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 1. It’s no different than any other day. Treat it this way and you’ll be okay
2. Working off or earning your food should never be a thing. Plus studies have shown that your hunger levels increase with longer cardio sessions so why not use that time to spend with loved ones? Earning your food perpetuates the belief that food is only meant to be eaten when “worked for” but we need food regardless of movement just to function. This creates a worse relationship with food 3. If you are feeling anxious about it evaluate why. Where is the anxiety coming from and what feels threatened? This is where you need to focus your attention on relieving 4. One of my friends and fellow competitor Hana DeVore said it best, if you’re struggling with how to eat on one day, you need much more help than any infographic or even a video like this can give you. You need to focus on developing a healthy relationship with food from the depths of where it begins, not just surface level solutions for “controlling” yourself on a day that we have been conditioned to believe is about feasting when it’s meant to be about gratitude 5. Stressing about what you’re eating is going to make your body struggle to use and digest it. So bring confidence to your decisions backed with strong core beliefs 6. You’re not a bad person for saying no but if you’re saying no make sure it’s coming from a positive self loving place and be prepared to lovingly accept questions from people who otherwise normally would expect you to eat 7. You’re not a bad person for saying yes. You’re no less fit, healthy, competitive, or influential for participating in a meal because simply put, it’s food and you’re going to eat anyways. No moral attachment belongs on your plate 8. Best thing you can do is be mindful. Not in the frilly way but genuinely consider how your body feels, where your head is at, and what’s driving your decision making. Connect to your goals, your values, your standards, and your body. Listen, honor, and love them all 9. Make no justifications for your choices 10. All of this applies tomorrow too. Like I said, it’s no different. The problem is the conditioning to be concerned about celebrating a holiday in fear of gaining fat, reversing all your progress, losing your next show, being a failure, blackout binging, never ending guilt, and desires to ghost your coach for weeks until you “work it off”. Change your perspective. Holidays are a time of high spirits and fun, I know how much it sucks to be consumed with neverending thoughts about the food and only being half present with the people who matter because I’ve been too consumed in consuming. It sucks. But it doesn’t have to be your reality forever or at all. Be proactive. If you experience the distraction of disordered thought patterns...reach out for help. There’s no shame in it and you’ll be glad you did! I can’t imagine having lived my life with the troubles I was experiencing forever. I couldn’t imagine being that way at every holiday or for my future kids or every celebration or literally every day and every week being so obsessed with how to eat in an effort to achieve a look or body. Now I am happy and still crushing my goals. Funny what we gain when we let go of control and choose love for ourselves above all else. If you’d like to apply for my food relationship healing and discovery journal program then DM me or apply using the link in the comments below! Happy thanksgiving!!! 😊🥳❤️ I am so grateful for you and for these platforms where we can all connect and learn from each other!
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 You’re not beautiful because of your body, but your body is beautiful because of you
Our bodies are responsible for carrying us around this life to give all of us unique individusouls a human experience?! How amazing is that? How awesome to know that we can influence & change our body with thoughts, behaviors, & habits?! The fact that our body has built in self-care signals to say when its time to eat, rest, move, express, literally everything we experience our body gives us the ability to crave more of it, protect ourselves from similar negative experiences, or even give opportunities to transcend the person we thought we were at any given moment is really quite amazing We have brains going with us everywhere which we can literally tap into & change or can change alone based on experiences In the matter of a moment & impact the rest of our life Yet we still always have the power to recreate ourselves or our life WE ARE LITERALLY MAGIC For the last 6+ years I’ve known that my mission is to increase the level of self-love on this planet It deeply saddens me to see so many people walking around self-loathing & even creating realities for themselves that are not ideal at all just because on some level they don’t feel worthy, deserving, or capable of MORE Perspective shifting, knowledge, practice, & a desire are what we each need to continuously grow & enact change in ourselves & as a byproduct, our lives The days I obsess over how my body look are few & far between because I’m far more focused & committed to seeing & celebrating the unbelievableness that each of us are It’s taken me time to heal my relationship with my body & it is of course a DAILY commitment I’ve made conscious choices to shift my thought patterns & create new neural pathways that no longer say “body=not good enough” but now say “body=scarily undefinably more than enough” I’ve shifted from being hyper focused on the look to being hyper aware of how I feel & the person I am becoming as I shape shift Of all the ways I’ve freed myself from the wild capacities of my own mind, unconditionally loving my body is 1 of my most cherished ❤️💆🏻♀️ . BUILD MORE THAN JUST A BODY  I have been asked by a lot of people how I have been able to be so patient after dealing with restoring my hormones, getting my period back, and of course building muscle in an 11 month improvement season and gaining more fat than what would have been 'ideal' for an off-season.
