Confessions of a Bikini Pro

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CAROLINE OFENSTEIN Jul 24, 2020

Show notes

In this week's episode IFBB Bikini Pro, wife and online coach Caroline Ofenstein talks with host Celeste Rains-Turk about her journey not only to her pro card but to the best version of herself. After winning her pro status after just two shows, one of which was international in Columbia, Caroline shares her story of struggling with her relationship with food.

In a powerful turn of events, Caroline talks about the thought process that led to hiring Celeste as a mindset coach and the food freedom she found while working with Celeste.

Caroline stresses the importance of slowing down, journaling and being as real as possible on her journey towards overcoming a negative food relationship.

After making the difficult decision to switch coaches, Caroline talks about the self-advocacy she developed in her own prep. She shares how important it was for her to tell her new coach exactly what she needed and why she needed it, such as explaining why a certain change was made to her plan.

Through this process and through obtaining her Precision Nutrition certification, Caroline shares the importance of periodizing her nutrition throughout the year to account for not only a prep, but the necessary improvement season that comes with it. She talks about how she really focuses her attention on her relationship with her friends, family and husband in the improvement season and how it helps when prep comes along and energy levels may not be what they once were.

Another tactic Caroline stresses the importance of is visualization throughout the whole process. Caroline shares how she visualized the entire day she won her pro card the night before from simple things like where she would put her things to the big picture, like receiving her trophy. She shares the knowledge that the body doesn't know the difference between what is existing in the mind and what is happening outside and how that visualization helped her to manifest her pro card victory.

Caroline shares about the little habits that she does every day, whether she is in prep or not, that help her mindset in the sport. Habits such as meditation and journaling in the morning, taking an early bed time and staying off social media in the morning have helped her to come into the best version of herself.

She passionately discusses the importance of "turning off" work at a certain time of the day to separate her "work from home" life from her home life. She talks about how she doesn't feel weighed down with work at the end of the night and the importance of remembering that there will always be "just one more thing" to do before bed, most of which are fine to wait until the next day.

Unlike a lot of competitors, Caroline shares how she and her husband are polar opposites when it comes to fitness. As described by Caroline, her husband has "naturally lean physique and an active job", so fitness was never a big priority for him.

When she made the decision to compete in a show, Caroline talks about how she sought her husband input on the decision. She shares how she sat him down to talk about the reality of prep and what he could expect when she got closer to her show.

As the episode concludes, Caroline shares some of her favorite exercises that targets the glutes, hamstrings and shoulders, and follows that with advice for the newbie competitor and one who is on the road to pro. In this insightful and not too "hippie" episode, Caroline shares a mountain of helpful tips for the competitor at any stage in her journey to the stage.

CONNECT WITH CAROLINE HERE: https://www.instagram.com/carolineofenstein_tcm/ and https://linktr.ee/carolineofenstein_tcm CONNECT WITH CELESTE HERE: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/ and www.celestial.fit EPISODE TIME STAMPS:

[2:28] Pre Stage Rituals

[3:25] Competition Journey

[4:36] Pushing calories to observe physique changes

[7:44] Choosing to discontinue CrossFit

[8:40] Sweeping all her classes in her first show and deciding to chase the pro card

[11:28] Competing in Columbia

[13:58] The importance of being specific in visualization

[17:19] Unconditional Self Worth

[20:46] Not basing self worth on success in bodybuilding

[24:56] Feedback after earning her pro card

[28:18] Developing a new plan with cancelled shows

[22:04] INSTAGRAM IS NOT REAL

[24:03] Positive Comparisons

[31:27] Caroline's journey to improve her relationship with food

[34:45] Her inspiration to commit to the food freedom journey

[39:30] Adapting nutrition to meet the demands of prep or improvement season

[45:18] Committing to little habits in developing a daily routine

[51:43] Adding up the little routines over time

[53:49] Breaking up with your coach

[57:45] Determining what you need for your own long term success

[58:47] Self Advocacy

[1:00:42] Hormone Health

[1:04:09] The importance of addressing your personal demons revolving around your health situations

[1:09:21] The importance of improvement season in regards to overall health

[1:09:56] Making sacrifices in prep

[1:11:42] Investing more energy in personal relationships during improvement season

