Cyberflexing.com Exclusive Interview With World’s Fittest DJ And NPC Bikini Competitor Lauren Pappas

Quick Bio:

Height: 5’2″ - 157 cm
Contest Weight: 114 lbs - 52 kg
Off-Season Weight: 118 lbs - 54 kg
Location: Southern California, United States

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

I was diagnosed with learning disabilities as a child and struggled in school. This took a major toll on my self confidence. I thought I was dumb and that was devastating since I placed so much emphasis on being intelligent and excelling at school. I was also made fun of for being a late bloomer and as a teen I had severe acne. I didn’t feel good about myself. When I was 15 years old I had an epiphany, I decided to take control of my life and do things that I was afraid and that I didn’t think I was good at. I was never athletic growing up. I didn’t think I was good at sports. I specifically hated running so I joined the cross country team (long distance running). And I fell in love!! I fell in love with life, with me, eventually with all my adversities. I realized that my differences were blessings. Around the same time my Dad started taking me to the gym with him and taught my how to weight train and workout. He told me weight training was important for my health especially as women, to build strong and healthy bones. Hearing that alone made working out a priority for me for life. But it was also a great bonding experience for me and my Dad. He’s a nutritionist and also taught me by example how to eat healthy and respect my body.

Running cross country made me realize that anything is possible as long as we believe in ourselves and our abilities. I started chanting positive mantras in my head when I would run or workout, like “You can do it”, “Your strong”, “Your Powerful”. I realized that when I thought negatively I would stop or give up so I vowed to only think positive thoughts. And that mentality eventually infiltrated into all areas of my life.

How do you stay so motivated? What drives you?

When I first started working out it was my learning disabilities that drove me. I had a lot of pain and issues with my self confidence. I had a lot of resentment towards teachers at school who had badly mistreated me and made me feel like a second class citizen or like it was my fault I didn’t understand. I was so frustrated with the school system and how poorly they dealt with my situation. I felt so repressed in grade school. I wanted to prove to my teachers, classmates and the world that I was capable of anything. So that fueled my workouts for many years.

Now it’s my goals that fuel me. It’s making a positive impact in this world and touching people’s lives. It’s teaching younger generations the beautiful things I’ve learned from my life experience thus far.

What is your training routine like?

I do weight training and cardio 6 days a week with one day off. I don’t follow a regimented workout plan. My only plan is to kick ass every time I workout, to push myself out of my comfort zone and have fun while doing it. My cardio includes, sprinting, spin class, hiking, long walks and running stairs. I organize my weight training workouts as follows:

Monday - Bi’s & Tri’s
Tuesday - Legs (including calves)
Wednesday - Chest & Back
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Glutes
Saturday - Legs
Sunday - Off

And I incorporate abs a few times a week into my supersets. I usually do 3-4 exercises in each superset and I do about 3-4 supersets.

If you had to choose only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

Chin-Ups
Jump Squats
Hanging Abs

If I was only able to do 3 exercises for the rest of my life I’d choose these ones so I was symmetrical. These three exercises hit upper, mid and lower body. I love to do exercises with my own body weight. You can do these exercises anywhere, you don’t need a gym just a bar to hang on and a step. Chin-ups are one of the first exercises I ever did.

They make me feel powerful and it is an awesome movement that targets all the muscles in your upper body.

What is your favourite form of cardio?

My favorite form of cardio is running with sprints. I like to run for a half hour at a moderate pace and include 6-10, 30 second - 2 minute sprints. This helps to build muscle and give you a beautiful shape. And it breaks up the monotony of cardio and it keeps things very interesting.

I also love walking, it’s relaxing and an underestimated form of cardio. I also enjoy hiking in the canyons in LA.

What is your diet like?

My diet is what they call “flexible”. I don’t usually weigh or plan my meals out I just eat healthy. I listen to my body and eat when I’m hungry. I incorporate healthy fats into all my meals like whole eggs, avocado, MCT or olive oil, nuts, seeds, meats. I also eat a lot veggies! And I enjoy fruit. I eat whole foods from the earth. I believe in counting nutrients not calories or macros.

I definitely have a sweet tooth so I enjoy making my own healthy desserts made with natural ingredients.

What supplements do you use?

My sponsor Magnum Nutraceuticals makes the finest supplements. My favorites include DNA, Big C, Performance Greens, Quattro Protein Powder in Chocolate.

What are the highlights of your fitness career?

Joining the cross country team when I was 14 years old.
Competing in NPC bikini, just did my 3rd competition in July and will be competing again in October.
Gracing the pages of Fitness & Muscle Her’s and Oxygen Magazine.
Being a model for Quest Clothing & Athletic Wear.

My former sponsorship with BSN. And now my latest sponsorship with Magnum Nutraceuticals. I’m so excited to have signed with Magnum. I not only believe in the quality of their products but I believe in my amazing team. They inspire me and they believe in me. I’d like to thank Markus Kaulius for the opportunity to be a part of something so special.