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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #140 interview with IFBB Fitness Pro Ariel Khadr!

What a privilege to have a fun insightful chat with Miss fitness international, and the youngest female competitor to ever earn her pro card IFBB Fitness pro Ariel Khadr. This convo really flowed in a very genuine way. Ariel is bubbly and sweet and positive and sees the glass half full with logic and insight into everything. Truly loved this interview so much and grateful to her for sharing time just 3 weeks out from the Olympia where she’ll be fighting for that title! Wishing her nothing but success! Please note there is a 1-2 minute silence where we watch her routine from the Arnold on her YouTube Channel. You can view that if you watch the video on YouTube (buffcake22). Ariel’s YouTube is: https://youtube.com/@ArielKhadr 

Topics Covered:

1. Her background in gymnastics and fitness America and taekwondo
2. The IFBB Fitness category is underrated due to degree of difficulty w/performance 
3. Finding her love for performing 
4. Both her parents were bodybuilders and how that shaped her norms for the female physique during the time of social norms being Victoria’s Secret models 
5. BMI index 
6. Her perspective and opinion on gymnastics for children 
7. Getting her pro card at 17 (youngest ever) and then her 6 year break before competing on the pro level 
8. The things of our childhood that make us strong and if we’d change them and what we learn from them 
9. Community showers 
10. Having a family 
11. The levels of the pro level of competing 
12. College life off of all sports 
13. Her degree in physiology sociology and job in audiology 
14. Fun questions 
15. Final thoughts 

Mentions:

@itsarielkhadr

@kate.errington

@ifbbmissytruscott

@whitneyjones_ifbbpro

@oksanagrishina

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Check out my Amazon link to shop what I shop! Use this paid link to help support the show! https://www.amazon.com/shop/buffcake22

Coaching inquiries email Debra: [email protected] 

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast, this is episode #139 with coach Sarah Ford Bishop! I thoroughly appreciate Sarah’s combined knowledge as an educated evidence-based coach, and her life experience as a bikini competitor who’s gained 30lbs through bodybuilding and ED recovery. 

This chat covers everything you need to get started on your new years health goals —right now! Optimization is an often overly-used word and in this episode Sarah and I help refine and redefine it for you, the individual. Follow along as we discuss practical solutions for managing the 5 pillars (sleep, stress, water, nutrition, and exercise) with some rabbit holes intermixed. Always a pleasure Sarah! Thank you for sharing you! 

Topics Covered:

1. Positive practical example story to kick us off
2. What is your optimal versus what is optimal 
3. Slow progress and practicing habits to continue progress 
4. Assessing your diet: Whole Foods versus processed foods  finding the balance between what’s best for you and what’s best 
5. Is an insulin spike bad and causing you to gain weight 
6. Weight bearing training as a beginner and starting small 
7. Exercise for caloric burn versus a food deficit  
8. Purpose of tracking steps 
9. The last 5-10lbs: after a heavy fat loss phase (20lbs or more) what does it take to, for example, see abs? (Is it worth it?)
10. Happiness happens in the process of success with wins of choices and adherence not always in the result or the physical goal (the dopamine hit in the process) 
11. Inventory of the 5 pillars: Sleep, Nutrition, Training, Water intake & Stress management and where you need/can make improvements 
12. Water intake 
13. Unlearning diet culture and under-eating when trying to build muscle 
14. Is recomping an option for most women?
15. Are you always super-setting? Discussion on the importance of rest periods and how long should you rest between sets for hypertrophy 
16. Assessing myths practically to self-debunk 
17. Follow Sarah and who she follows for good evidence-based teachers/coaches/info

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Check out my Amazon link to shop what I shop! Use this paid link to help support the show! https://www.amazon.com/shop/buffcake22

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Coaching inquiries or to contact me email Debra: [email protected] 

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #138 Interview with IFBB wellness pro Marissa Andrews! 

This girls character reputation precedes her and I’ve experienced her amazing positive vibes in person. Straight up, Marissa is an absolute doll!! Bursting with a dimpled smile and a heart made of gold you cannot help but love and root for this wellness pro. Speaking of, this is the road to her first Olympia after a wild and short ride of competing. So many nuggets of wisdom in this conversation, you’re going to love her like everyone else does. Join the Marissa Andrews fan club and follow her to the O stage just weeks away! Thank you Marissa for your joyous presence and genuine display! It was my pleasure!! 

