Meet Fitness Coaches Alex Carneiro and Siera Capesius

We ask the fitness power couple for their go-to workouts, and where they find inspiration.

They’re the ultimate power couple: Alex Carneiro and Siera Capesius are well known in the world of fitness—and for good reason. Carneiro is a celebrity fitness and nutrition coach, and Capesius runs her own fitness coaching business. Together, they’re a powerhouse of health and wellness information. But like any couple, they know that maintaining individual—and relational—health goals can be a struggle. Communication, compromise and consistency, they have found, are key to success.

If you missed our story on the fit couple last month, get to know them below, including their power food, where they find inspiration and their go-to workouts.

24Life: Where do you find inspiration?

Alex Carneiro (AC): Inspiration comes in different forms for me. It can come from my clients wanting to be better or from people telling me how my words have impacted their lives. However, my biggest source of inspiration is music and action movies. Nothing gets me more motivated to want to hit the gym hard like an action movie—especially those from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Siera Capesius (SC): My inspiration comes from seeing results. When I start to see a positive change in my health and body, it pushes me to want to live a healthy life every day.

24Life: What are you passionate about besides the work that you do?

AC: I’m passionate about being the best person that I can be for myself and those around me. Self-growth is crucial to anyone looking to be better in this life. Things like reading about unknown topics inspire me to be better at things I’m not.
SC: I am passionate about my Chihuahua, Tico. I love dressing him up and taking him out on walks.

24Life: You have 24 minutes; what’s your go-to workout?

AC: Deadlifts, pull-ups, squats, dumbbell press. I would perform these guys with a 4×8 split and go as heavy as I could while maintaining good form.
SC: When it comes to a quick workout I always choose to do high-intensity circuits. This is a workout I can do without any breaks and will burn the most amount of calories in a short time: I use the TRX, battle ropes, dumbbells and slam balls for a quick circuit.

24Life: What’s your power food?

AC: Nothing gives me more energy than making a fruit bowl with Greek yogurt and some honey before the gym.
SC: I absolutely love zucchini. Not only is it high in fiber and vitamin B, but I have created some amazing recipes to cook it without getting burnt out.

24Life: Do you have a ritual or routine for self-care after a day of coaching?

AC: The time I have with my clients is for them, but when I’m done it’s MY time. I usually end the day reflecting on how it was—if there was anything I could have done better and how I can be even better tomorrow. Then I’ll read a chapter of whatever book I might be currently reading and end my day with a shower before going to bed. I make sure I got all my nutrients for the day and supplement anything that I missed.
SC: After a busy day, I make sure that after 9 p.m. I am not working and just take time to do something I enjoy. I may have a glass of wine once a week and watch Netflix or listen to YouTube videos.

24Life: Any tips for a great night’s sleep?

AC: Making sure the room temperature is cool is important. If you are too cold or too warm you won’t fully relax. I also supplement with a few things like GABA and Melatonin to help me get a deeper quality sleep. Finally, to ensure my muscles are getting some nutrients at night I drink one scoop of Optimum’s 100% Casein. I try to not end the night with my phone on my hand. It’s tough, as many times I’m still checking e-mails or replying posts on social media. But studies show that screen time can impact your sleep, so I try my best not to go to sleep with my phone being the last thing I did.
SC: I set a time that I go to bed and wake up. This means I usually always go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up at 6 a.m. The normal sleep hours and patterns have helped me go to bed and wake up easily.

24Life: What’s your number one stressor, and what’s your top stress-buster?

AC: I try to not stress about things I can’t control but sometimes my own clients can stress me [out]. I want the best for all of them, so if they cancel due to poor excuses that stresses me out a bit. Additionally, when someone across the globe expresses to me that they couldn’t reach their weekly fitness goals due to poor reasons and planning that also bothers me. My number one de-stressor, besides using the HeadSpace app on my phone to relax, is to absolutely do nothing. I put a cartoon or show that requires me to not think at all and watch that. Not thinking of the outside world or anything else by watching these things helps me.
SC: My number one stressor is when important things do no go as planned. I have developed ways to finding solutions to a problem as quick as possible. If I feel lost, I ask Alex for his advice and he helps guide me to a good solution.

24Life: Best advice you’ve given or gotten, in 24 words or less?

AC: The best advice I can give others is to stop complaining, act on your goals and take care of the one body you have.
SC: My mom always use to tell me, “as long as you are trying your best, it is always good enough.”

Photo credit: Windstar
Hair and makeup: Jessica Chenowyth