Emily Harrington is rock climbing in her workout gear. In a new social media post the professional climber shows off her amazing figure in a two-piece exercise set while high up in the mountains. “My 17th (?) year with @thenorthface brought an athlete summit for the books. I am more proud and honored every year to be a part of such a rad team. From the new teammates to the veterans to those who operate behind the scenes, only respect and stoke for this crew 🫶🏻 #neverstopexploring,” she captioned the series of Instagram snaps and videos. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.
Adjusting Her Diet
Emily had to adjust her diet over the years. “I wasn’t eating enough. As a younger climber, I used to heavily restrict my carb and fat intake,’ Harrington explains. As a result, her energy levels were chronically low. “I think I got lucky that I never got seriously injured as a result, but it did affect my mental health and my relationship with climbing significantly,” she told Climbing. How does she eat on a day of trekking? “I had breakfast at midnight to start climbing at 1:30 AM,” Harrington says. “That was Kodiak Cakes Protein Oatmeal with berries and peanut butter.” Once she started climbing, she was careful to eat every hour—a mix of bars, nuts, dried fruit, crackers, and beef jerky. “My strategy was to constantly feed myself to avoid bonking but never too much to upset my stomach,” she says. And it worked: Harrington finished the route in 21 hours and 13 minutes, well under her 24-hour target.
She Doesn’t Count Calories
Harrington doesn’t measure her food or count calories. “I eat pretty much everything,” she says. “But personally, I love breakfast the most.” Her go-to meal? Kodiak Protein Oats or Kodiak Buttermilk Power Cakes, usually with yogurt or nut butter with two cups of coffee.
No Diets
“I CAN eat everything (which makes travel easy and not stressful), but I try to consume mostly whole, unprocessed foods, and drink alcohol moderately. I love peanut butter and chocolate. I try not to eat things that don't make me feel all that good, but other than that I try to have no rules,” she told Men’s Journal. “I feel like diets and rules are taxing for me emotionally and mentally, and I have a habit of going too far with it, so I try to focus on the enjoyment and experience of food above all else. Adrian and I love cooking and eating together. It's one of our favorite things to do together, so when we are home we prioritize cooking and meals at home and I love it so much.”
Sleep and Self-Care
Photo by DANNY G on UnsplashEmily also prioritizes sleep. “I have a harder time so I bring essentials that help me sleep: sometimes my own pillow case, comfortable clothes to sleep in on the airplane, a nice eye mask, good ear plugs, etc,” she says. “I am also big on skin care. I bring face wash and moisturizer everywhere with me. Washing my face makes me feel like a new person after a long day of travel or in the mountains.”
Outdoor and Indoor Exercise
“Living in the mountains for me - playing, learning, existing in them - is imperative for my mental health. It's remarkable how much my mood changes depending on whether or not I was able to get outside that day. If I am in a bad mood or feeling a bit down, the best thing I can do is get myself outside in the hills,” she told Men’s Journal. “Training for rock climbing often involves a lot of time inside at the gym (especially in the winter), but I have learned that in order to feel healthy and balanced, I need to incorporate being outdoors as well. It's one of the biggest reasons I started skiing again, because when climbing outside isn't possible I have found solace in experiencing the mountains on skis.”
Margo Hayes/Instagram
Margo Hayes/Instagram
Margo Hayes/Instagram
Margo Hayes/Instagram
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Emily Hayden/Instagram
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