|
Meet Our Fitness Models Team - Beth McGrath
Diet Exercise Advice
Beth McGrath
Fitness
Model
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX  The
best thing about being into fitness is that it makes you personally responsible
for your health and wellness, which we all truly are. So many maladies and illnesses
are entirely preventable by eating healthy foods and exercising on a regular basis.
Taking care of ourselves requires discipline and self control, which is not always
easy.
See This Fitness Model's Diet Plan & Exercise Routine
Beth McGrath - Fitness Model Statistics - Name: Beth
McGrath
- Age: 39
- Height: 5"9'
- Weight: 135
- Hair: Brown
- Location:
Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
Beth McGrath - Fitness Model Photos
  
Beth
McGrath - Fitness Model Background 
What's your background? How did you get started in the fitness modeling field?
Answer:
I am new to the modeling industry. I was approached
by several independent photographers during my second NPC Figure Show and decided
to go ahead and try it out. I had a great time and found the entire experience
a lot of fun and challenging all at the same time.
What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness?
Answer: The best thing about being into fitness is that
it makes you personally responsible for your health and wellness, which we all
truly are. So many maladies and illnesses are entirely preventable by eating healthy
foods and exercising on a regular basis. Taking care of ourselves requires discipline
and self control, which is not always easy.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
Answer: To be seen as a role model to women who are trying
to juggle husband, children, job, and self care. I only started competing about
6 months ago and am especially proud of the fact that I have had 4 children, work
full time and can hold my own with the rest of the girls on stage! If I can do
it, ANYONE CAN! You have to commit to setting your physical and mental health
at the top of your list of priorities.
Beth
McGrath - 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: I am very new to this industry and am not entirely
sure what the best advice is here, I would like to know the answer to this question
for myself! However, from my limited experience, I think it is good advice to
get your face 'out there' so that you can accumulate as much exposure as possible.
Fitness Question #2 - Please describe a typical day
for you. What is your daily routine like?
Answer: 6am-up with kids eating breakfast, and getting
ready for school and work; 715am-car pool 3 of the 4 kids to school with a variety
of their friends; 8am-eat snack; 815am-to the gym for strength training session
with trainer or workout partner 3 days a week, the other 2 mornings per week I
am teaching group fitness classes at Powerhouse Gym, in Weatherford, TX; 1015
eat again; 11am-teach undergrad Kickboxing PE class; 12pm-teach undergraduate
Pilates PE class; 2pm-eat again; 215pm-in home personal training session with
client; 315pm-pick up kids from school carpool; 430pm light snack; 6pm eat and
go to soccer or football practice til 8pm; 930pm-eat egg whites; 10pm fall down!
This is my typical day, sometimes there is more running around with work and family
commitments, but at a minimum, this is what my typical day looks like.
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: There are really two options here to maximize
your time in a cardio session, of course available time and environment will dictate
what the options truly are. Plyometrics twice a week are an excellent option if
you are limited on time and want to burn some serious fat while toning and creating
separation in the legs. I would recommend a 15 to 30 minute session of squat jumps,
tuck jumps, jumping jacks, plyo pushups, using a bench to jump up AND off of,
jumping rope, etc. There are many possibilities here, but plyos are a must in
my workout program. The anaerobic energy expenditure allows you to burn calories
AFTER your workout, so you are able to create even more of a deficit. The other
option is to hop on your treadmill and walk at a very steep incline of at least
10+ at a pace that allows your heart rate to rise but remain manageable. Stairs
are also ideal for walking up and down if you are desperate for something to do
in an office environment-put a backpack on with some heavy books or a gallon jug
of water in it and get to it.
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 be able to safely lose 1 -2 pounds
of weight per week. Any more than that is water and is useless when it comes to
long term weight loss. If your weight loss is gradual, the odds of keeping it
off are greater than if the weight loss is drastic and a shock to the body. Successful
weight loss is measured by being able to keep it off for a year-which is much
more likely if the loss is gradual as opposed to crash dieting.
