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 I don’t believe you have to go through hell to know that you can live with peace or light.
I don’t think you have to fight things alone to be considered strong or courageous or wise. I’ve had to ask for help with so many things in my life. The best helpers guide you to the answer that you already knew, educate, validate, support, listen, and help you in resolving problems that you haven’t yet productively coped with, while the okay helpers just give you the answer and rob you of the exploration. Getting help is nothing to be ashamed of. I think it is very courageous to ask for help. The more people I work with, whether through my business or in counseling, the more in awe I am of those who are willing to say they’re at one of, if not the, lowest points in their life and have the insight to recognize the benefit of support and then to have the vulnerability to explore how to get through this. The word that comes up for me when I see people, no matter the situation, is RESILIENCE. I say all of this because I know there are people silently struggling, thinking they have to hold it together or figure it all out on their own, if that’s you, please know that you don’t have to. You deserve to get through this and if going at it alone isn’t helping you, it’s okay to utilize resources & ask for help. My results have been accelerated when I ask for help or get educated or hire a mentor or coach. It doesn’t make me weak or incapable! I know when I can use help and when It may not be of benefit to me. Even asking a friend for support can go a very long way. There’s something so valuable about being held in unconditional positive regard while going through something so challenging. There is non-judgmental, willing to help, empathetic, and insightful support out there. Your mental health matters! #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY with me using tons of my free resources or explore options for mentorship.
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 Our capacity to anticipate a future grants us the opportunity to use our time with more of an abundance mentality rather than trying to do everything all in one day.
I’ve been thinking though, if there was no knowledge of the future would we live more presently, more freely of boundaries or restrictions, more daringly? Or would we expel so much energy in the effort to make the most of a single day that we could not possibly sustain this type of expenditure for the years that may come? I always tout the power of longevity in what we do. I often share that athletes must do what can be done repeatedly for years with enjoyment, to have longevity in their career. But can doing what’s best for the long run ever take from the present potential? I’m not sure. I’d argue in some cases, yes, because if today you put all your eggs in one basket under the assumption it was all that mattered & would ever matter then you’d likely make some major strides. Rather than if you said I will put my eggs across these different baskets of my life today, gaining some sense of fulfillment and achievement in all of them but not reaching full potential in each one. To then I might argue, what is “full potential” & what would it look like to reach that every day? Potential is that moment right before something takes off. The pen open in someone’s hand just before it touches the page, the hammer lining up to the nail, the key in the lock, the heel right before it hits the stage…. But I’ve noticed that People try to emulate successful people’s habits or moves but don’t ask how that person developed the endurance to sustain all these habits & behaviors long term which is more meaningful insight than the habits themselves. If you want a result, the mentality of being your best today & improving each day by testing your limits is far more beneficial than the “all in” “gung-ho” mentality that will likely only feel good for a short period of time before implosion. Meet yourself where YOU are at, capitalize on the potential you truly have today (dependent on many variables), & prioritize OPTIMIZATION so that each day can be fulfilling & worthwhile without stealing from the mission of tomorrow.  Making a commitment to yourself in one of the most challenging times of your life takes so much courage, vulnerability, and acceptance.
I am so grateful Amanda trusted me on her journey to a greater relationship with food, her body, and her goals. When Amanda applied for my 1:1 food relationship program, she had just completed my 8 day free food relationship series so I knew she would be an action taker willing to do the work necessary to make major shifts in her mentality. She had been struggling with binging multiple times a week that led to physical discomfort. This was concerning for her because she thought that she had gotten past this after other attempts with intuitive eating and habit based programs as well as therapy and reverse dieting. It takes a lot to feel like you’ve tried so much and to still say I deserve to keep trying for myself! I admire that she signed up for my program and put her heart into it. She showed up for herself every day and has committed to behaviors that will help sustain her personal development and progress. Amanda is not a competitor but she knew she could use the support with respect to her fitness goals and lifestyle. I am so proud of how far she came in such a short period of time. I designed this 5 week program to illicit major changes and those who show up even 60% get great results, she showed up 100% and has reaped massive rewards. In her post-program feedback form she said she only wished she implemented more of the resources sooner and more consistently which is so cool because the pace she went at and the arsenal she has now will only continue to serve her moving forward. If you’re interested in working with me 1:1 in my food relationship coaching program and getting a taste of my signature PTG process, now is the time to learn more and apply. I will be raising my prices in the first month of the year due to additional resources, education, support services, and other meaningful upgrades as a professional & service. Helping hundreds of people globally to #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY is a daily privilege.  What are you doing now that the old, potentially soon to be gone, version of you would not be proud of or may even wish they didn’t spend so much time on?
