Winning a major bodybuilding competition should feel like the ultimate high. The culmination of years of obsessive training, meticulous meal prep, and unwavering dedication.
But for elite natural bodybuilder Natalie Hayes, victory brought something unexpected: depression.
In a recent training session and interview with Dr. Mike Israetel of Renaissance Periodization, Hayes opened up about what it’s really like to reach peak natural female physique status—and why the podium finish left her feeling strangely empty.
Her candid revelations offer a fascinating glimpse into the psychology of competitive bodybuilding and the fine line between dedication and obsession.
The Paradox of Victory
Hayes didn’t mince words when describing her emotional response to winning last year’s major natural bodybuilding competitions, including the prestigious Yorton Cup—essentially crowning her the world’s best natural female bodybuilder.
It was actually kind of strange when I won last year like I felt pretty depressed actually after winning.
She compared her experience to Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps who’ve spoken openly about post-competition depression. The buildup is enormous, the comedown shockingly quick.
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But Hayes’ situation had an additional twist that made her championship victories feel almost inconvenient.
Routine Over Recognition
For most competitors, shows represent the entire purpose of their training. Not for Hayes.
My routine is what matters to me most so like the shows I kind of saw as like disturbances so I kind of was like annoyed that I had to go to these shows.
While other athletes fixate on competition day, Hayes found herself frustrated by anything that interrupted her daily pattern. Training twice daily, eating precisely timed meals, sleeping, repeating—this was the reward itself, not trophies or titles.
Well I want to just stay home eat my meals train twice a day go to bed do my routine and just get up and do that again.
When Dedication Becomes Compulsion
Hayes demonstrated remarkable self-awareness about her relationship with training, openly acknowledging what she suspects might be underlying mental health considerations.
I think I have like sort of maybe underlying like mental illnesses or diagnoses going add OCD I got I don’t know.
She described training as meeting a neurochemical need rather than pursuing aesthetic goals. After eight to nine years of consistent lifting—five of those involving daily two-a-day sessions—her brain developed what she calls “a need to train.”
I think it’s more so probably like a neurochemical thing at this point like my brain depends on like some sort of like physical outlet for like the dopamine.
Physical Results as Byproduct
Remarkably, Hayes trained obsessively for years before ever stepping onstage. Competing came after she’d already built championship-caliber physique.
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FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
She started competing only two years ago despite training intensely for nearly a decade. The physical transformation wasn’t the goal—it was simply what happened when someone trains twice daily, every single day, for years.
The physical part I guess is more like a byproduct of just the obsession with the gym you know I never like looked at myself before I started competing.
Training Through the Conversation
During the interview, Hayes worked through an intense upper-body workout with Dr. Israetel, demonstrating the precise training style that built her championship physique.
The session included aggressive supersets designed for maximum muscle stimulus in minimal time—perfect for someone who trains twice daily and needs efficient sessions.
Sample Workout Structure
- Pull-ups to push-ups: Three rounds with minimal rest between exercises
- Bent-over rows: Emphasis on full stretch and controlled tempo
- Incline dumbbell work: Pause reps and extended range of motion
- Lateral raises: Super-range repetitions with rest-pause technique to 50 total reps
Dr. Israetel emphasized that this training density allows comprehensive upper-body development in just 20-30 minutes—crucial for someone fitting in two sessions daily.
Physical Appearance and Self-Perception
When asked about her physique, Hayes revealed an interesting psychological distance from her own image.
When I see myself like it’s almost as if I’m like viewing a different person I feel like it’s hard for me to like recognize that that’s me.
She compared herself to classic female bodybuilders from old-school Robert Kennedy magazines—athletes like Cory Everson who defined an era of physique development.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Hayes expressed pride in achieving that aesthetic, possibly surpassing those legends in conditioning while maintaining what she considers feminine presentation.
Natural Limits and Femininity
On the topic of masculinity versus femininity in muscular development, Hayes offered perspective that might surprise critics of female bodybuilding.
I think something that a lot of you guys might get mixed up with natural bodybuilders like if you saw me in person you might turn your head and look but if I’m clothed and covered up like I’m not that big.
She believes truly natural female athletes won’t develop the extreme masculinization sometimes associated with enhanced competitors. In normal clothing, she appears simply as a lean, athletic woman.
Dr. Israetel confirmed this observation, noting that clothed, Hayes looks like “a skinny tall girl” but reveals shocking muscle separation and development when contest-lean.
Goals Without Goalposting
Perhaps most revealing was Hayes’ response when asked about future physique goals.
I don’t know how much like I’m into like goals really again it’s just all like driven by this like neurotic I don’t know what term or word.
Rather than specific development targets, Hayes focuses on process over outcome. Daily training, weekly progression, meal-by-meal nutrition—these matter far more than distant aesthetic endpoints.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
She wants bigger arms, bigger everything, acknowledging that bodybuilding demands complete physique development. But these remain hazy aspirations rather than concrete objectives.
It’s just all kind of a byproduct of this obsession this personality that I’ve just kind of just this life that I’ve been living.
Journey From Injury to Elite Status
Hayes’ bodybuilding obsession began unexpectedly through injury rehabilitation. She tore her ACL playing basketball before senior year but chose aggressive physical therapy over surgery.
Her father introduced basic compound lifts—bench press, deadlifts—with progressive overload. From there, her self-described “obsessive, neurotic personality” took over completely.
My obsessive I guess like neurotic personality and nature like became all encompassed around it.
Eight to nine years later, she stands as arguably the world’s best natural female bodybuilder, training twice daily, every day, driven by compulsion rather than competition.
Lessons for Regular Lifters
While Hayes represents an extreme case, her experience offers valuable insights for anyone pursuing fitness goals:
- Process can matter more than outcomes: Finding fulfillment in daily routine rather than distant goals creates sustainable motivation
- Efficient training works: Her superset approach proves you don’t need hours in the gym for excellent results
- Natural development takes time: Nine years of consistent training built championship-level physique without shortcuts
- Self-awareness matters: Recognizing when dedication crosses into compulsion allows healthier relationship with training
- Recovery isn’t optional: Despite training twice daily, Hayes ensures she’s recovering adequately for continued progress
Finding Balance in Extremes
Natalie Hayes represents bodybuilding at its most dedicated—and most psychologically complex. Her championship victories came almost as interruptions to what truly drives her: the daily ritual of training, eating, sleeping, repeating.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
While her twice-daily training schedule and obsessive consistency built world-class physique, her candid acknowledgment of possible underlying conditions highlights important considerations about exercise compulsion versus healthy dedication.
For most people, her approach would prove unsustainable and potentially harmful. But Hayes has found what works for her neurochemistry and personality, producing remarkable results while maintaining awareness of the psychological dynamics at play.
Her story serves as both inspiration and caution—showing what’s possible with unwavering consistency while illuminating the sometimes uncomfortable relationship between elite performance and mental health.
