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 This week a client shared a win that hit home, she said her new found freedom with food has given her freedom to think, live, create, & use her time in fulfilling ways.
Before, she was obsessing about food; the next meal, macros, if food was prepped, fears, urges to binge, figuring out if she “should” eat things, guilt & lingering thoughts of food, if she could go out with her friends, her parents worrying... She expressed that she couldn’t believe 2 weeks ago she couldn’t trust herself & she was justifying restricting / punishing herself as a “champion would” only to then binge later leading to a reinforced failure mentality. I remember being like her I judged myself for anything that wasn’t a “whole” food & put myself on a pedestal in an effort to feel “better” about myself while secretly feeling very trapped & unworthy of autonomy. I found myself clinging to portrayed standards of an identity to justify disordered thinking & behavior as “reasonable”. In my journey to healing my relationship with food I knew the goals & desires weren’t inherently “bad” but my intentions, thoughts, & behaviors were representative of a deeper problem. I was experiencing cognitive dissonance. One of my core values is freedom & yet I trapped myself into “norms” I had conditioned myself to believe were “necessary for success” only to find they were what ultimately made me prone to sabotage. What I’ve found & now commit my life to helping other ambitious, “type a”, “all or nothing”, 1%ers, competitors...find is that, as with anything in life. If you are in it for the long run you have to embody the lifestyle & sustain it which, like any other human endeavor, is best done with daily effort that aligns to core values, awareness & willingness to change, & acceptance that it actually isn’t supposed to look the same as others because we’re all so incredibly different. To make peace with food, your body, & your goals you must make peace with yourself. Develop a mindset that supports your longevity in pursuit of passions & achievements by learning about & applying for my 1:1 Food relationship coaching program: www.celestial.fit/foodfreedom
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 This journey through competing has certainly taught me a lot and each day I continue to learn & grow as an athlete.
2015 was my first show, then 2017 I competed again after taking time to work through my self-loathing & negative relationship with food & poor body image to prove to myself & others I could compete with a healthy mindset. In 2018 I did a run of 5 shows that got me caught up in a chase, took time off to recover physically & mentally from that and build for my latest 2020 season which was a whole journey in itself. I’m now more motivated than ever before to make improvements...it’s ever evolving as I learn & apply. I believe that only by prioritizing the inner work and developing a healthy mindset, competitors can have a fulfilling journey. I have seen that the mental side of this sport is key to establishing longevity in this sport, ending the yo-yoing from show to show, and establishing goals that span well beyond the stage. I have learned from my own experiences and in helping other competitors that when you do the inner work, the physical results take care of themselves. This sport is a long game, and the ones who win are the ones who do what’s necessary to KEEP PLAYING-maximizing opportunity & experience. If you want to compete for a lifetime, you must establish something you’ll feel comfortable with committing to day after day. While of course remaining open to new lessons, approaches, and feedback. There will be challenges along the way that feel like setbacks and there will be moments you might feel lost or like you’ll never “get” what you’re after. But when you have peace within yourself you can recognize that the “getting there” is inevitable if you show up each day ready to move forward. It may not be the timeline others have had, you originally wanted, or even that you expect but it is always in perfect timing. To truly embrace patience, you must first accept that you have no control over that timeline, only over your commitments, energy, dedication, and execution. Be honest with yourself, act in integrity, & face what’s holding you back so you can improve & succeed. Why rush when you can relish anyways? BUILD MORE THAN JUST A BODY.  Me: WOW I love my shape SO much lately. Every day I appreciate my body more & feel so confident & proud.
