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 I used to dread the way my back shot looked because I knew it was a weak point of mine, now I get excited to see it!!
At one point I thought I may never have the lines or the tie in I needed So, I went to work in the gym every day to prove myself wrong I focused, with great intent, on the engagement of every muscle fiber I wanted to recruit When I took time off to grow it was for all around shape but I knew I didn’t wanna come back & have the same back shot So I would hit weights heavy! I did lots of compound movements & used progressive overload If I couldn’t progress in weight, or I did and it sacrifices form, I’d progress with tempo, reps, & pauses I remember repeating sets if the engagement wasn’t exactly how I wanted it/knew it needed to be Eventually I could just turn those muscles on without having to hyper focus on them which was a huge sign of progress I still did band work, cables, and ankle weights—mixing up my approach to leg days along the way but made hip thrusts, lying hamstring curls (thrusting hips into pad of course squeezing glutes whole time), RDLs & sumo deads a major part of my routine staples to progress in I am SO proud of the growth I created & when I started working with my coaches again after the improvement season I had put on a lot of weight but you could see the developments I made! We focused on conditioning & still are. It’s a team effort to balance keeping muscularity & creating the nice lines you want I’m so grateful to have the guidance of @teamedge1 for so many years now because we have evolved so much together & will continue to over the years! We are 11 days out from @sampsonproductions ace of stage & when I say I’m giving it my all still, I mean it Even more than before because the goal in body building is not just to improve in improvement season but improve every day in some way I measure improvements in energy, sleep, training, mindset, sprints, runs, control, ability to listen to body, relationships, pushing limits, stress management, life balance...lots of ways to improve I believe ALL of them do add up & do reflect on stage BUILD MORE THAN JUST A BODY
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 Contrary to popular anti-diet culture & common mental health world beliefs, you actually CAN be a competitor with a healthy relationship with food & body image
Don’t agree? I’d be happy to show you some examples & even help you be one of them Now, if we went by definitions alone, the majority of the fitness industry might qualify as being disordered in their thoughts of their body, food, & overall approach to life BUT I believe in looking further than that As I pursue my Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling it’s become increasingly apparent that considering the WHOLE person is not only necessary but integral in resolving challenges This ideology is not new to my current approach, which is part of why I’ve been successful in helping myself & others make peace My goal is to bridge the gap between competitors & mental health I want competitors to be given the attention & support they deserve WITHOUT being told they HAVE to give up something they love I believe it is possible to pursue this sport & LOVE all of it without suffering common consequences such as body image, food relationship, & over attachment to external validations While they are common & inevitable to some degree, I do believe in providing coaching, resources, & guidance to be able to move through these issues & get AHEAD of them before they get the best of YOU Of course we have to consider physiological approaches in this too like the diet you‘re on & the training you’re dedicated to as well as other personal variables within your own health history & genetics & for some, their choices in the pursuit of excellence So, how is it possible for me to believe so strongly that we can CHANGE the current norm for competitors? I’ve done it, many of my clients have & are doing it, & if I didn’t truly believe it I wouldn’t be giving everything to my mission to help others 🧠BUILD MORE THAN JUST A BODY💜 CLICK HERE to learn more about the on demand mindset mentorship platform & full coaching support group built to help you through common competitor mindset hang ups now! Of all things your mind shouldn’t be what holds you back from succeeding in this sport💆🏻♀️ It is no secret that in order to be successful in achieving any goal, a level of discipline is required. This means doing what needs to be done no matter what. Discipline may not always be pretty.
