My Fitness Style: Shelly Ripple Johnston

Occupation: CEO, Crawfish Aquatics
Outfit: workout top by lucy (in my favorite color!), workout tights by lululemon
Comment: “Both of these brands are so comfortable and versatile to go from gym to carpool to grocery store, etc.”

Shelly Ripple Johnston has been making waves most of her life. After swimming for Parkview Baptist in high school, she went on to college stardom at Stanford University, where she was a seven-time NCAA champion and 24-time All-American. The 32-year-old mother of four currently ranks on Stanford’s All-Time Top 10 list in five different swimming events and has earned gold medals for her country on an international level, among other achievements. After several years in Boston, since 2011 she’s been back home in Baton Rouge, where she serves as CEO of Crawfish Aquatics and Exerfit Family Fitness Center. She’s also helped her husband, Dr. Barrett Johnston, launch both the Interventional Pain Institute and the medical spa Rejuve—and she still manages to work out every day.

I started swimming at a young age. My parents have a video of me jumping off the diving board at 18 months old, swimming to the ladder at the other end of the pool. It was just in my genes to swim. My mother swam in the Olympic Trials and so did her brother, Rick Meador, who was the former head swim coach at LSU.

Once I decided to “be a swimmer” (stopping other sports and concentrating on swimming only) around the age of 11-12, I knew I wanted to swim in college and represent the U.S. someday. I went on my first international competition representing the U.S. at the age of 13 to Paris. It was so exciting to travel and represent the U.S. … The only thing that topped that was swimming at Stanford. The “team” aspect of college swimming was the absolute best.

My husband and I have four kids. Abram is 7. Faith is 5. Ella Kate is 3 (4 in February) and Samantha is almost 4 months. We teach our kids about fitness mainly by staying active. They are still so young. They are beginning to compete in sports, and we constantly remind them that the most important thing they can do when competing is to use the talents that God has blessed them with for His glory and to do their very best. As long as they do their best, they can be proud. They love running on the track, climbing ropes, climbing trees, swimming, playing football, etc. Staying active as a family is so important. My husband and my son, Abram, painted a football field on our front yard so they can play on the weekends. Tree climbing is encouraged. My husband also built monkey bars across our swimming pool. The kids just keep playing, and in doing so, learn to stay fit and physically active.

I just want my kids to do whatever it is that they love to do. If that turns out to be swimming for one or some of them, then that would be great. If not, then I will support whatever it is that they decide to do. One rule though: They have to do something! They have to find out what their talents are and use them. They will not come home every day from school and sit and watch TV.

I had a better routine before I had this fourth baby and am just getting back into the swing of things! Before I was pregnant, I would try to do at least 30-45 minutes of running or Stairmaster (the one with the stairs) 4-5 times per week. I also try to do the Excel fitness class (at Exerfit) 3-4 afternoons per week. It is a great mixture of cardio, strength and plyometrics. If I don’t have time to fit it all in, I grab my jogging stroller and go out for a quick run with a few intervals.

After having a fourth baby and helping my husband start two new businesses in the past month, things have been crazy. Exercising has always been a part of my life, so when I don’t fit it in, I don’t feel good. If my day is crazy and I know I will not have time in the afternoon to workout, I will get up early before the kids get up and hop on the spin bike at my house. Otherwise, I try to squeeze a run in during the day and make it to Excel in the afternoon.

I always eat breakfast. Most of the time I am in a huge rush (getting four kids dressed and fed and out the door by 7 a.m.), so I grab a packet of oatmeal with fiber in it. It’s easy and quick. I normally have fresh fruit (cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple) in the fridge to pull out in the morning. My kids love Nutri-Grain waffles with fruit and yogurt before school. Lunch is normally turkey with veggies and hummus or a Lean Cuisine. My favorite go-to snack is an apple with peanut butter on top. My kids have grown to love them throughout the years because I eat them so much! At night, I fix crock pot meals a lot to save time, like veggie soup with ground turkey.

When we are out to eat, I normally order a salad with dressing on the side. I love the Savannah salad from McAlister’s. (We eat there after church on Sundays with my family.)

I think confidence is the “best-looking” thing a person can have. When you are a confident person, it always looks good! Also, I really love the world of skin care. My husband and I opened our own medical spa, Rejuve, in mid-February. We are so excited to help people prevent the signs of aging and help them look the best they can.

When working out, anything by lululemon or lucy are my go-to favorites. I love lucy pants and lululemon workout tops. I pretty much live in workout gear, and those two brands are cute enough to leave the gym in and then run around town, carpool, etc. Other than that I can normally be found in jeans or tights and boots.

Definitely handbags! I love handbags!