Bikinis After Babies
Bikinis After Babies is a podcast where real moms talk about their bodybuilding contest experiences, sharing the hardships, victories, and inside scoop of competition prep while juggling family and careers. The show features interviews with IFBB bikini pros who share their stories of managing multiple responsibilities as athletes and defying stereotypes. It offers helpful tips and inspiring stories for moms with big goals, whether they are new to stepping on stage or looking for insight on managing contest prep as busy moms. Hosted by Mandy Rochon and Gillian Hughes of Momshell Method Fitness.
Episodes
Ep 98: IFBB Bikini Pro Alexa Cardon: From Dancer to Mom of 2 and IFBB Pro
In today’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we delve into the inspiring journey of Alexa Cardon, a fitness instructor and newly crowned IFBB Bikini Pro. Alexa shares her story of transformation, beginning with her background in ballet and leading to her recent achievements in the competitive bodybuilding world. Competing since 2017, Alexa shares her journey of overcoming body image, str
Ep 97: Pittsburgh Perspectives: Prep on the Road and Highlights from NPC Masters Nats
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies we are sharing updates on our prep journeys, and recapping the behind-the-scenes moments from our girls-coaches-trip to Pittsburgh for NPC Teen, Collegiate, Masters Nationals. In this episode we discuss:A detailed discussion on the differences between regional and national shows, including judging criteria and stage presentation nuances.The evolvin
Ep 96: Nikia Hovey From Cheer Coach to IFBB Pro: Leading Athletes On & Off the Stage
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies we welcome IFBB Bikini Pro Nikia (“Kia”) Hovey. Kia is a wife, a mom of two, an educator, personal trainer, posing coach, and all-star cheer coach. Kia has been competing for 8 years and earned her IFBB Pro card in 2021at NPC Universe during one of the most challenging seasons of her life- training amidst the pandemic and coping with the grief fol
Ep 95: Transform Your Waistline with Stomach Vacuums feat. Coach Hannah Repesse of “A Waist In Time”
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies we welcome back our friend Hannah Repesse of “A Waist in Time”. Hannah is a Certified Level 3 Vacuum Coach and has transformed the waistlines of many of the top athletes you see on NPC and IFBB stages as well as individuals who are seeking improved core control and an hourglass silhouette. In this episode, we discuss the importance of connecting wi
Ep 94: When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan and the Setbacks That Shape Us
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies , Mandy dives deeper and opens up about a journey she never expected to take. From dreaming of a large family and navigating the heartbreak of infertility and IVF, to finding healing through fitness, bodybuilding, and personal growth, Mandy shares how some of life's greatest setbacks can completely reshape the path we're on. She reflects on the grie
Ep 93: Smash or Pass- Competitor Edition
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are bringing you a fun, rapid-fire episode where we play our version of "Smash or Pass" focused entirely on fitness topics! This episode is packed with candid opinions, expert insights, and a few laughs as we evaluate fitness fads, gym trends, contest prep strategies, and fitness gadgets. Whether you're a competitor, a fitness enthusias
Ep 92: Bikini Coach Insider: Fat Loss or Muscle Gain: Which is “Harder”?
On this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are coming to you with some of our insight into competition prep from our perspective both as coaches and competitors ourselves! One subject that often comes up is the process of changing body composition and the argument that fat loss is harder than muscle gain…or vice versa. In this episode we dive deep into this debate and discuss th
Ep 91: May Q&A + Mandy and Gillian’s Updates: Are We Competing This Year?
