Girl Pageant Secrets to Diet & Exercise

While pageant competitors make looking good in a swimsuit seem easy, that bikini body is often the product of hard work and a commitment to a healthy diet and exercise routine. A beauty contestant’s diet does not consist of starvation and countless hours on the treadmill. Instead, it is about adopting a healthy lifestyle and working to achieve long, lean muscles. Following a few simple strategies will be sure to bring you perfect “10s” at the beach or pool.

Leg Slimmer: Pool Walking

If larger thighs are a problem, one contestant’s method can help. Miss Indiana 2004 Sarah Wiley said she would put on her jeans and a sweatshirt and jump in the pool, according to a Forbes.com interview. Wiley would use a combination of fast walking and flutter kicks in the pool to slim her thighs. Do this four times per week for 30 minutes and you can also experience results 1. The added resistance of wearing the clothing in the water helped her experience the best results, she said.

Find Opportunities to Exercise

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A beauty contestant’s schedule is often busy, and she often has to fit in exercises whenever possible. Miss Kansas 2004 Megan Bushell said she would contract her butt or abdominal muscles or perform calf raises while sitting in her college classes. Another trick was to always take the stairs to incorporate calorie-burning and muscle-building into her daily routine. “Those little additions add up to a lot of burned calories and lead to a more toned look,” Bushell said in a Forbes.com interview.

Eat Clean

If you want to look your best, you have to eat your cleanest 2. That means cutting out refined sugars and carbohydrates. A beauty queen’s diet features high protein choices like egg whites and fish. Carbohydrate sources come from fresh fruit and brown rice — not desserts or fried foods. Vegetables are another must. Include anything green. Brussels sprout, broccoli, spinach and green beans are all examples of pageant-friendly foods.

Stay Prepared

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Cravings are natural, even for a beauty queen. However, pageant contestants combat these with preparedness — always with snacks on hand like trail mix, rice cakes or unsalted nuts. Other healthy snacks include an apple served with natural peanut butter or low-fat yogurt sprinkled with high-fiber granola. If you find yourself without a snack, don’t go the starvation route; instead, just eat a small serving of whatever is available to prevent you from feeling deprived.