A work friend encouraged me to try 15-minute home workouts when the Covid quarantine first started. I was sulking on social media about my fitness slump and he suggested to just try committing to a 15-minute, at-home body-weight workout. I’m a prolonged off-season armature bodybuilder. So, my initial reaction was a scoff. Fifteen minutes? What’s the benefit of the 15-minute workout? What is a short workout without weights going to do for me, I thought.
But I tried it and learned that it does EVERYTHING for me. It made all the difference. I can’t sing the praises of the benefits of the 15-minute workout enough. There’s so many mini-workouts to try avalible on-line. Now, anytime I get into a fitness slump, I always fall back on the 15-minute workout. Here’s why:
1. The 15-minute workout that you do is better than the hour workout that you don’t do.
Ordinarily, if I don’t have the time or enough energy to carve out at least 90 minutes to commute, dress, and complete a workout, I just won’t do anything at all. And that can happen all week. And then the week can turn into two weeks!
2. You have 360 opportunities a day to get started.
The great thing about the 15-minute workout is that you have 360 opportunities to do it. So, sure 15-minutes a day is great. But perhaps I can slip in 15 minutes in the morning and another 15 minutes at lunch and another when I get home. There’s my typical 45-minute workout broken up throughout the day. It’s a shorter workout so you have the opportunity to do it multiple times a day.
3. The small sessions add up.
One of the benefits of the 15-minute workout is that the small sessions add up. If you can commit 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week, you’ll end up putting in 1 hour and 15 minutes. That’s an hour and 15 minutes more than going the whole week without doing anything.
4. Fifteen minutes is the start.
Just like when it comes to writing or doing academic work, the hardest part is getting started. I know if I can commit to just 15 minutes of any activity (whether it be studying a language, writing, or studying), I’ll likely end up doing more. BTW, read here about how I applied this same method to learning another language.
5. Science Supports the Effectiveness of the 15-minute workout
The science supports the benefits of a 15-minute, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout is just as effective as lower intensity, sustained workout. Check out this peer-reviewed research that found that twelve weeks of shorter sprint interval training improves cardio-metabolic health similar to traditional endurance training despite a five-fold lower exercise volume and time commitment. This article by the British Journal of Sports Medicine also concluded that you lose nothing by engaging in short, high-impact workouts.
6. You can always fit one in
No matter how busy I am, I can always find 15 minutes. Whether it’s at my desk in the office or first thing when I wake up, I will always have 15 minutes at some point in the day to spare. If I find myself mindlessly scrolling the gram for 15 minutes, I remind myself I can put that time into a workout. Even on long road trips when I usually just accept that there isn’t time to work out, I can still put in 15 minutes at a gas station or restaurant to break up the drive.
I am such a believer in the benegits of the 15-minute workout. It got me out of a fitness rut and helped me maintain my overall conditioning when I was lacking motivation. I am confident it will do the same for you. Since you don’t want to spend half your time deciding what to do during your workout, be sure to check out some of these pre-planned 15-minute Workout Plans to help get you started.
These 15-minute, high-intensity, at-home workout plans are a game-changer for belles on the go! The 15-minute at-home workout plan is your fitness life-raft in a crunch. They don’t require any equipment, just dedication! You can sneak them in during downtime at work or first thing in the morning. I can rattle at least a half dozen reasons why the 15-minute home workout plan packs an effective punch. Since workouts are most efficient when pre-planned, I’ve done the planning for you. You don’t want to double your workout time in the planning phase. You can choose any of these 15-minute, at-home workout plans to get started. They’re great to fit in especially when you’re on the go.
Here, you have options.
Option 1: Select a 15-minute at-home workout plan. For the 5-exercise workout. Perform each exercise for 50 seconds with a 10-second rest while transitioning between exercises. Repeat the set 3 times with a 30-second water break between sets.
Option 2: Select 3, 15-minute at-home workout plans. Complete each workout (a total of 15) once with 30-sec breaks as you transition to the next set.
Option 3: If you want to add more strength training, add weights to lunges, squats, jumping jacks, and crunches.
