What feels like many, many years ago I trained to compete in fitness model competitions.  My friends always felt like they walked in to alternate universe when they came to my competitions. Hundreds of fakely tanned (not just a few visits under the lamps, I’m talkin three coats of Pro-Tan), hairless, muscular men and women chomping

First competition – came in 12 out of 40

on chicken and yams and likely not drinking much water. On the women of course there was the nails and make-up. It was always a surreal feeling when you have made it to the day of the ‘show’.

I competed three times and I have to tell you that when you are on that stage you forget about:

• spending 3 hours a day in the gym,
• watching everything that goes in your mouth,
• spending an hour a week sorting supplements

But as great as that moment is on the stage and how great you feel and look as you get stronger no-one really prepares your for the ‘post’ show

Came in 3rd place in my 2nd competition; friend Angela came in first

when you have to give yourself a bit of a rest and you relax on just how strict you are in watching what you are eating.  Of course the real pros, the girls on the cover of Oxygen magazine know what to do and how to do it, so that they don’t balloon after a show.

Now I don’t have a single regret! I have made  friends that I will have forever and learned how to eat and train properly but there are days where I struggle with how I look (and I have been told I look pretty good right now).  Always think back to having a tighter tummy and svelte arms. I now enjoy eating anything I want and having a drink once in awhile.  Some friends even tell me that I am now more fun! What does that mean? That I wasn’t fun when:

• I carried all my food for the day around in a cooler,
• had to schedule socializing around my cardio,
• had a vicious mood swing from being so hungry I wanted to gnaw my arm off

I will likely do more posts about those competitive days and love answering questions about how I trained and ate, etc. And I would love to hear about what you people out there are doing to stay fit and healthy… Let me know!