Episode #9 Gillian Vaughn 2X Bikini Yorton Cup Champion

In this episode we talk with the only 2X Bikini Yorton champion Gillian about her journey into fitness and how she got started in competing. She gives us her insight on what it took to win back-to-back Yorton Cups. She also gives advice to other females thinking about getting into competing!

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:02

Alright guys, welcome back to the NLF Coaching Podcast. We are joined today by Jillian Vaughn, back to back, your Cal Bikini champion. Jillian, so um talk to us a little bit about kind of how you got started, um, and a little bit about what your bodybuilding journey looked like and what got you there. Because I know you mentioned you started your fitness journey a little bit later, right?

SPEAKER_00 0:24

I did. Um I actually, I guess I have a unique story because um I started what I would consider later in life. I was um the later end of my 30s. Um I was actually invited to a boot camp uh at the gym that I still train at now by a friend, New Year's, right? Everybody wants their New Year's resolution. And she was starting a boot camp and she invited me to go. And that was really the turning point because I had never worked out in a gym. I that just wasn't something that I ever felt confident enough to do. Um, but the fact that she invited me to go, you know, got me in the door. I fell in love with boot camp and then that eventually turned into um starting to lift weights, you know. I worked with a trainer to learn more. And then I had people approaching me because they could see how things were changing. They're like, you should compete, you know, you should, and I I I was um had kind of turned into an introvert um at that point. I was a stay-at-home mom. That wasn't my natural personality, but it had become my personality because I stayed at home with kids all day, right? So I said, no, no way, I could never stand up there on in a bikini on the stuff, never could do that. So I started watching YouTube videos of past competitions. And then I liked the fact that I was scared. Like I liked that it scared me to do it. And I just something, something told me, you you should do this. You're afraid, but you should do it. So I took those steps. I continued to work with a trainer, you know, I got a prep coach. Um, and it led me, my very first show was Fayette in Fayetteville, okay, in November. And I was terrified and everybody could see it. I did not look confident, um, but I did fairly well. I didn't win the show, but I got first place in my class. Um, and that started the addiction. Okay. So then I I continued to compete, and my goal each time was just to get better and better on the stage. So yeah, a little bit later start. Um, but uh a lot of things led me there. So I'm grateful for the journey that I've had.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

That's amazing, Julian. And I think um, you know, I have a lot of females as well that start out doing something different, like you know, boot camp is often the segue into like weight training, right? Like there's a lot of females that they feel a lot more comfortable in that group environment, and then when they kind of get everything they can get out of that and decide, I actually want a bit more, I want to get more into like the strength training, and and I have female clients as well that you know said, I will never step on stage, it's not me, I can't do it. And then now they've gone on to win their pro card, right? So um, the thing I I love about you is you know, I've I can't remember exactly how many times I saw you compete as an amateur before you won your pro card. How many times was it?

SPEAKER_00 3:10

It was a few, it was it was a few times, yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:13

And you just kept coming back and persisting, and then bam, now you're the the reigning Yorton Cup champion back to back. And for anyone not sure, that the Yorton Cup is the pinnacle of natural bodybuilding, the biggest all-pro show in the world, the world championship. So it's kind of a big deal. Um, so you know what what did the journey look like going from being the person that that wasn't quite winning the overall at the amateur level to then winning your pro cards and now becoming a York and Cup champion? What did that look like?

SPEAKER_00 3:47

Uh, like you said, it was gradual. Okay. Um, I remember very vividly my very first pro show. Everybody tells you, oh, this this is different. This is not like an amateur show. This is different, but I had a false confidence, I'll say. Um, I went in thinking, dare I say, that I would probably win. Okay. And I was humbled. I was humbled at that show. I'll never forget it because I I think I got sixth or seventh. And I always did very well at amateur shows. Even if I didn't quite win the overall, I always at least won my class, placed fairly well. So I was used to that, you know. So going into pro shows, obviously the competition is a different level, you know, higher, higher level competition there. And I was up against um some really amazing physiques. So I'm glad that that happened to me though, because I it it it it set me back a little bit in a good way, you know, it pushed me down a little bit, but it lit that fire for me. Okay, I'm gonna work harder. Um, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna see how I can change, and I'm not gonna give up. I'm gonna keep going and keep trying. Uh, it wasn't instant. It will it was not an instant thing, but I did my goal, like I said, was just to get better each year and I or or each in each competition, really. And I really feel like I did that. I feel like I accomplished that. So I was happy with that.

SPEAKER_03 5:08

That's awesome. Yeah, I feel like it's almost like a double-edged sword. Like for people that win their first amateur show or maybe like turn pro right away or go into the pro circuit and they do really, really well right off the bat, it's it's almost a disadvantage because it I agree. You don't get like getting humble, like you said, is it gives you that edge and kind of gives you something to strive for. Versus if you have like immense success at an early, early stage in your bodybuilding career, it almost like you have nothing to work towards. But like if you have those experiences of adversity and things like that, it it puts a chip on your shoulder to to really get show up to the gym, train with intention, and push yourself to a higher level, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:48

Definitely, yes, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 5:50

And I also think it's it's managing the expectations of people because a lot of people competing for the first time are expecting to win a pro card that first time, you know. I know for me, I came fifth at my first show in in a totally different category, and I had no expectations at that point. I just wanted to dip my feet in, see if I even enjoyed it.

unknown 6:11

Right.