The scale: you’ve gained more weight this week. Me: wtf I’m doing everything I need to be, I’m following through, I’ve never pushed myself in an off season the way I am now, I’m killing it every day, I am focusing on areas of life and recovery and physique that need improvement, what the!!!? Sane me: exactly. If you’re happy, proud, & feeling confident in your execution, the rest will take care of itself. The scale: I didn’t know you were Killin it every day girl, I’m just here for data, not judgment. Me n my body: *hugs* I sometimes still find these old ways come up. Where I doubt myself or go from feeling sexy & confident & proud to judging myself based on a change in weight. But what I always do is reflect on what is TRUE—not what has been conditioned based on numbers or beliefs or old experiences. I focus on the variables like water intake, starting back up creatine after not taking any for years, stress/sleep changes, higher food intake and lower cardio, body adapting to new demands of heavier weight every week, & so on. I focus more on how I’m feeling & functioning than anything else. I have better things to worry about than a number on the scale like my energy, peace of mind, ambitions, clients, biz projects, finals week, residency coming up, applying for internships... My off season is going well because I’m doing well, I’m following through on my programming, I’ve never been more motivated to kill it with weights like evoke much deeper adaptation from my body, & my relationship with food is solid, my body image is better than ever every day, & I just feel proud. So wtf the scale know about that? Releasing attachment to numbers or weight means taking pride in the actions that created the result. It’s knowing you’re moving in the right direction & doing what needs to be done even if the path looks different than you expected or brings up new challenges which is pretty much inevitable. I have lots of body image resources in my On-Demand Mindset coaching platform for competitors. Learn more & join at www.celestial.fit/ondemand  I’ve always thought saying “life is short” was strange considering it’s truly the longest thing we will all ever personally know.
I think what makes us feel life is scarce is that really beautiful moments seem to be over in a blink while challenging times sometimes feel like ages. This is an evolutionary gift that keeps us safe in that we fixate on negativity and feel it at least 75% more intensely than positives in an effort to prepare ourselves to avoid the pain in the future or to evolve for future generations. Accentuating the positives that are co-occurring with negatives is much harder than it looks because it’s practically against our nature to do so. But if we can do our best to practice presence through gratitude, mindfulness, listening, and embracing what is as it is by honoring the depth and beauty of each moment—then we may feel as though time is slowing down and life is expanding. I have come to find that all the best moments of my life, have been the ones I’m forced to be entirely present for, even when they are challenging. I like to use my time on stage as an anchor to what presence feels like. It’s euphoric because you’re there but you are in such an elevated state, it’s arguably vulnerable to a degree. I think it’s moments like this, that go by in the blink of an eye but also feel incredibly freeing, that take us out of rumination or action based around the inevitability of death and instead immerse us into what it means to truly be alive. What do you think? #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY  You can’t give half ass effort & expect full results.
In bodybuilding, it’s 24/7 and if you aren’t getting along with yourself or your body along the way then you’re not going to make it very far. There’s going to be times when you’re the only one who has your back and if you can’t trust yourself, you’re really not going to have the fortitude to make it through. There will be times when you are left with unanswered questions, and if you don’t believe in yourself you won’t do what needs to be done to get the answers you need and deserve. Many people will doubt you, leave you hanging, or selectively value your time and energy so if you can’t believe in yourself, show up for yourself, and see the value in who you are in every season, struggle, phase, and success then you’ll repel others and you’ll repel your soul self. There’s going to be plenty of opportunities to be an overcomer and if you’re not primed to face obstacles head on, you will fall short. You cannot rely on the old self to create the new but you can allow the old to inspire and inform the new. Take a look at your life- better yet look at your schedule. If it’s informed by the same patterns of just doing the do to do it then you can expect the same reality you’re in to perpetuate every day. If your schedule inspires you, aligns with your values, and is one you would be proud to give an employee or colleague or mentee then you’re on the right track. We cannot use force to get to the next level, we have to be strategic so as to not overwhelm ourselves. Too many people think that the more they do then the more they’re doing. But what you’re doing is defined by the quality of work & execution as well as its scalability or sustainability. If you want to break your own negative cycle then you must do something different. If you want to be a champion, you first must be a champion for yourself. That starts in the mind. I invite you to #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY. Learn more about my on-demand mindset coaching platform, developed for competitors in any season to align inner work with their physical results to make every phase fulfilling, empowering & success generating. www.celestial.fit/ondemand  I fostered self-worth grand enough to empower me to show up every day and give a little more than the day before.
