Expert Spotlight: Activewear Designer

I was on the Recipes for Gals in Figure and Bodybuilding facebook fanpage one day looking for new ways to use protein powder when I stumbled across someone talking about some cute fitness clothes they bought at Fit Activewear. I regularly scour the net for the latest in fitness fashion trends and I hadn’t heard of them yet, so I was excited to see what this was all about!

Turns out I had been missing out on EVEN MORE booty short opportunities. Dangit. How come it took me so long to find a line that offered something called the “mini fit short”!!??

HOT.

Anyway, I contacted them and ended up exchanging several very nice emails with the owner of the company, Zeudy Mars. What a cool name btw. She sent me a super cute assymetrical tank that I wore in my POP Pilates: Abominable Abdominals video and some shorts that will be making their 1st appearance at the end of this post.

Because I was so impressed with the fit and quality of the clothes and Zeudy’s entrepreneurial spirit, I wanted to share with you guys an inspirational interview I did with her on how it is possible to follow through with your childhood dreams and achieve success. Read on to get MOTIVATED!!!

Name: Zeudy Mars
Occupation: Founder and Designer at Fit Activewear

1. Hi Zeudy! Can you please give us a brief introduction of yourself and anything you want us to know about you before we start the interview?

I am the founder and designer of Fit Activewear, which is a stylish and versatile
Activewear line for women. I am happily married and I have what I consider
a big family! Yes, I have four children! Two step kids and two of my own. I am
an overly positive person and I believe that I am living my dream one day at a
time…. Oh and I am a proud Virgo!

2. What inspired you to start your own line of activewear?

After having my first baby I started going to the gym regularly. I realized that
I could not find Activewear that was chic, comfortable and of high quality….
I couldn’t believe it! I did tons of research and found a few lines however, I
was not 100% sold. At that point I saw a need for stylish and chic Activewear!
Clothes that you can wear to the gym, Pilates or everyday life! I am a busy
business owner and mom! I want to be comfortable but I don’t want to look like
I just rolled out of bed. For me, designing and sewing comes naturally. I started
sewing and designing at an early age, creating my first “activewear” line while in
high school for my gym pals. When I was in college I worked in the confection
of wedding dresses then later moved onto the creation of swimsuits. So, I
decided to put my 15 years of experience in the clothing business to work and Fit
Activewear was born.

3. Have you always known that you wanted to be a designer? (‘cuz I have!)

Yes! I have always loved to design, to sew and create fabulous things including
clothes. When I was 8 or 9 years old I used to make dresses for my dolls from my
old stockings. Now, when I look back I cannot believe I was able to sew at such
at early age. All I can tell you is that I was born with the designer gene.

4. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a female entrepreneur?

I am a very positive person and I don’t like to think of challenges or obstacles. But if I
dig really deep all I can think of is time! As a woman and mom of two small children
(ages 2 and 3.5) I have different responsibilities than a man would. So, I wish I had 40-
hour days! I proudly wear a lot of hats. Entrepreneur, wife, mom, housekeeper, you name it I do it!

4. Any advice you could give to girls who want to start their own business?

Believe in yourself and believe that you can do it. Follow your dreams and they
will become a reality. Surround yourself with like-minded people and do lots
of re-search about the line of business you are trying to start. You will have to
know a lot since you will be considered an expert.

5. Describe your line in 3 words!

Superior, comfortable, stylish

6. Now describe yourself in 3 words.

Fabulous, compassionate, believer

7. Obviously, you are a VERY fit person as we can see from your pictures! Your line of work meshes perfectly with your lifestyle…what do you eat daily to maintain such a lean figure? Can you give us a snapshot of your typical diet?

I try to eat 5-6 small meals through the day. I have to have my egg whites for breakfast every morning! 4 egg whites with 1/3cup of oatmeal or slice of wheat bread and a fruit. Then at mid morning I will have a protein shake with almonds. For lunch I eat ground turkey or chicken with a big salad, veggies or rice. Mid afternoon I will eat some Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with a fruit. Then for dinner I eat fish with wheat pasta, or veggies. I love sweets, I am a chocolate lover, so, I have sugar free chocolate Popsicles when I get cravings. Also I have a couple of cheat meals per week. Everything is ok in moderation right?

8. I also saw that you’re also a bikini competitor! *bows down in respect* How long have you been competing and what advice can you give to girls who want to enter their first contest?

I entered my first competition as a motivation to loose the last 10 pounds after
having two babies back to back. I hired a trainer; I picked and signed up for a
competition and four months later, April 2010, I was on stage! My second baby
was 8 months at that time! I was really proud of my accomplishment! I did
another competition six months later with my best friend that started competing
after she saw me on stage for the first time. She is now an IFBB Pro. For anyone
trying to enter a competition I will suggest to follow the same steps. Hiring
a trainer is key. They can be a great accountability partner. Make sure your
trainer is someone that is familiar with competitions. Listen to them and follow
through! I am in love with the fit lifestyle, the workouts but I don’t see myself competing again in the near future.

9. Name your biggest accomplishment and how you felt at that moment.

This is a hard one! I feel that I have accomplished many things and I cannot just
single one out. All I can say is that I am living the American dream! I have an
amazing family, career and I continuously amaze myself every day with new
accomplishments…

10. What keeps you motivated everyday…in fitness, career, and overall life?

Wanting to be the best I can possibly be! If I ever get down I stop, take a really
deep breath and remind myself that I only have one life and it’s my responsibility
to make it amazing! That puts me right back on track!

11. Anything else you’d like us to know?

Actually I would like to thank you –Cassey- for this interview, I am flattered. Also, I admire your entrepreneurship and I am happy we met.

Thanks Zeudy for your inspirational words! What a rolemodel…in fitness, business, and creativity.

And now for some fun pics of me wearing Zeudy’s creations…