post pregnancy weight loss before and after | Bikini Competition Prep 15 Weeks Out

post pregnancy weight loss before and after

I have always wanted to enter one of those fitness bikini competitions, but never have.  My first one will be July 5, 2014!

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Jamie Eason has been my inspiration because she is short like me and I admired her physique, thinking mine could look similar if I really dedicated myself.

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I know that to get in that kind of shape, you have to train hard consistently, but equally as important, you have to eat in a very regimented way (5-6 small meals a day with a specific balance of protein, carbs and fat).  I never thought I had the discipline to sustain that kind of lifestyle for any length of time so I let that goal go, and went on with life, but continued working out and tried to stay in shape.  But, back of my mind, I always wished I would have gone for my goal and wondered, "What if?".  

Last year, my cousin began competing in fitness competitions (over age 40!) and she recently visited from California, encouraging me to enter one this year as well.  She helped me get online and find a contest close to home that I could train for.  A "typical" training period is 12 weeks (for those who have done them before), but I chose a competition that is currently 15 weeks away (July 5 to be exact), and I start training with a trainer 3 days a week starting tomorrow- Monday, March 24- and Ill also workout on my own.  My trainer will prepare a meal plan for me.  Since I have been eating really clean and 5 meals a day for the last 7 weeks, Im more mentally prepared to keep it up through the contest prep time.  Well see . . . .

15 WEEKS OUT

Here is what I look like now (15 weeks out from the July 5 competition):  As you can see, I have quite a bit of muscle to gain.  Im 51 and weigh about 110 now. 

Im super excited to see how I can develop my body in this amount of time and Im happy to be reaching for one of my "bucket list" goals, even if it doesnt make sense to anyone else. This is a perfect time for me to train for this competition because Im currently staying home and my son is in pre-school part of the day.  I take care of our household, keep up my two blogs (this one and Honey Were Home), and help out my parents, but Im the kind of person who likes to have lots going on, accomplishing things throughout the day.  

Ill have to figure the training out as we go since my sons school ends in May.  I know that lots of women do this kind of training while working full-time, but I dont know how they do it (especially when they have kids too)!  

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For background, in terms of female fitness competitions there are several divisions in the NPC (National Physique Committee of the USA) and I will be competing in the "bikini" division. 

Bodybuilding- extreme, big, bulky muscles (think women with muscles as big or bigger than men)

Physique- similar to bodybuilding, but toned down a few notches

Fitness- very lean and muscular, but no extreme bulk or veins and requires a 2-minute routine scored for strength, flexibility, and cardio/tempo

Figure- small degree of muscularity with separation, but no visible striations, overall muscle tone with shapely lines, firmness; lean but not excessively ripped. Overall appearance including make-up, suit and skin tone is part of the package. Muscular but still feminine; definitely not as much size as a bodybuilder.

Bikini- very athletic and fit with balance and shape, usually with visible abs

BIKINI DIVISION RULES FOR NPC TEXAS

POSING SUITS: Bikini contest posing suits (two-piece) for am prejudging must be brought to check-in and be approved by the Head Judge. The bottom of the suit should be in good taste – not too low in front and covering 50% of the gluteus area (bring a second suit with a more modest bottom, just in case). Bikini suits should be “off the rack” types. Thong suits are not allowed. Competitors must wear high heels. Jewelry may be worn (think tasteful). 

You should bring a second suit in case there are questions about a suit style or some other mishap occurs. Emphasis is on “tasteful”, remember these are family shows. There are also a variety of different products to temporarily glue your suit to your body. 

HAIR / MAKEUP: While there are no rules on how to wear your hair, just remember that judges cannot judge what they cannot see. Remember to move your hair aside so the judges can see your back development. For makeup, the more finished and feminine you appear, the better your overall presentation. Keep in mind your face and body tan should blend. 

POSES: The bikini swimsuit round will consist of the model walk at center stage – front stance with hand on hip, full turn to a back stance with hand on hip, and return to front stance. No lewd acts are permitted and will result in disqualification. 

SCORING: The scoring for bikini will be done during prejudging in one round –two-piece. Live scoring at the night show consists of front/back turns. 

Judges will be scoring competitors using the following criteria: 1) Balance and Shape; 2) Overall physical appearance including complexion, skin tone, poise and overall presentation.

