Stunning Fitness

Interview with fitness model Tisha Rodrigues:

1. What is your background? How did you become interested in fitness?

Well, first let me say thank you for having me on your wonderful website. I am married with three children ages 12, 6 and 8. I am a personal trainer and fitness model and I am a fitness columnist. I am a trained kickboxer and have been trained in martial arts for the past 9 years. I basically joined the gym to get back into shape after my third child was born. I saw a competition flyer up in Gold’s Gym and six years later here I am competing now within NPC. I also recovered from an eating disorder which I feel the health and fitness industry has saved me from forever.

2. Can you please describe a “typical” day for you?

A typical day..? I doubt my days are quite typical..(laughing).. My day always changes because sometimes I wake up and put the kids on the bus and take off for the gym which I stay at for about 2 hours and other days I am training others. I have activities I need to bring my children to on different days of the week like karate, singing and gymnastics. Contrary to STEREOTYPE, i do not do the majority of the cooking. My husband actually cooks for me and the kids. I am the “official” housekeeper. I do all the cleaning, I am extremely OCD, so I spend a lot of extra time cleaning up my home. Then it’s homework, which I am mainly in charge of, taking care of our pets and doing my writing, reading stories to the kids etc… My husband is in MMA, so on Mon and Tue night it is up to me.

3. How do you motivate yourself to get and stay so fit?

By competing… Competing COMPLETES me. It’s a passion like kickboxing and writing. Training is far from a chore to me, I love it. Can’t say I love the diet, but I have come from a dark place when I was unhealthy, so fitness keeps me strong and feeling alive. I love being on stage and I am very competitive. Fitness is a lifestyle and the whole family is a part of it in one way or another.

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Interview with model Heather Campo:

1. What is your background? How did you become interested in fitness?

I was always active growing up, doing ballet from the age of 3. Once “reality” hit at the age of 16 and I had to get a job… I didn’t have a lot of time for ballet anymore. My senior year I was on my High School Varsity Cheerleading Squad and had a lot of fun with that!! After graduation I joined World Gym… and LOVED it right away!

2. Can you please describe a “typical” day for you?

I work full-time as an Office Manager, so Mon-Fri I get up around 5:45 am, to work by 7:30 – off at 4:30 pm. I train Arms on Tuesday after work. Legs on Wednesday & Chest & Back on Saturday. Abs are 3-4 days a week. Walking my dog, jogging & use cardio machines are the various ways to keep up cardio. In bed by 9:00 pm – sharp!

3. How do you motivate yourself to get and stay so fit?

My husband! He’s into bodybuilding & keeps me motivated!!

4. What forms of exercise do you find to be the most effective?

LOTS of crunches & a big variety… leg-raises & a superset with side-to-side crunches are a great combo for me! Also, my fave for Legs is squats & then lunges down the hallway – feel the burn!!

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Interview with fitness model and figure competitor Jennifer Hawkins:

1. What is your background? How did you become interested in fitness?

I joined a gym when I was 17 years old and fell in love with working out. I obtained my aerobics instructor certification in Canada and then went on to get my personal trainer certification in Maui. I loved the Island life, but being Canadian I knew it would be difficult to work in the United States, so I looked for other opportunities and found a job as an instructor and fitness promotions coordinator at a gym in Bermuda. I’ve been in Bermuda ever since! I don’t work as a personal trainer anymore, but I train 5 days a week at a gym right around the corner from my workplace.

2. Can you please describe a “typical” day for you?

Up at 6am, eat, train, eat again, go to work (eat and eat and eat), and then my evenings are free to curl up at home, or go to the movies, or out with friends.

3. How do you motivate yourself to get and stay so fit?

Nothing changed my body more than weight training did. When you see your structure change through weight training and nutrition, it motivates you to never stop.

4. What forms of exercise do you find to be the most effective?

I train my entire body with weights, but I also add in workouts at the track or the hill to keep my legs toned.

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Interview with aerobics instructor, personal trainer, and figure competitor Maria Kang:

1. What is your background? How did you become interested in fitness?

I am 1/2 Filipina and 1/2 Malaysian Chinese - 100% American! Been involved in the fitness industry for over 7 years as an aerobics instructor, personal trainer, fitness manager, group director, project coordinator, figure competitor and freelance writer. I became interested in fitness when I witnessed my mother suffering from health related diseases influenced by her inactivity. Her suffering inspired me to help other’s with the same challenges as well as prevent myself from also enduring something that can possibly be genetic.

2. Can you please describe a “typical” day for you?

I wake up at 5:08 am - at the gym by 5:45. I don’t leave my car without my water bottle, my baseball hat, and my gym card. I never use gloves, ipods, or straps when I train. I usually focus on intense weight training for about 45 minutes then cardio for 30-45 minutes. After a sweaty workout I usually perform ab work and stretch. After my morning training session, I work on emails and my daily fitness blogsite: www.fitnesscure.com .

After about half an hour I begin my professional work, which is marketing and project coordination for 24hour fitness. I eat at approx. 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 5pm and 8pm with around 300 calories/meal. I don’t eat animal meat and usually depend on protein shakes, eggs, tofu and soy for my protein intake.

After I work, I usually walk my dog, have dinner with friends, read a book, write an article or work more on my computer. (I love what I do so I work all the time!)

3. How do you motivate yourself to get and stay so fit?

I like the feeling of a nice, toned, athletic, flexible, tight body. It feels good to be confident in your skin. What motivates me most is being able to love and be confident with who I am.

4. What forms of exercise do you find to be the most effective?

I’ve always been a fan of the very basic exercises: deadlifts, push ups, pull ups and lunges. I’m also a proponent of functional fitness and usually use free weights for all my strength training exercises.

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