1
00:00:00,472 --> 00:00:06,655
Hello everyone and welcome to bikinis
after babies I am one of your hosts Mandy

2
00:00:06,655 --> 00:00:10,816
Rashawn and today is an absolutely special
episode because I have the honor to

3
00:00:10,816 --> 00:00:15,909
introduce our other host my prep bestie
and one of the most inspiring role models

4
00:00:15,909 --> 00:00:23,322
to women I know IFBB bikini pro Gillian
Hughes Gillian is the owner and CEO of mom

5
00:00:23,322 --> 00:00:28,574
shell method fitness a wife and a mother
and stepmother of five kiddos in the

6
00:00:28,942 --> 00:00:33,342
Gillian has been competing guys for 19
years.

7
00:00:33,342 --> 00:00:37,022
She has devoted her life to helping others
through coaching women.

8
00:00:37,202 --> 00:00:40,602
Rather they are stepping on stage or
struggling to lose weight.

9
00:00:40,602 --> 00:00:44,422
She shares her journey and expertise in
the field of nutrition, fitness and all

10
00:00:44,422 --> 00:00:45,622
things competing.

11
00:00:46,642 --> 00:00:50,922
This last weekend I had the honor like
many of you listening to watch Gillian

12
00:00:50,922 --> 00:00:56,102
become an IFBB pro at Masters National in
Pittsburgh.

13
00:00:56,352 --> 00:01:00,365
She is showing the world that women can
achieve anything they put their minds to.

14
00:01:00,365 --> 00:01:07,490
So I wanna welcome my best friend and co
-host, IFBB Bikini Pro, Bikini Dino,

15
00:01:07,951 --> 00:01:09,872
Gillian Hughes.

16
00:01:11,954 --> 00:01:16,957
I know you weren't expecting that, so I
had to prepare you.

17
00:01:17,162 --> 00:01:18,053
Hi everyone.

18
00:01:18,053 --> 00:01:19,856
Thank you so much.

19
00:01:19,856 --> 00:01:20,287
my gosh.

20
00:01:20,287 --> 00:01:21,589
I'm like bawling.

21
00:01:21,589 --> 00:01:22,529
That's...

22
00:01:22,764 --> 00:01:24,495
You guys, surprised Gillian with that.

23
00:01:24,495 --> 00:01:25,226
She had no idea.

24
00:01:25,226 --> 00:01:29,119
So I told her right before I hit the start
button that she can't talk for a minute.

25
00:01:29,119 --> 00:01:29,880
So...

26
00:01:30,252 --> 00:01:35,155
my gosh, well, if you're watching, can see
that I'm an absolute mess.

27
00:01:35,155 --> 00:01:37,857
If you're listening, thank you for
listening in.

28
00:01:37,857 --> 00:01:40,279
I'm crying, but I'm going to be okay.

29
00:01:40,279 --> 00:01:44,071
I was like not, I said I wasn't going to
cry and they actually haven't had a big

30
00:01:44,071 --> 00:01:45,162
cry yet.

31
00:01:45,222 --> 00:01:49,525
I felt like it was coming the other day,
but I just have been on like a such a, you

32
00:01:49,525 --> 00:01:54,328
know, just a crazy like high since this
all happened.

33
00:01:54,328 --> 00:01:58,331
But like that was crazy to hear you
announce me as.

34
00:01:58,861 --> 00:02:01,005
my name and then IFBB Pro afterwards.

35
00:02:01,005 --> 00:02:04,963
Like it's like, has not sunk in at all.

36
00:02:04,963 --> 00:02:07,458
Like I just, I don't know if it ever will.

37
00:02:07,458 --> 00:02:07,959
I don't know.

38
00:02:07,959 --> 00:02:09,792
It's something that I wanted for...

39
00:02:10,713 --> 00:02:13,665
such a dream of yours for so long.

40
00:02:13,745 --> 00:02:18,519
And just being able to watch you, like I
had my laptop in my lap in my car.

41
00:02:18,519 --> 00:02:20,360
I had my laptop with me all day.

42
00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,212
So for you guys listening, I happened to
be at the Ozarks.

43
00:02:23,212 --> 00:02:28,165
I was doing stuff with family and knowing
that Gillian was competing Saturday, I had

44
00:02:28,165 --> 00:02:32,799
the live stream on my laptop and just
watching and waiting and waiting.

45
00:02:32,799 --> 00:02:37,842
And as soon as it was her class and to
watch you, not only you got

46
00:02:38,190 --> 00:02:43,291
top five call out and then when watching
you move to the center and watching you

47
00:02:43,291 --> 00:02:45,922
split center, I just got goosebumps.

48
00:02:45,922 --> 00:02:47,153
I'm like, you got it.

49
00:02:47,153 --> 00:02:48,033
Like you did it.

50
00:02:48,033 --> 00:02:53,424
I knew at pre, like I'm getting goosebumps
just talking about it, but like I was just

51
00:02:53,424 --> 00:02:54,574
like holding back tears.

52
00:02:54,574 --> 00:02:58,296
Cause like when they moved to the two
girls next to you around, I could tell

53
00:02:58,296 --> 00:03:00,516
them like, they know she won.

54
00:03:00,516 --> 00:03:03,397
They're trying to figure out who's coming
in second or third.

55
00:03:03,397 --> 00:03:07,078
And I'm like, I just, I'm like, you did
it.

56
00:03:07,244 --> 00:03:08,780
You fucking did it.

57
00:03:08,885 --> 00:03:10,108
You did.

58
00:03:11,454 --> 00:03:13,767
my god, it's just crazy.

59
00:03:14,390 --> 00:03:18,102
I will like that's there's nothing that
will top that.

60
00:03:18,102 --> 00:03:21,393
I mean, it's like and I feel terrible
saying I said that in front of Brady and

61
00:03:21,393 --> 00:03:23,914
he was like, hey, and I'm like, but it's
so different.

62
00:03:23,914 --> 00:03:28,076
Like being a mother and like obviously
welcoming a child into the world is like

63
00:03:28,076 --> 00:03:30,327
the most incredible experience.

64
00:03:30,327 --> 00:03:34,659
This is like in a completely different
other category of of highs.

65
00:03:34,659 --> 00:03:39,362
And even my husband said like, he's like,
can't think of anything as an adult like

66
00:03:39,362 --> 00:03:44,284
that I would be that like that driven to
do or like that excited

67
00:03:44,284 --> 00:03:50,671
And he's like, but we were all like, like
really hoping and praying and like we all

68
00:03:50,671 --> 00:03:51,432
cried when you got it.

69
00:03:51,432 --> 00:03:54,966
Like it was just, I don't know, there's
just nothing that's really ever gonna top

70
00:03:54,966 --> 00:03:55,557
it, you know?

71
00:03:55,557 --> 00:03:56,207
So.

72
00:03:56,994 --> 00:03:57,644
I don't know.

73
00:03:57,644 --> 00:03:58,845
It was worth it.

74
00:03:58,845 --> 00:03:59,965
telling you.

75
00:03:59,965 --> 00:04:06,108
I remember so and I've said this to
several people that there's many times

76
00:04:06,108 --> 00:04:10,690
when you think, I just want to get off the
step mill.

77
00:04:10,990 --> 00:04:12,150
Or I don't want to finish.

78
00:04:12,150 --> 00:04:15,372
I don't do a fourth set of Bulgarian split
squats.

79
00:04:15,372 --> 00:04:19,053
Or I don't want to go up on my weight on
this next exercise.

80
00:04:19,053 --> 00:04:20,244
Or I want to eat this.

81
00:04:20,244 --> 00:04:23,615
Or I'm just going to have an extra rice
cake or whatever it might be.

82
00:04:23,615 --> 00:04:25,096
And then I would hear.

83
00:04:25,380 --> 00:04:30,245
that announcer say and knew IFBB Pro
Gillian Hughes and I would be like, bitch,

84
00:04:30,245 --> 00:04:34,580
get it together because I knew I would
never hear those words if I gave up or if

85
00:04:34,580 --> 00:04:35,931
I cut corners.

86
00:04:36,372 --> 00:04:39,655
And so when you actually hear it, like.

87
00:04:39,938 --> 00:04:41,760
I mean, you saw my reaction on stage.

88
00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:42,991
mean, I didn't even know what to do.

89
00:04:42,991 --> 00:04:46,994
I wasn't, well, and then I wasn't like, I
wasn't thinking about my posture or

90
00:04:46,994 --> 00:04:47,765
anything, you know?

91
00:04:47,765 --> 00:04:49,656
I just like, kind of let it all go.

92
00:04:49,656 --> 00:04:53,099
I'm glad I didn't like lose my like shit
on stage.

93
00:04:53,099 --> 00:04:55,762
You know, I was crying on stage, but I
wasn't like, whoo!

94
00:04:55,762 --> 00:04:58,423
You know, like boo -hooing or anything,
but.

95
00:04:59,066 --> 00:05:04,061
God love the second place girl knows how
to give us a good side hug in the photo

96
00:05:04,061 --> 00:05:07,934
because I really hardly twisted my waist
and then she put her hand around my waist

97
00:05:07,934 --> 00:05:10,227
and I was like, okay.

98
00:05:10,227 --> 00:05:13,650
So yeah, it was just like the most
incredible moment and the whole weekend

99
00:05:13,650 --> 00:05:15,390
was like incredible.

100
00:05:15,390 --> 00:05:17,874
Like it just was magical.

101
00:05:17,874 --> 00:05:19,425
This whole season has been really magical.

102
00:05:19,425 --> 00:05:19,605
yeah.

103
00:05:19,605 --> 00:05:20,315
yeah.

104
00:05:20,798 --> 00:05:25,182
It has like you have really grinded it
out, but let's so let's talk about this

105
00:05:25,182 --> 00:05:30,397
last weekend and your peak week So first
thing so this was your third show of the

106
00:05:30,397 --> 00:05:37,154
season, you know, you did DC you did
universe and How can you compare your peak

107
00:05:37,154 --> 00:05:38,445
week from those other peak weeks?

108
00:05:38,445 --> 00:05:41,358
So i'm gonna I want to ask you a few
questions for our listeners because like

109
00:05:41,358 --> 00:05:45,587
you did compete so close to each other Or
so many shows close

110
00:05:45,587 --> 00:05:47,993
and just tweaking a few things here and
there.

111
00:05:47,993 --> 00:05:52,375
Cause at DC, you might have to remind me,
but you came in third, third or fourth in

112
00:05:52,375 --> 00:05:53,366
DC.

113
00:05:53,569 --> 00:05:53,880
And

114
00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:58,140
and 35 and then I was fourth and 40 and
then fifth and open.

115
00:05:59,100 --> 00:06:01,760
And that was my show, that was the opener
for the season.

116
00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:02,797
Like it was my

117
00:06:02,797 --> 00:06:03,587
-hmm.

118
00:06:04,251 --> 00:06:08,723
Yeah, and so you took all those like the
feedback the little tweaks and then going

119
00:06:08,723 --> 00:06:11,480
into this show Yeah, what?

120
00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:15,342
I had four weeks in between that show and
Universe.

121
00:06:15,342 --> 00:06:19,764
And I really had more changes to make
really for that month.

122
00:06:19,764 --> 00:06:22,425
There was lot of posing errors and I
really had to come a little more

123
00:06:22,425 --> 00:06:23,565
conditioned.

124
00:06:23,925 --> 00:06:29,628
And so I brought an improved package to
Universe, but I really had only two weeks

125
00:06:29,628 --> 00:06:31,949
between Universe and Masters Nationals.

126
00:06:31,949 --> 00:06:36,401
And I know a lot of girls that came out of
Universe were gonna push to the end of the

127
00:06:36,401 --> 00:06:40,333
summer and do North Americans, which would
be the next opportunity to get a Masters

128
00:06:40,333 --> 00:06:41,356
Pro Card, but I don't have

129
00:06:41,356 --> 00:06:46,138
that luxury because we leave in like six
days for our year family vacation and we

130
00:06:46,138 --> 00:06:53,670
go to a cabin and like and I can eat
healthy and work out but I cannot be on a

131
00:06:53,670 --> 00:06:58,582
prep that close to a show on a vacation
like that it's just too it's too hard and

132
00:06:58,582 --> 00:06:59,472
also

133
00:06:59,601 --> 00:07:00,541
I don't want to.