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I will be tracking my progress here and will share my training regimen and diet as I prepare.  Kinda scared for my first training session tomorrow . . . . . 

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baby weight loss after birth breastfeeding | NPC Bikini Competition Recap

baby weight loss after birth breastfeeding

After five months of dieting and training (15 of those weeks with my trainer), I finally competed in my first NPC  (National Physique Committee) Bikini Competition.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU for following along on this journey.  Reading your comments helped me feel like I had a lot of friends rooting for me along the way.  On the drive to the contest (4 hours to Dallas), I kept thinking, "I cant believe Im doing this!" I had dreamed of prepping and competing in a bikini contest in my 20s, and finally accomplished it at age 39, as a wife and mother to a 4 year-old.  Better late than never, right?  Just goes to show that you can transform your body at any stage of life!  In February, I weighed about 112 pounds and I competed at 100 pounds.  Im 5 feet even. 

I accomplished these changes with diet and consistent, hard! exercise (cardio and weights about 4-5 days a week, a good hour and a half each time).  In addition to my meals, I used BCAA (branched chain amino acids- 3 tablespoons in my water bottle while I worked out) and Glutamine (1 scoop after each weight training session), and multivitamins and fish oil.  No steroids, fat burners, pre-workout drink, etc. You can go to my FITNESS page to see more posts about my meal plan and to see the process along the way. 

Below are some of the unedited stage photos I received from the show photographer. 

STAGE PHOTOS

PREPARATION 

The contest was on Saturday, July 5 and we left for Dallas on Friday morning. My trainer didnt change my food that much for the last week of prep.  On Wednesday before the show, I cut out egg whites.  Then, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I was to eat 6 meals instead of my usual 5 and I eliminated my Molly McButter (due to sodium).  I contented to drink water normally, stopping on Friday night at 10pm, and just sipping the next day. 

I stopped at the grocery store on Thursday night to prep my 12 meals for Friday and Saturday.  I will write a separate post on how I do my meal prep.  Its super simple and barely takes any time.  

I packed a cooler with ice and replaced the ice in Dallas to keep everything cold.  I ate all but one of the meals cold (I was able to use the Subway microwave for one of them!).  Also, I didnt finish the meals on Saturday, so a few werent eaten.

Packing for the trip was pretty easy.  Bikini, heels, jewelry, makeup, hair tools.  But also, I brought a black sheet (to cover the hotel bed) and loose clothes I wasnt afraid to ruin because I knew the spray tan would get everywhere.  It ended up washing out though. 

I also knew Id be ready for a good long shower after the contest and really want to try to scrub the fake tan off, so I packed my body scrub and loofah gloves.  

It felt good to shower, but the tan doesnt just scrub off I found.  You have to wait for it to fade from your body- other competitors told me it can take two weeks and that it comes off in patches, so you look all splotchy.  Nice.  Hasnt happened to me yet. Speaking of spray tan . . . 

SPRAY TAN

I got to the hotel just in time for my first spray tan appointment.  What an experience!  First, I opened the door to a small conference room where they were applying the tan and the first thing I saw was a bunch of dark, fit, naked booties.  You strip all your clothes off and step into a small tent where a woman sprays the tan on you with a hand-held sprayer.  Then, you stand around with the other naked women for a good 20 - 30 minutes in front of fans while it dries enough to get dressed.  We had to laugh because theres nothing else you can really do!  And you cant help but check each other out, two of the ladies I tanned with won medals at this event! 

Heres how I looked after one coat of spray tan.  They dont spray your face- only for bodybuilding men I heard.  The tan does accentuate your muscles.  

Below is the next morning, after two coats of spray tan.

CHECK-IN

Each competitor has to be a member of the NPC and check in at the contest venue the night before the contest.  This is the first time you get to see a bunch of the competitors from every category.  You can easily tell whos competing by who looks orangey/brown from the spray tan! 

They measured me at this check-in at 5 feet 0.  In the morning, we had to go back to get our competitor number.  Lucky #169 here:) 

HAIR & MAKEUP

For this show, I used the hair and makeup artists assigned to the show.  They did an okay job and were super nice and friendly, but next time, I would definitely do my own.  I "redid" my hair and makeup after they were done.  She had my foundation so dark orange, when I finally saw it, I felt like I had aged 10 years.  :(  I hired the makeup artist because I was worried about matching my face to my tan, but I think I could have done okay.  Below is a picture from AFTER I touched up my face.  I know this is picky, but I wish I wouldve curled and trimmed the fake lashes- I think they are too long at the end (the sides of my face) and in the stage pictures, I feel like my eyes look tired.  Im pretty good at doing hair/makeup and I could have saved the expense too.  

