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
Before you jump into the gym, take a moment to evaluate where you’re headed on this journey. There’s a lot that goes into embarking on a new work out plan. It’s physical, nutritional, emotional, mental, and even spiritual. It’s important to set the road map before going through all of the changes and sacrifices you’ll make. I cannot stress enough how invaluable working with a personal trainer will be in helping you meet your fitness goals. I recommend investing in a trainer at least for a few weeks to learn proper form and technique. It’s better to learn good habits from the start rather than need to break bad habits and correct poor form later.
But if you’re not ready to invest or commit to a trainer just yet, here is how you can have an initial consultation with yourself. I’ve broken the consultation down into three parts, Looking within, measurements, then assessing your gym capabilities.
LOOKING WITHIN
Do you have medical conditions or injuries? Has a doctor cleared you for
workouts? The workout approach is different with people who have heart disease,
high blood pressure, diabetes, muscle or joint injuries. Do you have medications that may interfere
with performance? It’s important to recognize and acknowledge the differences
as to not create more problems. You’ll need a trainer who is specialized in
addressing these issues.
What’s the endpoint? Are you starting down this fitness journey to achieve a certain look for an event (yacht week, carnival, upcoming wedding)? Is it to compete in a competition? To lose a specific amount of weight? Is it to be able to perform a certain action? How will you know you have accomplished your goal? Having a specific, measurable goal in mind will impact how you approach your goal.
Start with “Why”. What is your motivation for going on this journey? Why do you want to workout? What’s the benefit? What do you get out of it? Being able to articulate your “why” for the long haul and short-run will be your driving force to make it happen each day. So, write it down. Keep a list. Cut out pictures, save it to Pinterest. But understand why you want to do this and have the answer accessible for the times you start to forget why.
Sleeping Habits – Sleep is the body’s natural recovery mechanism. Poor sleeping habits affect everything! Sleeping abnormalities can usually be directly linked to stress and improper diet. All of that can reduce recovery effectiveness, lower growth hormone release, and can cause mental fatigue and inability to concentrate. Be conscious of how much quality sleep you’re getting every day. Keep a record of it.
Water Intake Habits – Not drinking enough water leaves the client susceptible to dehydration during exercise. Also, prolonged low water intake can lead to survival water retention in the body (which makes you look bloated).
Eating Habits – Folx often underestimate the number of sugary sweets they consume throughout the day. That handful of jellybeans from the secretaries jar starts adding up when you par it to the extra-large soda every morning and the sugary coffee drink. Make sure you are documenting everything + the portions you eat. I used to keep a food journal but I find snapping a picture with my phone of everything I consume helps keep accurate track of portions.
Occupation – Being conscious of the type of activity level you perform daily will affect caloric intake, meal timing, exercise schedule, and possible lifestyle change recommendations. Occupational stress may also be a consideration. A construction worker, who is always on her feet lifting heavy equipment will have different food fuel needs than I programmer who sits in front of a computer screen all day.
Anthropometric
Measurements
Determine your body type. Researcher and psychologist William Sheldon, continuing the research of Plato and Nietzsche, introduced the concept of somatotypes body types in the 1940s. Body types can be categorized in three ways Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph.
Ectomorph: Small
frame, lean and long, with difficulty gaining weight and building muscle no
matter how hard they try.
Mesomorph: Medium
frame, develop muscles easily, with a high metabolism and responsive muscle
cells
Endomorph: Big
frame, high body fat, low muscle density, often pear-shaped, easier time gaining
weight than other body types.
Take this quiz if you are still unsure. It’s completely common to fall between two body types. Since body types are based on your bone structure and natural propensity to build muscular or store fat, there’s nothing you can do to change your body type. You can, however, tweak your eating and fitness habits to work with your body type instead of against it.
Height, Weight & Body composition (skin-fold caliper)
These are just a data point to help you track tangible progress. Document them.
Circumference measurements – Measure the smallest point of waist, hips, bicep, thighs (and for the gentlemen, measure neck, chest, forearms as well). Make sure you pick the exact same spot on your body to measure, being an inch away from the spot you measured will affect the readings. I have a birthmark on my bicep, it’s my marker on where to measure. I measure my waist at the top of my hip bone. These measurements are just data points to track progress later.