SPEAKER_02 6:11

And then I was like, okay, I really enjoy this. Now I need to work at improving so that one day I do have a chance of winning the pro card. But now you see people coming in and like expecting to win that pro card right out of the gate, and you know, that's just not really how it works. So it's all and it's not that you can. There are people that you know they've they've trained for a long time, and you look at them and you're like, okay, that person does have a pro caliber physique if they choose to compete, but it definitely shouldn't be an expectation right out of the gate. So I love hearing from people that you know it took them time to win the pro card, and then even getting to that pro level, again, it's it's a whole nother ball game when you go to the pros, right? So just because you win a pro card, it doesn't mean you're actually ready to be competitive as a pro. It might mean that you've got to put another two to three years or whatever of work in to actually be competitive as a pro. So I love hearing those stories about how it didn't happen the first time and you had to keep going, you had to keep improving, and it lit the fire in you to improve. So with that being said, what does your training look like? You know, as a as a mom, as a busy lady, you know, what does your training look like nowadays?

SPEAKER_00 7:21

Um, when I was competing, uh, I really tried to hit that five day a week split. I I I had three lower body days. And um as I started to get to that higher level, I was improving, but a lot of my feedback personally was you need a wider back. I'm I'm very narrow in the hips, so I don't have a waist. Okay. And you want that S curve, right? For bikini. So in order, yeah, I can't I can't make my waist smaller really, other than becoming leaner, but it doesn't really give you that curve. So what do we do? You improve your lats, shoulders, right? So I only ever did uh I did two um shoulder and back days because they also told me don't grow your biceps anymore. You know, you don't wanna you don't want to be too big for bikini. So and of course, we all know with back you're gonna hit the biceps a little bit. So I did two uh shoulder and back days and three lower body days uh two rest days. I had obviously cardio, you know, when you're prepping, you're doing the cardio, and that would tend to increase as I got closer to show day um and a step goal. Now I train about four days a week because I'm not competing and I am busy, it's hard. There were days in prep, I was busy at work, and you know, I was like, I I'm a morning person, I like to work out in the morning, but I tend to give my clients those spots, you know. So I still got to get my workout in. So sometimes I'd have to go back to the gym, you know. After I picked the kids up from school, help them with homework. Mommy's got to go to the gym. I still had to do my workout. I tried not to do that, but I did it whenever I could, either in between clients or in the evening. Um, I had to make time for it. You know, prep prep has to be perfect. Uh, maybe not in everyday life. You don't always have to be perfect. Consistency is key, but prep, you have to be perfect and on point. And I made sure to do that.

SPEAKER_03 9:14

Yeah, I think that's that's a part of of the process that people really overlook. It's like if you're getting into competing for the first time and you have a family, there's obviously a toll that it's a selfish sport, so everybody takes a little bit of the workload on in your family when when you're going when you decide to go through a contest right, because like it does require, like you said, to be perfect. Um, so I'm curious, like, how has how how did you incorporate bodybuilding into your marriage and kids, and how did you balance all of those things? And is that something where you were able to get them involved in in that process, or what does that look like? Or what did that look like?

SPEAKER_00 9:48

I have I'm very blessed. I have a very, very supportive husband. I've heard, you know, several stories from other ladies. Their their partner is not supportive, but my husband was a hundred percent. He's whatever you need to do. I'll watch the kids, I'll pick them up. Uh, he did whatever he could to help me, and I leaned on him. You know, the more tired I got, calories are low, you know, cardio is high, you're tired. He helped me so much. I just I I I can't thank him enough. I never I don't I don't think I would have been able to do this without his help. You know, you've got to have that support system. Um, so that's how I was able to balance it because there were some times I was just too tired. I I just couldn't do it all, couldn't be everywhere. And I knew that when he told me he would help me, he truly meant it and he wouldn't hold it against me later. Uh, he was truly, you know, my better half, my partner. Uh, he had my back through it all. And I'm I'm so grateful for that.

SPEAKER_02 10:44

Yeah, that's amazing because we we say that often, you know, it's like people look at us as being, you know, incredibly disciplined as bodybuilders. It does take a high degree of discipline, but it it's definitely something that you cannot do if you don't have people around you supporting you through it. You know, it really takes a village. People think it's like an individual thing. And I remember we were in prep at the same time last year, or three of us actually. We all did the ordin cut. Yeah. Um I remember you posting some stories and being, you know, like, I this is brutal, you know, it's just you're you're digging so deep. Um, and if you don't have those people around you to support you, it's just gonna make it, you know, that much harder. So you're obviously a personal trainer. You said you just took on a new position as well, which is awesome. So, how did it affect your personal training business? You know, being that deep in prep, was it something that your clients were super inspired by? Did you feel a big drop in energy when you were training people? How did you manage all of that?

