Powerlifter Sophia Ellis in Two-Piece Workout Gear Says "We Out Here"

Sophia Ellis is sand boarding in South Africa – in her two-piece workout gear. In a new social media post the powerlifter takes a much-needed break from the gym for a day of fun on the sand dunes. “We out here,” she writes in the Instagram caption, sharing photos and videos of her adventurous afternoon. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. From Eating Disorder to Powerlifting

Sophia struggled with an eating disorder for six years, before collapsing one day with a dangerously low heart rate. After being discharged from the hospital, she found the gym, started lifting weights, and decided to be strong instead of skinny. "I had no idea what it was, but I joined the powerlifting club," she says in an interview with MyLondon. "From there I started competing - within four weeks of actually starting powerlifting I did my first competition, and then qualified for nationals in my first competition, as you do." She added to Female First: “Powerlifting helped to change my mindset; It allowed me to get excited about what my body is capable of, instead of focusing on what it looks like all of the time. You are not judged on your looks, your ethnicity, your size etc; its objective, you can either lift the weight or can't. That's what I love about it, you are showing just raw strength.”

2. Tips for Developing Long Term Healthy Habits in Strength Training

In a recent social media post Sophia reveals “3 top tips to develop long term healthy habits in strength training. First, she says that “consistency is key.” Her second tip is to set “specific, realistic & achievable goals.” And lastly, “prioritize rest and recovery,” she says, “and don’t forget to enjoy the process! By following these tips and staying committed to your strength training routine, you can develop long-term healthy habits that will help you achieve your fitness goals and maintain a strong and healthy body in the long run. Here’s to more gains!”

3. Vegan Diet

"Veganism really helped me to build a better relationship with food and opened me up to a very supportive community that made health a priority," Ellis told Chron. "Being vegan was always frowned upon in eating disorder units and has a bad rep with anorexia - but it shouldn't at all. It helped me so much. I want my followers to not take their health for granted and ensure that they not only nourish their bodies with healthy food and exercise, but to look after their mental wellbeing. I also want eating disorder sufferers to know they aren't alone and there is a way out."

4. Yoga

In addition to lifting weights, Sophia does yoga. There is a laundry list of reasons to do yoga, explains Harvard Health. “Researchers found that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for at least four years, gained less weight during middle adulthood,” they said. “People who were overweight actually lost weight. Overall, those who practiced yoga had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) compared with those who did not practice yoga. Researchers attributed this to mindfulness. Mindful eating can lead to a more positive relationship with food and eating.”

5. Protein

Sophia makes sure to eat enough protein. “There are plenty of plant-based proteins out there, and I aim to get protein from multiple different sources to maintain a well-balanced diet. The ones I tend to eat the most are seitan, tofu, tempeh, alternative meats/ soy products and vegan protein shakes for convenience,” she told Female First.

Sarah Lanzillo, a professional powerlifter and strong woman, has built a reputation not only for her impressive feats in strength but also for her advocacy. In August, she showed support for Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, sharing a post on Instagram where she posed in a “Childless Cat Lady” shirt—a playful nod that many had adopted to voice their endorsements of Harris. Here's how she stays so fit.

1. She Lifts Weights

One of the main ways that Lanzillo stays in shape is weightlifting. ACE Fitness states that doing this has a lot of benefits. “Lifting heavy weights elevates levels of anabolic hormones—specifically testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)—which are used to repair muscle fibers damaged during exercise. This helps the muscle fibers to become thicker and capable of generating higher levels of force.”

2. She Works Hard

Lanzillo makes sure to work hard when she trains. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram video of herself training. “Deadlifts ✅The Competition weights for the ladder are: 405, 455, 495, 525, and 560. My goal is to get though the 1st 3 🙏🏼🙏🏼 it’s absolutely insane to see some of the women flying through this event 😬😬😬💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 💪🏼”

3. She Does Deadlifts

Sarah Lanzillo/Instagram

In the previous Instagram video, Lanzillo is seen doing deadlifts with a barbell. According to NASM, this exercise is very beneficial. “A Romanian deadlift is a hip-hinge pattern that works the hamstrings and glutes. It is a form of deadlift with noticeably less bend in the knee, leading to greater hamstring engagement than traditional deadlifts. The move was introduced to the masses in the 90s by Romanian weightlifter Nicu Vlad (an Olympic and World Weightlifting champion) and his coach Dragomir Cioroslan. The two invented the move to help Nicu strengthen his back for the clean and jerk. Today, RDLs are commonly used to strengthen the posterior chain, using the core muscles to stabilize and the hamstrings and glutes to drive the movement.”

4. She Took Time Off

Lanzillo took time off from competing, and opened up about this in the caption of this Instagram video. “I’ve taken this whole year off competing to focus on my health. My body was so confused with the constant ups and downs of competing. Gain weight… lose weight… back and forth…I honestly haven’t lifted anything heavier than 225 in MONTHS and my body is thanking me for it. It doesn’t hurt when I get out of bed. My elbows don’t chronically hurt. My hips aren’t in pain every second of the day. My spine isn’t compressed after every workout. I feel good! I’m not saying I won’t EVER get back into competing BUTTTT this time off has done my body good 🥰🥰🥰”

5. She Does Squats

Lanzillo is seen doing squats with a barbell in this Instagram video. The Cleveland Clinic states that squats are very beneficial. “‘Squats are integral to athletic training programs, enhancing speed, agility, strength and power across various sports disciplines,’ says sports and exercise medicine physician Matthew Kampert, DO…’Squats primarily target the muscles in the thighs, hips and buttocks, leading to enhanced stability, balance and overall lower body strength.’”

