Bikinis After Babies · Mandy Rochon and Gillian Hughes, IFBB Bikini Pro

Episode 41: Celeste Rains-Turk: Personal Growth, Overcoming Emotional Eating and Post Show Blues

·1 hr 4 min·5 clips

Celeste explains why champions feel more pressure, not less, after winning a pro card.

Celeste Rains-Turk, a mental health counselor and host of the "Confessions of a Bikini Pro" podcast, joins hosts Mandy Rashawn and Jillian Hughes. She specializes in helping competitors build healthy relationships with food and body image while pursuing bodybuilding goals. Celeste began competing in 2015, initially using the sport as a band-aid for disordered eating before shifting her focus to mental health. She earned a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling while actively competing, finishing her degree during a 2022 show prep. Celeste started her podcast in 2018 after wondering if professional athletes struggled with food thoughts like she did. Her business, Build More Than Just a Body, began with just two clients despite some industry skepticism. She argues that competitors often hide mental struggles due to a "one-percenter" mentality and fear of appearing weak. A key insight is that champions often face increased pressure and larger "targets on their backs" after achieving success. Celeste emphasizes that healing a relationship with food does not require giving up competing, countering a common all-or-nothing narrative. She suggests using "what if" questions to help clients visualize positive behavioral changes rather than relying on rigid affirmations. Celeste recommends practicing delayed gratification in low-stakes scenarios, like completing chores before watching TV, to build resilience. She advises competitors to maintain identities and excitement outside of the sport to mitigate post-show blues. The conversation includes Mandy's personal example of successfully reducing her caffeine intake from a pot of coffee daily to one cup. Celeste proposes removing a specific show date early in a prep to reduce all-or-nothing thinking and focus on the process. She notes that the sport involves continuous physical changes, like growth phases, not just temporary show physiques. The tone is conversational, educational, and supportive, blending personal anecdotes with professional counseling strategies. Competitors struggling with body image, emotional eating, or post-show transitions would find this episode highly valuable. Listeners seeking only training protocols or contest preparation tips might find the focus on psychology less relevant.

As heard by us

A grounded conversation about body goals, food relationships, and mental health for competitors.

Bikinis After Babies follows a practical conversation about body goals, food relationships, and mental health for competitors. Celeste Raines Turk brings lived experience and clinical training, which gives the discussion a calm, grounded feel.

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If you want the real-life aftermath of competing, start here.

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