GYM FAMILIARITY
Can you name the weight machines by name? If I were to say go to the smith machine or cable row, would you know where to go? Are you familiar with muscle groups? You know where your lats, delts? You’ll need to do a walk through the gym or some on-line googling to learn the names of machines and what muscle groups they work.
How heavy do you need to lift? Choosing the correct weights
affects your ability to maintain proper form, and significantly decreases
your risk of injury.
You’ll start off performing each of the exercises on the bikini weight training workout example. Choose a weight that allows you to do the first 10 reps with moderate difficulty. Your heart rate has picked up. You’re breathing a little harder, but you don’t struggle or need a break to complete the set. By the end of the tenth rep, you should find it somewhat difficult to lift but not so difficult as to strain, hold your breath, or shake excessively. If you do, drop down a little. If completing the lift was a piece a cake, increase the weight a little.
Rest for 1 minute between sets and repeat. Evaluate the strain it takes in completing your second set. Rest for one minute.
By the tenth rep of the third set, you should struggle to complete the rep but able to do so without grunting or breaking form. This is the exact level of intensity you want to sustain.
Be sure to take notes and record how heavy you need to lift for each exercise. This will be your starting point.
When you start consistently working out, you will gradually get stronger. Once you notice the last lift takes little effort, it’s time to increase the weight. You’ve got to continually challenge your body by increasing your weights.
Alright, you’ve completed the initial self-assessment. You’re well on your way on this exciting fitness journey. Check out the bikini circuit workout to get started.
Climbing Mount Machu Pichu was a transformative experience. I did not expect to gain such a new perspective from this half-day excursion. Here are the lessons from the mountaintop a gained from this experience.
Mental Preparation
“ The beauty of the mountain is hidden for all those who try to discover it from the top, supposing that, one way or an other, one can reach this place directly. The Beauty of the Mountain reveals only to those who climbed it…” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The climb is limited to 400 people per day, staggered in two groups. The first group starts at 0700 and the next at 1000. The peak closes at noon for ceremonial reasons. My group’s ascent started just after 0700. We registered our names in a book just in case search and rescue were needed if we didn’t return. I’m glad we started early. We didn’t have to yield to anyone coming down the mountain and didn’t have to rush to the peak before it closed.
I was not mentally prepared for how strenuous this climb would be. First of all, folks kept calling it a hike. Let us be clear. This is not a hike. A hike is when you walk through a nice path in nature with gradual ups and downs across the terrain. The trails at Yellow Creek Park in my hometown are hikes. This was a climb. This was mountaineering. This was alpinism. There were no gradual slopes, this was straight up to the top of the Andes Mountain range. I underestimated this challenge. Had I not been told to bring plenty of water, I would have brought 20 oz. instead of a liter and 20 ounces. I only had one Kind Bar. I should have packed a few. And a sandwich to eat at the top if I’m being completely honest. I could have packed one of those lemonade mixers to add electrolytes in my water. Your body needs to be properly fueled for this hike and I barely covered my bases.
Luckily, other folks on the trail were prepared. One guy had a whole banana bunch that he shared. Others passed along granola. Next time I do a hike like this, I want to be one of those people who have plenty to share. I didn’t bring a ponytail holder. I packed a jacket that I quickly didn’t need, My DSLR Camera, and my iPhone.
Physical Preparation
It took me about 90 minutes to climb 650 meters (2,139 feet) above the Machu Pichu ruins and 3080 meters (10,017 feet) above sea level. I struggled with the altitude. I haven’t had a consistent fitness regimen in about a year. I was irritated with myself that I couldn’t keep up with this Swedish guy and New Zealand girl who were studying abroad at UC Irvine. I never considered that others were conquering their fear of heights or experiencing anxiety attacks at the sight of the narrow paths with steep drop-offs.
My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing. – Aldous Huxley
Spiritual and Emotional Preparation
Being an introvert, I like time to reflect during the hours spent alone on the mountain. Mountains are great for that sort of thing. I love the stillness of empty mountain trails. The Incas were all about being connected to Earth. I think mountains offer a closer connection to God. Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai, the Prophet Elijah encountered God on Mount Carmel, Jesus was tempted on a mountain, appointed his Twelve on a mountain, delivered his most grand sermon, and underwent transfiguration all on mountains. High places, across many faiths, are always sacred. Certainly, when climbing mountains you undergo a mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual change. You are not the same person you were before you started your climb.
