Nominate Your Favorites for the 4th Annual FitGems Awards!

Another year nearly over...which means it's time to chose who reigned supreme in the fitness world in 2012. The 4th Annual FitGems Awards will be another big event, but THIS TIME, all voting will take place on one site: MisterPoll. To all nominees, it will be crucial to use social media (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Youtube, etc) to get as many votes as you can.

How can you get involved? Nominate UP TO FIVE people for the following categories, with the top 6 names for each category to be put on the ballot. You don't have to nominate for each category, but it would be nice if you nominate for as many as you can. In the event there's not enough nominees for whatever reason for some of the categories, the remaining nominees will be chosen based upon their performance and popularity in regards to 2012.  With IFBB Women's Physique in the mix this year, there are a few new categories to add.


COMPETITOR CATEGORIES

Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year (NEW)
Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Amateur Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
International Female Bodybuilder of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
International Fitness Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
International Figure Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
International Bikini Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
International Women's Physique Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Breakout Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Breakout Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year (NEW)
Breakout Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Breakout Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Physique Competitor of the Year
Rookie Competitor of the Year (any division; must have competed starting in 2012)
Inspirational Competitor of the Year
Crossover Competitor of the Year (any competitor who competed in one division and switched to another THIS YEAR. Can be pro or amateur) (NEW)
Comeback of the Year
Favorite Fitness Routine of 2012 (must name competitor and show they did it in. Can be pro or amateur) (NEW)
Favorite Women's Bodybuilding Routine of 2012 (must name competitor and show they did it in. Can be pro or amateur) (NEW)
Favorite Women's Physique Routine of 2012 (must name competitor and show they did it in. Can be pro or amateur) (NEW)
Competitor Who You Would Love to See Return To the Stage in 2013
Fitness Personality of the Year (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
Moment of the Year (when certain people win a competition, return to the stage, retire, etc. This is for any federation and can be about any of the divisions)

MISC. CATEGORIES

NPC Show of the Year
IFBB Show of the Year
WBFF Show of the Year
Promoter of the Year
Organization of the Year
Female Physique Site of the Year (non-competitor) (NOTE: FitGems is NOT eligible due the fact that FitGems is running the contest)
Female Competitor Blog of the Year
Facebook Fan Page of the Year (Competitor/Fitness Personality)
Photographer of the Year
Blogger of the Year
Industry Blog of the Year (by a fan, industry member, company, etc.)
Industry Facebook Fan Page of the Year
Female Celebrity Muscle of the Year
Physique Paysite of the Year
Male Supporter of the Year (through shows, message boards, donations to competitors, etc.)
Female Supporter of the Year (through shows, message boards, donations to competitors, etc. Does not have to be a competitor) (NEW)
Female Competitor Site of the Year
Supplement Company of the Year
Team of the Year
Trainer of the Year

You can send your nominations through Twitter (http://twitter.com/fitgemsnation) using hashtag #FitGemsAwards2012, email your nominations (admin@fitgemsnation.net), or leave a comment on this post on our Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/fitgemsnation). I'll also take your nominations through private messages (PMs) through the following message boards:

Siouxcountry (under cray17)
RxMuscle (under FitGems)
Muscular Development (under cray17)

You can nominate between now and Friday, November 30th Monday, December 10th. On Monday, December 3rd Tuesday, December 11th, check back on the blog and Facebook fan page for the official list of nominees. After that, voting will begin that same day and will last through the rest of December, with the winners announced sometime in mid-January.

Interview with IFPA Pro Amy Lescher

Amy Lescher is an IFPA competitor from Chesterfield, Missouri. She recently won her IFPA Open & 35+ Pro Cards and will be making her pro-debut sometime next year. Amy was kind enough to conduct this interview with us. BTW, IFPA stands for International Federation of Physique Athletes, and it's a natural bodybuilding organization.

Photos provided by Amy herself.