Option 4: Set the timer for 15 minutes and go through the repetition-based circuit workouts. If you still have more time left over, repeat the circuit.
1. 15-minute Full Body Workout
Burpees
Crunches with legs extended up in the air
Mountain climbers
Jump Squats
Push-ups
2. 15-minute Legs and Tush Workout
Sumo Squats with pulse
Donkey kick with squats, alternating legs
Calf raises (first round rapid, second round slow, third round with 10-second hold)
The following workouts don’t require jumping or getting on the ground. These workouts are ideal for those with injuries preventing jumping or airport workouts where you don’t want to encounter floor germs.
4. 15-minute Lower Body Workout
Sumo squat with pulse
Oblique twist with knee raise
Curtsy lunge with squat in-between each lunge
Donkey Kicks
Side lunge with side leg lift
5. 15-minute Compound Full-body Workout
Side-step booty kickers
Side-step, front kick toe touch
Sumo squat with touch ground, calf raise sky reach
Crossbody, oblique knee to elbow
Side knee to elbow
6. 15-minute upper body
Overhead arm clappers
Crossbody punches (double punch second time around)
Arm circles 20 seconds in each direction (Larger circles second time around)
Front arm clappers
Standing crossbody toe touch
7. 15-minute Abs
Cross Body knee to elbow
High knees
Oblique twist with knee raise
Woodchoppers
Windmills (side ankle touches)
15-minute At-home Workout Plan with Park Benches
The next three 15-minute home workouts plans are ideal to perform in the fresh air at a park. Any sturdy bench or platform will do. You can use a park bench, low wall, ottoman, picnic table, sofa, or sturdy coffee table.
8. 15-minute Park Bench Full-body workout
Step-ups
Tricep Dips with leg lift
Step-up to knee-up
Incline push-ups with leg lift
Step-ups and kick back
9. 15-minute Full-body Park Bench Workout
Step-up to knee-up
Incline mountain climbers
Elevated lunges with an oblique twist, elbow to knee
Incline oblique twists (knees to alternate elbow)
Decline Push-ups
10. 15-minute Full-body, Park Bench Workout
High knees Toe touch
Lunge, step up, knee up
Jumps with squat
Wide leg dips
One leg sidesteps each side
15-minute Circuit Workout Plans
This next group of 15-minute at-home workout plans are repetition-based circuits. You should be able to power through three rounds of each circuit. If you complete three before the 15 minutes are up, keep going!
11. 15-minute Abs workout
30-second plank
30 oblique side crunches, each side
20 scissor kicks
20 Mountain climbers
5 v-up sit-ups30-sec plank
10 vertical leg crunches
10 Russian twists
15 mountain climbers
10 scissors
30-sec plank
12. 15-minute Best Bootie Workout
20 sidestep (warm-up)
20 sidestep booty kicks
20 lunges each leg
20 4-count Jumping jacks
10 squats
25 high knees
20 curtsey lunges
10 laying side leg circles
20 sumo squats with donkey kicks (glute kickbacks)
20 calf raises (slow)
10 10-sec hold calf raises
20 side lunges
5 jump squats
20 side steps
20 side steps with high knees
20 sumo squats with sidekicks
13. 15-minute Hourglass Workout
25 Jumping jacks (warm-up)
20 crunches
15 squat jumps
10 side lunges
5 Bodybuilders
10 v-up sit-ups
15 triceps dips
20 incline push-ups
25 butt kickers
Thirteen 15-minute, at-home workouts should be enough to get you through the month. Also, check out some workout videos on-line too! If you try any of these out, be sure to let me know in the comments or on instagram @GlobelleKitchen
If you’ve never traveled to high-altitude destinations before– let me tell you, it has a way of humbling you. We’re talking about the kind of attitude that body slams you on arrival. We’re talking about 6561 ft / 2000 meters above sea level. I’ve had my share of high altitudes. I have Breckenridge, Colorado (2926 meters/9599.73 feet), Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, (an elevation of 3,656 m/ 1,995 ft above sea level) and In Cusco, Peru (3399 meters/11,152 ft), under my belt. Here’s what I’ve learned: Genetics will be the main determiner of how well people adapt to high-altitude locations. However, let me show you how to reduce the impacts. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for high-altitude destinations like a pro:
Be in good cardiovascular shape. In Uyuni, Bolivia, carrying my slightly heavy backpack from the car to my room on the same flower— a usually small task — had my heart beating like I ran a 4:30 minute mile. My standard, casual stroll required breaks and time-outs because my heart beat fast. When there is less oxygen, performing the simplest tasks will cause your heart to work overtime. Build your cardiovascular stamina by running (or swimming or HIT workouts) daily. Being able to run a 5K in 25 minutes or less will help.