Many other competitors have expressed gratitude to me when I share my updates and tell me that my patience with the process is inspiring and brings them back to reality themselves. I have been thinking a lot about this topic the past week as I have felt an overwhelming feeling of peace and presence in my prep this time around unlike any other I have had before. This hasn't always been easy for me though. I used to be a much less patient competitor. When I competed from August 2017 to September 2018 I did not want to stop and I did not like the idea of anything taking longer than I expected. I got a good wake up call though when my coach told me I just am not ready for a national stage yet and building and restoring my health should be my number one priority before prepping again. This would be a good time to mention that I didn't have my period before I started prep for August 2017, it wasn't all bodybuilding's fault for my struggles but it definitely didn't help that I was putting constant stress on my body day in and day out while working a ton and going to school full time. I found myself wanting to get to the next level and the next level and the next level over and over again like get to the next stage and the next show date and my next best. Which is NOT a negative mindset to be in when under the right circumstances but mine was coming from a less than peaceful place of urgency. Taking time off really taught me patience. Not that the year of prepping didn't in its own ways too but the time off was a great reminder to me of a couple of things. 1. I am going to live this lifestyle anyways so what is the rush? 2. I love this sport and competing so why would I want to rush it? 3. It is an art and to honor the sport the way it deserves to be I need to remember that building the body I needed to build to bring my best wasn't going to happen if I kept dieting and prepping and doing show after show. Honestly though, when it came time to prep again, I was in my head a lot about how, "I have so much more fat to lose" and "It is going to take me sooo much time just to get even close to stage ready" or "If where I was wasn't enough will I even get where I need to be if I have already gotten so far from where I was" and other thoughts that sound similar to that. However, I made it a priority to change this mindset around and step into a more positive place. The 11 months of improving went by SO fast and I know that now it is less about 'getting to the stage' and more about 'how I get to the stage'. Since focusing on some of what I shared above, and some of the steps I am going to give you further in this post, I have found that I am truly relishing in every moment of this prep now. I am enjoying my cardio, giving thanks at every meal, getting excited about every lifting session and like every time before--just following the plan. That's the biggest thing. If you are following your plan, trusting and communicating with your coach, as well as being honest with yourself...YOU WILL GET WHERE YOU WANT TO GO EVENTUALLY. It is pretty much inevitable that if you see a leaf 5 steps in front of you and you want to go step on that leaf so you decide to take 5 steps forward that you will get there if every step is taken. 4 steps, you are almost there. 6 steps, you have gone too far. Bodybuilding is like that. You are going to have to take a lot of steps along the way, and they probably won't look all that different from each other since consistency is a massive part of this sport, and eventually you will get where you wanted to go. When struggling to find patience in the process you can try these steps: 1. Look at today's wins rather than tomorrow's potential batttles Rather than thinking, 'Oh no, I have 30 pounds of fat to lose, it is going to be so so hard'. Just focus on the tasks at hand today. 2. Find the Joy in Everything If you feel like you have to suffer to get where you want to go, then why are you going? You should be enjoying this. If you are not enjoying it, find a new approach. 3. Ask yourself, 'Would I be living this way if I wasn't trying to step on stage?' If the answer is no, then reevaluate your reason for committing to this. If the answer is yes, then just keep trucking because you will get there anyways. 4. Be conscious of why you are in such a rush Are you trying to rush to the stage because you said you would? Because you don't want to wait until xyz time to compete? Since you have a deeper desire for validation? What is the rush?! 5. Make Mindset Work a Priority I also repeated a mantra to myself that helped a lot, 'One breath, one rep, one meal at a time' which kept me present and less focused on "how long with this take" and more on "how much I appreciate and love the process" Don't stand idly by while your mindset weakens and can no longer sustain the longevity you need to progress in the sport. If you have a long way to go, which let's be honest any competitor who wants to go beyond a bucket list show better be ready for the long run, you'll need to develop a mindset with the stamina to support those endeavors. RELISHING means you are truly taking joy in what you are doing. RUSHING means you you are doing what you are doing with an uncomfortable urgency. THERE IS NO RUSH, SO WHY NOT RELISH? You can even ask yourself every day, how can I relish in the opportunities and challenges of today? The more you connect to the energies of peace and patience, the better! I have a couple of modules on this in my On-Demand Mindset Coaching Platform for competitors who feel like 'it is going to take a long time to get where they want to go' and 'feel like the goals are too big' or even literally 'impatience on prep'. The site includes over 45+ modules on mindset so I won't include them all here. It has been developed to address your specific needs using a system I created that digs deeper into what you are going through with a couple of question then immediately redirects you to a solution sheet with exercises, practices, and even some with video trainings on how to get through it. You deserve to be at peace and in love with something that requires so much of your time and energy. Enroll in my On-Demand Mindset Coaching Platform for Competitors Now By Clicking HERE  That bikini sparkle though👀🤩😍
