Fit Model After 50: Five Weeks Out and Sticking with the Plan While Traveling [Ep 57]

Lisa shares the highs, hurdles, and hacks prepping for her first Fit Model bodybuilding competition that is just five weeks away. From long road trips and surprise snack thieves to backyard workouts and new suits that show more cheek than comfort, she takes you behind the scenes of what training really looks like in midlife.

She dives into flexibility, finding joy when the unexpected happens and why showing up, even imperfectly, builds confidence and momentum. Lisa also opens up about recovery and how prioritizing sleep and self-care isn’t optional, it’s foundational.

Key Moments

[01:10] Staying on track while traveling—and letting go of perfection
[04:30] Improvising workouts: backyard resistance band session
[05:50] Trying on her competition suits: Confidence, curves, and cheeks
[09:20] Lisa’s essential recovery strategies: stretching, rest, and sleep
[10:45] Sleep support 101
[12:00] Life won’t pause for your goals—so prepare, pivot, and keep showing up
[12:45] Teaser for next week’s topic: How big goals impact your relationships

Thanks for listening!

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Transcript

Lisa DuPree: Hello. Hello. Welcome back to another episode of Midlife Mojo, the podcast for women over 50 who are on a mission to be fit and flourishing and full of purpose over 50. I'm Lisa and today's episode's another check-in on my personal journey of training for my very first bodybuilding physique competition in the Fit model division.

I'm officially five weeks out from Competition Day and. Oh my goodness. Time is really flying by now. So today I'm gonna talk about staying on track while traveling. Some flexibility that had to happen with workouts and such, and what happened to my delicious homemade protein bars. Spoiler alert, they were really popular, and how recovery is absolutely non-negotiable, especially after 50.

So let's just get right into it. Last week I took a long drive up to Atlanta to visit my daughter for a few days. And when I say long, I mean like nine hours in the car kind [00:01:00] of long. If you've ever tried to juggle any fitness or health goal while traveling, you already know that it comes with some challenges, like schedules shift, routines are off.

There's. A lot more sitting and eating according to your plan just really takes extra intention. And, I had to let go of the notion of perfection a long time ago. 'Cause it just wasn't serving me and it was detrimental in a long way in a lot of ways. It kind of set me back sometimes when I felt like I was falling short, you know? So now, I have a plan. But I realize nine times outta 10 that plan doesn't play out exactly like I think it is.

So now I'm focused on being prepared and flexible, and that's really the sweet spot. Before I left for this trip, I prepped two days worth of meals, so I'd have food on the road. And for my first day up at my daughter's [00:02:00] place. And that gave me a cushion to kind of settle in, be able to get to the grocery store, make the meals for the rest of my trip.

'cause I was gonna be there for a few days. It keeps me focused and avoided the overwhelm and, having to make some. Split second decisions. When it's like, oh, I'm hungry. What do I eat now? And yes, I travel with my homemade protein bars. I have started making these amazing Maple almond Noot bars, and they're covered in chocolate.

They're marshmallowy, they're chewy, but most importantly, they're packed with protein. Basically, they're like my fit women candy bars um, because I must have chocolate every day, at least once, if not twice. And these protein bars hit the spot while keeping me in prep mode. But

my daughter and her roommates found them in the fridge and they did not last long, you know? I got up the next [00:03:00] morning and I was like, okay, I'm going to get my protein bar. And they were there, was known in there. I was like, where are they? And so I couldn't find them. This was an unexpected kind of monkey wrench thrown into my plan, and I actually had to scramble to make more bars when I was up there, and I ended up actually making a special batch for them too, because they loved them so much.

I ended up leaving my secret recipe with my daughter so she could make some more. And I really could have been annoyed that they ate them or just thrown off track because all my snacks were gone. But in the grand scheme of things, it just wasn't a thing. It wasn't a big deal because there was always plan B, and, and sometimes I have plan C as well.

This flexibility allows for life to happen and it's moments. Like this, that, that actually made the trip really special because they're nurses, they're working long shifts with a lot of stress. One is in the neuro ICU and my [00:04:00] daughter's in the emergency department and they are always hungry as well.

Um, And so if I can bring just a little bit of joy and ease into their lives. Along with some chocolate and a boost of protein like that just warms my heart and puts a spinal on my face. And so it was totally worth it and I was able to, to just pivot and make it work by making some more. And so transitioning into the workouts, you know, I had at least two workouts that I had to get done while I was up there and I ended up being able to go to the gym with my daughter.

And that is such a treat. Honestly, I work out way harder when she's with me. Like there's just that extra push when you've got the accountability and you've got an accountability partner that you love being around. And I love being around her. And that said, we couldn't squeeze in my second lifting [00:05:00] day because she had to work.

And so I was like, okay, what do I do? 'cause I didn't wanna actually go and, have to buy a gym membership up there. Just for a couple of days. So I improvised, I grabbed some resistance bands that we had at the house and a sturdy box to use as a makeshift bench. And I took it all outside and did a workout in the backyard.

