1 00:00:00,732 --> 00:00:04,402 Hello everyone and welcome to Bikinis After Babies. 2 00:00:04,402 --> 00:00:06,872 Thank you so much for joining us today. 3 00:00:06,872 --> 00:00:12,032 And as always, I am one of your hosts, Mandy Rashawn, here with your other lovely 4 00:00:12,032 --> 00:00:14,278 blonde host, Gillian Hughes. 5 00:00:14,566 --> 00:00:17,306 Hey everybody, thank you so much for tuning in. 6 00:00:17,306 --> 00:00:20,206 I'm so excited about today's episode. 7 00:00:20,206 --> 00:00:24,406 If you are tuning in on YouTube, you will see our beautiful guest with us today. 8 00:00:24,406 --> 00:00:28,966 And I would like to welcome April Conley, IFBB Bikini Pro. 9 00:00:28,966 --> 00:00:31,866 She is a posing coach, a wife, and a mother of four. 10 00:00:31,866 --> 00:00:36,046 She has been competing for three years and earned her IFBB Pro card at North 11 00:00:36,046 --> 00:00:38,186 Americans in 2022. 12 00:00:38,326 --> 00:00:42,546 April developed a passion for fitness and found her way into competing after facing 13 00:00:42,546 --> 00:00:44,486 a tragic experience in her life. 14 00:00:44,486 --> 00:00:47,406 that caused her to evaluate her habits and goals. 15 00:00:47,546 --> 00:00:51,786 April has been crushing it since she turned pro with numerous Masters Pro wins 16 00:00:51,786 --> 00:00:55,966 under her belt and her most recent victory, first place at the Clash Series 17 00:00:55,966 --> 00:00:58,246 Southern USA Championships in May. 18 00:00:58,246 --> 00:01:01,466 I'm so excited to hear more about her incredible story. 19 00:01:01,466 --> 00:01:04,986 Welcome to Bikinis After Babies, April Conley. 20 00:01:06,326 --> 00:01:07,586 Hi. 21 00:01:08,366 --> 00:01:10,918 Thank you for joining us today. 22 00:01:10,918 --> 00:01:12,638 I'm so excited to chat with you. 23 00:01:12,638 --> 00:01:16,738 And we kind of always like to start every episode by learning a little bit about how 24 00:01:16,738 --> 00:01:19,184 you got started in your fitness journey. 25 00:01:21,331 --> 00:01:27,451 well, I really got started when I was a teenager doing, I did cheerleading. 26 00:01:27,451 --> 00:01:28,741 I tried basketball. 27 00:01:28,741 --> 00:01:29,951 I wasn't really good at that. 28 00:01:29,951 --> 00:01:32,091 I just wanted to do something. 29 00:01:32,091 --> 00:01:41,871 And so, I didn't start getting into weight lifting until I was in my mid twenties and 30 00:01:41,871 --> 00:01:47,931 it, really accelerated later in my late twenties after I had gone through a 31 00:01:47,931 --> 00:01:48,857 divorce. 32 00:01:49,071 --> 00:01:50,791 And I just wanted to get strong. 33 00:01:50,791 --> 00:01:54,751 I got tired of feeling like I needed to be small. 34 00:01:55,391 --> 00:02:00,421 And, you know, we get inundated with you need to be small. 35 00:02:00,421 --> 00:02:02,121 You don't need to take up a lot of space. 36 00:02:02,121 --> 00:02:04,571 And I had just gotten really frustrated with that. 37 00:02:04,571 --> 00:02:10,231 I just wanted to be strong so I felt like I could protect myself, protect my kids. 38 00:02:10,231 --> 00:02:14,791 And I started lifting weights and it was history after that. 39 00:02:15,782 --> 00:02:19,782 So you've got four kiddos actually, and you mentioned in our little chit chat 40 00:02:19,782 --> 00:02:22,172 beforehand about diapers for 20 years. 41 00:02:22,172 --> 00:02:25,090 So what are the ages of all of your children? 42 00:02:25,495 --> 00:02:28,995 So my oldest son is 23. 43 00:02:29,535 --> 00:02:33,215 I only have one daughter and she is 19. 44 00:02:33,255 --> 00:02:38,235 My middle son is 14 and my youngest son is 6. 45 00:02:39,462 --> 00:02:43,062 That's so much fun though, all the different ages and you get to experience 46 00:02:43,062 --> 00:02:47,322 kind of like, you know, some of that school age and the innocence and all of 47 00:02:47,322 --> 00:02:49,712 that still, you know, that's always the hardest thing when the kids get older, 48 00:02:49,712 --> 00:02:51,535 it's kind of like, you know. 49 00:02:51,535 --> 00:02:57,515 I know, no, it's sad when they become teenagers and they already, they know 50 00:02:57,515 --> 00:03:00,281 everything and you can't tell them anything. 51 00:03:00,860 --> 00:03:05,200 going through that right now with my 14 year old who will be, and he's a boy, and 52 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:06,540 he'll be 15 in August. 53 00:03:06,540 --> 00:03:08,840 And I like, I love it. 54 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:13,660 He goes, you know, if we have those roller coaster moments, but I like, you have a 55 00:03:13,660 --> 00:03:16,960 six year old and I'm like, it just like keeps you young at heart. 56 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:21,740 Cause you get like the teenage, they know everything, but then you got the six year 57 00:03:21,740 --> 00:03:24,430 old that like, you know, you can cuddle up with. 58 00:03:24,430 --> 00:03:26,087 Like I need that. 59 00:03:26,087 --> 00:03:27,667 he's a snuggler. 60 00:03:27,667 --> 00:03:28,947 He is a mama's boy. 61 00:03:28,947 --> 00:03:31,667 If I leave the room, I'm like, I had to set him up. 62 00:03:31,667 --> 00:03:33,827 Okay, mommy's gonna be upstairs. 63 00:03:33,827 --> 00:03:35,767 I'm gonna be talking. 64 00:03:35,767 --> 00:03:37,427 So you just stay downstairs. 65 00:03:37,427 --> 00:03:40,637 My husband's working from home today, so he's fine downstairs. 66 00:03:40,637 --> 00:03:45,187 But I'm like, you've got to stay downstairs and let mommy talk, okay? 67 00:03:45,187 --> 00:03:46,886 And he's like, but why? 68 00:03:46,886 --> 00:03:47,599 Yeah. 69 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:53,039 So he'll follow me, like this room that I use upstairs, I'll use for posing clients 70 00:03:53,039 --> 00:03:56,469 and I also have my makeup up here and I have like some cardio machine. 71 00:03:56,469 --> 00:03:58,359 It's just like a big open space. 72 00:03:58,359 --> 00:04:02,279 And if I'm coming up here to do my makeup, he's crawling underneath my chair. 73 00:04:02,279 --> 00:04:04,599 Like he is legit under my chair. 74 00:04:04,599 --> 00:04:07,499 He's got to be under me all the time. 75 00:04:07,499 --> 00:04:13,142 And sometimes it's a little frustrating, but for the most part I'm like, so sweet. 76 00:04:13,142 --> 00:04:17,862 things like as soon as you travel, like I was away at a show last weekend and you 77 00:04:17,862 --> 00:04:19,522 know, I can't wait to just have some space. 78 00:04:19,522 --> 00:04:20,902 And then I'm in the hotel room by myself. 79 00:04:20,902 --> 00:04:22,772 I'm like, where is everybody? 80 00:04:22,772 --> 00:04:27,322 Like I was uncomfortable to just be alone and not like have somebody that wanted to 81 00:04:27,322 --> 00:04:30,862 tell me a story that I didn't ask to hear or, you know, just somebody needed a 82 00:04:30,862 --> 00:04:34,362 sandwich or anything, you know, I was like, this is very strange, you know, when 83 00:04:34,362 --> 00:04:36,442 you get used to just doing it for so long. 84 00:04:36,587 --> 00:04:38,897 Yeah, you just don't know what to do with yourself. 85 00:04:38,897 --> 00:04:41,947 You're like, do I just sit here? 86 00:04:41,947 --> 00:04:42,908 What do I do? 87 00:04:42,908 --> 00:04:43,828 Yeah. 88 00:04:44,586 --> 00:04:45,366 So wow. 89 00:04:45,366 --> 00:04:48,486 So four pregnancies, like pretty spread apart too. 90 00:04:48,486 --> 00:04:53,886 So did you have any like issues getting back into shape after you had babies or 91 00:04:53,886 --> 00:04:56,148 did your body bounce back pretty quickly? 92 00:04:57,181 --> 00:05:00,611 when I was younger, it bounced back super quickly. 93 00:05:00,611 --> 00:05:05,211 It was probably the, the hardest time I had was with my six year old. 94 00:05:05,211 --> 00:05:09,971 Cause I was in my thirties when I had him, early thirties when I had him. 95 00:05:09,971 --> 00:05:13,771 So his bouncing back after him was a little more difficult. 96 00:05:13,771 --> 00:05:18,911 And a lot of it also had to do with my late husband, who's his father. 97 00:05:19,731 --> 00:05:23,431 he is, he was all about going out. 98 00:05:23,615 --> 00:05:27,375 and drinking and living that kind of lifestyle. 99 00:05:27,375 --> 00:05:31,655 And he'd go to the, I went to the gym regularly, but he was not okay with me 100 00:05:31,655 --> 00:05:33,875 going to the gym if he wasn't there. 101 00:05:33,875 --> 00:05:39,455 And so I would have to like, let's go to the gym, let's go work out. 102 00:05:40,175 --> 00:05:43,275 And he liked to work out. 103 00:05:43,275 --> 00:05:46,315 He was one of those that the beginning of the week he was good to go. 104 00:05:46,315 --> 00:05:47,805 And then after that he was done. 105 00:05:47,805 --> 00:05:52,495 He wanted to go out to eat and drink and relax. 106 00:05:52,838 --> 00:05:53,778 Yeah. 107 00:05:53,778 --> 00:05:57,698 And you had mentioned that competing was something that had sparked your interest, 108 00:05:57,698 --> 00:05:59,678 but there wasn't a lot of support there. 109 00:05:59,678 --> 00:06:04,498 So what was that like when you first saw a competition and thought it was something 110 00:06:04,498 --> 00:06:06,058 that you would like to do? 111 00:06:06,927 --> 00:06:13,507 So the very first competition I watched, bikini hadn't turned into what it is 112 00:06:13,507 --> 00:06:13,827 today. 113 00:06:13,827 --> 00:06:17,207 It was still, there wasn't really any muscle. 114 00:06:17,207 --> 00:06:21,367 It was just fit girls getting on stage and I wasn't interested in it. 115 00:06:21,367 --> 00:06:29,507 And then I saw in 2019, I watched Issa win the Olympia and her frame and her 116 00:06:29,507 --> 00:06:33,017 musculature and her poise and her posing. 