EXCLUSIVE Interview with Brittany Beede

Last year, fans of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) were introduced to a Diva who described herself as three simple words: Sexy, Strong, and Unstoppable. Her name is Brittany Beede, although most WWE fans will know her as Jamie Keyes. Whether she was ring announcing on Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) and WWE NXT Season 2 or kicking butt in the ring and competitions during NXT Season 3, Jamie seemed to find a way to get the attention of many of the WWE Universe. She's been gone from the WWE since October 2010 and has since begun to help people reach their fitness goals and begin her own journey into becoming one the next top fitness celebrities. Although her schedule is as busy as ever without WWE, Brittany was kind and gracious enough to conduct this interview with us.

All pictures used in this interview were provided by Brittany herself and are property of the original companies.

Original source: Body by Brazil

FitGems Nation: May you start off by telling a little bit about yourself?
Brittany Beede: I'm Brittany Beede, 26 years old, and blessed to be born and raised in the beautiful city of Sarasota, Florida!:) I found my passion for the fitness lifestyle at a very young age. I was extremely active growing up, taking part in every sport I was able and was very serious about my 11 years as a cheerleader! I have always liked challenges and when I saw there was a wrestling school in Tampa (FCW) I enrolled with the goal to make it in the WWE. Lucky for me I achieved that goal and after a short time training in the WWE developmental program I was on TV as Jamie Keyes.

FitGems: We’re gonna get the wrestling questions out of the way. First up…what made you become a fan of pro wrestling in the first place?
Brittany: My dad was always a fan of wrestling! I grew up watching it on t.v. with him and attended a few local shows. He was very supportive and proud when I expressed my interest in becoming a diva myself.

FitGems: How did you begin your wrestling career, and how did you end up in WWE?
Brittany: As I stated earlier, I attended FCW's wrestling school before being hired with the company. I was actually attending nursing school at the time. I began training to be a wrestler (sports entertainer!) under the leadership of Steve Kiern and Norman Smiley. I actually drove over an hour, the day of the first class, and was greeted by the Celtic warrior himself, Sheamus! I wasn't hired immediately after completing the school, but with persistence and drive I was given my opportunity! I made the move to Tampa, Florida and ended up on the road after only a month!

FitGems: You were brought into WWE as the announcer for Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) and WWE NXT Season 2 and eventually became a Rookie Diva on NXT Season 3, going by the name Jamie Keyes. What did you enjoy about each of your roles while being a part of the company?
Brittany: I think wrestling fans are incredible! Being able to perform live and impact audiences in sold-out arenas as both an announcer and a wrestler was a tremendous opportunity and blessing!

FitGems: During your time in the company, did you learn any new workout tips that helped you out when it came to training?
Brittany: We were given the privilege of being trained by WWE's incredible strength coach, Rob MacIntyre. Through his knowledge and expertise I learned the importance and benefits of the power lifts and Olympic lifts. I still look to his mastery when planning my own Booty camp group classes.:)

FitGems: I gotta be real with you…I thought WWE didn’t do enough to push your character during your time, and from what I gathered from others, they feel the same way. Were you the least bit surprised that you were the first person eliminated on NXT Season 3?
Brittany: Not at all! What I think people don’t realize is how quickly I was put on the road. I was only in developmental for a few months. I didn’t have as much time to train once I was hosting. Then all of a sudden I was on NXT. I was honored but overwhelmed. The other girls were much more experienced than I was. I was lucky to even be there. I am honored to have fans that feel differently but the truth is I felt my inexperience was apparent.

FitGems: And now the million dollar question, in your own words…What (at the time) was the reason (or reasons) you decided that WWE’s just not for you right now? In other words, what’s the REAL story behind your release?
Brittany: Ha ha. I wish I had a scandalous story for you! There is no story really. As I said in the previous answer I hadn’t been there long before I had been put on the road. It is hard to imagine how tough the WWE schedule is until you do it. I joined the WWE because I was a fan, and wanted to promote the fitness lifestyle. However, after being with the company for a while I learned I loved fitness more than wrestling. Everyone treated me great. I loved the people. I loved the opportunities. I didn’t have any fights backstage or anything interesting to talk about. I just felt I could pursue a career helping others with health and fitness that would be more fulfilling to me.

