Jana Stewart

Jana Stewart :  The Picture of Health 

May I be honest with you?  How can I say this?  I have never found women who are bodybuilders to be “my cup of tea.”  The few women that I’ve seen have been too cut and too ripped for my taste.  They had lost some of their feminine qualities. 

I know that beauty is a subjective thing.  Think about it.  One man’s Beyoncé is another man’s Aunt Esther. 

Well folks, I’m here to tell you that Jana Stewart has changed my perspective.  Jana has the right balance—of fitness and beauty.  When you couple that with her tenacity and drive to be successful, you end up with a beautiful and winning combination.  Simply stated, this woman is a winner. 

Everybody has a story to tell and Jana’s story began early in life when her parents enrolled her in a variety of activities.  She participated in softball, cheerleading, dance, gymnastics and theater all before the age of 16.  In high school Jana continued to participate in cheerleading and even tried powder puff football during her senior year and coached a cheerleading team. 

After graduating, Jana attended Florida A&M University.  It was at this stage of her life that Jana focused her attention on academics.  She earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Economics and a Masters degree in Public Administration.

Armed with her degrees she moved to the ATL (Atlanta, GA) and worked for Arthur Andersen and IBM.  She really got into fitness while planning a trip to Cancun.  She wanted to make sure that she was “bikini ready.”  Since that time, she’s been focused on good health, fitness and nutrition.

Jana Stewart is an inspiring young talent.  Check out our interview with her and get motivated. 

EE.net:  Hello Jana.  Thanks for taking time out of your schedule for this interview.  What part of the country did you grow up? 

Jana Stewart:  Thank you for the opportunity.  I grew up in Southfield, MI.  I’m the only girl.  I have two older brothers. 

EE.net:  Where did you go to school?  

Jana Stewart:  I attended Southfield High School and then went on to get my Bachelors and Masters degree from Florida A&M University. 

EE.net:  Do you consider yourself to be more of a model, fitness expert, trainer or competitor?

Jana Stewart:  I really consider myself to be all of the above.  My first love is competing, I also love modeling, and it’s the mission of my company (J Fitness) to help everybody learn to live a healthy lifestyle. 

EE.net:  Tell us more about the competitive aspects of your career. 

Jana Stewart:  Well I compete in Figure competitions.

EE.net:  Figure competitions?  OK, help a brother out.  What’s that? 

Jana Stewart:  It’s a form of bodybuilding, but we are supposed to be less muscular and curvier.  But we train just like bodybuilders and endurance athletes.  I train twice a day and I have a very strict diet that I follow weeks before a show.  Right now I’m getting ready for the Iron Man Figure Competition in Pasadena, CA (Feb 18). 

EE.net:  Less muscular and less curvier.  I like that.  Can’t you tell by looking at my physique?  

Jana Stewart:  I’m not going there.  LOL! 

EE.net:  Is there such a thing as “fitness modeling?” 

Jana Stewart:  Yes. 

EE.net:  What is it?  

Jana Stewart:  You can find fitness models in all the Fitness magazines.  Sometimes clients like a more toned and fit look. 

EE.net:  What were you doing before you became a model?  

Jana Stewart:  What I’m still doing now.  Working in the Medical Sales field.  I love competing and modeling but until I get a big sponsorship deal, I have to work a 9 to 5. 

EE.net:  How did you get interested in bodybuilding and health and fitness? 

Jana Stewart:  I started reading Oxygen magazine; I wanted to look like the women in those magazines.  So I started contacting some of them.  I even went to visit a few of them, and then I decided to compete like them. 

EE.net:  Has having a healthy lifestyle affected you in other areas of your life? 

Jana Stewart:  Oh YES!  Some of my friends don’t want to hang out with me anymore because they think I’m boring and have no life because I don’t hang out drinking all the time.   

EE.net:  I’m not surprised. 

Jana Stewart:  Some men get really intimidated, not really sure why.  I sometimes don’t have time to be as social as I’d like because after working a full day, training twice a day, working on J Fitness projects, prepping for competitions.  I just don’t have time for anything but the bed. 

EE.net:  OK, tell the truth.  Do you really enjoy working out or is it more of a necessity?  