Walk Carefully/ Narrow Path sign at Machu Pichu
Pumped up on Outdoorphins, my friend, E, chattered on and on about this great feat. From the summit back down to the base he raved about this antagonizing accomplishment. He talked about how he couldn’t believe that he just climbed a mountain. Even with his fear of heights, he did it! He’d pushed passed his limitations and surprised himself with his abilities.
“Climbing is analogs to life!” He exclaimed, still on an outdoorphin rush!
“Climbing mountains is analogous to life!”
I chuckled to myself because I had the same revelation coming down from Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ. Many a revelation are had on the side of a mountain.
“I just assumed we didn’t climb mountains,” a friend said.
We, meaning black people. Which I found funny because he breaks racial stereotypes all the time by being an avid swimmer. We being the only black Americans and dang near the only black people we’d seen in Peru all week broke the stereotype that wedon’t travel. I mean, the whole group is a life-living, stereotype-breaking, adventurous group. What’s a mountain to this band of skiers, skydivers, ocean divers, gallery hoppers, campers, and international travelers? Besides, we only make up 13 percent of America’s population. That includes the elderly and children. Those of us who can climb, can’t do everything at once. There’s just not going to be significant representation in everything we do.
“Aren’t you proud of yourself?!” he finally asked after I was silent the whole way down. He was fun to watch all motivated and inspired. It’s fun to see people break through their limitations and do the things they didn’t know they could do.
I certainly was but this is not my first mountain. So perhaps the emotions were a bit different.
My love affair with mountains started the first time I visited Kehlsteinhaus (Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest) in Austria (elevation: 1,834 m/ 6,017 ft). I rode a bus up that one. I’ve climbed down the Grand Canyon and up again (7,000 ft). That was rough and exhausting and I have no desire to ever do it again. I canyoneered Zion Canyon (3,000 ft) and climbed parts of Mount Whitney (14,505 feet). Heck, the hike to the Hollywood sign from the Bat Caves was a struggle (1,708 feet). Although Machu Picchu Mountain was certainly my tallest peak to climb, we only hiked 2,139 feet of it. For reference, Camelback Mountain is 2,706 feet. I climbed all of that. With each hike, I had the same feelings of euphoria Eric was experiencing now. While the climb was challenging and the view at the top amazing, his ecstasy and sense of accomplishment was my favorite sight to see.
In the spirit of Eric’s revelation that mountain climbing is analogous to life, here are my top 10 lessons from the Mountaintop you will likely learn on the mountain that also apply to life.
Top 10 Lessons from the Mountaintop That Apply to Life
10. Perseverance is developed by persevering. Each one of us had different times that we asked ourselves, “Why am I doing this?” Each one of us had a moment we considered turning back. No one would even blame us for turning back. But if we did, we’d miss the triumph of reaching the top. There was nothing fun about climbing that mountain. It was dangerous. I suffered from high altitude and low oxygen. We were exhausted. But with each curve of the mountain, conquering each drop up and each cliff, we challenged our resolve. Our stamina grew. What used to be a limitation—like narrow paths on steep cliffs — was now something we’ve already conquered multiple times. The longer we journeyed up the mountain the greater our determination to master the peak grew. Giving up develops nothing.
“I’ve learned that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.”
9. Don’t compare your journey.
We all have different abilities and struggles. I was disappointed that I couldn’t keep up with the Swedish and New Zeeland duo. But what did it matter? We all rallied at the top of the mountain. There was no special prize for being able to keep up. It didn’t matter when I got there, so long as I got up there safely. So go at your own pace. Be patient with yourself and take your time. Be patient with others as well.
“Ain’t about how fast I get there, ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side, it’s the climb. –Miley Cyrus
8. Camaraderie is forged in peril.
You will meet some of the best people while on a climb. Literally, everyone was so nice and encouraging up the mountain. We were chatting, getting to know each other. Folks sharing their food supply and passing along advice and care. A young Puerto Rican girl was doing a solo tour across South America but still regarded Puerto Rico as the most beautiful place she’d ever been (she’d never been to Kentucky). I met a young guy from Indianapolis who sandwiched the trip in between two business trips in Argentina. I met a whole athletic German family whose mother didn’t hold back any feelings she had about American politics. Another man was a classmate at U Penn with the current star of American politics. I met two students, one from Sweden, the other from Australia, both studying abroad at a UC in SoCal, and were spending their summer break exploring the hemisphere. You’ll develop friendships and partnerships along the way with people going where you are going. No matter what your fitness level, you’re stronger together. You’re stronger when you have someone checking up on you, passing a banana or granola, and telling you you’re almost there.
Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” —John Muir, Our National Parks
7. No one can do it for you.
While you may have cheerleaders and coaches along the way, no one can climb the mountain for you. Mountain climbing isn’t something that can be outsourced like lawn mowing, dog walking, house cleaning, or even novel writing. If you want the view, the glory, the triumph, the growth you’re going to have to work for it. There’s only so much friends can do for you on a mountain. Perhaps others are good for companionship, encouragement, to share with you. All the rest is up to you. I was motivated by Langston Hughes’ Mother to Sonwhile I climbed.
“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” — Oprah
6. You’ll lose some along the way. You might not all get to the mountain top at the same time. Some may turn around. When I climbed Camelback Mountain, I met this amazing woman who was a breast cancer survivor. She talked about how she and her daughter had conquered the mountain together before her diagnosis and this was her first time back. It was one of her favorite memories with her adult child. She said she took a picture of her flexing her muscles at the top because she became her own hero. She told me of things to look out for and how I’d know I was almost at the top, but she had to turn around. She had gone as far as she could this go around. I loved talking with her. I traveled alone for a bit before there was someone else to pick up where she left off. Hopefully, you’ll meet at the top, or coming back down, or waiting for you to return back at the base, but not everyone stays with you the whole way.
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” —Edmund Hillary
5. Share the knowledge to those coming after you. Just like the Cancer Surviving mom helped me, my friends and I were able to help and encourage those still ascending while we were coming down from the peak. One friend in our group hikes the tallest peak of every state she visits. She had plenty of experience and wisdom to share on safety and best practices coming down the mountain.
“You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again… What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.” – Rene Daumal
4. Focus on the next steps in front of you—especially coming down.
Don’t get distracted by how steep the side of the mountain is. Don’t be so busy looking at the top and how far you have left to go. Just focus on putting one foot in front of the other and keep going. Look at where you are planting your feet. Even calculate the next few steps without getting too far ahead of yourself. Once you are at the lower end of the mountain, people think it’s the easy part. That’s when people start moving faster and getting careless. That’s where injuries occur because you end up moving more swiftly and falling, twisting an ankle or otherwise getting hurt. Even when you miscalculate your steps, learn from it. Slow down. Brush yourself off. Hold on. And keep moving.
“So, boy, don’t you turn back. Don’t you set down on the steps. ‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard. Don’t you fall now— For I’se still goin’, honey, I’se still climbin’, And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” — Langston Hughes
3. Take care of your body. Age is a quantifiable measurement of how long you have been alive, not an indicator of your abilities or limitations. I almost discounted my parents as too old to do the climb until I met a 70-year-old couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at the top. A guide told us the youngest person he had on the entire Inca Trail was a fearless 7-year-old girl and the oldest was 83 (also a woman). You want to be able to use your body for as long as you can, so keep it in its best working order.
“What are men to rocks and mountains?” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
2. Be prepared! I often over-estimate my athletic abilities and underestimate the amount of water I’ll need. I did no research before attempting this climb. The lack of research might have been to my benefit since there are YouTube videos about people falling to their death on the mountain. However, knowing that this was a 90-minute vertical climb instead of a leisurely, winding curved hike probably would have been helpful. Thank goodness this southern girl could “depend on the kindness of strangers” one of which was carrying a giant bunch of bananas and wanted to get rid of the weight, and another girl had granola to spare.
“Mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence.” —Nemann Buhl
1. It’s so worth it!
After you’ve climbed your mountain, you’ve entered a highly exclusive community of other adventurers that understand the physical, mental, emotional, and motivating accomplishment of climbing a mountain. I can only describe it as similar to the feeling you get when they put you on the bus after your field/basic training and all the officers salute you goodbye. Or graduating with honors and offers. Or finishing your first marathon. Or a physique competition. Or having both feet back on the ground after sky diving. That’s what it’s like. You’ll have a renewed understanding of Miley Cyrus’ It’s the Climb.
