Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Bikini champ: You can be a fit mom
AdrianaMartin is a fitness expert on the Lifetime Channel’s “TheBalancingAct,” in which she trains three South Floridawomen and helps structure their diets as part of “Mission: Makeover.” The season finale isMay 20.
Martin performs a similar role on two Spanish-language shows also shot locally: Univision’s “Tu Desayuno Alegre” andTelemundo’s “UnNuevo Dia.”
In February, Martin, of Plantation, won theNational Physique Committee’s 2012 South Florida Bikini Championship in the over-30 category. She competed in the bodybuilding event’s new bikini division.
“It’s more like a beauty pageant forwomenwhowork out,” she said. “[Judges] are looking for definition and tone but not the big, lean look.
“Winning the competition is a celebration,” she added. “I turned 35. I had two kids. Tome, you can still be amomand get yourself in shape. Celebrate being amomand awife and ‘still having it.’ ”
Martin’s next competition is in June.
The obvious— health, look better— but that’s alsomy outlet and theway to keepmy sanity. And if I’m lacking energy, [exercising] helps. Yesterday I had a headache and decided to gowork out. Then I realized that it didn’t make sense at first, but I did feel better after. I get that natural high fromthe endorphins. I’m addicted to feeling good.
I’ve done bodybuilding in the past, took third in a figure championship. And Iwas the overall winner in the 2012NPCbikini championship for over 30. I do have a tendency to compete, but more withmyself. I’m always doing a little better than yesterday.
I don’t do the same thing every day. Your body is meant to move, so I like tomove it in different angles. For theNPC, Iwas doing cardio in the morning on an empty stomach five or six days a week, thenweightlifting around 12:30.
For cardio, I’m in the fat-burning zone, but nothing too crazy where I can’t breathe. [I go to] 70 to 80 percent ofmy heart rate on the StairMaster for 30 to 45 minutes. I read a book and listen to reggaeton. Forweightlifting, I do lower body onMonday and then core the next day. Third day is back, biceps and shoulders. And then on the fourth day, I do chest and triceps. And then I repeat.
I go by howmy body reacts to change. Someweeks I’m more focused on hamstrings, for example. That’s the beauty of body sculpting, it’s like playing with clay. But here you get to play with your muscles and tissues and body fat.
My daughter is 2 andmy son is 6. My first pregnancy, Iwas younger. Iwas about proving to myself I could be healthy and pregnant. I exercised until the ninth month, gained only19 pounds. After the birth, Iwas right back tomyweight right away. Iwas teaching kickboxing class three and a halfweeks later.
Thenmy second pregnancy, I was thinking, “Whatwas I thinking? I justwant to be a pregnant mom.” Iwanted to experience the difference of notworking out but sitting around, eating ice cream. Gained double theweight. After the birth, it took five to six months to get back.
My friends] and I joke around, we say, “Yourworkout is mywarm-up.”
I’m a vegetarian. It’s a big challenge being vegetarian and competing, not being able to get animal protein. I eat a lot of Boca Burgers and meatless burger patties, but they have high sodium.
I havemany meals. Early morning, protein shake with protein powder and oatmeal andwater. Then I can have Greek yogurt three hours later. Then a Boca Burger or meatless patty with sweet potato. And then green vegetables— broccoli and edamame. Every meal is three hours apart. And then I can have a milkshake with almond milk and raw peanut butter. Maybe add protein powder. At night, I might eat tofu with vegetables.
It’s very tough. One of the reasons that inspiredmeto compete is to prove tomyself that I can do it and still be a good mom. We sit downfor dinner every night. My husband is Cuban so he likes to eat well, having that home-cooked meal. I sit downwithmy separate meal, but they’re all very healthy meals. However, I made a point to tellmy kids and family not to pay formy eating. They can eat anything theywant. They’re kids. If you tell them, “don’t do this,” they’ll want to leave the house and do it elsewhere. If theywant a piece of cake, that’s fine. But obviously they have to eat that piece of vegetable first!
Yes. Cheesecake. You have to live life a little. Butmy cheat is rare, notweekly even.
Alot ofwater. And I’m a coffee lover. Black but with Stevia.
I take a lot of supplements. Coconut oil. Flaxseed oil. Amino acids. I take glucosamine formy joints. Amultivitamin. Omega 3, 6 and 9.