It’s been a hot minute! In this week’s episode, we are catching up and sharing our updates, Mandy’s recent transformation (Hot Mom Summer loading!), and how we are balancing life as athletes and moms. We are answering our juiciest questions from our Instagram audience including insight into the journey to a pro card as a master’s athlete, how to handle the demands of prep training sche
Ep 90: Secrets to Designing Your Dream Bikini with Toxic Angelz COO and Mama Mary Quimson
On this week’s special episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are joined by Mary Quimson who is the right hand woman to the founder of Toxic Angelz Bikinis, the leader in competition bikinis in the bodybuilding space! Mary is the Chief Operating Officer at Toxic Angelz Bikinis and has been with the company for over 12 years! Mary competed for the first time in 2016 and “borrowed” a Toxic
Ep 89: Broken Foot, Unbreakable Mindset: How Rachel Farganis Became an IFBB Pro Against All Odds
On this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies we are joined by IFBB Bikini Pro Rachel Farganis- a wife, entrepreneur and mother of two. Rachel quickly became the talk of the bodybuilding world last summer when photos of her pro card win in an orthotic boot flooded Instagram!! Rachel shares the incredible story of how she broke her foot less than 2 weeks before North Americans and how s
Ep 88: From Bikini to Fit Model & Back: NPC Athlete & Cancer Survivor Courtney Daniel
On this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies we are joined by NPC Bikini Athlete Courtney Daniel who is a wife, a mom of four boys, and an entrepreneur. Courtney began competing in 2018 when during her second season, she found a lump in her breast following prejudging- a discovery that led to a breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and multiple surgeries. Courtney stepped away from the
Ep 87: IFBB Fit Model Pro Brittni Shae: Switching Divisions, Motherhood & the Fit Model Mindset
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we’re joined by Brittni Shae, an IFBB Fit Model Pro who proves that it’s never too late to pursue big goals in bodybuilding.After years in the Bikini Division, Brittni made the bold decision to transition into the new NPC Fit Model Division. In 2025, she earned her pro card at NPC Universe Championships in the Open Fit Model category, at age
Ep 86: IFBB Bikini Pro Daraja Weidemoyer: Refining Strength From Olympia Stage to Motherhood & Back
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are joined by the lovely Daraja Weidmoyer, IFBB Bikini Pro, four-time Bikini Olympian and new mom! Not long after her second Olympia in 2023, Daraja made the announcement that she would be stepping away from the stage to embark on a new chapter of her life sharing with the world that she and her husband were expecting their first child.
Episode 85: 5 Mistakes You Are Making In Your Fitness/Prep Journey That Are Stalling Your Results
If you feel like you’re doing everything right in your bikini competition prep or fitness journey training hard, eating “clean,” hitting your steps — but your body isn’t changing then this episode is for you! In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we’re breaking down the most common bikini prep and fat loss mistakes women make and exactly how to fix them so you can start seeing
Episode 84: Prep Through Beautiful Chaos: Babies, Teens & Everything Between
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are diving into the topic of how to navigate prep and personal fitness goals throughout the different stages of motherhood amidst the various challenges and constant changes to routines and schedules. As active competitors with kids of various ages, we have walked the walk of juggling the responsibilities of motherhood while getting ‘sta
EP 83: Breaking Up is Hard
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are BACK and sharing our personal updates, including a recap and future plans for Mandy in her IVF journey into a new season of her life, and Gillian’s plans for her second season in the IFBB pro league! This week we are also answering audience questions including:coaching red flags how to choose the right coach and how to know if it’s time to
EP 82:Bikinis After Babies presents Bikini MomTALK: ‘26 Arnold List, ‘25 Nats & IFBB Fit Model Rules
Bikinis After Babies is excited to share our NEW segment: Bikini MomTalk! In this quarterly roundtable discussion, we will bring you our insight on hot topics and relevant industry news in the bikini and fit model world with our friends Meaghan Taylor, IFBB Fit Model Pro, and Julie Taylor-Deluca, IFBB Bikini Pro! On this episode of Bikini Mom Talk, we are discussing our insights on the r
EP 81:IFBB Pro Laura Tarbell: Persevering Through Perimenopause as an Athlete, Twin Mama, & Covergirl
On this episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are joined by IFBB Bikini Pro Laura Tarbell, who is a functional nutrition coach and prep coach who has been competing for 18 years!! Laura is not only a mother to two sets of twins—yes, four kids—but she is also a magazine cover girl and contributing author at Strong Fitness Magazine. After taking a break from the stage to start her family, L
EP 80: IFBB Pro Courtney Whitman: The “Neufit” And Hubby As Coach Are Her Greatest Tools For Success
