Our Exclusive Interview with Miss Lisa Hughes

How did you get started in the fitness industry?
After high school, I took esthetics in college. I enjoyed it but I had always wanted to do something more. I am one of those people who believes that beauty comes from the inside out. I went to gyms to work out, and I would look for nutrition seminars or read up on working out/exercising techniques. I kept painting nails and thinking, I want more out of my career. Then one day I woke up and said, enough is enough. I started researching places that certify personal trainers, and began my journey to health and wellness.

What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment?
I would have to say that it was nailing the 1 arm push up. I was always very good at push ups, especially for a girl, so when I started training, I thought, it’s a piece of cake. Then I tried it and fell on my face! What a blow to my ego that was! I kept trying and I kept falling. I wanted to do it in my routine, so badly, every night I would visualize myself doing it. Then one day, pow! I did it! And I didn’t fall! I couldn’t believe myself! All that hard work and there it was! I was so proud of it, I incorporated 2 one arm push ups into my routine. I use this story as a motivator when I am learning a new skill at gymnastics, remembering that if you believe it mentally, it will happen physically!

Is fitness modeling/ competition your full-time job?
Being a Talent Representative for The FAME Agency has given me the opportunity to express everything I have done in my career thus far into one job. It has been a great experience, I love working with the athletes, promoting them and sending them on casting calls and auditions. It makes my day when a casting director calls and has decided upon one of our very own WNSO athletes for their project. It is a positive environment, and having the opportunity to speak with competitors and athletes everyday helps to keep me motivated in my own training. I work with a positive, helpful team, and I look forward to coming to work everyday. Having a background in esthetics and personal training, it expands my knowledge that much more to help the members of The FAME Agency reach their goals. I can help them with beauty tricks and tips, and little tips on helping to perfect their hard-working physiques!

What are your long-term goals?
After competing last year, I learned that I was on the verge of snapping both of my Achilles tendons. It was really upsetting, because I was looking forward to continuing to compete 2 months later. I had to take time off and focus on healing my injury so that I wouldn’t end up in a wheelchair. I am now healed enough that I can get myself back up on stage, so this year I am looking to go as far as I can in fitness. Because fitness is so abusive to the body, I think I only have a couple of years left of that. I would like to get into figure competing some day. I will always be in the fitness and wellness industry, career and for myself. It is very hard to go back to the days of not being in a gym or eating clean.

What supplements do you use?
I only use Dorian Yates approved supplements. I use glutamine, multivitamins and pro-peptide protein shakes.

How do you motivate yourself to stay in shape?
I will admit, it’s not an easy thing to do. I do what ever I have to do to keep the motivation going. When I am training, I have photos of pro competitors on my fridge, oven, in the bathroom, on mirrors, you name it. I leave “before and after” pics of myself on the fridge to remind myself that I can do it. Looking at the “before” pic really keeps me motivated, because I look at it and say to myself, “do I want to go back to that place? NO!” I have motivational quotes all over my house as well.
I watch fitness routines all the time and I listen to my routine music over and over in my car. I also have a great support team around me, who know what trigger sentences motivate me. They help to push me. Like I said before, what ever it takes!

What tips would you give to someone who wanted to get into the fitness modeling (or fitness competition)?
DO IT! I never thought it would be as rewarding as it has been. The journey along the way is so spectacular, words are hard to describe it. Yes, getting up on stage and saying “wow, I’m doing it!” is a big rush, but you learn so many things along the way about yourself that just builds more character. It is all up to you. So you learn about your self-motivation, self-dedication, self-promotion, pushing your limits, goal setting and then reaching that goal. My biggest advice is to remember to never give up because anything worthwhile is never easy!