Episode 71 - Fit

Joining Ben in the studio this week is Melody… a retired Marine, a student at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, and an amateur bodybuilder in the Women’s Figure Division working toward getting her pro card!  She’s a very busy person, but she was able to make some time to talk to us about this week’s word fit and to educate us about the often misunderstood sport of bodybuilding.  Ben asks some questions that maybe you were afraid to, and he tells an embarrassing first date story.  Melody shares stories about how she and her husband met, how she became interested in the sport through her husband’s preparation to compete in men’s bodybuilding, the importance of finding the right coach, and maybe a little bit about video games at the end.  00:00:21 - Introducing Melody and talking about what she is doing these days 00:02:41 - Fusing spines, mental health, quality of life improvements, and the definition of fit 00:04:45 - How the hosts think about fit, and maybe Ben should review the definitions 00:06:46 - A skein, a case of mistaken ethnicity, and how Melody met her husband FUN FACT: a skein is yarn wound into an oblong bundle ready to be used to knit or crochet 00:08:31 - How Melody became interested in bodybuilding, and balancing work/sport/family 00:12:04 - Ben’s interest in bodybuilding, differences between NPC and IFBB, and pro cards 00:14:40 - Qualifications for “The Olympia” past and present, competition days, and small legs 00:18:05 - Ben admits to being a dating moron in his 20s, Diva the gladiator, and confidence 00:21:21 - How Melody deals with misconceptions about the sport and body dysmorphia 00:24:10 - Bodybuilding in the age of social media, and dealing with bullies as Generation X 00:27:33 - Generational perceptions, the importance of a solid coach, and self-coaching 00:32:48 - The Women’s Figure Division, differences between divisions, and the X shape 00:37:34 - Using Olympia winners as a target, a shoutout to Cyd Gillon, and what is “grainy” 00:40:23 - Melody’s future in the Figure Division and her coach’s thoughts on a division change 00:43:10 - Ben has questions about performance enhancing drugs in bodybuilding 00:47:35 - Bodybuilding choices, myths, addiction, and getting ready for a competition 00:50:24 - Ben asks, “do we want to talk about plastic surgery” before talking about it anyway 00:52:00 - The benefits of implants during contest preparation, covering muscles, and balance 00:55:45 - Five minutes about video games, and Melody’s closing thoughts on the word fit