1 thing for me is criticism of my body (not to be confused with pursuit of improvement with positive & focused intention) I used to wish my legs were smaller, stomach was flatter, arms weren’t as big, butt had more definition into legs & on & on… I feel bad for the younger version of myself who started dieting at such a young age, who judged her amazing legs, hid her stomach if it wasn’t starved for x hours, and didn’t participate in events due to self-consciousness with body & concern about food. If I could go back in time, would I change it? Probably not given what it taught me. But if I can use this to help others, I will! Something that helps me on not so great body image days is to recognize that my body unconditionally loves me and was built to keep me alive and sustain me no matter what the circumstance or variables. I find that it is easier to go from judgment to recognition than it is to go from judgment straight to love. Once I get to the state of gratitude for my body I can usually recognize the actions I take to support her and then I can start to see how amazing and beautiful my body is because of all we have been through together. I have learned to appreciate, accentuate, & embrace curves rather than hide them. I choose to see myself as powerful, strong, and persistent regardless of my body’s shape or size (which is ever evolving and changing, especially in bodybuilding) and I provide proof that this is true! Loving my body comes not just from how I see myself but how I treat & perceive myself I think of all the amazing things my body allows me to do and experience Sometimes throwing on an outfit (like this dress for instance) or listening to empowering music that makes you feel sexy can help boost your confidence too! What do you see when you look in the mirror? What do you want to believe about your body? How do you want to feel in your body? Now what is 1 thing you could change to support you in achieving this reality? Would love to hear all your answers 😍 . #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY  Even from when we are babies, there is a plan to take food from our own mother’s body which can enhance connection, attachment, and closeness between mom and baby.
Throughout childhood we might engage in family traditions revolving around food that continue into our adulthood. Even sitting around a table at school learning to share, exchange, or even just count beans (anyone else remember doing this? Lol). Food was and is a way to taste culture, love, passion, and experiences. People have found a way to enjoy food outside of its main nutritional benefit. When we look at food solely as a sum of macros or calories or ingredients, I think we are missing out on the other benefits food can bring. As an athlete it can be difficult at times to recognize this, especially in prep mode, but If we choose to think positively and mindfully about our food, incorporate foods we enjoy (for me it’s always @bambodynutrition ), make all our foods enjoyable, recognize their benefits for our function as well as focus in other areas of our life, and embrace that food brings more than fuel (rather than dismissing the idea) then we can begin to have a more mindful and peaceful relationship with it. The biggest mistake I see competitors make is going on autopilot. While there are many other mistakes or red flags, I’d say this one is at the top of the list. Which is why my food relationship healing and discovery program was built with a mindfulness framework that also considers an athletes point of view, goals, and needs. If you’re interested in learning more about the program you can learn more HERE! #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY @bambodynutrition treat featured is chrismint. You can use my code “Olaf” all December for a discount. Trust me when I say there are AMAZING treats coming. It will be a “December to remember” The power of community 🥰 moving to AZ has brought me closer to really amazing women! I’m so grateful for the relationships I’ve been developing here with strong, kind, ambitious, intelligent, and thoughtful women! I always wanted to have more bodybuilding friends or girls who “got it”. I was really nervous about making friends and connections or deepening existing ones but having the courage to put myself out there and making the effort has enriched my life. I may be “introverted” or struggle but I knew if I wanted to have more friends I had to be willing to make them! Luckily these women were all super proactive about connecting with me too! Social media, my business, the podcast, and bodybuilding has afforded me some of the best friendships! So grateful 🥰💓 just doing a “photo dump” of some of our fun times! Please, if you are in Arizona, I’d love to find time to meet :) I know there’s a few of you I have yet to see but if u want to connect, I don’t normally bite 😆
 I really hate to admit it but there was a time when I would wait until my family was all asleep in their bed to go back downstairs and eat more of whatever I had been restricting all week.