“You never climb the same mountain twice, not even in memory. Memory rebuilds the mountain, changes the weather, retells the jokes, remakes all the moves.” —Lito Tejada-Flores
This December I participated in my fist bikini fitness competition. This is not to be confused with the figure competition that I previously competed in while in Stuttgart. As common with most tests of determination, there were times throughout the course of prepping that I asked myself, is this all worth it or should I just walk away? Here I highlight the struggles I faced in hopes of encouraging those going through the same process to stick with it! It’s so worth it!
Turning Point One: Thanksgiving and Travel
Training for a fitness competition has its challenges and those challenges are only amplified during the holidays and complicated by travel. I’m not saying the availability of clean foods is a problem. It isn’t. You can eat clean just about anywhere. Even McDonald’s serves salad and grilled chicken. But for me, food is usually a focal point of my travels. One of my favorite ways to explore a new city is through its local cuisine. It took training for this competition for me to realize that eating, along with exploring, is easily one of my favorite pastimes.
So when I traveled to San Francisco, a city known for its haute gastronomy, for Thanksgiving, I knew I was in for a test of self-control. Who wants to go to San Francisco and be surrounded by world class cuisine and have to order a salad? Keeping in mind that I don’t like lettuce or raw greens anyway. I was looking for some grub at a Grab and Go refrigerator shelf at a Wal-greens in Fisherman’s Wharf. The Grab and Go hosted the typical selection of disposable plasticwear of salads, sandwiches, & pasta salads. But I viewed the selection as a container of carbs, container of fats, and container with a little proteins. I knew I hit a turning point in my dieting when I started seeing food by their make up of protein, carbs, and fats rather than the actual article of food. Fortunately, a belle can always count on coastal areas being fish friendly. The Bay area has so much fish diversity and eating healthy was a pleasure more than a struggle.
Turning Point Two: Unexpected Social Events
My Post-it note wedding invitation.
My co-worker comes into my office at 3pm on a Thursday talking about how he “cannot stand going another day without being married” to his all around Amazing girlfriend. Crazy romantic huh? He plans a whirlwind, spur-of-the-moment proposal and subsequent wedding in Vegas for the very next day. Of course I wanted to be there. But it destroyed my training! After waking for my 5 am workout, putting in a full days worth of work, then going to Las Vegs, I was awake for 23 hours. I ate at some iconic greasy spoon resturuant. Drank my fill. Didn’t workout a bit over the weekend. Monday morning guilt came when I stepped on the scale. Three pounds gained since Friday! Fortunately, at six weeks out, I considered myself far enough from stage time for a minor slip up…so I thought. The day before the competition, my work hosted a dinner party. Food was being passed around, toasts were made and I couldn’t even drink the water.
Me, the groom’s friend, the groom, the bride, and the bride’s friend.
Turning Point Three: The South
The weekend after thanksgiving I traveled back home to The South for a family event. Who wants to go home to The South and not eat the glorious deliciousness? All I could do was think about all the marvelous food that I couldn’t eat. I’m in my food element here. I can’t help but be enticed by all the familiar restaurants and menu items not available in Southern California. Cracker Barrel, O’Charley’s, Cheddars, Ritzies, Rally’s instead of Pollo locos and Del Tacos. It was really being back in my food element that I considered just throwing all my work away to enjoy eating!
On the plane, I found myself almost to the point of anger watching McDonald’s being passed around a family of passengers sitting around me. The kid sitting next to me licked his Dorito dusted fingers while he took a break from eating his delightfully smelling Panini. And there I was eating hard boiled eggs. I started to have a food panic on the plane. Panicked to the point of buying $7 mini bag of kettle cooked potato chips and putting mustard on them. I could literally feel the calories fill me up and bring me back to life just like you can visually witness flowers perk up after placing them in a vase of water. Yes. I broke down. I ate something I shouldn’t have. Not because I wanted to eat junk…Potato chips wouldn’t have been on my food of desire list. But maybe a lack of constraint due to being hungry and having few other options! Then I felt guilty and imagined the love handles growing in the spaces I’d worked off. After that, I decided to make a list of ll the foods I couldn’t wait to eat when training was all over.