SPEAKER_00 11:42

I have fabulous clients. A lot of my clients, you know, I I started, uh, I became a personal trainer officially in 2022. Okay, became certified. Uh, a lot of a lot of my clients I've had since then, they've stayed with me. So obviously, you guys know you become family with these people. They understood, right? But I'll say last year, that's when I knew it was time for me to either retire or take a really long break. Um, it was last year was, like you said, brutal. Last year was the hardest prep I've ever done. And I think it was my body telling me, Gillian, you've done this too many years in a row. It's time for a break. So when I tell you that I would I I would train my clients starting at five in the morning, whenever I would have a little break, or I I it really got to where I had to schedule a break, I would go home and take a nap and come back. I couldn't even work a full day. And then the closer I got, I had to kind of drop my five and six a.m. a little bit um and not come in as early uh so I could get that extra sleep. It was it was brutal, truly, but they all understood. They all knew, and now they actually joke with me and say they miss prep Jillian because they say I'm tougher on them now. But I think they're just kidding. But no, it was really hard. I remember standing there and and I never I never inflict my if I'm in a bad mood internally or if I'm tired. I don't inflict that on they didn't your clients not paying you for that, you know. They're they're paying you for that time. So I'm I'm faking it till I'm making it, but inside I'm going, I'm so tired. I don't know how I'm gonna do this. You know, it was hard. It really, really was.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

Yeah, I can relate to that. I remember, you know, in between clients, I would go into my office and then have to have a little word with myself and be like, all right, this person is paying you the same prop money they were paying you when you were in the off-season. Yeah, you've got to figure out a way to give them the same energy effort, you know, that you would give them if it was the off season. It's not like you're saying to them, hey, I'm deep in prep, I'm gonna give you a discounted rate because you're gonna get a lesser service, right? So I mean, personally, I would say to my clients, hey, I apologize if I seem a little bit low energy. Um, this is where I'm at, this is what I'm going through, and they would all be very supportive and understand. But you know, the the pride I take in what I do, I wouldn't allow myself to drop off to that extent. And I know Nick, like seeing me go through the process, it was it was the same kind of way. Um, so yeah, try I I completely relate to you on that. Trying to manage all of that while being deep in prep is is really difficult. And just reminding yourself to the listeners that might be prepping for the first time, it really is a privilege to be able to do it, right? You know, it's like we live in a country where we have access to all the food we want, we have all the supplies, we have clean water, we can do all of those things, and ultimately, we're coming into the gym every day as an air-conditioned environment, getting to talk to people, helping with their health and fitness. And when you start thinking that you that life sucks, you really have to remind yourself of how blessed you are to be able to do it, and the fact that at some point it is going to come to an end as well.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

Yeah, it's your choice. That's what I reminded myself. Nobody's making me do this, this is my choice.

SPEAKER_03 14:47

Yeah, I think it's like and and having that conversation with your clients too, it's so important, like going into it. Like, hey guys, this is what I'm gearing up for, and including them in the process too kind of makes them feel a part of it, which is like I always thought your your clients like they're like your they're like your cheerleaders on the day, like wow, where are your calories at now, or what's your cardio at? Or how many weeks have are you? They end up kind of buying into the process. It's like a reality TV show. You like they're invested too. Yeah, it's like six, you feel terrible. It's like cool, and then every week it's like a it's like it's like a thrill for them to kind of see where you're at. We I think we had quite a bit of our clients like show up to I know the presidential and the Yorton just being local, which is like really cool to me that like we would have people commute over there.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

I had one show up to Yorton, yeah. It was pretty awesome.

SPEAKER_02 15:35

Well, and then for you, you know, your your clients actually they take great pride in the fact that now I'm trained by a world champion, you know. It's like you have that badge, and your clients are like, Well, I'm they want to brag on you, right? They're like my trainer won the world championships, like it's so they're so invested in it, which is really a privilege, too.

SPEAKER_00 15:58

Definitely, yeah. I I do love my job. I love it, it's great.

SPEAKER_03 16:03

Yeah, that's awesome. It is we it's a privilege to be able to do what we do. Um one thing I did want to talk to you about. So being where you started at like a like a later point um in life in your mid-30s with like fitness and competing, something that I think our listeners will find really interesting is for you, like what advice would you give to somebody if they if they're considering getting into bodybuilding for the first time or stepping foot in the gym that um and they might think it's too late for them? Like what what advice would you give to those individuals, specifically females?

SPEAKER_00 16:33

Well, of course, it's it's definitely not too late. Um, like I said, I I I joined, you know, that boot camp that time, never, never intending that I would compete. That was not on my radar at all. But if you're you know, if you know that that's your goal uh and you're feeling like you're on the later end of you know the age group, it is it's definitely not too late. You can um you can achieve this goal. You just gotta stick with it. You like you said, Will, you gotta have that discipline. Um, you have to have the drive, you have to know it's gonna be hard and that support system. So if you can line up those things, um you you can definitely achieve it.

SPEAKER_02 17:15

Yeah, and I think to add to that, I'd I'd say to people all the time with natural bodybuilding that actually like most people peak in I mean, at least late 30s, if not early to the 40s, you know, like it's especially for females because you've you've got the extra years of building the dense muscle that you need. And obviously, as females, you're not gonna build muscle quite as quickly. Um and you know, if if for if any of our listeners haven't seen Gillian, um, you know, after this podcast, go to Instagram, and as a bodybuilder, you have the look that most females would say they want, right? But then they're skeptical about lifting weights because they don't want to get too bulky or oh yeah, anything like that. But most of the female clients I have that compete, they're the ones that people say they want to look like, right? So it's like what they're doing is they're lifting heavy, they're lifting regularly, they're putting a bigger priority on lifting weights instead of doing cardio. It's it's not that they're not doing cardio, but the focal point of their training is lifting weights, and you don't end up looking too bulky, you know. You you have the the toned look, if you like, that people say they want to achieve.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

Right. No, I definitely agree, and I hear that too. Um, I it honestly makes me cringe a little bit when I hear ladies say that they don't want to get too bulky, too big, they think they're gonna look manly. Uh, and I use myself as an example. I'll say, Well, do you do you think I look manly? You know, I lift heavy. I mean, you know, it's the truth, but they are focused on um some of the other looks that you may see on Instagram, you know, that maybe aren't the natural way or uh whatever they're thinking they have in their head, but I you won't you're that's not gonna happen to you. And and my clients know that because I've preached it to them, but I do still get the occasional, you know, comments about that. But again, I just shoot it back to me. Now I don't look bulky, do I?