It was really Polly. It spring. Uh, was it ideal? No. Not really. Was it fancy? Absolutely not. But did I get it done? You bet I did. 'Cause doing the work, it is not always going to be picture perfect or Instagram worthy, but showing up for yourself in whatever way you can, that's where the mojo is. That consistency builds confidence and it builds momentum.

And I, it just, I was so glad that I was able to. To come up with plan B and make it happen. Oh, [00:06:00] and uh, this week also was a big week because I got my competition suits in. Yes. Plural. I chose an emerald green. Suit and a deep purple one. And thank goodness for the fit model division and the more modest cut bottoms because there's more coverage

they're still really cheeky but it's more modest than what is worn in the other categories, which is kind of like a thong. Still owning that much skin on stage at almost 60. It takes some serious mental prep too, and, I'm still working on it.

Every time I try them on, I am excited about the more coverage, the more modest cut. Every posing session I work on really being confident. And it's more than just the way the soup fits. It's about feeling strong, beautiful, and worthy in your own skin. [00:07:00] So if you've ever looked at a swimsuit and thought, Ugh, nope, not, not happening.

I can't pull that off my friends I feel you. But it's important to keep working toward owning all of it, everything, all the things that you have. As far as experience, how your body looks, how you feel about yourself it's worth it to keep working on it if it's not at a level where you can show up with some cheeks hanging out and rock really, because showing up with confidence at any age that's magnetic and that's what, we're working toward.

 All right. Now for the part that doesn't always get talked about enough in the health and fitness world, but it really should, and that's recovery. And I wanna touch on it because over the past couple of weeks I've had a little flare up that feels like plantar fascitis. And if you're not familiar, [00:08:00] that's when the bottom of your foot gets really tight.

Lisa DuPree: There's some inflammation. It's painful, especially in the morning or if you've been standing a long time. And y'all, it's like my foot is staging a full on protest. But honestly it's a wake up call and it's a little bit expected at this point training because you know.

At this point, our bodies need a little bit more care and attention, not less. And we really have to be mindful of what our bodies are telling us to pay attention to. And recovery is not optional, and rest isn't lazy. It's really essential. And so here's what I'm doing and here's how I'm listening to my body right now at this stage.

I've modified my cardio and training just a little bit, some minor tweaks to avoid aggravating it more and developing a full on injury. I've started doing some extra stretching for my foot and lower leg and that seems to [00:09:00] be really helping. And I broke down and got this super sexy night boot that helps stretch things out while you sleep, it's helping and. It doesn't necessarily like it helps the injury, but it's a little bit more difficult to sleep with. And speaking of sleep, I am really doubling down on my sleep habits because recovery happens while we sleep.

Muscles repair and build. Energy stores are replenished. Cortisol levels go down, hormones that fight inflammation are released. All of these things are important. And this is just to name a few of the things. There's so many more things that sleep helps with, and for those of us who are navigating perimenopause, or even like in post menopause, quality sleep is even more precious.

And so sleep support. Looks like for me now, taking magnesium [00:10:00] at night. No squirreling on screens after nine 30. I know this is a toughie. It's been hard, but it has made a significant difference in my ability to fall asleep and it's also made a significant difference in kind of my mental outlook, I think.

Just not scrolling and doom scrolling is really helping. I put blackout curtains in my bedroom to keep it dark and I've added a white noise machine for background noise. And it also helps with relaxation because when I go into the bedroom, I have a nighttime routine and then I turn on that white noise machine and it's like a signal that it is time to, it is time to go to sleep.

So all this behind the scenes stuff isn't flashy, but it's what is allowing me to keep going without burning out or tipping that scale into like full blown injury. And whether you're prepping for a show, like working toward a weight loss goal or trying [00:11:00] to manage some menopause related symptoms, like listening to our bodies is important.

Recovery is important, and it isn't a sign of weakness. It's how we actually protect our strength. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. You are allowed to rest. You're allowed to slow down and given your body what it needs will only make you stronger in the long term. And so here we are.

Five weeks out, still moving forward. Was it a perfect week? No. Did I do exactly everything according to plan? Not quite, but I showed up. I adapted, I recovered. I kept my promises to myself, and I got to hang out with my kid who makes my life better in all the ways. And that's what I wanna leave you with today.

Life doesn't have to pause for your goals. You don't have to wait until life, calms down, or you get to this like [00:12:00] ideal before you start your goals. And also your goals don't have to fall apart just because life is lifeing, prepare where you can improvise when you have to rest when you're tired, and always keep showing up for yourself.

If this episode has inspired you in any way, I'd love for you to leave a review and share it with a friend who needs a little mojo boost. And of course, make sure to follow the show so you don't miss next week's check-in. I'll be four weeks out by then. Uh, I'm getting a new body fat test to see how things are shaping up.

I'm excited about that. And I'll be talking about how going for a big health or fitness goal can impact your relationships, especially with your intimate partner and your friends. Because when you start prioritizing yourself in a whole new way, it can stir up some unexpected dynamics. For sure. So if you've ever wondered how to stay true to your goals while honoring your relationships, or if you've ever felt [00:13:00] a little guilty for changing what like normal looks like in your life, you are definitely not alone.

So tune in for that episode. Until then, get out there and keep your mojo rising.