On this episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are joined by IFBB Bikini Pro Courtney Whitman, South Dakota’s first ever IFBB Bikini Pro! Courtney is a talented cosmetologist, wife, and mom to her 13-year-old daughter and earned her pro card this summer at Masters Nationals. Courtney discusses her initial motivation to get fit, the dynamics of being coached by her husband, and the challenge
EP 79: Loving Yourself At All Stages of Your Journey
If you’ve ever found yourself feeling discouraged or overly critical of yourself after your competition, lost and lacking motivation in your offseason or struggling with self doubt as you navigate your journey to the stage, this episode is for you! In this episode of “Bikinis After Babies”, Gillian shares the ups and downs of her journey as an IFBB Pro Bikini Competitor, wife, mom and co
EP 78: IFBB Pro Brooklyn Goodsell: Turning Postpartum Depression into Purpose and a Pro Card
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we welcome Brooklyn Goodsell, an IFBB Fit Model Pro, wife, mother and online coach. Brooklyn’s story is one that will truly resonate with so many women — especially mothers who have walked through the physical and emotional challenges that come after childbirth. Brooklyn battled postpartum depression after the birth of her son 6 years ago—
Ep 77: IFBB Bikini Pro Crystal Omalza: Strategizing 5 Pro Shows While Juggling Motherhood & Business
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies, we welcome IFBB Bikini Pro Crystal Omalza, who shares her inspiring journey and how she went from NPC amateur to IFBB Pro and double qualified for the 2027 Masters Olympia in just one summer!! Crystal began competing 4 years ago and shares with our audience her top tips for juggling her lifestyle as a professional athlete with her responsibilitie
Ep 76: 2025 Bikini Olympia Recap with special guests IFBB Pro’s Julie Taylor and Meaghan Taylor
Today we are coming to you with a bonus episode of Bikinis After Babies to recap the 2025 Bikini Olympia and discuss our thoughts on the controversial results! We have invited our friends IFBB Fit Model Pro Meaghan Taylor and IFBB BIkini Pro Julie Taylor for a round table discussion of the show and our thoughts and opinions of the judging and placings! This is one episode you won’t want
Ep 75: IFBB Fit Model Pro Meaghan Taylor: Last Minute Division Switch Leads to Pro Card After 9 Yrs
In this week’s episode of Bikini's After Babies, we are joined by IFBB Fit Model Pro Meaghan Taylor. Meaghan earned her pro card at NPC North Americans this past August winning her Fit Model 45+ class and taking home the 45+ overall to clinch her spot in the pro league!!Meaghan is a wife, a mother of 3, an acute care nurse practitioner and a former marathon runner! Meaghan turned her pa
Episode 74: IFBB Pro Dayna Onaga- Dance Mom Life and the Impact of Healthy Habits for Your Children
In this week’s episode of Bikini's After Babies, we are joined by the lovely Dana Onaga, an IFBB Bikini Pro, who shares her inspiring journey of pursuing competing after having children and hitting the pro stage for the first time in her 40’s! Dayna earned her IFBB pro card in 2024 and just wrapped up her first full season as an IFBB bikini pro with numerous top 5 pro placings including
Episode 73: Rookie IFBB Pro Season- Lessons Learned
On this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies we (Gillian and guest co-host Julie Taylor) discuss our experiences this summer as we both transitioned from amateur bikini competitors to competing as pros in the IFBB pro league! We compare and contrast each league, share insights on the feedback we have received from judges, discuss our future plans and how we plan to level up in the rank
Episode 72: Fit Model Shayla Hunt: Back 2 Back National Shows, Working with Feedback and Her Secrets for Success
On this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are joined again by our first ever sponsored athlete Shayla Hunt, a rising star in the NPC Fit Model Division. She has already claimed three Fit Model overall titles and has spent the summer competing at 3 National level shows. During this interview Shayla gives us an update on how she has been juggling being a mom of 3, 2 full time jobs
Episode 71: “Am I Good Enough to Be Here?” The Mindset Shifts of a Bikini Pro
On this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, Mandy and Gillian are reunited after a busy month and share updates including Mandy’s new fitness goals and Gillian’s recent travels to Florida and first pro medal! In this episode, Mandy and Gillian discuss various topics pertaining to the experience of competing at a high level and how imperative it is to have a PRO mindset to go along wit
Episode 70: Brady “Born 2 Be A Beast” Becker: Growing Up as The Child of a Bikini Competitor Mom
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, Gillian sits down with her son Brady, a 17 year old up and coming amateur bodybuilder and wrestler, and they discuss, from his perspective, what it has been like growing up as the child of a bikini competitor, particularly, one with a public persona online. As a mother and a competitive bodybuilder, you're living a life that requires incred
Episode 69: IFBB Bikini Pro Julie Deluca: Twin Mama Juggling Fitness, Family and Business.