Ascend into higher altitudes gradually. Flying into a place like La Paz from the beach is going to mollywop you. Instead, opt for a staged climb by ascending 1000 Feet (300 meters) per day. I did this when traveling from Salta, Argentina to Uyuni, Bolivia. I could tell the difference between the slow ascent to Bolivia and the abrupt ascent to Cusco from the Galapagos.
Stay hydrated. Keep your body fueled. Remember, the O in H2O stands for Oxygen, which you need to get into your body in any form while in high in the sky.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these dehydrate. The effects of alcohol intensify in higher altitudes.
Rest. Let me tell you if ever there was a time to take it easy, high-altitude destinations are the place. Be a lady of leisure (or restful renegade) for at least three days before planning physical activities. Your body is going to be working overtime internally. Give it rest.
Images from my most recent trip to the Andes in Chile and Bolivia the past May!
6. Use sunscreen. Even in the cold. Even if you are melanin-rich. In high altitude, you will be getting direct exposure to the sun. Protect yourself.
7. Ditto for Sunglasses. For the same reason.
8. Plan your high-altitude travel strategically. If you can, just stay in the high-altitude areas for the duration of your trip. For instance, plan your trip to Northern Chile, Peru, and Bolivia together rather than leave high-altitude and then return to a different high-altitude spot.
9. Ginkgo biloba or coca leaves can help you feel better when altitude inevitably kicks your butt. Chew on them or use them as tea. Be careful, coca leaves can cause a false positive for cocaine in drug tests.
10. Lotions, butters, & oils – Your skin will be dry. Your lips will be chapped. Nix the ash and stay moisturized.
There you have it! Follow these guidelines and your next trip to the Andes, Rockies, Himalayas or Alps will be as easy-peasy and you’ll be able to enjoy the entirety of your trip.
First Trip of 2020: Black Ski Week in Breckinridge, Colorado
I just got back home from a glorious, long weekend in Colorado. The Annual Black Ski Week takes place at various slopes across the US and abroad. This year, we hosted our own mini Black Ski Week, separate from the official events. Last summer, a group of single, Army officers planned a weekend ski trip. That small group continued to grow. I’ll get to writing the travel essay ASAP but for those planning future trips to Breckinridge soon, here’s the logistical breakdown to help you plan a group trip of your own.
Altitude
First things first, that high altitude is no joke. You may think you’re all tough and in shape, but the lack of oxygen in Breckinridge, Colorado will get you. Be sure to prepare for high altitude like a pro.
Human bodies start to react differently to the changes in oxygen levels at altitudes around 4,921 ft. The base of Breckenridge, Colorado, is 9,600 feet. The summit of some ski resorts is upwards of 13,000 above sea level. To put it in perspective, the Altitude of Cusco, Peru is 11,200 feet. The altitude of Colorado Springs is 6,035 feet above sea level and Denver’s Altitude is 5,130 ft above sea level.
And just for kicks, the altitude of Boston, where I’ve resided for the past three years, is 141 feet above sea level. The elevation of my hometown in Owensboro, Kentucky, is 394 feet above sea level. For whatever strand of reasoning I applied, I was under the impression that since I adapted to Cusco’s altitude (three years ago) and since Denver and Colorado Springs didn’t bother me, I’d be unphased by a couple thousand more feet. That was a terrible assumption.