And then we were off to the pre-judging.  

PRE-JUDGING

Pre-judging is where the judges see all the competitors on stage and make their decisions about who wins.  Then, you get a break and come back for the finals at night and the competitors go on stage again and the winners receive their medals.

I competed in BIKINI division, in two categories - NOVICE and MASTERS.  Novice is for women (any age) that havent placed in the Top 5 of a previous contest.  You can compete in this division if you have never competed before, or if you have competed, but not placed Top 5 in your class.   Then, they divide the Novice Division into Classes depending on height.  I measured 5 foot even and Class A went up to 54 I think.  There was also Novice Class B, C, and D.  Masters is for competitors age 35 and older.  

Prejudging started at 9:30 a.m. and we finally finished at 2:30 p.m.  Long morning!

The first category I competed in was Bikini Novice Class A.  Backstage, while we are all lined up (maybe 35-40 of us??) you could feel the nerves and excitement.  I just kept hoping my posing would look decent and fluid.  But, I felt pretty confident- I had been practicing backstage.  I was about the 4th woman in our group to go on.  The posing happens so fast - you only have 10 seconds to hit four poses and then walk to the side of the stage and wait while the rest of the group goes.  I got to see all of the other competitors pose and I knew I could have done better had I practiced my posing more during prep.  

Then the judges "CALL OUT" their Top 5 competitors to come to the front of the stage.  Theyll have certain competitors move next to another competitor for comparison.  I wasnt in the first call-outs, but I didnt necessarily expect to be.  Then, the judges call out the next five.  I wasnt in the second call-outs either.  I started to feel bad.  It sucks to be standing there, getting critiqued, feeling like you arent measuring up, like you are being judged.  And duh, its a contest- you are literally being judged.  Then, the judges called the next 5.  I wasnt in that group either.  I felt my cheeks getting hot.  It felt like I was standing (on the sidelines) forever.  I was in the 4th call outs and that felt BAD.  That means I finished in the Top 20, not near the top.  I wasnt prepared for how low I would feel not doing well in the judges eyes.  Throughout this competition prep, Ive felt so good just knowing that Im going for it and reaching for a goal.  The actual competing part didnt cross my mind too often and I never focused on winning.  But, once I was standing on that stage, boy did I want to win!  

After my group was called out, we exited the stage while the remainder of the women were called out.  I felt so defeated.  I know it sounds bad, but its how I honestly felt.  I was having a pity party, feeling like I didnt even want to compete in the next round for Masters.  The Enemy had a field day with my mind for a good bit, "What were you thinking, trying to compete in a bikini contest??"  I felt so foolish and hurt.  My good friend Cassie and her daughter had come to watch pre-judging and I felt embarrassed that they had come out just to see me lose.  I felt like I had let them down.  Of course, Cassie was super encouraging and comforting.  She is also funny like nobodys business, so she got me to crack some smiles.  

There was a bit of down time while the rest of the classes competed before it was time for Masters.  There were only 11 women competing in Masters, which told me that the majority of women competing at this contest were under 35.  Id guess mid-twenties is the average age.  But, in the Masters category, those women looked fierce!  Each one of them could have won in my opinion.  So, when I made the first call outs in that division, I did feel very happy.

Leaving pre-judging, you dont know what place you won, but I knew I was in the Top 5 for Masters and that felt really good.  But, in reality, it took me some time to "get over" feeling inadequate and foolish during the Novice round.  

My best friend, Karen, drove to support me and got there after pre-judging, but before the night show.  Thank God for her.  I got to have the rest of my pity party in her arms and then I snapped back to reality.  Its just a roller coaster of emotions that I didnt expect.  I confided in Karen and admitted to myself, "I didnt realize winning/placing higher would mean so much to me."  

FINALS  

The Finals started at 6:30pm and I got there about 7:30, with just about 30 minutes until the Masters Women Bikini division.  The contestants and I got back out on stage and then they called out the Top 5, which I was thrilled to be a part of.  They called out 5th place (which I thought would be me, but it wasnt).  I got 4th place.  I was so happy to have that medal!  My husband has been such a great support to me too.  He not only encouraged me to compete, he went on the same diet as me for the last month AND helped prep my meals.  Hes a "good egg" as Cassie always says!