FitGems: Since your time in WWE, you have shifted gears towards fitness, which has been your main focus from the beginning. How did you get involved in fitness in the first place?
Brittany: Like I stated previously, my adoration for the fitness lifestyle was apparent at a very young age. I participated in countless extra curricular activities and began teaching group fitness classes while attending nursing school and continued through wrestling school. Even with the tedious schedule on the road with WWE I always made my workouts a top priority. It's something that I take very seriously and will carry with me for the remainder of my life!


FitGems: Let’s be honest…from your recent pics, you look like you can step on stage and hold your own in a physique competition. Do you actually see yourself competing one day?
Brittany: I have no interest in competing. I stay in shape for me and because I truly love working out.

FitGems: What is your favorite kind of workout to do?
Brittany: My workouts constantly change, but there is nothing like lifting heavy weights at fast speeds over your head or the feeling after completing a long run! I like to do it all! I want to be known as the girl who knew her limitations only because she consistently challenged them. I want to look back at my life and have no regrets! If I am capable, I will attempt it!

Original source: Lift Studios/Hardbody

FitGems: When your website (BrittanyBFit.com) was launched, many WWE personalities went to Twitter and put you over, including Natalya, Chris Jericho, and Joey Styles. Did you expect some of the WWE people to do that, and how did it make you feel?
Brittany: I felt very honored! WWE is successful because of every single person involved! Everyone from the cooks to Mr. McMahon himself were welcoming, supportive and encouraging during my entire career with the company.
It's an incredible feeling to have been given the opportunity to work side by side with such talent and prestige!

FitGems: How important do you think fitness modeling is for the fitness industry? Some competitors just work out and compete and that’s all we ever see them is in competitions.
Brittany: I am certainly not an expert on the industry but I think in the world of women’s fitness, there is more of a differential between competing and modeling. Competitive male bodybuilders sell men's magazines. Fitness models sell women’s magazines. They don’t necessarily have to compete. The people who buy these things don’t really know who won the fitness Olympia. They just want to see a hot, fit girl. So I see no problem if someone just wants to compete. There is not a shortage of fitness models.

FitGems: What magazine would you like to be on the cover of someday?
Brittany: I'd love to be on the cover of Oxygen! I love what they stand for and have had a subscription for years!
 
FitGems: If you were not in fitness, what would you be doing right now?
Brittany: Wishing I was!

FitGems: What advice would you give to people who want to start living healthy lifestyles?
Brittany: I would tell them that it's a process, yet something that will be the most positive, life-altering decision they will ever make. Fitness and making smart decisions with nutrition is not easy! If it were, every person would be healthy and fit. I don't believe that anything worth it is ever comes without a tremendous amount of passion, dedication and hard work! Set your mind to be ready for the change and be consistent!

FitGems: Oh…here’s the OTHER one million dollar question all former wrestlers are asked…is there a chance that one day you might be back in WWE?
Brittany: Never say never.

FitGems: What are your future plans in the fitness industry, and where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Brittany: My goal is to continue to be a personal trainer, life coach, and source of inspiration to each and every person that I am able. Fitness has changed my life in so many incredible ways, and I plan to share my revelation with as many people as possible by empowering them to live positive, healthy, happy lifestyles, through proper diet and exercise.
Of course I will always continue the challenge of refining my own physique and lifestyle to be the best I can be!