Carrying my luggage up the steps had me wheezing like I just sprinted a 100-meter dash. I avoided unnecessary trips to the next floor because it was a workout. If I left my phone charger upstairs, that’s just where it was going to have to stay, and my battery was going to have to die because my lungs were put to the test. Walking a flat surface wasn’t much better. We rented another cabin four houses down. However, walking my normal pace of 140 steps a minute might as well have been a performance mile run. I was always out of breath by the time I got to the next house about 300 feet away.
High elevations cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, bloody
noses, headache, fatigue, and just overall unwellness. The symptoms should be
over within three days. Overall, your body will adapt and you can just deal
with the discomfort and do nothing. But if you’re short on time and need to
press through the symptoms quickly, here are a few tips:
I’d suggest taking it easy on the physical
activities before then so you have time to adjust. I slept a whole day, waking up only to eat. Rest is a good thing.
If you smoke or have cardiac problems, check
with a doc before you travel.
Alcohol doesn’t help anything. Now, I’m not
going to tell you to avoid turning up, but just know, high altitude already
feels like a hangover when you’re sober. High Altitude hangovers are on another
level of discomfort.
They say drinking water helps. I drank hella gallons
and was still sick for three days.
In Cusco, the indigenous people used coca plants
to fight altitude sickness. Not sure how legal that is in the US, if you can
get it in the US, or if it’ll show in urine tests. Sorojchi pills were
recommended in Cusco. Goody’s powder and standard pain relief is good to have
on hand to deal with the headaches.
Oxishot! All the sporting stores in Breckinridge
sell Oxishots. It’s a can with 8 liters of oxygen. It costs about $16. It’s
fast acting and pretty awesome.
*** I have never had a bloody nose ever in life, and I didn’t have one here. But apparently, dang near everyone else did. So, if you’re a nose bleeder, expect it. ****
Black Ski Week Meals
City Market (at 400 North Parkway) is actually a Kroger with
an alpine facade. They deliver, so plan your menus and pre-order your ingredients
on-line. If feeding a crowd and you have some chefs (southerners) in your
group, this is your best bet. The town square does have plenty of satisfactory restaurants
(albeit a challenging parking situation).
We were fortunate enough to arrive with a van of phenomenal home chefs. Here’s some of the menus we ate:
One of many trips to Kroger.
Breakfast: Omelets & scrambled eggs (our house of 14 ran through 18 eggs in one morning), bacon (two pounds a day), sausage, muffins, french toast, grits, & coffee
Lunch: sandwiches, pizza (3 per day)
Dinner: Gumbo, BBQ lamb, smoked sausages, ribs, southern mac & cheese, hot chocolate, tacos, grilled corn on the cob
Late night: Baked ham & cheese sliders, whipped cream
Oh, and remember that high-altitude air pressure not only has an effect on humans but also on baking. You’re going to need to adjust the temperature, time, and ingredients for any baking you’re going to do. Check out King Author Flour for cooking guides. You’re going to need cases and cases of water. Bring plenty of Sharpies so people don’t take a sip and forget which bottle is theirs. Colorful ponytail holders around the bottle work in identifying the bottle as well.
Lodging
Our group of 35 chose Paragon Lodging, a luxury vacation rental agency, to house our group for the long weekend. Chelsea House and Claire’s Cabin were gorgeous homes outfitted for entertaining. Chelsea (where I slept) had 6000+ square, 6 bedrooms, and 4.5 baths feet giving all 14 of us elbow room and quiet spaces for us introverts to recharge from time to time. It was tucked away with a driveway set from the main road with gorgeous woodland mountain views. The kitchen (although illogically organized) was a foodie’s dream, and the collection of books located around the home was also impressive. The house also has maintenance workers come shovel snow from the drive and deck (around the hot tub). There’s no lifting a finger.
The rental company gives you a starter supply of toiletries but you will need to put toilet paper on your shopping list. Factoring in the amount of water hydration everyone will need to acclimate to the altitude, bloody noses, and alcohol consumption, I’d suggest no less than two rolls per person per day (Start off with two 24-roll packs). You’ll likely also need dish detergent, trash bags, and laundry detergent.
Both met my bougie expectations. The homes did not exceed my expectations only because none of the exterior doors were locked. That’s kind of a security concern…hopefully, the company gets that maintenance issue taken care of. But I’d definitely recommend it. It was a perfect choice for the weekend.
