Musclemania Baby! - part 1

My First Bikini competition EVER!!

Oh my god what a weekend! I have now officially competed in my first ever bikini competition - and I can't believe I came 2nd!! What an achievement after such a short space of training. I only started this journey 2 and half months ago with Emma and to come this far with my body, diet and mental strength has made it all worth it.

I have to admit, the week and a couple of days before the comp was tough. My energy levels were zapped, I had to have my body waxed and sprayed in preparation. Not to mention my diet changed and i still had to train hard. Yesterday though I think I was at my most irritable.I was trying to drink as much water as possible, not move or bash my body as my base tan layer was developing. Oh boy that was interesting, I started as an oompalompa in the morning, but by the night time all that you could see of me in the dark were my eyes and teeth!!haha I can't express how dark I was. I was even afraid to show Lewis when he came over to keep me company. I think the hardest thing that night was that I had sleep lying on my back with my hands by my side so my tan could keep developing.. so you can imagine i didn't get much sleep! Funny side to this story is that when I woke up half way through the night, I realised i had clearly moved my hands whilst sleeping as my chest and top part of my stomach had white hand marks!! I had a slight panic that these marks wouldn't come off!

Laura, Katie and I enjoying the views of London...

Then it was up early (6:30am) to wash it off and go to Elise at the Tanning station to get my competition layer done. I had gone so dark she didn't need to put more than 1 layer on, which was a result! Then comes the tricky task of travelling into central London to the theatre without wearing tight clothes! So yes people I came into central London (on a busy train) in my pyjamas. Arsenal are playing at home so there were a lot more people than i had original thought on the train. I did get some odd looks but in less than 5 hours I am going to be on stage in front of near enough 100 people in a bikini, so pyjama's on a train are small fry!

An empty stage - whilst having our competitor meeting

It's now 4:30pm and i'm registered and ready to go. Ive ordered front stage shots from Fivos photography and the girls and I need to finish getting ready before showtime. We had a competitor meeting at 3pm where Musclemania took us through some of the do's and dont's of the show; one of them being girls MUST NOT open their legs as its a family friendly show. Just now we've had media shots done by the federation right outside the theatre, all in our bikinis and swimwear. Passers by even stopped to have a look and take some photos.

Musclemania Britain girls... looking gorgeous!

Doors open at 5pm and Lewis and Miles are coming to see me. I hope I get to see them before i go backstage....I may have to do a shot of alcohol before going on stage to calm the nerves. Wish me luck...

Its Showtime!! Part 2 is coming up soon.....

Little miss fitness 

Xx

Final Bootcamp; the Run-Through

Time to get our game faces on

Wow what a weekend! It's the final one before show day and it has gone by in a blur (more than usual). Yesterday morning - you guessed it I was awake at silly o'clock. I think I'm starting to run on the adrenaline.. So I have no doubt that I'll come crashing down at some point after the comp! Not looking forward to that moment.

If you read my last blog you may remember that this Saturday was hockey trials for the start of the season. I haven't picked up a stick in about 5 months, so I was a little worried as to whether I'd remember how to play!haha 

It was lovely to get to Tring school and see all the youngsters. I was worried whether id be able to keep up with them. We started with a little warm up and then got straight into some drills. It felt really good to pick up a stick and hit a ball again; I can't wait to get this season started. Hopefully my energy levels will be able to sustain in matches as I will still be training for miss galaxy! Oh yes Musclemania is not the only show I'm doing! So the discipline and training still continues for some time yet. Sorry folks - your going to have to put up with my blogs, diet and whinging for a little while yet! lol

By far the best tasting drink ive ever had!

After we did a couple of drills it was straight into a game, using the whole pitch, which was good. I was quite shocked that I managed to keep up with some of the youngsters. Clearly the training Emma has put me through is working and my fitness levels have increased. Thanks Em...

Once trials had finished it was straight over to mums to raid her fridge!! Only joking, I went round to spend some time with her before she goes on holiday - and use her expert sewing skills of course! I think she's done such an amazing job on my bikini and all I had to do for payment was pick home grown raspberries! Not exactly a punishment... so win win for me.

I stopped off at Superdrug to get a couple of bits for the show on saturday before heading to mums, as i needed to practise my make up; which turned into an interesting and bloody frustrating effort. My fake eyelashes just wouldn't go on right - why is it always just one eye, they come in pairs!! This then made me late to my boyfriends - which i have to say i'm becoming re-knowned for. Oops! Women have the excuse of being fashionable late though!!

On Sunday morning, he gave me a nice prep talk to get me psyched up for the final bootcamp! Yes I may sound a little soppy here but I am a lucky girl to have someone who has supported me to the degree he has. He is truly amazing!