117 00:06:33,017 --> 00:06:35,407 I was like, okay, I wanna do that. 118 00:06:35,407 --> 00:06:36,271 I wanna do that. 119 00:06:36,271 --> 00:06:37,671 So much. 120 00:06:37,811 --> 00:06:43,111 And so that was when I really started like researching other competitors and seeing 121 00:06:43,111 --> 00:06:43,971 what it was like. 122 00:06:43,971 --> 00:06:48,971 I started following all kinds of girls on YouTube and Instagram and trying to see 123 00:06:48,971 --> 00:06:56,731 what their experience was like to kind of give myself a heads up on, okay, can I do 124 00:06:56,731 --> 00:06:57,201 this? 125 00:06:57,201 --> 00:07:01,401 Would this be something I would like diet wise, activity wise? 126 00:07:01,401 --> 00:07:05,135 Could I even fit that into my schedule or, you know, 127 00:07:05,135 --> 00:07:10,755 mentally take on that load, because it is a huge mental load to take on a prep. 128 00:07:10,855 --> 00:07:16,175 And I followed them and approached my late husband with the idea of doing 129 00:07:16,175 --> 00:07:16,995 competitions. 130 00:07:16,995 --> 00:07:22,755 And he was completely supportive of that until it came to the bikinis. 131 00:07:22,935 --> 00:07:33,575 So he was very protective and very, I say protective, he was more possessive. 132 00:07:33,575 --> 00:07:35,131 He didn't want any... 133 00:07:35,131 --> 00:07:39,311 people seeing me that unclothed, especially not on stage. 134 00:07:39,311 --> 00:07:41,361 So he got very uncomfortable with it. 135 00:07:41,361 --> 00:07:44,951 So it was like, it's cool, you can prep and you can do all this stuff. 136 00:07:44,951 --> 00:07:50,111 But when it came to actually the point of wanting to get on stage, he's like, you're 137 00:07:50,111 --> 00:07:52,731 going to have to get a bikini that completely covers everything. 138 00:07:52,731 --> 00:07:59,351 And I'm like, I don't know how big I went up there with a full cut bikini bottom. 139 00:08:00,082 --> 00:08:02,052 Well, I'm sure you're not the only one. 140 00:08:02,052 --> 00:08:06,062 Like I'm sure that there are other women who are maybe in a similar situation, 141 00:08:06,062 --> 00:08:10,562 either, you know, in that kind of a relationship where their spouse doesn't 142 00:08:10,562 --> 00:08:16,832 want to understand that it's so not seen as something sexual and, and provocative. 143 00:08:16,832 --> 00:08:20,302 It's athletic and it's beautiful or even just like cultural. 144 00:08:20,302 --> 00:08:24,482 So I think that for some people listening and being able to, you know, see how, how 145 00:08:24,482 --> 00:08:26,742 that journey evolved for you. 146 00:08:26,982 --> 00:08:30,022 you know, it's probably encouraging for people to hear because I have heard that I 147 00:08:30,022 --> 00:08:34,662 have had people say, my husband's not comfortable or, you know, my members of my 148 00:08:34,662 --> 00:08:38,182 church won't understand, you know, and it's, I think bikinis becoming more 149 00:08:38,182 --> 00:08:40,362 mainstream that people understand. 150 00:08:40,672 --> 00:08:43,832 but you know, I mean, you go to the pool, people are in swimsuits too. 151 00:08:43,832 --> 00:08:44,182 Right. 152 00:08:44,182 --> 00:08:46,282 So, so yeah. 153 00:08:46,282 --> 00:08:49,202 And then, you know, I was going to get into this a little bit later, but we're 154 00:08:49,202 --> 00:08:53,602 kind of already on the topic, but talking a little bit about sort of how that 155 00:08:53,602 --> 00:08:55,398 relationship evolved into. 156 00:08:55,398 --> 00:08:59,218 you know, his eventual passing and what happened there. 157 00:09:00,655 --> 00:09:02,935 So he... 158 00:09:04,335 --> 00:09:09,375 When we first met and we were first dating, he was the kind of person who was, 159 00:09:09,375 --> 00:09:12,655 he was actually prepping to do a bodybuilding show, which he'd never 160 00:09:12,655 --> 00:09:17,875 actually accomplished that, because he got too busy, I guess, dating me. 161 00:09:17,875 --> 00:09:22,575 I don't think he really had the mental fortitude to be able to put himself all 162 00:09:22,575 --> 00:09:27,655 the way through a prep, because how lean you have to get and how much, how draining 163 00:09:27,655 --> 00:09:31,935 it is on your energy and being able to think clearly, I don't think he was 164 00:09:31,935 --> 00:09:33,935 personally capable of doing that. 165 00:09:33,935 --> 00:09:37,755 So he was actually in a bodybuilding prep when we first started dating. 166 00:09:37,835 --> 00:09:40,795 And then he, so he wouldn't drink. 167 00:09:40,795 --> 00:09:44,855 And then it started to turn into, well, I'm not gonna do a bodybuilding show 168 00:09:44,855 --> 00:09:45,305 anymore. 169 00:09:45,305 --> 00:09:47,715 So we can do pizza and beer on the weekend. 170 00:09:47,715 --> 00:09:50,495 So it became pizza and beer on the weekends. 171 00:09:50,495 --> 00:09:54,035 And he went through several career changes while we were together. 172 00:09:54,035 --> 00:09:59,675 In the last career he was in, either stressed him out a lot to the point where 173 00:09:59,675 --> 00:10:03,471 he wanted to drink, or it gave him the financial freedom to 174 00:10:03,471 --> 00:10:05,231 sit around and drink if he wanted to. 175 00:10:05,231 --> 00:10:09,571 I'm not exactly sure how that was going on through his head, but it turned into him 176 00:10:09,571 --> 00:10:12,251 drinking every night. 177 00:10:13,191 --> 00:10:20,251 And so he was, when someone drinks every drinks all the time, they don't realize 178 00:10:20,251 --> 00:10:23,351 they're, they're like, I can drink a lot. 179 00:10:23,351 --> 00:10:24,301 It doesn't affect me. 180 00:10:24,301 --> 00:10:25,111 I'm not drunk. 181 00:10:25,111 --> 00:10:26,051 They are. 182 00:10:26,051 --> 00:10:27,651 They're just used to how it feels. 183 00:10:27,651 --> 00:10:32,811 So when you become desensitized to how that feels, you think you're totally 184 00:10:32,911 --> 00:10:38,411 you know, aware of all of everything you're doing and your reaction time's the 185 00:10:38,411 --> 00:10:43,051 same, but it's not, even if you don't feel drunk, you still are drunk. 186 00:10:43,051 --> 00:10:49,311 And so he had been drinking all day and he's like, and it was slow sipping on beer 187 00:10:49,311 --> 00:10:53,791 at that, for that particular day, he normally would drink liquor at night, but 188 00:10:53,791 --> 00:10:57,211 that day he had been sipping on beer all day long. 189 00:10:57,211 --> 00:11:02,767 And he was in a great mood and he's like, I'm gonna go to the 190 00:11:02,767 --> 00:11:07,977 gas station and I just want to get another six pack of beer. 191 00:11:07,977 --> 00:11:09,967 I'm not ready to call it a night yet. 192 00:11:09,967 --> 00:11:15,807 And he kissed me, told me he loved me and he left and never came back home. 193 00:11:16,948 --> 00:11:17,708 wow. 194 00:11:17,708 --> 00:11:19,014 I'm so sorry. 195 00:11:19,014 --> 00:11:20,274 I'm so sorry. 196 00:11:20,274 --> 00:11:22,950 That's the worst phone call you can get. 197 00:11:24,059 --> 00:11:25,929 I actually didn't get a phone call. 198 00:11:25,929 --> 00:11:32,229 We had each other's locations on our phones and he took too long. 199 00:11:32,229 --> 00:11:36,279 The gas station was literally two minutes up the road and he had been gone for 20 200 00:11:36,279 --> 00:11:37,099 minutes. 201 00:11:37,099 --> 00:11:41,579 So I'm like, well, I mean, even if you stopped to chat with somebody, it wouldn't 202 00:11:41,579 --> 00:11:42,489 have taken that long. 203 00:11:42,489 --> 00:11:48,299 So I looked at his location and it was a spot he that was not on the path between 204 00:11:48,299 --> 00:11:49,039 our. 205 00:11:49,039 --> 00:11:50,779 house in the gas station. 206 00:11:51,499 --> 00:11:53,319 So I actually got my neighbor. 207 00:11:53,319 --> 00:11:57,319 I didn't have a, he had taken the only car that was available to use because the 208 00:11:57,319 --> 00:11:59,339 other one was hooked up to some equipment. 209 00:11:59,379 --> 00:12:02,279 So I called my neighbor and I'm like, something's wrong. 210 00:12:02,279 --> 00:12:03,719 Will you come take me? 211 00:12:03,719 --> 00:12:06,619 I've got to go see, his name was James. 212 00:12:06,619 --> 00:12:10,119 I'm going to go see where James is because he's not where he should be. 213 00:12:10,119 --> 00:12:11,559 He's not answering his phone. 214 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,779 And so we drove up on his accident and that's how I found out. 215 00:12:16,740 --> 00:12:17,854 my god. 216 00:12:18,694 --> 00:12:21,494 It's very tragic to experience. 217 00:12:21,494 --> 00:12:24,094 There's no way you can prepare, you know. 218 00:12:24,094 --> 00:12:28,194 And you, like you said, you did not really think that he was so inebriated that he 219 00:12:28,194 --> 00:12:30,334 shouldn't be driving, you know. 220 00:12:30,334 --> 00:12:32,031 So, yeah, that's... 221 00:12:32,031 --> 00:12:38,131 was acting completely sober and so it didn't even, and the drive was so close, 222 00:12:38,131 --> 00:12:41,271 but that's what they say, you know, if you're gonna get into an accident, it's 223 00:12:41,271 --> 00:12:45,351 usually where you're the most familiar and feel the most comfortable. 224 00:12:45,371 --> 00:12:48,651 So he had... 225 00:12:49,903 --> 00:12:55,553 The vehicle he was driving was loud and a little fast. 226 00:12:55,553 --> 00:12:56,513 He was a big car guy. 227 00:12:56,513 --> 00:12:58,423 It was loud and it was a little fast. 228 00:12:58,423 --> 00:13:00,403 Not super fast, it was a little fast. 229 00:13:00,403 --> 00:13:04,003 And so he caught the attention of a sheriff. 