EC: Shawn Rene, tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in competitive figure bodybuilding, modeling, and the fitness world?

Shawn Rene: I am very energetic, positive, motivational, charismatic, fun loving! I started competing in Fitness very young, when I was 18! I grew up in a health & fitness family. The year I was born my dad won Mr. NPC Delaware, and he has won Mr. Eastern Shore, Mr. Tri-State & Best Body on the Beach! My dad competed, and with the NPC from 1983-1987.

Fitness is in my genes I had a strong passion for the health & fitness industry at a very early age! We have a full gym at our house and I would hang on my dad’s back while he did donkey calf raises and chin ups. When I was little, I would sit on my dad’s lap and read Muscle & Fitness with him and watch Body Shaping. I was very passionate about fitness industry at a young age and could not wait to explore it!

My parents involved me in sports right away, I was very energetic being involved in gymnastics, swim team, track, soccer and dance. On the first day of gymnastics, I was already doing flips and on the high bars! In track I won fastest sprinter gold metal awards, even beating out the guys! I also won fastest swimmer, thoroughly enjoyed swimming. Dance was my passion, I excelled in Hip-Hop, Jazz, Ballet and Modern Dance.

I danced pre-professionally for 12 years and loved every second of it! I had intense dance training six days a week. In the summer I would do very intense, eight hours of daily dance training. We would even have instructors from Russia come in. My dance instructor was very intense she was a graduate from Julliard and worked with Olympic athletes. She would push us until we were our best, she always pulled more out of us, and pushed us to the max and brought the best out in us, I loved that.

She would sit on our back until we were in complete perfect straddle splits, with our arches high, and our toes pointing absolutely straight! She would even make some cry she would be so direct with her critique, but she would tell us she is making us the best! I was fortunate to have her as my dance instructor for 12 years, and in High School, she was ahead of the dance traveling team which she started and I was on!

We went to Dance Nationals in Miami, FL. I was honored to be one of eight dancers chosen to perform in the prestigious Gala in Miami, FL at Nationals. In High School I was also on the Dance Team that performed during half time for the basketball games. So I was dancing 24/7! Dancing gave me discipline, focus, mental toughness, extreme flexibility & fitness.

Since I was little I wanted to be on Body Shaping, FitnessTV and in Fitness magazines. I would see the Fitness competitions on TV and I knew it would be perfect for me, combining my love of fitness, dance, creativity, positivity, rhinestones and beauty pageants all in one!

I have my Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science, graduated from Wesley College 2007 (Deans List.) I was the dance team chorographer in college. I danced during half time for football games, I loved it! I am Certified in Personal Training by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I have been a Certified Personal Trainer since 2002. I am a Sports Medicine Specialist and Exercise Specialist.

EC: Wow Shawn Rene! you had me at Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science!! Where do you reside and train at?

Shawn Rene: East Coast, Delaware. I train at Gold’s Gym!!! :-)

EC: Do you have a trainer or did you build your outstanding physique all on your own?

Shawn: I Terminator Power House Olympic Style Blast train myself!! :-) When i get ready for shows i see my IFBB Fitness Pro Tracey Greenwood weekly, have been going to her for my show prep since I was 18.

EC: You are in great hands with Tracey Greenwood. What is your training philosophy?

Shawn Rene: I listen to my body. Everyone has to do what works for them everyone’s body is different. I lift heavy as I can to build my muscle and low reps, for my upper body since I am naturally petite. Also less ware & tare on my ligaments & joints which means more healthy years in the sport! I train higher reps on my lower body since I am more muscular on my lower body and develop muscle easy there.

EC: What does your current training workout look like?

Shawn Rene: I split my work outs into different body parts back, legs, chest, arms, shoulders. Cardio six days a week. I also love to do sprints and bleachers, Rocky style!

EC: Who doesn't love "Rocky style". Is this training routine something that our readers can use to build muscle and lose body fat or is this something that is more suited for an advanced athlete?

Shawn Rene: For an advanced athlete. For my clients who want to lose body fat I put them through total body high rep non-stop work out with cardio intervals in between! I call my training style with my clients, Shawn Rene’s Fabulous Total Beach Body Booty Blast Sizzling Hot Olympic Style Training!

EC: Sounds like you would definitely burn some calories and tone up with this workout. What was the hardest thing you had to deal with when it came to your diet?

Shawn Rene: Cutting back on carbs, since when your training so hard, your body craves carbs for recovery and energy.

EC: Give me an example of your diet. What do you normally eat each day?

Shawn Rene: Oatmeal, Fresh fruit, Chicken, Fish, Steak, Brown Rice, Yams, Eggs, Protein Shakes, Veggies, Gallon of water a day, green tea!

EC: If you could thank one person for helping you reach your professional and fitness goals, who would it be?

Shawn: My mom and dad! They have been so encouraging and supportive! Traveling with me & being with me every step of the way!! My mom is like my personal assistant too, she is awesome!!! We have a full gym at my house and I thank my Dad for making it so awesome!

