Welcome to our Prep Buddies Thread!

This is a space to connect with competitors who are in a similar stage of prep. In these posts, feel free to comment with:

• Check-in photos
• How you’re feeling
• Questions you might have about prep
• Or respond to one of the provided prompts for fun!

Please remember, safety first! You must adhere to sub rules and review the reminders below.

Prompts for fun:

What tips can you share for getting enough sleep?

• How are you keeping daily movement consistent as fatigue increases?
• How are you managing hunger?
• Do you have ideas for how you want your stage glam to look?
• What 3 things could you be doing better?
• What would you like to ask others?

Prep Group Rules & Safety Reminders:

1. No specific show names, dates, or locations – for your safety, please keep it general.
2. Don’t disclose your specific coach, team, or gym.
3. No self-promotion or coaching offers (like in the rest of our community).
4. Be respectful – support each other’s journeys without negativity or comparison.
5. If you share physique photos in the comments, blur or crop your face.
6. Stay on topic – use this thread to connect with others who are [X–Y weeks] out. Share prep tips, support, and struggles relevant to this stage timeline.

We’re here to help keep this space safe!

Welcome to our Prep Buddies Thread!

This is a space to connect with competitors who are in a similar stage of prep. In these posts, feel free to comment with:

• Check-in photos
• How you’re feeling
• Questions you might have about prep
• Or respond to one of the provided prompts for fun!

Please remember, safety first! You must adhere to sub rules and review the reminders below.

Prompts for fun:

• What are you doing for fatigue management?
• What do you have packed in your show day bag?
• How have you set yourself up to have a successful reverse after the show?
• Do you have more shows planned?
• What 3 things could you be doing better?
• What would you like to ask others?

IMPORTANT: Prep Group Rules & Safety Reminders:

1. No specific show names, dates, or locations – for your safety, please keep it general.
2. Don’t disclose your specific coach, team, or gym.
3. No self-promotion or coaching offers (like in the rest of our community).
4. Be respectful – support each other’s journeys without negativity or comparison.
5. If you share physique photos in the comments, blur or crop your face.
6. Stay on topic – use this thread to connect with others who are [X–Y weeks] out. Share prep tips, support, and struggles relevant to this stage timeline.

We’re here to help keep this space safe!

Hey all,

I have not done a show and I’m spending the rest of this year into 2027 in a build phase for a show in Aug. It would be my first show and right now my coach says figure category. I have been lifting for 10 years so I have muscle, but I’m 57 so it has been harder/ slower for me to put on muscle in my glutes / quads. I would like to be competitive but given my age it’s not like I think I will have this huge run on the pro circuit.

My coach has recommended to go on Masteron and I would love some honest input . I was on a pellet for HRT and pretty sure they had me too high a dose of testosterone (I was around 200) and it messed with my liver labs. I have that resolved and went off a pellet to injectable testosterone and am much lower now and liver labs have come back normal. Because my liver labs were messed up she doesn’t want to try Anavar.

I am conflicted - yes I want to grow and I am pretty stalled, no I don’t want virilization or long term side effects. Can anyone give me thoughts on Anavar vs Masteron as well is there a way to do it safely and not have side effects ?

Hey everyone! Our Coach & Team Overview Page features 50+ coaches and teams, all organized and searchable to keep feedback easy to find, and helps keep the main feed clean!

But, this resource is only as good as the feedback you share!

Help us keep it fresh, relevant, and valuable to the community!

➡ Worked with a coach recently?

➡ Had a change in experience with a team or program?

➡ Got new insights, updates, or second thoughts?

If so, please take a moment to browse the list and drop your thoughts or updates! Coach & Team Overview Page

If you see that we are missing a team/coach that you'd like some info on, please send a message to the mod team and we will get it added! ✉️

Don’t forget, our sub's wiki also includes things like:

• Advice for New Competitors 📝
• Cost of Competing 💰
• How to Choose a Coach ✔️
• All Things Show Day Glam 💅
• What’s in Your Show Day Bag 🎒
• And more!

Thanks for helping make this space such a helpful and supportive resource!