SPEAKER_02 19:10

So that was gonna be my question because obviously, as male trainers, it's very difficult for us to tell females that you're not gonna get too bulky because again, we're guys, right? All we can do is point to the other female clients we have, but is that something that you experience a lot with like new clients that you're taking on that they're skeptical about lifting heavier?

SPEAKER_00 19:31

Yes, definitely, a hundred percent. And it tends to be the older generation, you know, that was really drilled into females cardio, like I mean cardio to death, and um they they didn't really lift weights, and if they did, they were the little baby Barbie weights, you know. So they it tends to be the older generational lift uh generation that feels like that, unfortunately. They that was just how they were raised. That that's what everybody talked about back then. Um, but but I'm I'm trying. We're all out there trying to speak it, right? I hear your um stories a lot, Will. You talk about a lot of good things on there, and um if we just keep keep using ourselves as an example and and getting the word out there, hopefully everybody's gonna know. Because that is the toned look. I try and tell people toned means muscle. You you can't be toned and have you know excess body fat. I mean, it you know you have to have some muscle in there.

SPEAKER_02 20:23

So just uh to piggyback off of that, on top of the training, how do you deal with the nutrition side of that? Because, you know, for for females especially, it can be hard to get them to understand that at some point they've got to push food up, right? Like you can't be in restriction, you know, yo-yo dieting or just excessive restriction for a long period of time. So is that something that you struggle with with your female clients? Is getting them to understand look, food is fuel, you know, you've got to be fueling your body correctly in order to recover, to perform, to grow, and and all of the things.

SPEAKER_00 20:58

Yes, a hundred percent. Oh, yes, that is even more so is the food because everybody thinks they have to eat less. And I'm like, well, actually, you know, you can actually train your body quite the opposite. You can eat a lot, um, but you have to train hard, you know, they that they go together. Um, and it's a process, it's not something that you instantly go from eating a thousand calories, you know, to 2,500. It doesn't work like that. But uh, oh yes, females especially, yes, the nutrition part is difficult. Um, but it's just a teaching them, teaching them. And then, you know, as the process continues and they see the results and they see they can eat more and they see how uh better they look and feel, uh, then they start to learn and believe it. But they have to they have to see the results first, I think.

SPEAKER_03 21:42

Yeah, I think that's like in in what we do working with people as as coaches. It's one of the most gratifying, gratifying parts of the process when you see the light switch flip on for your clients, especially your female clients, when they buy into the process of like foods fuel, like training, like they go hand. in hand like when you when you're eating to grow and you're training hard like everything's better like you recover faster your sleep better your energy level is better like you're more confident like all these things kind of like like add up to to to make the whole process so much more rewarding and you see so many more so much more results out of it it's like to me that's like one of the most exciting things when that light bulb kind of flips on for somebody and they start to see that all these things kind of work together and what they're actually achieving what they can actually achieve when they when they buy into the process um it's it's such a cool thing.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

And everybody thinking carbs are bad they can't females thinking they can't eat carbs I'm like carbs are your friend they're great.

SPEAKER_02 22:39

Yeah yeah everyone are prep one time and they won't feel they won't fear food anymore.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

That's true. That is true.

SPEAKER_02 22:45

When you experience extreme restriction over a period of time and also get to that because a lot of it really is just the level of leanness you know it's there's there's changes that occur in the body that that come with being that lean um so it's not like it's just about the food it's that you're experiencing changes in the body that aren't going to go away until you put more body fat on right it's like if you have a refeed day in prep you know you don't feel any different it's mentally you're like oh refeed and then the hunger goes up and then the next day you almost feel even worse.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

I was gonna say I felt well felt worse. Yeah it was it was like a double edged sword.

SPEAKER_03 23:27

Yeah 100% yeah you get used to feeling like crap like the the hard part of prep where you just feel lethargic all the time you you kind of get accustomed to it and it's like when you try to like make it easier it actually just makes it harder. Yeah so I'm thinking I want to talk about is just your future with with the sport of audio. So I know you you obviously won back to back Europe championships. You said you're taking a step away for some time like what what does the future hold for you and what is that what does your fitness goals look like in the meantime before you make a final decision maybe you will compete again maybe not but in the short term like what are your goals now?

SPEAKER_00 24:04

What are you working towards uh well I'm a um I enjoy still being a part of you know bodybuilding. If I'm not on the stage actually competing I want to help out you know I am a certified judge um judged a few shows so I enjoy helping out with that uh presenting awards you know I I've done that I love that so still being involved but more of like behind the scenes um because I've been doing this for a while I mean these last couple years I would show up to a show and and everybody knew me whether or not I knew them they would know me and that was like I would start talking with people I'd never met before and I I love that community part of it. I don't want to lose that so definitely being more behind the scenes helping out I'm still gonna train and I'm a personal trainer and you guys are too you know I mean that's part of my life that's my lifestyle but now I'm I'm I'm training more and it this took some time uh to take my training away from necessarily aesthetics for the stage and just now more of a a lifestyle training I want to I want to age gracefully you know I I want to be able to get up off the couch and not have to use my upper body um but I'm doing things that I missed um training just different movements different things um I do not track my food anymore like weighing it things like that I've been doing it for years I can mostly eye things I know what I'm supposed to eat not I it is it's not perfect and I know that but I don't have to be perfect anymore right I'm not in prep um and enjoying you know when I when I have a party or an event to go to I'll have a good time but then it's it's it's right back on track. So I'm I'm just enjoying life I am enjoying um my family that that was my ultimate goal you know being a wife and a mom um and again still always you know the bodybuilding will always be a part of my life though.