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are joined by newly crowned IFBB Bikini Pro Julie DeLuca. Julie is a single mom of 4 children who shares her exciting journey to earning her pro card in her 40’s! Julie talks about how she got started in fitness as a professional cheerleader turned crossfit athlete and how she became dedicated to the pursuit of earning her climbing the r
Episode 68: IFBB Indy Pro + NPC Missouri State Recap + Tips on Staying Fit for the 4th
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are recapping all the fun of show weekend following the Indy Pro Super Show and the NPC Missouri State! Gillian stepped on stage in her second pro show and shares all the details of the experience, the outcome, judge feedback and how she is strategizing a game plan for her next competition! Both of us coached athletes this past weekend and sha
Episode 67: Post show recap: IFBB MILE HIGH PRO + Navigating Back Stage Vibes & SHOW Day Expectations
Welcome back to another episode! This week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies is full of updates!! Gillian is back from Denver Colorado after competing in her first IFBB Bikini Pro show, the Mile High Pro, and Mandy has also returned from Colorado where she underwent a very successful egg retrieval procedure! Gillian reflects on her experience at her first pro show and how it differed f
Episode 66: June Q&A- Pay How Much For Stage Makeup?, How to Plan Back to Back Shows, and Surgery
In this week’s episode of Bikini’s After Babies, we sit down and catch our audience up to speed on what we have been up to on our very different journeys! Mandy shares the progress in her IVF journey while Gillian has updates on her preparations for her IFBB pro bikini debut. We asked our audience to share questions that they had and touch on several topics in this episode including:Shou
Ep 65: Hannah Repesse: Restore Your Waistline and Build Confidence with Stomach Vacuums
In this episode of Bikini's After Babies, we welcome Hannah Rapesse, a certified stomach vacuum coach. Hannah is the founder of “A Waist in Time” and through her coaching practice, she helps her clients to restore their core control and achieve a small waist line through a unique method of exercise and breathing techniques. In this episode, we dive deep into the benefits of vacuum train
Episode 64: Shayla Hunt; The Gift of Surrogacy and How She Came To Be “The Prototype” of Fit Model
On this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are joined by Shayla Hunt, a rising star in the NPC Fit Model Division. Shayla, who has been referred to as the “prototype” has already claimed three Fit Model overall titles this season, shares her unique journey from bikini and figure to fit model, and the challenges she faced along the way, including a serious health scare after follo
Episode 63: Coaches Recap: NPC MIDWEST; Confidence, Stage Readiness and Trusting Your Coach
On this week’s episode we are back on the mic after an exciting weekend seeing friends, past clients and coaching our incredible team of competitors at the NPC Midwest Championships in St Louis! We’re catching you up on what we’ve been up to: Mandy’s growing farm and Gillian’s prep for her IFBB bikini pro debut in just over a month’s time!As coaches, we share some insight into how we hel
Episode 62: Marisa Ross: Breaking Free and Going After Your Dreams- Age is Just a Number!
