Well, hello ladies and gents, Robert Sykes, Keto, savage.com.
In today's episode, I've actually got my lovely wife
Crystal here in the room and we're going to record a little
podcast, kind of recapping the competition season from her
perspective. What the highs were, what the
lows were, the wins, the losses, the pros, the cons as my wife,
as the person that has been with me through it all, who's meal
prepped every single one of my meals, what it was like having
our year and a half year old with us throughout the entirety
of it. So yeah, this was just a really
cool podcast record. Rigel was asleeping when we when
we started and then he woke up towards the end.
So we had to kind of call it a little short.
But we got a lot of really good info out there and it was just
awesome to have her sit down and talk about it from her
perspective. Because when you're doing a
competition prep, you have your inner circle and you are
impacting them in multiple different ways and just to bring
them to the center stage because so much of what you're able to
do is accomplished through their sacrifices.
So I wanted to really highlight that and I wanted to just give
her the mic and give her opportunity to share her
thoughts towards the entire endeavor.
So that is what this episode is all about.
We've got her on the podcast here talking about it, what it
was like from Crystal's standpoint.
So I've got no doubt that you will take something from this
and enjoy it. So that further delay, sit back,
relax, enjoy the conversation with my lovely wife Crystal.
And we are live. We get Crystal Sykes, my lovely
bride in the building. How you doing, baby?
I'm doing wonderful. You're doing wonderful.
This is actually a monumentous moment.
We are sitting at the kitchen table.
We are not inside the podcast studio, but we are recording
from our kitchen table. Not an Airbnb's kitchen table,
not a hotel, not a not Akoa. We are at our kitchen table.
We've got Rigel taking a nap. We've got the monitor in front
of us here. He may wake up while we're
recording. I just got done with the
workouts and I'm feeling really good.
And Crystal and I are sitting here recording this podcast.
Are you feeling pretty good, babe?
I'm feeling really good feeling. Feeling very excited to be home,
very excited to be home. So I was going to record a wins
and losses episode kind of similar to how it recorded the
wins and losses for the amateur shows.
I was going to record a wins and losses for the pro shows as
we've been kind of behind on podcast recordings.
But I figured what would be an even more interesting episode is
to have Crystal jump on here and just kind of talk about the
entire prep in its totality from her perspective.
And then it's just kind of go back and forth with a few things
that stood out. So here we are and I'm excited
to peel the curtain back and dive in.
Today is actually what is today, Saturday.
So it is almost a week post world show.
Tomorrow will be a week post world Show.
We have Thanksgiving, so we just got back from the farm.
We go to the family farm every year for Thanksgiving.
We literally just got back from that yesterday.
We haven't even unloaded yet. I got my workout in this
morning. We're trying to jam out a
podcast recording because this is going to go live on Monday
and I'm way behind on episodes. But I'm excited by this because
all of this experience is fresh on our minds.
We just got done doing something that was relaxing and then we
went to the farm for Thanksgiving and the reverse
diet has officially started as of this week.
We have a lot of exciting things in the pipeline and I'm just
excited to to share that with you all.
So crystal, where would you like to start?
You want to just start from the top.
We have just concluded 33 weeks of competition prep and you are
the unsung hero in this for sure because you have sacrificed a
ton. Anybody that's done a prep knows
that they put the people that are closest to them through a
lot, and the same is true with you for sure.
So I kind of like to just get your perspective on what the
last 33 weeks have been like, what the pros have been, the
cons, the wins, the losses, the highs, the lows, and just kind
of get your insight. So start from the top, babe.
OK. So I guess to start, I'll start
like at the beginning of the 33 weeks.
It was really easy. I feel like it was our typical
life. I mean, I always make our food
anyways, so there's that. It was probably different just
because I wasn't prepping your food for the entire week.
In Tupperware. I would make like dinner when
you came home. I don't even know what that
feels like anymore. I'm making you dinner when you
come home. Do you like meal?
Meal. Prepping for me Because you
were. I mean you, you've literally
meal prepped every single one of my meals to prep.
I would figure out my macro intake.
I would figure out what every manipulation I need to make as
far as nutrition was concerned. I would figure out what foods to
hit those macros and then I would share my meals with you
and then you would prepare them for the week.
