Training

Training for Everest Base Camp: Enter the Gym Era

So apart from hiking, there is one small detail nobody tells you about trekking to Everest Base Camp. You also need to be able to carry a backpack and walk for 5 to 7 hours straight, sometimes entirely uphill.

Which raises a very important question:

If you've never been a gym person like me, where on earth do you even start?

After spending far too much time scrolling through the internet, I came across Fortis Health and Fitness, run by Nathan, and dropped in an enquiry.

Almost immediately, I received a call and booked a time to discuss my goals and what they had to offer.

Fitness, much like everything else in life, requires consistency, commitment, and accountability. There was a minimum three-month commitment and I thought, well, why not?

I had already committed to the trek, so surely I could commit to the preparation too. After all, I was serious about this.

I thrive on commitment, accountability, consistency, and having a clear direction. So I decided to go all in.

For me, it's usually all in or nothing.

Enter Nathan, my trainer

Nathan was patient, very knowledgeable, friendly, and guided me through everything. I was such a complete beginner that it took me a couple of sessions just to figure out the right workout shoes and gym bag.

So if you ever see me walking around looking like I know exactly what I'm doing in a gym, please know it is entirely thanks to Nathan and the training program. Hahaha.

My program was divided into several key areas:

• Strength training

• Nutrition

• Stamina and endurance building

And somewhere along the way, something completely unexpected happened.

I realised I actually loved it.

Now, to be clear, I still have strong opinions about carrying weights while walking back and forth during a certain exercise. I was also very vocal about those opinions.

Very vocal.

But the rest of it? Honestly, it was fun.

I felt focused, accomplished, stronger, and fitter. Lifting weights gave my mind a break from the usual endless thinking and gave me something positive to focus on.

I have Nathan to thank for introducing me to all of this, and now also Sam, one of Fortis's newer trainers, whose guidance I am currently really enjoying as well.

The Gym Surprise

I genuinely enjoy the gym now.

And if you know me, you will understand how shocking that sentence is.

It reminds me a little of when I decided to learn how to swim three years ago. Even though my instructor was wonderful, I eventually realised that I don't actually enjoy swimming all that much. The building Jacuzi yes but the pool, Nopes.

That said, I can now "almost" navigate a swimming pool during holidays, which is useful because my daughter is a complete pool-and-ocean person.

Together we have created a nice balance between mountain adventures and beach holidays. Although she still refuses to explore Bhutan with me, she says not another mountain country!

As everyone with a daughter knows, they're basically your tiny broke best friend who wants you to buy them everything and take them to lavish holidays featuring infinity pools.

Sigh.

To get back to the topic and talking about the details now

My training program focused on the following exercises:

• Core

• Chest

• Strength

• Hamstrings

• Shoulders

• Glutes

• Quads

• Lower body and legs

Understanding the Training

One thing I learned very quickly is that training for a trek like Everest Base Camp is not something you leave until the last minute. Ideally, you want to start preparing 8 to 9 months in advance so you can gradually build your endurance, strength, and technical skills over time.

The goal is not to become super fit overnight. It is about giving your body enough time to adapt, reducing the risk of injury, and gradually increasing your training intensity, workout volume, and the amount of weight you can comfortably handle. Simply put, the earlier you start, the better.

For me, fatigue is probably the biggest challenge. Endurance and technical competence are equally important, and what has worked best is building those skills through consistent practice, challenging hikes, and regular gym sessions under the guidance of experienced trainers.

Cardio: This has become a key part of my preparation because it helps build endurance. I currently train twice a week, with the workload gradually increasing over time to improve fitness without overwhelming my body.

Strength Training: This focuses on everything from core stability to leg strength. Having a trainer assess, guide, and correct technique has been incredibly valuable, especially for someone like me who had never really been a gym person before.

Muscular Endurance: When you are trekking for hours day after day, your muscles need to perform the same movements repeatedly. The workouts need to be challenging enough to create progress but sensible enough to avoid injury.

Technique and Form: Learning how to move efficiently across similar terrain helps conserve energy and reduce fatigue. This is something I am continuing to work on through my Sunday hiking sessions.

Acclimatisation: This is probably the one area that worries me the most. Everest Base Camp sits at over 5,300 metres and how my body responds to reduced oxygen levels is not something I can fully predict or train for at home. Like many people attempting high-altitude trekking, that remains the biggest unknown.

Rest Days: My training plan includes scheduled recovery days. As much as I enjoy ticking things off a list, I have learned that recovery is just as important as the workouts themselves.

Mental Training: Confidence in your fitness and skills is important, but I have realised that mental strength comes from consistency. Showing up on the days when you do not feel like it. Completing the workout anyway. Going for the hike when the couch seems far more appealing. Every session completed becomes another small deposit in your confidence bank.

By the time I arrive in Nepal, I may still have doubts about the mountain, but I know I will not have doubts about whether I put in the work to prepare for it.

Over the past 13 weeks, I have completed almost 1,400 training minutes.

I started with 2kg dumbbells and can now lift 20kg.

And I have just missed one workout session total.

The workouts are engaging, challenging, and genuinely enjoyable. When you have the right guidance and a clear goal, it is actually a lot of fun.

Perhaps the biggest miracle of all?

After living in my apartment complex for almost ten years, I finally stepped inside the building gym.

Miracles really do happen.

As I often joke with my trainers, I won't quit unless my nails break.

And anyone who knows me knows that is probably the one thing that would genuinely change my plans.

Nutrition: The Other Half of the Story

A huge part of the preparation has been nutrition.

This was probably the area where I needed the most guidance because, left to my own devices, I'm perfectly capable of eating the same thing repeatedly and calling it meal preparation. My favourite place Noodle Bar has recently shut down and so now I can't order in the same stuff on repeat also. I also have a big sweet tooth which is not helpful at all.

With the exception of one taco recipe shared by my trainer that has become a permanent favourite at my home, my trainer also suggested trying Muscle Chef meals, and honestly, they have been a game changer. They're easy, filling, and surprisingly good.

I was also introduced to the wonderful world of YoPRO and golden kiwis.

Both have become regular fixtures in my life.

Stairs, Cats, and Other Challenges

The plan is to introduce StairMaster training later in the year.

For now, I spend my time walking up and down the stairs in my apartment while timing myself.

My cats watch these activities with what can only be described as deep amusement.

If they could talk, I am absolutely certain they would not have kind things to say. Sometimes I also wonder if they have a secret name for me.

The irony is that cats are the ultimate copycats.

After watching me repeatedly climb stairs during the day, they somehow decide to run up and down them at three o'clock in the morning which is considerably less amusing when you're trying to sleep. I guess I should just be grateful that my cats let me live in their home. Haha.

Everest may still be months away, but somewhere between the gym sessions, the stairs, the golden kiwis, and the cats judging my life choices, I realised that the preparation itself has become part of the adventure.

Mum: My Number One Supporter

My mum has probably enjoyed this journey almost as much as I have.

She loves hearing about the preparation and is endlessly proud of me.

Then again, mums are wonderful like that. They're proud of you even when you're doing absolutely nothing.

I enjoy keeping her updated on all the progress.

Sometimes she worries, especially when she hears stories about people who have lost their lives in the mountains. There is usually a phone call shortly afterwards reminding me to be careful.

But almost in the same breath, she will tell me how she has proudly informed yet another group of friends about what I am planning to do.

And perhaps my favourite detail of all?

She was the very first person to leave a comment on my website.

Which, if we're being honest, is exactly the sort of thing mums do.

❤️