REFLECTIONS

Since the contest ended, Ive had a little time to reflect on the whole experience, what Ive learned about the contest and myself.  It will take longer to truly digest all of the lessons and Im good with that.  I dont know if Ill compete again.  I definitely want to continue to make changes to my physique.  If I didnt want to get pregnant again soon, I probably would sign up for another show in the near future- keep the momentum going.   I enjoyed having a goal to work toward and it did make me train harder and stick to my diet.  Maybe after Baby #2??  If theres one thing I know now, its never too late to change your physical fitness!

In January 2014, I was determined that, come July 2014, I would not be in the same place I was in a year ago.  It feels AMAZING to have accomplished that! 

I learned or confirmed during this process that: 

1. God is always in control.
2. Im strong.
3. Im capable.
4. Im a fighter.
5. Its okay to be proud of myself.
6. I can do 45 minutes of cardio and then go on to do a challenging workout immediately after- four to five days a week.  I never thought I couldve done that before. 
7. A million walking lunges will tone up your legs and rear.
8. As a beginner, having an experienced coach/nutritionist is critical to achieving maximum results quickly.
9. It takes a long time to change your body, but it can be done.  One day at a time.
10. I need lots of sleep on competition prep.
11. My coffee and creamer are extremely important to me.  
12. I crave Cheerios.  Late at night. 
13. I hate Burpees. 
14. Its no fun being judged. Unless youre winning. 
15. I take criticism hard. 
16. My self-worth is in who I am and how well I love.
17. I need help and support.  
18. Receiving encouragement from other people feels so good.  A kind word from a stranger can make my day. 
19. I get back what I put out into the world.
20. I will always continue to work on myself.  On the inside and out. 

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post pregnancy weight loss after c section | Bikini Competition Suit

post pregnancy weight loss after c section

Last week, I went to order my bikini competition suit at Stakked Couture in Houston, at the recommendation of my trainer and posing coach.  Lining the walls when you walk in is a sample of the type of bikinis they make.  It was explained to me that for the "bikini" division, the women wear bikinis with "connectors" (the blingy side things) as opposed to a "figure" or "bodybuilding" suit, that has the high "V" sides that connect with the bikini top in the back.  I had no idea. 

I had to fill out a form with my measurements, anticipated contest weight (Im 108 now when I weigh at the gym, but Im 104 at home first thing in the morning).  I guessed 104 (gym scale) for my contest weight.  

Then, I had to choose my fabric color.  

I originally had in mind that I would wear turquoise, but still wanted to see what they had.  Upon seeing their selection, I knew right away I didnt want pink, orange, or yellow.  I considered purple for a minute, and possibly red, but stuck to my original idea.  Below is a sample of the fabric I choose.  

The salesperson asked, "Do you want a regular bottom or pro bottom?"  "Whats the difference?" I replied.  She showed me an example of a regular bottom that was so tiny, I was stunned speechless for a second.  I mean, I knew the bikinis were small, but when I was looking at it in person, I was just in shock.  This freaked me right out into thinking, I better get my ass in shape fast if Im going to be wearing one of those.  The pro bikini bottoms are even smaller, so Im going with the regular.

Then, you choose your connectors (they have various styles). I opted to wait until my bikini fitting in two weeks to pick the connectors.  That way, I can see more of how they will look on.  I like the drapey connectors like in the photo below, but she said they make short girls legs look shorter.  Boo. 

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Ill probably end up doing something simple like the connectors on Amanda Latonas suit below.

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Im really nervous to go back for my fitting.  Im doing everything I can to have no regrets about this bikini prep, so my best just has to be good enough.  Im also concerned about that crazy spray tan and am considering using a makeup pro to do my makeup- even though I usually like how I do my own.  My posing coach (a black female) keeps reminding me, "youre gonna be my color" and she really wants me to use her makeup artist to do my makeup.  They have makeup artists at the show that you can hire.  

This week is 5 weeks out.  I posted a progress pic on Instagram (@honeywerehome), but Ill do another recap here soon too.  Have a great week!