FitGems: How can your fans connect with you and contact you if they want to know your upcoming plans or want to book you for future endorsements, commercials, print work, etc. (website, email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?
Brittany: Other than www.BrittanyBFit.com, please contact me through Facebook and twitter! Here are the links!:)
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BrittanyBeede
Official Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brittany-Beede-Jamie-Keyes-WWE/151485664892299

Original source: Body by Brazil

Again, huge thanks to Brittany for doing this interview with us! In addition to the links she provided, she writes for this very blog periodically, so be on the lookout for more articles from Brittany in the very near future. Hope you all enjoyed this special interview, and to all wrestling news sites, if you plan on reposting the interview by parts or in full, please credit FitGems Nation. Thank you.

BrittanyBFit on FitGems Nation: Tabata Exercises

How would you like to do four minutes of training and get the same benefits, aerobically, as someone who completes 45 minutes, on the treadmill, at a steady pace?? Yep, you read this correct….FOUR minutes, with the right amount of intensity, and you will turn your body into a fat-obliterating machine!!

What is this!?! “It is a form of High Intesity Interval Training (HIIT) which is a a method of aerobic exercise that uses short workouts but super high intensity to accelerate fat loss. Tabata used a 2 to 1 ratio of intense activity and recovery period that increase aerobic capacity AND improved anaerobic capacity to some degree. The best of both worlds!

How does it work? Most of the time we perform either aerobic (cardio) OR anaerobic (strength training). The problem is that just doing cardio doesn’t help our strength and just strength training doesn’t help our aerobic capabilities. Tabata training gives a big boost in our aerobic capacity and also benefits us anaerobic. That’s right! It is SOOO hard that both systems are impacted! So get ready for some of the toughest exercises you will EVER do!

I am excited to walk you through this intense protocol with an EXCLUSIVE workout video for BrittanyBFit.com members. I have named it the “ultimate Tabata workout”, and I can not WAIT to share it with you and hear your feedback!

http://www.brittanybfit.com/ultimate-tabata-workout/


Together we can be SEXY, STRONG, and UNSTOPPABLE!
<3 Brittany Beede <3
WWW.BrittanyBFit.com

BrittanyBFit on FitGems Nation: Exercising on Vacation! :)

As announced, Brittany Beede, formerly WWE Diva Jamie Keyes, has joined FitGems Nation as a special guest blog contributor! Here is her first blog for the site: exercising while on vacation. ENJOY!!!

Summer is rapidly approaching and family vacations are being booked. Whether you are embarking on a flight to the sunny beaches of California, cruising to the islands, or planning a thrilling trip to Las Vegas your workouts can easily accompany you. You already live a healthy lifestyle, so why not continue it while you are away!?! Not only will this allow for extra energy throughout the trip, but it can be an easy way to set you up for success when making food choices later in the day. Just because you are on vacation doesn't mean your diet needs to be.

Being away from your routine can be challenging, but a vacation is a great time to try alternate activities. Use this time to do something different such as kayak, take a hike, go for a run on a mountain or barefoot in the sand, or find unique group fitness classes at a local gym. This is a great time to give your mind and body a break from your usual workout routine and allow you to explore a new area. You can also get your family involved and use this as time to create enjoyable, healthy, positive memories.

Make sure you leave for your vacation with a plan. Many decisions on a trip are spontaneous, but planning to workout can't be one of them. Pack with a purpose, bringing with you easy and convenient gym gear. Add workout attire along with resistance bands, a jump rope or even something as small as a deck of cards (see my new VACATION workout at BrittanyBFit.com: http://www.brittanybfit.com/deck-of-cards-vacation-workout/). Although it can be hard to find "me" time on a trip, it is much easier if you have your luggage packed with items that can make working out easy without even leaving your hotel room. Set your alarm and begin your day with a quick workout to jump-start your metabolism.

While a bit of rest and relaxation are always called for, there’s a fine line between taking a break and being lazy. Be the SEXY, STRONG, and UNSTOPPABLE person you are and find some way to stay healthy, happy, and in-shape even while enjoying your time away! Happy travels!:)

<3 Brittany Beede <3
www.BrittanyBFit.com

Brittany Beede Joins FitGems Nation!!