230 00:13:04,263 --> 00:13:10,963 And I think he got the idea in his head that he's like, if I get pulled over, I 231 00:13:10,963 --> 00:13:13,503 will probably get a DUI. 232 00:13:13,503 --> 00:13:15,503 So let me see if I can get away. 233 00:13:15,503 --> 00:13:18,075 And he just lost control of the car. 234 00:13:20,293 --> 00:13:22,193 That's so tragic. 235 00:13:22,213 --> 00:13:23,831 I'm so sorry. 236 00:13:24,527 --> 00:13:25,637 Well, thank you. 237 00:13:25,637 --> 00:13:26,254 Yeah. 238 00:13:26,254 --> 00:13:32,214 when that happened and now you're dealing with a loss that you weren't prepared for, 239 00:13:32,214 --> 00:13:38,202 how did you begin to sort of patch things together and move forward with your life? 240 00:13:39,279 --> 00:13:43,739 I have an amazing family. 241 00:13:43,739 --> 00:13:48,779 My support system was, they didn't leave my side. 242 00:13:48,779 --> 00:13:52,419 Even though, and at that moment, I just wanted to sit by myself. 243 00:13:52,419 --> 00:13:56,779 Like I didn't want to have to put forth any mental energy into talking. 244 00:13:56,879 --> 00:13:59,079 I didn't want anyone asking me questions. 245 00:13:59,079 --> 00:14:00,599 I didn't know what to do. 246 00:14:00,599 --> 00:14:03,379 I just wanted to sit there and cry. 247 00:14:03,439 --> 00:14:07,663 It's just started, sorry off topic, it just started storming really bad. 248 00:14:07,727 --> 00:14:10,147 So if I lose connection, I'm sorry. 249 00:14:11,107 --> 00:14:14,987 Looking out my window going, that's Hale, okay. 250 00:14:15,907 --> 00:14:26,287 But my parents, my kids, my neighbors around there, everyone just kind of 251 00:14:26,287 --> 00:14:29,847 surrounded me and made sure I wasn't alone. 252 00:14:30,527 --> 00:14:31,847 And... 253 00:14:34,159 --> 00:14:38,639 I was drinking every night at that point so I could go to sleep. 254 00:14:38,639 --> 00:14:44,059 Because when you spend so many years sleeping with someone next to you, then 255 00:14:44,059 --> 00:14:46,699 you have to lay down in that bed by yourself. 256 00:14:46,699 --> 00:14:53,059 It is very, like it's a daunting thought to try and lay down and go to sleep and 257 00:14:53,059 --> 00:14:54,419 let your brain relax. 258 00:14:54,419 --> 00:14:58,599 So I was, at that point I was drinking every night to get myself to go to sleep 259 00:14:58,599 --> 00:15:01,269 so I could just stop thinking. 260 00:15:01,269 --> 00:15:02,979 So I would, right. 261 00:15:04,910 --> 00:15:07,231 And one day I'm like, I can't keep doing it. 262 00:15:07,231 --> 00:15:09,801 I've got kids, I have things, I have to work. 263 00:15:09,801 --> 00:15:12,221 I've got people relying on me. 264 00:15:12,221 --> 00:15:20,871 I can't just sit here and mull in my grief while the world's still going. 265 00:15:21,091 --> 00:15:25,731 Bills are still coming in, kids still have to go to school, I still have to be their 266 00:15:25,731 --> 00:15:26,891 mom. 267 00:15:28,391 --> 00:15:33,647 And I'm like, I need a goal and I need something to look forward to. 268 00:15:33,647 --> 00:15:37,607 and I need something that I'm gonna be excited for. 269 00:15:37,887 --> 00:15:40,077 And that's kind of how I've lived the rest of my life. 270 00:15:40,077 --> 00:15:46,467 I always, whatever stage I'm in, I'm going to enjoy it and I'm always gonna give 271 00:15:46,467 --> 00:15:49,507 myself something to look forward to in the next stage. 272 00:15:50,607 --> 00:15:53,195 So that's when I decided to pick a show. 273 00:15:53,798 --> 00:15:56,478 Well, that's amazing because I think it's extremely rare. 274 00:15:56,478 --> 00:16:01,358 I think that people are often just not equipped with the coping skills to get out 275 00:16:01,358 --> 00:16:02,538 of a dark place. 276 00:16:02,538 --> 00:16:06,878 And really like it's, it is, I guess, more comfortable to just continue to do the 277 00:16:06,878 --> 00:16:10,838 same, even though you're hurting yourself, but to be able to pull yourself out. 278 00:16:10,838 --> 00:16:15,718 And then not only that, but to have a goal like this and to be so successful at it 279 00:16:15,718 --> 00:16:18,534 and, you know, tick off all these. 280 00:16:18,534 --> 00:16:22,593 these shows and now you're working your way towards hopefully the Olympiad, you 281 00:16:22,593 --> 00:16:23,874 know, that's really remarkable. 282 00:16:23,874 --> 00:16:26,134 I think that is such an incredible story. 283 00:16:26,134 --> 00:16:30,914 You deserve, you know, so much, so much praise and credit for your strength. 284 00:16:30,914 --> 00:16:32,724 So you're just amazing. 285 00:16:32,983 --> 00:16:34,843 I just, I have to be honest. 286 00:16:34,843 --> 00:16:40,143 I really do think God planted that seed of desire to do a show early on, cause he 287 00:16:40,143 --> 00:16:45,623 knew I was going to need it as something to pull me out of where that dark place, 288 00:16:45,623 --> 00:16:52,343 like his provision for me in that whole time was unreal. 289 00:16:52,343 --> 00:16:56,283 Like that seed was planted for me to compete. 290 00:16:56,283 --> 00:17:00,463 I started researching competing after my late husband passed away. 291 00:17:00,463 --> 00:17:04,623 and picked a show and I found a coach and I'm like, I'm gonna do this. 292 00:17:04,623 --> 00:17:11,843 And through that, I met my husband and life has just been unreal. 293 00:17:11,843 --> 00:17:14,333 Like I feel like I'm living someone else's life. 294 00:17:14,333 --> 00:17:17,283 But I'm like, really this is what I get to do. 295 00:17:17,283 --> 00:17:22,903 Like I get to stand on stage with, you know, these top girls that I have been 296 00:17:22,903 --> 00:17:25,533 watching for, it's just unreal. 297 00:17:26,268 --> 00:17:29,968 That has to be an incredible feeling though, like watching them for so long and 298 00:17:29,968 --> 00:17:32,908 then standing on stage and getting through all that. 299 00:17:32,908 --> 00:17:34,317 Like your kids are watching you do that. 300 00:17:34,317 --> 00:17:38,328 Your kids are watching you pull yourself out of a dark place, use something that is 301 00:17:38,328 --> 00:17:43,138 so healthy and so just goal oriented and focused. 302 00:17:43,138 --> 00:17:44,718 Like they get to watch mom do that. 303 00:17:44,718 --> 00:17:46,648 They get to see how strong mom is. 304 00:17:46,648 --> 00:17:51,388 And it's like when they're older, when your six year old is older and see that 305 00:17:51,388 --> 00:17:53,532 you did like, you kept doing that. 306 00:17:53,532 --> 00:17:57,190 It's just, it's gonna be amazing when they look back on it, when he looks back on it. 307 00:17:57,615 --> 00:18:02,035 Yeah, when he's old enough to be, my husband and I were just talking about this 308 00:18:02,035 --> 00:18:02,955 yesterday. 309 00:18:02,955 --> 00:18:09,855 We went for a walk around a lake near our house and we were like, I wonder how he's 310 00:18:09,855 --> 00:18:17,175 going to view, you know, fitness and health, given that from the very beginning 311 00:18:17,175 --> 00:18:22,735 of his life, basically, that's what he's seen is us lifting weights and us 312 00:18:22,735 --> 00:18:25,411 prioritizing eating healthy foods. 313 00:18:25,423 --> 00:18:29,633 And we go out to eat, but we only do it every so often. 314 00:18:29,633 --> 00:18:34,243 It's not like a daily or even a weekly thing that we would do. 315 00:18:34,243 --> 00:18:38,223 And then watching us do bodybuilding shows, will he be interested in 316 00:18:38,223 --> 00:18:38,543 bodybuilding? 317 00:18:38,543 --> 00:18:43,900 Like I am very interested to see where his little brain takes him with that. 318 00:18:43,900 --> 00:18:48,280 Yeah, both our sons, Jillian and my son there. 319 00:18:48,340 --> 00:18:49,280 It's Jillian. 320 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:50,620 Your son is way more into it. 321 00:18:50,620 --> 00:18:52,720 My son, he's he's not into bodybuilding. 322 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:53,550 He's into weightlifting. 323 00:18:53,550 --> 00:18:56,460 He likes he's more club soccer, but the food is so funny. 324 00:18:56,460 --> 00:19:01,020 We joke about it all the time because I travel all the time for I expedite shows 325 00:19:01,020 --> 00:19:01,440 around here. 326 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:03,820 So I'm always traveling and soccer always traveling. 327 00:19:03,820 --> 00:19:06,300 And I always pack my food just as if I was in prep. 328 00:19:06,300 --> 00:19:10,204 And I just finished my last show back in June and. 329 00:19:10,204 --> 00:19:12,784 We were out of town this weekend and I packed all my food and we were talking 330 00:19:12,784 --> 00:19:13,384 about that too. 331 00:19:13,384 --> 00:19:18,184 We're like, I wonder when he's like in his twenties and he sees like the discipline 332 00:19:18,184 --> 00:19:22,304 to like pack and bring and measure and cook and take all this stuff. 333 00:19:22,304 --> 00:19:24,124 I wonder what he's gonna think. 334 00:19:24,124 --> 00:19:29,684 Like to them it's normal right now, but when they actually can put together the 335 00:19:29,684 --> 00:19:33,684 effort and the discipline and the goal orientation behind it, I'm like, I wonder 336 00:19:33,684 --> 00:19:38,144 if he's gonna think I'm crazy or if he's gonna be like, my mom's amazing. 337 00:19:39,558 --> 00:19:43,278 It's all they know, I feel like, you know, if they grow up in it, it's like all they 338 00:19:43,278 --> 00:19:43,998 know. 339 00:19:44,695 --> 00:19:48,935 yeah, it's so funny that they see us doing that. 340 00:19:48,935 --> 00:19:51,395 They see us like year round. 341 00:19:51,395 --> 00:19:52,605 I mean, I'm the same way. 342 00:19:52,605 --> 00:19:56,315 My husband and I, I love my prep food. 343 00:19:56,315 --> 00:19:57,555 Like I love it. 344 00:19:57,555 --> 00:20:01,895 I will eat it year round and I might switch it up like different seasonings or 345 00:20:01,895 --> 00:20:03,855 I might have shrimp instead of chicken. 