I have had a lot of people ask me how they can get more disciplined or improve their willpower. Honestly, I don't think it should be that big of a challenge if what you are seeking to be more disciplined in is something you feel intrinsically motivated by or deeply connected to. However, I do believe we are all capable of growth, change, and development. In the work I have done with others, there are some ongoing key themes that I find have been most impactful. I decided to share the jist of that work in this infographic in hopes that it inspires some action and internal dialogue on the topic. If there is one thing I am super glad to have, it is discipline. I have always loved being complimented for my discipline and commitment to the work I do in every area of my life. These principles help me not just in competing but in anything I set out to do. These were expanded on in detail and with further guidance within a full group coaching workshop call I did for the members of my On-Demand Mindset Coaching Platform and my 1:1 clients. If you would like to learn more about the platform, get access to more resources, and join a community of other competitors who are Building More than Just a Body then please visit: www.celestial.fit/ondemand now :)  You can follow your plan without ever cheating or straying, give your all to every workout, push yourself to new limits, and still leave a show without placing
The outcomes of a bodybuilding competition are never guaranteed but what can be guaranteed is how satisfied you are with yourself and your execution of the plan. We hear a lot of competitors reinforce being the 'hardest worker' in the room. But that doesn't mean you are always going to win. I have stepped on stage with women who I have no idea how 'hard' they work or what 'hardwork' even means to them and it doesn't even matter because winning in this sport is reliant on many criteria and factors You have to have to have a reason to honor the commitments you make to yourself outside of winning a show, placing, qualifying, etc. because in this sport the outcome is not a given If you know you gave your best, did everything you could, and left no stone unturned then you have done something that some people who win haven't even done and that is MUCH more rewarding than anything Internal gratification will always last longer and support you in persisting than any external driver. That is not to say you should never be motivated by winning, come on, we are all athletes who come to compete and win and level up! You can 'win' each day in your progress, your program, and your work ethic and that doesn't mean you will win on stage But at least you take an L knowing it wasn't because of things that were within your control I have never cheated on my prep diet, missed a workout, or skipped any cardio I practiced posing daily, drank my water, ate my meals, and pressed on through challenges A big part of me did this in hopes of winning, of course! But that wasn't the only reason. I love knowing I have done everything I can with what I have. I love knowing I am respecting myself and my goals. I love the feeling I get after proving myself wrong, reaching goals, and breaking through limits. I am inspired by my values and driven by my inner commitment to myself and knowing that I deserve to go to bed proud of myself, wake up with a plan, and go throughout my day taking actions that align me to my higher self, core soul codes, and future vision You can chase the medals, trophies, and qualifications but know that the only thing guaranteed is the effort you choose to put in day in and day out--the outcome is never promised but if you have given everything you can and you feel confident in that and proud of yourself then you can celebrate any and all outcomes! The external rewards WILL come--the internal satisfaction & commitment will sustain you when they don't... BUILD MORE THAN JUST A BODY  Champions are not defined by their trophies or medals or titles but by their actions, commitments, and missions
In my eyes, I left today a champion in many ways; Of & for myself—this is the best prep I’ve ever had; the most free, empowered, & successful in terms of mindset, overcoming challenges, & persisting Truly a lifestyle for me more than it has ever been before From Sep 2018 I worked to improve for this show & I did! I brought my best 2 years off the stage & in incredible prep with my most amazing coaches at @teamedge1 @joediscuillo who never gave up on me & encouraged me since last April when we started the prep & @ingridromero1 who I’ve been blessed with encouragement, guidance, friendship, & strength from I am a champion for my family, friends, & my boyfriend The support & love from loved ones was amazing. Their unwavering support & belief in me is incredible They’ve seen it all & never doubted me. They don’t support me because of a record but because they know I love this I am & will continue to be a champion for mental health—especially in the competitor space I live, breathe, & represent my mission to help others #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY and this is something I do every day in my life & will continue to advocate and promote here I am so grateful to be supported in every way by so many of you I was blown away by the DMs I received from so many of you supporting me, cheering me on, & even reflecting on this journey I’ve been on over the last couple of years with me This was my 7th show I’ve ever done. That’s not that much in the grand scheme of life & I will take many W’s & more L’s along the way in terms of placing. This was the 2nd time I haven’t placed aside from my first show ever. It stings but it’s making me stronger I started tearing up when I walked into the venue & saw the stage I felt like I never left when I stepped up there. I was peaceful. I wasn’t shaking like a leaf or worried. I breathed through it & reminded myself I’ve done this every day & today is no different There aren’t enough words to truly capture how I feel right now but for now I’m enjoying my time in San Diego with Robbie my sister & her boyfriend 💆🏻♀️🥰  I journal every day and the night before and morning of my competitions are no exception! I love journaling around show day especially.
