BEcoming RELENTLESS

This episode wasn't planned—and apparently I had some things I needed to get off my chest. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what I actually want. I'm working a 9–5, running my coaching business, bodybuilding, creating content, maintaining relationships... and somewhere in the middle of trying to do everything, I realized I've been avoiding fully going after one of the things that matters most to me. And I think part of the reason is uncomfortable to admit: If you don't tell anyone what you're trying to accomplish, nobody gets to watch you fail. So this episode is me doing the opposite. We talk about overwhelm, overthinking, protecting your energy, learning that you can do anything but can't do everything well at the same time, and why I'm learning to become much more intentional about where my energy goes. I also share a goal I've been scared to say publicly: By January 2027, I want to be coaching full-time again. More than anything, this is a conversation about identity, failure, taking action before you feel completely ready, and realizing that sometimes you're not going backward—you're meeting an old chapter of your life as a completely different woman. And maybe that's what becoming relentless actually looks like. If you're ready to build a strong body and a healthy lifestyle that doesn't require your entire life to revolve around fitness, apply for 1:1 coaching below. → https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

If you want to feel strong, lean, confident, and in control of your health without your life revolving around food, macros, the scale, or constantly “starting over,” this is exactly what I help women do inside my 1:1 coaching. Apply for 1:1 coaching here → https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

Skinny is “in” again. But give it another decade and the ideal female body will probably change all over again. In the early 2000s, women were chasing size zero and thigh gaps. Then came the BBL era: tiny waists, bigger glutes, curves. Now, with the rise of GLP-1s, “skinny” is becoming aspirational again. And I think we need to talk about what happens to women when our bodies are treated like trends we're supposed to keep up with. In this episode, I’m unpacking the constantly changing female beauty standard, why building your identity around your appearance can become such a dangerous game, and the difference between wanting to change your body and needing your body to validate you. Because I'm not here to tell women they shouldn't want to lose body fat, build muscle, or look a certain way. I’m a fitness coach. I care about building muscle. I care about health. And yes, I think you're allowed to have aesthetic goals. But I also believe your physique should serve your life — not become your life. We get into questions like: If social media disappeared tomorrow, what body would you actually want? Would you still want to be smaller if nobody could see you? Are you pursuing health, or approval? What happens when your body becomes part of your identity? And who benefits when women constantly feel like they aren't enough? Because maybe the goal was never to have the trendiest body. Maybe the goal is to have the healthiest relationship with the body you're building. If you want to feel strong, lean, confident, and in control of your health without your life revolving around food, macros, the scale, or constantly “starting over,” this is exactly what I help women do inside my 1:1 coaching. Apply for 1:1 coaching here → [LINK] Don't make the CTA just the final paragraph. Put this near the very top of the Spotify description: Ready to stop starting over with your fitness? Apply for 1:1 coaching → https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

Getting the body is often the easy part. Becoming the woman who can actually enjoy it? That’s harder. After coaching hundreds of women, I’ve realized that most people aren't stuck because they don't know enough about fitness. The science is relatively straightforward. Lift consistently. Progressively overload. Eat enough protein. Manage your calories. Recover well. Most good coaches can give you a plan that works. But no training program can automatically change the beliefs you bring into it. “I’ll be happy when I lose the weight.” “I’ll be confident when I look better.” “I’ll finally feel like enough when I reach my goal.” Then your body changes… and those thoughts are still there. It’s like carrying around a backpack full of limiting beliefs. You can lose 30 pounds without ever taking the backpack off. Now you’re just leaner while carrying the exact same weight mentally. In this episode, I’m talking about the part of transformation we don’t discuss enough: → Why knowing what to do isn't always enough → The “I’ll be happy when…” trap → Why confidence doesn't automatically come from changing your body → Identity and self-worth → Your relationship with food → Your relationship with discomfort and failure → Why the mental work has to happen alongside the physical work → Becoming someone who can actually enjoy the results she worked so hard for Because I don't just want my clients to build incredible physiques. I want them to become the type of women who can actually enjoy the lives those physiques create. Your body can change without your beliefs changing with it. And eventually, that becomes the real work. ——— KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT STILL FEEL LIKE YOU’RE CONSTANTLY STARTING OVER? If you're tired of collecting more fitness information but still struggling with consistency, overthinking, or feeling like your body is another problem you need to solve, my 1:1 coaching goes deeper than giving you another plan. We work on the training and nutrition that change your physique — while building the structure, self-trust, and identity that allow you to actually maintain it. Build the body. Become the woman who knows how to live in it. APPLY FOR 1:1 COACHING ↓ https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