It's getting there...

So it was off to Studio ELB for the final bootcamp for Musclemania and a mock run through of the show. Once everyone had got there we all sat down and Emma, Ty-Og and ELB's nutritionist coach Simon Roshdy told us how things were going to go that day. We were going to run through our walks in front of all 3 of them and we would be judged as if it was comp day. Afterwards we would all get feedback, both positive and constructive so that we could improve.

The gorgeous Emma, strong Ty-Og and genius Simon Rhoshdy...

I think the whole bootcamp went really well and I just want to say a huge thank you to Emma and Ty for organising them. They have helped calm my nerves and learn a lot more about what goes into the preparation for the shows. I have also made some lovely friends, and it was nice to see the girls again. From today we have got a little support group going, which will definitely help next saturday and for this coming week - where i have no doubt it will be tough. So we will help each other through it - we are all part of the ELB and Ty-Og family now so we get through the struggles together. 

Anyway enough of me rambling on - onto this week, which no doubt will go in a blur. I still have to do a full time job, train hard, practise posing and get my body prepped for show day. Oh yes people, this is the week when I will be tangoed! Take a look at the before pictures now....

The lovely ELB beauties in full glory

Have a fantastic week people and achieve your goals - whatever they are, whether big or small. Achieve something for yourself that you hadn't achieved last week.

Till next time

Little miss fitness

Xx

Success at last!!

Hallelujah.. I managed to find a red bikini!! 

What a successful weekend. The aim was to find a bikini and after traipsing round Brent cross for a good couple of hours on Saturday afternoon (with screaming children everywhere) - I stumbled upon Calzedonia the swimwear and lingerie shop. 

Oh my the choices were endless. They had so many different colours and styles, it was like a gift from heaven. I hadn't been able to find anything like this on the internet. The lovely shop assistant probably saw my excitement as she pretty much pounced on me whilst I was looking. Anyway I told her what I was looking for; the emphasis being on that the bikini bottom couldn't be a full brief-it had to be half (like a Brazilian cut). She got it straight away and started pulling out all manner of colours (blue,green, red and a pastel blue). With my arms full of bikinis, I went to try them on...I could see this taking a while. The pastel blue did not suit me so this went straight into the no bin. 

The only thing I found slightly perplexing whilst trying the bikinis on was that the shop assistants continually asked me how everything was going - I hadn't even got the first bikini off (give me chance)! Trying bikinis on is not new feat for many women but it's bloody fiddly in a small changing room when you have to do the straps up to the right tightness.

Sorry I digress - after trying all the bikinis I went for the red. I thought it suits me And could stand out on stage. So I left the shop a very happy customer; with a red bikini in toe and a new found determination to jazz/ bling it up 'Amy style' for Musclemania. Just to let you know we only have 19 days people till ill be up on stage! Thats 19 days till I'll be sticking Bikini bite (similar to tit tape) and spraying fake tan all over my body for the stage!! Nerves are kicking in now.

Musclemania poster!

The rest of the weekend was quite chilled. I spent some quality time with my boyfriend, most of it looking at the food I couldn't eat in the supermarket! Lol I have to admit (and might be a bit mushy) but he has been amazing whilst I've been training. It's not easy continually saying "no I can't eat that" and for someone to not roll their eyes or tempt you. I did have a little blip yesterday and yes the waterworks came...staying mentally strong all the time is really hard but after having a little cry I felt fine. So moral - crying is a way to release pent up emotions! 

And as its raining today - I'm going to do a bit of internet hunting to find some jewels/rhinestones to stick onto my bikini. The more bling I can put on it the better. I think a bit of fashion DIY is coming... Anyone got any top tips on what to do or not to do when blinging up a bikini?? 

Diamonds are a girls best friend...

This could go horribly wrong or surprisingly well, stay tuned for the after picture...

My monday thought - "Keep shining from the inside and people will see you sparkle on the outside"

Little Miss Fitness
Xx

Bootcamp time! "Strike a pose"

Musclemania Britain - here I come!

So today is the day I get a taster of my first ever competition bootcamp - and I cant tell you how excited I am! Im slightly nervous as well to be meeting some of the other competitors as i don't know how I will look in comparison. I guess i have to wait and find out...

Anyway, i haven't got time to think about that - Ive packed my bag with my heels, some leggings and a crop top ready for walking in. I've got the tunes pumping in my car on the way to Studio ELB to get myself in the mood to strut my stuff! Im sure I'm going to be inundated with information after today and I bet theres still lots of stuff I need to do..

Lets get ready to pose!