Sweet potato waffles Sweet potato pie High quality $10 bacon cheeseburger Buttermilk biscuits Mint Chocolate chip Milkshakes Toaster Struddles (I’ve had three boxes in my freezer since before I decided to compete) Raspberry Ice cream drizzled with amaretto Vanilla ice cream with bourbon drizzled Lemon bars Margarita Lemon pound cake Pumpkin spiced bread Flaky French style croissants McD’s French fries Waffles with fruit, pecans, powdered sugar, vanilla sauce Sweet potato fries Frozen Italian lemonade Popeye’s chicken Mocha peppermint latte Sweet tea I want something, ANYTHING deep fried.
I’m Hungry! Seriously hungry!I literally wrote that all in my travel journal. I decided sleep was my best option to fast forward through all the food around me and on my mind. In sleep, I dreamed of a bakery that combined the best of both European and American pastries. Pound cakes, fruit tarts, banana nut bread, waffles, crepes.
By the end of my trip back home I was tired of eating halibut and asparagus! I wanted to eat for real! Self-induced, low starvation is emotional. My tolerance level for nonsense went low. My focus wasn’t on my work. Again, I ask myself, is it all worth it? Does the quality of my life increase in anyway by the increase of the quality of my abs?
Walking around the airport with a ziplock of hard boiled egg whites and $4 bottled water I wondered How much had this experience cost me? I calculated the costs when I got home.
What does it cost?
Final Week Meals
$32 for four pieces of frozen halibut (It’s the least fatty of fish with the most protein for your buck)
$3 dozen eggs (An extra dollar added for eggs in California)
$3 frozen asparagus
Meals, Gear, and Training
$600 a month for meals ($500 in groceries for one person! California living is expensive)
$435 Personal training (That’s $145 a month X three months X 30 min sessions X 3 times a week X group session shared with three other girls).
$100 registration the bikini show
$250 Waxing – two separate sessions. Apparently you have to go three times to get the cycle of hairs…pretty sure this was a marketing ploy to keep me coming back. Other girls just shaved. After my first competition I swore I’d never wax again but for whatever reason, I forgot that vow. I guess it’s something like hen women have terrible deliveries and swear never to have more babies but forget the excruciating pain and go through it five more times.
$100 Spray tan. Yes, black girls spray tan too. Black girls benefit from the cuts in their muscles being highlighted and their skin tone being all one smooth, even color just like everyone else.
$60 full set Mani –ped (Did this back home in Kentucky because it’s cheaper than Cali)
$250 Custom bedazzled bikini (one of my team mates bedazzled mine)
$50 Clear, 5-inch stripper heals (I already had my heals)
$30 Blinged out costume jewelry
$500 Hair. Lengthened and dyed.$35 Make Up
$2,448 total
Goodness! I’m sure I could have saved by shaving instead of waxing, finding a cheaper hair option and more frugal food options. For the next competition I’ll already have a bikini, heals, and jewelry. And that’s just the financial cost. Intagible costs also exist. Costs like the meal planning, and prepping required to never get caught without enough healthy food to eat like what happened to me on the plane. Or the mood shifts due to carb and water depletion. There’s having to go to bed at 8pm in order to get up at 4:30. It’s having to skip evenings out with friends because the the main focus of the night is drinking caloric drinks and eating poorly.
The cost of Getting Lean is the most inclusive article I’ve found that really details all the effort required to get the Michell Lewin body I covet. But as I sit and contemplate my 2015 goals, I wonder if I’m getting as much out of the training as I put in. Do I value the abs I’ll gain more than I value sampling amazing food? Do I prefer abs over milkshakes? Biceps or Waffles? Is there a way to have it all? Is the fit-looking body really worth the effort and sacrifice?
Below is where I’d like to be. Very Lean and strong. I should be able to lift things if needed or run quickly for long periods of time. It’s going to take actually weighing my food instead of guessing. Probably doing two-a-days a few times a week to get cardio in, and serious commitment to my diet.
Below is me during training. When I commit to a regimented healthy lifestyle of planned deliberate eating choices and consistent weight training with some slip ups here & there. I usually need a coach or friend to keep me focused and motivated.
Below is me normally. It’s a regular part of my moderately active lifestyle. It includes eating whatever I want but running or Zumba three times a week, walking the dog, taking the stairs, parking further away from the door, and doing some push ups and crunches here and there.
So is it worth it to be a fitness competitor? It all depends on my priorities and values this upcoming year. As for now, the jury is still out.