Did that that weigh on you or was it pretty?
There was a couple annoying aspects of it, like you would
prep your food. Like, no, you were prepping on
macros and whatever based off of the food that you wanted to eat
that week. And if I went to the grocery
store and they did not have exactly what you needed, I we
don't have a lot of grocery store options here, especially
for like anything organic or pasture raised or grass fed or
anything like that. So it's like there's two stores
to check. And that's pretty much it.
So if we didn't have it, then I'd have to call you and you'd
be like in the middle of a podcast.
You'd have to read your, read your macros.
And then I could like, and I was like stuck at the store.
Because we live so far away from the store, I can't just like
make a quick trip trip back. So, like, there was like
annoying aspects of things like that.
But as far as, like, actually making the meals, no, I actually
like. I enjoy cooking and.
A lot of times it felt like a little break for me because you
would often times take Rigel. So it was like, I get to just be
in the kitchen when usually I'm cooking and rigel's at my feet
and like pulling on my shirt and all that kind of stuff.
So it almost felt like a little break.
I don't know. That sounds weird.
And honestly, all my meals were pretty consistent.
It was ground beef and eggs or ground venison and eggs or
ground elk and eggs and egg whites pretty much throughout
the entire day of the prep. Yeah, so like, it was nothing
extravagant, like you weren't having to make some five course
meal or anything. Yeah, Yep.
And yeah, it was it was all really simple.
I think this was probably the easiest prep as far as food goes
too, because. Before you would have me like
cook the eggs in the pan and sometimes like depending on like
what your fat ratio is and stuff, I'd have to literally
scrape the pan so that like all the eggs came off and
everything. And this time it was like all I
had to do is cook the meat, put it in the raw egg and the stick
in the oven. So it was just, it was the meals
were super efficient for me. So I think it was, I mean I I
enjoy making your meals. I I know I like to be accurate.
I am more of a Baker than a cooker because I like to have a
recipe to follow. I like to know exactly what I'm
doing, so I enjoyed it. I had no problems, you know,
prepping your food and stuff And honestly, little silent tangent
here. Anybody that's doing a prep or a
weight loss phase or a fat loss phase.
Having your meals prepped, whether you prep them or you're
lucky enough to have a wife like me that preps them for me,
having your meals prepped and ready to go, so it just takes
the guesswork out, takes that decision fatigue out is so
incredibly important. Like for me, being able to wake
up, pull that that day's meal out of the fridge, stick it in
my to go bang, and then put it in my warming tray.
Things that it was hot when I wanted to eat it.
I mean, there was no, there was no guesswork.
There was no, there was no What do I eat today?
Where do I go to hit the macros? There's no recalculation of the
macros, like it's just consistently perfectly dialed
in. And I think that's one of the
main reasons I was able to get as lean as I did this year,
because there was no guesswork. And honestly I think that helped
from a psychological standpoint because a lot of people that
leave more variability on the table just expend all this
mental math and and macro manipulation to try and make the
numbers work on a day-to-day revolving basis.
And that often times leads to more variables that distract
from their focus of getting as lean as possible.
Yeah, I agree. So I owe you big time for them.
How how many preps have you been with me through?
I have been through 2015. Three, so four all together.
The first one, we had just started dating and so I wasn't
like fully with you a lot. And I went on.
We were kind of hit and miss on that too, like our dating was on
and off. And I was like, on a trip the
entire last month before you actually competed and I met you
at your competition. Yeah.
So it was kind of like I was definitely there and I saw you
at your competition all that. But like, I wasn't as involved.
As I was like, I started getting really involved in 2017, that's
when I started prepping your food.
So, and that is when I unveiled you on my YouTube channel,
because I started daily. I started vlogging that prep in
2017 because that was when I was doing ketogenic prep.
That's when the keto brick was formed.
That's when all this stuff happened initially, and on the
way to the show, you were with me, and that's when I started
actually putting you in front of the camera and making it known
that I had a significant other in my life.
That was in 2017, which is kind of crazy.
What was the next 1/20/20, which would have been the pandemic
prep. And you were right there with me
throughout that whole thing. You prepped on my meals there.
