What is Your Passion?
McKenzie Westmore is passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition and plenty of exercise. But for McKenzie, it's just as much about feeling good on the inside as it is looking good on the outside. McKenzie is also passionate about helping others, which is why she's constantly sharing her experiences with others. And now, McKenzie was kind of enough to share her lifestyle experiences with us...
How did you become so "passionate" about leading a healthy lifestyle?
It pretty much started when I was twelve years old. I was really skinny as a little kid. As I got older I started to eat a lot because my brother was eating a lot-but he had the metabolism to do it. My body reacted differently to the food than his did, so I got really chubby. When I was twelve, this group of health practitioners came to our school and passed out books on proper eating and health. There was just something about it. I was tired of being picked on by the other kids because of my weight. That book became precious to me. I read it from cover to cover and studied it. I then went through my parents' entire pantry and dumped everything that the book said was unhealthy. My parents walked in that night, and everything was in the trash can! But they knew how much it meant to me, so they listened. We all followed along the diet plan together. I just became really passionate about it back then. I started exercising-riding a bike and doing exercise videos. And I really fell in love with how good exercising made me feel. Not only did it physically help me become more accepted by the kids, but internally it gave me so much more strength and self-confidence. And when you exercise, everything gets released. It's such a good stress-reliever. That's how it all started.
Can you describe the diet regiment you currently follow?
I switch up every now and then, and I'm actually starting to design a diet right now that seems to be doing the trick. I've had a couple of people try it and it's working really well. It's this whole mathematical thing you have to figure out-you use what weight you want to be at, what weight you are, and then you compute how many fat grams, carbohydrates, protein grams, and calories a day you should be having. You use this particular formula five days a week. It includes eating such foods as egg whites with maybe one yolk, oatmeal, and vegetables-a good variety of things. On the sixth day, you eat fairly clean and then you have a "cheat meal" where you have whatever you want, so you're not depriving yourself. The seventh day is all protein, such as egg whites, turkey, chicken breast, and protein bars. I've also added fat to my diet, like real salad dressing, whole eggs, and protein bars with more fat. For so many years, I was a believer in non-fat and super low-fat diets but my energy was just giving out. I upped my fat intake, lowered my carbohydrates, and upped my protein. I'm like a new person now. My nails are growing better, my skin looks better, and my hair is growing better. Basically, I've combined a bunch of different diets like Lindora, The Zone, and Body for Life. As soon as I work all the kinks out, I'm going to get something written up and share it with people.
What are the "cheat meals" that you crave?
Pizza, or pancakes with lots of syrup! The night of the Super Bowl was actually a cheat meal. We had pizza, fried chicken strips, and chips with dip. You tell yourself ahead of time-I've been doing really well and I'm where I want to be, so I can allow my body to have this meal. And it ends up being a good thing because you don't want to go too long without having something out of the ordinary. Then you're just setting yourself up for failure. Also, it throws your body into shock. You want to constantly throw your metabolism into shock. My body works really well with that cheat meal because it fuels me for the week. I don't fall prey to foods that look tempting.
What about your fitness regiment?
I pretty much exercise every day. I do forty minutes to an hour of cardio. I haven't been running as much because I've had problems with my knees, so I've been sticking to machines like the Stairmaster. I've started a whole new weight routine-three or four times a week, two body parts per session with heavier weights.
You are a certified personal trainer. Why did you decide to become a personal trainer?
On my website, I was always giving advice on fitness. Because I was giving out advice, I thought-God forbid anything happened to anyone, I wouldn't want people to think I was just some actress who didn't know what she was talking about. I wanted people to feel assured that I knew what I was talking about. The only way I could do that was by getting certified.
Is it hard to juggle proper eating and your fitness regiment with a demanding work schedule?
I keep protein bars with me. If I get a sweet tooth, it really curbs my appetite. As far as exercise, I do it whenever I can. The other morning, I had a 6:30am call-time. I was up at 4:45 and at the gym at 5:00. I worked out for an hour. There are days I don't get off until late and I'm at the gym at 9pm.
What kinds of questions or concerns do people come to you with?
One of the number one questions is weight loss-how to lose weight. There are so many teenagers out there who feel they are overweight. First of all, I try to assure them that beauty comes from within. No matter what they are on the outside, they have to believe in themselves on the inside and know that the inside will always remain beautiful. As far as health matters go, I know how much I wanted to lose weight when I was a kid. I just try to help them find a sensible way to knock off some pounds without starving themselves or resorting to any kind of eating disorder. I want them to know there are ways to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle, without going to extremes.
As someone who struggled with your weight and self-esteem when you were younger, what would you tell kids who are struggling with their self-esteem?
I would tell them first to take a look on the inside. It's about feeling good about yourself. I found that through my family's love and support, and also through prayer. Prayer really helped me through the tough times. When I found my spirituality, it helped me to battle those demons of lacking self-esteem and being down on myself. That gave me the strength to find healthy eating and exercise patterns. It really all comes from within.
Eating disorders are very prevalent in society and of course in Hollywood, but you maintain a healthy attitude on eating and fitness. Has it been hard for you to obtain and keep that attitude?
I did fall prey to an eating disorder when I was in high school. I battled through that. The love and support of my family got me through it. I climbed uphill and realized how pointless it was-I hurt myself more than I helped myself. I realized that by eating, I could still stay slim. I didn't need to starve myself to be the same size I'd be when I was eating. Because I went through it, I really want to help teens out there realize they don't need to go through that. There are healthy ways to lose weight, if you need to.
When do you feel healthiest?
I feel healthiest when I know I've been eating very clean for a while. There are times I feel I can go through without having a cheat meal-and if I can, I'll do it. It's difficult, but when I can get through a couple of weeks of eating strict and exercising, then I feel healthiest. I feel everything is functioning properly.
Have there been specific times you've felt especially rewarded after giving someone advice?
Oh, definitely. I've had people send me pictures. People tell me they lost weight in time for their wedding, and they were so happy because they got into their wedding dress. It's wonderful to see some of the before-and-after pictures. That makes me feel good. And it's not just a physical thing. I know what it's doing for their self-esteem. There's nothing that makes me happier than seeing the smiles on their faces. It's so good to see someone who feels good about themselves and who can go out of their house, for the first time, with their head held high.
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