Because I know I am deserving of the results I desire, I push myself more, I lift heavier, I go the extra mile, I spend more time in introspection, I create more space for what I want in my life, I set the boundaries, I act in integrity, I reflect, I invest energy into myself and my dreams with the knowledge that it is ALWAYS abundant to me (and to you) because it is within us. By saying YES I AM CAPABLE I was able to say I DESERVE BETTER and now I say I AM WORTHY OF THESE RESULTS. I had to be honest with myself to see what I was resisting that would come with success, intention, and saying yes to more. I realized it had nothing to do with who I was but rather who I knew I was becoming. If I finally said yes to a new reality then I would have to finally say goodbye to the old one where it was safe, predictable, and honestly fine. I had to remind myself that I am allowed to want and go after more while celebrating where I am and where I’ve been. It’s easy for me to keep going because I am comfortable with the fact that the bigger the jump I take, the greater the risk of falling. But as Dr Jordan B Peterson says, “The Fool Precedes the Master” (amazing short clip lecture you can find on YouTube by the way). If you want to grow, to be better, to improve, to step into a new reality; you have to be willing to fail forward. #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY  Did you hear my episode on Robyn Zimmy’s podcast, secret life of a bikini competitor.🤩?!
Reposting this sound byte, & episode notes straight from the show which you can find on your fav streaming platform 🙌🏻🎙 “This week’s guest is the wonderful Celeste Rains-Turk who you may recognise as the host of Confessions of a Bikini Pro podcast As well as being an NPC bikini competitor, Celeste is a mindset mentor specialising in helping people make peace with food, their body & their goals and is the author of the # 1 best selling self help book ‘Believe Your Way to Badass.’ Combining her passion for the sport, her experiences with disordered eating plus her qualifications & love for psychology, personal development, & mindfulness, Celeste works closely with competitors to help them develop healthier relationships with food. In this episode, we dig into a bit more about what that entails, some tips & tricks & we answer a LOAD of listener questions too. Competitors of ALL levels will get so much out of this episode! We spoke about: Her current prep. Why she started her podcast. Celeste’s competing history. Taking a long time off between shows to build her body & repair her mindset. Getting her period back. Battling with how we identify & speak to our selves. How & why Celeste got into the work that she does helping people repair their relationship with food and their bodies. Common struggles for competitors (change, post show, food focus). Differences in pros/amateurs, age differences. Writing a best selling book - ‘Believe Your Way to Badass’ Listener Q&As! How do I stop binging post show/shoot? What protocol to implement post show to not fall into the binge/restrict cycle. How do you break from the all or nothing mentality? How to find the line between reversing & getting your life back? How to improve body image & self love/acceptance, while always working to change your body? Common mistakes athletes make post show. Tips to manage the festive season (esp in prep) & SO much more!” THANK YOU ROBYN FOR BEING AN AWESOME HOST & HAVING ME ON TO SHARE😭🥰🥺 I LOVED CHATTING IT UP WITH YOU😁💜 #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY  I’m not going to apologize for my healthy state of mind, my body, or any success
I’ve worked at improving all of these things every day for years Pretending I’m not proud of the feats would be a disservice To myself, because I’m the only one who has truly seen & experienced the most dark, heavy, loathing, nightmarish parts of me that had to be faced before they consumed my soul whole To you, because you deserve to know that even when you feel you won’t ever find the light, you can know it’s there & possible to get through it, & because of it you’ll shine brighter than ever One day I hope you too hardly even recognize your old self I hope you honor the season you’re in & understand that choosing to release the heavy means knowing you are deserving of lightness, worthy of peace, & capable of sustaining your shine I refuse to pretend like I’m struggling or like the struggle is “normal” when I live to show others that it’s all conquerable This is really a letter to my old self who would’ve wanted me to feel better while also choosing to find safety within the self-defeating confines of my own mind & destructions She feared the depression would kill her while taking great comfort in knowing she could dismiss her needs as burdens or herself as unworthy of peace despite all the good in her life She thought the disordered eating may never be conquered & the body loathing would be a running normal that she clung to so tightly for control since learning to trust in freedom & her true self could be far too isolating when she’s been accepted & celebrated for the very results her darkness created There’s been pain, grief, jealousy, frustration, confusion, loss, doubt, & the array of human emotions which have layered so beautifully in my life to allow me to experience the peace, love, freedom, certainty, passion, fulfillment & all those soul freeing emotions I’m not going to apologize bc it is vital to growth & peace as the most true version of yourself that you release the addiction to pain, distractions, fear, fallacies, expectations, & other destructive behaviors or patterns ☀️🌥⛅️🌤☀️ #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY  When I started my Masters program I thought I’m going to have to hide my bodybuilding lifestyle, ever changing physique, & routine discipline so they don’t judge my ability to help others.