Jana Stewart:  I LOVE working out!  Even if I were not competing, I’d still train like I do now.  It makes me feel so good. 

EE.net:  Wow.  Well it shows.  What does a typical workout routine for you consist of?

Jana Stewart:  I get up at 3AM, do drills in the pool for 30 – 40 minutes, weight train for 30 – 60 min., and then do 45 – 60 minutes of cardio. 

EE.net:  Wait a minute.  3:00 am?  How did you get so knowledgeable about fitness, beauty and nutrition? 

Jana Stewart:  I read a lot, I surround myself with very knowledgeable people, and I presently have and have had in the past, really great trainers. 

EE.net:  There are a lot of models on the Internet.  What makes you different? 

Jana Stewart:  I’m not just your typical fitness model, I work with some of the best fashion photographers in the industry…so if you want bikini, I can give you that, but if you prefer evening gown, I can give you that to.  I also have a great attitude and I truly want to help people achieve their goals. 

EE.net:  How involved are you with the business aspect of your career?  

Jana Stewart:  Very much so.  I recently signed a contract with Honey Bunny Model Management.  Although they do a lot of my promoting, etc., for me, I’m still very involved.  I run J Fitness by myself, it’s a lot of hard work, but Health and Fitness is really my passion.  I live for this. 

EE.net:  Are there any modeling jobs that you won’t do? 

Jana Stewart:  I will not pose nude and I would not be caught dead doing some of these trashy photos that I’m seeing on the Internet.  There’s a way to be sensual and sexy without looking like a prostitute.  And just to prove that, my membership section will be up in a few weeks, very sexy shots, but classy also. 

 

EE.net:  What’s the best part of being a model? 

Jana Stewart:  The great photos that I’ll have forever.  Also, it makes me keep my beauty regime in check…there’s no time for slacking when at any given point you may have to pose in a bikini. 

EE.net:  How big a factor is sex in the modeling business?

Jana Stewart:  For some, it’s a big factor because that’s the only way they can get work.  For me, I have standards, if what’s on my comp card is not good enough to get me the job, then no thanks!!

EE.net:  Tell us about your web site.  Has having a web site helped you as a model?  Please explain.   

Jana Stewart:  Yes, www.janastewart.com has helped a great deal.  When I first got me web site, it was not that great.  But my manager recently reworked it and I LOVE it.  I’ve gotten all sorts of great feedback.  My online store and members section will be up and running soon!!!  It’s good to have an interesting, exciting web site.  On my site, you can get to know me, what I’m doing, how I do in my shows, but then you can also go to the Training sections and get work outs and diet tips.  Coming soon I’ll have live downloads of me demonstrating some of my training drills. 

EE.net:  Girl you are doing it?  Are you married?  Single? Have a significant other?  

Jana Stewart:  No, No, Not yet. 

EE.net:  LOL!  How long do you plan to stay in the modeling and fitness business?

Jana Stewart:  I plan to compete for about 7 more years.  I’ll always be in the fitness business. 

EE.net:  Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? 

Jana Stewart:  Doing the same thing, only working just for J Fitness, helping people to achieve their goals. 

EE.net:  What advice would you give to working women who want to live healthy and active lives, but can’t seem to find the time and energy to work out and eat healthy? 

Jana Stewart:  I’d tell them that even if they can spare 20 minutes out of a day, they can do some type of physical activity to help get, keep them in shape.  Eating healthy is very important, but it does not mean starving yourself.  I know that women are busy these days and have little time to prepare food, but little things like getting salad dressing on the side, avoiding sugar filled pop, cutting meals in ½ and eating every 2 – 3 hours can really knock off some pounds. 

EE.net:  Is there anything that you want to share with our readers that you didn’t get a chance to in this interview? 

Jana Stewart:  Please feel free to e-mail me at:  jana@janastewart.com with any questions that you have.  Please check my schedule often, if I’m in a city near you, come by to see me.  I’d love to meet you all.  I love meeting people from all walks of life.  Thanks for taking the time to read my interview…I look forward to hearing from you. 

So what do you think?  Let us know your thoughts, leave us some feedback!