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Fitness Models Questions & Answers - Stephanie
Harter Diet Exercise Advice
Stephanie Harter - Fitness Model Statistics
 Name:
Stephanie Harter
- Height: 5'4"
- Weight: 125 pounds
- Date of Birth: October 30, 1978
- Hair Color: Blonde
- Bust: 34"
- Waist: 25"
- Hips: 32"
- Location: Charleston, South Carolina
- Website: Ultimateshakes.bodybyvi.com
and Hauteboddesigns.com
Stephanie Harter - Fitness Model
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Stephanie Harter
- Fitness Model Background
How did you get started in the fitness field?
Answer:
I have aspired to be a professional bodybuilder since I was 5
years old when I got my first set of weights for Christmas. As
a kid, when my friends were playing "house" and "school",
I was playing personal trainer and gym owner! LOL. Cory Everson
was my idol! I'm not sure why, but I was always fascinated by
a muscular physique and how it was something anyone could create.
I played sports throughout grade school and started weight training
as a freshman in high school. I've been in a gym my whole life
off and on. After I had my daughter at the age of 25, I gained
a lot of weight and maxed out at 185 pounds on her first birthday.
After we had family pictures taken, I saw how bad it had gotten.
I was devastated! I didn't recognize myself. I made a vow at that
point to lose weight but most of all become healthy for my daughter.
So I changed my eating, I made it to the gym everyday, and I quickly
lost 40 pounds in 4 months. I continued to eat healthy and workout
daily for a couple years and maintained my weight. One day I was
approached by a personal trainer at my gym and he told me I should
consider competing. I just laughed at him because I thought he
was joking. Then he began telling me more about the figure division,
which is more muscle than bikini competitors but less than a bodybuilder.
This obviously brought back that fire and desire I once had to
be a bodybuilder. I started doing some research, asked around
about a good trainer and was referred to Shannon Dey with Team
Bombshell. After I graduated from anesthesia school in December
2010, my present to myself was joining Team Bombshell. It was
the best present ever! It has changed my life!
What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness?
Answer:
I like that I am setting a good example for my daughter and others
to lead a healthy lifestyle. I want to inspire others and give
others the confidence and support to achieve their goals. I remember
what it felt like to be overweight and depressed and feel hopeless.
I want to help others get out of that vicious cycle.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
Answer:
My biggest accomplishment was achieving my dream by stepping
up on stage and competing. I have always wanted to compete in
bodybuilding since I was a little girl. Even though I am in the
figure division, I have put in a lot of hard work and effort and
have been able to showcase it. I am a very shy person and have
a huge fear of being the center of attention! Especially, walking
in 5 inch heels in a tiny suit on stage! But not only did I accomplish
it, I placed well in all my shows and I loved every minute of
it!
Stephanie Harter
- Fitness Model Questions & Answers
Fitness Question #1 - What is the best
way to get started in the fitness modeling industry? Should I just
contact the photographers directly or should I use an agency?
Answer:
Well I am probably not the best person to ask about this because
I am still working on this myself. I would say that probably the
first thing that should be done is to have some professional photos
made. Then start sending them to agencies and magazines. Just
get your pictures and face and name out there. Use Facebook and
Twitter as well.
Fitness Question #2 - Please describe
a typical day for you. What is your daily routine like?
Answer:
3:00am: Eat breakfast.
3:30am: Gym for cardio and weights.
6:30am: Work.
7:00am: Meal #2.
9:00am: Meal #3.
12:00pm: Meal #4.
3:30pm: Off to work and meal #5.
5:30pm: During season I do cardio #2; during off season
I do mixed martial arts and eat meal #6.
8:00pm: Meal #7.
9:00pm: Bedtime.
Fitness Question #3 - I don’t
have that much time during the day to workout, so I really want
to burn major calories in a short amount of time. What is the #1
“bang for the buck” cardio exercise I should do to burn
serious calories?
Answer:
I would have to say HIIT with sprints at an incline on the treadmill.
Try sprinting for 1 minute at incline of 9 at 7mph, walk for 30
sec and repeat for the amount of time you have. That always gets
my heart pumping the most!