Welcome to FitGems Nation, former WWE Diva BRITTANY BEEDE!!!

In what has to be the biggest acquisition to FitGems yet, we are honored and privileged to announce that Brittany Beede, known better as former WWE Diva Jamie Keyes, is joining FitGems Nation as a special guest blog contributor! Beginning next week, and continue periodically, Brittany will be providing blogs about topics from the fitness industry.

I have personally became a fan of Brittany during her days on NXT Season 2 as a ring announcer and continued to be a big fan of hers during her small run on NXT Season 3 as a competitor before leaving WWE. Since then, she has went on to pursue her fitness dreams and goals by opening her official website and being a fitness model for Body By Brazil with top fitness stars as current Figure Olympia champion Erin Stern and top fitness personality Jennifer Nicole Lee.

Many have pinned Brittany as the next top fitness celebrity (which doesn't shock us as you yourselves voted her as a One to Watch Fitness Entrepreneur during last year's FitGems Awards), and with a lot of experience in the fitness industry and not even 30 yet, don't be surprised if this former WWE Diva become of the biggest names in the entire fitness industry before it's all said and done.

Brittany's first post will be next week, but until then, take a look at what we've wrote about Brittany from the past:

http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2010/06/celebrity-spotlight-brittany-beede-wwes.html

http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2010/10/brittany-beede-fitnesss-next-breakout.html

Once again, we would like to thank Brittany for being part of our blog and providing FitGems Nation with an opportunity to share her fitness knowledge with us! Please visit her website at http://www.brittanybfit.com, follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BrittanyBeede, and "like" her on Facebook.

Brittany Beede: Fitness's Next Breakout Diva

Fitness industry...meet Brittany Beede!
Photo credit: WWE.com

A couple of weeks ago, Jamie Keyes was eliminated from WWE's show NXT. This week, she was given her pink slip from the entire company altogether. Needless to say, this struck a nerve with quite a few people, including yours truly. So what's a girl to do after seeing her dreams of becoming a WWE Diva crumble before her eyes? Simply...pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and go forward. Jamie is doing more than just going forward, folks. She's aiming to create a fitness empire!

Fresh off her WWE venture, she's hopping right into the fitness world full-steam with a campaign unlike anything I've seen from one individual. She's launched a Youtube channel, a Google profile page, and an official Facebook fan page, not to mentioning changing her Twitter name to better suit her current and future fans, and that's just within a mere few hours! Imagine how things are going to be for here when everything starts to take off! THIS is what is going to set her apart from many in the fitness industry. She's aiming to become someone in the industry, not just a name or a face in the crowd. It's pretty clear she doesn't need the WWE to succeed (Trust me, they need her a hell of a lot more than she needs them), but I wouldn't rule out a possible return somewhere down the line. But for now, look for Brittany to make an huge and lasting impact on the fitness industry. There's a possible chance that you might see her at the 2011 Arnold "hint..hint". Just like when FitGems Nation supported Brittany during her days as a WWE Diva, we will continue to support Brittany during her journey to becoming fitness's next breakout diva. Good luck, Brittany!! :)

Here are the links to follow Brittany on her quest to becoming the next fitness icon:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BrittanyBeede
Official Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brittany-Beede-Jamie-Keyes-WWE/151485664892299
Google profile page: http://www.google.com/profiles/britter1231
Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/britter1231
And of course, her fansite that was created prior to becoming a star in WWE: http://www.jamiekeyes.com

EDIT: For all fans of Brittany, I've created a fan page called the Brittany Brigade, to help keep up with all things Brittany, from the beginning of her career until now. You can join it by clicking here.

Fitness Stars Invade WWE; A Change in the Air?!

