Confessions of a Bikini Pro Podcast

JOVANNA GIBBS-ARNOLD; Sexy in Every Season, Stripper Life, Vulnerability, and Lessons Learned

3/26/2021

In this episode Celeste speaks with Jovanna Gibbs-Arnold, IFBB Bikini Pro and owner of So Frea Lingerie who started competing in 2018 and earned her pro card in 2019 after having early success as an amateur. She recently competed in her first pro season and comes on to share many of her most real and raw parts of herself and life as a whole!

Celeste starts off the episode by asking Jovanna if there is anything special she does or thinks about before hitting the stage. Next, Celeste mentions Jovanna’s experience competing in the SNBF before finding and competing in the NPC. Jovanna goes on to share what competing in that federation was like, how she decided on switching to the NPC, and what inspired her to set the goal of becoming an IFBB Pro.

Jovanna shares her beginnings in the bodybuilding world and some of the feedback she received amongst her first few shows. Celeste asks Jovanna how her approach to nutrition and training has changed over the years to help her both put on muscle and achieve her desired shape. Jovanna discusses why she found weight lifting appealing, how her training has evolved and Celeste also asks her to share the story behind her infamous addiction to Chick-Fil-A.

Next, Celeste asks Jovanna more about her “quick prep” approach she’s taken leading up to all of her shows. Jovanna opens up and shares how bodybuilding has become a confidence booster and how she tends to “run away” from certain looks or “standards” that the majority of women tend to desire and run towards.

Celeste dives deeper by asking Jovanna how she has come to foster self-confidence regardless of the season she is in, and Jovanna opens up about how she not only loves and embraces her curves, but shares what inspired her to strive towards her goal of giving her body more shape. She mentions how cultural norms & body image “standards” that are common amongst those living in the South have affected her, since bodybuilding requires Jovanna to maintain quite a different look. Jovanna shares her struggles in her relationship with food, weight loss, and what she views as her version of body dysmorphia.

After vulnerably sharing her battles with self-confidence, Jovanna also shares how she overcomes feelings of wanting to self-sabotage when she starts to second guess her progress or experience self doubt. Jovanna touches on the impact her coaches have had on her journey and how they’ve been vital to keeping her on track mentally, especially leading up to a show.

Then, Celeste transitions to discuss Jovanna’s performance at the Chicago Pro, asking Jovanna what exactly made her feel she was not deserving of first call outs and how that will influence her approach to future preps. Again, Jovanna touches on her preference of having shorter preps and the success she’s had thus far, yet the dissatisfaction she felt about her overall presentation.

Jovanna shares the realization of needing to step up her game by putting in more time, effort, and attention to detail before hitting the pro stage again. She admits she got away with not “giving it her all” in her days as an amateur but where she knows she needs to adjust to have success as a pro.

Celeste acknowledges the progress Jovanna since having that realization and goes on to ask about the reasoning behind Jovanna’s idea to potentially be self-coached for her next show. Jovanna explains how attending the yearly seminar put on by her sponsor, Shawn’s Couture has taught her the importance of stage presence and where she has room to improve in her overall presentation at future competitions.

Branching off of the knowledge Jovanna has gained from her sponsor, Celeste asks more about what bodybuilding has taught her. Jovanna shares her thoughts on the importance of both communication and discipline which leads Celeste to ask Jovanna if bodybuilding has had an effect on her decisions or work ethic when it comes to her approach to her business.

Celeste then asks Jovanna about the inspiration behind the name of her business, the meaning behind it, and how things have been going since the launch. Jovanna also talks about the changes and adjustments she’s had to make in her schedule now being both a professional athlete and a businesswoman. Before wrapping up the episode, Celeste first asks Jovanna for her best advice for novice competitors and for the girls on their road to pro.

CONNECT WITH JOVANNA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlatthebar/

Lingerie and loungewear:
https://sofrealingerie.com/ sofrealingerie.com/
https://www.instagram.com/Sofrea.lingerie/
CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
For loads of free resources like the free food relationship coaching program or the competitor mindset card deck or ways to work with Celeste visit: http://www.celestial.fit/links.html

Time Stamps:
[0:50] Celeste introduces Jovanna.

[1:30] Jovanna shares what she does right before she hits the stage.

[2:40] Celeste asks Jovanna about her experience competing in the SNBF.

[3:45] Celeste asks Jovanna if she set a goal to become an IFBB pro after her first NPC show.

[5:00] Jovanna shares some feedback she received as she was on her journey to pro.

[7:00] Celeste asks how Jovanna has changed her nutrition & training over the years to achieve her physique.

