Craig Ramsay is a Modern-Day Renaissance Man

American citizen was recently added to the list of growing descriptives for Craig Ramsay – a list that includes Broadway performer, reality TV personality, certified master trainer, best-selling author, activist, social media guru, husband, and muscle bear. He is now a proud dual citizen of the US and his Canadian birthplace. As popular as he is for his hot Instagram pics, he is equally popular for his continued commitment to his community – LGBTQ and beyond.

Though he was always an integral part of the entertainment industry as a celebrity fitness trainer, it was his casting on Bravo TV’s Newlyweds: The First Year that made him a fan favorite on a global level. The show highlighted his wedding and first year of marriage to his husband, celebrity hairstylist Brandon Liberati (sorry boys, yes Craig is married). The show became a viral hit long before same-sex marriages were covered in such detail. Audiences experienced the couple’s lives and the difficulties of the first year of being married as part of the norm and made way for other couple-based reality TV and for the inclusion of same-sex marriages. Reality TV culture has changed since then, for better or for worse. Craig’s relationship with reality TV continues, with appearances on Shahs of Sunset and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

If anything has changed, I think it is viewers’ reaction to reality TV. As the world gets increasingly complex, reality TV becomes more popular because GOOD reality TV reflects that. I have also witnessed much more entertainment crossover opportunities these days for reality TV personalities.

The reality TV industry networks still get caught up in “token” representation. Now I recognize I’ve been fortunate to be that “token gay” as my sexuality has actually provided many professional opportunities for me. I love that our diverse community is putting more pressure on the entertainment industry to have representation at the top that will follow through with more representation throughout the entertainment industry. I am proud that our LGBTQQIP2SAA community is setting stronger boundaries when it comes to content that we deem harmful for our community. I believe a fitting example of that is the pressure we should continue to put on Dave Chappelle’s ‘The Closer’ & Netflix. Dave Chappelle has an unhealthy fixation on the trans community, and his content continues to and is dangerous and Netflix should not be promoting and glorifying such harmful material. 

Coming out to the world on Newlyweds was a bit different than his coming out in real life. He had always been out in his personal life but being out there on a global level (the show was syndicated in most countries) gave his role as a gay man and as a husband the foundation for his continued activism. According to Craig, his coming-out story is still being written.

The more I live the more I seem to be discovering who I am as a human and as a gay man. Fortunately, I continue to be surrounded with support from my family, friends, and community. I’m from a very small town in Canada, and actually still very connected to friends from kindergarten. Yes, I got bullied & teased but we somehow stuck together through life and some of those childhood bullies are close, supportive friends of mine today. 

And the key to surviving the first year of marriage under the public eye?

The best adult purchase of my life was a Nordic Hot Tub which has been couples therapy for us. We soak, speak, and sip wine often and this time gives us a chance to check in on each other and our relationship. 

Fans fell in love with his boyishly charming smile, his golden mane of hair, his scruff, his personality…and those muscles. Even through his stage career and reality TV appearances, fitness has always been as important to him as his entertainment career.

As soon as I was able to walk as a toddler my feet were put into hockey ice skates. I am grateful that my folks allowed me to experience and find fitness activities that I enjoy. It has never been an option for me to be inactive. I’ll rest when I’m dead. 

Craig penned the best sellers Anatomy of Stretching and Anatomy of Muscle Building, demystifying the world of getting fit for the everyday person. Making fitness accessible and understandable to everyone has been a key element to Craig’s brand. You do not have to be a muscle god or drastically change your life. Fitness is the key to mental and physical health, but it is different for everyone. Craig is not afraid to bare all on his social media and is often very honest about his own fitness difficulties.

Most fitness professionals have a tempestuous relationship with their bodies, I am no exception. Although I never was obsessed with achieving “body perfection” because I knew that doesn’t exist and always felt the best, the sexiest flex comes from body confidence and not from a body part. 

The current conversation being highlighted in media, gay and otherwise, is a celebration of body positivity and self-confidence independent of body size. What is Craig’s take?

A good and potentially controversial question. As a fitness expert I believe ALL people should be on their own personal fitness/athletic journey, and if you are, you should be proud of that regardless of where you are starting from or currently stand. Body confidence is authentic when the individual respects that they are doing their best in balancing life, movement, and health. I am concerned when I see someone proud of being purposefully unhealthy and inactive. 

Craig’s relationship with fitness has changed over the years. As we age and mature, so too should our fitness routine and our expectations.

My 20’s were spent performing on the Broadway stage and when I wasn’t on stage I was in the gym and I was there WAY TOO often, I wish I opened more books. Between work and my workout programs, I was doing ALOT of cardio, so the body was tight, but the dancing kept me contortionist flexible. 

My career through my 30’s was almost exclusively fitness, so I had the pressure of being a walking billboard of physique potential. In my 40’s I’ve been focusing on finding new ways of enjoying my workouts and achieving athletic checkmarks I’ve always had like marathons. Stretching workout programs are a key component for people 40+ in achieving health, fitness, and physique goals. Stay tuned because I will be sharing these programs soon.

In addition to pressures of body image and aging, there is that dangerous period each year known as the holidays. As sweets and family dinners take center stage, so does colder weather and layers of clothing…the speedo is tucked away, and the grey sweatpants take their place. How does Craig manage the holidays?