[1:10:32] Having a polar opposite partner

[1:12:32] Seeking her husbands input on her decision to compete

[1:13:24] The cause of hanger

[1:16:22] Long term competition plans

[1:20:17] Plans to start a family

[1:20:49] Favorite glute, hamstring and shoulder exercises

[1:26:27] Advice for new competitors

[1:27:29] Advice for competitors on the road to pro

ALEJANDRA BALLESTEROS Jul 17, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Celeste has the pleasure of speaking with Alejandra Ballesteros, an IFBB Bikini pro who won her pro card at North Americans in 2018, who has overcome many adversities and hardships in her life to get to where she is today. Besides being an IFBB Pro coached by Ryan Hinton, Alejandra is also an in-person & online trainer for both lifestyle and competition clients. As always, Celeste kicks off the episode by asking Alejandra if she has a special routine or ritual she runs through right before her heel hits the stage. Alejandra shares her perspective on channeling her inner performer and the energy she brings and exudes when she hits the stage. From there, Celeste asks Alejandra to share, in her own words, her life's mission. Alejandra dives into how exactly she wants to use her platform as an IFBB Pro to help inspire others to prioritize health and discover and channel their inner champion. She then goes on to explain how she represents and embodies an inner champion on a day to day basis and the significance that role has in her own life. Next, Celeste asks Alejandra to share her experiences with being bullied and how she used that as a motivator in the gym. The two briefly touch on the importance of self efficacy and how it translates to self confidence both in bodybuilding and life. Then, Celeste goes back to Alejandra's experiences with bullying and asks Alejandra if it ever caused her to struggle with body image. Alejandra shares many details about the bad habits she developed when she first wanted to get in shape, yet she really started to educate herself once she found the weight room and the gym. She also shares that along with the physical and mental changes fitness became more of a safe haven and representation of commitment instead of solely being something for her physical body. Celeste then asks Alejandra if she feels she would have the success she has today in both competing and her career had it not been for her humble beginnings. Celeste asks Alejandra to elaborate more on her commitment to growth when it came to her career in fitness and Alejandra shares how her original job as a front desk worker at the gym evolved into pursuing a career in personal training. She explains how the first few opportunities came her way before she felt fully ready to explore the world of personal training, yet after her experiences and relationships she built at the 6th Street Gold's Gym, while still in college, she finally decided to open the door the next time that opportunity came knocking. Alejandra shares the struggles she faced while pursuing personal training, something she found she had a passion for, while studying government at University of Texas. She talks about the depression she fell into while learning how to manage her conflicting feelings on her educational path. After hearing more about her beginnings in the professional side of fitness, Celeste asks Alejandra what inspired her to make the decision to compete. Alejandra then goes on to tell listeners about how she met her current hair stylist who encouraged her to compete and reach out to a local trainer on Instagram, Lauren Flodquist, who through winning a giveaway, ended up becoming Ale's mentor and role model. Through the mentorship she met coach and Texas bodybuilding legend Dave Shockterly and worked with him up to her first competition where she competed in both figure and bikini. After competing for the first time she fell in love with the finesse of bikini, deciding that would be the division she pursued. Although falling in love with competing after her first show, Alejandra found herself in a tough financial situation yet at the same time yearned for the stage and to continue progressing. Feeling lost and unsure of where to go, she reached out to her friend, Lauren, her former mentor, and Lauren encouraged Alejandra to reach out to a few different coaches. Alejandra then got in touch with Team Legacy coach, Ryan Hinton, and she was immediately impressed with how invested Ryan was in helping her grow not only as an athlete physically but also mentally. Celeste asks Alejandra about the positive influence that Ryan had on her mentality and how that contributed to her success on her journey stepping on various national stages and ultimately earning her pro card. Next, Alejandra shares her experiences at her first national show and what it was like to meet JM Manion and Angelica Teixeira. After her first national show she felt she had good momentum and following her gut, signed up for her second national show. Unfortunately, Alejandra didn't realize the financial and mental toll doing back to back shows would have, and found herself stuck between sticking to social commitments she'd made with her boyfriend, or going all out to pursue her dream of becoming a pro. She decided that she felt the need to fearlessly chase her dream yet ended up losing her job while being only 10 days out from her second national show. Alejandra takes listeners through what exactly happened at USAs and the lessons and takeaways she gained from that experience. Bouncing back from taking 3rd place at USAs and losing her job a week and a half before her show, Alejandra shares how she regained a job at Lifetime Fitness. From there, she recounts her journey to and experiences at North Americans, her third national show, and what obstacles she had to overcome to get there. Alejandra shares the advice she received from head judge Sandy Williamson after her second national show and what she did to bring the physique the judges were looking for at North Americans. While reminiscing on the experience at North Americans, Alejandra shares some advice that she received from both JM Manion and Angelica Teixeira and Celeste asks that if, in retrospect, she understands why JM and Angelica encouraged her to do that specific show. Next, the conversation transitions into Alejandra's plans and focus as a new pro. Celeste asks Alejandra about the feedback she received after winning her pro card and what her plans are for her pro debut. Celeste and Alejandra talk strategy, opening the floor for Alejandra to share how she approaches an improvement season and if she continues to work with her coach during that time. From there, Celeste and Alejandra discuss the topic of heavy lifting and Celeste asks Alejandra how incorporating that into her training has helped attribute to her success on stage. Alejandra then shares insight on how she maintains her focus on heavy lifting while in prep and she tells listeners her favorite exercises for glutes, hamstrings, and shoulders. The conversation shifts into the benefits of experimenting with other forms of training and how to implement those into ones training to grow in the ways they hope. For example, the girls discuss what benefits come from seeking training advice from a power lifter to maximize gains in their biggest lifts thus seeing the necessary growth and improvement they desire for the stage. After talking training, Alejandra opens up about some regrets she does have during her journey through her national shows yet she also shares the valuable lessons she learned from her experiences. She shares that winning her pro card was not what she expected and shares what she felt was the true prize. As always, concluding the episode Celeste asks Alejandra to give her best advice for first time competitors as well as the girls on their road to pro. CONNECT WITH ALEJANDRA: https://www.instagram.com/alejandra.ifbbpro/ CONNECT WITH CELESTE: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/ WWW.CELESTIAL.FIT EPISODE TIME STAMPS: [2:40] Alejandra shares her pre-stage ritual. [6:30] Celeste asks Alejandra to share what she feels is her life's mission. [8:00] Celeste has Alejandra explain the concept of an "inner champion," and what that looks like to Alejandra on a day to day basis. [8:52] Alejandra talks about how she channeled bullying she experienced as a motivator in the gym. [12:25] Celeste asks Alejandra if she's ever struggled with body image. [16:50] Celeste asks Alejandra to expand on how she found fitness as more a safe haven & representation of commitment as opposed to just something for her body. [18:30] Celeste asks Alejandra if she thought she would end up where she is today in terms of success in competing and her career while coming from such humble beginnings. [20:30] Alejandra explains how working at the front desk evolved into her pursuing a job as a personal trainer. [25:00] Ale shares her beginnings in personal training career while still being a student at University of Texas. [26:10] Ale shares how she fell into a depression while struggling to find her true passion while studying & working full time. [29:10] Celeste asks Alejandra what made her finally decide to compete. [33:00] Ale talks about how her mentor ship opportunity was the sign she needed to finally pursue bodybuilding. [40:30] Ale shares how she found her coach, Ryan Hinton, and how she came to be one of his athletes on Team Legacy. [43:15] Celeste asks Ale about how her coach Ryan helps her grow mentally. [44:00] Ale explains how after meeting her coach in person, she knew her and Ryan were meant to work together. [46:10] Alejandra shares how her experiences with such positive influence from her coach impacted her journey through the various national shows while on her road to pro. [54:00] Alejandra discusses the unexpected toll and consequences competing took on her personal and professional life while chasing her competition dreams. [59:30] Alejandra shares how she bounced back from losing her job being only 10 days out from her next national show. [63:30] Ale shares what she learned from her experience at USAs, coming up short of her pro card taking 3rd. [69:00] Ale shares what she overcame and her experience at North Americans in Pittsburgh. [73:15] Celeste asks Ale that, if in retrospect, she understands why Angelica and JM Manion told her to compete at North Americans when she had met them at her first national show. [74:50] Celeste asks about the feedback Alejandra received from North Americans and her plans for stepping on stage for her pro debut. [76:15] Alejandra shares if she has continued to work with her coach during this time given all the uncertainty with shows. [77:28] Celeste asks how Alejandra's strategy of incorporating heavy lifting has attributed to her success on stage. [79:05] Alejandra shares insight to her strategy of maintaining her heavy lifts during prep. [80:00] Alejandra answers the fun question of what her favorite exercises are for hamstrings, glutes, and shoulders. [84:00] Celeste and Alejandra discuss the importance of seeking out training advice or strategies from others, for example powerlifters, to optimize strength gains and progressive overload in the gym. [87:02] Alejandra shares a regret she has from her decisions yet the important lessons she learned from those experiences. [89:40] Alejandra gives her best advice for first time competitors and for girls on their road to pro.

