Cover Workout: Paige Hathaway

Until 2015 Paige Hathaway hadn’t lifted a weight but her passion for exercise turned it into a successful career. This is how she decided to become a strong fit woman who inspires millions

How to stick to it

Pick weekly goals, such as losing so much weight in such amount of time, eating more veggies, getting more exercise and reward yourself as you achieve them. You should also take time to notice the other improvements fitness can bring into your life, such as your clothes fitting better, more confidence or your energy levels are higher all of which has helped me along the way!

Weight room personal bests

Lat pulldowns: 120lbs
Dumbbell rows: 45lb dumbbell
Leg curls: 150lbs
Leg extension: 150lbs
Biceps curls: 50lbs (2x25lb dumbbells)
Overhead tricep extension: 35lb dumbbell
Dumbbell shoulder press: 60lbs (2x30lb dumbbells)
Deadlift: 270lbs

My training mantras

1. How we do anything is how we do everything. The way we practice is the way we perform, so in moments of fatigue it’s a great reminder that we need to give everything our best. The mantra motivates me to give 100 percent even when I’m tired or don’t feel like it. And these are the moments that help form my habits and shape my mentality as an athlete.
2. Become a student of your game. Decide what works best for you. You have to take an active part in deciding what helps and improves your performance.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice. Like any skill or strategy, practice improves performance. The one difference and a bonus with mental skills is you can practice many of the strategies in your everyday life as well is in the gym. The more practice, the more the skills become automatic.

My training split

Three days a week I do F45 training. I’ll switch back and forth between cardio days, weight training days and combos. I also weight train about five days a week where I lift fairly heavy more compound movements and VS F45 where it’s functional movements, plyometrics. I also box 1-2 times a week to keep my training fun. When I train in the gym my training split looks like:

• SUNDAY- Off day
• MONDAY – F45 / Back
• TUESDAY- Fasted cardio / Legs
• WEDNESDAY- Shoulders / Chest
• THURSDAY- F45 / Biceps and Triceps
• FRIDAY- Steady state cardio / Legs
• SATURDAY- F45

My leg routine

• Warm up 5 min on treadmill
• Knee extensions (3 x 20 reps)
• Bodyweight squats (6 x 20,15, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps)

Superset: repeat this superset 4 times

1. 45-degree leg press with 2.5-inch band on each side (4 x 6,6,6 reps). Do a triple drop set on this move.
2. Free motion squat press (4 x 12,10,8,6 reps)

Superset 2: repeat this superset twice

1. Hammer strength leg extension (2 x 8,8,8) Do a triple drop set on this move.
2. Step-ups on 18-inch box (2 x 8 reps)

Drop set: repeat this drop set four times

• Lying leg curls 8,8,8 reps decreasing weight each successive drop

Superset 3: repeat this superset 4 times

1. Hammer strength single leg standing leg curls with a 1/2 band for variable resistance (4 x 12,10,8,8 reps on each leg)
2. Stiff leg deadlifts ( 4 x 12,10,8,8 reps)

Dietary solutions

I’ve been pescatarian (plant-based with fish and seafood) for almost a year. The whole reason I cut out meat was because I was having and have had digestion issues for a lot of my life. Now understanding nutrition better and knowing that food is really good medicine, I started researching natural ways to fix this problem. A lot of things that I read warned about red meats and processed meats. So I cut this out for 30 days and those issues that I’ve been having all my life went away. I’ve been a pescatarian ever since.

Balanced nutrition

By far the best thing that has kept me in shape is doing F45 at least 3-4 days a week and keeping my diet 80/20. I keep it healthy 80% of the time mostly choosing whole food, good foods (fish, seafood, beans, quinoa, couscous, sweet potatoes, veggies, lots of nuts and nut butters) and then still living and enjoying foods that might not be as healthy 20% of the time! I feel like you have to live a balanced life in order to keep your diet a lifestyle and not a diet which makes your results long lasting.

Typical day of food

Breakfast: Black bean burrito or eggs with wheat toast and some avocado
Snack: Plant-based protein shake with mixed berries, flax milk, probiotics, 2 scoops of greens
Lunch: Veggie protein patty or white fish and sweet potato
Snack: Homemade white fish tacos with gluten free tortillas
Dinner: Salmon, cauliflower rice and mixed greens
Snack: Plant based protein