[8:35] Celeste has Jovanna share the story behind her Chick-Fil-A addiction.

[10:00] Celeste asks Jovanna about her “quick-prep” approach.

[12:40] Celeste asks Jovanna how she has been able to foster self-confidence regardless of the season she’s in.

[14:30] Jovanna shares what inspired her to gain more shape in her physique.

[18:00] Celeste asks Jovanna if living in the South for 15 years had an affect on how she felt or saw herself because she looked different.

[19:50] Jovanna talks about how she works through periods of wanting to self sabotage.

[22:50] Jovanna shares how her feeling of not deserving first call outs at Chicago Pro has inspired how she’s going to approach future preps.

[26:00] Celeste asks Jovanna the reasoning behind potentially prepping herself for her next show.

[28:20]Celeste asks how being a sponsored athlete had any affect on how Jovanna showed up at shows.

[31:00] Jovanna shares lessons bodybuilding has taught her.

[34:50] Celeste asks Jovanna how bodybuilding has influenced her decisions and work ethic towards her business.

[36:30] Celeste asks Jovanna how has pursuing the lingerie business has inspired her to influence other women to embrace their version of sexy.

[38:45] Jovanna shares the inspiration behind the name of her business & the success she’s had.

[43:40] Celeste asks Jovanna about adjustments she’s had to make to her schedule being both a competitor and a businesswoman.

[48:45] Jovanna gives her best advice for first time competitors and girls on their road to pro.

[52:50] Jovanna shares where listeners can further connect with her.

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EMILY PLAJER; Improving a Relationship on Prep, Tall Girl Gang, Valuing Life

3/19/2021

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Emily is a realtor who lives in South Florida and is the founder of Tall Girl Gang. She started competing in 2013 and after a 5 year break, returned to competing with the goal of earning her pro card. She did so in 2020 at National Championships and then won her first pro show to earn a spot at the 2021 Olympia.

Because Emily’s mom was a competitor, she was inspired by her hard work and dedication to building her body. Watching her mom conquer prep helped her through her prep. Her mom is extremely supportive. Emily tells us that before she steps on the stage, she looks out into the audience to find her family to get her excited.

Emily explains why she needed a break after her first season. She was 18 years old when she started competing and needed to recover mentality from the prep cycle. She also focused on school and all of the things that go along with that. She talks about how she initially wanted to be a doctor and then switched to nutrition, but her heart wasn’t in it. She made the choice to drop out so she could prioritize her happiness.

Celeste asks what inspired Emily to start Tall Girl Gang. Emily explains that after winning her pro debut, she received so many messages thanking her for representing tall girls. Emily tells how she was the shortest in her class growing up until high school, when she had a growth spurt. As a competitor, she often receives feedback to “fill out” her muscles.

When started working out again, she regained the desire to compete and reach her original goal of turning pro. She started without a coach and eventually hired a coach to help her get to the national stage. She talks about feeling the frustration of having shows pushed back due to COVID in 2020 and being eager to get back to the national stage after not having won her pro card in 2019.

Celeste asks how she’s approaching her offseason. This reverse she has focused on how she is feeling in her body and not the number on the scale. Her coach is local to her, as well as some of her teammates, and that allows them to workout together. Even during prep, Emily lifts heavy because it helps keep her muscles fuller. Emily describes how she maintains flexibility in her offseason diet, but keeps the same daily routine that she does during prep.

Emily sees her coach almost daily. As the have more experience together, they have gained trust for each other, which makes communication easy. They decided to jump into a pro show because it was so close to her home. She wanted to get feedback for the 2021 season, but she ended up winning and qualifying for the 2021 Olympia. Eventually, she dreams to be Ms. Bikini Olympia.

Celeste asks how she would use the platform if she became Ms. Bikini Olympia. Emily feels it’s bigger than just the title. She would want to give back to the people who have helped her, possibly starting a charity to give back. She feels added pressure to do well because she won her pro debut. For her pro debut, Emily didn’t change her posing routine from Nationals. She says it was an honor to stand on stage with girls she has admired for so long.

After she moved to Florida, she became a realtor to earn money while competing and to have flexibility. With Tall Girl Gang, she wants to inspire other tall girls to know they can do well in the sport.

A listener asks what her biggest life lesson learned form competing is. Emily says that we are capable of anything we set our minds to. Completing a prep is a huge accomplishment and we should be hard on ourselves if the placing isn’t what we want. She doubted herself when she first started, but stuck with it and proved herself wrong.

