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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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