134
00:07:00,541 --> 00:07:03,541
Like it is our family vacation, you know,
my daughter's birthday.

135
00:07:03,541 --> 00:07:07,341
I was really like, I've got to push for
Masters Nationals.

136
00:07:07,341 --> 00:07:13,621
And then if it doesn't happen, my plan was
I'll turn I turn 45 next August.

137
00:07:13,621 --> 00:07:17,321
So I was just going to wait until North
Americans and then do North Americans in

138
00:07:17,321 --> 00:07:18,061
2025.

139
00:07:18,061 --> 00:07:21,201
So that was kind of like, I'm like, OK, if
I can pull this off, wonderful.

140
00:07:21,201 --> 00:07:23,541
But if not, I have a another.

141
00:07:23,908 --> 00:07:29,801
So I had two weeks to bring in what they
wanted was like tighter glutes, it was it

142
00:07:29,801 --> 00:07:32,132
turns out it was really a skin issue.

143
00:07:32,293 --> 00:07:37,545
But I noticed in reflecting on the girls
in my class, they all had very conditioned

144
00:07:37,545 --> 00:07:41,897
hamstrings and like this like little like
groove under their butts.

145
00:07:42,098 --> 00:07:44,279
Kind like where the V tape not V taper.

146
00:07:44,495 --> 00:07:50,795
you know the tie -ins yeah so I was like
okay I've got to really focus on that and

147
00:07:50,795 --> 00:07:54,955
see if I can just like even if I can just
get a little bit leaner and then just keep

148
00:07:54,955 --> 00:08:00,635
my glutes really full so I enlisted the
help of Kristen Johnson who is not on

149
00:08:00,635 --> 00:08:05,315
Instagram and I wish she was because I
would totally give her credit for this top

150
00:08:05,315 --> 00:08:10,555
secret tip that she gave me but she's a
figure pro from my gym and won her pro

151
00:08:10,555 --> 00:08:14,505
card in 2022 I was actually on the plane
from Pittsburgh coming

152
00:08:14,505 --> 00:08:17,798
And I didn't have my pro card and she got
it that weekend and she was like an aisle

153
00:08:17,798 --> 00:08:20,830
one and I was like way back in the plane
like I Didn't get it again.

154
00:08:20,830 --> 00:08:25,614
You know like all sad or whatever so
anyways so we've been buddies and and she

155
00:08:25,614 --> 00:08:29,336
gave me some great training tips things
that helped her because that was her

156
00:08:29,336 --> 00:08:32,739
feedback as well and she was able to
really bring in Fuller glutes in just two

157
00:08:32,739 --> 00:08:36,682
weeks, and I was like I'm gonna try
everything I can so So it was very

158
00:08:36,682 --> 00:08:37,102
helpful.

159
00:08:37,102 --> 00:08:41,276
It's actually if you're listening and you
follow me on Instagram the workout is on

160
00:08:41,276 --> 00:08:44,308
my Instagram I'm not a gatekeeper like I
give my secrets away

161
00:08:44,308 --> 00:08:46,424
because I know it doesn't matter.

162
00:08:46,424 --> 00:08:48,572
Well, you shared it in your story too.

163
00:08:48,572 --> 00:08:52,524
Yeah, yeah and that whole the whole
sequence is right on my Instagram because

164
00:08:52,524 --> 00:08:56,756
hey it helped me and if it'll help you
Great like because it was when you're

165
00:08:56,756 --> 00:09:01,548
older, you know You do have and when
you're older and you've lost weight you

166
00:09:01,548 --> 00:09:06,240
sometimes get loose skin on your stomach
But people don't think about loose skin on

167
00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:11,653
your backside and then as you go into a
peak week if your glutes are not full You

168
00:09:11,653 --> 00:09:15,795
know, we start to our muscles are depleted
and we can kind of flatten out then we

169
00:09:15,795 --> 00:09:18,588
have skin back there We just do and I
think it's not an

170
00:09:18,588 --> 00:09:22,740
thing necessarily, it's worse as you get
older, but if I can keep my glutes full

171
00:09:22,740 --> 00:09:23,730
then I don't have that issue.

172
00:09:23,730 --> 00:09:27,532
It's a posing thing too, I had to be
really careful with my like turns from

173
00:09:27,532 --> 00:09:31,424
front to back and how I walk and whatnot,
but enlisting the help of Kristen and

174
00:09:31,424 --> 00:09:35,046
doing this little band sequence and I mean
they're like industrial strength bands,

175
00:09:35,046 --> 00:09:38,898
like these are not little booty bands,
these things are like they're from like

176
00:09:38,898 --> 00:09:39,520
elite.

177
00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,427
on Amazon, like just random ones.

178
00:09:41,427 --> 00:09:46,039
well they are on Amazon so I will also
link I'll link the workout and the bands

179
00:09:46,039 --> 00:09:49,631
blow you'll have to remind me because I'm
so I always forget that but they're like

180
00:09:49,631 --> 00:09:54,523
industrial strength thick bands like
they're really intense so but it worked

181
00:09:54,523 --> 00:10:00,116
and I did it backstage to like it's just
good morning squats lunges and

182
00:10:05,218 --> 00:10:06,503
You're on the spot now.

183
00:10:06,703 --> 00:10:09,295
Yeah, but anyways it worked and I did it
backstage too.

184
00:10:09,295 --> 00:10:13,367
so yeah, so I don't know if that answers
your question.

185
00:10:13,367 --> 00:10:14,188
How was my peak week?

186
00:10:14,188 --> 00:10:17,950
Yeah, it was like the same, but I will say
that I was Monday and Tuesday I was in I

187
00:10:17,950 --> 00:10:23,864
was kind of in a little bit of a dark
place like really low energy really like

188
00:10:23,864 --> 00:10:29,116
losing faith and that it was gonna happen
and you know just and tired.

189
00:10:30,157 --> 00:10:32,398
I flew out Wednesday.

190
00:10:33,540 --> 00:10:34,221
Thursday.

191
00:10:34,221 --> 00:10:39,588
But I was just, it's been a long road and
the stakes are so high on the pro card

192
00:10:39,588 --> 00:10:40,079
push.

193
00:10:40,079 --> 00:10:43,734
Everybody wants it and it's just so
intense.

194
00:10:44,689 --> 00:10:48,621
And it's, you know, like there's going to
be like a thousand people there who all

195
00:10:48,621 --> 00:10:50,181
want the same thing.

196
00:10:50,181 --> 00:10:51,062
Have I done enough?

197
00:10:51,062 --> 00:10:53,103
Like, is it going to be my turn this time?

198
00:10:53,103 --> 00:10:58,465
And just, you know, also being, getting
myself ready for either outcome, because,

199
00:10:58,465 --> 00:11:03,557
you know, two years ago when I lost my pro
card, and I say that because what had

200
00:11:03,557 --> 00:11:08,139
happened was they, we went on stage and I
was in the center and then we turned to

201
00:11:08,139 --> 00:11:09,070
the back, we turned to the front.

202
00:11:09,070 --> 00:11:13,291
kept moving this girl and every time we
turned, they'd move her closer to me.

203
00:11:13,291 --> 00:11:14,644
And at the final.

204
00:11:14,644 --> 00:11:19,045
turn they swapped me into second place and
put her in first place.

205
00:11:19,045 --> 00:11:23,347
So I thought about that moment you know
every day for last two years and so the

206
00:11:23,347 --> 00:11:28,508
pressure of like what if I stumble a
little bit and something jiggles or I

207
00:11:28,508 --> 00:11:32,730
don't turn in my front way I turn too much
in my front pose and I don't show my

208
00:11:32,730 --> 00:11:36,551
physique like just I was putting a lot of
pressure on myself so Pequick was rough

209
00:11:36,551 --> 00:11:41,343
mentally and then just feeling like you
know tired like it was time for a break

210
00:11:41,343 --> 00:11:42,833
but you

211
00:11:43,857 --> 00:11:47,580
also trying to muster up the strength to
get through the week too.

212
00:11:47,580 --> 00:11:51,832
So it was a little bit rough, but once I
got there and felt the energy and right

213
00:11:51,832 --> 00:11:57,917
away on my connecting flight, I met Tanith
who is a listener of our show and we just

214
00:11:57,917 --> 00:12:02,099
chatted like the whole flight really, were
like seats apart, we talking, we ended up

215
00:12:02,099 --> 00:12:03,550
taking an Uber together.

216
00:12:03,731 --> 00:12:07,280
that like, mm -hmm, yeah.

217
00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:09,362
listening like thank you so much for
listening.

218
00:12:09,362 --> 00:12:11,073
It means so much to both of us.

219
00:12:11,073 --> 00:12:15,746
And I love meeting people in person that
listen and it like it's just always so

220
00:12:15,746 --> 00:12:16,425
great.

221
00:12:16,425 --> 00:12:20,408
it was so great and like so, just talking
to her and you know, she's so bubbly and

222
00:12:20,408 --> 00:12:24,211
so sweet and so that was like just a
really good start to the weekend, you

223
00:12:24,211 --> 00:12:24,971
know?

224
00:12:25,452 --> 00:12:30,756
So then it was all good vibes after that,
so yeah, back to Pittsburgh, you know?

225
00:12:31,077 --> 00:12:31,937
Yeah.

226
00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:32,970
Awesome.

227
00:12:32,970 --> 00:12:37,123
Well, so after, so then you stepped on
stage on Saturday.

228
00:12:37,224 --> 00:12:42,097
And so at prejudging, when you got moved
in to close to the center and they moved

229
00:12:42,097 --> 00:12:46,350
the two girls around and you got off
stage, how did you feel?

230
00:12:47,083 --> 00:12:51,495
Well, I will say that you kind of lose
sight of where you are and I didn't know

231
00:12:51,495 --> 00:12:57,298
how many people were in that call out So I
knew that I got moved To Center but based

232
00:12:57,298 --> 00:13:01,980
on kind of where I started in the call out
I was like am I am I in this box by

233
00:13:01,980 --> 00:13:02,630
myself?

234
00:13:02,630 --> 00:13:04,701
Is there someone like are we splitting it?

235
00:13:04,701 --> 00:13:06,352
Are there six people in this call?

236
00:13:06,352 --> 00:13:07,012
Are there five?

237
00:13:07,012 --> 00:13:12,725
I really didn't know but I was held
holding holding that spot and then they

238
00:13:12,725 --> 00:13:16,127
were moving the girls next to me and
rotating a few people around and I was

239
00:13:16,127 --> 00:13:16,950
like well

240
00:13:16,950 --> 00:13:18,611
Maybe I'm meet, know third.

241
00:13:18,611 --> 00:13:23,435
I don't really know I really didn't know
but I will say I don't know if I've

242
00:13:23,435 --> 00:13:29,139
admitted this to too many people but I
felt like universe was a fluke and and I

243
00:13:29,139 --> 00:13:34,884
think that's just me being hard on myself,
but I was like, you know, I think I think

244
00:13:34,884 --> 00:13:38,266
I'm up there but I'm I you know, my first
place second, you know, because I got

245
00:13:38,266 --> 00:13:43,460
third and so Even just getting in that
first call it when I'm lined up and I'm

246
00:13:43,460 --> 00:13:44,501
looking behind me.

247
00:13:44,501 --> 00:13:45,131
my

248
00:13:45,249 --> 00:13:45,969
so good.

249
00:13:45,969 --> 00:13:47,130
my god everybody's so tiny.

250
00:13:47,130 --> 00:13:48,111
Everybody looks so amazing.

251
00:13:48,111 --> 00:13:51,833
I'm like and you know what else too there
was just me and Sarah.

252
00:13:51,833 --> 00:13:52,813
Sarah hi.

253
00:13:52,813 --> 00:13:57,926
She's by listening to she heard I was the
only blonde in the class and I was like

254
00:13:59,647 --> 00:14:06,031
yeah yep and she's so sweet so great and
so I was like my god.

255
00:14:06,031 --> 00:14:07,351
looks like me, you know?

256
00:14:07,772 --> 00:14:11,873
And so I was like, whatever, it's fine,
it's gonna be okay.

