Confessions of a Bikini Pro Celeste Rains-Turk

Today I speak with IFBB Bikini Pro Cindy Van Empol-Popowich, a 55-year-old who started lifting at 17 years old after she saw her first bodybuilding event in 1989. Cindy earned her Pro card in 2019 at North Americans. She been involved in every aspect of the sport from judging to expediting, and is currently the Director of social media for the Canadian Physical Alliance. She is married to a firefighter, has two children, ages 16 and 19. My husband is a cancer survivor and she is navigating 3 auto immune diseases. They are an incredibly strong team which makes her successful in her endeavors.
 
TOPICS COVERED
-having a supportive spouse
-motherhood and bodybuilding
-competing as a masters athlete
-friendships in bodybuilding
-finding ways to contribute
-changes in the industry
-getting involved in the sport
-comparison tap
 
CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
Website: http://www.celestial.fit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
All Links: http://www.celestial.fit/links.html
CONNECT WITH CINDY:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindyvep_ifbbpro/
 
TIME STAMPS
1:00 introduction
9:38 having a name
18:00 her husband battling cancer 
22:10 time away from the stage
28:30 finding ways to contribute
35:30 changes in Canadian bodybuilder
40:42 women in leadership
49:54 her favorites
52:19 opportunities to get involved
57:08 comparison mindset
62:13 knowing it’s okay to step away
66:37 masters versus open
75:37 coming out of the darkness
86:42 getting married quickly
95:20 advice for competitors 
 
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Today I speak with IFBB Bikini Pro Tanya Johansen, a kidney cancer survivor and single mom of two, who lives in Utah and works as a posing coach. She earned her Pro card at Master’s USAs in 2022, where she won the overall, and made her Pro debut last year at California Night of Champions. Tanya is coached by Aimee Delgado at Fit Body Fusion and plans to begin her rookie season this summer. 
 
TOPICS COVERED
-pushing through no matter what
-not delaying pro debut
-kidney cancer
-environment is key
-age is just a number
-making it work with kids
-when people don't believe in you or what you're doing
-favorite tips and advice for amateurs
 
CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
Website: http://www.celestial.fit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
All Links: http://www.celestial.fit/links.html
CONNECT WITH TANYA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanyajobikinipro/
 
TIME STAMPS
1:00 introduction
3:20 who can achieve a pro card
7:23 the desire to keep pushing
13:21 building muscle tips
19:45 fostering friendships and relationships
24:30 prep is self-care
27:15 going through kidney cancer
34:55 deciding to change her life
41:20 becoming resilient
44:10 learning from chaos
48:25 coming to the road to Pro
52:00 deciding what you want
59:25 getting involved with the industry
66:50 navigating being a single mom
69:49 advice for competitors
 
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Today I speak with IFBB Bikini Pro Phillipa Ferreira who started competing in ICN back in 2020 and turned pro in that federation in her first year of competing. She moved to IFBB last year and earned her Pro card at Nationals, where she placed first. She was the first Australian bikini athlete to win two state titles in one season, as well as the first Australian bikini athlete to turn pro in their first season and finish undefeated with 11 gold medals. Having struggled with depression for most of my adult life, Phillipa is passionate about heaving open discussions about mental health. She studies law full time, works 2 jobs, dances professionally, and wants to show people you CAN do it all!
 
TOPICS COVERED
-bad coaching experiences
-mental health
-mindset sets you apart
-balancing a busy life
-working with a life coach & psychiatrist
-having big dreams
-being a professional dancer
-trusting your coach
-prepping while on antidepressants
 
 
CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
Website: http://www.celestial.fit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
All Links: http://www.celestial.fit/links.html
CONNECT WITH PHILLIPA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipa_ferreira/
TikTok: phillipa_ferreira
 
