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Walk the Walk
Leslie Sansone is walking for a living and encouraging everyone to get started on the right path.
by P. E. Kirman
Leslie Sansone would walk a mile for just about anyone.
That being said, walking is what she does for a living.
"Our bodies are made to move," says the upbeat Sansone. "What better way to begin to move than with a walking program in your own home, where all you need is a TV and a pair of good walking shoes! Weather is never an issue, and neither are friends who say they’ll join you and never show."
Sansone’s career in walking began 22 years ago. "I was going into architectural engineering, and needed an extra job to keep my college bills paid. I answered an ad about certification for an aerobic dance company," Sansone explains.
Even though she had no athletic background, Sansone enjoyed the rush of exercise so much that she stayed involved with teaching aerobics on the side in church halls while training other young women to be teachers as well.
As it turned out, she never did get that engineering degree. As her business grew, she wanted to develop an exercise program for people who weren’t interested in fancy dance moves. "Everybody who can get up out of a chair can walk," says Sansone, 41.
She started a program called "Walk Aerobics" with the hope that the "word walk would take the intimidation away from aerobics."
Her walking classes became jam-packed with interested participants, and what started with one videotape soon became an industry. What put Sansone over the edge was her first infomercial, a 28-minute extravaganza that ended up grossing around $20 million in sales.
Sansone has over 50 videos available, and estimates she has sold about three million units in total. She also sells accessories such as light hand weights and shoes, as well as books with recipes and nutritional information.
"We have been able to reach a customer that we never could have reached before, and we’re getting a great response not just from our country, but from the world," says Sansone.
Her assistant and publicist, Michelle Conti, says that Sansone’s ability to really grab audiences with her workout is due to the simplicity of the program. "They don’t have to learn dance moves," says Conti, who has known Sansone since their school days and has worked with her for over 15 years. She adds, people "just love her personality."
The friendly and likable Sansone certainly is an expert when it comes to getting her personality out there. She was the very first guest on the QVC Shopping Network in the U.S., where she sold out her videos within two minutes. She has also appeared on the Shopping Channel in Canada and hopes to be on again in the near future.
Her latest set of exercise videos promoting in-home walking incorporates her Christian faith. Her Walk the Walk series focuses on body, mind, and spirit, as inspirational music plays in the background while Sansone guides viewers through an aerobic workout consisting of various walking steps.
"It has always been my desire to bring things that I believe in to the person who already loves our walk. What is so important in this world is God and family and I always felt that I wanted to give something back to give glory to God in everything that I do," says Sansone.
Despite her success, Sansone remains down-to-earth and humble. She lives in New Castle, a city north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband Joseph, a lawyer, and their children Joseph (7), Marie Ellena (10) and Andrew (18). "We’re normal people trying to get through a modern world and praying that I can keep my kids on the path to God’s will, not their own will."
Sansone feels that while it’s important to maintain physical health, spiritual health, which is more important, begins by turning our lives over to Jesus. "The only real joy comes when you absolutely surrender and say ‘I don’t want it to be my way anymore, I really want to do what God wants me to do and I want this Jesus-like life that we are supposed to have as our guide.’ "
Adds Sansone, "A connection to God is everything."
For more information visit www.walkaerobics.com.
Leslie Sansone’s
Top 10 Reasons In-Home
Walking is for Everyone
1. You already know how to walk. You might not be able to master underwater sumo wrestling but that one-foot-in-front of the other thing is a no-brainer.
2. Walking is something we all do, all day, everyday — at any age. In-Home Walking is a total workout that uses every major muscle group to help you burn calories, lose fat, boost energy ...
3. You can get rid of the treadmill in the middle of the family room, if you can find it under all the junk.
4. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, walking just 30 minutes a day three times a week reduces death from all causes by 55 per cent!
5. You don’t need to pay any fees or buy any fancy equipment.
6. You can reach your fitness goals while watching TV and never have to leave your living room. Is this exercise paradise or what?
7. You can do it any time of the day and never have to miss a workout due to snow, sleet, hot or cold.
8. You can lower your blood sugar level and cholesterol levels, improve cardiovascular health and circulation, control weight, and strengthen muscles and bones.
9. In-Home Walking works because people stick with it for life. And the only way to maintain good health is by exercising consistently.
10. You don’t need to spend a fortune on those fancy workout outfits. You can walk in your underwear — hey, you can even walk in your birthday suit! Just walk!
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