SPEAKER_03 26:00

Sorry go ahead um one one thing you said there that I really like that I it's it's something that's improved for me over the years but going out and enjoying like the social events and understanding that you have systems in place where you can you can indulge in those things and have a good time and then get back on track the next day I think that's such a an area that almost every competitor struggles with at least for some time it's kind of like a rite of passage. You think that if you're not like living the bodybuilding lifestyle and being on plan 247 that you've like completely gone it's understanding long term that you have systems in place and you have like a healthy lifestyle and that's like I think what people overlook about about natural bodybuilding is it's majority of natural bodybuilding are like good healthy habits right like training you're sleeping you're recovering you're eating well like all those habits are good right and it's like if us having those things in place and a system can allow us to go and enjoy things and still live live the life you want to live and not completely go off the rails. Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_02 27:02

Yeah no 100% and I I personally am very much like that I have to step away from the obsessiveness as soon as prep is finished because I can I can't operate that way without it impacting every other area of my life you know and I'm I'm definitely someone that enjoys social events I'm pretty extroverted I like being around people and I don't want to be the guy all the time that is taking my meal somewhere or going out to eat saying oh I can't have that and you know we understand food well enough to know that you know one bad meal doesn't do any damage right it's like you just pick up the next day and get straight back. I still meal prep but I'm like you Gillian I don't weigh everything I've right done it for probably 15 years now so I can eyeball things and know that like oh if it's if it's six ounces instead of 6.5 like it's you're okay. I'm not my physique isn't gonna fall apart because of that right and I think there are so many people that that obsessiveness just it really does impact their life in a very negative way.

SPEAKER_00 28:05

So it's the capacity to actually understand okay when I'm in prep I'm a hundred percent there is nothing you can do to me in prep that is going to get me derailed you can bring donuts around me you can bring pizza it doesn't bother me um but then when it comes to the offseason is just being able to step back and say okay I I don't need to be that obsessive you need that break mentally because if you're that way all year you're never gonna make it through prep you have to give your body and your brain a break from that so that you are ready to jump back into prep you know but I don't want to I don't want to glamorize and and and make it like oh I'm perfect I can go back to eating you know not weighing and this happens to me the last probably three years I kind of I struggle as a female I I it almost dare I say give me gives me an eating disorder for a first like few months after I come off of a show. Okay because um my my my fullness hormone is gone like I can't I remember eating eating and I know that I'm full I can feel it but I can't stop um so it it really the first time that that happened to me it scared me because I didn't realize that that was going to go away and I remember talk I remember I hid it from my coach actually I'm gonna be completely honest I hid it from her I did not tell her and then you know a couple weeks went by and she hadn't heard from me and she was like that's always you know a red flag you don't hear from somebody what's going on um and I was honest with her and she was like you don't have to hide that that's completely normal you know let's get you through this and I couldn't control it but once I got back up to my normal weight that I'm supposed to be you know and let let things settle down for a few more weeks then it did go away but it's hard and I dread it I mean even this past this past Yorton it happened to me then but I knew I was mentally prepared um but it's hard you know to not have control you've had control and you've done this for so long and then you go from just going off the rails completely. So it's hard. So as a female especially be prepared for that because uh coming off a show can be very difficult.

SPEAKER_03 30:09

Yeah that's a that's a great point. And I always say I think it takes at least six to eight months post show if you've truly like gotten contest prep lean and done prep the right way it takes six to eight months for you to kind of get comfortable in your own skin again a little bit you're always like once you see yourself staged lean you're never going to see yourself the same. Like it's it's yeah that is like one of the the hard truths and realities of of competing is like once you've seen yourself at like an elite level of conditioning you're never going to look at yourself again and be like oh I'm lean even when you're still leaner than 95% of the population but you're always going to have that edge. And just to kind of pig back off that one point you made I do think with like the the structure of like the offseason and things like that you just kind of have to know what type of personality you are like I do think there's people that that thrive really well at being robotic with the process of bodybuilding and then there's people that do a lot better with like a looser structure to their to their approach and it's like as long as you can align with which type of person you are I think that's like most important if you if you're like a loose go with the flow type person and you try to be extremely robotic with with your bodybuilding process you're gonna burn yourself out and lose that passion for it. But if you're if the other way around like you need to identify that I think that's that's a part that people don't realize if they get into it and they think they have to be this one specific way of it like if if that's not what works for you and that gives you stress and anxiety and you're not you're not feeling at peace and enjoying the process and like what's the point? No.