While I was still reeling from “My Ultimate Journey” high, I couldn’t overlook some of the less than supportive comments left on my social media pictures. I know my friends were just trying to be supportive of me, but they did it at the cost of other athletes and it doesn’t have to be that way. While I appreciate the recognition of my own hard work, it”s also important to realize the hard work others put in.
First, these are my teammates. I depended heavily on them for support when I was ready to give it all up. They were my accountability partners when it came to staying true to my diet, guidance on better recipes and workouts, and even spotting me while I pushed myself to my limits. I couldn’t have been successful without them. A win for me, is also a win for them.
Second, you just never know where others started from or how much one had to overcome to get to where they are. One teammate is 45-years-old. After taking shrapnel while deployed in a combat zone, she medically retired from the Army. It took extensive physical therapy and medical care to get her walking back to normal again. You know, after being an active, senior enlisted leader then transitioning to being physically incapable to do simple tasks really takes a toll on a person mentally. Just her being able to work out again was a success. She pulled herself out of depression and put in work. She turned the entry points of all her shrapnel into lady bug tattoos all over her body. To those who didn’t know her before, she may look bigger than most contestants. However, she dropped so much of the weight she gained while immobile. Putting on a tiny bikini and clear stilettos and walking confidently on stage was a turning point for her confidence and she didn’t deserve to have all her hard work deflated by insensitive comments.
It’s like getting honors at graduation and being all pumped up full of accomplishment and someone flippantly saying the criteria for the honors was too low or undeserved. It just takes the wind out of your sails.
Everyone deserves to feel as amazing and powerful as I felt that day! You can say, “You look great” without saying, “You look way better than those other girls” because those other girls worked just as hard and are equally as beautiful. You can say that you would have judged me to be the first place winner rather than saying the first place winner didn’t deserve her title or saying the judges were clueless. You can compliment without comparison.
Pictures don’t tell you that a competitor was fighting cancer while training. They don’t tell you that a competitor overcame diabetes just by training. Pictures don’t tell you that a competitor started from being paralyzed from a bad car accident fought her way through recovery. They don’t tell you that a woman just had a baby 7 months ago. They don’t show you a competitor went from not being able to do a single push up to being able to knockout 10 pull ups. They don’t tell about the mom who couldn’t keep up with her kids, but now can interact with them while they actively play. Pictures don’t tell you about the athlete who overcame anorexia and adapted a healthier lifestyle. But those are the stories behind the pictures of the bodies that shared the stage with me.
I appreciate the love, but love is best when it’s shared. I think we can all work on being a little more mindful of having stronger compliments. Strong compliments are the ones that stand on their own, not the ones that are only valuable in comparison to another.
Two things the American South and the Deutcshland Sud have in common: Colorful culture, distinctive from the rest of the country and delicious, fattening, fried foods that this southern girl has a hard time resisting.
Model, entrepreneur, leader, nutrition snob, friend, and Belle
Now that I’ve committed to a healthy lifestyle and made winning a figure competition my new goal, I’m amazed at all the yummy vices that seem to spontaneously appear begging me to take just a tiny taste. Let’s face it, no matter how committed you are to clean-eating life style, chicken strips just taste better when twice-battered, deep-fried, and dunked in a bowl of creamy, rich ranch dressing rather than grilled. Plus here in Deutchland, ice cream and gelato stands on every corner, sauce-drenched spätzle, schnitzel, pommes, pork, schweinshaxe…all of it delicious yet counterproductive to my fitness goals. What’s worse are the limited healthy options I have when I travel. One travel weekend can blow all the hard work I’ve put in at the gym and the self-control I’ve displayed in the kitchen.
