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Article care of Don Lemmon
Joe Scardino, JD is an accomplished writer, lecturer, athlete, business person, and natural body builder. He speaks on a variety of topics including self motivation, team work, and organization, as well as other business and personal matters. Joe inspires others to achieve far more than they imagine they could. He utilizes the many skills he has aquired over the years through his experience as a student, professional, and athletic competitor. Joe has been active in athletics, health and fitness from the age of 5. He has competed as a gymnast, baseball player, boxer, wrestler, and body builder. He most recently won the 1996 NPC Natural South Jersey Open, finished third in the 1996 NPC Natural Eastern Classic Open, and second in the 1997 NPC New Jersey Suburban Open. Joe is also a lawyer. Currently he is the publisher of FitNut 2000 Online Magazine and the Vice President of Sports Nutrition 2000 Inc. I asked Joe a series of questions recently and here are his responses.
A
real day for Joe Scardino is like what?
I wake up around 6:00am. Five days per week I begin with 45 minutes to
1 hour of cardio in my private gym. I have the tv on while I'm on the treadmill.
I usually watch CNN or the financial programs on other cable channels.
I then make breakfast and prepare lunch, for myself and my partner Lisa,
who is getting ready to go to work after her early morning workout.
By 8:30am I am showered, dressed, and checking my email messages in the
office. I enjoy answering the many questions I have received in the mail.
I mostly enjoy speaking to large crowds to get my positive messages out
to as many people as possible, but next to that, I am thrilled to start
the day by assisting someone begin a program, continue to push on, or start
on their journey to getting more out of life.
What about your business
life?
The rest of the business
day is the normal Chief Operating Officer responsibilities. I check on
the web site, make product purchases, talk to new personal trainers, monitor
accounting and customer service departments, and hold meetings regarding
our future plans, and projects in the works. However, I do spend time working
in the customer service department answering questions about products,
giving advice on training and diet, and solving problems for customers.
Finally, part of my work day is spent on the internet meeting exciting
people, and reading articles from the enormous amount of information available.
I also work on my own articles and other personal projects. I am training
for another bodybuilding contest this spring, so I make sure I stick to
my evening workout schedule. I enjoy my work so much that it isn't work
at all. After my workout, Lisa and I spend quality time together, either
alone or with friends.
Youre a busy man, what
do you attribute the way you look to? Hard work? Desire? When did you start?
I have strived to be in excellent shape since I was 15 years old. The reason
is simple. My father, who was a family doctor, suffered two heart attacks
and died when I was at that age. He was 51 years old. The first, a massive
attack that left him in need of triple bypass surgery happened during one
of our Babe Ruth League baseball games. He was our coach. The second and
fatal attack, occurred four weeks later. Just one week prior to his scheduled
surgery.
What caused this?
The cause was simple. Bad
diet, stress from overwork, and smoking. All this done by a doctor who
should have known better. I learned at a young age that life is way to
short to ignore your health. Good physical and mental health is something
that a person has to work at all throughout their life. What is so great
about this type of work is that the reward is a longer and more enjoyable
life experience.I like the way I look. I work hard to prepare myself for
a bodybuilding contest. However, the look is secondary benefit to being
in healthy physical condition.
Maintenance is the key
then?
It is a battle for me to stay in shape. I have a sweet tooth, and love
chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream. I also previously suffered from
hypoglycemic states brought on by insulin resistance. Diabetes runs wild
in my family. While growing up staying fit was never a problem. I was extremly
active in all types of sports. Between college and law school was when
I put on excess weight. That is also when I found out about my condition,
and suffered many attacks of low blood sugar and fainting. They usually
occurred during seminars when I had to speak for several hours at a time.
My diet also contributed towards the weight gain, due to my extensive traveling.
Was going to law school
a bit of a detriment?
During law school is when I got into great shape. I began to compete in
bodybuilding contests as a way of relieving stress. I also wanted to get
back into competitve athletics. It was the discipline of maintaining a
schedule consisting of steady training, classes, and study that enabled
me to get ripped to shreds. I was in better shape in law school than I
was in high school.
Did you weigh more or
les?
I gained excess weight while studying for the bar exam. I made the mistake
of putting off training to study an extra hour or two per day. Fortunately
I relearned what I had forgotten. That everything begins with your health
and fitness. I lost the weight shortly afterward, and have maintained myself
in striking distance of my next contest.
Tell me about your product
line?
Supplementation with vitamins,
and other products may not be for everyone. Arguments will continue to
rage on about what is needed by the body to maintain a healthy balance,
to grow more muscle, or to ward off disease. Even doctors argue with each
other However, science is now beginning to back up claims made by the people
who make supplements and other products. Research is being done on just
about everything on the market. I got involved with this industry because
I wanted to earn a living helping others. I do not vary from that premise.
Therefore, I truly believe in what we do, what I say, and the products
that we offer.
What cool lies in your
immediate future?
In the near future I will continue to train for the spring bodybuilding
contest season. I will also take to the road to speak to individuals and
groups, to teach and inspire them to achieve their goals. The most rewarding
thing for me is to be involved with the growth of others. Whether it is
to assist them in getting in shape, training for a competiton, running
a business, or improving themselves so they can be happier with who they
are. Five years from now I will still be contributing to this world by
motivating others.
Who besides yourself do
you want to be more like?
It is hard to say precisely who I would want to be other than myself. The
choice is based more on the position the person is in, rather than the
person themselves. A good example would be Arnold. Not because of his movie
star fame, but because he is in a position to influence and inspire a great
number of people. I also respect and admire Arnold because he uses his
fame and fortune in a positive way, and he gives of himself for the good
of others. The same answer would apply to someone from the past. I believe
Babe Ruth was in a position similar to Arnold. He also gave of himself
to benefit children.