ELIZABETH YISRAEL Jul 10, 2020

Show notes

In this episode Celeste talks with Liz Yisrael, a 3x Bikini Pro Champion who has competed on both the Arnold and Olympia stages, a mother, an army veteran, and a current logistics senior manager who has her Master's Degree from West Point. Celeste starts off the episode by having Liz share with listeners her pre stage ritual. From there, Celeste first asks Liz about her history in the military and what inspired her to join the army originally. Liz shares that she not only wanted to serve the country but saw the military as a means to help pay for her education, as she grew up in a household raised by a hard-working single mom. She ended up extending her original five year commitment in the military from feeling so inspired by the people she was leading and serving. The conversation then transitions to the most important things Liz learned during her time in the military and Celeste asks Liz about time management skills and how she incorporates discipline into her daily routine. Liz explains that commitment and attention to detail in her schedule is important for her to maintain the consistency with her priorities and leave no room for the excuse that something can't get done. Celeste shifts the focus to Liz's role as a mother and asks Liz how her daily structures and priorities have changed since having her daughter, Madison. Liz mentions how she made an effort post-partum to take time for herself away from her daughter without any feelings of guilt and explains how she got back into training post-partum, what that process looked like, as well as the approach she took during her pregnancy in regards to monitoring training and diet. Liz shares that she approached her pregnancy diet similarly to how she would an off season, yet allowed more leniency with "going over her macros" if she found herself hungry at the end of the day. Celeste then asks Liz about the difference between her preps and off seasons and Liz explains why she prefers macros over meal plans and why that method works best for her. Next, Celeste brings up a topic that is not typically mentioned or talk about openly by competitors - the decision Liz made to drop her sponsorships during her time off. Liz explains the reasoning behind why she likes working with the sponsors she has and what brought about the decision to drop her sponsors while taking a break from competing. From there, Liz dives into what drove her decision to take time away from the stage and Celeste asks Liz to share whether or not she felt she made improvements to her physique during her pregnancy. Liz then gives listeners some insight as to her competition plans for the 2020 season, as well as the goals she has for returning to either the Olympia or Arnold stages. Also, having stepped foot on both prestigious stages, Celeste has Liz talk about her experiences as well as the differences she's noticed between the two competitions themselves. After sharing insight and perspective on competing as a pro, Liz shares how she found bodybuilding and what motivated her to dive into the world of competing. Liz shares her early successes taking the overall in her first amateur competitions which led her to pursue nationals, yet that her road to pro was not an easy one. She explains how she had to climb the placings in various national shows, what she learned along the way, and what changes she had to make that finally led to her achieve the top spot and earn the coveted pro status. Next, Celeste asks Liz about her preps: the approach she takes, what she endures during prep, and how she transitions from lifestyle lean to competition lean. Celeste also asks Liz how she maintains her health while in a prep and Liz mentions what she has changed or added to her routine over the years. Liz then answers a question from the listeners of whether she had noticed a difference between her preps pre- and post-baby. Since currently being in her improvement phase, Liz shares with listeners her favorite exercises for glutes, hamstrings and shoulders. Switching the focus of conversation to a more personal note, Liz shares more about her husband and the transition he had to make when they were still dating and she started to lead a more "competitor lifestyle." Aside from competing, Liz pursued other personal and career goals as well. Celeste asks Liz about those goals and how it felt to accomplish those goals, both personal and competition related. Although she had to juggle long distance with her husband while trying to sell one of their houses, Liz was glad she took on a promotion at her job at Target Headquarters and Liz shares how she ended up at her current job being that she received her Masters Degree in Environmental Management. Wrapping up the episode as always, Liz shares her best advice for newbie competitors and girls on their road to pro. CONNECT WITH LIZ HERE:https://www.instagram.com/liz.yisrael.ifbbpro/ CONNECT WITH CELESTE HERE:https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/ Episode Time Stamps: [1:30] Liz shares her pre stage ritual. [2:45] Celeste asks Liz what inspired her to join the army. [3:50] Liz shares what made her sign onto the military for another 3 years after finishing the initial 5 she had agreed to. [5:40] Celeste asks Liz more about her background in gymnastics and cheer at West Point. [7:00] Liz talks about how she manages her time and incorporates discipline into her daily schedule. [8:50] Celeste asks Liz if caring for her daughter, Madison, has made her schedule more difficult or harder to manage with the structure that Liz likes to maintain. [10:20] Liz shares why it was so important for her to take time for herself post-partum and explains her transition back into training. [12:40] Celeste asks Liz how she monitored her training and macros throughout her pregnancy. [14:15] Liz explains the difference between her off seasons and her preps. [15:50] Celeste asks Liz why she decided to drop her sponsors when she took a break from competing and during her pregnancy. [17:30] Liz shares her reasons behind taking time away from the stage after competing in the 2018 Olympia. [19:00] Celeste asks Liz if she feels that she made any improvements during her pregnancy and about her 2020 competition plans. [23:40] Celeste asks Liz about her different experiences between competing at the Arnold and competing at the Olympia. [25:30] Liz talks about how she got started in the world of competing. [29:00] Liz explains how she went from overall wins at her first few competitions to climbing the placings over various national shows and what finally got her to achieve that pro status. [32:15] Celeste asks Liz about the process and approach she uses to get from lifestyle lean to competition lean. [35:00] Liz discusses if there's been differences between her preps pre- and post-baby. [36:30] Liz shares her favorite exercises for glutes, hamstrings and shoulders. [38:50] Celeste asks Liz if her husband had to make adjustments to his habits or lifestyle when Liz got into competing. [40:20] Liz talks about other goals and ventures she's pursued outside of just her competition goals. [43:50] Celeste asks Liz how she ended up in her current job after getting her Master's in Environmental Management. [48:20] Liz shares her advice for new competitors and girls on their road to pro.

