Shellane Demarest Fitness Model Interview and Photos

Shellane Demarest Fitness Model Statistics

• Name: Shellane Demarest
• Height: 5’7″
• Weight: 145 pounds
• Date of Birth: 11/24/1966
• Hair Color: Black
• Bust: 34D
• Waist: 26″
• Hips: 38″
• Location: Orlando, Florida

Shellane Demarest Fitness Model Interview

What is your background?
I was the biggest tomboy as a child. I always enjoyed watching sports on television and spent a lot of time outside playing. Then when I hit my teenage years, I noticed the weight was piling on and not really coming off. That is when I started working out and participating in team sports in high school. A few years later, I joined the U.S. Army. I always passed my PT test but would fail the weigh in, thus remedial PT was given to me in ADDITION to my regular daily PT. At first I saw it as a negative thing until I realized I was actually good at coaching and soon I was assisting my Platoon Sergeant.

After I got out of the Army, I noticed the weight gain crept back up again. I was embarrassed and decided to workout at home to Taebo tapes. The weight came off and the tapes were no longer challenging. I joined a local gym and took my first live kickboxing class. This was no longer a tape where I could pause or skip. I had to follow and complete it. I loved it! I discovered I loved it so much I wanted to pursue a career in fitness. That was back in 2000. Here I am 14 years later and I have since then got certified in AFAA Primary Group Fitness, Les Mills BODY PUMP, BODY COMBAT, BODY JAM, CXWORX and BODY FLOW. I am now a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. It’s amazing how little stumbling blocks are actually stepping stones to success!

How did you get started in the fitness field?
As mentioned above, I started working closely with a kickboxing instructor who also just happened to have been the Fitness Instructor Director for that particular gym. She had a lot of connections and introduced me to the right people. She worked with me on my timing, presentation and choreography to help me get started. Then I began to start team teaching with her class until eventually she gave that class to me. One class a week on the schedule evolved into three classes on the schedule! All three classes had no less than 20 participants at a time. Eventually, I moved from that city and had to give those classes up. It was hard but I knew my time had come to move on and evolve.

What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness?
I love watching people evolve and grow. When I see people accomplish things they only dream about like doing a pull up or a box jump for the first time, it’s very emotional. Sometimes there are tears of joy, a high five, or a hug. It’s truly rewarding!

What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
Competing as a CrossFit Masters Athlete. It shows that age is just a number. If you put your mind to it, anything is possible.

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?
First, decide what kind of fitness model you want to be. Do your research by looking at the different magazines that are out there. Contact the editors and find out where they are getting their models from. Then contact the photographers. See if there are any good local ones who could even do a trade for prints (TFP). This way you can get some comp cards made, submit them to magazines and of course approach the agencies. I have three here in the city where I live but I just don’t rely on the agencies. I do a lot of my own leg work too.

Please describe a typical day for you. What is your daily routine like?
First thing I do is wake up and hit my emails and social media. This is for about 30 minutes. This is to stay on top of the game of keeping your name and face relevant in the market. Then after that I get ready to train my clients. I usually have about one or two in the morning. About 10:30am, I train with my coach and the other competitors for usually 1-2 hours. Afterwards, I run home to eat, walk my doggies, nap and run my errands since it’s my break time. About 7pm, I’m back to the “box” where I assist in coaching with the head coach.

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?
Sprints and kettlebell swings! 10 sets of 10 swings (I use 35 pound kettlebells) and 100 meter sprints. Boom!

How much weight (pounds) should I focus on losing every week? What is a safe amount to make sure I keep it off?
1-2 pounds per week is a good goal to aim for and 5-8 pounds is what you want to keep off. This way you don’t lose strength or muscle but stay looking lean.

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?
Here is the deal with me. I don’t give a quick general answer when it comes to food. Everyone is different. I eat for performance because I am an athlete but I understand not everyone will eat like that. I don’t believe in counting calories. I educate people on food and a healthy balance of carbs, proteins, and healthy fats. I also encourage people to eat raw foods and limit processed foods.

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.
When I start craving certain foods I begin to analyze my caloric intake. Apparently, I am lacking in one area of my nutrition plan and that is why my body is craving it. I don’t believe in dieting. Moderation is necessary in order to be successful at obtaining your fitness goals.

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?