On this week’s episode we are joined by IFBB Bikini Pro Marisa Ross, a woman with an incredible story of resilience and determination. Marisa is a wife and mother of 3 who earned her IFBB pro card at her second competition, NPC Masters Nationals in 2023. Marisa wasted no time getting her feet wet in the pro league and took home a pro win just the next year in the Masters Pro 50+ divisio
Episode 61: Depression, Anxiety, Emotional Eating & Menty B’s
In this week’s episode, we are discussing the mental aspects of bodybuilding, including the emotional struggles that can arise during prep, such as anxiety and depression. We touch on many aspects of mental health as an athlete includingThe impact of hormonal changesHow prep can cause a feeling of loneliness for someThe impact of fatigue on mood and emotionsQuality sleep and how sleep af
Episode 60: How to Juggle it All As A Busy Mama in Prep
In this week’s episode, we are discussing the challenges of managing time and responsibilities while balancing fitness goals, family life, and work. We share our experiences and the practical tips that we have incorporated over the years as we learned how to manage our time and responsibilities while preparing for our bodybuilding competitions. We hope that in today’s episode of Bikini
Episode 59: NPC Natural Division with Natural Bikini Pro Jennifer Nutter
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we welcome IPE Bikini Pro Jennifer Nutter to discuss her journey in natural bodybuilding, including her experience as an athlete in different bodybuilding federations. Jennifer shares her personal story of paving her way to multiple bikini overall titles across the different federations and the importance of remaining a natural athlete as
Episode 58: Your Prep and How it Affects Your Children
In this solo episode of Bikini's After Babies, host Gillian Hughes discusses her journey in bodybuilding as a mom of 5, and the impact of her career in bodybuilding on her blended family. She shares insights on how to navigate the challenges of balancing personal goals with family dynamics, raising teenagers and supporting their growth and struggles with body image, dealing with social m
Episode 57: Dealing With Self Sabotage, Pressure, & High Expectations
Have you ever felt held back by self sabotage and unable to progress due to the pressure and high or unreasonable expectations you have placed on yourself and your competition prep journey? In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are diving deep into the struggle of self sabotage and discussing how pressure and expectations can lead to self-doubt and derail progress on a compe
Episode 56: Thrive in Perimenopause As An Athlete with FDN-P Simone Maman
Have you ever questioned why the things you have always done to lose fat, stay fit, get stage ready just don’t seem to work anymore? Are you in midlife and concerned that these changes in your body could impact your competition prep or overall health? On this week’s episode we are again joined by IFBB Bikini Pro Simone Maman from Balance and Body Diagnostics and diving deep into the top
Episode 55: Prep and Your Hormones with FDN-P Simone Maman
On this week’s episode we are joined by IFBB Bikini Pro Simone Maman from Balance and Body Diagnostics! Simone is a wife, a mom of 5 and is a Functional Health Practitioner, Holistic and Sports Nutritionist, and Eating Psychology Coach. Simone earned her IFBB bikini pro card in 2013 at the Canadian Natural Pro Qualifier, and while Simone had previously decided to retire from competitive
Episode 54: Bodybuilding Truths: Weight Gain Is Necessary for Improvement
In this week’s episode of Bikinis After Babies, we are talking about something we ALL tend to talk about at SOME point in our fitness journey- weight gain! We are discussing our failed reverses, how to execute and strategize your offseason and the need for a healthy mindset and body image during your time away from the stage as a competitor. We are diving deep into the complexities of a
Episode 53: January Q&A- Shifting Your Lifts, Supps? And TSA Tips
In this episode of Bikini is After Babies, we are answering your burning questions in our January Q&A! We cover our tips for traveling through airport security with prep food, the truth about supplements and which ones we have found most valuable to our fitness journey and share how we lost the baby weight back in the day with our post-partum fitness secrets! We also touch on how an
Episode 52: How to Train For Your Division
In our first episode of 2025, we are discussing the various women’s divisions in the NPC from Bikini and Fit Model divisions to Wellness and Figure! We discuss the differences in what the judges are looking for and how this criteria determines how athletes should train to bring exactly what the judges are looking for! We hope that you enjoyed this episode, and if so, we would LOVE it i
Episode 51: Merry Fitmas! Sleighing the Holidays with Mandy and G
In this week’s episode, we begin by discussing the announcement of the NEW NPC category coming to the stage in 2025- the “Fit Model” division! We also discuss the Bikini International invite list for 2025 and share our thoughts about the growth of the women’s dvisions in the NPC!This week as we are right in the middle of the holiday season, we are also sharing our “non negotiables” for s