346 00:20:03,855 --> 00:20:06,315 Like, you know, little things like that, but. 347 00:20:06,319 --> 00:20:09,499 to the outside world, they're like, so when do you get to eat normal again? 348 00:20:09,499 --> 00:20:11,019 I'm like, this is normal eating. 349 00:20:11,019 --> 00:20:14,219 Like, no, this is normal. 350 00:20:14,239 --> 00:20:18,592 I just get to eat more of this is what I want, more of it. 351 00:20:18,592 --> 00:20:22,032 yeah, yeah, I just prepped my food last night and I said that too because my 352 00:20:22,032 --> 00:20:25,752 husband took a picture of it and he's like, it's so, it's so like much now. 353 00:20:25,752 --> 00:20:26,762 It's like, it's the same. 354 00:20:26,762 --> 00:20:28,972 It's just more rice or quinoa. 355 00:20:28,972 --> 00:20:32,112 It's just more of something, but same. 356 00:20:32,687 --> 00:20:37,047 Yeah, and it tastes good and then my tummy feels good and you don't have to worry 357 00:20:37,047 --> 00:20:43,467 about like being bloated or uncomfortable or your body feeling lethargic and you can 358 00:20:43,467 --> 00:20:44,237 think clearly. 359 00:20:44,237 --> 00:20:47,727 There's just so many things that people don't attribute to what they're eating and 360 00:20:47,727 --> 00:20:51,900 I'm like, no, trust me, this is normal eating and it feels good. 361 00:20:51,900 --> 00:20:52,610 Mm -hmm. 362 00:20:52,610 --> 00:20:53,690 100%. 363 00:20:53,690 --> 00:20:55,250 I love that. 364 00:20:55,250 --> 00:20:59,230 So tell me a little bit about your first year competing because you kind of came 365 00:20:59,230 --> 00:21:02,270 out and had a very successful first season. 366 00:21:02,270 --> 00:21:06,802 So you hired a coach and what was that first show experience like? 367 00:21:08,815 --> 00:21:12,025 So I was just super tickled. 368 00:21:12,025 --> 00:21:14,915 Like I'd never seen my body look like that. 369 00:21:14,935 --> 00:21:17,645 Like I was like, you couldn't tell me anything. 370 00:21:17,645 --> 00:21:19,965 I just thought the world was mine. 371 00:21:19,965 --> 00:21:21,755 I'm like, how do I even look like this? 372 00:21:21,755 --> 00:21:23,715 How was I even able to do this? 373 00:21:23,715 --> 00:21:29,955 Because at that point I was still dealing with grief, which for me it manifested in 374 00:21:29,955 --> 00:21:30,275 anger. 375 00:21:30,275 --> 00:21:33,415 So I was angry, like angry. 376 00:21:33,415 --> 00:21:34,685 I was angry with him. 377 00:21:34,685 --> 00:21:36,575 I was angry with the situation. 378 00:21:36,575 --> 00:21:38,447 I was angry. 379 00:21:38,447 --> 00:21:43,117 So that also took my appetite a lot. 380 00:21:43,117 --> 00:21:44,997 And so I just wasn't interested in eating. 381 00:21:44,997 --> 00:21:48,387 So that first prep was probably the easiest prep I'll ever have in my entire 382 00:21:48,387 --> 00:21:50,287 life because I wasn't hungry. 383 00:21:50,467 --> 00:21:55,547 So I was just tickled to look how I did and get on to, I mean, I was super nervous 384 00:21:55,547 --> 00:22:00,027 about posing and not falling and you know, the typical things that you're nervous 385 00:22:00,027 --> 00:22:04,087 about and like, you know, hopefully I don't get last. 386 00:22:04,087 --> 00:22:06,703 I'm hoping I can get in the top five. 387 00:22:06,703 --> 00:22:10,263 And I told my husband and I were dating at that point and I'm like, I just want top 388 00:22:10,263 --> 00:22:10,553 five. 389 00:22:10,553 --> 00:22:13,803 If I can just get top five, I'll be super excited. 390 00:22:13,803 --> 00:22:16,523 And he was, he's laughing at it. 391 00:22:16,523 --> 00:22:19,063 He's like, you have no idea what's getting ready to come. 392 00:22:19,063 --> 00:22:24,683 Cause he's from the beginning, he's looked at me as like, no, you don't know your 393 00:22:24,683 --> 00:22:25,403 potential. 394 00:22:25,403 --> 00:22:27,843 And he's like, I can see it. 395 00:22:27,843 --> 00:22:28,883 You're going to win. 396 00:22:28,883 --> 00:22:30,963 And I'm like, probably not. 397 00:22:30,963 --> 00:22:32,283 This is my first show. 398 00:22:32,283 --> 00:22:35,403 I'm probably going to like, if I can get top five, that'll be awesome. 399 00:22:35,423 --> 00:22:36,207 So. 400 00:22:36,207 --> 00:22:38,820 The first show I did was... 401 00:22:40,399 --> 00:22:43,239 Why can I not remember the name of it off the top of my head? 402 00:22:43,239 --> 00:22:44,399 It's because I'm talking to y 'all. 403 00:22:44,399 --> 00:22:48,379 If we weren't talking, it would like to slow right out. 404 00:22:48,459 --> 00:22:55,099 Yeah, but it was in, no, it was in San Antonio, San Antonio Classic. 405 00:22:55,179 --> 00:22:56,839 I have a t -shirt. 406 00:22:58,499 --> 00:23:06,139 So the way they ran that show, and because it was 2021 being directly after that fun 407 00:23:06,139 --> 00:23:06,971 year. 408 00:23:07,599 --> 00:23:11,759 They had separated the men and the women and so the men had gone in the morning and 409 00:23:11,759 --> 00:23:12,769 the women were in the evening. 410 00:23:12,769 --> 00:23:18,219 So we just did prejudging and finals one right after the other, which I got really 411 00:23:18,219 --> 00:23:21,159 spoiled that being my first show and that's how we did it. 412 00:23:21,159 --> 00:23:26,619 So we did prejudging and I had entered because I was over 35. 413 00:23:26,739 --> 00:23:29,939 I was a true novice, a dead novice. 414 00:23:29,939 --> 00:23:33,619 I did open and I did masters 35 plus. 415 00:23:33,619 --> 00:23:34,735 I was just. 416 00:23:34,735 --> 00:23:37,515 every time I stepped off stage, they're like, okay, we need you back on stage. 417 00:23:37,515 --> 00:23:38,754 Okay, we need you back on stage. 418 00:23:38,754 --> 00:23:41,455 And it was like that for prejudging and for finals. 419 00:23:41,455 --> 00:23:44,905 But they kept calling my name as the winner. 420 00:23:44,905 --> 00:23:46,455 And I'm like, you're kidding me. 421 00:23:46,455 --> 00:23:54,795 Because when I'd been sitting backstage waiting for prejudging to start, I said to 422 00:23:54,795 --> 00:23:58,775 my husband, I'm like, there are so many amazing women back here. 423 00:23:58,775 --> 00:24:02,275 I am probably not gonna place today. 424 00:24:02,275 --> 00:24:04,239 Like I was just watching these 425 00:24:04,239 --> 00:24:09,879 gorgeous women practice their posing, touch up their makeup, looking at how 426 00:24:09,879 --> 00:24:14,499 amazing they looked and poised and graceful and I'm like. 427 00:24:15,727 --> 00:24:18,927 I'm gonna have fun, but I don't think I'm gonna place. 428 00:24:18,927 --> 00:24:22,687 And so when they kept calling my name, I'm like, seriously? 429 00:24:22,687 --> 00:24:23,967 Are you sure? 430 00:24:24,347 --> 00:24:25,547 My number? 431 00:24:26,547 --> 00:24:28,767 So it was wild. 432 00:24:28,767 --> 00:24:33,087 And then after that show was over, I went down to Sandy, because Sandy judged that 433 00:24:33,087 --> 00:24:33,627 show. 434 00:24:33,627 --> 00:24:35,787 I went down and talked to her to get her feedback. 435 00:24:35,787 --> 00:24:40,067 And she asked me to go compete at Masters USA. 436 00:24:41,027 --> 00:24:44,647 And to be honest, my first thought was, I don't wanna keep prepping. 437 00:24:44,847 --> 00:24:46,827 I wouldn't be done probably. 438 00:24:48,167 --> 00:24:52,028 But if Sandy tells you to go do a national show, you go do it. 439 00:24:52,028 --> 00:24:54,008 Mm -hmm. 440 00:24:54,308 --> 00:24:54,850 Yeah. 441 00:24:54,850 --> 00:24:58,530 then it was the next year that you turned pro, correct? 442 00:24:58,530 --> 00:24:59,350 22? 443 00:24:59,350 --> 00:25:00,370 Yeah. 444 00:25:00,410 --> 00:25:06,730 So what were some things that you focused on between your amateur, time as an 445 00:25:06,730 --> 00:25:09,502 amateur going into earning your pro card? 446 00:25:10,799 --> 00:25:15,199 Just lifting and eating as much as I could. 447 00:25:15,699 --> 00:25:22,379 When I reversed out of my show, I did Masters USAs and after I reversed out of 448 00:25:22,379 --> 00:25:25,489 that show, my body was in a really good spot. 449 00:25:25,489 --> 00:25:29,959 I wasn't putting on a ton of body fat and I was eating a lot of food. 450 00:25:29,959 --> 00:25:32,099 And I wish I could replicate that. 451 00:25:32,099 --> 00:25:34,579 I have not gotten that reverse back again. 452 00:25:35,059 --> 00:25:38,191 But that first reverse went like peachy. 453 00:25:38,191 --> 00:25:41,551 And so I was just eating as much as I could. 454 00:25:41,591 --> 00:25:45,431 And my coach even gave me two free days where I could just eat what I wanted for 455 00:25:45,431 --> 00:25:45,871 two days. 456 00:25:45,871 --> 00:25:48,651 And my body was still just like soaking it up. 457 00:25:48,651 --> 00:25:50,991 So, and I was lifting as much as I could. 458 00:25:50,991 --> 00:25:53,851 My husband, you know, he's a competitive bodybuilder. 459 00:25:53,851 --> 00:25:58,611 So we would go to the gym together and working out with him was always, it's an 460 00:25:58,611 --> 00:26:02,951 awesome push to work out with someone who is supportive and wants you to get 461 00:26:02,951 --> 00:26:03,391 stronger. 462 00:26:03,391 --> 00:26:06,223 Cause he was just like, you got one more rep in you. 463 00:26:06,223 --> 00:26:09,563 you can do more weight, like he was super supportive with that. 464 00:26:09,563 --> 00:26:13,903 So just, you know, doing the same boring stuff every day and just trying to do more 465 00:26:13,903 --> 00:26:14,822 of it. 466 00:26:14,822 --> 00:26:15,448 Yeah. 467 00:26:15,448 --> 00:26:18,088 is really the same boring stuff. 468 00:26:19,398 --> 00:26:20,239 really is. 469 00:26:20,239 --> 00:26:23,859 If you're like, I'm that, I love routine. 