Fitness Question #4 - How much weight
(pounds) should I focus on losing every week? What is a safe amount
to make sure I keep it off?
Answer:
 You
should try to lose no more than 2-3 pounds per week for sustained
weight loss. You can lose that amount without having to starve
your body and slow your metabolism.
Fitness Question #5 - What type of food
or supplements should I take before and after my workouts to help
me see results in gaining lean muscle and losing fat?
Answer:
First and foremost, you should eat breakfast. I recommend some
lean protein such as egg whites and a slow digesting carbohydrate
such as oatmeal. There is a lot of controversy on whether fat
burners, caffeine, nitric oxide and pre-workout boosters really
work or should be consumed. Personally I use a fat burner only
during competition season. If I am feeling really sluggish I will
have a cup of coffee. Research shows that consuming caffeine prior
to a workout boosts energy levels therefore making your workout
slightly more effective and increasing the number of calories
you burn. A lot of athletes swear by nitric oxide and creatine.
I do not use creatine because this makes me bloated and hold water.
I've used nitric oxide in the past and could not tell any difference.
The key to gaining muscle and losing fat is a consistently clean
diet with intense workouts.
Fitness Question #6 - How do you deal
with cravings for junk foods, sweets and salty food? I can stay
on a diet for maybe a few weeks but I eventually get really bad
cravings and binge on snacks and fast foods.
Answer:
Ahh, this is the most popular question I get! Well, the best
way to deal with the cravings for me is to just not buy the foods
that I have a tendency to crave. That way, even if I crave it,
I don't have it to eat. I will also drink a large glass of water
or make some hot tea to help. Sometimes I find I just want something
in my mouth to chew on so I will chew a piece of gum. The cravings
will start to taper eventually. I used to obsessively think about
sweets, as I have a major sweet tooth. I was beginning to think
I had an eating disorder because all I could think about was eating.
But over time, those thoughts started to go away and I no longer
crave sweets like I used to. I sometimes go weeks without a single
craving. And now if I do have a craving, I will indulge a little
and then it's gone and I'm satisfied. Just stick with it! I promise
it will get easier!
Fitness Question #7 - I’m trying
to create a healthy shopping list to stick with. What are some of
the main foods I should include to maintain a lean and muscular
physique?
Answer:
Lean meats such as chicken, fish, turkey and egg whites. Whole
wheat carbs such as whole wheat bread, pasta, brown rice and oats.
Green veggies that are fresh or frozen. Small amount of fruits
such as berries, cantaloupe, grapefruit and apples. Fats such
as olive oil and flaxseed. These should be distributed throughout
the day.
Fitness Question #8 - I’m about
35 pounds over weight. I have never started an exercise program
and really don’t know where to start. What tips can you give
me to get started on the right track?
Answer:
Well first of all, please see your physician before you start
an exercise program. You need a full physical to make sure your
heart and lungs will tolerate some stress. Then my recommendation
would be to hire a personal trainer and nutritionist to obtain
the best results. Start slow but challenge yourself. Keep
a food diary and write down your workouts. Also, write down
your goals and as you reach those goals, create more goals!
Fitness Question #9 - I tend to eat
out most of the time and really don’t know what healthy foods
to order from the menu. What tips do you recommend for eating out
at restaurants to make sure my diet will not suffer?
Answer:
My recommendation for eating out is simply to not eat out. You
do not know what the foods are seasoned with or marinated in and
a lot of times the managers and kitchen staff do not know either.
I typically will bring my own food from home when my family wants
to eat out. At first it was embarrassing for them, but now they
are used to it and understand why. Even if you order a plain grilled
chicken breast, I guarantee, it will still come packaged and marinated
in some kind of sauce and it will be grilled on the same grill
as the other items sold that all have seasonings and marinades
so some of that will still end up being cooked into your food.
Living a healthy and fit life is a lifestyle. Unfortunately, most
restaurants do not fit that kind of lifestyle. But if you must,
order your meats plain, your veggies plain with no butter, fat
free salad dressing on the side and tell them to leave off the
bread and any other items such as cheeses.