FitGems Nation: First off, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Amy Lescher: I am a 37 year old, wife and mother of 2 beautiful girls Sophie (9) and Stevie (2).  I am an IFPA Open and 35+ Pro.  I just earned my pro-cards and will be making my pro-debut in 2013.  I am a personal trainer and Pilates instructor and enjoy helping people achieve health and wellness in everyday of their life.

FitGems: How did you get involved in the fitness industry in the first place?
Amy: I grew up an athlete, including playing soccer on the collegiate level.  I have been a fitness instructor since I was 18 years old.  I have always loved the look of muscular, healthy looking women.

FitGems: What do you enjoy most about competing?
Amy: The desire to achieve things I never thought possible.  With the right diet, training, attitude and coaching, you can do wonders with your physique.

FitGems: Which do you feel is your greatest strength when training: cardio or weight-training?
Amy: I love lifting weights.  It gives me a sense of strength and accomplishment.

FitGems: What division do you compete in and what’s the best thing about competing in that division?
Amy: I compete in the Figure division.  The best thing about Figure is that you can have muscle, but still be feminine.

FitGems: If it was up to you, what would be one thing you would want to add in the division or take away from your division?
Amy: I would add the T-walk to be included in the scoring.  I feel that is part of the presentation and girls work so hard to perfect it, it should be counted.

FitGems: With the rise of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc,), how important do you feel it is for competitors to participate in it?
Amy: I think it is crucial to participate in social media if you want to touch as many people as possible and inspire others.

FitGems: Who (living or dead) do you look up to for inspiration, whether they are part of the fitness industry or not?
Amy: My fitness inspiration is Alex Ellis, IFPA Pro and Erin Stern, IFBB pro.  Both of these women exuded passion and health every single day.  They are both top athletes in there respective federations.  I have the honor and privilege to know and be coached by Alex personally and will be forever changed for the good, thanks to her.
My non-fitness inspiration…Gosh there are so many strong women in my life… but I would say my sister.  She is a special education teacher and gives herself daily to children with developmental and behavioral disorders.  She does it with honor and grace.  She is loving, kind and strong.

FitGems: If you weren’t part of the fitness industry, what would you be doing now?
Amy: There is no question; I will always be a part of the fitness industry!

FitGems: What (if anything) would you change about the fitness industry?
Amy: I can’t think of anything at this point.

FitGems: After competition, what do you plan to do to give back to the industry?
Amy: I like to give my knowledge and passion for exercise and Pilates to people on a daily basis. I feel inspiration and giving back are full circle…you get back  what you put out. I stay in touch with the most cutting edge fitness/nutrition experts and will always refer to others when something is out of my scope of knowledge and expertise.

FitGems: Any closing words for your fans and supporters?
Amy: I want to thank all my fans for their support.  I hope I can contribute inspiration and drive to your everyday life.  Remember…”The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary”-Vince Lombardi  Work hard, every day matters!

FitGems: How can fans contact you if they want to keep up with your career? (Facebook fan page, Twitter, email, website, blog, other social media outlet, etc.)
Amy: They can find me on Facebook under : IFPA PRO Amy Lescher

Again, we thank Amy for taking the time to conduct an interview with us, and we wish her best of luck competing as an IFPA Pro!

Wrestling Knockouts Entering Fitness Competitions Next Month

Wrestling and fitness go together like peas and carrots (steamed, by the way). We have seen many names in women's wrestling come from a fitness modeling/competing background: Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, Lisa Marie Varon (Tara in TNA/Victoria in WWE), Sarita, Miss Tessmacher (Brooke Adams) and Brittany Beede (Jamie Keyes) to name a few. Now, it looks like the tides are turning a bit with current wrestlers ENTERING the fitness competition world.

Rosita aiming to be a WBFF Pro on November 3rd.
Photo credit: Impact Wrestling

Thea Trinidad (better known as Rosita in TNA/Impact Wrestling) will be looking to add WBFF Pro to her impressive list of accomplishments as the former Knockouts Tag Team Champion will be competing in the WBFF New England Championships on November 3rd.