Episode 50: Gut Stuff- What To Know To Optimize Your Digestion
In this week’s episode, we are discussing a hot topic among both our prep and lifestyle clients: GUT HEALTH! We are sharing insight into this complex subject and how stress, dietary choices, sleep quality and other lifestyle factors impact digestion, especially for women. While we always recommend consulting a physician if you have any health concerns, in this episode we are sharing s
Episode 49: Bikinis After Babies Turns 1! Looking Back at Our First Year
In today’s episode we are celebrating the ONE YEAR anniversary of our VERY FIRST EPISODE!! It has been an incredible journey, one that both of us have loved to our core, and we are sharing all of the lessons learned and highlighting some of our favorite moments from this first year of “Bikinis After Babies”As we venture into our second year of the podcast, we would love to hear MORE of w
Episode 48: Interview with Jamie Sterling: NPC/IFBB Female Promoter and Mama
On this week’s episode, we are joined by Jamie Sterling, a wife and mother of 2 and IFBB/NPC promoter of the Indy Pro Super Show, one of the biggest NPC and IFBB shows in the Midwest! Jamie shares with our audience how her fitness journey began and how she accomplished a 100 lb weight loss to find her way to the NPC national stage! We learn all the behind the scenes of how a show as gra
Episode 47: How Prep is Different After Babies and/or As A Masters Athlete
In today’s episode we are comparing and contrasting the differences between prepping before and after babies and prepping as an open competitor versus as a masters competitor. We discuss the challenges balancing fitness, career, friends/family, and competition as well as our personal experiences of competition prep at different phases in life. We touch on hormones, metabolism, social m
Episode 46: Brittany Schrempp-Going Pro While Juggling Family, Farm, and Battling Autoimmune Disease
In today’s episode, we are joined by a special guest, IFBB Bikini Pro Brittany Schrempp! A brand new bikini pro, Brittany is a mama of 3, a wife, a certified Functional Nutritionist and Exercise Physiologist and coach who earned her pro card this past summer at the 2024 NPC North Americans after numerous regional overall wins and 6 national shows! Brittany shares how her battle with pos
Episode 45: Catching up with Gillian and Mandy: IVF and Fertility Struggles, Juggling Prep with Kids
In today’s episode, we share personal updates, including Mandy's journey with IVF and her decision to focus on furthering her education and growing her family before returning to the stage. We discuss the challenges of balancing bodybuilding with family life and offer practical tips for how to involve kids in meal prep, how to have positive language around food and body image, the import
Episode 44:IFBB Pro Dove Putterman: Success as a Result of The Resilience That Comes from Motherhood
In today’s episode, we are joined by IFBB wellness pro and mother of five, Dove Putterman. Dove shares her fascinating story of juggling her career as a professional wellness competitor and dentist and how she stepped on her first competitive bodybuilding stage just weeks after her coach and husband convinced her to compete, taking the overall wellness title and earning her IFBB pro card
Episode 43: Butt Stuff: Our Glute Building Secrets
In this week’s episode, we’re covering a highly popular topic among women in the realm of bikini bodybuilding….GLUTES!! We are addressing common misconceptions when it comes to glute growth including proper weight training techniques, programming, exercise selection, recovery and the critical role of nutrition in muscle growth and optimal performance. We also touch on the mindset require
Episode 42: Life Updates and 2024 Bikini Olympia Review
In this week’s episode, we are each back from a little getaway and catching our audience up on what’s been going on in our busy lives and sharing some updates on our fitness journeys and plans for the 2025 competition season! We also share how we had predicted the outcome of the Olympia to be and how those predictions compared to the actual results. Being avid followers of the sport our
Episode 41: Celeste Rains-Turk: Personal Growth, Overcoming Emotional Eating and Post Show Blues
In today’s episode, we are joined by Celeste Rains-Turk, an industry leading expert in the area of food relationships, body image, post show struggles and mental health in the fitness industry. Celeste is the host and founder of the “Confessions of A Bikini Pro Podcast”, the founder of “Build More Than Just A Body” where she guides competitors in their journey to making peace with food,
Episode 40: Daraja Hill-Weidemoyer - From Bikini Olympian to Expecting Mother
In today’s episode, we are joined by IFBB pro Daraja Hill-Weidemoyer. We sat down with Daraja to discuss how she got started competing and her quick rise to the top from earning her pro card to winning her first two pro shows and taking the stage at the Arnold and Bikini Olympia within a years time!! Daraja has competed at the Bikini Olympia each year since turning pro but we will not
Episode 39: India Paulino- Balancing Motherhood with Personal & Professional Aspirations as a Pro!