I LOVE the holidays and when they are over, I feel bone-crushing disappointment. I can relate to not wanting to workout when we are experiencing post-holiday blues, however, this is the exact time you should move that body. Physical activity stimulates the release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. These are brain chemicals that help regulate your mood. With any time off from the gym (even a week off) I start with walking which has a positive impact on serotonin levels in the brain, this will help you not only be happier but be in a better headspace to stack the building blocks of your fitness to improve your athleticism and thus help you achieve your physique goals. 

And with the New Year comes new resolutions related to health and fitness. What are the biggest mistakes people make with their New Year’s resolution routine?

Too much, too soon. Your movement potential and your nutrition work hand and hand. Starting a new year routine responsibility by respecting where you are athletic-wise will positively affect your cravings and relationship with food. Your body will know it needs healthier nutrition to execute the new workout program. I find when people start a new program too aggressively (usually militant style workout programs) this often leads to feelings of failure, a lack of confidence that you can keep up with such difficult programs and can lead to overeating and hitting physical exhaustion. This subconsciously affects your relationship with movement. PACE YOURSELF! 

It’s about building your athleticism and dedication to your fitness. If someone identifies as inactive a 20 min walk, or 20 squats a day can make a substantial difference in your mood, your relationship to fitness and food. 

Year after year, the gyms are completely full in January…then a ghost ship in February. Craig offers the perfect alternative to paying those first and last months of dues.

STRETCHING! 20 mins every day of stretching can really help you stay fit. Appropriate stretching programs are a workout themselves. During recovery, muscle fibers heal stronger than they were before, which in turn, makes your muscles stronger. I have been guiding clients over Zoom and FaceTime with such programs during the pandemic with fantastic results. 

One of Craig’s signature group events is his ever popular Stretch A Reason To Wine, combining yoga with…wine tasting? Indeed, that is something everyone can get behind. If you’ve ever been, you know it is a completely inclusive and fun time and more often than not, you’ll be doing the downward dog surrounded by any one of Craig’s celebrity friends. But…wine and yoga? It works, and it teaches that fun times can still be had through moderation.

If you are going to drink you are going to stretch your body. Wine Tasting takes your taste buds through a journey and the stretch sections I pair after each tasting takes you through a movement journey. I am providing participants with the most entertaining fitness workout experience of their life. Regular classes in LA and Palm Springs resuming early 2022.

I am all about balance and living your life but as a fitness expert, drinking to get drunk is never a healthy choice. The research on the effects of alcohol — is still in its infancy. My alcohol choice is red wine, but there is a reason I created “Stretch and Wine” classes. I want people to realize that everything should be in moderation and just because you make what society deems as “unhealthy” choices does not mean you can’t still own your fitness and your health. 

Over COVID, Craig and his husband made Palm Springs their home. Many LGBTQ celebs have made the switch from LA to Palm Springs, including Ross Mathews, Jonathan Bennett, and Jaymes Vaughan. For Craig, it was to escape that glitter gay bubble that LA can often become, and instead be surrounded by mountains and Mother Nature’s arms. He feels a positive, magnetic, protective energy from living in the Desert. Palm Springs has certainly welcomed him with and Craig has not wasted time becoming involved in the community.

For years, he has hosted the PS Mayor’s Festival for Wellness, becoming a fan of the public parks in Palm Springs, and gaining an understanding and appreciation of PS’ outstanding Department of Parks and Recreation team. Now that he calls Palm Springs home, that relationship has expanded. This past year, he stepped in to lead the PS Front Runners Pride Run for The Center bringing in thousands of outside donations to support PS locals. He inspired participation and registration from a diverse range of Riverside County residents and helped train them both in person and virtually leading up to the race. His master knowledge of social media, including live streams and virtual workshops, has brought a younger generation to his events as well as inspired older groups to start to use social media as an integral tool to connect and get healthy.

He also started a youth fitness program for the kids in his community with free classes twice a week, with Skechers coming on as a sponsor. In addition to getting the youth fit, he has involved the community in sponsoring them to become CPR and First Aid certified.

The pandemic has been especially tough on our youth. Most kids have missed almost two years of sports, physical education classes, and recess. These free youth fitness classes are a chance for them to learn fundamental workout techniques that will carry them through their entire life. Plus, this shows that adults in their community care about their health and wellbeing.  My goal is for these kids to feel like they have a community they can rely on and that supports them, and I feel that holds them accountable to try their best in school and in life not just for themselves but for their community as well.  We are proud of them, and they know it.  

Craig inspires with his actions, not just his words. He is a true LGBTQ activist who engages the community and celebrity peers to get involved, and it doesn’t hurt that his Instagram is fire, muscles and spandex – oh my. Have we mentioned that booty? Inquiring minds want to know, what kind of DMs is he getting?

Lots of Daddy name-calling. I don’t know why people feel the need to talk about my Dad in my DMs. [Laughs]

And his New Year’s message to his fans?

Visit me in Palm Springs. If you are going to take a vacay in 2022 make it a safe, relaxing, fun one in Palm Springs paradise. If you already live here in Palm Springs join the Palm Springs Front Runners & Walkers and let’s get together for a run or walk. https://psfr.org

You can follow Craig on IG: @CraigRamsayFit

(Photos by Nathan Cox / NathanCoxStudios.com / IG@nathancoxstudios)