We just didn't get to compete because it got cancelled due to
the pandemic and then this one. So four prep seasons and you
would say this one's the smoothest of all of them?
By far, this one's the smoothest. 2 1015 was probably
rough for you because we were kind of like on and off dating.
I didn't understand like I didn't.
I didn't get it And in like we didn't really like stay together
and. So it was just kind of like you
were kind of more of like, hey, I'm going to come and support
you on the show kind of thing, not like part of the life.
Crap. Yeah, it was just like we would
hang out or we would like, go grab a coffee or whatever, But
what you drink didn't affect me, you know?
So it was like, I didn't even think about that.
And I was totally not into fitness, nutrition, anything
like that. So it was like, totally, I
totally didn't get it. And I really didn't get it.
Until you stepped on stage and I was actually there at your
competition and I was like whoa, this is kind of crazy.
Like I always just thought. I thought what the typical
person thought. Like I just thought
bodybuilders, Oh my gosh, all they care about is themselves
And and like it's such a thought process as someone who doesn't
work out like that is exactly the process or the thought
process as someone who doesn't work out is just not interested
in in. Nutrition or fitness or whatever
at all. Because as soon as you start to
get into that world, you get it like you usually get it.
And I'd say usually some people still don't get it, but some
people won't get it unless they themselves step on stage or they
are closely related or tied to someone that is on stage because
they just haven't taken it to that level.
Yeah, Yeah. But in 2017?
That's when I was fully involved.
We lived together. I prepped all your meals.
We worked out together, but that was a hard prep, I'm sure,
because we were often times rocky in our relationship.
We were saying we were Rocky, we were planning to move to
Arkansas. So I feel like we were pretty
solid by that point. But like obviously we were still
dating. We were still young.
We were broke. We were.
So broke. Yeah.
We like, like budgeting for the food was much more of a an
issue. Yeah, that was that was tough.
And like we were, we were dating officially.
But you know, like I would often times have to distract from our
relationship to focus on building the business or going
to the gym. And it was everything was just
super, super sporadic because I was working.
I was working like 4 jobs. Yeah, And then I was trying to
work a lot. I just got my personal training
certification. So I was like trying to get a
job doing that. And I was working in the coffee
stand and I was trying to fill in hours.
So that I could save up money so that we can move.
Yeah, in 2020 was probably hard because we had moved to Arkansas
at that point. We.
Had just gotten married. We had just gotten married.
There was all the emotions that come with them, and we were
building the business in Arkansas.
We had like a ton of issues with employees.
We lived in a warehouse. We lived in a warehouse that we.
Had was not a kitchen. Like there was no sink even.
Yeah, so that was an issue that just didn't go smooth.
We did it, but it didn't go smooth.
And then this year we are established in our relationship.
We have a son, which I would have thought would have been a
lot more of a distraction with the crib, but that wasn't really
a hiccup at all. We can talk about that in
detail, but like we have our own kitchen, we have our own home
and we traveled a ton this season way more than ever in the
past. But I feel like it went super
smooth and there was never really a point where I got
bitter or you know, just negative.
And I feel like a lot of times and in prior perhaps I've done
that and it like you you are like that more with the people
you are closest to. And I remember, you know, being
super irritable and just not a nice person in prayer preps.
And I don't feel like there was literally one instance where I
blew up or lost my cool in this prep.
Yeah, I mean, years prior you had definitely lost your cool or
like, just not been super nice to me.
And I like we would even go to the gym.
You'd be like, so laser focused that like, you would almost be
rude to people because you just like weren't even.
There. And so I would be like, I'm so
sorry he's in his prep. Don't worry.
Like, we're almost through it, you know, like just trying to be
apologizing for you. And then, yeah, like, same thing
with our crew. Like I would always have to
like, try and soften a blow, you know?
But I don't feel like I was like that at all this.
Not at all this year, you know, there was literally one time I
got frustrated with myself posing, so I tried kicking the
punching bag and I fell. And then I get mad and I just
laughed it off. But I wasn't, you know, directed
towards anybody, obviously. And then I think that that may
have been there's one at a time where like raise my voice, but
literally I could probably count it on two fingers.