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baby weight loss after birth calculation | Whats Next The Post Bikini Competition Plan

baby weight loss after birth calculation

A surprising thing about post-competition is that Im not all that anxious to eat all of the food thats been off limits during contest prep.  Youd think Id want to eat everything in sight, but that hasnt been the case.  In fact, the thought of a big, juicy cheeseburger and fries (something I love to indulge in once in a while before) doesnt really sound good to me right now.  I think it feels so good having worked so hard to get in shape, I dont want to "blow it" by eating bad.  It doesnt feel worth it.  

FOOD

The night the competition ended, we found a nice steak restaurant that was open and ate a late dinner there.  I had baked brie (a favorite of mine!) with dry toasts, filet minion, twice baked potato and iced-tea.  I only finished half of the steak and potatoes and I really wasnt ready for any alcohol.  The next morning, I indulged in Starbucks banana bread for breakfast before we got on the road to come home.

After driving nearly four hours home, we stopped at Chipotle for lunch and I always get a bowl with rice, chicken and pico.  Back at home, I got back on my regular (contest prep) meals with the exception of the ice cream I had been craving.  I wanted Gelato (it has less fat) but they were out the kind I like (Sea Salt Caramel), so I got regular Carmel Cone ice cream.  I ate the whole pint.  It was GOOD going down!  

But, of course, my stomach really hurt the next morning.  Thankfully, my abs were still there! :)  Although a cheeseburger doesnt sound good, I could keep eating ice-cream every once in a while (just not a whole pint in one sitting!).

My trainer texted me the next morning telling me I should get back to Phase 1 of my diet.  And its crazy that I was actually looking forward to it!  I really like my protein pancakes with all-natural fruit spread.  Meal 2 is usually fish, potato, and green beans.  Meal 3 is a grilled chicken salad with fat free dressing.  Meal 4 is chicken, potato or rice, and veggies.  Meal 5 is a cup or so of Muscle Egg.  Sometimes, Ill eat another pancake too in between Meal 4 and 5.  I typically eat at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm.  

On Tuesday night, my girlfriend invited me out for a drink and I went, but ordered tea. Wednesday night, I went to dinner with two friends at a new restaurant and I was excited to have something different.  I ate tuna tartare and a mini steak skewer.  

At the weekend blog conference I went to, I ate as best I could (even brought and drank 3 protein shakes while I was there).  We were fortunate that the conference had a fresh, healthy salad bar selection with fish and chicken.

BUT, I did indulge in THREE small desserts on Saturday (chocolate popsicle, shared milkshake at dinner, and scoop of ice cream at the late-night party).  Back at home on Sunday, I was back to my meals- and ready to be! 

I do want to find new healthy meals that I can feel good about eating that are different from my usual.  Its just nice to have a little variety.  And Im sure my husband would appreciate it too.  

WORKOUTS

As for the workouts, my trainer recommended that I do only 30 minutes of cardio and no weights for about a week to give my body a rest and just recoup from the competition.  Whats crazy is that just doing 30 minutes of cardio now feels very minimal.  I havent even bothered to go to the gym for it (it would take longer to drive there and back) opting instead to just run out my door around my neighborhood with my iPod. 

I had a great run on my trip out of town too.  I knew Id want to run at least one day, so I packed running clothes and my iPod.  Right outside our hotel was a beautiful bike trail filled with tall, lush trees.  I even found the cutest Startbucks ever and popped in after my run for an oatmeal and black iced-tea.  It felt so good to start the day this way.

Before I started training for this contest, if youd have told me Id be doing 30-45 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week in addition to my one hour workout, Id think you were crazy.  I didnt think I was physically capable of doing that, but my body surprised me.  Yours can too. 

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Im not training with my trainer right now, opting to spend more time with my son and just workout at the gym thats closer to my house.  When my son goes back to school, Ill reconsider.  I got spoiled training with him - not because its any easier - in fact its physically harder.  But, he kept me accountable and pushed me to my limit.  I just did what he said.  I didnt have to think about whats next, what exercise to do, what weight to lift, how many reps.  So many times Id say to him, "Id never workout this hard on my own." 

I know his routine pretty well now though.  We would do 3 exercises in a row, not too heavy, but a weight I could get 15-20 reps.  One of the exercises might be something without weights, just to keep my heart rate up, like Burpees. Wed do the round 3-4 times, then start again with 3 different exercises.  We did this for one hour, sometimes stopping with 10 minutes to spare so I could finish with abs.

It will be interesting to see if I can keep it up on my own.  Im going to try! 

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