Bodybuilder Julia Rene in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shows Off "Prep"

Julia Rene, a bodybuilder and influencer, is well-known for sharing her fitness journey and competition preparations on Instagram. Recently, Rene documented her process of losing 20 pounds for a competition in a reel, showcasing her figure and posing in workout gear. Captioning the post, "OMGGGGG…This prep has been insane," she offers a glimpse into the hard work behind her transformation. Here's how Rene stays fit and prepares for competitions.

Rene makes sure to eat healthy. One way she does so is by cooking her own meals. Rene shared this reel of herself preparing for a competition. In it, she is seen making dinner for herself. Harvard Health reports that cooking can help you eat better. "We already know that the more people cook at home, the healthier their diet, the fewer calories they consume, and the less likely they are to be obese or develop type 2 diabetes. A growing body of scientific evidence supports teaching patients how to cook meals at home as an effective medical intervention for improving diet quality, weight loss, and diabetes prevention."

Rene works out on a regular basis. However, she knows when she has to rest, and knows when she has to limit what exercise she does. Rene talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. "I'm back to doing cardio but it's been a bit harder than before because my legs feel pretty inflamed…I needed an extra rest day from training legs so I took a long nap instead! It was hard to force myself to do but it was necessary."

Rene may be a bodybuilder, but that doesn't mean she obsesses over her body. She talked about this in the caption of the previous Instagram post. "This has been a tough week mentally. All the adrenaline has died down from the show day weekend and it's finally setting in how physically and emotionally drained I am. So I've been trying to give myself grace because I put my body through a lot. 👙I made sure not to check my weight post show and to not focus too much on how my body looked. Of course my body was going to be different after my show! It can be easy to get obsessed with what the scale says post show so I eliminated this temptation."

Rene is extremely motivated to stay fit. She talked about this in the caption of the first Instagram post. "This final push to the next show has been rough and beautiful at the same time! I've had my doubts, fears and moments of thinking I can't do it but regardless I still stand firm in my vision and I'm ready to push🔥"

In the first Instagram video, Rene is seen on a stairclimber. ACE Fitness states that stair workouts are extremely beneficial. "You can feel your heart working harder and the fire in your lungs when you ascend stairs. And that's provoking important changes in your cardiorespiratory system that will make physical activities, like running and walking, feel easier."