Emily talks about losing her father when she was young. He passed away from brain cancer when she was 13. It taught her that life is too short and you need to go after what you want. It took her a few preps to figure out how to balance her relationship with her boyfriend. She couldn’t use prep as an excuse to slack on their relationship. She practiced more patience and listening. She realized she can’t dictate what he eats just because she is on prep. Being on prep can amplify problems in your relationship.

To first time competitors, Emily recommends to just try it. Go to a show and see what it’s about, reach out to someone on Instagram. For seasoned competitors, regardless of how long the road is, don’t give up.

CONNECT WITH EMILY:
https://www.instagram.com/emily_plajer/
https://jointallgirlgang.com/

CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
https://instagram.com/celestial_fit

Episode Time Stamps:
[0:51] Introduction

[1:49] Pre-stage ritual

[2:30] Emily talks about what inspires her

[5:00] Celeste asks why she returned to the stage

[7:25] Inspiration for Tall Girl Gang

[9:39] Emily talks about competing as a tall girl

[14:14] Celeste how she’s approaching her offseason

[16:30] Emily talks about a hospital visit

[18:10] Lifting during prep

[20:35] Working with a coach

[23:50] Celeste asks how she would use the platform if she became Ms. Bikini Olympia.

[26:35] Emily talks about posing.

[29:23] Emily talks about her career.

[32:35] Pre-Olympia plans

[33:05] Biggest life lesson learned from competing

[35:08] Emily talks about losing her father when she was young.

[37:10] Emily talks about her relationship with her boyfriend.

[41:53] Celeste mentions Emily’s consistency.

[44:13] Emily offers advice for first time competitors and those wishing to turn pro

[46:00] Emily and Celeste rap up the conversation.

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AIMEE VELASQUEZ; Becoming Ms Bikini USA, Choosing a New Life, Trusting the Journey, and Questions to Ask Your Coach

3/12/2021

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In this episode, Celeste speaks with Aimee Velasquez, the 2020 Ms Bikini USA who earned her pro card at her 4th show in only her first year of competing, who overcame various mental health struggles with depression, ADHD, and mood changes amidst troubling times in her life and is also a proud mother to her toddler.

Celeste starts off the episode by asking Aimee if she has a routine or ritual that she performs before her heel hits the stage. While staying on the subject of competing, Celeste asks Aimee about how she was feeling going in to USAs. Celeste touches on the fact that Aimee competed in front of the same panel of judges at each of her shows this year, and asks Aimee to explain the reasoning behind that strategy. Aimee then recounts her experiences at Universe, her first national show, and shares all that went wrong leading up to prejudging and also addresses what she changed going into USAs.

After hearing how the results at Universe were far from expected, Celeste mentions the evolution of Aimee’s posing between Universe and USAs, asking her what strategies she used to perfect her routine. Celeste also mentions the confidence Aimee presented on stage and asks at what point in her journey Aimee felt she started to embody a “pro mentality.” Aimee walks listeners through her experiences and growth throughout the quarantine, finding her coach, Jourdanne, and also the emotions running through her when she received both her pro card and overall award from her coach.

After discussing the events leading up to winning her pro card, Celeste talks with Aimee about how her goals and mindset have evolved since she rose through the ranks so quickly. Aimee shares the growth she’s seen in herself, mentioning that she is now considering the idea of getting into coaching, something she originally hadn’t pictured herself doing.

Acknowledging the fact that Aimee has overcome much self doubt, Celeste asks Aimee to share three tips for women that are experiencing the same emotions and limiting beliefs. Next, Celeste asks Aimee to share what typical day looks like both during prep and during her improvement season. Aimee shares a typical “day in the life,” then discusses the different phases she has experienced along her fitness journey both before and after pregnancy and how her priorities changed once she committed specifically to bodybuilding.

Next, Aimee discusses how her boyfriends business took off and started to have success around the time she really dove into bodybuilding. She mentions that she had to make the difficult decision to put a hold on her schooling and give up working full time to fully dedicate herself to her goals as a bikini athlete and to her daughter.

Celeste asks, despite the difficult decision, what it felt like to relinquish all financial responsibility to her boyfriend. Celeste also recognizes the strength and mental fortitude that both motherhood and bodybuilding require and asks Aimee if she sees any parallels between the two. Aimee shares the positive influence she feels that becoming a bikini competitor has had on her daughter and upon hearing this, Celeste asks how the other relationships in Aimee’s life have changed or evolved since adopting this new lifestyle and habits.

After hearing Aimee’s story Celeste acknowledges the changes that occurred in Aimee’s life since finding bodybuilding and she asks Aimee if, reflecting on her “old ways,” she recognizes the person she used to be.

