Ariella Palumbo: Untold Truth
If there were a bodybuilding stock market, it would be a safe bet to say that the stock of NPC Physique Competitor Ariella Palumbo is poised to explode sometime in the very near future.
After bursting onto the scene in 2011 by winning her class and the overall at the OCB Yankee Classic she put the fitness community on notice that there was a new star on the horizon. The 2013 contest season saw Ariella bring her best package to the stage yet again at the Jay Cutler Classic where she dominated the field bringing home the hardware yet again with another class and overall title.
Now, with her sights set on blowing away the competition again in 2014, Ariella is poised to cement herself as a legitimate threat to capture her IFBB Pro Card. I recently got a chance to sit down and talk with Ariella about her amazing journey through the sport thus far, and you can find it all right here, in this Rx Muscle exclusive interview.
Q.) Before we talk about your competitive career, let’s take a look back at life before entering the sport. Did you have an athletic background prior to entering into physique competition?
A.) Yes, I always loved sports and being active. I was that girl who took gym class serious! I started swimming in 5th grade when I was 10. I was a very competitive person, so swimming was perfect for me because it is mostly all individual competition between you and other people, much like track.
I swam all throughout middle and high school. When I was 16, I joined the track and field team for pole vaulting! It was a different sport and I think that's why I liked it. I enjoyed the challenge of learning something new and being good at it.
At age 17, I joined the girl’s lacrosse team. This was my first time being involved in high school sport that was "team oriented." It took me some time to grasp the concept of defense/ offe
nse/ off sides and various rules for the game, but I absolutely loved it.
Q.) For those who don't know, the life of a competitive swimmer can be very demanding. Do you think the rigorous training schedule and work ethic that you developed in the pool helped prepare you for life as a physique competitor?
A.) Yes, definitely. When you’re a member of any team you have to have a great work ethic along with dedication and motivation. Dedication to go to practice and to try your hardest, and the motivation to keep going even though there will be days when you're “too tired " or when you just simply “don’t feel like it.” Once you realize that your hard work at practice pays off, it gives you positive reinforcement to keep going and to not give up.
Q.) At what point did you begin weight training?
A.) I began very young actually, when I was 16, around the time I started pole vaulting. I started going to the gym to lose some fat that I had, and also in hope to increase my time in my swimming events as well. Once I started going to the gym I became hooked very fast. It took me years to actually know what I was doing, and about three years before I even knew how to eat healthy!
Q.) When you first began training did you see results immediately? Or did you make gains gradually?
A.) I lost weight pretty quickly, (in a few months) but I noticed I plateaued for a long time. I also had many ups and downs in my physique over my high school years. Once I got my diet down and started eating the right foods I noticed that I made greater gains. But overall it has taken me about six years from my first few months of when I started training to get where I am now.
Q.) During your te
enage years you developed an eating disorder that ultimately became the catalyst to you learning what good nutrition meant. Tell us about that time in your life.
A.) When I first started losing weight and seeing results, I became addicted to the "skinnier" look. I started counting calories, but I became too obsessed with how much I ate. This is a complete 180 from my lifestyle prior to working out, because I use to eat complete junk. When I cut the junk out and started seeing results, then I became scared to eat any of that food again because I thought that if I had any of it I would automatically become fat.
Now, there is nothing wrong with not wanting to eat junk, but I became too obsessed with the calories I was burning at the gym on cardio and the calories I would eat during the day. For example, if I burned 600 calories on the treadmill, I would be scared to eat more than that because in my head it was like my cardio session was wasted. And if I did eat more than I wanted to or had a "cheat" I would need to head to the gym to do cardio so that I could feel better about eating it.
I never was bulimic or anorexic but I did develop an unhealthy relationship with food. I'm not sure what clicked in my head, but I soon realized I was on a bad path and started to become interested in knowing more about proper nutrition. It's all I thought about and I was eager to learn more. Once I learned how unhealthy I was being, it made me more motivated to learn so that I could be sure to not make the same mistakes again.
Q.) Let’s jump ahead to 2011 when you first became introduced to the sport. You were approached by a local bodybuilder who asked you to compete in an upcoming show. What made you decide you wanted to take on the competitive stage?
A.) My competitive nature kicked in! I always just saw the gym as just my “hobby” – something that made me happy. And when I was approached with an opportunity to be able to compete in something that I loved doing, it excited me. The thought of looking my best and being challenged and pushing my body to where it's never been before intrigued me.