EMILY PARRIS Jul 03, 2020

Show notes

In this episode Celeste has the pleasure of speaking with Emily Parris, an IFBB bikini pro who started competing in 2017 and competed in seven national shows before earning her pro card. Emily has her Masters Degree in Speech Pathology and works as a Regional Director of Operations for Reliant Rehab as well as a coach for competition and lifestyle clients. Celeste starts off the episode by asking Emily about her pre-stage ritual and from there the conversation transitions into how Emily ended up competing for the first time "on a whim." She shares that she was ready for a new challenge in her fitness journey and was drawn in by the sparkly bikinis, the hair, makeup, etc., yet even after signing up for her first show, had no idea what the NPC was or exactly what competing entailed. From there, Emily goes on to tell listeners about her experience living abroad in Asia; how long she was there, what she did while living abroad, what made her decide to do so, and why she chose Asia. After sharing her experiences using her skills in speech pathology abroad, Celeste asks Emily to share how she got into the medical field and ultimately chose speech pathology as her career. Emily then talks about how she manages her time between competing, life, and her full time job and how she organizes her days. Next, Celeste and Emily discuss the importance of consistency and commitment and how that is such a vital aspect of making the lifestyle work, and Emily shares her experiences of a time she had a hectic schedule being on prep and traveling between California and Utah for work. Next, Celeste opens the conversation to the topic of relationships and asks Emily about not only her current relationship, but experiences she's had with people who may not have been supportive of her lifestyle as a competitor. Emily talks about how growing up in Atlanta her desire to train for and participate in a bikini competition wasn't widely understood and accepted right off the bat. She also opens up and talks about her fiancé Jeff, and the impact her lifestyle as a competitor has on their relationship. After getting personal, Emily answers the fun question of what her favorite exercises are for shoulders, hamstrings and glutes and why she loves those exercises. Emily also admits that she has a least favorite exercise that her coach includes in her training program, yet she does them anyways! Celeste asks Emily to share more about her coach, how she chose him and why she decided to switch coaches before competing in Universe and earning her pro card. Emily also talks about her experience competing at Wings of Strength and what it was like standing next to pros she had admired for years on social media and during her journey to becoming a pro herself. Celeste and Emily then talk training strategy and the approach Emily took in terms of her training and time off to really transform her physique and hit the national circuit and eventually turn pro. From there, Celeste opens up the conversation to the mindset aspect of the sport and asks Emily to share with listeners about her struggles during her off season in terms of mindset and how she had to learn to switch her perspective from "prep mode" to "improvement season mentality." Also, Emily talks about a setback she had during her first off season and explains the changes she has made to have more successful off seasons in the future. Emily and Celeste discuss the importance of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle, no matter the goal, as long as there as passion and self fulfillment attached to that goal. Next, Emily talks about what she learned about her body, herself and the sport during her journey competing in various national shows before finally achieving the coveted pro status. She mentions respecting the sport and respecting the process instead of just trusting it and how understanding that respect made a difference in her outlook on her journey. Emily also shares why its so important to have love for the sport beyond just attaining the pro status and shares some goals that she has for this 2020 season, all while wanting to keep her expectations in a specific realm of where she feels personal success - whether that means making it to the Olympia stage or simply achieving callouts in her shows. Emily then talks about posing and presenting her physique on stage and her experiences working with a male posing coach as opposed to a female posing coach. She mentions the distinction she makes between criticism and feedback and how she uses that to continue to make necessary adjustments to present her physique the best way possible, whether that be with a male or female posing coach. Finishing off the episode as always, Emily shares her advice for the first time competitor as well as her advice for girls who are on their road to pro. CONNECT WITH EMILY HERE: https://www.instagram.com/eparrisfitness/ CONNECT WITH CELESTE HERE: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/ EPISODE TIME STAMPS [1:40] Emily shares her pre-stage ritual. [2:50] Celeste asks Emily to elaborate on how she ended up doing her first competition "on a whim." [8:00] Emily tells listeners all about her experience living abroad in Asia; why she decided to go and what she did while living there. [12:20] Celeste asks Emily what led her to choose a career in speech pathology. [16:00] Emily goes into detail about what exactly she does as a speech pathologist. [20:30] Celeste has Emily share how she manages her time between work, competing, and life. [23:30] Emily shares how consistency is so important to make this lifestyle work, regardless of how busy she is with work and training. [26:40] Celeste and Emily talk significant others and Celeste asks Emily if she's had experiences with people in her life who didn't support her goals and visions. [30:45] Emily tells listeners her favorite exercises for shoulders, hamstrings, and glutes. [33:40] Emily shares when she decided to switch coaches and the reasoning behind it. [34:40] Celeste asks Emily what it was like to stand on stage next to pros who she had looked up to before reaching that level. [37:30] Celeste asks Emily to share what she felt made the biggest difference in terms of transforming her physique during her time away from the stage before finally earning her pro card. [43:00] Emily shares insight as to how she shifted her mentality from a strict prep mode into a more relaxed off season/improvement season mindset. [49:50] Celeste asks Emily how she overcame some setbacks from her initial post show experience to her current improvement season. [54:15] Emily talks about what she learned about herself, her body, and the sport during her time between her various national shows before finally achieving the coveted pro status. [59:00] Celeste and Emily discuss the importance of not just trusting the process but respecting the process and the sport. [61:40] Emily mentions how this current off season has been her most successful and how it's helped with her goals for this year. [66:20] Celeste asks Emily about her experiences working with a male posing coach. [70:00] Emily shares her advice for girls who want to get into competing and the competitors on their road to pro.