I figured I would share the process I go through with you since I know many of you are also competing soon or will be in the future and may be able to save this for future reference! This is the routine I do the night before the show. I always have. Sometimes it looks like a letter to myself, a bullet point list, a short story, or a free flow through each prompt; I base off how I am feeling and what I feel I need most. The infographic is great for quick reference without too much intensive guidance but this blog I am going to share how each may look/be expanded on. 1. Reflect Reflect on the prep you have had, the improvement seasons before, and all the commitments you have made and kept to yourself. This is an opportunity to think about the journey you have been on and generate a deep sense of internal gratification as well as validation! Reflection gives us more self-awareness and time to learn while appreciating the process we have invested ourselves into. 2. Celebrate in Gratitude Now is the time to really express excitement and pride in yourself for the work you have done, getting to show day, and all the little things along the way. A celebration with gratitude might look like 'Wow! I am so happy and grateful my body carried me through the prep for this show and now I finally get the chance to express myself on stage with the glowing confidence I have developed day in and day out from my inner work and development' 3. Hype Yourself Up Get ready girl. Now you get to bring yourself to a state of excitement and love! Recognize your strengths, your growth, your abilities! Even turning the affirmations into incantations can be powerful so feel free to shout it from the roof tops :-P 4. Intentions and Vision With the energy and elation you have generated from reflecting, celebrating, and hyping yourself up generate some intentions for tomorrow! How do you commit to showing up for yourself? What do you choose to release? to accept? How do you want to be seen? What do you see happening in your mind from the moment you arrive to the venue--write it as thought it has happened or is happening right now. If you can see it before your experience it, it can take the edge off a bit as your brain won't process it as an entirely new experience! Envision possible outcomes and scenarios so you can be prepared for anything. Be intentional about your plan for tomorrow and the time after the show--how you will feel, celebrate, and honor this entire journey you have been on moving forward. Can't wait to hear how this routine feels for you! Feel free to tag me in photos of your journal entries! I would love to celebrate the culmination of your journey with you! GOOD LUCK!!!! YOU GOT THIS :D P.S. If you want some more ideas for inner work as a competitor, Checkout the Competitor Card Deck Here: http://www.celestial.fit/cards.html  This prep has been rewarding because it has been challenging
Seemed like Right when things were getting better or going to plan, something goes wrong or gets thrown off I swear I am being tested sometimes Or maybe just given the strength I need for my future, my mission, the work I do... Regardless, persistence has been an ongoing theme for me I remind myself I am worthy of pushing & overcoming because of all the overcoming I’ve already done There have been many times I really thought I may not make it, I may not be able to do what I need to do despite my best efforts—I’ve proven myself wrong many times But those aren’t the toughest struggles for me It’s the ones that you don’t have as much control over & have to change expectations or switch things up No one told me the gyms would close in the third month of the year or my shows would be cancelled or postponed over and over again I didn’t know I’d have to run and run and run daily because I had no other options But what sucks is yesterday it felt like my foot started breaking—really after all these weeks, days out I get this!? I can hardly put weight on it now, I keep reminding myself I’ll be okay & I’ll find a way I heated the pool to swim and my sis has a spin bike I used this AM, & I’m modifying to make it work! I felt defeated like how after prepping for over a year & a half can I be a few days out & have this happen? How will I walk on stage? How will I do my plyos? How will I finish my final week with everything I got left? I felt the fears & the doubts But I’m an athlete & this is bringing out the champion in me—& I can still function which is worth celebrating🥳 I’ve never been one to give up or stop playing just because things get tough That’s why I immediately started figuring out ways to make it work & focused on my inner dialogue & what I can control I AM CAPABLE, WORTHY, & DESERVING OF THE RESULTS I DESIRE IN ANY & EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE I PERSIST I BUST THROUGH LIMITATIONS I AM MY OWN CHAMPION I OWE IT TO MYSELF TO DIG & KEEP GOING I have been so POSITIVE through pain & so grateful for this experience I CHOOSE TO OVERCOME & GROW THROUGH THIS too I BUILD MORE THAN JUST A BODY  If you wouldn’t be saying it during one season, why are you justifying the potentially self-sabotaging behavior in another season?
