Fitness
How Theresa Lopetrone Got Fit And Became A Cover Star
After multiple fad diets, this is how our February cover star, Theresa Lopetrone, achieved both mental and physical balance to compete at her best.
How did you get started?
My background in working out was traditional bodybuilding from 2011 until the beginning of 2016. Since then I have been mainly doing CrossFit training four-six days a week and Olympic weightlifting once a week. On my active rest days, I will get outside and hike a mountain or get on the water and kayak or stand-up paddleboard.
How do you stay motivated?
I focus on the type of training and nutrition that brings both my mind and body harmony. There’s nothing worse than dreading a workout before it’s happened or feeling unsatisfied after eating a meal.
When bodybuilding training began to feel like a chore I started to look at alternative training, which was when I remembered how much I enjoyed CrossFit training.
When I feel taxed or my performance is lagging, I stay committed to taking a rest day without guilt. Doing this allows me to feel recharged mentally and physically and return to training with more motivation and conviction.
How important is your nutrition?
I stay motivated with nutrition by keeping my meals fresh and making new recipes when I need a change. In the past, I tried every type of diet in order to try and lose weight, but I failed each time because I would attempt one for a few months and as soon I hit my goal date I would return to my old habits. However, my old habits are what got me in trouble.
Finally, I took the time to learn how to eat nutrient-dense foods in order to fuel my body. What I realized through experience is that eating healthy all week, aside from a cheat meal, didn’t work for my mind because it only made me want to eat outside of the diet even more and crave sugary and savory foods like never before.
Proudly, I’m a foodie and for me, life is too short to feel restricted. After adopting flexible dieting last year as a way to manage my nutrition, my relationship with food has improved immensely. Not only am I happier, but I feel free when I walk into a grocery store or restaurant.
IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) allows me to eat healthy for the majority of the time while enjoying a glass of wine or some of my favorite snacks on any given day and still make physical gains. By practicing IIFYM, I’ve been able to be consistent with my daily diet and not obsess over all the “naughty foods” I could only eat once a week.
Has being fitter changed your life?
I see fitness as a tool to reach physical goals, contribute to our overall well-being, and de-stress. Fitness means something different to everyone and I think as long as you practice fitness regimes that allow you to be your best self then it will make a positive impact on your life.
One thing I learned years ago is that you can’t give to those around you if you don’t give to yourself first. For me, it’s essential to carve out time in my schedule to eat and train because without this, I can’t contribute to the world in the best way I know how to.
When it comes to creating a health and fitness lifestyle, it’s important for people to understand that this takes years to develop and maintain. Set small maintainable goals that you can consistently practice until it becomes part of who you are and not because you feel you “have to”. If something is working for you then keep it, and if it’s not, then it’s time to create and foster new habits.
Why it works
This workout was written by coach Kurt Baker and was used as an event at the 2017 CrossFit games in the Masters division. Now even though this workout was chosen as a mode to test the world’s fittest men and women over 35-years old, it targets the aerobic and glycolitic energy systems as well as improving muscular endurance in the legs and shoulders.