Yeah, I think. I think, like there was times I
think I explained it to like Chip or something the other day
I was like, there's times like you got frustrated.
Like we got frustrated with each other, but like that's.
Also, just being a human. Yeah, like you get annoyed or
you get frustrated or you get stressed out or whatever.
But it was like, like, I think we got along better this prep
than we ever have before. I would even venture as far as
to say that our relationship improved as a result of this
prep. Like, I feel closer to you now
having gone through this prep with you.
Like like normally the couple will finish their prep together
and like, oh man, I'm glad that's done with.
Now we can get back to being in a relationship and I feel like
our relationship only got better because of the prep.
Yeah, I agree. I don't know why necessarily,
except for the fact that I was much more reflective and just
tried to focus on being present and really double down on
gratitude throughout this prep, in which case I was, you know,
very grateful for you. But that was an interesting
thing. I didn't expect that, but I'm
certainly glad it happened. Yeah, even more different.
Like when I would come to you with different things like that
would normally be an issue, like or like.
Like, I don't know, maybe, 'cause some friction or some
stress or something like that. I would come to you and you
would be like, so chill about it and I'm like what the heck, like
what's an example? I don't know, but it did it
happen like several times where I'm just like.
I kind of expected that to go differently and not like I
expected it to go terribly or anything, but I just I think you
just became so OK or like so like reflective and just you.
Took. Yeah.
So like you took in like every moment and you're like, OK,
that's all right, we're we'll work through it or it's OK.
I just said this or you know, whatever it was.
So it's just funny. So it's just, I don't know.
But then also like, I do think like, you know, Robert always
talks about like the libido on his like posts and stuff when
people are like, I can't believe you put that on your newsletter.
I can't believe you put that on social media posts and all that.
And it's like this is truly part of the sport.
Like everyone who has done their prep pretty much knows like by
the end of it you have no libido.
Like it's just this usually the way that it goes and and it's
also not a priority in your mind like.
That is not where your brain is at.
You have very low energy because you are in taking so little that
that is going to be like the first thing that your body shuts
off. It's like when you're pregnant
and your body's trying to keep this baby alive, your hair stops
growing on your legs and things like that, Like it just happens
naturally. Your body just naturally shuts
down what it doesn't absolutely need.
So there's that aspect of things where people are like, oh, you
know, Roberts libido sucks. They probably aren't like
intimate but. We started sleeping in separate
beds. So I can improve my sleep
quality so like all the signs of a relationship are.
Rocks but I think it it allowed us to kind of like take a step
back and get closer in different ways and be intimate in
different ways and just connect differently and I think that
that is that can be I think so healing for a lot of people like
they don't they don't get that they don't like they just you
get so stuck living in your day-to-day and you're.
Normal stuff. But when something throws you
through for a little loop, like you just find different ways to
connect and different ways to be there for each other.
So yeah, I mean it's just, I feel like, I feel like we have
grown together, but like and in different ways.
And I just think it's cool. I don't know, but we are excited
to have sex again. We are, yeah.
Yeah, that'll be good. So as I put on more body fan,
get back to healthy body fan and my hormones stabilize a little
bit, that will be in the pipeline, but we won't dive too
deep into those details. Yeah, we're going to not.
What about traveling? How?
How'd that go for you? Like we in the past, we lived in
the areas that we competed in, like when we were living in
Washington, we were competing in Washington in 2020.
We had planned on moving or not moving, but traveling, but that
show got cancelled. So here we are living in
Arkansas this this prep season and we literally travel to the
first show which was in Utah, the second show which was in New
York, the third show which was in Washington.
Those three we all drove to the 4th show, which was in Boston,
MA which we flew to, and the 5th and final show Worlds, which was
in Seattle, WA which we flew to. All traveling with a year and a
half year. And a half year old.
And. Managing multiple businesses and
just total chaos from a travel standpoint.
What was that like for you? I want to say it was enjoyable
for the most part. I think you and I really tried
to make it enjoyable like we were like, we like, we knew
going into this year that we were going to do an entire prep.
We were going to travel a lot at the end of it, like we knew it
was going to be chaos. So I think we had like a year to
really think about it before it actually happened and I think.
And before it actually happened and we were thinking about it,
we were, like, overwhelmed by it.
