Merili Jesaar and bikini fitness

Merili Jesaar talks about the journey in bikini fitness, nutrition, training and what really keeps moving things forward.

Age: A quarter of a century, so a nice 25

Height: Height is a flattering word, but I’ve still been given around 158 centimeters, and at the European championships I was measured at 156.2cm

Body weight: In the off-season I generally weigh 57-59kg, and the more time passes, the better I feel at those numbers. My stage weight has been 45kg and also 49kg, and the golden mean is 47kg.

How did you get into bikini fitness: It sounds cheesy, but just like most people. You look at those beautiful, fit women, admire them and want to be part of that stardust yourself. Of course I had to start with weight loss and then move on to building muscle, but look, I managed it and here I am! Three whole seasons are done so far!

Biggest achievement: I consider my biggest achievement to be that I’ve kept building my body consistently and have grown both mentally and physically. I’m very critical of myself and demand a lot from myself, but that is exactly what has moved me forward, and thanks to it I’m the person I am right now. My biggest (sports) achievement is still to come, though, because I have great coaches (Peep & Eleri Reinart) and a team (Team Reinart) beside me!

Other sports I’ve done: At school I did everything I possibly could. The only sport where I haven’t been taken seriously is basketball, but we all know why that is!

What motivates you? Whether it comes as a surprise to you or not, I motivate myself. I’m not one of those people who look at pictures of fit women on Instagram, secretly praying to be like that one day. The more time passes, the more I value myself. Your shape is and always will be a “work in progress”, you always crave to be better, and that is exactly what motivates me.

How do you relax? Well, this “relaxing” thing is a bit special, as my coach keeps stressing: “YOU HAVE TO REST”. Sometimes I really do just enjoy being, with no obligations or errands – a good movie, good company, and that is relaxation. It’s the same with training: there you don’t have to speculate about why the Earth is round or stress yourself out about whether the end of the world and an economic crisis are coming tomorrow or whether you can still live a little. You do your thing and leave the gym many times happier than when you walked in.

Describe your daily nutrition and the principles you follow: My daily food is always the same, first because I’m a comfort-loving person and second – I like what I eat.
I eat four times a day: breakfast, lunch, a more substantial snack before training, and dinner. What matters is that the macros are in place, and in the off-season I usually allow myself a freer day on Sundays, when I eat whatever I want, mostly sweets.

What is your favorite food: No joke – rice with chicken! But since I’m also a huge sweet tooth, ice cream, ice cream, ice cream! Just hand it over!

Describe your workouts. What program do you follow and how much cardio do you do: My program was made by my coach Peep Reinart, and I generally train 5-6x a week, and my cardio is a 15-minute warm-up on a cardio machine before strength training.

In the preparation period, the share of cardio depends on how far away the competitions are.

What supplements do you take: I don’t really take any powders, but from time to time I take Olimp pre-workout, and as for vitamins, I take omega 3 capsules, vitamin C, vitamin D and B vitamins!

Role models: Role models change over time. I once admired most people who were determined and in good shape. Now I’m at the point where I’m determined myself and dare to say I’m in good shape. That’s why I’m a role model to myself – if you want it and work for it, you’ll get it!

Three tips for those who want to get in better shape: 1) Start eating – you won’t get anywhere by starving yourself, and eating less is not better. 2) Train – The more actively you move, the happier you are. The happier you are, the less stress you have. The less stress you have, the better your body gets. So don’t stress, eat and train. 3) Be consistent – Eat properly, be honest with yourself, train and be patient. Results don’t come overnight, but in two months you’ll see noticeable results.