I have some amazingly fit friends who have long been part of this clean eating tend. My favorite Texan, Suze, studied dietetics at her university in Texas and just started her own clothing line that suits her cute, athletic style: Nutrition Snob. I’ve always known her to be very knowledgeable about the effects different foods have on our bodies. I go to her for food guidance all the time. She stressed the importance of pre-planning when traveling. When I plan to travel, food is usually a minor detail on the itinerary if part of the plan at all. Eating shouldn’t be an afterthought! That only leads to me switching into the “critically hungry” mode and ready to vaporize anyone who gets between me and whatever will stop the pangs in my belly!My super fit friend, Natalie, who is a physical therapist (PT) and ran cross country for her university in Kentucky. I was out of my element when I went on a beach vacation with her and her new PT friends. They were super particular about what they allowed in their bodies. They chose turkey over ham, low fat snacks and drank water. I was craving cookies, chips, dips, ham sandwiches and wild cherry Pepsi. But even Natalie admitted that she slacked on fitness when she was on the road. Of course, she isn’t training for a competition any more and doesn’t travel every weekend like me either. I just cannot afford to go without a workout or proper diet for an entire weekend every weekend. What she is committed on is maintaining her runs regardless. So I have several challenges to address. I can work out all day no problem but it is a challenge to make the deliberate, conscious effort to eat well. Both become difficult when constantly on the go. It’s easy to make excuses to blow off the work out and healthy diet while on the road (or rails, or in the air). Yes it takes effort in planning and prepping for food. But, like Suze always reminds me, if it was easy everyone would be walking around with a six pack.
Here’s the Advice I’ve collected from my most fit Southern Belle friends:
1. Get a climate control lunch bag with an ice pack and take your own lunch for the road.
On the road in Germany your three fast food options are McDonald, Subway, Burger King, and KFC and those are few and far between. You’re almost forced to go to a sit-down dinner off the autobahn and as Americans, we do not like to waste time. Even so, if we went to a dinner, you are relegated to chose from whatever they are serving which could mean choosing between deep fried pork or deep fried beef. Try these as on-the road meals (I don’t do lettuce so I’m skip over the obvious choice of packing a salad but if you are a salad girl, by all means, find some creative recipes and pack that salad):
Cold pasta salads
Bean, tomato, cheese and corn salad (mix in some cilantro)
Grilled chicken/Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
Lean meat, low fat cheese quesadillas
Spinach or Tomato Wraps: spinach, feta cheese, turkey bacon and grilled chicken or try a combo with hard boiled eggs, shredded carrots, chicken and avocado yum!
Tuna and hard boiled egg sandwiches/wraps without the salad dressing
2. Although going for chips, cookies, and candies are my habitual travel grabs, I’ll plan head for those travel muchies and make this my snack-food shopping list:
Water
Granola
Nuts
Granola, cereal, protein bars
Fresh fruit & veggies
Dried fruit
Pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans, almonds
Hard boiled eggs
Sharp cheddar cheese chunks
Wheat thins or other whole grain crackers and hummus
Yogurt
Apple sauce
Peanut butter sandwiches
Almond butter sandwiches
Tuna
Smoked Salmon with dill
Dark chocolate is okay (just don’t bring the entire bag)
3. Microwaves and refrigerators in European hotels are rare. Instead of staying in a hotel which forces you to eat every meal in restaurants, try staying in a vacation rental where you’ll have a kitchen. The costs are usually competitive with hotels but of course, it takes pre-booking (i.e. pre-planning). Once you’re there can you hit the local grocery and whip up kitchen miracles just as you would at home.
4. If you stay in a hotel consider meals that do not need to be heated or see what wonders can be worked with a coffee pot. For example your coffee pot can be used to bring water to a boil to make oatmeal, soft boiled eggs, rice, noodles, or steam vegetables.Countless meals can be started with steamed veggies, rice, pasta, eggs and boiling water.
5.You’re on vacation! By all means, eat out. Just chose leaner options and don’t get carried away on the portions. Luckily, the restaurants in Europe post their menus outside the restaurant. After translating the meals on the menu, chose the restaurant with the most healthy options.
6. Not having workout clothes can hinder your will to work out. Of course, you can do pushups, dips, and crunches wearing nothing but your underwear in your hotel room but without the gear you’re less likely to do it. Besides, you’ll miss out on some beautiful scenery on morning runs or hikes.
7. If you are flying to your location, you’re obviously going to be weight contentious about your luggage. However, if you’re road tripping, consider bringing your hand-held weights along. While you’re at it, why not bring a hot plate to save you the trouble of cooking in a coffee pot. If these are not options for you, once you arrive at your destination find a 1.5 liter bottle of water to use as weights.
What a beautiful sunrise run.
8. Chose a hotel with a gym and use it!
9. Dancing, circuit training, jogs, dips, crunches, push-up do not require fitness centers. Commit to a minimum of a set of push ups and sit-ups first thing in the morning to get the blood flowing then right before bed to tire you out. that way you won’t forget or not have time.
What other advice do you have on staying fit while traveling in a tasty world?
