Ask any woman what’s her biggest summertime fear, and she’ll tell you that it’s wearing a bikini. Swimsuit season can strike terror into even the most confident woman. Walking around in public in what effectively is your underwear does not make any female heart sing with gusto.

This is especially true in a time when pretty much everyone carries a smartphone and body-shaming is a popular pastime. Your “not so perfect” swimsuit body can be shared on Instagram or Facebook with a click of a button.

And when the one who is inviting you to spend the Memorial Weekend at the beach happens to be an NPC fitness competitor, whom you are friends with, you’ll be doubly anxious.

But my frugal wife is not easily intimidated. While others would panic by spending a ton of money on expensive personal trainers, gym membership, or CrossFit classes, she relied on a $9 resistance band and some good old bodybuilding equipment that I already own.

Through sheer hard work and dedication, I believe she managed to look good next to a fitness competitor who was two days post-competition day.

Let’s continue this tale by launching an interview with the lady herself.

An interview with a 48 yo bikini babe

What was going through your head when your friend was insisting on going to the beach right after her competition?

Honestly, I was thinking that this was not a fair game. I only work out at home. In contrast, my friend (who likes to have lots of pictures posing with her friends in a bikini) has a personal trainer and a nutritional coach. Not to mention, access to all kinds of gym equipment.

How did you start your preparation?

I asked my friends who have had the luxury of having personal and nutritional coaches what were the key things that have had the greatest impact on their fitness. I also googled a lot of videos on YouTube about cardio. It also helped knowing how to best substitute equipment that I would otherwise only find in a real gym.

I’m also fortunate that I’m married to an amateur bodybuilder who knows a thing or two about exercise and nutrition. That’s you! You helped me create a muscle-building program whereas my routine before this consisted mostly of cardiovascular exercises. I realized that building muscle helps reduce excess body fat.

What was your exercise routine like?

I work as a registered nurse. So I’m on my feet for almost 12 hours, three days a week.

On my days off, I spend the first 30 minutes following a complete body workout on YouTube. The routine involves using my body weight to work my arms.

I then spend another 30 minutes working out my lower body using the $9 resistance bands that I purchased from Amazon.

The program consists of 4 sets and 25 reps of the following exercises:

• Lunges
• Squats
• Donkey Kicks
• Fire Hydrant

Alternatively, I do 4 sets and 15 reps using the leverage squat machine that you purchased years ago.

On the days that I go to work, my workout routine is very brief because I don’t want to overtrain. It involves working out my upper body using our home gym equipment, including the adjustable dumbells.

It’s a “push and pull” routine where the chest and triceps are worked in one day (push movements) and the back and biceps (pull movements) are trained on a separate day.

What was your diet like?

I prepared three days worth of meals which consist mainly of chicken breasts or baked salmon coupled with veggies (asparagus and sweet potatoes). I used little to no salt, opting for spices instead. Snacks were mainly from high-protein sources such as hard boiled eggs, unsalted nuts, low-sugar yogurt, cottage cheese and skim milk with a scoop of protein powder.

I eat three smaller meals with protein snacks in between. I avoided processed foods, which are known to be loaded with sugar and sodium. Also, I kept myself hydrated by keeping water with me all the time.

Related: How to Lose Weight and Save a Ton of Money

How did you stay motivated?

Luckily, my bikini competitor friend added me to this FB group called FitMoms which is a group of women who range from noobs to seasoned competitors or personal trainers. I saw a lot of before and after photos which are very motivating.

I also took weekly progress photos of myself (front, side, and back) which were quite an eye opener that you will not notice progress just by merely looking at the mirror. Photos don’t lie.

Final Thoughts

Looking great in a swimsuit can be easily achieved if you’re eating sensibly in your early 20’s. But not so much in your 40’s when aging slows down your metabolism. More so, when you’re close to menopausal age like these two women.

However, as with building wealth, you can achieve your fitness goals with the right mindset, proper planning, and correct execution without spending a lot of money.

Yes, it’s never too late to become a bikini babe at 48!