. So blessed to rock Ingrid Romero Bikinis on stage! . I love these suits and am so excited for the next one 😊 . We are thinking about the kelly green one for me next time but who knows!😍👀 . These suits are honestly the most comfortable I’ve worn and have the perfect shape / coverage No awkward booty triangle or nipple scares lol I like that the tops have room for lots of extra padding on top of what it comes with and the bottoms are beautifully cut to shape your glutes And let’s be honest if anyone knows how to get that booty right it’s Ingrid Romero . I personally like the thicker connectors but you can always choose for yourself based on what you feel confident in and what suits you best when you order! Ingrid is so proud of the work she does so you know you’re going to get a quality product I am sold on her bikinis and love them! The top also doesn’t slide around to the point of losing its original look and the crystals and connectors are SO easy to clean off backstage when tanning Never heard one bad thing about them either, everyone agrees with me they are so beautiful on stage, fit comfortably, and always exceed expectations Completely customizable and made to order You can now save money at checkout on Ingridromerobikinis.com with my code ‘celeste’ which also supports me 😊 Plus you can buy now and pay later when you checkout with sezzle which is not only an easy way to pay for it but it’s also a great way to motivate yourself now if you’re prepping for a show in 2020 . If you go on her site you can see how they look and she has TONS of pics on her website with examples of the different designs so it takes the confusion out of designing it If you like this one or the blue one or any online you could likely also just ask what it is and she will take care of you! Happy bikini shopping💜😍 . CODE: CELESTE at checkout using this link: https://ingridromerobikinis.com/discount/CELESTE?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fingrid-romero-bikinis  As a competitor, your mindset is tested & challenged in new ways daily in every season
To become a winner, feel amazing on stage, have successful reverse diets & therefore even more successful preps, as well as work your way up the ranks in the sport, you have to do what others aren't always willing to So, imagine investing as much energy & time into your mindset as you do your workouts, nutrition, recovery, coaching, posing, & the shows themselves? By focusing on your mindset, you would have the mental stamina to support your longevity in this sport! &&, since your mindset wouldn't be sending you into self-destructive spirals with food, body image, discipline or any other challenges that come up as a competitor, you would have more time & energy to focus on becoming the elite level athlete you dream of being You don't have to give up competing to 'get your mind right' & you certainly don't have to wait until you 'fail' a reverse diet before working on your relationship with food I urge you, from competitor to competitor, don't wait until you NEED to work on your mindset to set yourself apart from the girls next to you Be PROACTIVE so that EVERY time you step on stage you feel empowered, beautiful, proud, & fulfilled regardless of the outcome This is the mindset that breeds champions When I prioritized my mental health & came back to bodybuilding in 2017 after my very first show in 2015, I knew that my mindset shifts were the reason I was able to do well & bring a better physique, presentation, & commitment level day in and day out I 100% know & believe that the reason I have now been able to present my best on stage, have incredibly fulfilling preps, & maintain a positive mindset post-show regardless of circumstance, is because I have the tools & knowledge in psychology & personal development to do so I want to share them with other driven competitors so I created an On-Demand Mindset Coaching platform where you can get INSTANT access to mentorship & support at your fingertips to shutdown anything that isn’t serving your highest self Click HERE to learn more & join for instant access at only $9.99/month 😍 .  If you want to be a step above the rest, you have to be willing to go further than others are willing to go
Competition is tough out there in the world of bodybuilding, nearly everyone is bringing an amazing aesthetic that meets the criteria or working every day to do so Which means we can assume every TOP competitor is showing up for all their gym sessions, eating their meals, sleeping well, recovering, practicing their posing, and doing all the things you are ALREADY EXPECTED TO DO as a competitor But why do I emphasize “already expected to do”... because real champions go the extra mile, don’t they? We’ve all heard the quotes about how the people who get where others don’t is because they do what others won’t And yet, I see girls doing the BARE minimum (as previously explained the things that are expected of us as competitors) and many of them expecting top placings, national qualifications, pro cards, pro wins, even just a feeling of satisfaction that they brought their best Of course, when they don’t get that, they are very upset, wondering “but if I did everything I am supposed to, why wouldn’t I have placed better my last xyz show(s)?” . Because champions do more than they're expected and are willing to shine light on and address or remove anything internally that may inhibit their growth This failure to recognize a key dictator of success is a form of storytelling we do to protect ourselves from the reality that there are things within us that need to be improved before we can actually embody the next level, elite, version of ourselves So, if you’re not doing the mindset work, the food relationship healing, the confidence and self love development, the body pride & acceptance, the mindfulness, alllllll the “extra mile” work... Thennn all your other investments may very well continue to go