Want to compete in bodybuilding? Before you pick a show and start prep, I think you should spend at least six months proving you can actually live the lifestyle first. Too many women discover bodybuilding and immediately jump into prep. They go from 20% effort to 110% overnight. Tracking everything. Cardio. Posing. Meal prep. Supplements. Training. Recovery. A completely different relationship with food and their body — all at the same time. And then they burn out. In this quick episode, I’m breaking down one piece of advice I wish more aspiring competitors heard: Live like a bodybuilder before you prep like one. We talk about: → Why jumping straight into contest prep can backfire → Cheat meals turning into binges and food becoming more complicated → Body image, GI issues, and hormonal changes → Why you need time to actually build muscle → Learning to eat in a surplus without panicking about your body changing → Building routines before adding the stress of prep → Becoming someone who lifts because it’s part of who she is — not just because there’s a show on the calendar You don't need to prove you can survive a prep. You need to prove you can sustain bodybuilding when there isn't a stage, deadline, or coach forcing you to stay consistent. Because if the only time you can live like a bodybuilder is when you're preparing for a show, you haven't actually built the lifestyle yet. Prep shouldn't teach you how to be a bodybuilder. It should reveal the bodybuilder you've already become. ——— WANT HELP BUILDING YOUR PHYSIQUE THE RIGHT WAY? Whether you want to compete eventually or simply build a stronger, leaner body without fitness taking over your entire life, my 1:1 coaching is designed to help you build the training, nutrition, structure, and consistency to get there. APPLY FOR 1:1 COACHING ↓ https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

Can you earn an IFBB Fit Model Pro Card naturally? Yes. But the better question is: are you willing to wait long enough? In this episode, I’m talking about what it actually takes to build a pro-level physique naturally — and why the biggest limitation for many women may not be their genetics, but their willingness to accept the timeline. Natural bodybuilding takes time. Multiple growth seasons. Years of progressive training. Getting stronger. Spending periods of time softer than you might prefer. And continuing to build when there’s no immediate reward for the work you’re putting in. Meanwhile, we’re living in a culture obsessed with making everything faster. PEDs. Peptides. GLP-1s. Biohacking. Optimization. This isn’t about demonizing any of them. It’s about asking whether we’re using these tools because they genuinely align with our goals — or because we’ve become unwilling to wait. In this episode, we talk about: → Whether an IFBB Fit Model Pro Card is achievable naturally → Genetics, training age, and your starting point → Why Fit Model is different from Bikini and Wellness → The reality of natural muscle growth → Why staying lean year-round can work against physique development → PEDs, peptides, GLP-1s, and shortcut culture → The long-term tradeoffs of speeding up the process → Fertility and future-life considerations → The question I think every woman should ask before deciding to enhance I’d rather help someone become exceptional naturally over five years than average with drugs in eighteen months. Because sometimes you don’t need a better shortcut. You need to decide whether the goal matters enough to give it the time it actually requires. ——— READY TO BUILD A BODY YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAINTAIN? If you want to get leaner and stronger without constantly starting over, living by extreme rules, or making fitness the center of your life, my 1:1 coaching is built for exactly that. We create the training, nutrition, structure, and consistency systems that work in your real life — not just when everything goes perfectly. APPLY FOR 1:1 COACHING ↓ https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

