We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Renée Rivers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Renée thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
Growing up, I had always been physically active. Elementary through college, I played sports – some competitively, others just for fun. I was fortunate enough to have parents, who were physically active themselves, expose me to the gym and sports at a young age. As a result, I’ve had a decent foundation when it came to health and fitness. Fast forward to my mid-30s, I decided to set a huge fitness goal.
In 2014, I gave birth to my daughter and for that entire year following, I was unsuccessful in becoming a healthier version of myself. I was able to “bounce back” quickly after the birth of my son 14 years prior, so I thought I knew what I was doing by eating the right foods and staying active. Unfortunately this time around, it was a struggle as I saw very little results. Always being fascinated with the world of bodybuilding, I decided to set a goal of implementing a bodybuilder lifestyle and work towards stepping on the competitive stage. After I decided to make a commitment to myself, I immediately tapped into my resources and sought out the help of a personal trainer/coach – someone who I knew could guide me towards my goal, but also hold me accountable along the way. Through our partnership, I learned so much about the ways I needed to show up for myself each and every day. Implementing an entirely new lifestyle required a shift. A shift in mindset. A shift in priorities. A shift in habits.
My initial “why” for this ambitious goal was to lose weight, look good, and feel even better. Those reasons motivated me, but early on in my journey, I learned that motivation is fleeting and it would only carry me so far. So while I had this crazy dream of stepping on stage to showcase a physique that I had only envisioned, I knew that I could only reach that goal if I had the discipline. I created discipline through my daily actions, which then turned into habits. The habits formed led to a lifestyle that has allowed me to reach my goal of not only successfully competing in my first bodybuilding show in 2017, but also turning pro in 2021. Through bodybuilding, initially a “bucket list” goal, I’ve learned to understand the importance of tapping into my physical AND mental strength.The challenges and setbacks I faced throughout my journey made me stronger and will always serve as a constant reminder that I can get through hard things all while being a partner, a working mother, friend, daughter, sister, etc. As someone who battles an auto-immune disease, arthritis, and asthma, I strive to continue building a healthy foundation – one that will lead me to a long life absent of preventable diseases. Yes, I am aging -it’s inevitable (I’m now 46), but I am stronger than I’ve ever been both on AND off the stage. Every day, I have the ability to stand in my power.
I am a wellness advocate who wishes to inspire others to embrace wellness as a path towards resilience and self-empowerment. I know, first hand, how implementing a healthier lifestyle can help combat health challenges, improve self-love, and instill valuable skills that can positively affect other areas of one’s life.
Renée, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
NOTE: I will attach and/or email my media/speaker kit as it touches on some of the above. Additionally, my first answer was LENGTHY and included some of the above info as well.
I don’t remember a time when I did not love health and wellness – it’s always been apart of my life. I am not only passionate about the industry itself, but I have always had a huge desire to genuinely help others. I have experience in personal training/coaching and, at one time, was a group exercise instructor, but in doing those things, I always felt drawn to something greater. I wish to make a bigger impact with those whose stories might be similar to my own. And while my story is a bit different, which led to an IFBB Pro athlete status, I want others to know that they, too, can achieve their fitness goals. I will admit, the health/wellness industry is saturated with coaches and “fitfluencers” – for individuals seeking assistance, it can be overwhelming. I aspire to utilize my platform and promote health in other ways via speaking engagements, wellness program/workshops, advocacy, and more.
I am someone many people can relate to:
– 46 years old
– c-section mother of two
– wife/partner
– battling an auto-immune disease (with extreme fatigue as a common symptom)
– batting uterine fibroids
– I’ve had asthma since a child
– entrepreneur
These are things that I could easily turn into my excuses – to not exercise or eat for my goals. Instead, I’ve used these things to empower me and motivate me to become 1% better each day. I want people to know that we are all just one decision away from changing the trajectory of our life. I am proof of that it’s never too late to change the outcome. My journey has led to where I am today. My calling/purpose is create a living legacy – one that allow me to educate, empower, and inspire those around me.
One of my greatest inspirations is my 10 year old daughter, Chloe. She was born with a heart defect and has had two surgeries – her first being at one day old; her second, just shortly after my 2019 competition season. Chloe is the perfect example at someone defying the odds. I feared she wouldn’t make it due to her congenial heart disease diagnosis, which was discovered during my pregnancy with her. But she did. And now she’s showing ME – her mother – that she will not (nor ever) let her disability/heart disease define her….and neither should mine. She is resilient in every way imaginable; she is fearless, strong, imaginative, and intelligent. She is THAT GIRL. Chloe loves being active and participates in sports. And since I grew up with parents who were physically active themselves – that always stuck with me. As a parent myself, I know the importance of showing my children the same.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
It wasn’t until I started training with intention that I was able to tap into a strength I never knew I had. I competed in my first bodybuilding show in 2017 with two more contests – 2018 and 2019. After a successful start to my bodybuilding journey, I decided to take some time off to “grow” and build more muscle so that I could be more competitive on the stage. Fast forward to 2021, I hired a new coach, participated in three more amateur shows and turned pro (a goal at the time). While I prepped for contests prior (2017-2019), nothing could have prepared me for how challenging my 2021 would be. Outside of my high-risk pregnancy with my daughter, my 2021 bodybuilding season (span of Feb through July) was the most difficult thing I’ve ever endured in my entire life.
Competitive bodybuilding is an extreme sport and definitely not for everyone. The emotional, physical, and mental toll that takes place throughout the highs and lows of the “prep” itself is something that can only be experienced – it’s actually quite difficult to put into words. The physical aspects of prep were just fine, but I certainly had moments of mental fatigue. Deeper and deeper into my prep season, my coach continued to make adjustments to my cardio and nutrition – two things that are typically manipulated. At the time, I was working a full-time job and managing a household alongside my partner and handling life’s responsibilities. In April 2021, my prescribed regimen from my coach changed dramatically – I, now, had 2 cardio sessions in addition to my training. I was to incorporate a 15 minute cardio session at the END of my day – after I’ve consumed all 6 of my scheduled meals and right before bed. (Again, this is an extreme sport.) Luckily, I had a treadmill at home so it was convenient. At that point in my prep, I was depleted and, at the end of the day, I had nothing else left to give. But I had to dig deep and remind myself of my “why” for pursuing my goal. During these moments, I practiced a ton of visualization, positive self-talk, and implemented a growth mindset. I had ZERO motivation to complete my cardio – be it in the morning or at night – so I leaned heavy into the discipline I created at the start of my journey.
Looking back at my 2021 season, I am reminded of these moments of resiliency. Adapting to challenging circumstances was (and still is) tough, but in doing so, I developed the mental fortitude to face anything life throws my way.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I learned so much about food consumption and macronutrients at the start of my bodybuilding career. My first coach prescribed macronutrient goals and I was able to be flexible with my meals. One of the biggest lessons learned was that I could enjoy the foods I loved while working towards my fitness goals. Like many, I was guilty of eliminating foods from my diet and eating less. I was guilty of quick-fix fasts, shakes, and juices. Those are temporary solutions; I was able to implement sustainable approaches into lifestyle. I had to unlearn everything I “thought” I knew about eating for one’s goals. I learned that FOOD is FUEL and whether you need to build muscle, lose weight/fat, or maintain, we need to eat for said goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cultivatedmovement.com
- Instagram: @reneealisha8
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-rivers/
Image Credits
NPCnewsonline.com (two stage photos)