to waste or at least be burned through until you either burn yourself out or you finally get there and feel likely less than your ideal Why? Because the inner work is what will give you the mental stability which creates the longevity which will, in today’s competitive atmosphere, literally keep you in the game Without spending time on your mind you’ll continue to feel disheartened by placings or be crippled by comparison; both of which will lead to discouragement and again, you’ll be less likely to stay in it for the long run So why wouldn’t you prioritize your inner work as much as you do alllllll your physical work? I mean, your brain literally goes with you EVERYWHERE, there’s no barrier to entry, and you have full ability to transform this part of yourself and experience that transformation immediately WHILE KNOWING it will help your physical results This would happen due to greater effort, motivation, desire, and mental stamina to support longevity so no matter how long your “road to pro” or “road to the O” or “road to best self” is, you’ll be ready for the ride I created my On-Demand Mindset Coaching Platform for competitors in season, off season, and in any between seasons who don’t just want to get by with the bare minimum but who want to really tap into the next level, top placing, level headed, mindful, at peace no matter what...version of themselves It’s for the competitors who are ready and willing to no longer accept the expected as “good enough” . For the ones who are choosing to step into the elite version of themselves now so they can breakthrough any barriers be it food, self-talk, discipline, motivation, drive, or body image and say “I AM CHOOSING MORE FOR MYSELF BECAUSE I DEMAND MORE FROM MYSELF AS A TOP COMPETITOR” . Learn more about the platform and sign up now by clicking here and sign up to receive instant access to on demand mindset mentorship at every stage, phase, and roadblock that comes up in your journey so that you can become the champion you seek to become...  Many competitors deny their body of any communication, respect, honoring, or loving by just going on autopilot following a plan or neglecting to bring any level of mindfulness to their programming
But this generally leads to going through the motions which means being less intentional and of course connected during training, meals, & even posing presentation This weakens your work ethic, understanding of your body’s needs long-term (goodbye to any longevity in the sport), connection to your deeper why, and ability to perform at your best Being mindful during prep and improvement season isn’t just about peace of mind or stress reduction...it’s about being present enough in every action you take to truly become the ELITE athlete you are striving to be What are you going to do to bring mindfulness into your day today? How will this influence your results as an athlete? Comment below with 1 thing you’re committed to bringing mindfulness to! Let’s all inspire each other to turn our focus inwards so we can create more results outwards Learn about and enroll into my On Demand Mindset Coaching Platform for Competitors  Some people look at themselves in the mirror and see what’s really there
Some of those people are judgmental of what they see and some aren’t Some people look in the mirror and don’t see reality, but rather a contorted image of themselves People with body dysmorphia tend to hone in and focus on “flaws” or things that draw their attention and make them out to be way bigger than they really are For example, some people become so obsessive about how a facial feature looks that they get super self conscious about it, want to change it, feel like everyone is staring at it, or like it’s the first thing people see—this happens a lot with blemishes but can also be seen in people who continue to get surgery without ever finding happiness with that structure Similarly, people who express body image issues tend to see their body way differently than it is OR obsess on one specific area (let’s take the stomach for example) . They might constantly stare at it, pinch it, think it is huge, check it in the mirror, pull at their clothing, cover it up, deny compliments of any change, and become so concerned with its appearance to others But how and why is this happening? While earning my degree in Psychology I learned about perception, which really is everything Perception is how we take in stimuli, process it, and then do something with it like form a belief or make a statement or take an action It’s influenced by the sensory input like something smelling a certain way and then experiences, knowledge, thought patterns, environment, conditioning, culture, memory, witnessing others experiences; basically all the ways we experience the world around us so maybe that smell is actually very nostalgic to you but to someone else REEKS of an ex So the reason some people judge their body differently than others can come from their conditioning or worldview which is not just a product of their own choosing but people, ads, culture, & the things I previously listed all around them weaving into the subconscious & of course past experiences like being called fat by peers at a young age & associating this with being bad, ugly, & undesirable then carrying that with you for life (UNTIL YOU ADDRESS IT OF COURSE—because you can change these things) But it’s also sometimes genetic, or even because of the way someone brains functions differently than someone else’s Some studies have shown that people with BDD that leads to disordered eating have different activation in their neural networks & some even show inhibited spatial organization or body orientation I hope that this provides some perspective and hope for you if you’re struggling to know that even if it feels like something is “wrong with” you or you are exhibiting some of these unhealthy behaviors that you’re only just recently becoming aware of, the good news is YOU CAN CHANGE❤️🧠💆🏻♀️  What if I told you that letting go of control is what will bring you the freedom and peace of mind you’re really looking for?
