CAROLINE OFENSTEIN; Overcoming Binging, Self-Advocacy, Periodization, Visualizing, Committing to the Little Habits, and Having a Polar Opposite Partner

In this week’s episode IFBB Bikini Pro, wife and online coach Caroline Ofenstein talks with host Celeste Rains-Turk about her journey not only to her pro card but to the best version of herself.

After winning her pro status after just two shows, one of which was international in Columbia, Caroline shares her story of struggling with her relationship with food.

In a powerful turn of events, Caroline talks about the thought process that led to hiring Celeste as a mindset coach and the food freedom she found while working with Celeste. Caroline stresses the importance of slowing down, journaling and being as real as possible on her journey towards overcoming a negative food relationship.

After making the difficult decision to switch coaches, Caroline talks about the self-advocacy she developed in her own prep. She shares how important it was for her to tell her new coach exactly what she needed and why she needed it, such as explaining why a certain change was made to her plan.

Through this process and through obtaining her Precision Nutrition certification, Caroline shares the importance of periodizing her nutrition throughout the year to account for not only a prep, but the necessary improvement season that comes with it. She talks about how she really focuses her attention on her relationship with her friends, family and husband in the improvement season and how it helps when prep comes along and energy levels may not be what they once were.

Another tactic Caroline stresses the importance of is visualization throughout the whole process. Caroline shares how she visualized the entire day she won her pro card the night before from simple things like where she would put her things to the big picture, like receiving her trophy. She shares the knowledge that the body doesn’t know the difference between what is existing in the mind and what is happening outside and how that visualization helped her to manifest her pro card victory.

Caroline shares about the little habits that she does every day, whether she is in prep or not, that help her mindset in the sport. Habits such as meditation and journaling in the morning, taking an early bed time and staying off social media in the morning have helped her to come into the best version of herself.

​She passionately discusses the importance of “turning off” work at a certain time of the day to separate her “work from home” life from her home life. She talks about how she doesn’t feel weighed down with work at the end of the night and the importance of remembering that there will always be “just one more thing” to do before bed, most of which are fine to wait until the next day.

Unlike a lot of competitors, Caroline shares how she and her husband are polar opposites when it comes to fitness. As described by Caroline, her husband has “naturally lean physique and an active job”, so fitness was never a big priority for him. When she made the decision to compete in a show, Caroline talks about how she sought her husband input on the decision. She shares how she sat him down to talk about the reality of prep and what he could expect when she got closer to her show.

As the episode concludes, Caroline shares some of her favorite exercises that targets the glutes, hamstrings and shoulders, and follows that with advice for the newbie competitor and one who is on the road to pro.

In this insightful and not too “hippie” episode, Caroline shares a mountain of helpful tips for the competitor at any stage in her journey to the stage.
CONNECT WITH CAROLINE HERE: 
https://www.instagram.com/carolineofenstein_tcm/ 
and 
https://linktr.ee/carolineofenstein_tcm
CONNECT WITH CELESTE HERE: 
https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
and
www.celestial.fit

EPISODE TIME STAMPS:
[2:28] Pre Stage Rituals
[3:25] Competition Journey
[4:36] Pushing calories to observe physique changes
[7:44] Choosing to discontinue CrossFit
[8:40] Sweeping all her classes in her first show and deciding to chase the pro card
[11:28] Competing in Columbia
[13:58] The importance of being specific in visualization
[17:19] Unconditional Self Worth
[20:46] Not basing self worth on success in bodybuilding
[24:56] Feedback after earning her pro card
[28:18] Developing a new plan with cancelled shows
[22:04] INSTAGRAM IS NOT REAL
[24:03] Positive Comparisons
[31:27] Caroline’s journey to improve her relationship with food
[34:45] Her inspiration to commit to the food freedom journey
[39:30] Adapting nutrition to meet the demands of prep or improvement season
[45:18] Committing to little habits in developing a daily routine
[51:43] Adding up the little routines over time
[53:49] Breaking up with your coach
[57:45] Determining what you need for your own long term success
[58:47] Self Advocacy
[1:00:42] Hormone Health
[1:04:09] The importance of addressing your personal demons revolving around your health situations
[1:09:21] The importance of improvement season in regards to overall health
[1:09:56] Making sacrifices in prep
[1:11:42] Investing more energy in personal relationships during improvement season
[1:10:32] Having a polar opposite partner
[1:12:32] Seeking her husbands input on her decision to compete
[1:13:24] The cause of hanger
[1:16:22] Long term competition plans
[1:20:17] Plans to start a family
[1:20:49] Favorite glute, hamstring and shoulder exercises
[1:26:27] Advice for new competitors
[1:27:29] Advice for competitors on the road to pro

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​FOOD RELATIONSHIP
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