Page 12 - Demo

12 || MOST FITNESS || APRIL 2016MFM: You briefly lived in a women%u2019s shelter with your mother growing up, and have worked in shelters, empowering women and teaching the importance of self-defense-How did that experience shape the rest of your life? And what is the most important thing about self-defense that every woman should know?NS: I feel like it%u2019s actually made me more aware of the strengths a woman possesses. I was able at a young age to see my mom and how she was able to leave my dad and have the strength to stand on her own two feet and support us. She had not had a job at the time for the last six years, but had to find one to support us in this new phase of life. So it was really beautiful to see firsthand the strength that is inside of all women.Self-Defense1. Be aware2. Be loud3. Never give up. First of all don%u2019t be on your phone, and always be aware if someone is following you. Be loud with your voice, as that tends to scare off predators. Ever since I%u2019ve been teaching children in Taekwondo, I%u2019ve always told them that I%u2019d rather they fight for their life on the street as hard as they can, than go with someone or give up. MFM: You had an enchanting job at Disneyland Hong Kong-What was the best part and most challenging part of that experience?NS: I had a magical job, and I got to dress up and spend time with children and make their dreams come true. The hardest part though was definitely the heat in Hong Kong! People would walk up with tissues in their hand and offer them to you. You perform outside when its 98 degrees and 98 humidity!MFM: How did you become a black belt in Taekwondo?NS: I was actually a really shy kid after my parents got divorced. It made me a complete introvert, and I didn%u2019t want to make any friends or talk to anyone. I ended up moving to a new town with my dad, and he got me started in Taekwondo which changed my life.MFM: How does being a black belt affect other areas of your life?NS: Training in it overall has taught me so many life skills. Perseverance, community, and integrity are all instilled in you from the moment you start training, and these have translated into all other areas of my life.MFM: What do you do to stay in shape/daily workout routine?NS: I still do Taekwondo, but don%u2019t get to do it as much as I%u2019d like. Otherwise, at least once a week or once every other week I do 30 to 40 minutes of cardio and 20 to 25 minutes of weight training. I like to work out in the mornings as it helps with food choices. If I know I got a good workout in, I don%u2019t want to mess up what I did by eating poorly.MFM: What is a typical day in meals like for you?NS: I used to follow a really strict plan when I was training for pageants. Now when I%u2019m not training, I try to make overall healthy choices. I have protein and vegetables with all meals, drink lots of water, and don%u2019t eat too much sugar, although I do love my sweets. When I was training, I was actually drinking a gallon of water a day; it was like training for a fitness competition!MFM: How would you describe your everyday style/favorite designers?NS: My everyday style is timeless and easy. I like to try to find outfits that I will look back on in 50 years and think that I still look good. I%u2019m definitely not one for trends. I like an easy outfit where I don%u2019t need 15 different pieces to put on. Michael Costello is my favorite gown designer, and he did both of my dresses for the pageants.MFM: Can you give your top 5 tips for aspiring beauty queens like yourself?1. Confidence is key-if you are very confident when you are competing in a pageant, it definitely shows. If you believe in yourself, the judges will believe in you also.2. You have to know yourself, especially when it comes to interviews. I%u2019ve seen some girls get stumped when they are asked about their favorite book because they%u2019ve never even thought about it.3. Be prepared on all subjects.4. Never give up-it took me five years to become Miss USA.5. Be yourself-be your true, authentic self-don%u2019t compete with blonde hair if you are never usually blonde. They want to know about you. MFM: In the Miss USA 2014 pageant that you won, which part was your favorite out of the whole experience on the way to winning? What part did you need to work on the hardest?NS: My favorite part was learning from Shanna Moakler, the director from Miss Nevada USA. She is a former Miss USA herself, and I grew so much by working with her. The hardest part with preparing though was the fitness aspect. I%u2019m not naturally an overweight person; I have an average body, but when it came to fitness, I wanted to be in the best shape of my life. I was eating five meals a day of lean protein and veggies and carbs. I was also working out at the gym four to five times a week and going to Taekwondo practice at least once every two weeks.