What if control became associated with conscious decision making rather than consistent restraint? What if you chose even for a moment to release all the definitions, actions, & thoughts associated with controlling your body, your food, your life...what would be different? What if the thought of giving up control didn’t make you feel anxious but empowered you instead? What if you challenged everything you’ve been taught to believe about health, weight, your body, size, shape, food, eating...? What if when you stand in front of a mirror the reflection you see is actually reality & you realize you’re allowed to love the way you look now? What if you felt everything in your life so deeply and chose to heal it without stigma, that there was never a need to turn to external sources like food or exercise or restriction to feel in control of your life? What if you just decided right now to release the rules, expectations, & fears of judgment so you could feel truly free? ❤️ Really, what’s the worst that could happen? If you’re struggling now, trying the same thing over and over to feel a sense of control, beauty, fulfillment, validation, happiness, or you name it... what harm can really come from committing to a new way of thinking? What if you changed your thoughts, beliefs, actions, and habits despite the pain, pushback, doubts, fear, and chaos that it can evoke within you and it actually changed the entire course of the rest of your life? . . ❤️🧠💆🏻♀️ You are SO deserving of more love my friends, give yourself permission to give to yourself and receive it from yourself . Want actionable mindset tools that you can use on prep or in your improvement season to immediately shift your emotional & mental state? Join my On Demand Mindset Coaching Platform now to get access to exercises, tools, & mentorship at your fingertips on topics including; . Body Image Food Relationship Motivation/Discipline Goals Self-Talk . Learn about how it works & Enroll now by clicking HERE💜🧠 . #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY Creating a New Normal; 10 Steps I Took and What Happens When you Change the Way you Think11/11/2019  If you created your current reality, you can create a new one
Your normal might consist of being unhappy, sad, ashamed, full of guilt, empty, hurt, angry, or numb Your normal might be full of unsurprising events with some sort of lusting for a life that “could be but likely never will be” Your normal might feel uneasy, unpredictable, scary But it doesn’t always have to be this way and the only way it wouldn’t change is if you don’t Your next normal could be entirely different from your current narrative How? Change the way you think When you change the way your brain is wired, you’re inevitably going to be changing your actions, when you change your actions your results change and when your results change so does your experience of life It’s no longer feeling like something so far out of reach but now like something you can always take hold of and steer any which way you desire I don’t just say this as a psychology and personal development nerd Despite literature of more reliable case studies, eons of anecdotal evidence, and the mere fact that our brain is literally the epicenter of our functions... I’ve also witnessed it first hand I haven’t been deeply depressed or suicidal (something I never thought I’d be able to rid myself of) in years Because of this my anxiety has also decreased massively as I’m no longer fearful of myself or my thoughts While I’ve always been a VERY optimistic person (sometimes too much for my own good they say) My life has dramatically improved since making myself a priority I always had goals and dreams and chased them relentlessly whether it was athletics or school or career (Fun fact I even started my first business at 9 years old and carried on with the thought of pursuing that profession until junior year of high school! Can you guess what that was?) But the difference is now I feel like ME and I love this me because she is such a pure light form of who I’ve always known I could be When I would get depressed it scared me so much because I knew it “wasn’t me” I can remember being so enamored by the thought of death and yet feeling like I was just trapped in my own sad chemical ridden brain, I’d always give people support for their concern of me by saying “but it’s not me don’t worry it just comes over me, idk what it is” Even though it wasn’t my fault that this would happen, I had a LOT of responsibility to take And if I stopped EVERY positive thing I do for my mind now, I know it wouldn’t be long until I regressed to a dark and scary version of me Want to know some of the things that made the biggest difference for me? Here’s 10 just to scratch the surface:
Happiness can be tapped into the same way sadness can. This doesn’t mean you never experience any other emotions, it just means your baseline is more content, at peace, happy :) Imagine what will happen when you start chasing the idea of “being happy” and instead choose to simply become happiness |
Celeste Rains-Turk
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Robert Gourley, Danijel J, Neeta Lind, Brian PDX, Stefano Merli, frankieleon, j_lai, Gudlyf, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet, Arya Ziai, SuperFantastic, Ruth and Dave
