MOTHER'S DAY SERIES: INDIA PAULINO; Being Ms Bikini International, Overcoming Your Darkness, Conscious Parenting, Birth Story, Making Money In The Sport, And Current State Of Bikini

In this episode host Celeste Rains- Turk connects with IFBB Bikini pro India Paulino for a special Mother’s Day series episode. India is a holder of 15 professional championships with 3 Arnold Wins as Ms Bikini International and multiple Olympia appearances. She is the podcast host for RAW and travels as a speaker while running her online training business. India focuses her work on personal development coaching and conscious parenting.

India talks about her personal development rituals and the importance of doing self-exploratory work. Her personal development was inspired by going through her own experiences and dark places. She explains the importance of getting to know yourself your perspective changes and begin to be insightful about our self.

She reflects on the importance of gratitude and accepting your worth. She states that through personal development we are not losing ourselves but shedding the parts we had originally built to protect our self in the past. Her work focuses on the importance of recognizing reactions to situations and knowing when to reach out for help. 

The theme of self-exploration and personal development continues as India reflects on being a mother and how she experiences motherhood. India explains the importance of taking care of yourself mentally, physical, spiritually and emotionally.

She states, “Motherhood brings up a lot of our old stuff.” She mentions how she dealt with emotions during her pregnancy even when her birth plans did not go as she had originally planned. India talks about her unplanned birth story and how she coped with the last-minute changes to her initially well thought out plan for birth. Indian emphasizes the importance on taking time to process and reflect, mentally and physically. 

As a parent, India explains her natural approach to parenting. India states that her and Whitney were ready to have a child, so it was time to step away from the stage to focus on family. She had no issues getting pregnant after years of competing at such a prestigious level.

In an inspiring journey from competitor to new mother, India discussed her approach about postpartum and not putting stress on herself to lose the weight. India stresses the importance of talking to your doctors.

To be careful because the body is in a different state. To not feel pressured to look a certain way and more to focus on honoring yourself while creating healthy boundaries through your process. India restates the importance of focusing on mental health first and not to hurt yourself to obtain a body type if your mental health isn’t there.

India shares her insights on parents and the connection between your child and yourself, while also respecting your child’s unique self. Her conscious parenting style focuses on self reflection and identifying triggers to remove our Ego while responding to the child’s needs.

Respect is something she mentions frequently and understanding that your child should be encouraged to live their life in a way free from preconceived expectations of the parents. India reiterates her emphasis on raising her son in a natural way.

She explains the differences in plant-based diets and veganism. She was met with minimal resistance and skeptics when she expressed raising her child vegan. The importance is about eating from a variety of sources and education about proper nutrients. 

While being a businesswoman, athlete, and mother India explains how she balances her schedule by prioritizing tasks and executing them. India states that the important aspect is scheduling time for yourself and self-care. She explains about the importance of asking for help and not feeling like everything has to be done at once. 

She concludes the episode by reflecting on her 3 time Ms. Bikini International title and the unreal experience of being able to accomplish so much through her career. She alludes to a special upcoming announcement in the next few months, yet India doesn’t have a definitive plan in place currently for competing.

India expresses her opinions on sponsorships and how having a title, winnings or certain athletic standings doesn’t guarantee income or fame. India expresses her happiness regarding her achievements and that all the hard work was worth it, but that the title wasn’t magically life changing for her. 

Ultimately in the industry, it is important how you represent yourself. India explains her views on being a good role model and establishing a unique brand for yourself not to rely on your looks or athletic shape to make you successful in the industry. If you want to make a career through the industry then you need to begin well before you achieve a title. She reiterates that an athlete should wait for a winning or title to begin something they are passionate about. 

The episode concludes with India’s feelings about the look of bikini. She believes the look of bikini has changed and became very different compared to when it first started. She expands on the timeline of bikini and how the sport has evolved over the years including new competitors entering the sport as the physique evolves.

India reflects on her years of competing and her experiences as the sport has changed into what it is today. In this inspiring, motivating and heart felt episode, India reflects on her journey to help encourage, motivate and assist woman through their own personal development journey and path to self-love and acceptance. 

CONNECT WITH INDIA:
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/indiapaulino/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZj2n_-Yz-ceDahWRahmrLw
EMAIL: coach@indiapaulino.com

CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
WEBSITE: WWW.CELESTIAL.FIT

EPISODE TIME STAMPS
[2:12] Prestage Ritual
[3:30] Personal development/ daily 
[7:37] Inspired personal development 
[10:00] Identifying triggers 
[15:14] The most important aspect in accepting your goals and results 
[17:10] Self Worth and self awareness 
[19:54] Being the best Mom she can be 
[23:50] Becoming a Doula through pregnancy 
[25:15] Birth Story 
[31:44] Birth process and reflect 
[32:30] What inspired a home birth 
[35:00] Stepping away from the stage to start family 
[37:25] Ready to start a family
[37:50] No complications getting pregnancy 
[38:24] Coming back from unhealthy training and coaches
[44:15] Eating enough and postpartum weight loss
[44:51] Post partum journey and reflection    
[46:00] Personal training through Push app
[47:40] Why we need to stop Mom shaming
[50:35] Breast feeding 
[55:00] Conscious parenting
[1:00:29] The social disconnect between parent and child 
[1:03:32] Relationship with your partner as being a conscious parent
[1:07:16] Push back as raising her child vegan
[1:11:31] Setting yourself up for success 
[1:12:00] India’s passion for animals and her special needs animals
[1:16:24] Ms Bikini International reflection
[1:22:47] Making a career out of bodybuilding 
[1:26:00] Current state of bikini
[1:32:00] Where people can connect with her

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