Madison Rayne will aim to be a IFBB Pro at the NPC Nationals on November 9-10th
Photo credit: Impact Wrestling

In addition, Ashley Cabot (aka Madison Rayne, also of TNA/Impact Wrestling) will be competing in the NPC Nationals to attempt to become an IFBB Pro in the bikini division. She will be competing a week before the Nationals as well. Earlier this year, Madison competed in her first bikini competition and ended up winning the overall title, making her an odds-on favorite for Nationals right off the bat.

Will others make the jump in the near future? There are definitely others in the wrestling world that can enter physique competitions with the right training and guidance. We at FitGems Nation want to with both ladies the best of luck as they enter the fitness competition world. Just remember...no dropkicks allowed on stage! LOL. :)

2012 Olympia, From the Judges' Table

On the NPC News Online website, the IFBB Women's Head Judge for the Olympia posted critiques of the top six in each of the divisions. After reading them do you agree?

Ms. Olympia

Fitness Olympia

Figure Olympia

Bikini Olympia

As I've mentioned sometime before, I think it's nice to see the NPC/IFBB post their critiques of the top competitors after a show. It gives competitors something to look at and study to make them better competitors. Will everyone agree? No, of course not, but that's the nature of the beast. This is a SUBJECTIVE sport, and honestly, when it comes to competing, you are only competing against yourself when you think about it. You can't control how others look, but you damn sure can control how YOU look.

To judge for yourself and see photos of the top six from each division, as well as every other competitor from the Olympia, go to http://www.npcnewsonline.com.

From Save Women's Fitness Now to The Fitness Athletes Network...Why The Change?

In 2010, I created Save Women's Fitness Now, a blog that was influenced by Siouxcountry's Let's Save NPC and IFBB Fitness thread that started around that time. This blog was created to help reignite the fire and passion that the fitness division had during its birth.

On the same board, a discussion was brought up about how to help bring more competitors into the fitness division. An idea was brought up about having a place where people can view fitness routines. To the best of my knowledge, there wasn't a place specifically created for that...until now.

This year, I made the decision to revamp Save Women's Fitness Now, and turn it into the Fitness Athletes Network, expanding from just being a blog to a complete social network, including an official website,Twitter account, a newly revamped blog, and eventually a Youtube account. The goal of the Fitness Athletes Network is to help bring more competitors into the sport, as well as introduce the fitness division to aspiring competitors, and even high school and collegiate cheerleaders. The main site has clips of fitness routines from around the world from the National Physique Committee (NPC), International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB), Fitness Universe, and beyond, as well as from former organizations.

Below are the links to the Fitness Athletes Network. Bookmark them and spread the word! If you would like to donate any clips or want to help out with the Fitness Athletes Network in any way, please email me as save_fitness@yahoo.com

Main website: http://www.fitnessathletesnetwork.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/fitnessathletes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitnessathletesnetwork

And the blog's new address is http://fitnessathletesnetwork.blogspot.com.

Hope you enjoy the new facelift! :)

Bodybuilding.com to Provide Free 2012 Olympia Webcast

Not everyone can make it to Las Vegas for the Olympia, so Bodybuilding.com will once again provide the Olympia for free via webcast on their site. This has been done ever since 2006 (that year, it was a paid webcast. It became free the following year), and with the way viewing on the Internet has change since then (iPhone, iPad, Android, tablet), you can pretty much watch the Olympia from pratically any internet-enabled device you want to.

2011 Olympia Champions. Who will successfully retain their title in 2012?
Photo credit: Mr. Olympia website

Here's the press release from Bodybuilding.com:

Boise, ID – August 24, 2012 – Bodybuilding.com, the Internet’s most-visited bodybuilding and fitness site and largest online retailer of nutritional supplements, will once again offer a free worldwide webcast of Joe Weider’s 2012 Olympia Weekend, presented by MuscleTech.

With one of the best lineups of athletes in the contest’s 46-year history and more than $1 million in prize money, the 2012 Olympia is a must-see event. Thanks to the live webcast, everyone can tune in!

