RENEE HARSHEY

In this episode, Host Celeste Rains-Turk speaks with Renee
Harshey, a coach at Pro Physiques, Certified Nutrition Specialist
and owner of her own meal prep service Fit Choice Foods, mother,
and IFBB Pro who turned pro in Bikini at the Arnold Amateur in
Colombia in 2019.

​Starting off the episode, Renee officially announces her
decision to switch to the Wellness division after finally
achieving her pro status in Bikini after 4 years and 16
shows.
 
Renee discusses how persistence played a role in her success to
achieving the pro status but how her journey was not easy as she
never had the “typical bikini” physique. She discusses how she
always had to work harder to fit the judges criteria for that
division and now how Wellness has opened new doors of opportunity
for her to have a successful pro career.
 
Renee goes into detail about how her training and diet strategies
have changed since making the switch and where she’s putting her
focus moving forward. Celeste and Renee talk about the importance
of reverse dieting and Renee shares how she found comfortability
in being uncomfortable looking “fluffier” and eating more food to
make the necessary changes to her physique as well as get her
metabolism back to a happy & healthy place.
 
Renee shares how her experiences with binge eating and reverse
dieting as a competitor and as a coach has helped her better
prepare her clients for success by implementing and following a
reverse diet correctly to achieve the desired goals, whether it
be for lifestyle or competition.
 
They discuss how being open and transparent with your coach is
vital for success and being a coach herself, she needs the right
information to make the correct changes for her clients. Celeste
talks with Renee about what she considers to be an unhealthy
extreme and how Renee prioritizes her clients mental and physical
health which she says is about always keeping it real &
honest with them.
 
Renee shares how her experience as a social worker has helped her
become a better coach and can better empathize with her clients
and help them work through their difficult times. Celeste and
Renee dive into the importance of research into coaching and why
interviewing coaches and asking questions is key before making a
final decision.
 
Renee talks about her journey to getting her pro card, how taking
time off the stage and focusing on coaching & her clients
actually helped better prepare her for that final push to get her
pro card.
 
Celeste and Renee go into how Renee decided to have her own meal
prep service, how it started and what it’s like to run a business
on the side as well as being a mom, coach and professional
athlete.
 
CONNECT WITH RENEE ON INSTAGRAM
HERE: https://www.instagram.com/renee_ifbbpro/

CHECK OUT FIT CHOICE FOODS
HERE: https://www.fitchoicefoods.com/

CONNECT WITH CELESTE ON INSTAGRAM
HERE: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/

 
TIME STAMP with Episode Highlights:
[4:50] Renee officially announces her decision to switch to the
Wellness division for the 2020 season
 
[12:20] Celeste & Renee discuss how Renee’s training has
changed to get ready for Wellness versus how she would train when
going for her pro card in Bikini
           

[18:00] Renee discusses how she let herself get uncomfortable to
allow her metabolism to “catch up”
 
[28:00] Why it’s important for coaches to have coaches & how
the accountability helps her mentally with how she’s
progressing.
 
[31:10] Renee admits to some changes she personally made during
her prep without her coach’s knowledge and how it was not always
the right choice, also something she now advises against.
 
[35:00] Renee explains why the coach - client communication is so
important & gives an example of one of her clients.
 
[41:40] Why Renee & the Pro Physique coaches implement
reverse diets for all their clients post show & why it is
important
 
[42:30] Celeste asks Renee what she considers an unhealthy
extreme
 
[52:00] Celeste & Renee discuss empathy, something Renee
learned from her previous job as a social worker & Celeste
emphasizes the importance of empathy when working with
clients
 
[57:00] Celeste expands on why research on coaches is important
because of how prep approaches have evolved over time.
 
[66:00] Renee discusses her persistence through her journey from
hitting the national stage & taking a step back to focus on
coaching & what she learned from taking time away from the
stage
 
[76:00] Renee mentions the importance of strategy when choosing
national shows
 
[82:00] Celeste & Renee express how a positive mindset &
having that “winners mentality” is more than a surface level
practice
 
[89:00] Renee shares why the details matter & competing is
more than just a physique contest
 
[91:25] Celeste asks Renee about her meal prep service, how she
finds balance, how did it start, etc.
 
[98:50] Celeste gets Renee’s advice for newbie competitors &
advice for girls who are on their road to pro