Interesting. Babe lived
off hot dogs and beer. What is your current diet?
I eat six to seven meals per day, consisting of a balanced diet of protein,
carbs, and good fats. My protein sources are chicken, turkey, eggs, tuna
or salmon, and a protein powder. Carbs come from foods like yams, oatmeal,
whole wheat or rye bread, and plenty of vegetables. I also eat various
nuts. I eat so much broccoli that others have said that I will soon look
like a broccoli. I take a high potency multi vitamin, vitamin C, vitamin
E, and other supplements when I determine that I need them.
What's your real secret?
What do you do during training that's different from the rest of the pack?
The most important thing that I do during my workouts and throughout the
day is visualize what I want to look like. I also take time to think about
feeling good. If you ever wake up in a bad or sad mood, take a minute to
reflect on your life. Think of all the positive things about it. After
the minute passes you will be in a much better mood. The mind is the most
powerful "muscle" in the body. And everyone has one. Take the time to use
it to shape your body and your life!
What supplements do you
stack currently?
Universal Ultra Whey Pro,
Optimum Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate, Sci Fit Protein 35 bars, Vitol
Liquid
Creatine, Universal GH MAX,
Universal Burners
What is it you are trying
to do different from everyone else in your field?
Motivational Speaking -
Be a regular guy. Not try to be god like figure. Regular guys are real,
and people will ACT more when a regular guy teaches them. Internet - Provide
a nutritional supplement store with ACCURATE information, NO sales hype,
and Only quality products from reputable manufacturers. There are too many
people selling bogus products on TV, the web, and mail order by making
outrageous, unprovable claims for products that have no scientific basis.
Now that female bodybuilding
is all but dead and the IFBB has come down and told the fitness competitors
to soften up, where is the future?
Fitness for females will
be healthy balance of muscle mass, strength, and flexibility, combined
with a lean and healthy look. The ripped and muscular looks will be replaced
with a more refined feminine athletic look that is a fine example of good
health, and a physique that every woman can strive for and obtain for themselves.
Have you heard of any
new trends that are on the horizon many of us aren't aware of yet?
Anti - aging supplements
are going to continue to grow in popularity. People shopping on the internet
are going to demand more service, and price will be less of a factor. Anyone
no giving consumers what they want will not be around for long. Also, as
far as my knowledge of my ex-profession law is concerned, there will be
less lawyers in the future, and the end is coming for frivolous personal
injury suits.
If you could achieve one
huge thing in your field, what would it be?
As far as the legal profession
is concerned, I already achieved what I wanted.....I got out of it! With
regards to the internet, our new fitness site, dfitness.com, becoming the
Yahoo of fitness and information
portals, will do for now.
With motivational speaking, I want to finish my book.
If success is measured
in means of money earned, what truly is success and why do you feel those
with more than that want more and more?
Money is a measure of success
for those individuals who are lost. Family, friends, and the number of
lives that a person touches, and makes better, is the true measure of success.
Over the next decade more and more people will realized this, and fame
and money is going to become less important. Most of all, celebrities and
millionaires are no longer going to be idolized. Parents and teaches are
going to take their place.
What fitness star, bodybuilder,
male and female do you admire and want to work with?
Nasser for the men. He has
endured many setbacks, questionable placings, and tests of his integrity.
He always bounces back, and still manages to act in a professional manner,
no matter what the situation is. Stacy Simons for the women. I had the
pleasure of seeing her compete in her first and second competitions. It
has been a joy to see her develop into a top fitness athlete, and professional.
What would you have them
do different?
The only advice I would
give them is to have a lawyer read all of their contracts before signing
them. I would also encourage all athletes in the fitness industry to expose
themselves more to the general public, and help bring fitness and bodybuilding
into the mainstream. I will be happy when the Mr O and Arnold are covered
by the Philadelphia Inquirer in the Sports section. The top athletes are
needed to make this happen.
In the real world, we
have what you do. Some go freelance because the clients demand it. Others
do this because the powers that be are a pain in the ass. Why is that?
If I understand the question
correctly, I would have to say because those in power have one main goal,
to stay there. Individuals freelance because the powers that be are threatened
by them, and attempt to control and subdue them.
What would be the ideal
work environment?
TEAM
What are your latest and
most immediate plans?
I plan on getting into competition
shape, but not for a contest. This time it is solely for myself. I am also
writing a book about surviving all this time since my father died. I was
15 years old, when my father, a local doctor, suffered a massive heart
attack after one of my baseball games. Growing up without him was hard,
and I want to use the strength and knowledge that I have gained to assist
others who have suffered similar losses in their life.
What are your fees for
seminars?
$1500 per 4 hour session
plus all travel expenses for corporate. Schools, non-profits, and educational
institutions get to call me for a more personalized price quote.
One hard selling point
so my readers will say "WOW" and head to your site for more info.
Listening to me for an hour
will make you stand up, and want to take action that will change your life
forever. Putting into action what you learn, and you will achieve whatever
goals you set for yourself.
When you were your best,
what was your routine?
Cardio, 6 days per week
first thing in the morning for an hour, empty stomach, thermogenic fat
burners. Training, 5 days per week in the evening, one body part per session
at high intensity, heavy weights, low reps.
When you were in your
best shape, what was your diet?
Meals, 6 per day, 35 grams
of protein per meal, 22 grams of Carbs, and 15% calories from fat
What did you think I would
ask?
Precisely what you did ask.
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