Hawaiian iron woman: how she got that body of steel

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, March, 2004

When Lokelani McMichael isn't in her home state training for--or competing in--the triathlon to beat all triathlons, she's likely seeking adventure in some other exotic locale. She slowed down long enough to pose for our cover and talk about training, eating and how she got her lyrical name.

My full name is Lokelaniku'uleimakamae, which translates to "heavenly rose, my precious flower lei." It's from a song by a Hawaiian musician named Johnny Almeida, who wrote it for my grandmother, Rose.

I'm an eight-time Ironman World Championship Triathlon finisher and a Guinness World Record holder as the youngest female to qualify and compete in that race (I was 18 at the time). I also co-host the HDNet television show "Adventure Challenge" with Tom Holm.

TRAINING I strive to be as consistent as possible and train pretty much year-round, but I like to mix it up. Besides swimming, biking and running, I like to weight train, surf, dance and do yoga and Pilates. Depending on the season, I also like to snowboard, hike, scuba dive and kayak. I travel a lot because of my work, so I always pack my running shoes.

DIET I try to tune in to what my body says because it tells me what I need to eat.

Morning: Oatmeal or an egg on wheat toast, sometimes green tea or coffee.

Midday: A salad, peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a smoothie.

Evening: Brown rice with fish, chicken or even a steak, every once in awhile.

Between-meal snack: Veggies, fresh fruits, nuts.

MISC. Morning is my favorite time of day. I like to wake up early and then go for a short run or walk. It's a positive way to start my day, it gives me time to put my thoughts together, and it makes me thankful to live in a healthy body.