In today’s episode, we are joined by IFBB pro India Paulino. India is a mother to six and half year old Breton and has an impressive career in the IFBB pro league both before and after becoming a mother! India is considered one of the OG’s of the bikini division and has 16 pro wins under her belt and continues to remain at the top even whilst juggling her roles as a mother and multiple
Episode 38: Koa Robinson- Patience and The Improvement Season That Led to A Pro Card Win
In today’s episode, we are joined by IFBB pro Koa Robinson! Koa is a wife, a mother of 3 and a grandmother who has been competing for 5 years and earned her IFBB pro card this year at NPC Universe. Koa juggles the demands of her career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist with competing and taking care of her family responsibilities and shares many helpful tips and insight into h
Episode 37: September Q & A: how to recover from a cheat, date night and alcohol on prep, and PED’s
In today’s episode, we are answering all of your burning questions from our comments section and our social media including how to get back on track after you cheated on your diet, how to go on dates while in prep, and finding balance in social situations. We are sharing our top solutions and strategies to make life outside of prep balanced and to help you learn how to navigate the chall
Episode 36: That Didn’t Go As Planned- Ending a Prep Early
Have you set your sights on a competition and whilst training for the event, have to end your preparations for stage early? In this week’s episode, Mandy and Gillian discuss their experiences of ending a prep early and not achieving their planned goals in bikini bodybuilding. Circumstances often arise that make it necessary to “pause” prep and put off show day until the situation resolv
Episode 35: Common Show Day Mistakes!
In this episode, we are discussing common show day mistakes including our often hilarious personal stories of mistakes they made during our own competitions! We share our favorite handy items to have on hand for back stage emergencies and we are even sharing our packing list (see below) to help you organize your things for your big day! We hope you enjoy all of the juicy nuggets of info
Episode 34: August Q & A: Do you need long hair for stage? Is fasted training bad? Why am I losing fat so slow?
In this week’s episode, we are answering questions we have received from listeners this past month and including: should you wear neon suits on stage? What are our favorite upper and lower body exercises? Do competitors need long hair or hair extensions for the stage? Is training fasted more effective than training fed?We hope you enjoy all of the juicy nuggets of info shared in this e
EPISODE 33: ANNND NEWWW IFBB PRO GILLIAN HUGHES!!
On today’s episode we are delighted to share the news that co-host Gillian Hughes competed at NPC Masters Nationals and won her IFBB PRO CARD! We are so excited to bring this episode to our audience and share Gillian’s recap of show weekend and all the details of how the victory played out! It has been an incredible journey and from our very first episode of this podcast, we have share
EPISODE 32: IFBB PRO April Conley: Turning Grief and Pain into the Pursuit of Your Dreams
This week we are joined by April Conley, IFBB Bikini pro who is a posing coach, a wife and mother of 4. April has been competing for 3 years and earned her IFBB pro card at North Americans in 2022. April experienced the passing of her late husband and turned her pain into a passion for fitness after she realized that she needed a goal and something to look forward to in order to help her
Episode 31: NPC Universe 2024 Recap
In this episode, we are answering our most asked questions from listeners and our social media audience! We discuss our favorite gym outfits, guilty pleasures, and favorite prep condiments and seasonings as well as answering you questions about booty growth and share our top tips for building glute muscles. We’ll cover the factors you should consider when determining the length of an im
Episode 30: June Q & A: How Long Should Your Improvement Season Be, Growing Glutes, Judges Feedback
In this episode, we are answering our most asked questions from listeners and our social media audience! We discuss our favorite gym outfits, guilty pleasures, and favorite prep condiments and seasonings as well as answering you questions about booty growth and share our top tips for building glute muscles. We’ll cover the factors you should consider when determining the length of an im
Episode 29: Reverse Dieting, Improvement Season - Secrets to Slaying your Post Show Journey
In this episode, we are diving deep into the post show phase and talking about the experiences we have had and how we have conquered "reverse diets gone wrong" and post show rebound. Today we are opening up about our personal struggles with post show eating, body image and how we overcame those challenges. We talk about the different resources that are available to athletes who are str
Episode 28: 2x Ms. Bikini Olympia Angelica Teixeira Returning To The Stage After Babies
In this episode of Bikinis After Babies, host Mandy and Gillian are joined by a true legend Angelica Teixeira. Angelica is a 2x Ms. Bikini Olympia Champion and 4x Ms. Bikini International! Angelica took a break from competing after the 2020 Olympia to start her family welcoming her daughters Alyssa and Ayla in 2021 and 2023. Angelica returned to the IFBB Pro Bikini stage at the Arnold C
Episode 27: Show Recap: Mandy and Gillian Take the Stage in Omaha and DC!