Oh yeah, It was like, because. We had all the conferences too,
yeah. So we were traveling for the
conferences and then as soon as the conferences stopped, even
while the conferences were going to some extent because I was
four weeks into prep at Keto Con and there was some more
conferences after that, like the cruise I was in prep during the
cruise, low carb cruise. So all of my meals were
accounted for there. Like, there was just overlap,
but total chaos. From a travel standpoint, Yeah,
I feel like, I don't know, there was a lot that fell on me
because because you were in a prep and we do have our child
and I don't know all that comes with that.
But I think you and I just, we put our mindset in a place that
it was like let's enjoy this. Like this is going to be a
process. We are going to travel a ton,
but let's try to enjoy each, each trip.
Like let's think like each trip is a brand new thing, like let's
just redo. And I think that that really
helped us or me at least keep my mindset, right.
Because I I would like we would be driving.
And it's like day three of driving.
And I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm so tired.
But I'm like, I'm in South Dakota right now.
Like, it's so beautiful. Look how beautiful South Dakota
is. And, you know, like you would.
I. You just have to soak in those
moments and realize like where you're at, what you're doing.
There was a lot of times where Robert and I were like both.
Like this is what we're like. This is what we do for a living.
Like like we get to do this. Like we get to go on a two week
trip. To go to a competition like that
is so cool. We get to bring our son with us.
You know, like you just have to change your mindset around like
Oh my gosh, this is miserable. This is so hard to we get to do
these things. And there was definitely hard
times. And I think my friends that are
like, closest to me, they definitely were.
They're supporting me. But it was, I was never like, Oh
my gosh, I'm so annoyed. This is the worst.
I hate traveling. Robert's so selfish.
So like, it was never like that. It was like, man, this is a long
day or, you know, we're almost there.
We've almost made it or whatever like it was.
It felt all felt good, even though it at times was
exhausting. Because there were times where
like, you know, I would go, we would be driving and we'd be
staying in the KOA. And then the KOA, like they kick
out at 11 typically in the morning.
And then we would start driving and you know, we'd stop at a gym
somewhere so I can get my workout or cardio in.
And then I would work out for two hours and then I would pose
for half an hour, 45 minutes. I'd go do cardio and meditate
for, you know, 30 minutes or so. So you and Ryan's are just stuck
in the vehicle. Why?
And then I'd eat and then the whole time you are just.
Trying to make yourself busy and not miserable.
But I mean, we'd we'd be, we'd be stopped somewhere on the side
of the road for four hours and you're having to entertain Ryan,
Jill and keep him occupied. Sometimes he would nap,
sometimes he wouldn't. Yeah, it was like it was
literally every time we pulled over to go to the gym, it was a
four hour thing. So it was like I would try to
find anything in the area to do so.
If there was a store and I I didn't want to take, we had that
big rig and we took the rig for two of the trips and I did not
want to have to drive that around town and then have to
drive it back to Robert. So I'm like I'll just walk
wherever. So like there was a mall that
was like a mile away. And so I just took Rigel.
We walked to the mall and then went to a couple stores and then
walked back. And so there was definitely,
definitely some interesting times there.
And see moments like that. I would recognize that you were
being put out like that. Like, I couldn't not be grateful
because, I mean here I am asking you to take our son, who is a
handful of times and just be content for four hours while I
go do my thing. You know, like that's a lot to
ask of anybody. And we did it every day for
multiple days on end while we're in an unknown territory.
So yeah, like, I had no right to not be grateful.
Yeah, I felt, but it was nice because you were grateful like,
and I would say, hey, this is like a really long day.
Like, this is a really long break.
I really need you to just like take him for a second.
And then usually, usually we'd get in the car and he would
crash. Like, it was perfect because
like, during that period of time, it was like right before
his nap time and then we'd get in the car and he would just
crash. So I was able to just kind of
like sit and unwind. And it's just so funny.
It's like, so funny to look back at all that.
I'm like, Oh my gosh, I cannot believe we did that because
there were some times where I was like, holy mackerel, like
this is this who I'm doing this right now.
