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Fitness Models Questions & Answers - Linda Cusmano
Diet & Exercise Advice
Linda Cusmano
Fitness
Model
Vancouver, British Columbia  Linda
is a national fitness champion. She is competitive in bodybuilding, fitness modeling
and kickboxing. Linda is also a fitness writer for various magazines such as Ms.
Fitness, Sport & Fitness, Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness, Oxygen and many
more. As an actress, Linda dabbles in selective work such as Much Music Commercial,
special extra and stunt work and special guest parts. Linda owns and runs her
own mobile training service being an elite personal trainer and one of the best
in her field working with athletes, post rehab and everything in between.
See This Fitness Model's Diet Plan & Exercise Routine
Linda Cusmano - Fitness Model Statistics - Name: Linda
Cusmano
- Height: 5'3
- Weight: 128
- Hair
Color: Brown
- Bust: 36 C
- Waist: 26
- Hips: 36
- Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
- Website: www.lindacusmano.com
Linda Cusmano - Fitness Model Photos
  
Linda
Cusmano - Fitness Model Background 
What's your background? How did you get started in the fitness modeling field?
Answer:
I began training to compete in Fitness Contests
and had entered some fitness model contests. I began doing some photos shoots
from interested photographers and submitted them to publish. Once I became published
the ball rolled from there.
What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness?
Answer: I find the physique very appealing and enjoy the
'out of the ordinary' look. I was never to impressed with regular models as a
child but when fitness models became popular and buff physiques became popular,
the timing was right and I seemed to fit right in.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
Answer: I have had the pleasure to achieve Pro status
with 3 federations and have continued to remain a natural athlete. Now I also
have the pleasure of competing as well as coaching other gals who are interested
in competing!
Linda
Cusmano - 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: So far I have found that submitting my photos and
working directly with photographers has worked well. I would love an agent but
in my area we are lacking. Agents can get the contacts that you cannot.
Fitness Question #2 - Please describe a typical day
for you. What is your daily routine like?
Answer: I eat and eat and eat! I am up to 8 meals per
day, my schedule varies according to my Personal Training clients as I work with
them on their availability. I also spend a lot of time with my dogs, watching
movies and TV when I am not working with my Fitness Team BC Gals who are either
being coached by me or on my Online Buff Camp. I provide them with diets and training
programs every 2 weeks as well as helping them with stage presence, suits, tanning
and more. Of course I spend lots of time in the gym training myself or my clients.
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: Running is your most efficient fat burner but
it depends on if you are want to retain muscle and how fast you need to accomplish
this, diet is a huge factor as well. There is no general answer to this.
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: Depends, if you are overweight and looking to
drop fat, 2 lbs per week is your most at safest but as you drop more fat you lose
less easily because you approach a more accurate weight for yourself.
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: This will also depend on your goals, if you are
off season but to bulk you would have protein before and a meal after with maybe
some creatine. If you are overweight looking to drop fat then you would have a
post workout shake and nothing before hand. Glutamine is a great supplement to
help joints recover. Eating every 2-3 hours can be difficult but this is where
protein powder comes in handy as it can be a few snacks throughout your day and
this helps keep your nitrogen balance up so that you are not burning muscle but
can gain it, in turn efficiently burning more fat.
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: Off season I will eat what I like all weekend,
which is usually not too bad but during the week I try to keep it clean. If you
can pull off a few weeks and fight the cravings, you will notice they are not
so bad later on and you get used to them. Sugar free gum is a good help too! Some
gals find protein bars to be like a treat so that is another option.
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: Dry cottage cheese, almonds, chicken or fish or
protein alternative, greens, carrots, squash, yams, broccoli, Omega oil blend,
brown rice, oats, no fat plain yogurt, skim milk or no fat soy milk, frozen fruit
for blending into shakes, bananas, grapefruit, green apples, kiwis, kashi cereal,
garlic, lemons, eggs.
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: Start slow and progress easily. I would begin
with 10-15 mins on the exercise bike or cross trainer then go through a whole
body program on a circuit starting 2-3 times per week. Use machines to begin and
try to do something for each muscle group like so: Legs, Back, Chest, Shoulders,
Arms and Core. Examples of exercises for gym or home would be:
Leg Press
/ Walking Lunges
Chest Press / Push ups on knees
Mid back row
Shoulder
Press
Bicep curls
Tricep Dips
Crunches
Lower back extensions Make
sure to stretch each muscle group after the first and or last set.
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: I would suggest a grilled chicken salad with vinaigrette
or a protein alternative with greens. Lots of water.
Fitness Question #10 - What exercises do you recommend
for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
Answer: Squats, lunges, butt presses, hamstring curls,
single leg squats, smith squats, heel prints, hip extensions on cables.