REIJUANA HARLEY Jun 26, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, host Celeste Rains-Turk speaks with Reijuana (Rei Rei) Harley, research analyst, posing expert, and lifestyle coach who quickly rose to the IFBB division. After winning overall at her first show in 2017, Reijuana catapulted to the top of the division at Nationals in Miami one year later. Reijuana opens up to listeners about her impressive work experience while finishing her master's degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. During her first national show prep, she was working two full-time jobs, a remote internship, with multiple research obligations but continued to place an emphasis on her goals in bodybuilding. She explains that her often mentally exhausting court cases and client load has shown her the importance of taking recovery days, commitment, and prioritizing efficiently. Celeste and Reijuana discuss time management, mindfulness, and the importance of preparation for success. She explains that bringing extra jewelry, an additional pair of high-heels, and an emergency meal allows for time to enjoy show day without stressed-induced anxiety. Reijuana explains that understanding your limitations and not continuously "filling your plate back up" is necessary to set healthy boundaries. Reijuana inspires listeners about her previous destructive lifestyle and how bodybuilding gave her the strength she needed to better herself. She explains that a scary situation at a party made her value the company she surrounds herself with. In addition to also surviving an abusive relationship, Reijuana explains to Celeste about her previous binge-eating disorder and how she used to take sleeping pills to avoid eating. Reijuana explains how post-show blues left her fearing weight gain, wearing baggy clothes, and guilt with eating. She explains that finding her why with competing allowed her to embrace weight gain and love her body in all forms. She also ditched the "all or nothing" mentality and embraces living a balanced lifestyle for mental wellness. Reijuana transformed her mindset of seeing food as "good" or "bad" to food for fuel. Her newfound focus on health, in addition to her intrinsic discipline, was key to her climbing the ranks to the IFBB division. Finally, Reijuana gives her best tips to first time competitors and bikini competitors on their road to pro. Reijuana is the epitome of beauty and brains! Her transformation from party girl to IFBB bikini Pro and realistic approach to a healthy lifestyle creates an episode you do not want to miss! CONNECT WITH REI REI: https://www.instagram.com/reijuana_ifbbpro/ https://linktr.ee/reireibikini CONNECT WITH CELESTE:www.celestial.fit instagram.com/celestial_fit EPISODE TIME STAMPS: [1:45] Reijuana's pre-stage ritual [3:30] Reijuana's education/work experience [9:49] Making mental health a priority in her high-stress job [12:00] The beginning of Reijuana's bodybuilding career [16:48] Reijuana's tips to celeste about managing bodybuilding/job and school obligations [20:07] Rei Rei gives stress management tips [27:20] Reijuana's daily routine/lifestyle and posing business/career [31:12] Life of partying and drugs before bodybuilding/ Reijuana's wake up call [35:08] Surviving an abusive relationship [37:20] Transition from cheerleading to weight lifting [39:34] Reijuanas past of binge eating disorder/taking pills/overtraining [45:10] Changing your body mindset/trying to fit in [50:24] How Reijuana improved her relationship with food [54:22] Post-prep blues/How to enjoy the holidays/social gatherings with food [1:10:23] Pressure of being stage lean/embracing weight gain [1:14:02] Promotion of weight loss on social media/Ditching to value of the scale [1:22:00] Preparing for her Pro debut [1:27:06] Reijuana's best advice to competitors/road to pro

VALERIE LUSVARDI Jun 19, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, host Celeste Rains-Turk interviews IFBB bikini pro, Valerie Lusvardi who went pro in 2018 at Masters Nationals and is a wife, mother of three, and an online coach.