470 00:26:23,859 --> 00:26:31,149 If you change my routine, I'm usually like, a little anxious and a little angry. 471 00:26:31,149 --> 00:26:34,039 Like both of them together, my routine gets messed up. 472 00:26:34,039 --> 00:26:35,339 Like I love routine. 473 00:26:35,339 --> 00:26:39,339 So it's just the lifestyle itself fits my personality really well. 474 00:26:39,339 --> 00:26:42,339 I like to be boring and do the same thing every day. 475 00:26:42,339 --> 00:26:44,299 And I like eating the same thing every day. 476 00:26:44,299 --> 00:26:48,099 And I like going to the same places every day. 477 00:26:48,099 --> 00:26:49,039 So it's. 478 00:26:49,039 --> 00:26:51,359 fits really well into my personality. 479 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:56,999 But just focusing on lifting, really focusing on glutes because at my age 480 00:26:56,999 --> 00:27:00,839 that's what really needs help. 481 00:27:00,919 --> 00:27:03,463 And so lots of glutes, lots of shoulders. 482 00:27:04,166 --> 00:27:07,646 that was gonna be a question that I had for you as well, because to me, I mean, 483 00:27:07,646 --> 00:27:12,046 you are right in the mix with the open pros as well. 484 00:27:12,046 --> 00:27:17,146 And so, you know, as we get older, it's not only like what we're told about 485 00:27:17,146 --> 00:27:20,456 getting older and then like just the facts, things are a little bit different. 486 00:27:20,456 --> 00:27:24,366 But I also think sometimes the mindset too of like, just the acknowledgement of like, 487 00:27:24,366 --> 00:27:25,666 I'm not 25 anymore. 488 00:27:25,666 --> 00:27:29,546 So like, have any of those things on your journey been like a struggle for you? 489 00:27:29,546 --> 00:27:32,454 Like either like, you know, things that you're trying to face that. 490 00:27:32,454 --> 00:27:37,964 you need to grow or just overcome some mindset things just about being, you know, 491 00:27:37,964 --> 00:27:39,192 over 35. 492 00:27:40,079 --> 00:27:45,439 The, I would say the biggest thing that I struggle with as far as where I am in my 493 00:27:45,439 --> 00:27:48,139 age is how long do I get to do this for? 494 00:27:48,139 --> 00:27:52,779 Like, I don't typically, I'm not gonna, I'm not, I don't feel like I'm at the age 495 00:27:52,779 --> 00:27:58,999 where I can take a year off and it makes sense to grow. 496 00:28:00,059 --> 00:28:04,279 And I know that would be super beneficial if I could take a full year off to just 497 00:28:04,279 --> 00:28:08,623 spend a year to grow, but if I do, I feel like I'm shortening my, 498 00:28:08,623 --> 00:28:12,763 my time frame in which I can be competitive. 499 00:28:13,243 --> 00:28:19,643 And so that is the biggest mental hurdle is trying to balance for me how much do I 500 00:28:19,643 --> 00:28:25,523 compete and how much time do I take off to grow and how do I mitigate that with how 501 00:28:25,523 --> 00:28:27,963 long I can actually be competitive. 502 00:28:28,903 --> 00:28:31,743 And that's sometimes it hurts my feelings. 503 00:28:31,903 --> 00:28:33,702 So I want to keep going. 504 00:28:33,702 --> 00:28:37,482 I can sympathize with that too, because I've been doing this for so long and I 505 00:28:37,482 --> 00:28:42,402 want to do it forever, but I'm like, well, am I going to look like this in six years 506 00:28:42,402 --> 00:28:43,122 when I turned 50? 507 00:28:43,122 --> 00:28:46,162 That's really scary to even say out loud that I'll be 50 in six years. 508 00:28:46,162 --> 00:28:48,691 But like, but I think about it all the time. 509 00:28:48,691 --> 00:28:51,432 Like, you know, I've no girls that are just getting started. 510 00:28:51,432 --> 00:28:55,482 I'm like, I'd give anything to have like just 10 year go back 10 years, not to be 511 00:28:55,482 --> 00:28:59,712 younger, but just to have more time in this because, cause I love it so much. 512 00:28:59,712 --> 00:29:01,542 But by the same token, I see 513 00:29:01,542 --> 00:29:05,762 girls that are, you know, in their mid fifties, like still crushing it. 514 00:29:05,762 --> 00:29:08,262 They, they don't look at, they feel, they feel amazing. 515 00:29:08,262 --> 00:29:09,442 They're super youthful. 516 00:29:09,442 --> 00:29:13,602 And so, you know, I think it's, I have to go to that place of like, you can really 517 00:29:13,602 --> 00:29:18,022 do this for as long as you want to, you know, just keep yourself healthy. 518 00:29:19,042 --> 00:29:19,511 Yeah. 519 00:29:19,511 --> 00:29:23,811 I compete with that we were just we're just chit chatting and she posts on 520 00:29:23,811 --> 00:29:28,651 Instagram every once in a while that her age and she's 55 and every time she posts 521 00:29:28,651 --> 00:29:31,271 that she's 55 I'm like no you're not. 522 00:29:31,271 --> 00:29:32,518 wait yeah she is. 523 00:29:32,518 --> 00:29:33,678 because I've thought the same thing. 524 00:29:33,678 --> 00:29:35,878 Is it Mary Abbado? 525 00:29:35,878 --> 00:29:36,863 Is that who you're talking about? 526 00:29:36,863 --> 00:29:40,313 No, it's, no, and she's the exact same way. 527 00:29:40,313 --> 00:29:45,583 I competed with her at Masters Worlds and in person, like we chit -chatted, she 528 00:29:45,583 --> 00:29:47,613 looks like she's in her 30s. 529 00:29:47,613 --> 00:29:51,203 And I'm like, ma 'am, can I have some of those genetics, please? 530 00:29:51,923 --> 00:29:53,773 Like, she's gorgeous. 531 00:29:53,773 --> 00:29:57,743 But there's another girl, her name's Cindy, and we competed at two shows 532 00:29:57,743 --> 00:30:03,423 together last year, and she's 50, I think she's 55. 533 00:30:03,695 --> 00:30:07,935 I'm not gonna call her out that that's exactly what her age is, but I'm pretty 534 00:30:07,935 --> 00:30:09,265 sure she said she's 55. 535 00:30:09,265 --> 00:30:13,615 And not every time I see, like you're not over 50, like you're my age. 536 00:30:13,615 --> 00:30:15,155 What are you saying? 537 00:30:15,395 --> 00:30:17,015 So, and you're right. 538 00:30:17,015 --> 00:30:23,455 It's like, I can't sit here and worry about, well, what if I don't get to 539 00:30:23,455 --> 00:30:27,275 compete when, or what if I'm not competitive when I'm 43? 540 00:30:27,375 --> 00:30:30,315 What if my, you know, what is my skin gonna look like? 541 00:30:30,315 --> 00:30:31,885 Is my body gonna respond? 542 00:30:31,885 --> 00:30:32,687 How are my joints? 543 00:30:32,687 --> 00:30:35,527 going to feel like I can't worry about that. 544 00:30:35,527 --> 00:30:41,567 Just enjoy the stage I'm in right now and have things to look forward to in the next 545 00:30:41,567 --> 00:30:42,507 stage. 546 00:30:42,844 --> 00:30:43,594 Yeah. 547 00:30:43,594 --> 00:30:45,064 got like the most beautiful mindset. 548 00:30:45,064 --> 00:30:48,754 So I think that's like really going to carry you through because you know, it is 549 00:30:48,754 --> 00:30:51,794 all in your mind and listening to your body is really important too. 550 00:30:51,794 --> 00:30:54,384 You had mentioned that you're going to be in prep this year. 551 00:30:54,384 --> 00:30:56,434 Do you say for eight months? 552 00:30:56,454 --> 00:30:57,687 This is it this year? 553 00:30:57,687 --> 00:31:03,507 prep in January and my last show, as we're planning right now, obviously things like 554 00:31:03,507 --> 00:31:08,007 that can change, but my last show as of right now is gonna be the National Fit 555 00:31:08,007 --> 00:31:11,407 Show August 17th. 556 00:31:12,127 --> 00:31:13,758 So, long prep. 557 00:31:13,758 --> 00:31:20,138 staying healthy and keeping a good balance while you're doing a very long prep and 558 00:31:20,138 --> 00:31:22,218 you're competing at a very high level too? 559 00:31:22,218 --> 00:31:28,036 So what are some strategies that you have to feel your best, as best as you can? 560 00:31:28,623 --> 00:31:30,653 Well, like you said, listen to your body. 561 00:31:30,653 --> 00:31:33,663 Like if you need rest, sit down and rest. 562 00:31:33,663 --> 00:31:36,023 Like we all get so, I do this. 563 00:31:36,023 --> 00:31:40,113 I'm very guilty of doing this, but I'm like, I wear an Apple watch. 564 00:31:40,113 --> 00:31:42,903 So I'm always looking at how many steps did I get enough steps? 565 00:31:42,903 --> 00:31:46,963 If I didn't get enough steps, I'm not going to be ready for my show. 566 00:31:47,063 --> 00:31:49,533 No, if I need to sit down and rest, go rest. 567 00:31:49,533 --> 00:31:51,143 If you need to take a nap, take a nap. 568 00:31:51,143 --> 00:31:54,023 If you need more water one day, drink more water one day. 569 00:31:54,023 --> 00:31:57,615 Like none of those things are going to set you back. 570 00:31:57,615 --> 00:32:00,895 They're only gonna propel you forward and keep you feeling good. 571 00:32:00,895 --> 00:32:04,955 So listening to your body, communicating with your coach with how you're feeling. 572 00:32:05,475 --> 00:32:09,195 I have an amazing coach and she always gives me the best advice. 573 00:32:09,195 --> 00:32:11,215 Like I'm also going through menopause. 574 00:32:11,215 --> 00:32:14,755 So I'm dealing with that kind of fun stuff. 575 00:32:14,755 --> 00:32:17,115 Feel sorry for my husband right now. 576 00:32:17,975 --> 00:32:20,415 So like there's certain things that I struggle with. 577 00:32:20,415 --> 00:32:23,355 Like I don't sleep a whole lot and I don't sleep very well. 578 00:32:23,355 --> 00:32:26,895 So like finding different health supplements that kind of 579 00:32:27,259 --> 00:32:32,479 encourage falling asleep and relaxing and letting your body and your mind just calm 580 00:32:32,479 --> 00:32:33,759 down. 581 00:32:33,839 --> 00:32:35,739 And she's helped me a ton with that too. 582 00:32:35,739 --> 00:32:37,459 So communicating with your coach. 