But like, I was just tired because he, he was between,
what, 15 months and 18 months this whole time, 14 months and
18 months. And so it was like he could walk
and he could stick things in his mouth and he could like he like
any little mischief he can get into.
He was like getting into all the drawers, getting into anything
that he possibly could. And like, you take him into the
grocery store or any store and he's like pulling things off of
the shelf. So it's like you have to watch
him on everything. Like, he's just like in that
little getting into mischief age, you know, And it's so much
fun, but it's also a lot when you're not home.
Like, I remember just like coming home and being like,
whoa, like he can actually be free to do what he wants while
we're home. Because I have already made sure
that, like, he can't break anything.
And if he does, it's our own. It's not like a lamp at an
Airbnb that I don't want him to break, you know, it's like a
it's our own thing if it breaks a well, you know.
So it's just so different watching your child in the world
rather than at home with, you know, acres and stuff that he
can run around on and stuff. And so many of these trips, like
the ones where we took the big rig on, were so atypical
anyways, like, we stay at Akoa, yeah.
So, like, we're having to walk to go use the shower.
We're all sleeping in this little bitty rig, which means a
big rig. But like, when you're sleeping
in and it's not that much space or I'm like pulling a cot out to
sleep outside the rig in a cot while I'm in a prep on peak
week. You know, like all these strange
things that most people be like, we did what?
But we just made it work. And it was like, you can't do
this and not just smile at the fact that you're doing it.
You know, this is freaking cool. How would you compare
travelling? Because you're pretty
apprehensive to flying, or at least you were prior to this.
You get really bad anxiety flying.
But we did two trips with the big rig, one trip with my truck,
and then two flights. Which would you say is the
smoothest? What did you like?
What did you not like? Rachel's stirring, so we'll have
to see what he does. He's waking up.
He's fully awake. He might be able to come out
here and play. Yeah.
You need to go grab. Him.
No, I'll give him. You just kind of talk about
those trips comparing the, yeah, the different modalities, all
right. So I would say I'm going to just
turn off the monitor because he's going to be loud.
So I would say, gosh, the the trips with the rig was a lot
because the rig is big and it's not the most convenient.
Especially we drove to New York and that was the hardest trip
with that vehicle because the roads are super small.
There's a lot of people. There's a lot of, I mean, I was
just kind of crazy, but the rig is an awesome vehicle, but it's
it is definitely a lot. It is definitely big and does
take a little bit more energy and efforts when you're driving
it. But it is also convenient
because there is cabinets and drawers and things like that,
that you can put away all of your stuff.
So we had a little bit more space and then we went to, we
went to Washington in the truck, the pickup and I really liked
that trip. I think the truck was way more
comfortable to ride in, but we were a little bit more crammed
for space for all of our stuff. And then we stayed at the Koas
at when we were staying in truck and that was kind of nice
because we actually got the cabins and we stayed in the
cabins at the KOA. So it was a little bit more
comfortable and stuff inside and then the flights were just so
easy. I got anxious about I get
anxious of flying. Anyways I don't love flying but
I think it was definitely was not as bad as I would had
anticipated this go around like I I don't know why my brain was
just like so much more OK with the flying, but I was more
anxious about how Rigel would do on the plane than anything.
I think just like as a mom you think, Oh my gosh my if my kid
screams the whole time or whatever.
And Rigel's not a screamer, so it's really not like not that he
would lose. It's not like he would go crazy
or anything. But you know he does get fussy
and whiny and things like that. And so I was just afraid that he
would, you know fuss and whine and Dr. everyone around us
crazy. But he actually did so well and
he slept on every single one of the flights we It timed really
well. Hi, buddy timed really well with
his naps as well and he would just pretty much snooze for two
of the four hours on each flight.
We ended up getting direct flights, which I'm so grateful
for because I think if we would have gotten, what are those
called? Connections, connecting flights.
Yeah, if we would have gotten connecting flights, I think our
day would have been a lot more miserable.
But we got direct flights, so we would go straight from our
location to that location. So it was like once we got
there, it was no big deal. It was a little chaotic because
we had so much stuff to bring. Yeah, that was a pain in the
butt. We had 11 bags total.
Yeah, most of which. It was camera gear.
We had the gym. Rigel and I had two bags.
I had one rolling bag and one backpack.