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: I have exclusively used Beverly International
products and have had great success. With each meal I take 1 Lean Out, 3 Mass
Aminos, 3 Liver Tablets, and 2 Muscularity. Twice a day between meals I take 2
Keto Musclean, 4 GH Factor and 5 - 8 Muscle Synergy tablets. Before bed I take
3 Bev ZMA tablets and 500mg of L-Carnitine. Before cardio I take 1500mg of L-Carnitine
and before strength training I take 1500mg of Glutamine. The Beverly protein powders,
ultimate muscle protein and muscle provider are also staples in my diet. I use
2 scoops of one protein powder, mixed with 1 TBSP cream and 10oz Eggwhites International
egg whites for a shake every afternoon for my snack. I add about another 8 ozs
of water. They mix well, taste good and are easy on the stomach. I also eat a
power crunch bar for my am snack because they are low in sugar and sodium and
taste wonderful.
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: In order to stave off cravings, you must do several
things. First, if you don't buy it, you wont eat it. Do not bring tempting foods
into your home, the kids will survive without eating junk food. If it is in the
cupboard and you are feeling weak, it is just too easy to deviate. Clean all the
junk out and stick to a healthy food list when you go grocery shopping. Trust
me, the kids will adjust or they will go hungry! Just kidding, they will not starve
because there are not oreos or cheetos in the cupboard. It is good for them to
get off those foods as well. The other way to avoid bingeing is to keep busy and
to eat ALL of your food on your plan. If you are eating 6 ozs of lean ground turkey,
than eat all of it. Becoming starving hungry is not an option if you are following
a weight loss plan. You cant allow yourself to get to that point. You must eat
the right foods at the right time. We cheat when we are beat down, dead dog tired
and when we don't have the right foods prepared and ready to eat. Plan ahead!
Depending on your progress, a weekly cheat meal may be indicated, but this is
something that is determined on an individual basis. Sugar is highly addictive.
The majority of women I work with have expressed an addiction to sugar. As women,
we are hard wired for it, we get tired because we are overwhelmed, over tasked
and tired out and sugar gives us a quick fix so we can keep going. Personally,
I love sugar. If I even have a little, that part of my brain becomes reactivated
and I have to play serious mind games and exercise extreme self discipline to
get back off of it. The best way for me to handle sugar is to avoid it all together.
When I indulge, the desire just becomes greater and stronger and that much harder
to walk away from. Drinking crystal light will help with the cravings.
I know some girls who will eat sugar free jello, too. My best recommendation is
to just stay away from it because it will only become more difficult to kick later.
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: Ground turkey, sweet potatoes, green vegetables,
tuna, tomatoes, egg whites, power crunch bars, Beverly International protein powders
(internet only), rice cakes, almond butter, peanut butter, flax nut butter, olive
oil, heavy cream, spray butter pam, spray butter, Mrs. dash seasonings and marinades,
crystal light drink mix and hard candies (for when you just need something sweet),
paul newman salad dressings, green salad fixings, brown rice and white potatoes.
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: Create small achievable goals that will allow
you to document and observe your improvement. It helps to find someone to help
hold you accountable, such as a trainer or a workout partner. Eat 5 times per
day and plan your meals in advance, don't shop when you are hungry. Start with
baby steps, doing shorter workouts when you first begin to avoid burnout and injury.
Allow yourself to build endurance; don't try to lose all the weight in your first
few workouts. Be consistent and positive-your body hears every word you say. Make
exercise and self care a priority in your daily routine, schedule it in advance
if you have to so it becomes as important as going to work or attending a scheduled
appointment.
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: Communicate to your server that you are looking
for a lighter fare meal…I think your safest bet is a Caesar salad with the
dressing on the side, chicken breast across the top, minus the cheese and croutons.
Just keep in mind that you want to eat 'simple' meals. Avoid casseroles, blended
foods, gravies, toppings, etc. The operative word here is simple…
Fitness Question #10 - What exercises do you recommend
for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
Answer: Squats, lunges, cable kickbacks, donkey kicks
w/ leg weights, step ups and plyometric jumps are all suitable for shaping and
toning the buttocks.
