Interview With Emily Zaler
Rising Star of the Month - February 2010
Interviewed by: Tammy Renee'
WP: Emily Zaler is a former D1 Collegiate Soccer Player who is now making a name for herself in the fitness industry. After suffering a career ending knee injury, she is now taking the drive she had as a soccer player and applying it towards fitness. She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Model, and Figure Athlete, Author of The EZ Whey Cookbook, Entrepreneur, and Team SCI-Fit Athlete. On top of all of this, she is also a full-time student, and graduating from Arizona State University in the spring with her Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Wellness.
“I train hard; bottom line. A lot of females are afraid of lifting heavy because they are afraid they will “bulk up”. Train hard! Train with intensity and lift heavy! If you are not challenging yourself in the gym, you are not going to get the results that you want!”
WP: You have a lot of talent packed in that little body of yours, Emily. You have came a long way in such a short period. What has been your stepping-stone to get where you are today?
EZ: A huge stepping-stone to get where I am today was attending the Fitness Model International conference just three short months ago in Redondo Beach California. While attending this conference I had the opportunity to hear from the industry’s best, speak about how to market yourself and how to get your name out there in this competitive industry. By listening intently to the most experienced individuals in the industry speak and then applying everything I learned, amazing doors and opportunities have opened for me in the last three months.
Also while at FMI, I had the opportunity to shoot with some of the nations top photographers and build my portfolio. FMI also gave me the opportunity to make great contacts within the fitness industry, and I am now honored to say I am part of FMI Co-Founder Clark Bartram’s Team SCI-FIT!
WP: Congratulations! To accomplish what you have, you have to be in great shape. What has it been like to maintain your physique?
EZ: I train hard; bottom line. A lot of females are afraid of lifting heavy because they are afraid they will “bulk up”. Train hard! Train with intensity and lift heavy! If you are not challenging yourself in the gym, you are not going to get the results that you want! I love hitting new PR’s in the gym and strive so on a regular basis. My philosophy is go hard or go home!
When I step into the gym, I transform in to a whole new mindset. I am there with a purpose and a goal. 100 percent focused from the second I put my headphones on until the time I am done. I currently lift 5 to 6 times a week.
One way I will change up my training is to go in to a Tabata Training Phase for a few weeks. During Tabata training you train in four-minute segments, working for 20 seconds, resting for 10. You repeat that for 8 rounds which brings you to four minutes of the same exercise. Obviously, for this type of training, you will be using lighter weights than you would use for a normal 8-12 rep range. Your muscles are going to fatigue extremely quickly, as you will be completing around 80-100 reps in a four minute time period! This is a great way to deplete your muscles of glycogen and get a great pump going!
WP: You use to play soccer? You messed up knee. Tell our readers more about this time in your life and how you overcame the challenge it gave you.
EZ: I grew up playing soccer my entire life and went on to play Division One Soccer in both the PAC-10, as well as, the Big 12 conferences. I played my freshman year of college at the University of Oregon, and then transferred and played at the University of Missouri my sophomore year. Unfortunately while at Mizzou, I had a career ending knee injury. After getting hurt I decided to transfer back home to Arizona and finish school at Arizona State University and focus on my love for fitness. Fitness has always been a passion of mine, and I am now applying my passion I had as an athlete towards my passion for fitness.
WP: You have been modeling for some time now. What has modeling taught you thus far that you can share with our readers that may wish to get into modeling?
EZ: The biggest thing modeling has taught me thus far is confidence. Confidence is captured by the camera. If you go in to a shoot nervous, it is going to show! The more comfortable you can be in front of the camera, the better your images are going to turn out.
You also have to be able to take the confidence needed in front of the camera and apply it toward your everyday life. As a fitness model, people look up to you as an example when setting personal goals for themselves. You need to represent “your brand” at all times and be a positive image and role model for others, whether it is at your local gym or grocery store. There is a huge difference between confidence and cockiness, and learning the difference is something that every model needs to understand!
WP: You are right when you talk about stress and it showing in your pictures. Even when you think you are relaxed but your mind is not, it shows. Confidence is a must for modeling, too. Thanks for sharing those great points! What was the hardest thing for you to overcome when you first started?
EZ: The hardest thing for me to overcome, at first, was shyness in front of the camera. I still need to remind myself to be able to let loose and relax. If you are stiff and tense during a photo shoot, it is going to be reflected in the images. Be confident and relax!
WP: What are the key factors that dictate the way you model today?
EZ: The key factors that dictate how I model today are my self-standards. I pride myself on certain factors and will not lower my standards just to shoot with someone or just to land a certain advertisement. I represent a certain type of image and am not willing to sacrifice my reputation for a job.
WP: Can you tell me any photographers you’ve worked with, or someone you’d like to work with?
