Money saving tips for competitors

Competing is expensive! Between registration fees, tanning costs, photography etc competing can run you into the thousands. Let’s face it, I’m a mama on a budget. I compete because it’s amazing motivation.

1. Tanning
My first competition I did the spray tan thing and totally buggered it up. I tan pretty dark all on my own so for competition 2, I used self tanner every day for a week and did 10 minutes a day in the stand up. Way cheaper and I looked far better I think. Bonus, no sweat induced streaks

2. Suit

My first competition suit I semi customized and bought on line. It’s gorgeous but the gold color washed out on stage. My second competition suit I bought second hand blinged it up, added a scrunch bum and with some time at the sewing machine absolutely loved it. Just finished my suit for competition 3 coming up in 10 weeks. This suit all told probably cost me $20 or so.

3. Makeup and hair

This ones simple. Get online and watch stage makeup videos. Up close this looks crazy heavy and over done. One stage…. Amazing!

Any other tips for saving money??

Five things friday

1.  New Job = New Workout schedule

Only day 2 of new job, and have’nt been to the gym.  Feeling ok about it because really I was due for some rest… case in point, my body is still screaming at me for the last few workouts.

2.  Water consumption is easier while working

Yes, I drink it right outta the tap

When you sit at a desk, drinking water is easy an I easily put down 6 1.6 litre bottles today. Could be why I am sore, lil too much water!

 

3.  FREAKIN Cold

Toque Weather

It is -21 Celsius or -5.8 Fahrenheit with the windchill right now, its actually warm compared to this morning when it was -31.  The wind is soooo cold, and the snow is blowing.  My boss apologized for me not having a space heater today.

 

4.  5 Kids = Sound Barrier breaking Loud

Put 5 kids between the ages of 6 and 14 in a room and they will break the sound barrier

5.  Cheese Ball Bucket does’tn tempt me at all

Ewwww… bf bought these for the kids and is hiding them till after dinner.  You could’nt pay me to eat even one of these – yuck!

yuck!

shhhhh….. its a secret!

Shhhh… Its a secret!

 

I have talked many times about how to track progress.  Except I’ve never out loud told anyone how i track it almost daily.  No!  I do not get on a scale.  Do not even own one to be honest (it stopped working and I threw it out)  besides that I don’t really care how much I weigh.  I focus on things like how my clothes fit, progress pictures and weather I can see lines in my tummy… oh ya, that’s the secret!

 

NOT THE LINES

You know when you’re a kid and you let it all hang out?!?!

That’s baby boo and his belly while eating a llolipop!

 

Sooo, as we get older and more concerned with our appearance we all learn to suck it in.  Even those that are severely out of shape suck it in.  Those of us trying really hard and working out work our core muscles to make sure it stays in.  Does’nt change that you can still let it all hang out.

 

So, what’s the secret.  When I let it out…. in the mirror every morning that’s my measurement right now.  The day I can “let it out” and still see all 6 abs will be the day I’m satisfied.

 

So.  What’s your dirty little secret?

Lemon chicken…. Yummy!

Prepping food for work and just created this absolutely delicious and clean lemon chicken recipe

Easy to do

Zest of one lemon, 1 tbsp mustard and tblsp each of oregano and thyme.

Rub chicken with the above mixture.

In a large oven safe saucepan brown the chicken (2 minutes each side) with a little EVOO

Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemon you zested into the pan and place in oven for 25 minutes.

I tossed some baby spin ache in what was left of the juice afterward over low heat.

Delicious!

Definitely worth the read

What Really Happens When We Give Kids Everything They Want

Five things friday….

1.  Canadian Weather + Traffic = idiotic drivers

Having moved back to my home town I also some how with ridiculous lawyers fees still have to drive my kids to almost Toronto every other weekend and back.  Driving is not the issue, I’m Canadian and learned to drive in 6 feet of snow when I turned 16. Problem: idiot Canadians that forget they are Canadian and forget how to drive every single winter!  on a bad day its 1.5 hours… tonight, at plus 3, no ice and no snow coming down 2 hours… WTF?

2.  Competition

Competing at UFE spring bash 2014 April 5, in Mississauga

3.  New Gym

Having had enough of Goodlife Fitness and their incompetent crappy employees which are hell bent on using and abusing clients I have joined Anytime Fitness… and for the record Tuesday I had a killer chest and tricep workout in the gym all to myself a week after new years – can you say win?!?!

4.  Snow and cold suck!

Well… all you californians whining that you’re trees were blowing and it was 10 degrees (celsius)  we hit a record low of -22.4 or -41 with windchill this week.  That holy crap its cold and you need a touque in canadian speak.  (-8.32 farenheit)  it will freeze even vodka… just saying

 

5.  when dating….

Make sure his schedule lines up with yours.  ugh.

Competition Decisions

Competition Decision Made!

For anyone that follows me on Facebook  and if not… please do! You will probably have put together the clues….

What do you think this means?

 

I have decided to compete again.

Reason?

Hmmmm the new boyfriend cooks allot and really well, his version of “healthy” however is lacking.  I’m lifting all the time, and heavy, but my diet has been lacking and my water consumption low…. (think 1 liter as opposed to a gallon) and we know water is my friend.  I have always needed a goal to keep on track, like 30 lbs between November and January, a 6 pack by 30, or getting on stage beside 20 year olds to kick me into gear.

june UFE Showdown… open

Reality is… if I keep lifting, and eating like I am, I’m not going back to the way I was… but I am also not so happy with it.  I want to be my best, not a sorta better mediocre version of my best….

That’s me… Boo and allot of boob

 

So, I am going to compete again….  April 5, 2014 at the UFE SPRING BASH.  Which seems appropriate since that was the first show I did.

April 2013 Bikini Competition

 

Here’s the starting point, 12 weeks plus out.

12 weeks or so… out from UFE spring bash 2014

 

Wish me luck!