Bethany Shadburne is breaking a sweat in her workout gear. In a new social media post the CrossFit athlete shows off her fit figure in a two-piece exercise set.“Superset weighted dips + landmine RDL 💪🏽🔥#dips #rdl #bodybuilding #accessorywork,” she captioned the Instagram video. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.
Sports From a Young Age
Bethany has been athletic from the start. “I got into fitness and working out at a very young age. I am the baby of four, and we were all very wild children! My mom put us all in swimming and soccer at first, and then at age five, I went into gymnastics,” she told O2 Hydration.
She Didn’t Take Care of Herself for Years
“The biggest change for me over the years is how I treat my body. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to take care of myself so that I could perform my best as an athlete. I just continually beat down my body without the right hydration and food, and I didn’t have a recovery routine. I went on crazy diets, and as a bodybuilder, I took fat burners and other junk that was really bad for me. I’ve battled a lot of GI issues as a result, and have worked hard to get my gut healthy. I’m really careful now about what I eat and drink,” she says.
Saunas
Photo by HUUM on UnsplashBethany indulges in heat therapy.”I have really enjoyed sitting in the sauna lately so I will do that post workout and stretch in there for about 20-30 min. I also enjoy my Hyperice tools a lot! And, of course, I do foam rolling as necessary,” she added. Should you take a dry sauna? While some claim the health benefits of saunas are plentiful, including detoxification, increased metabolism, weight loss, increased blood circulation, pain reduction, antiaging, skin rejuvenation, improved cardiovascular function, improved immune function, improved sleep, stress management, and relaxation, there isn’t a lot of research backing up the claims.
Hydration and Sleep
And, she drinks a lot of water. “I also focus on hydrating, drinking a minimum of one gallon of water and replenishing electrolytes with lots of O2. I choose healthy foods, but I don’t skimp on the carbs! Sleep is also really important for me - I get 8-10 hours of sleep a night,” she says. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is important for a variety of reasons. Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.
CrossFit, Naturally
“With CrossFit, I have truly learned how my body works and functions and how to be in tune with it. I think I now know when to push myself and when to back off; unfortunately, that only comes through years of experience of doing it wrong,” she told O2 Hydration. “My least favorite part of CrossFit is the one-rep maxes and heavy lifting. I have been working on them a TON, but the progress is slow. I know I have to go into damage-control mode when those workouts come up at competitions!”
Long Workout Sessions
Bethany spends a lot of time at the gym. “My workouts vary based on the season and competition ahead of me. When things are busy, I can spend 7-8 hours a day in the gym!” she says. “Right now, I work out six days a week, some days are doubles and some are triples! During my one day off, I focus on active recovery.”
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Christine Middleton/Instagram
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