Topics covered: 

1. Athletic Background  and competition history 
2. A family of Doctors 
3. Coming from Greek immigrants and her family dynamic and traveling and volunteering in Greece 
4. Contest prep for the O and being an extrovert 
5. Dieting for prep versus off-season 
6. Traveling and training 
7. How bodybuilding has made men respect her knowledge of the sport 
8. The internet be crazy
9. Marissas relationship with her sister 
10. What her training looks like 
11. Antidepressants 
12. Social media and meeting women through it 
13. Personally meeting Marissa in for the first time at the Grand Rapids 
14. Guest posing 
15. Who inspires Marissa 
16. What her fav training day looks like
17. Final message to the women listening 

Mentions:

@marissaminibeast

@yarishna

@drsunnyandrews

@melbro_ifbbpro

@thewomensfittest

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube:Buffcake22 

Check out my Amazon link to shop what I shop! Use this paid link to help support the show! https://www.amazon.com/shop/buffcake22

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #137 Chick Chat w/ Melissa Brodsky! 

This was a fun conversation discussing choices and much of what is internal about this sport and more the essence of who we are. Obviously there’s so much more to Melissa (and me) than just bodybuilding so it was nice to dance around that subject for a change and then tie it in at the end. I hope y’all get a window into us a little deeper than just bodybuilding bc many of us on a variety of levels are still cut from the same cloth.  We  talk indirectly about what got us into it, drives us, and what we truly wrestle with daily, like many of you. This will be relatable. I hope you enjoy! Love you Mel!! ♥️

Topics:

1. Perspective on struggle 
2. Taking risks
3. Regrets 
4. Fear 
5. Courage versus bravery 
6. Instagram algorithm 
7. Passion 
8. Spending money on Experiences versus things 
9. Imposter syndrome esp with coaching/training
10. Do you have to be able to explain in order to know 
11. Attaching yourself to an ideology 
12. How Ndlussas off-season is going 
13. Types of cardio matters per individual 
14. Enjoyment and adherence and finding your balance towards your goals 
15. 2 types of body types 
16. What’s your narrative that was shared about your younger self?

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Purchase a Women’s Fittest Program & Join The Women’s Fittest private Facebook group for my female one on one clients or for those who’ve purchased training/nutrition programs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3157219821269373/

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #136 with IFBB Pro Kira Neuman and her client/friend and first time bikini competitor Kelly Thompson. Kelly is a married 44 year old mother, cheer coach, and model who decided to begin a weight training journey in January of 2021 which lad her down the competition path. So grateful to Kelly for sharing her  journey with Kira bringing her to stage which took 5 days a week of personal training for over a year and a half through a bulk and a cut. Kelly killed it but more importantly has goals to continue competing and lifting. It’s never too late! 

Topics covered:

1. Back story how Kelly and Kira found each other
2. Kelly talks about her hesitancy to join a gym 
3. The amount of time and phases of training and diet before deciding  to commit to a show and what that prep level looked like 
4. How aging and life happens for women abruptly in your forties
5. The stages of self care that coincide with the stages of your aging children (how much they need you and when) and the sacrifice that is parenting 
6. The importance of establishing healthy habits and a beauty regiment ASAP to prevent disease and slow aging 
7. Hormones, food allergies, and antidepressants
8. The bulking phase and then stripping off 27lbs to get to stage and Kelly’s experience 
9. The angels competition bikini event 
10. Finding female friends in the sport mostly on line
11. Staying humble 
12. Kelly’s message to start now with your desired level of bodybuilding bc it will enhance your life as much as you want it to 

Mentions:

@misfitover40

@ifbbprokiraneuman

@autumnatikk

@walkerbrooke

@melbro_ifbbpro

@jenniferdorie_ifbbpro

@angelcompetitionbikinis

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Purchase a Women’s Fittest Program & Join The Women’s Fittest private Facebook group for my female one on one clients or for those who’ve purchased training/nutrition programs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3157219821269373/

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #135 and part 3 of this whole story of my road to a healthy food relationship.  

In this episode I talk about my history of eating disorders beginning with diet culture of the 90’s, being an athlete my whole life, the variety of eating disorders I delved into, and even the struggles with contest prep and the bodybuilding lifestyle over the last 12 years. I’m super grateful for the sport as it pulled me out of a lot of the victimhood I was living in for so long, but I also had to learn to unlearn some things from it as well. 

My biggest takeaway here is that I  feel I  really broke a cycle in healing my food relationships so I  could raise a mentally healthy child. Many things I learned that messed me up I didn't pass on to my daughter. This is a huge parenting win and worth all the struggle and therapy.

I hope you enjoy getting to know me a bit more and understand I’m human, I’m always still learning, and I’m grateful for each day to grow and share and relate. Thank you for the outpouring of messages many of you have taken the time to write. I’m encouraged to continue to be open and real. And it’s comforting to know I’m not alone. 