I used to have “cheat days” where I’d eat whatever I wanted from 12am-12am. It wasn’t strategic, mindful, or at all considerate of my body or goals because it was really just the one day I could binge without feeling bad about it. Well, I’d feel like crap physically but the permission to binge once a week was what I thought was a right of passage in the fitness space to achieve my goals & be successful. Cheat days were always being promoted by coaches, athletes, & influencers. I didn’t realize how toxic much of the messaging was to my relationship with food & long term goals. Anyway, this reel, literally used to be me. My mom didn’t sleep very much, she would stay up late at night & always downstairs. I felt like I couldn’t be seen eating certain foods so I’d always wish she would go up to bed so I could gorge myself or I’d grab food quietly. This happened for years pre competing & post show it was a constant fixation. I even started opening the extra snack foods in the garage just so I could pretend to be getting something from out there when In reality I was stuffing my face with oreos. I hated it so much. It was like this crazy monster in my head making me resent people for being around because The monster wanted to eat. I felt powerless. Sometimes I’d make up crazy stories to justify the actions. But I knew I needed to stop because it was furthering the divide between myself, my goals, & my values. Finding freedom with food was worth it. I’m so happy to do the work I do now, having the personal experience & being able to apply more formal education from psychology & clinical mental health counseling on top of the personal development & mindset practices I created & further installed into my life & my mentorship programs through application, tweaking, & evidence. I get to help other athletes see that their fitness goals don’t have to come at the cost of their mental health. Start your journey in my free food relationship coaching series. One year ago today I was one day out from my first national show @musclecontest USAs sending check ins to @teamedge1 😍🤩
It was an amazing experience and I cannot believe it has already been 12 months 🤯 Now we are one month into prep and still working each day to be better. I spent all improvement season eating and lifting and posing and this is what I continue to do, it just looks slightly different🤷🏻♀️ Next year I hope to do some regional shows before doing a national show. The goal is to do better, look better, present better, place better… 🤗 I am so grateful to have so much support around me in the pursuit of my goals. The bodybuilding community is so awesome!  The answer…
Client B Why? Because psychological hunger is real I have worked with many people who tell me they’re always hungry & wish they weren’t always thinking about food & then we implement athlete friendly mindful eating practices & their hunger balances out, they learn their body’s signals & they understand how to listen to their body while executing on goals. Often times if we perceive a program change as a drop or restrictive or more demanding then we will probably be convinced that we should feel more hungry. Sometimes people will worry about a 10g carb decrease but then when you remind them it’s equivalent to losing a rice cake their perspective shifts & they realize it’s OK. Perspective is important. Especially when checking in with your coach, getting closer to shows, expecting macro drops, hunger increases, more cardio, Etc. Those types of expectations lead to perpetuated stories & beliefs. Usually they are fixated on potential negatives like being “so hungry” or “won’t be able to focus” “will lack energy” “just want more food” because our brain wants to prepare us for the negative experience of these possible outcomes. I’d encourage you to step back & be realistic about changes to your plan, numbers, & reasons for these things. When I used to compare how much I ate to others It not only made me hungrier but it also made me bitter. I had to start setting boundaries with myself & others to not make comments about how much I was or wasn’t eating & got real about the fact that I pretty much sit all day outside of my workouts so the amount of cardio I do or food I eat should look different than someone on their feet all day. I celebrate all the food I GET to eat, take time to recognize how it’s benefiting me, savor the meals rather than shove them down, talk positively about the process, & spend time with my thoughts, emotions, body signals, & needs. If you want to apply more of this to your life, you can enroll in my free food relationship series at www.celestial.fit/foodseries. *worth noting if you’re not eating enough & are miserable it is also okay to stop dieting & give body a break or seek other guidance Competitors, please don’t do what you do every day because it’ll get you to the stage or looking a certain way.
Do it for the love of the game. Do it because… ✨it makes you feel amazing ✨It is a habit ✨you would do it even if competing wasn’t a thing ✨it brings value and meaning to the things and people of value and meaning in your life ✨you’re life is better because you execute on it ✨you are fulfilled and at peace internally already and this elevates your experience ✨when you do it you’re a better version of yourself ✨your why transcends physical validations or manifestations of results An athlete with purpose, who truly soaks in every moment they get to play their game, is a successful athlete. Not because they win more or have more longevity, but because they truly enjoy the execution. I don’t mean to sound preachy or tell you that this is how you “should” be. But It is worth noting that burnout is correlated to lack of meaning and purpose…so when there is emphasis on “finding your why” it is because without it, the journey and the reward may feel less empowering. Show up for yourself to fulfill yourself and your values in some way, not to run from anything or prove something to someone or seek shiny objects. Step by step: ➡️Identify your values ➡️Connect them to your goals ➡️Focus on the benefits of every action you take that moves the needle forward ➡️Celebrate progress ➡️Re-evaluate & Repeat Need help with the inner demands of the sport? I have tons of free resources and you may even consider checking out the on-demand mindset coaching platform for competitors (it’s basically an interactive Netflix for athletes who want to uplevel their mindset) www.celestial.fit/ondemand #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY |
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