SPEAKER_02 31:32

Yeah I think and just to piggyback off the reverse diet we we say to everybody look prep is hard because you're just so drained but you have a goal in place like you are on a mission to and you're stepping on stage half naked you're not gonna not look good when you step up there right it's your personal prime but then once the show is over there's that kind of abyss of like well what am I even doing now yeah now what and on top of that your body is saying get some body fat back on me so that we can work on being healthy and it's yes while you can while someone might think it's ill discipline it's actually your body saying we've got to get healthy again. And to a certain degree you have to listen to it within reason. Now you know there's there's obvious stories of people gaining 25 pounds within a week right like there's there's definitely people that go way beyond and I I've been extremely guilty in the past of of going way off the rails. But now I don't feel the level of guilt I'm like you know I I need to get back to being healthy for my family for my wife for my business for the people around me they they've sacrificed for me through this phase so now I have to give back to them and if that means that I'm not quite as lean as I want to be then that's a sacrifice that I'm that I'm willing to make you know yeah and also I value performance I love training so the big thing for me is I I want to get back to being able to perform again I want to be lifting heavy again I want to be feeling the pump I want to have the energy when I train instead of training like oh I want to do this set of hack squats and it's gonna suck you know whereas now it's like I can't wait to do it because I feel good you know yes yes definitely a lot of that comes with being season too I tell I I tell a lot of people that you know um if you're new to competing um this isn't gonna come easy you're you're not gonna it it's not gonna be easy to give yourself grace when you're coming off of a show because you love that lean look you you don't you haven't quite had the chance to understand feeling better and functioning and living a normal life you know is more important than that lean look but nobody you can't sustain that that lean look you just have to you just have to let it go you can't keep that staged lean look forever but it's hard when you're new okay we all have been there we all wanted to keep it I did I I'm sure that you guys did too but now I I know I have to let that go and that part really doesn't bother me anymore but still I still can't control that hunger feeling and that out of control feeling even even knowing that that's gonna happen to me I still can't control it.

SPEAKER_00 34:10

I can't either I I I say every single prep I'm gonna reverse better this time and I I don't know that it really happens you know it's uh we try we try but it's hard it's hard it is truly something that that goes on in your brain and me this past time I had um it it actually started in prep I actually my face was so broke out my hormones were so off of course like most females I lost my cycle but I lost it earlier than I ever had before um I I had like cystic acne that I've never had before and I um Nate you were saying it takes six to eight months it took me that long to lose that and and to get my cycle back and that it's never taken that long so I knew like my body was screaming you have got to stop you got to keep your body fat up uh so that was I guess um to kind of change the subject a little bit that was also what prompted me that it was it was time for me to stop and take a break because I I I'm trying to listen to my body.

SPEAKER_02 35:09

Great great point there. So while we're on that topic as a female what other side effects can can women expect to experience when they're going through a prep if we have some women that are you know going to do it the first time uh maybe even they didn't get lean enough you know the first couple of times and they're really trying to get to the right level of leanness what are some side effects that women can expect to experience well I mean like I said losing the cycle um you can have your hormones are off so for me it affected my face.

SPEAKER_00 35:41

You're always cold always cold no matter what you know you're I I'm wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants um you might not sleep as well you're trying to and you feel tired I I was I felt tired all the time but I would go home and I said I would take a nap but a lot of times I I would just lay there um uh because I couldn't truly go to sleep uh when you sit down if you're truly lean enough as a female you're sitting on your tailbone it's not even comfortable I couldn't even sit in certain chairs because I'm literally sitting on my tailbone um hair you could tell my hair didn't feel I don't know it just didn't feel as good and your body's not you look the best you've ever looked but you're truly the most unhealthy that you've ever been really you know so and your body is telling you and that's what I tell everybody I had some people uh I guess worried about me and that's and I'm I would tell them I know I know this is not healthy it's not that's why it's temporary you know that's why it's a short period of time you know for competing only and then we're gonna bring things back up again but yeah females um I'll say the side losing the cycle it that's just an indicator that things are not healthy inside your body if if you're supposed to have one and you're not having one there there's something going on but again temporary yeah and I think you hit the nail on the head that bodybuilding isn't inherently healthy.

SPEAKER_02 37:06

We we're not doing it to be a beacon of health right like like we know it's not healthy. Right where we are and and I think people don't understand that they think that when we look that way that we should be they're like well why are you experiencing all those things I thought this was healthy. It's like no body the the the deep stages of prep have never been healthy.

SPEAKER_00 37:25

Right.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

But it's as long as you're bouncing back you know afterwards giving yourself some time away from the stage as well um to get healthy and to enjoy life and then you kind of when you feel like you've made the right amount of progress you can say okay like I think I want to do this again.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

Yeah I had I always got a lot of comments um when I would start a prep uh people would be like oh I can tell that I started to lean out so you see that muscle definition people think I've started my training then they think oh you're you're training to compete uh and really what I had to explain to people was I I didn't stop my training. This what you're seeing now happened in my off season with heavy lifting with eating and eating enough and eating right um people didn't understand so I've always always thought that that was um that was very interesting to me that they thought um that I had just started my lifting process and they thought that that I was healthier during that as well and and it's definitely quite the opposite.

SPEAKER_02 38:32

And that's when you get the drug accusations as well all right it's like well I didn't maybe you as men may maybe yeah when when you when you start seeing those striations and the cuts and it's funny because I'm like I'm like look I'm 25 30 pounds lighter than I was you're gonna see bigger stronger and and then you didn't think I was on drugs but now that I'm 25 pounds lighter weaker yeah now the drug accusations come right but it's it's because like you said in the off season you spend the time building the muscle or any rep you spend time revealing the muscle and yes most people have never been anywhere near that lean so they just don't understand you know they're just exactly right because the reality is is that a regular person would never get that lean for any reason other than bodybuilding. Right yes 100% you would never push I mean someone could offer me money to get that lean and I'd probably be like no I'm good like the the other is yeah once you've once you've been there no part of you wants to go back there for anything other than competing.