257
00:14:11,894 --> 00:14:16,976
But essentially, what I'm saying is
everybody was so beautiful and so good,

258
00:14:16,976 --> 00:14:18,917
and that's national.

259
00:14:18,917 --> 00:14:24,280
So I always go, you know what, if I get in
that first call out, that's amazing.

260
00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,401
So that's initially how I felt.

261
00:14:26,401 --> 00:14:32,093
And then once I got backstage and I picked
up my phone and James was texting me and

262
00:14:32,093 --> 00:14:36,025
he's like, it is a very good sign that you
stayed where you were and they were

263
00:14:36,025 --> 00:14:41,034
other girls around he's like I think you
got it I think you got it and I'm like my

264
00:14:41,034 --> 00:14:41,711
my

265
00:14:41,711 --> 00:14:46,163
like that I started crying, know, and then
Brady, my son comes running out from the

266
00:14:46,163 --> 00:14:50,355
audience and he's like, my God, mom, my
God, I think you got it, I you got it.

267
00:14:51,276 --> 00:14:55,778
But a little backstory is that his dad, my
children's father was there competing as

268
00:14:55,778 --> 00:14:58,479
well and had gotten second place on
Thursday.

269
00:14:58,479 --> 00:15:00,770
And I was like, I could be second place,
buddy.

270
00:15:00,770 --> 00:15:03,111
Like it might not be first.

271
00:15:03,111 --> 00:15:05,392
Like I'm literally splitting center.

272
00:15:05,392 --> 00:15:07,943
So, you know, it might not be me.

273
00:15:07,943 --> 00:15:09,314
He said, no, mom, you're the best.

274
00:15:09,314 --> 00:15:11,325
I think you have, you always say that.

275
00:15:11,618 --> 00:15:17,371
So I kind of like, I just didn't want to
like go to finals, get second and have him

276
00:15:17,371 --> 00:15:19,162
be like upset.

277
00:15:19,162 --> 00:15:22,424
So I said to him, you know, like, I'm
gonna be okay.

278
00:15:22,424 --> 00:15:25,726
If today is not the day, it's just not
supposed to be the day, you know?

279
00:15:25,726 --> 00:15:26,306
And so.

280
00:15:26,306 --> 00:15:29,463
Like you never stop being a mom, like
worried about their feelings and what they

281
00:15:29,463 --> 00:15:30,251
may think.

282
00:15:30,251 --> 00:15:32,143
you know, and I'll be okay.

283
00:15:32,143 --> 00:15:34,655
Like, it isn't the end of the world.

284
00:15:34,655 --> 00:15:39,028
So, you know, even though I would be
disappointed, you know, I also want to

285
00:15:39,028 --> 00:15:41,860
show him like, well, what's that gonna,
I'm not gonna stop.

286
00:15:41,860 --> 00:15:43,842
Like, I'm not gonna be done competing.

287
00:15:43,842 --> 00:15:47,415
You know, I'll say that isn't how his dad
handled it.

288
00:15:47,415 --> 00:15:51,688
So, you know, I wanted to make sure I
handled it in the best way, not being fake

289
00:15:51,688 --> 00:15:54,914
and not, I'm not trying to not be
authentic or.

290
00:15:54,914 --> 00:15:55,577
Mm -hmm.

291
00:15:55,577 --> 00:16:00,525
fake around my child like I want to be on
but and that is truly how I felt so so

292
00:16:00,525 --> 00:16:03,900
yeah but then I called you and you were
like you've got to look at the video

293
00:16:03,900 --> 00:16:07,556
you've got to look at it because you want
I'm like stop I might not girl I've been

294
00:16:07,556 --> 00:16:10,490
here so many times before and I didn't I
did not want to look

295
00:16:10,811 --> 00:16:14,093
Like I totally understand like because I
knew like you said, I knew that Brett

296
00:16:14,093 --> 00:16:15,314
didn't like win.

297
00:16:15,314 --> 00:16:18,075
And so I knew where your mind was and I
knew Brady was there.

298
00:16:18,075 --> 00:16:22,488
But like watching the live stream, like
you, as long as you're a seasoned person,

299
00:16:22,488 --> 00:16:24,199
like I could tell what they were doing.

300
00:16:24,199 --> 00:16:27,581
Like as soon as they moved you to center
and they compared you and the other two

301
00:16:27,581 --> 00:16:30,682
girls, like your conditioning was just
there.

302
00:16:30,682 --> 00:16:31,743
Like everything was there.

303
00:16:31,743 --> 00:16:33,384
You checked every box.

304
00:16:33,384 --> 00:16:37,716
And then when they moved those two girls,
I'm like, Gillian won.

305
00:16:37,770 --> 00:16:41,552
They're trying to figure out who's coming
in second or third next to her and like

306
00:16:41,552 --> 00:16:45,924
and moving next to the other girls and
they know they already know that you're in

307
00:16:45,924 --> 00:16:50,507
first and so they don't need you to move
anymore and it's interesting because and I

308
00:16:50,507 --> 00:16:55,160
and I say that because I watched you know
a few other people compete at national at

309
00:16:55,160 --> 00:17:02,364
the my bracelet stuck on my blanket I
watched a few other girls and it's the

310
00:17:02,364 --> 00:17:05,915
judges this is why it's very important to
understand that like just because you're

311
00:17:05,915 --> 00:17:06,946
in the center

312
00:17:06,946 --> 00:17:10,928
fighting for middle, that doesn't mean
you're gonna get first because there were

313
00:17:10,928 --> 00:17:15,730
girls that were in the same spot you were
that didn't win.

314
00:17:15,730 --> 00:17:19,691
And it's because when the judges move you
around, when they score you, you might

315
00:17:19,691 --> 00:17:23,173
have one judge wanna look at another girl
on a different end, they may move you and

316
00:17:23,173 --> 00:17:26,264
they don't even care what the placing,
they're just trying to compare and they

317
00:17:26,264 --> 00:17:29,966
could already know who, like it's just
after being at so many shows and seeing

318
00:17:29,966 --> 00:17:35,698
the pattern for so many years, like I knew
what was happening and I'm

319
00:17:36,224 --> 00:17:37,395
She did it.

320
00:17:37,636 --> 00:17:42,523
And I knew if you would see the footage,
you would understand too, but it's like, I

321
00:17:42,523 --> 00:17:44,698
know, I know, but I was just like so.

322
00:17:44,698 --> 00:17:48,880
and then anything can happen and I just
didn't want I honestly I just wanted to

323
00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:55,573
stay in a really good headspace and You
know I still I still I knew I was in

324
00:17:55,573 --> 00:17:59,154
contention so I would have to keep it
tight for the overall So I still worked on

325
00:17:59,154 --> 00:18:03,116
posing through the day and I still kept my
diet like Spot -on and I checked him with

326
00:18:03,116 --> 00:18:08,258
James every he has us check in like every
two hours on show day And I was just calm

327
00:18:08,258 --> 00:18:10,449
and excited and I will say I

328
00:18:10,449 --> 00:18:14,849
think that finals were starting at 5 not 6
so it was just like that extra hour which

329
00:18:14,849 --> 00:18:17,589
was probably hardest for my husband
because he was at home he couldn't make it

330
00:18:17,589 --> 00:18:21,629
on this trip and he was just dying to find
out and he couldn't even he's so busy in

331
00:18:21,629 --> 00:18:25,709
his job that he couldn't even watch the
live stream but Brady was like updating

332
00:18:25,709 --> 00:18:32,409
him so so it's just a long a long day but
I felt I felt pretty good Friday

333
00:18:33,004 --> 00:18:36,246
I was like, you know, this is really the
best I've ever looked.

334
00:18:36,246 --> 00:18:41,118
I felt like I was nailing my posing and
you know, I just felt really calm and you

335
00:18:41,118 --> 00:18:42,939
know, my belly was happy.

336
00:18:42,939 --> 00:18:47,192
You know, I've had a couple shows where
like I've had like some like not like

337
00:18:47,192 --> 00:18:50,243
stomach issues, but like maybe I didn't
sleep great or like I had a little bit of

338
00:18:50,243 --> 00:18:56,176
bloat or something just from nerves and I
really felt super calm and prepared and

339
00:18:56,176 --> 00:19:01,199
yeah, so but yeah, when I got off stage, I
mean, I was like, my God, like.

340
00:19:01,529 --> 00:19:05,561
that really just happened and I didn't
again I didn't watch any of the videos or

341
00:19:05,561 --> 00:19:08,161
look at any of the pictures and the
pictures started coming up on NPC news

342
00:19:08,161 --> 00:19:13,473
online I looked at my own but I didn't
look at Shia I didn't look at I think I

343
00:19:13,473 --> 00:19:16,855
forget the girl's name the girl that was
in third place she wasn't at Universe but

344
00:19:16,855 --> 00:19:23,207
she's amazing and then Sarah you know
she's she always brings it so so yeah so

345
00:19:23,737 --> 00:19:29,569
so yeah that was that was the morning show
and yeah then we know what happened

346
00:19:29,569 --> 00:19:30,217
obviously

347
00:19:30,217 --> 00:19:36,761
you got to finals and they were going,
what did it, so before they said, and our

348
00:19:36,761 --> 00:19:42,826
new IFBB Pro, when they announced who
second was, I always find that pause

349
00:19:42,826 --> 00:19:46,478
interesting because you know, but you have
to wait for them to say it.

350
00:19:46,478 --> 00:19:48,600
How did you feel in that moment?

351
00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:52,721
Cause that millisecond is really like an
eternity for

352
00:19:52,721 --> 00:19:59,961
Well, first of all, I want to say before
this, when they pulled us out, they pull

353
00:19:59,961 --> 00:20:04,501
you out backstage and set you aside if
you're top five, I was really, really

354
00:20:04,501 --> 00:20:10,341
excited and I was hanging out behind this
curtain and the 45 overall was going on

355
00:20:10,341 --> 00:20:12,501
and Gwen.

356
00:20:13,648 --> 00:20:16,628
I met in DC, she's the one that came out
to me at tanning, was like, are you

357
00:20:16,628 --> 00:20:16,928
Gillian?

358
00:20:16,928 --> 00:20:18,268
I listened to your podcast.

359
00:20:18,268 --> 00:20:21,428
So we have like chatted so much through
this prep these last six weeks.

360
00:20:21,428 --> 00:20:23,988
We met in DC and then we were there
together at Universe.

361
00:20:23,988 --> 00:20:26,108
She won the 45 overall.

362
00:20:26,339 --> 00:20:28,540
So I was so happy.

363
00:20:28,540 --> 00:20:31,881
Like I was just like, my, like I was
trying not to cry because I was so excited

364
00:20:31,881 --> 00:20:32,491
for her.

365
00:20:32,491 --> 00:20:35,902
And she's like this at me, like, yeah, you
know, like we were, couldn't talk because

366
00:20:35,902 --> 00:20:37,272
we were so far away.

367
00:20:38,092 --> 00:20:42,422
So anyway, so then when I went on, I was
like, I still had that sort of in my mind.

368
00:20:42,422 --> 00:20:44,994
I'm like, I gotta, gotta go up here now.

369
00:20:45,014 --> 00:20:46,375
And, and it went fast.

370
00:20:46,375 --> 00:20:48,535
Like they're calling fifth, they're
calling fourth.

371
00:20:49,115 --> 00:20:51,656
And then when they called third, I was
like, my,

372
00:20:51,990 --> 00:20:56,642
You because I had thought I bet you I'm
third you just based on luck, you know And

373
00:20:56,642 --> 00:21:01,183
then when they called the next number I
forgot my number so until she stepped

374
00:21:01,183 --> 00:21:02,774
forward and started walking away.

375
00:21:02,774 --> 00:21:08,665
I was like, My god, like it's me and yeah,
do used to to stand there and wait and I'm

376
00:21:08,665 --> 00:21:12,927
just like I first I want this and I like
don't touch your face and then I'm like

377
00:21:12,927 --> 00:21:16,148
I'm crying do I wipe away a tear I'm like,
my god, like

378
00:21:16,433 --> 00:21:21,795
Yeah, and then they say it and it's just
like, it's even cooler in real life.

379
00:21:21,795 --> 00:21:25,727
Like I have jumped about that moment so
many times and it's just even cooler.