583 00:32:37,459 --> 00:32:42,059 If you've got a good coach, they're going to either have recommendations or find 584 00:32:42,059 --> 00:32:45,779 recommendations for you to help you through what you're going through. 585 00:32:46,438 --> 00:32:48,298 Yeah, no that's helpful. 586 00:32:48,298 --> 00:32:53,358 There's a lot of advice and a lot of great resources out there, but having somebody 587 00:32:53,358 --> 00:32:56,878 who can kind of steer you in the right direction, because it can definitely be 588 00:32:56,878 --> 00:32:57,518 too much. 589 00:32:57,518 --> 00:33:00,558 And being able to talk to you, because there are so many things that women might 590 00:33:00,558 --> 00:33:04,798 ignore because they just don't want to open up or they just push through and that 591 00:33:04,798 --> 00:33:07,638 can really lead to issues for sure. 592 00:33:07,932 --> 00:33:12,072 Yeah, I feel like the whole pushing through is a hard, it's a hard thing to 593 00:33:12,072 --> 00:33:16,292 balance because I was going to compete the rest of this year and I had to take a step 594 00:33:16,292 --> 00:33:19,912 back and listen to my body because I'm injured and I have to remember that I'm 595 00:33:19,912 --> 00:33:22,392 injured and I have to remember that it's not a muscle soreness. 596 00:33:22,392 --> 00:33:27,272 It's an injury and I have to stop and I have to do it because I can't, it can't be 597 00:33:27,272 --> 00:33:28,812 as conditioned to be competitive. 598 00:33:28,812 --> 00:33:30,192 So I'm 35. 599 00:33:30,192 --> 00:33:34,232 I'm taking a year or two off to do whatever I need to for my spine. 600 00:33:34,232 --> 00:33:38,108 But it's whenever I coach other girls, it's like, 601 00:33:38,108 --> 00:33:39,208 Tell me how you're feeling. 602 00:33:39,208 --> 00:33:40,378 Tell me how you're sleeping. 603 00:33:40,378 --> 00:33:40,968 Talk. 604 00:33:40,968 --> 00:33:44,018 You know, that way we can figure out like, do you need more rest? 605 00:33:44,018 --> 00:33:44,778 Do you need recovery? 606 00:33:44,778 --> 00:33:45,948 Don't push through it. 607 00:33:45,948 --> 00:33:50,648 Maybe, maybe you need that extra time because if you push through something, you 608 00:33:50,648 --> 00:33:55,568 might cause something that is going to set you way further back or hurt you to the 609 00:33:55,568 --> 00:33:58,178 point where maybe you can't go on stage and you never want that to happen. 610 00:33:58,178 --> 00:34:00,788 You know, definitely listen to your body. 611 00:34:01,679 --> 00:34:06,259 Yeah, it's like having an injury and you sound very similar to me. 612 00:34:06,259 --> 00:34:10,709 Like when I'm, after I had all of my kids, I didn't want to take the time off. 613 00:34:10,709 --> 00:34:12,009 I'm like, no, let's go for a walk. 614 00:34:12,009 --> 00:34:13,209 I need to, I need to move. 615 00:34:13,209 --> 00:34:14,019 I need to work out. 616 00:34:14,019 --> 00:34:15,219 I need to do something. 617 00:34:15,219 --> 00:34:16,379 Cause I don't like sitting. 618 00:34:16,379 --> 00:34:20,879 I don't like feeling like I'm sitting still and not working towards something 619 00:34:20,879 --> 00:34:22,359 and being active. 620 00:34:22,359 --> 00:34:24,799 So I, yeah. 621 00:34:24,799 --> 00:34:29,212 Reminding yourself regularly that it's an injury, not just irritating. 622 00:34:29,212 --> 00:34:31,202 Yeah, it took a long time. 623 00:34:31,202 --> 00:34:35,352 I injured myself back in 2022 and I got it better. 624 00:34:35,352 --> 00:34:37,832 I herniated a disc and it was all better. 625 00:34:37,832 --> 00:34:41,812 And now just, you know, prep is really hard on our bodies. 626 00:34:41,812 --> 00:34:47,032 And I went through prep for all the way September of last year till June of this 627 00:34:47,032 --> 00:34:47,632 year. 628 00:34:47,632 --> 00:34:51,182 And the conditioning, the training, I also travel everything. 629 00:34:51,182 --> 00:34:53,308 I'm like, no, I have to. 630 00:34:53,308 --> 00:34:57,948 I have to put it away for the rest of the year and go back to healing instead of 631 00:34:57,948 --> 00:34:59,908 like grinding through it. 632 00:34:59,908 --> 00:35:01,927 It's just not, it's not healthy. 633 00:35:02,148 --> 00:35:02,867 So. 634 00:35:02,867 --> 00:35:05,847 herniated disc is nothing. 635 00:35:06,247 --> 00:35:08,647 Lord, that's painful. 636 00:35:08,647 --> 00:35:12,700 That is probably one of the more painful injuries you can get. 637 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:15,960 I have a heating pad right now on my spine. 638 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:18,900 I have to laugh about it. 639 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:22,260 There's, like you said, it's extremely painful, but there's nothing I can do 640 00:35:22,260 --> 00:35:23,600 about it except take care of it. 641 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,340 So I have to laugh about it. 642 00:35:26,459 --> 00:35:28,379 Now is that where you've got pain? 643 00:35:28,379 --> 00:35:31,989 Do you also have pain going down one of your legs from it? 644 00:35:31,989 --> 00:35:33,599 Yeah, I'm sorry. 645 00:35:33,599 --> 00:35:34,160 Yeah. 646 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:35,640 the way down to my toes. 647 00:35:36,335 --> 00:35:40,535 Yep, I'm sorry, that is frustrating. 648 00:35:41,020 --> 00:35:44,732 Yeah, it gets better, then it gets worse, though. 649 00:35:44,732 --> 00:35:48,442 But I mean, it's still staying active, but listening. 650 00:35:48,442 --> 00:35:49,932 So like I'll still go to the gym. 651 00:35:49,932 --> 00:35:54,872 I can't lift legs, but like I do mobility, like this morning I do mobility exercises. 652 00:35:54,872 --> 00:35:58,372 I do, you know, different types of things that like stretch out my spine. 653 00:35:58,372 --> 00:36:00,732 I'll still like move around the gym, walk. 654 00:36:00,732 --> 00:36:05,792 I still, I do more cycling now, just pedal as the cycling. 655 00:36:05,792 --> 00:36:08,912 And so I'll do that instead of like really like doing stair mass or anything. 656 00:36:08,912 --> 00:36:09,962 It's just substituting. 657 00:36:09,962 --> 00:36:14,686 I don't want to, you don't want to lose like the good habits and the routine. 658 00:36:14,686 --> 00:36:15,226 Thank you. 659 00:36:15,226 --> 00:36:16,604 I'm very. 660 00:36:16,604 --> 00:36:17,744 I like to be routine. 661 00:36:17,744 --> 00:36:22,304 I don't never want to lose that because it can be a slippery slope to fall back into 662 00:36:22,304 --> 00:36:23,744 something that's not healthy. 663 00:36:23,744 --> 00:36:27,784 And right now I'm very lucky to to love the food I eat. 664 00:36:27,784 --> 00:36:32,084 It's not I eat very, very anti inflammatory foods. 665 00:36:32,084 --> 00:36:36,544 I rest really well and you don't want to fall back into habits where you know 666 00:36:36,544 --> 00:36:40,304 you're eating something that's going to be flaring things up or making things worse 667 00:36:40,304 --> 00:36:44,124 or or you put X amount of weight on because you're not going to the gym at all 668 00:36:44,124 --> 00:36:47,084 anymore, which is going to cause more pain on your spine that's already 669 00:36:47,478 --> 00:36:50,038 So I kind of went through all this a couple years ago. 670 00:36:50,038 --> 00:36:54,498 So now I'm like, okay, I have to like, I have to treat this very seriously. 671 00:36:55,087 --> 00:36:59,727 Yeah, you're so smart with that being making sure you're staying active because 672 00:36:59,727 --> 00:37:03,507 it would be so easy with an injury like that to be like, I can't move, it hurts. 673 00:37:03,507 --> 00:37:05,787 Anytime I do really anything, it hurts. 674 00:37:05,787 --> 00:37:09,023 Well, it's gonna hurt worse if you don't stay active. 675 00:37:09,023 --> 00:37:12,253 Yeah, I was like that in 2022 because I was scared. 676 00:37:12,253 --> 00:37:13,494 I was so scared. 677 00:37:13,494 --> 00:37:15,864 I've never had nerve pain before. 678 00:37:16,044 --> 00:37:22,024 And to be, have that pain was so astronomically scary that I stayed in bed 679 00:37:22,024 --> 00:37:27,724 for days because I was just like, what do people do with this? 680 00:37:27,724 --> 00:37:29,819 So I learned. 681 00:37:29,819 --> 00:37:35,329 brother -in -law just had surgery for, he herniated a disc very badly. 682 00:37:35,329 --> 00:37:39,779 It was sticking out two inches out of his spine. 683 00:37:39,779 --> 00:37:42,339 Like he couldn't even, he couldn't stand up. 684 00:37:42,339 --> 00:37:43,709 So he had to have surgery. 685 00:37:43,709 --> 00:37:45,539 Yeah, it was so bad. 686 00:37:45,539 --> 00:37:51,839 So, and he still, last time my husband saw him, cause he doesn't live locally, but 687 00:37:51,839 --> 00:37:55,859 last time my husband saw him, he was still like, he was active, but he still wasn't 688 00:37:55,859 --> 00:37:56,939 walking normally. 689 00:37:56,939 --> 00:37:58,383 And that had been, 690 00:37:58,447 --> 00:38:00,209 a year and a half later. 691 00:38:01,404 --> 00:38:06,724 I can't imagine it, like I go for another MRI here in a few weeks, so I'll know like 692 00:38:06,724 --> 00:38:07,804 exactly. 693 00:38:08,184 --> 00:38:12,824 But yeah, it is what it is. 694 00:38:13,263 --> 00:38:14,223 in. 695 00:38:15,287 --> 00:38:19,767 always like to ask our guests too because you've got a lot on your plate and we were 696 00:38:19,767 --> 00:38:23,927 kind of talking about how you have so many shows packed into a year. 697 00:38:23,927 --> 00:38:30,167 So how do you juggle it all as a mom of four and a wife and a posing coach? 698 00:38:30,167 --> 00:38:35,287 I know you love routines so there's a lot of habits that our listeners probably want 699 00:38:35,287 --> 00:38:41,986 to pick your brain about and learn how to be successful. 