EZ: I have already been fortunate enough to shoot with some of the industry’s best photographers such as Mike Byerly and Harvey Elkins. I had the chance to shoot with both of them at FMI, and could not have asked for anything more from either of them. In fact, Mike shot the cover for your current issue featuring fitness superstar, Obi Obidike.
In the future, I would absolutely love to shoot with the infamous Ralph Dehaan, as well as Jason Ellis.
WP: Mike is actually in our Team World Physique now and I am so excited! Mike and Obi did a great job for the cover. I am proud of both of them! What was the hardest thing you had to deal with when it came to your diet when it comes to competing and modeling?
EZ: When it comes to diet, it is not hard for me to deal with at all. I actually love eating and love cooking. While prepping for previous figure competitions, I started creating my own delicious recipes that were completely clean, as well as, prep friendly. Those recipes have now turned in to my clean eating cookbook; The EZ Whey - Clean Eats That Taste Like Cheats! The EZ Whey is spreading rapidly throughout the fitness industry and I am extremely excited to develop my brand, The EZ Whey, LLC over the next year. All recipes in the cookbook are easy to prepare and a huge improvement over the typical, boring flavors most people and recipes associate with the word diet. The factor that makes my book unique is that I actually cook with Whey Protein in the majority of my recipes. I have everything from breakfast to desserts and love experimenting with new recipes and “wheys” to make eating clean enjoyable for others!
WP: We will be featuring some of your recipes in our next magazine issue, so I’m excited about that. How has your training compare to when you model to when you do not?
EZ: My training does not differ from when I model to when I do not. One of the biggest lessons I have learned so far is to always be ready! You never know when you may have an opportunity offered to you. If you are not ready to shoot, you are going to miss out on that opportunity and that company or brand will most likely never want to work with you again. Always stay in shape and always be ready to shoot. You never know when opportunity will knock!
WP: You are hitting every answer on the head! That’s a great point! Speaking from a publisher’s point of view, there does nothing more upsetting then basing a photo shoot on if the model is on-season or off-season. A model will get more jobs if they are always ready, like you said. What titles/accomplishments have you thus far? Tell me about them.
EZ: My biggest accomplishments so far have been over the past couple of months. As I mentioned earlier, I am now a Team SCI-FIT sponsored athlete. I am extremely honored to be joining the best team industry, and to have Clark Bartram, America’s Most Trusted Fitness Professional leading the way for us. I was given the opportunity to meet Clark at FMI this past October and have taken everything he spoke about and applied it towards my career. Three months later, I am now part of his team along with a few other select FMI alumni. We truly have the hardest working team in the industry and every team member brings something unique and different to the table. I could not ask to be part of a better team!
My other biggest accomplishment has been the development of my cookbook, The EZ Whey. It is starting to really grow and spread throughout the fitness community, and I am extremely excited to see how it grows and develops, even more in the next few months. At FMI, I learned how to “Brand myself”. I am now The EZ Whey, LLC, and plan on growing my brand into a complete training and nutrition service, where I can provide people training, workouts, meal plans, nutritional counseling, packaged products, as well as cooking and training videos.
WP: I am so happy for you! It couldn’t happen to a better person! So, where do you see your career and life in 10 years from now?
EZ: Being only 22 years old, I have my whole life in front of me still! I am very glad that I am starting my career at such a young age. I have the world in front of me and cannot wait see what direction my life will take over the next ten years. I am a firm believer in the saying that “Everything happens for a reason”. Hopefully ten years from now, I will be well established in the fitness industry, and The EZ Whey will be one of the most well known brands out there!
WP: What supplements do you currently take?
EZ: As part of Team SCI-FIT, I only use SCI-FIT supplements. I absolutely love SCI-FIT Whey Protein Isolate in the chocolate ice cream flavor! I also love the Chocolate Peanut Butter Econowhey. Besides protein, SCI-FIT also makes a great line of vitamins and supplements. I love the Animal Pak, which are packets of your most important daily vitamins pre packaged and ready for you to take. By having these already pre-packaged, you know you are not forgetting to take anything! The Animal Pack includes Vitamin C, digestive enzymes, probiotics, glutamine, essential fatty acids, calcium, and many more!
I also take glutamine and BCAA’s separately before and after training to help with recovery.
WP: I just realized that two of Sci-Fit’s athletes are in our Promoting Greatness section and being featured. Wow! Okay, let me get back to the interview. Ha! What are your pet peeves?
EZ: My biggest pet peeve is excuses. I hate when clients or co-workers complain to me that they “didn’t have time” to get their workout done or prep meals, etc. If you truly want to do something in life, you will make time for it. Yes, there is going to be sacrifice involved, but it will be worth it if you truly want to make something happen. That may mean waking up at 4 am to get your workout in before work, or prepping all of your food in advance for the next few days. I have no time for people who make excuses. You either want something or you don’t. It’s all in your control, make it happen!