Valerie talks about how important words of affirmation, mindset, and visualization are to her. She uses training as an outlet and it helped her fight through postpartum depression. Mental health is something that is important to Valerie and she is committed to maintaining a good mindset.

Valerie shares her approach to food and how she maintains a balance while also doing her best to support her body's function. She speaks about dinner date nights with her husband, body image during improvement season diet, and flexible dieting VS IIFYM.

Stress is something Valerie has experienced and being a coach, she can use her experiences to help her clients when they are going through similar struggles. Keeping an open line of communication with her clients is a priority. She wants her clients to feel that they can let their guards down and be vulnerable in their journey.

Valerie also provides insight into keeping your liver healthy, using food to nourish your body, and how she approaches her training since embarking on her journey and evolving as a coach.

Valerie reminisces about her experiences competing in Puerto Rico along with Robyn Maher and Sarah Devore. She recommends that all competitors should have the experience of a destination show!

Celeste wraps up the show like any other by asking Valerie what her advice would be for a first time competitor and a competitor whose goal is to go pro. CONNECT WITH VALERIE:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vavoomvscfit/ All Links: https://lnk.bio/vavoomvscfit CONNECT WITH CELESTE:https://instagram.com/celestial_fit www.celestial.fit EPISODE TIME STAMPS

1:45 Pre-show rituals

2:35 Visualization

6:40 Pro card win experience

9:49 Doing your own hair and make up for a show

12:58 Life before competing

14:33 Sales for Rich Dad Poor Dad

16:31 Fitness lifestyle inspired by postpartum depression

18:35 Ways to focus on mental health

19:54 Ways to reduce stress and committing to doing them

24:08 How competing has impacted marriage

26:45 Eating - specifically on date nights

30:10 Struggles with seeing body changes post show and in improvement season

34:36 The importance of improvement season

39:50 Different factors in losing weight

43:25 Liver support

45:53 Flexible dieting VS IIFYM

48:19 Mindset about food

50:21 Favorite/strange prep food

51:37 Overcoming stressful times

54:17 Applying self experiences to clients

58:03 How to deal with resistance from clients

59:06 Open communication with clients

1:04:24 Growth through bodybuilding

1:06:51 Competing in Puerto Rico

1:13:42 Advice for someone who has never competed before but wants to

1:14:57 Advice for an amateur who wants to go pro

1:15:48 Where you can connect with Valerie Lusvardi

For more information and to support the podcast visit: www.celestial.fit/podcast

JULI LOPEZ Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, host Celeste Rains-Turk speaks with Juli Lopez, a personal trainer and owner of Iron Babe Fitness, a business student and IFBB Bikini Pro who earned her pro card at Miami Nationals in 2018. Celeste kicks off the episode the way she always does by asking Juli about her pre stage ritual. Then, Celeste asks Juli about the process she took to build muscle after always being skinny growing up. Juli explains that through consistency and goal setting she saw her body changing, eventually leading her to diligently research coaches before finding the right fight and making the decision to compete. Celeste and Juli discuss the potential her coach saw in Juli before ever having competed and what they did to bring her thoughts and projections to fruition. From there, Juli talks about her early success as an amateur and how that really set the stage for her pursuing bigger goals and aspirations as a competitor. Celeste then transitions the conversation into the mindset that Juli took on, not just setting her sights on becoming a pro, but enjoying the journey and bettering herself as an athlete overall. Next, Juli talks about what made her decide to take a break from the stage despite being so determined and focused. Juli shares the feedback the judges gave her that led her to return to the national stage and eventually earn her pro status, as well as the strategies and approaches she and her coach took with her training and nutrition to make the necessary changes. Celeste then asks Juli the fun question of which exercises for glutes, hamstrings, and shoulders, Juli finds best for building those target muscle groups. From there, Celeste transitions the conversation to a newer topic that has not been discussed much on the show before and that is the topic of dating during prep. Juli shares her thoughts, opinions, and experiences with dating during prep and living the lifestyle of a competitor. Next, the conversation shifts to a day in the life for Juli. Celeste asks Juli what her typical day to day looks like and Juli discusses certain rituals and practices she has to keep herself focused on her goals, despite having a busy schedule. Here, Juli talks about her idea of "don't cheat yourself" and how that mindset motivates her to stay focused on going after her goals. Celeste and Juli discuss Juli's business and what misconceptions and stereotypes others tend to have surrounding the concept of being your own boss. Juli also offers a discount on her booty bands with code 'Bikini20' that you can find using the link to connect with Juli in the show notes! Celeste talks with Juli about how prep has positively influenced her life and business by teaching her to be very detail oriented. The conversation then shifts back to Juli's career as a competitor and what it was like to step on stage next to some of the top competitors in the sport who have graced some of the most prestigious stages and what then led her to take time away from the stage and transition into her first real improvement season. Juli shares that during her prep for her pro shows she ended up injuring her hamstring, yet did not disclose that information to her coach and continued to push through to the stage. Juli also walks us through her mindset and thought process as to why she decided to continue prep and hit the pro stage shortly after earning her pro status instead of first taking an off season. Celeste asks Juli the process it took for Juli to finally find her show day look and she shares tips on how to choose the suit and hair color that best fits your physique. Finally, concluding the episode Juli shares her advice for new competitors and girls on their road to pro. Connect with Juli: https://www.instagram.com/ironbabejl/ https://www.ironbabe.shop/ Connect with Celeste: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/ www.celestial.fit Episode Time Stamps: [1:25] Juli shares with listeners her pre-stage ritual. [2:20] Celeste asks Juli about the process it took her to build muscle. [4:40] Juli shares how she discovered bodybuilding and what led her to competing. [8:10] Celeste asks Juli if her early success as an amateur really propelled her forward to keep striving for more in the sport. [9:48] Celeste asks Juli about what she did for her mindset while staying focused on her goals. [12:00] Juli talks about how she knows when it's time to step back and take a break. [15:35] Celeste asks Juli about the strategy she took to help grow her upper body. [19:10] Celeste has Juli share her top exercises for glutes, hamstrings, and shoulders. [20:27] Juli discusses the topic of dating during prep. [24:00] Juli shares what her typical day looks like. [26:40] Celeste asks Juli about rituals and practices she has to keep her goals at the forefront of her mind. [30:00] Celeste and Juli talk about what it's like owning their own businesses, what it's taught them, and common misconceptions people have about "being their own boss." [32:50] Juli discusses her thoughts on how prep has influenced her life positively, in competing and her business, by being detail oriented. [37:30] Juli shares what's changed in her approach to training since stepping away from the stage since her pro debut and starting an improvement season. [39:30] Celeste asks Juli to share her experiences stepping on stage as a new pro amongst top competitors and seasoned pros. [43:30] Celeste and Juli discuss what Juli's mindset was like continuing to prep with an injury and without her coach knowing. [48:40] Juli talks about what drove her to push to compete on the pro level instead of first taking a break after earning her pro card. [50:00] Celeste asks Juli how she went about finding her best show day look. [51:20] Juli shares her advice and opinions on picking the proper hair and suit color for the stage. [54:30] Julie gives advice to new competitors and girls on their road to pro.