Bodybuilding.com will webcast live September 28-29, 2012, from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time (9:30 ET) both Friday and Saturday nights.

The webcast kicks off Friday with an insightful pre-show discussion from industry expert Dr. Layne Norton and veteran bodybuilding commentator Larry Pepe. Training experts Neil Hill and Kris Gethin will also make cameo appearances to provide additional insight and commentary.

The competition begins with the beautiful ladies, featuring: Fitness Olympia, Ms. Olympia, and Bikini Olympia finals, followed by the Mr. Olympia Open Judging round.

Co-hosts Carla Sanchez (professional IFBB Fitness competitor and coach) and Dina Al-Sabah (professional IFBB Figure & Bikini Competitor and fitness model) will announce the women’s competitions.

The winners of the 2012 Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards (24 different awards, including Brand of the Year, Supplement of the Year, etc.) will be announced during the webcasts. The Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards have set the standard for recognition of the best products and brands in the fitness and supplement industry for the past eight years.

On Saturday, September 29th, the webcast coverage will culminate with bodybuilding’s biggest annual show: The Mr. Olympia Finals. Reigning champion Phil Heath will battle to defend his title against fierce challengers, including the formidable Kai Greene and the reigning Arnold Classic Champion, Branch Warren.

The Saturday coverage will also include the beautifully sculpted women of the Figure Olympia and the men’s 212 Showdown (men’s bodybuilding lighter weight division).

Stay tuned for details and more 2012 Olympia Weekend coverage available soon at Bodybuilding.com!

Bodybuilding.com offers more than 13,000+ health & fitness supplements and accessories to help more than 10 million people every month achieve their health, fitness and appearance goals, as well as more than 35,000 pages of FREE information, including more than 20,000 articles and videos, expert online trainers, and new content added daily!

With this being the first Olympia under the new guidelines (Olympia Qualification Series), expect history to be made in all of the divisions. This could make things very tough for Adela Garcia, Nicole Nagrani, Nicole Wilkins, and Iris Kyle in their title defenses. Who do YOU think will walk out with Olympia immortality next month? For those that can't be there live, the next best thing will be the free Bodybuilding.com webcast! 

Interview with Stacy Wright

A fan favorite as well as a FitGems favorite, Stacy Wright seemed prime to become a pro fitness superstar during her days in the NPC. A few years ago, she became an IFBB Fitness Pro and has since become one of the top names in the sport with her routine and crowd-pleasing physique. She has recently been away from the stage for a bit, because she gave birth to her first child, Mason! While she is definitely enjoying motherhood, we expect to see Mrs. Wright step back on stage sooner than later. Stacy was gracious enough to do this interview for FitGems. (All photos were provided by Stacy herself.)

FitGems Nation: First off, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Stacy Wright: Hello! Thank you for the interview! I’m Stacy Wright. I’m 28 years old from Charleston, WV. I’m an IFBB Professional Fitness Competitor. I also work full time as a registered nurse and personal trainer. I have the greatest husband ever and next month we’ll be celebrating our 8 year anniversary! We are very excited about our new addition to our family, Mason. He was born in March and we couldn’t be happier!

FitGems: How did you get involved in the fitness industry in the first place?
Stacy: It all started with cheerleading in high school. We started training in the football gym and I was hooked! I had seen the girls in the muscle magazines and had always wanted to look like them. Once I started on that path, there was no looking back.

FitGems: What do you enjoy most about competing?
Stacy: The part I like most about competing is the journey of constantly challenging myself to do better and step up my game! Each show I try to bring in a better physique and routine. It’s an ongoing journey and I enjoy every step along the way!

FitGems: Which do you feel is your greatest strength when training: cardio or weight-training?
Stacy: Weight training by far. I love pushing my body, perfecting my form, seeing the change and shape of my muscles! It’s very empowering!

