Retired IFBB Fitness Pro Laura Mak is definitely considered not only a legend and icon in the fitness industry, but has also paved the way for thousands of females - and still does to this very day! In fact just recently, reigning Ms. Figure Olympia herself, Nicole Wilkins Lee, mentioned in an interview (check the November 2011 issue of Iron Man magazine) that it was after watching Laura compete at a past Arnold Classic that she was inspired to follow in her footsteps by jumping into the sport of Fitness.

Laura has had over twenty years in the industry, compiling a resume that few could match! She has competed all over the world (including on the Olympia stage), consistently placing near the top, and is still considered one of the best athletes ever in the IFBB. I am honored to have her as one of my closest friends and despite her busy schedule (and her first baby on the way in less than two weeks - It's a boy!!!) I am glad she could take the time to sit down and chat with me about anything I decided to throw at her!

R: Please tell the readers a little about yourself... you know... things like marital status, location, what businesses you own, where you went to school, etc.

L: I am happily married and living in Los Angeles, California. I am the proud owner of Mak Attack Fitness, which includes a few areas: Personal training - where I have a gym that I work out of to train clients, and a beautiful ocean/beach where we do boot camps. Online training and Nutrition - which is how I am able to help people who don't live close enough to work with me personally. You can find out more about it on my website at www.LauraMak.com. Make sure to check out the Premiere Online Training Club. Mak Attack Fitness Wear - a clothing line I started back in 2001. It was one of the first imported Brazilian fitness lines. Since then there have been several that have come and gone, but somehow we have stood the test of time. I love to use lots of fun, energizing colors, sexy styles, and unique patterns that flatter most physiques. So Mak Attack is really a 3-pronged operation. But now we have added a fourth facet in that I am now also an author. I currently have two E-books for sale on the site, the most recent being "Fast and Fierce Fitness Made Fabulously Fun!" - a 12 week program that you can do at home or the gym.

I have earned both a bachelors and Masters Degree in Exercise Science from Michigan State University (go Green!). I was a scholarship gymnast during my undergrad, making my mark and competing in all four events. I was awarded a Graduate Assistantship (Scholarship) for grad school, where I taught health and wellness courses to the undergrad students. I must say that I loved my education and experiences from MSU.

I competed in a few organizations before deciding on NPC/IFBB. In one year, which is a short period of time to earn an IFBB Fitness Pro Card, I won the 1998 NPC Nationals Tall class (there were just two big classes at this time) We had quite a few amazing athletes that came out that year. I competed in over 23 IFBB Pro shows, was invited to all the “Invitational’s” such as the Arnold Classic, Jan Tana, European shows, Olympia, GNC Show of Strength, and NY Pro Shows. I usually managed to place in the top of those shows and was definitely known for my fun energetic routines. They definitely got better with age! I retired where it all began, in Atlanta, at the Show of Strength, in front of all my family and friends - a great way to finish in 2003. That was the end of competitions for me, but not the end of my career! In fact it was really new beginning!

R: How did you originally get into Fitness competitions?

L: My dance and gymnastics background was a definite stepping stone for me to catapult my competitive fitness career. I actually did one fitness show right out of college in 1992 (uh oh, I just dated myself), and the girl who won did three seconds of her routine and ran off the stage. But she still won the entire show with only a three second routine! I thought fitness was "dumb" and certainly not a real sport if the winner was already chosen from past competitions - and especially not after how she performed that evening! So several years later, my dance coach convinced me to go into fitness competitions after several auditions and making it to final cuts with both the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NBA Atlanta Hawks, where they said I was just a little "too muscular to blend" with the other girls (LOL)! Funny thing was this even before I started weight training for fitness contests! Anyway, I finally listened and within one year of competing I earned my NPC title which allowed me to become an IFBB Fitness Pro.

R: What would you say are some of the proudest moments of your fitness career?

L: I loved competing in the Arnold Classics Fitness International, which I did four times. Since it was close to home in Ohio, and my family was still in Michigan, they were always able to come down and enjoy the contests. I also was able to have friends from college come out and support too, which was always fun. I think either my Arnold Classic Trophy or my Fitness Olympia medal would have to be my greatest contest moments. But quite honestly I really loved meeting the other competitors, especially the newer ones. It can be overwhelming, and if you don't have a friendly face nearby, it can be less enjoyable. Some people would get so caught up in the competition and forget to have some fun with it, so I always wanted to be the competitor backstage that would talk to others and build friendships as well as be on top of my game. I am very competitive, but my competiveness is much more internal than external.

R: Which of the girls were the toughest and most challenging to compete against when you were a pro?

L: Well, the year I earned my pro card there were several top ranked girls that all helped catapult the fitness industry into what it is today. Mandy Blank and I were champions at Nationals, Kelly Ryan won Team Universe and Jenny Worth won the USA’s. These are all powerhouses that have left a huge impact on the sport and industry. Then the very next year came Adela Garcia and Jen Hendershott - two other competitors who have lasted for a decade! There were women before me like Timea Majorova, Monica Brant, and Teresa Hessler, that paved the way for us to come along. However, I think the group that I competed with had a whole different level of performance and routine talent.

R: What changes have you seen in the industry from the time you retired to today?

