Mickie James is an American professional wrestler and country singer. She is currently signed to WWE. She won her first WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 22, a title she has held a total of five times. James also won her first Divas Championship defeating Maryse Ouellet at Night of Champions in 2009 to become the second of five Divas to hold both the Women’s and Divas titles. James has appeared in eight WWE video games.
Mickie James first country music album, Strangers & Angels, was released on May 18, 2010 on iTunes. The album, called “Somebody’s Gonna Pay” was released on May 7, 2013 under the label Entertainment One (eOne) Music, and debuted on the music charts at #15 on the Billboards Heatseekers charts.
On October 14, 2017, James was inducted into The Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame. She also received a Nammy for “Song of the Year” for her recording “Shooting Blanks”. On October 13, 2018, James won “Best Single Recording” for her song “Left Right Left” at the Native American Music Awards.
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar did a candid interview with Mickie James, an American professional wrestler and country singer where she talks about her workout, diet, hair & skin care, and her success story.
Namita Nayyar:
You are one of the only professional wrestlers who are also a country singer. As a wrestler, you are a commentator for WWE’s brand Main Event and perform under WWE’s SmackDown brand. What motivated you towards the world of wrestling?
Mickie James:
I love it. I’m passionate about it; it’s a way for me to blend my artistic outlet of building stories, characters into my athleticism. There’s an art form to it like theatre that I just love and admire and respect. Especially as women we have come so far to now truly be appreciated as a female athlete. Now more than ever, it’d my biggest desire to be in wrestling business but also to do something great in the wrestling business.
Wrestling is very adrenaline based and music is very emotionally based for me. They are both exhausting but allow me to release two different sides of myself to my fans and also both allow me to release artistically two sides of myself. I’m a creative person and I want to create things!
Namita Nayyar:
You won your first WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 22, a title you held a total of five times. You also won the first Divas Championship at Night of Champions in 2009 to become the second of five Divas to hold both the Women’s and Divas titles. Tell us more about these milestones in your career?
Mickie James:
Those are obviously monumental milestones and made me feel on top of the world. When I won those championships, it meant more than just winning because it’s the company putting this championship on you and its indirectly saying they believe in you and they have faith in you that you are going to carry that championship with prestige, honour, class and dignity. They trust you as a representative of the company.
So, when I think about having that championship it’s not just about the accolades and earning that moment on the wrestling level, it’s on a professional level that the people like Vince McMahon that I admire the most in this business, are proud of you. Those moments for me are what truly made them special because it’s not just about the business believing in you, it’s also that the boss/ the company believes in you and trusts you to carry that torch.
Namita Nayyar:
Your first country music album, Strangers & Angels, was released on May 18, 2010, on iTunes, later another single called; “Hardcore Country” was released. The album, called “Somebody’s Gonna Pay” was released on May 7, 2013, and debuted on the music charts at #15 on the Billboards Heatseekers charts. On October 14, 2017, you were inducted into The Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame. You also received a Nammy for “Song of the Year” for your recording “Shooting Blanks”. On October 13, 2018, you won “Best Single Recording” for your song “Left Right Left” at the Native American Music Awards. Tell us more about this fairy tale journey as a country singer?
Mickie James:
My defining moment for music was being on the road full time for wrestling. I was traveling by myself a lot so I started writing since I already had this time to myself and I decided I needed to just go after it. I’ve always gone after what I wanted to do expect for singing. As a child I was always singing and recording myself, it was definitely a dream of mine to become a singer and I realized I wasn’t pursing a childhood dream because in that moment I was acting on the fear of being inadequate.
I decided to go after it and make myself better at it. I wanted to do it because it was one of those childhood dreams that seemed impossible but I realized the only thing holding me back was fear.
This aha moment started this amazing journey for me, and really my first producer poured belief into me and that really sparked my determination to make it happen. The journey of becoming a musician has really been a journey of fulfilling my childhood dreams!
Full Interview is Continued on Next Page
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2020 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
What according to you is a good warm-up & why is it so important before a workout session? Five Key stretches before entering the ring?
Mickie James:
Callisthenic stretching, most people think slow stretching but I think that’s better for after a match. I make sure I do neck stretches, shoulder, jumping squats, jump rope with my head phones on, I do a lot of kicks so I make sure my legs are stretched. Kicking stretching and moving stretching to make sure your bloods flowing and your joints are warmed up and then after the match a nice slow stretch.
Namita Nayyar:
Before starting resistance training, what are the key points to keep in mind? Ideal strength workout for a beginner looking for weight loss?
Mickie James:
- Muscle weighs more than fat, so the scale isn’t always honest. So measure inches over pounds. Because sometimes you feel I’m at a plateau even though I’m losing inches and feel good but not losing any weight so it’s important to keep in mind.
- Water is the key to life. Especially women we hold onto fat bc were not drinking enough water.
- Diet, and I’m not saying you have to eat all protein bars and protein shakes it’s more about eating cleaner foods, be aware of what oils you’re cooking with, the air fryer is awesome. Everything in moderation.
Namita Nayyar:
Being a wrestler, you have faced some injuries during your career. How do you go about to recover from them? Also share some precautions specifically for women while training?
Mickie James:
Physical therapy is one of those things that people don’t give enough credit to. The personal trainers are so important for us, helping us recovery, working around the injuries once you come back. Always do your rehab and make sure you rest and let your body heal.
Namita Nayyar:
What does your first meal of the day look like? Five foods to kick start the day?
Mickie James:
Breakfast is the most important!