In this episode of the Becoming Relentless Podcast, I'm sharing a personal life update and talking through some of the things I've been navigating lately. We get into goals, fitness, relationships, burnout, self-awareness, personal growth, and what it looks like to keep moving forward when life feels uncertain or messy. This isn't a "how-to" episode. It's a real conversation about the challenges that come with growth, chasing big goals, and trying to build a life that feels aligned without expecting yourself to have all the answers. In this episode, we discuss: personal growth and self-development goal setting and creating a long-term vision consistency vs perfection navigating challenges in fitness and life burnout, motivation, and self-awareness learning from setbacks building momentum when you feel stuck what growth actually looks like behind the scenes If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, unmotivated, or unsure of your next step, I think you'll relate to this one. Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a free consultation call: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min Follow along: BEcoming Relentless Podcast: @becomingrelentless_ Elenoa McCabe: @noamccabe_ifbbpro #mindset #personalgrowth #fitnessjourney #selfimprovement #goalsetting #consistency #bodybuilding #womeninfitness #healthandfitness #becomingrelentless

We all hear the phrase “consistency is key”… but if that’s true, why do so many smart, driven women still struggle to stay consistent? In this episode, we’re talking about why the problem might not be motivation at all. We cover: • Why information overload may be sabotaging your consistency • Decision fatigue vs lack of motivation • Why successful women struggle with health even when they excel everywhere else • The problem with treating everything like a mindset issue • Structure vs discipline • Why you may not need another plan… you may need less noise This episode is for the woman who knows what to do. You’ve read the books. Tracked the macros. Saved the workouts. Lost the weight before. And somehow you still feel like you keep starting over. You are not broken. You may just be overloaded. If this episode helped, share it with someone who keeps telling themselves they “just need more motivation.” Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min BEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_ Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro #BEcomingRelentless

Bikini prep looks exciting from the outside. The stage photos, progress updates, and “weeks out” posts make it look structured and controlled. But there’s another side people rarely talk about. In this episode, we break down what actually happens during prep: metabolic adaptation, hunger changes, food focus, mental fatigue, peak week misconceptions, and why the post-show phase is often harder than prep itself. We also talk about rebounds, reverse dieting, identity outside of the sport, and the questions you should ask before stepping on stage. Topics covered: • metabolic adaptation during prep • leptin, ghrelin, thyroid output, and cortisol • food focus and cognitive fatigue • peak week myths • post-show rebounds • reverse dieting and recovery • preparing for life after stage If you’re considering competing, currently prepping, or navigating post-show recovery, this episode will give you a more realistic picture of what the process looks like. Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

Everyone is talking about peptides right now… but do they actually work? In this episode of BEcoming Relentless , we answer three listener questions and break down the science behind peptides, night shift fat loss, and whether competing is realistic when you’re also balancing motherhood and real life responsibilities. In this episode we cover: • what peptides actually are and how they work • GLP-1s, semaglutide, appetite suppression, and fat loss • whether peptides are safer than steroids • bloodwork markers to monitor before using them • why night shift can make fat loss harder • insulin sensitivity, hunger hormones, circadian rhythm, and metabolism changes • practical strategies for eating and recovering on night shift • competing as a mom and balancing bodybuilding with life • building muscle with limited time • recovery, minimum effective dose, and sustainable progress If you’ve switched to nights and feel like your body suddenly stopped cooperating, are curious about peptides, or wonder whether bodybuilding and parenthood can coexist, this episode is for you. WORK WITH ME Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a free consult call: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min FOLLOW Podcast Instagram: @becomingrelentless_ Personal Instagram: @noamccabe_ifbbpro AFFILIATES Ryze HRT + Bloodwork — code NOA Purefactor Formulations — code NOA10 Free Spirit Outlet — code NOA The Shoe Fairy — code ELENOA New episodes weekly covering bodybuilding, reverse dieting, fat loss, mindset, behavior change, hormones, sustainable fitness, and building a body that fits your real life. Topics covered: peptides, GLP-1s, semaglutide, night shift weight gain, circadian rhythm disruption, bodybuilding moms, recovery, muscle growth, contest prep, reverse dieting, and sustainable fat loss. #BEcomingRelentless #Peptides #GLP1 #NightShiftFitness #ReverseDiet #BikiniPrep #BodybuildingCoach #ContestPrep #WomensFitness #FitnessPodcast

