Kaisa Abner: meet an Estonian fitness athlete
Kaisa Abner talks about how she got into bikini fitness, what motivates her and what her training, diet and everyday life really look like.
Age: I’ve just turned 28
Height: That makes me giggle and ask, how tall do you need me to be? At competitions, I’ve managed to measure in at both 169cm and 175cm.
Body weight: Again, what do you need it to be? My last stage weight was around 59kg, and my next will definitely be higher. At my heaviest in the off-season, I’ve even seen 74kg on the scales. I feel most comfortable somewhere around 65kg. The scales show your relationship with gravity, nothing more.
How did you get into bikini fitness? I used to go and admire those determined, otherworldly bikini fitness beauties on stage, and at some point something clicked: I wanted to be that woman too. Saying something out loud always works for me, because I never go back on my word and I never, ever give up. I quickly set up a blog and made a big announcement, leaving myself no way to back out. No sooner said than done. Then somehow all the right people found me, and here I am. I still haven’t the faintest idea how it all happened, but I’m damn glad it did.
Greatest achievement: I’m the world’s worst perfectionist and my own harshest critic. There’s always this nagging feeling that I haven’t achieved anything, and I’m never satisfied with anything. I think that constant dissatisfaction with myself is what has kept me moving forward. My greatest achievements are still ahead of me, but how about saying them out loud again? Overall Estonian bikini fitness champion, European and world bikini fitness champion, proud mother of two, happily married, an even happier grandmother and a farmer. Oh yes, I promise that one day I’ll get myself some spotted cows and chickens too, and run a café somewhere peaceful. Now that would be an achievement!
Other sports I’ve done: I used to try every kind of training available in my hometown, but I never found anything that really suited me, and after a while I gave up on each of them. There wasn’t a gym in Koeru, so I only discovered the gym when I moved to Tallinn.
What motivates you? You telling me I can’t do it. My dad once burst out laughing when I said that one day I’d be on stage in a bikini too. It took about half a year. But of course, seeing progress motivates me, whether it’s in fitness or anything else. When you finally see that your hard work is actually paying off, you get hungrier for more. And come on, it feels pretty sweet to give the haters the finger and wave it proudly.
How do you relax? I could write here about how lovely it is to go to the cinema or lounge on a sofa somewhere, but there are actually three things that give me an incredible sense of happiness and relaxation. Well, one is obviously sex; I don’t think that needs any explanation. My morning porridge: I want to eat it in complete silence, take my time enjoying every mouthful and get myself ready for the day. The gym: the world shuts off, the music goes on and that time is mine. Simple.
Describe your everyday diet and the principles you follow: I usually eat four meals: my morning porridge, two similar lunches and dinner. Lunch is usually my stir-fry, and dinner is either oven-toasted sandwiches or quark. I always eat according to what I feel like, and if I fancy treating myself to something special, I might split my food into three meals and make sure my macros and calories add up by the end of the evening. MyfitnessPal is an indispensable companion. But the beauty of it is in keeping things simple: oats, eggs, chicken, rice, nuts, butter, root vegetables, bananas, quark, bread, cheese and lots and lots of caffeine. That’s all I need.
What’s your favorite food? It’s hard to pick a definite favorite, but since I still haven’t got sick of my morning porridge and stir-fry after several years, and I still crave them, I suspect it’s those two.
Describe your training. What program do you follow, and how much cardio do you do? In the off-season, I usually do 3-4 heavy strength training sessions and 0 cardio. As the season gets closer, training volume and cardio increase, as usual. My life has been made incredibly easy and convenient: my coach Peep Reinart takes care of my training and nutrition, Eleri Reinart handles stage presentation, and all I have to do is follow instructions and avoid doing my own thing. Simple! So far, working together has gone brilliantly.
What supplements do you take? Ho ho ho, since I work at Robocop, I’m surrounded by supplements every day, and I use quite a lot of them too. Omega3 fish oil, Vita-Min multivitamins, beta-alanine tablets and creatine are as much a fixture at my breakfast as amen is in church. I support my joints daily with Gelenk collagen. I take EAA during my workouts. I often use various pudding powders, protein powders, nut butters, bars and so on in desserts. As for coconut oil, I use it less for cooking and more as a hair mask and body moisturizer. With supplements, it’s important to be clear about what you’re trying to achieve by taking them, and to remember that everything contains calories.
Role models: The funny thing is that my role models change so much over time, and quite a few of my former role models have disappointed me, so… The person I look up to is a better version of myself. Such a cliché, but I mean it! Enough with everyone else; I want to be myself, only better!
Three tips for anyone who wants to get into better shape: 1) Get off your backside! Nobody is going to do the work for you, and if you’re lazy, look in the mirror: you’ve earned that flabby body. 2) You are what you eat. If you eat junk, don’t be surprised if you look like it too. 3) Don’t reinvent the wheel or overthink things. Cavemen were in good shape without exercise machines and detox bullshit; you don’t need that crap. If you don’t know what to do next, get someone who does to help you.
How can you keep up with Kaisa Abner?
Blog: kaisafitness.ee
Instagram: kaisaabner
Author: Fitness.ee Turg
Come and train! ArtGym