Much love,
Debra Jean 

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Purchase a Women’s Fittest Program & Join The Women’s Fittest private Facebook group for my female one on one clients or for those who’ve purchased training/nutrition programs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3157219821269373/

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode this is episode #134 part two of my journey through 20lbs of weight loss and recovery from emotional eating. This was honestly a tough episode to record and share. I had emotional breaks 4-5 times that I did not edit out because I think being vulnerable and genuine is worth the risk and it’s who I am. The main takeaway of part two is that we are all broken and most will need professional help to change. I credit going to therapy and not quitting, and practicing behavior change to elicit behavior changes. Special thanks to the many messages I’ve received from those of you relating to my openness. I’m grateful for each of you and this platform to be myself without judgement. Part 3 will be about my past and a lifetime history of eating disorders. Talk soon! 

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Purchase a Women’s Fittest Program & Join The Women’s Fittest private Facebook group for my female one on one clients or for those who’ve purchased training/nutrition programs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3157219821269373/

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #133 and today I talk about my recovery from emotional eating and this journey over the last 2 years working on it. Through this process I’ve released over 20lbs going from 157lbs in January 2021 to 135-ish by September 2022. If you struggle with your food relationship this episode offers practical realistic advice that could be helpful for you. 

1. My breaking point after lockdown and what happened with my diet and training up until January 2021 which lead to the goal of … 
2. Rebuilding my relationship with food so that it’s healthy and “normal” and 
3. Things I had to do and “let go of” to heal this
4. Hormones and peri menopause and my experience with getting that virus that starts with C
5. Spoiler alert: you can’t “recomp” when you’re a seasoned lifter so I had to gain more weight to earn that muscle back
6. Not using supplements like caffeine and thermogenics to keep my body honest and fresh 
7. No food is “bad or off-limits” and practicing changing that perspective 
8. Meal patterns and consistency 
9. Reframing what is “the most healthy” and unlearning “perfect dieting” 
10. Eating according to menstrual cycle and hormones. (Not for everyone but how it worked for me)
11. Behavior, focused, goals, rather than results focused goals because behavior determines results 
12. Attending events without food focus,  shame, or guilt 
13. Results: going from 157lbs to 135lbs 
14. The weight loss didn’t bring me happiness yet again (in the past i always thought it would and it seemed so out of reach and futuristic) but my challenge to you and encouragement is to choose happiness now in your behavior wins as I have learned that’s where it can be found. Also give yourself some compassion. 

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Check out my Amazon link to shop what I shop! Use this paid link to help support the show! https://www.amazon.com/shop/buffcake22

Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/buffcake22A

Contact via email to Debra: [email protected] 

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #133 and in it I talk about a few mindset tactics for behavior change to reduce anxiety and be more successful in fitness and life.

Topics:
1. Following through 
2. Settling on instead of for and restful healing 
3. Being present 
4. Cleaning up your environment
5. Progression 
6. Counting your blessings 

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Purchase a Women’s Fittest Program & Join The Women’s Fittest private Facebook group for my female one on one clients or for those who’ve purchased training/nutrition programs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3157219821269373/

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Thanks for listening to another episode of The Women’s Fittest Podcast! This is episode #132 interview with Melanie Branch.

Occasionally I like to have amateurs on the podcast because there are steps to becoming a pro and the NPC is definitely one of them. In this episode Mele and I discuss a variety of topics relevant to the beginner or even intermediate lifter/competitor. Such a fun discussion I hope y’all enjoy! 

Topics covered:

1. Back story 
2. Body image and unlearning societal trends
3. Postpartum depression 
4. Her various coaches and what she learned from some and what she looked for to find a good fit with a coach 
5. Competition history and being 11 weeks out 
6. Sponsorships 

Mentions:

@iammelefate

@walkerbrooke

@thewomensfittest

@buffcake22

@redcon1

Subscribe to The Women’s Fittest podcast as new episodes drop every Monday and throughout the week. Your reviews are appreciated and truly matter! Thank you in advance for your efforts towards the growth of The Women’s Fittest podcast. Also find many of these episodes in video form on my YouTube: Buffcake22! 

Purchase a Women’s Fittest Program & Join The Women’s Fittest private Facebook group for my female one on one clients or for those who’ve purchased training/nutrition programs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3157219821269373/

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Check out my Amazon link to shop what I shop! Use this paid link to help support the show! https://www.amazon.com/shop/buffcake22

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Coaching inquiries email Debra: [email protected] 

Find all these links and more at Debra’s linktree: https://linktr.ee/Buffcake22

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