- Oatmeal, chia seeds, flax seeds, Kodiak has a really great protein oatmeal
- Eggs are the best!! With the yolks, I don’t believe in the egg white hype
- Avocadoes- good fats
- Good smoothie- good fresh fruits or veggies with protein
- Good parfait- granola, fruit etc.
I think the rawer the sugar the better, not artificially sugar stuff. Eat real sugars not processed stuff.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you advocate opting for cheat meals once a week? Cheat meals that you can’t resist?
Mickie James:
Yes absolutely your body will tell you what it needs and wants. I think it’s necessary once you’ve committed to a diet. I don’t do a cheat meal I do a whole day. I don’t believe in any carbs just always in moderation. If your body is telling you, you’re craving something then have it, one day I say I’m not dieting today it’s my cheat day. Always allow your cheat days, go for those cravings but let that be your day!
Namita Nayyar:
Three components that are key essentials in a wrestler’s fitness regime?
Mickie James:
Flexibility in the ring, yoga is amazing you need to be constantly testing your flexibility. Your explosiveness, your ability to go from 0 to 100, challenges yourself to keep your wind up. Your thinking and your moving at the same time so like jumping rope to use hand eye coordination and speed and ability to slow it down and speed it up it’s those kind of drills you need to maintain your explosiveness. You have to have thick skin and put your ego aside and know that not everyone is out to break you down, these criticisms you get are to your benefit. You have to be in a good mental space, were on the road, away from our families. We have to put on a front of who we are 80% of the time, it’s not just on the screen, it social media so you’re “on” pretty much all of the time. It’s important to take care of your mental health so you don’t break when people are trying to help you.
Namita Nayyar:
You have a big fan following, what do you think motivates people to follow you?
Mickie James:
I think it’s because I’m not a phony type of person, what you see if what you get, I try to be transparent most of the time. I think that some people like that I am positive and always looking to help others and some people may like me for my loud mouth! Some people are huge fans of my music, they aren’t even wrestling fans and I have some fans who don’t know anything about my music but know all of my matches by heart and some where it doesn’t matter what I do, they have all my albums, watched all my matches, etc. There are a lot of loyal fans in wrestling so once you have that fan until you break their trust you have them forever!
Namita Nayyar:
Your favourite active wear brands are?
Mickie James:
I love under armor stuff. But I’m not a super brand person. I go for comfort and whatever feels right. I have workout stuff from target and workout stuff from lulu lemon and I like them both!
Namita Nayyar:
Define Women Fitness website for our viewers.
Mickie James:
I love the diversity of what’s available in Women Fitness. Different workout ideas, recipes, tips and tricks it helps change things up!
Namita Nayyar:
Do you follow any skin care and hair care routine, after a sweaty workout? Five skincare rituals.
Mickie James:
I’m not a huge skincare person it’s never been my forte but I’m trying to get into it more! I just started using these products from Drunk elephant and they are amazing. They don’t contain any of the extra crap in it and it’s a really nice product. I always cleanse and moisturize AM/PM no matter what. Hair care I really like the biolage for color treated hair but I honestly wash my hair every three days maybe four on a stretch. Unless I’ve been out all day or gotten super dirty or super sweaty. But there is this deep conditioner that I use that’s made for ethnic women. It’s literally called cholesterol and it’s in a tub at any store. I usually get it at Wal-Mart for $5 and it’s amazing! Especially for how much damage we do to our hair between color and hot irons. I also don’t like to blow dry my hair so the only time I ever blow dry my hair is in a salon or if someone does it for me!
Namita Nayyar:
After a long hard-working day, what do you look forward to? Stress-busting tips?
Mickie James:
I always look forward to hanging out with my son, Donovan. I love to play like a child with him, like build train tracks, run around the park in the jungle gym etc. I love to take baths, light candles, bubbles, bath bombs, etc. I mediate with crystals and do affirmations. I also love to clean which is kind of weird, I love hand washing the dishes but it’s really a stress reliever for me!
Namita Nayyar:
You have an incredible social media following Instagram 1m followers, Twitter 879K Followers, and Facebook 1.38 million followers. What is the best and worst part of it?
Mickie James:
The best part is being able to see fans comments, the love and support from them. I think it’s awesome to get that feedback from them. The worst part is the over exposing of over disclosing or feeling the need to have to share everything because you can.
I think because were so overexposed you feel like you need to share everything because everyone else does and if you’re not then you’re going to lose your followers or lose numbers and at the end the none of that stuff matters. We’ve lost the mystique of stardom, like people used to wonder oh I wonder what so and so does in their everyday life.
People have gone to such levels to overexpose themselves that the veil has been dropped and there’s no mystique. That used to be fun for me with wrestling characters like it was fascinating to wonder and speculate and think up these ideas in my mind of and now you can’t do that because everything is out there on social media.
Namita Nayyar:
Five things we’ll always find in your gym bag?
Mickie James:
- Workout gloves
- Jump rope
- Lip balm
- Master lock
- Gum
Namita Nayyar:
You have created a brand for yourself. Give us 3 tips to become a successful name in the wrestling empire.
Mickie James:
The ability to have thick skin and take criticism really well. Learn how to take a compliment; it’s a really valuable thing. Challenge yourself, challenge your body, and always expand your workouts. You have to challenge your body and your mind.
Be yourself and be original, often people try to morph into what they think people want them to be and then they lose themselves in the process. Be yourself and don’t feel like you have to conform to what everyone else is to make, because you don’t. Especially in this business, those genuine pieces that make you different make you valuable. Always be original; always be true to yourself and what you love!
Mickie James social media presence
- Instagram @themickiejames
- Facebook @mickieljames
- Twitter@mickiejames
- Official website https://www.mickiejames.com/
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.All Written Content Copyright © 2020 Women Fitness