I can’t personally vouch for these. However, other luxury properties that appear to be similar in styling in the area include River Ridge Rentals, Majestic Breckinridge Lodging, and Pinnacle Lodging.
Packing
Of course, we overpacked. Just about everyone prepared for the arctic apocalypse. Just remember, everything that everyone packs will need to fit in the trunk of a car. Even with bulky snow gear, I am confident everything you need for a four-day weekend ski trip can fit in two carry-ons.
Fitting all our luggage & all the people in cars was a logistical feat.
Here’s what you need:
Socks, gloves, hat & Undies – self-explanatory. Go for a couple of pairs of wool socks if you can because once cotton socks get wet, it’s over for you.
Thermals/waffles/under armor— Just a dry-wick base layer to keep you warm
Sweater/Sweatshirt to wear over your base layer.
Ski Jacket & Ski pants (1 each). If you’re military and don’t have snow gear or don’t want to deal with checking it oversized luggage, check out the MWR or Outdoor rec to rent it. I never considered renting because I just thought it would be crappy gear. It’s not! For $5 per day, you get well-maintained and fashionable ski pants and ski jacket. Don’t worry about packing it either, Ft Carson and Peterson, AFB are located near the closest Airports to Breck. Check out 21fss.com.
Snow boots. Sorels are my favorite but since I’ve yet to have my boots returned from my trip to Germany this time last year, there are some other more affordable options.
Comfy clothes – for loafing around the cabin. Pants/leggings, shorts, onsie, tees, tanks, jammies. Don’t go overboard here.
Shower shoes/flops for the walk from the deck door to the hot tub. I mean, I did it barefoot and it didn’t bother me but, flip flops would have been nice.
Something to look cute at the bar if you choose to go. Do not bring stilettos to a snowy mountain. Life will not go well for you.
Toiletries – You’re going to be ashy. Your lips are going to be chapped. Your nose is going to be dry and maybe bleed. Be prepared.
Hot Tub Attire
Games. No Black Ski Week Apres Ski is complete without Uno. Spades. Taboo. Black Card Revoked. Bring on the Games!
This is the type of winter weather gear the 21st Force Support Squadron MWR rents to service members. Photo by @thefinalkutphotography
Transportation
You have a couple of options for transportation. Breckinridge is about two hours from the Denver Airport (which is on the far side of Denver from Breckinridge).
A couple of shuttle companies charge $40 per passenger for a one-way pick up from the airport to the cabin. Summit Express (855.686.8267) and Peak 1 (970. 724.7241) are both shared shuttles that provide this service.
Black Mountain Limo is a luxury private service that charges
$400 per trip.
If your flight lands at a time that allows, you can take the A-train to Union Station, switch to the Bustang, and then to the Summit Stage, which will take you from the Denver airport to downtown Breckenridge for less than $20 per person.
An Uber or Lyft typically costs $150 per person one way if
you want to consider that.
Depending on the size of your group and flight schedule, it
might be more economical to rent a tricked-out soccer mom van for the duration
of the time on the mountain. Hotwire.com tends to have phenom deals.
Activities
Even though it’s Black Ski Week, it doesn’t mean all your time has to be spent on downhill adventures. Breckenridge offers so many other winter activities to experience! We had a blast using Good Time Adventures as our one-stop shop for snowmobiling, tubing, and dog sledding through the Alpine trails. They also offer horse sleigh rides.
Y’all, I cannot stress enough, that those little, cute huskies run as fast as the mountain wind does blow. Those six little dogs run 30 miles per hour. Utilize the break on the sled. If you fly off the sled, they will keep running and your partner is going to be sitting there enjoying the view, not even realizing you’re no longer driving the sled. Use. The. Break.
Breckinridge, of course, is the
local ski resort, super close to the cabins.
Their lift passes work at Keystone (about 40 minutes away). So you can
ski Breck during the day, take a break, then do night skiing at Keystone all on
the same lift pass.
Horseback riding- I didn’t even try to go riding because it was cold AF. But Breckinridge does offer several stables in operation during the cold months. Keystone’s ski resort also has stables.