In this episode, Mandy and Gillian are BACK from their competitions and hopped right on the mic to share all the tea and their feelings about their experiences from show day! Mandy competed at the NPC Dual of Champions in Omaha Nebraska while Gillian traveled to DC to compete at the NPC DC Pro/AM on the very same day! The hosts share all the exciting details about their show day experie
Episode 26: IFBB Pro Fallon Wainwright: Resilience After Loss & the Pursuit of Personal Growth
In this episode, Mandy and Gillian welcome IFBB Bikini Pro Fallon Wainwright, a wife and mother of 2 girls ages 14 and 5. Fallon is a clinical researcher who began competing in 2020 earning her pro card at Masters Nationals in July of 2022. Fallon shares her experience beginning her competition journey just a year after the birth of her youngest daughter and her path to earning her pro c
Episode 25: What if You’re Not Ready For Your Show?
You’ve been preparing for months for your competition….what happens if you’re not ready? How do you know if you’re ready? These are common concerns competitors have as they embark on their journey towards a competition and in today’s episode, hosts Mandy and Gillian share their insight pertaining to the mindset and head games we can experience as bikini bodybuilders. The process of pre
Episode 24: May Q & A: Tiny Waist, Periods on Show Day, How to Switch Coaches
The Struggle is real 🙂! We are are a little more than 3 weeks out from our shows and feeling the prep struggles this week! In this week's episode we are talking about the struggles of being in the final weeks of prep and dealing with sickness as well as strategies for dealing with cravings and snacking, the importance of seeking support and resources for food-related issues, and the pro
Episode 23:True Novice Competitor Josie Kloppenberg Prep With Her Husband For Their First Show
On this week's episode of Bikinis After Babies. Host Mandy Rochon and Gillian Hughes. Interview Josie Kloppenberg, a first-time master’s bikini competitor. Josie shares her experience as she prepares for her first bikini competition at the NPC Midwest St. Louis Show. Josie did not prep alone, her husband also prepped for his first show alongside her. Listen as she shares great insight to
Episode 22- Mental Toughness: How to Survive When Prep Gets Hard
This week, Mandy and Gillian dive deep into the hard times all athletes endure in contest prep and discuss helpful strategies that create mental toughness that is necessary in order to be successful in reaching your goals 👊🏼💥 The BAB’s hosts share some of their most challenging experiences in prep and how they manage to persevere when calories and energy are low. If you’re a competitor y
Episode 21: IFBB Pro Janine Herrera: Persevering Through Adversity While, Prioritizing Family & Faith
In this episode, Mandy and Gillian welcome IFBB Bikini Pro and Masters Olympian Janine Herrera who shares her journey as a single mother of three daughters rising to the top of the ranks as a bikini pro! Janine shares how getting started competing had a tremendous positive impact on her mental health as she navigated a divorce and adjusted to life as a single mom.Janine’s highest accompl
Episode 20: More Than Kegals: The Importance of a Strong Pelvic Floor
In this episode, Mandy and Gillian welcome Doctor of Physical Therapy Tina Patti, a mother herself who specializes in pelvic floor therapy helping her patients with a variety of pelvic floor issues from diastasis recti, urinary incontinence, pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction. In this episode, Tina explains the importance of addressing these issues and dispels the misconception that they
Episode 19: Show Weekend Recap
In this episode, Mandy is BACK from her first competition of her 2024 season in Orlando Florida and shares all the exciting details about her show day experience! In this episode we dive deep into the entire experience as Mandy discusses how the competition went, her placings and the vital feedback she received from the judges following the competition- you won’t want to miss the inside
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