Calgary athlete and Olympian Kaillie Humphries has some advice for those trying to get fit after the holidays, and she’s now even more qualified to speak on the matter.
The bobsledder made Sports Illustrated ’s list of the 50 fittest athletes in the world.
She’s number 17 on the female list, which was drawn up by a panel of five experts.
Humphries said she had no idea she was even in the running for such a list.
“This was a total surprise,” she said. “I had no idea. I absolutely had no idea.”
She said making the list was cool because of the other names she saw there – including tennis star Serena Williams (ranked 10th) and UFC star Amanda Nunes (ranked 7th).
Humphries said she’s stepped away from competition for at least a year, but she also has a long term goal of competing in the next Winter Olympics, so staying fit is still an important part of her daily routine.
That commitment to staying fit, even while not actively preparing for competition, is what caught the judges’ eye in the Sports Illustrated article.
“The three-time Olympic medalist dedicates three to five hours a day to a combination of sprinting and weight lifting, all designed for optimal performance during those fleeting few minutes on the bobsleigh track,” read her listing in the article.
Humphries is currently in San Diego, and she’s been training with American tennis star CoCo Vandeweghe.
“Overall it was great to train with another female who’s super dominant and such a force,” she said. “I’ve been putting myself in different scenarios, training with different people, and just overall trying to be happy with myself and my body.”
Aside from daily training, Humphries dished on what she’s putting on her plate.
“It’s not so much a diet,” she said. “I don’t follow a strict diet, I just try to eat healthy.”
That non-diet includes mostly meat or other protein and vegetables, with only a bit of carbs for recovery after a workout. She calls it a lazy keto diet.
For those who are still in New Year’s Resolution mode, Humphries had some advice on staying focused.
“Find what motivates you and use daily reminders of why it is you started and what it is your goal is,” she said.
She also said remaining realistic about goals will help.
“Doing little bits every single day, over a longer time, – you will be able to achive your goal. Have a plan for what it is you want to achieve.”