SPEAKER_03 39:45

Yeah people don't believe you but when you say it's like it's overrated to be shredded. It's really not scraping like the stuff you see in like TV shows and magazines and stuff like that's a that's a facade because like I wouldn't I wouldn't trade you to shredded for anything like it's no it's awful.

SPEAKER_02 40:01

Yeah I mean it's good for a it's good for a window of competing and they're like all right I need I need to go all fucking yes yeah nobody wants to feel like that for sure so you won the Yorton Cup in 24 and then which was obviously a phenomenal achievement for you how did you G yourself up to be like all right I want to go back and defend my title I mean was there a big part of you that was like I got nothing to prove I don't need to go back and do this or was every part of you like I need to go back and I need to defend my title and prove that it wasn't like you know a one-off well um backstory with that and and you guys know this but I competed in Jordan the very first time and I got third overall didn't had no clue was expecting I said to myself if I placed top 10 I would have been ecstatic.

SPEAKER_00 40:54

You know that was my best the the best that I felt because I was truly there like Will you said for your first show when you placed fifth right you had no expectations that was me. It was the most fun so I had no pressure but I got third overall so I was like I'm gonna I'm gonna come back and do it again got second okay the next year of course so what do you want to do? I wanted to win first okay so that next year I did in 2024 I got first place and I said I was done but a part of me was done goes back to that I was scared because I win right I won you go back and typically if you look back in history I mean you do the the same person doesn't win again even if they come they come back and they don't win again right so really I was scared to let myself down okay because if I was going to do it again I was going to go in with the ex expectation to win. My body had kind of been telling me that year I was a little more fatigued that year than I had ever been and in 2024 when I won the first Jordan it was telling me that you should probably stop. So I had won it with the full intention of I'm not I'm not I'm gonna take a long break you know I'm not I'm not doing this again. And then God January rolls around and I got that itch again. I was like okay this will be my last year and I said it's gonna be the biggest year yet because in 2024 I did three shows in a row and I won them all. I said that 2025 is going to be bigger so I think I had six shows that I was going to do and my goal was to win every one I said I'm gonna go out with a bang right well then I had I had some things happen okay I got to be a chance to be on a reality show that didn't quite work out. So I had to I couldn't do um some of the shows that I wanted to do so going in I ended up doing last year I did Colorado Apex Minnesota and then Yorton was last okay and again my goal um was was was to try and win every one um but then I started to get scared again I I had that big pressure on myself um I was afraid but my philosophy is you do things do things scared you know make yourself better do it anyway and I I was like so what if I don't win? I mean nothing what's gonna happen to me you know it was just internally a pressure that I was putting on myself um but I got confidence with each show those first three that I did before Yorton um I did end up winning them and I I got more and more confident. I was like okay okay I still I still got the look that they're looking for you know um so I did feel better going in but knowing how big Yorton is and how competitive it is I there was a lot of pressure it wasn't as fun unfortunately I will I will admit that it wasn't as fun because I had too much pressure on myself. The people were great the show was great just for me the pressure like overshadowed it and and you know I'm so blessed and fortunate um and I and I did get that title again um but it it was hard and it was all it was all me though nobody else nobody else put that pressure on me but I I think that's too what helps make you great right if you're gonna do something it's gonna be hard and and you do put pressure on yourself But it's difficult, right? It's serious. Um, and so when you put pressure on yourself like that, it must be important and it must be worth doing. Um, that's my opinion.

SPEAKER_02 44:12

Yeah, I mean, I I I massively respect because we had Eric on the podcast, and you know, he won the Yorton and then went back, did it the next year, and came second. Um, and he was similar, you know, as far as like the pressure that he was feeling. And he got to a point where, you know, I don't have anything to prove, right? I've I've won it. Um, I'm going back, and if I win it a second time, awesome. If I don't, like I'm gonna have fun doing it, right? And I think that's that's a really, really good point. Now we've never won the Jordan, obviously. Um, I I hope one day we get to experience what you did. With that said, what was more enjoyable for you? Winning your pro card or winning the Jordan card?

SPEAKER_00 44:57

Uh the the first Jordan was enjoyable, the first one. Like it because I had did the third, you know, one year I got third, next year I got second, and then first. And not again, I'm not saying that I'm not thankful for it. I hope it doesn't come up across like that. And and the show was wonderful. Um, and the pe I love the people. Um, but it I guess when in my I don't know. Pro card and the first Jordan were were a lot of fun. And really that the year that I got third in Yorton because it was like when you do your when you do Jordan the first time, it's like it's magical. I don't know, it's like it's like Disney World or something. You know, I was just so thankful to be there. Everybody, you know, was so nice and friendly. You know that you're with the best of the best. And again, I had if you can do a show and you have no expectations, like I wish, I hope that everyone gets to experience that because it is truly the most fun. People, my family, some of my family was watching it live, and I'll never forget. Um, my sister-in-law comes up to me and she was like, You were cheesing up there, like you could just tell. Like, I was just so happy to be there. Um, so that that will always stand out to me, you know, as as uh an unforgettable moment, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 46:13