700 00:38:43,099 --> 00:38:46,139 well, I don't think I'm super at it at all. 701 00:38:46,139 --> 00:38:49,899 I'm just like, I feel like I'm juggling a lot of times. 702 00:38:50,559 --> 00:38:52,579 My husband's amazing. 703 00:38:52,879 --> 00:38:57,179 So thinking you can handle everything without, everything without support, 704 00:38:57,179 --> 00:38:58,349 you're, you're going to fail. 705 00:38:58,349 --> 00:39:03,759 Like we need, we're built to have people around us and, and let the people that 706 00:39:03,759 --> 00:39:06,199 care about you know if you need help or something. 707 00:39:06,199 --> 00:39:07,299 So asking for help. 708 00:39:07,299 --> 00:39:08,339 And that is hard for me. 709 00:39:08,339 --> 00:39:10,351 I am the kind of person where I don't. 710 00:39:10,351 --> 00:39:13,971 I feel like I'm burdening people if I ask them to help me with things. 711 00:39:14,011 --> 00:39:19,331 So I'm having to teach myself to ask my husband for help, because he wants to help 712 00:39:19,331 --> 00:39:20,951 me. 713 00:39:21,031 --> 00:39:27,851 As far as juggling all the shows, I just have to start planning way ahead of time. 714 00:39:28,191 --> 00:39:34,651 So when it comes time to actually execute what needs to be done for each show, like 715 00:39:34,651 --> 00:39:38,703 packing or getting my son to... 716 00:39:38,703 --> 00:39:43,043 My mother usually watches them for me and she lives about four hours away. 717 00:39:43,043 --> 00:39:48,643 So I'll chat with her ahead of time and we'll set up a plan as to, you know, how 718 00:39:48,643 --> 00:39:51,863 she's going to get him and then how long he's going to be with her. 719 00:39:51,863 --> 00:39:58,683 And then getting our travel plans situated and who's going to be like, I have to do 720 00:39:58,683 --> 00:39:59,983 all of this way ahead of time. 721 00:39:59,983 --> 00:40:04,483 So when I'm actually getting close to the show where, you know, you start getting 722 00:40:04,483 --> 00:40:07,471 anxious and stress rises. 723 00:40:07,823 --> 00:40:12,643 That's when you forget things, that's when things get left behind, that's when you're 724 00:40:12,643 --> 00:40:13,753 gonna make the mistake. 725 00:40:13,753 --> 00:40:18,363 So I try and prepare myself so I don't have the opportunity to make that mistake 726 00:40:18,363 --> 00:40:19,863 when I'm stressed out. 727 00:40:20,344 --> 00:40:20,854 smart. 728 00:40:20,854 --> 00:40:24,864 That's really good advice because it is hard when you're getting close to the show 729 00:40:24,864 --> 00:40:29,284 and then you're low energy and that's kind of when you're like I forgot the most 730 00:40:29,284 --> 00:40:33,344 important things so getting a little ahead of the game you know and I think asking 731 00:40:33,344 --> 00:40:38,124 for help is huge a lot of us are not good at that you know admitting like I need 732 00:40:38,124 --> 00:40:39,644 help I can't do this alone. 733 00:40:40,252 --> 00:40:40,807 Mm -hmm. 734 00:40:40,807 --> 00:40:44,267 think I said, I mean, when you're a mom, you're like, I just handle everything. 735 00:40:44,267 --> 00:40:45,967 That's just what I do. 736 00:40:45,967 --> 00:40:49,787 And you see everyone else is being busy doing their own thing. 737 00:40:49,787 --> 00:40:52,107 You're like, well, I'll just take care of everything. 738 00:40:52,107 --> 00:40:56,027 And we get so used to being in that mindset that we forget that the people 739 00:40:56,027 --> 00:40:59,187 that who, even though they're busy, doesn't mean they can't help. 740 00:40:59,187 --> 00:41:03,047 Even if it's something small, you take a little thing off of my plate. 741 00:41:03,047 --> 00:41:06,805 You take one small thing off of my plate and I feel. 742 00:41:07,311 --> 00:41:09,081 like the world has opened up for me. 743 00:41:09,081 --> 00:41:12,711 And I don't know why, it can just be like running to the store to grab something 744 00:41:12,711 --> 00:41:16,171 that I forgot, like just something super small. 745 00:41:16,311 --> 00:41:19,151 Like, the weight is lifted off my shoulders. 746 00:41:19,151 --> 00:41:21,721 Like I'm just so, it just helps so much. 747 00:41:21,721 --> 00:41:25,551 Even if it's just like a mental boost, like it helps so much. 748 00:41:25,624 --> 00:41:25,904 Yeah. 749 00:41:25,904 --> 00:41:29,524 And it's like you said, communicating and like letting them know, like you're not 750 00:41:29,524 --> 00:41:31,274 burdening the people that love you. 751 00:41:31,274 --> 00:41:33,164 Sometimes they just don't know. 752 00:41:33,164 --> 00:41:37,324 Like they just, they don't know that you need something or they don't know that 753 00:41:37,324 --> 00:41:38,524 they can help you with that. 754 00:41:38,524 --> 00:41:42,674 And like you said, the littlest thing like, Hey, can you just run to the store? 755 00:41:42,674 --> 00:41:44,754 Hey, do you mind on the way home grabbing this? 756 00:41:44,754 --> 00:41:46,754 Hey, can you like do this? 757 00:41:46,754 --> 00:41:48,874 And they're like, and to them, it's not even a big deal. 758 00:41:48,874 --> 00:41:49,964 They want to help us. 759 00:41:49,964 --> 00:41:51,204 They just don't know. 760 00:41:51,204 --> 00:41:53,084 And then when they do, it's like, 761 00:41:53,308 --> 00:41:56,288 I don't have to worry about that or do anything about that. 762 00:41:56,288 --> 00:41:57,868 It's just so helpful. 763 00:41:57,868 --> 00:41:59,388 So helpful. 764 00:42:00,239 --> 00:42:05,079 Yeah, like I said, it can just be the smallest thing that is not a big deal. 765 00:42:05,179 --> 00:42:09,759 And it isn't a big deal for them, but for me, it seemed like this, especially when 766 00:42:09,759 --> 00:42:13,519 you're like super deep in prep, it can seem like an overwhelming mountain to 767 00:42:13,519 --> 00:42:15,459 climb and it's just walking to the store. 768 00:42:15,459 --> 00:42:19,079 Like, you know, I've got to go to the store, I've got to go, you know, pick up a 769 00:42:19,079 --> 00:42:19,499 package. 770 00:42:19,499 --> 00:42:21,899 And I'm like, I don't have the energy to do that. 771 00:42:21,899 --> 00:42:25,059 You know, my husband's great about like, I'll run go do it. 772 00:42:25,059 --> 00:42:25,809 It's not a big deal. 773 00:42:25,809 --> 00:42:26,863 And I'm like, 774 00:42:26,863 --> 00:42:30,833 I just feel like he had bought me a dozen roses when he does something like that. 775 00:42:30,833 --> 00:42:32,983 I'm like, that's awesome, thanks. 776 00:42:33,456 --> 00:42:34,164 Yeah. 777 00:42:34,164 --> 00:42:37,384 funny to match, like to match you with that. 778 00:42:37,384 --> 00:42:40,924 So we have several different types of stairs throughout our house. 779 00:42:40,924 --> 00:42:47,084 And when I'm deep in prep, my husband, this, my like big cup, he will take and 780 00:42:47,084 --> 00:42:47,994 fill it up with tea. 781 00:42:47,994 --> 00:42:50,144 It's decaf tea all day. 782 00:42:50,144 --> 00:42:54,444 And even if he's downstairs and I'm upstairs, I'll be like, I'm out of tea. 783 00:42:54,444 --> 00:42:55,954 And he'll be like, I'm coming. 784 00:42:55,954 --> 00:43:01,908 And I'll be like, I don't have to like walk up the stairs or down the stairs. 785 00:43:02,012 --> 00:43:05,672 But yeah, it's the littlest things it means so much like I'll look at him be 786 00:43:05,672 --> 00:43:10,172 like you you just saved my life Even though it's it's tea like it's downstairs 787 00:43:10,172 --> 00:43:13,692 on the fridge But it means a lot 788 00:43:13,987 --> 00:43:15,267 does. 789 00:43:15,967 --> 00:43:19,388 Stairs are overwhelming when you have no energy. 790 00:43:19,388 --> 00:43:21,858 Yeah, or if you have to go to the bathroom all the time. 791 00:43:21,858 --> 00:43:25,568 Like that's why I stay up like up in our room because our room is big and we have 792 00:43:25,568 --> 00:43:26,608 like our master bathroom. 793 00:43:26,608 --> 00:43:30,068 I'm like, it's just easy, you know, like, cause the bathroom's right there and I can 794 00:43:30,068 --> 00:43:32,688 watch TV, read, do whatever, laptop. 795 00:43:32,688 --> 00:43:36,668 But like the kitchen's downstairs and I'm like, why? 796 00:43:37,868 --> 00:43:43,148 It's so, especially like you said, you're deep in prep and you're like, I don't want 797 00:43:43,148 --> 00:43:44,408 to, I just don't. 798 00:43:44,408 --> 00:43:45,708 So it's those things. 799 00:43:45,708 --> 00:43:47,808 It's just cute, you know, and it's helpful. 800 00:44:06,455 --> 00:44:08,095 I'm sorry. 801 00:44:08,095 --> 00:44:13,315 coaches about posing because it is an art and I feel like there are so many pieces 802 00:44:13,315 --> 00:44:37,063 to being good at it and then taking it the next step and teaching. 803 00:44:37,544 --> 00:44:40,524 you are a posing coach for new competitors. 804 00:44:40,524 --> 00:44:43,284 Are you a posing coach for specifically new competitors? 805 00:44:43,284 --> 00:44:44,964 Because as an 806 00:44:45,560 --> 00:44:49,760 find it so interesting, like being on stage and I have so many true novice, so 807 00:44:49,760 --> 00:44:53,920 it's their first time on stage and seeing like the different posing routines, 808 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:57,100 because some posing routines are like completely different. 809 00:44:57,100 --> 00:45:01,260 So can you touch on how it is an art form and how you do, you know, teach new 810 00:45:01,260 --> 00:45:04,239 competitors how to pose? 811 00:45:04,239 --> 00:45:08,559 So when I start with a new competitor posing, the first thing I want to nail 812 00:45:08,559 --> 00:45:15,339 with them is making sure that they can hit and understand, like not just execute, but 813 00:45:15,339 --> 00:45:19,399 also understand what the front pose is supposed to look like and why it's 814 00:45:19,399 --> 00:45:22,419 supposed to look like that and what the back pose is supposed to look like and 815 00:45:22,419 --> 00:45:22,939 why. 816 00:45:22,939 --> 00:45:26,209 So I want them to feel it in their bodies. 