Bikini Ready Body 40+? A First Time Master Bikini Competitor's Journey

Hi! I am Adrielle. I’ve been a Neonatal ICU nurse for 17 years.  Married with 2 children.  I was a cheerleader in high school and was part of the competition team.  People would describe me as a ball of energy.  Initially I did workouts at home (Beach Body, Insanity, P90x), all the fad home video programs at the time.  I then started looking into group workouts.  I noticed the group workouts made me accountable.  Group workouts were also fun and challenged you.  It started with Pilates, Barre then Orange Theory to F45.  I was enjoying the muscles I was developing. 

However, I just couldn’t understand why with all my energy and workouts I still had the belly bulge and I would watch my muscles come and go.  I also enjoy eating, I’m a real foodie.  So you can say I yo-yo’d with fad diets as well.  I tried carb cycling, cut off carbs completely then keto.  Keto I had the most success with weight loss, but I didn’t gain much muscle and I started to lose my hair.  I began searching for something balanced and healthy that I could do long term.

A few months before I turned 39 I told myself, I’m going to join a bikini competition.  For my 40th birthday, I want to be able to step on stage and be the fittest version of myself.  It was a challenge to get started on my fit journey. I started in Aug 2023, I found a different online competition coach before beginning with Julie.  I received my nutrition and exercise plan.  I was ready.  But it was August, beginning of the school year and did I forget to mention I was a Cub Scouts Cubmaster for our elementary school that practically quadrupled in size.  Include 12-hour work shifts and mom duties, I felt like I was in over my head. 

I contacted my previous competition coach and expressed how can I modify the exercises as it’s taking me close to 2 hours to complete the workouts? How do I incorporate my work shifts, prepare for the next day and get the suggested amount of sleep?  I wasn’t making excuses; I was hoping I would get feedback on what other clients did to give me an idea on how to modify the plan around my schedule. 

The response I received, “You just have to figure it out.” I was crushed, I felt as if I was set up to fail in the start.  I then decided I’ll just have to put a hold on my own goals and I cancelled the program.  I broke down, HARD.  It was that very moment I realized, this was bigger than just walking on a stage.  It was to prove to myself that I was mentally and emotionally strong.  I found another coach, this one was at a nearby gym.  1st private session was a bust.  I looked months for another coach.  I don’t have social media so I relied heavily on google, yelp and friend recommendations. 

Then one night, I decided I need someone like me.  A woman who understands what it’s like to be dealing with hormones and how to manage a life as a full-time working mom.  I changed my search to “female bikini competition coach” and BAM, there was Julie.

My greatest fitness accomplishment to date is becoming a bikini competitor!  That’s right, at 40 I made my goal.  I got on that stage and had fun!  All I wanted to do was to be able to walk alongside the other contestants.  If I got a medal that would be a cherry on top, but not necessary.  The win was just the fact that I made it there.  But let me tell you, I ended up medaling 5 out of the 6 categories I had joined. I felt like I needed someone to pinch me.  It felt surreal.  It was a great experience and I met a lot of great people throughout the show.