It's funny because I think you dealt with this too, but in prep, you know, I'd have people in the gym car to me, man, I feel bad for your competition. You're gonna smoke everybody. I'd say, Well, I know who I'm up against. Like, I just want to be there and look like I belong on that stage because you've got your in the bodybuilding, you've got your magnums, your Levi's, your um Mecca, like all the guys that have been there, Marshall Johnson, all the guys that have been there and done it, won it, whatever. Whereas, like, your regular people have no idea the levels to bodybuilding, right? So, you know, that was me this past year, first time doing the yacht, and exactly how you explained it. I was like, Man, I can't believe I'm stepping on this stage for the first time. And all I said was I want to get top five in my class. That's all I said. I want to get top five. And you did, I did, and I must have looked crazy like, Come on! I think I was probably happier than the guy that won because I again it wasn't a it's not that of course I'm extremely competitive, of course I want to win, but I'm also very realistic about where my physique is right now. And for me, it was about prove that you belong on that stage against those other guys that have been doing it for a long time, you know. And that, you know, maybe I'll never top that experience. I don't know, you know, but the the first time is definitely a very special experience.

SPEAKER_03 47:36

Would you agree? Yeah, and I think that's the funny part about like what you said with people doing you're gonna smoke the competition now. I remember telling people I was like, I just want to look like I belong there and just like and make it, right? It's like the level of competition at the at the prologue and at the world is is immense. And people like, if they've never been to a bodybuilding show, never been to a pro show, they've never been to York, they have no idea like what it's actually like. It's like I think being like self-aware and understanding kind of where you're at is like so important. But yeah, I remember it just being like a euphoric experience, getting to do it, but also just like at the end of it, it's like I I did not place top five, so but I didn't have the expectation. My goal was to to qualify for your work and get up there and and try to let up along. And that was that was my goal. And I think just being realistic with where you're at, like I think it makes it a more fun experience. I think if you go to it with so much pressure, it it can it can ruin it for you.

SPEAKER_01 48:28

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:29

I mean, I would imagine if you're you know, at this point for you, Jillian. If you were to come back and do it again, obviously, like there is a totally different expectation of yourself, right? Like, once you've won it, that does change the expectation. But until you get to that level, you've got to be able to look at people and say, okay, I'm I'm not at that level yet, and that's okay, right? And I'm not there to make up the numbers, I'm there to be competitive, but at the same time, I also understand that there's nothing I can do to my physique overnight that's gonna make me capable of competing with Magnum right now, you know, or whoever it may be. Um, oh, that's that's amazing. That's really good advice. Um Jillian, I I got one more question, and Nate might have one more. I would say, what would be one piece of advice that you would give to it doesn't have to be an athlete, it could be any female looking to get into fitness, into training, it could be a bodybuilder. What piece of advice would you give them?

SPEAKER_00 49:25

I like my philosophy of do it scared. Um, it it's if anytime that you're willing to do something different, try something different, it's scary because you don't know how to do it. You don't have all the answers, you never done it before. That was me before I set foot in a gym. I was scared, you know, and I wouldn't have ever, well, I don't say I wouldn't have ever done it, but um I I wouldn't have done it as soon as I did at the age of 37 if a friend hadn't have invited me. So it took that one little step in my life. But um do whatever you can. If if there's something in life that you want to do no matter what it is, figure out a way. If you need some support, grab a friend, you know, take them along with you, um, talk it out with your spouse. Figure out a way to do it because it's okay to be scared, it's okay to not have all the answers, but you're never you're never gonna achieve that goal if you don't start, if you don't try. And so many things in life, you know, other than bodybuilding. Uh I mean, in my current position at the gym that I'm at now, do it scared. You know, I don't have all the answers, but I'm sure trying. You know, I I went on that reality show last year, I was terrified, but I did it. Um, so yeah, that would definitely be my advice. Is it even if you're it's okay to be afraid, it's good to be afraid. You know, that means uh that means it's new, that means it's different, and that means you take it seriously.

SPEAKER_03 50:44

Love it. Yeah, it's great what it's all about. All right, I got the most important question. Uh oh, what is your go-to post show me?

SPEAKER_00 50:53

Oh, I always had a burger. Always had a burger. Bug is for the no sushi, no, sushi's too clean. I was gonna say that's that sounds too healthy for post show.

SPEAKER_03 51:05

I don't know. I'm I'm sucking for a steak and some sushi.

SPEAKER_00 51:08

We went always had a burger.

SPEAKER_02 51:11

We did a Brazilian steakhouse because everywhere else was booked up.

SPEAKER_00 51:14

Yeah, we went. Oh, I can't even remember the name of it after Yorton. It was on top of that um very top of that building. Do you know the place that I'm talking about? Yes, yes. My coach got us reservations at Fahrenheit, and it was amazing.

SPEAKER_02 51:30

I'm not I'm not being everyone, I still want, but I need to go. I need to go.

SPEAKER_00 51:33

Oh, you need to go, yeah. Yeah, this year you go check it out.

SPEAKER_02 51:37

Well, Jillian, I'm I'm fired up from that. I uh ready to train do something scared. I love it. There's your there's your advice. Be be afraid and do it anyway. Yeah, be unmarked.

unknown 51:47

Right.

SPEAKER_02 51:48

Awesome. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 51:50

Thank you guys. I enjoyed this.

SPEAKER_02 51:51

All right, we'll talk soon.

SPEAKER_00 51:52

All right, see ya, see ya.