380
00:21:25,727 --> 00:21:28,008
And I'm just looking at the judges like,
thank you, thank you.

381
00:21:28,008 --> 00:21:30,239
Sandy wasn't sitting down there at finals.

382
00:21:30,239 --> 00:21:32,410
She was backstage giving everybody
feedback.

383
00:21:32,410 --> 00:21:36,912
She's so wonderful, but I didn't get an
opportunity to thank her, but like, you

384
00:21:36,912 --> 00:21:38,443
know, they made my dreams come true.

385
00:21:38,443 --> 00:21:42,004
I like wanted to jump down there and kiss
them all because I was so freaking happy.

386
00:21:42,004 --> 00:21:46,406
But yeah, and then they let you take the
picture, you know.

387
00:21:46,406 --> 00:21:49,528
yourself and I picked the trophy I don't
know why I did that I don't know I just

388
00:21:49,528 --> 00:21:55,682
didn't really I don't have anything
planned I was just like and my son jumped

389
00:21:55,682 --> 00:22:01,246
up and he was screaming and and he was
sitting with some some of Tana's family

390
00:22:01,246 --> 00:22:04,608
members so they had all you know knew me
too so they were just cheering it was so

391
00:22:04,608 --> 00:22:09,281
cool like man this is really really
friggin cool but then yeah and that so

392
00:22:09,281 --> 00:22:15,225
then cool this is even cooler I don't know
the expeditors name but really handsome

393
00:22:15,225 --> 00:22:16,756
man I don't know his name

394
00:22:16,948 --> 00:22:19,158
He's probably not listening, but anyways,
I'll figure it out.

395
00:22:19,158 --> 00:22:21,209
I gotta know these people's names one day,
right?

396
00:22:21,209 --> 00:22:23,879
But when I was walking off stage, he said,
welcome to the league.

397
00:22:23,879 --> 00:22:26,590
I was like, Can you say that again?

398
00:22:26,590 --> 00:22:27,240
That's cool.

399
00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:28,430
That like sounds like the league.

400
00:22:28,430 --> 00:22:30,390
Like that sounds so cool.

401
00:22:30,731 --> 00:22:34,091
But then they put you off into like a
corner for the overall.

402
00:22:34,091 --> 00:22:36,702
And then I knew I had to do it, but I like
kind of forgot how to do it.

403
00:22:36,702 --> 00:22:38,802
And I was like, like, you know what?

404
00:22:38,802 --> 00:22:40,042
I'm like, I need, I need water.

405
00:22:40,042 --> 00:22:40,972
Like I can't call.

406
00:22:40,972 --> 00:22:41,932
I can't talk to anybody.

407
00:22:41,932 --> 00:22:44,528
Like I couldn't, you know, end my phone.

408
00:22:44,528 --> 00:22:48,231
Well, I was blowing you up, but I'm like,
she has to, that's right, she has to,

409
00:22:48,231 --> 00:22:49,031
yeah.

410
00:22:49,031 --> 00:22:52,974
I'm like, I can't even imagine her phone
right now and how she feels.

411
00:22:52,974 --> 00:22:57,748
It's almost like I was like, I was so
happy for you, but I was like worried

412
00:22:57,748 --> 00:23:01,201
happy, because I'm like, she has to be
losing her mind, I have to be there for

413
00:23:01,201 --> 00:23:01,631
her.

414
00:23:01,631 --> 00:23:05,244
Like, I was blowing your phone up knowing
that you can't look at your phone, but I

415
00:23:05,244 --> 00:23:10,268
was like, my God, what is she, wins the
overall, this is insane.

416
00:23:10,769 --> 00:23:12,376
I was just so happy.

417
00:23:12,376 --> 00:23:12,836
it.

418
00:23:12,836 --> 00:23:17,636
And I was telling Ashiko, who's my
teammate, and she was in the overall too.

419
00:23:17,636 --> 00:23:19,996
She won her 40 class and she won her 35
class.

420
00:23:19,996 --> 00:23:21,176
She got two pro guards.

421
00:23:21,176 --> 00:23:26,776
And we were both laughing because we
didn't do the best in the overall.

422
00:23:28,836 --> 00:23:29,920
First of all,

423
00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:31,629
has to be so hard.

424
00:23:31,629 --> 00:23:37,051
It is hard because you just like had this
incredible moment and then you got to like

425
00:23:37,051 --> 00:23:39,843
battle it out and it's like, I got to pose
now.

426
00:23:39,843 --> 00:23:44,835
Like not that you forget how to pose, but
I was on the end because they put you in

427
00:23:44,835 --> 00:23:46,796
off of that like height order.

428
00:23:46,796 --> 00:23:51,858
So A, B, C, D, F, G, H, that's eight
classes.

429
00:23:51,858 --> 00:23:56,199
So they put you all out on stage and they
got little short me on the very, very end.

430
00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:00,962
And so I had to angle my front pose to the
judges, obviously, because I'm on the

431
00:24:00,962 --> 00:24:01,742
side.

432
00:24:01,742 --> 00:24:07,516
And then from the back pose, so I'm angled
with my booty kind of you know, facing

433
00:24:07,516 --> 00:24:11,128
them, but the line is like straight and
then I'm turned to the side.

434
00:24:11,128 --> 00:24:13,150
From there, they said, walk to the back.

435
00:24:13,150 --> 00:24:17,402
And I'm like, I don't really figured out
how to turn out of this to walk straight.

436
00:24:17,402 --> 00:24:19,674
And then the line was like, like right
here.

437
00:24:19,674 --> 00:24:21,014
I'm like, it was like three steps.

438
00:24:21,014 --> 00:24:23,736
I'm like, man, I did not nail that.

439
00:24:23,736 --> 00:24:25,297
That looked just really stupid.

440
00:24:25,297 --> 00:24:28,539
So, and then, you from there, then you
turn a face front.

441
00:24:28,539 --> 00:24:29,800
I got moved in.

442
00:24:29,872 --> 00:24:30,872
I don't exactly know where.

443
00:24:30,872 --> 00:24:36,920
I mean, doesn't, they don't tell you how
you did in the overall, but I don't want

444
00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:41,424
to say I didn't try, because I totally
tried, but it wasn't like when I went out

445
00:24:41,424 --> 00:24:44,877
there prejudging in the morning when I was
like, come on, you know, like

446
00:24:45,014 --> 00:24:45,763
Mm -hmm

447
00:24:45,763 --> 00:24:50,357
like I just was like in a really silly
mood so and Ashiko said it was the same

448
00:24:50,357 --> 00:24:55,061
thing for her she was just like that was
my worst walk ever like it's just you know

449
00:24:55,061 --> 00:24:59,956
it was just crazy so I'm just I'm like I
already won I don't need anything else you

450
00:24:59,956 --> 00:25:04,400
know so but yeah I guess I wish I had
another chance to do that and maybe do a

451
00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,214
little bit better but but the girl who won
was you know incredible I think she was

452
00:25:08,214 --> 00:25:09,885
the H -class winner

453
00:25:09,967 --> 00:25:12,746
very deserving, very, yeah, she was real
tall.

454
00:25:12,746 --> 00:25:17,638
So yeah, didn't, but that's okay, I mean,
didn't feel like, you know,

455
00:25:18,386 --> 00:25:23,270
would have been nice but I didn't need to
like have that to finish the experience.

456
00:25:23,691 --> 00:25:27,544
And then when I got backstage, everybody
was kind of lined up talking to Sandy and

457
00:25:27,544 --> 00:25:30,627
when I'm walking through, I've got the
card in my hand and I'm wiping tears off

458
00:25:30,627 --> 00:25:35,191
my face and people are clapping and
hugging me and I'm just like, my God, you

459
00:25:35,191 --> 00:25:37,824
know, and I feel bad for people who like
didn't do as well as they wanted.

460
00:25:37,824 --> 00:25:39,625
I'm like, I wanted to hug all of them.

461
00:25:40,538 --> 00:25:43,464
and then I could see my son like out in
the hallway.

462
00:25:43,464 --> 00:25:49,244
So I didn't even grab my rover and I just
ran and gave him a big hug and got tan all

463
00:25:49,244 --> 00:25:51,766
over his shirt and he was,

464
00:25:51,766 --> 00:25:53,081
I don't think he cared.

465
00:25:53,081 --> 00:25:54,481
No, he was pretty emotional.

466
00:25:54,481 --> 00:25:56,222
was pretty cool.

467
00:25:56,482 --> 00:25:58,183
It was awesome having him there.

468
00:25:58,183 --> 00:26:03,964
I wish my whole family could have been
there, but competing is a long journey.

469
00:26:03,964 --> 00:26:04,945
It's an expensive sport.

470
00:26:04,945 --> 00:26:05,845
Tickets are expensive.

471
00:26:05,845 --> 00:26:07,125
Travel's expensive.

472
00:26:07,125 --> 00:26:09,916
And it just didn't make sense for
everybody to be there, because it could

473
00:26:09,916 --> 00:26:11,267
have been my day or it could have not been
my day.

474
00:26:11,267 --> 00:26:12,987
We didn't really know, right?

475
00:26:13,507 --> 00:26:17,959
But yeah, so coolest, coolest friggin' day
of my life, I swear.

476
00:26:17,959 --> 00:26:19,248
It was so awesome.

477
00:26:19,248 --> 00:26:23,112
that of course segues into the next
question, which you love your segues.

478
00:26:23,112 --> 00:26:25,092
But what did you do after the show?

479
00:26:25,092 --> 00:26:26,675
So what was the very first?

480
00:26:26,675 --> 00:26:29,798
Obviously you ran and saw Brady and hugged
him and everything.

481
00:26:29,798 --> 00:26:31,239
So what did you do the night?

482
00:26:31,239 --> 00:26:33,781
What did you do your pro night?

483
00:26:34,003 --> 00:26:40,307
at the show until it ended because we
decided, me and Ashiko decided to take

484
00:26:40,307 --> 00:26:45,130
really good photos on stage because out in
the lobby they had like the big backdrop.

485
00:26:45,554 --> 00:26:49,774
lighting was kind of weird and there was a
lot of people around and you we wanted to

486
00:26:49,774 --> 00:26:54,514
get those really good photos for our coach
and for ourselves as well so we waited

487
00:26:54,514 --> 00:26:58,114
until the show was over and then they let
you go up on stage and take pictures so we

488
00:26:58,114 --> 00:27:02,614
did that and so that was that was kind of
late and then just you know talking to

489
00:27:02,614 --> 00:27:06,754
people like people that I've competed with
before in the past that knew me or that

490
00:27:06,754 --> 00:27:10,354
I've met at national shows and you know
congratulating them and giving them hugs

491
00:27:10,354 --> 00:27:15,254
so it took like the show I know my program
like I think 630 and I didn't get to my

492
00:27:15,254 --> 00:27:15,507
room

493
00:27:15,507 --> 00:27:17,951
to like nine.

494
00:27:19,094 --> 00:27:23,903
you know, and I talked to Bill Sibelia who
was one of the head judges.

495
00:27:24,534 --> 00:27:26,565
And I got some feedback, so that was good.

496
00:27:26,565 --> 00:27:28,275
I didn't get to see Sandy.

497
00:27:28,836 --> 00:27:32,177
yeah, so, well I said to him, said, do you
remember me?

498
00:27:32,177 --> 00:27:34,248
And he's like, it's okay.

499
00:27:34,248 --> 00:27:35,459
But I did DC.

500
00:27:35,459 --> 00:27:37,510
He goes, I do remember you.

501
00:27:37,510 --> 00:27:41,271
And I said, you told me you wanted me to
have tighter glutes.

502
00:27:41,271 --> 00:27:42,302
And I was like, how did I do?

503
00:27:42,302 --> 00:27:44,813
And he's like, wow, you did a great job.

504
00:27:44,813 --> 00:27:46,033
You really pulled it off.

505
00:27:46,033 --> 00:27:48,354
He's like, now, don't touch the front.

506
00:27:48,354 --> 00:27:49,995
Don't put on, you don't need to do
anything crazy.

507
00:27:49,995 --> 00:27:51,576
Don't put on any more muscle, you're good.

