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Amanda Doerrer Interview

Article care of www.star-interviews.com

DON: You've been asked to interview for donlemmon.com with some other cool people!
AMANDA: It is very exciting for me to be asked for an interview, especially in light of the great fitness competitors you have interviewed before me. I love to have the chance to meet people and chat and be able to truly express myself. I don't get that opportunity by doing photo shoots.

DON: What can you tell me about your body and the shape it's in that you think most people do not realize.
AMANDA: One comment that I frequently get is "Oh, but you must naturally be in that shape."  This could not be further from the truth!! I grew up being a very stocky kid. Because I have always been an athlete, I was never fat - but still stocky. And even worse - I have ALWAYS had an insatiable appetite (especially for sweets). When preparing for a contest, I have to change my eating habits a lot and also even change my workouts. I take it as a great compliment when people think that this is how I naturally look.

DON: Per modeling or fitness or bodybuilding. Tell me the best, and the worst experience you have ever had in this field.? Maybe the experience was with another person or happened to a friend.
AMANDA: This is going to sound corny, but I have not yet had a bad experience with competing in fitness competitions. Last year when I competed in the NPC I was fortunate enough to win every contest, except for the NPC USA where I came in second. And more importantly, at every competition, all the competitors were extremely nice. I think the best experience I have had so far in fitness was when I won the overall at the 1999 NPC California State Championships. The audience was great, I hit my routine, and everyone was so nice. Taking 2nd at the USA was great, but I was so nervous during the whole competition, and I felt so much pressure, that I did not really get a chance to settle down and just enjoy the moment.

DON: How do you feel about fitness models being mistaken for fitness competitors?
AMANDA: To be honest, this is not something that I have even thought about before. Fitness models are just trying to make a living by filling a need created by several fitness magazines. So long as fitness models don't lie about whether they compete, the mistaken beliefs of others really don't bother me.

DON: But aren't you afraid of falling into the category of bimbo?
AMANDA: True fans of fitness competitions know who the competitors are. Now if your question was pointed at whether I feel the magazines should be using competitors rather than models - well, my answer is yes. The major magazines feature competitive male bodybuilders to sell the magazine's current issue and to promote feature articles. I feel that the fitness competitors and female bodybuilders should be similarly utilized.

DON: Tell me about the different fad diets you have tried. Why did they fail?
AMANDA: Oh boy, have I tried fad diets. As I mentioned above, I am quite stocky naturally with a mixture of a mesomorph and endomorph body type. During college I was quite self-conscious about my body and as a result I tried several fad diets. I tried the high carb/fat free diet. This failed because I was always hungry and eating carbs all the time made my blood sugar levels constantly fluctuated. I tried the "no food" plan, where I severely cut my total caloric intake. This also failed. While I lost weight, I became sickly, I was tired all the time, lost a considerable amount of lean muscle mass and just looked terrible and I was a real grouch. Also - I would crave food so bad that I would occasionally go crazy and eat anything in sight. Not healthy!

DON: What brought you to your senses?
AMANDA: My husband! Once I began living with my husband - the fad diets went out the window. He helped me get on a more sensible food plan - not a diet - that I can follow year round.

DON: What different exercise routines have you tried? Split routines, full body workouts, and what really showed the best results?
AMANDA: I have been weight training since the age of 14 when I trained with my high school football team to rehab my shoulder and to increase my strength for soccer. My introduction to weights was the Bigger Faster Stronger program. In college, I switched to a milder workout where I trained my entire body three times a week.

DON: What was your current routine like?
AMANDA: Since my senior year of college until the present I have periodically switched my weight training routine from a 3 on - 1 off split to a 4 on - 2 off. I feel I get the best results when I focus training each body part only once per week over a few sessions through out the week.

DON: What was the last movie you saw, video rented, cd bought, concert saw, fancy meal ate?
AMANDA: I tend not to go out to the movies often because I would rather stay home and rent a pay-per-view movie. The last movie I rented was the Astronaut's Wife. The last CD I bought was the soundtrack from the Rocky movie (I was looking for music for my next fitness routine). The last concert I attended was a Garth Brooks concert (I love country music) And the last fancy meal I ate was a wonderful steak dinner at a small french restaurant in Philadelphia after the Atlantic City Pro Fitness competition.

DON: What supplement lines do you use or cycle and when? What one should never be neglected (or more than one)?
AMANDA: Currently, I primarily use Biochem products. The mainstay of my supplements are a multi vitamin and mineral. Closer to a competition I will add a thermogenic to assist the fat burning process. The most important supplement for me is the multi vitamin and minerals. I try to eat healthy foods, but I have noticed that when I take these on a regular basis, I am less likely to get a cold or flu and have less problems with my allergies.

DON: What got you started in weight training?
AMANDA: I started weight training at the age of 14 to rehabilitate a shoulder injury I received playing my favorite sport - soccer.

DON: When did you first pay attention to diet?
AMANDA: I never paid much attention to my diet as a teen. I just ate whatever I wanted. But once I got to college, I became self-conscious about my body image and as a result starting paying attention to what I ate.

DON: What is your crowning achievement?
AMANDA: Well, my most crowing achievement is not fitness related. The thing I am the most proud of is getting my law degree. I worked full time while I went though law school. It was a real struggle, but I am glad I pushed through.

DON: Who cheered you along all the while and who said you couldn't that you proved wrong?
AMANDA: The one person who has been the most inspirational for me and who has ALWAYS supported me in anything I have wanted to do is my husband. I am very lucky to have him in my life. He offers unconditional support and is my best fried.

