Who is Larysa?
Larysa DiDio is a celebrity personal trainer and fitness author who inspires everyone, everywhere to “rock what they’ve got”. She’s got over 20 years of experience in helping celebrities, Olympians, professional athletes and the occasional athlete as well as moms, dads and kids attain their health and fitness goals and be the best they can be. She is the no-nonsense, cheerleading change agent that pushes her clients to be their best and maintain continuity. By combining fast, fun, and efficient workouts with easy-to-follow nutrition advice, Larysa’s programs not only help people lose weight, they also help them become the people they most want to be. Her secret? Her background in Anthropology. Larysa discovered that people have natural habits and patterns, and by working with them and incorporating them into her successful formula they not only reach their goals easily, but the results are permanent.
Larysa began her career at 16, when she became an aerobic instructor at Gold’s Gym in Kingston, NY. After moving to New York City to study anthropology and chemistry at Hunter College, she landed a job at the prestigious Vertical Club, becoming the youngest instructor on staff. By the time she graduated, Larysa had a thriving personal-training business, and her passion for motivating clients to be their very best set her on a new path. Here are just a few of her accomplishments:
Author
Larysa is an accomplished writer, providing exciting articles and content for national and trade publications as well as blogs and websites. Editorially she is known as the “Makeover Queen” and is one of the top trainers magazines turn to for projects and advice. Larysa has been featured in and contributed to over 30 national magazines. She has been featured in the following: Parenting, SELF, FITNESS, Women’s Health, InStyle, Kiwi, Weight Watchers Magazine and Family Circle. Additionally, Larysa is the “Boot Camp Goals” and “60 Days To Healthier Ways” trainer for SELF magazine and serves as their fitness expert/writer.
As co-author of Sneaky Fitness: Fun Foolproof Ways To Slip Fitness Into Your Child’s Everyday Life (Running Press, 2009), Larysa worked with best-selling author Missy Chase Lapine (aka The Sneaky Chef) to create a revolutionary handbook that provides busy parents with 100 games and activities guaranteed to get any kid off the couch.
Larysa was a contributing editor for Parenting magazine. In addition to regularly providing fitness advice to its 10 million readers, she’s the health and fitness adviser for “Fit Generation,” the publication’s anti-obesity initiative. In 2010 Parenting received the prestigious Folio Award for her contributions to the program. Her expert advice on getting kids and families healthy are in issues April, May and June 2010 and 2011.
Trainer
Her fitness facility, PFX, in Pleasantville, NY, has the distinction of being one of the first gyms to offer classes specifically tailored to kids. “Boot Camp, Baby!” and “Get Fit for Prom!” have attracted national sponsorships from Canyon Ranch and Lara Bar, among others. Along with her work with families, Larysa regularly trains and has trained celebrities (Dr. Gail Saltz, Vanessa Williams’ daughter, Trudie Styler, Monique Coleman, Joe Nolan, Bill Evans, Erin Sharoni) as well as professional and Olympic athletes (Nastia Liukin- Olympic gymnast).
Larysa is passionate about developing specialty fitness programs to help those in need and is currently working on several projects in order to do just that. She is the founder of “The Most Awesome Race,” an adventure race for families and is working with Minor League Baseball to develop an anti-childhood obesity campaign. The campaign commenced this August when Larysa teamed with The Hudson Valley Renegades to host “Fitness on the Field.” Larysa has also partnered with Reebok Sports Club/NY and SELF magazine to host Operation Sweat on December 9th in benefit of All Hands Volunteers and those affected by Hurricane Sandy. For more information on Operation Sweat visit Operation Sweat on Facebook.
As Health and Fitness Ambassador for Best Bones Forever, the government’s campaign to help girls build strong bones and bodies, Larysa hosts online PSAs, MC’s events and writes articles and blogs for girls and their parents.
In 2008, she created Get Fit with Larysa, an innovative fitness DVD for tween girls designed to build confidence and self-esteem. Because of her expertise in working with young girls, Larysa often contributes to Girls Life magazine and has partnered with the Girl Scouts of America for their 100 years of scouting in the US. In 2010-2011 she will be empowering girls through fitness by teaching seminars to troops, nationally. You can also see her starring in two exercise DVDs from Redbook.
Speaker
As a motivational and lifestyle speaker, Larysa appears at schools, hospitals, wellness seminars and on television. She’s Health Ambassador and Spokesperson for Designer Whey Protein and served as Founding Ambassador for LifeTime Fitness 2013 Commitment Day. She’s been a featured guest at New York City’s 92nd Street Y, the Columbia Hospital Pediatric Orthopedic annual fundraiser, Parenting Fit Generation Festival, AllyKatzz Tween Summit for Girls as well as on BetterTv, New York LIVE and Good Day New York. In addition, Larysa was chosen as 1 of 50 “Powerful Women” to be honored at the United Nations Year of Youth Culmination Celebration on August 11th, 2011 at the United Nations and was a featured “Inspirational Mom” during the 2012 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NYC for Strut: The Fashionable Mom Show.
Mom
Though incredibly proud of her work, Larysa’s biggest accomplishments can found right at home. She’s mom to Nicholas, 12, and Isabella, 9 – both her inspiration and best teachers.
What people are saying about Larysa:
- "Larysa is not only knowledgeable in the training gym but also great at getting your body back in the game with making the right choices for a balanced diet. And of course has a very outgoing and motivating personality!"
- – Nastia Liukin
Senior Elite Gymnast and Five Time Olympic Medalist - "Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in this country. Anything and everything must be done to help the future health of our children. Larysa is the foremost expert on training children. Her expertise in this area cannot be matched."
- – Robbyn Sockolow
M.D. Chief Pediatric Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition Presbyterian-Weill Medical
