfish. [laughs] It was to first live my complete self. I wanted to create the opportunity for me to bring my education, my artistry and passion for healthy living together. I was tired of squashing the inner mad scientist and evangelist, sometimes living the dancer, other times the actress, every so often the business woman — blah blah blah!! I saw soooo much unhappiness around Hollywood and I wanted to show people, by example, that life is what you make of it; that we are products of our choices, and to teach people how to make responsible choices that they could be happy with.

AMBERmag.com: The AJ Zone isn't just about exercising; it's an entire lifestyle. Do you think that's something people don't realize about healthy living?
Johnson: I know now more than ever that most do not realize that [living] healthy is a lifestyle, not a diet or workout. My philosophy and therefore platform is lifestyle adjustment. The fact that I am traveling, doing speaking engagements, radio and TV appearances, working with GSK pharmaceuticals, The American Cancer Society, and spreading that message is proof that my message is necessary and needed.

AMBERmag.com: On your website, you have a spirituality section, but it's not geared toward any particular religion. What does spirituality mean to you?
Johnson: Spirituality is definitely NOT religion to me. Spirituality is the core and the fabric of a person, the make up, the ingredients of ones soul.

AMBERmag.com: What's the most important fitness advice you ever learned?
Johnson: The most important fitness advice I ever learned was that consistency and making it a priority component in ones lifestyle is key!

AMBERmag.com: What's one of the major misconceptions the average person has about fitness?
A.J. Johnson: A major misconception the average person has about fitness is that it is the most important aspect of losing weight. I believe ones nutritional lifestyle is the most important. As I say on my website, food is 80 percent, fitness is 20 percent!! My physique is the way it is more because of how I eat consistently than the result of my workout!!

AMBERmag.com: Can you let us in on some helpful fitness advice for those trying to stay fit this summer?
Johnson: My advice for anyone always is to pay attention to your food! Health issues, weight management issues — we are definitely products of our food! The fitness side — I say try to stay off of the machines. I always get better sculpting when I don’t get help from the machines. I hike, stair climb — you’d be surprised at how much muscle gets skipped by walking on a moving band. If you really want great sculpting, get off of the machine!!!!

AMBERmag.com: On your website you have a list of your favorite "things." What's one thing you absolutely can't live without during the summer?
Johnson: The one “thing” I cannot live without during the summer are walks at dusk as the sun sets. There’s a calm that a setting sun brings me that only comes to me with a beautiful sunset. I have to add a few to my list of things on my web site that I’ve collected this summer!

AMBERmag.com: What's your opinion about obesity in the black community?
Johnson: Obesity in the black community has quickly grown from a mere concern into an epidemic! Seriously, we’re learning, but we have a long way to go in understanding that we are killing ourselves and we are dying a senseless death! I pray that my commitment will help even a few folks! I’m here with no parents, so I need for folks to do better!!

AMBERmag.com: A problem for a lot of black women when it comes to fitness deals with hair. What's your advice to women who want to work out daily but keep their hair looking fresh?
Johnson: The hair question…[laughs]…this is an interview all by itself! I need to write a column on this one!! I want my sisters to know that in one year my hair grew down my back. I have been told that with a relaxer and color my hair should not be thick, healthy, long and shiny. There is really no short response to this cause it goes much deeper than our hair, it dives into our hair being the foundation of our self esteem and confidence…wrong!! When I began to focus on my inner and overall health more than my outer beauty, my overall appearance began to improve and get compliments — not just my hair. I say find a style that is low maintenance that works for your active lifestyle. I rock a ponytail and some fly earrings most times!!

AMBERmag.com: For those not celebrities but still want to jump into The AJ Zone, is it possible for the average person, for example, to eat nutritiously or go all natural?
Johnson: Going all natural and eating healthy is a choice I made in continuing my journey toward my best me. Choosing to be your best is not a celebrity thing, so jumping into THE AJ ZONE is for anyone making that choice! Our website was built with that in mind. We started receiving emails and phone calls from all over and all races, ages and sizes asking us for help. As ones desire to be better grows, so do the choices of how to reach your better [self]. I think anyone who commits to their best self will also commit to the process. That’s all I feel like I'm doing!