Are we looking at the return of fitness muscle in WWE?
From Left to Right: Kaitlyn (Celeste Bonin), Aksana (Zivile Raudoniene), Jamie (Brittany Beede)
Photo credit: WWE.com

As some of you know, I happen to be a big fan of wrestling, especially WWE. One of their big things happens to be their Divas, the names for their female wrestlers, or more appropriately, their female entertainers. For the most part, the Divas are seemingly fit, but not in the realm of fitness/figure competitors, at least not since the days of Trish Stratus, Chyna, and Torrie Wilson. The closest to that kind of physique right now is Beth Phoenix...at least until this past Tuesday.

This past Tuesday was the season premiere of WWE NXT, and this season's an all-Divas season. I mentioned earlier on this blog that Aksana (Zivile Raudoniene) and Jamie (Brittany Beede) are two fitness stars that are a part of the cast this season, and as broken first by Isaac Hinds, we would find out that ANOTHER fitness star would join the NXT rankings.

Before NXT even began, WWE NXT was down one Diva (Aolesia) due to some outside complications that surfaced before the season began. So they teased a new Diva coming in for Pro Vickie Guerrero. That diva would be Kaitlyn, but for us, we know her by the name of Celeste Bonin.

Celeste's a former NPC figure competitor who was contemplating going to bodybuilding, but obviously that is out the window now with her being in the WWE. Her look alone has definitely caught the eye of WWE fans, collectively known as the WWE Universe.

This article is not about how well they did (For those interested in THAT, go to my NXT column on Diva-Fiva.com. WARNING: I get a bit personal and carried away a bit when I do wrestling talk.). Rather, this article is about how it seems like the winds of change are fast approaching WWE, and possibly mainstream entertainment. Let's be honest, things are not the same anymore. Thin is not in when it comes to what people LIKE to see. It seems like those with a bit of meat on their bones are being more praised. No, I'm not saying that female bodybuilding is becoming the norm. That could be some time, as I don't think the mainstream is quite ready for that yet. But there are those seemingly willing to give those in figure/fitness/bikini a chance to showcase themselves in the mainstream eye.

I might be jumping the gun a bit, but there's a good chance that these three ladies in this aricle might be going something more than they realize. They might holding the keys to the future of entertainment, possibly the future of what women's aspire to be. Maybe not wreslter, but fit yet feminine women who can do anything they can put their minds into. The Original American Gladiators did it in the 1980s. Kiana Tom did it in the mid-1990s into early 2000s. These three (regardless on how long they last in the competition) just might be the start of something big in the world of mainstream entertainment. Only time will tell whether these three help make a difference by just being on TV, but if their past achievements are of any indication...I wouldn't bet again any of these ladies and the influences they can bring in in the short-term and long-term.

Jamie Keyes...From Ring Announcer to Wrestler!

I mentioned earlier about Aksana (Zivile Raudoniene) becoming a Rookie Diva for the third season of NXT, as she's a fan favorite in the industry. How can that get even better?! How about adding ANOTHER favorite of FitGems Nation to the list. This heart just about stopped when Jamie Keyes (real name Brittany Beede) was announced as a Rookie Diva for NXT.

Photo Credit: WWE.com

The following she's gathered has been one of the most impressive I've seen for someone new to wrestling since Trish Stratus. As we all know, she didn't have real training in a WWE ring until later on in her career, and...well, we know all about that, don't we?! :) But when Jamie was announced as a wrestler for the new season, searches for her went through the roof! Her fansite JamieKeyes.com reached more hits in one setting than any other time in the site's short history, and things will only continue to grow for the site. Twitter searches went up, message board posts went up, her fan page on Facebook went up tremendously after the big announcement.  Words and phrases such as "Amazon goddess" "action figure" "muscular bombshell" "muscular" "fit cutie", and others have been describing Jamie over the web since the huge announcement. My personal favorite is "fitness fashionista". Her athletic background and insane physique has made her a "pre-season" favorite, if you will. Regardless of what happens to Jamie during NXT Season 3, we at FitGems Nation believe that Jamie will have all the "Keyes" needed to be successful whether it's WWE or outside of WWE. Good luck on NXT, Jamie!! :)

For those that want what I mentioned earlier about Jamie, go to http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2010/06/celebrity-spotlight-brittany-beede-wwes.html, approved by Jamie herself.