Can hormones stop fat loss? What about cortisol, thyroid problems, insulin resistance, or PCOS? And can you REALLY be in a calorie deficit and not lose weight? In this episode, I break down one of the most debated topics in women’s fitness and fat loss- and why both sides of the internet are oversimplifying it. Because the truth is: hormones matter… but they do not completely override physiology. If you’ve ever felt like your body is fighting you, this episode is for you. My approach to coaching isn’t just “eat less and move more.” We look at the full picture: nutrition, training, recovery, stress, sleep, hormones, cycle health, digestion, and sustainability. Because fat loss should work with your body, not against it.Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30minBEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbproBEcoming Relentless — new episodes weekly.#becomingrelentlessAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding #BikiniCompetition #BodybuildingPrep #FitnessJourney #bikinibodybuilding #BecomingRelentlessPodcast #FitnessMindset #BodybuildingPodcast #CompetitionPrep #FastingMyths #PeanutButterCravings #FoodObsession #PrepMotivation #FitnessQandA #BodybuildingCoach #BikiniPrep #HealthAndFitness #MentalHealthInFitness #DisciplineOverMotivation #ReverseDiet #FitnessJourney #MindsetMatters #AthleteMindset #CoachNoa #RelentlessGrowth

In this episode of Becoming Relentless, I talk about the difference between the version of discipline you see on social media and the version that actually produces long-term results. Online, discipline is usually portrayed as something extreme. You see cold plunges at 5 a.m., two-hour workouts, aggressive routines, and constant messages about grinding harder. The internet tends to reward dramatic behavior because it’s visually impressive and easy to package into short content. But that version of discipline is often more performative than practical. In this episode, I break down why many of those routines are unrealistic for people who have real responsibilities, careers, families, and full schedules. A lot of people end up feeling like they’re not disciplined enough simply because their life doesn’t look like an influencer’s highlight reel. I also explain what real discipline actually looks like in practice. Most of the time, it’s surprisingly boring. It’s consistent meals, reasonable workouts, daily movement, and getting enough sleep. It’s routines repeated thousands of times rather than bursts of intensity. Anyone who has trained seriously for bodybuilding understands this—progress rarely comes from doing something extreme once. It comes from doing the same foundational behaviors over and over again. Another idea I explore is the difference between discipline and emotional regulation. A lot of people think discipline means constantly pushing harder, but sustainable discipline requires knowing when to push, when to recover, and when to simplify. Burnout often happens when people define discipline as endless effort instead of structured consistency. Finally, I talk about why stability almost always beats intensity. Many people get stuck in a pattern of going extremely hard for two weeks, burning out, and then restarting again. Moderate routines that can be maintained for months tend to outperform those cycles of intensity every time. Real discipline isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s quiet, structured, and sustainable. The people who build long-term success in their health, careers, and personal lives usually aren’t the most intense. They’re the most consistent. If your routines tend to swing between extremes (being very strict for a short period of time and then feeling burned out) coaching can help you build structure that actually works in real life. If you want support creating a sustainable routine for your health and training, you can book a free consultation using the link in the show notes. Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min

In this episode of Becoming Relentless, I talk about some of the lessons I learned in my twenties that genuinely changed how I approach life, health, work, and personal growth. Your twenties are often framed as the decade where you’re supposed to figure everything out—your career, your relationships, your identity, your health. But in my experience, most of the lessons that actually shape you don’t come from planning. They come from experience, mistakes, repetition, and time. In this episode, I walk through several lessons that shifted the way I think and operate. I talk about why discipline turned out to be much calmer than I expected, and how structure and routine create far more stability than constantly trying to push harder. I also discuss how environment shapes behavior more than motivation, and why the people around you often determine your standards more than you realize. Another major lesson I share is that confidence rarely appears before action. Most of the time, confidence comes from competence. It’s built by doing difficult things repeatedly until your brain has enough evidence to believe you can handle them. I also talk about the moment you realize that most adults are figuring things out as they go. That realization removes a surprising amount of pressure and makes growth feel much more realistic. Finally, I explain why stability matters more than speed when it comes to long-term success. Whether it’s fitness, business, relationships, or personal development, the people who build something meaningful usually do it through consistent effort over time rather than short bursts of intensity. If you’re in your twenties—or even looking back on them—this episode is about the lessons that tend to shape who you become and how you move through the world. Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30minBEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro

Late-night sugar cravings are one of the most common struggles I see with clients. In this episode of Becoming Relentless, I break down the biology behind late-night snacking and explain why your brain suddenly wants sugar at night, even when you felt disciplined all day. Most people assume nighttime eating means they lack willpower. In reality, late-night cravings are often a predictable biological response to how the day unfolded. When you under-eat earlier in the day, make hundreds of decisions at work, or follow a highly restrictive diet, your brain and body start looking for quick energy and dopamine by the evening. In this episode, I explain why many high-performing women unintentionally create this pattern. Skipping meals, replacing food with coffee, eating very light lunches, and pushing through busy schedules can create an energy deficit that your body tries to correct at night. I also talk about decision fatigue, how mental exhaustion influences eating behavior, and why strict dieting can make sugar cravings feel even louder. You’ll also learn what actually stabilizes evening eating. I walk through the simple structural changes that tend to reduce late-night cravings: balanced meals earlier in the day, consistent protein intake, strategic carbohydrates, and reducing decision fatigue around food. Late-night snacking doesn’t usually mean you lack discipline. Most of the time it means your brain and body are trying to regulate energy and stress after a long day. If you’re someone who feels completely in control during the day but struggles with cravings at night, this episode will help you understand what’s happening biologically- and how to fix the pattern. Topics covered include late-night snacking, nighttime sugar cravings, weight loss psychology, nutrition timing, decision fatigue and eating behavior, dieting and cravings, and how to stop overeating at night. If you want help building a nutrition and training routine that actually works with your schedule and physiology, you can book a free consultation using the link in the show notes.Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30minBEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbproBEcoming Relentless — new episodes weekly.#becomingrelentlessAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding #BikiniCompetition #BodybuildingPrep #FitnessJourney #bikinibodybuilding #BecomingRelentlessPodcast #FitnessMindset #BodybuildingPodcast #CompetitionPrep #FastingMyths #FoodObsession #PrepMotivation #FitnessQandA #BodybuildingCoach #BikiniPrep #HealthAndFitness #MentalHealthInFitness #DisciplineOverMotivation #ReverseDiet #FitnessJourney #MindsetMatters #AthleteMindset #CoachNoa #RelentlessGrowth

Want to lose 5 pounds fast, and actually keep it off? Most people don’t struggle to lose the same 5–10 pounds because fat loss is impossible. They struggle because they treat dieting like a temporary project. They enter “diet mode,” lose the weight, then remove all the behaviors that created the deficit while their body is still biologically primed to regain. In this episode of BEcoming Relentless, I break down: • Why weight regain happens after dieting• The physiology behind elevated hunger after fat loss • Why calories drift up and activity quietly drops • How weekends erase weekly deficits • The difference between scale weight and true fat loss • How water retention, sodium, alcohol, and sleep impact the scale • Why increasing steps and protein works better than extreme calorie cuts • How to tighten execution without becoming obsessive • Why maintenance is a skill- not a default • How to transition out of a diet without rebounding If you’ve ever lost 5 pounds only to gain it back weeks later, this episode will explain exactly why. If you’re ready for a personalized, structured plan that fits your real life, there’s a free coaching application linked below. Fill it out and we’ll see if you’re a good fit to work together.Subscribe for weekly episodes on fat loss, women’s physiology, metabolism, strength training, and sustainable body composition change.If you’re trying to build structure and discipline without falling into extremes, there’s a free coaching application in the description. Fill it out and we can see if working together would be a good fit.Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30minBEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbproBEcoming Relentless — new episodes weekly.#becomingrelentlessAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding #BikiniCompetition #BodybuildingPrep #FitnessJourney #bikinibodybuilding #BecomingRelentlessPodcast #FitnessMindset #BodybuildingPodcast #CompetitionPrep #FastingMyths #PeanutButterCravings #FoodObsession #PrepMotivation #FitnessQandA #BodybuildingCoach #BikiniPrep #HealthAndFitness #MentalHealthInFitness #DisciplineOverMotivation #ReverseDiet #FitnessJourney #MindsetMatters #AthleteMindset #CoachNoa #RelentlessGrowth