FitGems: Recently you had your first child. CONGRATS! How does it feel to be a mommy?
Stacy: It is the absolute best feeling in the world! Words cannot even begin to describe it! Mason is the best baby ever and is learning and growing every day! He’s truly amazing and definitely a miracle.

FitGems: How has your training been affected from when you competed without baby to post-pregnancy? Stacy: The main thing is that I can’t just get up and go to the gym. I either have to make sure the nursery is open so I can take him with me, or I have to coordinate schedules with my husband so he can keep him while I workout. So with that it just simply means we have to be much more organized. =) It was also a challenge in getting my fitness strength moves back. As my abdominal muscles were very stretched out, I didn’t realize how much core strength I’d lost. I had to relearn things like the pike and straddle hold from scratch. Thankfully there’s muscle memory and I have worked very hard and carefully to get those moves back without injuring myself.

Stacy, Andrew Wright, and the newest addition to the Wright family: Mason!

FitGems: Who (living or dead) do you look up to for inspiration, whether they are part of the fitness industry or not?
Stacy: I will say that Adela is an awesome inspiration and mentor to us fitness girls! She’s always there and makes time in her busy schedule to help us out in any way she can. A special Thank You to her for that!

FitGems:  If you weren’t part of the fitness industry, what would you be doing now?
Stacy: If I wasn’t a part of the competitive fitness industry, I would still be working out and living the lifestyle. It’s simply a part of me.

FitGems: What (if anything) would you change about the fitness industry?
Stacy: In the perfect world, it would be much cheaper to compete. =) That’s something that can’t be changed though, as we all need to make a living.

FitGems: What advice do you have for anyone wanting to get fit, especially mothers?
Stacy: Make the time to take care of yourself and set an example to your little ones of how to live a healthy lifestyle in an unhealthy world. If you don’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of anyone else. Just get organized, plan ahead, and make it happen!

FitGems: After competition, what do you plan to do to give back to the industry?
Stacy: I would love to continue judging shows and possibly have my own show here in West Virginia someday. I also plan to continue helping others prep for shows and being a mentor to those in the industry, as well as those just trying to improve their health and body.

FitGems: Any closing words for your fans and supporters?
Stacy: If you can dream it, you can do it! Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.

FitGems: How can fans contact you if they want to keep up with your career? (Facebook fan page, Twitter, email, website, blog, other social media outlet, etc.)
Stacy: Absolutely! I love hearing from fans and fellow competitors! Feel free to contact me through any of these outlets. I have multiple ways to follow me or contact me. You can check out my website, facebook, and twitter pages at the links below.
www.StacyWright.net https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Wright-IFBB-Fitness-Pro/139081829444854 https://twitter.com/StacyDawnWright

Once again, we thank Stacy for taking the time to interview with us. We wish her all the success in the world on returning to the stage soon and on motherhood!

Sheru Classic: Bigger Than Ever for 2012!

Last year, history was made in India as the first-ever IFBB event there took place shortly after the Olympia, which saw Nicole Wilkins capture that inargual title for figure. This year's Sheru Classic will take place once again after the Olympia (one week to be exact on October 6-7th). Nicole will look to defend her title this year against some very stiff competition, and this year, bikini will be added to the women's portion of the show. Here's the list of competitors for the event, which was made public today (this list will more than likely change as the event draws closer):

Figure (as of 6/26):

• Nicole Wilkins
• Erin Stern
• Heather Dees
• Candice Keene
• Felicia Romero
• Gennifer Strobo

Bikini (as of 6/26):

• Jaime Baird
• Dianna Dahlgren
• Sonia Gonzales
• Nathalia Melo
• Nicole Nagrani
• India Paulino

Source: http://www.musclesportmag.com/2012/06/26/2012-ifbb-sheru-classic-competitors-lists-announced-heath-vs-cutler-rematch/

The lists for both might be small, but looking at the list, all of them have won at least one show in the past couple of years, including the Arnold and Olympia. In addition to adding bikini (among a few other things), the event will have a bigger (and by that, I mean MUCH bigger) feel to it, all thanks to promoter Sheru Aangrish. Last year, it took place in Bollywood with about 1,100 people. This year, the contest will take place in India’s largest indoor venue, Indhira Ghandi, which has a capacity of 20,000.