Just remember, all physical activities are harder to do at high altitudes. Regardless if it’s dancing, skiing, dog sledding, or any other physical activity (raised eyebrow, to hint at a euphemism) — ALL physical activities are harder in high altitude.
Lastly, the best time you’ll have
is the time you spend in the company of good friends. Keep the conversations flowing,
the music bumping, and the vibes high. Just enjoy being young, wild, and free.
Two love birds met on an annual trip a few years ago and still traveling together today.
Black Ski Week is a time for camaraderie and enjoying winter sports in a culturally nurturing way. There’s not one way to have an epic Black Ski Week. I think that covers everything you need to host your own Black Ski Week in Breckinridge, Colorado. Let me know if I didn’t cover something.
Training for a figure competition had its challenges and stressful moments for sure. But, overall, the process was rewarding and fun. That’s why I made it my goal to compete again. This time, because I’m naturally a smaller framed person, I decided on a bikini body building competition.
But this fitness journey was different. So, as soon as I found a home in California, I found a gym that specialized in personal training and bikini competition training. Seriously, at my gym looks like a gorgeous fitness model. When I started having to travel 30 minutes to the gym for a 30 minute workout then back again, I started thinking maybe priority one when relocating should be find a gym I liked, then find a house near it. I started my ritual: up at 0430, booty in the car by 5am, at the gym by 5:30. Home, shower, eat and to work all by 7:30. I’d end my day just in time to meal prep, or do one activity in order to be in bed no later than 8pm or else I’d struggle to wake up the next day.
One of my coaches spraying PAM on my rear. December 2014
The goals and priorities of a bikini competitor differ from a figure competitor. Instead of focusing on getting stronger, the focus was on sculpting my body to look a certain way. The goal for bikini is to look lean, not too strong. So big biceps are not ideal. Working the bis and tris were not a priority. Instead my focus was on getting rid of my excess fat on my belly, thighs, and booty. I didn’t do squats. My leg day never crippled me for three days like they did during figure competitions. I did leg presses…but not too much in order to avoid quad striations. Instead, I focused on the Elite Fitness Gym trademark workout — Donkey Kicks and Monkey Lunges, to isolate my gluts without adding bulk to my legs. And man did they work. I saw booty results quickly and so did everyone else. But I couldn’t do as much physically. I was unable to perform pull-ups or run like I used to. I felt like something was off.
At my figure competition. May 2013
In contrast, was at my peak of fitness as a figure competitor. I could do eight perfectly executed pull-ups without any problem. I could run a sub-seven minute mile. Each week I exploded past my personal records and impressed myself by being able to lift more and more. As a bikini competitor, I was just thin with a gravity defying rear end. I didn’t feel fit or in shape.
That’s when I realized I defined fitness for myself as what my body is able to do rather than how it looks. My fit body can run a mini-marathon without training. It can run a mile, relatively fast, without being winded. It can lift things, push heavy items out of the way, sprint itself out of danger if needed. Being able to do deliver these tasks does not necessarily mean my body is going to show cuts and muscle definition.
I recently started questioning if fitness competitions are worth it. Through some introspection, I got my answer, Yes. And here’s why:
1.It’s worth it because it inspires others. That alone makes it worth it. Lauren, one of my fit and fabulous friends, said I was her role model. Now, I know I look to others to inspire me but I have never considered that I was inspiring others. People get motivated by seeing someone they identify with and relate to do something they always wanted to do. I always thought a marathon was out of my league until I saw my cousin complete the Marine Corps marathon. She became my inspiration. I always thought being a fitness competitor took some out of this world ability until I saw my friends Lea, Terri, and Suzanne, who are all just regular girls like me, make a decision to commit. If I can be a link in a motivation chain that motivates another who will inevitably motivate others to make healthy changes in their life then I’m proud to continue.
2. You learn your own body. Fitness isn’t a one size fits all equation. Just like everyone’s skin reacts differently to the sun, or to shellfish, peanuts, glutton, or medicines, everyone’s body reacts differently to different stimuli. Some people put on muscle by picking up a backpack. Others can lose fat just by changing their soda to water. Carbs affect bodies in different ways. When you are clean eating and on a regimented eating, workout, and sleeping schedule, you can identify the cause in a change in your body a lot more accurately than when the stimuli of your sleeping, eating, and workouts are sporadic. You learn what works for you and what doesn’t.