Fitness Question #11 - What is the most challenging
thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
Answer: Staying true to eating healthy and avoiding sugar.
For me, getting on sugar (eating it only makes you want more and more) is the
most destructive thing I can do. Even though I am insanely busy with family and
work, I find time to workout and do cardio. My situation is different because
I teach group fitness and PE classes, so I am getting cardio and extra strength
training above and beyond my workouts for competing in Figure. I have to be careful
of becoming overtrained and 'strung out.'
Fitness Question #12 - Please describe your normal
diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?
Answer: This is an example of what I eat for contest prep
until I am 2-4 weeks out for a competition. Breakfast: ½ cup oatmeal
or cream of rice, 4oz Eggwhites International Mid-Morning Snack: power crunch
bar or ½ labrada bar Lunch: 4-6 ozs lean meat (chicken breast, ground
turkey, or can of tuna), ½ cup brown rice or sweet potato, ½ cup
vegetables Mid-Afternoon Snack: Beverly International Shake made with 2
scoops of Ultimate Muscle Protein or Muscle Provider or Ultra Size, 1 TBSP cream,
10ozs Eggwhites International Dinner: 4-6 ozs lean meat, 1 cup vegetables
or 1 cup salad, or a half cup of each PM Snack: 6ozs Eggwhites International
scrambled with salsa
Fitness Question #13 - What type of exercises do
you include in your routine to stay in shape?
Answer: Strength Training Exercises: I do a variety of
exercises for each muscle group, typically it changes each time I workout so I
don't do the same thing twice in a row. I tend to superset everything, that is,
go exercise to exercise with minimal rest in between. Cardio Exercises:
A blend of kickboxing classes, treadmill walking at a brisk pace at an extremely
high incline and bootcamp style group fitness classes. Additional Training:
I teach Group Power, Turbokick, abs and butt classes, and Yoga/Pilates during
the week-which all contribute to my workout program.
Fitness Question #14 - What are the top 5 tips (specific
exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for developing toned and defined arms?
Answer: 1. Regardless of the exercise you perform, stick
to low weight and high reps. For example, pick a weight that allows you to complete
30 reps with the last 5-8 reps being very challenging. You are looking for endurance
style strength training as opposed to mass building strength training. 2.
For triceps, I do tricep dips in a roman chair AND on benches, tricep pushups,
narrow grip bench press, kickbacks and my personal favorite, pushups with your
feet on a bench. 3. For biceps, Seated dumbbell curls, cable curls, burnouts
with a band, cable bicep curls 4. Always super set and train with weights
in a circuit style workout 5. Cardio is of utmost importance because we
cannot spot treat to lose the unwanted fat that is deposited on our bodies. Cardiovascular
activity will burn the unwanted fat, probably on your upper body first, than you
stomach, then your legs and lastly, your glutes.
Fitness Question #15 - What are your top 5 tips for
losing unwanted body fat?
Answer: 1. Drink a lot of water, you should never experience
the sensation of thirst, that means you are already dehydrated because our bodies
are not hard wired to cue us as we approach that point. Once we are thirsty, we
are in a fluid deficit. 2. Sleep at least 8 hours a night. Your body burns
fat at night while you are sleeping. 3. Eat lean! Only eat healthy fats,
like those found in olive oil, flax oil and your fish. 4. Do cardio 4-5
times per week for at least 30 minutes, regardless of the kind you choose to do,
i.e., you need to be sure to do different kinds of cardio. Sticking with the same
exercise will cause you to reach a plateau and hinder your results. Here is an
example: Monday-45 min on treadmill, incline 15, speed 3.6; Tuesday-30 minute
kickboxing class; Wednesday-20 min stair climber, 20 min bike; Thursday-30 min
treadmill, alternating running/sprinting and walking; Friday-step aerobic class 5.
Remember! The only way to lose weight is to input less and output more. Translation:
burn more calories than you take in or you will not have positive results
Fitness Question #16 - What are your top 5 tips for
gaining lean muscle mass?