Q.) You took the stage again in 2012 and won your class at the Jay Cutler Classic. At that point did you believe that pursuing a career in the industry was a realistic goal?
A.) I was torn at that show. I loved everything about the lifestyle, but I wasn't sure if competing consecutively was something that I wanted to do. Also at this time I wasn't sure exactly how I could make a career out of this. Bodybuilding isn't a paying sport if you're a pro, so in order to make money I would need to find other ways to make a living while still doing what I love to do.
That is why I offer online training. I always was a firm believer of "do what you love to do, and find a way to get paid doing it." Don't just work to live and live to work without enjoying yourself. I love helping people, nutrit
ion, and I love training, so it's a win-win for me.
Q.) You are very open about your drug usage, and your feelings towards those who abuse drugs in the sport. In the bodybuilding industry we understand what it takes to be competitive at a high level, but the outside world isn't quite so understanding. Do you ever fear that your openness may have a negative in some aspect of your life outside of the industry?
A.) Absolutely, and I contemplated for many months on the idea of coming out with the truth on me being a non-natural athlete before I eventually did.
I kept thinking back to when I was clueless and had no idea on who to trust because it is not something that is openly talked about, and I thought about how many females out there could be going through the same thing and not know who to ask for advice.
And the idea of helping people made it really easy to come forward with my prior experiences with steroids. Before I was in this lifestyle I frowned upon people who took steroids thinking that they were "lazy cheaters." Little did I know at the time how wrong I was. Whether you're natural or not, the people who compete are some of the most dedicated amazing people I have met.
It is a shame that the athletes who aren't natural are looked down upon or thought less of because of what we do. That is also a big reason as to why many people lie about their own use of drugs, so that they are not judged or so that the credit for their hard work doesn't get taken away from them and blamed on steroids.
Q.) If I made you Queen for a day and you could change one thing about the sport, what would it be?
A.) That's a hard one! The one thing I would want to change is the effect that the Industry has on some individuals. The insecurities it creates, and the feeling of never being good enough. Busting your ass and going on stage to be judged by a bunch of strangers that tell you that you don't look good enough. It can really get to some people and cause people to have self-esteem issues and can become the cause of eating disorders in some individuals as well.
People lose sight of the bigger picture that we do this because we love to and we don't need to compete, we CHOOSE to, so therefore we should enjoy it! And be happy with our accomplishments even if it doesn't result in a first place trophy.
Q.) When is the next time your fans can expect to see you onstage?
A.) May 24, 2014 in South Carolina!
Q.) Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you reach this point?
A.) My father, Ronald Palumbo. He is the most amazing man in my life aside from my fiancé, Bostin Loyd. In this sport support is needed by loved ones and my father has done nothing but support me. He puts everyone before himself and he has always been there when I needed him. He has been to every show from start to finish.
At my last show I had to leave him alone for an hour or so to get ready and when I came back he was sitting laughing with three other bodybuilders he had just met. He is a social butterfly and he finds interest in this because it's what I love.
Even with my open drug use he still supports me just as much. I am 100% honest with my father and he is one of my best friends. Aside from my father, I have to thank my fiancé Bostin, he really gave me a completely different outlook on the sport and caused me to be more laid back and enjoy it and realize that there's more to life than training. He is a great supporter and I wouldn't know what I would do without my father and Bostin.
Q.) If someone wants to find out more about Ariella Palumbo, or would like to get in contact with you, what’s the best way for them to reach you?
A.) They can email me at [email protected] or check out my website www.AriPfitness.com. They can also follow me on Instagram at APalumbo91.
Ariella Palumbo Contact Info:
WWW.AriPFitness.com
Ariella Giavanna Palumbo
NPC Physique Competitor
#Team Palumbo
IG: Apalumbo91
YOUTUBE: AriPalumbo91
Arthur Schopenhauer once wrote, “All truth passes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Second it is violently opposed. Third it is accepted as being self-evident.”
Having the strength and courage to stand up for your convictions and for what you believe is right is the embodiment of true strength. Ariella’s ability to pursue her passion and what she believes to be right is a testament to her relentless drive to achieve the lofty goals she’s set for herself. As she enters the early stages of her prep for the 2014 contest season we can be sure of one thing, no matter what force opposes Ariella, she’ll accept the challenge with open arms on the way to proving her doubters wrong.
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