• Sweet Potatoes
• Kale
• Chicken
• Quinoa
• Brown Rice
• Oatmeal
• Avocados
• Lean Red Meat
• Eggs
• Bananas
• Spinach
• Pears
• Apples
• Almonds
• Romaine Lettuce

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?
If you’ve never started an exercise program, I would recommend seeing your doctor first to make sure you are clear to start one. Then hire a trainer with a nutrition background so he or she can guide you through the process. You want to lose the 35 pounds safely and PERMANENTLY!

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?
Ask for your meats to be cooked plain so you can season it yourself. Eliminate sauces and dressings if you can. If not, ask for them on the side. Skip the bread basket, salsa and chips and keep your drinks down to only 1.

What exercises do you recommend for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
Squats with heavy weight and make sure to go below parallel. Lunges (reverse and curtsey). Step ups, box jumps, sled pushes and drags, deadlifts and kettlebell swings.

What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
Getting my cardio in. I hate to sprint but I am good at it. Weird, huh?

Please describe your normal diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?

• Breakfast: Veggie shake with protein powder, ¾ cup of oatmeal (plain).
• Mid-Morning Snack: ¾ cup of oatmeal and banana (this is also right before my workout too).
• Lunch: 4 scrambled eggs with spinach, green peppers, red peppers, avocados, onions and quinoa or whole wheat pita.
• Mid-Afternoon Snack: Veggie shake with protein powder.
• Dinner: Chicken breast with broccoli and salad.

What type of exercises do you include in your routine to stay in shape?

• Strength Training Exercises: I am a CrossFit athlete so my routine is different than most people’s regimen. Examples are a lot of Olympic lifting movements like overhead squats, clean and jerks, and snatches.
• Cardio Exercises: Sprints, rowing, jump rope.
• Additional Training: Gymnastic movements like pull-ups, handstand pushups, and wall balls. I also will go to a regular gym and hit the hamstring curl machine, the inner and outer thigh machine and the leg press machine, to name a few.

How does your family and friends react to and deal with your strict fitness lifestyle (dieting, eating out, workouts, parties)?
At first they thought it was a phase, but after seeing the changes in my body they now understand this is a way of life for me. When I go over to families homes for meals they have “my food” prepared and set aside from theirs. When I go out, I order last because mine is always a special order. Parties? I don’t really go out to parties that much.

What are your top 5 tips for losing unwanted body fat?

1. Eat enough food to supply your body with enough energy to perform.
2. Eat more natural raw food and less processed food.
3. Stay away from excess butter, sauces, and seasonings.
4. Drink a lot of water.
5. Watch your sugar intake.

What are your top 5 tips for gaining lean muscle mass?

1. Eat protein! At least 4 ounces with your main meals.
2. Stay away from refined sugar.
3. Supplements are necessary; our foods won’t have everything you need.
4. Lift heavier weights. Those pretty 5 pound weights are not going to do anything.
5. Be sure to take off at least one day per week and rest up.

What is the most important thing you recommend for staying motivated on a fitness plan and truly making a healthy lifestyle change?
Surround yourself with people with a similar interest. It’s kind of hard to make the change when you don’t have support.

What is your training routine like? (Please include a few details – training split, sets/reps, exercises, types of cardio, etc.)

• Monday: Monday’s program from Mike’s Gym weightlifting program (CrossFitters).
• Tuesday: Tuesday’s program from Mike’s Gym weightlifting program (CrossFitters).
• Wednesday: Wednesday’s program from Mike’s Gym weightlifting program (CrossFitters).
• Thursday: Prehab training (this is where she works on my imbalances, mobility, A.R.T., etc.).
• Friday: Friday’s training from Mike’s Gym weightlifting program (CrossFitters).
• Saturday: Global gym training (bodybuilder workouts at LA Fitness).
• Sunday: Off.

What type of nutritional supplements do you currently use and which ones do you recommend for a beginner getting started on a fitness program?
Especially for women, a good protein powder and BCAA’s (branched chain amino acids) are necessary to grow, protect and maintain muscle. Glucosamine with MSM to rebuild and repair cartilage is another supplement that is a must also.

What is your favorite healthy food or meal you really enjoy eating? Also, what is your favorite cheat meal or food you like to indulge in from time to time?
My favorite healthy meal is my veggie shakes. They give me what I need and are easy on my digestive system. My cheat foods are pecan pie and buttered popcorn from the movies. They are like kryptonite. No fighting it. Yummy!