L: There have been many changes, but I think the most significant one is that there are so many more pros today and so many more opportunities to earn a pro card between Fitness, Figure, Physique, Bikini and all the different classes. It has really opened up doors for women to compete.

R: Now that you have retired from competing, how has your lifestyle changed? How do you eat and train now just to stay fit and healthy?

L: Oh, there have been lots of changes. I must admit, it did take a while to find my "happy medium" post competition. I tried a variety of "diets,"vegan, organic, vegetarian, gluten free, etc, but I found that just incorporating a wide variety of seasonal veggies, high quality proteins, complex carbs, and a treat when I want it, made me happy and gave the balance I was striving for. Training has changed into more “lifestyle” training vs. contest-type training. Now, I may pick things up a bit if I have a guest performance, photo shoot or fashion show, but for the most part I simply strive to eat consistently and train regularly. My workouts have varied more to include yoga, dance classes, pilates, boot camps, and full body or interval-type weight training sessions. It gives me more variety and still stimulates my muscles.

R: As stated in my opening paragraph you are pregnant with your first child, due on December 8! How has your training and diet differed in the last nine months?

L: My diet has definitely changed in the last nine months and has done so in phases. Unfortunately I have been one of the few lucky gals to get to "enjoy" nausea almost all the way through my pregnancy. It just began to slow down during my ninth month - just in time for baby to arrive!

In the first trimester, nothing tasted or smelled very good, so my poor husband and I kept a pretty bare refrigerator because just opening the door could send me running to the bathroom. I did notice that in my first trimester I ate more carbs than I have in the past three years combined! But I figured since these types of foods were the only ones that sat well in my stomach I should just go with it. I tried to steer clear of processed foods, and enjoyed complex carbs like high fiber bread, oatmeal, yams, and whole wheat pasta. I was able to get some protein from dairy such as egg whites, Greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, light string cheese, and fat free milk. I had a difficult time with chicken for the first two trimesters, but was still able to enjoy turkey, salmon (only about three or four times a month), steak, lean burgers, and bison.As my stomach and nose began to accept more "scents" I was able to add back into the diet more green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, green beans, romaine, cucumbers, peppers, kale, and asparagus.

About 2-3 times a week I would wake up in the middle of the night starving so I would go "feed the baby" a protein drink and a high-fiber health bar. Usually after that is when I would get my best sleep from about 4-6 am.

I would still eat about 4-6 times per day and my portion sizes were about the same or smaller than what I was eating before pregnancy. Sometimes I would just get full faster. Maybe the last two weeks I was able to eat more at one sitting than before.

R: Was it difficult to let your “competition physique” go when you retired from competing?

L: Once I was done competing I wanted to maintain a “healthy” physique. After I retired I continued to do guest performances for another five years because that was one of my main purposes for competing - to get paid for guest performances all across the country. This was a perfect way for me to brand the clothing line as well as get to know people from all over the country and world. Even after the guest performances, I formed a dance team - fulfilling one of my previous goals to dance with a "professional" team - that was comprised of former NFL, NBA, and IFBB Fitness Pros. We were called "Groove Attack Dancers" and were sponsored by my Mak Attack Fitness Wear. We would do a 5-7 minute show with all different types of music such as latin, hip hop, rock, pop, country, etc - something for everyone to enjoy. We performed at several big trade shows like the Olympia, Bodybuilding.com Fitness Expo, Shape Up America and a wide variety of other appearances. As my career changed my physique did as well. I definitely had to be in great shape to perform at a fitness contest or Groove Attack dancer, but it didn't have to be quite so extreme.

R: Recently you have revamped your “Mak Attack Fitness Wear” line (available at www.makattackfitness.com) and will be making even more exciting changes in the coming year. I personally love your clothes and wear them myself, so please tell me what we can expect from you in 2012.

L: Well, new things are definitely happening. We are working with a new manufacturer to bring you more fun colors, styles, and patterns. We will be introducing a few other lines, such as tops you can wear during pregnancy, more fun fitness outfits that you will see in the exercise magazines, and for all the certified instructors out there, we have created what will be called an “Instructors Club.” All you need to do is present your current certification and you will receive a regular discount, monthly “hot items” that carry and even greater discount, “first look” at sale items and much more! So, there will be a lot of really exciting things happening for spring 2012.

R: What else should we be on the lookout for from Laura Mak in the coming year?

L: Well, we are due with our first baby shortly, so he will take most of my time in the beginning as I make sure to enjoy all those coo's, smiles, naps, cries, diapers, and everything else he does in those first few precious months. Then I will gradually get back into Mak Attack Fitness projects. I will still be updating my FB page at Facebook.com/LauraMakFitness with articles and videos, while I also keep in touch with my peeps. You can also check out my blog at LauraMakBlog.com for articles on health, fitness and nutrition; shop at MakAttackFitness.com and read about what's new with me on LauraMak.com.

R: Well, is sounds to me like life is about to get busier than ever Laura, so I am so happy that I was able to sit and chat with you now! Next year I may need an appointment just to text you, LOL. But seriously, I want to thank you for being such a huge inspiration to me, and women all over the world. You set an example that all should follow. I look forward to all the wonderful things you have coming in 2012, and cannot wait to meet your new “bundle of joy!”