Episode 35: Taylor Chamberlain - Born into Bodybuilding

Team Bodybuilding.com athlete and IFBB Bikini Pro Taylor Chamberlain shares her fascinating story of finding her way in fitness, watching her parents take the stage when she was a teenager, and figuring out how to thrive with flexible dieting. Highlights: - Her earliest fitness memories in the gym daycare - "I think when I was 13, maybe 12-13 years old, that's when I first remember going in the gym, and my mom and dad kind of showing me the ropes. I just fell in love because I loved the way that I felt afterwards, like my heart rate was up, and the endorphins came, and I felt strong. I kinda just got addicted from there." - On competing: "[My parents] were so enthusiastic… I really thought that was cool to see them go through that physically, but also how they grew so strong mentally, and how they were able to not let it faze our relationship, like our family." - When tragedy struck in the middle of her dad's bodybuilding debut, and how the family rallied together to face it. - Her own dark and "restricted" period of eating: "I only could eat certain foods, because the magazines told me I could. And I had to do cardio twice a day, and it didn't matter what got in my way, I was going to do it, and I was going to eat at noon. Just totally ritualized." - "I feel like that, going through all of that, it's definitely helped me spread the message that I want to today… Fitness and nutrition should enhance your life, rather than make it something miserable that you're going through." - How she found flexible dieting, and why she lives by the numbers - "Nutrient-dense foods do matter. But, you can also still see results while throwing in processed foods!" - Why lifting plus flexible dieting is better than either on their own—and why lifting is "the magic ingredient" - Why she embraced a six-month bulk after going pro, and how she feels now Her decision to not cut down for an important photo shoot—and how liberating it felt - "I also want to show women that you don't have to look a certain way to get to your goals. You don't have to withdraw food, and you don't have to do the crazy amounts of cardio and all that… This is actually really important to me, this shoot, not coming in super shredded." Be sure to follow us on social media for daily fitness updates! Twitter | https://twitter.com/bodybuildingcom Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Bodybuildingcom Snapchat | https://www.snapchat.com/add/bodybuildingcom Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/bodybuildingcom/ Pinterest | https://www.pinterest.com/Bodybuildingcom/ YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/user/bodybuildingcomvideo Google+ | https://plus.google.com/+bodybuildingcom Spotify | http://spoti.fi/1NRebm0 Mobile Apps | http://bbcom.me/2d7tixc Bodybuilding.com | http://www.bodybuilding.com/podcast