Are you in a calorie deficit and not losing weight? Do carbs make you gain fat? Does lifting weights make women bulky? Is cardio really the fastest way to lose fat? In this episode of BEcoming Relentless, I break down 10 of the most common fitness and fat loss myths that keep women frustrated, confused, and stuck. We cover: • Why you might not actually be in a true calorie deficit • The truth about carbs and fat gain • Why working out every day can slow your progress • Why most women regain weight after dieting • Whether lifting weights makes women “bulky” • Night eating and fat storage• Hunger while dieting (and how to manage it) • Sugar and fat loss • Why the scale goes up when you start training • Cardio vs strength training for sustainable fat loss Most weight loss advice makes fat loss feel extreme, complicated, or impossible. The reality is much simpler: consistent calorie balance, resistance training, daily movement, sleep, and repeatable habits.I f you’re tired of starting over every January, cutting carbs, overdoing cardio, or blaming yourself for “lack of discipline,” this episode will help you understand what’s actually happening physiologically- and what to do instead. If you’re ready to build a realistic fat loss plan that fits your real life, there’s a free coaching application linked below. Fill it out and we’ll see if we’re a good fit to work together Schedule your Free Call here: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min Fill out my Application: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9gBEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro#BEcomingRelentless

Bodybuilding taught me discipline, structure, and resilience. But it also taught me why many people view the sport as extreme, obsessive, or unsustainable. In this episode, I’m breaking down the biggest lessons I’ve learned from competing, coaching athletes, and living inside the bodybuilding world for years. This is an honest conversation about the tradeoffs of prep, stage conditioning, identity, and what actually translates to real life long-term health and fitness. If you’ve ever wondered whether bodybuilding is healthy, sustainable, or worth it — this episode answers that honestly. What we cover: 00:00 Why I understand the criticism of bodybuilding now 03:10 When discipline turns into rigidity 08:30 Being lean vs being healthy (not the same thing) 14:45 The tradeoffs people don’t see behind the photos 19:50 When your identity gets tied to your body 24:40 Why the stage isn’t the finish line 29:30 Sustainability vs perfection in fitness 33:45 The biggest gift bodybuilding gave me 37:40 How to apply bodybuilding lessons to real life Bodybuilding isn’t the villain. Extremes without context are. The real goal is learning how to take discipline and structure and apply them in a way that supports your health, relationships, and real life. if you’re trying to build structure and discipline without falling into extremes, there’s a free coaching application in the description. Fill it out and we can see if working together would be a good fit. Apply for coaching: https://form.typeform.com/to/chqUDr9g Book a FREE consult call with me: https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min BEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_ Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro BEcoming Relentless — new episodes weekly. #becomingrelentlessAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa

At what point does discipline stop being healthy and start becoming self-punishment? In this episode, Dan Stein shares his personal experience with anorexia, bulimia, extreme exercise, and the dangerous pursuit of validation through fitness. We unpack the subtle ways fitness culture can reward obsession, why social media has made body image and mental health harder than ever, and how to tell if your training is coming from self-respect or emotional avoidance. We also talk about the messaging in the fitness industry that unintentionally harms people, the pressure of chasing a “perfect life,” and why success can still feel empty even when everything looks right on paper. This conversation is honest, uncomfortable, and necessary-especially if you’ve ever questioned your relationship with discipline, achievement, or your body. Follow Dan: @stein12 Learn more about Paxfitco: @paxfitcoSubscribe for more conversations on training, physiology, identity, and sustainable progress for high-performing women. Schedule a call with me using the link below. https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min⁠⁠ BEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro#becomingrelentlessBEcoming Relentless- new episodes weekly.Find me on IG: ⁠⁠@noamccabe_ifbbpro⁠⁠.BEcoming Relentless IG: ⁠@becomingrelentless_⁠.If you are interested in working with me, I am looking for new athletes, general lifestyle clients, and contest prep competitors. Schedule a call using the link below!Work With Me: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min⁠⁠Inquires/Questions: elenoa.mccabe@gmail.comAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding

If you’ve ever felt like dieting turns into an all-out mental and physical battle, you’re not broken, and you’re definitely not weak. In this episode, we’re unpacking the real reason fat loss feels so hard for so many people, and it has a lot less to do with discipline than you’ve been told. Your body is wired for survival, not aesthetics. When you diet, powerful biological systems kick in to protect you. Hunger hormones rise. Fullness signals weaken. Your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Even your brain changes how it responds to food. These aren’t flaws!! They’re evolutionary features designed to keep you alive during times of food scarcity. On top of that, modern life stacks the odds even further against you. Chronic stress, poor sleep, constant exposure to hyper-palatable food, and years of ingrained habits all make long-term dieting feel like swimming upstream. In this episode, we’ll break down: • How leptin and ghrelin shift during fat loss • Why metabolic adaptation is normal (and not permanent damage) • How stress and sleep directly affect hunger and fat loss • Why dieting failure is rarely about willpower • How to work with your biology instead of constantly fighting it If you’ve ever wondered why you can follow a plan perfectly and still feel obsessed with food, exhausted, or stuck... this conversation will help you understand what’s actually happening inside your body and what to do about it. Subscribe for more conversations on training, physiology, identity, and sustainable progress for women. Schedule a call with me using the link below. https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min⁠⁠ BEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro#becomingrelentlessBEcoming Relentless — new episodes weekly.Find me on IG: ⁠⁠@noamccabe_ifbbpro⁠⁠.BEcoming Relentless IG: ⁠@becomingrelentless_⁠.If you are interested in working with me, I am looking for new athletes, general lifestyle clients, and contest prep competitors. Schedule a call using the link below!Work With Me: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min⁠⁠Inquires/Questions: elenoa.mccabe@gmail.comAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding

Why does resting feel harder than training?If you’ve ever taken a rest day and felt uneasy instead of relaxed… like you were falling behind, being lazy, or doing something “wrong,” this episode is for you.In this conversation, I break down why rest triggers guilt for so many high-achieving women—especially those who train consistently, care deeply about their health, and tie effort to self-worth. This isn’t an episode telling you to “just rest more.” It’s about understanding why rest feels unsafe in the first place, and how that conditioning quietly works against your body.Inside this episode:• Why rest feels like failure instead of neutrality• How discipline became tied to identity (and why that matters)• The stress → guilt → fatigue loop that makes fat loss harder• Why cortisol doesn’t respond to willpower• How to teach your nervous system that rest is safe again• What “disciplined recovery” actually looks like in practice• Why calm consistency beats reactive intensity every timeThis episode is especially relevant if you:– Train regularly but struggle to fully rest– Feel guilty on rest days or low-intensity days– Rely on effort as proof you’re “on track”– Are stuck in a push–crash cycle– Want results without living in constant pressureRest isn’t the opposite of discipline. It’s a different expression of it.If this resonates, take a moment after listening to reflect on your last rest day, not what you did, but how your body reacted. Awareness is the first step toward changing the pattern.If you want help building a training and nutrition system where recovery is built in by design—and progress doesn’t depend on constant pressure—that’s the work I do.Subscribe for more conversations on training, physiology, identity, and sustainable progress for high-performing women.BEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro#becomingrelentlessBEcoming Relentless — new episodes weekly.Find me on IG: ⁠⁠@noamccabe_ifbbpro⁠⁠.BEcoming Relentless IG: ⁠@becomingrelentless_⁠.If you are interested in working with me, I am looking for new athletes, general lifestyle clients, and contest prep competitors. Schedule a call using the link below!Work With Me: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30min⁠⁠Inquires/Questions: elenoa.mccabe@gmail.comAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding #BikiniCompetition #BodybuildingPrep #FitnessJourney #bikinibodybuilding #BecomingRelentlessPodcast #FitnessMindset #BodybuildingPodcast #CompetitionPrep #FastingMyths #PeanutButterCravings #FoodObsession #PrepMotivation #FitnessQandA #BodybuildingCoach #BikiniPrep #HealthAndFitness #MentalHealthInFitness #DisciplineOverMotivation #ReverseDiet #FitnessJourney #MindsetMatters #AthleteMindset #CoachNoa #RelentlessGrowth