20,000 people...for a bodybuilding event. Let's put that into perspective. Should this be a sell-out (and they are expecting it to be), this will be one of the largest (if not THE largest) gathering of fans for a bodybuilding show in IFBB history. This will beat the Olympia and Arnold crowds...COMBINED. We are pretty much talking about a typical WWE pay-per-view crowd (and that's a whole lot of people. Trust me, I know).

The way things are shaping, The Sheru Classic will be looking to make their sophomore year one to remember. As more news is made public, we will be keeping you all as updated as possible. For up-to-date news on the Sheru Classic, Like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SheruClassicFanpage and follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sheruclassic.

Monica Brant: A DIFFERENT Kind of Olympian

Monica Brant has made a career in competing in many fitness/figure competitions. Some of her eventual first-ballot hall-of-fame career highlights will include her competing in multiple Olympias. Her biggest Olympia experience was, of course, winning the 1998 Fitness Olympia title.

Photo credit: Satio Photography

This Saturday, she enters a different kind of Olympian event...or should I say, OLYMPIC event. Monica is heading to Oregon to compete in the 2012 Olympic Trials! She will be competing in the Master's Women's 400m invitational on Saturday, June 30th. No word on if this will air on TV or not, but it it does, it will probably be on NBC, as that's where all Olympic events are being broadcast this summer. We have no doubt in our minds that Monica will show everyone why she is one of the fitness industry's primer athletes. 

We at FitGems Nation wish Monica best of luck, and we hope you all will as well!

Interview with Zlata Sushchik

Zlata Sushchik is an international competitor from Russia, now living in Alaska. In addition to being a competitor (She competes in bikini), she is a full-time student and procurement specialist for a oil company. In other words, don't you DARE call her an airhead! Trust me, after reading this interview, you will be able to tell that she's far from being one. (All photos were provided by Zlata herself.) 

FitGems Nation: First off, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Zlata Sushchik: My name is Zlata Sushchik. I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. I made my big move towards the "american dream" about 7 years ago. I currently reside in the beautiful state of Alaska where i am a full time MBA student and a Procurement Specialist for a major oil company.

FitGems: How did you get involved in the fitness industry in the first place?
Zlata: I grew up playing piano and singing in a choir for over 8 years. This took up most of my childhood time that kids usually dedicate to sports. In fact my mom always used to say... and still does "sports are bad for you". It wasn't until high school when my friend asked "Hey, there this bodybuilding thing next month, want to compete with me?", i actually got into sports. To be honest, i didn't step foot on track or let alone the weight room until i was 16 years ago.  I am not sure if it was my lack of speaking english or if it really sounded fun at the time, i decided to do it. I dedicated whole SIX weeks of my life to the high school figure show. This is going to sound silly but that very show changed my life. Looking back it was probably one of the best decisions i've ever made. Needless to say, i did not win, i placed dead last. However, i received my trophy with a great sense of pride and accomplishment. After all, it was the most exercise i have ever gotten. I came back in 2007 and took the Overall High School Figure Champion title, i won 2007 NPC Crystal Cup Junior Figure DIvision shortly after.  Competing didn't necessarily become my life but it played a huge role in it.

After my first year of college, which i payed for myself, i decided that if i decide to continue my education i must get a scholarship. In 2008,  one of my friends, knowing my fitness background, asked me to help her get ready to compete in the upcoming Miss Alaska Pageant. Wow, i thought, how cool. Then she spoke the , oh so familiar words, "Its next month, want to compe with me?".... I know it wasn't the language barrier this time,  i said "YES". It sounded like a great opportunity to win a full ride scholarship to the university i've been attending and have fun! Obtaining the 2009 Miss Alaska Teen USA title was one of my best experiences since this is the largest pageant network in the world which is a part of the Miss Universe organization. I learned a lot!

