Many women in this sport move up in categories to find the right fit. But have you ever thought of moving down a category and what that would look like?   Maria Sharp has been competing for sixteen years! Thirteen of them as a figure athlete and pro, and three of them as a bikini pro athlete. She went through many changes physically, mentally, and emotionally to transition. And what she believes to have been the best decision for her marriage and her family.   I am so excited for you to tune into her story!   What you'll hear in this episode: [4:35] Bikini hack [11:00] Perfectionism  [13:30] Beginning of fitness journey and getting started in figure [20:00] Training differences  [21:00] Effects mentally and emotionally [23:45] Deciding to switch to bikini [29:15] Putting on the weight  [33:20] Other transitions going into Bikini  [42:00] What key factors allowed you to have such longevity in the sport? [47:00] Words of encouragement  [49:00] When competing became her entire life & balance [57:00] Goals [1:04:00} Lessons learned along the way [1:05:40] Dear Diary   Find Maria on IG @mariasharp_ifbbpro   ----->Head HERE for your FREEBIES, coupon codes, and other links! https://vibe-athletics.mykajabi.com/links