Yeah, we had our we had all of our clothes, our luggage, our
supplements, our food, our camera gear, baby gear.
Like we had 11 bags, six of which were being checked at each
flight, and we have. 6 bags. I mean, you like you have to get
those little trolley things and then you have to load them up.
And like you've got, you're pushing this, I've got Rigel on
my shoulders. Half the time you're carrying
them. Half the time it's like I'm
carrying because we decided to take his car seat, which I
highly recommend taking a car seat, But we took his car seat,
so I'm like lugging his car seat through the airport, have him.
The other arm has a backpack on my back and it was just like, Oh
my gosh, it just felt like a lot.
And then once we would get there, we would have to get a
rental car. And neither one of us have.
I don't think I've ever gotten a rental car at a airport, but the
these specific airports suck. And the rental car thing, you
have to get on a shuttle to go to the rental car.
So all of it was in my name, so I had to leave.
Poor Robert it. Wouldn't have been mad if we
could just walked to the place, but I had to like leave Robert
with these 11 bags and Rigel who's like already over it
because he's been in a plane for four hours and he just wants to
run around. Oh my gosh.
So then it would end up taking like 1/2 hour to get back to get
him. So anyways, I enjoyed the flying
because it was quick and I'm grateful that we saved those
trips for the end of the prep. But I enjoyed the driving for
the amount of time that we were all able to spend together and
the different, like we were able to drive different directions
and see different things that we've never seen before.
So I don't think that there was a winner.
I'm glad that we had the experiences that we did of
driving and like we I just like Rd. trips.
So like that's a fun thing to me.
And then the flying was just probably easier.
There was higher stress moments of the flying because of trying
to get in like on our Oh my gosh, on our last trip, we
almost missed our flight. Yeah, to come home for
Thanksgiving. We literally just made it so we.
Had to get like on the train, we had to get the rental car like.
It was just total chaos, yeah. And it was like, I was like, did
you guys ever checking every everyone in?
They said, yeah, are you Sykes party of three?
And I was like, Oh my gosh, yes, like they probably been saying
our name on the loudspeaker and oh gosh.
So anyways, we just had made our flight.
So there was definitely higher stress moments with the flying,
but it was quicker. So it's, I don't know, it's just
they're just a different experience and I I think either
is fine. So Rigel is awake now.
He's rummaging through the house, so he may have to make
this a little bit shorter, but I kind of want to finish out if he
cooperates with us, just what your take is on the outcome of
the shows of me competing. Just like seeing me on stage as
you being my significant other and being such a part of this
journey through and through from the very beginning and you
seeing all the stuff that nobody else is seeing like you seeing.
My highs, you seeing my lows, you seeing me at home in my
comfort spot, like just you seeing me in my natural habitat.
What has that been like for you? It's been pretty cool.
It is really cool to be the only person that sees this side of
you. Like that's always in life.
Like I'm your wife. I get to see the every single
day insurance and outs. Like I'm the only one that knows
you this well. Like that's a really cool
feeling. But especially when you're doing
something hard, it is even cooler because you get to watch
the mental and like the your your mental strength strengthen
like like and I get to watch it real time.
I get to watch you make it through hard moments or
stressful moments with the business and like how you're
going to handle that on top of everything else that's going on.
And I think you honestly handle everything with such grace.
And I don't know, it was just, it was it was really cool to
watch you. This is the lamest I've ever
seen you, the lamest you've ever been by far.
I mean, there was points where you're like, am I the latest
I've ever been before? And I'm like, I don't know.
But then I think it was like after your first show and I was
like, Yep, you're by far the leanest you've ever been.
And that was kind of cool too. Like it's cool that I've been
there for four shows like or Four Seasons and you've only had
five. You know, Like I've only not
seen one. And I know it's just I I really
think that you knocked it out of the park this time.
And I you guys should have seen me like I the show that Robert
went pro at, I literally Rachel was sleeping and I was just like
jumping up and down screaming. That was a pretty cool show.
I mean, that was the main one on my sites.
That Washington show, like the the two pro shows after that
were awesome. I was super proud to be on that
stage as a pro. But that Washington show that I
went pro at is definitely like the highlight of this prep.