Aksana is Now TV Bound!!

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Tonight on the season two finale of WWE NXT, World Wrestling Entertainment announced that there will be a third season of NXT, but this time...it will be an all-Diva season (minus two male Pros). And it's with great pleasure that I announce that one of those Rookie Divas is former Figure International Champion Zivile Raudoniene, aka Aksana!!


Yep, the former IFBB figure star will be a Rookie Diva, looking to become WWE's next Breakout Diva. Her pro will be the Bizzaro One...Goldust. Man...is that going to be a trip, or what?!?! :)


Aksana will be joining another FitGems Nation favorite, Jamie Keyes, along with Maxine, AJ Lee, Naomi Night, and Aloisia (who's heads and shoulders above all the other Divas Literally...at 6 foot 9!!!) to form the first ladies-only Rookie group for NXT. One of these ladies will go on to win NXT and will (I believe) earn the right to take on the Women's Champion at the PPV of their choosing. The buzz is crazy right now, and I have no doubt in my mind that all six ladies will be on Raw or Smackdown once this is over. How far will Aksana go in this competiton could possibly be up to you. After next week, I'll let you all know how the voting process will be.

You can catch Aksana, as well as the other Rookie Divas, on WWE NXT beginning next Tuesday at 10PM Eastern/9PM Central on SyFy.

Best of luck to you, Aksana!!! :)

Celebrity Spotlight-Brittany Beede (WWE's Jamie Keyes)

I've just realized that I've not done a Celebrity Muscle/Spotlight in quite some time. I can't think of a better way to bring this part of the blog back than to talk about someone who's gaining fans left and right ever since popping up on TV and ESPECIALLY after her first ever company photoshoot. The woman I'm talking about is the beautiful Jamie Keyes!

(Photo from WWE.com)

Many people have seen this beautiful woman on the second season of WWE NXT (on SyFy every Tuesday at 10/9 Central), yet there are those that are not too familiar with her yet. Here's a background on who Jamie is:

Jamie's real name is Brittany Beede and she’s a model from Sarasota, Florida. Keyes worked briefly with TNA last year, accompanying Kevin Nash to the ring at December’s Final Resolution pay-per-view. By briefly, I mean one night.

She was set to work with women’s wrestling promotion Wrestleicious filmed some promo footage for them, but then WWE came a-calling, and the rest is history.

For now, in addition to working as the NXT ring announcer, she is also the ring announcer for Flordia Championship Wrestling (FCW). As of this writing, she currently has one match under her belt, and that was a FCW Divas Tournament match where she lost to former WWE Diva Savannah (real name Angela Fong).

In the month she's been on WWE TV, Jamie has been gaining fans after fans after fans, and it's easy to see why. Recently WWE.com released her first photoshoot for the company, and needless to say, people were in awe of it. And one of the first things people notice was...her toned physique. Almost immediately, people were drawn by how fit Jamie is. Not even competed in a WWE ring yet, and there are some out there (okay, a LOT out there) that see a good deal of Beth Phoenix in her. As a matter of fact, not since Beth has a Diva been talked about THIS much in terms of their physique...NO ONE. To say there's a lot of promise for this individual is an understatement.

I get the feeling we might be seeing more of Jamie beyond NXT and FCW ring announcing sooner rather than later. But for the time being, if you are in Florida, enjoy her on FCW, and for those with the SyFy channel, enjoy her on NXT on Tuesday nights!

You can view Jamie's first WWE photoshoot here.You can follow Jamie via Twitter at http://twitter.com/britter1231. For more on Divas 411, my site dedicated to support women's wrestling, go to http://www.divas411.com.