Anna Pardzhiani, a professional powerlifter and fitness trainer, inspires her large Instagram following with workout videos and fitness tips. Known for her dedication to strength training, she recently shared a video posing in workout gear that garnered enthusiastic praise from her followers. Pardzhiani’s journey showcases her commitment to health, self-confidence, and encouraging others to appreciate their own unique abilities.

1. She Lifts Weights

Weightlifting is the main thing that Pardzhiani does to keep herself in shape, and it has a lot of health benefits. ACE Fitness states, “Using maximal loads for compound (multi-joint) movements like the deadlift, squat-to-shoulder press, bent-over row or chest press can improve intermuscular coordination, which is the ability of many muscles to work together to generate and control high levels of force through multiple joints.”

2. She Walks

Most of the workouts that Pardzhiani does are in the gym. However, there are some workouts she likes to do outside. Pardzhiani likes to walk to keep herself in shape. She shared this set of photos on Instagram of herself walking by the water at night. Pardzhiani captioned the post, “Vacation is not 100% vacation when you are a freelancer. But you always choose yourself where to be) and it's fine.”

3. She’s Comfortable With Herself

Pardzhiani makes sure to be comfortable with herself, and she wants others to do the same. Pardzhiani talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “How much energy goes into perpetual dissatisfaction with your body when your body helps you live that life. Perhaps you should shift your focus from finding flaws and the desire to please standards to your abilities? Choose a pleasant type of activity that will make you more confident and stronger, healthier, active, happier. Not going to the gym out of self-hate, not punishment by training, but enjoyment from activity? A sports body is more than a picture. Sports bodies can be different, it’s about what you’re capable of💫”

4. She Does Pull-Ups

Pardzhiani likes to do pull-ups to stay in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them in the gym. Pardzhiani captioned it, “Started practicing pull ups again. I love this movement, even though my data, to put it mildly, is not tight).” Asphalt Green states that doing pull-ups have a lot of benefits. “Pull-ups are a fantastic way to improve upper-body strength. This exercise primarily targets your back and biceps, but involves many stabilizing muscles in your core, arms, and shoulders. Depending on the way you grip the bar, you can even work your chest.”

5. She Does Squats

One exercise that Pardzhiani likes to do with weights is squats. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them with a barbell. Piedmont states that squats have a lot of health benefits. “Squats are a compound, multi-joint movement, which means they exercise several muscle groups. When you perform a squat, you work your calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, core and part of your back.”

Emily Hayden is a fitness trainer with a large following on social media. She is about to participate in a secret project and is making sure to train hard for it. Hayden recently shared a workout video with a friend on Instagram. In it, they are seen doing things like box jumps, slamming weighted balls, and pushing weighted carts. She captioned the post, “What do you think would happen if you went ALL IN on you? No more holding back, no more half efforts, no more excuses, and no more making yourself small. NO. MORE.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Emily Hayden stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Pushes Herself

Hayden makes sure to push herself when she works out. She talked about this in the caption of her post. “Take up space. Face the challenge head on. Dominate what’s in front of you. Give it everything you’ve got. And when you feel like you have nothing left, remember… that moment is exactly why you’re here. Push through and show yourself that you can overcome any obstacle in front of you.”

2. She Strength Trains

Emily Hayden/Instagram

Hayden likes to strength train to stay fit. In her Instagram video, she is seen using a weighted ball and a weighted cart. According to ACE Fitness, these exercises have a lot of health benefits. “Strength training with heavy weights improves muscle definition. Muscle definition occurs as the result of muscles remaining in a state of semi-contraction and heavy strength training recruits the larger type II muscle fibers responsible for a muscle’s appearance.”

3. She Works Out With A Friend

As you can tell from her video, Hayden likes to work out with a friend. Better Health states that having a friend workout with you can push you. “When you exercise with a friend who’s around the same fitness level as you, you’re more likely to encourage each other and to push a little harder (to increase intensity, for example) than you might do on your own. A friend can bring out your competitive side and spur you on. When you’re ready to give up, the sight of your friend powering on might be just the incentive you need to keep going.”

4. She Does Squats

One workout that Hayden enjoys doing is squats. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them with a barbell. Hayden captioned the post, “Do it because you deserve the life that excellence produces. Do it for you. What would you go after if anything was possible? Go after that. How would you show up if you weren’t worried about the judgements of others? Show up like that.”

5. She Uses A Resistance Band

Hayden likes to use a resistance band when she trains her glutes. She shared one of her favorite exercises in this Instagram video. In it, Hayden puts the band on her waist, stretches it out, and does forward bends with a weight. Hayden captioned the post, “Try this on your next glute day! It’s one of my favorite glute exercises. Focus on the efficiency & fullness of each squeeze and give it a full slow stretch at the bottom of the rep. Let me know what you think 💞tag me in your stories if you try it!”