Then I thought of the benefit of exposure therapy & thought what better way to get them more comfortable with bodybuilders than by showing them one with a healthy relationship with food & her body. I didn’t decide to immerse into the field to play THEIR game, I’m immersing into the field to CHANGE the game! Any push back or doubt or judgment along the way is better to go through me so I have the opportunity to educate them on how much deeper than surface level this sport is for us. I just got tired of hearing so many sad stories about mental health pros & leaders judging/discouraging athletes from pursuing their passion. I believe intention is everything & while providing clients with the BEST chance at success is important—removing them from a lifestyle they love is as unsustainable as the negative behavior patterns the therapist works with the athlete to shift. If a client’s goal is to be able to compete with a healthy relationship with food, no more binging, no guilt, no fixation on food, no crazy body checks or fears of foods or the scale or the challenges that come with goals and expectations changing—THEN HELP THE CLIENT ACHIEVE THIS. In some cases, removing from the triggering environment can be helpful before returning. But it’s not 1 size fits all. The problem I see is as much as a non-judgmental & holistic approach the mental health practitioners are licensed & ethically expected to take is preached—it’s unfortunately not always practiced. Which is why I’m changing that with the services I provide now & my continued education. I applied for my psychology degree program with a letter about this, then when I went for my masters I had even more evidence & knowledge to substantiate the cause; I refuse to shy or hide away the community & lifestyle I love when it’s important to represent it. Helping competitors #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY is not a 1 man job which is why I want to bridge the gap between 2 worlds I respect to foster mutual understanding & expand support options for athletes. You with me? For more resources & to learn more visit: www.celestial.fit/links  It’s surreal to see myself up on the prestigious muscle contest USAs national stage.
I envisioned this, but nothing compares to actually doing it. This experience supported me in my journey as an athlete as it raised the bar for me. I feel so inspired after stepping on that stage & truly cannot wait to grow & come back better than ever, again. I am so proud that I brought my best to the national stage & I’m even more proud that I took more joy in the process & execution than anything else. I fell deeper in love with bodybuilding this year. I am channeling my energy & focus into growth & improvement. I review my feedback every week, I practice posing still & despite having such an inflow routine I know it needs improvement to be even better. I am tuning out distractions & using these photos and this experience to ground me as it keeps me humble & reminds me there is always more work to be done yet the joy in doing the work was and is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Seeing these stage shots means so much to me because I see a version of me that has been forged through many inner transformations and physical demands. I see an athlete who honors the importance of every detail a stroke of a brush brings to the whole picture. I am not in a state of panic or rushing to a finish line yet my urgency to improve and show up by surrendering to the requirements that come with up-leveling & persisting through challenges is strong. Bodybuilding reminds me perfection is impossible for the athletes with high standards because there will always always always be a new better and a new best. I am excited to see how this girl continues her journey, she is a representation to me that whether you become a champion with a target on your back or you place last, you still stand in line, get your feedback, & bring something better because it's not the titles driving us as humans as much as it is the genuinely never-ending process of self-actualization. |
Celeste Rains-Turk
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