WP: I completely agree with you. What do you consider to be important in life and why?
EZ: In life, having goals is extremely important. Without a goal, you have nothing to work towards. Always try to better yourself by setting high goals. As soon as you reach that goal, set another one. Never be 100 percent satisfied with the person that you are. Everyone can improve in some way, whether it is spiritually, physically, or mentally. If you consistently challenge yourself, you will only become stronger. Also, I find it extremely important to set core values for oneself. These are things you pride yourself on day in and day out. These are your backbone and what you truly believe in. These are characteristics that you hold yourself accountable for. Mine are posted on my mirror in my room, so I see them everyday when I wake up and am reminded of them before going to sleep at night. My core values are: Determination, Dedication, Motivation, Discipline, and Drive.
Bottom Line: Hard work.
WP: How have you changed over the past few years when it comes to thinking, actions, and life in general?
EZ: Over the past couple years I have grown drastically as a person. I have really been focusing on what it takes to be successful after I graduate in the spring.
I used to be extremely soft spoken and shy when I was younger. Over the past year and half or so, I have learned that sometimes risks need to be taken in order to grow. You never know until you try!
Over the past few months, I have learned a lot about myself, and what I am capable of. I am willing to take a chance, put myself out there, and not be afraid of being told no. When I was younger, I would have never been bold enough to do many things I am doing today. I have realized over the past few months that you can truly make anything happen if you want it bad enough! I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work to go after your goals and make things happen. Every opportunity I have been given so far has been the outcome of hard work, and that is something I pride myself on.
WP: What are your stats?
EZ: I am 5’10” and 150 lbs. Many girls would be shocked to find out how much I weigh, but I am proud of my hard earned muscle.
WP: Wow! I'm surprised, too! Any shout outs?
EZ: I would like to thank everyone who has been there and supported me over the last couple years, has truly believed in me and what I am capable of doing. A special thanks goes to my Mom and Brother for always being there for me. I would also like to thank everyone who has been an inspiration and role model for me. Shout out to Scott Keppel of Scott’s Training Systems out of the Tempe AZ area for being such a great role model, coach, and friend. He is, by far, one of the most genuine and sincere people I have ever met. Check him out at ScottsTrainingSystems.com.
Thank you to Gary Warren and Clark Bartram for opening many windows of opportunity for me by inviting me to attend the Fitness Model International Conference this past fall.
I encourage you all to check out FMI at FitnessModelInternational.com. Another special thanks to Clark for believing in me and making me a part of his team, Team SCI-FIT!
WP: Give me an example of your workout.
EZ: My workout changes greatly from day to day and week to week! It is important to keep your body guessing! If I had to pick a favorite, I love training legs! Some of my favorite exercises include: Squats, Romanian dead lifts, heavy walking lunges, leg press, and dumbbell split squats.
WP: Give me an example of your diet. What do you normally eat each day?
EZ: I like to change up my diet and not eat the same exact thing everyday. With my cookbook, there are many clean eats to choose from! I try to eat 6 meals a day, plus pre and post workout supplementation.
Example day:
Meal 1: EZ Whey Sweet Potato Protein Pancake & SCI-FIT Animal Pak. (Pre Workout)
Meal 2: PWO: SCI-FIT Whey Protein Isolate.
Meal 3: Chicken, green veggies, and some form of healthy fat such as flax fish oil, or all natural peanut or almond butter.
Meal 4: Same as meal 3. Protein source varies between extra lean ground turkey, chicken, and fish.
Meal 5: Stir-fry with a lean protein source and tons of veggies and a healthy fat.
Meal 6: EZ Whey “Ice Cream and PB Cups” from The EZ Whey Cookbook.
WP: Yummy! That actually all is making me hungry! Could you tell me about your future projects?
EZ: I have many exciting future projects in the works! I cannot wait to further develop my brand, The EZ Whey. I also am looking forward to other opportunities with fitness modeling and making a name for myself in the fitness industry!
I am also extremely excited to see what being a member of Team SCI-FIT brings in the future!
WP: Is there anything I have forgotten to mention that you would like to bring to light?
EZ: I would just like to encourage everyone out there to follow his or her dreams and go after it. If you want something to happen, you can make it happen! Challenge yourself, work hard, and good things will come. You cannot have a dream come true without first having a dream! It takes hard work, determination, and drive, but if you apply those things you will be successful and rewarded for your hard work.
Thank you, Tammy, for this wonderful opportunity to be featured on the World Physique Website and I look forward to working with you more in the future!
WP: You just keep reaching those stars, Emily! You're going places! It has been a pleasure interviewing you!