JORDAN WONDERGEM Jun 05, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, host Celeste Rains-Turk sits down with IFBB Pro Jordan Wondergem, who won her pro card at her first national show and is now going into her fifth year of competing. She is a coach for bikini and lifestyle clients and directs an abundance of focus towards mindset. Jordan coached herself until her prep leading into the North Americans National show where she earned her Pro-card. She learned what and what not to do and gained experience while coaching herself but wanted to take her physique to the next level. By hiring a coach, Jordan was able to dig deep and learn how to push to the pro level. Mindset is something Jordan is very passionate about. She believes that having the right mindset is everything when it comes to achieving your goals and that it will set you apart from the rest. Affirmations are a huge part of her daily routine. Another passion she has is being able to fit competing into her lifestyle. Jordan explains how she can enjoy social aspects of situations while following her prep to a T even if she needs to be a busier person to do so. This lifestyle has been one Jordan had followed even before her time competing. Celeste and Jordan talk about how having that base of the lifestyle makes for an easier transition into competing rather than just jumping in. Having goals with a deadline and seeing herself progress is what drives her most and has her whole life. Now that shows have been cancelled, Jordan is focusing on the positives of postponing prep. She was devastated when she learned that the Vancouver Pro show had been cancelled but has realized this could actually work out for the best. With her new relationship having a time limit on time spent together she can now focus on having fun and having a more enjoyable prep when her new boyfriend goes off to boot camp. She also speaks on how she has handled client's shows being cancelled so gracefully. Jordan goes into what her peak week looks like as well as what post show looks like for her. It is a new and different approach from what she had ever practiced while coaching herself and she is excited that she can pass these strategies onto her own clients. Celeste brings the show to an end by asking Jordan about some favorites regarding prep food and training and of course advice for women thinking about competing and those looking to go pro themselves. Jordan's passions shine through in this episode and inspire a better mindset! CONNECT WITH JORDAN HERE: https://www.instagram.com/jordan.dee.ifbbpro/ https://linktr.ee/Jordanwondergem CONNECT WITH CELESTE HERE: instagram.com/celestial_fit WWW.CELESTIAL.FIT EPISODE TIME STAMPS 1:30 Pre-show rituals 3:11 Hype songs that get you through prep 5:19 Jordan talks about being self coached until national show prep and then having a coach for national prep 7:59 Monitoring progress while self coaching 9:14 Having self doubt while coaching yourself 10:23 Receiving feedback from a coach 11:18 Methods Jordan developed from coaching herself. Learning what to do and what not to do. 12:53 Learning how to coach properly from experiences coaching herself 13:30 What has been different for Jordan since having a coach 15:08 HUGE conditioning difference 15:38 What it took to prep for the level of conditioning needed to become pro 17:00 Being so lean it hurts / family worrying 20:00 Prep for pro card win 22:00 Feelings during North Americans show 22:59 Sensing how well you're going to place 23:55 Re-doing tan for finals to make or break becoming pro 25:36 Difference between preps with and without coach 27:03 Doing more cardio 28:07 Having the mindset of believing in yourself 29:44 Daily rituals Jordan performs to stay in the right mindset 32:05 The difference between an elite competitor and the rest 34:05 How to fit competing into your lifestyle and enjoy the social aspect of situations 36:15 Choosing to be busy so you can still live your life 38:16 Having a base of the lifestyle before competing 40:03 Jordan explains she is self driven by progress 41:55 Goals and priorities during improvement season 45:28 Having a goal in sight to be in the right mindset for a prep 47:38 Game plans now that shows are being cancelled 49:57 Focusing on the positives of prep being postponed 53:39 How Jordan is handling shows being cancelled as a coach 56:44 Peak week protocols 1:00:36 Depletion meals post show 1:05:25 Favorite / strangest prep meal 1:07:12 Favorite exercise for glutes, hamstrings, and shoulders 1:09:45 Advice for someone who has never competed but wants to 1:11:09 Advice for an amateur trying to go pro 1:13:35 Where you can connect with Jordan Wondergem