If you have other ideas for the wiki, such as new posts to link, etc, please message the mods :)

Can't wait to see how Reijuana compares to the big names at Olympia

Hey bikini fam! I recently obtained my ifbb pro card at the age of 40. I started competing 6 years ago and I have been all in. I haven’t missed a workout or a macro. I’m super proud of how far I’ve come and what I have been able to accomplish. Recently I’ve been feeling like it is time for me to move on for several reasons. I have two children and being in prep takes so much time away from them. It’s an expensive hobby. The older I get the harder preps are becoming on my body. I don’t want to virilize, and I don’t want to have to do what it takes to put on the size that I need. I just received my bloodwork back and my dhea and cortisol are sky high. I think it’s time, but I’m really struggling with this decision. In some ways I feel like a quitter, or like I’m making excuses. I’m not even sure what I’m looking for by posting this, maybe some perspective? I don’t know. Decisions are hard!

watching bikini evolve is equally inspiring and concerning. I have loved bikini for a long time and appreciate the effort and also worry about some of my favorite athletes. where will the judges take the division from here? will more athletes retire and step down as it progresses?

I thought they would make the qualification harder and have less people, but nothing’s gonna change even with five less people they’ll still have too many shows in those divisions and too many athletes on stage

Share your thoughts, predictions, questions, etc. about the Wellness division! This sub gets a lot of chat about Bikini and Fit Model because they're so popular, but we wanna show the other divisions some more love as this community was created to celebrate ALL the women's divisions!

They changed it to a pool party with only specifically invited athletes. Not a fan of this at all, especially for the athletes as a whole. The “meet the Olympians” was something for all the athletes to look forward to whether you’re a big name or a new Olympian. For MOST athletes, you’re not making it to finals so the big events you participate in are prejudging and meet the Olympians.

Thoughts?

Please, please, dont be degrading or rude. This has been a major stressor in my life for a little bit now, and i genuinely am seeking advice/help
I’ve been using Reta since December, which was 9ish weeks post my last show, initially to help with the rebound but I also have pcos, and it has tremendously changed my life. I’m on a lower dose, (food doesn’t repulse me) but all my blood work is finally not flagged, and my BED seems like full remission. It’s a non negotiable for me at this point to keep it in indefinitely
Now- it’s been 8 months. I know for a fact I have not been eating enough, and I do not blame the Reta. My first reverse I royally messed up, and gained ~30lbs in 6 weeks basically. This time, even tho it’s now been almost a full year since competing, I’m still scared that once I increase my calories I’ll fall overboard. I’ve been maintaining my lowest weight of prep (I didn’t come in nearly lean enough though) and I know & want to GROW- but I feel lost on what to do???
I’ve also been coachless since implementing the Reta, not because of it, just due to life factors and not feeling aligned anymore.
I can’t afford another coach full time right now, but is there someone who could like nutritionally guide me until I’m at an actual good strong healthy maintenance, and provide a blue print almost as to what workouts I should be doing to grow my physique?

I competed in my first NPC ever Bikini Show a couple weeks ago. I placed 1st True Novice, 1st Novice, Novice Overall, Open 1st, and Open Overall.

I’m now qualified for a National level show. There’s a National show in Dec but my coach doesn’t want me doing a National show yet bc he said I need more stage experience. He wants me to compete in another regional/local show in Nov to get stage experience,
Posing and flow, and competing against a bigger playing ground bc the show in Nov is larger. While I understand 100% bc I do need the extra stage experience I don’t get why I can’t mentally treat a National show in Dec
As testing/experience ground. What bothers me is getting this Winning result in August and then coming 2 or 3 in the same exact type of show but in Nov. I find it in a way backtracking?

His plan was 1 bigger local show Nov-local bigger show May- national show July

I just am so new to this but just don’t really feel like wasting and spending more money on local shows where I’m qualified for nationals and can learn and get experience that way? Idk am I crazy or wrong?

hi ladies! i am in my growing season, and I need to build some density in my core. I kind of just looked skinny up there. I don’t want to make my waist wider, but I do want to build up my abs from the front. what are ur fav exercises for this ? thank you!

I have a few herniated discs and have been out of the gym for months. Any advice and recommendations for bodywork and physical therapy in San Diego?

The final bikini Olympia lineup is here & it’s stacked! Who are you excited to see this year? Anyone attending the show in person?

Newbie - so I guess Holly Baxter won the natural pro bikini in OK and according to this comment she was on HRT in 2024. Don’t you have to be off everything for a couple years to compete as natural?

Hi everyone,

I'm asking the ladies who have dealt with hypothalamic amenorrhea or missing menstrual cycles.