508
00:27:51,576 --> 00:27:54,417
He said, just add some density to your
glutes.

509
00:27:54,417 --> 00:27:57,259
That's kind of what we talked about with
like the skin.

510
00:27:57,259 --> 00:28:03,203
You know, I've got, I have the shape for
sure, but my glutes are so long that when

511
00:28:03,203 --> 00:28:06,265
I'm, you know, not posed, they're actually
kind of flat.

512
00:28:06,265 --> 00:28:08,096
So I need to fill out my medial glute.

513
00:28:08,096 --> 00:28:11,989
Like when I have my back pose, like my
glutes are giant, but I'm not a bubble

514
00:28:11,989 --> 00:28:12,489
butt girl.

515
00:28:12,489 --> 00:28:15,391
Like I just don't have, that's not how
they are shaped.

516
00:28:15,391 --> 00:28:18,813
So I want to really like build that
density, which I wanted to do anyways.

517
00:28:19,154 --> 00:28:22,306
But you know, that was great feedback, you
know, and he said my posing was good and

518
00:28:22,306 --> 00:28:24,477
loved the suit and everything.

519
00:28:25,331 --> 00:28:30,714
So yeah, that was, you you want to deliver
and you want them to say, you know, you

520
00:28:30,714 --> 00:28:36,657
are worthy of pro status and so yeah, that
was really, it was cool to talk to him and

521
00:28:36,657 --> 00:28:40,639
yeah, it's just, and honestly, I feel like
they do treat you a little bit

522
00:28:40,639 --> 00:28:45,532
differently, you know, like when you're a
pro, it's like, I don't know, like, you

523
00:28:45,532 --> 00:28:46,790
know, when you're an amateur and you're...

524
00:28:46,790 --> 00:28:48,530
work that goes into it.

525
00:28:48,530 --> 00:28:50,350
Like, there really is.

526
00:28:50,390 --> 00:28:55,470
I don't care if I meet somebody that is a
pro and they carry their pro status, you

527
00:28:55,470 --> 00:28:58,270
know, and they got their pro card like
five years ago.

528
00:28:58,270 --> 00:29:04,810
doesn't, 10 years ago, it's like the work
that goes into it, in any division really,

529
00:29:04,810 --> 00:29:08,650
know, whether you're a figure, wellness,
bikini, even in the men's categories, I

530
00:29:08,650 --> 00:29:13,930
know bodybuilders take ages and ages to
get their pro card.

531
00:29:13,930 --> 00:29:15,042
And it's like,

532
00:29:15,042 --> 00:29:18,985
You have this respect for it because you
didn't just show up one day looking

533
00:29:18,985 --> 00:29:21,817
conditioned one day and got a pro status
one day.

534
00:29:21,817 --> 00:29:25,490
And now you have like this elite status
one day.

535
00:29:25,490 --> 00:29:30,773
Like you had to do it multiple times and
multiple and like qualifications and

536
00:29:30,773 --> 00:29:31,814
criteria.

537
00:29:31,814 --> 00:29:36,517
And there's, you know, there's things you
have to do and it might take you years and

538
00:29:36,517 --> 00:29:37,698
years to do and you get it.

539
00:29:37,698 --> 00:29:40,020
So there is like a prestige that follows
it.

540
00:29:40,020 --> 00:29:43,282
That's why I always love the NPC IFBB
because of

541
00:29:43,992 --> 00:29:44,562
for sure.

542
00:29:44,562 --> 00:29:50,805
I mean, I think when you're getting your
feedback as an amateur, you feel kind of

543
00:29:50,805 --> 00:29:52,866
defeated, like sort of like, okay, I
didn't get it this time.

544
00:29:52,866 --> 00:29:54,897
Like, what do I need to work on?

545
00:29:55,318 --> 00:30:01,061
And it's just cool to have gotten pro
status and then to be like, now my

546
00:30:01,061 --> 00:30:03,212
feedback's for when I do a pro show.

547
00:30:03,212 --> 00:30:10,246
And it's just a different vibe in having
those conversations with judges.

548
00:30:10,638 --> 00:30:14,318
you know, and just, I don't know, it's
wild.

549
00:30:15,178 --> 00:30:16,638
you know, I don't know.

550
00:30:16,638 --> 00:30:20,978
I don't know what to say other than just
like, you know, I not, I mean, it's still,

551
00:30:20,998 --> 00:30:23,118
not everything's not even gonna change in
my life.

552
00:30:23,118 --> 00:30:27,798
Like, I'm, you know, a lot of things are
still gonna be the same, but just cool to

553
00:30:27,798 --> 00:30:34,198
be like, I'm 43 and I've been competing
for 19 years and.

554
00:30:34,772 --> 00:30:36,404
finally achieve my goal.

555
00:30:36,404 --> 00:30:40,791
And you know was talking to someone
yesterday just about all of that time

556
00:30:40,791 --> 00:30:44,085
spent in the NPC and how valuable it is.

557
00:30:44,909 --> 00:30:47,952
you know, the best part obviously being
all the incredible people that I've met at

558
00:30:47,952 --> 00:30:50,023
all the shows.

559
00:30:50,204 --> 00:30:56,949
But all of the knowledge of every show I
did, every prep, all those experiences,

560
00:30:56,949 --> 00:31:01,833
that time on stage, being compared to
other athletes, know, traveling the

561
00:31:01,833 --> 00:31:06,047
country and being judged by different
judges and being on different stages and

562
00:31:06,047 --> 00:31:07,898
all that experience, like...

563
00:31:07,904 --> 00:31:11,200
I wouldn't have gotten that if I had
gotten my pro card right away.

564
00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:15,227
Like if I had only done, if I was a two
show pro, I wouldn't have all that

565
00:31:15,227 --> 00:31:16,388
experience.

566
00:31:17,026 --> 00:31:22,228
If you're listening to this and you are
thinking you want to give up, don't.

567
00:31:22,228 --> 00:31:28,712
Just keep going and just take it all in
because you're always going to get so much

568
00:31:28,712 --> 00:31:30,092
out of it if you allow it.

569
00:31:30,092 --> 00:31:34,504
If you don't get salty about not getting
the policing that you feel like you should

570
00:31:34,504 --> 00:31:36,875
have gotten because you worked so hard.

571
00:31:36,875 --> 00:31:41,607
But that experience and all of that, you
have to take everything from that.

572
00:31:41,607 --> 00:31:47,174
And it has done so much for my life in so
many wonderful

573
00:31:47,174 --> 00:31:52,922
again not only just in the friendships but
just how much as a person I've grown and

574
00:31:53,327 --> 00:31:57,487
and how much I believe in myself because I
overcame a lot on that journey too, you

575
00:31:57,487 --> 00:31:57,887
know?

576
00:31:57,887 --> 00:32:00,047
So just enjoy it.

577
00:32:00,047 --> 00:32:05,827
Like it's not going anywhere and you can
get a pro card at 70 years old if you want

578
00:32:05,827 --> 00:32:06,627
to, you know?

579
00:32:06,627 --> 00:32:09,867
And that would have been me if I get it,
kept going.

580
00:32:09,947 --> 00:32:16,967
But just enjoy it, enjoy it where you are
and take it for what it is and gain those

581
00:32:16,967 --> 00:32:20,967
experiences and don't stop, you know?

582
00:32:21,767 --> 00:32:22,487
So.

583
00:32:22,487 --> 00:32:25,298
it's always a beautiful experience.

584
00:32:25,298 --> 00:32:27,669
I'm trying not to cry, stop it.

585
00:32:28,629 --> 00:32:34,232
So like you said before, your family has
followed you through this whole journey.

586
00:32:34,232 --> 00:32:38,293
mean, kids have been with you every step
of the way, so has Brian.

587
00:32:38,373 --> 00:32:44,616
And so when you got home Sunday, morning,
afternoon, I think you got home, how was

588
00:32:44,616 --> 00:32:45,346
getting home?

589
00:32:45,346 --> 00:32:48,017
How was seeing everybody?

590
00:32:48,097 --> 00:32:50,058
How did it feel?

591
00:32:50,594 --> 00:32:56,478
Well, Brady and I, when we got home, we
got the pro card out of the suitcase and

592
00:32:56,478 --> 00:32:59,379
the trophy, because I wanted to walk in
with it.

593
00:32:59,740 --> 00:33:01,611
And yeah, was just, it was so cool.

594
00:33:01,611 --> 00:33:06,984
Like, my youngest daughter came running up
to me and she was so excited.

595
00:33:07,565 --> 00:33:11,528
And she hugged me and she touched the
trophy and, know, let's go find a spot for

596
00:33:11,528 --> 00:33:11,898
it, you know?

597
00:33:11,898 --> 00:33:14,689
And then Brian was, he was pretty
emotional too.

598
00:33:15,321 --> 00:33:16,891
But yeah, everybody was so proud.

599
00:33:16,891 --> 00:33:21,743
mean, all the kids just thought this was
so neat that, you know, I officially did

600
00:33:21,743 --> 00:33:24,803
it and they've always, you know, been
really supportive of my journey.

601
00:33:24,803 --> 00:33:26,644
Like nobody's doing that stupid that you
do that.

602
00:33:26,644 --> 00:33:27,884
Like, why don't kids just eat?

603
00:33:27,884 --> 00:33:30,574
You know, like my whole family has been
super supportive.

604
00:33:31,255 --> 00:33:35,806
But I didn't say this, but after the show,
one of the things that Brady and I did was

605
00:33:35,806 --> 00:33:42,667
we took photos in the hallway of our hotel
because so the story is if you're a WWE

606
00:33:42,667 --> 00:33:45,036
fan, which I don't know if you are,

607
00:33:45,036 --> 00:33:51,558
I mean, I am because Brady is and so, you
I love going to WWE events when they come

608
00:33:51,558 --> 00:33:51,958
into St.

609
00:33:51,958 --> 00:33:54,519
Louis and Brady watches every Monday and
every Friday.

610
00:33:54,519 --> 00:33:55,329
It's a huge family.

611
00:33:55,329 --> 00:33:57,110
His goal is to be a professional wrestler.

612
00:33:57,110 --> 00:34:00,791
Like, and that's been his goal since he
was little and he has those wrestlers

613
00:34:00,791 --> 00:34:04,312
lined up in his room and he didn't give a
shit if anybody thinks it's weird.

614
00:34:04,312 --> 00:34:05,762
He loves it and he's going for it.

615
00:34:05,762 --> 00:34:07,853
And honestly, he's a type of kid.

616
00:34:07,853 --> 00:34:11,534
He probably will because he's so
determined.

617
00:34:12,168 --> 00:34:15,089
and stop where I'm at, do get that from?

618
00:34:16,450 --> 00:34:18,640
But you know, he's just incredible.

619
00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:24,632
So anyways, there's a character, Cody
Rhodes, and there was this whole storyline

620
00:34:24,632 --> 00:34:29,104
that went on all year last year about, I
have to finish the story, which was him

621
00:34:29,104 --> 00:34:31,375
getting to WrestleMania, winning
WrestleMania.

622
00:34:31,375 --> 00:34:34,868
And so Brady got this Cody Rhodes shirt
and it says American Nightmare on

623
00:34:34,868 --> 00:34:38,690
And he's like, I want you to take this to
every show and I want you to think about

624
00:34:38,690 --> 00:34:39,611
finishing the story.

625
00:34:39,611 --> 00:34:44,093
So I've been taking this shirt with me to
DC, took it to the universe, and then I

626
00:34:44,093 --> 00:34:46,255
brought it with me to Masters Nationals.

627
00:34:46,255 --> 00:34:49,556
And so when I won, put the shirt on
because I finished the story.

628
00:34:49,556 --> 00:34:53,879
And then we took pictures with the pro
card and the trophy in the hallway.

629
00:34:53,879 --> 00:34:55,630
And so we're in the hallway.

630
00:34:55,630 --> 00:34:58,441
And this is like, again, it's like nine o
'clock.

631
00:34:58,602 --> 00:35:01,603
And doesn't Kim Odo come walking down the
hallway?

632
00:35:01,603 --> 00:35:03,554
And I'm like, my god, that's Kimoto.

633
00:35:03,554 --> 00:35:05,115
We gotta get our shit together.