Celeste also recognizes Aimee’s ability to reflect on her past and be courageous enough to make the conscious decision to improve her situation, and asks about any red flags she looked for while searching for a new coach before finding Jourdanne. Aimee emphasizes how she values the importance of being able to openly and comfortably be able to ask her coach questions regarding her plan without being reprimanded in their response.

Based off of the experiences shared, Celeste is curious to know what types of questions Aimee typically asks her coach to assure herself that she’s constantly learning as an athlete. After sharing her client-coach experiences thus far, Celeste asks Aimee about her current goals and what her game plan looks like for this year. To conclude the episode, Celeste asks Aimee if she has any other advice for both first time competitors and girls on their road to pro.

CONNECT WITH AIMEE:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/fitnessbyaims/

RESOURCES: https://linktr.ee/Fitnessbyaims

CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
IG:https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/

WEBSITE: WWW.CELESTIAL.FIT

Episode Time Stamps:
[0:45] Celeste introduces Aimee.

[1:35] Aimee shares what she does before stepping on stage.

[2:45] Celeste asks Aimee how she felt going into USAs.

[4:20] Celeste asks Aimee what it was like getting in front of the same judging panel at each of her shows.

[6:00] Aimee talks about what went wrong at Universe and what improvements she made going into USAs.

[10:00] Celeste asks Aimee which athletes posing she studied and how that influenced Aimee’s view of herself & her routine.

[12:50] Celeste asks Aimee at what point she felt she embodied a pro
mentality.

[17:20] Aimee shares what it was like to have her coach, Jourdanne, present her award at USAs.

[19:10] Celeste asks Aimee what was going through her head when standing on stage waiting for the results of the overall.

[21:45] Celeste asks Aimee how her mindset and goals have evolved since she became pro so quickly.

[24:15] Aimee gives three pieces of advice to women who experience self doubt.

[26:50] Aimee shares what a normal day looks like in prep and during improvement season.

[29:45] Celeste asks Aimee how things changed when she recommitted to fitness with the focus on bodybuilding.

[33:05] Aimee talks about what it was like to relinquish financial responsibility and let her boyfriend become the soul provider.

[36:20] Celeste asks Aimee if there are any parallels between her experiences as a mother and as an athlete.

[39:10] Aimee discusses how relationships changed once she adopted this new lifestyle.

[41:40] Celeste asks Aimee if, looking back at her old self, she seems unrecognizable when seeing where she is now.

[45:00] Aimee shares some coaching red flags that she took into consideration before finding & hiring Jourdanne as her coach.

[50:50] Celeste asks Aimee what types of questions she asks her coach to assure herself that she is always learning.

[54:00] Aimee shares her current goals and game plan.

[56:20] Celeste asks Aimee her advice for first time competitors and girls on their road to pro.

[59:00] Aimee shares where listeners can connect with her on social media.

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TINA DENOFF; Missing Finals & a Pro Card, Happy Marriage, & Channeling Emotions

3/5/2021

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In this episode, Celeste talks with Tina Denoff, proving to us that at any age, at any time, and with any other obligations you can still prioritize yourself. She is a mother of two and has 3 fur babies as well living in sunny Florida after years of Michigan winters. Priding herself as a natural athlete this competitor started her journey in the NPC in 2019 and just went pro in October 2020 at teen collegiate and masters nationals winning first in her bikini masters over 50 class and 2nd in masters over 45

Celeste starts off the episode by asking Tina if she has a specific ritual she performs before hitting the stage. Tina shares the many rituals she has that all play a crucial role in her daily life and throughout the various stages of her prep. Celeste mentions the importance of precision with habits and rituals not just daily but leading up to show day.

Next, Celeste mentions Tina’s commitment to implement the habit of “rest, reconnect, and listen” and has Tina share how she plans on prioritizing that goal. Tina discusses the importance the gym has in her routine and how, although it is a hobby, she is lucky to be able to compete yet that she must remember the importance of also setting aside time to be present with her family. Next, Celeste asks Tina if this is a lifestyle she had always led or something she came to adopt.

Moving forward, Tina opens up and shares that finding the gym was an accident. She talks about her past as a runner and how an ice skating injury which resulted in ACL surgery ultimately led to her finding resistance training, as her doctor had recommended she not return to running.

Tina discusses how she started researching and changing up her diet on her own as something to help with inflammation issues she was experiencing post surgery. Then, somewhat by chance, she found that combination of her new diet and light resistance training at home sparked her interest and she found herself signing up for her first gym membership, and then hiring a trainer.