I got back to competing in the NPC world when the Bikini Division was introduced. I had an amazing year in 2010 starting with NPC Heart of Alaska Bikini Champion Overall title, moved on to nationals and obtained 2010 NPC Collegiate Nationals Class B Champion title, place Top 3 at NPC USA, Top 5 at IFBB North Americans. Whew, what a year THAT was.... Being a full time student and working, my schedule was jam packed. Certainly learned a lot about time management and multitasking.

FitGems: What do you enjoy most about competing?
Zlata: I enjoy being fit, feeling fit and living the lifestyle. I made a major change in my life style probably about a year ago where i don't have an off season anymore. I used to live "show to show", have to "lose 10", fit my "27s"... I don't do that anymore, i wake up knowing that i am going to feel great for the rest of the day, my clothes will fit and i will be comfortable in my own skin. Being in the fitness industry a lot of women i know start having body image issues, that are associated with rapid weight loss or weight gain. In the locker room,  you will often hear "omg, im so fat", "i ate cake, have to work out now", "oh girl, i look (insert rude comment about yourself here)" and so on so forth. Yes, there is an off season, yes there are times where we don't feel our best. But it is not the reason to punish yourself with work outs and it sure isn't a reason to reward ourselves with food. Fitness is about not only looking great, but feeling great physically and mentally

FitGems: What do your friends and family think about competing?
Zlata: My family is Russia always gets really excited when i send competition photos or progress pictures. My dad was a former speed skater, he loves sports and loves what i do. I think he is the only one in the family who can see past the pretty picture. Mom, who lives here in the states, she still doesnt get it, but is EXTREMELY supportive. Present at every show, with her cute poster and a bouquet of flowers.

I try to surround myself with friends who are understanding and supportive of my lifestyle. They know about my busy schedule due to working a serious job and going to school and of course hours and hors at the gym. My friends are great! But it did take me some time to find those people and some of us who are just getting into fitness don't have the patient and understanding friends that i do... i am currently working on a article of how to overcome those issues with friends and family... we have ALL been there.

FitGems: Have others mistaken you for something of than a female physique athlete, like a softball player, volleyball player, MMA fighter, wrestler, etc.?
Zlata: Are you like a swimmer or something? Gymnast? Pageant girl (yes, pageant is a sport), distance runner?There have been lots of variation, last thing they guess is bikini division in the NPC organization =]

FitGems: If you weren’t part of the fitness industry, what would you be doing now?
Zlata: Good question, if i didn't do my first show in 2006 i probably would have never gotten into fitness or nutrition. I probably would be munching on chips or cookies at my desk at work.... Now i do that with protein cookies i make myself. I treat fitness and competing as a part of my wholesome lifestyle where i have my personal, education and career goals. Fitness is a way for me to manage busy schedule, relief stress and feel awesome!  I have always been very goal oriented. When i originally moved here i raced through my high school education.  Barely speaking english i managed to graduate a year early and get into college right away. I raced through my bachelors and jumped right into the Masters program. I've always had a very stable job and now work in a very exciting career field for a global oil company. My point here is, i would be doing the exact same thing but now it is so much more exciting because i have a hobby i am passionate about.
 
FitGems: Any closing words for your fans and supporters?
Zlata: Confucius - "It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you don't stop". This is my most favorite quote. If you don't succeed once, don't give up and keep going. If its not the greatest day at the gym, don't just leave, do something. If you didn't turn pro, try again. If you didn't place, come back looking better. You aren't competing for the judges, for the trainers, nutritionists and coaches, you are competing for yourself. Find what stimulates you most about the sport and have FUN!

FitGems: How can fans contact you if they want to keep up with your career? (Facebook fan page, Twitter, email, website, blog, other social media outlet, etc.)
Zlata: You can find me on www.facebook.com/ZlataSushchik or follow me on Twitter @akhotmess .... Yes, hot mess =]. I am also working on launching a website. Stay tuned!