634
00:35:05,115 --> 00:35:06,415
We're taking these pictures.

635
00:35:06,415 --> 00:35:07,476
got this goofy t -shirt on him.

636
00:35:07,476 --> 00:35:09,727
Brady's laying on the floor or whatever.

637
00:35:10,167 --> 00:35:12,558
he's got a New Yorker.

638
00:35:12,558 --> 00:35:13,859
He's like, congratulations.

639
00:35:13,859 --> 00:35:16,860
I'm like, you know I'm never gonna get
this day ever again.

640
00:35:16,860 --> 00:35:18,751
So I'm taking all the pictures.

641
00:35:18,751 --> 00:35:19,591
I'm doing all the things.

642
00:35:19,591 --> 00:35:21,032
He's like, you enjoy it.

643
00:35:21,032 --> 00:35:22,473
You enjoy every minute of it.

644
00:35:22,473 --> 00:35:24,634
And you put that card in your suitcase and
you get home.

645
00:35:24,634 --> 00:35:25,404
You frame it.

646
00:35:25,404 --> 00:35:26,995
I'm like, I'm going to.

647
00:35:26,995 --> 00:35:27,965
So it was just really cool.

648
00:35:27,965 --> 00:35:29,646
Then he shook my hand and said,
congratulations.

649
00:35:29,646 --> 00:35:31,332
So it was just like, it was super

650
00:35:31,332 --> 00:35:34,452
But yeah, we got that little photo shoot
in before we went to dinner.

651
00:35:34,452 --> 00:35:40,172
um, but yeah, and then yesterday we ate
and Celebrated and I think like the the

652
00:35:40,172 --> 00:35:41,292
coolest feeling ever.

653
00:35:41,292 --> 00:35:46,852
It took me a minute to figure out what it
was but for like three years like I've

654
00:35:46,852 --> 00:35:51,892
been trying obviously training competing
for 19 years, but Coming close to a pro

655
00:35:51,892 --> 00:35:53,832
card really for the first time

656
00:35:54,162 --> 00:36:01,282
2021 was a game changer and I got third at
Masters Nationals.

657
00:36:01,745 --> 00:36:05,985
National show I did in 2009, I mean, it
was the very first year of bikini.

658
00:36:05,985 --> 00:36:07,625
There was 20 bikini competitors.

659
00:36:07,625 --> 00:36:08,885
I won my class.

660
00:36:08,885 --> 00:36:10,365
There was only six girls.

661
00:36:10,365 --> 00:36:12,405
They only gave out two pro cards.

662
00:36:12,405 --> 00:36:15,065
I was like third in the overall, so I
didn't get it.

663
00:36:15,065 --> 00:36:18,885
That didn't feel like it was close to a
pro card, but that was technically my

664
00:36:18,885 --> 00:36:19,945
first national show.

665
00:36:19,945 --> 00:36:24,965
I did nationals in 2018, just as sort of
like a, you know, I'm in shape, let's see,

666
00:36:24,965 --> 00:36:26,525
they got 10th place.

667
00:36:26,565 --> 00:36:30,281
But in 2021, when I got third, that was
what lit the fire.

668
00:36:30,281 --> 00:36:34,586
And I thought, hmm, I can probably do
this.

669
00:36:34,586 --> 00:36:36,488
Like, I can get a pro card.

670
00:36:36,488 --> 00:36:37,959
And I think I want to.

671
00:36:37,959 --> 00:36:39,711
I think that's something I really, really
want to do.

672
00:36:39,711 --> 00:36:41,473
Like, I want to take this seriously.

673
00:36:41,473 --> 00:36:44,155
And I really want to go after it.

674
00:36:44,556 --> 00:36:48,960
And so since then, I have been so
unsettled.

675
00:36:49,393 --> 00:36:53,233
Even when I'm in an off season, even when
I'm taking time off, I'm like, I'm working

676
00:36:53,233 --> 00:36:57,753
towards that pro card every day for the
last three years, thinking about posing,

677
00:36:57,753 --> 00:37:01,493
thinking about building something,
thinking about my waist or my hamstrings

678
00:37:01,493 --> 00:37:02,673
or my glutes.

679
00:37:02,773 --> 00:37:06,913
Like, you know, if a show is 400 days out,
I'm thinking about it, right?

680
00:37:06,913 --> 00:37:09,053
So I don't have that feeling anymore.

681
00:37:09,053 --> 00:37:11,993
Like it's gone because I did it.

682
00:37:11,993 --> 00:37:14,493
So it's awesome.

683
00:37:14,633 --> 00:37:15,913
And it's not bad.

684
00:37:15,913 --> 00:37:17,393
Like it's a good thing.

685
00:37:17,393 --> 00:37:18,513
It's like...

686
00:37:18,513 --> 00:37:22,945
Okay, like, and because Brian would always
be like, what's the one thing that you

687
00:37:22,945 --> 00:37:23,365
want?

688
00:37:23,365 --> 00:37:25,236
You know, like a Christmas, my birthday,
whatever.

689
00:37:25,236 --> 00:37:26,006
I'm like, a pro card.

690
00:37:26,006 --> 00:37:27,847
I literally have everything else I want.

691
00:37:27,847 --> 00:37:28,807
I just want a pro card.

692
00:37:28,807 --> 00:37:31,528
I drive my dream Jeep.

693
00:37:31,528 --> 00:37:33,379
you know, I have an awesome husband.

694
00:37:33,379 --> 00:37:35,660
I have a business that I'm crazy
passionate about.

695
00:37:35,660 --> 00:37:36,910
I awesome friends.

696
00:37:36,910 --> 00:37:40,352
You know, I literally have everything that
I could've ever wanted and the only thing

697
00:37:40,352 --> 00:37:43,113
that I couldn't get was this pro card.

698
00:37:43,113 --> 00:37:45,654
And so now I'm just like, I don't know.

699
00:37:45,654 --> 00:37:46,494
Like.

700
00:37:46,716 --> 00:37:47,476
Really, this is it?

701
00:37:47,476 --> 00:37:49,487
I'm not gonna die tomorrow, am I?

702
00:37:50,228 --> 00:37:52,258
You know, it's just crazy.

703
00:37:52,389 --> 00:37:58,222
man, I'm so glad our listeners love me for
me and let me be myself because that was a

704
00:37:58,222 --> 00:37:59,302
really nutty thing to say.

705
00:37:59,302 --> 00:37:59,992
yeah.

706
00:38:00,169 --> 00:38:04,583
That is like the whole, that is why this
podcast is this podcast is because we

707
00:38:04,583 --> 00:38:09,196
don't edit it, we don't try to cut
anything out or like try not to be

708
00:38:09,196 --> 00:38:09,947
somebody we're not.

709
00:38:09,947 --> 00:38:11,628
It's just, no, this is who we are.

710
00:38:11,628 --> 00:38:15,231
This is, know, you got Bikini Dinosaur and
right.

711
00:38:15,231 --> 00:38:17,543
It's just, it is what it is.

712
00:38:17,543 --> 00:38:19,184
Like that's the best part.

713
00:38:19,184 --> 00:38:19,745
You know what?

714
00:38:19,745 --> 00:38:20,626
Yeah.

715
00:38:20,626 --> 00:38:26,130
Just, I'm just like, I'm just so happy for
you.

716
00:38:26,336 --> 00:38:31,789
Obviously I knew we were going to do this
today and I just am like, don't cry.

717
00:38:31,789 --> 00:38:33,510
Don't like, don't cry.

718
00:38:33,510 --> 00:38:35,581
Like we have been doing this podcast now.

719
00:38:35,581 --> 00:38:37,352
It will be a year soon.

720
00:38:37,412 --> 00:38:40,994
And which that blows my mind that we'll be
doing this for a year in November.

721
00:38:40,994 --> 00:38:43,885
And it's like, you know, I was thinking
about this.

722
00:38:43,885 --> 00:38:46,967
I was thinking about, you know, the, the
pros that we've had on and all these great

723
00:38:46,967 --> 00:38:48,978
women and you always ask

724
00:38:49,612 --> 00:38:53,273
You're so great at asking questions and
you always ask them what it felt like when

725
00:38:53,273 --> 00:38:54,644
they got their pro card.

726
00:38:54,644 --> 00:38:58,865
And I knew that we were gonna do this
today and I'm like, and they always say,

727
00:38:58,865 --> 00:39:01,266
you'll get it, Gillian, or someday it will
be your turn.

728
00:39:01,266 --> 00:39:03,047
You know, it's always something very kind.

729
00:39:03,047 --> 00:39:08,489
And I knew today when we were gonna do
this, I'm like, I get to ask Gillian, how

730
00:39:08,489 --> 00:39:09,309
does it feel now?

731
00:39:09,309 --> 00:39:11,050
It did happen to you.

732
00:39:11,770 --> 00:39:14,286
yeah, it's surreal

733
00:39:14,286 --> 00:39:18,031
got it and you got like that feeling and
you always ask all these other women and

734
00:39:18,031 --> 00:39:20,143
now it's you you got to experience it and
it

735
00:39:20,143 --> 00:39:28,510
think like this podcast is a part of that
success because not only spending time

736
00:39:29,112 --> 00:39:33,726
talking to these women and hearing their
incredible journeys of things they've

737
00:39:33,726 --> 00:39:38,091
overcome and and you know them sharing
their experience of what it was like to

738
00:39:38,091 --> 00:39:41,685
get a pro card like it was planting that
seed of like that one day it could happen

739
00:39:41,685 --> 00:39:42,545
for me.

740
00:39:43,260 --> 00:39:48,442
but the support that we've gotten through
our competitions that we've done this year

741
00:39:48,442 --> 00:39:51,444
from our listeners and just being able to
share.

742
00:39:51,444 --> 00:39:58,217
I was like, if nobody listens to it, at
least I get to just pour my guts out every

743
00:39:58,217 --> 00:40:00,568
week and talk about everything that's
going on through this whole journey.

744
00:40:00,568 --> 00:40:06,941
But it's been so, yeah, it's so special
that I got to share it in this way because

745
00:40:06,981 --> 00:40:10,873
people do YouTube series and they hire
videographers and they have so much work

746
00:40:10,873 --> 00:40:11,333
to do that.

747
00:40:11,333 --> 00:40:13,216
And I'm like, I just got to jump on

748
00:40:13,216 --> 00:40:17,781
every week and talk to you guys and then
have people like write me and be like I

749
00:40:17,781 --> 00:40:21,656
love that episode and like I didn't think
about putting you know peanut butter on my

750
00:40:21,656 --> 00:40:27,707
chicken and rice or whatever it is like
I'm like it's so awesome that I yeah

751
00:40:27,707 --> 00:40:29,798
It's so good, I know.

752
00:40:29,798 --> 00:40:37,270
But yeah, I'm forever grateful and I'm
just so lucky to have this place to do

753
00:40:37,270 --> 00:40:37,560
this.

754
00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:42,051
And it was so cool when you started
bringing up the idea of doing this,

755
00:40:42,051 --> 00:40:43,462
because this was your idea.

756
00:40:43,462 --> 00:40:46,402
At first I was like, I don't have time for
that, I don't know about that.

757
00:40:46,442 --> 00:40:47,293
Can I do it every week?

758
00:40:47,293 --> 00:40:49,003
I don't know if I can do it every week.

759
00:40:49,383 --> 00:40:51,124
And which we have, which is awesome too.

760
00:40:51,124 --> 00:40:55,205
But I thought, if next year is my pro card
year.

761
00:40:55,749 --> 00:40:59,221
I'll get to kind of, you know, have it all
unfold.

762
00:40:59,221 --> 00:41:03,574
Like if you go back to episode one and you
see like, was like right in my off season.

763
00:41:03,574 --> 00:41:07,176
My face is like the entire screen because
my cheeks are so big.

764
00:41:07,176 --> 00:41:09,003
My off season face.

765
00:41:09,003 --> 00:41:11,064
had, I went, I saw it.

766
00:41:11,064 --> 00:41:12,415
It was like a couple of weeks ago.

767
00:41:12,415 --> 00:41:15,867
I was like scrolling back to look at
something and I was like, I showed my

768
00:41:15,867 --> 00:41:16,117
husband.

769
00:41:16,117 --> 00:41:18,809
was like, look, I look like a little
chipmunk.

