Hilary Rhoda in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shares Intense Workout

Walking

Michelle makes sure to get her steps in. You can usually find her walking around Miami. One study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day led to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and death, compared with walking a similar number of steps but at a slower pace.

Motivation in the Mirror

What motivates Michelle? “I would say the mirror. There’s nothing more motivating than when you find a new vein! Am I crazy? Probably, but it’s true! Progress is what motivates me to keep pushing harder and not give up. Also it’s extremely motivating to have so many female fans,” she told Simply Shredded.

5 Hardcore Workouts Per Week

Here is what Michelle’s workout looks like, as she detailed it to Simply Shredded:

Monday: Back/Biceps

• Chin Ups (Wide Grip) 4×12
• Chin Ups (Normal Grip) 4×10
• Row Machine 4×12
• T-Bar Rows 4×12
• Dumbbell Curls 6×12
• EZ Bar Curls 4×12
• Straight Bar Cable Curls 4×12

Tuesday: Hamstrings/Calves

• Lying Leg Curls 4×12
• Seated Leg Curls 4×12
• Deadlifts 4×10-15
• Seated Calf Raises 8×20
• Standing Calf Raises (Smith Machine) 6×20

Wednesday: Triceps/Shoulders

• Standing Dumbbell Tricep Extensions 6×12
• Skull Crushers EZ Bar 4 X 12
• Rope Overhead Cable Extensions 4×12
• Military Press 4×10
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3×10
• Upright Rows with EZ Bar 4×12
• Side Lateral Raises 4×10

Thursday: Rest

• Off

Friday: Legs

• Lunges 4×12
• Good Mornings 6×20
• Leg Press (Single Leg) 4×15 (Each Leg)
• Squats 4×12

Saturday: Abs

• Hanging Knee Raises 4×12
• Crunches 4×20
• Crunch Machine 4×12
• Crunches On Ball 4×20

Sunday: Rest

• Off

Here Is What She Eats in a Day

Michelle shared a sample menu of what she eats in a day with Muscle & Fitness.

Breakfast: Protein pancake or chocolate peanut butter overnight oats

Snack 1: Stuffed avocado tacos or tuna tartar

Lunch: Cashew chicken lettuce wraps or noodles with creamy avocado pesto

Snack 2: Peruvian ceviche or yogurt protein cups

Dinner: Teriyaki ginger tilapia or coconut chicken curry

Cardio for Weight Loss

To “cut down” or lose weight, do lots of cardio, advises Michelle. “I just love to sweat like a maniac. So what ever I feel like: Stair Master, Rollerblading around South Beach Miami or Spinning classes. I keep the intensity high and make sure that I am always pushing my hardest,” she said.

She Lifts Weights

In her Instagram video, Henry is seen using heavy weights to workout. This has a lot of benefits. ACE Fitness states, “Using heavy weights increases intramuscular coordination, the number of type II motor units and the amount of muscle fibers engaged within a specific muscle. Have you ever felt your muscles shaking while lifting heavy weights? This is because you are recruiting and activating the larger type II muscle fibers, which are only stimulated to work when a muscle is challenged with heavy resistance or working to fatigue.”

She Does Deadlifts

Henry is seen doing deadlifts in her Instagram video. The exercise has a lot of benefits. According to ACE Fitness, “When done correctly, the RDL is an effective exercise that helps strengthen both the core and the lower body with one move. Unlike the traditional barbell deadlift and other quad-dominant exercises such as leg presses, which place significant loads on the anterior portion of the knees, the RDL focuses most of the physical work on the muscles responsible for extending the hip and the knee from the posterior.”

She Does Lunges

Henry is also seen doing lunges in her Instagram video. The lunge has a lot of health benefits. The Mayo Clinic reports, “The lunge is a body resistance exercise that works the leg muscles. Specifically, the lunge targets the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles in the thigh, the gluteal muscles in the buttock, and to a lesser extent, the lower leg muscles. The lunge is a great conditioning exercise for many sports, especially those that involve lunging movements, such as tennis, basketball or soccer.”

She Does Squats

Henry is seen doing squats with a barbell in this Instagram video. According to Allina Health, squats are very beneficial. “The squat is one of the all-around best exercises to do for your lower body. It strengthens and tones muscles in your thighs, butt and calves and improves posture, balance, flexibility and inner core strength. Squatting also improves bone mineral density to keep your bones strong.”

She Swims

Henry spends a lot of time at the beach. She shares a lot of posts of herself there on Instagram. Naturally, Henry likes to swim to keep herself in shape. She included some photos of herself in the water in this carousel post. Better Health states that swimming has a lot of benefits. “Swimming is a great workout because you need to move your whole body against the resistance of the water. Swimming is a good all-round activity because it: keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body, builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness.”

Strength Training

Hattie relies on strength training to keep her body fit. “A combination of heavy weights and circuit training changed my life! German Volume and split training has also shaped my body like nothing else,” she told Simply Shredded. According to the Mayo Clinic, strength and weight training help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training may also help you:

• Develop strong bones
• Manage your weight
• Enhance your quality of life
• Manage chronic conditions
• Sharpen your thinking skills

Squats, Back Extensions, Hip Thrusts

Hattie recommends doing squats, back extensions, and hip thrusts. “There is nothing like having a good squat day! I get under the bar and everything just glides! Plus there are so many variations it’s hard to get bored,” she says. As for back extensions, with her toes turned out, “is one of my favorite exercises,” she says. “For years I would get a sore lower back, and it wasn’t until I put this bad boy into my routine that I started to get rid of my back pain,” she explains. She recommends doing hip thrusts on a decline bench with a barbell, another “great burner” for her glutes. “This year, when I was 9 weeks out from the WBFF World titles, I fractured my foot and could no longer squat, sprint, lunge or put pressure on my foot. This exercise helped me train through it, and I was able to keep my posterior chain and strength levels in check,” she says.”

Do HIIT Workouts for Cutting

Hattie does HIIT to cut, she told Simply Shredded. “I like a challenge, and I enjoy the short bursts of intensity.” There is lots of research backing up the benefits of HIIT workouts, including body fat reduction, improved cardiovascular function, and mental health. It is also time effective.

Fuel Up with Protein

Hattie focuses her diet around protein.

• Meal 1: 2 Poached Eggs, 2 Slices Soy and Linseed, 1 tablespoon Butter and 1 Skim Cappuccino
• Meal 2: 1 Scoop Whey, 1 tablespoon Almond Spread, 7 ounces Skim Milk, ½ Banana and Cinnamon
• Meal 3: 7 ounces Teriyaki Fish, 1 cup Rice, and 3 ½ ounces Mixed Greens
• Meal 4: 7 ounces Chicken Breast, 1 Apple, Piccolo Latte – Full Cream and Salad
• Meal 5: 1 Scoop Whey, 1 Apple and Water
• Meal 6: 6 ounces Rib Eye Steak, 5 ounces Sweet Potato Fries and Salad
• Meal 7: 1 ounce Chocolate

Be Flexible with Your Diet

Hattie is a “flexible dieter or IIFYM,” she tells Simply Shredded. “I know this is a controversial topic in the industry, but to be honest it has played a huge role in my recovery from anorexia. Off season, my macros are around 160 grams of protein, 280 grams of carbs and 70 grams of fat. During contest prep my macros are around 170 grams of protein, 140 grams of carbs and 55 grams of fat. I have no restriction on my food, but I must meet my target goals daily.”