Answer: 1. In order to gain lean muscle, you must lift
weights and participate in a strength training program. 2. Your body must
have protein to make muscle, so adequate protein intake is essential. As far as
the types of protein, eating leaner cuts of meat and fish will better help you
meet your goals. Ground turkey (93% fat or higher), tuna, tilapia, halibut and
orange roughy are examples of leaner protein sources. 3. Begin a program/routine
and stick to it. It will take at least 4 - 6 weeks to see results, so allow yourself
the time to make positive changes to your physique. It will not happen over night.
Patience is required. 4. Get off all the starchy carbs, bad fats and sugar 5.
When planning your weight lifting sessions, consider using the FIT principle:
frequency of exercise, intensity of exercise and time of exercise. Schedule and
plan your workouts BEFORE you get to the gym so that you don't waste time.
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. Find a friend or trainer to keep you motivated. 2.
Set realistic, achievable goals. Schedule your workouts into your day just as
you would appointments or work commitments. 3. Plan and prepare your meals
several days in advance, carry a cooler with you to avoid having to buy food on
the run. 4. Keep a diet/exercise log. Document your food intake (time, amount,
selection, etc.) and your workouts. Being able to review your progress and commitment
to eating healthy will only reinforce itself. Also, looking back to check your
progress is the best indication of being a step closer to reaching your goals. 5.
Don't be hard on yourself if you miss a meal, eat a bad meal, skip a workout,
etc. You have to get back on track immediately. Be aware that once we mess up
our healthy eating and workout program, it becomes exponentially more difficult
for us to get refocused and get back on track the longer we postpone it. That
little voice inside your head says, "I already messed up, so what is one
more piece of pizza going to do?" It is not too late, just get it together.
The hardest thing about getting to the gym is putting your shoes on. Once your
shoes are on, you are committed to going. It is the time leading up to that moment
that can halt your commitment to your workout program.
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: Legs, teach yoga class. Legs would include
12 - 15 sets of exercises with 10 - 30 reps each. A set could also be timed, as
opposed to counted, such as one minute of kettle ball squats Tuesday: 30
min of kickboxing, 60 minute group power class, hour yoga class, and then shoulders,
back and biceps. All sets are supersetted, with minimal rest in between sets. Wednesday:
30 min butt class, 30 min cardio class, 30 min toning class, 30 min kickboxing
class, 30 min pilates class Thursday: legs again, chest and triceps; followed
by an hour yoga class Friday: 30 min ab class, 60 min kickboxing class,
30 min kickboxing class, 30 min pilates class Saturday: Off, until I am
about 3 weeks out from a competition, than an hour of walking on the treadmill,
if necessary, dependent on body fat Sunday: Off, until I am 3 weeks out
from a competition, than an hour of walking on the treadmill, if necessary, dependent
on body fat
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. CARDIO-the most important ingredient on this
list regarding losing belly fat. 2. Weighted AB exercises, such as the crunch
machine or holding a weight/dumb bell to your chest and doing crunches 3.
Give equal attention to the lower back so that there is symmetry between both
sides of the body. Low back extensions would be an example of a complimentary
back exercise to concentrated abdominal work. 4. Reduce your stress level.
High stress causes your body to secrete cortisol, which is a major contributor
to belly fat accumulation. 5. Practicing a variety of yoga poses and pilates
movements to empower the abdominal muscles as well as create strength in the supportive
muscles to the core.
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. Weighted donkey kicks and plyometric exercises
(squat jumps, ski jumps, tuck jumps, jumping up on a bench, jumping off a bench,
side jumps on bench) 2. Butt kickbacks on the machine (the leg presses behind
you, toe down, heel up), leg extension and leg press machines, and my fave, the
dead lift 3. Lunges of any and all varieties-walking lunges, stationary
lunges, lunges on the box (one leg up on box), jumping lunges, side lunges-all
with dumbbells 4. Squats of any and all varieties-single leg, wide stance,
squatting low, pulsing squats, traveling squats while stepping to the side, kettle
ball squats 5. Bench step ups with knees, front kicks, and abductions with
dumb bells.
| 