3. Starts each workout with the end in mind. Training to compete gives you a time frame to work within and a goal to work up to. Without, I’d just stagnant and become complacent. I’d settle for good enough or fit enough. I’d maintain the standard. I’d become complacent with a light jog a few times a week. some jumping jacks, dance around my room to a Taylor Swift song and call it a workout. With a fitness competition as a goal, I have an end point in mind. But when I have an end in mind, I stay focused. I start setting mile stones to get from point A to point B. The competition is really just a display and culmination of a lifestyle. It isn’t the focus, but a showcase of my focus.
4.It breaks through perceived limitations. Fitness competitions is what turned this uncoordinated girl with a general rule of “no contact sports” into an athlete (of sorts). And even though I still maintain my no contact sports rule, I shattered a physical barrier I thought I had. Fitness competitions took my fitness to the next level. No more accepting good enough when I know I can be better. I learned that I have amazing will power when I tucked away Girl Scout Cookies for four months until after my show! I learned I can make a commitment to healthy eating and regularly scheduled workouts. I learned what you are capable of from the planning to the execution.
5. You reap the benefits of an active lifestyle. The physical and mental benefits of a regular fitness regiment are numerous. Your physical capabilities expand. Your mind maintains a positive, happy outlook. You find balance. And this gem:
6. Your abs become your resume. It’s your credentials and fitness credibility. You might not have your physical trainer certification yet, but you know a thing or two about how to transform bodies and perhaps people will feel comfortable coming to you for non-professional guidance and help. It also keeps those pesky gym pick-up artist at bay or at least challenges them to come up with some more creative pick up tactics…like, “Don’t try to hit on me with your unsolicited workout advice, look at my abs and bis, clearly I know what I’m doing.”
Michelle Lewin…My girl crush. Love her abs!
7. Confidence. Whelp, there goes your shyness. Once you’ve gotten up on a stage and catwalk in a tiny bikini and clear plastic stilettos, there’s really nothing you can’t do. Once you shattered this fitness and confidence barrier, you’ll start to wonder, what other barriers can I shatter? Mental ones? Can I master a challenging topic?
8. Fun, Fit Friends.
The women you meet at fitness competitions tend to be amazing people. Not only do they motivate, inspire, and encourage others to greatness but they are motivated, inspired, and encouraged. They are about living their best life. These are confident, goal-oriented women who understand the difference praise and positive feedback makes. Being surrounded by that type of positive energy is just refreshing!
When you compete, you are competing with other women not againstthem. Your only competition is challenging yourself to be stronger than you were yesterday. Sometimes you just need a team of your own personal cheerleaders who understand what you are going through and value your story.
9. You learn the Art and Science of Wellness. So many fitness and health trends come and go. But having a basic knowledge about the relationship between diet and muscle functions to affect the metabolism will help you discern what is legit or not. I’ve learned massages aren’t just a luxury and needing mental health shouldn’t carry a stigma. I’ve learned different goals like getting leaner, growing muscles, gaining agility, getting faster, stronger, training for different sports will hall have different paths. These paths are often overlooked in magazines like Seventeen and Cosmo’s fitness sections. Getting the right trainer to explain the “whys” and “hows” of the body works makes your workouts more effective and efficient. You end up working exactly what you want to work out in minimal time. Having access to the experts in the field can equip you with the awareness to make healthy choices.
The gains are so much greater than just muscles and a great figure. I’m going to continue my fitness journey but do it more my way. I’ve followed two different styles of competition prep and I think it’s time to combine what I’ve learned for my own style according to my values. Looking fit without actually being able to do something with it is of no value to me. So I’ve committed. As I sit here, typing and eating my donut, I’ve made a Bikini Fitness body by Spring Break my goal. and I’m ready to sacrifice more than I ever have before to get the results I haven’t seen before! Kicking it up a notch in 2015.