DON: What about setting out to do something because you were told you couldn't?
AMANDA: No single person stands out as being someone who I felt I had to prove wrong. I try to surround myself with supportive people and tend not to listen to negative comments of others. I have a very competitive inner drive - so more than trying to prove to others that they are wrong about their opinion about me, I try to prove to myself that I am right.

DON: What is your full name, age, location, actual job title and how long have you been doing it? What was your first and last job working for someone else?
AMANDA: My full name is Amanda Fay Doerrer. I am 29 years old and live in San Diego California. I am a practicing criminal defense attorney, with a practice limited to indigent criminal defense on appeal. I have been practicing law for about a year and a half. I currently work for a non-profit law firm in San Diego.

DON: So what exactly is Fit FX then?
AMANDA: Fit FX is a dance team. We perform at local functions for our sponsoring health club. We do a 2-3 minute fitness style routine that combines dance, hip hop, gymnastics, kickboxing with some strength moves thrown in.

DON: Describe to me your current eating plan and what you would change if you saw an inch creep up on your waistline?
AMANDA: My current eating plan is a high protein, low carb diet. I add carb meals when necessary. I eat about 7 times per day. If I saw an inch creep up on my waist, I would drop the carbs a little and evaluate my caloric intake.

DON: What is your favorite 'good for you' meal and favorite cheat food?
AMANDA: Favorite good for me meal is BBQ chicken (no sauce) with a big salad. My favorite cheat food is an oatmeal raisin cookie from Starbucks.

DON: Is there anything you think we haven't touched upon here yet you'd like to?
AMANDA: I think you have covered everything. I just like to say thanks for the opportunity to appear at your site, this has been fun!

DON: Just remember who interviewed first! What is your educational background? College. Certifications. What subjects were the most important in getting your mind set where it is today?
AMANDA: I have a BA from the UC Santa Barbara and a law degree from the University of San Diego. The most important subjects were my psychology classes because they really taught me about my self and about how and why other people behave as they do.

DON: I am curious what is your most frequently asked question.
AMANDA: The most frequently asked question I get about my physique is how did I get my abs. Lots of crunches from the age of 6 till the present but really it is all in time through eating clean. As a goalkeeper for soccer, I was told to do many ab exercises every day.

DON: I am also curious if you prefer a certain line of exercise equipment or not.
AMANDA: I don't really have a favorite line of exercise equipment. I like free weights the most. Just good old basic exercises - I guess that goes back to the days when I trained with the football team.

DON: Your top five favorite web sites are:
AMANDA: GetBig.com, Findlaw.com, iVillage.com, MSN.com, and krech.com (absolutely free web site developers tools)!

DON: What makes you cringe?
AMANDA: I cringe when I see people at the gym using really bad form. I am afraid of people getting hurt.

DON: What makes you smile so wide your jaw aches?
AMANDA: My biggest smiles are: 1) When my husband tells a good joke, and 2) When performing my fitness routine.

DON: Paint the final picture of your goals in life. Of all the highs and lows, what is your desired final destination?
AMANDA: Long term, successfully arguing a case before the US Supreme Court.

DON: Did you read my JM Manion interview?
AMANDA: Unfortunately, I have not read the interview with JM Manion.

DON: What needs changed in bodybuilding or fitness mainstream or industry related?
AMANDA: Currently I do not see a need to make changes in the bodybuilding or fitness in the competitive arena. The recent rule changes are good. However, in the industry, I would like to see fitness competitions continue on its assent to being seen as a true sport. The more the magazines portray fitness competitors as athletes the better the sport will evolve. However, a large part of that responsibility also falls on the competitors too.

DON: What landed you in a legal career?
AMANDA: All while I was growing up I loved to read crime novels.  I was always intrigued by the legal system, so when I hit college I decided to take a "pre-law" major.  After graduating from UCSB I took a couple of years off from school to make sure becoming an attorney is really what I wanted.  When I was sure that law was the place for me, I enrolled and haven't looked back.

DON: What 3 things would you like to see changed about the American legal system?
AMANDA: I am a big fan of our legal system. For the most part, I think it works pretty well.  Some changes I would like to see:  1) Remove politics from the law.  Provide District Attorneys and Public Defenders equal funding so that both parties can play on an even playing field.  2)  I would like to

see faster resolution of civil cases.  San Diego has a "fast track" system which keeps the civil case calender moving at a good pace and encourages early resolution of matters before going to trial.  It would be nice to see other jurisdictions incorporate similar measures.  3)  I would like to see more people use the civil legal system as means to fix problems rather than a way to push a political adjenda or as a way to inflict revenge upon another.

DON: What one case was your toughest?
AMANDA: Unfortunately, one of my current cases is the toughest for me emotionally.  Legally, the issues are not very complex, however, emotionally I have been torn.  My client is a good person with no criminal record who had an unfortunate lapse of judgment.  Due to the political climate, he received a much harsher sentence than he deserved -- harsher than if he had killed a person.

DON: Was there a case you would do all over again if you only knew then what you know now?
AMANDA: Luckily, I have not experienced this situaiton.

DON: Ever brought your work home with you when you shouldn't have because it affected training or diet?
AMANDA: YES!  Working in criminal law, I see the worst that people can do to each other and see the incredible negative effects of drug and alcohol additiction.  It is difficult at times to leave that all in the office at the end of the day.  I try to make it a policy not to bring work home with me or to the gym (like reading court transcripts on the cardio equipment)  This way my workouts are a retreat for me and a chance to clear my mind and get a fresh perspective on things.

DON: Thank you so much for this. It was great! I want to follow up soon too.
AMANDA: Thanks for the time!! I hope the answers are ok. Please feel free to email me if you want to follow up on any answers.

Visit Amanda at www.amandadoerrer.com

Don Lemmon's Nutritional and Exercise Know How


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