TIME STAMPS
1:00 introduction
5:39 heaving an undefeated streak
9:13 focusing on the process and not the outcome
19:19 focusing on the mental side
27:09 rebuilding her life
39:00 bodybuilding as an identity
53:07 possibly living in the USA
59:15 navigating a busy life
65:30 the price of competing
67:03 from dancing to competing
69:20 having a coach you trust
83:15 having a history of disordered eating
89:42 doing it for yourself
97:30 dating while in prep
100:40 creating the next physique
106:30 advice for competitors
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Today I speak with IFBB Bikini Pro Lisa Reid, a 32 year old newly crowned Bikini Pro from Australia who entered her first competition back in 2014 and was immediately hooked. Now, almost a decade later I has competed in 23 shows and her passion and love for the sport only continues to grow. She started in the Natural Bodybuilding federations first: winning pro status and world titles in two federations (ICN & WNBF), before working towards building a competitive physique for her NPC Debut in 2022. At the end of 2023 she traveled to America to compete at the Amateur Olympia, and then her dream became a reality when she earned her Pro card at the Caribbean Grand Prix Pro Qualifier in the Bahamas. 
 
TOPICS COVERED
-the difficulty to win a pro card in Australia
-experience training & competing internationally 
-background as a dancer growing up 
-importance of consistency and patience
-passion is one of the keys to success 
-having her partner as her coach 
-a strong support network 
-maturing as an athlete
 
CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
Website: http://www.celestial.fit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
All Links: http://www.celestial.fit/links.html
CONNECT WITH LISA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisajanereid/
 
TIME STAMPS
1:00 introduction
5:00 competing in different federations
12:01 posing practice and different standards
14:07 earning a Pro card in Australia
16:31 competing internationally
21:31 differences in competing locally and internationally
30:40 developing over 10 years
36:53 comparison hurting your preps
41:55 personal growth
44:32 focuses outside of bodybuilding
47:55 being coached by her partner
54:37 growing muscle overtime
57:48 prep versus off season
62:32 goals for the Pro league
66:23 relating posing to dancing
69:30 advice for competitors
 
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Today I celebrate six years of the Confessions of a Bikini Pro Podcast! Sometime I feel like it’s been longer and sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday! So much of my life has changed over the past six years, but the one constant has been the podcast. Join me today as I look back on the past guests, lessons learned, and what the future holds!
 
TOPICS COVERED
-6 lessons learned
-6 mental health tips
-6 goals for the podcast
-6 reflections
 
CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
Website: http://www.celestial.fit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
All Links: http://www.celestial.fit/links.html
 
TIME STAMPS
1:00 introduction
3:30 podcasting as a passion project
5:45 lessons learned
14:13 mental health tips
20:40 goals for the podcast
28:40 reflections on the podcast
 
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Today I speak with IFBB Bikini Pro Amanda Lam, from Hong Kong. She and her partner Isaac, are the first Chinese IFBB pro couple. She is the director of PUMP Personal Training Gym in Hong Kong and is also a transformation and Prep Coach. She is also an occupational therapist with 2 years working experience in the psychiatric department working with adolescents with autism, depression, and eating disorders. Amanda is currently studying functional medicine and integrative nutrition. She earned her Pro card in Hong Kong 2020 and has since placed second call outs at the 2023 San Antonio Pro and first call outs in Korea Pro and Japan Pro.
 
TOPICS COVERED
-growing trend of bodybuilding in Asia
-relationships in bodybuilding
-working on feedback & building glutes
-balancing all aspects of life
-from occupational therapy to coaching
-taking a break from bodybuilding
-having a heathy pregnancy & postpartum
-stress management 
-pursuing your passion
 
CONNECT WITH CELESTE:
Website: http://www.celestial.fit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/
All Links: http://www.celestial.fit/links.html
CONNECT WITH AMANDA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandajayden_ifbbpro/
 
TIME STAMPS
1:00 introduction
4:27 competing in Asia versus USA
8:30 how her family views bodybuilding
14:10 having an IFBB Pro boyfriend
19:05 working towards the Olympia
26:00 balancing bodybuilding and her career
29:43 being a prep coach
30:59 leaving her hospital job to coach
36:44 taking time to start a family
43:50 studying functional medicine
48:30 lessons from bodybuilding
51:31 goals outside of competing
55:20 Amanda’s approach to prep
60:38 advice for competitors
 
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FOR OTHER FREE RESOURCES, LIVE EVENTS, AND WAYS TO WORK WITH CELESTE CLICK HERE