817 00:45:26,209 --> 00:45:31,109 And then for me to explain to them what the judges are looking for. 818 00:45:31,109 --> 00:45:32,239 And so, 819 00:45:32,239 --> 00:45:37,059 that we are gonna hold our hands here on our thighs and this is why. 820 00:45:37,059 --> 00:45:42,459 We're going to be, we're standing up straight in the back pose and not bending 821 00:45:42,459 --> 00:45:44,419 forward and this is why. 822 00:45:44,419 --> 00:45:50,619 And I spend a lot of time talking to them about, you know, that for bikini it's all 823 00:45:50,619 --> 00:45:57,119 about that hourglass shape and every time you move, you're creating a picture. 824 00:45:57,119 --> 00:45:59,069 So I was a dancer for a long time. 825 00:45:59,069 --> 00:45:59,855 So. 826 00:45:59,855 --> 00:46:04,875 Every time you move, you're creating a picture for the judges and you always want 827 00:46:04,875 --> 00:46:09,675 that picture to resemble an hourglass. 828 00:46:10,555 --> 00:46:16,575 That beautiful curve to your shoulders, which is why, you know, bikini stays a 829 00:46:16,575 --> 00:46:17,285 little softer. 830 00:46:17,285 --> 00:46:22,665 So we do have a beautiful curve, but we're not sharp like the X frame. 831 00:46:22,665 --> 00:46:26,315 So we've got the curve to the shoulder down to the small waist and then a 832 00:46:26,315 --> 00:46:30,095 beautiful curve to the hip and making sure they understand that it's 833 00:46:30,095 --> 00:46:35,835 soft so they're not flexing because we're looking for a curve in an hourglass and 834 00:46:35,835 --> 00:46:40,155 that they don't flatten themselves out because a lot of times when you get a new 835 00:46:40,155 --> 00:46:45,495 competitor they just don't realize because they've never done it before that certain 836 00:46:45,495 --> 00:46:52,035 ways you turn your body are going to hide all your shape and so I love explaining to 837 00:46:52,035 --> 00:46:54,055 them showing their shape 838 00:46:55,375 --> 00:46:57,215 You know, every personality is different. 839 00:46:57,215 --> 00:47:01,215 Some girls are super nervous and they're really stiff and they don't move a whole 840 00:47:01,215 --> 00:47:02,615 lot when they're learning how to pose. 841 00:47:02,615 --> 00:47:08,435 And then there's other girls who want to do like arms everywhere and all the hair 842 00:47:08,435 --> 00:47:08,895 flips. 843 00:47:08,895 --> 00:47:13,715 And I'm like, let's add one thing later. 844 00:47:14,055 --> 00:47:15,835 That's one thing later. 845 00:47:15,895 --> 00:47:21,255 So, you know, but understanding the purpose of the how and the why of the 846 00:47:21,255 --> 00:47:24,924 front and the back pose, which is why I like working with newer competitors. 847 00:47:24,924 --> 00:47:26,304 Mm -hmm. 848 00:47:26,304 --> 00:47:26,799 Yeah. 849 00:47:26,799 --> 00:47:27,279 awesome. 850 00:47:27,279 --> 00:47:30,979 I'm sure it's like a good way to like share your experience and like be involved 851 00:47:30,979 --> 00:47:35,059 because not everybody wants to coach, you know, but being able to help with with 852 00:47:35,059 --> 00:47:38,255 posing is a game changer for sure. 853 00:47:38,255 --> 00:47:41,495 I love it so much. 854 00:47:41,495 --> 00:47:47,755 I love getting the opportunity to build up other women. 855 00:47:48,015 --> 00:47:55,315 So not only having someone else beside their coach telling them, you know, you're 856 00:47:55,315 --> 00:47:57,025 doing good, you're doing great. 857 00:47:57,025 --> 00:48:00,535 You need to stop worrying about the other competition that's going to be there. 858 00:48:00,535 --> 00:48:01,735 Show up for yourself. 859 00:48:01,735 --> 00:48:06,105 Like having that other person in their ear to be encouraging to them. 860 00:48:06,105 --> 00:48:07,855 And not only that, but able 861 00:48:07,855 --> 00:48:11,935 being able to give them confidence in their posing so when they actually are 862 00:48:11,935 --> 00:48:15,675 getting on stage, they're not worried about how they look because we've been 863 00:48:15,675 --> 00:48:18,475 working together and they know how they look and they know what they're supposed 864 00:48:18,475 --> 00:48:19,655 to be doing. 865 00:48:20,035 --> 00:48:23,699 So I love it so much. 866 00:48:23,991 --> 00:48:24,621 So awesome. 867 00:48:24,621 --> 00:48:26,041 My posing coach is the same. 868 00:48:26,041 --> 00:48:27,412 She's an angel. 869 00:48:27,412 --> 00:48:31,992 competitors that I meet anytime I'm at a seminar, anywhere I am. 870 00:48:31,992 --> 00:48:36,932 Like, at gym, if they're new and if they're just nervous, I'm like, go to a 871 00:48:36,932 --> 00:48:37,756 show. 872 00:48:37,756 --> 00:48:43,906 talk to other women, our community is not what mainstream makes it out to be. 873 00:48:43,906 --> 00:48:45,166 Like we're so supportive. 874 00:48:45,166 --> 00:48:46,906 Like everybody is cheering you on. 875 00:48:46,906 --> 00:48:50,676 It's one of the best things to be backstage and be with like all those women 876 00:48:50,676 --> 00:48:52,516 that are like, I will help you. 877 00:48:52,516 --> 00:48:54,346 Like cheers to the rice cakes. 878 00:48:54,346 --> 00:48:56,816 You know, like everybody is just so happy. 879 00:48:56,816 --> 00:49:00,936 And it's like, you know, the person next to you might be going on stage and they 880 00:49:00,936 --> 00:49:03,516 might beat you, but that's not the mentality. 881 00:49:03,516 --> 00:49:04,816 It's we did it. 882 00:49:04,816 --> 00:49:05,084 Like. 883 00:49:05,084 --> 00:49:09,784 We as a collective whole, as women backstage, like are here and did it. 884 00:49:09,784 --> 00:49:10,994 Everybody's supporting everybody. 885 00:49:10,994 --> 00:49:14,694 And it's just like, I always, I always try to tell like new competitors, I'm like, 886 00:49:14,694 --> 00:49:16,104 just go to a local show. 887 00:49:16,104 --> 00:49:20,364 Like, you know, go to prejudging, go to finals, see what it's like, get that 888 00:49:20,364 --> 00:49:23,744 feeling and like in that environment. 889 00:49:23,744 --> 00:49:28,092 And you can see like, it's get those nerves off, you know? 890 00:49:28,655 --> 00:49:34,355 Yeah, and then you also have an idea of, like you said, it's a, we become like 891 00:49:34,355 --> 00:49:37,465 friends with each other and you can see it on stage. 892 00:49:37,465 --> 00:49:43,715 Like 90 % of the time when someone wins, the other girls around them, they probably 893 00:49:43,715 --> 00:49:49,415 just met backstage and they're hugging each other and like they look like they've 894 00:49:49,415 --> 00:49:50,975 been best friends forever. 895 00:49:50,975 --> 00:49:56,495 I'm like, I love, that's why, honestly, that's why I keep competing, it's because 896 00:49:56,495 --> 00:49:58,587 the community. 897 00:49:58,587 --> 00:49:58,991 Yeah. 898 00:49:58,991 --> 00:50:01,337 It is amazing. 899 00:50:01,628 --> 00:50:02,391 Yeah. 900 00:50:02,391 --> 00:50:03,571 So true. 901 00:50:03,571 --> 00:50:07,631 I think we can all say that, you know, especially, you know, those of us who've 902 00:50:07,631 --> 00:50:10,551 spent so many years doing it and just even like that's how I met you. 903 00:50:10,551 --> 00:50:13,771 Like we connected through social media and I've been able to follow your journey and 904 00:50:13,771 --> 00:50:18,251 it's just been awesome today to talk to you and get your story and share that with 905 00:50:18,251 --> 00:50:19,411 our listeners. 906 00:50:19,411 --> 00:50:23,351 So tell everybody what you're working towards next and what your big eventual 907 00:50:23,351 --> 00:50:25,291 goals are for your career. 908 00:50:26,479 --> 00:50:33,279 So I have three more shows left on my schedule so far this year. 909 00:50:33,439 --> 00:50:38,279 Really my goal for the rest of this year, I would really like to get in the top five 910 00:50:38,279 --> 00:50:40,559 in an open show. 911 00:50:41,259 --> 00:50:48,839 And next year they are doing, as far as I know, they are still doing the Masters 912 00:50:48,839 --> 00:50:52,239 Olympia in 2025. 913 00:50:52,239 --> 00:50:55,503 And I would like to apply and I would hopefully 914 00:50:55,503 --> 00:50:58,863 be able to compete in the Masters Olympia. 915 00:50:58,863 --> 00:51:03,083 And at this moment, that is my goal. 916 00:51:03,927 --> 00:51:04,477 I love it. 917 00:51:04,477 --> 00:51:07,807 I have no doubt that you'll be up there for sure. 918 00:51:08,627 --> 00:51:11,976 Yes, well, thank you so much for joining us today. 919 00:51:11,976 --> 00:51:14,187 I loved learning more about you. 920 00:51:14,187 --> 00:51:17,467 And so tell everybody where they can find you if they'd like to connect with you or 921 00:51:17,467 --> 00:51:19,167 get some posing from you. 922 00:51:19,855 --> 00:51:24,665 I'm on Instagram as April Conley underscore IFBB Pro. 923 00:51:24,665 --> 00:51:30,355 I'm also on TikTok is that and then Facebook stress April Conley. 924 00:51:30,495 --> 00:51:32,995 spelled like it sounds C O N L E Y. 925 00:51:34,140 --> 00:51:35,340 Awesome. 926 00:51:35,340 --> 00:51:39,840 Well again, thank you so much and everybody listening will have all April's, 927 00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:42,390 all her information in the show notes below. 928 00:51:42,390 --> 00:51:46,800 So if you want to schedule any posing or follow her journey and watch her qualify 929 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:51,280 for one or both of the Olympias, you know, check her out. 930 00:51:51,280 --> 00:51:52,120 Thanks guys. 931 00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:52,652 Bye.