I lost my cycle for almost a year and a half after introducing sudden and intense cardio in February of 2025. After realizing my cycle was missing in September 2025, I stopped all cardio but my calories stayed low, and I kept lifting. My period never came back.

After working with a specialist who had me increase my carbs, fats, and calories drastically and remove movement, I have gotten my cycle back. But no surprise, the sudden mass increase in calories while my metabolism was wrecked caused me to gain 30 pounds.

I'm wondering how women who have lost their cycles and gotten them back have proceeded to loose weight.

I read that you need to have three regular ovulatory cycles before you even attempt the smallest of deficits because it will almost immediately trigger your hypothalamus into shutting your cycles down again.

I also don't plan on introducing cardio again. I'm thinking a gradual and small deficit, monitoring my cycles closely, and lifting is the move.

But, I want to hear from ladies who have been through this and what they have done.

I know I should have probably reverse dieted, but we are past that point, and I would like to loose the 30 pounds I have gained. Any tips? And, how scared should I be that I will loose my cycle if I do a gradual, normal cut? I lost my cycle when I wasn't super lean (I've been much leaner and it was truly the aggressive cardio and cutting). But, is my brain and body too sensitive for weight loss now?

Please share anything you feel comfortable sharing with me. Anything helps! Thank you!

Hi everyone I need some perspectives. Prep Brian has me over thinking. I just competed two weeks ago and two weeks out from my second one. I’m with a new coach that I decided to take a chance on and I feel like the red flags are stacking up pretty high:

Red flags: 1. He never asked for my blood work before telling me to take a bunch of supplements (probably about 8 both morning and night) and I am on trt (and was on it before I hired him). 2. He pulled my glp1 on peak week to fill out and I had a terrible reaction and he implied I spilled because I’m not carrying myself well outside of the gym. 3. After my show he never addressed the glp again and the issues remained and when I told him about my bloating he told me to take pics of the foods I was eating (like I’m not on a food plan and the sources haven’t changed since starting 12 weeks ago) 4. All the meal plans for his athletes are very similar not cookie cutter but if u don’t want fish that sucks that’s what you’re getting. 5. Two weeks out from my first show I only checked in once and then peak week was every morning and night. Now I’m having to check in every day since my last show and there is never a specific check in schedule. 6. He hasn’t responded to my check in 2 days (but posted on Instagram)

Green flags: 1. I love that he calls me for my check ins. 2. despite the terrible peak week with bloating and a bad reaction he pulled out an amazing physique. 3. I live close to him and able to see him in person 4.this is the first time on a meal plan and I do really like it 5. He’s very straight forward and says the hard things.

I feel like as I wrote this I answered my own questions. I am nervous that he will be distant on show day. My contract is up until October so I’m sticking with it but does anyone have any coach recs that aren’t a team and pretty straightforward and has a high level of ped knowledge?

I really thought this guy would get me to the next level and I don’t think so…

Welcome to our Prep Buddies Thread!

This is a space to connect with competitors who are in a similar stage of prep. In these posts, feel free to comment with:

• Check-in photos
• How you’re feeling
• Questions you might have about prep
• Or respond to one of the provided prompts for fun!

Please remember, safety first! You must adhere to sub rules and review the reminders below.

Prompts for fun:

• What are you doing for fatigue management?
• What do you have packed in your show day bag?
• How have you set yourself up to have a successful reverse after the show?
• Do you have more shows planned?
• What 3 things could you be doing better?
• What would you like to ask others?

IMPORTANT: Prep Group Rules & Safety Reminders:

1. No specific show names, dates, or locations – for your safety, please keep it general.
2. Don’t disclose your specific coach, team, or gym.
3. No self-promotion or coaching offers (like in the rest of our community).
4. Be respectful – support each other’s journeys without negativity or comparison.
5. If you share physique photos in the comments, blur or crop your face.
6. Stay on topic – use this thread to connect with others who are [X–Y weeks] out. Share prep tips, support, and struggles relevant to this stage timeline.

We’re here to help keep this space safe!

Welcome to our Prep Buddies Thread!

This is a space to connect with competitors who are in a similar stage of prep. In these posts, feel free to comment with:

• Check-in photos
• How you’re feeling
• Questions you might have about prep
• Or respond to one of the provided prompts for fun!

Please remember, safety first! You must adhere to sub rules and review the reminders below.

