👋 Hi! Tell us about yourself and your training
Oh, hey! My name is Kristina Angeli. I’m a born and raised Australian who currently lives in the capital city (hint. Not Sydney, its actually Canberra).
I am the current female powerlifting record holder across squat, bench, and deadlift in my weight class (52/57kg).
I have competed in bodybuilding across bikini, fitness and figure and placed top 3 in each competition and category.
I currently compete with IFBB Pro League in the bikini category and came first in my height class at this years national competition.
But my fitness achievements are only one aspect of my personality, I’m truly a melting pot of personas; powerlifter, bodybuilder, buddhist, management consultant, model, disney fan, dancer, psychology undergrad, and German-Italian-Irish-Australian!
⏱ Describe a typical day of training
I am not a lover of traditional cardio.
My career can involve long hours (as a management consultant I help improve the way large organizations do business), and periods of intensity, so to ensure I can always get my training in I train in the mornings – this means a 4am wake up call.
As I’m a bodybuilder and powerlifter I train for both strength and physique goals.
My training normally includes my cardio first (same concept as eating your veggies first and saving the best for last…), followed by compound lifts i.e. squat/bench/deadlift, and then my accessories aka bodybuilding style hypertrophy and body part isolation training.
My sessions can last between 1.5 – 3 hours depending on my goals.
I will manipulate my training to suit my upcoming competitive goals, but I’ll also take into account my career and lifestyle goals. I think this is often overlooked but the key to making training sustainable.
I am not a lover of traditional cardio. I used to avoid PE at school at any cost but I do love creative physical movement such as dance and yoga.
For cardio during prep I tend to lean toward the stepper or treadmil and watch Netflix or read to distract myself and pass the time.
I actually studied for all university exams on the treadmill. Two birds one stone!
👊 How do you keep going and push harder?
I am the laziest-dedicated person I know.
The answer no one will expect – find the laziest way to get the job done.
Have you ever heard that saying, ‘if you have a difficult task, get a lazy person to do it as they will find the easiest way’?
This stands so true to my life. I am the laziest-dedicated person I know. I will always do the minimum sufficient to get the job done, for the hard/boring tasks and will allow myself the maximum time to complete the enjoyable/fun tasks!
This sounds counterintuitive and I will caveat with saying that ‘minimum sufficient’ doesn’t mean you avoid it. You still need to find a way to get the job done, but somedays that means just turning up to the gym for 10 minutes and going home.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome generally is fear of failure.
I used to be so afraid of doing something which would result in loss. Which resulted in me settling for a lot less than I knew I could do.
I’m beginning to overcome this. Losing is hard. But I’ve learnt it’s not a true failure until you quit trying. A generic response I know, but one that rings true.
🏆 How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
There is something about 2020 that is existing for us all. It invigorated me to aim higher. I have big plans for the next five years:
- My IFBB Bikini Pro card (yup, I said it – no take backs now)
- A promotion at work!
- A move… to the big(ger) smoke
- Compete internationally
- Purchase my second investment home
Not necessarily in order, but I would be happy for achievement in that order.
To reach these goals, I just keep competing and progressing. I’m always working towards a fitness goal. I go crazy if I’m not. I know each comp I get better and learn more so I’m just focused on improving.
I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve made mistakes. Ive been too hard on myself. But I’ve learnt through it all.
I probably would have told you a different story at certain times of my journey, but reflecting now I’m glad I’ve had losses, struggles, tears… it’s all built my character.
🤕 How do you recover, rest and handle injuries?
I always workout when travelling!
As a powerlifter I’m often nursing some form of injury, usually a back injury.
I believe in pre-hab over re-hab. I foam roll, stretch, warm-up every session. I do yoga and meditate on weekends. I take my vitamins and drink my water. When all else fails – anti-inflammatories, rest, and deep heat.
I average 6-7 hours of sleep a night. I would love to get more but life has too much else going on. Weekends I tend to sleep in when I can.
I always workout when travelling! As a management consultant my job requires travel. So I prep my meals and find the local gym in advance.
Only change is I’m sleeping in a different bed and need to be slightly more planned than normal.
🍎 How is your diet and what supplements do you use?
I have tried all of the methods over the years, but what works for me is a mix of IIFYM and traditional clean-eating/meal plans.
In doing IIFYM first I understood what was in my food, and now on a meal plan I am able to adapt the plan to suit my preferences and daily desires.
Right now I am a few weeks out from Arnold Australia. I am on higher fats and lower carbs daily, and have one high carb day on weekends (carb cycling approach).
I utilize food4fitness.com.au for all of my meals, and Gen-Tec nutrition for all of my supplements!
So right now I’m pretty structured. Oats for breakfast, a large coffee (I adore caffeine), meat and veggies around lunch sometimes with rice, arvo sweet like a protein shake or bar and a cup of chai tea and then meat and veg with some fats like avocado for dinner. Once a week I’ll eat out or get takeaway.
I love a glass of red wine any day of the week but I’m pretty restrained and don’t have it too often.
I take a half flexible half rigid approach to dieting so I usually fit social occasions into my macros and will account for it. Having done this for nearly a decade I’m kinda on auto pilot now.
👍 What has inspired and motivated you?
I’m inspired by someone or something new everyday. But one book that changed my life was ‘The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance George Mumford’.
Best advice I’ve received: Don’t have a back up plan. If they tell you you’re crazy that’s all the more reason to do it.
Not everyone will like you – get over it.
✏️ Advice for other people who want to improve themselves?
Learn how to meditate.
You can’t sit still? You’ll get bored? You don’t see the point? YEP. You are the exact type of person that needs to meditate.
Not only will it teach you to calm your mind, it will also teach you how to sit with yourself in silence. Once you are comfortable still and alone, you will be comfortable in any situation.
Don’t believe me. Try 2 minutes a day looking at your hands and thinking about your hands. I’m being serious. That’s all meditation is. Being in the moment with yourself.
🤝 Are you taking on clients right now?
So I’m currently taking online posing clients (send me a DM on Instagram) for all federations but a focus on IFBB! So my clients see a result during the session!
I LOVE posing and presentation for stage. I’m so passionate about helping women find their inner goddess. It’s a lucky position being able to see that light turn on in front of your eyes.
Every woman’s light is different so it’s fun working with different styles and preferences and designing something unique.
However, I’m not taking on nutrition or training clients, as my career makes it difficult to give sufficient time daily to both!
📝 Where can we learn more about you?
I’m on Instagram @miss_kristina_angeli.
