MOTHER'S DAY SERIES: JODI RILEY; Will Pregnancy Ruin my Body?, Cultivating Comradery, Bringing out Sass on Stage, From Party Life to Prep Life, Learning Patience, and Having Faith

In this Mother’s Day Series Finale Episode Host Celeste Rains-Turk talks with Jodi Riley, the 2017 bikini Olympia Amateur Champion (and pro card winner) with 7 Bikini championships. She is the Co-Owner of BBL Fitness, and Posing Coach. Jodi is currently pregnant with her first child & comes on to discuss her experiences as a child with a champion bodybuilder for a mom and her perspectives gained from pregnancy as well as for the future.

The episode begins with Jodi discussing her pre-stage rituals and how she prepares her teams competitive athletes to bring out the sass on stage. Jodi talks about the importance of getting comfortable prior to stepping food on stage and visualizing the whole experience long before actually competing. 

The connection between the athletes and coach’s is very important to Jodi and the Body By Loleta team, as they want to keep a very hands on approach through each athletes prep. As Jodi talks about the team, she explains her experience with having her mother as a competitive bodybuilding athlete and how the team got started. Jodi talks about her lack of interest in the lifestyle throughout her youth even though she was involved with assisting her mother backstage at shows since a young age. 

As the episode continues, Jodi reflects on being overweight and her mother encouraging her as a teenager to change her lifestyle. Once Jodi realized her health was deteriorating, she approached her mother for help. Jodi talks about the results she began to notice after doing the bare minimum with balancing her nutrition and exercise. Jodi explains as she began to see results, she wanted to see what she could ultimately achieve. From beginning of her competition career, Jodi elaborates on her preparations with her mother. Jodi talks about how much she values the incredible bond that was created with her mother through their similar interest and focus. 

Throughout the episode, Jodi talks about her discipline and determination which holds true during her story of her prep for the Olympia Amateur. She was weeks out when hurricane Urma hit Florida. She laughs reflecting back on the scenarios she had to endure yet kept faith that she was meant to compete. Her resiliency ultimately leads to her earning her pro card at the first Olympia Amateur show. 

Jodi talks about when an athlete is ready for prep or not and the importance of commitment to the sport. An athlete has to decide that they are ready, and nothing should deter them from sticking to the plan 100%. Jodi is extremely driven and a competitive athlete, yet she does make time for her other hobbies which include traveling. Jodi elaborates on the importance of being disciplined to the sport during competition season, but the importance of enjoying things outside of bodybuilding when the time is right. Jodi states that you can’t let competing stop you from living out your dreams, dreams of being a mother and your goals outside of bodybuilding. The stage will be there.

Once Jodi found out she was pregnant, she was unsure about her changing body. During this portion of the episode, Jodi talks about having a positive mindset and learning to enjoy motherhood. Jodi has realized the importance of patience and taking time to find your purpose and passions. Dedication and support are a continuous theme as Jodi talks about her success and future endeavors. Jodi states because of her support, she will be okay with balancing motherhood, being a business owner and trainer. 

The episode concludes with Jodi’s advice to new and/or beginning competitors stating the importance of your why. Jodi reiterates that competing shouldn’t be done for a win or gain, but because an athlete wants to do it for themselves and the right reasons. 

Connect with Jodi:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jojo__riley/
Website: https://jojorileyfit.com/

Connect with Celeste: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
Website: www.celestial.fit


EPISODE TIME STAMPS
[01:39] Preshow ritual
[04:05] How to bring the sass out on stage
[06:43] Body by Loleta competition prep team
[10:25] Creating an immersive and hands-on experience for their clients with lots of comradery 
[12:40] Jodi getting into fitness/ competing
[13:00] From party girl to prep life
[21:10] What about amateur Olympia made her take it seriously
[23:34] Resiliency during prep for Olympia amateur
[27:20] Issues with food access and eating during hurricane 
[29:00] Importance of external support 
[31:25] Signs you aren’t ready to start competing in the sport
[36:30] Expectations after show
[40:00] Talking about competing again post baby
[41:00] Business expectations during motherhood
[44:00] What is true success to Jodi
[46:00] What has allowed Jodi to achieve her successes
[47:00] Finding out she was pregnant 
[50:00] Body changing through pregnancy
[53:30] Changes with training and nutrition during pregnancy and Jodi’s view on this
[57:30] Her husband in the medical field and stationed away from home during COVID-19
[60:00] Learning to have more patience with herself and others and other lessons pregnancy is teaching her
[1:03:00] Taking things from her childhood into her parenting

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