The Shift I Needed to Begin Mending My Relationship with Food May 29, 2020

Show notes

Special announcement! A new series is being released over on YouTube @celestial_fit where you can hear minisodes related to making peace with food, your body and your goals directly from me.

I will be sharing direct and immediately implementable knowledge around mindset, personal development, psychology, and other introspective topics for you to apply to your life.

In this announcement episode, I share the first one which provides insight into improving your relationship with food & overcoming that all or nothing mentality by shifting your perspective.

It was actually the exact shift I personally needed to help begin developing a healthier relationship with food. This series is consistent of short and sweet audio clips. Some will be dispersed on this podcast in the form of random minisodes as well as IGTV videos.

But make sure you are subscribed on YouTube so you don't miss them as they'll always be released their first... To get access to a few now visit my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/celestialfit

MINISODES LIVE ON YOUTUBE:

1: "What's Worse? 1 Now or 10 Later?"; The Shift I Needed to Begin Mending My Relationship with Food.

2: The Motivating Question You Haven't Asked Yet but Need to Know the Answer to

3: 4 Journal Prompts for Strengthening Trust in Yourself to Get the Results You Want

Enjoy! and don't forget to tag me as you listen :) @celestial_fit

MOTHER'S DAY SERIES: JODI RILEY May 14, 2020

Show notes

In this Mother's Day Series Finale Episode Host Celeste Rains-Turk talks with Jodi Riley, the 2017 bikini Olympia Amateur Champion (and pro card winner) with 7 Bikini championships. She is the Co-Owner of BBL Fitness, and Posing Coach. Jodi is currently pregnant with her first child & comes on to discuss her experiences as a child with a champion bodybuilder for a mom and her perspectives gained from pregnancy as well as for the future.

The episode begins with Jodi discussing her pre-stage rituals and how she prepares her teams competitive athletes to bring out the sass on stage. Jodi talks about the importance of getting comfortable prior to stepping food on stage and visualizing the whole experience long before actually competing.

The connection between the athletes and coach's is very important to Jodi and the Body By Loleta team, as they want to keep a very hands on approach through each athletes prep. As Jodi talks about the team, she explains her experience with having her mother as a competitive bodybuilding athlete and how the team got started. Jodi talks about her lack of interest in the lifestyle throughout her youth even though she was involved with assisting her mother backstage at shows since a young age.

As the episode continues, Jodi reflects on being overweight and her mother encouraging her as a teenager to change her lifestyle. Once Jodi realized her health was deteriorating, she approached her mother for help. Jodi talks about the results she began to notice after doing the bare minimum with balancing her nutrition and exercise. Jodi explains as she began to see results, she wanted to see what she could ultimately achieve. From beginning of her competition career, Jodi elaborates on her preparations with her mother. Jodi talks about how much she values the incredible bond that was created with her mother through their similar interest and focus.

Throughout the episode, Jodi talks about her discipline and determination which holds true during her story of her prep for the Olympia Amateur. She was weeks out when hurricane Urma hit Florida. She laughs reflecting back on the scenarios she had to endure yet kept faith that she was meant to compete. Her resiliency ultimately leads to her earning her pro card at the first Olympia Amateur show.

Jodi talks about when an athlete is ready for prep or not and the importance of commitment to the sport. An athlete has to decide that they are ready, and nothing should deter them from sticking to the plan 100%. Jodi is extremely driven and a competitive athlete, yet she does make time for her other hobbies which include traveling. Jodi elaborates on the importance of being disciplined to the sport during competition season, but the importance of enjoying things outside of bodybuilding when the time is right. Jodi states that you can't let competing stop you from living out your dreams, dreams of being a mother and your goals outside of bodybuilding. The stage will be there.

Once Jodi found out she was pregnant, she was unsure about her changing body. During this portion of the episode, Jodi talks about having a positive mindset and learning to enjoy motherhood. Jodi has realized the importance of patience and taking time to find your purpose and passions. Dedication and support are a continuous theme as Jodi talks about her success and future endeavors. Jodi states because of her support, she will be okay with balancing motherhood, being a business owner and trainer.

The episode concludes with Jodi's advice to new and/or beginning competitors stating the importance of your why. Jodi reiterates that competing shouldn't be done for a win or gain, but because an athlete wants to do it for themselves and the right reasons.

Connect with Jodi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jojo__riley/

Website: https://jojorileyfit.com/

Connect with Celeste:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/

Website: www.celestial.fit

EPISODE TIME STAMPS

[01:39] Preshow ritual

[04:05] How to bring the sass out on stage

[06:43] Body by Loleta competition prep team

[10:25] Creating an immersive and hands-on experience for their clients with lots of comradery

[12:40] Jodi getting into fitness/ competing