BIKINI COMPETITION
BIKINI COMPETITION
I was in my late 20s when I finally crossed this bucket item off the list. Already felt that if I could just be dociolibed enough I could do a fitness comp. personally. wanted to do bikini bc it’s feminine and not bulk. I have muscle naturally and have done the power lifting thing – so wanted to go a different rat route. Plus I Ike the bikini versus the figure suits even tho I’m more suited to compete in the figure realm since I am.
Either way I did it! My local gym sponsored me. I found a posing coach who also made my suit, spray tanned me and helped with my costume and I was disciplined. Super restricted diet. SO.MUCH.WATER. By 3 pm my brain didn’t function properly. And I was in restaurants all day seeing accounts asking for white fish with no oil. It was torture. I was a raving b-word but I did it and thank god because never again, or at least not that way.
The reward wasn’t worth the sacrifice for me. I was tiny. My family was concerned lol even though I had a list of foods that I was excited to eat. I told them it was for 12 weeks only but they only saw the shrinking version of myself in front of their eyes.
Commitment
The bribe. I announced that I had signed up for this bikini comp so that everyone in my work out class knew about. I needed accountability. One of my life lessons is learning to stick with it! If I don’t see results quickly, then I assume it doesn’t work and I’m off to the next thing. Then I wonder why I never master any single skill. When I was younger, this was fine but as time passes it starts to become glaringly obvious.
Preparation
Based on my body type the plan was to continue attending regular cardio classes 3 days a week in order to maintain muscle. My coach added 30 – 45 minute sessions of steady state cardio 2 to 3 times a week. Normally I would go to a park with stairs to get this done.
On the days that it rained, I walked the stairs indoors. Those were not my favorite evenings. I would often go to bed early because I was hungry and couldn’t eat more than the allotted calories. I was super moody and I tend to get hangry. The struggle was real. I was constantly apologizing for being a b-word.
Cardio
I walked the stairs uphill 3-5 times a week for 30-45 minutes. This was boring and I did not enjoy it. I enjoyed being outside and I always was proud of myself for sticking with it even though I didn’t want to. So much mental chatter.
It was a lot of activity plus a calorie deficit. I lost strength but my endurance was through the roof. This was pretty much all I had time for. This was my entire life for three months.
Support
This was a huge accomplishment for me because of my emotional attachment to food. I remember reading an article by a bodybuilding trainer who was discussing mindset. He said he has some clients who would eat sawdust if he asked them to, and others who struggled immensely with the diet.
One of his bikini clients had an affinity for peanut butter so much so that she broke into her neighbor’s house to get a jar of peanut butter. Now I’m not sure why she didn’t just go buy some at the grocery store but that’s the story, and I can relate.
How much does it cost?
Did you win any money?
I did not place, or win any money. That would have been a nice bonus but I chose to challenge myself with this fitness competition for the discipline and commitment to the process. I chose to spend the money and an entire day at a show to find out if this was something that I could accomplish. I wanted to be able to say, “I did it.”
I cried tears of joy when an entire entourage of people show up to watch in support. I didn’t expect anyone to show up. It was such a nice surprise and a valuable lesson to learn. I felt so loved that people took time out of their day to come watch a bunch of people prance around on a stage in bikinis.
“Sacrifice: If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
-Anonymous
Before and after pics
The difference between these two pictures is 12 weeks. My body fat measured at 12 % which I have a hard time believing that was correct. I felt like I was at 12% because I basically starved myself for twelve weeks. I went from as size 4 to a size 0 in three months. I lost quite a bit of muscle. My abs were shredded and I was able to pull my skin away from my body. I was 27 years old going on 28 so that may have had something to do with it. I learned first hand that we as humans can survive on much less food than what we normally consume.
Fit is the new skinny
“Nothing tastes as good as looking skinny feels.”
-Kate Moss
This is not the case for me. The term, “oral fixation” comes to mind which is also a Shakira album. I feel like life is too short to be miserable and I tend to enjoy eating and drinking. The difference is learning when it’s enjoyment rather than habit or a bandaid.
RESULTS
This was a great learning experience. I learned about myself, that I can set a goal, follow the process and let the results materialize. It was not easy for me which is why it’s such a big accomplishment.
I realized that I don’t have the will to live this lifestyle. I think that taking a more balanced approach is the healthy choice. Sticking the plan even when you don’t feel like it. Drinking enough water and eating slowly are lessons that anyone can incorporate into their lifestyle at any stage of life.
