Bikini Contest Prep: 10 Weeks Out

Just popping in to share a progress picture I snapped today- 10 weeks out from my bikini contest.  I am seeing good progress, but I also am standing tall and “sucking in”! 😉  I hope that in the next few weeks, I won’t have to try so hard! 

I’m happy to be back home so that I can stick to my eating and training routine.  Last week I was off my game with the trip to Dallas and then the Gala on Saturday night.  But, being home, I can eat my food and on schedule.  It’s a lot of food to eat, but I’m hungry every few hours, so it’s perfect right now.   
Also, while I was gone, we didn’t get much sleep, staying up with late-night pillow chats that I wouldn’t miss, but paid for when I got home.  I’m back on my sleep schedule now (which is CRUCIAL for the workouts I’m doing.  I notice a huge difference in the difficulty level of my workouts when I haven’t gotten enough sleep.  Like, I want to quit and go home, but my trainer keeps me going.   I tend to be a night owl, but I find myself being ready for bed by 10:00 p.m. now.
I have to do posing practice for the show too.  I went to one session and it was terrible.  My coach said I was stiff and couldn’t twist enough- she said I needed to get massages to loosen up . . .   My next posing practice is Friday, and I hope it goes better!  It feels ridiculous, but I don’t want to embarrass myself on stage.
My trainer measured my body fat last Thursday, and it was down to 21% (from 25% when he first measured it).  I also lost 3 pounds.  I’m not sure how accurate the measurement it, and I really want to go to a facility to get it tested with the Bod Pod y’all recommended, but I haven’t made time for it yet.  
I found the first picture I posted when I started working out again after the New Year.  It was taken on February 6, 2014.   The second picture is the one I took today, April 29, 2014- so just about 3 months apart.  And I only started with my trainer 5 weeks ago.  I’m wearing the same sports bra in both pictures.  Seeing it this way makes me realize how far I’ve come.  I’m proud of my efforts!
Okay, off to bed!  Gotta get that sleep!  Thank you for following in this journey with me!

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Meet Megan

Hi! I’m Megan, mom to a thoughtful teenager and spunky young girl. We call Houston home and recently moved into our dream home. I traded my lawyer hat to become a full-time blogger in 2010. I love sharing my passion for affordable fashion, home decor, organization, & fitness to help inspire you to take care of you!

16 Comments

  1. I think the diet is really starting to pay off. You are getting all of the salt/water out now and it shows. Stay away from all alcohol period for the contest. Your midsection looks much better, not as bulky. To me it looks like you might have been adding weights to the ab workouts before and now you aren't. Not sure, but you never want to add any weights for abs (my opinion) because as a woman, you want a nice flat midsection. This is key especially when you get on stage. Shorter women tend to look blockier through the mid-section and when you are competing next to the tall ladies, it will show more. Taller women have more space between the chest and hips so they'll look leaner. As for posing, keep working at it, it will come. Once you "get it", it will feel more natural. The biggest thing is learning to pose from the inside, meaning to flex those muscles inside to get the look versus just putting your arms, body in the position, if that makes any sense. I am trying to describe it to make it easier to understand. I was a bodybuilder (thirty years ago, lol) and the bodyfat sounded right to me. Fitness and bodybuilding was my life back then. It's amazing to see how much food you can eat now on a contest diet. Back in those days, nutrition knowledge wasn't what it is today and we'd starve to get cut:) Hang in there.

    1. I didn't realize you used to do fitness and bodybuilding! You know how hard this is then! I haven't used weights for my abs, I was just out of shape, eating too much. But, you're right, I'm so short so my midsection tends to look pretty square.

    2. Yes, I was really into fitness and bodybuilding in college and all through my twenties. I worked out a lot, then worked at gyms during college (lots of aerobics) and managed clubs for a while after college. My husband was a bodybuilder too. We went to Mr. Olympia on our honeymoon. Crazy, I know.I used to read men's bodybuilding magazines in the late seventies before there was Muscle and Fitness magazines and before there was a Ms. Olympia contest.
      And yes, it's a lot of work.
      As for the midsection, there is less space between the chest and hips so shorter women look blockier than a taller woman, that's all. It's not a personal issue.

  2. Congratulations on the awesome progress! I have a question about your meal plan – I always see people that are training eating a similar lean protein + whole grain + veggie combo but why no seasonings? Or why not put it all together with broth and create a soup? I'm just curious if there is a reason behind it or if its personal preference. It seems like if theres no salt added it wouldn't change much. Just curious!

  3. You look GREAT!!!! Any pointers on food for abs? or has that been a past post you can link me to? I am really trying to work on my abs right now and while I workout 3x a week and try and eat right, it's just so difficult since I live with other people who aren't on the same diet I am on. excuses, I suppose… 🙂 Still, you look amazing and I am so proud of you!

    1. Thanks Chelsea! I did do a post on my ab workout- just 3 exercises, done 4 times, but sometimes just 3 times. I need to update my Fitness tab to include my more recent posts. It is harder when people aren't eating the same thing. Best to try to prepare as much in advance so at least those meals are taken care of.

  4. You have done so great so far Megan! It is really hard to stay on track, but you'll be so happy when the day comes and you're on stage looking fabulous. And you are right, sleep is so important! Congrats on your progress thus far!

  5. I'll take your before pic anyway. I'm hoping that in 3 months your "before" will be my after. Your looking awesome and wether you are standing up straight and sucking it in or not, the definition is definitely there. Good for you for sticking with it. And good for you for having a fabulous week this past week. I'm starting on my own challenge this coming weekend and will be starting up my HITT workouts again, and i find a good night's sleep is crucial for me to get a good workout.

    1. Thanks Bette. Those HITT workouts are no joke. I don't even really lift heavy weights, but today my trainer said we're upping my cardio to 5 days, 45 minutes. Keep me posted on how you're doing! We'll encourage each other.

  6. You look amazing! I was working out pretty regularly and eating really well at the beginning of this year. Thennn my birthday came around in March and I took a major nose dive. I can tell i've lost muscle definition and have put on a couple pounds. I just can't get back on track (i have a MAJOR sweet tooth) its so discouraging 🙁

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