770
00:41:19,590 --> 00:41:20,290
And

771
00:41:20,290 --> 00:41:26,936
I just used my, I was sitting at my desk
with a big messy shelf behind me and like

772
00:41:26,936 --> 00:41:31,740
didn't have good lighting, know, like, we
didn't know anything when we started this,

773
00:41:31,740 --> 00:41:37,565
but it's just really cool that like we got
to share the whole prep and then now we're

774
00:41:37,565 --> 00:41:42,404
here and you just introduced me as an IFBB
bikini pro, it's like, wha!

775
00:41:42,404 --> 00:41:42,925
What?

776
00:41:42,925 --> 00:41:44,877
Like, it's so crazy.

777
00:41:45,519 --> 00:41:50,866
But no, I met so many amazing women this
weekend who listened to the podcast and

778
00:41:50,866 --> 00:41:52,378
that's so great.

779
00:41:52,378 --> 00:41:56,724
Like, I love all of you so much and, you
know, everybody's so deserving.

780
00:41:56,724 --> 00:41:59,418
It's such a bummer to see so many girls.

781
00:41:59,418 --> 00:42:03,310
disappointed because they didn't reach
their goal and I've been there so many

782
00:42:03,310 --> 00:42:05,721
times and I'm going into the pro leagues.

783
00:42:05,721 --> 00:42:08,862
I'm sure I'm gonna experience that
disappointment a whole lot more.

784
00:42:09,442 --> 00:42:13,274
But you know, I just think just keep
going.

785
00:42:13,274 --> 00:42:14,965
Like just keep going.

786
00:42:14,965 --> 00:42:20,087
And like I think being a student of the
sport is the best way to kind of go about

787
00:42:20,087 --> 00:42:20,167
it.

788
00:42:20,167 --> 00:42:21,308
Just give me the feedback.

789
00:42:21,308 --> 00:42:22,428
Don't take it personal.

790
00:42:22,428 --> 00:42:26,790
Don't feel like you suck because they tell
you that you need more conditioning.

791
00:42:26,790 --> 00:42:28,251
Just use it to get better.

792
00:42:28,251 --> 00:42:29,331
And then when you get better,

793
00:42:29,331 --> 00:42:31,211
you're like, I did that, I got better.

794
00:42:31,211 --> 00:42:36,431
Because I looked at my photos at Universe
and I said, you know what, I didn't win

795
00:42:36,431 --> 00:42:42,971
today, but I won in improving because I
improved so much since 2022.

796
00:42:43,131 --> 00:42:47,591
And you look at that and you just go, man,
that was a lot of training, a lot of time

797
00:42:47,591 --> 00:42:49,331
spent doing that.

798
00:42:49,331 --> 00:42:50,791
And that's a win.

799
00:42:50,791 --> 00:42:53,371
Even if it's not a first place, it's a
win.

800
00:42:53,934 --> 00:42:55,855
Well, it's all about your mindset.

801
00:42:55,855 --> 00:42:58,096
you know, you look, compare you and me.

802
00:42:58,096 --> 00:43:02,299
Like this year when I started competing,
my mindset was I was going to go to

803
00:43:02,299 --> 00:43:03,029
universe with you.

804
00:43:03,029 --> 00:43:04,530
I was going to do North Americans.

805
00:43:04,530 --> 00:43:06,591
I was going to push and train.

806
00:43:06,591 --> 00:43:12,144
And I had all of this like strategized out
and nowhere in my wheelhouse was my back

807
00:43:12,144 --> 00:43:13,885
acting up a part of that.

808
00:43:13,885 --> 00:43:14,545
Right?

809
00:43:14,545 --> 00:43:18,127
Like knowing that this pain was going to
come back and this pain was going to stop

810
00:43:18,127 --> 00:43:20,649
me from like being able to really push
myself with conditioning.

811
00:43:20,649 --> 00:43:23,010
It put me in a bad head space multiple
times.

812
00:43:23,010 --> 00:43:26,152
But like I had to, I had to, you know,
come to Jesus moment and be like, you

813
00:43:26,152 --> 00:43:31,717
know, like you say, like we all say, the
stage is always there, but use this time

814
00:43:31,717 --> 00:43:38,022
to grow, use this time to, you know, grow
in the sport and train and do other things

815
00:43:38,022 --> 00:43:43,626
and, you know, other things that can help
you further along in your athletic career

816
00:43:43,626 --> 00:43:46,008
or through coaching, through all of this
stuff.

817
00:43:46,008 --> 00:43:48,530
So instead of like, you know, being

818
00:43:49,446 --> 00:43:53,010
mad or negative, especially like knowing
that my conditioning could have been

819
00:43:53,010 --> 00:43:57,345
better, all this stuff, like instead of
getting mad at myself or being upset that

820
00:43:57,345 --> 00:44:02,090
this this year wasn't my year, it's like,
no, I just got to take a step back and do

821
00:44:02,090 --> 00:44:07,342
something else and and cheer you on and
all of our athletes and you

822
00:44:07,342 --> 00:44:10,722
You know all the people that we know all
the listeners to all the listeners that

823
00:44:10,722 --> 00:44:14,502
write us and say this is our first show Or
this is you know, this is my first time

824
00:44:14,502 --> 00:44:16,222
competing in 20 years.

825
00:44:16,222 --> 00:44:20,522
This is my first time competing after kids
It's like I want to cheer them on go you

826
00:44:20,522 --> 00:44:25,462
good job Like if we can help you if we can
do anything like if you have any

827
00:44:25,462 --> 00:44:28,602
questions, like I just love that and
that's

828
00:44:28,642 --> 00:44:31,284
where my focus and give is right now to do
that.

829
00:44:31,284 --> 00:44:33,285
You know, I can't step on stage right now.

830
00:44:33,285 --> 00:44:37,058
So it just, it's all about your mindset
and how you look at the sport and how you

831
00:44:37,058 --> 00:44:39,930
look at training and focusing that energy.

832
00:44:39,930 --> 00:44:40,851
Like don't be negative.

833
00:44:40,851 --> 00:44:41,751
Don't be mad.

834
00:44:41,751 --> 00:44:43,232
Don't be mad at yourself or the judges.

835
00:44:43,232 --> 00:44:49,887
Take the feedback, the life events and do,
and then go grow from it.

836
00:44:49,887 --> 00:44:51,494
Yeah.

837
00:44:51,494 --> 00:44:55,416
And that is, I mean, probably why we
connect so well and we have such a close

838
00:44:55,416 --> 00:45:01,408
bond because of your mindset, because
never at any point did you take the

839
00:45:01,408 --> 00:45:06,621
feedback or the placings and like even,
you know, at Clash, I mean, it took you a

840
00:45:06,621 --> 00:45:09,382
little minute to even tell me that you
were disappointed.

841
00:45:09,382 --> 00:45:12,954
You you kept it to yourself and you just
sort of processed it then, you know, you

842
00:45:12,954 --> 00:45:15,325
were like, yeah, I was actually pretty
bummed.

843
00:45:15,728 --> 00:45:19,699
And it's not to say that you're being fake
by not telling people that, but you're

844
00:45:19,699 --> 00:45:21,434
just the type of person that

845
00:45:22,448 --> 00:45:27,530
you take the feedback and you grow from it
and you're positive and I think that's how

846
00:45:27,530 --> 00:45:32,672
you've got to be if you want to last in
this sport because it is so challenging

847
00:45:32,672 --> 00:45:36,094
and we've talked about this before I think
it's tough to take the feedback as a woman

848
00:45:36,094 --> 00:45:41,646
because it's your body it's like your
naked body and then they're telling you

849
00:45:41,646 --> 00:45:46,518
things that you need to work on you can't
take that personal it's just that's the

850
00:45:46,518 --> 00:45:50,710
sport and you just take it you do okay
perfect I'm gonna go back to work right

851
00:45:50,970 --> 00:45:52,711
but I love that about you Mandy that

852
00:45:52,711 --> 00:45:57,332
You're such a positive person and you're a
true leader in the sport and you've

853
00:45:57,332 --> 00:46:02,513
encouraged me so much on this journey and
I think it's cool that we're gonna be

854
00:46:02,513 --> 00:46:12,546
sharing our journeys to come as the next
year kind of transpires with the pivoting

855
00:46:12,546 --> 00:46:15,816
goals now that we've ticked a big one off
the list, what comes next.

856
00:46:16,927 --> 00:46:18,327
A big one.

857
00:46:20,430 --> 00:46:22,111
I couldn't do any of this without you.

858
00:46:22,111 --> 00:46:25,804
Like I couldn't, like even though like you
said earlier, like this podcast may have

859
00:46:25,804 --> 00:46:30,618
been my idea, but it was my idea knowing
that I could do it with somebody like you.

860
00:46:30,618 --> 00:46:31,359
That was it.

861
00:46:31,359 --> 00:46:34,682
Like I couldn't, I didn't want to do this
by myself.

862
00:46:34,682 --> 00:46:39,746
didn't, I knew after, I think we were, was
like several months I was working with

863
00:46:39,746 --> 00:46:40,326
you.

864
00:46:40,326 --> 00:46:41,577
It was, cause it was fall.

865
00:46:41,577 --> 00:46:42,387
Yeah.

866
00:46:42,488 --> 00:46:44,940
And I knew I'm like, I know.

867
00:46:44,940 --> 00:46:49,013
that she has the mindset, the attitude.

868
00:46:49,013 --> 00:46:50,925
I know that you have, I can trust you.

869
00:46:50,925 --> 00:46:55,989
That's a big thing in this sport, in any
type of business endeavor.

870
00:46:55,989 --> 00:47:00,132
Like, I can trust you and we can
communicate with each other.

871
00:47:00,132 --> 00:47:02,825
And so I couldn't do it without you.

872
00:47:02,825 --> 00:47:08,159
And I know you and I have never had a
relationship like we have being prep

873
00:47:08,159 --> 00:47:14,453
besties, being able to text at four in the
morning, know, do cardio together via

874
00:47:14,910 --> 00:47:21,552
messenger watch shows together overseas
like just and then like losing our shit

875
00:47:21,552 --> 00:47:27,062
and having to be like I need a minute and
then just go off you know it's just it is

876
00:47:27,062 --> 00:47:27,433
so

877
00:47:27,433 --> 00:47:31,328
I know it's so, it's been awesome just to
like have you, I mean, you were my first

878
00:47:31,328 --> 00:47:35,662
phone call after all of the shows, not
even Brian.

879
00:47:38,326 --> 00:47:39,354
He's not listening.

880
00:47:39,354 --> 00:47:44,494
my husband and mine 10 year anniversary of
the day that we met and we were out to

881
00:47:44,494 --> 00:47:49,174
dinner and I think we were walking when
you called me I don't remember but we were

882
00:47:49,174 --> 00:47:53,474
doing oh yeah absolutely I looked at him
and I was like no no I think we were maybe

883
00:47:53,474 --> 00:47:59,154
out to sitting already at dinner and I was
like mm like I there's no way that I'm not

884
00:47:59,154 --> 00:48:00,434
picking up

885
00:48:01,154 --> 00:48:04,542
But so we're almost at our hour mark.

886
00:48:04,542 --> 00:48:10,896
of course, one of the questions we always
ask our pros is what are your future

887
00:48:10,896 --> 00:48:11,897
plans?

888
00:48:12,921 --> 00:48:16,522
Okay, these are my plans right now.

889
00:48:16,523 --> 00:48:21,525
And I did tell James that I wanted to take
August to like see what was in my heart.

890
00:48:21,525 --> 00:48:26,997
not taking off, but like, you know, I'm
obviously, you know, I'm gonna let my body

891
00:48:26,997 --> 00:48:29,408
heal, recover, we have a trip.

892
00:48:29,649 --> 00:48:35,371
But I'm gonna take the month of August to
just really think about, you know, what I

893
00:48:35,371 --> 00:48:35,841
wanna do.

894
00:48:35,841 --> 00:48:40,033
But I think I've kind of already kind of
figured

895
00:48:41,489 --> 00:48:46,989
So, you there's the Masters Olympia in
2025 and I believe they're going to start

896
00:48:46,989 --> 00:48:50,449
accepting applications like probably
around Christmas time.

