MARIANN LEDEE

My name is Mariann Ledee, born and raised in Puerto Rico. My family moved to the United States when I was eight years old in search of better opportunities for my sister and me. With that in mind, seeing my family working so hard in a new country only inspired me to be the best that I could be, and to seek opportunities academically. It also encouraged me to not be afraid of shooting for the stars. I recently graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Business Administration and I hope one day to have my own business and build an empire. Fitness has been the light through many tough times during my life, has always helped me to get through whatever it is that I’m going through (ups and downs), and has always left me feeling stronger and more empowered.

Age:
31

City:
Boston.

Occupation details:
Currently, I’m working in finance as an accountant.

Fitness Goals:
Fitness to me is more than just the physical aspect of it. For me, fitness represents a healthy lifestyle, mind-body, and soul. I hope to continue to become stronger not just physically but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Training Plan:
Today, I train 5 to 6 times a week. 3 days, I train the lower body (legs/glutes/hamstrings) and 3 days upper body (arms/chest/shoulders/back).

Thoughts on HIIT, Powerlifting, TRX, Yoga, bodybuilding, others?
I absolutely love switching up my fitness routine. HIIT is one of my favorites types of workouts. By the end of it, you feel exhausted but stronger at the same time. Love a good old sweaty workout!

Nutritional & Supplements:
I certainly take supplements every day such as Multivitamins, Vitamin C, B Complex. I also ensure that I am taking the proper amount of protein daily.

Special skills?
I would say I’m a pretty good boxer/“jump roper”. I speak fluent Spanish and understand some French, Italian and Portuguese.

What do your parents mean to you?
What did they teach you? My mom and my grandmother are my inspiration and motivation for everything I do in my life. They are the strongest individuals I know.

What separates Status from other fitness magazines?
I think what stands out about Status magazine is how diverse it is and its willingness to share stories of athletes from all walks of life. I think that is incredible and so important during these times.

What would it mean to you to become the next Status Fitness Cover-model?
It would mean an opportunity to inspire others in their own journeys to become the best version of themselves. Whether that is in fitness, emotionally, or spiritually.

If you meet Status Editor-In-Chief, Rodney Jang, what question would you ask him?
One thing I would ask him is, what is his vision for the magazine in the next year or so, and what is the message he wants to get across to his readers through the magazine?

Who inspires you?
My family.

Who do you wish to inspire?
I hope to inspire anyone out there who is fighting daily to stay afloat against all odds. You can do it!

Transformation story:
I began my fitness journey when I was going through a very difficult time emotionally and mentally. During this time, I was going through a really long slump of just feeling down. To snap out of it, I started reflecting and thinking about all the things that made me happy as a child, and that’s when I realized that playing sports was my happy place. I loved playing baseball/softball. I also loved watching boxing. So it was at that moment when I decided to become active and started training with boxers. And this is when I became addicted to working out. I loved the feeling of challenging myself and working hard for my results. When I started seeing results in the way I was feeling emotionally and the way I was looking physically, I began to expand my knowledge of fitness and began training with some amazing trainers in Boston. It is through them where I learned about the importance of clean eating and weight training to achieve maximum results. The most important thing throughout my fitness journey has been being able to learn about myself and learning how to take control of my life whether that is the food I eat or workouts. Most things in life are out of your control but taking care of your body and temple are not, and this in itself is powerful. We are powerful.

Life goals:
My goal is to have my own business.

5 lessons you have learned:
I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that loving yourself and doing things for your well-being does not make you a selfish person! Forgiveness is key to a happy life. The sky is the limit. You can achieve anything your heart desires, you just have to find the strength and courage within you to get after it.

Music and artist you listen to while training:
Depends but lately it’s EDM station on Pandora.

Favorite books and authors:
Maya Angelou.

5 most important attributes you see in a person?