Fitness Question #10 - What exercises
do you recommend for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
Answer:
Walking lunges and low squats seems to target the glutes better
than any other exercises I've found! Diet is also a major player
though so don't forget to eat healthy!
Fitness Question #11 - What is the
most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying
in top shape?
Answer:
I guess it is that my lifestyle is different than that of my
friends and family so I miss out on activities and gatherings.
I go to bed early so I do not stay out late anymore. I am always
the first to leave so I can get in bed fairly early since I get
up so early to workout. I have to take my cooler of food with
me everywhere I go and plan my meals so if we go to, say an amusement
park, I have to keep an eye on the time and make a trip back to
the car to eat! If we go out of town, I have to stay in a hotel
that has a gym so I can get my workout in for the day. I do not
drink alcohol anymore so some people look at me as sort of a downer.
People do not understand why I do what I do. But that's okay.
This was my choice and I could not be happier!
Fitness Question #12 - Please describe
your normal diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?
Answer:
Breakfast: Egg whites and oatmeal.
Mid-Morning Snack: Lean meat like chicken or fish, brown
rice, asparagus.
Lunch: Whole wheat pasta, lean meat.
Mid-Afternoon Snack: Protein shake.
Dinner: Lean red meat like sirloin or flank steak and
spinach.
Fitness Question #13 - What type of
exercises do you include in your routine to stay in shape?
Answer:
Strength Training Exercises: It varies. I have a different
workout every single day. The best thing you can do to increase
strength and muscular development is muscle confusion by changing
exercises, reps, sets, and the amount of weight you are lifting.
Cardio Exercises: I do a lot of HIIT (High Intensity Interval
Training). I use the treadmill a lot at a high incline with a
lot of sprints and running holding dumbbells. I use the stair
stepper and elliptical at a very high resistance.
Additional Training: In the off season, I do mixed martial
arts training and CrossFit in addition to my regular cardio and
workouts.
Fitness Question #14 - What are the
top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend
for developing toned and defined arms?
Answer:
1. Clean diet with high protein, whole wheat carbs and veggies.
2. Lift heavy.
3. Multiple different exercises.
4. Vary sets and reps.
5. Stick with free weights.
Fitness Question #15 - What are your
top 5 tips for losing unwanted body fat?
Answer:
 1.
Diet.
2. Diet.
3. Resistance training.
4. Eat every 3 hours.
5. High intensity cardio.
Fitness Question #16 - What are your
top 5 tips for gaining lean muscle mass?
Answer:
1. High protein diet.
2. Lift heavy.
3. Utilize drop sets often.
4. Stay hydrated.
5. Cardio.
Fitness Question #17 - What are the
top 5 tips you recommend for staying motivated on a fitness plan
and truly making a healthy lifestyle change:
Answer:
1. Write down your goals.
2. Surround yourself with people who have similar goals.
3. Pin up pictures of what your goal will look like.
4. Tell people about your goals.
5. Commit yourself (sign up for a race or a competition).
Fitness Question #18 - What is your
training routine like? (Please include a few details - training
split, sets/reps, exercises, types of cardio, etc.)
Answer:
Monday: Quads, glutes, calves 4-5 sets of heavy weight,
1 hour of cardio.
Tuesday: Shoulders, chest, triceps 4-5 sets of heavy weight,
1 hour of cardio.
Wednesday: Back and biceps 4-5 sets of heavy weight, 1
hour of cardio.
Thursday: Hamstrings and plyos 4 sets with weight, 1 hour
of cardio.
Friday: Glutes, calves, 1 hour of cardio.
Saturday: 1 hour of cardio.
Sunday: Rest.
Fitness Question #19 - What are the
top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend
for losing fat around the stomach and developing a toned and defined
midsection?
Answer:
1. Clean diet.
2. Eat every 3 hours.
3. Stay hydrated.
4. Cardio.
5. Resistance training.
Fitness Question #20 - What are the
top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend
for toning the thighs, hips and butt?
Answer:
1. Diet.
2. Resistance training.
3. Stay hydrated.
4. Lots of lunges and squats.
5. Try standing more than sitting during the day.
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