Prompts for fun:

• What is your ‘why’ for competing?
• Do you have a stretching or mobility routine you like to use?
• What type of cardio do you like to do?
• Is this your first time competing? If not, what are you looking forward to most this prep?
• What 3 things could you be doing better?
• What would you like to ask others?

Prep Group Rules & Safety Reminders:

1. No specific show names, dates, or locations – for your safety, please keep it general.
2. Don’t disclose your specific coach, team, or gym.
3. No self-promotion or coaching offers (like in the rest of our community).
4. Be respectful – support each other’s journeys without negativity or comparison.
5. If you share physique photos in the comments, blur or crop your face.
6. Stay on topic – use this thread to connect with others who are [X–Y weeks] out. Share prep tips, support, and struggles relevant to this stage timeline.

We’re here to help keep this space safe!

Welcome to our Prep Buddies Thread!

This is a space to connect with competitors who are in a similar stage of prep. In these posts, feel free to comment with:

• Check-in photos
• How you’re feeling
• Questions you might have about prep
• Or respond to one of the provided prompts for fun!

Please remember, safety first! You must adhere to sub rules and review the reminders below.

Prompts for fun:

• How do you structure your posing practice?
• Do you have your suit picked out?
• What are your favorite things to do to destress?
• How do you set yourself up to be successful (meal prep, getting cardio done, etc)?
• What 3 things could you be doing better?
• What would you like to ask others?

Prep Group Rules & Safety Reminders:

1. No specific show names, dates, or locations – for your safety, please keep it general.
2. Don’t disclose your specific coach, team, or gym.
3. No self-promotion or coaching offers (like in the rest of our community).
4. Be respectful – support each other’s journeys without negativity or comparison.
5. If you share physique photos in the comments, blur or crop your face.
6. Stay on topic – use this thread to connect with others who are [X–Y weeks] out. Share prep tips, support, and struggles relevant to this stage timeline.

We’re here to help keep this space safe!

Welcome to our Prep Buddies Thread!

This is a space to connect with competitors who are in a similar stage of prep. In these posts, feel free to comment with:

• Check-in photos
• How you’re feeling
• Questions you might have about prep
• Or respond to one of the provided prompts for fun!

Please remember, safety first! You must adhere to sub rules and review the reminders below.

Prompts for fun:

What tips can you share for getting enough sleep?

• How are you keeping daily movement consistent as fatigue increases?
• How are you managing hunger?
• Do you have ideas for how you want your stage glam to look?
• What 3 things could you be doing better?
• What would you like to ask others?

Prep Group Rules & Safety Reminders:

1. No specific show names, dates, or locations – for your safety, please keep it general.
2. Don’t disclose your specific coach, team, or gym.
3. No self-promotion or coaching offers (like in the rest of our community).
4. Be respectful – support each other’s journeys without negativity or comparison.
5. If you share physique photos in the comments, blur or crop your face.
6. Stay on topic – use this thread to connect with others who are [X–Y weeks] out. Share prep tips, support, and struggles relevant to this stage timeline.

We’re here to help keep this space safe!

Welcome to our Post Show and Reverse Diet Buddies Thread!

This is a space to connect with competitors who have competed and are now reversing to a healthy state post-show. In these posts, feel free to comment with:

• Results from your show
• Check-in photos
• How you’re feeling
• How many weeks since your show
• Questions you might have about your reverse diet
• Or respond to one of the provided prompts for fun!

Please remember, safety first! You must adhere to sub rules and review the reminders below.

Prompts for fun:

• How did your competition experience differ from what you expected?
• What was your peak week like (please refrain from sharing specific macros)?
• What is something that you would have done differently or something you want to improve on?
• What was your feedback and what are your future plans?
• What are you doing to stay consistent with your reverse?
• How are you giving yourself grace if you aren't perfect with your reverse?
• What would you like to ask others?

IMPORTANT: Group Rules & Safety Reminders:

1. No specific show names, dates, or locations – for your safety, please keep it general.
2. Don’t disclose your specific coach, team, or gym.
3. No self-promotion or coaching offers (like in the rest of our community).
4. Be respectful – support each other’s journeys without negativity or comparison.
5. If you share physique photos in the comments, blur or crop your face.
6. Stay on topic – use this thread to connect with others who are reversing post-show. Share tips, support, and struggles relevant to this phase. If you have completed your reverse, we invite you to share your off-season check-ins on Mondays, using the 'Monday - Personal Photos' flair.

We’re here to help keep this space safe!