I competed in my first NPC bikini competition Saturday and want to give you the run down on what I did to get ready, how the day went, feed back from the judges, and what I will change next show.

This is in no way a complaint about why I didn't place or a dis on the other girls. I had a great time, the event was fabulous, the other competitors were beautiful, and I didn't place because I was a hot mess on stage lol I just want to share the experience to help future competitors.

I got the idea to compete a few years before I ever hit the stage. It was always in the back of my mind while training, I told myself if my body fat ever got to around 20 and my muscle mass looked good I would hire a coach.

Those of you who know me, know I started here years ago relatively heavy. I dropped 50 pounds of fat and added 20 pounds of muscle over 2 years. Putting myself at 165 and 22% bf the day I hired my coach.

12 weeks out I hired a pro from my gym who I have grown to love. I cannot share much of my diet or training because they are hers to share not mine. But I can tell you, she fed me A LOT. Far more than I have ever eaten in my entire life. I ate every 2.5 hours. Strictly protein and veggies. I was also in the gym 7 days a week. Weights, then LISS for cardio. (low intensity steady state, typically the stair master) I carb cycled, and changed my training every 3 weeks or so.

At the start of prep my measurement were 40/30/40, I hit the stage at 35/25/35 and 12% bodyfat. (by calipers, probably not accurate but it was the same test used when we started) I lost 30 pounds, but my calf and bicep measurements stayed the same. So I added muscle, I did run a tiny amount of gear. I pinned 40mg of NPP a week. Starting in my 8th week, and dropping off 2 weeks out. So 6 weeks total. I was concerned about muscle loss, I didn't have any to spare.

Peak week was a mess, water loading triggered my migraines and threw everything off. Now let's talk about the day of the show.

I am a planner, I booked everything in advance. Being prior military I like things to be on time. Well fuck me. I got up at 0500, my makeup appointment was at 0630. I arrived promptly at 0615, and there I sat until 0715. Mind you the competitors meeting is at 0800, show starts at 0900 and it's downtown :/

They finish my makeup at 0745, I look like a raccoon. I rush to the venue, miss the meeting, rush backstage not time to fix my hair it is now 0830 time for tanning "touch ups" missed my third coat.

It's a beautiful naked sparkly circus backstage. Sensory overload for this mom of 3 who rarely leaves her house. I'm been butt glued, by a lovely woman who blew ever so gently on my ass as the glue dried, and glazed with oil by a huge male body builder who patted my ass and boobs with the gentleness of a gay bunny. My mind is fully blown by the time I step on stage.

Que the lights, cricket silence, and awkward whispering by the judges at prejudging. "Ok ladies, turn and face the rear" I'm sorry did you say something? Everyone turns but me, when I realize it instead of doing the beautiful bikini girl transition I have rehearsed a million times my military training kicks in and I do an about face. NO SHIT Then I giggle to myself about it, wondering if the judges have ever seen a bikini girl about face before.

They do first call outs, I'm not in it and not surprised. I'm just taking it all in. I ended up with 6th in the open and 8th in the novice. I'm proud of myself for doing it, and for not tripping in those shoes. I'm thrilled with how my body looks and looking forward to improvement season. I'm doing it again in 2 weeks, different show same judges. I will be competing forever, I loved it.

After the show one of the judges approached me and told me he thought my conditioning was great but I needed to smile and hoped I stuck with it. Shortly after him, another, then another. By nights end I had talked to all but two judges.

The overall consensus was my stage presence needs work. My tan was too light and appeared orange. My hair was out of control and covered too much of my upper body. I did not smile enough, and looked dazed and confused.

I spent so much time in the gym making sure my body was on point I forgot about the other stuff. In bikini you are judged on you entire look. Your body can be bangin' but everything has to be on point if you want to place. Hair, makeup, tan, smile, posing, walking it all goes into scoring.

My biggest mistake was not practicing these things before the show. I'll be on point for the next one, slick straight hair, perfect make up, great strut, and my posing will be much better. It's a larger show, if I place great, but if not that's ok too. Sometimes the lesson and the experience is the reward.