She explains the feelings she had while watching her physique begin to evolve and progress with the more time she spent in the gym. Tina also shares a time of personal hardship and the gratitude she felt for the community her gym has blessed her with.

After seeing how her body was changing, Tina started to be asked if she was going to compete. Those questions inspired her to research the sport and from there she contacted her first coach. Together, they both decided it was time for Tina to start training for her first competition.

Tina mentions that she “started from zero,” learning the basics such as “what is a macro?” and how to properly train for a show. After sharing her beginnings in the sport, Tina dives into the details of her cringe-worthy story from her experience at North Americans, her first national show. She mentions how the day was “off” from the beginning and what unraveled from there.

Tina shares not only the mishaps from her admitted lack of attention to detail in preparation for prejudging but how she eventually made it to the stage. Tina recounts, from start to finish, every mishap and mistake that she encountered and overcame, but also shares the main takeaways of what the experience as a whole taught her. Among those mistakes included one of the biggest any competitor could make - missing her class for finals.

Upon turning to the hotel room with feelings of both disbelief and disappointment, Tina found herself in a difficult place mentally, debating whether or not she should continue to pursue her pro card in Orlando the following month. She felt conflicted, having prepped for so long and not wanting to continue without the support from her family.

Celeste asks Tina about her decision to go ahead and compete in Orlando and what she did to prepare her mindset for this next challenge after all the difficulties North Americans presented.

After sharing her experiences in Orlando, Celeste asks Tina what she has been focusing on since winning her pro card. Tina shares how she has approached her improvement season and what she is planning in terms of her pro debut.

Celeste asks Tina more about why she chooses not to share progress photos unless she’s in a cutting phase and the strategy and reasoning behind it. Next, Celeste asks Tina about her family’s thoughts on competing, and how she told her family and friends about wanting to embrace this new lifestyle.

From there, Tina talks about the nature of her relationship with her husband, and how they consciously make time for one another and prioritize their relationship, despite being quite opposite.

Tina also discusses the areas of life in which she feels she lacks balance while in prep and acknowledges that while bodybuilding is a hobby that she values dearly, she needs to make the experience both enjoyable for herself and for those around her.

To conclude the episode, Tina shares her best advice for native competitors and for the girls on their road to pro and then shares how listeners can find and connect with her further.

CONNECT WITH TINA:
www.instagram.com/tinadenoff_ifbbpro/

CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
instagram.com/celestial_fit

Time Stamps:
[0:50] Celeste introduces Tina.

[1:30] Tina shares her pre stage ritual.

[5:50] Celeste asks Tina how she practices her commitment to “rest, reconnect, and listen” and how she prioritizes this goal daily.

[8:10] Tina shares how she came to adopt this lifestyle.

[11:40] Tina talks about her first experience joining a gym and hiring a personal trainer.

[14:30] Tina shares how the gym helped her out of a dark time in her life.

[17:00] Tina shares her experiences of finding her first coach and training for her first show.

[21:00] Tina shares her cringe-worthy story from North Americans.

[32:00] Tina talks about how she missed finals at nationals.

[37:30] Celeste asks Tina if she was able to talk to the judges despite missing her class for finals.

[40:30] Tina shares how she felt after processing the emotions of what happened at the show.

[42:35] Celeste asks if Tina felt like she had lost her chance at a pro card if her family didn’t support her to continue competing.

[48:30] Celeste has Tina share where her mindset was at going into nationals in Orlando.

[53:15] Celeste asks Tina what she’s been focusing on since earning her pro card.

[56:45] Tina answers why she decided she won’t share progress photos until she starts her next cut.

[60:15] Celeste asks Tina about her family’s opinion on her competing.

[62:00] Celeste has Tina open up about the nature of the relationship she has with her husband.

[65:30] Tina shares in what areas she feels she lacks balance when in prep.

[69:50] Tina gives her best advice to novice competitors and girls on their road to pro.

[75:20] Tina tells listeners where they can find and connect with her on social media

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JOVANNA GIBBS-ARNOLD; Sexy in Every Season, Stripper Life, Vulnerability, and Lessons Learned

EMILY PLAJER; Improving a Relationship on Prep, Tall Girl Gang, Valuing Life

AIMEE VELASQUEZ; Becoming Ms Bikini USA, Choosing a New Life, Trusting the Journey, and Questions to Ask Your Coach

TINA DENOFF; Missing Finals & a Pro Card, Happy Marriage, & Channeling Emotions

Confessions of a Bikini Pro Podcast

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