I think many people tend to justify the behavior of over eating in a bulk because the impact feels a lot less than the impact of dieting down and missing meals which can leave you even more hungry My point with this post though is to paint the picture that the justification for one (regardless of which one in all honesty) should act as a warning sign to something else going on Maybe there’s a feeling of “being so far out” or an ongoing habit of breaking the commitments you make to yourself so it becomes a “eh it doesn’t really matter” or even the possibility of knowing you’re going to cut eventually which signals you to wanna act like it’s hibernation mode In reality, you have to be prepared to separate yourself from these thoughts when they come up so you can objectively understand where they’re coming from Sometimes it is genuine or for good reason but day after day, week after week, continuously straying from adherence absolutely will add up Even if it doesn’t have a physical impact like excessive fat gain or fat loss, there is an undeniable mental impact that will occur The more you reinforce the “it’s okay to go off plan” or “it doesn’t really matter bc xyz” or “ill make up for it with abc” the more often you’ll be okay with that This is one of the reasons why it is SOO important to set intentions for your improvement seasons and for preps so the boundaries are clear with yourself Identify what you’re really looking for when you start to excuse yourself for crossing your own boundaries or ignoring your commitments to yourself and your goals Find the deeper meaning behind your reasoning with objective curiosity & external support or guidance If this is an ongoing issue then it’s likely going to become a stronger and stronger habit/pathway making it all the more potentially difficult to work through later Be proactive with expectations/intentions & boundaries & Get ahead of it through conscious awareness of your own behaviors Need 🧠 support? Visit: www.celestial.fit/ondemand for mindset coaching at your fingertips  One thing I find to consistently come up with the competitors i support through their prep is this idea of deprivation or limited food allowance
I find this happens most frequently to girls with macro plans or those who track everything on their meal plan to see their numbers One of my clients recently was really struggling with this I noticed in her food journal (part of my food relationship healing & discovery program) she kept writing about her macros being dropped then I’d see she would say she felt hungry or was worried about being hungry But when I reviewed her journal, the difference to me as an outsider was hardly even noticeable Now, I’m not going to pretend like hunger on prep isn’t real, NO DOUBT it is But it can also be psychological and often times is made WORSE because of our perception of changes & lack of connection to the body (Literally just had a conversation with a different client about satiation being a thing well beyond numbers but conditioned in those who track to only be about numbers—but I digress) The problem usually goes like this: Competitor checks in with coach ⬇️ Competitor knows macros will probably be adjusted and lowered or meal plan changed with less xyz ⬇️ Coach makes minor change ⬇️ Change appears massive to already physically hungry competitor who was anxious about another drop ⬇️ Competitor psychs herself up to feel even hungrier when really the change was minimal (but competitor doesn’t see it this way bc of pre-fixation on food changes) ⬇️ Competitor obsesses over how she is going to live off of, work through, or meet these new macros (constant thoughts of new meals, recipes, timing, & sometimes escalated to binging behavior) ⬇️ Negative feelings & associated hunger escalate ⬇️ Competitor doesn’t realize when satiation is reached from body cues because too focused on numbers ⬇️ Hunger & fullness cues weaken ⬇️ Competitor continues to allow macro changes to determine how “hungry” she is ⬇️ Psychological perception of hunger & changes make prep seem more daunting, unsustainable, and less enjoyable which can be a precursor for lowered adherence during or beyond prep Maybe this is relatable to you? Regardless, how do we work through it? Work backwards!! Here’s how... ⬇️ Change Perception of Macro & Meal plan adjustments ⬇️ Make a point to listen to hunger & fullness cues (I have a reference sheet I give clients who struggle with this) ⬇️ Focus on body’s needs and be flexible with the application so as to not be so focused on being as “macro friendly” as possible ⬇️ Watch language around macros & check ins ⬇️ Reinforce that body can handle both excess and deficits through beliefs & behaviors ⬇️ Celebrate nutrition beyond the numbers (notice what the food you’re eating actually does for you—all my clients do this in my food program) ➡️Be Objective⬅️ Ready for some real support and guidance through the challenges you face in your relationship with food on or off prep so you can finally have the peace of mind AND goal attainment you desire? CLICK HERE to learn more about my Food Relationship Healing & Discovery 1:1 Coaching program where we will dig into exactly what you need to have your most successful, fulfilling, and empowering preps & improvement seasons Outside of aesthetics, how does the work you put in every day benefit you?
Recorded this video a few weeks ago before a run and felt the call to share this message because of how often people get caught up in the result of stepping on stage that the process to getting there no longer feels as enticing or motivating when they come out of the show It’s so important that after a show you have a plan and that you feel committed to and excited by it! Without a show date in mind anymore, the daily habits have to mean more than “because I’m on prep” in order to really sustain it or at least give yourself the best shot at a successful reverse Whether that’s with food, workouts, or mindful practices we must ask ourselves how does this serve me now and how will it serve me after the show? I’ve really felt a shift within me from years before where I’ve got no worries about post-show I have a clear mind going into this next show and I’m more than prepared to come out of it Not by accident or due to more time in the sport But because I’ve pre-prepared my mindset and I have done inner work, such as identifying how the lifestyle benefits me outside of competing, to maintain a deep intrinsic motivation to do what needs to be done Ironically, after filming this video I went on the trail run and fell really bad cutting open my knee and bruising myself all over lol! Now I really miss trail running but know after my show I’ll be even more excited because I won’t have to avoid it for risk of injury or more falls (I’ll still be careful lol!) So, what parts of “prep” serve you outside of attaining a physical result? Why is it important to you outside of a show date or end goal? How can you embrace the process now so it is something you want to continue later? Let me know! Need more support post-show? I made a full 7 day coaching series that you can get access to for free here: https://celeste-rainsturk.clickfunnels.com/free-7-day-post-show-personal-development-coaching-series |
Celeste Rains-Turk
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