Like my parents were there supporting me.
We got some great footage at that prep.
You know, I I won my class, I won the overall.
That was the show that I've been trying to to win multiple Times
Now and I finally did. So that was like the two pro
shows were just bonuses on top of that?
Yeah, I think it was interesting this go around because we did go
to so many different shows. I was able to decide like what
shows I liked, what shows I didn't like, like different
promoters that I had preferences for, you know, organization, all
of that kind of stuff. Like it really mattered.
Like there was some of the shows where I was just like, I know
nothing. Like I have no information and
you know some people wanted to go to the shows and I'm like, I
can't actually give you information because they haven't
put anything out for this and we're a week out.
So it was just it's cool to also be able to know now like OK,
what what, what one would I go back to what one.
You know, the things like that. It's just it's kind of cool to
figure those things out as well. But I think you brought the best
package you could have with each and every, each and everyone.
Like I don't know, you did keep getting better and better with
with every single one. And I think that is appropriate
too because then you were competing as a pro and really
bringing in the the your A game then.
And I don't, I don't think like with all of the feedback that
you got, there was nothing that you could have done to change it
in that moment. Like you couldn't change who
showed up. You couldn't change how much
lean mass you had in those moments.
Like it's like, OK now I'm going to take this and go and work and
do what, you know, all the things that I need to be
competitive next go around. But in those moments, you
brought your best package. You became the leanest you
could. You were hard.
You were like all of the things. Posing got better.
The yeah, the posing. I mean, you guys should have
seen the audience every time Robert did his routine, like
they were just blown out of the water and it was so cool to be
his wife. Like, you know, in those moments
you're like, that is my husband. And people are just like ooing
and awing over him. And to be able to, it was almost
as just as cool to watch the judges or watch the audience or
hear them behind you like, oh, look at #111 or look at, you
know, and they were like talking about you.
And it's like, yeah, that's my husband.
You know, like, it's pretty cool.
You proud of me, babe? I'm.
Very proud of you. I'm proud of you.
I could not have done this without you.
I would not have wanted to do this without you and these these
preps. Like, they really make me focus
on what I'm grateful for and what I appreciate.
And I appreciate you and all that you sacrifice to make this
happen more than I could ever begin to put into words.
And I honored that I honored our dedicated that show in
Washington. The first one that I went pro at
to Rigel, and to have him there as part of it was awesome that
my parents there. See, it was awesome to have you
there, Having been with me through all the trials and
tribulations and see the fruits of that labor unfold real time
on stage was awesome. And nobody can take that from
me. No judging feedback can take
that from me, No placing can take that from me.
Like, these are all things that will continue to resonate with
me now and into the future and and and transcend just the the
prep and the art of bodybuilding itself.
But they will go into every aspect of my life and I'm just
incredibly grateful for that. I'm incredibly grateful for you
and I love you with all my heart, babe, I.
Love you too. There's a lot more that I want
to talk about, but Rigel is banging things together right
now and he's hungry. So we're going to call that a
wrap on this one. But we are going to do another
podcast talking about all the exciting things that we have
coming post show. Can you give it up for just a
second? We've got a lot of exciting
things coming now that the shows are done, like the homesteading
aspect of things, like our reverse diets.
Like Crystal's got a lot of building stuff that she's going
to do. She's going to work on her
building phase, put on more lean mass.
I'm going to be doing that as well after this reverse diet.
So we're going to do a whole Part 2 on all the things that
we're excited about as a family, as athletes, as a couple, as a
relationship post show. So we will certainly do that.
But I thought this is a pretty good little recap with rides are
getting a little ballistic over here on the shows themselves.
So thanks for tuning in. Appreciate the conversation
babe. As always, where do people go to
find out more about you? They can go to the dot lady dot
savage on Instagram and pretty much anywhere you can find a
Robert, you can pretty much find me.
We have our YouTube channel. We have.
Yeah, you know, all the things. All the things.
All right, let's get this munchkin butt some food.
And we'll call that a wrap on today's podcast.
Love you, babe. Love you too.
Love you, Rigel. Love you, Rigel.
All right, Y'all appreciate y'all tuning in.
Thanks for listening and we'll talk to you next time.