Interview: Caraline Maher
Insta: @carafit3 PEScience Athlete Bikini Training & Inquiries: Carafit3@gmail.com
1)Tell us a little about yourself!
I'm 22 years old with a BS in Exercise Science. I'm an NASM Certified Personal Trainer & do online training, but I work at a gym as well. I was a 3x All American Volleyball player in college & miss the game everyday! To keep my love for the game going I coach young girls, & I'll play sand from time to time. I am a PEScience sponsored athlete. I'm obsessed with my cat Meeko, & my biggest goal this year is to reach out & help as many people as possible on their fitness journey!
2)What are some of your favorite leg/glute exercises?
I'm a sucker for deadlifts, they're my favorite! I do a lot of variations of RDLs & weighted lunges. But I also love the abductor machine for the glutes as well! Feel the burn!
3)What supplements do you currently take?
All supplements I take are PEScience.
Morning: Ergonine (all in one supplement)
Preworkout: I stack Alphamine & High Volume for sustainable energy & a killer pump! (Sometimes I'll take norcodrene instead of alphamine)
Intra workout: Amino IV
Post workout: Select Protein (Peanut butter cup & white chocolate mint are my favorites)
When I get closer to show day (about 4-5 weeks out) I'll start taking shift and erase pro.
4)What made you decide to start competing?
I haven't always wanted to compete honestly. It wasn't until about 2-3 years ago that I even started thinking about it. I'm not really good in front of large audiences (aside from when I was playing volleyball). It makes me uncomfortable and anxious. But the more and more I got into the fitness lifestyle, the more I wanted to push myself. I decided about a year and half ago that I was for sure going to do it. My first show was supposed to be in August of 2015 after I graduated but I got terribly sick and had to stop prep. Now I'm 8 weeks out from my REAL FIRST comp and I'm soooo excited! I can't wait to see the amazing progress my body can make before getting on that stage! Plus, have you seen the gorgeous suits? ?
5)What does a typical day of eating look like for you?
I normally have 4 egg whites with veggies and turkey bacon for breakfast. Or cereal if I have higher carbs (I freaking love cereal!)
Lunch & dinner rotate between chicken/tuna/lean turkey/lean beef with some sort of veggie/rice/couscous/potato. Tip: hot sauce or mustard are life savers in the flavor department!
Snacks are normally Greek yogurt with raspberries or bloobs, rice cakes with peanut butter, PEScience protein shake, or some sort of fruit or veggie in general (pineapple and red peppers are my favorites)
6)Have you had any struggles throughout your journey?
Most definitely! I think no fitness journey is complete without a handful of struggles. Of course I've struggled with sticking to my prep diet but that's why flexible dieting is a beautiful thing. I've had my share of knee issues from 15 years of overuse with volleyball. I have tendinitis in both knees & both biceps, but nothing too crazy. Just little things that try to slow me down from time to time. My biggest struggle has been when I got sick last April like I had mentioned. Long story short, My blood stream was directly infected with the strep virus during my breast augmentation surgery (yes I had one). The virus shut my entire body down within a week & I had to be rushed into emergency surgery to have them removed & my body flushed out. My kidneys were 5% away from complete failure. I lost 15lbs in 2 weeks & could barely hold a glass of water I was so weak. It took me months to get back to even lifting close to what I used to. The doctor told my dad that if I hadn't been in such great physical shape going into the first surgery, that I most likely wouldn't have made it thru the second. Fitness literally saved my life.
7)Where do you shop for your workout clothes?
I definitely have my favorites. Most of my workout tanks are from Doughnuts & Deadlifts. I love Krissy Mae Cagney and everything her and that team have built in the last couple of years. They're just all around great people.
Majority of my leggings are from Lululemon. I also love Nike pros & fleo shorts. And a bunch of my random stuff is from forever21 or tjmaxx.
8)How much cardio do you recommend people do?
Cardio really depends on your goals, metabolism, and body type. So it's different for everyone. I have a really high metabolism, with a more lean body type, so hate on me but I don't do much cardio myself. My cardio comes from plyo work in my weight training.
9)What has been your favorite part of prepping and competing?
Being that this is my first prep, my favorite part has just been the learning process of getting to know my own body better. It's crazy to see how well my body may react to certain things compared to others. It's all about finding what works best for you. And also, did I mention the gorgeous suits?!
10)How do you recommend people get started on their own fitness journey?
The "how" is up to the person. Whether it be starting with cleaning up your diet, getting your first gym membership, getting a personal trainer, taking advantage of your school's rec center, or even just joining a yoga class or other group fitness class. All are great options! But as for the "when", the time is NOW. Start now.
11)What are some of your goals for the future?
Again, my number one goal is to reach & help as many people as I possibly can! Whether that be with personal training, motivation, or simply just answering any kind of questions they may have about the journey they're on. I want women everywhere to be comfortable in their own skin and genuinely HAPPY with their body at all stages! Self love is soooo important & so many girls struggle with this.
Other goals obviously include doing well in NPC Bikini and eventually getting my pro card. I want to expand my personal training business & get my name out there more so that I can reach more people who may need my help. I also just really want the opportunity to change people's lives. Fitness changed my life; saved my life. I want to help people be the healthiest, strongest version of themselves, mentally and physically. It motivates me to do my best & to always be real with people, because I know I have the ability & opportunity to inspire others in ways I couldn't even imagine.
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