EC: How convenient to have a full gym in your home. It goes without saying, you have a great Dad! How important are supplements in your fitness program and which supplements do you use year round

Shawn Rene: Very important! My house pantry looks like a Health and Supplement store! I take Multi-Vitamin, Minerals, B Vitamins, Protein Powders, Aminos, Green drinks galore, Green tabs, Vit C, Enzymes, Fish Oil, Flax Oil, Glutathione, Glutamine, energy drinks. Muscle-4Life-Nutrition.com carries the highest quality products! I highly recommend their products! You will be sure to be on the fast track to health & fitness and taking the A game of supplements!!!

EC: Thank you Shawn Rene, we do take care of our customers. What advice would you give to someone who has tried a number of weight loss programs with no success?

Shawn Rene: Come see me, or email me, I will guarantee you results!

EC: We will be including Shawn Rene's contact information at the end of this interview. What has been your stepping stone to get where you are today?

Shawn Rene: My years of intense pre-professional dance training!! It has taught me the discipline, precision, form and extreme flexibility & has given me all my moves for my intense fitness routines! Dance is where I begin to absolutely love performing & being on stage!!!

EC: Where and when is your next modeling project or competition?

Shawn Rene: I am always training intense super hard and eating clean to be lean machine. I don’t have an off season. That would be too boring! I like to always have something going on! I am always ready for photo shoots lights camera action! I am always getting ready for photo shoots!!! I love them!!!! My next one is next week! :-) For competitions, I am figuring out now when my next show will be and will let you know! Can’t wait to get on that stage again! Love the stage!

EC: It shows, you look amazing in all your photos and on stage. Tell me about your family. In addition, are you married, single, or dating?

Shawn Rene: I am very close with my family, very family orientated! So close with my mom, dad, brother, and grandma. Love them so very much! They are all into health & fitness! We go on family island vacations every year together so much fun! We all work out together too while on the Island vacations. My mom has to call on vacations to find out what the weights go up to for my dad. Its great! They are very supportive and encouraging. I am very picky & single! And looking for my positive, loving, fun, energetic, athlete, strong hot man of steel! :-)

EC: What has modeling taught you thus far?

Shawn Rene: To enjoy every moment!!! Take nothing for granted, it is all a gift from God. It is awesome to look back and have amazing memories & be ready for more memories!!!!! Walk Boldly in the Direction of your Dreams Vision has Power, Begin it Now!

EC: It sure was your destiny, you are taking the fitness world by storm. What was the hardest thing for you to overcome when you first started modeling?

Shawn Rene: I don’t think i had to overcome anything! :-) Except for once at a shoot I decided to jump in the water regardless if there was a possible snake in the water, because I just love photo shoots I didn’t care & was in the moment & living it up! Looking back am thank God I was safe! Maybe I would put it on my shoulders and sing, “Im a slave for you!” haha

EC: HAHAH Great song! Who has been the most memorable person you have enjoyed working with?

Shawn Rene: I have gotten to meet Monica Brant, I did her show in 2003 and loved working with her! She was helping us girls with our hair back stage she was so nice! IFBB Fitness Pro Laurie Vaniman she is so sweet genuine and sincere, love her!!!! Love them!!!

EC: Would you like to give a shout out to anyone?

Shawn Rene: Shawn Rene: My family & friends for being supportive & enjoying the journey with me! One of my best friends in the world, Trisha E. for enjoying, helping & joining me in executing hours of killer power house sprints & bleachers every morning with me! Our Billion Dollar Booty Blasting Mornings! Money could not put a price on how good we would feel after, so that is what we tagged our morning workouts! :-)

EC: So Shawn Rene, where will all your future goals take you?

Shawn Rene: I want to continue doing Fitness Modeling of course, I LOVE IT!!!!!! Competing!!!! Being involved in the fitness industry to the fullest!!! My goal is to have my own TV Fitness Show & Fitness DVD’S!!!! I want to be a role model to this generation representing integrity and striving for excellence & total health on the inside & out! I want to have my own hot fitness clothing line as well!!!!

EC: Anything else you would like to add?

Shawn Rene: Fitness Magazines been in since 2002 to Currently: Muscle & Fitness Hers Magazine, Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Oxygen Fitness Magazine, Planet Muscle Magazine, Max Muscle & Fitness Magazine, FitnessRX For Women Magazine Mega 16 page spread & in (several issues) , Natural Muscle Magazine Cover, Exercise For Men Only Magazine, Exercise Magazine, NPC News Magazine, Optimum Nutrition/ABB, Met-RX, ThoroTread NFL & Olympic Weight Training Treadmill National & International Ads.

Quote: Dream it, Believe it, See it, Do it & Love it!!!! Nothing big in life comes from thinking small! Explore, Dream, Discover! To accomplish great things, plan, act and believe! Walk Boldly in the direction of your dreams, Vision has Power, Begin it Now! :-) Follow your destiny and pursue your passion to the fullest!

Contact me at: ShawnReneFit@aol.com
Make sure to stop by and say hi at the following:
www.facebook.com/ShawnReneZimmerman
www.myspace.com/ShawnReneZ

EC: I want to thank you Shawn Rene for being Muscle-4Life-Nutrition.com's Featured Athlete. Like I said earlier in this interview you are amazing and your energy is contagious. Do me a favor keep being you don't change a thing. Good luck, I know the Lord has big plans for you. God Bless!