897
00:48:51,109 --> 00:48:53,369
I haven't even competed as a pro yet.

898
00:48:53,649 --> 00:48:58,449
you know, I don't think they were going to
take, they only take like 20 people and

899
00:48:58,449 --> 00:49:03,329
there's so many amazing Masters pros that
have, you know, multiple titles and have

900
00:49:03,329 --> 00:49:04,929
been competing a lot.

901
00:49:05,029 --> 00:49:09,769
My body feels really good, but I know that
I need to, you know, just get some balance

902
00:49:09,769 --> 00:49:10,709
back

903
00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:14,860
ease off of the cardio and bring my food
up and all of that.

904
00:49:14,860 --> 00:49:21,180
So I don't know if it's smart to jump
right into a prep in September and push to

905
00:49:21,180 --> 00:49:27,140
get a bunch of shows in before the end of
2024 so that I can try to make the car for

906
00:49:27,140 --> 00:49:29,900
the 2025 Olympia, Masters Olympia.

907
00:49:30,700 --> 00:49:39,620
So with that being said, what I think my
plan is is to build that density and look

908
00:49:39,620 --> 00:49:42,034
at doing some like late summer

909
00:49:42,034 --> 00:49:43,714
in 2025.

910
00:49:44,154 --> 00:49:46,374
So I don't even know what that looks like.

911
00:49:46,374 --> 00:49:50,474
don't even know, you know, I know there's
the Tampa Pro is like in August, I think,

912
00:49:50,474 --> 00:49:53,974
or it's either the end of July this year
anyways.

913
00:49:55,614 --> 00:49:56,183
Yeah.

914
00:49:56,183 --> 00:49:57,966
or something, it's like really close.

915
00:49:57,966 --> 00:50:03,744
Yeah, so, and just pick like two or three
master shows and you know, I want one of

916
00:50:03,744 --> 00:50:08,711
them to be a cool destination that my
family can come to because you know, I do

917
00:50:08,711 --> 00:50:10,494
want to start bringing them to shows.

918
00:50:10,494 --> 00:50:15,179
I just, on the national scene, it's just,
you just can't.

919
00:50:15,248 --> 00:50:19,388
30 people with you, just can't, it's so
much and I had to get in the zone and I'm

920
00:50:19,388 --> 00:50:24,208
not saying I won't be like as focused or
I'm not gonna not take the pro league

921
00:50:24,208 --> 00:50:27,248
seriously, I'm totally gonna take it
seriously, but it's just different.

922
00:50:27,568 --> 00:50:29,348
It's very different.

923
00:50:29,408 --> 00:50:33,088
And also, when you're a pro, they tell you
what time you're going on stage and then

924
00:50:33,088 --> 00:50:34,488
you're off stage.

925
00:50:34,488 --> 00:50:37,628
So when you're a national, I'm like, I
could be going on at nine, I could be

926
00:50:37,628 --> 00:50:39,788
going on at one, I don't know.

927
00:50:40,188 --> 00:50:41,888
So that's the other thing too.

928
00:50:41,888 --> 00:50:45,155
So yeah, that's kind of like tentatively
what I'm thinking

929
00:50:45,155 --> 00:50:48,595
doing and there's a lot of it has to do
with cheer too because we have so much

930
00:50:48,595 --> 00:50:53,335
traveling in the spring so I'd like to
avoid kind of like being in prep in the

931
00:50:53,335 --> 00:50:57,375
spring but kind of going into fall like
you know towards the end of 2020 and

932
00:50:57,375 --> 00:51:02,435
hopefully you know the Masters Olympia
last year was a huge success I would love

933
00:51:02,435 --> 00:51:07,795
to see them do that more than once every
two years but I think yeah I think I mean

934
00:51:07,795 --> 00:51:12,595
the numbers of Masters athletes continue
to grow and so I think if we just like

935
00:51:12,595 --> 00:51:15,095
keep building up the

936
00:51:15,108 --> 00:51:19,567
of women competing as masters then they'll
just they'll have it every year which

937
00:51:19,567 --> 00:51:23,593
would be totally amazing so so yeah that's
kind of what I'm thinking right now

938
00:51:23,764 --> 00:51:24,644
That's a good plan.

939
00:51:24,644 --> 00:51:26,075
That's a smart strategy.

940
00:51:26,075 --> 00:51:29,927
And of course it can always change, but
that's a good, I think that's a healthy

941
00:51:29,927 --> 00:51:31,048
strategy.

942
00:51:31,188 --> 00:51:35,891
And so as we wrap up this episode, another
question we always ask all of our pros,

943
00:51:35,891 --> 00:51:42,514
which I always find how, I always find it
fascinating how amazing you are at this.

944
00:51:42,514 --> 00:51:45,556
And I really would love for you to share
with the, with our listeners.

945
00:51:45,556 --> 00:51:48,096
I almost said viewers, viewers and
listeners.

946
00:51:48,096 --> 00:51:49,239
and listeners.

947
00:51:50,058 --> 00:51:52,099
Yes, if you're watching on YouTube.

948
00:51:52,099 --> 00:51:55,801
What is your tip for juggling everything?

949
00:51:55,801 --> 00:52:00,273
Work, business, wife, kiddos, especially,
especially, I wanna put like

950
00:52:00,273 --> 00:52:05,156
capitalization on the kids being home over
the summer, because they all have summer

951
00:52:05,156 --> 00:52:05,846
activities.

952
00:52:05,846 --> 00:52:10,358
How on earth have you managed to juggle
everything?

953
00:52:10,358 --> 00:52:12,990
What is something you would love to share?

954
00:52:12,990 --> 00:52:14,030
How you do

955
00:52:14,970 --> 00:52:15,783
Well.

956
00:52:16,784 --> 00:52:22,437
I think the biggest thing is finding a
time for training that fits into your

957
00:52:22,437 --> 00:52:25,198
schedule that is optimal.

958
00:52:25,198 --> 00:52:30,010
and then every day I train at the same
time every single day seven days a week.

959
00:52:30,111 --> 00:52:31,952
And so that time is carved out.

960
00:52:31,952 --> 00:52:34,532
Nothing goes in that time except for that.

961
00:52:35,273 --> 00:52:39,455
I'm a planner like and I use a paper
planner with tons of notes.

962
00:52:39,455 --> 00:52:41,826
I write I need to see it in a note.

963
00:52:41,826 --> 00:52:43,227
It's a big like calendar.

964
00:52:43,227 --> 00:52:44,197
It's like this big.

965
00:52:44,197 --> 00:52:45,892
And so that's

966
00:52:45,892 --> 00:52:47,073
That's a huge one too.

967
00:52:47,073 --> 00:52:53,316
I look ahead to the next day, make sure
I've got everything taken care of.

968
00:52:53,316 --> 00:52:55,887
think just being organized.

969
00:52:55,887 --> 00:52:59,279
I was thinking about this, the kids being
home, I love it.

970
00:52:59,279 --> 00:53:00,520
I love them being here.

971
00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:02,120
It's weird when they're all not here.

972
00:53:02,120 --> 00:53:03,761
It's very strange to me.

973
00:53:05,042 --> 00:53:07,102
was having those crazy stuff.

974
00:53:07,102 --> 00:53:08,362
Yeah, I'm like lost.

975
00:53:08,362 --> 00:53:09,362
It's like I don't know what to do.

976
00:53:09,362 --> 00:53:12,842
It's like I'm the type person if you give
me, I have too much time on my hands, I

977
00:53:12,842 --> 00:53:14,422
get nothing accomplished.

978
00:53:14,762 --> 00:53:18,122
you know, if I have the whole day to clean
the house, I will not clean the house, but

979
00:53:18,122 --> 00:53:20,262
give me 45 minutes, I get the whole thing
done.

980
00:53:20,262 --> 00:53:23,202
So I'm very much like, you know, just
bring it on.

981
00:53:23,202 --> 00:53:25,742
like to juggle a lot, but yeah, I guess
that's it.

982
00:53:25,742 --> 00:53:30,382
You know, just make lists and, you know,
just prioritize what you can and you will

983
00:53:30,382 --> 00:53:32,062
not be able to get everything done.

984
00:53:32,517 --> 00:53:39,529
But I just, for me, training was a huge
priority and dieting and I keep my food

985
00:53:39,529 --> 00:53:41,050
simple, that makes things easy too.

986
00:53:41,050 --> 00:53:46,821
So I don't know, think it's the same thing
that we all do, all of us competitors.

987
00:53:47,002 --> 00:53:49,402
If we don't know how, we find a way.

988
00:53:49,402 --> 00:53:53,884
And there's so many resources, I've
learned these things from other people,

989
00:53:53,884 --> 00:53:55,684
but it's just possible.

990
00:53:55,684 --> 00:53:58,165
Know it's possible and believe you can do
it, for sure.

991
00:54:00,590 --> 00:54:01,630
I think I always think that's great.

992
00:54:01,630 --> 00:54:03,970
I think it's great advice, especially for
somebody.

993
00:54:03,970 --> 00:54:05,090
Like you said, you're 43.

994
00:54:05,090 --> 00:54:06,470
You have all of the kiddos at home.

995
00:54:06,470 --> 00:54:07,570
You have all this stuff going on.

996
00:54:07,570 --> 00:54:08,810
You got to drop and pick them off.

997
00:54:08,810 --> 00:54:10,410
Every pick them up everywhere.

998
00:54:10,410 --> 00:54:11,430
Wake up early, go to bed.

999
00:54:11,430 --> 00:54:12,310
You have your meals.

1000
00:54:12,310 --> 00:54:13,390
You have your training.

1001
00:54:13,390 --> 00:54:16,950
Somebody at your elite level is doing
something like that.

1002
00:54:16,950 --> 00:54:21,090
You just think if you're just starting out
and you're trying to learn how do people

1003
00:54:21,090 --> 00:54:21,530
do it?

1004
00:54:21,530 --> 00:54:24,210
Well, that's how like you prioritize
things.

1005
00:54:24,210 --> 00:54:29,070
You're not going to get everything done,
but try your best schedule your shit and

1006
00:54:29,070 --> 00:54:30,326
do you just get it

1007
00:54:30,326 --> 00:54:32,387
no excuses, you just do it.

1008
00:54:32,387 --> 00:54:33,787
And that's really it.

1009
00:54:35,529 --> 00:54:37,169
Anyone can do it.

1010
00:54:38,110 --> 00:54:39,030
It is.

1011
00:54:39,310 --> 00:54:40,091
It is.

1012
00:54:40,091 --> 00:54:44,153
Well guys, thank you so much for
listening.

1013
00:54:44,153 --> 00:54:49,985
I'm just still so like, I can't believe
it, still so excited, I'm just excited for

1014
00:54:49,985 --> 00:54:51,536
you girl, like I am.

1015
00:54:51,996 --> 00:54:53,894
So we'll have, yeah.

1016
00:54:53,894 --> 00:54:59,636
for all your kind words and congratulation
messages and for supporting this podcast

1017
00:54:59,636 --> 00:55:00,887
too, because we love it.

1018
00:55:00,887 --> 00:55:04,799
We want to keep bringing it to you and
it's just going to keep getting better.

1019
00:55:04,799 --> 00:55:08,450
You know, we're just going to line up some
great guests and great topics and you

1020
00:55:08,450 --> 00:55:10,051
know, we just, love, we love all of you.

1021
00:55:10,051 --> 00:55:11,882
Thank you so much for the support.

1022
00:55:12,716 --> 00:55:13,426
Yeah, thank you.

1023
00:55:13,426 --> 00:55:17,298
And of course DM us if you have any
questions or leave us a comment if you

1024
00:55:17,298 --> 00:55:20,459
have any ideas of anything that you would
like to hear as a new competitor or

1025
00:55:20,459 --> 00:55:24,780
seasoned competitor if you just are
curious about anything and then everything

1026
00:55:24,780 --> 00:55:28,402
that Gillian named about like her booty
bands that she's been doing we'll have in

1027
00:55:28,402 --> 00:55:29,952
the show notes below.

1028
00:55:30,052 --> 00:55:33,954
But thank you guys for listening and we'll
talk to you next week.

1029
00:55:33,954 --> 00:55:34,394
Bye.