Harriet Metzger – Fitness Model Statistics
- Name: Harriet Metzger
- Height: 5’5″
- Weight: 119 pounds
- Date of Birth: 10/02/1989
- Hair Color: Brown
- Bust: 32DD
- Waist: 26″
- Hips: 34″
- Location: Hertfordshire, England
Harriet Metzger – Fitness Model Interview
How did you get started in the fitness field?
I started working for the gym I train at now in the sales team and built my knowledge and understanding from there. I learned from others and also taught myself what is right for my body and what isn’t.
What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness?
The feeling it gives me when I am working out and after. It’s the only time of day I am focused on just me and my mind is free of all worries. It is my release!
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
Being the top sales person in my old team and modeling for a personal trainer’s website.
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?
I started by putting myself onto networking sites and promoting myself everywhere I could. Obviously you need to have photos of yourself to show the agencies. I suggest working with a photographer to help you kick-start your career.
Please describe a typical day for you. What is your daily routine like?
I am up at 6:45 in the morning. I am one of those many who eat their breakfast at their desk. I have natural yogurt with my cereal is usually sultana bran at 8.30am around 11am, I will have a handful of mixed nuts and an apple. For lunch, I have a can of tuna, tomatoes, ryvita and oatcakes and sometimes, I have a cup of soup. At mid-afternoon, I have more nuts and sometimes a cereal bar of some kind. Around 5pm, I leave work and hit the gym! I work out for 45-60 minutes, varying my exercises each day. Dinner is usually at 7pm which usually consists of pasta, chicken or fish. Then I go to bed!
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?
Interval training for me is the best way and quickest way to lose weight. I get bored of running or cycling for a straight 20 minutes or 1 hour, so I mix it up. Try 10 minutes on one machine and then move on to another for a another 10 minutes and so on. This keeps the body guessing! Also, if you can bring weights into your training, this is another major fat burner as your body continues to burn the fat the next day.
How much weight (pounds) should I focus on losing every week? What is a safe amount to make sure I keep it off?
I would say 2-3 pounds a week if you can but everyone is different. I train one of my friends in the gym and she is losing a couple of pounds a week at the moment but if you don’t keep mixing it up, your body will become used to what you do and it will hit a wall.
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?
I tend to stay away from most supplements because I found they messed with my mood and general health. If I use any, its protein shakes after I have been to the gym. I get a lot of what I need in my daily diet. I eat a lot of tuna to get my protein and I also eat nuts.
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.
I still eat what I crave but just in smaller doses. I am obsessed with sweets and do find it hard to go without them. Everything is fine as long as you do it in moderation and workout enough to keep it off. When you notice a difference in your body, you will soon have the will power to say NO and it becomes second nature. It all takes time but don’t starve yourself from your favorite treats or you will end up eating more.
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?
Fish for protein, nuts for protein and essential fats, fruit, vegetables and rice but go for brown rice since its better for you.
I’m about 35 pounds overweight. 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?
I suggest going to talk to someone at your local gym. Don’t be shy to ask since we all have to start somewhere and that is what these professionals are there for. They should be able to advise you on what is right for you because we are all different.
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?
There is not many tips for eating out as you don’t know what and how the foods are cooked. If there is a light option on the menu, try going for those items or order what you want but only have half the amount.
What exercises do you recommend for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
Squats, cross trainer, climber and power walking are great exercises for your butt!
Squats: weight squats are the best, so try using light weights to being with and make sure you are doing them correctly to avoid injury. So, get an instructor to show you or a friend if you need help.
Power Plates: also a great one for squats. Again, make sure you know how to use them before doing so but you will feel the difference they make!
What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
The cravings I have are sometimes challenging but my brain is trained now to say no because I know I want to keep in shape, therefore I wont give in.
Please describe your normal diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?
- Breakfast: natural yogurt (fat-free), sultana bran.
- Mid-Morning Snack: nuts, fruit.
- Lunch: tin of tuna, chopped tomatoes, ryvita or oatcakes.
- Mid-Afternoon Snack: nuts and fruit again.
- Dinner: varies a lot with foods like pasta, fish, chicken or a stir fry.
What type of exercises do you include in your routine to stay in shape?
- Strength Training Exercises: Exercise balls are great. I use them to strengthen my core and balance and its great for the tummy.
- Cardio Exercises: Interval training which consist of 10 minutes bike, 10 minutes climbing, 10 minutes running or power walking on an incline.
- Additional Training: I make sure I train my upper body twice a week with a rest in between and the same with my lower body (butt, thighs, etc). I like to use the power plates once or twice a week to spice things up a little bit. Trying new things is so good for the body to keep it guessing.
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for developing toned and defined arms?
1. Chest flys.
2. Press ups – either on the power plates or on a mat.
3. Cross trainers.
4. Bicep curls.
5. Protein is essential for muscle tone and building muscle.
What are your top 5 tips for losing unwanted body fat?
1. CARDIO! Like I mentioned, interval training is great to keep the body guessing and in shock.
2. Weights! People don’t realize how good a fat burner they really are.
3. Counting your calories and saturated fat intake.
4. Low carb meals.
5. Best daily tip is to take the stairs or walk, not drive!
What are your top 5 tips for gaining lean muscle mass?
1. Protein is essential for your muscle growth and repair, so make sure you are getting enough.
2. Make sure you are eating enough calories to ensure your muscles grow by using an online diet calculator to help.
3. Cardio again is needed to get keep your body fat down.
4. Eating small meals every 3-4 hours.
5. Water, water, water!
What are the top 5 tips you recommend for staying motivated on a fitness plan and truly making a healthy lifestyle change?
1. Take regular photos of yourself so you can see the change!
2. Take note of your measurements every couple of weeks and see how they change.
3. Go with a friend to motivate each other.
4. Set yourself a goal for each month or week. This gives you something to work towards, be it a new dress you want to buy or anything else.
5. Remember why you want to change each day you feel a bit low and don’t want to exercise!
What is your training routine like? (Please include a few details – training split, sets/reps, exercises, types of cardio, etc.)
- Monday: 10 minutes steady cardio, upper body weights for 10 minutes, 10 minutes interval training, 10 minutes upper body, 10 minutes interval training, 10 minutes for abs.
- Tuesday: Same as Monday but lower body instead of upper body, so squats and lunges.
- Wednesday: Rest day or if I have time I do 40-45 minutes of steady cardio.
- Thursday: Same as Monday.
- Friday: Same as Tuesday.
- Saturday: Rest day.
- Sunday: Rest day.
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?
1. Low carbs and low saturated fats.
2. Cardio! I can’t stress this enough.
3. Core exercises for balance and stability is also what you need to tone that tummy.
4. Sit ups. Weighted ones if possible.
5. Water, green tea and caffeine are good fat burners.
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for toning the thighs, hips and butt?
1. Weighted squats.
2. Weighted lunges.
3. Climber for 5 minutes on and off.
4. Power plates for squats.
5. Running and power walking on an incline are superb to tone up that butt!