Fitness Question #11 - What is the most challenging
thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
Answer: My asthma can get me out of breath sometimes and
this can hinder my training on occasion. I am also very noisy in the gym with
the constant asthma/bronchial hack! Otherwise I am strong like bull!
Fitness Question #12 - Please describe your normal
diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?
Answer: Breakfast: first one is a shake with Udos,
glutamine and creatine and my vitamins, then 2 hours later I have some kashi cereal
with soy milk and a piece of fruit.
Mid-Morning Snack: dry cottage
cheese with broccoli and Udos oil. Maybe some almonds.
Lunch:
Sweet potato or potato with no fat yogurt, huge green salad with yogurt mustard
dressing, carrots and fruit.
Mid-Afternoon Snack: 2 fake chicken
patties, protein alternative equals the amount of 30 grams protein and some veggies.
Dinner: spaghetti with tomato sauce or brown rice with beans and salsa,
green salad again with same dressing
Second dinner 2 hours later is same as
mid morning snack or protein drink again.
Last meal - another
protein drink and maybe some almonds……. During the weekends I
have more carbs, fat, salt, pop, sugar, and whatever I want but usually end up
with a meal out for East Indian Vegetarian curry, or sushi or Mexican or even
red robins cheese sticks and shake. If no shake then maybe some baskin robins
ice cream or instead I may have a chocolate or chips, it varies but I do have
Pepsi, lots of it! During the week I have none of these and only drink water.
Fitness Question #13 - What type of exercises do
you include in your routine to stay in shape?
Answer: Strength Training Exercises: It varies
but I do like the powerlifting work like Squats, Chest Press, Deadlift! I also
enjoy plyometrics to enhance my jumps and routine skills, stretching my splits.
Cardio Exercises: I run or use cross trainer but do very little as
I am easily lean and wish to retain muscle and concentrate on weights, although
I do plyometrics which make me sweat a ton and there is also routine practice
when on season.
Additional Training: I use lots of various ab
exercises such as the flag and AB machine, horizontal side swings while hanging,
rollerblading, biking, hiking. I walk 30-60 mins per day with dogs, and up to
2-4 hours during summer especially weekends.
Fitness Question #14 - What are the top 5 tips (specific
exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for developing toned and defined arms?
Answer: 1. Chin ups, tricep dips and shoulder press for
sure.
2. eat clean and eat often.
3. stretch your muscles
4. 21s work well for arms
5. vary training
Fitness Question #15 - What are your top 5 tips for
losing unwanted body fat?
Answer: 1. Drop bread and pasta for while.
2.
drink 2 liters water per day avg
3. drop sugar
4. add omega
oils to your diet
5. do 30+ mins of cardio 3-5 times per week to get
you sweating like crazy and make sure to eat every 2-3 hours
Fitness Question #16 - What are your top 5 tips for
gaining lean muscle mass?
Answer: 1. 1-2 grams protein per lb of body weight per
day broken over 6-8 meals
2. 6 day split program or double split really
kicks your butt into gear but this is for advance
3. for beginners, just
begin to weight train and that will help
4. protein shakes are efficient
and have higher amounts of protein than you can eat in a meal
5. moderate
cardio, do not over do.
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. Keep a goal in mind and revise it monthly
2. Keep a long term goal like a contest or body transformation challenge
3. train with a pal who has similar needs
4. think of your mortality
and future
5. keep up to date on fitness info via Internet etc
Fitness Question #18 - What is your training routine
like? (Please include a few details - training split, sets/reps, exercises, types
of cardio, etc.)
Answer: 9-12 exercises per day, 3-4 sets of 10-15 but
sometimes I do 5x5. It varies each month, sometimes I pyramid, drop set, or try
other styles.
Monday and Thursday:
chest and triceps with
glutes
Chest dips superset with Tricep dips
Pec fly triset with kickback
and butt blaster
Pullover superset with cable tricep pushdowns
hip extension
and heel prints superset
Tuesday and Friday:
Back, biceps,
Obliques and wrists
Pullups n chins superset
T bar rows with Hammer curls
and hanging oblique raises triset
Deadlift with oblique crunches and bar curls
triset
Wrist curl combo with con curls
Wednesday and Saturday:
Legs, Shoulders and Abs
Squats and shoulder press superset
Leg curls,
crunches and front delt raises
Calve raises, flag and side delt
Inner
and outer thigh
Rotator cuff
Upright row and AB bench
Sunday:
- off
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
2. decrease carbs
3. 2-3 AB exercises twice per week
4. reverse crunches and leg lifts
5. side crunches
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. Walking lunges
2. Running
3. clean diet
4. inner and outer thigh exercises
5. hamstring
exercises
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